On this week's episode of the Nashville Sports Report, host Russell Ries recaps a busy week across Nashville sports, highlighted by Nashville SC's return from the MLS World Cup break with a hard-fought win over Atlanta United and another major addition to the roster.

This week's topics include:

⚽ Nashville SC
• Nashville SC defeats Atlanta United despite a long injury list
• Shaq Mohammed scores the match-winning goal
• New signing Elias Saad arrives from Germany after representing Tunisia at the World Cup
• Reports link Nashville SC to Senegalese midfielder Famara Camara
• Preview of Wednesday night's match against CF Montréal at GEODIS Park

🏈 Tennessee Titans
• Chris Johnson will be inducted into the Titans Ring of Honor during Week 1 against the New York Jets
• Cam Ward takes center stage in Season 3 of Netflix's Quarterback
• Titans training camp begins this week as rookies and veterans report to Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park

🏒 Nashville Predators
• The Predators unveil their 2026-27 regular season schedule with a hilarious TV-themed release video
• Nashville's home opener is set for October 1 against the Minnesota Wild
• Locally televised games move to The Spot - Nashville 28
• Assistant GM Jeff Kealty departs for the San Jose Sharks

⚾ Nashville Sounds
• The Sounds continue their pursuit of the Memphis Redbirds in the International League standings as they wrap up their series with Norfolk before heading to Sugar Land.

Featured Interview
This week's guest is Matthew Sullivan, a senior developer at Atiba with nearly 20 years of experience building sports analytics, fantasy sports, and simulation software. Russell and Matt discuss the evolution of sports data, predictive modeling, fantasy sports strategy, and how technology continues to shape the way fans understand the games they love.

Links

• Nashville SC vs Atlanta United full highlights
• Titans' Chris Johnson Ring of Honor Announcement Video
• Elias Saad highlights
• Famara Camara highlights
• Nashville Predators 26/27 Season Schedule Announcement Video
• "How Lucky You Can Be" - Buster Olney book on Don Meyer
• Abstract of "Authorship Versus Influence" about Professor Martin Mueller's work
• Yakety Sax - 1 Hour Version (for when the pain is too great)

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#NashvilleSC #Titans #ChrisJohnson #CamWard #Quarterback #Predators #NashvilleSports #MLS #FantasyFootball #RotoBaseball

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Nashville SC is back from the World Cup break, and Russell previews Friday night's showdown with Atlanta United, predicts a big win for the Boys in Gold, and discusses Sam Surridge joining Nashville's league-leading four MLS All-Stars.

Also this week: the Nashville Predators lock up Mavrik Bourque with a six-year contract, continue reshaping the front office with the hiring of assistant GM Vukie Mpofu, Titans training camp draws closer as Cam Ward prepares for Netflix's Quarterback, the USMNT's disappointing World Cup exit, and the latest on the Nashville Sounds' push for first place.

Plus, Russell sits down with Nashville entrepreneur and Atiba founder JJ Rosen to talk about growing up in Nashville, his grandfather Ralph Kornman's career as a local sportswriter, founding one of Nashville's leading technology companies, and former Nashville Sounds slugger Steve Balboni.

Links:

• Steve Balboni 1980 profile
• Netflix Quarterback - Season 3 trailer
• USA vs Belgium extended highlights

If you enjoy Nashville sports, Tennessee Titans, Nashville SC, Predators hockey, Sounds baseball, and conversations about Music City sports history, be sure to subscribe to the Nashville Sports Report.

#NashvilleSports #NashvilleSC #TennesseeTitans #Predators #NashvillePredators #NashvilleSounds #MLS #MLSSoccer #USMNT #WorldCup #SamSurridge #HanyMukhtar #CamWard #ChrisMacFarland #MavrikBourque #JJRosen #SteveBalboni #Atiba #Nashville #MusicCity

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Music: Games by Pold https://soundcloud.com/pold-music
License: Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0
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CORRECTION: This episode mistakes the date of the next USMNT game. The game is on Monday, July 6th NOT Tuesday July 7th

On this special Fourth of July edition of the Nashville Sports Report, host Russell Ries is joined by Music City Baseball board member Nancy Schultz for an in-depth conversation about the effort to bring Major League Baseball to Nashville through the Nashville Stars initiative. Nancy discusses the vision behind Music City Baseball, Nashville's growing case for an MLB franchise, and her family's longstanding connection to sports in Middle Tennessee.

Before the interview, we reflect on the heartbreaking news that former Tennessee Titans superstar Chris Johnson has been diagnosed with ALS. We discuss CJ2K's incredible legacy on and off the field, what he meant to Nashville, and why he remains one of the greatest players in Titans history.

Also on this week's show:

• Tennessee Titans announce public training camp dates and details for the 2026 Blue & White Scrimmage
• Nashville Predators GM Chris MacFarland reshapes the roster with trades and free agent signings involving Mavrik Bourque, Nils Höglander, Jack Drury, Adam Edström, and Alexander Kerfoot
• What the Predators' busy offseason says about the future direction of the franchise
• The US Men's National Team advances to the World Cup quarterfinals and prepares for a showdown with Belgium
• The Nashville Sounds continue their chase of the Memphis Redbirds in the International League standings

Featured Interview:
Nancy Schultz, board member of Music City Baseball, joins the Nashville Sports Report to discuss the Nashville Stars project, the effort to bring Major League Baseball to Tennessee, and why she believes Nashville is ready to become a major league city.

If you'd like to support ALS research and patient care, please consider donating to The ALS Association.

Click here to support the Nashville Children's Alliance.

Featured Links:

Chris Johnson on Good Morning America

USMNT vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nashville Stars homepage

Nashville Stars shop

Nashville Stars newsletter

Nashville Stars on Instagram

Nashville Stars on Twitter

Subscribe for weekly coverage of the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville SC, Vanderbilt athletics, the Nashville Sounds, and the biggest stories in Nashville sports.

#MusicCityBaseball #NashvilleStars #MLBtoNashville #NancySchultz #Titans #ChrisJohnson #Predators #NashvilleSports

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Music: Games by Pold https://soundcloud.com/pold-music
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On this week's episode of the Nashville Sports Report, host Russell Ries reacts to the historic news that Nashville Predators legend Pekka Rinne has been elected to the the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class, becoming the first full-time Predator to receive hockey's highest honor.

We also break down a busy week for the Predators, including:
• Chris MacFarland's trade with the Colorado Avalanche for Jack Drury
• Nashville selecting Wyatt Cullen with the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft
• The Predators trading back into the first round to draft defenseman Thomas Bleyl
• What these moves say about the future of the franchise

Plus:
• Vanderbilt's Tyler Nickel is selected by the NBA champion New York Knicks
• Tennessee Titans training camp dates are officially announced
• Netflix releases the first trailer for Quarterback featuring Titans QB Cam Ward
• The US Men's National Team advances to the World Cup knockout stage and prepares to face Bosnia and Herzegovina
• A Nashville Sounds update as they chase the division lead

This week's guest is Will Dossett, joining us from Senegal to discuss the World Cup experience overseas, Senegal's run through the tournament, and what it's been like following one of the world's biggest sporting events from West Africa.

Links Referenced:

• Pekka Rinne's Goalie Goal
• Chris MacFarland 1st Round Press Conference
• Netflix Quarterback Season 3 Official Trailer
• Senegal vs. Morocco AFCON Finals Highlights
• Rob Bironas' 60-Yard Game Winning Field Goal vs. Colts
• Senegalese Laamb Wrestling

Subscribe for weekly coverage of the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville SC, Vanderbilt athletics, the Nashville Sounds, and all things Nashville sports.

#NashvillePredators #PekkaRinne #Titans #CamWard #NHLDraft #USMNT #Vanderbilt #NashvilleSports

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The Tennessee Titans made a franchise-defining move this week, signing Jeffery Simmons to a record-breaking extension that makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history. Russell Ries breaks down what the deal means for the Titans' future and why locking up "Big Jeff" was the right move.

Also on this episode:

🏈 Titans minicamp wraps up as Cam Ward continues to impress coaches Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll. With new weapons like Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson, is Tennessee's offense ready to take a major leap in 2026?

⚽ The US Men's National Team defeats Australia 2-0 to advance to the World Cup knockout stage and secure first place in their group. Russell discusses the USMNT's strong start, Alex Freeman's goal, and why expectations should be rising for this team.

🏒 The Nashville Predators stay busy ahead of the NHL Draft, acquiring Ross Colton from Colorado, retaining head coach Andrew Brunette, and adding Jamie Langenbrunner to the front office.

⚾ The Nashville Sounds fall behind in the division race after a tough week against Memphis but still have time to close the gap as the season continues.

Plus, Russell sits down with Metro Nashville Police Officer Kurt Cook to discuss his sports background and what it's like working traffic control at some of Nashville's biggest sporting events.

Links:

• Jeffery Simmons Press Conference
• USA vs Australia Extended Highlights
• Derrick Henry - 2018 Week 14 Highlights vs. Jaguars

Topics Covered:

• Jeffery Simmons contract extension
• Tennessee Titans minicamp updates
• Cam Ward development
• Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll
• USMNT vs Australia World Cup recap
• USMNT knockout stage outlook
• Nashville Predators trade for Ross Colton
• NHL Draft preview
• Nashville Sounds update
• Interview with Officer Kurt Cook

Subscribe for weekly coverage of the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville SC, Nashville Sounds, Tennessee Vols, and more.

#Titans #JefferySimmons #USMNT #WorldCup #Predators #NHLDraft #NashvilleSports #NFL #CamWard #NashvilleSounds

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Music: Games by Pold https://soundcloud.com/pold-music
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The United States Men's National Team is off to a dream start at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This week on the Nashville Sports Report, we break down the USMNT's impressive 4-1 victory over Paraguay, one of the most convincing World Cup performances by an American team in decades. We discuss Florian Balogun's match-winning goal, what the result means for the group stage, and why the U.S. now looks well-positioned to advance to the knockout rounds heading into next week's matchup with Australia.

We also discuss the latest Tennessee Titans news as OTAs conclude and mandatory minicamp approaches. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward has generated plenty of headlines during offseason workouts, but should Titans fans be concerned about inconsistent practice reports? We examine why offseason growing pains are often a positive sign for a young quarterback and hear what defensive coordinator Robert Saleh had to say about Ward's development.

In Nashville Predators news, new General Manager Chris MacFarland continues to put his stamp on the organization by announcing plans to expand the team's analytics department. We discuss what that means for the future of the franchise and why the upcoming NHL Draft and free agency period could reveal the organization's long-term vision.

Plus, we check in on the Nashville Sounds as they continue their battle with the Memphis Redbirds for first place in the International League standings ahead of a critical series between the two clubs.

For the first time on the show, the guest chair is empty—but that doesn't mean there's no interview. This week, host Russell Ries turns the microphone on himself and answers the same nine questions asked of every guest, including:

• His favorite sports to play and watch
• His earliest sports memories
• How he ended up in Nashville
• His favorite Nashville sports team
• His greatest Nashville sports memory
• His Mount Rushmore of Nashville sports figures
• His thoughts on Nashville's next professional sports franchise
• His favorite Nashville restaurants
• And a few Nashville sports hot takes

It's a personal look at the experiences and memories that helped shape a lifelong Nashville sports fan.

Links from the show:

• USMNT vs. Portugal Extended Highlights
• Robert Saleh Press Conference (June 11th, 2026)
• Trailer for the movie "Rad"
• Vikings at Oilers, 12/26/98 (FULL GAME)
• Preds vs Caps game summary, 12/26/98
• Wilma Rudolph Bio video

#USMNT #WorldCup2026 #FIFAWorldCup #FlorianBalogun #TennesseeTitans #Titans #CamWard #RobertSaleh #NashvillePredators #Preds #ChrisMacFarland #NashvilleSounds #NashvilleSports #SportsPodcast #MusicCity #NashvilleSportsReport #MLS #NFL #NHL #BaseballPodcast

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Music: Games by Pold https://soundcloud.com/pold-music
License: Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0
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The Nashville Predators have entered a new era.

On this week's Nashville Sports Report, we break down the hiring of new General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Chris MacFarland and what his arrival could mean for the future of the franchise. We discuss why MacFarland's move from the Colorado Avalanche is significant, the addition of former Los Angeles Kings GM Rob Blake to the front office, and what the departures of longtime organizational figures could signal about the direction of the Predators.

Will Nashville pursue a quick turnaround, or could a larger rebuild be on the horizon? We examine the key decisions facing the Predators as the NHL Draft and free agency approach.

We also cover the latest Tennessee Titans news, including:

• OTA observations and offseason developments
• The upcoming mandatory minicamp
• Tennessee's preseason schedule against the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Chicago Bears
• Why Robert Saleh's history with San Francisco could make joint practices a possibility

Plus, we preview the United States Men's National Team's final World Cup tune-up match and discuss the growing excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

We also check in on the Nashville Sounds as they continue their pursuit of first place in the International League standings.

Then, longtime Nashville resident and retired business executive Scott Viebranz joins the show for a fascinating conversation about:

• Growing up as a sports fan in New York City
• Watching Nashville transform into a major sports city
• The importance of organizational culture in sports and business
• Leadership, team building, and what makes successful organizations thrive

If you're a fan of the Nashville Predators, Tennessee Titans, Nashville Sounds, or the evolving sports landscape of Music City, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Referenced Links

• Chris MacFarland Introductory Press Conference
• The 500 Home Run Club
• Nashville SC: Cristian Espinoza Press Conference

#NashvillePredators #Preds #NHL #ChrisMacFarland #RobBlake #TennesseeTitans #Titans #NFL #RobertSaleh #NashvilleSounds #USMNT #WorldCup2026 #NashvilleSports #SportsPodcast #MusicCitySports #NashvilleSportsReport

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Music: Games by Pold https://soundcloud.com/pold-music
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Nashville SC heads into the FIFA World Cup break sitting atop the MLS Supporters' Shield standings, and we're breaking down everything that happened this week on the Nashville Sports Report.

We recap Nashville SC's 2-1 victory over NYCFC, featuring goals from defenders Jeisson Palacios and Maxwell Woledzi and discuss what it means for a club that enters the break as one of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer. We also examine the developing situation involving Warren Madrigal and his dismissal from the Costa Rican National Team, including what has been reported so far and what questions remain unanswered.

On the Tennessee Titans front, OTAs continued this week and the hype surrounding rookie wide receiver Carnell Tate keeps growing. We discuss the impressive catches making the rounds on social media, the developing connection between Tate and quarterback Cam Ward, and some of the most entertaining moments from Titans coaches and players speaking with the media.

We also check in on the Nashville Sounds, who are battling for first place in the International League West Division and continue their strong season against Gwinnett before heading to Jacksonville next week.

Plus, this week's featured guest is Nashville native, accomplished fiddle player, and lifelong sports fan Derek Pell (bow_derek_nash on Instagram). Derek has toured with country music legends including Ray Price and spent years performing throughout Music City. We discuss Nashville sports fandom, Broadway, interactions with visiting fans, and the fascinating story of his grandfather, who played for the Boston Red Sox more than a century ago.

Topics Include:

• Nashville SC vs NYCFC recap
• MLS Supporters' Shield race
• Warren Madrigal controversy and Costa Rica dismissal
• Titans OTA observations
• Carnell Tate and Cam Ward chemistry
• Nashville Sounds update
• Derek Pell interview
• Nashville sports culture and history

Referenced Links:

• Highlights: Nashville SC 2, NYCFC 1
• Derek Pell on Instagram
• Carnell Tate One Handed Catch
• Carnell Tate Contested Catch
• Aaron Whitecotton: Deranged Racoon
• Nashville Total Sports: Nine Shots, Three Players, and a Story Nashville Didn't Know
• New York Times (subscription required): Red Sox Release McGaffey (1922)

Follow and subscribe for weekly coverage of Nashville SC, the Tennessee Titans, Vanderbilt Athletics, the Nashville Sounds, and everything happening across the Nashville sports landscape.

#NashvilleSC #MLS #TennesseeTitans #Titans #CarnellTate #CamWard #NashvilleSounds #NashvilleSports #NYCFC #SupportersShield #MajorLeagueSoccer #NashvillePodcast #MusicCity #NFL #DerekPell

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Music: Games by Pold https://soundcloud.com/pold-music
License: Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0
Free Download / Stream: https://audiolibrary.com.co/pold/games
Music promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/SyFPLhALc5w