The Gametime Guru

In this inspiring episode of The Gametime Guru, former University of Houston wide receiver Linell Bonner shares his powerful journey from being overlooked in high school to becoming a standout D1 athlete, a published author, and a transformational mentor and speaker.

Key Topics Covered:

• How Linell didn’t make varsity until his senior year — and why that didn’t stop him
• What it took to earn a football scholarship at the Univers...

In this exclusive interview, former Michigan and Ole Miss quarterback Shea Patterson joins me  to deliver raw insights on playing Division I football in both the SEC and Big Ten, adapting to multiple offensive systems, and his journey into the USFL with the Michigan Panthers.

This is from my interview with Shae back in 2022 on the Nations Best Brotherhood Podcast with Nations Best Football. 

🎯 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Wh...

What do Jerry Maguire, Patrick Mahomes, Troy Aikman, and Warren Moon all have in common? Their stories intersect with Leigh Steinberg, one of the most iconic sports agents in history.

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, Leigh opens up about:

His influence on the movie Jerry Maguire

How elite athletes like Mahomes and Young handle adversity

NIL’s impact on the future of college sports

His unique approach to mentoring athletes on a...

What’s the current state of club basketball in 2025? In this solo episode of The Gametime Guru, I will dive into the real pros and cons of the modern youth sports scene, particularly club basketball.

Key Questions Answered:

• Is club basketball worth the cost in 2025?
• How do club teams help (or hurt) college basketball opportunities?
• Why are parents spending $10,000+ per season?
• Are youth tournaments becoming a money grab?
• What ...

Today, I interview Ryan Winterswyk, former walk-on turned star defensive end at Boise State, and former NFL player with the Atlanta Falcons.

Ryan talks candidly about:

• Walking on at Boise State and earning his role
• Life lessons from Coach Petersen’s program
• Transitioning to the NFL
• Becoming a coach and redefining purpose

This episode is about more than football—it's about mindset, resilience, and reinvention. Whether you...

Thinking about playing football at the next level?

In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, we dive deep into the real-life journey of Carl Pickens, from high school standout to Freshman All-American at Tennessee, to NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with the Cincinnati Bengals.

This conversation is essential listening for:

🚨 Aspiring college and pro athletes

🚨 High school football players looking to understand the process

🚨...

Are you a shorter basketball player trying to stand out?

This episode is for you. Former Boise State standout and pro guard Montigo Alford (aka Tigo) shares exactly how shorter guards can dominate, impact winning, and build long-term success—on and off the court.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• How to succeed as a 5'9 guard in high school, college, and pro basketball
• Why being a great teammate matters just as much as stats
• The importanc...

Today, I (Shane Larson) sit down with Bob Smith, founder and CEO of Nation’s Best Football—a platform that's become a cornerstone of athlete branding, NIL education, and nationwide football coverage from youth to pro. With 15+ years of spotlighting athletes and connecting them to life-changing opportunities, Bob shares his journey building the Nation’s Best ecosystem and his vision for the future of NIL, digital sports marketing, a...

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, I interview Anthony Tucker, the founder of Hoop Habits and former professional basketball player who competed overseas and in the Big Ten.

From winning a high school state championship to building a training facility focused on mindset, recovery, and development, Anthony shares powerful insights on how to navigate the transition from athlete to entrepreneur.

TOPICS COVERED:

The mindset required...

The last time I spoke with Colby Blaine, was back in 2020, and we were able to hear about what he was building over at College of Idaho for their men's basketball program. Since that time SO MUCH has happened, which is exactly why I needed to circle back with the man to  hear the updates. 

The Yotes basketball program won the national championship in 2023 and 2025 with some big runs into the Elite 8 and the Fab 4 of the NAIA Nation...

In this powerful and insightful interview on The Gametime Guru Podcast, I’m joined by former NFL offensive lineman Matt Skura, best known for his time with the Baltimore Ravens. We dive deep into Matt's football journey—from his college days at

Abu Kigab is a former Boise State and Oregon basketball player. He's now playing professionally overseas and is making an impact with the game of basketball. In this 400th episode of The Gametime Guru, we are diving into what it truly takes to compete at a high level. 

Abu talks about the importance of taking care of your body. How nutrition and sleep play such an important role in your ability to play at 100% during your career an...

Athlete Narrative is an app for athletes to help streamline the recruiting process for them. See, one of the biggest hiccups in the young athlete's journey, is the recruiting process as a whole. What do they need when they reach out to coaches? How many emails do they need to send? What if there was a tool that could help with all of this? 

The app will help you build your radar page (profile) and then with the AI technology inside...

As a coach, I have the opportunity to see just how powerful team basketball can truly be when playing the game of basketball. Even at my age, I was able to witness the power of playing team ball in our City League Championship here in Idaho. 

Why does it seem hard for many kids to grasp this concept though? We'll talk about that in the show today. 

We'll also discuss some of the interviews that I've done in recent times and I'll go...

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, I sit down with Sam Winter, former Boise State Basketball player and creative content creator. Sam’s story goes beyond his time on the court—he built a personal brand by sharing behind-the-scenes stories and embracing his role within a Division I program. His content gave fans a unique, authentic look at life as a college athlete.

We cover Sam’s athletic journey, including:

How an ACL injury in...

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, I sit down with Andrew "Dru" Faga, former UNLV Fullback and Idaho State Linebacker, to talk about his football journey and life after the game. Dru shares what it was like playing at the Division I level, his transition between programs, and the lessons he learned on and off the field.

But this conversation goes beyond his playing days! Dru is now one of the co-hosts of the Huddle Up Youth Spor...

In this episode of The Gametime Guru, I sit down with "Slammin' Sammy Christensen" to dive deep into his journey as an athlete. Sammy was a late bloomer in high school, but his dedication and multi-sport background helped shape his success.

We discuss:
🏈 Football recruiting and how he ended up playing college baseball instead
⚾ His JUCO baseball experience and the transition to a university before going pro
⚾ Lessons from the mino...

Nick Fazekas was a University of Nevada (Reno) Legend!! There is a reason why his number is retired at the University! What some (like myself) may not have known however, is just how unbelievable his story was AFTER college! 

Nick played college basketball during a time where I watched a LOT of basketball and I remembered him playing at Nevada. That said, I never realized what actually happened when he left college. Today in this i...

**Major apologies for the echo throughout the episode**

In this episode, we welcome Leila Entezam, LMFT, MBA, a Neuro-Emotional Performance Coach and author of the upcoming book Inner Game. Leila is a thought leader in neuro-emotional intelligence (NEI), merging insights from neuroscience, psychology, and peak performance to empower high achievers.

With nearly two decades of experience working with elite performers—including CEOs o...