Jack Vita Show
Join Jack Vita, sportswriter (jackvita.com), journalist and Valparaiso alum each week for an in-depth recap of the latest news, stories and scores from the world of sports, featuring thoughtful, fun and entertaining analysis, and exclusive conversations with a wide variety of guests, including professional athletes, reality TV personalities, musicians, writers, podcasters, friends and other interesting folks! In addition to his weekly sports recaps, Jack will occasionally discuss a Chex Mix of other topics, such as reality competition shows (such as Survivor, The Challenge and The Amazing Race), television, music, movies, entertainment, food, faith and life. While Jack doesn't strictly "stick to sports", he does steer clear of any and all political conversations. If you're tired of the screaming matches, political partisanship and noise, that are infecting the sports media, this is the show for you!
Episodes
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Our MLB Preview Series rolls along on the Jack Vita Show, as MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis joins the program to break down the National League Central division!
Originally taped on Wednesday, March 20, before Opening Day, Jim and Jack put the NL Central under the microscope, leading off with the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs impressed in 2023, compiling 83 wins and missing the playoffs by only a game. Over the winter, the club parted ways with manager and 2016 World Series hero David Ross, replacing him with Craig Counsell. Counsell signed the richest contract for a manager in baseball history. The Cubs also re-signed Cody Bellinger, added Japanese star pitcher Shota Imanaga, and traded for Los Angeles Dodgers top corner infield prospect Michael Busch. The Cubs have the second-best farm system entering the 2024 season, according to MLB Pipeline. The club hopes that its young players can continue to take steps forward and under a new manager, it will return to the postseason for the first time in a full, 162-game season since 2018. What is the outlook for the Cubs in 2024, and why is Jim so bullish on them?
Despite finishing in last place a season ago, the St. Louis Cardinals enter 2024 as favorites to win the NL Central. The club boasts of the highest over/under win total in most sportsbooks. Will the Cardinals jump from worst to first in 2024 and return to the top of the division?
The Milwaukee Brewers enter the season with the fourth-highest odds to win the division. Despite losing manager Craig Counsell and starting pitchers Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee could have its best lineup of position players that it has had in years. The Brewers have reached the postseason in five of their last six seasons, winning the division three times during that stretch. Are they being slept on?
The Cincinnati Reds are the trendy pick in the NL Central. Will their young team exceed expectations?
Through the first month of the 2023 season, the Pittsburgh Pirates had the best record in the National League. The club ended up winning 76 games. Can the Pirates win the division in 2024?
Jim and Jack discuss how difficult the Central division is to forecast. There isn't a clear runaway favorite, but one could make a case for any of the five teams to finish atop the division. Jim also highlights the best prospects in the division, detailing which players fans should keep an eye that could potentially make a big impact at the Major League level in 2024.
Jim and Jack provide detailed outlooks and over/under win total projections for each team!
Chicago Cubs (0:00 - 14:25)
St. Louis Cardinals (14:25 - 20:40)
Milwaukee Brewers (20:40 - 29:30)
Cincinnati Reds (29:30 - 39:20)
Pittsburgh Pirates (39:20 - END)
You can follow Jim on Twitter (@jimcallisMLB) and catch all of his prospect analysis at MLB Pipeline!
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
Deal or No Deal Island contestants Miranda Rose Harrison and Kim Mattina return to the Jack Vita Show to recap the sixth episode of NBC's new hit reality competition show, "Are You Intentional?".
Miranda and Kim were the last two contestants to be eliminated from the show. With no elimination or exit interview this week, Miranda and Kim join Jack for a special edition of the Jack Vita Show covering the latest episode of Deal or No Deal Island. Miranda and Kim provide an inside look into the events leading up to episode 6, including Miranda's elimination and the bombshell that she dropped on her way out the door.
Episode 6 picks up in the immediate aftermath of Miranda's elimination. Aron is beginning to stress as he and Alyssa are catching more heat after Miranda exposed Aron's game to everybody. Nick is unhappy with Boston Rob and Aron, who he had considered to be close allies of his. They had not informed him that Stephanie was the target in episode 5. Nick is tired of being left out of the loop, and forms a new alliance with Amy, Stephanie and Dawson. The alliance calls itself "the Night Owls". Stephanie is the barn owl, Nick is the hunting owl, Dawson is the long-eared owl and Amy is the gray-horned owl.
Stephanie confronts Aron and Rob after their intentions to have her eliminated were revealed to her. At the excursion, Stephanie and Rob are forced to team up, as they are randomly paired together for the challenge, and they win immunity. Aron and Amy collect the "Banker's Bonus" briefcase, but finish in the bottom two, meaning that one of them will face the banker. Amy volunteers to be chosen for elimination, wanting to have her fate in her own hands.
Amy has her sights set on eliminating Alyssa, if she beats the banker. Amy holds on to her case, earning $850,000 for the prize pot and defeating the banker. However, Aron opens up the Banker's Bonus, which reveals that there will be no elimination this week. Everybody is safe, and nobody goes home.
Kim and Miranda discuss the episode in great detail with Jack, providing some juicy behind-the-scenes information. They also share stories from their time in the show and provide context to what we are seeing on television. It's a very special episode that you will NOT want to miss!
You can follow Miranda on Twitter (@ItsMirandaRose) and Instagram (@mirandaroseharrison). You can follow Kim on Twitter (@KimMattina) and Instagram (@kimmattina).
Monday Apr 01, 2024
Monday Apr 01, 2024
All season long, Survivor legend and The Traitors season 1 contestant Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick and Jack Vita have been covering the second season of Peacock's hit reality competition show The Traitors, providing in-depth analysis and recaps on the Jack Vita Show after every single episode. This week, Steph and Jack are pleased to be joined by one of the season's winners, Trishelle Cannatella!
Trishelle played a calculated and aggressive game throughout her time on The Traitors, never shying away from calling out the contestants that she perceived as traitors at the roundtable. She correctly voted to banish Dan and Phaedra from the game. She figured out that Parvati was a traitor, but convinced her alliance to attempt to work with Parvati, in hopes of taking control of the numbers. Her plan was unsuccessful, but Peter, John and Kevin were all targeted by the Bravo alliance before she was.
Trishelle teamed up with longtime frenemy Chris "CT" Tamburello. The pair first met in the year 2002, on MTV's The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet. The Real World and Challenge alumni have a bit of a rocky past, so it came as a bit of a surprise to both of them that they ended up working so closely together on The Traitors and ultimately winning, splitting the $208,000 prize!
Stephenie and Jack ask Trishelle about her strategy, her gameplay and her time in Scotland! Trishelle shows off the notes she took in her journal during her time in the castle and provides great detail and insights to her strategy. She also gives us a peak behind the curtain and discusses some things that weren't shown on camera. Trishelle provides clarity to her decision to banish again and why she voted CT and pivoted to MJ. Trishelle has been catching some heat from the fans. Why is that, and what are her thoughts on the matter? Join us as we take a deep dive into Trishelle's path to victory on The Traitors!
Trishelle made her reality television debut in the year 2002, appearing as a cast member on the 12th season of MTV's The Real World, The Real World: Las Vegas. Trishelle competed on four seasons of MTV's The Challenge. After competing on The Challenge: Rivals II in 2013, Trishelle took an eight-year break from reality television, until coming out of retirement to appear on the first season of The Challenge: All-Stars. 23 years into her reality television career, she is finally a champion.
You can follow Trishelle on Twitter (@TrishelleC) and Instagram (@TrishelleC).
You can follow Stephenie (@steph_lagrossa_kendrick) on Instagram, and join her and Trishelle on the Cruise of Deception!
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
This week, we have a very special episode of the Jack Vita Show chronicling the fifth episode of NBC's new hit reality competition show Deal or No Deal Island "Are You Trustworthy?" featuring the latest contestant eliminated, Miranda Rose Harrison!
Miranda is an exterminator in Fort Myers, Florida. Despite sitting comfortably in the game through the first four episodes, she was blindsided by Aron, when Aron set her up to finish in the bottom two of the excursion, then picked her to face the banker. Aron believed that Miranda would do his bidding for him and get rid of Stephanie, if she beat the banker. What Aron was not prepared for, was Miranda was planning a blindside of her own. Had Miranda survived, she was going to send home Aron's closest ally, Alyssa.
Aron may have made a major blunder this week, telling Boston Rob that if he and Alyssa were in the bottom two, he would protect Alyssa and not Rob. Alyssa is Aron's number one, not Rob. Now, Rob is suspicious of Aron and could be looking for a new top ally. Both Aron and Alyssa could be in danger, entering episode 6.
Alyssa nearly was eliminated in episode 5. Miranda had a $100 case, a $1,500,000 case, a $1,750,000 case and a $3,000,000 case remaining, when she received a $937,000 offer. The banker sweetened the pot by making a one-time personal offer. If Miranda agreed to the $937,000 deal, she would receive $40,000 in prize money. Miranda chose to accept the $40,000 offer, taking a leap of faith and hoping that her case had $100 in it. Unfortunately for Miranda, her case held $1,500,000 and her time on the banker's island met its end.
Before departing, Joe asks Miranda who she would have eliminated, had she survived elimination herself. Miranda reveals that she had her sights set on sending Alyssa packing, exposing both her and Aron's games in front of everyone. Miranda may have been eliminated, but she went out with a bang!
Instead of our regularly scheduled 15-minute exit interviews, Miranda joins us for a full hour on this week's Deal or No Deal Island episode recap! Miranda is filling in for Brooke Struck, who is on vacation in Puerto Rico with her family this week. Brooke will be out again next week, and return to the program in time for our Episode 7 recap!
You can follow Miranda on Twitter (@ItsMirandaRose) and Instagram (@mirandaroseharrison).
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
In the next installment in our MLB Preview series on the Jack Vita Show, managing editor of Sports Illustrated's Braves Today and Inside the Marlins Lindsay Crosby visits the show to preview a division that is very near and dear to his heart, the National League East!
Lindsay and Jack get things started with the Atlanta Braves. The Braves, powered by a historic offense, won 104 games last season en route to their sixth-straight NL East division title. Over the winter, the club added reclamation projects Chris Sale and Jarred Kelenic. Will the Braves win the division for the seventh-straight year in 2024? And will the Braves return to the World Series after a pair of disappointing NLDS losses to the Philadelphia Phillies?
Next, Lindsay and Jack tackle the Phillies. The Phillies have impressed in the past two postseasons, logging a 19-11 record in 30 playoff games. However, the club squandered a 3-2 lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS last October, dashing their World Series hopes. How will the Fightin' Phils respond in 2024?
The New York Mets greatly disappointed in 2023. Will the coming season be a reflection of last year, or will the Mets get back in the win column?
Could a young Washington Nationals team exceed expectations? Or will it be another long summer in D.C.?
Finally, the Miami Marlins impressed last year, reaching the playoffs for the first time in a full, 162-game season since 2003. But with a -57 run-differential and injuries to their pitching staff, might Skip Schumacher's regress in 2024?
Lindsay and Jack have you covered, providing detailed outlooks and over/under win total projections for each team!
Atlanta Braves (0:00 - 14:35)
Philadelphia Phillies (14:35 - 21:25)
New York Mets (21:25 - 29:00)
Washington Nationals (29:00 - 44:40)
Miami Marlins (44:40 - END)
You can follow Lindsay on Twitter (@CrosbyBaseball) and check out his work over at Braves Today and Inside the Marlins!
Friday Mar 22, 2024
Friday Mar 22, 2024
The National League West has already begun play! The Jack Vita Show is back with its second installment in our MLB Preview Series. This time, Jack welcomes Arizona Diamondbacks beat reporter for PHNX Jesse Friedman AND Denver-based Just Baseball reporter Patrick Lyons, as we preview the National League West division!
The crew kicks things off by putting the Colorado Rockies under the microscope. Patrick has covered the Rockies for many years. Colorado posted its first 100-loss season in franchise history last year, dropping 103 games and finishing in the basement of the NL West. What should fans be watching for this year?
On deck, the conversation shifts to the team Jesse covers: the Arizona Diamondbacks. Last fall, the D-Backs won their first National League Pennant since 2001, losing to the Texas Rangers in the World Series in five games. How will Arizona follow up its impressive 2023, after a rather active offseason? Does the club have a shot at contending for a division title in 2024?
Then, the guys discuss the San Diego Padres. The Padres severely disappointed in 2023, failing to reach the postseason despite being picked by many to win the NL West. The club shed payroll over the winter, bidding farewell to Juan Soto, Michael Wacha, Josh Hader, Blake Snell, Seth Lugo and Matt Carpenter. The club also moved on from manager Bob Melvin, replacing him with former St. Louis Cardinals skipper Mike Shildt. Is there hope for the Padres in 2024?
The San Francisco Giants added a lot over the winter. Will it be enough to return the club to the playoffs? Note that this preview was recorded BEFORE the Giants signed Blake Snell and the Padres traded for Dylan Cease.
Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers enter the season as the betting favorites to win the World Series, after acquiring Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Teoscar Hernandez, and more. Will this "super team" live up to expectations? Jesse, Patrick and Jack provide over/under win total projections for each team!
Colorado Rockies (0:00 - 25:55)
Arizona Diamondbacks (25:55 - 42:50)
San Diego Padres (42:50 - 56:40)
San Francisco Giants (56:50 - 1:06:10)
Los Angeles Dodgers (1:06:10 - END)
You can follow Patrick (@PatrickDLyons) and Jesse (@JesseNFriedman) on Twitter. Be on the lookout for their content all season long!
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Earlier this week, Kim Mattina became the fourth contestant eliminated from NBC's new hit reality competition show, Deal or No Deal Island. As part of our Deal or No Deal Island coverage, Kim visits the Jack Vita Show for her exit interview.
Kim is a 62 year-old woman, originally from Peoria, Illinois (now living in Phoenix, Arizona) who fulfilled a dream by competing on Deal or No Deal Island. She is an OG reality competition show fan, watching long-running, hit shows such as Survivor, Big Brother, The Amazing Race and MTV's The Challenge since the genesis of network reality television.
Kim came out of the gate, playing hard. She earned the steal case in the first challenge. She immediately recognized Boston Rob Mariano from his time on Survivor, and quickly let everybody know how big of a threat he is. Rob immediately felt threatened by Kim, so he worked hard on trying to get her out of the game. In the second episode, Rob won immunity and picked Kim to face the banker in a game of Deal or No Deal. Kim won, and got to choose who she wanted to send packing. She gave Rob's ally Jamil the boot.
In the third episode, Kim's target continued to grow, especially after she called Rob and Claudia a bad word to Alyssa. Alyssa turned around and told Rob. Rob's alliance concocts a plan to boot Kim, which goes south when Stephanie steals Claudia's case, leaving Aron and Claudia in the bottom two, with Rob in control. Rob selects Claudia to face the banker, and Claudia becomes the first contestant to lose a game of Deal or No Deal, as she is eliminated.
In episode four, Amy picks Rob to face the banker. Rob wins, and he finally sends Kim home.
Kim chats with Jack about her time on the show, her love for reality television, why she targeted Rob, what her gameplan was, what went wrong for her, and much more!
You can follow Kim on Instagram, @kimmattina.
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday Mar 19, 2024
Survivor: Guatemala contestant Brooke Struck and Jack Vita are back to recap the fourth episode of NBC's new hit reality competition show, Deal or No Deal Island!
Each week, Brooke and Jack will be recapping the latest episode of Deal or No Deal Island. Later in the week, Jack will provide an exit interview with the most recent contestant eliminated from Deal or No Deal Island.
Episode 4, "Are You Intuitive?" picks up where episode 3 left off, with the elimination of Claudia. Kim continues to target Boston Rob, and now Amy is going after the Robfather.
The contestants split into two separate teams for the challenge. A heroic effort from Alyssa and Aron earns their tribe immunity, protecting Miranda, Jordan and Amy from elimination. As the team's captain, Amy has the power to select which contestant from the losing team will go into elimination. Sensing that he could very easily be picked off by someone else if they were to win a Deal or No Deal game, Rob volunteers to go into elimination. With Amy's sights set on giving Rob the boot, she accepts Rob's proposition. Rob takes a gamble, and it pays off. He then sends Kim packing.
Before sending the contestants back to camp, Joe asks the group which player they believe to be the most trustworthy. Aron is collectively agreed upon as the recipient of the title, and he is told to stay back while the rest of the contestants retreat to camp. Aron is nervous about this sudden twist of fate, as the episode reaches its end.
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