In 1970, old VFL rivals, Carlton and Collingwood faced each other in the Grand Final. The game took place in the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground to over 120,000 people packed in to see the spectacle. However, Collingwood dominated the first two quarters and raced into a healthy lead. Carlton walked off at half time deflated and dejected. A team talk and a revolutionary change of tactics and approach by the Carlton coach Ron Barassi, not only changed the course of this Grand Final, but it changed...
Dec 03, 2022•33 min
Hansie Cronje burst onto the international cricket scene in a match against Australia. With youth, good looks and a champion of reconciliation in South Africa, Cronje rose to the heights of his sport and society. This story covers a remarkable on pitch deal with the English cricket captain; dark dealings in hotel rooms; a confession and a sad, unexpected end to life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 31, 2022•36 min
We take most Olympic sports for granted and they have the sense that they have always been there. However, sports have to compete against each other to make the Olympic roster. Some win but many get rejected. This episode is the story of the Winter Olympic sports that never quite made the grade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 30, 2022•33 min
The story of John Montague. An exceptionally talented golfer who was reluctant to join the tour but very keen to live the celebrity Hollywood lifestyle. Montague worked his way through Hollywood's A-list society before his life took a turn when an eagle-eyed detective spotted him in Time magazine and his past quickly caught up with him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 31, 2022•29 min
This is a blast through some of the technological advances in sport that you may never have heard of including one which may have been inspired by a British soap opera! Stories of pink newspapers being sold out of the back of vans, snooker selling TVs and how split screen revolutionised a sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 31, 2022•37 min
Baseball in the USA was a industry ran by the owners, for the owners. Players had few rights and were paid a fraction of what they were worth. Nobody challenge the status quo - until Marvin Miller battered down the door and unlocked the freedom of the players. This is a story of the power of the union and how it was used to modernise a national sport and show the rest of society that the power of the bosses could, and should, be questioned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informa...
Jun 30, 2022•33 min
Freediving is a niche sport due to the level of difficultly and the risk of serious injury and death. The serenity and peaceful nature of deep-diving can lull the participants into a different world and prove addictive. This is the story of how freediving became a cult sport with a truly deadly risk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 30, 2022•32 min
Very few athletes ever get the opportunity to represent their country at the Olympics. Through training, discipline and shear sporting talent, some manage to make the grade. Once there, they will do everything in their power to try to get a place on the podium and, failing that, try to represent themselves in the best light possible. This is the story of an 'athlete' who broke the mould by sauntering into the Olympics with little sporting prowess but excellent management of her calendar and air ...
May 01, 2022•37 min
This is the story of an American billionaire who found himself in the inner circle of the home of English cricket. Now a convicted criminal, Allen Stanford managed to land his helicopter on the hallowed turf at Lord's Cricket Ground, convince the ECB to play a one off game in the Caribbean and ultimately left a shameful mark on the English game. What attracted one of England's most stuffy and conservative sporting bodies to this lavish and corrupt billionaire? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...
Mar 30, 2022•28 min
Shergar was an Irish-bred wonder horse. With exceptional ability, speed and stamina, the horse captivated a sport and international attention. The prospect of Shergar sharing his genetics and creating a new generation of competitive, world class horses was too good to miss for investors. However, the extraordinary value of Shergar attracted the unwanted attention of a band of Irishmen who were looking to raise funds for nefarious activities. Was the kidnapping successful? Did the ransom get paid...
Mar 17, 2022•34 min
The Oxford Dictionary describes Parkour as the sport of moving through a city by running, jumping, and climbing under, around, and through things. However, there is debate on whether it is a sport at all. There has been splits, international recognition and a lineage traced to the early 20th Century. Parkour also has a lot to owe the French Firefighter who inadvertently provided the inspiration for a new and exciting activity which sparked worldwide interest. This is the story of a modern athlet...
Feb 02, 2022•27 min
Mayo is a proud county situated on the wild west coast of Ireland. With passionate fans and a history of producing some of Ireland's finest sports stars, Mayo GAA are one of the leading sporting organisations in Ireland. They should have won a huge amount of major trophies in the post-war period but they have struggled to get over the line. In this episode, we explore the legend of a curse that was placed on the Mayo team in the 1950s and has haunted them to this day. Hosted on Acast. See acast....
Dec 31, 2021•27 min
Alexandre Villaplane was an immigrant footballer trying to make his way in the amateur game. He got off to great start and quickly became the best player in the country. Villaplane led France in their World Cup debut in 1930 but on his return his sporting career spun out of control and, with the onset of the Second World War, the demise of this malign character became inevitable. This is the story of a player who rose to greatness before sliding into the underworld and collaborating with the evi...
Oct 05, 2021•31 min
Jean Marc Bosman was a lower league professional footballer but his challenge to be in charge of his own destiny had a hugely significant impact on football in Europe and is still shaping how careers are fulfilled and players are transferred. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 07, 2021•26 min
What if you were playing top level NBA and a coach told you of some small change to your game that could improve you exponentially? What if the coach told you that the change was perfectly legal and within the rules? What if the coach told you that every player in the NBA knew about it but almost nobody does it? This is the puzzling story of how top level basketball players refuse to make a small change that could improve their performance and the history of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...
Aug 11, 2021•34 min
It was the summer of 2012. The world had gathered in London for the 2012 Olympic Games. Team GB had targeted a number of key sports in which they could medal but on Saturday 4th August 2012 the medals rained down on the team. From the morning, right up to an extraordinary 45 minute period, the golds kept coming in one of the most captivating periods in Olympic history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 14, 2021•28 min
The Highland games has endured throughout the ages and exists today as a celebration of Highland culture and Scottish defiance against the aggression of their neighbours. A mixture of strength and skill often inspire by agriculture, the Highland games provide an opportunity to revel in Scottish history and a legacy of historical sporting development. Although the games were coopted by the royal ruling class, they remain a symbol of life before living under English rule. Hosted on Acast. See acas...
Jun 16, 2021•28 min
Mildred Ella Didrikson, who was known simply as 'Babe', became one of the greatest athletes of all time. However, that was just part of her story. At only 5ft 7in, Babe ran, jumped, threw, pitched and swung her way to be the best sports all rounder that ever lived. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
May 12, 2021•34 min
Sally Robbins was a gifted athlete who managed to show so much promise, she was selected for the Australian Olympic rowing team. Although they were outsiders to medal at the Athen's games, the team had got themselves within half a second of the leaders. However, by the end of the race, the Australian boat dragged through the water over ten seconds after all the other teams had finished. What had happened? Why had they thrown away the lead? Who or what was responsible? This is the story of Lay Do...
Apr 14, 2021•28 min
Ian has avoided social media, his phone and been disciplined and determined, not to know the score of the EFL Trophy Final 2021. He gives Matt a call who is going to reveal to result of the game and give a detailed match report. However, there was an unexpected intervention... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 14, 2021•13 min
Tranmere Rovers are playing Sunderland at Wembley in a matter of hours. These are Ian and Matt's hometown teams and first loves, respectively. This is the pre-game excitement before these two teams walk out at Wembley stadium to win the EFL Trophy and probably a few pizzas thrown in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 14, 2021•35 min
How do you stop the greatest batsman of all time? Bowl dangerously towards his body and his head. Don Bradman was an unstoppable force in Australian cricket. A remarkable sportsman that had a batting average so high, it seemed impossible to stop him. But on the boat over to Australia, the English captain devised a plan on how to tame Bradman and defeat Australia. These tactics scandalised the game and caused a diplomatic incident. This is the story of Bodyline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pri...
Mar 10, 2021•32 min
One of the biggest games of every AFL season is between suburban rivals Collingwood and Carlton. However, few fans know the origin of this fierce rivalry that dates back to the start of the 20th Century. These two powerhouses fought each other in remarkably close games for years which were marred by bribery, match fixing, skullduggery and establishment tinkering. Did players really go behind Pompey Elliott's back to fix games ruining the Carlton winning streak? Was there a Carlton insider in the...
Feb 09, 2021•26 min
Wilma Rudolph is not a name that is commonly known when US Olympians are talked about. She should be. Wilma Rudolph overcame extraordinary personal adversity in her childhood whilst black America suffered segregation. She rose to international fame becoming one of the stars at the Rome Olympics. On her return home she set about contributing to the fight for equality and paving the way for black woman in athletics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 13, 2021•26 min
The field of sprinters that lined up for the 200m at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City were the greatest there had ever been. Two Americans and an Australian took the medal places. There was mild surprise that the Australian had placed in silver as he wasn't a favourite and started characteristically slow before blasting away his opponents in the final few metres. However, the running wasn't the focus by the time the athletes were stood on the podium. The photograph of John Carlos, Tommie Sm...
Dec 30, 2020•26 min
Jane Saville was ready to set the Sydney Stadium alight for the second time in a matter of hours. Cathy Freeman had raced to Gold the night before and Saville was thriving in the glow when she found herself in the lead of the Women's 20km Race Walk. With only metres to go, Saville found herself faced with a third red card. This is the story of one of the most difficult decisions in race walking history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 15, 2020•29 min
Andres Escobar was a quality international footballer. He had won domestic silverware and was now part of a promising Colombian national team who were heading for the World Cup Finals in the USA ranked fourth in the world. Even the Brazilian legend Pele tipped them as favourites. Under the pressure of huge expectations the Columbians underperformed and Escobar scored an own goal against the USA. The goal proved fatal to Columbia's chances of qualification and deadly to Escobar who was assassinat...
Dec 01, 2020•38 min
Kevin Keegan and John Toshack were a defining strike partnership in the 1970s. Playing for Liverpool, they linked together so well, a local TV network decided to test whether there was anything more to their partnership than just football skills. This is the story about how two 1970s British soccer players defied science to prove a supernatural aspect to their play. Or did they? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 17, 2020•25 min
In 1997, the world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, was challenged by IBM to play against their computer 'Deep Blue'. This is the extraordinary story of man versus machine. It was an international news headline as Artificial Intelligence overcame the flaws in humankind, not only to become the best chess player in the world, but also to realign our ideas about the capabilities of computers and technology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 03, 2020•28 min
Nadia Comaneci appeared at her first Summer Olympic Games in Montreal 1976. The expectations were high but nobody could've predicted the remarkable achievements of this extraordinary teenager. Even the scoreboard wasn't large enough for this Romanian who managed to score the first ever perfect 10 in history. This is the story of how a teenager won the hearts of the world and the implications it had for her when returning to an Eastern Bloc country under the rule of a tyrant. Hosted on Acast. See...
Oct 20, 2020•30 min
