Primetime Sports Podcast

by Joey Maiullari

Ep. 442 (9/7/26): Special Guest - Zach Crews, The Grand Return of the Playbook w/ Joey and Zach

In this episode, Joey has the honor and privilege of being joined by his former WZBC on-air co-host Zach Crews for the grand return of The Playbook with Joey and Zach! At the start of the episode, they take a look back at their favorite memories from WZBC (1:00). Following that, they preview the New England Patriots 2026 season by providing their expectations for the team (4:09) their thoughts on the A.J. Brown trade (9:14) and the addition of Romeo Doubs (11:56), and their opinions on a potential bounceback season from Will Campbell (13:30). Then, they reveal who can be the X-factor for the Patriots offense (15:51), their predictions for where the club will place in the AFC East (18:13), and their thoughts on Christian Gonzalez's potential extension, which was signed following the recording of this episode (22:13). After that, Joey and Zach shift over to talking about the New York Giants and discuss Odell Beckham Jr.'s return to New York (29:04), Jaxson Dart (33:04), and their record predictions for the Giants (36:09). Next, they outline their predictions for the Super Bowl (40:30) and the NFL MVP Award (47:20). To close the episode, Joey and Zach break down the Boston Celtics offseason, including the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade (49:50). They question whether or not the Celtics are changing their identity and strategy away from Mazzulla Ball (53:07) and highlight their expectations for Paul George (58:28). Additionally, the duo give their opinions on the NBA's punishment of the Los Angeles Clippers from the salary cap circumvention investigation (1:03:00) and chat about the future of the franchise following a harsh penalty (1:11:26). At the end, Joey and Zach mention LeBron James' decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers (1:21:33).

E442

Sep 11, 2026

1:37:50

Ep. 441 (9/2/26): Fifth Annual NFL Starting Quarterback Rankings with the Sports Guru

For the fifth straight year, Joey has the privilege of being joined by the legendary sports guru Mike Hurley for their annual quarterback rankings. Joey and Mike rank all 32 projected Week 1 starting quarterbacks based on how they believe they will perform this season. It is important to note that Joey weighs statistics more heavily than Mike who favors the win-loss record of each passer. Mike and Joey are projecting where each quarterback will rank at the end of the 2026 season, which leads to an entertaining debate with some hot takes and bold predictions. In their rankings, they also note some of the top backup quarterbacks. Rankings: Quarterbacks 1-5: (2:55-17:45) Quarterbacks 6-10: (17:45-35:50) Quarterbacks 11-18: (35:50-56:50) Quarterbacks 19-24: (56:50-1:12:56) Quarterbacks 25-32: (1:12:56-1:24:00)

E441

Sep 5, 2026

1:38:12

Ep. 440 (8/28/26): Special Guest - Jack Hawke, Assistant Baseball Coach at Holy Cross

In this episode, Joey has the privilege and honor of being joined by a former teammate of his in the Yawkey Baseball League and a current assistant coach for the Holy Cross baseball team, Jack Hawke. Jack played college baseball at Bard College where he was a four-year starter and a three-year captain. He went on to be an assistant coach for two years at Bard College after graduation, before coaching at Post University in 2020, Vassar College in 2021, Harvard University in 2022, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 2023-2025, and the College of the Holy Cross from 2026 to the present day. Holy Cross won the Patriot League Championship this past spring and punched a ticket to the 2026 NCAA Tournament! At the start of the episode, Jack breaks down where his love for the game of baseball began (1:31), what appealed to him about Bard College as a high school recruit (2:53), what led to him being a pitcher and infielder as a freshman (6:13), how important being a reliable and top-tier defender was to him (8:00), and how much of an honor it was to be a three-year captain for the Bard Raptors (10:08). Then, Jack transitions to talk about his experience as an assistant coach at Bard for the 2018 and 2019 seasons (11:38), what it is like balancing the development of outfielders, hitters, and baserunners (13:11), the recruiting strategies of Bard (15:11), and where his interest in coaching began (17:49). After that, Jack reveals what the transition was like to a Division II school in Post University in 2020 (20:55), how difficult it was for the Eagles’ season to be shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic (22:35), what his experience was like at Vassar College for the 2021 season where he added the responsibility of developing catchers (24:13), and how special it was to work at Harvard University as a volunteer assistant coach during a 2022 season that included wins over the University of Miami and UCLA (26:54). Additionally, Jack discusses his takeaways from his time learning under Harvard head baseball coach Bill Decker (28:56) and reflects on his three years at MIT (2023-2025), where he worked under former MIT head baseball coach Andy Barlow. Following that, Jack looks back at the Engineers’ run to the NEWMAC Championship during the 2025 season (31:28) and outlines what the recruiting process was like at MIT (34:25). Next, Jack chats about his reunion at Holy Cross with his former Bard head coach Ed Kahovec (38:00), explains how the Crusaders stayed positive despite a rough 0-6 start to the 2026 season (39:40), and highlights the program’s Patriot League Championship victory over Bucknell University (42:45). Moreover, Jack analyzes how gratifying it was to play a role in the Crusaders punching a ticket to the 2026 NCAA Tournament (45:03), recaps the thrill of the NCAA Selection Show (47:13), and speaks about the recruiting strategy of Holy Cross (49:13), along with the team’s expectations heading into the 2027 season (51:58). To close the episode, Jack reflects on his time as the field manager for the North Shore Navigators of the New England Collegiate Baseball League this summer (53:39).

E440

Aug 29, 2026

55:29

Ep. 439 (8/25/26): Special Guest - Joshua Beekman, Former NFL Offensive Lineman and BC Hall of Famer

In this episode, Joey has the privilege and honor of being joined by Boston College football legend and former NFL offensive lineman Joshua Beekman. Beekman graduated from BC with two degrees in 2005 and 2006 and played five years of football at BC, where he was a First-Team All-American selection and a team captain as a senior in 2006, before being a fourth round selection in the 2007 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears. He played professionally for six years with three years in Chicago and then stops with the Florida Tuskers in the UFL, Indianapolis Colts and then Jacksonville Jaguars. Josh was inducted into the BC Varsity Club Hall of Fame in 2022 and is currently the Director of Alumni Programs for BC Athletics. At the start of the episode, Beekman revealed where his love for the game of football began (2:15), what appealed to him about BC as a standout two-way player from Amsterdam High School in New York (5:24), and what his home visit as a recruit with former BC football head coach Tom O’Brien was like (9:25). Following that, he points out two values - accountability and leadership - which made the 2006 BC football team special, a roster that included 10 NFL players (13:19). Furthermore, Beekman talks about the team’s culture that was built around competitive excellence and provides an example of that in a Monopoly game with his former teammate Matt Ryan (17:04). He opens up about his experience playing with Matt Ryan and B.J. Raji (19:04), why he chose BC, and shouts out Luke Kuechly and Zay Flowers for flourishing at BC (20:44). Beekman explains how much of an honor it was to be the recipient of the Thomas F. Scanlan Memorial Trophy in 2006 (23:28). Joey praises Beekman for being “the best man around” (27:32). Following that, Beekman chats about the honor of earning First-Team All-American honors from the Associated Press and winning the 2006 Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the most valuable blocker in the Atlantic Coast Conference (28:59). Beekman thanks former BC football player and coach Barry Gallup for his support (30:27). To wrap up their conversation about BC, Beekman highlights his favorite moment/game from his time as a player at BC (34:19) and what Welles Crowther’s legacy and the Red Bandanna game mean to him (36:45). Then, Beekman outlines the pre-draft process and the NFL Scouting Combine (39:33) and how special it was to receive a call from the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft (41:45). Beekman shouts out Lovie Smith, his former head coach in Chicago (42:54), and breaks down what made Chicago a special place to play (43:59). After that, he reflects on his NFL debut in 2007 at Lambeau Field, where he played as an emergency defensive lineman (46:29). Furthermore, he gives listeners a look into what Chicago’s locker room was like with Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Charles Tillman, and Devin Hester (49:08). During this segment, he includes a funny story about payday as a rookie and an anecdote about how the team kept one another engaged through “The Movie Game.” Beekman adds in a practice story about Peyton Manning from his time in Indianapolis (52:41). Beekman speaks about the 2008 NFL season, in which he started all 16 games for the Bears at left guard, and provides insight into some of the rookie and sophomore pranks that he faced (56:17). Joey endorses Beekman’s discipline and when points out he tallied only six penalties in 28 career games in the NFL (1:01:07). Following that, Beekman describes his experience as a coach at the collegiate level (1:04:00). Moreover, he emphasizes how gratifying it is to see players that he mentored succeed in the NFL and their post-playing careers (1:07:17). To close the episode, Beekman reveals how important education has been to him (1:10:42) and how rewarding it was to be recognized by the Boston College community as the recipient of the university’s Community Service Award in 2025 (1:14:33).

E439

Aug 27, 2026

1:17:49

Ep. 438 (8/12/26): Special Guest - Jon Meterparel, Renowned Sports Broadcaster for ESPN and WEEI

In this episode, Joey has the honor and privilege of being joined by a former professor of his at Boston College and a sports broadcasting icon, Jon Meterparel! Meterparel has had an illustrious career in sports, from his time as an on-air host at WEEI and a broadcaster for ESPN, all the way to serving as the play-by-play voice on WEEI for BC football since 2005. At the start of the episode, Meterparel details where his love for sports began (1:18) and how he has balanced broadcasting many different leagues and sports, from the Boston Red Sox, all the way to the New England Revolution and the Massachusetts Pirates (3:08). Then, Meterparel talks about his experience teaching courses at Boston College and Lasell University (6:40), what the most gratifying point of his career has been thus far (12:23), and what the transition was like to being a news anchor for ABC6 in Providence, Rhode Island (14:06). After that, they transition into discussing Meterparel’s role as he enters his 22nd season as the play-by-play voice of BC football (18:00), from his favorite part of the job (18:24) to the best stadiums he has visited (20:46). Meterparel outlines his favorite season and favorite plays that he has called up to this point (23:50). Then, Joey points out some of his favorite radio calls from Meterparel over the last two decades (28:23) and asks Meterparel where his “Take a Bow!” catchphrase originated from (32:04). Next, Meterparel chats about his role working with BC football head coach Bill O’Brien on the “The Bill O’Brien Podcast with Jon Meterparel” for the last few years (35:53) and gives a brief look into his other podcast, “Marchand and Meterparel: Everybody Loves Sports Media” (39:16). Joey highlights the Chris Kowalski episode as his favorite from “The Bill O’Brien Podcast with Jon Meterparel” (41:51-46:41). Joey and Meterparel recommend all listeners to tune in to that episode through this link to hear about Kowalski’s strength and toughness: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6gWT1qnaPwuTP7jXCJn6oU?si=AwtceaIoQc-pPC-X6RwJlw. To close the episode, Meterparel shares his thoughts on the Red Sox four-game losing streak (46:42), the Adley Rutschman trade (49:08), the Boston Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia (51:41), and his Mount Rushmore of Boston athletes (55:06). Be sure to tune in to “The Bill O’Brien Podcast with Jon Meterparel” through this link: https://open.spotify.com/show/2tArIUHjE3zq3CI4Pubgw4?si=810f2fd407ed4aca. You can check out the “Marchand and Meterparel: Everybody Loves Sports Media” podcast at https://www.andrewmarchand.com/.

E438

Aug 13, 2026

1:00:25

Ep. 437 (8/10/26): Special Guest - Paul Hamann of Paul’s Ballparks, Avid Baseball Stadium Traveler

In this episode, Joey has the honor of being joined by Paul Hamann, an avid baseball stadium enthusiast and the founder of "Paul's Ballparks." Paul has visited over 85 Minor League Baseball stadiums and 50 Major League Baseball stadiums in his lifetime. Joey met Paul and his family at Fenway Park at a Reds-Red Sox game in June 2025! To begin, Paul outlines the start of his journey visiting ballparks (1:53) and explains what led him to write reviews of each stadium (6:40) and the criteria he uses to grade ballparks (9:45). Additionally, Joey and Paul discuss their liking of Citi Field (12:55) and contrast it with Yankee Stadium. Following that, Paul talks about his love for the Seattle Mariners (16:50) and the story behind his passion for sports (19:12). Paul mentions some of the former MLB stars that he saw play at the minor league level, including Joey Votto and Buster Posey (21:47). Then, Paul breaks down his top five MLB stadiums (23:44), which includes Fenway Park (24:14). After that, Paul chats about the origin of him scoring games (32:32) and the best experiences he has had among the 800 professional baseball games he has attended (37:56). Joey and Paul point out the danger of rising ticket costs in sports potentially pricing families out (48:42). Next, Paul gives insight into his upcoming novel, The Rules Guy, which will be published and available to purchase on Amazon in October 2026 (51:46). Paul shares his experience as an educator for three decades (54:45), a basketball official for 24 years (57:00), a national anthem singer at minor league baseball games (1:03:22), and a karaoke singer (1:05:32). Please check out Paul's reviews of professional ballparks, including 50 Major League Baseball stadiums, on Substack at https://paulsballparks.substack.com/. Stay tuned for the release of Paul’s novel, The Rules Guy, in October!

E437

Aug 11, 2026

1:08:13

Ep. 436 (8/8/26): Tarik Skubal Trade Reaction, The Red-Hot Boston Red Sox, Update on Aspiration and Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James Signs with the Philadelphia 76ers

In this episode, Joey catches up on MLB headlines, discussing the blockbuster trade that sent Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Boston Red Sox’s dominance over the last month. At the end, he updates listeners on the NBA’s investigation of Kawhi Leonard and Aspiration and provides his thoughts on LeBron James signing with the Philadelphia 76ers.

E436

Aug 10, 2026

41:07

Ep. 435 (7/3/26): Breakdown of the Blockbuster Trade Between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics that Lands Jaylen Brown in Philly

In this episode, Joey breaks down the blockbuster deal between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics that lands star forward Jaylen Brown in Philly. Joey provides his opinion on the trade and some reasoning as to why the Celtics may have made this move. Following that, he explains why believes Brad Stevens should have looked to receive a young star in return. Simultaneously, Joey also defends Paul George and analyzes why he can be a good complimentary player next to Jayson Tatum. At the end, Joey gives his grades for each team in this deal.

E435

Jul 4, 2026

41:00

Ep. 434 (7/1/26): MLB - Mendoza’s Firing, Red Sox Sweep Yankees | NBA - 2026 Draft Recap, Jaylen Brown Rumors | Thoughts on Giannis, LaMelo, Morant, and Kessler Trades | LeBron’s Free Agency

In this episode, Joey catches up on MLB headlines, including the Boston Red Sox’s four-game sweep of the Yankees, the Los Angeles Angels moving on from general manager Perry Minasian, and the New Yrok Mets’ decision to fire manager Carlos Mendoza. After that, he breaks down NBA headlines, including a recap of the 2026 NBA Draft and the following trades: LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, Kawhi Leonard to Toronto, and Walker Kessler to the Los Angeles Lakers. At the end, he gives his thoughts on LeBron James walking away from the Lakers in free agency.

E434

Jul 2, 2026

55:43

Ep. 433 (6/30/26): Instant Reaction to Blockbuster Clippers-Raptors Trade that Sends Kawhi Leonard to Toronto

In this episode, Joey provides an instant reaction to the blockbuster trade between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Toronto Raptors that sends star forward Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors. He gives a breakdown of the trade and explains why it makes sense for both Leonard and the Clippers, along with the Raptors. At the end, Joey reflects on the official end of the 213 era in LA.

E433

Jun 30, 2026

18:27

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