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MTV Challenger Brittany Baldi Talks Atlantic League Baseball, How Reality TV and the Media Landscape Has Changed

High Point Rockers emcee and former MTV Challenger (The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II) Brittany Baldi visits the Jack Vita Show to reflect on her time on reality television and discuss a wide variety of topics including how the media and reality television have changed, life as a baseball WAG, how potential rule changes coming to Major League Baseball have functioned while being tested in independent league baseball, and much more!
Brittany made her reality television debut on MTV's Are You the One? in 2014, then appeared on the 26th season of MTV's The Challenge, The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II. Her soon-to-be husband Ryan Dull is a professional baseball player who currently pitches for the High Point Rockers of the Atlantic League, where Brittany currently works as the team's emcee and host. Ryan has pitched five years in MLB with the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. In addition to serving as the High Point Rockers emcee, Brittany hosts 'The BosBabes' podcast, a lifestyle sports podcast where she interviews a large collection of fascinating guests from the world of sports and entertainment.
Brittany talks about life as a baseball WAG and tells the story of how she and Ryan met. She and Jack exchange thoughts on how the media landscape is changing and how doors are opening up for independent content creators. They discuss the benefits of creating independent content and share stories from their own experiences in content creation. Then they discuss Brittany's time on The Challenge and how they have seen reality television change over the last decade. Later, they dive deep into independent league baseball, discussing what makes the Atlantic League experience special, while taking note of what rule changes could be coming to Major League Baseball from the Atlantic League.
The Atlantic League is not affiliated with MLB, but the two leagues have a partnership in which MLB has been able to test potential rule changes in the Atlantic League. The Atlantic League has been at the forefront of change in the sport. MLB announced Friday, September 9, that it will be adding a pitch clock, putting restrictions on defensive shifts, and increasing the size of its bases from 15-inch bases to 18". All three of these modifications have been tested in the Atlantic League since 2019. The Atlantic League also tested the extra inning tie-breaker that MLB has used since 2020. It's currently testing a rule that would allow baserunners to "steal first", allowing a batter to take off to first base in the middle of an at bat on any passed ball. Find out from Brittany how some of these rules have functioned in the Atlantic League and what could be coming to MLB in the future.
You can follow Brittany on Instagram (@brittanybaldi) and Twitter (@brittany_baldi). Subscribe to her podcast, 'The BosBabes' on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.

Former Colorado Rockies GM, MLB Network Analyst Dan O’Dowd Talks Moneyball, Executive Career and Christian Faith

Former Colorado Rockies' general manger and current MLB Network analyst Dan O'Dowd visits the Jack Vita Show to reflect on his career working in baseball, break down the latest Major League Baseball news, and share about his strong Christian faith.
 
Dan joins Jack to reflect on his time working with the Rockies and Indians, sharing stories from his experience working in MLB front offices. Dan talks about what it was like working for the Indians at the time that the 1989 film Major League was released. As a real life friend of Oakland Athletics' executive president Billy Beane's, he also shares his thoughts on another baseball movie: Moneyball. Just how true is Moneyball to reality?
 
Dan also tackles some of the latest MLB news with Jack. What are Dan's thoughts on Major League Baseball shrinking the size of September active rosters from 40 to 28 players in recent years? If the Major League Baseball Players Association does represent minor league players moving forward, what does that mean? What could it entail for the future of minor league baseball?
 
Dan puts several of today's teams and farm systems under the microscope and shares which teams he would buy stock in moving into 2023. Dan and Jack discuss the Cubs' rebuild. Should the team be active this winter in free agency, or wait a little longer for more of the organization's young talent to reach the Major League level? Which teams are doing it right, and which teams are doing it wrong?
 
Later, Dan shares the story behind his incredible Christian faith. How did he come to know Jesus, and why is his faith so important to him? (1:03:20 - END)
 
Check out Dan's booming tech company WIN Reality, which simulates a virtual reality experience for baseball and softballs hitters, in order to improve their swings.

’Big Brother’ Legends Janelle Pierzina and Rachel Reilly Talk BB, ’Amazing Race’, ’Snake in the Grass’

A pair of Big Brother legends, Rachel Reilly Villegas (Big Brother 12, winner of Big Brother 13, The Amazing Race 20, Amazing Race 24, Amazing Race 31) and Janelle Pierzina (Big Brother 6, Big Brother 7: All-Stars, Big Brother 14, Big Brother 22: All-Stars, Amazing Race 31) visit the Jack Vita Show to reflect on their time on Big Brother and The Amazing Race, and discuss their latest adventure: USA Network's Snake in the Grass.
Rachel and Janelle look back on their time on Big Brother and discuss how the franchise has changed over the years. Janelle first played in 2005 and most recently played in 2020. What was it like being disconnected from the world in the chaotic year that was 2020? What would Rachel and Janelle change about Big Brother, and why does Janelle think Big Brother should entirely get rid of its live feeds? Why did Rachel and Janelle say "no" to CBS' The Challenge: USA, and what are their thoughts on the new show thus far? What do these ladies feel is changing reality television for the worse, as a whole?
Later, they preview and discuss their new show, Snake in the Grass, with their episode airing on Monday, August 29 at 11pm ET. They will be teamed up with 'Survivor' stars Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick and Cirie Fields! Find out what we can expect from their upcoming episode! Get ready to laugh, because it's another hilarious edition of the Jack Vita Show you will not want to miss!
You can follow Janelle (@janellepierzina) and Rachel (@rachelreillyvillegas) on Instagram.

Survivor Legends Cirie Fields and Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick Talk ’Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains’, ’Snake in the Grass’

A pair of Survivor legends, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick (Survivor: Palau, Survivor: Guatemala, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains) and Cirie Fields (Survivor: Panama, Survivor: Micronesia, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Survivor: Game Changers) visit the Jack Vita Show to reflect on their time on Survivor, and discuss their latest endeavor: USA Network's Snake in the Grass.
 
Stephenie and Cirie reflect on their time on the doomed Heroes' tribe. Why couldn't the Heroes get it together, and why did both Stephenie and Cirie exit the game so early? Find out some behind-the-scenes information about the dynamics of the Heroes' tribe, Stephenie and Cirie's time at Ponderosa (and pre-jury trip), how Survivor has changed over the years, what Stephenie and Cirie would change about modern Survivor, and much more!
 
Later, they preview and discuss their new show, Snake in the Grass, with their episode airing on Monday, August 29 at 11pm ET. They will also be teamed up with Big Brother stars Janelle Pierzina and Rachel Reilly! Find out about how this opportunity came about, how these two Survivor greats prepared for their return to reality television, and what we can expect from their upcoming episode! Get ready to laugh, because it's a hilarious edition of the Jack Vita Show you will not want to miss!
 
You can follow Stephenie (@steph_lagrossa_kendrick) and Cirie Fields (@cirie_fields) on Instagram, and don't miss their upcoming episode of Snake in the Grass!

MLB All-Star Break: All-Star Snubs, Home Run Derby Draft, Mid-Season Award Winners, Trade Deadline Buyers and Sellers

Baseball fan Tabitha Bingham visits the Jack Vita Show for a mid-season checkup. She and Jack assess the 2022 MLB All-Star rosters and discuss who the biggest snubs were, then they do a Home Run Derby draft, making their selections for Monday night's Home Run Derby. After that, they share their mid-season awards winners for AL and NL MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year. Tabitha is a lifelong Cubs fan; she and Jack talk Cubs and who they expect the lovable losers to trade before the deadline. They also take a look at where teams stack up at the halfway point, which teams might be selling and which teams might be buying at the deadline and which teams they would buy stock in entering the second half.

The DRAGON SLAYER, Coach Ben Wade Talks Survivor, Coaching, Leadership, Life and Faith

Survivor legend, reality television icon, decorated soccer coach, musician, orchestra conductor and renaissance man Coach Benjamin Wade visits the Jack Vita Show. Coach discusses his time and experiences on Survivor: Tocantins, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, and Survivor: South Pacific, his life outside of Survivor, how young people can improve their lives and find meaning, coaching soccer and leadership, his faith, his upcoming projects, and more. Coach shares some juicy information from Heroes vs. Villains and South Pacific that didn't make the air, and enlightens us with plenty of philosophy and wisdom along the way! Coach has retired from podcasts, so this is a rare interview!
Check out Coach's YouTube channel, Twitter (@the_real_coach), Instagram (@dragonslayercoach) and coaching lessons coming to mintted!
Our apologies as Jack experienced some microphone problems in this episode, so the audio quality isn't up to this show's standards. We'll do better in the future.

Baseball Wife and Former MTV Challenger, The Real World: Portland Cast Member Jessica McCain France Talks Sports, Reality TV and Christian Faith!

Minor league baseball wife, former 'The Real World: Portland' cast member, and four-time Challenger (on MTV's 'The Challenge') Jessica McCain France visits the Jack Vita Show for an in-depth conversation covering a wide variety of topics.
Jessica's husband, J.P. France, is a AAA pitcher in the Houston Astros' farm system. J.P. was recently named the Sugar Land Space Cowboys' player of the month for the month of June. Jessica tells the story of how she and J.P. met, and shares about their journey together through the minor league system. She gives a peak behind the curtain of the life of a minor league baseball player and his family, and answers age-long the question, "Is Bull Durham an accurate depiction of minor league life?"
She also reflects on her experience on The Real World and The Challenge (The Challenge: Rivals II, The Challenge: Free Agents, The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II, and The Challenge: Rivals III), answering a number of behind-the-scenes questions about both shows. Since competing on her final season, Jessica has met her husband, gotten married, moved several times and is now pregnant with her first child. Jessica catches us up on her life and tells the powerful story of her miraculous pregnancy, and how God showed up in her time of need. Jessica and Jack have a very real conversation about life and faith, that you will not want to miss!
The life of a minor league baseball wife (0:00 — 20:05)
The Real World: Portland and The Challenge (20:05 — 1:11:55)
Jessica's pregnancy, testimony and Christian faith (1:11:55 — END)

2022 MLB All-Star Picks, Bryce Harper OUT, Mariners-Angels Brawl

Chad Vautherine returns to the Jack Vita Show to share his MLB All-Star selections with Jack. Jack and Chad debate over many positions, while Jack shares his picks as well. But first, Chad and Jack discuss Bryce Harper's thumb injury and how it will impact the Phillies' playoff hopes this season, a crazy brawl between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Seattle Mariners from the weekend, and Ole Miss winning its first college baseball national championship. Make sure to cast your votes for the All-Star Game before phase one of the voting closes Thursday!
Jack was without his usual microphone for this episode, so our apologies in advance for the audio quality. We'll do better next time.