Street Knowledge With Chris Graham

The money quote from AFP columnist Ray Petree on this week’s podcast: you could miss this week’s AEW “Dynamite,” and not be any worse for the wear heading into the big “Grand Slam” show next week in New York. And no, this isn’t good for AEW. Ray and AFP editor Chris Graham cover a lot of territory on the AEW beat this week. In this podcast Jericho-Cassidy sheds viewers in dud of opening segment The opening segment of “Dynamite,” featuring a match pitting Chris Jericho vs. Orange Cassidy, went over like the proverbial wet fart in church. As a gimmick, “The Learning Tree” is easily Jericho’s worst re-invention yet. Every week, we watch the “Jericho Vortex” suffocate Bryan Keith and Big Bill. Since “All In,” Jericho has had The Conglomeration and Orange Cassidy in his crosshairs; culminating in this match — which lasted nearly 20 minutes. Was this the best use of time for this episode of “Dynamite”? New looks for Jon Moxley, Private Party Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli are doing a good job reinventing themsel

Politics is a contact sport, as Springfield, Ohio, knows all too well, with MAGA Nation continuing to put the city in the crosshairs, all because city leaders refuse to play along with the Donald Trump/JD Vance lie about immigrants eating pets. Chris Graham covers that topic in today’s podcast, and we also get into the Senate IVF bill that was blocked by MAGA Republicans, and the Teamsters, rather curiously, deciding to sit out the 2024 election, despite Trump making it clear that he will continue his union-busting ways if he gets elected in November. All of that, plus our too busy with North Carolina politics to care about Waynesboro guy running for a seat on Waynesboro City Council.

If you want to know the reason for something happening in the world of sports, follow the money. That’s the theme for today’s “Street Knowledge” podcast, at least the first two segments. Host Chris Graham examines the rumored talks involving the ACC, Florida State and Clemson, and the latest about the AEW-Warner Bros. Discovery TV deal that is supposedly in the works. The final segment breaks contain to update the latest on UVA Football, which is coming off a 27-13 loss to Maryland in Week 3.

NASCAR and its team owners, with two notable exceptions, have come to an agreement on the extensions of team charters, with an announcement on the extensions coming in advance of the opening of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs last weekend. The two exceptions – 23XI Racing, co-owned by Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by restaurant operator Bob Jenkins – are taking different approaches to where they want to see things go from here. Jenkins has not commented on why he didn’t sign; 23XI, through Jordan and Hamlin, has been outspoken on why, citing terms that the team doesn’t think are favorable for the long-term.

Chase Briscoe and Kyle Busch battled to the end of the Southern 500 to secure a spot in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Briscoe got the win and the final playoff spot, leaving Busch, who has been running well of late, on the outside looking in. #TeamAFP’s Chris Graham and Rod Mullins break down the thrilling end to the regular season, the disappointing near-miss for Bubba Wallace, and look ahead to the playoffs. The second segment covers the developing news that an announcement appears to be in the works regarding NASCAR coming to an agreement with team owners on the terms of team charters that the team owners have been pushing for to give them more stability for the long term. What does that mean for the sport?

This Harrison Burton story involving a final-lap lead change that vaulted him from nowhere to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs is a lot better than the one that had been dominating the headlines. Burton, who had lost his ride with Wood Brothers Racing for 2025, didn’t need to wreck anybody to get the win in Daytona on Saturday night. It was just good, clean racing that got Burton, the son of retired NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton, who was on the call for NBC’s coverage of the race, into the winner’s circle, and into the 2024 playoffs.

I think it’s fair to speculate how the big season that a lot of folks seem to think is in store for Virginia Tech might factor into the thinking around Tony Elliott and Virginia. There’s buzz about Tech being a sleeper pick to contend in the ACC this year, and that translates to expectations about, what, nine wins, maybe 10 wins? If Brent Pry, in his Year 3, has Tech on the doorstep of an ACC title game, it’s not hard to imagine the people who pay the bills at UVA saying, hey, wait a minute, our guy is in his Year 3, what are we getting out of him?

Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag in Michigan on Monday, and since Reddick was already a 2024 winner, we still have four spots open in the 2024 NASCAR Playoff race. That’s in part because of NASCAR’s surprise move last week to hit Austin Dillon, the winner at Richmond back on Aug. 11, with an unprecedented penalty – taking his guaranteed playoff spot away as the penalty for intentionally wrecking race leaders Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the final lap. #TeamAFP’s Chris Graham and Rod Mullins break it all down for us this week on the podcast.

Austin Dillon drove through leaders Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin to take the checkered flag in Richmond on Sunday night, igniting a controversy that has NASCAR saying it will review his driving, and maybe even take the win away. That’s not going to happen, of course. #TeamAFP NASCAR writer Rod Mullins joins us to break down the end of an otherwise dull race, and also report from Bristol Motor Speedway, which announced last week that it will be hosting an MLB game in 2025.

NASCAR has taken the past couple of weeks off to accommodate TV rights holder NBC’s interest in broadcasting the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the Cup Series is set to return this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. AFP’s NASCAR guy, Rod Mullins, joins Chris Graham on the podcast today to get us up to speed on what has been going on in NASCAR with the drivers and teams getting the rare mid-season break.

The talk of the spring in NASCAR was Kyle Larson trying to do the double – racing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the Sunday before Memorial Day. The weather didn’t hold up to allow Larson to race in both, but Larson made up for that failed day with his win on Sunday at the Brickyard 400. Rod Mullins joins the podcast to break down the win, and we talk off-the-track news with Cole Custer and Hailie Deegan.

It will be a while before Ryan Blaney has a lead on the final lap and doesn’t worry about whether he has enough gas to get across the finish line. He did on Sunday, taking the checkered flag ahead of Denny Hamlin. Rod Mullins joins the podcast to recap the NASCAR Cup Series weekend. We also talk about the struggles for Cup Series stars Kyle Busch and Bubba Wallace.

Former AEW world champs Maxwell Jacob Friedman and “Hangman” Adam Page are back, and they’re on clear paths to big matches at the “All In” pay-per-view in London next month. AFP wrestling columnist Ray Petree updates us on the latest goings-on in AEW, and previews this week’s “Dynamite,” before this week’s podcast turns into an impromptu Eddie Kingston lovefest, after a discussion of the latest news involving Kingston and his gruesome in-ring leg injury.

Chicago, for the second straight year, had its NASCAR street race, a neat idea, if there ever was one, dampened by rain. Alex Bowman made it memorable, breaking his 80-race NASCAR Cup Series winless streak in a timed finish – an idea that NASCAR might want to try again, incidentally. Rod Mullins joins the podcast to break down the weekend on the mean streets of Chicago. The show also goes in depth on Hailie Deegan’s bad breakup with her Xfinity Series team, and the latest on NHRA legend John Force.

Podcast: Digging into the details of the Tony Bennett UVA contract extension We’ve known since June 13 that Tony Bennett signed a contract extension that will, in essence, tether him to UVA Basketball through the end of the 2030-2031 season. What we didn’t know: the details. Chris Graham examines the salary, bonus and buyout portions of the deal in this podcast. Stories referenced in the podcast What you need to know: Breaking down the Tony Bennett UVA contract extension Offer sheet from UVA Athletics to Tony Bennett sheds light on when extension was offered  

AEW put on its third annual “Forbidden Door” pay-per-view on Sunday, highlighted by world champ Swerve Strickland retaining in the main-event match against roster newcomer Will Ospreay. AFP wrestling columnist Ray Petree joins the show to go over the show’s hits and misses, and goes down his list of matches on the main show from 1-10. We also preview this week’s AEW “Dynamite,” and take an early look at what could be in store for next month’s big show in London.

Rod Mullins joins the show to update us on the status of NHRA legend John Force, who was seriously injured in a fiery crash in Richmond several days ago. The show then switches gears to break down Joey Logano’s five-OT win in Nashville, which came down to fuel strategy amid the craziness of the final 31 laps. Also getting our attention: what really happened between Aric Almirola and Bubba Wallace?

Everybody always wants to fire the coach, which, fair – the coach makes a lot of money, so he’s not above reproach. But is it that simple? Virginia is coming off back-to-back three-win seasons under Tony Elliott, who some in the UVA Football fan base think is entering Year 3 on if not a hot seat, at least one that is warm. Should it be? Scott German cross-examines AFP editor Chris Graham to come up with the fix for UVA Football. The answer? You need to listen.

AEW is gearing up for its annual "Forbidden Door" pay-per-view, with world champ Swerve Strickland defending his title against Will Ospreay headlining a packed night of action. Ray Petree joins the show to break down "Forbidden Door," and to preview the week in AEW's lead-in shows - "Dynamite," "Rampage" and "Collision" - that will get us there on Sunday night.

NHRA legend John Force is in intensive care in a Richmond hospital after a harrowing crash at an event in Virginia this past weekend. AFP racing reporter Rod Mullins updates us on Force's condition, which is very much touch-and-go at this early stage. The podcast also covers the pending move of Chase Briscoe to Joe Gibbs Racing, and Christopher Bell's win in New Hampshire on a rainy NASCAR Sunday.