Best Heavenly Helen Podcasts (2024)

1
Mystery Down Highway 1 3:13

1d ago3:13

3:13

Hey Dateline fans, we’re sharing with you a special preview of the first episode of an all-new season of Dateline: Missing in America. Josh Mankiewicz tells the story of Arelie Garcia, a 25-year-old woman who left her Salinas, California apartment she shared with her mother in 2022, and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Each of the six episodes…

1
Paul Hoynes part 2: “Those Teams Probably Saved Baseball in Cleveland.” 40:01

3M ago40:01

40:01

Part 2 of my conversation with Paul Hoynes picks up with a wild story about Albert Belle and a corked bat. “Hoynsie” shares tales from the 1990s when a new ballpark, powerful lineup, and sterling run of success caused baseball fever to erupt in Cleveland. And you can hear why one of his columns in 2016 sent him into Lake Erie before another World S…

1
Paul Hoynes part 1: “I'm Sweating Bullets, Shaking, Trying to Calm Myself Down.” 42:04

4M ago42:04

42:04

This is the first of a 2-part conversation with Paul Hoynes, who has covered Major League Baseball in Cleveland since 1983. We hit some of the “Hoynsie” greatest hits, including the Hawk Call and the tale of two belts. He tells us about working in hometown, competing (and laughing) on the beat with friends, and riding the rush of deadline. Hoynsie …

1
Writers Bear Witness to Memorable Moments from March Madness 52:02

4M ago52:02

52:02

Celebrate college basketball with this compilation of stories told on Press Box Access by 12 sportswriters who covered some of the greatest moments in NCAA tournament history. Magic vs. Bird. Jim Valvano looking for someone to hug after Phi Slama Jama falls. Villanova takes down mighty Georgetown. The Laettner shot. David Thompson soaring over the …

1
Jerry Tipton: “You could just walk into the Kentucky coach’s office.” 56:43

5M ago56:43

56:43

We welcome back Jerry Tipton to Press Box Access to share stories from his new book: “Déjà Blue—A Sportswriter Reflects on 41 Seasons of Kentucky Basketball.” He takes us behind the scenes with the Wildcats, as he did with his fair, objective and relentless reporting during four decades on the pressure-packed beat. Rick Pitino. Tubby Smith. John Ca…

1
Helene Elliott: “Gretzky was like no one we had seen before.” 56:51

5M ago56:51

56:51

We’re paying a special salute to Helene Elliott by once again publishing my conversation with her in an episode from February 2022. She recently accepted a buyout and ended her stellar 34-plus years at the Los Angeles Times, where she was a sports columnist for the last half of her tenure. Elliott became the first female journalist to be honored by…

1
Dave Molinari: “Lemieux Taxed the Limits of my Ability to Describe What I Saw.” 1:02:14

6M ago1:02:14

1:02:14

We head to the rink for hockey talk with Dave Molinari, a Hall of Fame writer who has covered the Pittsburgh Penguins and NHL since 1983. His legendary dry, sharp wit comes through in tales about superstars Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby, as well as other great players who have produced five Stanley Cup championships during his tenure on the beat.…

1
Mike Vaccaro: “Isiah Thomas is on the Back Page in a Full Clown Suit.” 59:58

6M ago59:58

59:58

We travel to the Big Apple and beyond as New York Post sports columnist Mike Vaccaro shares tales from 35 years of living his childhood dream job. Isiah Thomas depicted in a tabloid clown suit. John Calipari’s colorful language in a full rant. A postseason run by the Yankees in the wake of 9/11. Badminton (yes, badminton) at the Olympics. Fifty-nin…

1
The Heaven and Earth Grocery by James McBride

6M ago

—

Moshe Ludlow, a Romanian-born theater owner, opens the small town’s first integrated dance hall. His wife Chona runs The Heaven and Earth Grocery store on Chicken Hill, which caters to Blacks and European immigrants, mostly Jewish. Chona is generous and warm-hearted, and though the store makes little profit, she is loved by all the residents of Chi…

1
"The Greatest: Media Share Memories of Muhammad Ali in and out of The Ring" 1:19:26

6M ago1:19:26

1:19:26

We’re saluting Muhammad Ali on his 82nd birthday with a compilation of stories told on Press Box Access by sportswriters who crossed paths with The Greatest. Dave Kindred, Jerry Izenberg and other veteran scribes share their personal memories of Ali going as far back as 1960. They put us ringside at Ali’s greatest fights such as “The Rumble in the …

1
Jayson Stark: “The Baseball Breaks a Window Across the Street from Wrigley Field.” 1:01:53

7M ago1:01:53

1:01:53

Our show’s 75th episode has a special guest in Jayson Stark, one of the most well-respected, well-liked baseball writers for more than 40 years. His passion for the game and craft shines through as he discusses growing up as Stan Hochman’s pen pal, studying Peter Gammons early in his career, and mentoring other young reporters. Jayson has some wild…

1
Mike DeCourcy: “It Was Like Being Given a Ticket to Heaven.” 1:00:40

7M ago1:00:40

1:00:40

Mike DeCourcy puts us courtside with tales from his distinguished career covering college basketball for nearly four decades. He tells us about the greatest game he ever covered and the first machine he ever filed a story on. Mike gives insight from time spent with coaches such as Mike Krzyzewski, Bob Huggins, Nolan Richardson and Skip Prosser. We …

1
Art Thiel: “It was a Grand Experiment in Mayhem.” 1:10:15

8M ago1:10:15

1:10:15

You can almost hear a crackling campfire as Art Thiel shares stories from his nearly 50 years of writing about sports. Art takes us deep into his home base of Seattle, off to foreign lands for the Olympics, and into a trashed casino after Mike Tyson chomped Evander Holyfield’s ear. Hear about a young Bill Walton, the volatile SuperSonics of George …

1
Diane Pucin: “It Was All Tonya, Tonya, Tonya, Nancy, Nancy, Nancy.” 54:58

8M ago54:58

54:58

Diane Pucin recalls with pride and joy how the sports calendar served as the rhythm of her life for nearly 40 years. Bob Knight throwing a chair. Jimmy Connors sending the U.S. Open crowd into a frenzy. The distinct sound of Pete Sampras’ racquet when he hit a tennis ball. An emotional Dan Jansen finally winning a gold medal. Nancy Kerrigan and Ton…

1
Charles Pierce part 2: “Tiger Woods Tells These Jokes and then it Becomes a Thing.” 55:25

9M ago55:25

55:25

Part 2 of my conversation with Charles Pierce continues with more discussion about basketball icon Larry Bird. Pierce, lead political writer for Esquire, also shares in this second of two episodes why covering the NBA in the 1980s was a highlight of his nearly 50 years of writing about sports. He provides anecdotes about Tom Brady and Bill Belichic…

1
Charles Pierce part 1: “They Rolled the Champagne out of the Red Sox’s Locker Room.” 55:32

9M ago55:32

55:32

Charles Pierce takes time away from his job as lead political writer for Esquire to reflect on his nearly 50 years of experiences as a sportswriter. In this part 1 of a 2-part episode, Pierce recalls covering Bill Buckner’s error, Ben Johnson’s drug scandal at the Seoul Olympics, and the rollicking days of Big East basketball in the 1980s. He also …

1
Terence Moore: “I Literally Ran into Woody Hayes.” 54:39

10M ago54:39

54:39

Terence Moore joins us again to share more stories from his 45 years as a ground-breaking and award-winning sports journalist. He takes us behind the scenes of his encounters with Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, John McVay, Walter Alston and other legends who are featured in Moore’s new book, “Red Brick Magic: Sean McVay, John Harbaugh and…

1
Sheldon Ocker: “Manny used to use other people's bats, pants, and shirts.” 56:17

10M ago56:17

56:17

Sheldon Ocker reflects on more than four decades of being a sportswriter in northeast Ohio with his customary wit and dry sense of humor. He takes into the clubhouse and behind the scenes during his 33 seasons of covering Major League Baseball in Cleveland for the Akron Beacon Journal. The Hall of Fame writer shares anecdotes from when the then-Ind…

1
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

10M ago

—

This story begins in 1469, in the fifth year of the Chenghua emperor’s reign, when Tan Yunxian was eight years old. So begins Lisa See’s superb account of Chinese medicine in the 15th century. On one level it is a simple story of a girl, Tan, who wants to become a doctor and is tutored by her grandparents who are both doctors. Her best friend Meili…

1
Filip Bondy: “It Became an Anterior-Posterior Investigation.” 56:37

11M ago56:37

56:37

Filip Bondy describes his four decades as a sportswriter as being “crazy, stupid, frustrating, wonderful and a wild ride.” This episode explains why. Fights between writers. Lou Piniella flipping the bird. The Pine Tar Game’s connection to Rush Limbaugh. Billy Martin at his worst. John McEnroe relaying a message for Howard Cosell. Spying on Bernard…

1
Geoff Calkins: “It Turned into a Prince Concert in the Press Conference.” 56:26

11M ago56:26

56:26

Geoff Calkins takes us to Memphis, where he has been a high-profile fixture in the sports media scene for 27 years. He tells us about the indefatigable Hubie Brown, a voicemail from the volatile Jerry West, and what the view was like from atop John Calipari’s enemies list. Geoff explains the torture of writing on deadline at an overtime NCAA champi…

1
John McGrath: “It Was a Front-Row Seat to the Greatest Sports Events.” 54:45

12M ago54:45

54:45

We trek into the Pacific Northwest and catch up with John McGrath about his 40 years of writing about sports. He puts us in Dodger Stadium for Kirk Gibson’s famous home run and recounts other deadline horrors. We’re on the field for The Drive, and with John as he stumbles unexpectedly into memorable Olympic moments. He recalls time with a young Mic…

1
Pomegranate by Helen Elaine Lee

12M ago

—

We are told not to judge a book by its, cover, but I invite you to judge this book by its delicious cover, the content as rich and colorful as its cover. Pomegranate, by Helen Elaine Lee, is deeply insightful, sad and transformative. The book begins and ends with the same refrain: I live my life forward and backward. Seems like my body remembers wh…

1
Peter King: “It Was the Golden Age of Covering the NFL.” 58:19

12M ago58:19

58:19

Peter King enters his 40th year of covering the NFL by sharing tales from his distinguished career. He recalls giving a car ride to rookie Boomer Esiason, being questioned by Bill Parcells as a young reporter, and watching an old movie at the home of Brett Favre. Peter tells us about being around Lawrence Taylor daily and what made L.T. special. He…

1
Patrick Reusse part 2: “When the Beer Runs Out, the Bullshit Stops.” 40:28

1y ago40:28

40:28

This is the second and final part of my conversation with the great storyteller Patrick Reusse, who looks back with humor and irreverence at his 60 years covering Minnesota sports. He takes us on journeys to small towns throughout his home state, recalls the world champion Twins managed by Tom Kelly, and puts us there when Roger Staubach’s Hail Mar…

1
Patrick Reusse part 1: “The Turkey is Unbeaten.” 44:46

1y ago44:46

44:46

This is part 1 of a rollicking two-part conversation with Patrick Reusse, longtime sports columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and a member of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Reusse looks back at his 60 years covering Minnesota sports in his engaging, irreverent, and self-deprecating style. In this first episode, he recalls Glen Sonm…

1
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

1y ago

—

1900, Travancore, South India She is twelve years old, and she will be married in the morning. Mother and daughter lie on the mat, their wet cheeks glued together. “The saddest day of a girl’s life is the day of her wedding,” her mother says. “After that, God willing, it gets better.” So begins Abraham Verghese’s masterwork, The Covenant of Water, …

1
Liz Clarke: “His death was unfathomable because it was Earnhardt.” 58:37

1y ago58:37

58:37

Liz Clarke looks back on her “accidental career” as a sportswriter with the same thoughtfulness she always put into her stellar work. Much of our conversation focuses on NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. Hear how she gained his trust in part by not being in awe of him, how his tough-guy exterior hid a soft heart, and how covering his death in the 2001 …

1
Thom Loverro: “You could just wander into camp and watch Ali train.” 54:59

1y ago54:59

54:59

Thom Loverro says boxing has the best stories, and he shares some favorites from many years inside the fight game. He takes us to Muhammad Ali’s training camp, puts us ringside for Mike Tyson’s ear chomp, and takes us behind the scenes on the day Riddick Bowe defends his heavyweight title. Hear about Las Vegas, George Foreman’s power and preaching,…

1
Al Pearce: “Richard Petty looks at me from behind those sunglasses and . . . “ 59:49

1y ago59:49

59:49

Sit down, strap in and go for a thrill ride with Al Pearce as he recounts more than five decades of writing about motorsports, particularly NASCAR. Al talks about his early days around stock car racing and how he’s covered 54 consecutive Daytona 500s. He puts us alongside iconic drivers such as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr., and he recalls t…

1
River Sing Me Home by Elenor Shearer

1y ago

—

Let me begin by allowing Eleanora Shearer to say in her own words why she wrote this beautiful/awful novel: My aim in writing this novel was to bring to life a story about the Caribbean in the aftermath of slavery—a place and time that is not always well-known or well understood. Doing this history justice was incredibly important to me, especially…

1
Wendell Barnhouse: “It’s the Greatest, Craziest Game I’ve Ever Covered.” 57:45

1y ago57:45

57:45

Wendell Barnhouse recalls the pressure of trying to find the right words in the immediate aftermath of the famous Duke-Kentucky basketball game. The overwhelming magnitude felt on press row at that 1992 NCAA tournament classic still lingers. That’s one of many anecdotes Wendell shares in this episode from his three-plus decades as a national colleg…

1
Claire Smith part 2: “Reporters in the Basement of Yankee Stadium were Shaking.” 48:57

1+ y ago48:57

48:57

This is the second of our two-part conversation with Claire Smith, who broke down barriers for women and journalists of color during her esteemed four decades of covering Major League Baseball. We talked a lot about the pioneering aspect of her career in the first episode, including the time she was thrown out of a team clubhouse. This second episo…

1
Claire Smith part 1: “How You Used Those Barrels of Ink Mattered.” 56:33

1+ y ago56:33

56:33

This is the first of a two-part conversation with Claire Smith, a pioneer for women and journalists of color. She discusses breaking barriers while covering baseball for 39 years, including her worst day: When the San Diego Padres physically removed her from their clubhouse during the 1984 National League playoffs. Hear how Steve Garvey helped her …

1
What Did You Think About The Podcast? A Conversation With Listeners 39:11

1+ y ago39:11

39:11

When we first developed this podcast, we hoped that it would spark conversation for people. That it would create a safe space where people could think critically about their own questions about faith and Christianity. A few weeks ago, we found out that one of our listeners had brought this podcast to her home church and they did just that, spending…

1
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

1+ y ago

—

The best way to introduce you to young Demon Copperhead is to let him announce his entrance: First, I got myself born. A decent crowd was on hand to watch, and they’ve always given me that much: the worst of the job was up to me, my mother being let’s just say out of it. On any other day they’d have seen her outside on the deck of her trailer home,…

1
Tim Kurkjian: “This is Why Baseball is so Beautiful.” 1:03:41

1+ y ago1:03:41

1:03:41

Tim Kurkjian’s love of baseball radiates as he recounts his four decades of covering our National Pastime. The ESPN stalwart takes us to his early days as a newspaper beat reporter when terrible teams couldn’t extinguish his joy. Tim recalls Don Zimmer’s wisdom, Earl Weaver’s unforgettable greeting, and Cal Ripken Jr.’s ferocious competitiveness ev…

1
Making Sense of Seminary with Jesse Sudirgo [Season 1 Full Interviews] 49:33

1+ y ago49:33

49:33

Anita Wing Lee reflects on the past 4 years of studies with her program director, Professor Jesse Sudirgo. We also dissect the challenges of being someone of faith in our fast-paced, solutions-oriented world.By Tyndale University

1
Women In Leadership with Dr. Beth Green [Season 1 Full Interviews] 48:47

1+ y ago48:47

48:47

In this full interview with Dr. Beth Green, Tyndale University's Provost, we discuss what it takes to be a woman in leadership. Dr. Green shares some unique challenges she faces and how we can work together to make workplaces better for everyone.By Tyndale University

1
Jeff Jacobs: The Heart of the Matter 59:21

1+ y ago59:21

59:21

Jeff Jacobs is a writer who bleeds on the keyboard, and his passion for the craft has never wavered during 46 years in the business. You’ll hear it as Jeff recalls his first big career moment when he unexpectedly became part of the story at a minor league hockey fight. He puts us there in January1980 when the Philadelphia Flyers’ record 35-game und…

1
Spirituality vs. Religion with Dr. Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme [Season 1 Full Interviews] 56:33

1+ y ago56:33

56:33

Does religion stand a chance in this age of spirituality? This is the full interview we did with Dr. Sarah Wilkin-Laflamme where we discuss the state of religion in Canada and how people perceive "spiritual" people differently from "religious" types.By Tyndale University

1
Mixing Mental Health & Christianity with Dr. Helen Noh [Season 1 Full Interview] 40:28

1+ y ago40:28

40:28

This is the full interview we did with psychologist and counselling professor Dr. Helen Noh as we discussed mental health and what it means for the church. Dr. Noh shares fascinating insights on the difference between mental health practitioners and pastors and why we might need both.By Tyndale University

1
One Brilliant Flame by Joy Castro

1+ y ago

—

Joy Castro is a brilliant writer of historical fiction. Many of you readers will know her for her novel Flight Risk. Today I want to talk to you about her 2023 novel, One Brilliant Flame. In her afterward entitled “Gratitude”, she explains part of her motive for writing the book: For most of my life—and I am fifty-four now—I knew nothing about the …

1
Rick Cleveland: “They Didn’t Seem to Have as Much Fun as Sportswriters.” 57:58

1+ y ago57:58

57:58

We head down South on this episode with Rick Cleveland, who has been named Mississippi Sportswriter of the Year a record 14 times. He discusses how sports helped to finally end segregation in his home state during his career of nearly 60 years. Rick shares anecdotes about Walter Payton, Brett Favre, and Archie Manning – father of Peyton and Eli – b…

1
Lenn Robbins: “You Knew You Were Seeing Something Truly Humbling.” 59:05

1+ y ago59:05

59:05

Lenn Robbins is a go-go-go Big Apple guy, but the Brooklyn native pauses on this episode to appreciate the people and places that form a mosaic of memories from his sportswriting career. Emotions bubbling at the ancient Olympic stadium in Greece. Riding with abandon at the Great Wall of China. The pressure felt by his young self in covering the Jet…

1
Bernie Miklasz: “Everyone Went Along for the Ride” 59:25

1+ y ago59:25

59:25

Bernie Miklasz is synonymous with sports in St. Louis, where he has been writing stories and offering on-air opinions for nearly 40 years. Hear about Tony La Russa calling him at 7 a.m. the morning after a World Series game. Bernie tells us about the engaging personality of Whitey Herzog, the toughness of Kurt Warner, and how Albert Pujols changed …

1
Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned by Walter Mosley

1+ y ago

—

Most readers know of Walter Mosley via his masterful Easy Rawlins mystery series. His faithful readers would no doubt hurry to get hold of a new book in that series, but my hunch is that Mosley wanted to speak with a different voice than the relatively well off Easy Rawlins who has both money and muscles on his side. Instead, the hero of Always Out…

1
50th Episode: Bob Ford: “You Got One More Rebound than a Dead Man.” 59:44

1+ y ago59:44

59:44

Bob Ford likes to say if he has 10 good stories to tell sitting around a bar, Charles Barkley is the subject of 7 or 8 of them. Hear a few of his greatest hits from covering Sir Charles, each told with Bob’s wit and dead-on voice imitation. He also shares other memorable moments from his long, distinguished career in Philadelphia that took him arou…

1
Zener cards experiment 13:48

1+ y ago13:48

13:48

Zener cards are a set of 25 cards comprising of 5 different symbols these have been used for many years to test psychic abilities and telepathy in this short episode we will conduct a Zener card experiment and see how Psychic you are Heavenlyhelen.co.ukBy Heavenly Helen

1
50th Episode Teaser 3:56

1+ y ago3:56

3:56

Join us on January 18th, 2023 for the 50th episode of Press Box Access with guest Bob Ford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Evergreen Podcasts

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