Spartans – Jay Scott Smith.com

JSC Radio Ep. 68: Balling for Dollars

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — The 68th Episode of the People’s Podcast is here and, it’s entering March like a Lion going all Hoops — College & Pro.

First, we hit on the FBI’s investigation of numerous college hoops programs — including North Carolina, Louisville, Duke, USC…and Michigan State. Yep, the Spartans got caught in the net. But, instead of going after the players or the programs, this show goes after the NCAA whose antiquated and hypocritical culture is largely to blame for this foolishness. We go after why the players need to be paid — in actual money, not in “clothes” or “education” or gum — and how that can start to fix this mess.

636548218730112986-USATSI-10306853 — **Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban is suddenly the small fish in this shark tank.**

Then, we hit the Dallas Mavericks situation where yet another poisonous case of office culture had been exposed as the NBA gets dinged by the #MeToo movement. A toxic, misogynistic office culture has made Dallas the NBA’s poster child for harassment and they become the litmus test for how the league will handle cases of this. The league has said it will create a confidential hotline for anyone who has been harassed. The Mavericks hired Cynthia Marshall, a former AT&T executive who led some of their diversity initiatives. While that seems like they’ve learned their lesson, the red flags still exist.

Plus, the Big Ten Tournament is in New York City. Why, tho?

Remember, JSC Radio is on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play! The show is also on Twitter at @JSCRadio!

A New Episode drops every week — usually on Thursday or Friday. Continue reading JSC Radio Ep. 68: Balling for Dollars

JSC Radio Ep. 64: Blake Neck Speed

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — It’s funny what seven days can change…

So to recap, my Alma Mater’s issues are bigger than just Larry Nassar. Like I said last week, with the “retirement” of Athletic Director Mark Hollis just hours before the release of this monstrous piece from ESPN’s venerable Outside The Lines on how MSU’s lax response to sexual violence spans decades and stretches into the basketball and football programs, things went nuclear in East Lansing.

Last Friday night, I went on ESPN Radio’s Freddie & Fitzsimmons (I come in at the 19:00 mark) and talked about the OTL piece and the culture of silence that floats around East Lansing. Since then, both of MSU’s legendary coaches — Tom Izzo and Mark Dantonio — have come under fire because they, particularly Izzo, may have allowed this crap to happen on their watch. When pressed, Dantonio defiantly and directly responded within hours.

Meanwhile, Tom Izzo — normally the most straightforward coach in the country — has hidden behind written statements and stale “let’s just talk about basketball” talking points. The longer he goes in running from questions, the more credence that ESPN piece, which is being predictably (and foolishly) attacked by Spartans as some sort of “biased hit piece,” gains by the day.

Plus, the Detroit Pistons — remember them? — are desperate to be seen as relevant and traded their two best scorers for an oft-injured dude who just signed a crazy contract with the other team in L.A. — and he found out that “loyalty” is just a brand name to NBA teams.

Here’s Episode 64, y’all.

Coming up on Episode No. 64 of JSC Radio:

The fallout at MSU engulfs two of the most respected Spartans
Why Tom Izzo’s silence is only making this worse
People need to get a grip instead of attacking the OTL Piece.
Why the Pistons are acting like that thirsty dude in a girl’s DMs.
Blake Griffin chose “loyalty” over a potentially better situation and got shipped out in less than 6 months.
This trade lock in the Pistons’ train to nowhere.

Shouts out to Doc Illingsworth for dropping a ton of beats on me. Support him and buy his merch at His Website and get all his music on Bandcamp.

Stay tuned after the show for the new single from the homie Rufio Jones with his new single Nigerian King. Just in time for Black History Month! It’s as dope and ridiculous as it sounds. It’s also on iTunes.

Also, wanna shout out the homie Ossim Jones, recommended by the Good Doctor himself. Be sure to hit up his page on Soundcloud to check out what he’s bringing.

If you’re a hungry, grinding ass hip-hop artists and you want to get your music on on JSC Radio, e-mail me directly at: jason@jayscottsmith.com. To support the show and the website, check out our Patreon Page for Exclusive JSC Stuff for Patrons Only. This interview has been on Patreon for a few days and you could’ve heard it first if you were a Patron.

I want to thank those of you who continue to support JSC Radio and continue to help this show grow day by day. Feel free to support this show by subscribing, sharing links, giving me a rating and a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and/or Stitcher and telling others as I continue to build this thing.

Until Next Time, That’s The Way It Is. Friday, February 2, 2018.

Take Care, God Bless, Always Dare to Be Different, and G.O.M.A.B. Σ

JSC Radio Ep. 63: Birds of a Feather

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — And I thought last week’s show was tough…

So, for the sake of clarification: This show was recorded on Wednesday night. It was a few hours after Larry Nassar was sentenced, about 36 hours after Joel Ferguson’s horrendous interview on WVFN in Lansing, and it was recorded as Lou Anna Simon resigned as MSU’s President.

It was recorded before this thing went straight up nuclear the last 18 hours with the “retirement” of Athletic Director Mark Hollis and before the release of this monstrous piece from ESPN’s venerable Outside The Lines on how MSU’s lax response to sexual violence spans decades and stretches into the basketball and football programs, including details that show that both of MSU’s legendary coaches — Tom Izzo and Mark Dantonio — allowed this crap to happen knowingly on their watch. In no uncertain terms, this is a f–king disaster on all levels. An unmitigated debacle. As recently as this morning, you had a high profile donor saying on record that if people are wary about sending their kids to MSU that they can “go to another school” because there are “kids on a waiting list” dying to get in. Oy.

JoelFerguson — Joel Ferguson. The face of the MSU response to Larry Nassar. That’s not a good thing.

For so many years, I have seen people at other schools such as Penn State, Baylor, Ohio State, and others say asinine to downright offensive things in the midst of a scandal, but rarely have I see a more idiotic and tone deaf collective response to a major crisis than what I have seen at Michigan State the last two weeks. They couldn’t have handled this any worse than they have if they tried. It makes it all the more astonishing since MSU has one of the premier Public Relations programs in the country and has top notch PR firms associated with them.

So keep that in mind as you listen to this show because so much has gone down in just 24 hours that it makes your head spin. I attempted to lighten the mood and talk about the Super Bowl too. So, there’s that.

Much like last week, this show will be graphic. There will be strong language and it features the victim statement from Mattie Larson, the former US Olympian who was assaulted multiple times by Nassar. She was giving this statement as Ferguson was making a fool of himself on the radio.

Here’s Episode 63.

Coming up on Episode No. 63 of JSC Radio:

Larry Nassar gets sent to Hell
The response by MSU to this travesty has been nothing short of a disaster.
You hear the real time reaction to the resignation of Lou Anna Simon.
Mattie Larson’s gut-wrenching victim statement sent shockwaves through us all.
Joel Ferguson’s horrendously offensive interview may have been the “inadvertent” tipping point in all of this.
Where does Michigan State University go from here?
Plus: A breakdown of the NFC & AFC Title games, the greatness of Merrill Reese, and how it feels to finally have a Super Bowl team in my literal backyard.

Shouts out to Doc Illingsworth for dropping a ton of beats on me. Support him and buy his merch at His Website and get all his music on Bandcamp.

Also, wanna shout out the homie Ossim Jones, recommended by the Good Doctor himself. Be sure to hit up his page on Soundcloud to check out what he’s bringing.

Until Next Time, That’s The Way It Is. Friday, January 26, 2018.

Take Care, God Bless, Always Dare to Be Different, and G.O.M.A.B. Σ

JSC Radio Ep. 62: This Ain’t Sparta

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — This was one of the toughest shows I’ve done.

As anyone who even halfway knows me understands, there aren’t too many things I love more than Michigan State University. I have done a multitude of shows and segments on my Alma Mater, including Episode 40 last spring (where I first talked about Nassar), and moving into Episode 55 this past Fall. I have zero qualms about taking the school to task just like have no issue taking a sledgehammer to the City of Detroit — you want the best for those you love and have no problem getting on their ass to make them get that point. But this Larry Nassar situation is an entirely different animal.

lou-anna-simon — MSU President Lou Anna Simon needs to resign since the Board of Trustees is too clueless to fire her

Regardless of what the MSU Board of Trustees or a few moronic so-called Spartans will tell you, this is every bit the disgusting scandal that was Jerry Sandusky at Penn State or the institutional failure that was Baylor University covering up and enabling years of physical and sexual violence against women by members of the Football program. In many ways, it’s worse because Michigan State University saw the shit storms that engulfed Waco and State College, but they seem intent on simply beating their heads against the same damn wall even as Larry Nassar plead guilty.

The basis for most of this week’s show is this stellar piece by Kim Kozlowski in last Thursday’s Detroit News where it outlined how more than a dozen people — 14 to be exact — were told of Nassar’s deviant behavior and how the reactions ranged from repeatedly dismissing it as “medial treatment” to total ignorance by police and the administration to intimidation by gymnastics coach Kathie Klages.

This was emotional for me because I listened to the countless victim statements that graphically lay out what Nassar did, how he managed to manipulate parents and coaches and doctors into believing what he was doing was “medical treatment” and how he got assists due the aforementioned negligence of MSU and the enabling by coaches like Klages that let him prey on these girls for nearly 25 years. Michigan State University needs to own this travesty.

This show will be graphic. There will be strong language. I will be angry. And if you have a problem with me coming after a University that I still financially support as a 15-year Alumnus…you can sit and spin.

Here’s Episode 62. It dropped on Friday. I finally have the words today.

Coming up on Episode No. 62 of JSC Radio:

Lou Anna Simon must pay the price for this happening on her watch.
How was Nassar able to get so many people to go along with his deviant behavior
Why this is no different — in fact, possibly worse — than Penn State and Baylor.
Kathie Klages is as much of a scourge as Nassar.
The MSU Board of Trustees also get the buckle for their continued support of Simon.
How could 14 people (at least) not do something
Where does Michigan State University go from here?

Shouts out to Doc Illingsworth for dropping a ton of beats on me. Support him and buy his merch at His Website and get all his music on Bandcamp.

Also, wanna shout out the homie Ossim Jones, recommended by the Good Doctor himself. Be sure to hit up his page on Soundcloud to check out what he’s bringing.

Until Next Time, That’s The Way It Is. Monday, January 22, 2018.

Take Care, God Bless, Always Dare to Be Different, and G.O.M.A.B. Σ

JSC Radio Ep. 55: Eat A W

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — What Up Doe, people! We’ve reached another landmark — Episode 55 (FIDDY-FIVE!) — and this one is once again dedicated to my alma mater, Michigan State University.

Spartan Football has had a roller coaster ride the last two years to say the least. As we discussed back in Episode 40, the school as a whole has been through the ringer with issues — a number of which of their own doing — and it was compounded by the football team hitting rock bottom last year after having the program’s best season since 1966. The off-season saw five starters booted from the team due to legal issues and personality conflicts and they were gleefully written off by everyone — particularly in Detroit — as no longer relevant.

Well, the boys are back, and on a redemption tour that is on the verge of epic. MSU Quarterback Brian Lewerke is even out here talking a little spicy:

Still doubting?? 🤷🏼‍♂️ #V4MSU

— Brian Lewerke (@brianlewerke14) November 5, 2017

We discuss MSU Football, plus a litany of other fun stuff this week on the People’s Podcast.

Remember, JSC Radio is on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play! The show is also on Twitter at @JSCRadio!

A New Episode drops every week — usually on Thursday or Friday. Continue reading JSC Radio Ep. 55: Eat A W

JSC Radio Ep. 44: 81 and Done…

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — What’s up everybody. After a couple of weeks off for a well earned vacation, the People’s Podcast is back and we’re playing a little catch up this week. It may be the slowest sports week of the year, but the streets are on fire in Detroit after Calvin Johnson decided he was through being gracious. Plus, #JSCWOW is back and I’m talking about why it’s important to make time for yourself and take a vacation.

Remember, JSC Radio is on Soundcloud, iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play! The show is also on Twitter at @JSCRadio!

A New Episode drops — usually, but not always — every Thursday. Continue reading JSC Radio Ep. 44: 81 and Done…

JSC Radio Ep. 41: Final Destination 2

PHILADELPHIA (JSC) — Hey Now! What’s good, People! The People’s Podcast is back this week after taking last week off for a needed vacation. It’s time for Episode 41 and for the Second straight year (JSC Radio wasn’t around in 2015), it’s time for the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The rubber match.

Remember, JSC Radio is on Soundcloud, iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play! The show is also on Twitter at @JSCRadio!

Going forward, expect there to be an update every week when a new show drops — usually, but not always — every (other) Thursday. Continue reading JSC Radio Ep. 41: Final Destination 2

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