Patrick Agyemang admits that even he has to pinch himself when he reflects on how his life — his soccer life — have turned out. Just a few years ago, as a high schooler, his game garnered zero interest from colleges. It quickly became clear that if he was going to achieve his dream of playing professionally, his path to pro would need to take some unconventional turns. But with a strong family unit behind him, Agyemang stayed the course — first showcasing his potential at Division III Eastern Co...
Feb 19, 2025•26 min•Season 2Ep. 19
It may sound cliché, but Jay Harris approaches each day with the goal of being better. “It’s a thing—I never want to feel like I’ve arrived... like I’ve conquered this,” says Harris, who in February 2025 celebrates his 22nd year at ESPN, most of it spent hosting the network’s flagship show, SportsCenter . Even with a shelf full of SportsCenter Emmy Awards, the Norfolk, Va., native remains driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence. “I don’t care if [your content] is going to social media, to M...
Feb 07, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 18
The Athletic ’s NBA Deputy Editor, Rob Peterson , joins Press Pause (from chilly central Connecticut!) to discuss The Basketball 100 —the definitive ranking of the 100 greatest NBA players of all time—and his role in bringing this ambitious 737-page book to life. Rob played point guard on this effort, collaborating with The Athletic ’s award-winning team of writers and analysts, including veteran columnists David Aldridge and John Hollinger . In this episode, he trades shots with Mark W. Wrigh t...
Dec 05, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Actor Sheldon Shepherd had never heard of Neville Garrick prior to reading for the part for the Bob Marley biopic Bob Marley: One Love . But after he googled Marley's longtime friend -- and creative director on his iconic albums -- Shepherd found himself drawn to Garrick, who served as historical advisor on the film which has grossed upwards of $179 million worldwide. "In my opinion, I think I got the best role in that film and it came to me without me even knowing [Garrick]," explained Shepherd...
Aug 27, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Kevin Merida is brewing with optimism. The self-described “free agent” — who most recently served as executive editor of The Los Angeles Times — believes that despite the evolving media landscape, there are still stories to be told, and told in a variety of ways. The longtime media executive and newspaper veteran joined Press Pause and shared thoughts about the challenges newspapers face. “We now have that sophistication, but we haven’t become as sophisticated as the business has become,” Merida...
May 13, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 15
He was an all-state running back in his hometown of Greer, South Carolina. He followed that up with a record-setting career at North Carolina State, where his 3,553 rushing yards is still good for third all-time in Wolfpack history. Surely a long NFL career would follow. But by 27, Tremayne Stephens found himself out of the league after just four seasons. With no plan or prospects for his post-NFL life, a dejected Stephens ventured on a path to realizing even more than he dreamed of. Now an entr...
Apr 02, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Charmaine Wilkerson 's pie-in-the-sky aspiration for her debut novel -- Black Cake -- was simply to get it published. The former journalist whose award-winning short stories can be found in various UK and US anthologies and magazines may have sold herself short. In the two years since Black Cake was published, Wilkerson's novel would land on President Barack Obama 's "Favorite Books of 2022" list and went on to l ay the foundation for Hulu’s television adaptation (executive produced by Oprah Win...
Jan 31, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 12
When you stand on a stage — the President of the United States to your right and the Vice President to your left — with the most powerful and influential people in the world mean-muggin' you, it’s understandable that even the most seasoned comedian might get nervous. And, Roy Wood Jr. admits to it. But his mentality, during any performance, remains the same. “This is the job, these are the jokes, no one in this room can end my career,” Wood Jr. told Mark W. Wright on Press Pause . “Not being a g...
Dec 24, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 11
ESPN soccer analyst and standout former soccer pro, Shaka Hislop, joins Press Pause to talk about “Show Racism the Red Card,” the organization he co-founded in 1996 in the UK, and how it’s impacted his life and the lives of millions around the world. The England-born “proud Trinbagonian” made history as the starting goalkeeper on the Trinidad & Tobago national team’s first-ever World Cup match in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was inducted into his country’s Sporting Hall of Fame. “Show Racism the ...
Oct 17, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Episode 10 features Jamaican-born filmmaker and actor Kaleb D'Aguilar whose film -- NO ENTRY -- caught Mark W. Wright 's eye while the Press Pause host perused a list of free entertainment while on an American Airlines flight. D'Aguilar's film is set a gainst the backdrop of the Windrush scandal, which had become symbolic of the generation of Commonwealth citizens (from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia, Grenada and Barbados) who came to live in Britain between 1948 and 1971. Released in 2...
Sep 13, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 10
When Clint Smith was 7 years old, he'd already decided how his life would turn out: He'd be a professional soccer player -- just like his hero Thierry Henry. The world would know his name. But it didn't work out that way. What he ended up achieving didn't even cross his mind. Fast forward three decades and the poet and #1 New York Times bestselling author of How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America is sharing his story and his inspirations with the world, an...
Jul 11, 2023•48 min•Season 1Ep. 8
As the pandemic raged across the globe, NYU professor David Hollander had the audacity to think — to believe — that a class he would teach could explore society’s ills through a single sport: Basketball. H ollander named the course “How Basketball Can Save the World,” and posited that the sport, through its easy accessibility and global reach, offered distinct antidotes for modern issues. His class turned into a book — a tribute to the game's inventor James Naismith and his 13 original basketbal...
Jun 05, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Retired NFL pro turned ESPN football analyst Sam Acho tackles some tough topics -- including injustice, division and suffering -- in his latest book Change Starts With You: Following Your Fire to Heal a Broken World , and joins Wright Creative's Mark W. Wright in a candid discussion about what inspired him. " America is in a crucible right now -- and maybe you are, too," Acho explains. "The pandemic has strained an already struggling economy, longstanding cultural and political divisions have re...
Mar 10, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 6
There is no shortage of good content in October for Breast Cancer Awareness. It can seem a little overwhelming. If you or someone you care about is still putting off a mammogram out of fear or due to a lack of resources, here are the three things Heather—and all survivors—want you to know. Give it a quick listen.
Oct 21, 2022•7 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Ten years, cancer-free -- and we outchea ! This episode of Press Pause is the first in a series of conversations we're having during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We kick off the series with Heather Keets Wright's own personal story. In successive episodes, Heather will introduce listeners to fellow survivors as well as one of the key medical professionals who was instrumental in her recovery. "I hope my words inform, inspire, educate - and maybe even make you laugh along the way," says Heather...
Oct 06, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 4
It sounds really cool to say you're going start a business with your spouse, partner or friend. It might actually make all the sense in the world. "It's more than a notion," says Heather Keets Wright, who co-founded Wright Creative with her husband Mark, in 2015. But ... it's hard, and it takes dedication and sacrifice. In this episode of Press Pause, the Wrights talk about venturing into business together, and share some of the lessons they've learned, and continue to learn as their business re...
Sep 13, 2022•40 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Heather Keets Wright’s work life was chugging along just fine — running content agency Wright Creative with her co-founder and partner Mark W. Wright — when she got what can only be described as a one-of-a-kind career opportunity. The longtime journalist and marketer was tapped by Courageous Studios to be a creative consultant on the Milestone Initiative, a partnership with DC, Milestone Media and Ally, and Supervising Producer for a forthcoming HBO Max documentary called “Milestone Generations....
Aug 11, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 2
It's been a year since the NCAA’s landmark rule change prohibiting college athletes from receiving benefits from their name, image, and likeness: N-I-L. But how are athletes at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) faring? Is the playing field truly level? Are HBCU athletes getting equal opportunities? Is too early to tell? PRESS PAUSE host Mark W. Wright leads the conversation with his panel, which includes Allen’s University’s AD Jasher Cox; Grambling University’s AD Dr. Trayvea...
Jul 19, 2022•17 min•Season 1Ep. 1
