Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 143 - The Big Game at the End of the Season

The XFL 2023 championship game is here and we will FINALLY get a new XFL champion crowned! We have you covered with Matt Barrie from ESPN talking everything XFL 2023 including his grade on the XFL 2023 season and a full preview ahead of the XFL 2023 championship game next weekend in San Antonio. Kevin Kugler from FOX Sports returns to preview USFL week 4 and to give his assessment of FOX's investment in USFL season 2. De'Veon Smith joins us from the XFL Arlington Renegades and then Xs and Argos host Ben Grant stops by to recap to share his thoughts on McLeod Bethel-Thompson's performance thus far in the USFL, recap the CFL draft and talk Toronto Argonauts quarterbacks ahead of the CFL 2023 season.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 142 - Let the Tournament Begin!

The XFL playoffs are here and we have EVERYthing covered for you in both the XFL North division playoff game and XFL South division playoff game as well as USFL week 3. CBS Sports’ Emory Hunt returns to the program to talk about the XFL 2023 regular season, USFL 2023 thus far and to preview both XFL playoff games this weekend. We welcome ESPN’s Tom Luginbill back onto the show to reflect on XFL 2023 and to preview the XFL post-season. Finally, XFL Orlando Guardians head coach Terrell Buckley sits down for an extended talk to recap his experiences in XFL 2023.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL vs. USFL: Who "WON" Week 2? USFL Week 2 + XFL Week 10: What Did We Learn?

XFL 2023 and USFL 2023 are airing head-to-head, so which league "won" the weekend?

For the first time since the 1960s, two professional football leagues, the XFL and the USFL, are competing for viewers during the same TV window. The USFL held its 2nd weekend of games in Birmingham and Canton while the XFL's week 10 carried heavy playoff implications for many of the teams involved.

So who won? The XFL or the USFL and more importantly what did we learn from USFL week 2 and XFL week 10? We discuss.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 141 - The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Football?

The USFL 2023 season is here alongside XFL 2023, but is that a good thing? With the USFL debuting to soft ratings alongside XFL week 9 is there TOO much spring football? We discuss. Dean Blandino, XFL VP of Officiating and Rules Innovation returns to the program to check in as we approach the end of the XFL season, playoffs, and their championship game. We welcome Ben Fischer of the Sports Business Journal as well as Andrew Bucholtz of Awful Announcing to do a deep-dive on the XFL and USFL TV ratings, plus Cole Cubelic of ESPN stops by to preview XFL Week 10 and Paul Reeths of OurSports Central talks USFL season 2 thus far. Finally, we are joined by Brandon Aubrey of the USFL Birmingham Stallions to talk about his return to the league on a very loaded episode!

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL vs. USFL: Who "WON" Week 1? USFL Week 1 + XFL Week 9: What Did We Learn?

XFL and USFL have finally aired head-to-head, so which league "won" the opening weekend?

For the first time since the 1960s, two professional football leagues, the XFL and the USFL, competed for viewers during the same TV window. The USFL held its kickoff weekend of games in Birmingham and Memphis while the XFL's week 9 carried heavy playoff implications for many of the teams involved.

So who won? The XFL or the USFL and more importantly what did we learn from USFL week 1 and XFL week 9? We discuss.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 140 - LIVE USFL 2023 Kickoff Pre-Game Show!!! XFL Week 9 Preview!

We are going LIVE to preview the USFL 2023 kickoff in Birmingham and Memphis to talk everything USFL 2023 and more on a special LIVE episode of The Markcast®!

Join us Friday, April 14 at 8am PST / 10am CST to preview the USFL kickoff weekend and to talk everything XFL week 9 with a special slate of guests including Ric Serritella, John Vogel, Andy Murray, Pat Rifino, and more with full USFL team breakdowns and analysis ahead of a busy weekend!

We'll be taking your USFL and XFL questions and comments live ahead of the USFL's 2nd season kickoff and XFL week 9 as the XFL teams make their way toward the XFL championship in May.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL 2023 Week 8 TV Ratings Rebound HUGE! TWO OVERTIME GAMES!?! XFL Week 8: What Did We Learn?

We went LIVE to react to XFL week 8 on Tuesday, April 11 at 830am PST.

Join Andrew Murray and me as we take your comments and calls LIVE and react to the 8th week of XFL 2023 games, XFL week 8 as a whole, as well as the things the XFL is doing well, and things the XFL can work on in the future.

Week 8 games include the Vegas Vipers at the St. Louis Battlehawks, the Arlington Renegades at the Orlando Guardians, the Houston Roughnecks at the San Antonio Brahmas, and the D.C. Defenders at the Seattle Sea Dragons.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 139 - Discovering the "Magic Formula" for Spring Football

Can XFL and USFL co-exist? What is the “magic formula” for spring football to work? We ask these "important" questions, preview XFL 2023 week 8 and more on this week’s episode! Bill Shea from The Athletic and Josh Lewin from XFL’s Week in Review podcast stop by to share their thoughts on XFL 2023 as we approach the end of the season, Bill also does a deep dive on spring football TV ratings and where XFL 2023 matches up. Then Eric Eager of Sumer Sports returns to the program to preview all the XFL 2023 Week 8 matchups and we welcome Mathew Sexton of the XFL Vegas Vipers on the show. Finally head coach Rick Campbell of America’s CFL team the BC Lions sits down for the first time to talk CFL off-season and the BC Lions ahead of the 2023 season.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL 2023 Week 7's Most SHOCKING Wins and Losses!

We went LIVE to react to XFL week 7 on Monday, April 3 at 830am PST.

Join me and Andrew Murray as we take your comments and calls LIVE and react to the 7th week of XFL 2023 games, XFL week 7 as a whole, as well as the things the XFL is doing well, and things the XFL can work on in the future.

Week 7 games include the Seattle Sea Dragons at the Arlington Renegades, the San Antonio Brahmas at the Vegas Vipers, the D.C. Defenders at the Orlando Guardians, and the St. Louis Battlehawks at the Houston Roughnecks.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 138 - XFL Season 2 Confirmed! - "Who's Next???"

The XFL has been confirmed for a 2nd season in 2024 by Dany Garcia and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, but what needs to happen by the XFL in 2023 to ensure success for the XFL in 2024? We welcome Austin Karp from the Sports Business Journal, Eric Mac Lain from ESPN/XFL, and Greg Parks from XFL Board to chat through the recent XFL announcements, preview XFL Week 7, and discuss lessons learned from XFL 2023 and what needs to be done before the XFL returns in 2024. Devin Darrington from the XFL Orlando Guardians stops by after a strong outing last week against the Seattle Sea Dragons, and Case Cookus quarterback for the USFL Philadelphia stars sits down during USFL training camp ahead of his second stint for them. Finally, CFL Toronto Argonauts historian Paul Woods returns to the show to discuss his travels to Birmingham profiling recent CFL to USFL signing McLeod Bethel-Thompson ahead of his planned book on MBT.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL 2024 Season 2 Confirmed! XFL 2023 Week 6: What Did We Learn?

Is XFL 2024 season 2 confirmed??? We went LIVE to react to XFL week 6 on Monday, March 27 at 8am PST and to recap Dany Garcia and Dwayne Johnson's recent USA Today interview discussing plans for XFL season 2 and more!

Join me, Andrew Murray, and special guest USFL historian Paul Reeths from OurSports Central as we take your comments and calls LIVE and react to the 6th week of XFL 2023 games, XFL week 6 as a whole, as well as the things the XFL is doing well, and things the XFL can work on in the future. We'll also preview the XFL week 6 Monday night matchup of the Houston Roughnecks taking on the D.C. Defenders at Audi Field!

Week 6 games include the Seattle Sea Dragons at the Orlando Guardians, the St. Louis Battlehawks at the Vegas Vipers, and the San Antonio Brahmas at the Arlington Renegades.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 137 - XFL 2023 TV Ratings: Is This Fine?

XFL 2023 TV ratings have “collapsed” competing against March Madness, is there a cause or concern or is this “fine”? We welcome Stormy Buonantony from ESPN and XFL TV broadcast onto the program this week to get her thoughts on XFL 2023 thus far, her access to players, and the storylines she’s tracking through the season. Show fan-favorite Brandon Silvers Quarterback of the Houston Roughnecks and Wide Receiver Jeff Badet of the Vegas Vipers make appearances courtesy of their teams and we talk XFL 2023 TV ratings with Andrew Bucholtz of Awful Announcing. Cody Main, Director of Niche Sports for Establish the Run previews XFL 2023 week 6, and we welcome Senator Larry Smith, former CFL commissioner and newly named Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee onto the program.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL 2023 Mid-Season Review + XFL 2023 Week 5: What Did We Learn?

We went LIVE to react to XFL week 5 and to recap the XFL season at its midway point on Monday, March 20 at 8am PST.

Join me, Andrew Murray, and special guest Pat Rifino as we take your comments and calls LIVE and react to the 5th week of XFL 2023 games, XFL week 5 as a whole, as well as the things the XFL is doing well, and things the XFL can work on in the future.

Week 5 games include the Houston Roughnecks at the Seattle Sea Dragons, the D.C. Defenders at the St. Louis Battlehawks, the Orlando Guardians at the Vegas Vipers, and the Arlington Renegades at the San Antonio Brahmas.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 136 - XFL 3.0: Flip OR Flop?

Is XFL 3.0 a FLIP or a FLOP? What defines “success” for XFL 2023 leadership? We asking these questions and more this week on a VERY long (but hopefully entertaining) episode! Matt Barrie from ESPN stops by to share his thoughts on XFL 2023 thus far, whether or not he views the league as a success, and if he sees a path for XFL 3.0 to gain ground moving forward. Then, XFL “Insider” Mike Mitchell joins the program to share his extended thoughts on XFL attendance, marketing, ratings, and more, you don’t want to miss this! Zach Gartin of Neptune Scouting does a full analysis of all 8 XFL 2023 teams’ offensive and defensive schemes plus we preview XFL 2023 week 5. Donald Payne of form the XFL Arlington Renegades makes an appearance and Moe Khan stops by to discuss the recent sale of the Montreal Alouettes, what next steps the franchise needs to work on moving forward, and what promise there is for a new CFL 10th franchise following Pierre Karl Péladeau’s purchase of the Alouettes and the “new energy” that has been brought into the CFL.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL 2023 Week 4: What Did We Learn?

We went LIVE to react to XFL week 4 on Monday, March 13 at 8am PST.

Join me, Andrew Murray, and special guest Evan Willsmore as we take your comments and calls LIVE and react to the 3rd week of XFL 2023 games, XFL week 4 as a whole, as well as the things the XFL is doing well, and things the XFL can work on in the future.

Week 4 games include the Houston Roughnecks at the Orlando Guardians, the San Antonio Brahmas at the Seattle Sea Dragons, the Arlington Renegades at the St. Louis Battlehawks, and the Vegas Vipers at the D.C. Defenders.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 135 - Is XFL 2023 Living up to Expectations?

Is XFL 3.0 living up to its fans’ lofty expectations? We discuss on the show this week as we preview XFL 2023 week 4. Skubie Mageza of XFL Today and ESPN joins the show to share his thoughts on XFL 2023 thus far, and Justin Freeman of RunTheSims.com stops by to preview all 4 XFL 2023 matchups. We welcome Joe Wallace of the XFL D.C. Defenders and Darrius Shepherd of the XFL St. Louis Battlehawks and then QB1 of America’s CFL team the BC Lions Vernon Adams Jr. returns to the program!

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

XFL 2023 Week 3: What Did We Learn?

We went LIVE to react to XFL week 3 on Monday, March 6 at 830am PST.

Join me and Andrew Murray as we take your comments and calls LIVE and react to the 3rd week of XFL 2023 games, XFL week 3 as a whole, as well as the things the XFL is doing well and things the XFL can work on in the future.

Week 3 games included the Seattle Sea Dragons at Vipers, St. Louis Battlehawks at D.C. Defenders, Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades, and San Antonio Brahmas at Houston Roughnecks.

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Reid Johnson Reid Johnson

Episode 134 - XFL 2023: Are You Not Entertained?

The XFL is FINALLY here! Are you watching it? Are you enjoying it?? Are you not entertained by the XFL?!? We bring on THREE quality XFL guests this week including ESPN’s Tom Luginbill, Yahoo! Sports’ Mark Drumheller, and Chris Maathuis from KLAS Las Vegas to get to the bottom of how XFL 3.0 is performing compared to past alt-football leagues and whether or not we are having any fun watching it. TSN's Farhan Lalji joins the show following McLeod Bethel-Thompson’s signing to the USFL and Bryan Scott’s departure up north to the Toronto Argonauts to update up on the XFL-CFL-USFL alt-football talent wars and we welcome NOW friend of the show Cody Fajardo to chat through his new beginning in Montreal with the Alouettes.

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