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Waiting For Next Year’s Craig Lyndall joins the guys to talk about the Cavs digging out of a hole after a miserable February, setting fair expectations three years into a rebuild, Jarrett Allen being awesome since joining the team, and why NBA Top Shot has become a phenomenon in recent weeks (and whether it can last). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the better part of a generation, the Cavs have existed in two states: With LeBron James, an NBA championship contender, or without LeBron, one of the worst teams in the league. Times are changing. The Cavs are fun and more than holding their own this year. The guys discuss the leap of Collin Sexton (and his pairing with Darius Garland), the heist that brought Jarrett Allen to town (and will eventually send Andre Drummond out), and the experience of having a team that's out of the cellar but not yet facing championship-or-bust expectations.Plus: EA Sports is bringing back its college football video game, Tampa is having the “best sports year that nobody can be present for” of all time, and a tribute to Cleveland sports media legend Les Levine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The most fun Browns season in decades is over after the team came up one score short of doing the unthinkable and knocking out the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Kansas City. The guys dig into the controversial no-call on the hit that caused Rashard Higgins to fumble away a potential score late in the second quarter, the Browns finding new life after being on the verge of getting KO’d early in the second half, Kevin Stefanski’s decision to punt the ball away late in the fourth, and how Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s aggressive playcalling (and … *sigh* … a 13-yard run by Chad Henne) ultimately sealed the Browns’ fate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before the Browns head off to Kansas City for a divisional round matchup with the Chiefs, the guys look back on an unforgettable night in Pittsburgh that started with an avalanche—four first-quarter touchdowns!—and ended with the Browns winning their first playoff game since 1994. With coach Kevin Stefanski, cornerback Denzel Ward and others returning from the COVID-19 list, can the Browns keep up the magic in K.C.? Even if they don’t set records again, another fast start will probably be needed.Plus: Nickelodeon’s slime-filled broadcast of Bears-Saints, a postmortem on Ohio State-Alabama and a lackluster college football season, and Ken Jennings’ start as “Jeopardy!” guest host (and the others scheduled to follow). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Browns are going to the playoffs! The Buckeyes are playing for a national championship! This is all supposed to be exciting…right? The guys discuss COVID-19 taking the air out of Northeast Ohio football fans’ balloon at the worst possible time, whether the Browns can overcome not having Kevin Stefanski and multiple starters, and the possibility that Monday’s national championship game between Ohio State and Alabama might not end up being on Monday after all.Plus: Justin Fields was incredible leading OSU over Clemson in one of the Buckeyes’ most satisfying wins in years, and the Indians’ trade of Francisco Lindor is the latest painful reminder that Major League Baseball is a broken institution.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of Monday afternoon, subscribers of YouTube TV, Hulu and Sling in Northeast Ohio were blocked out from watching Cavs games on Fox Sports Ohio. Local DIRECTV and AT&T Uverse subscribers are keeping their fingers crossed that they don’t have to watch the Browns’ Sunday Night Football game on a Spanish network because they are currently blocked from receiving WKYC.With disputes between cable providers and network operators on the rise, Awful Announcing owner and editor Ben Koo joins the Nail to explain why losing access to big games is becoming a more frequent problem and how soon we can expect deals in these latest fights to be reached. Plus: Sinclair betting big on a reimagined regional sports network model, how much teams and leagues get involved in negotiations between cable companies and networks to ensure their games are available as widely as possible, and other sports broadcasting trends to watch in 2021.On Awful Announcing: Sports fans are hostages in carriage disputes and we often pay the ransomOn WFNY: Waiting all day for Sunday night no more: Browns flexed to SNF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 8 months, finally—FINALLY!—things are happening with the Cavs. The NBA’s trade moratorium is about to be lifted, the draft is on Wednesday night, and free agency isn’t far behind. Justin Rowan, co-host of the Cavs-centric podcast The Chase Down, drops in on The Nail to give us a refresher on the state of Wine & Gold basketball, from the likelihood of a trade involving Andre Drummond, Kevin Love or maybe even Larry Nance to how potential draft picks could fit into the Cavs’ lineup.Plus: Why is Dayton big man Obi Toppin being linked to the Cavs in so many stories? What would the selection of Onyeka Okongwu, Deni Avdija, Isaac Okoro or Devin Vassell mean for players currently on the Cavs’ roster? And with adjusted lottery odds making tanking a more tenuous strategy than ever, are J.B. Bickerstaff and his assistants the right coaching staff to develop players who aren’t taken at the top of the draft? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming off a much-needed bye, the Browns are back this weekend and they will look to returning running back Nick Chubb and guard Wyatt Teller to rejuvenate the running game that carried the team's offense through the early part of the season. With no moves made at last week's trade deadline, meanwhile, the Browns will look within to bolster a defense that has struggled to get off the field. The guys preview the second half of the year and size up the team’s playoff odds.Plus: Memories of Modell’s move in 1995, the state of the Buckeyes and the Big Ten through three weeks, and a salute to one of TV's most beloved figures, “Jeopardy” host Alex Trebek.* * *Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | StitcherCatch us on WaitingForNextYear.comLike us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcastFollow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by AnitekPhotos from Getty Images | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WFNY co-founder and editor Andrew Schnitkey was at FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday to watch the Browns move to 4-1, their best start since 1994. He joins The Nail to talk about his experience among the 12,000 fans at the game, the magic that Kevin Stefanski has worked to completely turn around the franchise, Myles Garrett’s dominating start to the season, the ups and downs of Baker Mayfield, and the big test that looms on Sunday at Pittsburgh. Plus: LeBron James clinched his fourth title on Sunday night, leading the Lakers back to the top of the mountain and ending an NBA bubble experience that was short on fans, but filled with memorable performances. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from Associated Press | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fausto Carmona is long gone, but the midges are back. Sandy Alomar won’t be hitting a game-tying home run that sends Paul O’Neill into a tantrum on the warning track, but he will be managing the Tribe. It’s the Indians and the Yankees meeting in the first round of the MLB postseason again, and Waiting For Next Year’s Mitchell Krall joins The Nail to give us a crash course. Topics covered: Presumed Cy Young winner-to-be Shane Bieber and the Indians pitching staff, potential AL MVP Jose Ramirez and whether the Tribe can generate enough offense, what role having Alomar manage in place of Terry Francona will play, and what we need to know about the team from the Bronx and the new postseason format. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photos from Getty Images | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two weeks into the NFL season, the Browns have bounced back from a rough (but, given the circumstances, maybe not too surprising) start in Baltimore. The Indians, meanwhile, are officially back in the postseason after a dramatic Jose Ramirez walk-off home run in extra innings against the White Sox on Tuesday night. Joe Gerberry, writer and editor for Waiting For Next Year, joins The Nail to discuss the state of Cleveland’s two active teams. The guys go through the early returns on the Kevin Stefanski regime, Baker Mayfield, an improved offensive line, and a work-in-progress defense. Plus: Shane Bieber and Ramirez putting together award-worthy seasons, and best/worst potential first-round postseason opponents for the Tribe. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photos from Getty Images | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High school football—one of Ohio’s great sports traditions—kicks off its 2020 season later this week, but for obvious reasons, this year will be far from normal. John Kampf, longtime prep sports writer for The News-Herald, joins the Nail to talk about how schools around the area are preparing amid the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in protocols being made by the OHSAA to limit risks where possible. … Plus: A coaching change in Mentor, Kirtland eying another state title, and the players to know this fall. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from The News-Herald | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports are back, and so is The Nail. The guys discuss the early ups and downs of the Indians, the Blue Jackets in the NHL playoffs, and adjusting to sports broadcasts with no fans but lots of ads. … Plus: With the Big Ten and Pac-12 opting out for the fall, what will become of the 2020 college football season? ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photos from Associated Press and NHL.com | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Alex Harnocz joins the show to discuss his new book, “Perfect Season Project: An Uncommon Arrangement of Cleveland Indians History,” in which he sifts through 120 years of Tribe baseball to find the most interesting and/or historic year for each game on the schedule, from 1 to 162. In his book, Harnocz chronicles the classics—Bob Feller’s opening day no-hitter in 1940, Len Barker’s perfecto (Game 24 in 1981), and the miraculous comeback vs. Seattle (Game 110 in 2001)—as well as some deep cuts that only the most diehard Indians fans will remember. Harnocz explains the inspiration for his project and how he put the Indians’ “perfect season” together. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com and the MLB Network joins the show to discuss the Indians potentially changing their name, how the 60-game schedule and new rules for 2020 affect the Tribe, and whether roster restrictions in place this year could decrease the odds of a midseason trade of Francisco Lindor. Read Castrovince’s column on a potential Indians name change: https://medium.com/@castrovince/the-cleveland-spiders-b2f4aa576eb3 Check out Castrovince’s new book: “A Fan’s Guide to Baseball Analytics” ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from Associated Press | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from Canadian Press | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With sports still mostly on hold and not much fun happening in the world right now, the guys take a break from current events to reminisce about some lighter moments from years gone by, including Ohio State’s 2002 national championship, a pair of dramatic Indians wins, and some youth sports misadventures. Plus: A last word on ESPN’s “The Last Dance.” ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from AZCentral.com | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Sunday night, ESPN premiered its long-awaited documentary on Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, “The Last Dance,” airing the first two episodes in the 10-part series. The guys rejoice at having new sports content to watch for the first time in forever and share memories of the ’90s Bulls, including being in the building for Jordan’s last game in Cleveland as a player for Chicago. (Watch Bulls at Cavs on April 9, 1998) Plus: The disaster potential for the virtual NFL Draft on Thursday night, and sports following the lead of WWE’s “Boneyard Match” at WrestleMania and having fun with how big events are pulled off in the shelter-in-place era. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from Chicago Tribune | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With no March Madness this year, CBS is dusting off some classic NCAA tournament games to fill airtime. Last Saturday afternoon, that included a replay of the Duke vs. Kentucky regional final from 1992, considered by many the greatest game of all time. Tom Withers, now a sportswriter for the Associated Press in Cleveland, was courtside in the Spectrum to cover the game. He joins The Nail to share memories of a crazy Saturday night in Philadelphia, Christian Laettner somehow avoiding an ejection and then hitting the buzzer-beating game-winner, the mostly forgotten miraculous shot by Kentucky’s Sean Woods, and the challenge of trying to write about an all-time thriller on deadline. Plus: Withers talks about his new second job—serving as an assistant coach for the Westlake High School varsity girls basketball team—and the impact his work as a sportswriter has had on his coaching, and vice versa. ... Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | TuneIn | Stitcher Catch us on WaitingForNextYear.com Like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheNailPodcast Follow us on Twitter: @TheNailPodcast  Email us: thenailpodcast [at] gmail.com Intro/outro music: "The 3rd" by Anitek Photo from Duke Athletics | Photo illustration by The Nail in the Coffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices