On this episode of Empty the Bench: Small Market Edition, Callan McClurg dives deep into a narrative that transcends the box score to explore the sheer resilience of the human spirit. The Unbroken Path chronicles the extraordinary career of Alex Smith, a journey that began with the local stardom of San Diego’s Helix High School before escalating to the immense pressure of being the NFL’s first overall pick.

Callan brings his signature blend of broadcast booth insight and small-market passion to dissect Smith’s transformation from a scrutinized prospect to a veteran leader whose life and career were forever changed in a single evening. We revisit the harrowing details of the injury that nearly cost him his leg and his life, alongside the grueling, unprecedented recovery that followed.

This is an unapologetic look at the business of the game and the heart of an athlete who refused to let his story end in a hospital bed. Whether you are a fan of the teams he led or simply a believer in the power of the comeback, this episode provides the analysis and perspective for those who cheer differently.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this sentimental and high-stakes edition of Empty the Bench: Small Market Edition, host Callan McClurg takes us back twenty years to the legendary summer of 2006. Long before he was a voice for San Diego sports, Callan was a twelve-year-old utility man for the San Diego Buccaneers, a travel ball powerhouse that traded the perpetual sunshine of Southern California for the humid, hallowed grounds of Cooperstown All-Star Village in New York. This episode, titled Fantastic Voyage, serves as a time capsule for a band of twelve-year-old juggernauts who became legends in the rain, proving that some stories are too big for the small markets they start in.

Callan reflects on the "Buccaneer Juggernaut," a roster stacked with future pros and high-level athletes like Corey Oswalt, Kevin Ginkel, Ian Clarkin, and the indomitable Alexis Curtiss. We follow the crew through the gauntlet of a single-elimination bracket, from a gut-instinct intentional walk against the "Demon Dogs" to a semi-final masterclass in defensive shifts. The journey culminates in a soaking wet, extra-inning championship rematch against the South Jersey Sand Sharks that features a nearly two-hour rain delay and a players-only meeting in a cramped bunkhouse that changed everything.

The finale of this fantastic voyage is the stuff of cinema, featuring a thousand-person crowd chanting in the New York night and a first-pitch curveball that met the barrel of Corey Oswalt’s bat for a walk-off three-run home run. Twenty years later, Callan looks at the legacy of that 8-5 victory, from the six-foot trophy that earned its own seat on a private plane to the professional successes of his teammates in the MLB and beyond. It is a story about the name on the front of the jersey, the power of a shared dream, and the realization that while you can hang up the cleats, you never truly walk away from the game.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Callan McClurg for Episode 8 of Empty the Bench: Small Market Edition as he delves into the heartbreaking and chaotic relocations that defined a dark period in NHL history. This week, we explore the dual tragedies of the Hartford Whalers becoming the Carolina Hurricanes and the Quebec Nordiques transforming into the Colorado Avalanche.

What forces truly drove these beloved franchises out of their passionate small markets? Was it simple economics, lack of support, or something more calculated? Callan strips away the myths to examine the financial pressures, arena demands, and the broader shift in the NHL landscape that saw the "Great North Exodus" move these teams south.

We take a deep dive into the financial drama surrounding the Nordiques' move and the post-relocation crisis when the New York Rangers tried to snatch franchise player Joe Sakic with a massive offer sheet. The incredible "poison pill" contract Sakic signed forced the Avalanche's cash-strapped ownership to match, a desperate move that nearly bankrupted the franchise right after they left Quebec. It's a tale of nostalgia, corporate maneuvering, and the small markets that got left behind.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.