1st and Now
1st and Now
BC Lions Football Club
Step inside the office of a professional football team and get an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes. Players, coaches & other special guests will join Matt Baker & Nik Kowalski in studio for a unique look at BC Lions football and other stories in the world of sports.
Head Coach Buck Pierce ‘Running’ Into Year Two At The Helm
How does the head coach see this Lions squad heading into 2026? Matt and Nik welcome Buck Pierce into the studio for a look at the overall roster, Nathan Rourke’s quest for bigger things and the organization’s quest to take the next step. Buck also talks about what has kept him busy away from the office this winter. The fellas also preview special teams, next week’s Canadian and Global Drafts and wrap it up with our trivia and Go For It Or Punt segments. TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro 2:29 - CFL Canadian Draft talk 10:11 - BC Lions news 13:03 - Adam Bighill retirement 17:08 - special teams preview 25:19 - Buck Pierce interview 48:56 - Kowalski’s Lions trivia 54:14 - Go for it or Punt
Apr 22
1 hr 2 min
Chase Brice & Stanley Berryhill Interviews + Lions Defence Preview
With just over four weeks to go until all hands are on deck in Kamloops, Matt & Nik break down the Lions’ coaching staff announcements and preview what should be an intense defensive competition in camp. With Nathan Rourke set to begin a few days of offensive workouts, we speak with quarterback Chase Brice and wide receiver Stanley Berryhill in studio. We wrap it up as always with some trivia and Go For It Or Punt! TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro 4:11 - Lions 2026 coaching staff 9:46 - BC Lions defence preview 22:57 - Chase Brice interview 33:59 - Stanley Berryhill interview 47:39 - Kowalski’s Lions trivia 55:20 - Go for it or Punt
Apr 8
1 hr 2 min
CFL Combine Season Loading + Assistant GM Rob Ralph Interview
With just over six weeks until all hands are on deck for training camp in Kamloops, Matt and Nik are back to preview this week’s CFL Combine and Draft season with Assistant General Manager Rob Ralph. The boys talk with Rob on what the brass looks for at these events and how the process of evaluating draft prospects continues to evolve. We also begin to preview camp with a deep dive into the offence after last season’s record-breaking campaign. Can Bakes finally be completely stumped in trivia? Find out when we delve into Combine history! TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro 3:29 - draft picks & signings 11:51 - BC Lions offence preview 25:05 - Rob Ralph interview 42:16 - Kowalski’s Lions trivia 49:45 - Go for it or Punt
Mar 25
58 min
Casey Sayles On Excitement For Moving West
The off-season MARCHES on, as Matt & Nik bring you the latest in BC Lions land. Defensive tackle Casey Sayles joins the show to talk about his decision to move West and how it’s a perfect fit for him and his family. Sayles is excited to be re-united with defensive line coach Randy Melvin and a couple of former teammates. We also bring you a special version of BC Lions trivia after Bakes surpassed a big milestone with the organization. It wraps up with a very spirited version of ‘Go For It Or Punt.’ TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro 4:19 - BC Lions news and content 15:41 - Casey Sayles interview 35:07 - Kowalski's Lions trivia 45:33 - Go for it or Punt
Mar 11
56 min
Touchdown Kelowna, Free Agent Signings & James Butler + Patrice Rene Interviews
Matt & Nik catch up with James Butler and Patrice Rene, two key players on the field and in the community. Along with looking ahead to a big 2026 season, the fellas talk about the importance of being community ambassadors and about the specific school programs they take part in, including Be More Than A Bystander sponsored by BCMEA. We also continue to hype up Touchdown Kelowna and some of the big Lion free agent additions of the last few weeks. We wrap things up with Canadian Super Bowl trivia and Go For It Or Punt. TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro 5:25 - Touchdown Kelowna news 10:21 - BC Lions signings 24:13 - BC Lions school visits 27:28 - James Butler interview 42:06 - Patrice Rene interview 54:46 - Kowalski's Lions trivia 1:02:11 - Go for it or Punt
Feb 25
1 hr 11 min
2026 Roster Building & Free Agency Talk With GM Ryan Rigmaiden
With Kowalski on assignment at Super Bowl XL in the Bay Area, Baker is flying solo on this special weekend edition of 1st and Now. General manager Ryan Rigmaiden joins the show to discuss a variety of topics with our football team, including the re-signing of a few key veterans, the backup quarterback position, the pending departures of Jarell Broxton and Ayden Eberhardt, and a timeline for naming this year’s coaching staff. Riggs also talks about the steps taken in 2025 and how the organisation has something special to build on in its quest to bring a Grey Cup back to British Columbia. 0:00- Intro 4:28- Ryan Rigmaiden Interview 26:47- Extro and Lion recent signings
Feb 6
31 min
Nathan Rourke Is Here To Stay & Catching Up With Adam Konar, Chris Schleuger & Jonah Tavai
It’s a great time of the year for CFL talk! Matt and Nik break down Nathan Rourke’s multi-year contract extension and what it means for both the Lions franchise and quarterback record books. With the free agency period less than two weeks away, we discuss a busy time for key transactions and speak with Adam Konar, Chris Schleuger and Jonah Tavai on their respective new deals. And as always, we wrap things up with ‘Go For It or Punt.’ TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro 0:59 - Nathan Rourke extension 9:53 - BC Lions signings 16:56 - Free agency 20:32 - Adam Konar interview 30:02 - Chris Schleuger interview 39:46 - Jonah Tavai interview 53:38 - Go for it or Punt
Jan 28
1 hr 4 min
2026 Season Premiere with Paul LaPolice
Matt and Nik are back for another year of fun and hard-hitting BC Lions talk! On our maiden voyage of 2026, we recap Holiday activities and a busy couple of weeks of signings. TSN analyst and Canada Flag Football head coach Paul LaPolice stops by to talk about his Lions outlook for this season and how the squad is looking to build off of a solid bounce-back campaign. Lapo also gives an update on Canada’s quest to qualify for the Flag Football event at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. We wrap things up with trivia and our always fun ‘Go For It Or Punt’ segment. TIMESTAMPS: ⁣ 0:00 - intro ⁣ 5:14 - CFL Winter Meetings⁣ 8:47 - BC Lions signings⁣ 20:41 - Paul LaPolice interview ⁣ 41:19 - Kowalski's BC Lions trivia ⁣ 49:16 - Go for it or Punt
Jan 14
54 min
Schedule Breakdown and Around The CFL With Justin Dunk
It was an early Holiday present for BC Lions and CFL fans, as the 2026 schedule was dropped this week! In their finale of 2025, Matt and Nik break down some of the more exciting games of our 72nd season filled with big matchups. Justin Dunk from 3DownNation stops by to talk schedule, the Lions hanging on to Keon Hatcher Sr. and his website’s exciting news of the past week. To wrap it up, we have some Lions trivia, our Go For It Or Punt segment and some Holiday wishes. Thanks to all of our listeners for tuning in and we can’t wait to bring your even more next year. Go Lions! TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - intro 1:46 - 2026 schedule breakdown 22:45 - Justin Dunk interview 54:16 - BC Lions signings, Keon Hatcher Sr. extension 1:00:01 - Kowalski's BC Lions trivia 1:04:33 - Go for it or Punt
Dec 9, 2025
1 hr 14 min
Jacob Bond’s Journey From BCFC To The Lions + Touchdown Kelowna News, Grey Cup Week Recap
Matt and Nik are back on what has been an exciting couple of days in Lions land. The fellas recap Monday’s Touchdown Kelowna announcements and look ahead to the two pivotal matchups with Calgary and Edmonton next summer. Jacob Bond knows a thing or two about the Apple Bowl from his time with the Okanagan Sun, The fullback recaps his rookie season and looks ahead to year two with the squad, which includes a return to Kelowna. We also bring back ‘Go For It Or Punt’ where Nik is excited about a new possible celebrity power couple and Matt educates people on how the NFL schedule works. It’s available wherever you get your podcasts! 0:00 - intro 0:56 - Touchdown Kelowna news 4:22 - Grey Cup week recap 10:57 - BC Lions free agent list 14:47 - Jacob Bond interview 34:27 - Kowalski's BC Lions trivia 38:34 - Go for it or Punt 47:38 - off-season show schedule
Nov 26, 2025
49 min
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