The Buck Stops Here (346)

In this powerful episode of The Buck Stops Here, host Kirk Buchner sits down with Gill Florentino—former professional baseball player, JP Morgan executive, and author of the inspiring memoir "The Home We Built: A Memoir of Drive, Determination, and Leadership."

Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan dive into the latest Hall of Fame news across baseball, hockey, football, and beyond! In this episode, they break down the St. Louis Cardinals HOF ballot (Pujols vs. Yadi?), predict the Patriots & Chiefs inductees, analyze the Hockey Hall of Fame’s upcoming class, and share major updates on the United States Athletics Hall of Fame ballot. Plus, the guys honor recently passed athletes, entertainers, and music legends, and wrap up with some lighthearted NHL playoff banter.

Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan break down the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 2026 inductee class, announced live on American Idol (yes, really). They analyze the front-door inductees—Billy Idol, Phil Collins, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross, and Wu-Tang Clan—and debate the snubs: Mariah Carey, Pink, Lauryn Hill, and more. Plus: deep dives into the Early Influence, Musical Excellence, and Ahmet Ertegun Award recipients; a quick but fiery take on the Basketball Hall of Fame's female-heavy class; Patriots Hall updates; the inaugural Hispanic Football Hall of Fame; WWE Hall of Fame previews; and a heartfelt In Memoriam segment. Don't miss Evan's milestone announcement about closing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ballot for the first time since 2023!

Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan dive deep into the 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees! From Wu-Tang Clan and Phil Collins to Mariah Carey and Iron Maiden, we break down every nominee, make our predictions, and discuss who deserves that backdoor entry. Plus, we pay tribute to legends we've lost including Robert Duvall, Jesse Jackson, and Neil Sedaka. Don't forget to check out our USA Athletic Hall of Fame voting at theusahof.com!

? The wait is over! For the first time in 12 years, the world's greatest hockey players are back at the Olympics—and our panel breaks down EVERYTHING you need to know about the Milan-Cortina 2026 tournament.

In this special episode of The Buck Stops Here, Hall of Fame selector Clark Judge joins hosts Kirk Buchner and Chris Mouradian for an unfiltered deep dive into the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class—and why the selection process may be broken.

In an unprecedented emergency recording, Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan—joined by Jack Silverstein, Ron Katz, and Chris Mouradian—react to breaking news that Bill Belichick has been shockingly excluded from the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026. With results leaking just hours before their scheduled show, the panel dissects how the greatest coach of the modern era could miss first-ballot induction: Was it Bill Polian's behind-the-scenes maneuvering? Flawed 2025 voting rules creating a "zero-sum game" among Kraft, Belichick, and senior candidates? Or a perfect storm of process failure? The conversation expands to baseball's Hall of Fame results (Beltran and Jones in; Pettitte's surprising surge), recent number retirements for Fedorov, Chara, Aguirre and Rose, and tributes to legends lost—including NHL icon Glenn Hall and 49ers great John Brodie. A must-listen deep dive into what this historic miss means for Canton's credibility heading into Super Bowl week.

Season 7 kicks off with a deep dive into the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalists! Kirk Buchner and Evan Nolan break down every candidate—from locks like Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald, to controversial names like Eli Manning, to long-overlooked stars like Kevin Williams and Frank Gore.

Kirk Buchner and Chris Mouradian dive into the massive list of over 200 nominees for the Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. From headliners like Blake Griffin to the curious inclusion of Scott Skiles and the shocking omissions of stars like Sean Kemp and Horace Grant, the guys break down the "messy" selection process.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame voting process is more complicated than ever! Kirk Buchner and Paul Lawrence break down the final five non-Modern Era candidates for the Hall of Fame class: Coach Bill Belichick, Contributor Robert Kraft, and Senior Players Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, and L.C. Greenwood.