Canzano: A whole lotta 'new' out there today
New Pac-12. New era. New show.
There’s a lot of new out there today.
The new Pac-12 Conference. A new opportunity for the United States in World Cup play. A new home for Ja Morant. New threads for Penn State’s athletic department.
New studio?
One with a subtle nod to Bill Walton?
I covered it all — and more — in the debut episode of “BFT Unfiltered.” We’re just getting started. John Strong, Fox’s lead soccer play-by-play broadcaster, joined the show for a candid interview. So did Pat Kraft, the athletic director at Penn State.
Both interviews were outstanding.
Strong talked about the joy of fulfilling his childhood dream, calling World Cup games on American soil. He also spoke about the danger to the USMNT in this knockout game. (Hint: It’s not a gimme.)
Craft fired James Franklin last football season at Penn State. I asked the Nittany Lions’ AD if the overtime loss to Oregon was the tipping point.
Or was it just… time?
Craft spoke for the first time about Franklin’s dismissal, death threats, anxiety, and the process that led him to hire Matt Campbell. Kraft also spoke about his school’s partnership with Adidas, which officially began on Wednesday.
You’re a reader. I appreciate that you’re here. It means a lot to me. The new YouTube show is a culmination of months of work and a team of talented people working behind the scenes. We aim to take you to new places.
Full episodes will live on YouTube, and we’ll break out the individual interviews for consumption, too. KGW will house an episode per week on its digital platforms. The audio podcast of the show will be posted daily if that’s your thing. And there is a line of radio affiliates making preparations to carry the show as a one-hour syndicated radio program. More to come there.
I hope you enjoy the new show.
I’d love your feedback, too.
Give the first episode a look here:
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Congratulations, John! I can't wait to listen!
I'm not usually a commenter, but I thought I'd share a quick note.
As someone who grew up a sports fan in Portland, Oregon, listening and reading you after my family moved away to Michigan in 2019 before I started high school has helped me stay connected to my favorite teams and my beloved former home state. In fact, those affinities have only grown.
I listened to your old BFT radio show/podcast nearly daily from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Syracuse, to even Madrid -- when I studied abroad there in fall 2025. I was a bit crestfallen when the show ended.
Now, I'm a rising college senior and aspiring sports writer, I aim to tell engaging, accurate and otherwise untold stories. To ask questions I don't know the answer to. To be endlessly curious and share that passion and inquisitiveness with readers and listeners. You've served as an exemplar for all that, and I'm sure your continued writing and new show will continue to do the same.
Congratulations on the new venture. I admire your willingness to take chances and bet on yourself. It’s an area I could improve on.