Part 2 of my conversation with Charles Pierce continues with more discussion about basketball icon Larry Bird. Pierce, lead political writer for Esquire, also shares in this second of two episodes why covering the NBA in the 1980s was a highlight of his nearly 50 years of writing about sports. He provides anecdotes about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick that illuminate their grand NFL partnership. Pierce recalls the crazy and memorable days at The National Sports Daily. And he breaks down how he reported and wrote his famous GQ magazine profile of the young Tiger Woods. Make su ..read more

Liz Clarke looks back on her “accidental career” as a sportswriter with the same thoughtfulness she always put into her stellar work. Much of our conversation focuses on NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. Hear how she gained his trust in part by not being in awe of him, how his tough-guy exterior hid a soft heart, and how covering his death in the 2001 Daytona 500 shook Liz. She takes us along for “pinch-me moments” – such as the crowd’s emotional response to seeing Nelson Mandela at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – from years of traveling the globe for The Washington Post. And we talk about th ..read more

Part 2 of my conversation with Charles Pierce continues with more discussion about basketball icon Larry Bird. Pierce, lead political writer for Esquire, also shares in this second of two episodes why covering the NBA in the 1980s was a highlight of his nearly 50 years of writing about sports. He provides anecdotes about Tom Brady and Bill Belichick that illuminate their grand NFL partnership. Pierce recalls the crazy and memorable days at The National Sports Daily. And he breaks down how he reported and wrote his famous GQ magazine profile of the young Tiger Woods. Make su ..read more

Wendell Barnhouse recalls the pressure of trying to find the right words in the immediate aftermath of the famous Duke-Kentucky basketball game. The overwhelming magnitude felt on press row at that 1992 NCAA tournament classic still lingers. That’s one of many anecdotes Wendell shares in this episode from his three-plus decades as a national college basketball and football writer. Hear about traveling to 27 cities in one season, how Bob Knight made a telephone jump, why Bill Snyder made a call with a surprising reaction, and where Wendell had to write from as a Fiesta Bowl erupted with Boise S ..read more

Liz Clarke looks back on her “accidental career” as a sportswriter with the same thoughtfulness she always put into her stellar work. Much of our conversation focuses on NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. Hear how she gained his trust in part by not being in awe of him, how his tough-guy exterior hid a soft heart, and how covering his death in the 2001 Daytona 500 shook Liz. She takes us along for “pinch-me moments” – such as the crowd’s emotional response to seeing Nelson Mandela at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – from years of traveling the globe for The Washington Post. And we talk about th ..read more

Wendell Barnhouse recalls the pressure of trying to find the right words in the immediate aftermath of the famous Duke-Kentucky basketball game. The overwhelming magnitude felt on press row at that 1992 NCAA tournament classic still lingers. That’s one of many anecdotes Wendell shares in this episode from his three-plus decades as a national college basketball and football writer. Hear about traveling to 27 cities in one season, how Bob Knight made a telephone jump, why Bill Snyder made a call with a surprising reaction, and where Wendell had to write from as a Fiesta Bowl erupted with Boise S ..read more

Tim Kurkjian’s love of baseball radiates as he recounts his four decades of covering our National Pastime. The ESPN stalwart takes us to his early days as a newspaper beat reporter when terrible teams couldn’t extinguish his joy. Tim recalls Don Zimmer’s wisdom, Earl Weaver’s unforgettable greeting, and Cal Ripken Jr.’s ferocious competitiveness even off the field.. He puts us there for a Game 7 that Jack Morris wouldn’t leave, and a Game 7 when the Cubs broke a curse. We hear about Tony Gwynn’s favorite bat, an odd request from Mickey Rivers, and a shared fascination for the APBA board game ..read more

Jeff Jacobs is a writer who bleeds on the keyboard, and his passion for the craft has never wavered during 46 years in the business. You’ll hear it as Jeff recalls his first big career moment when he unexpectedly became part of the story at a minor league hockey fight. He puts us there in January1980 when the Philadelphia Flyers’ record 35-game undefeated streak ended, and he provides other hockey stories that depict the sport’s unique culture. Jeff brings the Hartford Whalers back to life with vivid anecdotes and a few bars of the defunct NHL team’s fight song. And he shares details and tales ..read more

We head down South on this episode with Rick Cleveland, who has been named Mississippi Sportswriter of the Year a record 14 times. He discusses how sports helped to finally end segregation in his home state during his career of nearly 60 years. Rick shares anecdotes about Walter Payton, Brett Favre, and Archie Manning – father of Peyton and Eli – before and after they left Mississippi and became NFL stars. He recalls witnessing Tiger Woods winning the Masters for the first time. He tells us about point guard Ruthie Bolton, one of 20 children in her family, winning an Olympic gold medal. And Ri ..read more

A ..read more