Title: One Shining Podcast Episode 34.3
Date: March 18, 2018
Length: 56 minutes
Hosts: Mark Titus, Tate Frazier and producer Kyle Crichton
Extra: You can subscribe on iTunes or follow on The Ringer.
Analysis:
We just witnessed the best sports week of the entire calendar year and, man, it didn’t disappoint. The first No. 1 seed in history went down in the first round, there were too many buzzer beaters to count and the Texas Longhorns, again, found a way to leave the NCAA Tournament without a win (it’s been four years but who’s counting, right?).
You were probably like me, constantly scrolling through Twitter during the first four days of the NCAA Tournament. We all saw our fair share of crazy stats, memes of (Loyola Chicago) fan Sister Jean fist pumping and the absurd amount of tweets sent out by the UMBC account during their epic win. In addition to all of that, I found a tweet from Bill Simmons that promoted the One Shining Podcast. Trusting his judgment as I do, I knew I had to review it. A podcast that not only features college basketball, but also has that brilliant of a name, has to be entertaining. Here’s what I discovered.
Before I even hit play on the latest episode, I found something I really liked from One Shining Podcast. Though I’m a huge college basketball fan and can stay locked in for the entire regular season, I realize most sports fans only care about the sport during March Madness. That being said, Tate, Mark and Kyle were smart enough to understand how to take advantage of the calendar. Without a doubt, it was the biggest week for a college basketball podcast, so they decided to record one episode at the end of each of the first four days of the tournament. Though, it sounds simple, it’s a smart strategic move. By recording right after all of the action ends each day, you get a fresh take that still contains all of the emotions from the day’s events. Covering the entire first and second rounds of the tournament in one single episode, would be a chore and wouldn’t serve the listener as well as the way that One Shining Podcast chose to cover the action.
As I was listening, I appreciated how both Tate and Mark were open who their favorite teams were and how they reacted to them losing. Fans can relate to that. Not every listener is going to be an Ohio State or North Carolina fan (Thank God) like these two, but fans of other schools can relate to how it feels when your team gets bounced or is facing an early exit. In the case of Michigan and Duke fans that listen to the podcast, it probably made their day to hear how a Buckeye and Tar Heel fan suffered through their teams coming up short. If you can match the passion for your team that your listeners have for theirs, you’re going to connect with an audience. I thought Tate, especially, thrived at this.
I got the impression that Tate and Mark really know college hoops, but I enjoyed the fact that they didn’t get too technical with listeners. Giving an opinion that Texas A&M has the best front court in the country, or saying why Syracuse’s zone defense gives everyone fits, can be good enough. I heard a fair share of really good discussions on teams left in the Dance, but I also enjoyed the way the guys could turn on a dime and make fun of Nevada’s head coach in the locker room or Sister Jean’s bracket that has Loyola-Chicago getting beat in the Sweet 16. Making me think and laugh is a sure-fire way to make me subscribe and come back. Now I have to go back and see how much crap they talked on Trae Young and Oklahoma.
Though I was happy with the amount of discussion I got from the weekend’s action, I also valued the discussion I received on the matchups in the Sweet 16. As listeners, we want what’s coming next. Though you have to cover what happened earlier in the day, you also have to discuss what’s to come. One Shining Podcast found the perfect balance for both.
Final Thoughts:
I’ll be locked into this podcast for the rest of the NCAA Tournament, but I might stay after the season is over for Tate and Mark’s personality. These guys are very funny and good at what they do. Guys, please, keep the impersonations coming and keep making fun of head coaches and opposing fan bases. There’s a lot of redeeming qualities about this podcast, but I feel it’s at its best when both Tate and Mark are making fun of someone.
Lastly, and I think this point of a successful podcast gets overlooked, but both guys are really good on Twitter. They present themselves the same way on social media that they do on the podcast. That sits well with the listener and creates a following. These guys have figured that out and execute it well.
All in all, I consider One Shining Podcast a huge success, because they’re excellent on all fronts. My best advice is to not change. This podcast has developed a certain tone and sound that listeners have come to enjoy. That’s what every podcast strives for. If you love college hoops, now is the time to give One Shining Podcast a listen.
Tyler McComas is a columnist for BSM and a sports radio talk show host in Norman, OK where he hosts afternoon drive for SportsTalk 1400. You can find him on Twitter @Tyler_McComas or you can email him at TylerMcComas08@yahoo.com.
