Across The Board Ep1: Stephen A. Smith, the USMNT's World Cup Exit, Caitlin Clark, and Dave Portnoy

In the debut episode of Across The Board, Sarah Strackhouse, Jon Stettin, and Frank Zaccanelli discuss Stephen A. Smith's comments about the Los Angeles Lakers' roster, the USMNT's 4-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup, the ongoing conversation around Caitlin Clark and the WNBA, and whether Dave Portnoy is good for horse racing. Frank Zaccanelli, former President, GM, and minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and Jon Stettin, horse racing handicapper and Past The Wire founder, bring their combined perspective to each topic. Chapters: 00:00 — Welcome to Across The Board 00:33 — Introducing the show and the team 01:14 — Past The Wire's launch press release 02:27 — Today's topics 03:08 — Stephen A. Smith's comments on the Lakers 03:23 — Jon's article: the case against calling it basketball analysis 05:10 — Frank on Stephen A. Smith's basketball background 06:52 — Frank on Walker Kessler's actual role on the roster 09:17 — Frank on Stephen A.'s responsibility with his platform 11:06 — Jon on the Jimmy the Greek comparison 16:16 — Frank and Jon invite Stephen A. Smith on the show 16:33 — USMNT's 4-1 loss to Belgium 20:55 — Jon on the World Cup's growing reach in the US 24:13 — Frank and Jon preview France vs. Morocco 26:40 — Caitlin Clark and the WNBA 27:20 — Jon breaks down the numbers: viewership, sellouts, revenue 29:54 — Frank on WNBA officiating and league leadership 31:08 — Frank's Tiger Woods analogy 38:30 — Jon: "She's elevating every player in that league" 39:26 — Frank on reaching out to the WNBA Players Association 41:42 — Dave Portnoy and horse racing 42:04 — Jon's article: "The Illusion of Exposure" 45:30 — Frank on Portnoy's business record 46:27 — Frank on the Bob Baffert suspension and its impact on racing's reputation 48:39 — Defining "good for the game": viewership vs. handle 51:43 — Final takes and what's next for Past The Wire 🏇 ABOUT PAST THE WIRE TV Past The Wire TV is the home of serious horse racing analysis, sports betting strategy, and the sharpest voices in the wagering world. Founded by Jon Stettin, the Pick 6 King, Past The Wire has built one of the most loyal audiences in racing media. Now, with Frank Zaccanelli on board, we are taking the platform to the next level. Subscribe for new episodes every week across four shows: 🔹 The Sharp Edge — Multi-sport betting analysis and picks 🔹 High Level Handicapping — Deep dive horse racing for the serious player 🔹 Across The Board — Hot takes and sports commentary 🔹 Champions and Connections — The people behind the biggest moments in sports and racing 🔗 FOLLOW PAST THE WIRE TV 🌐 Website: pastthewire.com 📺 YouTube:    / pastthewire   🐦 X / Twitter: https://x.com/PastTheWire 📸 Instagram:   / pastthewire   #AcrossTheBoard #PastTheWireTV #HorseRacing #StephenASmith #CaitlinClark #WNBA #USMNT #WorldCup #DavePortnoy #DallasMavericks #dirknowitzki