Jessica’s love and passion for the Irish keeps me coming back

More Jess, More Jess, More Jess

Thanks, Chris! You always have the best guests! Kind of missing Jess, though!

Knowledgeable and often brings in unique guests and great perspectives from around ND. Definitely add to your pod list.

Not a douche either

Informative guests, respect for tradition, and 21st century stats and analysis, plus a healthy dose of realism. Chris asks really good questions while keeping it fun, because it’s, you know, a hobby for most of us.

Stumbled across this in the wake of the ACC Championship game of all things. Nice to hear Chris and Jessica discuss, vent, commiserate, etc. things in more depth than even my most helpful family or friends group texts can. Was trying to temper expectations prior to game, but got fully sucked in after the INT in Clemson territory. Quickly went from adrenaline & optimism to “sports are dumb” mode. Anyway, keep it up! If nothing else, this soul crushing loss was good for putting this on my radar. Looking forward to future ones (...and probably listening to the November Clemson game recap on loop)! - an Irish fan in South Carolina

Go ND!! Really like the football talk, there’s a lack of that out there in ND podcasts, more a lot of people talking about nonsense. Like that you guys actually talk football!

I happened upon this pod just yesterday while searching for news re: the Covid-19 outbreak at ND. Much to my surprise and delight, I realized that the host — Chris Wilson — is an old college friend of mine and fellow 2008 grad! I’m so happy for him - he’s got an excellent show! But personal biases notwithstanding, “ND vs. COVID” was one of the most intelligent and honest discussions I’ve found regarding this Mess at ND and the politics at-play with the University and the football program. Chris Wilson and his guests Nicole Auerbach and Jessica Smetana gave excellent takes, adding nuance and texture to what’s currently going down at ND. And their conversation provided easy and enjoyable listening, to boot, with solid production value. Since I don’t consider myself much of an ND football fan (and before crying bloody murder — I’m generally not all that interested in sports), I probably would have never come across this pod if not for searching for this bit of news. But, I took a gander at the back episodes (of which there’s a truly impressive amount!), and was delighted to find a few other non-sports-related episodes, including the June 2 conversation with Brianna Turner (former ND bball star and current WNBA player) about Black Lives Matter (which, Bravo!, for ND peeps addressing this all-too-important issue head-on!) and last year’s December 19 “RE-RELEASE: Christmas Song Draft,” a hilarious ranking of the best Christmas songs, featuring two more superb guests, one of whom I know to be a member of Second City, and the episode overall with echoes of one of my favorite podcasts, Chuck Klosterman’s “Music Exists” ). All that’s to say, keep up the great work, Chris, and if you please, the non-sports episodes coming! 5 Stars and Subscribed!

Chris starts every episode sounding like he just ran a marathon, which is weird. Otherwise the podcast is fine. I prefer his newsletter.

I really have enjoyed all the episodes (except for the ones with one or more Rigney brothers)

Love this podcast!!! This is truly essential listening for any Notre Dame fan all year round.

A great show with more than enough guest variety and unique perspective to make it a must add to any ND fans podcast rotation (and even move it to the top of the rotation depending on how much you like stumptown). Chris does a great job as host. WG

If I were a College Football Head Coach i’d throw all my recruiting efforts toward this podcast, because this is a CONSENSUS five-star, blue chip powerhouse of insights and analysis on all things Notre Dame.

But listening to Rakes is easy. Whether it is interviews with guest to regular co-host conversations, The Report is a smart podcast that does a great job in taking the 30,000 foot view of the program—regardless of things are good or bad.

Rakes aka Chris, does an amazing job of blending all things Notre Dame old and new. He does an amazing job of having guests as well as his right hand Matt analyzing each aspect of the Irish. Keep up the good work Rakes. Sincerely, IRISH GL P.S. Build the statues.

Great podcast that steers the ship that is my ND fandom in the right direction.

Really enjoy listening to this show. They provide an informative view on fighting Irish football.

I basically only listen to sports podcasts in the car, and every time I see a new Rakes Report I get very excited. Probably the best ND podcast for content and fun! Go Irish!

In today’s saturated media environment it’s tough to cover new ground in a podcast about Notre Dame football/athletics, but Chris does it well. The perfect mix of relevant (and often surprising) statistics, level-headed analysis and a great sense of humor make this a must-listen for any Irish die hard.

Great podcast! Pretty much only listen when Matt joins Chris on the pod. They have a great chemistry and both really know their stuff!

Young alums who have great perspective on Notre Dame football and basketball. Highly recommend—especially for fans under 50 years old...

Really enjoy this podcast for in depth Irish coverage.

Great podcast.

Chris does a great job with this podcast. Funny and informative.

Tuned in for the first time today, and will now be backtracking to other episodes of interest, and listening to the new ones as they drop. The questions asked about the 2017 B&G game were fitting to provide info of interest to both "fans in passing," as well as fans who might have a bit more investment or understanding of the football team. Also, bonus Star for Bubba Sparxxx outro tune.

Chris does a great job balancing his unabashed love for his alma mater with national perspective and inside insights. He has a knack for nudging the conversation where it needs to go while keeping everything natural and light. I was honored to be a guest and hope I get invited back!

Here's what I love most about Chris' approach to his podcast: He's smart enough to know he doesn't have information on the Notre Dame football and basketball programs to subject listeners to him talking for an hour. So he gets beat writers, like Irish Sports Daily's Jamie Uyeyama and the Indianapolis Star's Laken Litman to give him the insider's perspective. And he also has on people from USA Today or Sports Illustrated to give him the 30,000 foot overview. He keeps the conversation moving and he keeps it fun. I'd recommend this podcast as a companion to other recordings you should already be listening to if you're a big Irish fan, such as the Irish Huddle from Blue & Gold Illustrated.