Spiders Sound Off

A college basketball podcast to connect, inform, and entertain fellow Richmond Spiders basketball and Atlantic 10 fans by offering passionate, fan-driven commentary and analysis.

Spiders Sound Off is a sports podcast hosted by Tom McNally and Porter Shomo, with 76 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Tom McNally and Porter Shomo hosts Spiders Sound Off, a sports show with 76 episodes published.

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  Episode #12

  Inside Spiders Practice: Standouts, New Faces & A-10 Predictions

  Sep 28, 202639 minS2

  Two practices, plenty of new faces, and a season full of questions. Tom and Porter share their firsthand impressions of Richmond’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. On the women’s side, an aggressive defense and an emphasis on fundamentals offer an early look at Alisa Kresge’s approach. We discuss the players who caught our attention, how the rotation could take shape, and balancing optimism with realistic expectations. On the men’s side, we get our first look at several newcomers and tackle the big questions: Who can become an elite shooter? Will improved size translate into better defense and rebounding? And who will emerge alongside the returning core? Plus: our preseason All-A-10 predictions, where Richmond’s nonconference schedule stacks up across the league, and what we hope to learn from October’s scrimmages. Subscribe and join us for the countdown to tipoff. Go Spiders!

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  Episode #11

  Will Gipe, Part 2: Finding the Next Spiders—Recruiting & Freshmen Preview

  Sep 21, 202629 minS2

  Coach Will Gipe returns to tell Tom and Porter how Richmond finds, evaluates, and lands future Spiders. From discovering Chad Cook to reconnecting with Jaden Schultz, Gipe shares the stories behind the recruiting process and explains why relationships, basketball IQ, and fit still matter in an era of agents, money, and constant roster turnover. We discuss how past Spiders help sell the program, why the transfer portal has changed scouting, and what roughly 70 days on the recruiting trail looks like. Then we turn to the team and what encourages him about this group. Missed Part 1? Catch our conversation with Gipe about the challenges of building Richmond’s nonconference schedule. Follow Spiders Sound Off and help another Spider fan find the show!

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  Episode #10

  Inside Scheduling with Richmond Assistant Coach Will Gipe

  Sep 16, 202625 minS2

  Why can’t Richmond get more big-name opponents into the Robins Center? There’s a lot more to it than picking up the phone. Tom and Porter welcome Coach Will Gipe for a candid look at the business behind the Spiders’ nonconference schedule. Gipe explains how guarantee games work, why Power Four opponents are increasingly difficult to land, and how NET rankings and financial incentives shape the matchups fans actually get to see. We also discuss how the Virginia Tech game came together, exhibitions against UVA and JMU, and why the William & Mary rivalry matters—even when the coaches would rather not face their friends. Plus, Gipe shares his path from Southwest Virginia to Virginia Tech and a decade on Chris Mooney’s staff. Coming in Part 2 on Monday: recruiting, agents, the transfer portal, and a closer look at Richmond’s freshmen. Follow Spiders Sound Off and share this episode with a Spider fan!

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  Episode #9

  “Just Wait Till This Year” — Ally Sweeney & Rayne Wright

  Sep 7, 202631 minS2

  Richmond women’s basketball players Ally Sweeney and Rayne Wright join Spiders Sound Off to take us inside a whirlwind offseason and preview a new era under head coach Alisa Kresge. Ally and Rayne revisit the tension of Selection Sunday, the NCAA Tournament loss to Nebraska and the shock of Aaron Roussell’s departure. They explain why Ally chose to finish her career at Richmond, how Rayne is embracing a larger leadership role and what fans can expect from Kresge’s faster offense and aggressive defense. They also discuss growing up with basketball-coach dads, Rayne’s connection to Spider defensive great Tony Dobbins, the growth of Richmond’s home crowds and two teammates poised to make some noise this season.

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  Episode #8

  Can Analytics Predict Richmond Basketball’s Breakout? Inside Insight GM

  Aug 24, 202637 minS2

  Tom and Porter go inside the numbers with Ryan Carlson, co-creator of Insight GM, a new college basketball analytics platform designed to look forward instead of backward. Ryan explains how Insight GM uses its RQI metric to evaluate roster construction, transfer portal additions and projected team performance — and then puts the model to the test on the Richmond Spiders. Why does the model love Jamie Kaiser? How much better does Richmond look after its offseason overhaul? Where do the Spiders fit in an incredibly tight A-10? And could a healthy, productive Jason McCaffrey be the wild card that blows up the projections? Plus: why St. Louis could be better than other models think, the A-10's "messy middle," Vanderbilt and Nebraska as potential sleepers, the limitations of preseason rankings, and how analytics are changing the way college basketball programs build rosters and prepare for games. Spider Sound Off — Richmond basketball talk from Spider fans, for Spider fans.

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