Thunder, Turmoil & Trade Winds: OKC’s Dominance, Penn State’s Meltdown, and the Giannis Question

04/12/2025 52 min

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Episode Synopsis

On today’s SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we cover a packed Thursday slate across college sports, the NBA, and the NFL — plus one of the funniest Moment of Awe segments we’ve had in months.We open with a big-picture look at the sports TV ratings explosion over Thanksgiving weekend, from record-breaking NFL viewership to some of the most-watched college hoops games in decades. Larry and Producer Tony break down why live sports are more valuable than ever — and why networks keep cashing in.Then we pivot to the mess in State College. Penn State’s coaching search has spiraled into a full-blown disaster, with Signing Day passing and only four commitments on the board. Tony compares the situation to the SMU death penalty era and explains why PSU may be digging a hole that takes years to escape. Meanwhile, James Franklin is already rebuilding Virginia Tech with recruits he flipped straight out of Penn State’s class.Next, we go around the college landscape: USC lands a monster recruiting class, Vanderbilt tries (and fails) to schedule a 13th game to impress the CFP committee, and transfer portal chaos looms large as more players relocate than ever.Then we welcome CBS Sports NBA writer Jasmyn Wimbish, who breaks down:Why Oklahoma City’s 21–1 start is even scarier than it looksHow Sam Presti “broke the system” with OKC’s draft-pick war chestDetroit’s rise to the top of the EastAnd the biggest story: Is Giannis about to be traded?Jasmyn lays out realistic landing spots — Knicks, Spurs, Hawks, even OKC — and explains why the clock may already have run out in Milwaukee.We close with more college hoops analysis, including early-season surprises, warning signs at Indiana, and another heavyweight weekend slate.And in today’s Moment of Awe:The New York City mayoral write-in votes are out… and they are wild. From Lou Gehrig to Hank Aaron, Bad Bunny to Harriet Tubman — and yes, even Jesus Christ — voters had jokes. Absolute chaos.

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