Tag Archives: football

Kaimon Rucker, University of North Carolina Linebacker



Rick is joined by a linebacker from the North Carolina Tar Heels Football Team, Kaimon Rucker.

They talk NIL, football and how he approaches life as a student athlete.

He appeared in 13 games and made 10 starts on the defensive line in 2023. Tied for second on the team with four sacks and tied third with 5.5 TFL. Had 31 total tackles, three hurries and one forced fumble. Had a single tackle and a half sack in season opener at Virginia Tech. Had a pair of stops and one TFL against Georgia State. Had a monster night against Virginia with five tackles, two sacks, two TFL and a forced fumble. Registered five stops and a half TFL at Georgia Tech. Made three tackles against Duke. Had three tackles against Florida State. He had a sack and two tackles at Notre Dame. Registered one tackle and one hurry against Wake Forest. Had three tackles, a half sack and a hurry at Pittsburgh. Made a pair of tackles against Wofford. Made three tackles in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against South Carolina.

Position
Jack

Height
6-1.5

Weight
260

Class
Senior

Hometown
Hartwell, Ga.

High School
Hart County

Twitter
_kruck75_

Instagram
ruckthebutcher

TikTok
_krucker1_


Carter Hogg, G8R Skin



Rick is joined by Carter Hogg this week on Tech of Sports.

Carter Hogg of G8R Skin explains how their technology will prevent life-threatening injuries in not just football but contact sports overall and completely change the way we prevent concussions moving forward. This invention will save lives, extend careers, and reduce the negative perception of football so kids can play safely.

Having completed rigorous testing at Virginia Tech, a college football player, sophomore Carter Hogg, has successfully developed a solution that reduces concussions in contact sports by over 60%. After his older brother was beset by a career-ending concussion during a college championship game in 2022, Carter was inspired to invent “G8R Skin PPE,” a balaclava-like shell used under helmets— and proven to prevent concussions.

Carter noted a sharp decline in interest for contact sports amongst his age group due to fears of serious injury. Today he sees G8R Skin as a viable path to save full contact sports. And the scientists at VT concur. Testing at the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab demonstrated up to 61.57% reduction in concussion risk based on reductions in both peak linear acceleration and peak rotational acceleration.

Carter is the third generation of inventors in his family. His father, Jason Hogg—serial inventor, corporate leader, much-admired entrepreneur, ex-FBI Special Agent, and Cornell professor—holds more than 60 technology patents for payment processing and cybersecurity products used today by Dunkin’ Donuts, American Express, and Walmart, among dozens of others. Carter’s grandfather, Russell Hogg, invented the debit card when he ran MasterCharge (now MasterCard).

“When a car comes to a sudden stop, passengers get thrown forward in their seats,” Carter says. “Similarly, if your body throws the brakes on too fast, the brain will collide with the skull’s interior. G8R Skin reduces concussions by hastening the movement of the skull and neck during impact, protecting your brain from a serious internal collision.”

Next steps include closing deals with professional and college athletes to wear G8R Skin next season—and an expansion into shoulder pads and cleats. Carter and Jason Hogg are in talks with several pro players in addition to teams and league officials (managers, coaches, et al).


Les Peek, Peek’ Size Football Guide, 81st Year



In 1928, when Earnest Wilburn Peek began publishing the football guides of Franklin, Tennessee High School and Battle Ground Academy, he never dreamed that he was embarking on a life-long vocation. Nor did he anticipate in 1939 that his early printing efforts would evolve into the now famous PEEK’SIZE FOOTBALL GUIDE, that has been published in 28 states, (including Hawaii) with circulation numbers that swelled to more than 600,000 annually.

Rick talks with Earnest’s son, Les Peek this week. In it’s 81st year, it’s still being published today. Even with the internet and everyone carrying smartphones, the Peek’ Size is still relevant. Whether it be nostalgia or collectors. Great to talk with Les.

To contact – email: peekpublications@gmail.com

ATTENTION COLLECTORS:

Archived stock available of select back issues of the Peek’Size Football Guide.

Years Available 1947-2019 | Limited number available of 1944-1948


Andrea Kremer, Award Winning Sports Journalist, NFL Thursday Night and More



Rick is joined by Andrea Kremer this week.

Andrea Kremer and Hannah Storm became the first-ever female duo to call an NFL game in 2018, and are two of the most accomplished sports journalists in the business. They are back for their fourth year of calling Thursday Night Football on Prime Video, and speak to their legendary careers, their outlook for the season, as well as new ways for fans to explore and enjoy Thursday Night Football!

From the early season division rivalry game between the Seahawks and the Rams to the mid-winter battle between the Packers and the Browns, Thursday Night Football is THE hot ticket for football fans this season! Announcers Andrea Kremer and Hannah Storm will be back in the booth for the fourth straight season as they continue to make history as the first female duo to call NFL games. With decades of experience as storytellers, the Storm-Kremer feed brings a unique voice and viewpoint to every game!

Kremer talks about the new and exciting ways to live stream the game each Thursday on Prime Video, with features that let fans customize how they watch. Fans get ‘insider access’ to things like live stats and data previously only available to coaches and announcers, all without taking their eyes off the game.

Andrea Kremer (born February 25, 1959) is a multi-Emmy Award-winning American television sports journalist. She currently calls Thursday Night Football games for Amazon Prime Video making sports history, along with Hannah Storm, by becoming the first all-women booth to call any major men’s team sport, not just football.[1] Kremer is also Chief Correspondent for the NFL Network[2] and previously led the network’s coverage and in-depth reporting on health and safety. Her other current roles include correspondent for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel as well as co-host of We Need To Talk, the first ever all-female nationally televised weekly sports show on CBS. Until the 2011 season, she worked as a sideline reporter for NBC on the network’s coverage of Sunday Night Football.

In 2018, Kremer received the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[3] She has covered more than 25 Super Bowls, the NBA Finals and All-Star Game, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and League Championship Series, college football bowl games, hockey’s Stanley Cup Playoffs and Finals, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, U.S Olympic basketball trials, 2012 U.S. Olympic swimming trials, and the PGA Championship.

Great to be joined by Andrea.


Jordan Babineaux, former NFL player, Author, Entrepreneur and Business Coach



Jordan Babineaux, former NFL player turned entrepreneur and business coach, joins Rick this week. He helps people embrace change and pivot for growth — using their strengths to overcome adversity, staying motivated for the long run.

Babineaux, a serial entrepreneur, shares his insights in his new book, PIVOT TO WIN.

Topics include:

• Why you should establish a personal “Ground Zero” with time to reflect on what’s important to you
• Why you need to find people who will hold you accountable
• What to do when you come up against a “no”
• How to stay focused on what’s ahead, rather than be distracted by what’s in the rear view mirror
* How to employ both a growth and service mindset

By sharing his accomplishments, failures, and missteps in PIVOT TO WIN, Babineaux gives readers dozens of tools that they can apply to themselves. His book is the ultimate guide to success in life, sports, and business.

Jordan Babineaux, author of PIVOT TO WIN, transitioned from nearly a decade playing in the NFL to become a sports broadcaster, entrepreneur, and business executive. He currently serves as the “voice” of the Seattle Seahawks on both television and radio, while also helping organizations, teams, and leaders navigate their pivots.

Babineaux and his brother Jonathan, former defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, founded a company that produced several filmed comedy specials as well as the movie Woman Thou Art Loosed. They also launched a specialized car service in Seattle and created the Babineaux Foundation, a nonprofit that gives back to their hometown of Port Arthur, Texas, and contributes to Lupus research.

Jordan Babineaux holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Southern Arkansas University and an MBA from Seattle University. He lives in Seattle with his wife and three children.


Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin Running Back and All-American



Rick is joined this week by the splendid running back from the University of Wisconsin, Jonathan Taylor.

He’s picked up quite a few honors so far as the regular season has ended and you’ll be seeing him in the Rose Bowl.

Taylor, who is arguably the most dominant running back in the history of college football, was named a first team AP All-American

During the 2018 and 2019 seasons he won the Doak Walker Award, the award for the top running back in college football.

Awards/honors
National
1st-team All-American (2019)
Unanimous 1st-team All-American (2018)
2nd-team All-American (2017)
2× Doak Walker Award Winner (2018, 2019)
AP Big Ten Newcomer of the Year (2017)
Pinstripe Bowl MVP (2018)
Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year (2018, 2019)
Big Ten Thompson–Randle El Freshman of the Year (2017)
3× Consensus First-team All-Big Ten (2017, 2018, 2019)
8× Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (2× 2017, 2× 2018, 4× 2019)
8× Big Ten Freshman of the Week (2017)

Records
NCAA
Most 200 yd rushing games in FBS (career): 12
Most rushing yards through junior season: 6,080
Most rushing yards as a freshman and sophomore: 4,171
Most rushing yards in a season in FBS by a freshman: 1,977
Fewest games for a freshman to reach 1,000 rushing yards in FBS history: 7 games (tied with 6 others)
Big Ten Conference
Most Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards: 8

Rick and JT even talk about some of the tech he uses with the Badgers. Great to have Jonathan on “Tech of Sports.”