Sports In America with David Greene

WHYY | PRX
  • 4.2 (311)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

Sports in America explores stories that shape athletes and fans alike. Each week, David Greene hosts in-depth conversations with people across the world of sports  – from the star who hits the game winner to the millions of us whose lives are touched by the game. From WHYY and PRX.

  1. 3d ago

    Vernon Davis Got Called Out, Then Turned His Career Around

    We're in Week Four of the college football season, so we’re sitting down tailgate-style with Jessica Smetana and Lucy Rohden, hosts of the College Football Happy Hour podcast. They’re filling us in on all the Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss drama, recapping that vicious hit in the USC-Oregon game, and breaking down what it means when we crave violence in a football game. And then we’ll hear from former NFL tight end Vernon Davis to learn how a moment of tough love became the catalyst that changed his career. You might recall when 49ers coach Mike Singletary publicly called him out in an infamous post-game speech, but you might not realize just how much being taken to task changed Davis’ trajectory in the league and beyond. He’d go on to be a two-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl champion, and Hollywood actor. We’ll gain insight into his childhood, learn how his passion for the arts off the field fueled the creation of his foundation, and understand how some of his success can be traced back to that one moment of clarity. Show Notes A look back at his epic postgame 49ers rant | SF Niners Alex Smith To Vernon Davis Game Winning Touchdown | 49erFaithfulDotNet Support the Vontae Davis Foundation Playing Ball | Vernon Davis Hear More from Jessica and Lucy on the College Football Happy Hour Podcast Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    Vernon Davis Got Called Out, Then Turned His Career Around

  2. Sep 24

    The Virtues of Quitting, with Ultra-Distance Cyclist Lael Wilcox

    With an explosive offense and a star quarterback, the Chicago Bears have high hopes for a deep playoff run this year. But will Caleb Williams’ hamstring injury put a damper on the team’s promising season? We’re sitting down with Kevin Fishbain, a senior writer at The Athletic who covers the Bears, to check on one of the highest-ceiling teams in the league. Then, we’re going to talk about something that most elite athletes never even allow themselves to consider: quitting. Lael Wilcox is an ultra-distance cyclist who became the fastest woman to ride her bike around the world in 2024. This summer she wanted to try for the men’s record too, and become the fastest person to cycle around the world. But early on in her effort, a historic heatwave in Europe made it unsafe for her to keep going. How did Lael make the tough decision to stop, and what good came out of it? Show Notes Lael Rides Around the World | Full Film Why is the heat in Europe so deadly? | CBS Evening News So you want to ride around the world? | Cyclist Listen to Lael Wilcox’s podcast Lael Rides Around the World Listen to Kevin Fishbain’s podcast Breaking In With Kevin Fishbain Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    The Virtues of Quitting, with Ultra-Distance Cyclist Lael Wilcox

  3. Sep 17

    Matthew Berry Can Fix Your Fantasy Roster

    The MLB season is almost ending, but a new investigation will keep us talking way into the offseason. We’ll hear from Gus Garcia-Roberts, a national reporter from ProPublica who’s been investigating the business surrounding baseball academies in the Dominican Republic. He’ll tell us how MLB teams circumvent recruiting rules, how money is taken from young players and families, and how some of our favorite baseball stars are connected to the system. Then, we’ll dive into the strangely wonderful world of fantasy football, with expert Matthew Berry.  Matthew started his career as a writer, working on shows like Married…with Children. But he traded a ticket to Hollywood for a chance to chase his real dream: fantasy football. We’ll see all the places this leap of faith took him, and how his obsession with fantasy became a career, community, and now, his own company. Show Notes The Dominican Baseball Factory | ProPublica Fantasy Life: The Outrageous, Uplifting, and Heartwarming World of Fantasy Sports fron The Guy Who Lived It | Matthew Berry What Is Rotisserie Baseball? Your Beginner’s Guide to the Roto Format in Fantasy Baseball | Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football In The Age of Sports Betting | FantasyPros Want to dive into the world of fantasy football? Check out Matthew Berry’s Fantasy Life Show CreditsHost: David GreeneExecutive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom GrahslerSenior Producer: Michael OlcottProducer: Michaela WinbergAssociate Producer: Bibiana CorreaTalent Booker: Britt KahnEngineers: Mike VillersTile Art: Bea WallingTheme Song: Emma MungerSports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    Matthew Berry Can Fix Your Fantasy Roster

  4. Sep 10

    Craig Woodall’s Not Defined by 9/11

    The NFL is finally back, so we’re talking to friends of the pod Madeline Hill and Charlotte Wilder from “The Sports Gossip Show” about the storylines they’re watching as the new season gets underway, the teams and players they’re most curious about, and how we as fans should deal with off-field drama. Then, as we observe the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we’ll talk with Craig Woodall about the loss of his older brother Brent, an accomplished athlete who died in the South Tower that day. We dive deep into the role sports, teammates and resilience have played in Craig’s life in the years since and the many gifts his grief has given him.  Show Notes Overcome: Rebuilding Hope After Losing My Brother on 9/11 Brent Woodall Lives On | Cal Athletics Face the Storm: Lessons Learned form Loss on 9/11 | TED Talks If you can, support the Brent Woodall Foundation  How Sports Helped a Nation Heal After 9/11 | Yahoo Sports Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    Craig Woodall’s Not Defined by 9/11

  5. Sep 3

    Mary Cain Was the Fastest Girl in America. Then Nike Called.

    Elle Duncan is back on the show, and this week, we’re prepping for her upcoming trip to Melbourne, Australia, for Week 1 of the NFL season. Elle will be leading Netflix’s broadcast of the matchup between the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers, which is the first regular-season NFL game ever to be played in Australia.  Then, we’re sitting down with Mary Cain. In her prime, she was one of the fastest girls in the country. She signed to run professionally with Nike before she even graduated high school. Mary’s future in the sport looked bright — that is, until 2016, when she suddenly quit.  But Mary didn’t just lose interest in running. She says she experienced abuse by her coaching staff at Nike, and that they ignored her pleas for help when her mental health declined. She went on to sue Nike and came out with a memoir about her experience called “This is Not About Running.”  Content warning: This episode discusses emotional, physical, and sexual abuse, as well as extreme weight loss practices, self-harm, and thoughts of suicide. Please listen with care.   Show Notes This is Not About Running | Mary Cain I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike | NYT Distance runner Mary Cain files $20M lawsuit against ex-coach Alberto Salazar, Nike over alleged abuse | ESPN Mary Cain’s nonprofit Atalanta Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    Mary Cain Was the Fastest Girl in America. Then Nike Called.

  6. Aug 27

    Why Are 24 Million Americans Obsessed With Pickleball?

    The US Open is in full swing, and injuries have knocked out some of the biggest athletes in the men’s tournament. But there’s no shortage of star power on the women’s side: Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala is on fire, inspiring “Eala-mania” all over the world. To get us up to speed on the tournament, we chat with Giri Nathan, senior correspondent at the tennis outlet The Second Serve.  After that, we attempt to answer one of the inescapable questions of our time: Why are so many people obsessed with pickleball? Clare Frank was a firefighter for more than 30 years. When she retired, she stumbled into the game. At first, she didn’t quite get the hype — but like so many retirees who came before her, Clare quickly became captivated by pickleball. In her latest book, “Just One More Game: A Pickleball Quest,” Clare dives headfirst into the world of pickleball to try to figure out how it has become the fastest-growing sport in the United States. Spoiler alert: It’s not just your grandmother’s game anymore. Show Notes Just One More Game: A Pickleball Quest by Clare Frank How Pickleball Got Its Name | USA Pickleball Wanna play? Find a pickleball court near you Pickleball is the Worst | Rick Reily Alex Eala is Catching The WTA’s Best Off Guard | Defector  Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

  7. Aug 20

    Think you could kick a field goal? Meet the writer who actually tried

    We are officially in the NFL preseason. Players are competing for spots while coaches are tasked with building their rosters — and trimming the fat. Today we’re joined by The Athletic’s senior football writer Nick Baumgardner to talk NFL roster cuts. Who’s on the chopping block, and what is the preseason is telling us so far? Then, have you ever screamed at the TV after your kicker missed a field goal? Ever said to yourself, “Man, even I could’ve made that”? Well, journalist and author Stefan Fatsis actually convinced the Denver Broncos to let him try. He joined the team as placekicker for preseason training camp, and then went on to write a book about it called “A Few Seconds of Panic.” He shares what it’s like when you get the chance to get off the couch and attempt to play one of the highest-pressure, most make-or-break positions in football.   Show Notes “A Few Seconds of Panic: A Sportswriter Plays in the NFL” | Stefan Fatsis A Sport Writer’s Stint as an NFL Kicker | The Wall Street Journal Paper Lion: Confessions of a Last-String Quarterback | George Plimpton Welcome to Detroit: A Detroit Lions Podcast  Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    Think you could kick a field goal? Meet the writer who actually tried

  8. Aug 13

    Dan Le Batard and the Insane Cauldron of Emotions

    This week, Elle Duncan joins us to talk about the culture wars engulfing the WNBA, and how political noise is obscuring amazing play on the court. We’ll also discuss the startup energy around Netflix’s live sports coverage, as well as the nostalgia of baseball’s Field of Dreams game. Then we’ll sit down with the man who’s making sports talk feel like equal parts newsroom, comedy club and family dinner. Dan Le Batard is the co-founder of Meadowlark Media, the company behind award-winning shows like Pablo Torre Finds Out. A longtime sports journalist and broadcaster, he’s built a career around bringing curiosity, humor and humanity to sports. We’ll talk about why he founded Meadowlark, how loss has shaped his drive to keep going, and why sports make us act in strange ways. Show Notes Like What You Heard? Check out the LeBatard Show on YouTube Podcaster, former MLB exec David Samson mourns loss of daughter: ‘The magic of Kyra’ For LEBO | Dan LeBatard’s eulogy for his brother David “LEBO” LeBatard Father knows Dan Le Batard best: ‘Papi’ Gonzalo on working with son | ESPN Elle Duncan Joins Netflix to Lead Live Sports Coverage » TUDUM  Show Credits Host: David Greene Executive Producers: Joan Isabella, Tom Grahsler Senior Producer: Michael Olcott Producer: Michaela Winberg Associate Producer: Bibiana Correa Talent Booker: Britt Kahn Engineers: Mike Villers, Charlie Kaier Tile Art: Bea Walling Theme Song: Emma Munger Sports in America is a production of WHYY, distributed by PRX, and part of the NPR podcast network.

    Dan Le Batard and the Insane Cauldron of Emotions
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Sports in America explores stories that shape athletes and fans alike. Each week, David Greene hosts in-depth conversations with people across the world of sports  – from the star who hits the game winner to the millions of us whose lives are touched by the game. From WHYY and PRX.

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