Welcome to The Sporting Tribune Podcast Network and a new episode of The Sporting Tribune Today, our every-weekday show on sports in Southern California, Las Vegas and Hawaii.
Host Arash Markazi brings you a special edition of The Sporting Tribune Today, looking at the enduring impact of a global icon and the growing pains of a new Olympic hopeful. We sit down with the guardian of the “Greatest” legacy before heading to BMO Stadium to hear from the NFL stars who just got a wake-up call in the dirt.
Segment One: Lonnie Ali and the Fight for the Future Arash is joined by Lonnie Ali, widow of the legendary Muhammad Ali, for an in-depth conversation on the 10th anniversary of her husband’s passing and her continued mission at the Muhammad Ali Center.
The “Ali Act” Revival: Lonnie reacts to the U.S. House of Representatives passing the Muhammad Ali American Boxing Revival Act this week. She discusses why she advocated for this legislation to ensure minimum pay and health care standards for professional boxers, drawing parallels to the protections in the UFC.
Measuring Compassion: Lonnie breaks down the “Muhammad Ali Index,” a new initiative tracking compassion and social justice across America. She shares why her husband’s humanitarian values are more relevant today than ever.
Daughters of Greatness: A preview of the 2026 season of the Ali Center’s signature program, which honors women changemakers who embody the “People’s Champion’s” core values.
Segment Two: The Flag Football Classic—NFL Stars vs. The Reality of LA28 We take you to the podium at BMO Stadium for the post-event press conference following the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. While the event was a star-studded spectacle, the results on the field told a different story.
The Reality Check: Arash reacts to audio from Tom Brady, Joe Burrow, and Jalen Hurts after the U.S. National Team (the “amateurs”) dominated the NFL pros by a combined score of 106–44.
The “Leaky Faucet”: Hear Tom Brady’s candid assessment of the NFL players’ performance: “My heart is really hurting… we’re like a leaky faucet.”
The Olympic Dream: Joe Burrow discusses his lifelong goal of winning a gold medal and why this weekend proved that NFL stars can’t just “show up” to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and expect to win.