Three-Point Range

To mark our centennial episode, we reflect on staying power -- both for our gutty little podcast and Hubert Davis' UNC coaching career.

The professor mulls the latest fourth-down decision data from the NFL while the scout declares Jim Harbaugh's Michigan unfit to serve as College Football Playoff champions.

Delayed by technology issues, the latest episode includes an examination of the Charissa Thompson controversy and the tragic death of an American hockey player.

This week the Professor examines the larger meaning of the MJ Morris situation at N.C. State, the Scout wonders if Caleb Williams deserves a pass for crying on his mother's shoulder and the Journalist kicks around some wild ideas for value-added NFL action in the wake of Dare Ogunbowale's emergency field goal.

This week the Professor breaks down the Winer-Castellanos exchange, the Scout vouches for a fading Bill Belichick and the Journalist wonders why college football even bothers to ban in-person advance scouting.

In this week's very NFL-centric discussion, the Professor introduces listeners to Football Bob Gibson, the Scout examines the latest round of NFL parity and the Beat Writer waxes nostalgic about all those 1970's-era Bert Jones highlights on his Twitter feed.

This week the Professor (Tim Crothers) wonders if sports prodigies are done a disservice by early-career hype; the Scout (Kimball Crossley) would like to remove sports hatred from the equation; and the Journalist (Mike Berardino) laments the ever-present camera crew that has reduced college football to an endless loop of university-produced recruiting videos and other nonsense.

Back for another round of spirited discussion, the Three-Point Range crew debates the regulation of NBA load management (Tim), the reaction to Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury (Kimball) and where the bar is set for Adam Wainwright's transition from the MLB mound to the country music stage (Mike).

Joined by special guest Atticus Crothers, the Professor (Tim Crothers) and the Journalist (Mike Berardino) offer opposing bookend points around the issue that continues to roil modern college sports: conference realignment. In between, the Scout (Kimball Crossley) is surprisingly sanguine about the continued rise of automated umpires in professional baseball.

Professor Crothers tries valiantly to make a case for cycling's Tour de France as appointment television; Kimball the Scout ruminates on the men's Wimbledon final and perhaps the greatest break of serve in tennis history; and Mike the Beat Writer throws out a wild conspiracy theory ahead of an upcoming documentary on the late Wilt Chamberlain.

This week's pod features deep baseball thoughts from the Professor and son Atticus; words of gratitude from the Scout after a serious accident involving his daughter Lulu; and Mike's proposed rebranding of Bobby Bonilla Day.

In addition to Sawyer Crothers' groundbreaking appearance on Three-Point Range, this week's episode features the Professor's lament at a U.S. Open gone soft; the Journalist's concern with the latest spike in pitcher abuse in college baseball; and the Scout's Top 10 Reasons to Love Tennis.

In our never-ending quest to fix sports, the Professor (along with guest podder Atticus Crothers) examines who bears responsibility for the sorry state of modern American tennis; the Beat Writer tweaks Jeff Van Gundy's prescription for streamlining NBA games; and the Scout highlights current examples of successful coaches who know how to play the media game.

After a much-needed break to gather our wits, the cast at Three-Point Range is back with more thought-provoking discussion. The Professor makes a bold prediction about the future of horse racing. The Scout endorses a recent rule change that might make miracle comebacks harder to pull off in high school basketball. And the Beat Writer offers a surprising choice for which golf announcer, past or present, he would like to have narrate his life.

In our never-ending quest to fix sports, Tim cautions against premature elimination; Kimball vigorously hand-checks those who would outlaw the charging foul; and Mike examines the knee-jerk reactions that flowed from Max Scherzer's messy ejection.

As the last echoes of March Madness fade out, the Professor ponders the making a basketball blueblood in the Nutmeg State; the Scout has some thoughts on the Hurley coaching dynasty; and Mike sets out a frontloaded viewer's guide to The Masters.

Take it from three veterans of the bracket racket: Come March Madness, it's best to keep those nagging voices and visions from influencing your NCAA Tournament picks.  

Topics this week include Brandon Miller and the fallout at Alabama basketball and whether North Carolina basketball can salvage its season with another surprise tournament run. 

This week the professor examines the perilous present in the UNC-Duke college basketball rivalry; the scout has his doubts about how Kyrie Irving will fit in with the Dallas Mavericks; and the journalist breaks down the developing drama in the Super Bowl broadcast booth. 

In this week's podcast, Tim laments the block/charge disparity that is plaguing flop-happy college basketball; Kimball endorses the idea of his beloved Jets dealing for Aaron Rodgers; and Mike pays tribute to the late Billy Packer and the straightforward analysis that made him synonymous with the Final Four.   

With the NFL postseason in full roar, Tim unpacks Brett Maher's public nightmare, Kimball laments the inclusion of the unworthy and Mike explains why sports TV's latest all-access experiment was so unpleasing to his ears.  

Special guest and Boston College freshman Atticus Crothers joins the pod as the professor (Tim) considers the choices football players must make as we all process Damar Hamlin's harrowing on-field episode; the scout (Kimball) wonders why winning matters so much; the freshman (Atticus) shares his experiences as a fledgling hoops Sicko; and Mike ponders the franchising influence of new Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman, aka Mr. Bojangles. 

Happy holidays, everyone. Tim wonders if towering Zach Edey can take Purdue basketball to the promised land. Kimball found the World Cup more enjoyable since he didn't care who won. And on the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic plays in NFL history, Mike recounts the story of how two Steelers fans coined the "Immaculate Reception." 

As Leo Messi closes in on Argentina's first World Cup championship since 1986 -- the year before he was born -- Professor Crothers considers how little we really know about the soccer legend. Kimball, now in his baseball offseason actor/coach mode, offers an apology after his latest lesson in the differences between coaching high school boys and girls. And Mike, taking a break from transfer portal mania, wonders who will end up signing Bobby McGee.     

With the eyes of the world on Qatar, Tim divulges his most favored nation, Kimball chides those who fail to see the drama in low-scoring matches and Mike proposes an expansion of fair-play points as a way to incentivize sportsmanship in other realms. 

This week the professor discusses the many issues with holding soccer's World Cup in Qatar; the scout believes his beloved New York Jets will use Sunday's crushing loss as fuel; and Mike wonders about the real missed opportunity for disgraced public figures with a national platform.  

Tim wonders why NFL players can't just refrain from excessive on-field celebration; Kimball fails to see the value in midgame TV interviews with those trying to compete;  and Mike questions the wisdom of sports-voting transparency in the social media age.  

Tim has concerns about the coming expansion of the College Football Playoff, Kimball breaks out the worst Bill Belichick imitation you've ever heard and Mike wishes the '72 Dolphins would finally get the respect they deserve. 

In honor of the San Diego Padres and their first NLCS appearance in nearly a quarter century, we're talking baseball and fatherhood. Professor Crothers recounts a memorable Petco Park experience with his son Atticus from 2012, while Mike Berardino goes back even further to 2008 and a breakthrough game of catch with his son Daniel in the parking lot of the Padres' spring home in Peoria, Ariz. As a Padres scout, Kimball offers up a few bold suggestions for how to make the multitiered MLB playoff system more rewarding for division winners. 

Amid All-Rise Mania, Professor Crothers ponders whether Aaron Judge just had the greatest offensive season in major league history; Kimball chides those who act like they care more about Tua Tagovailoa's safety than our NFL entertainment fix; and Mike pulls back the curtain on life as a first-time AP Top 25 voter and the conspiracy theories of rabid college football fans.  

Noted author John Walters joins us to discuss Geno Smith (Tim's point), Manti Te'o (Mike's point) and the pickleball craze (Kimball). 

Back for more and stunningly so, Professor Crothers ponders modern tennis' greatest #Kyrgiosity, Kimball obsesses (yet again) about the charmed life of Tom Brady and Mike wonders if the universally despised Brian Kelly will ever get the benefit of the doubt. 

In this episode Tim shares memories of a family trip to the home of the Little League World Series, Kimball wonders at what point do we lose our right to moral outrage and Mike considers the sweeping ramifications of Paige Bueckers' latest major injury. 

After a brief hiatus, the Thoughtful Trio is back to consider the uniqueness of St. Andrews, the pressure of Wimbledon and the madness of the megaconference. 

With LIV golf starting up this week, Tim ponders the short list of athletes who have harmed their careers as completely and as rapidly as Phil Mickelson has since winning the 2021 PGA Championship; Mike wonders if Tiger Woods will actually end up regretting his decision to pass up all that Saudi cash; and Kimball searches high and low for the real victims of the NIL tidal wave that is sweeping away college sports as we knew it. 

After a brief hiatus, your favorite sports thinkers return to address the issues of our time. Professor Crothers is now hunky dory with the all-time DH in MLB. Scout Crossley is ready to legislate out the beloved corner 3-point shot from the NBA game, and Journalist Berardino is still processing the fallout from this week's ugly Twitter feud between Lil Wayne and Mark Cuban. 

In the wake of the latest Angel Hernandez debacle, Tim wonders why Major League Baseball doesn't just go to robot umpires now; Kimball is rooting for Jerry West in his potential litigation against HBO's "Winning Time," and Mike considers Jay Wright's early retirement in the context of the legend exodus that has taken place in college basketball over the past 13 months. 

This week Tim proclaims he's through watching Major League Baseball, Kimball explains his unusual acceptance of a runner-up finish for North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament and DraftKings Mike breaks down the worthwhile long shots this year in Augusta. 

With North Carolina and Duke set to meet in the Final Four for the first time in the rivalry's 102-year history, we examine that mega-meeting from all angles. Tim reports from Chapel Hill that the celebration of Final Four trip No. 21 was strangely muted; Kimball suggests whichever blue-blood program (including Kansas and Villanova) emerges as this year's champion will have a valid claim as Team of the Century (Thus Far); and Mike takes us through the long and winding road that connects Dick Harp and Hubert Davis in the history books.  

As we examine our (mostly) busted brackets and maybe our consciences as well, we take a longer look at the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Tim senses more parity than ever before. Kimball suddenly identifies with Billy Beane and others who can't bear to watch. Mike, meanwhile, has a few simple solutions to spring us from Replay Hell in the final two minutes of seemingly every college hoops game. 

With the NCAA Tournament upon us, Tim wonders why the pundits are doubting Duke; Mike goes deep on KenPom.com nuggets; and Kimball shares the reasoning behind (one of) his brackets.   

What else is there to discuss in the aftermath of perhaps the greatest regular-season victory in Tar Heel basketball history? Kimball, it seems, is  back on board with the program he's loved for the past 40 years. And Mike makes an attempt to assign blame in this show about something. 

Fresh off a basketball state championship, Coach/Scout Crossley wonders if we move on too quickly in the sports world. Back full-time in sports media, South Bend Tribune football writer Mike Berardino wonders how Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard avoided the sack after another dust-up with an opposing Big Ten coach; and Professor Crothers takes us home with a recap of a New Zealander's soccer nightmare.  

Lots of Winter Olympics talk this week as Professor Crothers examines the social-media backlash against NBC and Scout Crossley explains why he'd rather save his memory capacity for sports that matter all the time. Mike wraps things up with some well-deserved criticism for Hubert's (Anti) Heroes in the UNC student section. 

On a watershed day in NFL history, our fearless trio breaks down the ramifications of Brian Flores' class-action lawsuit as well as Tom Brady's slow-motion retirement and Rafael Nadal's record-setting grand slam title. 

This week, in the wake of the Chiefs-Bills classic, Professor Crothers again pounds the table with his solution for playoff overtime injustice; Kimball takes us behind the scenes of his wildly popular serial, Diary of a Freshman Coach; and Mike reveals his verdict on Big Papi (and others) in advance of baseball's annual Hall of Fame voting announcement. Yes, Boston, Mike still has a vote. 

This week Professor Crothers laments the widespread concept of assumed victory in sports fandom (and beyond); Scout Crossley reveals his flagging interest in watching his beloved Tar Heels play basketball; and Gig Economist Berardino wonders why sports officials, referees, umpires, et al are still allowed to hide behind the pool-reporter concept in the wake of controversial calls.  

This week Tim explores the hubbub over the Chargers-Raiders timeout controversy; Kimball shares his observations from the College Football Playoff title game; and Mike reminds listeners why Georgia's first championship in 41 years wasn't exactly the feel-good story it was portrayed to be. 

In our New Year's Day edition, Tim breaks down the complete unpredictability of college bowl season; Kimball wonders why NFL coaches have to be so serious in their press conferences; and Mike calls for the end of the one-foot rule in pass-happy college football. 

Back for a Christmas edition, Tim details his recent trips to Cameron Indoor Stadium and Madison Square Garden from a fan's perspective; Kimball breaks down the growing battle over analytics in the NFL; and Mike muses about Ms. Fitz and teacher superpowers.