Join Johnny Stanton as he welcomes **Kenny Mayne**, the legendary SportsCenter anchor and master storyteller, to Athletics Check. Known as a host from the "Golden Age of SportsCenter" alongside icons like Dan Patrick, Keith Olbermann, and Scott Van Pelt, Kenny Mayne has been a fan-favorite that Johnny has admired since elementary school – and this conversation doesn't disappoint.

Kenny discusses his shared **UNLV quarterback background** with Johnny, including his time playing with Randall Cunningham and their mutual experience as college backups. He opens up about his significant ankle injury sustained in college and the inspiring creation of **Run Freely**, a foundation he co-founded with his wife Gretchen to provide veterans with advanced mobility devices enabling them to move without pain.

What makes Kenny Mayne so unique? Beyond his iconic SportsCenter riffs and coverage of events like the Olympics, Kenny is a "side quest master" with an incredible range of projects. He shares details about his new golf show "**We Need a Fourth**" alongside Cooper Manning and Brian Baumgartner from *The Office*, and his ongoing passion project – the "**Wiffle Ball**" documentary and stand-up show about his memorable game with Ken Griffey Jr.

In a special highlight, Kenny Mayne delivers a classic SportsCenter call for Johnny Stanton's own NFL touchdown. Whether you're a longtime fan of Kenny Mayne, a sports media enthusiast or anyone who appreciates tales of perseverance and unexpected paths, this episode is for you.

Kenny Mayne:
We Need a Fourth - https://www.instagram.com/reel/DObi6iLD1TK/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mayne.kenny/
YouTube - @KennyMayneOnYouTube

Producer: Johnny Stanton IV & Anand Shah
Technical Director, Sound Designer & Editor: Frank Janisch
Executive Producers: Sandeep Parikh & Anand Shah

Johnny Stanton IV:
https://www.stantoniv.com/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@johnnystantoniv
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnnystantoniv
Twitter - https://x.com/johnnystantoniv

Athletics Check Pod
https://www.athleticscheckpod.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@athleticscheckpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleticscheckpod/

Check out our Patreon for bonus content and extra one-shot TTRPG adventures with every podcast guest: https://www.patreon.com/AthleticsCheckPod

Join Johnny Stanton as he welcomes L.J. Rader, the mastermind behind the viral social media sensation "art but make it sports," to Athletics Check. Creator of the nearly million-follower strong "art but make it sports" accounts, who works in sports statistics by day and is a self-proclaimed nerd, L.J. discusses bridging the gap between historically separate worlds, his unique process of finding artistic parallels, and why passion, in any form, is something to embrace.

What is "Art But Make It Sports?" L.J.'s innovative account takes images of sports and compares them to fine art – primarily paintings and sculptures from across art history. The magic lies in the absence of captions, allowing the art to "speak" and emphasizing the visual comparison and matching of energy or tone between sports moments and timeless artwork.

Whether you're a sports fanatic, art history buff, or someone who appreciates creative passion projects, this episode celebrates how curiosity and enthusiasm can create unexpected connections.

ArtbutMakeItSports (aka LJ Rader):
Substack: https://www.artbutmakeitsports.com/about
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/artbutmakeitsports/
Twitter - https://x.com/ArtButSports


Producer: Johnny Stanton IV & Anand Shah
Technical Director, Sound Designer & Editor: Frank Janisch
Executive Producers: Sandeep Parikh & Anand Shah

Johnny Stanton IV:
https://www.stantoniv.com/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@johnnystantoniv
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnnystantoniv
Twitter - https://x.com/johnnystantoniv

Athletics Check Pod
https://www.athleticscheckpod.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@athleticscheckpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleticscheckpod/

Check out our Patreon for bonus content and extra one-shot TTRPG adventures with every podcast guest: https://www.patreon.com/AthleticsCheckPod

Join Johnny Stanton as he welcomes Mike Golic Jr. from football royalty to Athletics Check and see what happens when two passionate fans nerd out on nerd culture. We welcome the incredibly charismatic Mike Golic Jr. - massive Swiftie, anime enthusiast, and snack food connoisseur - to discuss breaking the "jocks vs nerds" stereotype, his Dragon Ball Z celebration dreams, and why having interests outside of sports is crucial for mental balance. Plus, don't miss our hilarious Taylor Swift song-to-NFL player comparisons and the Random Flavor Generator where you get to see Mike taste test his latest snack haul from Japan. Whether you're a sports fanatic, anime lover, or Taylor Swift stan, this episode proves that passion comes in many forms. As Johnny says, "nerdiness is just a synonym for passion" - and Mike Golic Jr. embodies that perfectly!

🎲 Bonus Patreon content features Mike's first-ever D&D adventure!

Mike Golic Jr.:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikegolicjr/
Twitter - https://x.com/mikegolicjr
Gojo & Golic - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOLQe-AojK3WSai3-rE8t4hBxCUpOMv_n

Johnny Stanton IV:
https://www.stantoniv.com/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@johnnystantoniv
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/johnnystantoniv
Twitter - https://x.com/johnnystantoniv

Athletics Check Pod
https://www.athleticscheckpod.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@athleticscheckpod
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athleticscheckpod/

Check out our Patreon for bonus content and extra one-shot TTRPG adventures with every podcast guest: https://www.patreon.com/AthleticsCheckPod