This year, Tim and Neil were not able to attend the big game in Dyersville, so they had to bring in a reliever. Who better to serve as the Moonlight Graham Show’s first unofficial correspondent than one of Iowa’s favorite role players, Moonlighter Nick Collison?
Read MoreGame. Set. Sibling rivalry. This week the Moonlight Graham Show takes the pod on the road to the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club in Charles City, Iowa. This little-known gem has earned the nickname “The Court of Dreams.” The AILTC might be the only true grass tennis court in the state. It is styled after, and named after, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, which hosts the iconic Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament. Neil and Tim record while on the road to Charles City and then on the ride home from their match to reflect on their experience.
Read MoreThe Baseball Hall of Fame looks to celebrate the greatest from across all generations. Standards like 3,000 hits or 300 wins are looked at as certain marks of excellence that lock in a player’s place in Cooperstown. While we don’t know where Fernando Tatis Jr.’s career is heading or what Aaron Judge’s next few years will be like, our resident baseball experts Tim and Neil sit down to prognosticate the Hall of Fame classes of years to come.
Read MoreThis week’s Moonlighter goes way back with Moonlight Tim. Eric Stein was a sophomore leader for the Iowa Central Tritons when Tim joined the team as a freshman. Even as a 19-year-old, Eric Stein’s baseball IQ made it clear that his future was in coaching if he wanted it. Roughly 18 years after that first meeting, Tim sits down with Eric to talk about Stein’s progression from player to head coach for those same Tritons.
Read MoreSometimes an athlete has to evolve their game to become a role player. Sometimes a role player evolves into being a star. This week’s Moonlighter went from being a backup on his middle school team to becoming a first-round pick in the NFL draft. Trevor Penning grew up, and we certainly do mean grew, in small town Iowa. He went to a small high school and then an FCS school. But now, at 6’7 and 330 pounds and as a first-round draft pick, everything about him is big time.
Read MoreThere are few roles more important than that of coach. Part mentor, part cheerleader, part teacher part disciplinarian, and sometimes even part father or mother figure. This week’s Moonlighter fits those descriptors to a T. Marty Sutherland has spent most of his life in sports and played a prominent role in the lives of countless young men.
Read MoreThis week Neil and Tim discuss the current state of attendance in the MLB and the astounding fact that over 600,000 fans attend baseball games each day.
Read MoreOne thing that we love about sports is the way that no matter how old we get, sports stay the same. Depending on where we are in our lives, we can be the athlete, the fan, the coach, or even the dad. This week’s Moonlighter has a perspective on wrestling from every angle. The former high school and D1 wrestler now wears the hats of coach and dad. Adam Fellers has seen it all and has a take on just about everything.
Read MoreAll-time leading scorer and role player don’t really fit in the same sentence. But in the case of this week’s Moonlighter, they are both a part of his story. Brooks McKowen graduated high school having set a new standard for Iowa high school basketball players. While at UNI he became a new player. When he hung up the sneakers, he found another role holding a clipboard. No matter what role he takes on, Brooks McKowen continues to find success on the basketball court.
Read MoreThe College World Series has been in Omaha since1950. Would college baseball benefit from alternating sites?
Read MoreAt an imposing 6’7, this week’s Moonlighter might look the part but his path to professional sports had a dog leg or two. Sean Johnson grew up an athlete playing hockey and baseball and though he made a run at a professional baseball career, it was his skills from the ice that has helped him to launch. Johnson is now making a name for himself in professional long drive golf competitions.
Read MoreThis week on the Moonlight Baseball Hour we discuss the role of the modern MLB manager along with the excitement of the college baseball postseason. Don't forget to go out and play some catch this weekend!
Read MoreSomething so simple yet so significant. Playing catch is an undervalued way of spending time connecting without saying words. This week on the podcast, Tim takes some time to reflect on the magic of a game of catch.
Read MoreThis week on the Moonlight Baseball Hour Neil and Tim break down the Joc Pederson and Tommy Pham fantasy football flame-out, which has become one of the most fun off-the-field storylines baseball has seen in years. They also look into how many sets up twins have appeared in an MLB game along with Byron Buxton's frigid month of May.
Read MoreSometimes, a Moonlighter finds a role and sometimes a Moonlighter needs to make a role. While the average Joe can’t even come close, a 5’9 righty who throws around 90 is a dime-a-dozen in professional baseball. This week’s Moonlighter created a role for himself that got him into a major league bullpen. Just like his knuckleball, Jannis’s career took a less than traditional path to his MLB debut.
Read MoreThis week’s Moonlighter takes looking like a pro to a whole new level.
If you google Gar Ryness, the internet refers to him as “an American sports entertainer”. And while you may not know that name, or what an American sports entertainer is, you have probably seen an online video of Ryness doing his impressions of batting stances and what can only be described as baseball comedy sketches.
Read MoreAs the Des Moines area gears up to host the production of the new Field of Dreams show, Tim and Neil discuss the next era of the film's saga.
Read MorePart of being a role player is doing the things just off of center stage. Facilitating, supporting, and generally making sure the show goes on without a hitch. Sometimes you don’t even know a good role player’s name but you can’t miss their impact. And the best type of referee is the one you see all of the time but you may not be sure of their name. Steve Javie’s career spanned the end of Dr. J’s career, the start of Michael Jordan’s, some of the peak years of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, the rise of Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, and so many more legends.
Read MoreOn this week's Moonlight Baseball Hour Tim and Neil celebrate Anthony Rendon's left-handed home run off Brett Phillips, which could be the highlight of the year thus far. They also dive into the dead ball conspiracy theory and lay out all of the reasons Iowa should continue to play baseball in the summer.
Read MoreThe Moonlight Graham Show is nothing if not loyal. And what sports relationship better represents that loyalty, through thick and thin, than a golfer and his caddy? Tim returns to the links with our favorite golfer Sam Meuret to take another swing at qualifying for the US Open.
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