The Sports Experience Podcast with Chris Quinn and Dominic DiTolla

In the mold of Bo Jackson and his fellow FSU alum, Deion Sanders, Charlie Ward was an incredible two-sport star at the NCAA level. A terrific dual threat quarterback for the Seminoles, Ward ran the team’s “Fast Break” offense to perfection, won a National Title and Heisman Trophy. On the hardwood, Ward piloted FSU to an Elite Eight appearance as a point guard. While his NFL dreams weren’t realized...

The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, 1993 saw the NFL finally award players unrestricted free agency. Seven decades of struggle led to this moment. And amazingly the ‘93 Free Agency class lived up to the hype. Hall of Famers like Reggie White, Marcus Allen and Kevin Greene headlined an offseason signing frenzy the likes we’ve never seen. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple...

Indentured servitude. That was the attitude of owners and coaches towards their players in the NFL since its inception. Until 1947, players couldn’t even sell their services on the open market. Despite changes like the option year situation with R.C. Owens, the “Rozelle Rule,” the “Mackey v. NFL” case, two strikes in the 1980s and “Plan B,” it was a long road for players to get the freedom they ha...

Picked to finish in the basement of the 1992 WAC standings in the spring, this band of brothers were special. While they had future NFL studs like Jason Elam & Ma'a Tanuvasa, this grindy bunch that executed Paul Johnson's Flexbone offense to perfection & a swift and punishing defense won the WAC title and brought pride to the islands and the University's first mainland bowl vic...

The Father of Modern Surfing, Duke Kahanamoku is a straight up legend. An Olympic gold medal winning swimmer, Kahanamoku is in both the surfing and swimming Halls of Fame. A man whose life stretched Hawai'ian history from Monarchy to Territory to Statehood, Duke was the perfect Native Hawai'ian ambassador for sports, culture and life itself. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms:...

One of England's most storied clubs. From relegation to promotion, they have one of the most up and down runs for a huge club. Now back playing first team football, we look at the road that got them back in the Premier League. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-sports-experience-podcast-with-chris-quinn/id1529622054 YouTub...

Oh, what could have been. Arguably the best QB in league history who nobody under 50 has heard of, Jones resurrected a dead Baltimore Colts franchise in the post Unitas era. Leading the team to three straight AFC titles in the mid-70s, Jones and the Colts could never get over the Steelers-Raiders hump before succumbing to injuries that destroyed his career. As Bill Belichick's favorite QB, thi...

One of the NHL's most important players on and off the ice, Grant Fuhr was professional hockey's first stars of African and First Nations descent. The premier & clutch goalie of the 1980s and a guy who Wayne Gretzky dubbed the best in hockey, Fuhr won multiple Stanley Cups during his career, battled substance abuse & racism and carved out one of the best careers of any netminder in...

On Christmas Day 1971, two of the AFC's best teams took on each other in the longest NFL game ever played in the regular or post seasons. The young, upstart Dolphins took on the veteran, established Chiefs. In a game that saw Hall of Fame players and coaches galore go to Double Overtime, the outcome proved to send both franchises in vastly different directions for the next two decades! Watch,...

1986 New York Mets, Part 2: In Part 1 of our podcast on the Mets, Chris, Dom and special guest Dave Margolis look at New York's postseason run. In arguably two of the best postseason series ever played, the Mets were taken to the limit by Houston and Boston. Yet the Mets showed the fight and drive of a champion in their own brash way. Also, there's a good story about a plane. Watch, Subscr...

1986 New York Mets, Part 1: Coming off a 2nd place finish in the NL East in 1985 & armed with an incredible mix of young and old talent, the Mets were primed for dominance in 1986. Brash, boastful, fun and always down for a scuffle, the 1986 Mets dominated the National League and fought their way to 108 regular season wins and into the hearts of New Yorkers. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on A...

Johan Cruyff is one of the most influential soccer players and managers ever. Bringing new eras to Ajax and Barcelona, the creator of the Cruyff turn and helped bring soccer to the United States. Cruyff's footprint can be seen all over the modern game.  Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-sports-experience-podcast-with-chri...

When you think Point Guard - Jason Kidd was the classic example in the modern era. Not only a great assists man, Kidd was an excellent defender, could run the floor, and developed into a good shooter. An NBA Champion as a player, assistant coach and a Gold Medalist, Kidd rose to super stardom after a terrific college career at California where he carried the Golden Bears during, arguably, the most...

Although talented enough to play big time college basketball, Shawn Kemp entered the draft after playing zero minutes in the NCAA. A fixture on the dominant Seattle SuperSonics teams of the 1990s and one of the NBA's best players, substance abuse and contract issues stalled what could have been a Hall of Fame career. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podc...

From the mean streets of Chicago's, Kirby Puckett rose from the worst possible station in life to achieve baseball glory. A 2x World Series champion, Puckett won 6 Gold Gloves, 6 Silver Sluggers and a batting title to go along with his 10 All-Star Game appearances. Arguably the greatest player in Minnesota Twins' history, the Hall of Famer's legacy off the field prior to his death was...

The need for speed. It's what NFL teams look for and what Rocket Ismail had. A National Champion at Notre Dame as a kick returner, wide receiver and running back, Ismail parlayed his success in college into an enormous CFL deal & solid pro career in the NFL. Although the College Football Hall of Famer's post career was littered with poor investments and losing money, The Rocket reverse...

Arguably the most loaded class in NFL history, the 1989 Draft produced 5 Hall of Famers. Incredibly 4 were selected in the first five picks. This class gave fans some of the 1990s best players, multiple Pro Bowlers and some of the NFL's biggest busts.st loaded class in NFL history, the 1989 Draft produced 5 Hall of Famers. Incredibly 4 were selected in the first five picks. This class gave fan...

A standout coach at Long Beach State and Iowa, including one trip to The Final Four, Lute Olson took his coaching magic to Tucson and the University of Arizona. Lute performed an overhaul on the Wildcats' struggling program and led them to four Final Fours and a National Championship in 1997. One of the game's greats, Olson is a hero to the Tucson community and college basketball as a whol...

One of the best voices in baseball during the last half century, Bob Uecker parlayed a mediocre playing career into becoming one  of the sport's best broadcasters in history.  From his work in film, television and the WWE, Uecker provided the comic relief the sport enjoys today. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-sports-ex...

One of hockey's most exciting players, "Super Mario" was a scoring machine on the ice. Even with debilitating injuries and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma stopping his career, Lemieux was the engine behind the Pittsburgh Penguins' success. Not only did he save the franchise with his on-ice play, Number 66  helped save the team as an owner & has continued the success for the franch...

The Bo Jackson of her gender, everything Babe touched in the world of sports turned to gold. A gold medalist in track & field, Zaharias starred in baseball, basketball and especially in golf. The biggest reason behind the beginning of women's golf, Babe was a dominant force and one of the most successful athletes of her generation. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Pod...

Against all odds Leicester City won the 2015/16 EPL Title. With the weird wild and just great soccer throughout the lead up and eventually the 2015/16 season. Leicester City has one of the best title winning seasons of recent history. Defying the mega money in the game and proving that the EPL is up for grabs each season. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://pod...

College Football's most dominant team of the 1990s, the Nebraska Cornhuskers won three national championships in four years. Led by Head Coach Tom Osborne, the Huskers' success is nearly unmatched in college football history. But one must question, at what price did it come? Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-sports-ex...

The use of steroids led to an offensive explosion in MLB throughout the 1990s. Although Jose Canseco is known as the "Typhoid Mary" of the drug in the league, he wasn't alone in its use or advocacy. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-sports-experience-podcast-with-chris-quinn/id1529622054 YouTube: https://youtube...

Cocaine: As Rick James said, "It's a Hell of a Drug." Cocaine infiltrated America as soon as it did baseball. Join us to discuss MLB's issue with the drug of choice of some of the league's best players of the 1980s. Watch, Subscribe & Comment on All Platforms: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-sports-experience-podcast-with-chris-quinn/id1529622054...