Conversations with Sports Fans

Doug Hill
  • 5.0 (13)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

A podcast for sports fans by a sports fan all about being a sports fan.

  1. 4d ago

    Season 5, Episode 32 - Kim Fox

    Our guest in this episode is Pittsburgh-area artist Kim Fox. Sports fans may not be readily familiar with Kim's name, but they are most-assuredly familiar with some of her recent artistic creations. Kim was commissioned by the NFL to create the logos of all 32 of its teams that adorned the lengthy corridor each 2026 NFL draftees walked down from the green room to the stage where they were greeted by Commissioner Roger Goodell. Kim compiled video footage of each draftee that stopped to acknowledge his new team's logo during the walk. You're able to view that video here on her Instagram account. Beyond plenty of logo creation discussion - wait until you learn how many nails she used! - Kim also shares how important sports are to her, how she missed some of its communal nature when her family moved to Florida while she was younger, and how returning to western Pennsylvania later in life rekindled that love and allowed her to once again experience that feeling of togetherness that being a fan can bring. Listeners might also be interested to learn that Kim has no idea what became of her Draft Day creations, so if you're a fan of an NFL team keep your eyes peeled for them and let her know you spotted one them in the wild. You're able to follow Kim at her Instagram: @workerbirdHer website (workerbird.com) includes this dedicated page detailing her NFL Draft project as well as this online store where you're able to support her work. If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠. For as little as 99 center a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    1h 12m

  2. May 28

    Season 5, Episode 31 - Mark Armour

    Our guest in this episode, Mark Armour, will likely need no introduction to discerning baseball fans. A native New Englander who's now retired in the Pacific Northwest, Mark vividly recalls becoming consumed by baseball during his adolescent years, incessantly reading everything he could get his hands on about the sport. Just as vividly, Mark remembers 1982 as the year he happened upon noted baseball historian, author, and statistician, Bill James and his annual eponymous publication The Bill James Baseball Abstract. Shortly thereafter, Mark joined the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) where he admits to being merely a consumer of its collective work for many years. Mark had his first work published by SABR in the late 1990s and he's been rather prolific ever since and has even served as the President of SABR's Board of Directors. Along the way, he founded and served as chair of the SABR Biography Project Committee which aims to write a biography of every Major Leaguer in its history (and has authored over 70 such bios). These days, his "Satchel Paige Project" keeps him busy as he attempts to document every game Paige played. He's at over 2,000 and counting at the moment! More works by Mark: Intentional Balk - About the fine line between cheating and innovation. Co-authored with Daniel R. Levitt.In Pursuit of Pennants - About strategies franchises use to succeeed. Also co-authored with Levitt.The Great Eight - About the 1975 Cincinnati Reds.If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. For as little as 99 center a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    1h 13m

  3. May 21

    Season 5, Episode 30 - Eddie Hillery

    Our guest this week, Eddie Hillery, takes us on his sports fan journey from rooting for the Grant Hill-led Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills (MI) to discovering his own athletic prowess. First as a 3-sport prep athlete at Rochester (MI) High School and then as a 4-year linebacker at Central Michigan University. A professional football player in three European nations (Germany, Finland, and Italy), Eddie also shares what that experience was like and what it was like later reading about what was, essentially, his life in author John Grisham's novel Playing for Pizza. Today, Eddie is still a sports fan, albeit for a sport he knew little about before his oldest daughter started playing: volleyball. He lets us in on what it's like being a girl dad and a spectator these for his daughters. Reminder - This is the last week to enter to win an author-signed copy of We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball by S:5, E:29 guest, Michael Clair. All you need to do to enter is email Conversations’ host, Doug Hill, at ⁠hilldouglast@gmail.com⁠ by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22, 2026, and you’re in the drawing. If you’re a member of the ⁠$80 for 80 Circle of Champions⁠ and enter, your entries will be tripled!If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work ⁠here⁠. For as little as 99 center a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    1 hr

  4. May 14

    Season 5, Episode 29 - Michael Clair

    Our guest this episode is baseball writer and recently published author, Michael Clair. A native New Englander, Michael was born a Boston fan by geographic proximity but he became a fan of the Czech Republic National Team by choice after encountering it for the first time while covering a European World Baseball Classic Qualifier for MLB.com in Germany back in 2022. During our time together, Michael shares his sports fan journey from that first trip to Fenway Park to all about the deep dive he took on the Czech Team that resulted in his debut book, We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball: How the Czech’s Amateur Underdogs Became World Baseball Classic Heroes. The Czech team, it should be noted, is comprised almost entirely of part-time ballplayers who hold down day jobs while playing baseball nights and weekends. Today, Michael is the senior manager of storytelling and special projects at MLB.com, specializing in international baseball and the World Baseball Classic. His newsletter is aptly entitled International Beat. Terrific news for you, the listeners, we have an author-signed copy of We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball to give away to one lucky entrant. All you need to do to enter is email Conversations’ host, Doug Hill, at hilldouglast@gmail.com by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, May 22, 2026, and you’re in the drawing. If you’re a member of the $80 for 80 Circle of Champions and enter, your entries will be tripled! If you’re enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work here. For as little as 99 center a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    58 min

  5. May 7

    Season 5, Episode 28 - Chris Ullman

    Our guest this week is 4-time international whistling champion, Chris Ullman.  Chris is a communications professional, author, inspirationalspeaker, and mentor by day, but by night – or, who are we kidding, pretty much any time – Chris is also a whistler. As noted previously, he’s won international competitions on four occasions and he’s also performed the “Star-SpangledBanner” prior to more than a half-dozen major sporting events, including Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals’ MLB games; Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards in the NBA; and the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team in historic Cameron Indoor Stadium.  And, not trying to bury the lead here, on about 15 minutesnotice Chris also completed a command performance in the White House’s Oval Office for then-President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.  He shares stories about all of it and even provides us with aparting USA 250th birthday gift by performing “Yankee Doodle.”  You’re able to learn more about Chris on his website https://chrisullman.com/, where you can request a free whistled birthday greeting or order his 2017 memoir Find Your Whistle: Simple Gifts Touch Hearts and Change Lives. You’re also able to find Chris on his Instagram account (@chrisullman).  His TEDx MidAtlantic talk Chris references is found at this link. If you're enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work ⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    52 min

  6. Apr 30

    Season 5, Episode 27 - Edith Zuschmann

    We're joined in this episode by Edith Zuschmann, the co-founder, president, and chief executive officer of 261 Fearless, a global non-profit Edith founded in 2015 along with Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially complete the Boston Marathon in 1967. (Note: Kathrine's bib number that year was 261 and serves as the foundation's inspiration.) In addition to learning about Edith's journey from fan of Alpine skiing to that as a nationally ranked swimmer in her native Austria, we also learn what 261 Fearless is all about, that is to "inspire, motivate and educate women to step up and become leaders to support women of all backgrounds to run and lead healthy, fearless and empowered lives." Edith shares how 261 Fearless accomplishes this by providing the necessary training and coaching for women to step into leadership roles in their local chapters to, in turn, help their members improve their physical and mental health through running. If you're enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    44 min

  7. Apr 23

    Season 5, Episode 26 - Brian Fowler

    Our guest in this episode of Conversations is 2-timeGuinness World Record Holder, Brian Fowler. Brian, who you can find on social media at the handle of @allinautumnwind, is a devout Las Vegas (or Los Angeles or Oakland) Raiders’ fan who grew up in California’s central valley community of Porterville. Following the death of his mother he began traveling toRaiders’ road games and recording those travels on a vlog (video log) and then, prior to the 2025 season, decided to take his passionate fandom to a new level in establishing two new world records: Fastest time to see a game in all 32 NFL stadiums (note that because two Los Angeles teams share SoFi Stadium and two New York teams share MetLife Stadium he needed to see two games in each). He completed this journey on November 30, 2025 in a time of 72 days, 20 hours, and 56 minutes. Most NFL games attended in one regular season. He made it to 56 games which obliterated the previous mark of 33. During our Conversation, Brian shares how it all started,from Dodgers’ games as a youngster to falling in love with the Marcus Allen-led Raiders to his decision to pursue the world records to what it was like seeing a minimum of three NFL games a week for an entire season. Oh, yeah, that social media handle @allinautumnwind? It’s areference to a 1974 NFL Films piece “The Autumn Wind” about the Raiders authored by Steve Sabol. Check it out here and enjoy the tones of narrator John Facenda. If you're enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here. For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    1h 10m

  8. Apr 16

    Season 5, Episode 25 - Melanie Thomas

    In this episode we revisit Season 5's ongoing series: What's it like being a fan of those college "so-called" non-revenue or Olympic sports? (Listen to previous installments here and here.) This time we head into the swimming pool with 15-time NCAA All-American, 2-time University of Virginia MVP, 1990 Atlantic Coast Conference Swimmer of the Year, and 1996 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, Melanie Thomas. Melanie shares both her personal journey as a young sports fan and athlete from Youngstown, OH, to the Olympic podium in Atlanta, as well as some reflections on the remarkable run her alma mater Virginia is on, having just won its sixth straight NCAA Division I Women's Swimming National Championship, the longest such streak in the 44-year history of Division I Women's Swimming. If you're enjoying Conversations with Sports Fans please consider supporting our work ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠he⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠e⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For as little as 99 cents a month, generous supporters such as you are able to keep these episodes coming commercial and sponsor free.

    54 min
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5
out of 5
13 Ratings

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A podcast for sports fans by a sports fan all about being a sports fan.

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