In this episode, Jessica Luther talks with Hanif Abdurraqib, poet, essayist and cultural critic, about his love for basketball. They break down the NBA playoffs, WNBA expansion and the romanticized anguish of fandom. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check out our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com To help support t...
May 12, 2022•1 hr 3 min
In this episode, Shireen Ahmed interviews Corey Erdman, Boxing writer and commentator for DAZN, Boxing Scene and many other outlets. They discuss the historic fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano at a sold out Madison Square Garden on April 30, which was the first time women fighters have headlined at the venue. Corey also talks about the storied history of the two boxers and how the culture of women's boxing is slowly improving. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weld...
May 11, 2022•40 min
In this episode, Shireen Ahmed, Jessica Luther and Brenda Elsey convene in the Court of Luther to discuss the men's and women's Champs League Finals. But first, they discuss the importance of access to abortion. Then, the Court of Luther commences to determine who Judge Jessica Luther will root for in the Champs League Finals. In the men's final, which takes place May 28, Shireen argues on behalf of Liverpool FC and Brenda argues for Real Madrid. On the women's side, which takes place May 21, Sh...
May 10, 2022•57 min
Eid Mubarak! In this episode, Shireen Ahmed talks with Jamad Fiin, basketball player and social media sensation, currently playing her last season with Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts while getting her Master's Degree in Business Administration. They discuss Jamad's influential and viral social media videos and the importance of visibility of Muslim dress in sport. They also talk about how she fell in love with basketball, her fashion ambassadorship with StockX and her organization Jam...
May 05, 2022•32 min
**Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.** In this episode, Lindsay Gibbs and Amira Rose Davis are back at it with rundown of WNBA news leading up to the start of the 2022 season on May 6. But first, Amira tells Lindsay all about the latest in baseball tech inventions and does a lot of airhorn impressions. Then, they discuss the latest on Brittney Griner's detainment in Russia and how a prioritization clause in the CBA could impact how athletes play abroad as well as drast...
May 03, 2022•46 min
In this episode, Jessica Luther talks to Olympic figure skater and Dancing with the Stars champion Adam Rippon about queerness in figure skating, the challenge of making a living as a skater, everything that happened with Russian skaters at the Beijing Winter Olympics, his transition from competition to media and what inspired his costume design while he was on the ice. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is par...
Apr 28, 2022•50 min
In this episode, Amira Rose Davis, Lindsay Gibbs and Jessica Luther discuss TV and film adaptations of sports stories. But first, Amira shares an urgent message of concern about Melissa Lucio, a mother in Texas on death row. To learn how to help, visit the Innocence Project. The team starts the show with a chuckle about the NBA playoffs. Then, inspired by chatter around HBO's The Winning Time, the team dives into the way sports stories are adapted to "inspired by a true story" versions on TV and...
Apr 26, 2022•49 min
***Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions sexual violence.** In this episode, Jessica Luther speaks with ESPN reporters Paula Lavigne and Tom Junod about Untold, their recent feature that dives deep into a Penn State football player who terrorized women in State College, PA and near his home in Long Island, NY in the late 1970s. We talked about how they came to this story, why it was important to tell four decades after the fact, the complications of memory, the long lasting effects...
Apr 21, 2022•48 min
In this episode, Jessica Luther, Amira Rose Davis and Lindsay Gibbs talk NBA Playoffs. But first, the team shares updates on their pets. Then, they discuss the benefits of the play-in format to the NBA playoffs, why they love to see emotion from athletes like Patrick Beverly and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Celtics' momentum, how Covid-19 is impacting the series and predictions on who is going to win it all. Following this discussion, you'll hear a preview of Jessica's interview with ESPN rep...
Apr 19, 2022•50 min
In this episode Lindsay Gibbs talks with Jackie Powell, writer for The Next and Bleacher Report on women's basketball. They discuss in-depth the picks and presentation of the 2022 WNBA Draft. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check out our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com To help support the Burn It All Down podca...
Apr 14, 2022•34 min
In this episode, Lindsay Gibbs, Shireen Ahmed and Jessica Luther revisit the recent madness of women's basketball, hockey and tennis. But first, they discuss the event with the green jackets (golf). Then, Lindsay gives a behind the scenes look at her time attending the Women's March Madness tournament, Shireen shares about the latest in women's hockey, including the PHF Isobel Cup, and Jessica talks about Iga Swaitek's recent dominance in the tennis world and other noteworthy drama. Following th...
Apr 12, 2022•55 min
For this week’s interview, Amira Rose Davis and Jessica Luther talked to Austin FC’s goalkeeper, Brad Stuver, about his journey in the MLS, his service in the Austin community and his advocacy for trans youth in sport in Texas. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check out our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com To hel...
Apr 07, 2022•39 min
In this episode Shireen Ahmed, Brenda Elsey and Jessica Luther talk about the men's World Cup draw. But first they discuss their favorite event hosts and plan Brenda's application to host the Ballon d'Or. Then, they discuss part one of a gazillion in men's World Cup mess with the 2022 draw in Qatar. They dive into the colonial history, confusing governance of FIFA, infamous men's World Cup draw scandals -- including, yes, hot and cold balls -- and the ways human rights abuses in Qatar and all me...
Apr 05, 2022•59 min
In this episode, Brenda Elsey interviews Jon Morosi, MLB and NHL Network broadcaster, on how Major League Baseball’s new CBA impacts international players, Spanish language learning in baseball, his hopes for the league grow globally and what he's looking forward to in this upcoming season. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info ab...
Mar 31, 2022•40 min
In this episode Brenda Elsey, Shireen Ahmed and Lindsay Gibbs talk aging and retirement in sports. But first, they discuss fun sports moments of the last week, like Justin Bieber's new Maple Leafs Jersey. Then, they unpack the ways that aging is viewed, delayed and exacerbated through sport. From the recent surprise retirement of 25-year-old tennis phenom Ash Barty to the unretirement of Tom Brady to the ways athletes in many sports are playing longer and longer, they also discuss the ways that ...
Mar 29, 2022•51 min
In this episode, Shireen Ahmed talks with Jenny Nguyen, owner of The Sports Bra, a bar for women's sports in Portland, Oregon opening April 1, 2022. They discuss everything from the menu and decor, to why it is important to have a community space dedicated to women's sports. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check ...
Mar 24, 2022•34 min
In this episode, Amira Rose Davis and Shireen Ahmed join forces for a spectacular grab bag episode about all the sports madness of March. But first, Amira quizzes Shireen on memorable March Madness moments that Shireen hasn't seen. Then, they dive into the a myriad of sports news in recent weeks, including what's going on with the Premier Hockey Federation and the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association, Naomi Osaka being heckled at the Indian Wells tennis tournament, Canadian bobsleigh ...
Mar 22, 2022•47 min
In this episode, Brenda Elsey interviews two experts on issues related to climate change and sport. First, she speaks with Associated Press journalist Brittany Peterson about her reporting on a pond hockey tournament in Colorado impacted by a lack of ice. Then, she talks with David Goldblatt, famed football writer, about how global football is both threatened by and contributes to the climate crisis, as well as his sustainability project Football for Future. This episode was produced by Tressa V...
Mar 17, 2022•48 min
In this episode, Jessica Luther interviews Em Adler, writer at The Next, a 365 women's basketball newsletter. They discuss Em's predictions for the NCAA women's basketball tournament. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check out our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com To help support the Burn It All Down podcast, plea...
Mar 16, 2022•15 min
In this episode Jessica Luther, Amira Rose Davis and Lindsay Gibbs discuss March Madness! But first, they talk a little bit about WNBA star Brittney Griner's situation in Russia. Then, they break down everything with the NCAA Women's March Madness basketball tournament: how we can finally say March Madness for the women's bracket, the inequities that have changed and those that remain as well as how NIL might increase the madness. They also discuss who they are excited to watch ball out. Followi...
Mar 15, 2022•55 min
In this hot take, Amira Rose Davis talks with Coach Yolett "Yo" McPhee-McCuin, head coach of Ole Miss women's basketball team. They discuss her team's incredible turnaround in the last few seasons, coaching in the SEC, how she's preparing for March Madness and her mantra #noceilings. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIA...
Mar 14, 2022•13 min
In this episode, Lindsay Gibbs interviews Howard Megdal, founder and editor of The IX and The Next newsletters, about all things women’s basketball. They discuss his explosive feature in Sports Illustrated on the fractured state of WNBA ownership and what drama women’s college basketball is bringing to March. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcript...
Mar 10, 2022•51 min
**Trigger Warning for suicide and mental health struggles** Burn It All Down offers our condolences to the family and community of Katie Meyer, a goal keeper of Stanford’s women’s soccer team. Katie was part of the Cardinal’s 2019 NCAA title winning team and wowed the country with her tenacity and her spirit. She died one week ago. We hold space and share in the heartbreak with with the Meyers family, Stanford community and all young athletes who are grieving and devastated at this time. The num...
Mar 08, 2022•53 min
In this episode Shireen Ahmed talks with Chris Mosier, is a trailblazing hall of fame triathlete, All-American duathlete, 6-time member of Team USA, as well as an important activist on trans inclusion in sport. They discuss the harm caused by of proposed anti-trans legislation in Texas and legislation in other states. and how banning trans athletes, especially kids, from sports is an attempt to erase them from everyday life. They also discuss the importance of joy and community as tools for resi...
Mar 07, 2022•32 min
In this episode, Brenda Elsey interviews Dr. Robert Edelman, professor of Russian history and the history of sport at the University of California San Diego. They discuss the Russian and Ukrainian sports communities’ responses to the invasion, how athletes and fans might turn the tide of sportwashing and the ways sports can both reveal and and mask geopolitical conflict. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is pa...
Mar 03, 2022•31 min
In this episode Lindsay Gibbs, Jessica Luther, Amira Rose Davis, Shireen Ahmed and Brenda Elsey preview the 2022 Winter Paralympics! First, they take a moment to acknowledge the most recent horrific legislature harming trans youth. Next, they discuss Russia's most recent invasion of Ukraine, including it's impact on Paralympic athletes and the upcoming Beijing Games, and the IOC and IPC's reactions. Then they preview the five events at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, which run from March 4 to March...
Mar 01, 2022•59 min
In this episode Shireen Ahmed talks with Billy Bridges, Canadian sledge hockey legend who will soon compete at the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Games, which marks his sixth Paralympic appearance. They talk about his serendipitous discovery of para sport, joining the Canadian sledge hockey national team at only 14 and his over two decade career as an ultra para athlete in both sledge hockey and wheelchair basketball. They also discuss how he met his wife, the indominable goal tender Sami Jo Small, and...
Feb 24, 2022•38 min
**CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of abuse, eating disorders and death by suicide.** In this episode Brenda Elsey, Lindsay Gibbs and Jessica Luther break down the figure skating doping controversy at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. They start the show, however, with Olympic moments that were fuzzy and cute. Then, they decipher what happened in the mess of the women's figure skating conclusion that started when Russian teenager Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned subs...
Feb 22, 2022•57 min
In this hot take, Shireen Ahmed and Renee Hess, founder of Black Girl Hockey Club, break down the gold medal women's hockey match in the Beijing Olympics and storied rivalry between Canada and the USA. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, check out our website: www.burnitalldownpod.com To help support the Burn It All ...
Feb 17, 2022•38 min
In this episode, Lindsay Gibbs speaks with Julie Kliegman, Chief Copy Editor at Sports Illustrated, about trans athletes in the NCAA. They discuss University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas and the NCAA's new policies limiting the ability of transgender athletes to compete. This episode was produced by Tressa Versteeg. Shelby Weldon is our social media and website specialist. Burn It All Down is part of the Blue Wire podcast network. For show notes, transcripts, and more info about BIAD, chec...
Feb 17, 2022•27 min
