Honorable Mention: A Sports Family Memoir

Phil Lang

Great family, mostly average athletes. Honorable Mention is the funny and heartwarming sports family memoir from Phil Lang, the youngest of six. For most of his life, Phil was certain his was an untouchable family. A big, Catholic, American sports family, and that their good fortune was inertia. Now, as the kids build lives of their own, he can't help but wonder if they've begun the unknowing of each other. How do you keep the family together? The question keeps pushing Phil to memories formed around sports. Sports stories, family stories—they’re the same thing to him. Sports possess a utility beyond the power of nostalgia. They make us feel in a way nothing else can, reminding us how close we were and conjuring a more precise urge to seek out that closeness again.

Episodes

  1. Aug 13

    State-bound

    High school hockey is to Minnesota what high school football is to Texas, and to play in the State Tournament is a dream that’s passed down to children and shared amongst friends. Phil travels back to MN to watch his niece become the first in the family to live the MN dream. Credits: Honorable Mention is written, produced, and edited by Phil Lang Sound design, mixing, additional editing by Brian Douglas Artwork by Jamee Strickland Music by Phil Lang

    State-bound

  2. Aug 6

    How to Wear Stirrups

    Older brothers teach you the things you don’t know you need to know, like how to trailer a boat and how to properly wear baseball stirrups. Credits: Honorable Mention is written, produced, and edited by Phil Lang Sound design, mixing, additional editing by Brian Douglas Artwork by Jamee Strickland Music by Phil Lang

    How to Wear Stirrups

  3. Jul 23

    4,560

    As Phil prepares for his first child, he considers what kind of sports dad he wants to be and celebrates his dad’s hall-of-fame sports run. Credits: Honorable Mention is written, produced, and edited by Phil Lang Sound design, mixing, additional editing by Brian Douglas Artwork by Jamee Strickland Music by Phil Lang

    4,560

  4. Jul 16

    Running in Corduroys

    Phil's mom was in her fifties when she took her first run. On a winter night, she ran to the snow pile beneath the yellow street light at the end of Farrington Circle. About 500 feet from the end of the driveway. Her workout attire for the run: corduroys, a sweater over a white blouse, winter boots, and a parka. What compelled her to take her first run so late in life? Credits: Honorable Mention is written, produced, and edited by Phil Lang Sound design, mixing, additional editing by Brian Douglas. Artwork by Jamee Strickland Music by Phil Lang

    Running in Corduroys

  5. Jul 8

    Winning Streak

    There are few things more mystical than a winning streak in sports. There’s a momentum to it, and after a few wins you have this unyielding faith that the breaks are destined to go your way. Families have winning streaks, too, and the Langs had an all-timer. All these years later, Phil tries to dissect the alchemy behind their greatest streak. Credits: Honorable Mention is written, produced, and edited by Phil Lang Sound design, mixing, additional editing by Brian Douglas. Original artwork by Jamee Strickland. Music by Phil Lang

    Winning Streak

  6. Jun 19

    The Youngest

    Great family, mostly average athletes. Honorable Mention is the funny and heartwarming sports family memoir from Phil Lang, the youngest of six. For most of his life, Phil was certain his was an untouchable family. A big, Catholic, American sports family, and that their good fortune was inertia. Now, as each of the kids builds lives of their own, he can't help but wonder if they've begun the unknowing of each other. How do you keep the family together? The question keeps pushing Phil to memories formed around sports. Sports stories, family stories—they’re the same thing to him. Credits: Honorable Mention is written, produced, and edited by Phil Lang Sound design, mixing, additional editing by Brian Douglas. Original artwork by Jamee Strickland. Music by Phil Lang

    The Youngest
  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Great family, mostly average athletes. Honorable Mention is the funny and heartwarming sports family memoir from Phil Lang, the youngest of six. For most of his life, Phil was certain his was an untouchable family. A big, Catholic, American sports family, and that their good fortune was inertia. Now, as the kids build lives of their own, he can't help but wonder if they've begun the unknowing of each other. How do you keep the family together? The question keeps pushing Phil to memories formed around sports. Sports stories, family stories—they’re the same thing to him. Sports possess a utility beyond the power of nostalgia. They make us feel in a way nothing else can, reminding us how close we were and conjuring a more precise urge to seek out that closeness again.

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