Sports Spectrum Podcast

Virginia is in the Final Four for the first time since 1984 and coach Tony Bennett has been a big part of this team's success on and off the court.  We talked to Coach Tony Bennett about his journey of basketball and faith in Christ back on Episode 180 on October 31, 2018 here on the podcast and we revisit a portion of that conversation today on Throwback Thursday. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 275 Caleb Frare was selected in the 11th round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Yankees. In 2018, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. After 6 seasons in minor league ball, Caleb achieved his dream and made his MLB debut on September 2, 2018. He would go on to pitch in 11 games for the White Sox last season. Born and raised in Montana, Caleb never played high school ball because his school didn't offer the sport. Instead he played club ball and impressed enough to earn a selection by the Yankees. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Caleb about preparing for the 2019 season with the White Sox, how injuries and missing 2 full seasons of baseball tested his faith, what it was like to be traded, his concerns with the lifestyle of a minor league baseball player and the crazy story of how he got called up to the Major Leagues.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 274 Steve Gomez is the women's basketball coach for the 2018-19 NCAA Division II champion Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaps. Gomez led his club to their second title in four seasons after capturing the championship on Friday March 29 in Columbus, Ohio. The championship game was a thriller, with Lubbock Christian prevailing in double-overtime 95-85 over Southwestern Oklahoma State. A former WBCA NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, Gomez also led LCU to a title in 2015-16, going a perfect 35-0. An LCU graduate, Gomez was a standout perimeter player for Coach John Copeland in the late 1980s, and to this day, he still holds the school record for career free throw percentage at .855.  He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mathematics and consistently used his degree to teach in the classroom while pursuing coaching on the sidelines.  Gomez’s career began at Lubbock Monterey High School where he served as an assistant coach in the men’s basketball program from 1988 to 1995.  In 1996, Gomez accepted the men’s basketball head coaching position at Lubbock Cooper High School, where he remained until returning to Lubbock Christian University to take over the reigns of the Lady Chaps in 2003. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Coach Gomez about winning the Division II championship, what that pressure feels like to be on the sidelines in a double-overtime title game, how his players grew this season in their walk with the Lord, how Christ guides him as a coach and living out that faith everyday. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 273 Troy Hudson played 11 seasons in the NBA from 1998-2008 with the Jazz, Clippers, Magic, Timberwolves, and Warriors. He was undrafted after playing his college ball at Southern Illinois and made his NBA debut on October 31, 1997 with Utah.  His best season came in 2002-03 with Minnesota when he averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 assists for a 51 win Timberwolves team. In the playoffs that year against the Shaq and Kobe Lakers, Hudson averaged 23.5 points in the 6 game series. Today, Hudson is the team chaplain for the Timberwolves where he ministers to players before each game. He also is active in youth sports, coaching and training young athletes in the game of basketball. On this episode of the podcast we talk to Troy about his role as an NBA team chaplain, the state of faith in the NBA, the importance of guys like Stephen Curry to use their platform to be bold about Christ, his first NBA game and difference between believing in God and having a personal relationship with Jesus. 

Episode 272 Dave Jauss is the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates and joined Manager Clint Hurdle's staff on October 31, 2012. Now in his 33rd season in professional baseball. In 2011, Jauss worked with the New York Mets as their Coordinator of Staff Development. He also served the Mets as their Major League Bench Coach in 2010 after working in the same capacity under manager Dave Trembley in Baltimore (2008-09) and under manager Grady Little with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2006-07). Prior to joining the Dodgers in 2006, Jauss spent 10 seasons working as a coach, scout and administrator in the Boston organization from 1996-2005. He spent the 1995 campaign as Baltimore's coordinator of instruction before being hired by the Red Sox, where he worked as the minor league field coordinator for two years (2000-2001). His last three seasons with Boston (2003-05) were spent in the role of a Major League Advance Scout. Jauss' start in professional baseball came in 1988 when he managed Montreal's Gulf Coast League team. Dave has been married to his wife Billie for 30 years and together they have three children. Billie is an author and recently released her first book "Making Room: Doing Less So God Can Do More." On this episode of the podcast, Dave and Billie share their baseball journey, what the life of a traveling baseball wife is like, how God restored their marriage after a separation, the impact Clint Hurdle has made on their lives, and why it is so important to make an impact on others through baseball. For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

  Jarrett Payton is a Chicago broadcaster, former NFL running back and the son of legendary Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton. On this Throwback Thursday edition of the Sports Spectrum podcast from November 2017, Jarrett shares about his father's faith and what his walk with the Lord was like after finding out he had cancer.  You can listen to the entire interview, Episode 55 here.   

Episode 271 Prince Amukamara plays cornerback for the Chicago Bears. He was selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and in his first season, earned a ring when his club defeated the Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI.  After spending five seasons with the Giants, Prince went to Jacksonville for a season before arriving in Chicago in 2017.  He played his college ball at the University of Nebraska and was named the 2010 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.  Born to Romans and Christy Amukamara, both natives of Nigeria, Prince has five sisters named Princess, Promise, Peace, Precious, and Passionate. Prince is of royal Igbo Nigerian descent and his grandfather was the chief Awo-Omamma in the Imo State of Nigeria. Prince is currently next in line to be the chief. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Prince Amukamara about the 2018 Chicago Bears season, the bond of faith that was cultivated in the locker room, orchestrated on-field celebrations, where his relationship with the Lord took shape, and his love for the game MAFIA.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 270 Joe Champion is the founder and pastor of Celebration Church in Austin, Texas. Champion grew up in a football family with his Dad Jim coaching in both the NFL and CFL. While a football player at Louisiana State University, Joe considered following in his father’s footsteps with a career in the National Football League, but entered full-time ministry in 1989 after a life-transforming experience with Christ.  Joe's son Connor has continued the football coaching legacy as an assistant at Arizona State under Herm Edwards. A husband and father of four, Pastor Joe is a globally recognized leader and speaker who serves on the boards of One Hope and Oral Roberts University. He is also part of the Lead Team of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), an international church planting organization. By example, Pastor Joe equips and empowers ministry leaders to take hold of God’s calling on their lives with an emphasis on the importance of maintaining Christ-like integrity and character. On this episode of the podcast, we learn the story of Joe Champion coming to faith in Christ at the Atlanta Falcons training camp, how playing football at LSU shaped his faith and the powerful story of the best day and worst day of his life being the same day.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Andrew McCutchen is starting his 11th season of Major League Baseball. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates making his big league debut in June of 2009. After 9 seasons with the Bucs, he was traded in January 2018 to the San Francisco Giants. In August of 2018, he was again traded to the Yankees and 4 months later, signed a 3-year deal in December of 2018 with the Philadelphia Phillies.  Cutch is a 5-time All-Star and 4-time Silver Slugger Award Winner. He won a Gold Glove in 2012 and was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 2013. On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Andrew about the excitement surrounding his new team, his crazy 2018 that saw him change teams three times in a calendar year, why accountability is important to him in his walk with the Lord, the one piece of advice he'd give to a young player coming up, and his memories of his first major league game.  For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 268 Jayson Gee just completed his first year as associate head coach of the Eagle basketball program. Gee has spent 29 years coaching collegiate basketball. Previously, he was the head coach at Longwood from 2013-2018.  In addition to his time at Longwood, Gee was also a head coach at the University of Charleston (1996-2003) in West Virginia and combined has a 202-175 record in his head coaching career. That is just the tip of the iceberg for his experience as an assistant or associate head coach at Youngstown State (1989-93), Ohio University (1993-96), St. Bonaventure (2003-06) and Cleveland State (2006-13). The veteran hoops coach is also the author of The Battle for Brandon, a book that is a dramatic and compelling story about Jayson Gee and his wife Lynette and their son Brandon's courageous fight against child onset paranoid schizophrenia. The Gee family also worked with mass media veteran Chad Bonham to transform the book into a documentary that has received endorsements from Emmy Nominated and Golden Globe Award winning actress Jennifer Garner, WNBA MVP Tamika Catchings, former Pittsburgh Steeler Antwaan Randle El, and many more. The 2015 recipient of the prestigious John Lotz Barnabas Award, Gee was also named one of the nation's top 10 assistant coaches by BleacherReport.com while at Cleveland State. The John Lotz Barnabas Award is presented annually to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity and encouragement of others, and lives a balanced life. Gee took over at Longwood in 2013 to lead the program into its second season as a member of the Big South Conference. He produced the program's first All-Big South first and second team selections (five total) and sent four players on to play professionally. On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Jayson about his journey to coaching, why we're so caught up in March Madness, where his faith foundation was born, his prescription to the supernatural and the powerful story of his son Brandon.   For more, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com