Dan welcomes Brennen Roberts back to Bub’s Pub for a wide-ranging tour through sports, family updates, and the wonderfully weird corners of the news. The pair catch up on Parents Weekend at Mizzou, a furnace replacement that arrived just in time, and the arrival of new sponsor Seniors Helping Seniors before diving into a World Series finish that put the champagne back on ice. From there, it’s full-speed ahead through the Bears’ win over New England, Caleb Williams versus Drake Maye, trade-deadline possibilities, and a Monday-night matchup with Seattle. College football gets its turn after Illinois knocks off Oregon, while the Bulls’ rocky start prompts equal parts concern, curiosity, and hope for Caleb Wilson. The conversation also checks in on Illinois basketball, the changing college-sports landscape, and a WNBA scheduling mess. Then the episode leaves ordinary sports talk behind for military super-dogs, real-life laser weapons, and a three-year-old soccer phenom who was apparently too dominant for the league. In short: Chicago sports, college chaos, futuristic dogs, lasers, and one tiny striker causing grown-up problems—just another perfectly normal afternoon at Bub’s Pub.

Pull up a chair at Bub’s Pub! Guest John O’Donnell joins Dan Drews and Brennen Roberts for an episode with a distinctly Boston flavor—and plenty of Chicago football on the menu. The lineup pairs a look back at the Bears–Falcons game with a Bears–Patriots preview, tapping John’s Boston sports perspective for a little cross-town conversation. There’s also the ultimate armchair-GM question: Caleb Williams or Drake Maye? No actual front-office experience required.

Beyond the NFL, the notes tee up college football surprises, and Illinois high school playoff talk. John’s guest spot gets another showcase in the “Best of Boston” draft: three people, three rounds, and nine picks celebrating the city’s things, people, places, and teams. With only nine slots available, somebody’s favorite is bound to be left on the draft board.

The agenda also includes John’s perspective on Illinois government and the approaching November elections, alongside local-government questions and other news follow-ups. Add a catch-up on Brennen’s college-visit weekend and a shout-out to Jim Melton’s half-marathon fundraising for Compassion International, and you’ve got a full table of topics. Come for guest John O’Donnell, stay for the football talk, Boston draft, and a little of everything else at Bub’s Pub.

Dan and Brennen gather at Bub’s Pub to process a weekend that gave Chicago sports fans plenty to grumble about—and everyone else plenty to discuss. They salute Mike Ditka, unpack the Bears’ rough outing against Green Bay, survey college football’s overtime drama and Mizzou’s momentum, and check in on baseball, hockey, and a marathoner who apparently treats the treadmill and Planet Fitness like a second home. The conversation then takes a scenic detour through Alberta politics, the enduring Amelia Earhart mystery, and other wonderfully unexpected headlines...like Kacey Musgraves' "crystal balls". It’s a lively mix of sports analysis, friendly debate, curious stories, and the kind of laughs that make even a tough weekend feel a little easier.

Bub’s Pub returns with Brennen Roberts for a wide-ranging sports lap that starts with the Bears steamrolling the Jets and quickly turns toward the main event: Packer Week. The crew revisits last week’s Red Rooster stop and an all-time Illini basketball draft, marvels at Chicago’s ball-control clinic, surveys a lively college-football slate, checks in on Chicago baseball, and still finds room for a quarterback-bust quiz and the usual collection of wonderfully unexpected detours. In short: plenty of stats, plenty of opinions, and absolutely no shortage of material for friendly arguments.

Josh Bartzen delivers the episode’s clearest reality check: Green Bay may be 2–2, but the record is wearing a much nicer outfit than the team’s play. Even after a 17–14 win over Tampa Bay, the Packers look less like a smooth-running machine and more like one that keeps flashing a warning light.

Greenland: The Greenland pact gets the “quiet story, enormous implications” treatment. The discussion focuses on an expanded U.S. defense footprint, broader access, and oversight of certain foreign-backed investments—a reminder that major geopolitical moves do not always arrive with major headlines.

AI summit: The Washington gathering brings together an all-star roster of technology leaders and a big policy question: how much should AI companies regulate themselves? With talk of a White House accord and a coordinating task force, it sounds a little like a superhero team-up—only with more computing power and considerably more paperwork.

On this episode of Bub’s Pub, Bryan Orr joins the fun as Dan welcomes Andy Wright—a big thinker who traded Silicon Valley for Hillsboro, IL and a seriously ambitious local adventure. Andy shares the story behind his renovation of the historic Red Rooster Inn, from taking on a well-worn building with plenty of residents and even more history to restoring it for a new chapter. Then the conversation heads downstairs—and into the brewhouse—as Andy talks about opening Red Rooster Brewing and Distillery, the equipment that can help produce both beer and whiskey, locally sourced ingredients, the science and art of brewing, and the patience required when the whiskey needs years before it is ready. Along the way, the crew keeps things lively with sports, local color, and the kind of friendly banter that pairs nicely with a fresh pour. It is a cheerful mix of old buildings, old friends, new brews, and proof that one bold renovation can give a landmark—and a community gathering place—something worth raising a glass to.

Jim Melton joins the Pub for an episode that starts in the sports world and travels well beyond it. We celebrate a rare double dose of Chicago baseball excitement as both the Cubs and White Sox punch playoff tickets, check the temperature on the Bears after a soggy loss and Caleb Williams’ hamstring setback, and bounce through NFL surprises, college football showdowns, Bulls chatter, and a draft of delightfully unusual high-school team nicknames. Then the conversation turns to Jim’s mission trips, what it means to turn good intentions into genuinely helpful action, and the work of Compassion International—including child sponsorship, local church partnerships, and supporting communities with dignity. It’s a thoughtful, encouraging conversation with plenty of laughs, a little perspective, and proof that making a difference doesn’t require a superhero cape—just a willing heart, a good pair of travel shoes, and maybe a strong fantasy-football waiver claim.

This week on Bub’s Pub, Dan and Brennen welcome a very special guest: Matt Scalzo, the famous host of Hold My Beer Sports and freshly celebrated member of the 100-episode club. Matt brings the energy, the sports takes, and just enough chaos to help steer the Pub through a packed slate of football, baseball, bold opinions, and one extremely unfortunate endurance-racing incident.

The crew kicks things off with Matt’s origin story and a shoutout to his big Hold My Beer Sports milestone before diving into college football heartbreakers, comebacks, and rivalry drama. From Duke stunning Illinois to Texas stealing one from Ohio State, there is plenty of room for celebration, second-guessing, and wondering how many times a fan can say, “I thought this game was over!” before it becomes a lifestyle.

Then it is on to the Bears, who opened the season by casually dropping 59 points like they were trying to break the scoreboard and the internet at the same time. Caleb Williams gets the early MVP-candidate treatment, D’Andre Swift gets paid, Tory Taylor gets his banana ball moment, and the rookies get their flowers. Matt also helps break down the Vikings after their comeback win over Green Bay, including quarterback questions, Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy defense, coaching, and what Minnesota fans should realistically expect next.

The episode keeps rolling with Cubs and Sox talk, a Texas high school football score that looks like someone leaned on the keyboard, and a spirited debate over whether private and Catholic schools should have their own playoff system. The gang also takes a quick detour into AI doomsday headlines before closing with a funny story of the week from the world of HYROX—proof that sports can inspire, horrify, and make everyone in the room very grateful they are sitting down.

This week on Bub’s Pub, Dan and Brennen ease into the football season with the kind of friendly chaos listeners have come to expect: college football reactions, a Michigan Hail Mary that needed every last second—and maybe one extra one—and a quick tour through sports stories ranging from Illinois football to high school stat monsters, tennis drama, beer heists, robotaxis, and the deeply questionable rise of “pheromone-maxxing.”

The main event, though, is the visit from special guest Tom Moriarty, who brings Detroit Lions super-fan energy to the NFC North breakdown. Tom helps steer a fun, Honolulu-blue conversation through the Lions’ offense, defense, and divisional outlook, giving the segment the feel of a spirited tailgate debate with just enough optimism to make every other NFC North fan nervous. With the Lions looking to rebound from a 9-8 season and several previews framing them as a serious NFC North contender, Tom’s guest spot gives the episode a timely dose of Detroit confidence, schedule talk, and “is this the year?” energy.

Along the way, the show still leaves room for classic pub banter: Bears predictions, a nod to Honolulu Blues by Joel Walkowski, and enough oddball headlines to keep things from getting too serious. In short: it’s football talk with jokes on tap, and Tom Moriarty’s Lions preview is the frothy pour at the center of the episode.