On this July 4th edition of SportsIQ with Larry Smith, we take a deep dive into the now-approved House settlement and its massive implications for college athletics, NIL policy, and the future of sports governance.

🎙️ Larry hosts a full hour of high-impact analysis with three leading voices:

• Michael LeRoy (University of Illinois) unpacks the legal, financial, and enforcement landscape post-settlement, including collective bargaining, the Deloitte NIL Clearinghouse, and the slow march toward professionalization.

• Matt Brown (ExtraPointsMB.com) explains what the $20.5M revenue-sharing cap really means, how schools will (or won’t) comply, and why the “Macy’s bags” of illegal booster payments may still be lurking.

• Victoria Jackson (ASU sports historian) outlines the longer arc of college football’s commercialization, how Title IX is being circumvented, and why a total system reorganization may be inevitable.

📚 Topics covered:

• What changes on July 1 and what doesn’t

• Why NIL enforcement may collapse under appeals

• Whether football is dragging other sports into a flawed model

• How historic inequality persists despite reforms

• Who wins—and who gets squeezed—as the Big Ten and SEC consolidate power

TAGSHouse Settlement NILMichael LeRoy sports lawMatt Brown Extra PointsVictoria Jackson ASUCollege Football revenue sharingNIL Clearinghouse DeloitteNCAA enforcement NILTitle IX and NILBig Ten SEC futureCollege athletics antitrustSportsIQ Podcast Larry Smith

On today’s SportsIQ, Larry Smith covers a packed sports lineup:

• 🏀 WNBA Spotlight — Wilton Jackson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution breaks down the Atlanta Dream’s breakout season, Carl Smesko’s coaching impact, and the rise of star players like Rhyne Howard, Brionna Jones, and All-Star Alicia Gray. Plus, the WNBA's explosive growth in franchise valuation and expansion into new cities.

• 🏈 NFL Preview — Tony Cordaro talks with Josh Buckhalter (Heavy.com) about the Minnesota Vikings: JJ McCarthy’s path to QB1, a fierce NFC North, and the defensive pressure that could define their 2025 season.

• 🏟 WNBA Expansion & Player Poll Drama — Why Golden State’s Valkyries are now the league’s most valuable franchise, and Caitlin Clark's controversial player ranking ignites talk of jealousy in the league.

• ⚾ MLB Notes — Clayton Kershaw hits 3,000 strikeouts, Pirates dominate, and All-Star Game starters are in.

• 🌟 Moment of Awe — A flashback to Reggie Jackson’s 520-foot homer in the legendary 1971 All-Star Game.

TAGS
WNBA Expansion 2025Atlanta Dream Wilton JacksonCarl Smesko Rhyne Howard Alicia GrayMinnesota Vikings JJ McCarthyJosh Buckhalter Heavy.comNFL 2025 PreviewWNBA Franchise ValuationsCaitlin Clark WNBA Player PollMLB All-Star Game 2025Clayton Kershaw 3000 StrikeoutsReggie Jackson Home RunSportsIQ Podcast Larry Smith

On this edition of SportsIQ with Larry Smith:

🏀 NBA Free Agency & Team Building

• Jasmyn Wimbish (CBS Sports) breaks down OKC Thunder's emerging dynasty, the brilliance of Sam Presti’s long game, and why the NBA’s new CBA can’t stop them.

• Could LeBron James be on the move? The Lakers’ uncertain future, wild trade scenarios, and the legacy impact of maxing out.

• Houston Rockets land Kevin Durant — are they the Thunder’s top challengers in the West?

⚾ MLB Midseason Breakdown with Doug Bonjour

• The July 4th checkpoint: surprises, collapses, and trade deadline outlook.

• Paul Skenes dominating for the Pirates — but should Pittsburgh listen to offers?

• Yankees’ rotation needs help — who’s available?

• Braves’ offense evaporates, Dodgers seek healthy arms, and Tigers quietly become World Series contenders.

🎾 Wimbledon Shocker

• Coco Gauff bounced early — the clay-to-grass transition bites hard.

🎪 Moment of Awe: Nolan Ryan

• A tribute to the strikeout king and baseball’s most untouchable fastball.

SportsIQ PodcastNBA Free Agency 2025OKC Thunder DynastyLeBron James Lakers TradeKevin Durant Houston RocketsMLB Trade Deadline 2025Paul Skenes PiratesYankees RotationCoco Gauff WimbledonNolan Ryan TributeCBS Sports Jasmyn WimbishDoug Bonjour MLB WriterSports Radio with Larry Smith

⛳ PGA TOUR – Aldrich Potgieter, just 20 years old, wins the Rocket Mortgage Classic in a five-hole playoff and takes home $1.78M — nearly doubling his career earnings.

🏀 WNBA – Massive expansion news: Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia will join the league by 2030. Angel Reese continues to dominate, and Chicago spoils Candace Parker night. Plus, Caitlin Clark’s groin injury update.

⚾ MLB Roundup – Judge powers the Yankees, Tigers lead the AL by 11.5 games, and the Mets collapse in June. Reds make a late rally, and rookie pitchers shake up the NL Central.

🐎 IN MEMORIAM – Remembering two legends:

• Dave Parker, the Pirates icon and feared slugger, passes away at 73 — just weeks before his Hall of Fame induction.

• D. Wayne Lukas, Hall of Fame horse trainer, dies at 89 after a lifetime of racing greatness.

🏀 NBA – LeBron opts into $52.5M with the Lakers. Could a trade to the East be next? We discuss playoff odds, legacy, and the possibility of a farewell tour.

✨ Moment of Awe – Potgieter’s clutch win at 20 years old, proving he belongs on the big stage.Aldrich Potgieter Rocket ClassicDave Parker Hall of FameAngel Reese WNBAWNBA Expansion 2025 2030LeBron James Lakers opt-inDeandre Ayton tradeSportsIQ Podcast Larry SmithMLB Mets Tigers YankeesD. Wayne Lukas trainer deathPGA Tour playoffsCaitlin Clark injury update

Larry Smith dives into a massive Friday lineup:

🏀 Oklahoma City Thunder make history, winning their first NBA Championship. The moment is marked by a touching tribute at the OKC Bombing Memorial, blending sports triumph with deep emotional resonance.

🏒 NHL season wrap with Austin Nivison of CBS Sports:

• Florida Panthers' back-to-back titles

• Oilers' goaltending issues and McDavid’s future

• Who's poised to be Canada’s next Cup champion?

• Mitch Marner watch: how his free agency will trigger domino effects

🏈 Ryan Chapman talks Oklahoma football:

• The Thunder’s citywide impact

• Brent Venables on the hot seat

• OU's SEC adjustments and NIL-era roster strategy with new GM Jim Nagy

• Why portal recruiting and offensive line philosophy are evolving fast

👀 College Football Recruiting Update with Tony Cordaro:
What the House settlement means for 2026 recruiting classes, scholarship limits, and the shifting power dynamics between big and small programs.

⚾ Moment of Awe:
Clayton Kershaw sits three strikeouts away from the 3,000 mark. An all-time great adds another chapter.

🧠 Plus: WNBA showdown preview, revenue-sharing thoughts, and the legacy of Kobe Bryant from the 1996 NBA Draft.

Oklahoma City Thunder NBA ChampionsW. Steven Williams OKC MemorialFlorida Panthers Stanley CupEdmonton Oilers offseasonAustin Nivison CBS SportsOU Football Brent VenablesRyan Chapman SoonersMitch Marner Free AgencyCollege Football NIL House Settlement2026 Recruiting ClassClayton Kershaw 3000 strikeoutsWNBA Paige Bueckers Caitlin ClarkKobe Bryant Draft DaySportsIQ Podcast Larry Smith

Today’s SportsIQ, Larry Smith hosts a wide-ranging Thursday edition loaded with sports insight and cultural crossover:

🏀 WNBA Spotlight with guest Myles Ehrlich (Winsidr, Pull Up with Miles & Owen) — deep dive into the Liberty’s resilience, Golden State Valkyrie’s fast rise, and how stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese are just the tip of a much longer growth story. Plus: team valuations, TV deals, charter flights, and the real work behind the league’s boom.
📈 Inside the $400M valuation of the New York Liberty — and why even James Dolan regrets selling too soon.
💰 CBA negotiations and the players’ push for equity — what’s coming next for salary caps and travel reform.

🏀 NBA Draft Recap — Cooper Flagg to Dallas was expected, but the real drama came later:
• Ace Bailey’s awkward reaction to Utah
• Brooklyn’s baffling five-pick strategy
• Washington State’s Cedric Howard shocks the lottery

💎 Sports Card Market with Will Stern (Collect Media) — from boom to bust and back again. Are we in a new “Junk Wax” era, or is the industry finally maturing?
• Fanatics Fest vs. The National
• Topps returning to licensed NBA/Football
• How kids (and adults) are flipping cardboard into six-figure businesses.

⚾ MLB Headlines
• Jacob deGrom no-hits through 7
• Juan Soto sets HR record
• Acuña joins the Home Run Derby
• White Sox stun the Diamondbacks

📺 Moment of Awe: A tribute at the Oklahoma City Memorial reminds us what fandom, legacy, and memory really mean — even in the loudest of sports seasons.

WNBA growthNew York Liberty valuationCaitlin Clark Angel ReeseMyles Ehrlich WinsidrWNBA TV deal Ion AmazonNBA Draft 2025Cooper Flagg Dallas MavericksAce Bailey Utah JazzCedric Howard Washington StateSports cards boomWill Stern Collect MediaFanatics Fest 2025Topps NBA returnJacob deGrom no-hitterJuan Soto recordMLB Home Run DerbySportsIQ podcast Larry Smith

Larry Smith dives into the latest headlines and long-term shifts in college sports:

🏈 Iowa Football Outlook with Tom Kakert (HawkeyeReport.com) — new QB optimism, offensive depth, and a rare prediction of shootouts in Iowa City. Plus: insight on the McCollum hire, hoops rebuild, and NIL-era growing pains.

🏛️ NIL & House Settlement with Kam Cox (Assistant AD, Illinois) — the future of college sports revenue sharing, roster limits, enforcement under the new College Sports Commission, and why he’s cautiously optimistic this “new era” will be more structured.

⚾ Baseball Beat — Yankees' slump deepens, Chase Burns' MLB debut dazzles, and the Mets hit rock bottom.

🏀 WNBA + NBA Draft Buzz — Caitlin Clark’s 3-point drought, the Wings’ resurgence, and what to watch for as Cooper Flagg prepares to make history at the draft. Plus: the ghost of Kwame Brown and other #1 pick busts.

Iowa Football 2025
Tom Kakert HawkeyeReportKam Cox Illinois NILHouse Settlement NCAACollege Sports CommissionRevenue Sharing in College AthleticsCaitlin Clark shooting slumpWNBA Fever WingsCooper Flagg NBA DraftNBA Draft 2025 PreviewSportsIQ Podcast Larry Smith