Sports Explains the World

Sports #144

Sports Explains the World unveils some of the wildest and most surprising sports stories you’ve never heard. And they’re all true. From the unemployed history teacher turned CIA agent and Uganda national basketball coach, to the teenager who invented a mythical athlete…then watched him sign a million-dollar deal, these stories will amaze and move you at every turn. From award-winning journalists across the globe, Sports Explains the World reveals the human side of sports in provocative and unusual ways. Whether you’ve ever thrown a spiral or been in one, prepare to experience the action on and off the field from an unexpected – and sometimes shocking – vantage point.

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46 | The Weight: Rage Against the Regime
Jun 12, 2024 – 00:55:20
45 | If A Tree Falls: The Stanford Band Out of Step
Jun 5, 2024 – 00:55:26
44 | The Eyes of the Fighter | Part II
May 29, 2024 – 00:45:02
43 | The Eyes of the Fighter | Part I
May 22, 2024 – 00:28:38
42 | Ultras | Part ll
May 15, 2024 – 00:25:14
41 | Ultras | Part l
May 8, 2024 – 00:26:40
40 | Two Dreams: China and the NBA | Part III
May 1, 2024 – 00:23:51
39 | Two Dreams: China and the NBA | Part II
Apr 24, 2024 – 00:31:49
38 | Two Dreams: China and the NBA | Part I
Apr 17, 2024 – 00:23:22
37 | The Refinery: Shortstop City
Apr 10, 2024 – 00:34:38
36 | Mensur: Mightier Than the Sword | Part II
Apr 3, 2024 – 00:39:38
35 | Mensur: Mightier Than the Sword | Part I
Mar 27, 2024 – 00:46:56
34 | When Life Gives You Chet Lemon | Part III
Mar 20, 2024 – 00:40:34
33 | When Life Gives You Chet Lemon | Part II
Mar 13, 2024 – 01:00:16
32 | When Life Gives You Chet Lemon | Part I
Mar 6, 2024 – 00:43:00
31 | The Big Dipper: Wilt Chamberlain | Part lll
Feb 28, 2024 – 00:34:12
30 | The Big Dipper: Wilt Chamberlain | Part ll
Feb 21, 2024 – 00:25:02
29 | The Big Dipper: Wilt Chamberlain | Part l
Feb 14, 2024 – 00:30:20
28 | Sneaker Con: The Kicks Controversy | Part II
Feb 7, 2024 – 00:37:54
27 | Sneaker Con: The Kicks Controversy | Part I
Jan 31, 2024 – 00:32:10
26 | The Imposter: 10 Feet from Stardom | Part II
Jan 24, 2024 – 00:35:01
25 | The Imposter: 10 Feet from Stardom | Part I
Jan 17, 2024 – 00:40:50
24 | The Mighty Bucks | Part lll
Jan 10, 2024 – 00:51:50
23 | The Mighty Bucks | Part ll
Jan 10, 2024 – 00:45:06
22 | The Mighty Bucks | Part l
Jan 3, 2024 – 00:37:29
21 | Dynasty: The Legend of the Brecksville Bees
Dec 27, 2023 – 00:35:30
20 | Cheering for Themselves: The Rise of Competitive Cheerleading | Part II
Dec 20, 2023 – 00:27:22
19 | Cheering for Themselves: The Rise of Competitive Cheerleading | Part I
Dec 13, 2023 – 00:29:03
18 | Shanghai Sharks: Yao Ming Finds a Coach
Dec 6, 2023 – 00:52:57
17 | The Bison Project | Part lll
Nov 29, 2023 – 00:41:45
16 | The Bison Project | Part ll
Nov 22, 2023 – 00:26:40
15 | The Bison Project | Part l
Nov 15, 2023 – 00:39:12
14 | Volley and Serve: From Wimbledon to the Front Lines | Part II
Nov 8, 2023 – 00:46:56
13 | Volley and Serve: From Wimbledon to the Front Lines | Part I
Nov 1, 2023 – 00:37:46
12 | The Fixer: After the Astros | Part II
Oct 25, 2023 – 00:24:17
11 | The Fixer: After the Astros | Part I
Oct 18, 2023 – 00:28:24
10 | The Perfect Game
Oct 11, 2023 – 00:42:34
9 | Running on Water | Part II
Oct 4, 2023 – 00:40:22
8 | Running on Water | Part I
Sep 27, 2023 – 00:35:33
7 | The Skullman Cometh
Sep 20, 2023 – 00:52:34
6 | The Real Jay Mullen | Part II
Sep 13, 2023 – 00:39:18
5 | The Real Jay Mullen | Part I
Sep 6, 2023 – 00:26:30
4 | Good Company
Aug 30, 2023 – 00:47:40
3 | Spider's Web | Part II
Aug 25, 2023 – 00:39:35
2 | Spider's Web | Part I
Aug 23, 2023 – 00:50:52
1 | The Engineer
Aug 23, 2023 – 00:34:28
Introducing: Sports Explains the World
Aug 8, 2023 – 00:02:15

Recent Reviews

Simalcast

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El guapo 3842

Great podcast!!!

The eyes of the fighter was soo good
_A.ce

Captivating!

June 12th episode is gripping and amazing. Well done
USA Mknitter

Chet Lemon & Davy Rathbart (3X episodes)

Thanks for the vulnerability that was shared in these 3 episodes with Davy, his mother, Allison, Michelle, Chet Lemon and his son. I was very drawn into this real life sharing.
xlinkinparkfan

Interesting stories

Great listen.
berkman_s

Volley and Serve

Tim Rohan did a superb job reporting this tantalizing story. Ace!
MRS8612

VOLLEY AND SERVE

excellent reporting - really enjoyed these new episodes!
Julian Spivey

Inaccurate

Major League Baseball has not stripped the Houston Astros if it’s 2017 World Series title.
SicMundusCreatusEst

Great pod!

Really well done sports stories for even non sports fans could enjoy. Great listen. Highly recommended.
Warlord99

Not paying

Your show is pretty good! I will not pay for it. Advertising doesn’t bother me.
leslie in alabama

So great!

Growing up in the 70s and 80s this podcast fills in a lot of my historical and athletic holes that I didn’t know I had. Well researched and succinctly put together. This is an awesome podcast. Not being a huge sports person but still knowing what’s going on around me, I find this an incredible source of political and historical value. So love this!
Msjohv

Go O’s

Absolutely loved hearing Jon Miller, Manfra and the whole crew again. I’m amazed but I guess shouldn’t be that so many play by play people pretended to call games as a kid. Anyway, I really enjoyed the episode
Philly2008

Baseball Fanatic!

Glad to know I wasn’t the only guy doing baseball play-by-play as a kid! Love the fourth ep! Keep ‘em coming!
Plegm Brandt

Jordan’s Rings in a Box

Stupodity!
Shotataduck

Who knew I was a Lithuania basketball fan!? My me!

The skullman cometh episode got me to go buy a Lithuania 1992 Olympic basketball t-shirt. Incredible story. Loving this podcast.