https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/athletes-number-one-suspect--7317497
Each episode reconstructs one case in full, cinematic detail: the career at its peak, the night everything changed, the investigation that closed in, and the trial that split fans from facts. No host chatting between clips, no panel debating hot takes. Just one complete story, narrated start to finish, built from police files, court records, and the testimony that decided whether these athletes walked free or lost everything.

You will follow champions whose alibis unraveled in real time, athletes framed by the very fame that made them untouchable, and cases where the evidence pointed one way while the public roared the other. Some episodes track a single night minute by minute; others follow years of appeals and reversals. All of them treat the fall of famous athletes as what it really is: a collision between talent, power, and the law.

If you are drawn to true crime where the suspect is a name you already know, this is built for you. New episodes drop regularly, each one a self-contained case worth remembering. Subscribe now so the next story of athletes on trial lands the moment it goes live.]]>enSportsCopyright OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENThttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/0e8e5b86dac50590d9ce6032f760495c.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/athletes-number-one-suspect--7317497Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:02:03 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTOBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTcreators@obomedia.comAthletes are trained to win under pressure. But some of the most famous athletes in the world have stood in a different kind of arena: an interrogation room, a courtroom, a crime scene with their name attached to it. This show tells the true stories...
Each episode reconstructs one case in full, cinematic detail: the career at its peak, the night everything changed, the investigation that closed in, and the trial that split fans from facts. No host chatting between clips, no panel debating hot takes. Just one complete story, narrated start to finish, built from police files, court records, and the testimony that decided whether these athletes walked free or lost everything.

You will follow champions whose alibis unraveled in real time, athletes framed by the very fame that made them untouchable, and cases where the evidence pointed one way while the public roared the other. Some episodes track a single night minute by minute; others follow years of appeals and reversals. All of them treat the fall of famous athletes as what it really is: a collision between talent, power, and the law.

If you are drawn to true crime where the suspect is a name you already know, this is built for you. New episodes drop regularly, each one a self-contained case worth remembering. Subscribe now so the next story of athletes on trial lands the moment it goes live.]]>false175f0c4b-1f39-5132-a5d4-5dc9cfb8ab94episodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-iv-bag-and-snickers-bar-that-forged-a-legend--74909314
The IV Bag and Snickers Bar That Forged a Legend

In this episode, we trace Ken Caminiti’s five-day descent from a probation hearing to being found unconscious in a Bronx apartment and map the arc of a life lived at the intersection of elite performance and private collapse. We ask how decades of injuries, substance use, and choices that kept him on the field built the distance between the public player and the man behind it.

Person: Kenneth Gene Caminiti
Date: August 5, 2004 (court); August 10, 2004 (911 call)
Location: Bronx apartment; Houston courtroom; Monterrey, Mexico (August 18, 1996 game)
Event: 1996 MVP season; 2002 Sports Illustrated admission; 2007 Mitchell Report citation
Topic: chronic injury, substance use, steroid admission

- Born April 21, 1963 in Hanford, California and rose through San Jose State to a major league debut on July 16, 1987 with a two-for-three, a home run and a triple.
- By middle school he had begun drinking and later disclosed childhood sexual abuse during rehab as a root of his need to escape.
- He played through a torn left rotator cuff, biceps tendon tear, abdominal strain and chronic pain while hitting .326 with 40 home runs and 130 RBI in 1996.
- On August 18, 1996 in Monterrey trainers gave him IV fluids and someone handed him a Snickers bar before he hit two home runs that season became shorthand for his legend.
- In 2002 he told Sports Illustrated he used anabolic steroids during his MVP season and later was cited in the 2007 Mitchell Report for personal use.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909314Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA five-day stretch between a Houston courtroom and a Bronx apartment: a former MVP found unconscious-how did that expose him? The IV Bag and Snickers Bar That Forged a Legend In this episode, we trace Ken Caminiti’s five-day descent from a...
The IV Bag and Snickers Bar That Forged a Legend

In this episode, we trace Ken Caminiti’s five-day descent from a probation hearing to being found unconscious in a Bronx apartment and map the arc of a life lived at the intersection of elite performance and private collapse. We ask how decades of injuries, substance use, and choices that kept him on the field built the distance between the public player and the man behind it.

Person: Kenneth Gene Caminiti
Date: August 5, 2004 (court); August 10, 2004 (911 call)
Location: Bronx apartment; Houston courtroom; Monterrey, Mexico (August 18, 1996 game)
Event: 1996 MVP season; 2002 Sports Illustrated admission; 2007 Mitchell Report citation
Topic: chronic injury, substance use, steroid admission

- Born April 21, 1963 in Hanford, California and rose through San Jose State to a major league debut on July 16, 1987 with a two-for-three, a home run and a triple.
- By middle school he had begun drinking and later disclosed childhood sexual abuse during rehab as a root of his need to escape.
- He played through a torn left rotator cuff, biceps tendon tear, abdominal strain and chronic pain while hitting .326 with 40 home runs and 130 RBI in 1996.
- On August 18, 1996 in Monterrey trainers gave him IV fluids and someone handed him a Snickers bar before he hit two home runs that season became shorthand for his legend.
- In 2002 he told Sports Illustrated he used anabolic steroids during his MVP season and later was cited in the 2007 Mitchell Report for personal use.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1222falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-magazine-tore-open-his-secret-during-the-world-cup--74909313
A magazine tore open his secret during the World Cup

In this episode, we follow the career and private life of Stig Tøfting, charting his rise from AGF youth player to Denmark’s combative international and the secret he carried since childhood. The episode traces key moments that led to a magazine publishing his family tragedy during the World Cup and asks what that exposure cost him and those around him.

Person: Stig Tøfting
Date of birth: 14 August 1969
Caps: 41
Clubs: AGF Aarhus, Hamburger SV, MSV Duisburg, Bolton Wanderers, Odense BK
Event: Se & Hør published his childhood tragedy during the 2002 World Cup

- Grew up in a suburb of Aarhus and joined AGF’s youth setup by age ten, debuting for the first team in October 1989.
- Nicknamed "The Lawn Mower" for his aggressive, contact-absorbing style praised by national coach Richard Møller Nielsen.
- As a child he walked into his parents’ deaths - his father shot his mother then killed himself - a secret he kept even from his own children.
- Career moves included a 1993 transfer to Hamburger SV cut short by knee injury, a 1995 return to AGF, and spells that included Duisburg and Bolton aiming for World Cup selection.
- In 2002 a weekly magazine ran the story of his childhood tragedy while Denmark was still playing in the World Cup, despite the incident dating back decades.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909313Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Danish World Cup midfielder’s buried childhood secret is exposed by a magazine while he’s still on the pitch - how did that expose him? A magazine tore open his secret during the World Cup In this episode, we follow the career and private life...
A magazine tore open his secret during the World Cup

In this episode, we follow the career and private life of Stig Tøfting, charting his rise from AGF youth player to Denmark’s combative international and the secret he carried since childhood. The episode traces key moments that led to a magazine publishing his family tragedy during the World Cup and asks what that exposure cost him and those around him.

Person: Stig Tøfting
Date of birth: 14 August 1969
Caps: 41
Clubs: AGF Aarhus, Hamburger SV, MSV Duisburg, Bolton Wanderers, Odense BK
Event: Se & Hør published his childhood tragedy during the 2002 World Cup

- Grew up in a suburb of Aarhus and joined AGF’s youth setup by age ten, debuting for the first team in October 1989.
- Nicknamed "The Lawn Mower" for his aggressive, contact-absorbing style praised by national coach Richard Møller Nielsen.
- As a child he walked into his parents’ deaths - his father shot his mother then killed himself - a secret he kept even from his own children.
- Career moves included a 1993 transfer to Hamburger SV cut short by knee injury, a 1995 return to AGF, and spells that included Duisburg and Bolton aiming for World Cup selection.
- In 2002 a weekly magazine ran the story of his childhood tragedy while Denmark was still playing in the World Cup, despite the incident dating back decades.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>747falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-walk-in-closet-he-shoved-her-into-that-turned-a-knock-into-an-arrest--74909312
The walk-in closet he shoved her into that turned a knock into an arrest

In this episode, we follow the arc of a heavyweight once hailed for a record-setting fight and the sequence of events that abruptly halted his career. The episode traces his rise, the incidents that piled up, and the Las Vegas night that forced the sport to confront him - what happened next?

Person: Ikemefula Charles Ibeabuchi
Event: 975-punch fight vs. David Tua (June 7, 1997)
Location: Mirage Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
Date: July 1999 (incident at hotel)
Status: Locked in bathroom; police responded

- He arrived in the U.S. in 1993 and quickly became a dominant amateur and pro heavyweight.
- On June 7, 1997, CompuStat logged him throwing 975 punches against David Tua.
- Promoters and trainers observed grandiose behavior and called him "The President" in daily address.
- He stopped fighting after dismantling Chris Byrd, exiting the ring and vanishing from competition for over 26 years.
- Four months after the Byrd bout, a woman says she was attacked and shoved into his hotel walk-in closet, prompting police to respond.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909312Sun, 13 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA boxer known as "The President" shoves a woman into a walk-in closet in a Las Vegas hotel - how did that knock become an arrest in boxing's world? The walk-in closet he shoved her into that turned a knock into an arrest In this episode, we...
The walk-in closet he shoved her into that turned a knock into an arrest

In this episode, we follow the arc of a heavyweight once hailed for a record-setting fight and the sequence of events that abruptly halted his career. The episode traces his rise, the incidents that piled up, and the Las Vegas night that forced the sport to confront him - what happened next?

Person: Ikemefula Charles Ibeabuchi
Event: 975-punch fight vs. David Tua (June 7, 1997)
Location: Mirage Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
Date: July 1999 (incident at hotel)
Status: Locked in bathroom; police responded

- He arrived in the U.S. in 1993 and quickly became a dominant amateur and pro heavyweight.
- On June 7, 1997, CompuStat logged him throwing 975 punches against David Tua.
- Promoters and trainers observed grandiose behavior and called him "The President" in daily address.
- He stopped fighting after dismantling Chris Byrd, exiting the ring and vanishing from competition for over 26 years.
- Four months after the Byrd bout, a woman says she was attacked and shoved into his hotel walk-in closet, prompting police to respond.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>976falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cigarette-jamie-stuart-smoked-that-cost-him-his-england-career--74909309
The cigarette Jamie Stuart smoked that cost him his England career

In this episode, we follow the arc from Jamie Stuart’s rapid rise to England Under-21s to the moment a positive drug test halted his progress, and trace the decisions, transfers and disciplinary incidents that defined his long, turbulent career. What does that one November test reveal about the rest of his life in football?

Person: Jamie Stuart Stuart
Date: positive test November 1997
Location: Charlton Athletic (club at time of ban)
Event: positive test for cocaine and cannabis; six-month FA ban
Caps: four England Under-21 appearances

- Youth academy graduate who signed professional terms with Charlton Athletic in January 1995 and debuted August 17, 1996
- Selected for England Under-21s and played four matches at the Toulon Tournament against Brazil, Nigeria and Italy
- Claimed a cigarette was laced without his knowledge after testing positive; the FA applied a strict liability rule and imposed a six-month ban
- Contract terminated by Charlton, then moved to Millwall where disciplinary issues produced multiple cards and limited appearances
- Continued a nomadic career with trials and transfers-Bury signing in October 2001, a contract extension in February 2002, and ongoing red-card and yellow-card problems

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909309Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA single cigarette, a positive drug test and a six-month ban: how did one cigarette expose Jamie Stuart’s England career? The cigarette Jamie Stuart smoked that cost him his England career In this episode, we follow the arc from Jamie Stuart’s...
The cigarette Jamie Stuart smoked that cost him his England career

In this episode, we follow the arc from Jamie Stuart’s rapid rise to England Under-21s to the moment a positive drug test halted his progress, and trace the decisions, transfers and disciplinary incidents that defined his long, turbulent career. What does that one November test reveal about the rest of his life in football?

Person: Jamie Stuart Stuart
Date: positive test November 1997
Location: Charlton Athletic (club at time of ban)
Event: positive test for cocaine and cannabis; six-month FA ban
Caps: four England Under-21 appearances

- Youth academy graduate who signed professional terms with Charlton Athletic in January 1995 and debuted August 17, 1996
- Selected for England Under-21s and played four matches at the Toulon Tournament against Brazil, Nigeria and Italy
- Claimed a cigarette was laced without his knowledge after testing positive; the FA applied a strict liability rule and imposed a six-month ban
- Contract terminated by Charlton, then moved to Millwall where disciplinary issues produced multiple cards and limited appearances
- Continued a nomadic career with trials and transfers-Bury signing in October 2001, a contract extension in February 2002, and ongoing red-card and yellow-card problems

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-routine-drug-test-revealed-a-soccer-star-s-secret-life--74909308
A routine drug test revealed a soccer star's secret life

In this episode, we follow Christopher Cornes from a promising Football League debut through a six-month FA ban and a decade of fragmented club moves, arriving at a May 2015 arrest that raises questions about the gaps in the public record. What happened in the years between early promise and the cocaine found in a Worcester car?

Person: Christopher Cornes
Date of birth: 20 December 1986
Event: FA drug test positive for cocaine, February 2006
Location: Worcester (car boot search), May 2015
Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers (signed July 2004)

- At 17 Wolves signed him professional; at 18 he was man-of-the-match on his League debut for Port Vale.
- February 2006: an FA drug test returned positive for cocaine and led to a six-month ban while Wolves kept him training.
- September 2006: contract with Wolves cancelled by mutual consent and a descent through non-league clubs began.
- Records list a disciplinary process at AFC Telford United in January 2008 but provide no detail about its contents.
- Between about 2011 and May 2015 the public record of his playing career goes quiet before police found £40,000 of high-purity cocaine in a car.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909308Fri, 11 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA drug test at 19 and a man-of-the-match debut at 17 split one life - how did a Football League prospect become linked to £40,000 of cocaine? A routine drug test revealed a soccer star's secret life In this episode, we follow Christopher Cornes...
A routine drug test revealed a soccer star's secret life

In this episode, we follow Christopher Cornes from a promising Football League debut through a six-month FA ban and a decade of fragmented club moves, arriving at a May 2015 arrest that raises questions about the gaps in the public record. What happened in the years between early promise and the cocaine found in a Worcester car?

Person: Christopher Cornes
Date of birth: 20 December 1986
Event: FA drug test positive for cocaine, February 2006
Location: Worcester (car boot search), May 2015
Club: Wolverhampton Wanderers (signed July 2004)

- At 17 Wolves signed him professional; at 18 he was man-of-the-match on his League debut for Port Vale.
- February 2006: an FA drug test returned positive for cocaine and led to a six-month ban while Wolves kept him training.
- September 2006: contract with Wolves cancelled by mutual consent and a descent through non-league clubs began.
- Records list a disciplinary process at AFC Telford United in January 2008 but provide no detail about its contents.
- Between about 2011 and May 2015 the public record of his playing career goes quiet before police found £40,000 of high-purity cocaine in a car.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1237falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/his-own-report-convicted-the-doping-doctor--74909307
His own report convicted the doping doctor

In this episode, we follow the documentary trail from a 1968 handwritten report to trials after reunification, tracing how bureaucratic records, prescriptions and research memos laid out a state-sponsored doping program. What does it mean when the evidence against a system comes from inside that system?

Person: Bernd Pansold
Location: SC Dynamo Berlin, East Berlin
Date: 1968-1998
Topic: State-sponsored doping of children with anabolic steroids and amphetamines
Event: 1998 Criminal Court 34 conviction for facilitating bodily harm to minors

- A 37-page report in Pansold’s own handwriting documented systematic steroid and amphetamine administration to children as young as twelve.
- Pansold worked as a club physician at SC Dynamo Berlin starting in 1968 and rose to deputy director of performance medicine by 1972 under the Stasi-backed club.
- In 1975 Pansold distributed prescriptions for doping substances to subordinate physicians and joined the Zusätzliche Leistungsreserve research group at the Research Institute for Physical Culture and Sport.
- The substances named include anabolic steroids from VEB Jenapharm and amphetamines such as Pervitin; athletes were often told they were vitamins or told nothing.
- After the Stasi archives opened, courts used Pansold’s own reports, prescriptions and research memos as primary evidence in the 1998 trial that convicted him.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909307Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:00:05 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA physician in East Berlin wrote a report on drug use at SC Dynamo Berlin-how did his own report expose him? His own report convicted the doping doctor In this episode, we follow the documentary trail from a 1968 handwritten report to trials...
His own report convicted the doping doctor

In this episode, we follow the documentary trail from a 1968 handwritten report to trials after reunification, tracing how bureaucratic records, prescriptions and research memos laid out a state-sponsored doping program. What does it mean when the evidence against a system comes from inside that system?

Person: Bernd Pansold
Location: SC Dynamo Berlin, East Berlin
Date: 1968-1998
Topic: State-sponsored doping of children with anabolic steroids and amphetamines
Event: 1998 Criminal Court 34 conviction for facilitating bodily harm to minors

- A 37-page report in Pansold’s own handwriting documented systematic steroid and amphetamine administration to children as young as twelve.
- Pansold worked as a club physician at SC Dynamo Berlin starting in 1968 and rose to deputy director of performance medicine by 1972 under the Stasi-backed club.
- In 1975 Pansold distributed prescriptions for doping substances to subordinate physicians and joined the Zusätzliche Leistungsreserve research group at the Research Institute for Physical Culture and Sport.
- The substances named include anabolic steroids from VEB Jenapharm and amphetamines such as Pervitin; athletes were often told they were vitamins or told nothing.
- After the Stasi archives opened, courts used Pansold’s own reports, prescriptions and research memos as primary evidence in the 1998 trial that convicted him.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1234falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-missed-punch-ended-the-best-pitcher-s-career--74909306
A Missed Punch Ended the Best Pitcher's Career

In this episode, we follow the rise of Brien Taylor from small-town prospect to the highest-paid amateur pitcher, and the six-second incident that derailed everything he had built. What really happened that December night, and how did one fall unravel a dazzling trajectory?

Person: Brien Taylor
Date: December 18, 1993
Location: Harlowe, North Carolina
Event: Altercation after Brenden Taylor was injured
Agent: Scott Boras

- Drafted first overall by the New York Yankees in 1991 and signed for $1.55 million the day before college classes began.
- Threw a fastball touching 98-99 mph in high school and was called the best high school pitcher Scott Boras had seen.
- Racked up 324.1 professional innings across 1992-1993 with a combined ERA of 3.02 and striking out 337 batters.
- Declined the Yankees' instructional league to return home to Beaufort for the winter before the December incident.
- On the night of December 18, 1993, a confrontation in a trailer park led to a missed punch, a fall onto his left shoulder, and abrupt questions about his future.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909306Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:00:03 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA missed punch in a North Carolina trailer park left the Yankees' top pitching prospect fighting for a career after six seconds changed everything. A Missed Punch Ended the Best Pitcher's Career In this episode, we follow the rise of Brien...
A Missed Punch Ended the Best Pitcher's Career

In this episode, we follow the rise of Brien Taylor from small-town prospect to the highest-paid amateur pitcher, and the six-second incident that derailed everything he had built. What really happened that December night, and how did one fall unravel a dazzling trajectory?

Person: Brien Taylor
Date: December 18, 1993
Location: Harlowe, North Carolina
Event: Altercation after Brenden Taylor was injured
Agent: Scott Boras

- Drafted first overall by the New York Yankees in 1991 and signed for $1.55 million the day before college classes began.
- Threw a fastball touching 98-99 mph in high school and was called the best high school pitcher Scott Boras had seen.
- Racked up 324.1 professional innings across 1992-1993 with a combined ERA of 3.02 and striking out 337 batters.
- Declined the Yankees' instructional league to return home to Beaufort for the winter before the December incident.
- On the night of December 18, 1993, a confrontation in a trailer park led to a missed punch, a fall onto his left shoulder, and abrupt questions about his future.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>856falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-warrant-that-built-a-counterfeit-shoe-empire--74909305
The warrant that built a counterfeit shoe empire

In this episode, we follow the trajectory that connects a journeyman pitcher from Van Nuys to a sprawling cross-border counterfeit footwear network. The episode traces the decisions, movements, and moments that shaped the operation and asks how a single warrant began to unravel it.

Person: Byron Scott McLaughlin
Date of birth: September 29, 1955
Location: Van Nuys, California; Hermosillo, Sonora; Mexico
Event: Arrest warrant issued October 1984 for failure to appear
Topic: Counterfeit athletic footwear distribution, cross-border networks

- He debuted with the Seattle Mariners on September 18, 1977, pitching one and one-third innings against the Kansas City Royals.
- While on loan in 1977 to Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo he went 18-13 with a 1.84 ERA and 221 strikeouts, helping win the Mexican League championship.
- By the early 1980s he dominated the Mexican Pacific League with a 1.05 ERA and 143 strikeouts, and settled in Hermosillo, Sonora.
- Investigators calculated an operation moving 80,000 pairs of counterfeit shoes every month, reportedly accounting for fifty percent of falsified athletic footwear in Mexico at its peak.
- A warrant for McLaughlin’s arrest was issued in October 1984 after he failed to appear in court, leaving a six-year gap during which he built a cross-border network.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909305Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA retired pitcher in Sonora is linked to an operation moving 80,000 counterfeit shoes a month-how did a warrant expose him? The warrant that built a counterfeit shoe empire In this episode, we follow the trajectory that connects a journeyman...
The warrant that built a counterfeit shoe empire

In this episode, we follow the trajectory that connects a journeyman pitcher from Van Nuys to a sprawling cross-border counterfeit footwear network. The episode traces the decisions, movements, and moments that shaped the operation and asks how a single warrant began to unravel it.

Person: Byron Scott McLaughlin
Date of birth: September 29, 1955
Location: Van Nuys, California; Hermosillo, Sonora; Mexico
Event: Arrest warrant issued October 1984 for failure to appear
Topic: Counterfeit athletic footwear distribution, cross-border networks

- He debuted with the Seattle Mariners on September 18, 1977, pitching one and one-third innings against the Kansas City Royals.
- While on loan in 1977 to Tecolotes de Nuevo Laredo he went 18-13 with a 1.84 ERA and 221 strikeouts, helping win the Mexican League championship.
- By the early 1980s he dominated the Mexican Pacific League with a 1.05 ERA and 143 strikeouts, and settled in Hermosillo, Sonora.
- Investigators calculated an operation moving 80,000 pairs of counterfeit shoes every month, reportedly accounting for fifty percent of falsified athletic footwear in Mexico at its peak.
- A warrant for McLaughlin’s arrest was issued in October 1984 after he failed to appear in court, leaving a six-year gap during which he built a cross-border network.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1237falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-small-rubber-tee-elevates-a-football-and-costs-a-man-his-career--74909304
A small rubber tee elevates a football and costs a man his career

In this episode, we follow the events that turned a record-setting college kicker into a national sensation and then into a figure in federal court. We trace the moments on the field, the draft-day expectations, and the early professional setbacks that complicate the story - how did a tee, a kick, and a single preseason play shape everything that followed?

Person: Russell Erxleben
Event: 67-yard field goal vs. Rice (1977)
Date: January 13, 1957 (birth); 1977 (record); 1979 (draft and NFL debut)
Location: Seguin, Texas; University of Texas; New Orleans Saints (NFL debut in Atlanta)
Status: Two federal convictions and prison sentences documented

- As a high school quarterback, kicker and punter in Seguin, Erxleben developed three distinct skills that attracted college recruiters.
- At the University of Texas he used a legal rubber tee to kick a 67-yard field goal in 1977, a distance unmatched in college football since.
- He was named All-American punter three consecutive years (1976-1978) and accumulated historic kicking and punting statistics over 44 games.
- The New Orleans Saints selected him 11th overall in the 1979 NFL Draft, the highest draft position ever for a punter or specialist.
- In his NFL debut (Sept 2, 1979) a misplayed snap led him to throw a hurried pass that was intercepted for a touchdown, and a groin injury in week two placed him on injured reserve.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909304Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA college kicker’s 67-yard, tee-aided miracle makes him a national star - then his fame collides with law and career in ways that unravel. A small rubber tee elevates a football and costs a man his career In this episode, we follow the events...
A small rubber tee elevates a football and costs a man his career

In this episode, we follow the events that turned a record-setting college kicker into a national sensation and then into a figure in federal court. We trace the moments on the field, the draft-day expectations, and the early professional setbacks that complicate the story - how did a tee, a kick, and a single preseason play shape everything that followed?

Person: Russell Erxleben
Event: 67-yard field goal vs. Rice (1977)
Date: January 13, 1957 (birth); 1977 (record); 1979 (draft and NFL debut)
Location: Seguin, Texas; University of Texas; New Orleans Saints (NFL debut in Atlanta)
Status: Two federal convictions and prison sentences documented

- As a high school quarterback, kicker and punter in Seguin, Erxleben developed three distinct skills that attracted college recruiters.
- At the University of Texas he used a legal rubber tee to kick a 67-yard field goal in 1977, a distance unmatched in college football since.
- He was named All-American punter three consecutive years (1976-1978) and accumulated historic kicking and punting statistics over 44 games.
- The New Orleans Saints selected him 11th overall in the 1979 NFL Draft, the highest draft position ever for a punter or specialist.
- In his NFL debut (Sept 2, 1979) a misplayed snap led him to throw a hurried pass that was intercepted for a touchdown, and a groin injury in week two placed him on injured reserve.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1220falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-fermentation-label-that-read-b-misled-a-court-and-sentenced-him-to-death--74909302
The fermentation-label that read "B" misled a court and sentenced him to death

In this episode, we follow the case of Iwao Hakamata from interrogation to conviction, centering on the physical evidence recovered from a miso tank and the contested confession he says was forced. The episode asks how a single label and deteriorating evidence shaped a death sentence and what that reveals about the trial process.

Person: Iwao Hakamata
Date: 30 June 1966 (murders); 11 September 1968 (verdict)
Location: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Event: garments recovered from a miso fermentation tank in August 1967
Status: sentenced to death and held in solitary confinement

- He worked at a miso factory, lived on the premises, and was questioned for 23 days with roughly 264 hours of interrogation.
- He later retracted a confession he said was produced under force, describing being inked, kicked, and deprived of basic breaks.
- Five bloodstained garments were recovered 14 months after the crime from a fermentation tank and presented at trial.
- Prosecutors claimed the garments bore a label "B" meaning medium size and argued shrinkage in miso explained size discrepancies.
- The court noted flaws in portions of the confession and criticized police interrogation yet still convicted and sentenced him to death.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909302Sun, 06 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA factory worker accused after bloodstained garments surfaced in a miso tank fights a conviction - how did that mislabeled tag expose them? The fermentation-label that read "B" misled a court and sentenced him to death In this episode, we follow...
The fermentation-label that read "B" misled a court and sentenced him to death

In this episode, we follow the case of Iwao Hakamata from interrogation to conviction, centering on the physical evidence recovered from a miso tank and the contested confession he says was forced. The episode asks how a single label and deteriorating evidence shaped a death sentence and what that reveals about the trial process.

Person: Iwao Hakamata
Date: 30 June 1966 (murders); 11 September 1968 (verdict)
Location: Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan
Event: garments recovered from a miso fermentation tank in August 1967
Status: sentenced to death and held in solitary confinement

- He worked at a miso factory, lived on the premises, and was questioned for 23 days with roughly 264 hours of interrogation.
- He later retracted a confession he said was produced under force, describing being inked, kicked, and deprived of basic breaks.
- Five bloodstained garments were recovered 14 months after the crime from a fermentation tank and presented at trial.
- Prosecutors claimed the garments bore a label "B" meaning medium size and argued shrinkage in miso explained size discrepancies.
- The court noted flaws in portions of the confession and criticized police interrogation yet still convicted and sentenced him to death.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1143falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-expired-ban-that-let-her-cash-two-race-payouts--74909301
The expired ban that let her cash two race payouts

In this episode, we follow Mary Adah Akor Beasley's marathon career from teenage Olympic qualifier to a repeat winner whose record and prize money collide with anti-doping rules and race eligibility. We trace the decisions, name changes, bans and race payouts that created legal gaps and force the sport to confront how its systems failed her.

Person: Mary Adah Akor Beasley
Date of birth: September 24, 1976
Event: positive Clenbuterol test at Gobernador Marathon, December 2012
Sanction: two-year ban accepted, results Dec 6, 2012-Nov 5, 2013 disqualified
Payouts: $14,000 from races in Detroit and the Dominican Republic

- Qualified for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics at age 15 but Nigeria did not send her.
- Ran her first marathon at age 13 and later moved to Pasadena, joining John Muir High School cross country as a lone competitor.
- Built a peak period in 2006-2007 with a 2:33:50 PR and three straight Grandma’s Marathon wins in 2007-2009.
- Tested positive for Clenbuterol in December 2012, offered asthma and contaminated beef defenses, and accepted a two-year ban without a hearing.
- Competed under multiple names over eleven years and collected prize money while the governing systems had no mechanism to reconcile the ban record.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909301Sat, 05 Sep 2026 08:00:04 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Nigerian-born marathoner stands on a Lagos stage holding a check organizers say she cannot have-how did that expose her? The expired ban that let her cash two race payouts In this episode, we follow Mary Adah Akor Beasley's marathon career...
The expired ban that let her cash two race payouts

In this episode, we follow Mary Adah Akor Beasley's marathon career from teenage Olympic qualifier to a repeat winner whose record and prize money collide with anti-doping rules and race eligibility. We trace the decisions, name changes, bans and race payouts that created legal gaps and force the sport to confront how its systems failed her.

Person: Mary Adah Akor Beasley
Date of birth: September 24, 1976
Event: positive Clenbuterol test at Gobernador Marathon, December 2012
Sanction: two-year ban accepted, results Dec 6, 2012-Nov 5, 2013 disqualified
Payouts: $14,000 from races in Detroit and the Dominican Republic

- Qualified for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics at age 15 but Nigeria did not send her.
- Ran her first marathon at age 13 and later moved to Pasadena, joining John Muir High School cross country as a lone competitor.
- Built a peak period in 2006-2007 with a 2:33:50 PR and three straight Grandma’s Marathon wins in 2007-2009.
- Tested positive for Clenbuterol in December 2012, offered asthma and contaminated beef defenses, and accepted a two-year ban without a hearing.
- Competed under multiple names over eleven years and collected prize money while the governing systems had no mechanism to reconcile the ban record.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>802falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-eye-gouge-that-extended-his-own-suspension--74909299
The eye-gouge that extended his own suspension

In this episode, we follow the arc of a record-setting linebacker whose achievements unfolded alongside an extended family shadow. What choices and histories converged the night he reached into a pile and grabbed an opponent’s eye, and what did his decision to sit an extra game himself reveal?

Person: Brandon Spikes
Location: Shelby, North Carolina; Gainesville, Florida
Date: October 31, 2009
Event: Eye-gouge during game vs. Georgia; self-extended suspension
Case: Brother Breyon Middlebrooks convicted of first-degree murder, serving life

- Raised in a household where his mother worked 12-hour shifts, Brandon was practically raised by his older brother, Breyon.
- Breyon was involved in a killing in 2001, convicted in 2003, and remains incarcerated at Scotland Correctional Institute.
- At Florida under Urban Meyer, Spikes progressed from 15 tackles as a freshman to unanimous All-American and captain by 2008.
- Career totals included 307 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions returned for 139 yards and four touchdowns-an unprecedented linebacker record.
- On Halloween 2009, video and a referee showed Spikes reach toward Washaun Ealey’s eyes; Urban Meyer suspended him for a half, and Spikes voluntarily extended that suspension to a full game.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909299Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:59 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA college linebacker from Shelby, NC gouges an opponent’s eye on Halloween - then extends his suspension; why did one eye-gouge expose more? The eye-gouge that extended his own suspension In this episode, we follow the arc of a record-setting...
The eye-gouge that extended his own suspension

In this episode, we follow the arc of a record-setting linebacker whose achievements unfolded alongside an extended family shadow. What choices and histories converged the night he reached into a pile and grabbed an opponent’s eye, and what did his decision to sit an extra game himself reveal?

Person: Brandon Spikes
Location: Shelby, North Carolina; Gainesville, Florida
Date: October 31, 2009
Event: Eye-gouge during game vs. Georgia; self-extended suspension
Case: Brother Breyon Middlebrooks convicted of first-degree murder, serving life

- Raised in a household where his mother worked 12-hour shifts, Brandon was practically raised by his older brother, Breyon.
- Breyon was involved in a killing in 2001, convicted in 2003, and remains incarcerated at Scotland Correctional Institute.
- At Florida under Urban Meyer, Spikes progressed from 15 tackles as a freshman to unanimous All-American and captain by 2008.
- Career totals included 307 tackles, 31.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions returned for 139 yards and four touchdowns-an unprecedented linebacker record.
- On Halloween 2009, video and a referee showed Spikes reach toward Washaun Ealey’s eyes; Urban Meyer suspended him for a half, and Spikes voluntarily extended that suspension to a full game.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1045falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shotgun-that-discharged-and-killed-a-limo-driver--74909298
The shotgun that discharged and killed a limo driver

In this episode, we follow the night a limousine driver arrived at a charity event at a New Jersey estate and a shotgun discharged, killing him. We trace the background of the homeowner, the public record of nine prior firearms incidents he described in his own book, and the legal and moral questions that followed the shooting.

Person: Costas Christofi
Person: Jayson Williams
Date: February 14, 2002
Location: Alexandria Township, New Jersey
Event: Shotgun discharged in a 30,000-square-foot mansion

- Williams had published a memoir, Loose Balls, detailing nine episodes of his own reckless firearm behavior before the shooting.
- By February 2002 Williams had been retired eighteen months, living on a 30,000-square-foot estate and organizing a charity basketball event.
- A fifty-five-year-old limousine driver, hired to transport the team, arrived at the estate to perform his job the night the shotgun fired.
- The presence of a loaded shotgun in a room where a hired driver had no reason to expect one is central to what unfolded.
- Prosecutors eventually pursued charges related to actions after the shooting, including four counts of covering up the incident.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909298Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:55 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA hired limo driver enters a New Jersey mansion with a loaded shotgun - how did that expose them? The shotgun that discharged and killed a limo driver In this episode, we follow the night a limousine driver arrived at a charity event at a New...
The shotgun that discharged and killed a limo driver

In this episode, we follow the night a limousine driver arrived at a charity event at a New Jersey estate and a shotgun discharged, killing him. We trace the background of the homeowner, the public record of nine prior firearms incidents he described in his own book, and the legal and moral questions that followed the shooting.

Person: Costas Christofi
Person: Jayson Williams
Date: February 14, 2002
Location: Alexandria Township, New Jersey
Event: Shotgun discharged in a 30,000-square-foot mansion

- Williams had published a memoir, Loose Balls, detailing nine episodes of his own reckless firearm behavior before the shooting.
- By February 2002 Williams had been retired eighteen months, living on a 30,000-square-foot estate and organizing a charity basketball event.
- A fifty-five-year-old limousine driver, hired to transport the team, arrived at the estate to perform his job the night the shotgun fired.
- The presence of a loaded shotgun in a room where a hired driver had no reason to expect one is central to what unfolded.
- Prosecutors eventually pursued charges related to actions after the shooting, including four counts of covering up the incident.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1064falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-missed-flight-cracked-reggie-harding-s-nba-career--74909296
A missed flight cracked Reggie Harding's NBA career

In this episode, we trace Reggie Harding’s rise from a seven-foot high school phenom in Detroit to the NBA’s first player drafted straight from high school, and the series of personal and institutional failures that followed. We ask how missed flights, legal troubles, and hidden family history intersected to shape a life that kept slipping out of reach.

Person: Reginald Hezeriah Harding
Date: May 4, 1942 (birth); September 1, 1972 (death)
Location: Detroit, Michigan; played in Midwest Professional Basketball League and for the Detroit Pistons
Event: First NBA player drafted directly from high school; later activated January 18, 1964
Topic: missed flights, arrests, suspensions, family violence, and stalled career

- Drafted 29th overall in 1962 by the Detroit Pistons despite no college games and academic ineligibility.
- League delayed signing him; Pistons retained rights and he played in the Midwest Professional Basketball League while waiting.
- Sent to a five-day clinic in Waynesville where his shot expanded from a single hook to a full repertoire before joining the NBA.
- Early promise: started as center, averaged 11 points in his first four starts, and drew praise from Red Auerbach.
- By 1964-65, repeated missed flights, missed practices, and nights found asleep in hotel rooms signaled the breakdown of the support systems around him.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909296Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:51 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA missed flight in 1964 strains the fragile career of the NBA’s first high-school draftee, threatening to expose how Reggie Harding unraveled. A missed flight cracked Reggie Harding's NBA career In this episode, we trace Reggie Harding’s rise...
A missed flight cracked Reggie Harding's NBA career

In this episode, we trace Reggie Harding’s rise from a seven-foot high school phenom in Detroit to the NBA’s first player drafted straight from high school, and the series of personal and institutional failures that followed. We ask how missed flights, legal troubles, and hidden family history intersected to shape a life that kept slipping out of reach.

Person: Reginald Hezeriah Harding
Date: May 4, 1942 (birth); September 1, 1972 (death)
Location: Detroit, Michigan; played in Midwest Professional Basketball League and for the Detroit Pistons
Event: First NBA player drafted directly from high school; later activated January 18, 1964
Topic: missed flights, arrests, suspensions, family violence, and stalled career

- Drafted 29th overall in 1962 by the Detroit Pistons despite no college games and academic ineligibility.
- League delayed signing him; Pistons retained rights and he played in the Midwest Professional Basketball League while waiting.
- Sent to a five-day clinic in Waynesville where his shot expanded from a single hook to a full repertoire before joining the NBA.
- Early promise: started as center, averaged 11 points in his first four starts, and drew praise from Red Auerbach.
- By 1964-65, repeated missed flights, missed practices, and nights found asleep in hotel rooms signaled the breakdown of the support systems around him.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1220falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-vial-of-thg-slipped-under-his-tongue-and-rewrote-records--74909293
The vial of THG slipped under his tongue and rewrote records

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that led a clear liquid from a San Francisco Bay Area laboratory to a north London sprinter, tracing training moves, coaching changes and the numbers that mattered. We lay out the pivotal moments and raise the question of how a substance no test could detect altered elite sport.

Person: Dwain Chambers
Location: San Francisco Bay Area to Finsbury Park, north London
Date: 2002-2003
Substance: THG (Tetrahydrogestrinone)
Event: 2002 Paris Grand Prix, 2003 sample collected in Germany

- Chambers moved to California in 2002, began working with coach Remi Korchemny and nutritionist Victor Conte at BALCO.
- Between 2002 and 2003 he took seven distinct substances as part of a program described in the transcript.
- A small vial of clear liquid (THG) was delivered and administered sublingually, designed to evade all existing anti‑doping tests.
- Chambers ran 9.87s in Paris 2002-a time presented here as a European record in the moment despite later contestation.
- On August 1, 2003, a routine sample from a competition in Germany was stored alongside thousands of others, setting the stage for subsequent detection efforts.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909293Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:47 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA bay‑area vial of THG was placed under a sprinter’s tongue in 2002, rewriting European records and risking careers - how did that expose them? The vial of THG slipped under his tongue and rewrote records In this episode, we follow the sequence...
The vial of THG slipped under his tongue and rewrote records

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that led a clear liquid from a San Francisco Bay Area laboratory to a north London sprinter, tracing training moves, coaching changes and the numbers that mattered. We lay out the pivotal moments and raise the question of how a substance no test could detect altered elite sport.

Person: Dwain Chambers
Location: San Francisco Bay Area to Finsbury Park, north London
Date: 2002-2003
Substance: THG (Tetrahydrogestrinone)
Event: 2002 Paris Grand Prix, 2003 sample collected in Germany

- Chambers moved to California in 2002, began working with coach Remi Korchemny and nutritionist Victor Conte at BALCO.
- Between 2002 and 2003 he took seven distinct substances as part of a program described in the transcript.
- A small vial of clear liquid (THG) was delivered and administered sublingually, designed to evade all existing anti‑doping tests.
- Chambers ran 9.87s in Paris 2002-a time presented here as a European record in the moment despite later contestation.
- On August 1, 2003, a routine sample from a competition in Germany was stored alongside thousands of others, setting the stage for subsequent detection efforts.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>920falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-routine-drugs-test-stripped-his-career-away--74909291
A routine drugs test stripped his career away

In this episode, we follow the career of Jordan McMillan from Rangers youth prospect to Premiership regular and captain, and the pivotal decisions and moments that led him to a routine post-match drugs test. What happened next, and how did that result upend a professional life built on one gamble for playing time?

Person: Jordan McMillan
Date: December 3, 2014
Location: Glasgow
Event: Post-match drugs test detected a cocaine metabolite
Career change: From professional contracts to eventually an amateur contract

- Turned down a two-thousand-pounds-per-week, three-year Rangers contract to seek regular first-team minutes.
- Signed for Dunfermline in January 2012, became club captain before learning of redundancy via a Twitter announcement when the club entered administration.
- Joined Partick Thistle, scored on his first start against his former club, and earned a place in the PFA Scotland First Division Team of the Year.
- Made an eight-minute Champions League appearance for Rangers in 2010 and later collected a Scottish Cup winner’s medal without playing in the final.
- After a one-nil loss to Celtic, underwent a routine drugs test that recorded a cocaine metabolite and precipitated a rapid fall from the professional ranks.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909291Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:43 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA routine post-match drugs test after a December Premiership loss could strip a Scottish footballer of his career - how did that test expose him? A routine drugs test stripped his career away In this episode, we follow the career of Jordan...
A routine drugs test stripped his career away

In this episode, we follow the career of Jordan McMillan from Rangers youth prospect to Premiership regular and captain, and the pivotal decisions and moments that led him to a routine post-match drugs test. What happened next, and how did that result upend a professional life built on one gamble for playing time?

Person: Jordan McMillan
Date: December 3, 2014
Location: Glasgow
Event: Post-match drugs test detected a cocaine metabolite
Career change: From professional contracts to eventually an amateur contract

- Turned down a two-thousand-pounds-per-week, three-year Rangers contract to seek regular first-team minutes.
- Signed for Dunfermline in January 2012, became club captain before learning of redundancy via a Twitter announcement when the club entered administration.
- Joined Partick Thistle, scored on his first start against his former club, and earned a place in the PFA Scotland First Division Team of the Year.
- Made an eight-minute Champions League appearance for Rangers in 2010 and later collected a Scottish Cup winner’s medal without playing in the final.
- After a one-nil loss to Celtic, underwent a routine drugs test that recorded a cocaine metabolite and precipitated a rapid fall from the professional ranks.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-concussion-protocol-he-triggered-that-he-then-ignored-and-kept-playing--74909290
The concussion protocol he triggered that he then ignored and kept playing

In this episode, we follow the arc of a professional athlete whose on-field brilliance coexisted with escalating off-field problems. The episode traces key moments from a finals-best performance to a stretchered concussion and the club's early concerns, asking how those signs fit into the larger story.

Person: Sam Fisher
Date: 2009 (Qualifying Final performance), 2010 (concussion incident), 2012 (club concerns reported)
Location: Melbourne (court sentencing), St Kilda (club)
Event: Triggered concussion protocol in Round Three 2010 but returned to play

- Forty-two disposals and sixteen marks in the 2009 Qualifying Final made him best on ground.
- In 2010 he was carried off on a stretcher after triggering the club’s concussion protocol and then returned to finish the match with 28 disposals and 10 marks.
- By 2012 the club had raised concerns about his lifestyle, a warning relayed to media via Mark Robinson and News Corp.
- Across his career he won two Best and Fairest awards, played 228 matches, and was named All-Australian in 2008.
- Thirteen years after that finals afternoon he pleaded guilty to six drug offences and was sentenced in a Melbourne court.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909290Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:39 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA star AFL defender triggers concussion protocol, then years later faces a criminal sentence-how did those early warning signs expose him? The concussion protocol he triggered that he then ignored and kept playing In this episode, we follow the...
The concussion protocol he triggered that he then ignored and kept playing

In this episode, we follow the arc of a professional athlete whose on-field brilliance coexisted with escalating off-field problems. The episode traces key moments from a finals-best performance to a stretchered concussion and the club's early concerns, asking how those signs fit into the larger story.

Person: Sam Fisher
Date: 2009 (Qualifying Final performance), 2010 (concussion incident), 2012 (club concerns reported)
Location: Melbourne (court sentencing), St Kilda (club)
Event: Triggered concussion protocol in Round Three 2010 but returned to play

- Forty-two disposals and sixteen marks in the 2009 Qualifying Final made him best on ground.
- In 2010 he was carried off on a stretcher after triggering the club’s concussion protocol and then returned to finish the match with 28 disposals and 10 marks.
- By 2012 the club had raised concerns about his lifestyle, a warning relayed to media via Mark Robinson and News Corp.
- Across his career he won two Best and Fairest awards, played 228 matches, and was named All-Australian in 2008.
- Thirteen years after that finals afternoon he pleaded guilty to six drug offences and was sentenced in a Melbourne court.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>804falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-handwritten-ledger-that-recorded-his-bets-ended-his-career--74909289
The handwritten ledger that recorded his bets ended his career

This episode explores the career of baseball icon Pete Rose, from his humble beginnings in Cincinnati to becoming the all-time hits leader. It delves into the precise arithmetic of his unparalleled achievements and the single rule that ultimately defined his later life.

Person: Peter Rose
Date: September 11, 1985
Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
Event: Broke Ty Cobb's hit record
Rule: Rule twenty-one, paragraph d

- Pete Rose grew up two miles from Crosley Field, home of the Reds, with his uncle Buddy Bloebaum, a Reds scout.
- He signed with the Reds in 1960 for $7,000 and made his major league debut in 1963, going 0 for 11 before his first hit.
- Rose earned the nickname "Charlie Hustle" from Whitey Ford for sprinting to first base on a walk.
- He accumulated three batting titles, an MVP award, two Gold Gloves, and three World Series championships.
- Rose became the last player-manager in major league baseball history for the Reds in August 1984.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909289Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:34 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA baseball legend breaks the sport's most sacred rule, but a secret ledger of his gambling threatens to expose his double life. The handwritten ledger that recorded his bets ended his career This episode explores the career of baseball icon Pete...
The handwritten ledger that recorded his bets ended his career

This episode explores the career of baseball icon Pete Rose, from his humble beginnings in Cincinnati to becoming the all-time hits leader. It delves into the precise arithmetic of his unparalleled achievements and the single rule that ultimately defined his later life.

Person: Peter Rose
Date: September 11, 1985
Location: Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati
Event: Broke Ty Cobb's hit record
Rule: Rule twenty-one, paragraph d

- Pete Rose grew up two miles from Crosley Field, home of the Reds, with his uncle Buddy Bloebaum, a Reds scout.
- He signed with the Reds in 1960 for $7,000 and made his major league debut in 1963, going 0 for 11 before his first hit.
- Rose earned the nickname "Charlie Hustle" from Whitey Ford for sprinting to first base on a walk.
- He accumulated three batting titles, an MVP award, two Gold Gloves, and three World Series championships.
- Rose became the last player-manager in major league baseball history for the Reds in August 1984.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>954falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/his-olympic-jacket-turned-him-into-a-landmark--74909288
His Olympic Jacket Turned Him Into a Landmark

In this episode, we follow the hour a recognizable former Olympian spent inside the United States Capitol and the choices that followed. The episode traces his life from Olympic glory to the days after January 6, and asks how a single jacket became the crucial piece of evidence.

Person: Klete Keller
Event: January 6, 2021 entry into the United States Capitol
Date: March 21, 1982 (birth); January 6, 2021 (event)
Location: United States Capitol
Topic: United States Olympic team jacket as identifying evidence

- He spent roughly one hour inside the Capitol wearing his United States Olympic team jacket with his name on it.
- He was six feet six inches tall and did not cover his face, making him visually prominent in the rotunda.
- The jacket had previous fame from Athens 2004, when Keller won Olympic gold by 0.13 seconds.
- After January 6 he destroyed a phone, destroyed a memory card, and threw away the jacket in attempts to erase records.
- Inside the Capitol he shouted at named politicians, recorded with his phone, and avoided a police grip by jerking his elbow.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909288Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:30 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA six-foot-six Olympic champion in his Team USA jacket walks into the Capitol and stays unmasked - how did that jacket expose him? His Olympic Jacket Turned Him Into a Landmark In this episode, we follow the hour a recognizable former Olympian...
His Olympic Jacket Turned Him Into a Landmark

In this episode, we follow the hour a recognizable former Olympian spent inside the United States Capitol and the choices that followed. The episode traces his life from Olympic glory to the days after January 6, and asks how a single jacket became the crucial piece of evidence.

Person: Klete Keller
Event: January 6, 2021 entry into the United States Capitol
Date: March 21, 1982 (birth); January 6, 2021 (event)
Location: United States Capitol
Topic: United States Olympic team jacket as identifying evidence

- He spent roughly one hour inside the Capitol wearing his United States Olympic team jacket with his name on it.
- He was six feet six inches tall and did not cover his face, making him visually prominent in the rotunda.
- The jacket had previous fame from Athens 2004, when Keller won Olympic gold by 0.13 seconds.
- After January 6 he destroyed a phone, destroyed a memory card, and threw away the jacket in attempts to erase records.
- Inside the Capitol he shouted at named politicians, recorded with his phone, and avoided a police grip by jerking his elbow.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1093falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-trash-can-that-announced-his-downfall--74909286
The Trash Can That Announced His Downfall

In this episode, we follow the arc of Riddick Bowe from Brownsville childhood to undisputed heavyweight, tracing the choices and moments that shaped his career and reputation. What does the trash-can incident reveal about the fractures beneath his talent?

Person: Riddick Bowe
Date: August 10, 1967
Location: Brownsville, Brooklyn
Event: Tossing the WBC belt into a trash can during a public moment
Topic: Rise to undisputed heavyweight champion and the controversies that followed

- Born twelfth of thirteen children in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where family tragedies and neighborhood toughness shaped him.
- As an amateur he knocked out James Smith in four seconds and became the top U.S. light heavyweight by 1985.
- At the 1988 Seoul Olympics he fought Lennox Lewis, lost a disputed decision after a referee deducted a point.
- Turned pro in March 1989, built a knockout resume and won the undisputed heavyweight crown by holding all four major belts.
- In 1992 he publicly dropped the WBC belt into a trash can onstage, a moment critics say signaled immaturity and unraveling.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909286Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:26 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTRiddick Bowe tosses his WBC belt into a trash can onstage - how did that moment of public contempt expose his unraveling? The Trash Can That Announced His Downfall In this episode, we follow the arc of Riddick Bowe from Brownsville childhood to...
The Trash Can That Announced His Downfall

In this episode, we follow the arc of Riddick Bowe from Brownsville childhood to undisputed heavyweight, tracing the choices and moments that shaped his career and reputation. What does the trash-can incident reveal about the fractures beneath his talent?

Person: Riddick Bowe
Date: August 10, 1967
Location: Brownsville, Brooklyn
Event: Tossing the WBC belt into a trash can during a public moment
Topic: Rise to undisputed heavyweight champion and the controversies that followed

- Born twelfth of thirteen children in Brownsville, Brooklyn, where family tragedies and neighborhood toughness shaped him.
- As an amateur he knocked out James Smith in four seconds and became the top U.S. light heavyweight by 1985.
- At the 1988 Seoul Olympics he fought Lennox Lewis, lost a disputed decision after a referee deducted a point.
- Turned pro in March 1989, built a knockout resume and won the undisputed heavyweight crown by holding all four major belts.
- In 1992 he publicly dropped the WBC belt into a trash can onstage, a moment critics say signaled immaturity and unraveling.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1196falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-seventeen-year-old-lie-that-built-a-career--74909279
The Seventeen-Year-Old Lie That Built a Career

In this episode, we trace how a two-year age discrepancy written into a 1993 contract became the foundation for Miguel Tejada’s journey from a poor town in the Dominican Republic to Major League stardom and intense scrutiny. We follow the decisions, milestones, and investigations that kept the question of identity and accountability alive: what did that alteration make possible?

Person: Miguel Tejada
Date: 1993 (contract), April 22, 2008 (public acknowledgment)
Location: Baní, Dominican Republic; Oakland, California
Event: 20-game winning streak with the Oakland A's; 2002 AL MVP
Topic: Age discrepancy in professional baseball documents

- Signed first professional contract in 1993 with documents listing his age as seventeen though he was nineteen, a common practice in the Dominican pipeline.
- Grew up in Baní where baseball was the exit; scouts signed teenagers as young as sixteen and teams preferred younger ages for longer investment.
- Played 1,152 consecutive major-league games, earning the nickname La Guagua and becoming central to Oakland’s twenty-game winning streak in 2002.
- Won the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player after rising from a .202 average in 1997 to league leader by 2002.
- Acknowledged the true age publicly on April 22, 2008, after years that included being named in the Mitchell Report and pleading guilty to lying to Congress.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909279Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:22 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA contract named him seventeen in Baní; he was nineteen. That lie shadowed a career. How did the age fraud expose him? The Seventeen-Year-Old Lie That Built a Career In this episode, we trace how a two-year age discrepancy written into a 1993...
The Seventeen-Year-Old Lie That Built a Career

In this episode, we trace how a two-year age discrepancy written into a 1993 contract became the foundation for Miguel Tejada’s journey from a poor town in the Dominican Republic to Major League stardom and intense scrutiny. We follow the decisions, milestones, and investigations that kept the question of identity and accountability alive: what did that alteration make possible?

Person: Miguel Tejada
Date: 1993 (contract), April 22, 2008 (public acknowledgment)
Location: Baní, Dominican Republic; Oakland, California
Event: 20-game winning streak with the Oakland A's; 2002 AL MVP
Topic: Age discrepancy in professional baseball documents

- Signed first professional contract in 1993 with documents listing his age as seventeen though he was nineteen, a common practice in the Dominican pipeline.
- Grew up in Baní where baseball was the exit; scouts signed teenagers as young as sixteen and teams preferred younger ages for longer investment.
- Played 1,152 consecutive major-league games, earning the nickname La Guagua and becoming central to Oakland’s twenty-game winning streak in 2002.
- Won the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player after rising from a .202 average in 1997 to league leader by 2002.
- Acknowledged the true age publicly on April 22, 2008, after years that included being named in the Mitchell Report and pleading guilty to lying to Congress.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>896falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-single-tackle-broke-a-leg-and-opened-a-criminal-case--74909278
A single tackle broke a leg and opened a criminal case

In this episode, we follow the December 17, 2004 tackle that ended Niels Kokmeijer's career and launched a nearly four-year criminal prosecution against Rachid Bouaouzan. We trace the parallel paths of sporting success and legal jeopardy to ask where hard football ends and assault begins.

Date: 17 December 2004
Person: Niels Kokmeijer
Person: Rachid Bouaouzan
Location: Sparta Rotterdam v Go Ahead Eagles match, Netherlands
Charge: Battery

- Kokmeijer's leg was broken in a 17-second contact that he called a deliberate attack.
- The KNVB issued a ten-match ban while Sparta initially suspended Bouaouzan for the season.
- Sparta reinstated Bouaouzan for the promotion play-offs, where he scored the winning goal that secured Eredivisie promotion.
- Dutch prosecutors treated the incident as criminal, pursuing a battery case that took nearly four years to resolve.
- Bouaouzan continued to play, score, and sign contracts even as the legal process unfolded.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909278Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:18 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA tackle in a Dutch second-division match broke a leg and sparked a criminal case. How did that tackle expose football and the law? A single tackle broke a leg and opened a criminal case In this episode, we follow the December 17, 2004 tackle...
A single tackle broke a leg and opened a criminal case

In this episode, we follow the December 17, 2004 tackle that ended Niels Kokmeijer's career and launched a nearly four-year criminal prosecution against Rachid Bouaouzan. We trace the parallel paths of sporting success and legal jeopardy to ask where hard football ends and assault begins.

Date: 17 December 2004
Person: Niels Kokmeijer
Person: Rachid Bouaouzan
Location: Sparta Rotterdam v Go Ahead Eagles match, Netherlands
Charge: Battery

- Kokmeijer's leg was broken in a 17-second contact that he called a deliberate attack.
- The KNVB issued a ten-match ban while Sparta initially suspended Bouaouzan for the season.
- Sparta reinstated Bouaouzan for the promotion play-offs, where he scored the winning goal that secured Eredivisie promotion.
- Dutch prosecutors treated the incident as criminal, pursuing a battery case that took nearly four years to resolve.
- Bouaouzan continued to play, score, and sign contracts even as the legal process unfolded.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1174falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-105-million-euros-that-crushed-paul-pogba--74909277
The 105 Million Euros That Crushed Paul Pogba

This episode explores the career of Paul Pogba, from his early days in French football academies to his record-breaking transfer and subsequent struggles. It delves into the pressures and expectations that shaped his journey.

Person: Paul Pogba
Date: August 8, 2016
Location: Manchester United, Juventus
Fee: 105 million euros
Event: Football transfer

- Paul Pogba was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, France, to Guinean immigrant parents, with his older twin brothers representing Guinea internationally.
- He began playing organized football at six years old, quickly showing exceptional physicality and technical skill.
- At 16, Pogba's move from Le Havre to Manchester United's academy sparked allegations of improper inducements, though FIFA cleared United.
- Sir Alex Ferguson publicly stated Pogba showed "no respect" when he left Manchester United for free in 2012.
- Juventus signed Pogba for free in 2012, giving the 19-year-old the iconic number 10 shirt previously worn by legends like Del Piero and Platini.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909277Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:14 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA record-breaking football transfer of 105 million euros should have been a triumph for Paul Pogba, but instead, it became an unbearable burden. The 105 Million Euros That Crushed Paul Pogba This episode explores the career of Paul Pogba, from...
The 105 Million Euros That Crushed Paul Pogba

This episode explores the career of Paul Pogba, from his early days in French football academies to his record-breaking transfer and subsequent struggles. It delves into the pressures and expectations that shaped his journey.

Person: Paul Pogba
Date: August 8, 2016
Location: Manchester United, Juventus
Fee: 105 million euros
Event: Football transfer

- Paul Pogba was born in Lagny-sur-Marne, France, to Guinean immigrant parents, with his older twin brothers representing Guinea internationally.
- He began playing organized football at six years old, quickly showing exceptional physicality and technical skill.
- At 16, Pogba's move from Le Havre to Manchester United's academy sparked allegations of improper inducements, though FIFA cleared United.
- Sir Alex Ferguson publicly stated Pogba showed "no respect" when he left Manchester United for free in 2012.
- Juventus signed Pogba for free in 2012, giving the 19-year-old the iconic number 10 shirt previously worn by legends like Del Piero and Platini.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>840falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dna-swab-that-forced-a-ten-year-old-to-prove-his-mother--74909276
The DNA swab that forced a ten‑year‑old to prove his mother

In this episode, we follow how a boy from Bujumbura arrived alone in England, underwent a DNA test to reunite with his mother, and rose through youth academies into the Premier League. Along the way the story traces the moments and decisions that shaped his career and public image, asking how those early experiences affected everything that came next.

Person: Saido Berahino
Location: Bujumbura; Newtown, Birmingham
Date: born 1993; arrived in England at age ten; hat‑trick August 2013; Old Trafford winner 28 September 2013
Event: DNA test to confirm maternal relationship; placed in care home pending identity checks

- Arrived in England at age ten speaking only French and was placed in a care home while officials established his identity.
- Immigration officials administered a DNA test to confirm his mother Liliane before reuniting them.
- Spotted playing for Phoenix United, joined West Bromwich Albion Centre of Excellence at age eleven.
- Scored a hat‑trick in his first senior start (League Cup, August 2013) and the winning goal at Old Trafford six weeks later.
- Scored four goals in an FA Cup match on 3 January 2015 and notably did not celebrate any of them.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909276Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:10 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA ten‑year‑old refugee in Birmingham must take a DNA swab to prove his mother - then becomes a Premier League striker under intense scrutiny. The DNA swab that forced a ten‑year‑old to prove his mother In this episode, we follow how a boy from...
The DNA swab that forced a ten‑year‑old to prove his mother

In this episode, we follow how a boy from Bujumbura arrived alone in England, underwent a DNA test to reunite with his mother, and rose through youth academies into the Premier League. Along the way the story traces the moments and decisions that shaped his career and public image, asking how those early experiences affected everything that came next.

Person: Saido Berahino
Location: Bujumbura; Newtown, Birmingham
Date: born 1993; arrived in England at age ten; hat‑trick August 2013; Old Trafford winner 28 September 2013
Event: DNA test to confirm maternal relationship; placed in care home pending identity checks

- Arrived in England at age ten speaking only French and was placed in a care home while officials established his identity.
- Immigration officials administered a DNA test to confirm his mother Liliane before reuniting them.
- Spotted playing for Phoenix United, joined West Bromwich Albion Centre of Excellence at age eleven.
- Scored a hat‑trick in his first senior start (League Cup, August 2013) and the winning goal at Old Trafford six weeks later.
- Scored four goals in an FA Cup match on 3 January 2015 and notably did not celebrate any of them.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1012falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-false-bottom-suitcase-smuggled-his-first-heroin-shipment--74909275
The false-bottom suitcase smuggled his first heroin shipment

In this episode, we follow the documented record of a man who moved between sport, policing and organised crime over decades. The story traces his Olympic success, police career, overseas arrests and the networks, banks and couriers that enabled repeated drug importations - how did those links unfold?

Person: Murray Stewart Riley
Date: 2 December 1956
Location: Brisbane Airport
Event: first heroin consignment personally transported into Australia
Organization: Nugan Hand bank

- Won an Olympic bronze medal in rowing with Merv Wood in 1956 and later served in the New South Wales Police Force.
- Built close ties with detectives Ray Kelly and Fred Krahe and with underworld figures including Ray Smith and Lennie McPherson.
- Resigned after disciplinary charges in 1962, was arrested in New Zealand in 1966 for attempting to bribe an officer, served twelve months and was deported.
- Traveled regularly to San Francisco in the 1970s with Bela Csidei, photographed with Sal Amarena and linked via Teamsters contact Michael Rudy Tham.
- Had standing access to accounts at Nugan Hand through introductions involving Michael Hand, George Countis and lawyer Harry Wainwright.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909275Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:07 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA retired Olympic rower with a false‑bottom suitcase at Brisbane Airport hid his first heroin consignment - how did that expose him? The false-bottom suitcase smuggled his first heroin shipment In this episode, we follow the documented record of...
The false-bottom suitcase smuggled his first heroin shipment

In this episode, we follow the documented record of a man who moved between sport, policing and organised crime over decades. The story traces his Olympic success, police career, overseas arrests and the networks, banks and couriers that enabled repeated drug importations - how did those links unfold?

Person: Murray Stewart Riley
Date: 2 December 1956
Location: Brisbane Airport
Event: first heroin consignment personally transported into Australia
Organization: Nugan Hand bank

- Won an Olympic bronze medal in rowing with Merv Wood in 1956 and later served in the New South Wales Police Force.
- Built close ties with detectives Ray Kelly and Fred Krahe and with underworld figures including Ray Smith and Lennie McPherson.
- Resigned after disciplinary charges in 1962, was arrested in New Zealand in 1966 for attempting to bribe an officer, served twelve months and was deported.
- Traveled regularly to San Francisco in the 1970s with Bela Csidei, photographed with Sal Amarena and linked via Teamsters contact Michael Rudy Tham.
- Had standing access to accounts at Nugan Hand through introductions involving Michael Hand, George Countis and lawyer Harry Wainwright.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1153falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-phone-receiver-he-ripped-from-the-wall-that-started-the-spiral--74909273
The phone receiver he ripped from the wall that started the spiral

This episode explores the trajectory of Alonzo Spellman, a celebrated NFL defensive end, from his remarkable high school athletic career to a disturbing incident on a commercial flight. What led a man at the peak of physical capability to such a moment?

Person: Alonzo Spellman
Date: Summer 2002
Location: Cincinnati-to-Philadelphia flight
Event: Passenger claims plane is going down
Status: Unraveling in seat thirty-something

- Alonzo Spellman was a six-foot-four, two-hundred-and-fifty-pound linebacker from Mount Holly, New Jersey.
- He earned twelve million dollars terrorizing NFL quarterbacks in Chicago.
- In high school, he scored seventeen points and an improbable twenty-two rebounds per game in basketball, alongside his football achievements.
- Spellman was suspended during the Liberty Bowl in his sophomore year at Ohio State for sending someone else to take an examination.
- In March 1998, he ripped a telephone receiver from a doctor's office wall and threatened to kill himself, leading to Mike Singletary's intervention.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909273Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:50:02 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA 300-pound former NFL player tells passengers the plane is going down, gripping an armrest-what happens next? The phone receiver he ripped from the wall that started the spiral This episode explores the trajectory of Alonzo Spellman, a...
The phone receiver he ripped from the wall that started the spiral

This episode explores the trajectory of Alonzo Spellman, a celebrated NFL defensive end, from his remarkable high school athletic career to a disturbing incident on a commercial flight. What led a man at the peak of physical capability to such a moment?

Person: Alonzo Spellman
Date: Summer 2002
Location: Cincinnati-to-Philadelphia flight
Event: Passenger claims plane is going down
Status: Unraveling in seat thirty-something

- Alonzo Spellman was a six-foot-four, two-hundred-and-fifty-pound linebacker from Mount Holly, New Jersey.
- He earned twelve million dollars terrorizing NFL quarterbacks in Chicago.
- In high school, he scored seventeen points and an improbable twenty-two rebounds per game in basketball, alongside his football achievements.
- Spellman was suspended during the Liberty Bowl in his sophomore year at Ohio State for sending someone else to take an examination.
- In March 1998, he ripped a telephone receiver from a doctor's office wall and threatened to kill himself, leading to Mike Singletary's intervention.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>889falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-19-blood-alcohol-reading-that-produced-ninety-days-and-kept-his-career--74909272
The .19 blood-alcohol reading that produced ninety days and kept his career

In this episode, we present the events and decisions surrounding the night Leonard Little registered a 0.19 blood-alcohol level and killed Susan Gutweiler, the criminal case that followed, and the professional consequences that followed for Little. What does a single number mean when courts, leagues, and communities must decide punishment and redemption?

Person: Leonard Little
Person: Susan Gutweiler
Date: October 19, 1998
Location: St. Louis intersection
Status: Pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to ninety days, four years probation, 1,000 hours community service

- Little recorded a 0.19 blood-alcohol level the night he drove through an intersection and Susan Gutweiler was killed.
- The crash occurred on Little’s 24th birthday while Gutweiler, 47, was driving to pick up her son from a concert.
- Little pleaded guilty and received ninety days in a city workhouse, an eight-game NFL suspension, and then returned midseason in 1999.
- Over the next twelve seasons he added 20 pounds, switched from linebacker to defensive end, earned Pro Bowl honors, and set franchise records.
- The court file centers on the number 0.19 and the sentence of ninety days, a juxtaposition that the record repeatedly returns to without resolving its implications.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909272Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:57 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA blood-alcohol reading of 0.19 on his 24th birthday left a woman dead; the NFL star served ninety days - how did 0.19 produce that outcome? The .19 blood-alcohol reading that produced ninety days and kept his career In this episode, we present...
The .19 blood-alcohol reading that produced ninety days and kept his career

In this episode, we present the events and decisions surrounding the night Leonard Little registered a 0.19 blood-alcohol level and killed Susan Gutweiler, the criminal case that followed, and the professional consequences that followed for Little. What does a single number mean when courts, leagues, and communities must decide punishment and redemption?

Person: Leonard Little
Person: Susan Gutweiler
Date: October 19, 1998
Location: St. Louis intersection
Status: Pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter; sentenced to ninety days, four years probation, 1,000 hours community service

- Little recorded a 0.19 blood-alcohol level the night he drove through an intersection and Susan Gutweiler was killed.
- The crash occurred on Little’s 24th birthday while Gutweiler, 47, was driving to pick up her son from a concert.
- Little pleaded guilty and received ninety days in a city workhouse, an eight-game NFL suspension, and then returned midseason in 1999.
- Over the next twelve seasons he added 20 pounds, switched from linebacker to defensive end, earned Pro Bowl honors, and set franchise records.
- The court file centers on the number 0.19 and the sentence of ninety days, a juxtaposition that the record repeatedly returns to without resolving its implications.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>713falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-robbery-that-pulled-a-mother-into-a-bullet-s-path--74909271
The Robbery That Pulled a Mother Into a Bullet's Path

In this episode, we trace the months between an April robbery and an August shooting, following Javaris Crittenton’s fall from rising NBA prospect to a life altered by guns, teams and legal consequences. How did those events lead a twenty-two-year-old mother, Jullian Jones, to be caught in the crossfire?

Person: Javaris Crittenton Crittenton
Person: Jullian Jones
Date: April 2011 robbery; August 19, 2011 shooting
Location: southwest Atlanta
Event: 2009 locker-room firearms incident involving Gilbert Arenas

- Crittenton rose from Southwest Atlanta, starred at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy alongside Dwight Howard, and was a McDonald’s All-American.
- Drafted 19th by the Los Angeles Lakers in June 2007, he hit a summer-league game-winner on July 8, 2007 and scored a Memphis career-high 23 points on April 2, 2008.
- After a 2009 locker-room confrontation over firearms with teammate Gilbert Arenas, Crittenton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor gun possession and was suspended by the NBA in January 2010.
- In April 2011 Crittenton was robbed; police identified the suspected robber as Trontavious Stephens of the R.O.C. Crew, four months before the August 19 shooting.
- Jullian Jones, age 22 and mother of four, was documented by Atlanta Police as not the intended target when she walked into the situation on August 19, 2011.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909271Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:54 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTAn ex-NBA player follows a robbery to southwest Atlanta and a mother of four walks into the wrong place at the wrong time - how did that expose them? The Robbery That Pulled a Mother Into a Bullet's Path In this episode, we trace the months...
The Robbery That Pulled a Mother Into a Bullet's Path

In this episode, we trace the months between an April robbery and an August shooting, following Javaris Crittenton’s fall from rising NBA prospect to a life altered by guns, teams and legal consequences. How did those events lead a twenty-two-year-old mother, Jullian Jones, to be caught in the crossfire?

Person: Javaris Crittenton Crittenton
Person: Jullian Jones
Date: April 2011 robbery; August 19, 2011 shooting
Location: southwest Atlanta
Event: 2009 locker-room firearms incident involving Gilbert Arenas

- Crittenton rose from Southwest Atlanta, starred at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy alongside Dwight Howard, and was a McDonald’s All-American.
- Drafted 19th by the Los Angeles Lakers in June 2007, he hit a summer-league game-winner on July 8, 2007 and scored a Memphis career-high 23 points on April 2, 2008.
- After a 2009 locker-room confrontation over firearms with teammate Gilbert Arenas, Crittenton pleaded guilty to misdemeanor gun possession and was suspended by the NBA in January 2010.
- In April 2011 Crittenton was robbed; police identified the suspected robber as Trontavious Stephens of the R.O.C. Crew, four months before the August 19 shooting.
- Jullian Jones, age 22 and mother of four, was documented by Atlanta Police as not the intended target when she walked into the situation on August 19, 2011.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1166falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-phone-s-contents-exposed-a-hidden-reality--74909268
The phone's contents exposed a hidden reality

In this episode, we trace a season of dominance against the background of an evidence file and the phone inside it. The episode follows the timeline from minor-league prospect to All-Star closer and asks how one device bridged two irreconcilable realities.

Date: September 17, 2019
Person: Felipe Javier Rivero Blanco
Location: western Pennsylvania
Event: arrest and evidence phone
Statistic: 1.65 ERA, 28 saves at time of arrest

- Signed by the Tampa Bay Rays at age 17 on July 30, 2008, after being born July 5, 1991 in Venezuela.
- Spent five full seasons in the Rays' minor league system before debuting in MLB on April 17, 2015 with the Nationals.
- Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30, 2016 and converted to co-closer on June 9, 2017 as his fastball jumped to 102.6 mph.
- In 2017 he posted a 0.58 ERA in 31 games, a season that coincided with an admitted sexual encounter with a 13-year-old girl in Lee County.
- Legally changed his surname to Vázquez in 2018, was a two-time All-Star (2018 and 2019), and had a four-year contract with two club options at the time the phone entered evidence.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909268Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:51 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA locked phone in a western Pennsylvania evidence file held a player's stats and a confession, forcing the question: how did that phone expose him? The phone's contents exposed a hidden reality In this episode, we trace a season of dominance...
The phone's contents exposed a hidden reality

In this episode, we trace a season of dominance against the background of an evidence file and the phone inside it. The episode follows the timeline from minor-league prospect to All-Star closer and asks how one device bridged two irreconcilable realities.

Date: September 17, 2019
Person: Felipe Javier Rivero Blanco
Location: western Pennsylvania
Event: arrest and evidence phone
Statistic: 1.65 ERA, 28 saves at time of arrest

- Signed by the Tampa Bay Rays at age 17 on July 30, 2008, after being born July 5, 1991 in Venezuela.
- Spent five full seasons in the Rays' minor league system before debuting in MLB on April 17, 2015 with the Nationals.
- Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30, 2016 and converted to co-closer on June 9, 2017 as his fastball jumped to 102.6 mph.
- In 2017 he posted a 0.58 ERA in 31 games, a season that coincided with an admitted sexual encounter with a 13-year-old girl in Lee County.
- Legally changed his surname to Vázquez in 2018, was a two-time All-Star (2018 and 2019), and had a four-year contract with two club options at the time the phone entered evidence.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>902falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/twenty-three-files-disappeared-protecting-guilty-athletes--74909267
Twenty-three files disappeared, protecting guilty athletes

In this episode, we track how files, payments and decisions inside world athletics let positive tests vanish while competitions carried on. The narrative follows Lamine Diack’s rise from champion long jumper to the pinnacle of the sport and the institutional choices that left twenty-three confirmed tests unpunished - what made that possible?

Person: Lamine Diack
Event: Full Protection scheme
Amount: €3.2 million
Number: 23 files of disappeared positive tests
Office: IAAF President (elected 8 November 1999; re-elected, final term secured 16 October 2011)

- Diack’s early life and long jump career, including French and West African records and the 1958 French Championship.
- Political and administrative roles in Senegal from 1970s to 1993 that built his operational power in sport.
- Receipt of payments in 1993 from International Sport and Leisure, later deemed a conflict by the IOC ethics committee.
- The IOC ethics warning filed in 2011 while, according to WADA and French prosecutors, the larger extortion scheme was already active.
- How twenty-three confirmed positive test files were processed and then set aside so those athletes could continue competing, including at the 2012 London Olympics.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909267Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:45 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA senior athletics boss sold "Full Protection" to hide 23 positive doping tests. How did that expose them? Twenty-three files disappeared, protecting guilty athletes In this episode, we track how files, payments and decisions inside world...
Twenty-three files disappeared, protecting guilty athletes

In this episode, we track how files, payments and decisions inside world athletics let positive tests vanish while competitions carried on. The narrative follows Lamine Diack’s rise from champion long jumper to the pinnacle of the sport and the institutional choices that left twenty-three confirmed tests unpunished - what made that possible?

Person: Lamine Diack
Event: Full Protection scheme
Amount: €3.2 million
Number: 23 files of disappeared positive tests
Office: IAAF President (elected 8 November 1999; re-elected, final term secured 16 October 2011)

- Diack’s early life and long jump career, including French and West African records and the 1958 French Championship.
- Political and administrative roles in Senegal from 1970s to 1993 that built his operational power in sport.
- Receipt of payments in 1993 from International Sport and Leisure, later deemed a conflict by the IOC ethics committee.
- The IOC ethics warning filed in 2011 while, according to WADA and French prosecutors, the larger extortion scheme was already active.
- How twenty-three confirmed positive test files were processed and then set aside so those athletes could continue competing, including at the 2012 London Olympics.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>968falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-removed-rib-that-saved-a-career--74909265
The Removed Rib That Saved a Career

In this episode, we follow a single player's path from an eight-year-old in the stands to a professional on the pitch, tracing the interruptions that repeatedly threatened his progress. What choices, injuries and roster moves kept altering his chance to stick in MLS?

Person: Josh Williams
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Date: September 16, 2010; June 2011; March 24, 2012; August 29, 2012; March 16, 2014; December 2014
Event: Positive doping test, torn labrum, rib removal surgery, MLS debut, first professional goal, trade to New York City FC
Club: Columbus Crew

- Watched Columbus Crew’s first home match in 1996 as an eight-year-old fan who later signed for the same club in 2010.
- Went undrafted in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft after a four-year college career and continued playing in USL PDL with Cleveland Internationals.
- Suspended in June 2011 for methandienone metabolites for ten games and ten percent salary withheld while also missing the season with a torn labrum.
- Returned to make his MLS league debut on March 24, 2012, earned starts by August, and scored his first professional goal on August 29, 2012 before receiving a red card in the same match.
- Suffered a groin injury and then a blood clot in 2014, underwent surgery removing a rib on March 16, 2014, missed the rest of the regular season, and was traded in December 2014.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909265Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:42 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA childhood fan becomes a pro defender after a rib is removed and a positive steroid test - how did those setbacks reshape his MLS career? The Removed Rib That Saved a Career In this episode, we follow a single player's path from an...
The Removed Rib That Saved a Career

In this episode, we follow a single player's path from an eight-year-old in the stands to a professional on the pitch, tracing the interruptions that repeatedly threatened his progress. What choices, injuries and roster moves kept altering his chance to stick in MLS?

Person: Josh Williams
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Date: September 16, 2010; June 2011; March 24, 2012; August 29, 2012; March 16, 2014; December 2014
Event: Positive doping test, torn labrum, rib removal surgery, MLS debut, first professional goal, trade to New York City FC
Club: Columbus Crew

- Watched Columbus Crew’s first home match in 1996 as an eight-year-old fan who later signed for the same club in 2010.
- Went undrafted in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft after a four-year college career and continued playing in USL PDL with Cleveland Internationals.
- Suspended in June 2011 for methandienone metabolites for ten games and ten percent salary withheld while also missing the season with a torn labrum.
- Returned to make his MLS league debut on March 24, 2012, earned starts by August, and scored his first professional goal on August 29, 2012 before receiving a red card in the same match.
- Suffered a groin injury and then a blood clot in 2014, underwent surgery removing a rib on March 16, 2014, missed the rest of the regular season, and was traded in December 2014.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-flying-boot-earned-a-red-card-and-changed-a-game--74909264
A Flying Boot Earned a Red Card and Changed a Game

In this episode, we follow the arc of Claudio Caniggia’s career from provincial sprinter to World Cup lightning bolt, tracing the incidents and decisions that interrupted his peaks and propelled his legend. Why did moments of brilliance so often collide with rules, tests, and personalities that sidelined him?

Person: Claudio Paul Caniggia
Date: 9 January 1967 (birth)
Location: Milan (Cameroon match), Turin (Brazil match), Naples (semi-final)
Team: Argentina, River Plate, Atalanta, Hellas Verona
Event: 1990 FIFA World Cup - match incidents and goal vs Brazil

- Benjamin Massing fouled Caniggia three times in Milan until his boot flew off and the referee gave a straight red card.
- Caniggia rose after the assaults, returned to his position, and continued playing with little visible celebration.
- A four-second sequence in Turin: Maradona’s pass, Caniggia’s sprint, rounding goalkeeper Taffarel, and scoring to eliminate Brazil.
- Caniggia’s speed traced back to provincial 100m sprinting and earned him the nickname El Hijo del Viento.
- His club career included River Plate debut, a Primera División title in 1986, and standout seasons at Atalanta with 85 league games and 26 goals.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909264Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:38 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA boot flew onto the pitch in Milan after a defender assaulted an Argentine striker - how did that World Cup moment expose Claudio Caniggia? A Flying Boot Earned a Red Card and Changed a Game In this episode, we follow the arc of Claudio...
A Flying Boot Earned a Red Card and Changed a Game

In this episode, we follow the arc of Claudio Caniggia’s career from provincial sprinter to World Cup lightning bolt, tracing the incidents and decisions that interrupted his peaks and propelled his legend. Why did moments of brilliance so often collide with rules, tests, and personalities that sidelined him?

Person: Claudio Paul Caniggia
Date: 9 January 1967 (birth)
Location: Milan (Cameroon match), Turin (Brazil match), Naples (semi-final)
Team: Argentina, River Plate, Atalanta, Hellas Verona
Event: 1990 FIFA World Cup - match incidents and goal vs Brazil

- Benjamin Massing fouled Caniggia three times in Milan until his boot flew off and the referee gave a straight red card.
- Caniggia rose after the assaults, returned to his position, and continued playing with little visible celebration.
- A four-second sequence in Turin: Maradona’s pass, Caniggia’s sprint, rounding goalkeeper Taffarel, and scoring to eliminate Brazil.
- Caniggia’s speed traced back to provincial 100m sprinting and earned him the nickname El Hijo del Viento.
- His club career included River Plate debut, a Primera División title in 1986, and standout seasons at Atalanta with 85 league games and 26 goals.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1209falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-second-acl-tear-that-ended-his-comeback-and-emptied-his-roster-spot--74909263
The second ACL tear that ended his comeback and emptied his roster spot

In this episode, we follow Deuce McAllister’s rise from Ole Miss standout to the New Orleans Saints’ all-time rushing leader, the timing of two ACL injuries, and the off-field troubles that shadowed his final years. How did a franchise icon who brought the city a long-awaited playoff win end up without a team?

Person: Dulymus Jenod McAllister
Date: Born December 27, 1978; torn ACLs October 10, 2005 and September 24, 2007
Team: New Orleans Saints
College: University of Mississippi
Event: NFC Divisional playoff, January 16, 2007

- First-round pick (2001, 23rd overall) who became the Saints’ all-time rushing leader with 5,586 yards and 44 rushing TDs
- Posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and a 2003 campaign with 2,157 scrimmage yards and nine straight 100-yard games
- Tore his right ACL on October 10, 2005 amid the displacement and chaos of Hurricane Katrina
- Returned to headline the Saints’ first playoff victory on January 16, 2007, rushing for 143 yards and a touchdown
- Suffered a second ACL tear (left knee) on September 24, 2007, leading to another injured reserve stint and mounting off-field complications

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909263Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:33 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Saints legend returns to lead a city but a second ACL tear, legal trouble, and a dissolved dealership leave his career and life in limbo. The second ACL tear that ended his comeback and emptied his roster spot In this episode, we follow Deuce...
The second ACL tear that ended his comeback and emptied his roster spot

In this episode, we follow Deuce McAllister’s rise from Ole Miss standout to the New Orleans Saints’ all-time rushing leader, the timing of two ACL injuries, and the off-field troubles that shadowed his final years. How did a franchise icon who brought the city a long-awaited playoff win end up without a team?

Person: Dulymus Jenod McAllister
Date: Born December 27, 1978; torn ACLs October 10, 2005 and September 24, 2007
Team: New Orleans Saints
College: University of Mississippi
Event: NFC Divisional playoff, January 16, 2007

- First-round pick (2001, 23rd overall) who became the Saints’ all-time rushing leader with 5,586 yards and 44 rushing TDs
- Posted three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and a 2003 campaign with 2,157 scrimmage yards and nine straight 100-yard games
- Tore his right ACL on October 10, 2005 amid the displacement and chaos of Hurricane Katrina
- Returned to headline the Saints’ first playoff victory on January 16, 2007, rushing for 143 yards and a touchdown
- Suffered a second ACL tear (left knee) on September 24, 2007, leading to another injured reserve stint and mounting off-field complications

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>922falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/three-forfeits-the-unlikely-constant-in-baseball-s-chaos--74909262
Three Forfeits: The Unlikely Constant in Baseball's Chaos

In this episode, we follow Rusty Torres through three distinct games that ended in forfeit and the moments that surrounded them. It traces his rise from minor leagues to the majors, the crowd incidents that stopped games, and raises the question of what connects these improbable events.

Person: Rusty Torres
Event: Three forfeited major-league games
Date: September 30, 1971; June 4, 1974; (third forfeit year not specified in transcript)
Location: RFK Stadium (Washington D.C.), Cleveland (stadium unspecified), (third ballpark unspecified)

- Drafted in the 54th round of the 1966 draft and spent five years moving through minor-league towns before debuting in 1971.
- September 30, 1971: on his 23rd birthday at RFK Stadium, fans stormed the field, pulled bases and caused a forfeit while he stood in the on-deck circle.
- June 4, 1974: as a Cleveland Indian, Torres was the potential winning run when a drunken crowd, fueled by 10-cent beer, invaded the field and disrupted the game.
- Torres played for the Yankees, was claimed by Cleveland, and appeared in three forfeits at different ballparks with different crowds over an eight-year span.
- Years later Torres faced unrelated legal charges in 2012 and was convicted in 2014, facts that complicate the arc of his public life.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909262Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:30 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTAn outfielder stands at the heart of three separate baseball forfeits across eight years - how did Rusty Torres keep turning up at the chaos? Three Forfeits: The Unlikely Constant in Baseball's Chaos In this episode, we follow Rusty Torres...
Three Forfeits: The Unlikely Constant in Baseball's Chaos

In this episode, we follow Rusty Torres through three distinct games that ended in forfeit and the moments that surrounded them. It traces his rise from minor leagues to the majors, the crowd incidents that stopped games, and raises the question of what connects these improbable events.

Person: Rusty Torres
Event: Three forfeited major-league games
Date: September 30, 1971; June 4, 1974; (third forfeit year not specified in transcript)
Location: RFK Stadium (Washington D.C.), Cleveland (stadium unspecified), (third ballpark unspecified)

- Drafted in the 54th round of the 1966 draft and spent five years moving through minor-league towns before debuting in 1971.
- September 30, 1971: on his 23rd birthday at RFK Stadium, fans stormed the field, pulled bases and caused a forfeit while he stood in the on-deck circle.
- June 4, 1974: as a Cleveland Indian, Torres was the potential winning run when a drunken crowd, fueled by 10-cent beer, invaded the field and disrupted the game.
- Torres played for the Yankees, was claimed by Cleveland, and appeared in three forfeits at different ballparks with different crowds over an eight-year span.
- Years later Torres faced unrelated legal charges in 2012 and was convicted in 2014, facts that complicate the arc of his public life.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1137falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/a-fumbled-lateral-that-earned-mercury-morris-a-thousand-yards--74909260
A fumbled lateral that earned Mercury Morris a thousand yards

In this episode, we trace the play-by-play and record-room decisions that converted a nine-yard fumble into a career-defining milestone for Mercury Morris and follow how that moment fit into a pattern of records gained and revised. We map his rise from Pittsburgh to West Texas State to the Dolphins and ask what the restored yards reveal about how achievements are recorded and remembered.

Person: Eugene Edward "Mercury" Morris
Date: 1972
Location: Miami Dolphins season, film-room review
Event: fumbled lateral re-scored and nine yards added
Topic: thousand-yard rushing milestone and record revisions

- Born January 5, 1947 in Pittsburgh, Morris built a hard-running style at Avonworth High School and West Texas State.
- In 1968 he set single-game, single-season, and career rushing records at West Texas State that were later broken.
- Drafted in the third round of the 1969 AFL-NFL Common Draft, he led the AFL in kick returns his rookie year with a 105-yard return.
- During the 1972 undefeated Dolphins season he officially had 991 rushing yards until a film-room review restored nine yards from a fumbled lateral.
- The added nine yards produced a 1,000-yard season on 190 carries, making Morris and Larry Csonka the first teammate pair to each surpass 1,000 yards that year.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909260Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:25 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA fumbled lateral is re-scored from the 1972 film room, giving Mercury Morris the thousand-yard season - how did nine yards expose him? A fumbled lateral that earned Mercury Morris a thousand yards In this episode, we trace the play-by-play and...
A fumbled lateral that earned Mercury Morris a thousand yards

In this episode, we trace the play-by-play and record-room decisions that converted a nine-yard fumble into a career-defining milestone for Mercury Morris and follow how that moment fit into a pattern of records gained and revised. We map his rise from Pittsburgh to West Texas State to the Dolphins and ask what the restored yards reveal about how achievements are recorded and remembered.

Person: Eugene Edward "Mercury" Morris
Date: 1972
Location: Miami Dolphins season, film-room review
Event: fumbled lateral re-scored and nine yards added
Topic: thousand-yard rushing milestone and record revisions

- Born January 5, 1947 in Pittsburgh, Morris built a hard-running style at Avonworth High School and West Texas State.
- In 1968 he set single-game, single-season, and career rushing records at West Texas State that were later broken.
- Drafted in the third round of the 1969 AFL-NFL Common Draft, he led the AFL in kick returns his rookie year with a 105-yard return.
- During the 1972 undefeated Dolphins season he officially had 991 rushing yards until a film-room review restored nine yards from a fumbled lateral.
- The added nine yards produced a 1,000-yard season on 190 carries, making Morris and Larry Csonka the first teammate pair to each surpass 1,000 yards that year.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>933falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/his-broken-hand-hid-a-bar-fight-and-won-a-batting-title--74909257
His Broken Hand Hid a Bar Fight and Won a Batting Title

In this episode, we follow the arc of a baseball star whose career moved between precision on the field and rule-bending off it. The episode traces his rise, the choices he made to conceal injury and behavior, and asks how those decisions shaped what happened next.

Person: Ferris Roy Fain
Date: Born March 29, 1921
Location: Georgetown, El Dorado County, California
Event: Broke his hand in a bar fight during the 1952 season
Topic: Concealed injury while pursuing an American League batting title

- Grew up in Oakland after his father, jockey Oscar Fain, died; raised by a mother who worked as a domestic maid.
- Paid under the table by Lefty O'Doul to play for the San Francisco Seals while still in high school.
- Missed three seasons for military service, then sold to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1946 for $6,500.
- In 1949 participated in 194 double plays as the Athletics set a major league record with 217; Joe Gordon called him the greatest fielding first baseman he had ever seen.
- In 1952, while contending for the batting title, he broke his hand in a bar fight and concealed the injury from trainers and manager Jimmie Dykes.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909257Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:22 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA former two-time American League batting champion hides a broken hand after a bar fight to keep chasing a batting title - how did that expose him? His Broken Hand Hid a Bar Fight and Won a Batting Title In this episode, we follow the arc of a...
His Broken Hand Hid a Bar Fight and Won a Batting Title

In this episode, we follow the arc of a baseball star whose career moved between precision on the field and rule-bending off it. The episode traces his rise, the choices he made to conceal injury and behavior, and asks how those decisions shaped what happened next.

Person: Ferris Roy Fain
Date: Born March 29, 1921
Location: Georgetown, El Dorado County, California
Event: Broke his hand in a bar fight during the 1952 season
Topic: Concealed injury while pursuing an American League batting title

- Grew up in Oakland after his father, jockey Oscar Fain, died; raised by a mother who worked as a domestic maid.
- Paid under the table by Lefty O'Doul to play for the San Francisco Seals while still in high school.
- Missed three seasons for military service, then sold to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1946 for $6,500.
- In 1949 participated in 194 double plays as the Athletics set a major league record with 217; Joe Gordon called him the greatest fielding first baseman he had ever seen.
- In 1952, while contending for the batting title, he broke his hand in a bar fight and concealed the injury from trainers and manager Jimmie Dykes.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1157falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sunglasses-that-hid-her-bruises-let-him-stay-a-hero--74909256
The sunglasses that hid her bruises let him stay a hero

In this episode, we trace a champion’s rise and the parallel pattern of violence that shadowed his career and private life. The episode looks at key moments, relationships, and decisions that kept warning signs in plain sight - and asks what made them so easy to miss.

Person: Carlos Monzón
Date: February 14, 1988
Location: Mar del Plata
Event: Relationship with Alicia Muñiz and the death that followed
Record: 80 fights unbeaten; 14 middleweight title defenses

- Born August 7, 1942 in San Javier, Argentina, Monzón grew up in poverty and left school in third grade to work.
- Amateur debut October 2, 1959; pro debut February 6, 1963; rose to Argentine and South American titles before world title fights.
- October 1970 in Rome: stopped Nino Benvenuti and became undisputed middleweight champion, then defended the title 14 times over seven years.
- Public life included high-profile relationships: marriage to Mercedes Beatriz García (shot him in the leg in 1973), a famous partnership with Susana Giménez noted for her reported use of sunglasses to cover bruises, and later marriage to Alicia Muñiz.
- Key incidents-poverty-driven wedding without a license, García’s shooting, Giménez’s departure in 1978, and the pattern of reported assaults-ran alongside his celebrated boxing achievements.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909256Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:18 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA celebrated Argentine boxer’s private violence erupts in Mar del Plata on Valentine’s Day; how did those warning signs expose him? The sunglasses that hid her bruises let him stay a hero In this episode, we trace a champion’s rise and the...
The sunglasses that hid her bruises let him stay a hero

In this episode, we trace a champion’s rise and the parallel pattern of violence that shadowed his career and private life. The episode looks at key moments, relationships, and decisions that kept warning signs in plain sight - and asks what made them so easy to miss.

Person: Carlos Monzón
Date: February 14, 1988
Location: Mar del Plata
Event: Relationship with Alicia Muñiz and the death that followed
Record: 80 fights unbeaten; 14 middleweight title defenses

- Born August 7, 1942 in San Javier, Argentina, Monzón grew up in poverty and left school in third grade to work.
- Amateur debut October 2, 1959; pro debut February 6, 1963; rose to Argentine and South American titles before world title fights.
- October 1970 in Rome: stopped Nino Benvenuti and became undisputed middleweight champion, then defended the title 14 times over seven years.
- Public life included high-profile relationships: marriage to Mercedes Beatriz García (shot him in the leg in 1973), a famous partnership with Susana Giménez noted for her reported use of sunglasses to cover bruises, and later marriage to Alicia Muñiz.
- Key incidents-poverty-driven wedding without a license, García’s shooting, Giménez’s departure in 1978, and the pattern of reported assaults-ran alongside his celebrated boxing achievements.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1293falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-ferrari-clocked-at-120-mph-grounded-a-career--74909255
The Ferrari clocked at 120 MPH grounded a career

In this episode, we follow the timeline and turning points in the life of Esteban Loaiza, from his rise to All-Star prominence to the incidents and decisions that punctuated his decline. The episode maps dates, teams, injuries, and moments that created the road between fame and trouble, asking what connected them.

Person: Esteban Loaiza Loaiza Veyna
Date: February 9, 2018; June 14, 2006; April 29, 1995; 2003 season
Location: San Diego County, Imperial Beach, San Diego, Oakland
Event: Traffic stop at 120 MPH; 44 pounds of cocaine found; 2003 AL strikeout leader; All-Star Game starter

- Born December 31, 1971, in Imperial Beach, California, Loaiza was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 21, 1991.
- Made his major league debut April 29, 1995, pitching five innings with one earned run and earning the win.
- In 2003, signed by the Chicago White Sox after a minor-league deal, he won 21 games, recorded a 2.90 ERA and led the American League with 207 strikeouts.
- After trades to the Yankees and then the Athletics, velocity dropped from mid-90s to low-80s, injuries followed, and he was placed on the disabled list May 2, 2006.
- On June 14, 2006, a Ferrari he was driving was clocked at 120 MPH near San Diego; the driver failed a field sobriety test and a court date was set for July 14, 2006.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909255Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:14 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA former All-Star pitcher is stopped at 120 MPH in a Ferrari on a California road - how did that traffic stop expose him? The Ferrari clocked at 120 MPH grounded a career In this episode, we follow the timeline and turning points in the life of...
The Ferrari clocked at 120 MPH grounded a career

In this episode, we follow the timeline and turning points in the life of Esteban Loaiza, from his rise to All-Star prominence to the incidents and decisions that punctuated his decline. The episode maps dates, teams, injuries, and moments that created the road between fame and trouble, asking what connected them.

Person: Esteban Loaiza Loaiza Veyna
Date: February 9, 2018; June 14, 2006; April 29, 1995; 2003 season
Location: San Diego County, Imperial Beach, San Diego, Oakland
Event: Traffic stop at 120 MPH; 44 pounds of cocaine found; 2003 AL strikeout leader; All-Star Game starter

- Born December 31, 1971, in Imperial Beach, California, Loaiza was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 21, 1991.
- Made his major league debut April 29, 1995, pitching five innings with one earned run and earning the win.
- In 2003, signed by the Chicago White Sox after a minor-league deal, he won 21 games, recorded a 2.90 ERA and led the American League with 207 strikeouts.
- After trades to the Yankees and then the Athletics, velocity dropped from mid-90s to low-80s, injuries followed, and he was placed on the disabled list May 2, 2006.
- On June 14, 2006, a Ferrari he was driving was clocked at 120 MPH near San Diego; the driver failed a field sobriety test and a court date was set for July 14, 2006.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1156falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-plastic-cup-that-tore-up-a-contract--74909254
The Plastic Cup That Tore Up a Contract

In this episode, we follow the day a young footballer from Llanrumney signed a contract and, within hours, saw his future destabilized by a lab result. We trace the patterns and supports around him and ask how a career so carefully managed could still fray.

Person: Leon Charles Jeanne
Date: 17 November 1980 (birth); May 2002 (contract and test)
Location: Llanrumney, Cardiff; Cardiff City
Event: Contract signed and anti-doping sample tested the same day
Status: Two-year suspended ban and literacy program required

- Scouted at age ten and moved into professional youth football, debuting for QPR at eighteen.
- Functionally illiterate into his early adulthood and placed into a club-mandated literacy program.
- Repeated off-field issues including a drink-driving arrest and disappearing from a Wales under-21 assembly.
- Cardiff set up close supervision: a sponsored house, a manager’s breathalyzer, and driven to AA meetings.
- Signed a new contract in May 2002 and the routine anti-doping sample returned an unexpected single finding.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909254Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:09 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Cardiff City contract and a tested plastic cup - a lab finding unravels a twenty-one-year-old’s fresh start in football. How did that cup expose him? The Plastic Cup That Tore Up a Contract In this episode, we follow the day a young footballer...
The Plastic Cup That Tore Up a Contract

In this episode, we follow the day a young footballer from Llanrumney signed a contract and, within hours, saw his future destabilized by a lab result. We trace the patterns and supports around him and ask how a career so carefully managed could still fray.

Person: Leon Charles Jeanne
Date: 17 November 1980 (birth); May 2002 (contract and test)
Location: Llanrumney, Cardiff; Cardiff City
Event: Contract signed and anti-doping sample tested the same day
Status: Two-year suspended ban and literacy program required

- Scouted at age ten and moved into professional youth football, debuting for QPR at eighteen.
- Functionally illiterate into his early adulthood and placed into a club-mandated literacy program.
- Repeated off-field issues including a drink-driving arrest and disappearing from a Wales under-21 assembly.
- Cardiff set up close supervision: a sponsored house, a manager’s breathalyzer, and driven to AA meetings.
- Signed a new contract in May 2002 and the routine anti-doping sample returned an unexpected single finding.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>806falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-piledriver-that-broke-a-champion--74909253
The Piledriver That Broke a Champion

This episode explores the improbable journey of Robert Sapp, a man who went from lifting coffins to captivating 54 million Japanese viewers. It delves into how a system built around spectacle propelled him to unprecedented fame, and what the true cost of that fame would be.

Person: Robert Sapp Sapp
Date: December 31, 2003
Location: Japan
Event: Combat sports television broadcast
Audience: 54 million people

- Robert Sapp, a 340-pound former NFL offensive lineman, arrived in Japan in 2002 with no formal martial arts training.
- Less than two years before becoming a national sensation, Sapp was working in a funeral home moving caskets.
- His first Pride FC bout resulted in a TKO victory, and his K-1 debut, though a disqualification, immediately captivated Japanese audiences.
- The scheduling of his fights and media commitments left no time for proper training, prioritizing spectacle over skill development.
- On the final night of 2003, 43% of the entire Japanese national television audience watched Sapp fight, surpassing the NHK Kōhaku broadcast.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909253Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:05 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA former NFL player with no martial arts training becomes a Japanese combat sports sensation, but his meteoric rise hides a dangerous secret. The Piledriver That Broke a Champion This episode explores the improbable journey of Robert Sapp, a man...
The Piledriver That Broke a Champion

This episode explores the improbable journey of Robert Sapp, a man who went from lifting coffins to captivating 54 million Japanese viewers. It delves into how a system built around spectacle propelled him to unprecedented fame, and what the true cost of that fame would be.

Person: Robert Sapp Sapp
Date: December 31, 2003
Location: Japan
Event: Combat sports television broadcast
Audience: 54 million people

- Robert Sapp, a 340-pound former NFL offensive lineman, arrived in Japan in 2002 with no formal martial arts training.
- Less than two years before becoming a national sensation, Sapp was working in a funeral home moving caskets.
- His first Pride FC bout resulted in a TKO victory, and his K-1 debut, though a disqualification, immediately captivated Japanese audiences.
- The scheduling of his fights and media commitments left no time for proper training, prioritizing spectacle over skill development.
- On the final night of 2003, 43% of the entire Japanese national television audience watched Sapp fight, surpassing the NHK Kōhaku broadcast.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1138falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-suzuki-motorcycle-that-cost-him-two-seasons-and-millions--74909250
The Suzuki motorcycle that cost him two seasons and millions

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that interrupted a highly anticipated NFL career and trace decisions, injuries, and recoveries that defined the middle years of a high draft pick. What choices and moments set the course for the seasons he lost and the money he never earned?

Person: Kellen Boswell Boswell II
Date: May 1, 2005
Location: Westlake, Ohio
Event: Suzuki GSX-R750 motorcycle crash
Draft: 2004 NFL Draft, sixth overall

- Drafted sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft after starring at the University of Miami and winning the John Mackey Award.
- Rookie season ended in two games with a broken right fibula and two operations that cost $5.3 million in incentives.
- On May 1, 2005, at age 21, he chose to ride a Suzuki GSX-R750 in Westlake and was thrown from the bike, tearing the ACL in his right knee.
- The motorcycle crash led to the entire 2005 season on the physically unable to perform list and a subsequent six-week staph infection after surgery.
- Despite surgeries and lost seasons, he returned in 2006 with 89 receptions and in 2007 with 82 receptions and 1,106 yards after microfracture surgery on January 31, 2007.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909250Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:49:01 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA star tight end's Suzuki crash in a Cleveland suburb derails his rookie years-how did that motorcycle choice reshape his career and fate? The Suzuki motorcycle that cost him two seasons and millions In this episode, we follow the sequence of...
The Suzuki motorcycle that cost him two seasons and millions

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that interrupted a highly anticipated NFL career and trace decisions, injuries, and recoveries that defined the middle years of a high draft pick. What choices and moments set the course for the seasons he lost and the money he never earned?

Person: Kellen Boswell Boswell II
Date: May 1, 2005
Location: Westlake, Ohio
Event: Suzuki GSX-R750 motorcycle crash
Draft: 2004 NFL Draft, sixth overall

- Drafted sixth overall in the 2004 NFL Draft after starring at the University of Miami and winning the John Mackey Award.
- Rookie season ended in two games with a broken right fibula and two operations that cost $5.3 million in incentives.
- On May 1, 2005, at age 21, he chose to ride a Suzuki GSX-R750 in Westlake and was thrown from the bike, tearing the ACL in his right knee.
- The motorcycle crash led to the entire 2005 season on the physically unable to perform list and a subsequent six-week staph infection after surgery.
- Despite surgeries and lost seasons, he returned in 2006 with 89 receptions and in 2007 with 82 receptions and 1,106 yards after microfracture surgery on January 31, 2007.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1191falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-four-screws-that-let-him-train-through-a-halo-cost-his-career--74909249
The Four Screws That Let Him Train Through a Halo Cost His Career

In this episode, we follow Vincenzo Pazienza from his early titles through the car crash that shattered his cervical spine and the decisions he made afterward. We track the choices around the halo brace, his training against medical orders, and the questions those choices raised about his comeback and reputation.

Person: Vincenzo Pazienza Pazienza
Date: November 12-13, 1991
Location: Warwick, Rhode Island; Providence, Rhode Island; Atlantic City
Injury: Two fractured cervical vertebrae and one dislocated vertebra
Device: Halo brace with four screws anchored into the skull

- He won IBF lightweight and WBA junior middleweight titles, becoming the second man in boxing history to hold those two belts.
- On November 12, 1991, Pazienza was a passenger in a head-on collision estimated at 40 mph that catastrophically damaged his neck.
- Doctors concluded he would likely never walk and certainly never box; they fitted a halo brace anchored by four screws to his skull.
- While the halo remained in place for three months, Pazienza trained in the brace, routing every movement around the fixed metal ring against medical advice.
- His post-crash life included a Hall of Fame induction, a Hollywood film, and a $926,000 lawsuit settlement, yet questions about his choices and comeback persisted.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909249Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:57 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA world champion in a halo brace trains with four screws in his skull after a career-ending prognosis - how did that expose him? The Four Screws That Let Him Train Through a Halo Cost His Career In this episode, we follow Vincenzo Pazienza from...
The Four Screws That Let Him Train Through a Halo Cost His Career

In this episode, we follow Vincenzo Pazienza from his early titles through the car crash that shattered his cervical spine and the decisions he made afterward. We track the choices around the halo brace, his training against medical orders, and the questions those choices raised about his comeback and reputation.

Person: Vincenzo Pazienza Pazienza
Date: November 12-13, 1991
Location: Warwick, Rhode Island; Providence, Rhode Island; Atlantic City
Injury: Two fractured cervical vertebrae and one dislocated vertebra
Device: Halo brace with four screws anchored into the skull

- He won IBF lightweight and WBA junior middleweight titles, becoming the second man in boxing history to hold those two belts.
- On November 12, 1991, Pazienza was a passenger in a head-on collision estimated at 40 mph that catastrophically damaged his neck.
- Doctors concluded he would likely never walk and certainly never box; they fitted a halo brace anchored by four screws to his skull.
- While the halo remained in place for three months, Pazienza trained in the brace, routing every movement around the fixed metal ring against medical advice.
- His post-crash life included a Hall of Fame induction, a Hollywood film, and a $926,000 lawsuit settlement, yet questions about his choices and comeback persisted.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>814falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-racial-slur-that-defined-a-baseball-life--74909248
The Racial Slur That Defined a Baseball Life

In this episode, we trace the arc of Michael Franklin Higgins from record-setting hitter to Boston Red Sox manager and the moments that followed up to his death the morning after leaving prison. We ask how a single phrase in public reshaped his authority, the team he led, and the questions of race that surrounded them.

Person: Michael Franklin Higgins
Date: June 1938 (twelve consecutive hits)
Location: Boston / Fenway Park
Event: Public racial slur to reporter Cliff Keane
Status: Died morning after parole in March 1969

- Born May 27, 1909 in Red Oak, Texas, Higgins rose from rookie appearances in 1930 to All-Star seasons with Philadelphia and Boston.
- In June 1938 he recorded twelve consecutive hits across four games, a streak that lasted eighty-six years.
- Traded to Detroit, played in the 1940 and 1946 World Series, then moved into managing and minor-league leadership in the early 1950s.
- Hired as Boston Red Sox manager in 1955 under owner Tom Yawkey, leading a club that had yet to integrate its roster.
- In the mid-1950s Higgins publicly used a racial slur toward praise of Minnie Miñoso, reported on the record by writers including Al Hirshberg.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909248Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:53 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Boston manager uses a racial slur in a newsroom, threatening a franchise's silence and the legacy of baseball integration. The Racial Slur That Defined a Baseball Life In this episode, we trace the arc of Michael Franklin Higgins from...
The Racial Slur That Defined a Baseball Life

In this episode, we trace the arc of Michael Franklin Higgins from record-setting hitter to Boston Red Sox manager and the moments that followed up to his death the morning after leaving prison. We ask how a single phrase in public reshaped his authority, the team he led, and the questions of race that surrounded them.

Person: Michael Franklin Higgins
Date: June 1938 (twelve consecutive hits)
Location: Boston / Fenway Park
Event: Public racial slur to reporter Cliff Keane
Status: Died morning after parole in March 1969

- Born May 27, 1909 in Red Oak, Texas, Higgins rose from rookie appearances in 1930 to All-Star seasons with Philadelphia and Boston.
- In June 1938 he recorded twelve consecutive hits across four games, a streak that lasted eighty-six years.
- Traded to Detroit, played in the 1940 and 1946 World Series, then moved into managing and minor-league leadership in the early 1950s.
- Hired as Boston Red Sox manager in 1955 under owner Tom Yawkey, leading a club that had yet to integrate its roster.
- In the mid-1950s Higgins publicly used a racial slur toward praise of Minnie Miñoso, reported on the record by writers including Al Hirshberg.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1121falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-time-zone-that-sent-marvin-barnes-driving--74909246
The time zone that sent Marvin Barnes driving

In this episode, we trace the sequence of incidents and decisions that shaped Marvin Barnes’s rise and unraveling, from South Providence courts to the ABA spotlight, and ask when the forces closing in first took hold. What moments shifted momentum toward a path he couldn’t later undo?

Person: Marvin Jerome Barnes
Date of birth: July 27, 1952
Location: South Providence, Rhode Island
Event: St. Louis flight ticket showing earlier arrival than departure
Case: 1972 tire-iron assault; probation still active when he left college

- At twenty-two Barnes refused to board a Louisville-St. Louis flight that listed an arrival earlier than its departure and drove four hours overnight to make the game.
- In high school and early life he repeatedly announced himself, including being processed through juvenile court after stealing a city bus while wearing his championship jacket.
- At Providence College under coach Dave Gavitt he became dominant: 52 points on December 15, 1973, led the nation in rebounding, and helped carry the team to the Final Four.
- In 1972 he attacked a teammate with a tire iron, pleaded guilty, paid $10,000, and was placed on probation that remained active after he left campus.
- After signing with the ABA’s Spirits of St. Louis and winning Rookie of the Year, security found an unloaded .38 pistol and five loose rounds in his bag at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in October 1976.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909246Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:49 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA rookie superstar refuses a flight over a time zone quirk and drives overnight to a game - how did Marvin Barnes’s choices expose him? The time zone that sent Marvin Barnes driving In this episode, we trace the sequence of incidents and...
The time zone that sent Marvin Barnes driving

In this episode, we trace the sequence of incidents and decisions that shaped Marvin Barnes’s rise and unraveling, from South Providence courts to the ABA spotlight, and ask when the forces closing in first took hold. What moments shifted momentum toward a path he couldn’t later undo?

Person: Marvin Jerome Barnes
Date of birth: July 27, 1952
Location: South Providence, Rhode Island
Event: St. Louis flight ticket showing earlier arrival than departure
Case: 1972 tire-iron assault; probation still active when he left college

- At twenty-two Barnes refused to board a Louisville-St. Louis flight that listed an arrival earlier than its departure and drove four hours overnight to make the game.
- In high school and early life he repeatedly announced himself, including being processed through juvenile court after stealing a city bus while wearing his championship jacket.
- At Providence College under coach Dave Gavitt he became dominant: 52 points on December 15, 1973, led the nation in rebounding, and helped carry the team to the Final Four.
- In 1972 he attacked a teammate with a tire iron, pleaded guilty, paid $10,000, and was placed on probation that remained active after he left campus.
- After signing with the ABA’s Spirits of St. Louis and winning Rookie of the Year, security found an unloaded .38 pistol and five loose rounds in his bag at Detroit Metropolitan Airport in October 1976.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>938falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-marriage-registry-that-flagged-him-cost-ogando-five-years-out--74909245
The marriage registry that flagged him cost Ogando five years out

In this episode, we follow the moment a young pitcher faces consulate officials after a marriage registry pattern put dozens of Dominican minor leaguers under scrutiny. We trace how a false identity, a Rule 5 draft pick, and a sudden five-year exclusion shaped the next chapter of his baseball life and raise one persistent question about identity and consequence.

Person: Alexi Ogando Acosta / Argenis Benitez
Date: January 2006; October 5, 1983; 2002-2006
Location: San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic; United States consulate
Event: Marriage registry flagged clustered marriages tied to visa-denied women
Status: Admitted involvement; received a five-year exclusion from the United States

- A twenty-two-year-old signed into a U.S. embassy requesting a work visa after consulate analysts tracked a pattern in a marriage registry.
- Dozens of minor leaguers, mostly from the Dominican Republic, had married women previously denied U.S. entry in an unnaturally short window.
- He originally signed with the Oakland Athletics in 2002 for $15,000 under the name Argenis Benitez; Oakland discovered his real name in 2003 but kept him playing.
- The Texas Rangers selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in December 2005 and converted him from outfielder to pitcher before the consulate encounter.
- Instead of a one-year exclusion he was told he'd receive, he was handed a five-year ban and sent to pitch in the Dominican Republic League with an eleven-digit number and no leverage.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909245Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:44 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA Dominican pitcher walks into a U.S. consulate after a marriage registry flag - how did that expose him? The marriage registry that flagged him cost Ogando five years out In this episode, we follow the moment a young pitcher faces consulate...
The marriage registry that flagged him cost Ogando five years out

In this episode, we follow the moment a young pitcher faces consulate officials after a marriage registry pattern put dozens of Dominican minor leaguers under scrutiny. We trace how a false identity, a Rule 5 draft pick, and a sudden five-year exclusion shaped the next chapter of his baseball life and raise one persistent question about identity and consequence.

Person: Alexi Ogando Acosta / Argenis Benitez
Date: January 2006; October 5, 1983; 2002-2006
Location: San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic; United States consulate
Event: Marriage registry flagged clustered marriages tied to visa-denied women
Status: Admitted involvement; received a five-year exclusion from the United States

- A twenty-two-year-old signed into a U.S. embassy requesting a work visa after consulate analysts tracked a pattern in a marriage registry.
- Dozens of minor leaguers, mostly from the Dominican Republic, had married women previously denied U.S. entry in an unnaturally short window.
- He originally signed with the Oakland Athletics in 2002 for $15,000 under the name Argenis Benitez; Oakland discovered his real name in 2003 but kept him playing.
- The Texas Rangers selected him in the Rule 5 Draft in December 2005 and converted him from outfielder to pitcher before the consulate encounter.
- Instead of a one-year exclusion he was told he'd receive, he was handed a five-year ban and sent to pitch in the Dominican Republic League with an eleven-digit number and no leverage.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>883falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-image-of-chegin-walking-the-course-exposed-a-pattern-of-impunity--74909244
The image of Chegin walking the course exposed a pattern of impunity

In this episode, we follow the chronology and context behind that moment in Zurich to show what was happening inside a dominant race walking program. We trace how athletes, tests, honors, and state recognition coexisted with repeated positive tests and why one image became a window into a much larger system.

Person: Viktor Chegin
Location: Saransk, Republic of Mordovia
Event: World Athletics Championships course sighting, August 2014
Period: 1990s-2015
Topic: Race walking program and doping allegations

- Chegin built a dominant race walking center in Saransk that produced Olympic and world titles across roughly fifteen years.
- Early positive tests included German Skurygin for hCG in 1999 and multiple athletes for EPO in 2008, yet the program continued to win.
- State honors and public celebration elevated Chegin even as athletes from his program later faced bans and revised results.
- In 2009 three Chegin athletes swept the World Championships podium in the same event despite subsequent biological passport anomalies.
- In August 2014 Chegin, recently removed from the national team, was seen walking the Zurich course unchallenged, a moment investigators say reveals a pattern.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909244Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:41 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA disgraced coach walks the World Championships course in Zurich - was race walking in Russia shielded from accountability? The image of Chegin walking the course exposed a pattern of impunity In this episode, we follow the chronology and...
The image of Chegin walking the course exposed a pattern of impunity

In this episode, we follow the chronology and context behind that moment in Zurich to show what was happening inside a dominant race walking program. We trace how athletes, tests, honors, and state recognition coexisted with repeated positive tests and why one image became a window into a much larger system.

Person: Viktor Chegin
Location: Saransk, Republic of Mordovia
Event: World Athletics Championships course sighting, August 2014
Period: 1990s-2015
Topic: Race walking program and doping allegations

- Chegin built a dominant race walking center in Saransk that produced Olympic and world titles across roughly fifteen years.
- Early positive tests included German Skurygin for hCG in 1999 and multiple athletes for EPO in 2008, yet the program continued to win.
- State honors and public celebration elevated Chegin even as athletes from his program later faced bans and revised results.
- In 2009 three Chegin athletes swept the World Championships podium in the same event despite subsequent biological passport anomalies.
- In August 2014 Chegin, recently removed from the national team, was seen walking the Zurich course unchallenged, a moment investigators say reveals a pattern.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1256falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-identity-document-that-exposed-his-impossible-age--74909242
The identity document that exposed his impossible age

This episode delves into the early life of a football icon, tracing his journey from a humble neighborhood to global stardom. It explores the origins of a talent that defied belief and the system that both celebrated and failed him.

Person: Diego Armando Maradona
Date of birth: October 30, 1960
Location of birth: Policlínico Evita Hospital in Lanús
Youth team: Los Cebollitas
Professional debut: October 20, 1976

- Diego Maradona was born the fifth of eight children in Villa Fiorito, an informal settlement on the edge of Greater Buenos Aires.
- At eight years old, a scout from Argentinos Juniors discovered Diego juggling a ball, leading coaches to request his identity document due to his extraordinary skill.
- Diego joined Los Cebollitas, the Argentinos Juniors youth team, which went undefeated for 141 consecutive games.
- He made his professional debut at 16, becoming the youngest player in the history of the Argentine First Division.
- After scoring 115 goals in 167 matches for Argentinos Juniors, he was transferred to Boca Juniors, then to Barcelona for a world-record fee.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909242Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:37 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA youth football scout is astonished by a boy's skill, demanding his identity document to prove his age. The discovery sets the stage for a legendary football career. The identity document that exposed his impossible age This episode delves into...
The identity document that exposed his impossible age

This episode delves into the early life of a football icon, tracing his journey from a humble neighborhood to global stardom. It explores the origins of a talent that defied belief and the system that both celebrated and failed him.

Person: Diego Armando Maradona
Date of birth: October 30, 1960
Location of birth: Policlínico Evita Hospital in Lanús
Youth team: Los Cebollitas
Professional debut: October 20, 1976

- Diego Maradona was born the fifth of eight children in Villa Fiorito, an informal settlement on the edge of Greater Buenos Aires.
- At eight years old, a scout from Argentinos Juniors discovered Diego juggling a ball, leading coaches to request his identity document due to his extraordinary skill.
- Diego joined Los Cebollitas, the Argentinos Juniors youth team, which went undefeated for 141 consecutive games.
- He made his professional debut at 16, becoming the youngest player in the history of the Argentine First Division.
- After scoring 115 goals in 167 matches for Argentinos Juniors, he was transferred to Boca Juniors, then to Barcelona for a world-record fee.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-191-day-age-that-made-him-everton-s-youngest-and-stalled-him--74909241
The 191‑day age that made him Everton's youngest-and stalled him

In this episode, we follow Jose Baxter from a childhood in Everton's academy to a senior debut at Goodison Park and the early incidents that punctuated his career. The episode traces the choices, encounters with police, contracts and youth tournaments that shaped his path and asks how a single age-number framed everything that followed.

Person: Jose Baxter
Date: 6 August 2008
Location: Goodison Park, Merseyside
Event: Everton first-team debut at 16 years and 191 days
Country: England

- Joined Everton academy at age six and progressed through the club’s youth system for a decade
- Trained with the first team in summer 2008 and toured with the squad to Switzerland and the United States
- Substituted on in the 78th minute against Blackburn Rovers, breaking Everton’s youngest-player record
- Selected repeatedly for England youth squads and involved in Under-17 European Championship disciplinary incidents
- Arrested in October 2009 in Kirkby on suspicion of possession with intent to supply, then released without charge

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909241Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:33 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTA sixteen-year-old Everton debutant walks onto Goodison Park-how did 191 days define Jose Baxter's rise and derailment? The 191‑day age that made him Everton's youngest-and stalled him In this episode, we follow Jose Baxter from a childhood in...
The 191‑day age that made him Everton's youngest-and stalled him

In this episode, we follow Jose Baxter from a childhood in Everton's academy to a senior debut at Goodison Park and the early incidents that punctuated his career. The episode traces the choices, encounters with police, contracts and youth tournaments that shaped his path and asks how a single age-number framed everything that followed.

Person: Jose Baxter
Date: 6 August 2008
Location: Goodison Park, Merseyside
Event: Everton first-team debut at 16 years and 191 days
Country: England

- Joined Everton academy at age six and progressed through the club’s youth system for a decade
- Trained with the first team in summer 2008 and toured with the squad to Switzerland and the United States
- Substituted on in the 78th minute against Blackburn Rovers, breaking Everton’s youngest-player record
- Selected repeatedly for England youth squads and involved in Under-17 European Championship disciplinary incidents
- Arrested in October 2009 in Kirkby on suspicion of possession with intent to supply, then released without charge

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1233falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-garbage-bag-that-fell-with-81-020-paralyzed-a-man--74909240
On the morning of February 19, 2007, eighty-one thousand and twenty dollars in one-dollar bills covered a Las Vegas stage, and a promoter scooped the cash and two Breitling watches into a garbage bag before walking out into the parking lot. By the time that bag was recovered by police, a security guard had been shot twice and a former professional wrestler had been shot once. What actually happened inside that club — and who is responsible for it — depends entirely on whose account you believe.

In this episode, we trace Adam "Pacman" Jones from a fatherless childhood in Atlanta through a record-setting NFL career, a season-long suspension, a strange detour into professional wrestling, and a court battle that outlasted his playing days, asking how the same man can hold an All-Pro selection, the most arrests of any NFL player this century, and a lawsuit tied to another man's paralysis.

Person: Adam Bernard Jones ("Pacman")
Location: Minxx nightclub, Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: February 19, 2007
Case: the nightclub shooting and the $81,020 cash-throwing incident
Status: no contest plea to a misdemeanor; civil judgment against Jones upheld by the Nevada Supreme Court

- Jones was selected sixth overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2005 NFL Draft, the first defensive player taken
- On April 10, 2007, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones for the entire 2007 season, the first suspension for something other than drug use in 44 years
- Tommy Urbanski was shot once and paralyzed from the waist down; bouncer Aaron Cudworth was also wounded
- On January 15, 2012, a jury ordered Jones to pay $11.6 million to Urbanski and Cudworth combined; the Nevada Supreme Court upheld the verdict on January 9, 2015
- Court records from April 2008 showed Jones paid $15,000 through intermediaries to Arvin Kenti Edwards, the alleged shooter
- In 2014 Jones was named First-Team All-Pro with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909240Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:29 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTThe garbage bag that fell with $81,020 paralyzed a man On the morning of February 19, 2007, eighty-one thousand and twenty dollars in one-dollar bills covered a Las Vegas stage, and a promoter scooped the cash and two Breitling watches into a...
On the morning of February 19, 2007, eighty-one thousand and twenty dollars in one-dollar bills covered a Las Vegas stage, and a promoter scooped the cash and two Breitling watches into a garbage bag before walking out into the parking lot. By the time that bag was recovered by police, a security guard had been shot twice and a former professional wrestler had been shot once. What actually happened inside that club — and who is responsible for it — depends entirely on whose account you believe.

In this episode, we trace Adam "Pacman" Jones from a fatherless childhood in Atlanta through a record-setting NFL career, a season-long suspension, a strange detour into professional wrestling, and a court battle that outlasted his playing days, asking how the same man can hold an All-Pro selection, the most arrests of any NFL player this century, and a lawsuit tied to another man's paralysis.

Person: Adam Bernard Jones ("Pacman")
Location: Minxx nightclub, Las Vegas, Nevada
Date: February 19, 2007
Case: the nightclub shooting and the $81,020 cash-throwing incident
Status: no contest plea to a misdemeanor; civil judgment against Jones upheld by the Nevada Supreme Court

- Jones was selected sixth overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2005 NFL Draft, the first defensive player taken
- On April 10, 2007, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Jones for the entire 2007 season, the first suspension for something other than drug use in 44 years
- Tommy Urbanski was shot once and paralyzed from the waist down; bouncer Aaron Cudworth was also wounded
- On January 15, 2012, a jury ordered Jones to pay $11.6 million to Urbanski and Cudworth combined; the Nevada Supreme Court upheld the verdict on January 9, 2015
- Court records from April 2008 showed Jones paid $15,000 through intermediaries to Arvin Kenti Edwards, the alleged shooter
- In 2014 Jones was named First-Team All-Pro with the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1264falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-one-hundred-dollar-fine-that-followed-him-out-of-every-ballpark--74909239
A court record from the Dominican Republic lists a fine of one hundred dollars next to a guilty verdict for involuntary manslaughter. The man who paid it was twenty-two, already being compared to Willie Mays, and would go on to break franchise records that still stand today. How does a number that small sit inside a career that large?

In this episode, we trace César Cedeño's rise from a nineteen-year-old rookie phenom to a five-time Gold Glove winner and All-Star, asking how a single night in a motel room in 1973 shadowed a Hall-of-Fame-caliber career without ever fully derailing it.

Person: César Cedeño
Location: Dominican Republic
Date: December 11, 1973
Case: the one-hundred-dollar fine for involuntary manslaughter following the death of a nineteen-year-old woman
Status: conviction on record, fine paid, no further public legal resolution

- Born February 25, 1951, in the Dominican Republic; signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent in 1967 at age sixteen
- Achieved 20+ home runs and 50+ stolen bases in three consecutive seasons (1972–1974), a feat no other player has matched
- Convicted of involuntary manslaughter after a gun discharged in a motel room on December 11, 1973, killing a nineteen-year-old woman; fined one hundred dollars
- Fined five thousand dollars by National League President Chub Feeney after a September 9, 1981 incident at Atlanta Stadium in which he entered the stands to confront a heckler, with no charges filed
- Traded from Cincinnati to St. Louis on August 29, 1985, for a minor leaguer named Mark Jackson, then hit .434 over 28 games and helped the Cardinals reach the postseason
- Charged with assault against Pamela Lamon in 1988 and battery involving the same woman, then pregnant, in Orlando in 1992; case outcomes not documented in the surviving public record

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909239Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:25 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTThe one‑hundred‑dollar fine that followed him out of every ballpark A court record from the Dominican Republic lists a fine of one hundred dollars next to a guilty verdict for involuntary manslaughter. The man who paid it was twenty-two, already...
A court record from the Dominican Republic lists a fine of one hundred dollars next to a guilty verdict for involuntary manslaughter. The man who paid it was twenty-two, already being compared to Willie Mays, and would go on to break franchise records that still stand today. How does a number that small sit inside a career that large?

In this episode, we trace César Cedeño's rise from a nineteen-year-old rookie phenom to a five-time Gold Glove winner and All-Star, asking how a single night in a motel room in 1973 shadowed a Hall-of-Fame-caliber career without ever fully derailing it.

Person: César Cedeño
Location: Dominican Republic
Date: December 11, 1973
Case: the one-hundred-dollar fine for involuntary manslaughter following the death of a nineteen-year-old woman
Status: conviction on record, fine paid, no further public legal resolution

- Born February 25, 1951, in the Dominican Republic; signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent in 1967 at age sixteen
- Achieved 20+ home runs and 50+ stolen bases in three consecutive seasons (1972–1974), a feat no other player has matched
- Convicted of involuntary manslaughter after a gun discharged in a motel room on December 11, 1973, killing a nineteen-year-old woman; fined one hundred dollars
- Fined five thousand dollars by National League President Chub Feeney after a September 9, 1981 incident at Atlanta Stadium in which he entered the stands to confront a heckler, with no charges filed
- Traded from Cincinnati to St. Louis on August 29, 1985, for a minor leaguer named Mark Jackson, then hit .434 over 28 games and helped the Cardinals reach the postseason
- Charged with assault against Pamela Lamon in 1988 and battery involving the same woman, then pregnant, in Orlando in 1992; case outcomes not documented in the surviving public record

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1273falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-two-inch-steel-pipe-that-his-nephew-swung-killed-him--74909238
A two-inch steel pipe, logged with exact precision in a Jamaican police report, was found at a church in Port Antonio. The man it killed had once shared a ring with Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson — the only fighter in history to face all three. How did a land dispute in the parish where he was born end a life that had already survived so much?

In this episode, we trace Trevor Berbick's journey from a naval base in Guantanamo Bay to the WBC heavyweight title and back to Portland Parish, Jamaica, asking whether his own choices helped set the stage for the night that killed him.

Person: Trevor Berbick
Location: Port Antonio, Portland Parish, Jamaica
Date: October 28, 2006
Case: fatal assault with a two-inch steel pipe at a church
Status: nephew convicted of murder and sentenced to life; co-defendant convicted of manslaughter

- Trevor Berbick was born August 1, 1954, in the Norwich area of Portland Parish, Jamaica.
- He won the WBC heavyweight title on March 22, 1986, defeating Pinklon Thomas by unanimous decision.
- He was the last professional

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74909238Fri, 04 Sep 2026 20:48:22 +0000OBOMEDIA ENTERTAINMENTThe two‑inch steel pipe that his nephew swung killed him A two-inch steel pipe, logged with exact precision in a Jamaican police report, was found at a church in Port Antonio. The man it killed had once shared a ring with Muhammad Ali, Larry...
A two-inch steel pipe, logged with exact precision in a Jamaican police report, was found at a church in Port Antonio. The man it killed had once shared a ring with Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson — the only fighter in history to face all three. How did a land dispute in the parish where he was born end a life that had already survived so much?

In this episode, we trace Trevor Berbick's journey from a naval base in Guantanamo Bay to the WBC heavyweight title and back to Portland Parish, Jamaica, asking whether his own choices helped set the stage for the night that killed him.

Person: Trevor Berbick
Location: Port Antonio, Portland Parish, Jamaica
Date: October 28, 2006
Case: fatal assault with a two-inch steel pipe at a church
Status: nephew convicted of murder and sentenced to life; co-defendant convicted of manslaughter

- Trevor Berbick was born August 1, 1954, in the Norwich area of Portland Parish, Jamaica.
- He won the WBC heavyweight title on March 22, 1986, defeating Pinklon Thomas by unanimous decision.
- He was the last professional

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1305falsefull