In this holiday-week edition of Sports IQ, Larry Smith brings you three powerful stories that remind us why sports matter far beyond wins and losses.

The episode opens with a deeply personal conversation with longtime broadcaster Matt Morrison, whose new book Touched: The Marin Morrison Story chronicles the extraordinary life of his daughter Marin. A gifted swimmer whose Olympic dreams were altered by a devastating brain tumor diagnosis, Marin’s journey became one of resilience, courage, and inspiration. Morrison reflects on grief, faith, fatherhood, and the healing power of storytelling.

Next, Larry sits down with Nolan Desjarlait, the head coach and athletic director at Red Lake High School in northern Minnesota. Coaching a football program on the Red Lake Indian Reservation that hasn’t won a game since 1999, Desjarlais explains why perseverance, community, and opportunity matter more than the scoreboard. His dedication to his players — many of whom play both offense and defense with no substitutions — is a testament to leadership at its purest.

The show wraps with a Moment of Awe, looking back at a milestone season by Joe Namath, who became the first NFL quarterback to throw for 4,000 yards in a single season in 1967 — a reminder of how today’s game was shaped by the legends who came before it.

This episode is about courage, commitment, and character — the kind that defines greatness long after the final whistle.

Topics Covered:

• The life and legacy of Marin Morrison

• Coping with loss and finding purpose through storytelling

• Coaching football on the Red Lake Indian Reservation

• Leadership without wins — and why it still matters

• Joe Namath’s historic 1967 NFL season

• Why sports stories resonate far beyond the field

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts.