Best MLS Gone Wild Podcasts (2024)

1
356: "Sex, Drugs, Pucks, and Souls" - With Bobby Robins 1:51:20

1d ago1:51:20

1:51:20

Buckle up for a wild ride through some of the most forgotten franchises in recent minor league hockey history - with a colorful lifer who literally fought his way to becoming the NHL's oldest (32) opening-day rookie (with the Boston Bruins), only to see it all fall apart to a concussion after just three games. This is the raw and savage story of Bo…

1
Since you've been gone. 42:13

5d ago42:13

42:13

Quinno's jet lag be damned, the boys were in sparkling form this week. Especially if you're a fan of the Calm app, the North Sydney Bears, political optimism, Olympic backstories, and the Fermanagh women's GAA football team. Let's be honest, who isn't?By The Crafty Rogues

1
355: Baseball's "Uncommon" Danny O'Connell - With Steve Wiegand 1:16:31

8d ago1:16:31

1:16:31

We head back to the diamond this week for a look into the "extraordinarily ordinary" baseball life of 1950s-era infielder Danny O'Connell with biographer Steve Wiegand ("The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell: A Tale of Baseball Cards, "Average Players," and the True Value of America's Game"). Wiegand's story is a rich exploration of a player often o…

1
Allez Les Fools 43:49

11d ago43:49

43:49

The show had a distinctive French flavor this week, which seemed appropriate as the Olympics got under way in Paris. What happens when you replace a simple sandwich maker from Australia with a chef from France? You get extra sauce where even a humble ham and cheese sandwich gets a little "Je ne sais pas quoi".…

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354: Sports Phone - With Scott Orgera and Howie Karpin 1:25:29

15d ago1:25:29

1:25:29

New York sports broadcast veterans Scott Orgera and Howie Karpin ("976-1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground") join to help us wax nostalgic about the ground-breaking 1970s telephone service Sports Phone. From the dust jacket of "976-1313": "Sports Phone set out to change the way scores and breaking news were consumed, and in…

1
Jethro Tullamore Dew 32:41

19d ago32:41

32:41

As Quinno swans around Sydney, it was left to Ruairi Barnwell to return to the Crafty studio and fill the deminutive shoes. Hurling, Football, Slaggin', Bog walks, Irish networking skills and of course plenty of craic!By The Crafty Rogues

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353.7: The NHL’s Atlanta Flames (& More!) – With Dan Bouchard [ARCHIVE RE-RELEASE] 1:50:21

23d ago1:50:21

1:50:21

[One last dip into the vault before a flood of new episodes beginning next week; from 2020, our revealing conversation with a pro hockey great - and Atlanta Flames original!} For 1970s-era NHL hockey fans who remember the eight-year adventure known as the Atlanta Flames, few are likely to forget Dan Bouchard. A tenacious, slightly eccentric and occ…

1
Ice(land), Ice(land), baby! 38:12

26d ago38:12

38:12

It's Quinno's last show before he heads to 'Straya for a couple of weeks, and it was a good 'un. Well, especially if you're interested in Tenacious D, biographies, All Ireland Finals, Dr. Ruth, Alexi Lalas, and Icelandic youth soccer teams. Who isn't?By The Crafty Rogues

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353.6: NASL Soccer's Chief Architect Clive Toye [ARCHIVE RE-RELEASE] 1:45:05

1M ago1:45:05

1:45:05

[By popular request, an archive re-release from August 2018, featuring our extraordinary conversation with one of the central figures of the original North American Soccer League - from its chaotic formation in 1968 to its untimely demise in 1985.] + + + Soccer America columnist (and Episode #6 guest) Paul Gardner summed up this week's National Soc…

1
The boys are back in town. 35:29

1M ago35:29

35:29

Cosgrove's back from Ireland and the craic was top shelf. Consider this for a list of topics addressed: singing lessons, the oldest bar in Ireland, Hozier, university orientation, Jurgen Klopp, England's Euros semi-final win, landscapes, Jimmy Anderson, and Alexi Lalas. Sorry about that last one.By The Crafty Rogues

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353.5: The Senior Professional Baseball Association - With David Whitford [ARCHIVE RE-RELEASE] 1:09:46

1M ago1:09:46

1:09:46

[An archive re-release favorite from September 2017, featuring one of professional baseball's most enigmatic leagues!] Inc. Editor-at-Large David Whitford (Extra Innings: A Season in the Senior League) joins host Tim Hanlon to retrace his journalistic odyssey covering the inaugural season of the short-lived, Florida-based Senior Professional Baseba…

1
With a little help from my friends. 43:35

1M ago43:35

43:35

Ruairi Barnwell from Ireland Network Minnesota stopped by to talk about how the organization helps build a bridge for newly arrived Irish men and women in the community. The craic was fierce, as you can imagine.By The Crafty Rogues

1
353: The NASL v. US Soccer/MLS Case - With Steven Bank 1:33:06

1M ago1:33:06

1:33:06

Most US and Canadian domestic soccer fans are certain that the second incarnation of the North American Soccer League (2011-17) officially met its untimely demise in early 2018, just a few months after the first-year San Francisco Deltas beat the New York Cosmos in the 2017 Soccer Bowl - and amidst a seemingly desperate/last-minute antitrust lawsui…

1
Don't look back in anger. 52:35

2M ago52:35

52:35

Now that the dust has settled after the end of the Premier League campaign, the boys thought it was time to take a look back at the season as a whole. That, of course, means a visit from the great Carl Craig. Have some!By The Crafty Rogues

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352: An Appreciation of Vin Scully - With Tom Hoffarth 1:18:32

2M ago1:18:32

1:18:32

We celebrate the legendary career and outsized influence of one of baseball's most recognized voices, with veteran LA sportswriter Tom Hoffarth (Perfect Eloquence: An Appreciation of Vin Scully). From the "Early Days" dustjacket: "When Vin Scully passed away in 2022, the city of Los Angeles lost its soundtrack. If you were able to deliver a eulogy …

1
Oh Canada...eh. 31:37

2M ago31:37

31:37

Quinno was more than a little unwell, but Cosgrove picked up the slack in fine style. It actually ended up being a really fun show, especially if you're a fan of Toronto, Crunchies, USA cricket, watching football at Brit's, and N'Golo Kante. Rory McIlroy fans may feel differently.By The Crafty Rogues

1
351: The Origin Story of ESPN - With Peter Fox 1:16:44

2M ago1:16:44

1:16:44

It's time to fire up the old Jerrold cable box for a trip back to the pre-launch and early first on-air days of cable TV's pioneering Entertainment and Sports Programming Network - better known as ESPN - with founding producer and channel memoirist Peter Fox ("The Early Days of ESPN: 300 Daydreams and Nightmares"). From the "Early Days" dustjacket:…

1
Football's coming home! Or is it? 39:14

2M ago39:14

39:14

It's tournament time in Europe and the Americas, and the boys are all over it. Yet, they still managed to squeeze in discussions about lawn mowing, art galleries, Star Wars action figures, Graham Rix's hair, and Saoirse Ronan. Rude not to, really.By The Crafty Rogues

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350: The "Father of Modern Baseball" - With Tom Delise & Jay Seaborg 1:23:11

2M ago1:23:11

1:23:11

First-time sports historians Tom Delise and Jay Seaborg ("Foxy Ned Hanlon: The Baseball Life of a Hall of Fame Manager") join the podcast for a biographical look at one of baseball's most innovative managerial minds - and who just may be related to your humble host! "Foxy" Ned Hanlon was one of the major leagues' earliest tactical visionaries, who …

1
Oh good Lord, Nessun Dorma! 41:03

2M ago41:03

41:03

The boys celebrated John's birthday in fine style by discussing everything from Jude Bellingham's Spanish to Jose Mourinho's skin. There was even a rare Captain Scarlet reference. Look him up, kids.By The Crafty Rogues

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349: The Peking-to-Paris Motor Challenge - With Kassia St. Clair 1:15:34

2M ago1:15:34

1:15:34

Cultural historian and best-selling British author Kassia St. Clair ("The Secret Lives of Color"; "The Golden Thread: How Fabric Changed History") joins the podcast for a look back at the fascinating, improbable and culturally paradigm-shifting 1907 Peking-to-Paris Motor Challenge - as featured in her new book "The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles t…

1
Glory days, well they'll pass you by. 43:36

2M ago43:36

43:36

The Iowa Tourism Board should sponsor this episode, for reasons which will become obvious when you listen. Other places to get a mention include Munich, Burnley, Plymouth, Barcelona, and Micky's Pub. Four of those places are not in Iowa.By The Crafty Rogues

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348.5: Sports Promoter Doug Verb [ARCHIVE RE-RELEASE] 3:06:37

3M ago3:06:37

3:06:37

[An essential fan favorite from 2018 - with the dean of "forgotten sports" promotion!] If someone ever decides to build an American sports promotion Hall of Fame, the inaugural class will undoubtedly be led by this week’s special guest, Doug Verb. In a career spanning more than 40 years in professional sports management, Verb’s remarkable career ha…

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Everyone gets a kitten 43:51

3M ago43:51

43:51

If you're a fan of sahhkerrr, basketball, Jeremy Messersmith, "Bodkin", "MacGruber", GAA, AFL, Art-a-Whirl, Toni Kroos, and The Knack, this is the show for you. If you're a fan of Manchester City or red caps, maybe not so much...but listen anyway.By The Crafty Rogues

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348: The Tragic Season of 1946's Spokane Indians - With Eric Vickrey 1:15:13

3M ago1:15:13

1:15:13

Baseball historian and Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) contributor Eric Vickrey ("Season of Shattered Dreams: Postwar Baseball, the Spokane Indians, and a Tragic Bus Crash That Changed Everything") joins the podcast for a look back at one of the worst tragedies in the history of US pro sports. From the dust jacket of Vickrey's new boo…

1
You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties. 37:46

3M ago37:46

37:46

In this week's episode we learn about John's Mother's Day side gig, international art installations, what you can do with a Business degree, the petulance of substituted players, and the Stations of the Croissant. Despite all of that, this was still a very entertaining show. Go figure.By The Crafty Rogues

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347.5: The North American Soccer League - With Paul Gardner 1:33:43

3M ago1:33:43

1:33:43

We celebrate the 94th birthday of legendary Soccer America columnist Paul Gardner (The Simplest Game: The Intelligent Fan's Guide to the World of Soccer; Soccer Talk: Paul Gardner on Soccer) with this special archive re-release (and our 6th-ever episode!) from 2017. The universally acknowledged "dean" of American soccer writers waxes nostalgic on h…

1
Don't cry for me Argentina. 49:36

3M ago49:36

49:36

The craic was mighty on this week's show. The boys discussed everything from hiking and gardening to old-school football managers and what the Mammy is doing in Verona. We're not sure, by the way.By The Crafty Rogues

1
347: Powering Forward - With Dean Tolson 1:20:34

3M ago1:20:34

1:20:34

During the late 1960s, Dean Tolson ("Power Forward: My Journey from Illiterate NBA Player to a Magna Cum Laude Master's Degree") emerged as a standout prep basketball talent during his junior and senior years at Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri. His prowess on the court attracted the attention of a bevy of college recruiters, leading hi…

1
Mott isn't Hoopling anymore. 45:43

3M ago45:43

45:43

In this one episode, you get a music review, a brilliant football transfer idea, news on the Methodist church, a comment on the current unrest on college campuses, and a considered opinion on Kenny Hibbitt's looks. You know why you get all that? 'Cos it's a Crafty Rogues episode, that's why!By The Crafty Rogues

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346: Roller Derby's Los Angeles Thunderbirds - With Scott Stephens 1:43:56

4M ago1:43:56

1:43:56

It's our first journey into the chaotically exciting history of "professional" roller derby with former skater and long-time keeper-of-the-flame Scott Stephens ("Rolling Thunder: The Golden Age of Roller Derby & the Rise and Fall of the L.A. T-Birds"). From the moment he laced up his first pair of roller skates at age six in mid-1960s Los Angeles, …

1
And justice for all. 36:53

4M ago36:53

36:53

There's good food in San Antonio...Bernardo Silva looked like he hadn't slept for a week...ANZAC Day is a big deal in 'Straya...and if you're the Watford manager, rent don't buy. There, that sums up this week's show quite nicely. Proceed with caution.By The Crafty Rogues

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345: From Vancouver to Memphis - With Łukasz Muniowski 1:25:16

4M ago1:25:16

1:25:16

It's a special mea culpa episode this week, as we welcome back Szczecin University (Poland) history professor and Episode 289 guest Łukasz Muniowski (Turnpike Team: A History of the New Jersey Nets 1977-2012) for a deep dive into the drama of the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies move to Memphis in 2001 - and an assessment of the winners and losers some 23…

1
Come fly with me. 38:31

4M ago38:31

38:31

John returned from Ireland with stories to tell. From in-flight movies and shark fishing to the Tipperary camogie team and quality pints, the craic was mighty. Gee, there's a shock."By The Crafty Rogues

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344.5: The NFL’s 1943 “Steagles” - With Matt Algeo [ARCHIVE RE-RELEASE] 56:01

4M ago56:01

56:01

[A dip into the archives for a one of our first-ever episodes from 2017 - by request!] Author Matt Algeo (Last Team Standing: How the Steelers and the Eagles – "The Steagles" – Saved Pro Football During World War II) joins Tim Hanlon all the way from Maputo, Mozambique to discuss the marriage of convenience that literally saved the National Footbal…

1
Don't stop believin'! 36:27

4M ago36:27

36:27

John's headed to the homeland with his son, but not before a pre-trip show that involved female Vikings, lottery wins, a TV show, excessive rain, Mikel Arteta's personality, Cole Palmer's looks, and the relative merits of experts. All the intellectual food groups, really.By The Crafty Rogues

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344: The Evolution of Sports Media - With David Bockino 1:26:12

4M ago1:26:12

1:26:12

Former ESPN ad researcher, and current Elon University professor of communications and sport management David Bockino (Game On: How Sports Media Grew Up, Sold Out, and Got Personal with Billions of Fans) helps us trace the evolution of the sports media industry - with historical points of interest both obvious (e.g., the 1958 NFL Championship Game;…

1
Take me to Church 38:39

4M ago38:39

38:39

There was a bit of an Easter theme running through this week's show. Why? Well, Manchester City vs Arsenal was dull. John missed the game because he was at church. He was at church to attend Pastor Jeff Cowmeadow's final sermon. Oh, and it was Easter.By The Crafty Rogues

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343: Baseball History Landmarks - With Chris Epting 1:18:47

5M ago1:18:47

1:18:47

We reach back into the vaunted Good Seats library stacks this week for a deep dive into one of Tim's favorite sports reference books - Roadside Baseball: The Locations of America's Baseball Landmarks - with its (prodigious non-fiction) author Chris Epting. Now in its third edition, Roadside is everything you'd imagine from the title: a detailed, ge…

1
Sisters are doing it for themselves. 1:01:59

5M ago1:01:59

1:01:59

The boys were joined in the studio by Andrea Yoch, co-founder and board member of Minnesota Aurora FC. The Aurora's story is a compelling one, and it's doubtful that anyone tells it better than Andrea. This is great stuff.By The Crafty Rogues

1
342.5 [PROMO DROP] "Ways To Win" 51:48

5M ago51:48

51:48

Sharing something special, an episode of the new podcast "Ways to Win" - where coaches Craig Robinson and John Calipari use their on-court wisdom to solve off-court problems. In this first episode (recorded before the start of the NCAA basketball tournament!), there's no better way to kick off March Madness than with President Barack Obama (and Cra…

1
342: "Boston Ball" - With Clayton Trutor 1:32:01

5M ago1:32:01

1:32:01

We bust some brackets this week in honor of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, with a look back at the old East Coast Athletic Conference and the coaching cradle of city of Boston - with return (Episode 237) guest Clayton Trutor ("Boston Ball: Rick Pitino, Jim Calhoun, Gary Williams, and the Forgotten Cradle of Basketball Coaches"). B…

1
Nice guys Finnish last 33:27

5M ago33:27

33:27

On this week's show we learned what St. Recovery Day is...it was revealed that Totti loves pineapple on pizza...and there's a growing call for John to be an ambassador for Aer Lingus. It's basically only John and Quinno making that call, but still.By The Crafty Rogues

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341: "Pro" Wrestling's Origin Story - With Jon Langmead 1:17:47

5M ago1:17:47

1:17:47

We squint hard this week for a look into the story of American "professional" wrestling's formative years - with pop culture writer Jon Langmead (Ballyhoo! The Roughhousers, Con Artists, and Wildmen Who Invented Professional Wrestling). Langmead takes us inside the raucous period roughly between the mid-1870s to the early-1940s - where genuine comp…

1
Shamrock & roll all nite! 1:02:43

5M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

There was a distinct St. Patrick's theme about this week's show, what with the day itself on the horizon, and the imminent arrival of St. Patrick's Athletic FC to take on Minnesota United on Wednesday at Allianz Field. The boys had a chat about both, and were joined by St. Patrick's Athletic's Technical Director, Alan Mathews. Quality craic!…

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340: Baseball's "New York Game" - With Kevin Baker 1:06:43

5M ago1:06:43

1:06:43

Harper's Contributing Editor and novelist/historian extraordinaire Kevin Baker ("The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City") brings his blended affection for (and evocative portrayals of) both "The Big Apple" and the "National Pastime" - to make a compelling case for New York City as the rightful center of the baseball universe. From A…

1
Gabba Gabba Hey! 43:22

5M ago43:22

43:22

It's not very often that Barry White, The Ramones, Rugby League, Steve Archibald, and Larry Cunningham's 'Lovely Leitrim' are mentioned in the same show. But they all get a shout out in this one. Proceed at your own risk.By The Crafty Rogues

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339: Early-Day WNBA - With Marie Ferdinand-Harris 1:17:07

5M ago1:17:07

1:17:07

It's a celebration of women's hoops this week, as we look back at the "early days" of the Women's National Basketball Association - including stops with the oft-forgotten Utah Starzz and San Antonio Silver Stars - with three-time league all-star Marie Ferdinand-Harris (Transformed: The Winning Side of Losing). A first-round pick in the WNBA's fifth…

1
Neighbours. Everybody needs good neighbours. (Appropriate spelling). 1:04:33

6M ago1:04:33

1:04:33

Callum Williams was the special guest on this week's show, and he was as entertaining and informative as always. Cosgrove and Quinno did quite well too, in their own Crafty way.By The Crafty Rogues

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338: 50 Years of San Jose Earthquakes Soccer - With Gary Singh 1:31:59

6M ago1:31:59

1:31:59

It's a "retcon" special this week, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the most colorful and persistent franchises in American pro soccer history - with a return visit from Episode 40 guest Gary Singh (The Unforgettable San Jose Earthquakes: Momentous Stories On & Off the Field). As one of four West Coast expansion teams (along with the …

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