Takin' it to the Streets

We have reached the end of the Street with Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara this Sunday. The New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks will be the NFL’s finale of a great season. This year was known for the parity that saw the second worst record in the AFC (a year ago) make it to the championship game this season. 

Was it the coaching change to Mike Vrabel? 

Was it the magical pedigree of the Patriots in the post-season? 

Sea...

As the season heads to its penultimate moment, only four are left standing. The Street has seen adversity this season. Mike has been a shining star, staying consistently at or above 60% (including the playoffs) while Andy has found it hard to Take it to the Streets vs. being “Taken” by them. One has argued, effectively, why a team is right for the role (week in and week out) while the other has cited key numbers and sharp/square mo...

The playoffs have a way of pulling truth into the open. In the glare of January football, excuses thin out, narratives harden and every decision echoes louder than it did in September. 

In this episode of Takin’ it to the Streets, we dig into a Wild Card Weekend that felt less like chaos and more like a mirror - reflecting what teams really are when the margin for error disappears.

Is the league drowning in mediocrity? Are th...

The regular season has ended, and it is now on to the road that leads us to the Super Bowl. The story of the year on Takin’ it to the Streets was Mike McLaughlin achieving handicapping immortality in going 61% for the season, the record in the short history of the Streets but one that will be a standard bearer for the future and the many Streets to come. Andy struggled to a 46% ATS mark as the show prides itself on its transparency...

Mike attempts to go 60% ATS for the season. In NFL handicapping, THAT’S A FEAT! He is currently 59%+ and at this juncture, that’s a job well done. This is Mike’s rookie season on the Streets but as the show's infamous first guest, it almost seems as though “The Gods” wanted it this way. Gone are the days of Andy cream puff shadow boxing with Colin Cowherd. New sheriff in town?

In this episode:

• Mike's impressive 59% su...

Andy and Mike inch closer to the end of the season with Mike once again peeking his head above the 60% ATS level. The playoffs seem to be a hodgepodge of mediocrity. Who will emerge from the pack in a crowded field of similarity? Which teams will take the journey as the Streets wind toward the playoffs.

In this episode:

• Is the NFL experiencing true parity or just widespread mediocrity?

• The end of automatic playoff assumptions for...

Deep in the mountains and valleys of America exists a cadre, a brotherhood and sisterhood bonded by the thrill of completing a grueling journey. They will attempt to run 100 miles (nearly 4 marathons) consecutively under a given time limit. While they attempt this, some will bond to pass the time or out of deep human necessity. On this episode, Jeff Mikesell, a veteran of 73 ultramarathons and Matt Casalone, a rookie, join Andy to ...

New York Times bestselling author and sports journalist icon Gary Myers joins Andy on “The Streets.” An NFL acumen that spans decades as a columnist to one of 50 NFL Hall of Fame voters, Gary recently authored “Brady vs. Belichick (The Dynasty Debate).” In his latest of seven books written and has rekindled the generational debate as to who was the bigger “impact player” in the New England dynasty? Gary discusses the NFL Hall of Fa...

This is the time of year where the casual fan declares a team “needing” a game. Truth be told, why do they need the game? Mike brings his sparkling 59% ATS mark to the table (through 13 weeks) while Andy lags at 47%. Which teams are for real and which are posers gets addressed in detail entering the 14th week of the NFL season. New York Times best-selling author Gary Myers joins the Streets next week. 

Key Topics:

• Week 14 NFL...

As we head into the football crescendo of the season, Thanksgiving weekend, we realize many teams are done. While it seems too early to be done, this is the age of parity and early exit is part of the current landscape. Mike has embarked on an EPIC first year against the spread. He is currently 61% ATS (22-14) and to that the listener of Takin’ it to the Streets owes thanks. 

As we near the NFL playoffs the question of what a te...

“America’s Pastime” is the topic with the great Jose Cruz Junior making his second visit to the Streets. The current state of the game, AI overtaking umpiring, the past World Series and worst calls of all time are discussed. What will the future bring as Junior shares his favorite baseball movie of all-time. Mike then joins Andy for Week 12 analysis as both look to improve on their ATS marks for the season: 58/48%.  

What’s insi...

The NFL season has pushed past the halfway point and the suggestion of whether we are in a state of mediocrity or parity is in question. Are the Eagles abundantly the best? Are the Titans as far away as their record suggests? Fox’s Chris Myers makes his second appearance on the Streets as he and Andy reflect on this topic as well as reminisce about great NFL teams of yesteryear. Was there a better defense than the ’85 Bears? Who wa...

The New York Jets have made a splash that Daryl Hannah as “Madison” would be envious of. After years living in the NFL desert, the Jets looked themselves in the mirror and took the brave step of rebuilding their franchise with new personnel. It won’t be tomorrow, it won’t be next season but Crosby, Stills and Nash said it best, “Daylight Again.” 

Mike is having an excellent season at 62% against the spread and Andy has shown lif...

This week, Andy and Mike dive headfirst into the chaos of modern sports, starting with the NBA’s latest gambling scandal. Is it addiction, stupidity or just the new normal? From prop bets that got way out of hand to Vegas lines that practically run the games, they break down the dark side of professional sports before turning to NFL Week 9.

With Mike riding high at 15-9 and Andy close behind, they dig into Vegas over/under predictio...

This episode reminisces over the making and inspiration of the movie, “Breaking Away.” Andy tells of the screenplay writer’s story, Steve Tesich. Tesich was a student at Indiana University in the 60’s. He began his career working in Brooklyn as a case worker in the welfare department before writing a few off-Broadway plays (Olympia Dukakis, Vincent Gardenia and Eileen Brennan were among some of the actors featured). Tesich was on a...

A third of the way through with the NFL season and Andy and Mike are battling with their “head on” against the spread competition. Overall, Mike is ahead at 10-8 while Andy trails at 8-10. Are the Falcons the NFL’s version of Costco’s Kirkland brand? Do they seemingly have all the intrinsics that Detroit has minus the brand name trust? Both share thoughts from Week 6 before making their 3 selections for Week 7. 

Pour yourself an...

The Streets felt like the Dave Mason classic, “We Just Disagree.” Andy and Mike come with opposing opinions of the current NFL and handicapping in general. The Streets has always been a home for dissenting view and this week was no different. 

Andy continues to question Buffalo and Detroit while Mike believes the Shedeur Sanders Cleveland saga is noisy and a bit of a non-story. 

Is Josh Allen’s career taking on the same traits of Dan...

25% into the NFL season some things are starting to represent themselves as fact. 

1. Baltimore is struggling and loaded with injury, is there a way to save this season? 

2. Is the Bears blocking a field goal at the gun in Las Vegas a precursor to a playoff season in the make? Did they “get away with one” on the road? 

3. Is Buffalo a bad 4-0 team? Hosting both sides of a “mini bye” and scraping by with wins over Miami and New Orleans ...

Beemer comes back to the Streets with a New York City edge of a man primed and ready for the 2025 Ryder Cup to be held on Long Island at Bethpage Black. While Andy and Beemer share New York City stories of their first in-person meeting, the anecdotes range from Andy visiting Memorial Park (home of the 911 memorial) to the upcoming Ryder Cup and what it means to both sides. 

• Is the European motivation toward glory enough to t...