Episode 196 – NFL Draft arrives in CLE, disgruntled Kevin Love, and a sports betting bill for Ohio

Kevin Kleps of Crain’s Cleveland Business joins the Nail to give a preview of what fans can expect to see downtown this weekend as the NFL Draft takes center stage in the city. Also covered: 

• An update on COVID-related attendance limits for Cleveland’s teams 
• The odds of a policy requiring COVID-19 vaccination for entry into sports venues (similar to what was recently announced in Buffalo) being implemented by the Browns, Cavs and/or Indians 
• Kevin Love is agitated again
• A look at the sports betting legislation that could be coming soon in Ohio

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Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek

Photo from @NFLprguy on Twitter | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin

Episode 193 – A year later, the MAC is back in Cleveland

The Mid-American Conference men’s and women’s tournaments are back at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse this week, one year after COVID-19 brought the sports world to a halt. Ohio University beat writer Jason Arkley was in Cleveland to cover the tournaments for the Athens Messenger last year when the plug was pulled. This year, he's working independently—and from home—as the MAC is back, but full arenas and press rows are not just yet.

Arkley joins The Nail to discuss the challenges universities have faced in trying to get through their sports seasons, a year of change in how college sports are covered, and the players and teams to watch this weekend in Cleveland.

Read Arkley's OU coverage: SUACBobcats.com


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Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek

Photo by USA Today Sports | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin

Episode 186 – Football flailing amid COVID chaos, Browns soldiering on, OSU sidelined

An NFL game between Baltimore and Pittsburgh that was supposed to be played on Thanksgiving night is now scheduled for a Wednesday afternoon in December so as not to conflict with the lighting of a Christmas tree in New York. The Ohio State Buckeyes have played four games and are currently in position to make the College Football Playoff, but are also on the verge of not qualifying for the Big Ten championship game. And yet it’s the NBA, which earned praise for the safety of its bubble over the summer, that is now getting ready for what might be the riskiest plan of all for its new season. Welcome to winter sports in the pandemic!

The guys discuss the COVID chaos engulfing the NFL and college football, the Browns somehow being in position to finally make the playoffs, the Cavs’ iffy Rock Hall-inspired City edition uniforms, Cleveland’s regional sports networks still not being available on many Northeast Ohio TVs and more.


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Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek

Image from Freepik.com | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin

Episode 176 – Montreal Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush on the return of MLS

Northeast Ohio native Evan Bush, the veteran goalkeeper for the Montreal Impact, joins The Nail to discuss the upcoming return of MLS, the league’s World Cup-style tournament to restart the season, and being part of contentious CBA negotiations.

Plus: Bush explains how he tried to stay sharp at home during the three-month layoff, and he shares his thoughts on the Crew being saved in Columbus.


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Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek

Photo from Canadian Press | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin

Episode 172 – Passing time with sports on pause

A week ago, Bill Bender of the Sporting News was covering college basketball and gearing up for a trip to Cleveland to cover the NCAA tournament. It goes without saying that a lot has changed in the days since. Bender drops by The Nail to talk about sports being put on pause, where things could be headed in the coming months, getting an occasional break from serious news headlines on Facebook thanks to NFL free agency, and the joys of playing classic sports video games with his kids.


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Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek

Photo by Bill Bender via Twitter | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin

Episode 171 – 2020 MAC tournament: Filled with suspense in an empty arena

This year’s Mid-American Conference tournament will be a made-for-TV event, as concerns over the potential spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) have led the league to restrict the list of attendees at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to family members of players, credentialed university and team personnel, and media. Jason Arkley, Ohio University beat writer for the Athens Messenger, joins the show to discuss the MAC’s decision and how other leagues are handling similarly tough calls.

On the court, this year’s MAC tourney appears to be wide open, especially with Buffalo, winner of four of the past five years, bowing out in the first round on Monday. Arkley details Ohio’s surge in the second half of the season under first-year coach Jeff Boals, how former OU coach John Groce has rebuilt Akron into becoming the top seed in this year’s bracket, and rest of the teams and players to watch (on TV from the comfort of your home).


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Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek

Photo by Seth Davis via Twitter | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin