Following the first week of preseason NFL games, as well as five Cal Poly football players being arrested, Owen and Andy spend some time talking football and what impact the arrests at Cal Poly might have on Cal Poly athletics.

The Angels have spent lots of money over the past few seasons, but their bullpen looks really shaky still. By Amin Eshaiker, via Wikimedia Commons

In this episode, Luke, Andy, and Owen talked about the dumpster fire that has been the Angels’ bullpen, whether Yasiel Puig has been judged unfairly, and how exciting it is to have the best college baseball team on the West Coast right here in San Luis Obispo.

Whose responsibility is it to make this happen regularly? By Owen Main

What is it that really motivates fans to show up and be loud in this town? What responsibility is on the fan-base to show up and be loud and have a good time no matter what the team’s record? What responsibility is on the team and its coaches to be consistently good? Where does the Cal Poly’s men’s basketball team (or any team in this county, for that matter) fall into this mix?

We discussed these topics and more on this episode of the podcast. The above circular argument from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is the first thing Owen thought of when Andy and Luke started to tell him that fans will show up if the team is better.

If you substitute “Triumphant Video” for “filling Mott night after night,” and  “Eddie Van Halen” for “better players,” then it’s almost a spot-on analogy to the argument Owen hears from lots of San Luis Obispo County fans, including the two guys who sat across from him at this podcast.

You can also use “decent instruments” for “new facility” or something and now the Bill and Ted analogy works even better for Andy and Luke.

Where do you fall on the topic? Should fans show up all the time no matter what or should an atmosphere be completely dependent on how good the team is?

The question is, which of us is on the right?

Andy, Luke, and Owen get together to talk about Andy’s time at the NHL Stadium Series at Dodger Stadium and the one-sided outcome of the Super Bowl. Why is hockey a really cool (pun intended) sport? Find out by listening.

Clayton Kershaw is the ace of a much-improved Dodgers pitching staff. By Owen Main

The Dodgers signed Clayton Kershaw to a seven-year deal last week. Andy and I discuss the Dodgers, their logjam in the outfield, and their starting rotation with and without Tanaka.

Matt SantaMaria even told the story of why his last name doesn’t have a space in it like it should. By Owen Main

Did you know Matt SantaMaria was living and working for a station in Joplin, Missouri when the tornado hit there in 2011? On this podcast, the KSBY Sports Director shared his thoughts are on the triple option (he grew up in Nebraska, for goodness sakes) and he shared the story of how he ended up on the Central Coast.

In the second segment, Andy and Owen discussed the Lakers’ demise. The team is 14-25 and there aren’t many signs of improvement. Could losing actually be the best move the Lakers can make to get better for the future?

Where does Kobe Bryant belong in the list of all-time greats? By Keith Allison from Kinston, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

It has been a week since LeBron James and the Heat took home their third title and second with ‘Bron Bron leading the charge. For those of us at Fansmanship, it put another spark on the gasoline marinated tinder that is our ongoing conversation about James‘ place in history.

To review — Luke has been quick to crown LeBron as an all-time great, even before he had won a title last year. Andy and I are hesitant to project. Several players in our generation in different sports have been projected to be great, or even the greatest of all-time, but have fallen short.

While Luke sat this pod out (I think he was worried about being proven wrong on his LeBron placement), Andy, Dianne, and I talked about what criteria we should use for GOAT status, who are the top-20 greatest ever, and how current players fall into the mix.

Because we are all under 35 years old, I think our lists are probably biased toward players from the 80’s and 90’s, but you can be the judge. Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Below are our top-20 lists and then the podcast below that. Hope you enjoy.

Andy’s Top-20

1. Michael Jordan

2. Bill Russell

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

4. Magic Johnson

5. Wilt Chamberlain

6. Kobe Bryant

7. Shaquille O’Neal

8. Larry Bird

9. Tim Duncan

10. Hakeem Olajuwon

11. LeBron James

12. Oscar Robertson

13. Jerry West

14. Moses Malone

15. Julius Erving

16. Elgin Baylor

17. John Havlicek

18. George Mikan

19. Bob Cousy

20. Isiah Thomas

Dianne’s Top-20

1. Michael Jordan

2. Bill Russell

3. Magic Johnson

4. Larry Bird

5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

6. Tim Duncan

7. Oscar Robertson

8. Jerry West

9. Wilt Chamberlain

10. Shaquille O’Neal

11. Hakeem Olajuwon

12. John Havlicek

13. Kobe Bryant

14. Lebron James

15. Julius Erving

16. Moses Malone

17. Elgin Baylor

18. Dirk Nowitzki

20. Bob Cousy

Luke’s Top-20

1. Michael Jordan

2. LeBron James

3. Ervin “Magic” Johnson

4. Wilt Chamberlain

5. Bill Russell

6. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

7. Oscar Robertson

8. Larry Bird

9. Shaquille O’Neal

10. Tim Duncan

11. Hakeem Olajuwon

12. Julius Erving

13. Kobe Bryant

14. Dirk Nowtizki

15. Jerry West

16. John Stockton

17. Elgin Baylor

18. Karl Malone

19. Rick Barry

20. Moses Malone

Luke’s Second Top-20, post-podcast revised edition… if that’s allowed….

1. Michael Jordan

2. Magic Johnson

3. Bill Russell

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

5. LeBron James

6. Wilt Chamberlain

7. Larry Bird

8. Oscar Robertson

9. Tim Duncan

10. Shaquille O’Neal

11. Kobe Bryant

12. Hakeem Olajuwon

13. Julius Erving

14. Jerry West

15. Dirk Nowitzki

16. Elgin Baylor

17a. John Stockton

17b. Karl Malone

19. Moses Malone

20. Bob Cousy

Owen’s Top-20

1. Michael Jordan

2. Bill Russell

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

4. Magic Johnson

5. Larry Bird

6. Wilt Chamberlain

7. Kobe Bryant

8. Oscar Robertson

9. Shaquille O’Neal

10. Elgin Baylor

11. Hakeem Olajuwon

12. LeBron James

13. Jerry West

14. Moses Malone

15. Tim Duncan

16. Karl Malone

17 John Havlicek

18. Julius Erving

19. Charles Barkely

20. Rick Barry

This is what Luke missed the podcast for? By Kyruiter at en.wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons

In the latest Fansmanship Podcast, Andy and Owen sat down with two fansmanship writers from southern California — Matt Levine and Dianne Tanjuaquio. We talked NBA mostly, with some Dodgers and Warriors fansmanship as well. It was great to get to know Dianne and Matt a little better and you can expect to see them on future podcasts. In other news, Luke went to get a truck and got sufficiently chastised for it. Enjoy.

Alex from the SLO Late Show (left) and Bobby Goodsby (not shown) joined Andy, Luke, and Owen for the pod.

Through a lot of ridiculous technical malfunctions, we had quite a nice conversation this evening with Alex Clupper and Bobby Goodsby of the SLO Late Show on ESPN Radio. On tonight’s episode, Owen called Luke a Yasiel Puig wet blanket, we talked about how much more of a disappointment LeBron James would be, and discussed what having a team like the Kings means to a city like Sacramento. The Moon Man and Cloud Man even made appearances.

Bobby and Alex were great. We hope to have them on again sometime soon.

Andy also took advantage of some time at the end to vent about the current state of the Lakers, Pau Gasol, and Mike D’Antoni. It’s safe to say he is in full-time nervous mode.

Hope you enjoy the podcast.