In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm and Mary Hitzges break down Super Bowl 60 and the message it delivered — again — to the rest of the NFL.

The final score shows Seattle Seahawks 29, New England Patriots 13, but Norm explains why the game was never that close. Seattle’s defense controlled the afternoon from start to finish, confusing young quarterback Drake May with late-shifting coverages, constant pressure, and disciplined execution. Norm points out that this win adds to a now overwhelming trend: the team with the better defense has won 49 of the 60 Super Bowls.

From there, Norm turns his attention to the Dallas Cowboys — and doesn’t mince words. He argues that Dallas continues to ignore the most obvious lesson in football history, investing heavily in offense while hoping defense will somehow catch up. Norm lays out exactly what the Cowboys should do: use early draft picks and available free-agent money on five or six defensive players who can contribute immediately.

The episode also highlights Seattle’s overlooked advantages, including elite special-teams play from kicker Jason Myers and punter Michael Dixon, who consistently flipped field position. Norm praises head coach Mike McDonald’s brilliant game plan, noting how Seattle built a championship defense without relying on massive salaries — instead emphasizing smart drafts, mid-tier contracts, and cohesion.

It’s a familiar lesson, delivered once again on the biggest stage: offense sells hope, but defense still wins championships.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Did Super Bowl 60 send Dallas a message?

01:25 – Why the final score doesn’t tell the story

02:12 – 49 of 60 Super Bowls: the defense statistic that won’t go away

03:06 – Seattle’s defensive domination explained

04:02 – New England’s stalled possessions and short drives

05:51 – Befuddling Drake May with late-shift defenses

06:29 – Turnovers, sacks, and constant pressure

07:18 – Seattle’s special teams flip the field

08:11 – Why Kenneth Walker deserved MVP

09:03 – Mike McDonald’s brilliant defensive blueprint

10:39 – How Seattle built a championship defense

11:29 – Cowboys Organization: did you get the message?

12:14 – Sponsor message: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

12:40 – Full Moon Healing Balm

14:14 – Subscribe, follow, and final thoughts

Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

📍 Follow & Listen

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscribe, rate, and review to help others find the show.

Sports podcast · NFL analysis · College football · Dallas sports · NBA commentary · Salary cap · NIL · Sports media · Long-form sports talk

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm and Mary Hitzges look backward and forward at the same time — tracing the remarkable evolution of the Super Bowl while unpacking a franchise-shifting decision by the Dallas Mavericks.

Norm begins with Super Bowl 60, revisiting how the game went from an awkward, half-empty afternoon in 1967 to the most powerful annual spectacle in American sports. From $12 tickets and $42,000 commercials to today’s $8–10 million ad slots, Norm explains how the Super Bowl’s growth mirrors the transformation of sports, television, and money itself. Along the way, he shares unforgettable history — including Max McGee’s hungover heroics in Super Bowl I and the astonishing reality that neither network bothered to save the full game tape.

The episode then shifts to the present, where Norm breaks down the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to move on from Anthony Davis, effectively closing the book on the Luka Dončić era. Norm explains why the trade wasn’t about talent — Davis was still productive when healthy — but about flexibility, criticism fatigue, and long-term cap strategy. With Dallas now projected to have $44 million in cap space, Norm outlines how the Mavericks may follow a patient, Oklahoma City–style rebuild built around flexibility, draft assets, and opportunistic trades.

It’s a thoughtful episode about growth, money, patience, and perspective — from the Super Bowl’s unlikely beginnings to a franchise trying to find its next identity.

Just Wondering_1.mp3

⏱️ Chapters (YouTube-Friendly)

00:00 – Super Bowl Sunday questions and today’s themes

01:26 – The origin of the Super Bowl name

02:10 – From $12 tickets to $10M commercials

02:58 – 32,000 empty seats at Super Bowl I

04:57 – Why the full game footage was never saved

05:53 – Max McGee’s hungover Super Bowl legend

06:49 – Super Bowl 60 matchup and betting context

08:02 – Why defense still wins Super Bowls

08:56 – Transition to the Mavericks’ big move

11:09 – Anthony Davis traded and what it really means

11:54 – Criticism fatigue and why Dallas wanted out

13:20 – What the Mavericks actually received

14:15 – The real prize: $44M in cap flexibility

15:40 – Following the Oklahoma City rebuild model

16:21 – Pieces Dallas still likes going forward

17:18 – What Dallas ultimately got for Luka

18:27 – Sponsors and closing thoughts

19:19 – Final sign-off

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Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

📍 Follow & Listen

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscribe, rate, and review to help others find the show.

Sports podcast · NFL analysis · College football · Dallas sports · NBA commentary · Salary cap · NIL · Sports media · Long-form sports talk

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm examines two modern sports realities that feel completely different — but are driven by the same idea: pushing systems beyond what they were designed to handle.

Norm starts with the Dallas Cowboys’ looming 2026 salary cap crisis. With the NFL cap projected to exceed $300 million, the Cowboys are already $30 million over, before accounting for key players they want to keep. Norm walks through the uncomfortable math surrounding contract restructures, deferred money, and why the Cowboys’ familiar strategy of “robbing Peter to pay Paul” makes today easier — and tomorrow much harder. From Dak Prescott’s ballooning cap numbers to the impossible situation surrounding defensive tackle Kenny Clark, this is a clear-eyed look at how Dallas keeps betting on the future while borrowing against it.

Then the episode shifts to college football, where the definition of a “career” is quietly being rewritten. Norm breaks down the unprecedented case of Miami linebacker Mohamed Ture, who is returning for an eighth season of college football at age 25. Thanks to redshirts, injury waivers, COVID eligibility, and NIL deals, Norm explains why some players can now make more money staying in college than entering the NFL — and why this trend may only accelerate.

It’s a thoughtful, numbers-driven episode about consequences, incentives, and what happens when leagues solve today’s problems by moving them into tomorrow.

JWw-NH SL Ep 95

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Just wondering about another Cowboys salary cap mess

01:27 – The 2026 NFL salary cap: $300M and Dallas is already over

02:08 – “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” explained

02:53 – Cutting players to create cap space

03:38 – Why Kenny Clark’s $21M cap hit can’t happen

04:29 – The backlash if Dallas lets Clark walk

05:11 – Nine players, $259M, and nowhere to go

06:01 – Why the math simply doesn’t work

06:40 – March 11: the real NFL deadline

07:21 – How Dak Prescott’s cap hit ballooned to $74M

08:04 – Zach Martin, retirement, and dead money

08:55 – “Busting the budget” for a Super Bowl run

09:41 – Sponsor break

11:39 – College football’s newest oddity

12:26 – Mohamed Ture returns for an eighth season

13:26 – ACL injuries, NFL risk, and NIL math

14:13 – Making a career out of college football

14:53 – Final thoughts and sign-off

Check us out: patreon.com/sunsetloungedfw

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Just Wondering is a long-form sports commentary podcast hosted by longtime broadcaster Norm Hitzges, offering thoughtful, numbers-driven analysis of the NFL, college sports, the NBA, and the business and culture surrounding them. Each episode blends experience, history, and curiosity to explore why things happen — not just what happened.

New episodes feature clear-eyed perspective, context you don’t hear elsewhere, and questions worth sitting with a little longer.

📍 Follow & Listen

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Subscribe, rate, and review to help others find the show.

Sports podcast · NFL analysis · College football · Dallas sports · NBA commentary · Salary cap · NIL · Sports media · Long-form sports talk