In the shadows of the palms and the bright lights of Southern California, the story of Reggie Bush remains one of the most polarizing narratives in the history of the sport.

In this episode of ETB: Small Market Edition, Callan McClurg takes us back to the beginning at Helix High in La Mesa, where a young "Highlander" first began to dismantle opposing defenses with a level of electricity that had never been seen in the San Diego prep scene. We trace the meteoric rise of the Trojan Horseman as he transformed the USC Trojans into a modern dynasty, only to watch as that same legacy was nearly erased by a decade-long scandal involving improper benefits and the unprecedented forfeiture of the 2005 Heisman Trophy.

Through the lens of 2026—an era of name, image, and likeness where the very rules that stripped Bush of his honors have been rendered obsolete—we examine the long road to his eventual reinstatement and the scars left behind by a system that profited from his greatness while punishing his success. This is a story of a hometown hero, a national pariah, and the complicated journey to reclaim a stolen legacy.

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On this episode of Empty the Bench: Small Market Edition, Callan McClurg dives deep into a narrative that transcends the box score to explore the sheer resilience of the human spirit. The Unbroken Path chronicles the extraordinary career of Alex Smith, a journey that began with the local stardom of San Diego’s Helix High School before escalating to the immense pressure of being the NFL’s first overall pick.

Callan brings his signature blend of broadcast booth insight and small-market passion to dissect Smith’s transformation from a scrutinized prospect to a veteran leader whose life and career were forever changed in a single evening. We revisit the harrowing details of the injury that nearly cost him his leg and his life, alongside the grueling, unprecedented recovery that followed.

This is an unapologetic look at the business of the game and the heart of an athlete who refused to let his story end in a hospital bed. Whether you are a fan of the teams he led or simply a believer in the power of the comeback, this episode provides the analysis and perspective for those who cheer differently.

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In this sentimental and high-stakes edition of Empty the Bench: Small Market Edition, host Callan McClurg takes us back twenty years to the legendary summer of 2006. Long before he was a voice for San Diego sports, Callan was a twelve-year-old utility man for the San Diego Buccaneers, a travel ball powerhouse that traded the perpetual sunshine of Southern California for the humid, hallowed grounds of Cooperstown All-Star Village in New York. This episode, titled Fantastic Voyage, serves as a time capsule for a band of twelve-year-old juggernauts who became legends in the rain, proving that some stories are too big for the small markets they start in.

Callan reflects on the "Buccaneer Juggernaut," a roster stacked with future pros and high-level athletes like Corey Oswalt, Kevin Ginkel, Ian Clarkin, and the indomitable Alexis Curtiss. We follow the crew through the gauntlet of a single-elimination bracket, from a gut-instinct intentional walk against the "Demon Dogs" to a semi-final masterclass in defensive shifts. The journey culminates in a soaking wet, extra-inning championship rematch against the South Jersey Sand Sharks that features a nearly two-hour rain delay and a players-only meeting in a cramped bunkhouse that changed everything.

The finale of this fantastic voyage is the stuff of cinema, featuring a thousand-person crowd chanting in the New York night and a first-pitch curveball that met the barrel of Corey Oswalt’s bat for a walk-off three-run home run. Twenty years later, Callan looks at the legacy of that 8-5 victory, from the six-foot trophy that earned its own seat on a private plane to the professional successes of his teammates in the MLB and beyond. It is a story about the name on the front of the jersey, the power of a shared dream, and the realization that while you can hang up the cleats, you never truly walk away from the game.

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