Philadelphia's Sports Fans - Sports Bizarre

By his mid-twenties, Tex Rickard had been a cowboy, a Marshal, was friends with Wyatt Earp and had followed the gold rushes to Alaska. In Alaska he became friends with people with names like Swiftwater Bill, Deep Hole Johnson, Ham-Grease Jimmy, and the Chills and Fever Kid. He also discovered his true genius, promoting sport. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy examine the life of Tex Rickard, the greatest promoter in the history of sport. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Research There’s been a lot written about Tex, given his range across all kinds of sports and endeavours. The book I found most helpful was Tex Rickard: Boxing’s Greatest Promoter by Colleen Aycock and Mark Scott.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 Heinä 202342min

Carlos Kaiser had one of the longest careers in Brazilian football, joining all the big four clubs Botafogo, Fluminense, Flamengo, and Vasco da Gama, plus stints in Mexico, Argentina and France. However, what made Kaiser’s career remarkable was not its length or being part of so many top sides but the fact that he never played a single game. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy look at the greatest footballer to never play football and examine how he got away with it for so long. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to all past bonus episodes A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Research Kaiser was a hard one to pin down as every source I found seemed to have either differing accounts or outright myths. Kaiser: The Greatest Footballer Never To Play Football by Rob Smyth was incredibly helpful and is the best book to get on the topic. Otherwise, there’s a treasure trove online about him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Heinä 20231h 1min

Last week we left off with the two Dassler brothers splitting apart their shoe company after a vicious falling out. With the Second World War now over, the two brothers start building their new companies, Puma and Adidas, with the rivalry only getting hotter. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy look at how the two feuding companies took sports apparel, footwear and marketing to new heights, and how the focus on each other meant they missed a new company emerging, Nike. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to all past bonus episodes A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Resources There are too many resources to name for this one as it’s been a favourite for both business and sports reporters for years. The person who has covered it the most however is Barbara Smit. She's written a few books on the topic. I’ve put the link below and highly recommend it as not just a great sports book but a great read for anyone. Sneaker Wars: The Enemy Brothers Who Founded Adidas and Puma and the Family Feud That Forever Changed the Business of Sports by Barbara SmitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

9 Heinä 202336min

In 1923, two brothers formed a new shoe company, Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, or Geda. The company grew quickly against the backdrop of the rising Nazi party, and by the 1936 Berlin Olympics, top athletes, including Jesse Owens, wore the brothers' shoes. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy look at how the Second World War tore the two brothers apart, leading to the biggest feud in sports history. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access Access to all past bonus episodes A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Resources There are too many resources to name for this one as it’s been a favourite for both business and sports reporters for years. The person who has covered it the most however is Barbara Smit. She's written a few books on the topic. I’ve put the link below and highly recommend it as not just a great sports book but a great read for anyone. Sneaker Wars: The Enemy Brothers Who Founded Adidas and Puma and the Family Feud That Forever Changed the Business of Sports by Barbara SmitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Heinä 202355min

In part two of our look at the LIV Golf-PGA Tour merger, Greg Norman is now CEO of LIV Golf, unleashing a civil war in the sport. Money is thrown around like a loose bucks night, as golfers make hundreds of millions of dollars by swapping sides. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy then ask they question, after all the unpleasantness, why the sudden change of heart? If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Resources Jane Cadzow, ‘We need to talk about Greg Norman’, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 December 2022. Greg Norman, Way of the Shark: Lessons on golf, business, and life, Atria Books, 2007. Thomas Boswell, ‘Norman Golfing for Greed in Plans for World Tour’, Washington Post, 18 November 1994. Dave Seanor, ‘A man and an idea ahead of their time’, Sports Illustrated, 14 November 2019. Bob Harig, ‘A Disruptor to the PGA Tour Is Here, and Professional Golf May Never Be the Same’, Sports Illustrated, 10 June 2022. Cydney Henderson, ‘“We’ve all made mistakes”: Greg Norman downplays the killing of journalist while promoting Saudi backed golf league’, USA Today, 11 May 2022. David Rowe, ‘How Saudi Arabia came to be at the centre of a global golf merger’, The Conversation, 7 June 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Kesä 202336min

We have a treat, two episodes this week, on the LIV Golf-PGA Tour merger. The second episode will be out Wednesday unless you’re a Bizarre Plus member, then you’ll have both today. In this episode, we trace the history of breakaway leagues in golf. The first being the PGA Tour splitting from the PGA of America, caused by a dispute between Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope. Then look at an attempted breakaway league in 1994, the World Golf Tour, led by none other than Greg Norman. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy then look at how Greg Norman launched his revenge on the PGA Tour thirty years later. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Resources Jane Cadzow, ‘We need to talk about Greg Norman’, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 December 2022. Greg Norman, Way of the Shark: Lessons on golf, business, and life, Atria Books, 2007. Thomas Boswell, ‘Norman Golfing for Greed in Plans for World Tour’, Washington Post, 18 November 1994. Dave Seanor, ‘A man and an idea ahead of their time’, Sports Illustrated, 14 November 2019. Bob Harig, ‘A Disruptor to the PGA Tour Is Here, and Professional Golf May Never Be the Same’, Sports Illustrated, 10 June 2022. Cydney Henderson, ‘“We’ve all made mistakes”: Greg Norman downplays the killing of journalist while promoting Saudi backed golf league’, USA Today, 11 May 2022. David Rowe, ‘How Saudi Arabia came to be at the centre of a global golf merger’, The Conversation, 7 June 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Kesä 202342min

In our final episode on the USFL, the league’s final season is overshadowed by the showdown court case between the USFL and the NFL. In one of the strangest cases of all time, Donald Trump takes the stand, the jury doesn’t understand how their job works and the court's decision makes no real sense to anyone. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy watch the sun set on the beautiful chaos of the USFL. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Research I went wide researching this, but I kept coming back to Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL by Jeff Pearlman. If you don’t know his work, Jeff Pearlman is one of, if not the best sports writer of his generation and I’d recommend any of his books to you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Kesä 202356min

Following the first season of the USFL, the most incredible offseason in sports history commenced. New teams were created, teams traded their entire playing lists, Donald Trump purchased a team, Andy Warhol selected cheerleaders, and a new honour set a high bar for erratic behaviour. Titus O'Reily and Mick Molloy are excited to announce the launch of Bizarre Plus, the new Membership program for even more Sports Bizarre. As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Click here to join today Research I went wide researching this, but I kept coming back to Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL by Jeff Pearlman. If you don’t know his work, Jeff Pearlman is one of, if not the best sports writer of his generation and I’d recommend any of his books to you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Kesä 202359min