We have a fun one this week as Jack and Jeremy share with us some nicknames they coined for current players in the MLB. Oddly, there are a lot of middle relief pitchers on their hit list. Fans of the podcast who are starved for a classic Jeremy rant will be happy to hear his thoughts about the pizza guy from the Last Dance series on ESPN (7:39). We also hear a tribute to Fred Willard and an update on Jeremy's Topps Project 2020 riches.

Rain Delay Theater

#78 - Giving Nicknames To Players

Jack and Jeremy recap the first week of KBO baseball on ESPN, talk about some of the league's stars, and give their critique on ESPN's coverage. They also tackle the new Topps Project 2020 baseball art cards that are taking the card collecting world by storm. The guys next touch base on the ESPN doc series "The Last Dance" which recently aired it's episode covering Michael Jordan's time playing baseball. And finally, we get our first double installment of Rain Delay Theater History Class where Jack and Jeremy each present a player from baseball history for our edification. This week Jeremy presents Cleveland Indians fan-favorite Andre Thornton and Jack tackles The Cobra Dave Parker.

#77 - KBO Baseball, "The Last Dance", & Rain Delay Theater History Class Vol 1.

This week, Jack and Jeremy revisit an overlooked MLB year end award, the Comeback Player of the Year. The guys rank their top 5 Comeback Players of the Year and try to give a little backstory to what happened to them the preceding year that made them have to "comeback" in the first place. Also, the KBO (Korean Baseball Organization) is beginning this week and Jack and Jeremy run down a few former MLB players set to play in the league this year.

#76 - Our Top 5 Comeback Players of the Year in the 2000s

This week, the guys go into the past, all the way back to 1991, to recap a totally random White Sox @ Royals game from Youtube. It might be the shelter-in-place talking, but Jack and Jeremy find plenty to dissect here. The game features a young(er) Hawk Harrelson/Tom Paciorek announcing team, the recall of Sammy Sosa, and a seemingly obligatory George Brett scatological reference by Hawk and Wimpy. The entire broadcast of the game can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8q091-QIeA. Check it out and then listen to our recap!

#75 - Classic Game Recap: 8/27/91 Chicago White Sox @ Kansas City Royals

Jack and Jeremy return this week to conclude their look back to their shared baseball past, before the Rain Delay Theater podcast existed. The guys get into the White Sox chapter of their ballpark-going friendship and recount some stories that would lay the groundwork for the podcast as it exists today. They end the episode with a retelling of their Michigan baseball roadtrip to Lansing and Detroit filled with drunken antics, a fortuitous discovery in their rental car, and some good local food! We have a long one here folks, but, hey, you're social distancing, so what else do you have to do?!? Make sure to hang in there til the Michigan portion of the episode around the 1:21:10 mark. Stay safe, folks!

#74 - Rain Delay Theater: Before the Podcast (Part 2)

This week, Jack and Jeremy meet up (virtually) to discuss life before the podcast - specifically, games and oddities they experienced together at the ballpark before the Rain Delay Theater years. Hear about their first game in 2013, a painfully hungover Friday afternoon Cubs game in freezing temperatures, and a crazed mad dash for a limited supply of Kris Bryant bobbleheads. In the interest of social distancing, Jack calls in for this one - please bear with any brief interference or cut out, the connection was pretty smooth overall. So much is covered here that this is a two-parter! Part two coming next week! Stay safe and enjoy!

#73 - Rain Delay Theater: Before the Podcast (Part 1)

Baseball (and life) is shutdown due to COVID-19 and Jack and Jeremy get together to bring you a check-in podcast. The guys talk about how the lockdown is affecting life in Chicago as well as the 2020 MLB and College Baseball seasons. For those of you cooped up in your houses during these times, tune in to hear a more relaxed and conversational version of the show and let Rain Delay Theater help pass the time. And stay safe, folks!

#72 - Checking In During the Shutdown

This week, Jack and Jeremy combine to draft a roster of celebrities (and athletes) who played baseball at one point in their lives. Some you may know, some you may not, some may have never actually played baseball but Jeremy thought they did until he researched them but left them in anyways! Check it out! (NOTE: Please excuse the technical audio difficulties at the beginning of the show, the sound clears up around the 20:25 mark)

#71 - Celebrities Who Played Baseball

Spring Training is underway and Jack and Jeremy bring you the 2nd annual non-roster invitee episode! The guys have a fun time running down the list of players trying to catch on with a team for the 2020 season. A few has beens, a few never was-es, some downright BUMS, and a whole lotta White Sox buckshot! Before that, the guys talk about the debut of the (what do you have against the) Marquee Network. Baseball season is on the horizon! Let Rain Delay Theater help you get there! Ahoy!

#70 - 2020 Non-Roster Invitees

Coming down the aisle at a combined weight of 345 pounds and hailing from Chicago, Illinois - Jack and Jeremy: the Rain Delay Theater Boys! That's right, for the first time ever, the guys attend a live wrestling event - and it does NOT disappoint! The RDT duo drive out to Tinley Park, IL to attend the Dynamic Wrestling Alliance: Valentine's Day Massacre event at the Side Street Tavern. This is a wild episode as the guys run down all the matches and goings on at this independent wrestling show. The CSI Guys, the Irish Carbomb, and the Amish Powerhouse were just some of the wrestlers on the card that night. We also hear about Jack and Jeremy's personal histories as wrestling fans in their youth and how Jeremy has a GPS programmed with his own voice. You'll just have to listen to this one to hear the blow-by-blow of this crazy night. It's a good one!

#69 - 2/7/20 Dynamic Wrestling Alliance: Valentine's Day Massacre

Jack and Jeremy recap their recent trip to Evanston, IL to see the Northwestern Wildcats take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in college basketball action! The well-behaved crowd gave little for the guys to talk about so they also run down all the current events in MLB. Topics covered include: the Astros cheating fallout and managerial firings, Carlos Beltran's "niece", Jessica Mendoza's comments, Trout on HGH?, Tom Ricketts getting booed at the Cubs Convention, and the Hall of Fame voting results. What do you have against the Marquee Network???

#68 - 1/14/20 Iowa Hawkeyes @ Northwestern Wildcats PLUS Astros Cheating Fallout and more news!

Rain Delay Theater continues its offseason transformation into a basketball podcast this week when they attend an NBA G League game with the Windy City Bulls taking on the College Park Skyhawks at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates, IL. Jeremy discusses his history with the Sears Center and an indoor soccer team called the Chicago Storm including a harrowing story about Jeremy disappointing hundreds of Girl Scouts (7:47). The guys also discuss their pregame trip to Chili's, a caffeine-riddled sweatsuit kid, and a grandpa who almost dropped his grandchild. Also find out what White Sox Pride Crew member is also the host for Windy City Bulls games! Tune in for the first episode of 2020 friends!

#67 - 1/10/20 College Park Skyhawks @ Windy City Bulls

Jack and Jeremy join you for the final episode of the 2010s and bestow a handful of Rain Delay Theater-esque awards for the decade. Find out who the "Most 2010s" player is, who wins the "Ruined the Decade" award, and who will take home the "Started Strong, Ended Wrong" award. We also talk about White Sox World Series odds and what the short term plan is for the Cubs. Tune in and have a Happy New Year! Thank you for your listening support over these two years!

#66 - End of the Decade Awards

It's a special offseason game recap episode and the guys head to the Wintrust Arena for some high school basketball showcase games at the Chicago Elite Classic! Three games total and almost 6 hours of basketball! Yikes! The guys saw some of the top high school recruits in the nation - UNC commit Caleb Love, Duke commit DJ Steward, and Illinois commit Adam Miller and recap their performances (19:24)! Jack finds his true calling as a college basketball scout in this one (go off, King!). Jeremy explains to Jack what being a "stan" is, several on and off court brawls are recapped, Jack finds $20 while Jeremy sulks alone at halftime, and the guys meet an old crusty basketball bum, Front Porch Napoleon (7:28)! This is a super basketball heavy ep, so if you're into that sort of thing, check this one out!

#65 - 12/7/19 Chicago Elite Classic High School Basketball

This week Jack and Jeremy break out the 2001 Topps baseball card set and read some quite peculiar and oddly emotional backs of cards. We're talking stories of near death, career-halting injuries, and with an odd abundance of X-Files references. We noticed an anomaly with this 2001 set in particular and had to share some on the podcast. And then the guys end the episode by reading blurbs they wrote about each other! Check it out!

#64 - Reading Weird Backs of 2001 Topps Baseball Cards

Jack and Jeremy share their tales of baseball game excursions with insight on the gameplay, the players, and the characters in the stands!

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Rain Delay Theater

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