The Knee Jerks Podcast - Eno, Nick and Big Al

Greg Eno, Nick Milanovich and Big Al Beaton are The Knee Jerks! The Knee Jerks Podcast has been on the sports beat for more 14 years, always with a Detroit attitude!

The Knee Jerks Podcast - F Ben Johnson 03/11/2025

The Knee Jerks Podcast - F Ben Johnson Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week The Knee Jerks discuss all four Detroit teams, Topics include: The Detroit Red Wings are dealing with their third consecutive March swoon, losing five straight games. The Ides of March, indeed. The Wings will need at least 95 points to make the post season. It ain't happening. GM Steve Yzerman made one trade deadline deal, which was little more than shuffling deck chairs. Yzerman drafts well, but his roster construction is greatly lacking. As in Troy Weaver style lacking. It's beyond obvious Yzerman feels no urgency with his slow roll rebuild, getting no pressure from the front office, media or fan base. The Detroit Lions entered free agency with questions on the defensive line. Those questions still remain after releasing edge Za'darius Smith. They allowed cornerback Carlton Davis III to move on, but replaced him with the arguably better D.J. Reed. During interviews made after taking the Chicago Bears job, Ben Johnson made derogatory cracks about Jared Goff. The Detroit Pistons are currently the six seed in the East, only one game out of 4th (and the home advantage that comes with it). For lack of a better word, the defensive minded Pistons are playing with "grit." Something the Red Wings lack in spades. We are not sure what to make of the Detroit Tigers. Good starting rotation and (possibly volatile) bullpen, but below league average offense still in need of a veteran bat. They could win 75 games or win 90 games. But thanks to injuries to Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows, it's just too early to tell. We also play Greg's Birthday game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Nick;s BlueSky: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's BlueSky: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/35622020

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Siddy Hall 02/12/2025

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Bob Page 01/28/2025

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Bill Morris, author of "The Lions Finally Roar" 01/14/2025

The Knee Jerks Podcast - The airing of grievances 12/17/2024

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Day and Eberflus make Detroit's weekend 12/03/2024

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Author Keith Gave 11/19/2024

The Knee Jerks Podcast - NBA Stats Guru Siddy Hall 11/05/2024

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Comedian John Wing 10/22/2024

The Knee Jerks Podcast with Eno Nick and Big Al - September 23 2024 09/24/2024

Detroit Red Wings broadcaster Ken Kal 09/10/2024

Detroit Red Wings broadcaster Ken Kal Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! We're back from our summer vacation with special guest. Making his annual appearance is Detroit Red Wings radio play-by-play man Ken Kal. Ken joins us to discuss the Red Wings' off season, the current roster, preview the coming year and give us insight into the life as a professional broadcaster. It's always a fun and informative discussion when Ken joins the show! The second half of the show is all Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers talk. Topics include: The Lions are a damn good team. But it's hard for the fanbase to shake off decades of ineptitude. The Lions are national media darlings. We truly are in uncharted territory. The Lions didn't play at their best, but still beat a legitimate playoff quality team in the Rams. This was the sort of game previous generations of Lions teams would have lost, then played the moral victory card. Aidan Hutchinson was a defensive force of nature. Was this game the coming out party for Jameson Williams? The Lions winning the game in OT, imposing their will on the Rams' defense with pure smashmouth football, was a thing of beauty. Were we too quick in writing off the Tigers? Despite seemingly waving the white flag by selling at the trade deadline and playing all the kids, the Tigers started winning. The Tigers put themselves in the wild card hunt by playing .600 ball over the past several weeks. They are 3.5 GB of the Twins, but with just 18 games left, making the postseason remains a long shot. Somehow the Tigers are winning games despite their rotation being Tarik Skubal and Keider Montero, then 3 games of an opener/bulk-relief pitching. Skubal has become the overwhelming AL Cy Young favorite, leading the AL in pitching Triple Crown stats - Wins (16), ERA (2.53), strikeouts (208). We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week. Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/32984577

Max Effgen of Bitter Cup Baseball 07/16/2024

NBA stats guru Siddy Hall talks Detroit Pistons 07/02/2024

NBA stats guru Siddy Hall talks Detroit Pistons Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! With all the news the Detroit Pistons have made over the past several weeks, the time was right to bring back our NBA guru, Siddy Hall! Siddy gives us his thoughts on: Trajon Langdon and the Pistons' new front office. The hiring of new head coach JB Bickerstaff and shooting coach Fred Vinson. Blowing up the bottom of the roster while adding Tobias Harris in free agency and trading Quentin Grimes for Tim Hardaway Jr. Compares Ron Holland and Ausur Thompson. Jalen Duren's defense (or lack thereof). Cade Cunningham's reported max deal. Siddy also has a few numbers and stats for us to chew on. Siddy Hall's TwitterX: The second half of the episode is all Detroit Red Wings. How did Jake Walman suddenly fall out of favor with the Wings? He was traded to the Sharks for essentially nothing. Patrick Kane not only re-signed, but agreed to a below market, incentive laden, 1-year deal. Were Steven Stamkos and Jakob Trouba on the Wings' radar? Are the Wings a worse team after trading Walman, losing David Perron and Shayne Gostisbehere in free agency, while adding Rangers D-man Erik Gustafsson and LA Kings goalie Cam Talbot? With the Wings poised to take a step back point-wise next season (rebuilds are never linear and they will lean heavily on unproven kids who have been in Grand Rapids), if the GM was not named Steve Yzerman, would he be on the hot seat? We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Programming note: In two weeks we delve further into the MLB player pension issues we discussed with Gary Cooper and Dave Mesrey, as Max Effgen of will join the show. Max Effgen on TwitterX: Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/31973997

The Knee Jerks Podcast - June 18, 2024 06/20/2024

Connor Soblom of TrackMan Baseball 05/23/2024

Connor Soblom of TrackMan Baseball Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week we welcome Connor Soblom, Western US Sales Manager at TrackMan Baseball, to the show. We discuss baseball analytics and how it affects the approach and methodology to pitching and hitting. Everything from spin rate and bat speed, to calling balls and strikes, and everything in between. We also delve into the different ways TrackMan technology is being used in all manner of athletics, at all levels, including football, softball, golf, and tennis. Connor on Twitter: TrackMan Baseball on Twitter: In the second half of the show, we discussed the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions. Topics include: The Tigers have fallen back to earth, playing .300 baseball in the month of May after their best start in several years. The Tigers are now 9.5 GB of the first place Guardians in the AL Central. Is the season over before Memorial Day...again? How much blame for another lost season should go to team president and roster builder Scott Harris? Should manager AJ Hinch catch any heat, despite being given a roster which can't hit? Lions QB Jared Goff got PAID. Did the Lions have any other choice? Pro Football Focus is bad, ranking Goff as only the 16th best QB in football. PFF goes for usual "Goff isn't mobile and struggles under pressure" trope. Yet 2 older, immobile QBs coming off Achilles surgery are ranked higher. And try to name any QB not named Mahomes who doesn't struggle under pressure. PFF is also good, naming 5 Lions to their "Top 25 players under the age of 25" list. PFFs number one player under 25 is the Lions' 23-year-old stud right tackle, Penei Sewell. The NFL remains the gold standard for marketing, as the 2024 schedule release dominated sports talk last week. The Lions have become the NFL's must watch darling, a new America's Team. Driving the point home is the Lions have 9 nationally televised games in 2024, including 5 in prime time. The NFL knows exactly which teams drive TV numbers. As long-time fans, it's just shocking to see the the LIONS be one of those teams. The Lions open the season with a wild card rematch on Sunday Night Football, as Matthew Stafford and the Rams come to Detroit. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Programming note: Al will be traveling, so we'll be taking time off in early June. Our next episode is scheduled for June 17th. Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/31428547

Gary Cooper's quest for an MLB pension 05/07/2024

Gary Cooper's quest for an MLB pension Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week journalist, author and long-time friend of the show Dave Mesery returns. He joins us to spread the word about former Atlanta Braves outfielder Gary Cooper, Gary also joins us from Georgia to discuss his major and minor league career, his advocacy for the 500 former big leaguers who were left out in the cold by the powerful MLBPA, and how a rain out essentially cost him a pension. A has also been established to help Gary. . To learn more about the 500 players MLB and the MLBPA forgot, head over to . We also suggest reading the book by Doug Gladstone. The second half of the show is all Tigers and Lions. Topics include: The Tigers introduced new City Connect alternate uniforms. We aren't fans. It's becoming more and more difficult to watch baseball. The latest hurdle is a carriage dispute between Comcast and Bally Sports, which has removed the Tigers from many local TVs. The Tigers have several black holes in their offensive lineup. Who could've have seen that coming? With 3 years worth of plate appearances and about 3 months total of actual production, the fan base is all but ready to move on from struggling former 1st overall draft pick Spencer Torkelson. As for the Tigers, they have to realize something must change, and soon. The Lions also have new uniforms, and they aren't half bad. The city of Detroit has never looked better than it did during the 3 days the NFL Draft was downtown. Fans, media and the NFL all praised the event. It should open the door for even more big events, including a long overdue NBA All-Star Game. The Lions signed cornerstones Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell to massive four-year contract extensions that made them the highest-paid players at their respective positions. No news on a new contract for Jared Goff. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/31168392

Author Keith Gave talks Detroit Red Wings 04/23/2024

Author Keith Gave talks Detroit Red Wings Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week we welcome Keith Gave back to the show. Keith is a former Detroit Red Wings beat writer for the Free Press and the author of several hockey books, . Keith joins us for a Red Wings season post mortem. We discuss the state of GM Steve Yzerman's Yzerplan and how the team narrowly missed the playoffs, what changes we could see on the roster, who stepped up during the failed playoff push and who disappeared, what size contract offers RFAs Mortiz Seider and Lucas Raymond will receive, and if there will be a "playoffs or bust" mandate for head coach Derek Lalonde next season. We also take a look back at Red Wings history and discuss just how close Yzerman was to being traded to Ottawa in 1994. In the second half of the show, our topics include: Lions QB Jared Goff has a silly belief that the Detroit media is somehow overly negative. Good thing he doesn't play in Philly or New York. The Pistons are going to shake up the front office by hiring a new President of Basketball Operations. More than the front office needs shaking up. Stan Van Gundy may have been a bad GM for the Pistons, but he is not wrong in his negative assessment of the team's young core. To be honest, the core is just one player - Cade Cunningham. The rest of the roster can be blown up. There a pitching injury pandemic in MLB, as elbows are exploding everywhere. What could be causing it? Is there a solution? The Tigers are playing solid baseball. The .565 win % has them 3rd in the AL Central, behind the Guardians and overachieving Royals. The Tigers pitching has been exceptional. The offense hasn't been, but Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have been playing damn well. Thanks to the Tigers push for players to have the ability to play multiple positions, AJ Hinch is practicing what he preaches by playing the entire roster. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Programing note: In two weeks long-time friend of the show Dave Mersery returns. He joins us to spread the word about former Atlanta Braves outfielder Gary Cooper, . A has also been established to help Cooper. Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/30945043

The Red Wings NEED to make the playoffs 04/09/2024

The Red Wings NEED to make the playoffs Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! Nick is off this week, so it's an old school show with Greg and Big Al talking all things Detroit sports. Topics include: After a horrific March, the Red Wings find themselves in dogfight with 3 other teams for the final wild card. If the season ended today, the Red Wings would be the playoff 8 seed. This franchise NEEDS to make the playoffs. The Wings have enough offense to win the wild card. Can't say the same about the defense and goal tending. It was a question mark going into the season, and remains that way. If Alex Lyon or James Reimer could stand on their head in goal for a few games, it would help the Wings playoff chances immensely. Want to sell Patrick Kane on signing a new contract with Detroit? Best way to do so is make the damn post season. A weird Pistons season got weirder thanks to journeyman guard Malachi Flynn. It's more than likely Flynn and his career 5.2 PPG won't be a Piston next season. But he managed to have a game for the ages versus the Hawks - 50 points on 18/25 shooting. Of course, the Pistons lost. Of course, Flynn was 0/12 from the floor in his next game. Chauncey Billups, the Pistons "Mr. Big Shot," was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame, joining Ben Wallace. The Going to Work Pistons were supposedly built with no stars, but ended up with two hall of fame players. The old baseball saying says, "You can't win a championship in April, but you can lose it." After years of being out of contention by Memorial Day (or to be blunt, by May 1) due to horrible starts, the Tigers got off to their fastest start in years at 6-1. They have come back down to earth somewhat, but their pitching has been encouraging. The bats, on the other hand... We also play Greg's Birthday Game! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/30741063

Author John J. Miller, "The Big Scrum" 03/26/2024

Author John J. Miller, "The Big Scrum" Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week, our special guest is John J. Miller, author of “The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football.” We discuss John's book, which takes a deep dive into the violent, nearly lawless days of late 19th century football and the public outcry which almost led to the sport being banned. But thanks to President Theodore Roosevelt’s intervention, who loved the sport, football was saved. That led to the creation of the NCAA, the innovation of the forward pass, a vital collaboration between Walter Camp, Charles W. Eliot, John Heisman and others, and, ultimately, the creation of a new American pastime. In the second half of the show, our topics include: In a wild first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, Greg Kampe's Oakland Golden Grizzlies became America's sweethearts by beating Kentucky and was an OT away from making the Sweet Sixteen. Tom Izzo and Michigan State once again lost to their nemesis, North Carolina. And the Michigan Wolverines hired a new basketball coach, Florida Atlantic's Dusty May. Shohei Ohtani's interpreter ran up $4.5 million in illegal gambling debt to a bookie, which was somehow paid via wire transfer, possibly with Ohtani's involvement. Ohtani claims the money was stolen, but the whole thing stinks to high heaven. The Tigers will not start the season with Matt Manning in the rotation, who was sent to Triple-A Toledo. Javy Baez is having a horrific spring at the plate. The Lions cut Cam Sutton one day after they learned last season's starting corner had a warrant out for his arrest for domestic battery by strangulation. Sutton has gone silent and police have been unable to contact him. As Dylan Larkin goes, so go the Red Wings. A month ago, the Red Wings were 10 points up in the wild card race and all but a playoff lock. But Larkin's injury sent the Wings into a 3+ week tailspin which currently has them one point out of playoff positioning. Thanks to injuries, incompetence, a mismatched roster, and all round bad play, it's getting very, very ugly with the Pistons. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/30542078

EMU Head Football Coach Chris Creighton 03/12/2024

Joe Mullen had 500 goals? 02/27/2024

Joe Mullen had 500 goals? Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week we cover the Detroit sports gamut - Red Wings, Pistons, Tigers and Lions. Topics include: It was a crazy night in Chicago as the return of Patrick Kane and his game winning OT goal overshadowed the jersey retirement of Chris Chelios. The Red Wings are are flying high, owners of a 5 game winning streak and well situated to not only make the playoffs, but actually make some post season noise. When does Patrick Kane get extended? Will GM Steve Yzerman make a splash or look to add minor depth pieces at the trade deadline? When in the HELL was the NBA All-Star Game? Whatever it was, it wasn't basketball. If the players don't care about the All-Star weekend, why should fans? In making his game winning shot versus the Pistons, the Magics Paolo Banchero shuffled his feet, moved his pivot foot and literally walked, yet no call. What we once called traveling is now called a "gather step." Does anyone know what traveling is anymore? The Tigers signed veteran Gio Urshela to plug their gaping maw of a roster hole at 3rd base. The NFL salary cap unexpectedly skyrocketed an additional $30 million, up to $255 million. Some Lions are about to get PAID. Lions GM Brad Holmes off season team building philosophy come down to filling lineup holes via free agency, while using the draft to acquire the best player available, regardless of position. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Programming notes: In two weeks we welcome back Eastern Michigan's head football coach Chris Creighton to the show. Coach joins us yearly to talk all things EMU and about his life as a G5 football coach. In one month, author John Miller joins us to discuss football history. His book, covers the deadly violence that overwhelmed 19th century football, and how a sitting President intervened by pushing reform to save the game. Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/30127948

NBA stats guru Siddy Hall talks Pistons 02/13/2024

NBA stats guru Siddy Hall talks Pistons Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week we welcome back our NBA stats guru Siddy Hall to discuss all things Pistons...as bad as they may be. Siddy opines on the record losing streak, the release of Killian Hayes, GM Troy Weaver's blowing up the roster to obtain a "bunch of guys" at the trade deadline, Monty Williams odd rotations which buried Jalen Ivey for far too long, and in general express genuine disappointment in the state of the team. Siddy also talks big picture NBA, as the court is to tilted heavily toward offense, pace, and high scoring What can be done, if anything, to help defenses? In the second half of the show, topics include: Lions GM Brad Holmes held his season ending press conference. He kept receipts, asking for accountability while calling out local media who criticized his excellent (in hindsight) drafts. Did Ben Johnson burn bridges in turning down the Commanders job? Did the Commanders start a smear campaign to cover their asses after their supposed number 1 target declined their advances? All-Pro center Frank Ragnow hinted at retirement before announcing he would return in 2024. But expect more and more players to move on from the NFL after their first or second contract. The NFL Awards need to make clear what criteria they should be based upon. For example, the NFL Coach of the Year should be renamed the NFL Team Exceeded Expectations Award. The Red Wings are in position to make a serious run at the playoffs. Their upcoming 4 game western swing will go a long way in determining if GM Steve Yzerman is a buyer or seller at the trade deadline. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Programming note: We are moving our bi-weekly recording sessions to Monday nights. You can expect new episodes of The Knee Jerks Podcast to go live late Monday evenings in both audio and video. Big Al also apologizes for his camera freezing, looks as if hes going webcam shopping this week. Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/29926003

Has SOL been put to rest? 01/30/2024

Has SOL been put to rest? Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! The Detroit Lions heartbreaking loss to the San Francisco 49ers and the resulting fallout dominates our discussion this week, for obvious reasons. We also touch on the latest news involving the Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers and Michigan Wolverines. This week's topics include: The Lions found themselves 30 minutes away from their first Super Bowl appearance, going into the half up 24-7. Then...disaster. What in the HELL happened? Looking to blame someone or something? There's plenty to pick from - sloppy execution, bad luck, questionable decision making. Did Dan Campbell make the right calls in going for it on 4th down, eschewing a pair of long field goal attempts? It's quite possible the Lions are an even better team next season, yet don't go as far into the post season. Sports are funny that way. Live by Ben Johnson, die by Ben Johnson. Did the Lions' play calling get too cute in the 3rd quarter? Are pricey contact extensions on the table for Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St, Brown? Change is on the horizon. There could be significant changes to the coaching staff and an upheaval on the defensive side of the roster. Has the lazy Same Old Lions trope finally been put to rest? As awful as the last 30 minutes of the NFC championship were, that doesn't negate just how fun and successful this season was for the Lions.\ Led by leading scorer Dylan Larkin and new number one goalie Alex Lyon, the Red Wings are on a tear and in excellent position make a run at the playoffs. The Tigers take a page out of the Atlanta Braves playbook, signing top position prospect Colt Keith to a long-term, guaranteed money big league contract. Did the Wolverines do the right thing in replacing NFL bound Jim Harbaugh by elevating Sherrone Moore to head coach without doing a nationwide search? We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Programming note: Due to scheduling issues, our NBA stats guru Siddy Hall will join us in two weeks. We hope to have Eastern Michigan head football coach Chris Creighton join us late next month. Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/29709253

RIP SOL 01/16/2024

RIP SOL Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! If you are a fan of the National Champion Michigan Wolverines and playoff winning Detroit Lions, this past week featured the best football of your lifetime. So lets talk about it! Upcoming guests: January 30 will be a two for the price of one episode. One of our favorite guests, Eastern Michigan head football coach Chris Creighton, will join us to talk Eagles and MACtion. Our NBA stats guru Siddy Hall will also return on the 30 to discuss all things Detroit Pistons. That should be FUN. This weeks topics include: The Detroit Lions beat the LA Rams in the NFL Wild Card round, winning their first playoff game since January 1992. The victory over the Rams featured so many story lines, it was just as much a soap opera as a football game. Matthew Stafford is no longer our QB1. The fans at Ford Field realized that, treating Stafford as the enemy and embracing Jared Goff. The win will go down in Detroit lore as the "Jared Goff Revenge Game." The bonkers Detroit crowd made for a legitimate home field advantage, forcing the Rams to use 2 time outs early in the 2nd half, time outs they sorely missed late in the game. Like other WR1's they have recently faced, the Lions' defense couldn't stop Puka Natua. But the bend but don't break defense stiffened in the red zone, forcing 3 Rams field goals. That was the difference in the game. Dan Campbell badly outcoached Sean McVay. The game ended with the Lions able to run out the last 4 minutes on the clock with 2 first downs. Up next? A second home playoff game! Thanks to the Packers curb stomping the Cowboys, the Lions will play the Bucs at home next Sunday. What the Hell is going in Seattle? Why fire Pete Carroll? This season was national tile or bust for the Wolverines. Mission accomplished for Jim Harbaugh and this core group of players. What's next for the ever mercurial Harbaugh? The NFL? Back to Michigan? Should Sherrone Moore inherit the Michigan job if Harbuagh heads back to the shield? Nick Saban retired, which was shocking...until you realized all the signs were there. The coaching dominoes quickly fell across the country. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/29503493

Decker reported 01/03/2024

Decker reported Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! We welcome the new year with a new episode of The Knee Jerks! Upcoming guests: Our NBA stats guru Siddy Hall joins us on 01/30. One of our favorite guests, Eastern Michigan head football coach Chris Creighton, is also on the schedule. This weeks topics include: The Detroit Lions clinched the NFC North and are in the playoffs! It's their first division title since winning the no longer in existence NFC Central in 1993. The Lions were screwed by NFL refs....again. Who's to blame for the 2 point conversion snafu which cost the Lions a win and a shot at the 1 or 2 seed? You'd think it was referee Brad Allen, the NFL's version of Angel Hernandez. According to the NFL, it's the Lions fault for attempting to deceive. But isn't that the point of a TRICK PLAY? The shield never, ever admits to a mistake. EVER. Was Dan Campbell overly aggressive in going for the win, attempting the 2 point conversion, not just once, or twice, but three times? Campbell says he's going to play his starters in their final regular season game, despite it being meaningless. The Michigan Wolverines knocked off the Alabama Crimson Tide in a thrilling OT game, and will play the Washington Huskies for the national title. J.J. McCarthy and Blake Corum finally got their signature win. What's next for the ever mercurial Jim Harbaugh? Does he sign a reportedly massive, long-term contract extension to remain at Michigan? Or is he prowling on an NFL sideline next fall? Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart calls out the bowl system after the majority of the Florida State Seminoles starting lineup opted out of the glorified exhibition that was the Orange Bowl. The Detroit Pistons made the wrong kind of history, setting a new single season NBA record with a 28 game losing streak. As GM Troy Weaver remains MIA, owner Tom Gores did a video Q & A with a handful of Pistons beat writers. It was held late Friday night on December 23rd, the definition of a holiday news dump. Gores came off as completely out of touch, saying, “Other than winning, we do everything to bring the best to Detroit.” We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/29319503

Sports Psychologist Mike Margolies 12/20/2023

The Russys 12/06/2023

The Russys Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! This week we cover the gamut in Detroit sports, discussing the Detroit Lions' Chicken Little fanbase, ask if the Detroit Pistons will ever win again, ponder where Patrick Kane fits in the Detroit Red Wings' Yzerplan, praise the Detroit Tigers for locking down AJ Hinch and determine if thinking both Florida State got screwed and Alabama deserved to be be in the college football playoff can be true at the same time. Our topics include: The Lions keep winning, even as the games get uglier and uglier. Is the sky falling? Some in Detroit's fanbase believe so...despite the Lions owning the 3rd overall seed in the NFC at 9-3 overall, and are 8-2 in their last 10, 4-1 in their last 5. So the sky is not falling! But there are reasons to be concerned, specifically in regard to the Lions' porous pass defense. As for the playoffs? They are still a lock. The Lions have a very young core, and have a front office having shown they can consistently nail the draft. Honestly, they aren't yet ready to win a Super Bowl. But next year... In midst of a franchise record 17 game losing streak, the Pistons are reportedly "reluctant to hit the panic button." What, exactly, would that be? Frankly, firing GM Troy Weaver wouldn't be a panic move, it would just be deserved. Does Steve Yzerman think he has finally built a playoff roster? He hasn't outright said so, but he all but confirmed it by signing Patrick Kane. Dylan Larkin has stepped up his game and is playing like a top line center. Jim Leyland was deservedly voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And his 8 seasons managing the Tigers is what put him over the top. The Tigers locked down manager AJ Hinch, inking him to a long-term contact extension. Works for us! College football has devolved into utter chaos. Will Jim Harbaugh be on the Michigan Wolverines sideline next September, or will he be four hours west with the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field? FSU got screwed. Sideways. We also play Greg's Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack: Al's BlueSky: /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/28950848

Keith Gave and Siddy Hall 11/22/2023

Keith Gave and Siddy Hall Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! We'd like to apologize for the longer than expected hiatus. As it tends to do, life got in the way. But The Knee Jerks are back with a jam packed episode featuring two guests. Our first guest is author Keith Gave, retired Detroit Red Wings beat writer and columnist for the Detroit Free Press. In a wide raging discussion, Keith talks about his days on the Wings beat, going from bottom feeders to winning the Stanley Cup. We learn more about the infamous Goose Loonies incident, Keith talks about his role in helping Petr Klima to defect, what it was like covering the rise of the Russian Five, lets us know the current status of Vladimir Konstantinov, talks how the job of the beat writer has changed for the worse, gives his thoughts on Steve Yzerman as the team's GM and more. Keith's books: The second guest is our NBA stats guru, Siddy Hall, who takes a deep dive into the issues surrounding the Detroit Pistons, currently owners of a brutal 12 game losing streak. Siddy goes off on coach Monty Williams and his insistence of starting Killian Hayes over Jaden Ivey, the failure of GM Troy Weaver to build a coherent roster, Cade Cunningham's inefficiency and penchant for turnovers as a number one scoring option, center Jalen Duren stepping up but still being on the second tier of big men, and rookie Ausar Thompson having many positives but one massive negative, to name just a few of the many Pistons topics covered. During the final segment of the show, we discuss the the rise of Detroit Lions. As they head into a Thanksgiving Day clash against the Green Bay Packers, a three game winning streak has moved the Lions to 8-2, the second best record in the NFL. Due to time constraints there is no Birthday Game, but we do name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack - /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/28752273

Stuffing the stat sheet 09/27/2023

Stuffing the stat sheet Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! Between the Lions' fast start, the Tigers and Miguel Cabrera playing out the string and the latest on the Yzerplan, there's plenty on this weeks agenda. First, a programming note: The Jerks will be on a short hiatus, as Al will be out of town. But we'll be back on Tuesday, October 24 with special guest Keith Gave. Keith is a former Red Wings beat writer for the Free Press . On November 7, our NBA Stats Guru, Siddy Hall, returns to talk all things hoops. This week our topics include: The Lions split their first two home games of the season, starting the season a solid 2-1. They did lose a hard hitting battle to the Seahawks (who seemingly have the Lions number and all but killed the silly blue ski mask stuff) but they handily beat the Falcons as Detroit's defense dominated. Remember Brad Holmes' controversial draft class that was railed against by NFL pundits for the lack of positional value? Three games in, those rookies, led by an electric Brian Branch, are making an outsized impact. Entering NFL week four, is the NFC North already just a two team race between the 2-1 Lions and 2-1 Packers? The winless Vikings and slow motion train wreck Bears say, "YES." The Tigers missed the playoffs for ninth consecutive season, tied with the Angels for the current longest MLB postseason drought. PBO Scott Harris finally brought in his new right hand man, naming Jeff Greenberg as the Tigers' GM. Greenberg was lured away from....the Blackhawks? Miguel Cabrera is playing out the string as the Tigers start their final homestand of the season. As we celebrate Miggy's wonderful HoF career, we should also be relieved his long decline is over, freeing up salary and a roster spot. As the Red Wings enter year 5 of GM Steve Yzerman's regime, is it too soon to start questioning the Yzerplan? As the Wings, appear to be a playoff bubble team at best, the answer is - no it's not....but there are also several caveats. Plus we play The Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack - /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/28154054

Asterisk? 09/12/2023

Asterisk? Detroit sports podcasters Greg Eno, Big Al Beaton and Nick Milanovich are The Knee Jerks! It's a threesome this week (Greg's words) as Eno, Nick and Big Al talk the latest in Detroit sports. Two topics dominated, which we cover in-depth. This week we discuss: Tuck is no longer comin'. Michigan State suspended head football coach Mel Tucker without pay while MSU investigates allegations that he sexually harassed Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor and activist well known for advocating for victims of assault and taking to college athletes. The details are, to put it mildly, awful. Tucker's defense is a conspiracy theory, claiming the inquiry is little more than "an ulterior motive" so MSU can get out of his ridiculous 10-year, $95 million contract via the moral turpitude clause. Yes, this is going to get ugly and likely end up in court. Regardless, Tucker's Power 5 coaching career is over, no matter what happens. The Detroit Lions start living up to the hype, taking down the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead, 21-20. Chiefs RT Jawaan Taylor appeared to jump early on nearly every snap. Even worse, Taylor was illegally lining up well off the line of scrimmage, to the point where Cris Collinsworth called Taylor a "slot receiver." Yet the refs only called one false start on the Chiefs. The Lions took on their biggest rival, the zebras, and won! In the words of Dan Campbell, "You gotta adjust." To the Lions credit, they did. NBC's Mike Tirico caught serious fan blowback when he said the Lions' victory would have an asterisk next to it due to the Chiefs missing Chris Jones and Travis Kelce. Tirico, who lives in Ann Arbor, said it was taken out of context. Always quick with a quote, when asked, Campbell replied. “Well, is there an asterisk next to our 1-0?” Up next for the Lions is their home opener. They take on the team that knocked them out of the playoffs in week 18, the Seattle Seahawks. To say Ford Field will be a madhouse is an understatement. It's the NFL's world and we're just living in it. Lions - Chiefs averaged 27M viewers and was the most-watched program on TV since Super Bowl LVII last February. Is anyone watching the Detroit Tigers? Bueller? Bueller? Plus we play The Birthday Game and name our respective Jerk of the Week! Subscribe to The Knee Jerks Podcast on , , , , , , and . Visit us on Follow us on Nick's TwitterX: Greg's TwitterX: Greg's Substack - /episode/index/show/thekneejerks/id/28006452

The Knee Jerks Podcast - Eno, Nick and Big Al

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