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Running It Back

Running It Back

By: Palmer Media
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 What can we learn from legendary sports players and performances? In each episode of Running It Back, Tarlin Ray and Mike Palmer bring us back to moments from the past to find the stories that resonate with the events of today. If you forget history, you may be destined to repeat it. So be sure to run it back with us before you play it forward in these tumultuous times.Copyright Palmer Media 2025. All Rights Reserved. Basketball Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Running It Back Season 6: Leadership in Crisis - Kawhi-Ballmer, Phee's WNBA, and the Ryder Cup

    Running It Back Season 6: Leadership in Crisis - Kawhi-Ballmer, Phee's WNBA, and the Ryder Cup
    Nov 25 2025
    Season 6 Kickoff! Mike and Tarlin are back for a special edition of Running It Back, diving into the biggest sports stories for lessons in leadership, accountability and the struggle for growth. The conversation starts with an update on Mike's Mets (the only thing softening the blow is a wealthy owner) and Tarlin's dog before flexing into three essential topics: WNBA: The Commissioner vs. The Player Napheesa "Phee" Collier, Vice President of the WNBA Players Association and co-founder of the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, put the entire league office on blast, labeling them the "worst leadership" at a moment when the league is experiencing unprecedented growth driven by stars like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. Player First vs. Management First: Compare the WNBA’s current position to the NBA's profitability years under David Stern. Is Cathy Engelbert missing the story by not putting her most valuable assets—the players—first? The Cost of Growth: Revenue is up, but is management willing to take the long-term investment view required to scale the league and pay the players what they deserve? A Familiar Narrative: Tarlin draws parallels to the massive lockouts in the NHL and MLB in the mid-'90s, warning that the WNBA’s current crisis of leadership threatens to squander its boom moment. NBA: Ballmer, Kawhi, and the Clippers' Stink Steve Ballmer’s “hardcore” Clippers franchise faces a serious challenge following the surfacing of a no-show job deal for Kawhi Leonard’s uncle with a carbon offset company, Aspiration—a company in which Ballmer was investing. The Madoff-Type Scheme: Mark Cuban called it "a shady carbon offset deal where the math 'is not mathing.'" Lessons from History: This scandal echoes the Joe Smith salary cap violation with the Timberwolves in 1999, which led to heavy penalties. Will Adam Silver take action against the ego-driven, win-at-all-costs leadership of the Clippers? Independent Journalism: A shout-out to Pablo Torre and his team for their investigative work in surfacing this stink. Golf: The Ryder Cup and the Crisis of Individualism Team Europe, led by the small-ego, unifying captain Luke Donald, dominates the US team, highlighting a fundamental leadership failure for the Americans. The Accidental Captain: Donald's success comes from putting his ego aside and positioning every player to win, a direct contrast to the US side. Rotten on the Inside: The American team's individual success in the singles matches proves they lack the necessary team cohesion and leadership apparatus. The Need for a Colangelo: The US golf program is at a crisis moment, much like USA basketball in the early 2000s. Who is the necessary, unifying leader—the Tiger Woods—needed to build a winning culture for the next generation? Quote of the Episode: "If it's rotten on the inside, it will never grow as much as you want." Like, follow and share Running It Back wherever you get your podcasts. 00:00 Introduction and Season Kickoff 00:40 Unexpected Dog Incident 01:58 Mets' Season Recap and Ownership 04:21 NFL and Fantasy Football 05:34 WNBA Leadership and Player Issues 15:29 Napheesa Collier and Cathy Engelbert Beef 15:44 Kawhi Leonard and the Aspiration Deal Controversy 17:29 Steve Ballmer's Aggressive Ownership 19:28 Kawhi's No-Show Deal and Leadership Lessons 21:17 Mark Cuban's Skepticism and Aspiration's Ponzi Scheme 24:21 Ryder Cup Leadership and Team Dynamics 29:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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    30 mins
  • Fantasy Football 2025: Draft Strategy, Flores v The NFL, the Rooney Rule and More | Running It Back

    Fantasy Football 2025: Draft Strategy, Flores v The NFL, the Rooney Rule and More | Running It Back
    Aug 28 2025
    Get ready, fantasy football fans, because we're officially running it back! After a well-deserved summer hiatus, your favorite sports podcasters are back and ready to kick off the NFL season in style. This episode has everything you love: a healthy dose of signature banter, some wild personal updates, and a deep dive into the world of fantasy football—from its surprising origins to the drama of your home league. Don't miss a single second as we tackle the big topics: The Origins of Fantasy: We're talking 1960s, a league with a mouthful of a name (The Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League), and the very first player ever drafted in fantasy history. Tarlin, with his deep Gemini research, connects the past to the present with players who play both sides of the ball. The Modern-Day Fantasy Grind: The guys break down their own league obsessions, from old-school in-person drafts with stickers to the new "Guillotine League". We also get a look into Mike's "Palmertron 5,000" and the eternal debate of bros versus cos. Running Backs and the Art of General Management: Is the running back dead? The guys debate strategy, assess player health, and reveal their own plans for the upcoming drafts. Tarlin even has a new rule he's trying to pass to "make tight ends great again". The Flores Lawsuit and the Rooney Rule: We shift gears to a serious but crucial conversation about the NFL's ongoing legal battles. The guys discuss the Brian Flores lawsuit, the fact that he's still a defensive coordinator while suing the league's owners, and what it all says about the Rooney Rule and the future of minority coaches. Whether you're a seasoned veteran with a "war room" and multiple leagues or a rookie looking to get a leg up, this episode is a must-listen. So grab your draft magazines, open up your pre-draft spreadsheets, and get ready because you know we're Running It Back. Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction and Casual Banter 01:07 Baseball Talk and Team Loyalty 02:05 College Preparations and Nostalgia 04:25 Transition to NFL and Fantasy Football 06:00 Deep Dive into Fantasy Football 07:42 Fantasy Football Strategies and History 09:34 Fantasy Football Leagues and Rules 11:28 Fantasy Football Drafts and Management 19:47 Bros Over Cos: Fantasy Football Draft Strategies 20:17 The Value of Running Backs in Modern Fantasy Football 22:08 Quarterback Draft Picks: Who to Watch 23:27 Wide Receivers: Top Picks and Strategies 25:13 The Impact of the Rooney Rule and Minority Coaches 26:56 Brian Flores' Legal Battle Against the NFL 30:21 The Future of Minority Coaches in the NFL 37:43 Concluding Thoughts and Upcoming Topics
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    39 mins
  • Thibs' Firing, Hali v SGA NBA Finals, Plus "Big Shot Rob" and the History of Clutch

    Thibs' Firing, Hali v SGA NBA Finals, Plus "Big Shot Rob" and the History of Clutch
    Jun 11 2025
    Get ready for an unfiltered and energetic breakdown of the NBA playoffs as we, Mike Palmer and Tarlin Ray from Running It Back, dive headfirst into the latest on the hardwood! We kick things off by dissecting the Knicks' recent playoff run, asking the tough questions about what went wrong and what's next for Mike's beloved and Tarlin's bandwagon team. Tarlin connects Coach Thibs' firing to a fascinating historical trend—it seems winning Coach of the Year can be a bit of a curse. Meanwhile, Mike remains optimistic that this shake-up opens up exciting new possibilities for the Knicks in the trade and free agent markets. Then, we shift gears to marvel at the Indiana Pacers' surprising success. We're talking about Tyrese Haliburton's incredible clutch shooting and Rick Carlisle's brilliant coaching. While we might not label Haliburton a "superstar," you'll hear why Mike concedes he is an elite point guard who consistently delivers in the clutch. Tarlin even drops some compelling stats, drawing comparisons between Haliburton and Chris Paul. Of course, we can't ignore the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC). We delve into their suffocating defensive intensity, and I'm even bold enough to make a finals prediction you won't want to miss! We're exploring the evolving landscape of basketball, celebrating deep teams that bring high intensity for all 48 minutes, rather than relying on just one "alpha" superstar. And Tarlin makes a powerful point: it's about the quality of basketball, not just who's the "face of the NBA." So, join us for all this and more—we promise a fun, insightful, and passionately debated journey through the world of NBA.
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    29 mins
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