Author: Running It Back

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Taylor Swift and Must-See Athletes

Taylor Swift

In our Season 4 Kickoff episode, Mike and Tarlin are lacing up their kicks to run it back on must-see athletes and entertainers. After Tarlin’s mind-blowing experience at a Taylor Swift show, we debate who reaches T-Swift levels of fame and fandom. Is it His Airness Michael Jordan back in the 90s heyday? The GOAT Ali? Eldrick “Tiger” Woods tearing up the links? Or do queens like Serena and Beyoncé rule over the kingdom? From the hardwood to the course to the court to the stage, the fellas break down legendary performers with must-see greatness. Whether you’re team Tay Tay or ride for Mike, this episode will have you pumped up for the icons taking sports and music to new heights!

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more lessons learned from the world of sports.

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Bonus Episode – The PGA LIV Golf Merger

PGA LIV Golf Merger

In a special bonus episode, Mike and Tarlin share their thoughts about the recent PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger. We reflect on what has transpired since we first talked about LIV and Sportswashing with the recent surprise merger between rival leagues. How does this connect to preview splits and mergers? How does it connect to Voldemort and the USFL? And as we gear up for the US Open which is happening on Tarlin’s home golf course, why does this episode earn an Explicit rating? Listen in to find out all of this and more.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more great lessons learned from sports.

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Jokic, Murray and the Nuggets – Lessons Learned from the 2023 NBA Finals

Jokic, Murray, Nuggets

Tarlin and Mike return to talk Lessons Learned from the 2023 NBA Finals as Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and the Denver “Chicken” Nuggets prepare to close out the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. We start with a conversation about the crazy weather and some (TMI) details about Tarlin’s footcare regimens before digging into what we can learn from the selflessness and chemistry of the 2023 Denver Nuggets. Once again we compare the Miami Heat to the 1999 New York Knicks before going deeper into the connections between the 2023 Nuggets and the 1999 San Antonio Spurs. Are we on the verge of a new dynasty? How does Jokic compare to other legends of the game and what legendary NBA Duo is an easy target for comparison with Jokic and Murray? What does this teach us about leadership, chemistry, and the importance of intangibles? Listen in to find out.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more amazing lessons learned from sports.

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Jimmy “Freakin” Butler, Building Culture, and the NBA Coaching Carousel

Jimmy Butler

Tarlin and Mike are back after a couple of months of laying low since our Advice for Ja Morant episode. Tarlin dives right into his takes on “Himmy” Butler’s clutch performance versus Grant Williams in the Boston Garden. Note: some of his prep was done with Hoops GPT. When does it make sense to “poke the bear?” How great is Jimmy Buckets as the playoff competitor as the Heat makes a heroic run reminiscent of the 1999 Knicks? We recall a legendary Game of Zones episode featuring Jimmy “22 Jump Street” Butler and give props to Coach Spoelstra and Darvin Ham as we think about how this all connects to culture, coaching, and continuity.

Then we say goodbye to Coach Budenholzer, Monte Williams, Nick Nurse, and Doc Rivers and argue for some patience and resolve while building culture before concluding with some rays of hope for the Knicks franchise with MSG rocking due to the culture-building talent of Jalen Brunson.

Don’t miss our triumphant return to the podwaves as we gear up to start running it back on the regular.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more lessons learned from the world of sports.

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Advice for Ja Morant

Ja Morant

Tarlin Ray and Mike Palmer are back from youth volleyball tournaments in Vegas and SXSW EDU in Austin to dig into the ongoing Ja Morant story as we outline a series of incidents that have resulted in his suspension from the Grizzlies. What advice do we have for a “Likes-to-Fight” guy like Ja? What lessons can we draw from the story of Gilbert “Agent Zero” Arenas and Javaris Crittenton bringing guns to the Washington Wizards’ locker room? What other stories of incidents from the past can provide perspective on how Ja can sort things out for himself as the transcendent 23-year-old talent grapples with his season on the brink? Listen in to find out.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more relevant lessons learned from sports.

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NBA 2023 Trade Deadline Shuffle Up and Deal Edition

NBA Trade - Kyrie & KD

Mike and Tarlin are back to talk about Lessons Learned from the NBA with the recent team shakeups across the league as we prepare for the stretch run after the All-Star Game. Kyrie and KD are no longer Nets and that has set off ripple effects that have transformed the NBA. We get Mike’s reactions to the new look Knicks and Nets and hear from Tarlin about his revamped Lakers before digging into the new Big 4 with the Suns and how they shape up against Jokic’s Nuggets and the new pecking order in the Western Conference. The leadership in the East is clearly Boston, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia. Mike issues an “Intangibles Alert” with the crafty Jae Crowder heading to the Bucks. What have the experiments with Big 3s and so-called “Super Teams” taught us so far and how does this set us up for the rest of this season? We try to answer this while also reflecting on the sale of the Suns from Robert Sarver to bench player for the 2000 NCAA Champion Michigan State Spartans, Matt Ishbia, and what it means for the league.

Then we conclude by reflecting on LeBron breaking Kareem’s All-Time NBA Scoring record in a wide-ranging romp through the exciting and vastly transformed NBA in 2023. Don’t miss it.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more amazing lessons learned from the world of sports.

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NFL 2023 – Bieniemy of the State Edition

Eric Bieniemy

Tarlin and Mike are back to kick off 2023 with our NFL Super Bowl, Black History Month, Black Quarterback, and Coaching Carousel edition. We start by running it back to NFL Combine reports on Super Bowl QBs Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes. From there we talk about swagger, high floors, low ceilings, vice versa, and more. How do Hurts and Mahomes compare with fellow draftees Zach Wilson and Mitch Trubisky? What lessons can we learn from this about assessing talent and uncovering inherent biases in a system like the NFL?

Then we pivot to Big Red, aka Andy Reid, to understand his success and that of his coaching tree before zeroing in on what the stories of Eric Bieniemy, Steve Wilkes, and Lovie Smith (and his beard) teach us about where the NFL is today and how far it still has to go.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more amazing Lessons Learned from the world of sports.

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The 2022 Sports Year in Review

Running It Back 2022

Mike and Tarlin are back again. This time to reflect on what we’ve all just witnessed as we look back for lessons learned from an incredible year in sports.

We begin with Tarlin’s shout-out to Aaron Judge for betting on himself and winning with a big contract as something to learn from and be inspired by. This leads us into discussions of football with QBs like Lamar Jackson making similar bets with potentially different outcomes and risk profiles. This sparks a conversation about system quarterbacks versus tailoring the system to the quarterback. After a brief sidetrack to talk about the transcendent World Cup Final we just witnessed and the importance of learning how to shout “MBAPPE!!!” in public, we return to the examples of Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, and Brock Purdy in a free-flowing exploration of identifying talent, building chemistry, and being willing to innovate around the talent you have, not the talent you think you should have. We include quick thoughts on the release of Brittney Griner and how it should make Tarlin watch the Ali Documentary on PBS before concluding with some notes on Chemistry in the NBA and more.

We had an amazing year. Thanks to everyone who is listening. Be on the lookout for more episodes on lessons learned from sports in January of 2023!

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LIV Golf, Sportswashing, and Sports Watching

Liv Golf

Tarlin and Mike are back for our 54th episode of Running It Back. We’re taking the occasion to dig into LIV Golf, Sportswashing, and the disruption we’re seeing to the staid traditions of PGA Golf. What can we learn from golfers choosing to go to a new league backed by Saudi money with big purses, fewer holes, and what we hear are fantastic amenities?

How will this affect the product we consume as sports watchers? What does this mean for the players? And what are the implications of the innovation, intrigue, and other soap opera-like that are being infused into an older and more conservative sport? Don’t miss this wide-ranging, relevant, and thought-provoking conversation that is in fact our 54th episode of Running It Back.

Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more Lessons Learned from Sports.

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The Redeem Team

The Redeem Team

Tarlin and Mike are back to break down the recent Netflix documentary, The Redeem Team. What lessons can be learned about leadership, storytelling, and redemption? How does this connect back to the history of US Mens Basketball, the Dream Team, and even the origins of Running It Back? We explore all of this while showcasing one of the most compelling offensive fouls in basketball history.

Are there lessons to be learned from Kobe’s leadership? Or from Coach K’s coaching tactics? And how do even the greatest players in the world have to relearn the game and how they can contribute to the team in new ways to win?

Listen in to find out! Subscribe to Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. Visit us at RunningItBack.fm for more amazing lessons learned from sports.