Edge of Sports

This week we speak to Dan Grunfeld , author of the new book  By the Grace of the Game: The Holocaust, a Basketball Legacy, and an Unprecedented American Dream . He talks about his family’s journey from Auschwitz to the NBA. We have Choice Words about the GOP’s selective interest in women’s sports. We're giving Just Stand Up awards to the great Cinderella stories taking place during both the me...

This week we speak to NBA legend Muggsy Bogues and his co-author Jake Uitti about their new book, Muggsy: My Life from a Kid in the Projects to the Godfather of Small Ball. We talk to Muggsy about his life growing up in Baltimore, his near-death experience as a child, and what it was like to play in the ACC and NBA, dealing with doubters along the way. We also have Choice Words about the continued...

In this week's episode, we speak to baseball commentator Ben Shapiro about the MLB lockout. We also have ‘Choice Words’ about the move by organizations like the IOC and FIFA to isolate Russia, given their decision to stay silent when it comes to other conflicts. We also have a special “Keep Your Head Up” to WNBA star Brittney Griner who was locked up in Russia on absurd charges. And don’t miss...

This week we speak to Peter Richardson, author of Savage Journey: Hunter S. Thompson and the Weird Road to Gonzo , a new book about Thompson’s life as a sports writer. We talk about Thompson’s heroes, including Muhammad Ali, and the writer's contributions to "Gonzo Journalism." We also have Choice Words about Brian Flores’s new gig in the NFL as an assistant coach for the Pittsburg Ste...

This week we speak to legendary sportswriter Peter Golenbock about his new book, Whispers of the Gods: Tales from Baseball’s Golden Age, Told by the Men Who Played It . We talk about everything from Shoeless Joe Jackson’s Hall-of-Fame case to the integration of baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers.  We also have Choice Words about the NFL and its ongoing racism and attempt at gaslighting, plus Just S...

This week we speak to Shireen Ahmed from the "Burn It All Down" podcast and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation about a prospective law in France that would ban the wearing of the hijab or any headscarves on the field of play. We also have “Choice Words” about the Brian Flores lawsuit accusing the NFL of systemic racism in their hiring practices. Plus, “Just Stand Up and “Just Sit Down”...

This week we are talking to Chris Herring, New York Times best-selling author of Blood in the Garden: the Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks . We talk about the interesting personalities on the team, Pat Riley’s decision to stick with John Starks during a crucial postseason stretch, and pose some probing hypothetical questions.  We also have “Choice Words” about Major League Baseball’s...

This week we speak to Ben Carrington about USC’s new head coach Lincoln Riley and the bloated contract the university offered him. Carrington goes into detail about the big issues in college athletics including the transfer portal and the very structure of college sports.  We also have "Choice Words" about a hedge fund investor who owns a sizable portion of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors...

This week we speak to Eric Dickerson about his new book Watch My Smoke: The Eric Dickerson Story , cowritten with Greg Hanlon. We also have Choice Words about Novak Djokovic and the ongoing saga taking place in Australia around the Australian Open. And don’t miss a special playoff edition of Jake’s Takes as well. All this and more on this week’s show! Subscribe to The Nation to support all of our...

This week we talk to L. Jon Wertheim about his new book  Glory Days: The Summer of 1984 and the 90 Days That Changed Sports and Culture Forever. We talk about 1984 sports, music, and what was taking place in the world that made that particular summer transformative.  We also got “Choice Words” about Antonio Brown and his exit from last week’s Bucs-Jets game. We have “Just Stand Up” and “Sit Your A...

This week we speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning author of  The Sympathizer  and USC professor  Viet Thanh Nguyen . It’s a great conversation and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did taking part in it. We also have ‘Choice Words’ about Deion Sanders’s big splash and securing a massive victory against the college football powers that be in recruiting. Don’t miss another great edition of Jake’s Take...

This week we speak to former Pittsburgh Steeler Ryan Shazier about his new book:  Walking Miracle: How Faith, Positive Thinking, and Passion for Football Brought Me Back from Paralysis...and Helped Me Find Purpose . We also got “Just Stand Up” and “Sit Your Ass Down” awards to a courageous Formula 1 driver who is speaking out against racism in the sport, and Enes Freedom, who appears to be posturi...

This week I give my take on the vaccine wars in the NBA. It’s a thorny subject and I break it down. Also we have Jake’s Takes as my kid will tell you who will win this week’s NFL games. All this and more on this week’s show! Zirin, We Need Barcelona’s Hidden Radical History Now More Than Ever https://www.thenation.com/article/society/barcelona-olympics/ — http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http...

This week we speak to  Rob Goldman, author of the new book, The Sisterhood: The 99ers and the Rise of U.S. Women's Soccer. This book looks at the US Women’s 1999 World Cup team, how they came together, personalities on the team, and their lasting impact on sport in the world. We also have “Choice Words” about what’s happening in China with Peng Shuai, who has disappeared in the country after l...

This week we speak to  Britni de la Cretaz & Lyndsey D’Arcangelo, authors of the new book, Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women's Football League. This book is incredible and unearths an entire history that most of us were never familiar with.  We also have “Choice Words” about the new Netflix special, Colin in Black and White. We also got “Just Stand Up” and “Sit Your Ass Do...

This week we are talking to Paul Knepper, author of the book “The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All.” We talk the Knicks, Pat Riley, John Starks, Anthony Mason and whether this team was badder than the Bad Boys of the 80s.  We also have “Choice Words” about the latest news in the efforts to wrest justice from the clutches of the Washington Footba...

This week we speak to long-time former Green Bay Packers executive Andrew Brandt about the leak of NFL emails and what they say about the league. Also, we have choice words about the latest attack on trans youth athletes coming out of Texas. In addition, I’ve got a few things to say about Kyrie Irving, and of course, we have Jake’s Takes. Andrew Brandt Twitter: @AndrewBrandt https://www1.villanova...

This week, Bob Glauber joins the show to discuss the new book that he co-wrote with Keyshawn Johnson, The Forgotten First. Such an informative interview, you don’t want to miss it! Bob Glauber Twitter: @BobGlauber https://www.powells.com/book/the-forgotten-first-9781538705483 Zirin, Crisis in the National Women’s Soccer League: A Story of Predation and Power https://www.thenation.com/article/cultu...

This week I give my take on the vaccine wars in the NBA. It’s a thorny subject and I break it down. Also we have Jake’s Takes as my kid will tell you who will win this week’s NFL games. All this and more on this week’s show! Zirin, Being “Pro NBA Player” Means Being Pro-Vaccine https://www.thenation.com/article/society/vaccine-mandate-lebron-nba/ — http://www.edgeofsportspodcast.com/ | http://twit...

This week on the podcast we have “Choice Words” about whether, given the Delta variant, we should once again shut sports down for the public good. Eager to hear your responses to this. Also we’ve got another edition of Jake's Takes and more. Zirin, How the Kaepernick Effect Reached Small-Town Iowa https://www.thenation.com/article/society/how-the-kaepernick-effect-reached-small-town-iowa/ — ht...

This week we have a special episode—Dave Zirin in conversation with Eddie Glaude about his new book Kaepernick Effect. You won’t want to miss it. We also have Just Stand Up and Just Sit Down Awards and another installment of Jacob Zirin’s NFL picks. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week we speak to journalist Dr. Chloe Angyal about her book on the ballet pipeline, Turning Pointe. The parallels to youth sports are uncanny you really have to check this interview out. Also we have “Choice Words” about Donald Trump and his choice to commemorate 911. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Just Sit Down” awards to the amazing activists across the world who followed Colin K...

This week we talk to NFL Network journalist Steve Wyche about the night he interviewed Colin Kaepernick after noticing that he was sitting during the national Anthem. Wyche talks about the mechanics of that fateful day, and what it all means five years later. We also have “Choice Words” about the Tokyo Paralympics and Japan’s struggle with coronavirus surrounding all of this. In addition, we have...

This week we speak to Devon Ashby, author of the fascinating new book PG vs MoCo: A Memoir of High School Football in the Shadow of the Nation's Capital. Ashby goes into detail about the talent produced in the larger DMV area, why it is largely under discussed, and the important role that public schools have played in that development process. We also have “Choice Words” about the fifth annive...

On September 19, PBS will debut the new documentary “Muhammad Ali” by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, and David McMahon. This week we speak to them about how to bring a larger than life figure back down to earth and what they learned from the project.  We also have “Choice Words” about the IOC’s shocking and casual display of anti-Asian racism from Thomas Bach. In addition, we have “Just Stand Up” and “Ju...