“Ahead of the Curve” going out with a bang not a whimper – Schwarber, Holder, Dedman, Willingham, and Pagenaud to join from 10a-12p

by Kent Sterling

I’m moving to do afternoons on CBS Sports 1430 on June 23, but that doesn’t mean the final two “Ahead of the Curve” shows are going to be mailed in.  Disrespecting listeners’ time is not what 1070 the Fan was built on, and I would never insult it by not presenting the best guests and show possible.

Fox 59’s Chris Hagan and I will talk to John Dedman of the Indiana Sports Corp at 1015a about the Big Ten’s decision to keep the football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium through 2021, the Women’s Big Ten Tourney at Bankers Life Fieldhouse for the foreseeable future minus a one-off in Chicago, but strip the city of the men’s basketball event minus 2020 and 2022.

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We’ll also talk to Indiana University catcher Kyle Schwarber, the Chicago Cubs fourth overall pick from the Major League Baseball First Year Player Draft, at 10:45.  The Cubs have stumbled through 105 years of championship free baseball, and we’ll find out what Schwarber feels he can do to change that entrenched dynamic at Wrigley Field.

Mary Willingham will join “Ahead of the Curve” at 11:00a for the second time to talk about the academic fraud that appears to have been rampant at University of North Carolina athletics not too long ago.  Rashad McCants spoke publicly to ESPN’s Outisde the Lines about his own experiences that included a spot on UNC’s Dean’s List for a semester when he did not go to class or turn in an assignment.  Willingham is a former academic advisor at UNC, and told the truth about paper classes because athletes were getting short shrift in the exchange of athletic excellence for education.

The Indianapolis Colts have been in the news for a variety of reasons recently and the Indy Star’s Stephen Holder will discuss them with us at 11:30a.  Holder wrote a great piece about the challenges wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has faced during his 26 years, and how they have helped shape him as a football player and man.  We’ll also talk about owner Jim Irsay, and how the newest acquisitions will impact the team in 2014.

Simon Pagenaud qualified sixth quick for Saturday’s Firestone 600 at the Texas Motor Speedway, and he’ll be our guest eight hours before the green flag drops at the Texas Motor Speedway.  Pagenaud pilots the Lucas Oil #77 car for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and is currently fourth in points for the IndyCar season championship.  Most importantly, Simon has the coolest accent in IndyCar.  That’s reason enough to book him.

Of course, there will also be friendly bickering because that’s what Chris and I enjoy most during our Saturdays together.  Only one show after this one.  Can’t wait to get started at 1430, but I’ll miss Chris.