With Authority

Cal Football head coach Justin Wilcox joins ABC 7’s Chris Alvarez to talk about the current state of the Golden Bears during the Covid-19 pandemic. Cal was in the middle of spring football practice when everything was shut down. Coach and Chris talk about the upcoming 2020 season, plus Aaron Rodgers' impact on the program and what he expects from Evan Weaver, Ashtyn Davis and Jaylinn Hawkins at the next level.

Who is the fastest man in the NFL? 49ers tailback Raheem Mostert thinks he is. The former track star at Purdue would not let his NFL dreams die, even after going undrafted and being cut repeatedly. After years of toiling on special teams, Mostert got his big chance and ran wild, an epic 220 yard, 4 TD game in the NFC Championship. Mostert's goals for the upcoming season and beyond (Hall of Fame?), his thoughts about sharing the load in the backfield, and the one thing his contract says he is NOT ALLOWED to do that he desperately misses. All here on the With Authority podcast.

With the NHL shutdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we continue our home quarantine series of With Authority by checking in with Stefan Noesen of the San Jose Sharks. Noesen shows off his collection of doggos, tells us how he's passing the time, and talks about what it took to recover from both an ACL and Achilles injury. The former 1st round pick was finding his stride with the Sharks when the league shutdown, and we can't wait to see him back on the ice.

San Jose State football was in the middle of spring practice when everything was shut down due to the Coronavirus. Sports Anchor Chris Alvarez catches up with San Jose State football head coach Brent Brennan to see how the Spartans are hanging in during the shelter in place. Coach and Chris talk touch on many topics including how spring practice was going, which players to look out for in 2020, Brennan’s contract extension and much more.

Covid-19 has hit Santa Clara County extremely hard, Sports Anchor Chris Alvarez catches up with Stanford Football head coach David Shaw to check in on the Cardinal Football program. Chris and Coach talk about how Stanford is navigating the shelter in place orders, Stanford’s top NFL Draft prospects, how the 2020 Stanford Football team looked in Spring, the importance of family time and what he’s watching on Disney+.

We chase down the energetic Eric Byrnes for an epic discussion that includes a home tour, a treadmill talk, and a look at what the MLB player-turned Iron Man is up to while in home quarantine. Byrnes recaps the time he tackled a rogue fan on the field, and stopped a home intruder with a single punch. Hear what Byrnes thinks it will take to get baseball back, and what sacrifices need to be made to start the season. And you won't believe the ridiculous number of miles he's run during home quarantine. Check out Eric Byrnes' movie for the Let Them Play Foundation here: https://www.letthemplayfoundation.org/

Sabrina Ionescu is the best women's player in college basketball and she hails from right here in Walnut Creek. The former Miramonte High School star went on to have a record-setting career at Oregon and now is on the doorstep of potentially being the first overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft. Not only is she a one-of-a-kind talent she's also a one-of-a-kind person. She was one of the few people to take the stage and speak at Kobe Bryant’s Memorial service in February and still had to play a game that night. As her rise to basketball stardom has grown, some of basketball’s greatest have taken notice and befriended her.

Former Cal Linebacker Evan Weaver becomes the first ever guest to appear on With Authority at least twice! Weaver who led the nation in tackles in 2019, joins Larry Beil and Chris Alvarez to talk about his NFL Combine experience (why he stared at a wall for more than 2 minutes), how he’s prepping for the NFL Draft during Coronavirus, why he built a 6 hole backyard putting green and so much more.

San Francisco Giants Manager Gabe Kapler joins us from his home, as we all remain in self-isolation during the Covid-19 outbreak. We play a little game of With Authority Jeopardy, covering many topics with the Giants skipper. Kapler breaks down nutrition, how he's keeping his MLB manager mind sharp at home, being on the wrong end of perfect games, and even breaks down Tiger King a little for us. This turned into an absolutely fascinating and fun conversation with a guy that just might be the Most Interesting Man In The World.

San Jose Sharks star Evander Kane is on ice right now, just not the kind he prefers. Kane is enduring life in quarantine. He joins us to offer his extensive thoughts on Netflix’s The Tiger King (did Carole feed her husband to the cats?!?), PLUS the kitchen mishap that almost sent Kane to the hospital a few minutes before we taped. We cover everything from staying in shape during the downtime and potentially playing in front of empty arenas, to Kane’s need to be a neat freak even before Covid-19 had everyone running for disinfectant wipes. And find out which member of the Sharks organization stops by for a surprise visit via Zoom-bomb.

Chris Alvarez talks with Cal Football quarterback Chase Garbers. Chris and Chase discuss the sudden suspension of spring football due to Coronavirus and how the team looked during spring practice up until that point. Chris finds out if life has changed much since Chase's Big Game performance and asks what hobbies he’s taking up in the absence of normal life.

Chris Alvarez catches up with Saint Mary’s basketball star Jordan Ford. The senior opens up about the season ending abruptly, his relationship with Stephen Curry and how he’s preparing for the NBA Draft during quarantine. Jordan also details how he's working on his NBA2K game.

Daniel Cormier may be the most accomplished fighter in MMA history. He is as good on the mic as he is in the Octagon. We FINALLY caught up with DC for a deep -- and somehow (at times) hilarious -- conversation covering everything from Daddy Day Care during self-isolation, profound loss and CoronaVirus fears, to his final UFC fight, video games with his Gilroy High Wrestling Team, and even WWE. This was an all-timer. Seriously

The last year of Eric Paschall's life has been crazy. Drafted by the Warriors, he emerged as a rookie standout, appeared in the NBA's Rising Stars Game -- scoring 23 points, and is now stuck in his home in San Francisco wondering when the season will resume. We caught up with the Warriors forward in between games of Call of Duty, NBA2K, and perfecting his chef game. Hear what life is like for an NBA player in the uncertain times of home quarantine and self isolation.

The NBA has decided to suspend the 2020 season due to CoronaVirus concerns after Utah Jazz All-Star Rudy Gobert tests positive. Already on the verge of playing in empty arenas, we try to wrap our heads around Covid-19's impact on the NBA and the entire sports landscape. Larry and Casey are joined by sports anchor Chris Alvarez to discuss where we are and where we could be headed in this rapidly developing situation.

We caught up with A's legend Dennis Eckersley for an extended conversation in a GAZEBO as we count down to baseball season. The 1992 Cy Young and MVP on the pressure of being a closer and overcoming failure on the biggest stage. PLUS we go rapid-fire quizzing Eck on definitions from the "Eck-tionary" (the difference between hard cheese and educated cheese), stealing signs, the outlook for the 2020 A's and Eck's personal GLOATING ROOM. Believe us, the Gloating Room = life goals.

What do Rob Manfred, Aubrey Huff and Mike Bloomberg have in common? They all made it into this week's edition of the podcast. Can the commissioner of baseball do anything right after the Astros sign-stealing scandal? His own star players don't think so. We've compiled their comments. Expectations for the A's in 2020? Way beyond the 89.5 wins oddsmakers expect! PLUS - We have a fun interview with A's Starting Pitcher Sean Manaea. Stephen Curry is nearing a return. Some say it would be smart for him to sit out the season. But we'll go over the reasons why it's smart for Curry to return. And why you need to know the name OBI TOPPIN.

This week's special guests: Tua Tagovailoa and his father, Galu (@ 23 minute mark). Larry and Casey return from Super Bowl week and dive right into a potential new MLB Meatball Madness Bet. Will the Oakland Athletics win more games than the San Francisco Giants will lose? Oddsmakers have the A's projected to win 89.5 games, while the Giants are projected to lose 92. Hmmmm. Or has Larry earned his lesson after eating 24 inches of Meatball Sub with Joey Chestnut after losing last year's bet? The Golden State Warriors admit that D'Angelo Russell wasn't a great fit. After trading him to Minnesota, Wiggins may deliver much more than they bargained for. And as a result of a week in Miami, Larry connects with the Tagovailoa family, and Casey's daughter finds a way to cheer up 49ers coach Katie Sowers with a cute drawing after the tough Super Bowl loss.

Oakland A's shortstop Marcus Semien joins us for a candid and fun conversation with a surprise guest at the end! Semien opens up about the balance between family and baseball, his upcoming free agency, and the Houston Astros cheating scandal. Semien, a big 49ers fan, also makes his official prediction for the Super Bowl.

Cue the Sweet Georgia Brown, the Harlem Globetrotters are in the house. After destroying the Globies on our office mini-hoop last year, we thought it would be fun to just sit down and talk this time around. Globetrotters Zeus McClurkin and Scooter Christensen join us for a hilarious conversation fresh off an insane trick shot from the rafters at Chase Center. You usually see the Globies and their unreal feats, but they also live crazy interesting lives traveling the World and putting smiles on people's faces. It's fun to dive into a long-form conversation with them. Hopefully you enjoy.