The Middle

Where the game gets personal. From world championships to everyday athletes, we dig into the human side of sports told by the athletes, coaches and industry insiders that lived those career-changing moments, near misses, unexpected wins, season-ending injuries and inevitable transitions.

The Middle is a sports podcast hosted by Megan R, with 54 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Megan R hosts The Middle, a sports show with 54 episodes published.

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  Episode #33

  How Sports Works: What is the UFL?

  Sep 30, 202638 minS2

  Four new pro football teams were announced last week, and none of them are in the NFL. The United Football League (UFL), also known as spring football, has been around a lot longer than most people realize, under a few different names and through more near-death experiences than any league should survive. This episode is a beginner's guide: where the league came from, how it works, some famous NFL players that got their start in the UFL, and why some call it "the NFL's test kitchen." The Middle finds the sport stories the big outlets skip, told by Megan and the athletes, coaches, and insiders who lived them. Follow The Middle on Instagram , Threads , and YouTube . Connect with Megan on LinkedIn .

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  Episode #32

  MLB End of Season Recap (Featuring Glove Actually)

  Sep 23, 202653 minS2

  As the 2026 MLB regular season winds down, Megan welcomes back Courtney and Melissa from “Glove Actually” for a wide ranging recap: who's really the league's main character now that Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge have been sidelined, the surprise rise of the Chicago White Sox, a stacked rookie class, and the biggest narrative flips of the year (looking at you, Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette). The trio also breaks down their World Series picks, debates the looming MLB CBA negotiations, talks Roberto Clemente Award nominees, and predicts whether a 2027 lockout is coming. The “Glove Actually” podcast is a female-led baseball podcast that dives headfirst into the game with equal parts insight, humor, and passion. Hosted by Courtney, Hallie, and Melissa, the podcast is for fans who want a bold, silly, and feminine take on America’s pastime. Catch new “Glove Actually” episodes every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow them on YouTube , TikTok , Threads , Instagram and Facebook . The Middle finds the sport stories the big outlets skip, told by Megan and the athletes, coaches, and insiders who lived them. Follow The Middle on Instagram , Threads , and YouTube . Connect with Megan on LinkedIn .

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  Episode #30

  Should the A’s Just Return to Philadelphia?

  Sep 9, 202648 minS2

  When J T. Ramsay wasn’t leading digital and marketing campaigns for brands like Ford Motor Company and Comcast, he was spending his nights doing something else: leading a campaign to bring Major League Baseball team the A's back to Philadelphia. In this conversation, Megan and JT unpack his grassroots and decade-long "Bring Your A’s Game" campaign, why ownership is (probably) baseball's real problem, and what the Los Angeles Dodgers' deferred-contract saga reveals about the future of finances in the MLB. They dig into the league’s CBA fight over a salary cap and floor, what it’s been like raising two sonsthrough the sport's grind, and how the points being argued in the upcoming labor negotiations ultimately impact the youth-to-college baseball pipeline, including JT’s own two sons. The Middle finds the sport stories the big outlets skip, told by Megan and the athletes, coaches, and insiders who lived them. J T. Ramsay is a digital marketing executive with more than 15 years of experience transforming how Fortune 500 brands engage their customers. He currently advises companies on how to evolve and modernize their communications and marketing strategies, processes and teams. He is, much to his own vexation, a Philadelphia sports fan. Connect with J T. on LinkedIn and follow his ‘Bring Your A’s Game’ campaign . Follow The Middle on Instagram , Threads , and YouTube . Connect with Megan on LinkedIn .

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  Episode #29

  Is NIL Good or Bad for College Sports?

  Sep 2, 202640 minS2

  Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) changed college sports forever, but five years in, is it working? This episode breaks down what NIL is, how it started, and how the money moves now that schools, collectives, and athletes are all part of the equation. Megan covers the eligibility rules that keep shifting under everyone's feet, the growing gap between big and small universities, and what this new economy is doing to the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. And she dives into several real stories of NIL money changing lives and where this all might be headed next. The Middle finds the sport stories the big outlets skip, told by Megan and the athletes, coaches, and insiders who lived them. Follow The Middle on Instagram , Threads , and YouTube . Connect with Megan on LinkedIn .

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  Episode #28

  What Matt Lombardo Knows About the 2026 NFL Season That You Don’t

  Aug 26, 202642 minS2

  NFL insider Matt Lombardo joins Megan fresh off his 2026 training camp tour to break down what's happening across the league during preseason, from why he thinks the Green Bay Packers are due for a step back to why the Los Angeles Rams' aggressive offseason makes them this year’s team to beat. Megan and Matt dig into the quarterback situations making headlines, the Baltimore Ravens receiver breakout that could unlock Lamar Jackson's passing game, and which team is facing a make-or-break year. Matt also shares his early 2027 Super Bowl predictions (it may surprise you), his Coach of the Year pick, and which former Super Bowl coach is on borrowed time. Matt Lombardo is a veteran NFL reporter and founder of Between the Hashmarks , home for exclusive and in-depth NFL news, insight and analysis from general managers, coaches, agents, and current and former NFL players. Prior to creating Between the Hashmarks Matt spent over a decade in journalism covering the Philadelphia Eagles for NJ.com, the New York Giants for the Star-Ledger, and serving as Senior NFL Insider for Heavy Sports and FanBuzz. Subscribe to Between the Hashmarks to get full access to Matt’s insights and interviews (20% of the proceeds from each new subscription purchased is donated to causes including the ACLU, the National Immigrant Justice Center, the Trevor Project, PBS, and others). Tune in every week to the Between the Hashmarks podcast . Follow Matt on YouTube , Instagram , Threads , Facebook , and BlueSky . The Middle finds the sport stories the big outlets skip, told by Megan and the athletes, coaches, and insiders who lived them. Follow The Middle on Instagram , Threads , and YouTube . Connect with Megan on LinkedIn .

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