The Gametime Guru

09/18/2026

Sometimes the conflict isn’t really about the thing people SAY it’s about.

Bill Taylor calls this going “Below the Line.”

An athlete says they want more playing time.
A parent is upset about a coaching decision.
A player asks for more scholarship money.

That’s the issue on the surface.

But underneath it might be something completely different: respect, feeling valued, fear, pressure, trust, expectations, or wanting to feel heard.

That’s where real conflict resolution begins.

If you only address the surface-level problem, you might “solve” the issue and still leave the person feeling worse than before.

Great coaches and leaders learn to ask better questions, understand the person behind the problem, and figure out what’s really driving the conflict.

This was one of my favorite concepts from my conversation with Bill Taylor, author of Managing Sports Conflict: 5 Tools to Master Conflict.

🎙️ Full Episode 475 of The Gametime Guru is available now.

What do you think: how often do we argue about the surface issue when the REAL issue is something deeper?

09/17/2026

Happy birthday to my beautiful wife!!

Taylor is a special person. She works so hard as a mom and she takes care of the home and of our family! She’s a phenomenal support to all of us! And she’s an extremely hard worker.

She’s a Pilates instructor at CULTURE. and she’s truly found a great community over there!

She’s always looking for ways to improve herself and I am inspired by that!

I hope it’s the most amazing day for you Taytor! Love you so much!! ❤️

Happy Birthday!!

09/17/2026

One play can change how we remember an ENTIRE career. 🤯

A missed Ohio State field goal can turn the conversation into:

“Ryan Day didn’t have his team prepared.”

Make the exact same kick?

“What a gutsy win. Great job by the coaching staff.”

And one of the greatest examples ever is Ray Allen’s shot in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals.

If that shot misses, San Antonio wins the championship. Gregg Popovich gets another ring. And LeBron James’ championship résumé looks different today.

Same preparation. Same coaching decisions. Same game.

ONE play changes the narrative.

That’s what makes judging coaches solely by wins and losses so fascinating. Sometimes they put a player in exactly the right position…

and the player still has to execute.

🏈🏀 What’s the best example you can think of where ONE PLAY completely changed how we remember a game, player or coach?

Follow for more sports stories and conversations like this.

09/16/2026

College football isn’t just a sport for major universities. It’s an economic engine. 🏈💰

A LinkedIn post from Jacob Turner sent me down this rabbit hole, and the numbers are wild.

Texas Athletics brought in roughly $353 MILLION in FY2025, yet the department still finished about $23 million in the red.

Meanwhile, Texas FOOTBALL reportedly generated nearly $107 MILLION in profit.

Ohio State reported a school-record $336 million in athletic revenue, with nearly $82 million coming from ticket sales alone.

Ohio State President Ted Carter may have explained it best:

“Sports is important to us. It is the front porch.”

Football drives ticket sales, media rights, sponsorships, donations, merchandise and national exposure.

That’s why these universities are willing to invest so much money back into the sport.

Credit to Jacob Turner for the original LinkedIn post that sparked this conversation.

What do you think? Has college football become TOO big financially, or is this simply the reality of modern college athletics?

09/13/2026

Grass vs. Turf

20 years ago, getting a turf field felt like an upgrade.

It looked better, drained faster, could handle more games and practices, and players loved how fast it felt.

So why are so many athletes pushing for natural grass now?

A big part of the conversation comes down to traction, heat, field conditions, and the way each surface reacts when an athlete cuts, plants, or changes direction.

The injury research isn’t completely one-sided, either. Some studies have shown higher lower-body injury rates on artificial turf, while more recent NFL data has found little statistical difference between the two surfaces.

But one thing is clear: a LOT of players still prefer grass.

So what do you think?

🏈 Would you rather play on TURF or GRASS?

Drop your answer below 👇

09/13/2026

Ohio State vs Texas 🏈

Here’s why I’m not ready to throw in the towel! I think there’s a lot to look forward to

Full thoughts on YT 📺

09/13/2026

https://youtube.com/live/5knl7VJjaJ4?feature=share

Join me for the Ohio State and Texas recap here!

Texas defeated Ohio State 24-23 on Saturday night in Austin. The ...

09/12/2026

Head Coach Derek Wadsworth over at Ridgeline HS in Logan, Utah, joined me this week on the show 🎤

Derek had an opportunity to play for College of Idaho MBB under one of the GOATS Mr Colby Blaine and while there he learned TONS of lessons!!

How do you handle success?! What do you need to do in order to have CONTINUED success?!

He’s sharing some awesome insights and memories with us this week on The Gametime Guru Podcast so tap in on your favorite podcast platforms and listen to it all and get to know Derek!!

09/11/2026

One of my favorite parts of sports is the brotherhood it creates for the boys.

When you are put into the heat of competition, it builds you together!

It’s so cool to see a group of kids who come from all walks of life. Different situations at home. Different schools. Different hobbies. Different talents. But they come together and they all have a love for the game of football!! And they compete together daily!

It’s been dope to watch so far!

Shoutout to my guy CHEECH for snapping these photos at the Columbia High School (Nampa) Football game this past Friday night (cool he did that while he was snagging footage for the high school team, I’ve always appreciated Cheech and what he does!!)

From the field, to the classroom, to the backyard for fun, the boys are growing, and it’s dope to watch!

Shoutout Warriors Football Club 🫡