In this eye-opening episode of The Right Idea, host Brian Phillips and Chief of Policy Derek Cohen sit down with veteran college sports expert Michael Calabrese (New York Post, Action Network) to unpack the unprecedented mess in college athletics in 2026.

NIL deals are unraveling, schools are suing players to enforce multi-year contracts (see the explosive Darian Mensah-Duke-Miami saga), the House v. NCAA revenue-sharing model is straining budgets, most athletic departments are losing millions, and non-revenue/Olympic/women's sports face extinction. Is a super league or private equity takeover inevitable? Can pooling media rights or federal legislation (SCORE Act update) save the uniquely American institution of college sports?

Calabrese breaks down:

• Why NIL is NOT "schools paying players" — and why those contracts are almost impossible to enforce
• The Darien Mensah transfer lawsuit: what it means for retention & buyouts
• Revenue sharing reality: $20.5M cap isn't enough — even Texas lost $23M
• Transfer portal as unregulated free agency — solutions like residency requirements?
• The haves vs. have-nots: Power 4 dominance, Group of 6 as "AAA", high school recruiting collapse
• Private equity sharks circling + gambling revenue ties
• Why pooling media rights could unlock billions — and why conferences resist
• The dystopian future if nothing changes: dying programs, lost Olympic pipeline, reduced social mobility
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Timestamps:

0:00 – Cold Texas weather & snow day hot takes

3:16 – The crisis in college sports — NIL, revenue sharing, broke departments

5:35 – Guest intro: Michael Calabrese (NY Post, Action Network)

6:49 – What NIL actually is (and isn’t) — collectives, third-party money, no direct pay-for-play

8:59 – Darien Mensah-Duke-Miami case: multi-year NIL contracts, lawsuits, buyouts & precedent

14:00 – Can schools legally force players to stay? Contract loopholes exposed

18:00 – Fixing the transfer portal: residency rules, one free transfer, coach exit triggers?

24:07 – The $20–40M roster cost myth — boosters & collectives foot the bill

29:14 – Revenue sharing disaster: $20.5M cap too low, Title IX risks, foreign investment dangers

32:58 – Minor league / farm system comparison — short timelines kill loyalty

35:23 – Solution: New governing body + antitrust exemption + pooled media rights

47:11 – TV networks love the current discount — billions left on the table

51:41 – Gambling revenue, Saudi money, moral hazards if no fix

53:24 – Dystopia if nothing changes: organ donor programs, lost Olympic pipeline, middle-class mobility hit

59:04 – Federal legislation: SCORE Act status, executive orders, path forward

In this Season 4 premiere of The Right Idea podcast, TPPF Chief Communications Officer Brian Phillips and Chief Policy & Research Officer Derek Cohen dive deep into one of the biggest government fraud stories in America: Minnesota's massive daycare and nutrition program scandals.

Guest John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, joins the show to break down:
– How systemic loopholes and weak oversight enabled billions in fraud
– Why real-time transparency (every dime online, instantly) is the best defense
– The difference between waste vs. fraud and how AI + citizen journalism can expose it
– Lessons from the federal earmarks moratorium that saved ~$140 billion
– Why empowering parents and consumers beats centralized bureaucracy
– Healthcare's perverse incentives, state-level variation, and reforms that actually work

If you're concerned about taxpayer money, government accountability, or the future of fraud prevention in Texas and beyond, this episode is a must-listen.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Season 4 Launch
01:30 – Hot Take: It’s Hollywood Award Season: avoid it or watch the trainwreck?
05:01 – Guest Intro: John Hart, CEO of Open the Books
05:57 – Anatomy of Government Fraud – Bug or Feature?
07:04 – History of Federal Transparency (Coburn-Obama Law)
10:46 – Real-Time Transparency: Why Every Dime Should Be Online Now
12:34 – Counterarguments to Full Transparency & How to Overcome Them
14:30 – Waste vs. Fraud: Definitions & Real-World Impact
16:00 – Transparency as a Force for Freedom
18:09 – Minnesota's Mistakes (No Treasurer + Enrollment-Based Payments)
19:44 – Texas vs. Other States: Voucher Systems & Oversight
22:14 – Performance Audits and Measuring Bang for the Buck
26:21 – AI for Fraud Detection + Surveillance Citizenry
28:22 – Preventing Fraud Upfront (Income Verification, Parent Empowerment)
30:49 – Healthcare Fraud & Perverse Incentives
33:16 – Price Transparency & State Innovation in Healthcare
36:21 – Where Fraud Is Worst: Federal vs. State Level
37:36 – Wildest Fraud Examples (Social Security "Adult Baby" Case)
40:22 – Current Efforts to Stop Fraud (OMB, DOGE, Chip Roy Bill)
42:10 – The Return of Earmarks: What Changed & Why It Matters
44:00 – $140 Billion Saved by Earmarks Moratorium
47:39 – Best States for Transparency & Reform (Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma)
49:18 – PIA/FOIA Abuse & Outrageous Costs for Public Records
50:39 – Rise of Citizen Journalism (Nick Shirley & Viral Exposés)

In this year-end special, hosts Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen sit down with Brad Johnson, Senior Reporter & Managing Editor at The Texan News, to recap the biggest political stories of 2025 and what they mean heading into the 2026 cycle.

From the unexpected twists in the Texas Senate race, to the fallout of mid-decade redistricting, to the biggest legislative wins and disappointments, this episode covers it all. We also unveil our Politician of the Year and Texan of the Year awards.

3:35 – Hot Take: Jasmine Crockett jumps into the 2026 Senate race
9:10 – DLCC targets the Texas House for 2026
11:43 – Democrats field candidates in every statewide/federal race
13:11 – Why Dems still struggle to build a top-tier slate
16:20 – 2025 Legislative Session recap: Was 2025 the most conservative Texas legislative session ever?
18:38 – Biggest wins of the year: Burrows, bail reform, ESAs, border
23:42 – Biggest disappointments: energy, tariffs, healthcare messaging
31:07 – Biggest story of 2025: Mid-decade redistricting; the THC fight and its ripple effects
35:10 – Under-the-radar wins: DEI enforcement & agency elimination
44:25 – Politician of the Year awards
55:19 – New Year’s resolutions for 2026