Wharton Moneyball

Steven Godfrey, columnist at The Washington Post and cohost of multiple college football podcasts, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Adi Wyner to discuss the growing role of analytics in shaping how fans, coaches, and media interpret the sport, offering insights into decision-making, fan culture, and the changing landscape of college football. Cade, Eric, and Adi also explore under-the-radar college football matchups, the evolving storylines of the US Open including Naomi Osaka’s return, rare achievements in Major League Baseball, and the start of the NFL season.

Jeff Sackmann, founder of Tennis Abstract, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Adi Wyner to discuss his data-driven forecasts for the U.S. Open, the statistical dominance of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, and how tennis analytics is reshaping the way we understand player performance and strategy. Cade, Eric & Adi also discuss Tommy Fleetwood’s long-awaited PGA victory, the statistical challenges of measuring golf performance, rising MLB fastball velocities, and the excitement surrounding one of the strongest opening weekends in college football history. In a bonus overtime interview, Cade speaks with Ralph Russo, national college football writer at The Athletic, about how data-driven insights are shaping the narratives around college football.

Rick Peterson, longtime MLB pitching coach and author of Crunch Time, joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Adi Wyner to reflect on his career coaching elite players like Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, share insights on performance under pressure, and discuss how velocity, biomechanics, and training have reshaped the game of baseball. Cade, Eric, and Adi also explore statistical approaches to understanding clubhouse effects in baseball, discuss standout performances in professional golf, and analyze the volatility of college football rankings, blending probability theory, data insights, and real-world sports narratives.

ESPN staff writer Bill Connelly joins Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow and Shane Jensen to share his take on the men’s and women’s tennis tours, the emerging Sinner–Alcaraz rivalry, and the depth of talent in women’s tennis. Bill also dissects the 2025 college football landscape, sharing insights on conference strength, playoff expansion, coaching trajectories, and which teams have the best shot at this season’s national championship. Cade, Eric and Shane keep the conversation going, discussing recent golf highlights, including Justin Rose’s win and Ryder Cup implications, as well as emerging MLB storylines such as the Milwaukee Brewers’ dominance, surging offensive stats, and surprising betting odds for perennial favorites like the Dodgers.

Wharton's Eric Bradlow and Adi Wyner are joined by Brandon Copeland, NFL veteran and founder of Athletes.org, to discuss his unlikely rise from Ivy League football to a decade-long pro career and his current work empowering college athletes with advocacy, legal support, and financial literacy in a rapidly evolving NCAA landscape. Plus, they explore the analytical dilemmas behind lineup decisions for the Yankees, Hall of Fame projections, and how rest versus readiness affects elite athletes like Novak Djokovic, while also examining NBA and NFL betting odds through a data-driven lens.

Wharton's Cade Massey and Eric Bradlow are joined by Aaron Schatz, Chief Analytics Officer at FTN Fantasy, to discuss how his models forecast the 2025 NFL season—from rising teams like the Ravens and Commanders to quarterback outlooks and evolving coaching impacts. Plus Cade & Eric discuss the MLB Hall of Fame the WNBA’s upcoming free agency shakeup. and the WNBA's rising viewership metrics.

Wharton's Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, and Shane Jensen speak with Craig O'Shannessy, Director of Brain Game Tennis and tennis strategy advisor, about Novak Djokovic’s narrowing window, Rafael Nadal’s head-to-head dominance in majors, and why Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz may define the next era of tennis through consistency, rivalry, and advanced analytics. They also discuss Scottie Scheffler winning The Open Championship, home run hitters, MLB divisional races, MLB Hall of Fame, and NFL Training Camp.

Wharton's Cade Massey, Eric Bradlow, Adi Wyner, and Shane Jensen speak with Alan Nathan, Professor Emeritus of Physics at University of Illinois about baseball bat construction and the physical factors that impacted the Home Run Derby. They also discuss the possibility of juicing baseballs for the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game, Cal Raleigh's batting, MLB expectations post-All Star, and Wimbledon.

A highlight of Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner's conversation with Seth Partnow—Data Science Manager for the NBA at PENN Interactive, former Director of Basketball Research for the Milwaukee Bucks, and author of The Midrange Theory—discussing what NBA work at PENN Interactive entails, expectations for draft picks and predicting player performance, and how talent distribution across NBA teams is changing.