In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm and Mary Hitzges tackle two heavy but necessary topics: what the Dallas Cowboys should have learned from the Super Bowl — and what America should be learning from the rise of hate in sports.

Norm begins with the numbers.

The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots built Super Bowl teams around defense and balanced salary cap management. Seattle allowed just 17 points per game. New England allowed 18. Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys allowed over 30.

The bigger story? Cap construction.

Dallas’ nine highest-paid players account for $239 million of a $300 million cap, leaving little room for what Norm calls the “middlemen” — the $8–15 million players who build roster depth and championship resilience. By contrast, Seattle and New England distribute money far more evenly, creating flexibility and defensive depth that wins in January.

Norm then shifts to a broader issue: the rise of hate in American sports. From racial chants and religious slurs to recent incidents involving BYU athletes and Oklahoma State fans, Norm questions whether fines and soft punishments are enough — and whether sports can remain a unifying force when hostility keeps escalating.

It’s an episode about accountability — financial accountability in the NFL, and moral accountability in sports culture.

Defense wins championships.

But something else seems to be winning off the field.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Did the Cowboys notice what won the Super Bowl?

02:26 – The stat that won’t go away: 49 of 60 Super Bowls

03:04 – Dallas allowing 30+ points per game

03:49 – $239M for nine players: the Cowboys’ cap problem

05:19 – How Seattle structures its salary cap

06:50 – New England’s middle-tier roster advantage

07:44 – Jerry Jones and the love of star power

08:35 – Former Cowboys thriving elsewhere

09:24 – Sponsor: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

10:18 – Full Moon Healing Balm

11:38 – The rise of hate in America

13:35 – Hate moving into sports arenas

14:18 – BYU chants and Oklahoma State’s response

14:58 – Is $50,000 enough?

15:46 – “On the love-hate scoreboard, hate seems to be winning.”

16:08 – Closing thoughts

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#JustWondering #NormHitzges #DallasCowboys #DefenseWins #NFLSalaryCap #SportsCulture #SuperBowl

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 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

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#JustWondering #NormHitzges #DallasCowboys

#NFLSalaryCap #CowboysNation

#CollegeFootball #NIL #TransferPortal

#SportsPodcast #SportsEconomics

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

One year later, the Luka Dončić trade still gets talked about — just not completely.

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm Hitzges revisits the shocking deal that sent Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, and explains why most retrospectives still leave out the most important details.

Yes, Luka was a brilliant offensive force. Yes, Dallas fans adored him. And yes, the trade wrecked the Mavericks almost immediately. But Norm lays out three realities that rarely get mentioned: Dončić never improved defensively in his six-and-a-half seasons in Dallas, he consistently showed up to seasons overweight, and the financial commitment looming over the franchise was staggering — five years, $345 million guaranteed.

Norm argues that Dallas would have accepted the turnovers, the shooting inefficiencies, and even the injuries — if Luka had simply taken conditioning seriously while he was there. Instead, that lack of commitment quietly shaped the Mavericks’ decision in ways fans and analysts still resist acknowledging.

Then, just when the conversation feels heavy, sports does what it always does — it delivers something you couldn’t make up if you tried. Norm tells the unbelievable story of heavyweight boxer Jarell Miller, a career full of suspensions, comebacks, and one unforgettable Madison Square Garden moment when a perfectly timed uppercut sent Miller’s toupee dangling — and then flying — into the crowd.

It’s classic Just Wondering: hard truths, missing context, and a reminder that sports will always find a way to surprise you.

Chapters

00:00:00 – One year later and still wondering about the Luka trade

00:01:29 – Revisiting the shock of Dončić to the Lakers

00:02:13 – What most trade recaps leave out

00:03:03 – Luka’s playoff defense problem

00:03:52 – The $345 million elephant in the room

00:04:43 – Conditioning, injuries, and missed games

00:05:30 – Why Dallas would have paid him anyway

00:06:07 – “If he’d just gotten in shape…”

00:06:55 – Sponsor break: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

00:07:35 – Full Moon Healing Balm and aging realities

00:08:20 – Enter Jarell “Big Baby” Miller

00:09:02 – A heavyweight career full of suspensions

00:10:17 – Failed drug tests and strange explanations

00:11:49 – Comebacks, casinos, and global fight stops

00:12:38 – Madison Square Garden and the toupee incident

00:13:25 – The ammonia bleach explanation

00:14:20 – Why boxing always delivers the unbelievable

00:15:15 – Sponsors and closing thoughts

00:15:37 – Final sign-off

Eventually, the bill always comes due.

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm Hitzges and Mary Hitzges walk through two modern sports realities that look very different — but are built on the same idea: pushing limits until something breaks.

Norm begins with the Dallas Cowboys’ looming 2026 salary-cap crisis. With the projected cap sitting just over $300 million, the Cowboys are already $30 million over, before accounting for key free agents they want to keep. Norm explains how Dallas has once again boxed itself into a corner by restructuring contracts, pushing money into the future, and concentrating massive cap hits among a small group of stars. The discussion centers on the uncomfortable math surrounding Kenny Clark’s $21 million cap hit, the franchise’s reliance on “robbing Peter to pay Paul,” and why restructuring deals feels easy now — and painful later.

From there, the episode shifts to college football, where the definition of “career” is quietly being rewritten. Norm breaks down the unusual case of Miami linebacker Mohammad Ture, who is returning for an eighth season of college football at age 25. Thanks to redshirts, injury waivers, COVID eligibility, and NIL money, Norm explains why staying in college can now be more financially rewarding — and less risky — than going pro for some players.

It’s an episode about consequences, incentives, and systems stretched well beyond what they were designed to handle — whether it’s an NFL salary cap or the idea that college football is still just for college kids.

Chapters

00:00:00 – Just wondering about another Cowboys cap problem

00:01:27 – The 2026 NFL salary cap: $300 million — and Dallas is over

00:02:08 – Who still needs to be paid

00:02:34 – “Robbing Peter to pay Paul” explained

00:03:23 – Cutting contracts to create cap space

00:04:12 – Kenny Clark’s $21 million problem

00:04:56 – Why letting Clark walk creates backlash

00:05:37 – Nine players taking up $259 million

00:06:26 – Doing the math — and realizing it doesn’t work

00:06:43 – The March 11 free-agency deadline

00:07:23 – Pushing Dak’s money down the road

00:08:08 – Zach Martin’s retirement and dead money reality

00:09:01 – Can “busting the budget” actually lead to a Super Bowl?

00:09:48 – Sponsor break: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

00:10:14 – Full Moon Healing Balm

00:11:26 – College football’s newest oddity

00:12:19 – Mohammad Ture returns for his eighth season

00:13:18 – How eligibility rules made this possible

00:13:56 – Why the NFL isn’t as attractive anymore

00:14:14 – Making a career out of college football

00:14:55 – Sponsors and closing thoughts

00:15:36 – Final sign-off

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Every decision has a cost. Some just make that cost easier to see.

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm Hitzges takes on two issues that reveal how the NFL really works when money and principles collide.

Norm begins with what may be Jerry Jones’ biggest offseason headache: George Pickens. The Cowboys’ most explosive receiver is now a free agent, coming off his best season and expecting elite money — money that would further tilt Dallas’ budget toward the offense while the defense remains thin. Norm breaks down Pickens’ complicated history, the franchise-tag math, and why committing long-term dollars to another receiver could once again leave the Cowboys patching together the other side of the ball. History, Norm reminds us, still favors defense — even if Dallas keeps betting the other way.

The episode then pivots to something bigger than football strategy: free speech in the NFL. Norm reacts to the league fining Houston linebacker Aziz Al-Shaair for writing “stop the genocide” on his eye black during a playoff game. The fine raises uncomfortable questions about where the league draws its lines, what kinds of expression are encouraged, and which ones come with a price tag. Norm contrasts the NFL’s celebration of charitable causes with its punishment of political expression — and wonders aloud what freedom of speech actually costs inside a multibillion-dollar league.

It’s an episode about choices — who gets paid, who gets fined, and how often the league’s priorities are revealed not by words, but by numbers.

Chapters

00:00:00 – Jerry Jones’ offseason problems and today’s questions

00:01:29 – The George Pickens dilemma begins

00:02:22 – From troubled talent to elite production

00:03:47 – Pickens’ market value and CD Lamb comparisons

00:04:33 – Franchise tag vs. long-term commitment

00:05:30 – Offensive spending and defensive consequences

00:06:15 – Kicking the salary cap down the road

00:07:05 – “Busting the budget” — again

00:07:52 – Why Super Bowl history still favors defense

00:08:59 – Sponsor break and Full Moon Healing Balm

00:10:18 – Freedom of speech in the NFL takes another hit

00:11:10 – Aziz Al-Shaair fined for his message

00:12:07 – NFL Rule 5 and restricted expression

00:13:00 – The cost of saying the wrong thing

00:13:58 – Sponsor break and closing acknowledgments

00:14:19 – Final thoughts and sign-off

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What happens when college sports operate without anyone truly in charge?

Exactly what you’re seeing now.

In this episode of Just Wondering with Norm Hitzges, Norm Hitzges takes on two developments that point to a looming breakdown in college athletics — and neither one has a clean solution.

Norm begins with a court ruling involving former Alabama basketball player Charles Bediako, who declared for the NBA Draft, went undrafted, played professionally, and is now seeking to return to college basketball. A judge has temporarily ruled that the NCAA cannot stop him. Norm explains why this isn’t just about one player — it’s about the precedent. If this door stays open, what stops waves of undrafted football and basketball players from attempting pro careers, failing, and then pouring back into college sports with eligibility intact?

From there, Norm pivots to college football’s playoff mess. Despite widespread agreement that a 16-team playoff would have fixed most of this year’s problems, the SEC and Big Ten failed — again — to reach consensus. Instead, financial motivations, conference power plays, and a proposed 24-team playoff loaded with byes killed progress. The result: a flawed 12-team system that left deserving programs out while frustrating fans who just want fairness and clarity.

Throughout the episode, Norm returns to one central theme: the NCAA is powerless, university presidents won’t act, and conferences are chasing money at the expense of the sport itself. When no one’s willing to lead, chaos isn’t a surprise — it’s the outcome.

Chapters

00:00:00 – Just wondering about chaos coming to college sports

00:01:38 – The Charles Bediako case and a dangerous precedent

00:02:23 – Declaring for the NBA too early — and wanting back in

00:03:12 – A judge says the NCAA can’t stop it

00:04:00 – What happens if this ruling holds

00:05:00 – Undrafted players returning to college football

00:05:58 – “We are talking chaos here”

00:06:57 – The NCAA as a toothless tiger

00:07:48 – Sponsor break: Bob’s Steak & Chop House

00:08:25 – Full Moon Healing Balm and aging realities

00:09:10 – Why this year’s College Football Playoff failed

00:10:11 – Why a 16-team playoff made sense

00:11:20 – The Big Ten’s 24-team proposal and money motives

00:12:20 – Why 24 teams is “way too clumsy”

00:13:16 – Deadlines missed and progress stalled

00:14:03 – Remembering the four-team playoff disaster

00:14:52 – Power brokers vs. fans and the sport itself

00:15:16 – Sponsors and closing thoughts

00:16:08 – Final sign-off

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