There has perhaps been no greater event in recent history that has so clearly underlined how integral sports are to our culture than the coronavirus pandemic has. March 11 2020 will tell the story of a seismic day that started in one reality and ended with a new one — the day the NBA shut down and the pandemic became real — as told by those who lived it. Full episode available December 21, 2020. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Dec 14, 2020•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Martha has turned the U.S. women’s gymnastics program into a world powerhouse. But as Martha is taking her final victory lap at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the gymnastics community is rocked by a scandal that will shock the world. The Karolyis’ legacy is called into question as the gymnasts grapple with the cost of what it took to earn all that gold. If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and you would like more information or support, these hotlines can help: RA...
Jul 14, 2020•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast For years, Martha Karolyi avoided the spotlight — appearing only as the mysterious and subservient partner of her boisterous husband. But when she is tapped to take over the national team, Martha finally comes into full view. Martha aims to prove that she can turn the United States into a dominant force in gymnastics, building teams that win gold medal after gold medal. But under Martha’s regime, injured athletes are often discarded and a culture of silence prevails. If you or someone you know h...
Jul 14, 2020•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast After the glory of winning gold in Atlanta, the U.S. National Team slips on the world stage, finishing last in the finals at the 1999 World Championships. With the next Olympics less than a year away, USA Gymnastics turns to the one person they think can save the team: Bela Karolyi. Bela finally has what he’s always wanted, control over a semi-centralized training system in the United States. But on such a tight schedule, will the, “You can do it!” motivator-in-chief be able to lead a team to vi...
Jul 14, 2020•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Pulled back onto the world gymnastics stage by the precocious talent of their newest protege, Dominique Moceanu, Bela and Martha are all in on winning gold at the Atlanta Games. But when Dominique falls on vault, everything rides on the shoulders of Bela’s long-overshadowed veteran, Kerri Strug, to bring home the gold. If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and you would like more information or support, these hotlines can help: RAINN's 24/7 confidential nation...
Jul 14, 2020•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Growing his image as the most well-known coach in gymnastics, Bela builds his brand and aims for more gold medals with a new star athlete. But after his champion fails at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Bela announces he’s stepping away from elite-level gymnastics and retreats to his Ranch in Texas. But even after stepping out of the spotlight, Bela remains in focus, as accusations of abuse grow against the coach. If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and...
Jul 14, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast After defecting from Romania, the Karolyis begin to build their gymnastics empire in the U.S. But they need a champion. Enter Mary Lou Retton, the bubbly teenager whose perfect 10 at the 1984 Olympics will make her and her coach household names. Little girls across America want to be Mary Lou, and train with her famous coach. Bela has given the United States its first gold medal in women’s gymnastics. Now he needs to harness that success to advance his own cause. Learn more about your ad choices...
Jul 14, 2020•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the middle of the Cold War, Romanian gymnastics coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi turn Nadia Comaneci, a 14-year-old gymnast from a Communist country, into a global symbol of excellence at the 1976 Olympics when she scores the first perfect 10. But Romania becomes too small and too controlled for Bela’s ambitions, and the Karolyis set their sights on the freedom of the United States. If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and you would like more information or...
Jul 14, 2020•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast For 40 years, as athletes came and went, there was one constant presence in Olympic gymnastics: Bela and Martha Karolyi — the most successful coaches in the sport's history, and the most controversial. The Karolyis wielded unprecedented power and became more recognizable characters than many of their gymnasts. Generations of gymnasts trained at their isolated ranch outside of Houston, where the Karolyis were champion-making teachers to some and tormentors to others. In front of the cameras, Bela...
Jul 07, 2020•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast According to local legend, the Louisiana Superdome was always a haunted place. First plagued by construction problems, then years of bad luck for the host Saints team -- by 2005 those Saints were prepared to abandon the stadium in favor of a dreaded move to San Antonio. Then Hurricane Katrina hit, and somehow the dome became a symbol for a city's rebirth. This is the story of New Orleans, through the story of its dome. Produced and reported by Eve Abrams. Narrated by Tarriona "Tank" Ball of Tank...
Dec 02, 2019•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast During qualifying for the 1990 World Cup, Chile's national team felt that it needed to be "more bandits than the bandits." Driven by an intense desire to eliminate rival Brazil, goalkeeper Roberto Rojas pushed his team past the brink. Hosted by Jody Avirgan. Transcript and more about the Radio Ambulante version of this piece at 30for30podcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 26, 2019•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast World-class biathlete Kari Swenson was on an afternoon trail run in the mountains near Big Sky, Montana in July 1984 when two men blocked her path. Reported by ESPN's Bonnie Ford. Hosted by Jody Avirgan. | For more on the 1984 women's biathlon team, visit 30for30podcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 19, 2019•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast For legends Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, life in the WNBA paled in comparison to the lavish treatment they received in Russian professional basketball, courtesy of their team owner and benefactor, Shabtai Kalmanovich. Kalmanovich spoiled his stars, showering them with expensive gifts, luxury hotels, and private concerts -- but he was a man with a shadowy past. Eventually, the two stars would have to reckon with what they'd gotten themselves into. Reported by Keith Romer. Hosted by Jody Avirgan. M...
Nov 12, 2019•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The new season of 30 for 30 Podcasts launches November 12th, with four new stories spanning four sports and three continents. The new episodes will tell a range of fascinating stories about kidnappings, scandal, natural disasters, hope, and recovery, and span the globe from Moscow to Montana, Chile to New Orleans. More at 30for30podcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 05, 2019•3 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Donald Sterling story comes to an end where it all started -- with a showdown in court. This time, though, it was Donald vs. Shelly. The Sterling Affairs is hosted by Ramona Shelburne. Produced by 30 for 30 Podcasts and The Undefeated in collaboration with Western Sound. More at 30for30podcasts.com/sterling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 20, 2019•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast When the explosive tape of Donald Sterling broke, it came at a moment when power in the NBA was changing. Players, owners, and a new commissioner were faced with a major test that would re-shape the league. The Sterling Affairs is hosted by Ramona Shelburne. Produced by 30 for 30 Podcasts and The Undefeated in collaboration with Western Sound. More at 30for30podcasts.com/sterling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 20, 2019•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald and Shelly Sterling escaped poverty, reinvented themselves, and became the biggest residential landlords in LA. But in housing and basketball, they never had to face the consequences of their actions. The Sterling Affairs is hosted by Ramona Shelburne. Produced by 30 for 30 Podcasts and The Undefeated in collaboration with Western Sound. More at 30for30podcasts.com/sterling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 20, 2019•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast Throughout the 80s and 90s, the Clippers were horrible and Donald Sterling was known as the worst owner in sports. But Donald Sterling wasn't the joke we all thought he was. The Sterling Affairs is hosted by Ramona Shelburne. Produced by 30 for 30 Podcasts and The Undefeated in collaboration with Western Sound. More at 30for30podcasts.com/sterling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 20, 2019•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast A domestic battle boils over and sends the NBA into crisis when secretly recorded tapes of Donald Sterling and his mistress V. Stiviano leak on TMZ. The Sterling Affairs is hosted by Ramona Shelburne. Produced by 30 for 30 Podcasts and The Undefeated in collaboration with Western Sound. More at 30for30podcasts.com/sterling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Aug 20, 2019•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast A story of power and scandal in Los Angeles. When an audio recording of a racist rant by Clippers owner Donald Sterling was leaked online, it caused an uproar that changed the NBA forever. But Sterling had been a problem for decades -- in basketball, real estate, and more. Why did it take 30 years to finally hold him accountable? "The Sterling Affairs" is a five-part series from 30 for 30 Podcasts and The Undefeated, produced in collaboration with Western Sound. Reported and hosted by ESPN's Ram...
Aug 15, 2019•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast The 1999 Women's World Cup transformed Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, and the National Team into celebrities overnight. They used their newfound fame to launch the world's first women's professional soccer league: WUSA, the Women's United Soccer Association. But mismanagement and tension with the U.S. Soccer Federation put the league's future in jeopardy. This is the story about how the stars of the '99 World Cup Team built a league from scratch and fought to keep it alive. Learn more about your ad choi...
May 12, 2019•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast At age 46, Rickey Henderson refused to walk away from the game of baseball. This is the story of a baseball legend doing everything he can to keep playing the game he loves, whether or not it will ever love him back. Produced by Pineapple Street Media. Narrated by The Undefeated's Clinton Yates. 30 for 30 Podcasts is hosted by Jody Avirgan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 13, 2018•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 1995, star pitcher Hideo Nomo attempted to do what no Japanese player had done since 1965 - join Major League Baseball. Nomo and his agent hatched a plan to overcome the legal and cultural barriers that stood in his way, risking Nomo's career and reputation in Japan. The Loophole reveals how they pulled it off, launched "Nomo-mania," and transformed both American and Japanese baseball forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Nov 06, 2018•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Before the 1970s, women were not welcome at the world's great marathons, but a few brave pioneers sought to challenge that system. Six Who Sat tells the story of two iconic moments in women's running, both captured in photographs. The first, from 1968, is of a race director trying to physically restrain a woman from running the Boston Marathon. The second, from 1972, is of a protest at the New York City Marathon that forever changed women's ability to participate in the sport they loved. This ep...
Oct 30, 2018•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The 2003 World Series of Poker should not have been a success. Its host casino teetered on the edge of bankruptcy, internet qualifiers knocked out the most marketable stars, and the production company tasked with showing the event on TV knew nothing about the game. "All In" explores how the 2003 tournament overcame the odds to spark a poker boom and forever change poker's place in America. This episode was reported by Keith Romer. 30 for 30 Podcasts is hosted by Jody Avirgan. 30for30podcasts.com...
Oct 23, 2018•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast At the end of his career, Jose Canseco, the self-proclaimed "godfather of the steroid era," was effectively forced out of baseball. As revenge, Canseco conceived a tell-all memoir in which he would call out his fellow players for steroid use. Within a month of its publication, Juiced sparked a congressional hearing. Reported by Andrew Mambo. More at 30for30podcasts.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 16, 2018•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Our new season of five original audio documentaries starts Tuesday, October 16th. We'll bring you stories about Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, a protest at the NYC Marathon, and more. More information at 30for30podcasts.com | Note: In addition to our documentaries, we do conversations about new 30 for 30 films. An archive of those can be found by searching "ESPN Films Conversations" in your favorite podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Oct 10, 2018•4 min•Transcript available on Metacast Members of the Bikram community wrestle with Bikram's behavior, their own complicity, and the question, "Can Bikram the yoga be separated from Bikram the man?" Reported by Julia Lowrie Henderson. Hosted by Jody Avirgan. More information at 30for30podcasts.com/bikram If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and you would like more information or support, RAINN's 24/7, confidential, National Sexual Assault Hotline can help at 1-800-656-4673. Internationally, Pathwa...
May 22, 2018•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast As Bikram's darkest behaviors begin to emerge, the community devoted to his yoga is forced to face the truth about its leader. Reported by Julia Lowrie Henderson.. More information at 30for30podcasts.com/bikram If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and you would like more information or support, RAINN's 24/7, confidential, National Sexual Assault Hotline can help at 1-800-656-4673. Internationally, Pathways to Safety International provides assistance, at 833-S...
May 22, 2018•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bikram claims ownership over his brand of yoga using increasingly hardball tactics. Julia investigates the roots of yoga to try to separate what is true from what is false in Bikram's story. Reported by Julia Lowrie Henderson. Hosted by Jody Avirgan. More information at 30for30podcasts.com/bikram If you or someone you know has been subjected to sexual assault or abuse, and you would like more information or support, RAINN's 24/7, confidential, National Sexual Assault Hotline can help at 1-800-65...
May 22, 2018•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast