Jeff Kinney is a hero to kids around the world. The author of The Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series is a Massachusetts resident, a book store owner, a cartoonist and has built a friendship with Bob Ryan that is very evident in this special episode of Bob Ryan’s Boston Podcast presented by ILoveBostonSports.com

Jeff Goodman from ESPN seems to have landed right in the middle of two huge basketball stories at the same time - The Ball Family Circus and The FBI probe of NCAA Men’s Basketball - right on the eve of March Madness. Is there anyone better to discuss these stories with in long form and great detail than Bob Ryan? Celtics, BC Basketball and New England College Basketball add to a fast moving episode and one of our best.

1. Lesley Visser, Bob’s long-time friend and colleague and a long-time resident of Boston’s South Shore, recalls her Boston Globe days, some of the more memorable television events she’s been part of and her off air time with John Madden, Will McDonough and the challenge of covering the Chuck Fairbanks’ Patriots.

Show Creator and Executive Producer Bob Snyder teams up with Bob Ryan to tease Bob’s ‘Annual State of the Teams’ Boston Globe column, talk to an Aussie who happened to be in the area and wanted to shake Bob’s hand and most importantly, provide a headset for a few kids wanting Bob to address the pressing issues affecting today’s privileged Boston sports youth. A holiday episode for the family. Season’s Greetings from Bob and Bob!

Donnie Wahlberg surprises Dan Shaughnessy and Bob Ryan with a unwavering "fan call" and the three look back at one of the great New England Patriots regular season wins of all time. Dan opens up about his old school and sometimes controversial journalism, how the "Curse of the Bambino" became a legendary book, covering vintage Earl Weaver as a kid and his relationship with Red Auerbach.

Kirk Minihane and Bob Ryan are not shy. In so many ways they are similar, and in so many ways they are opposites. Together for dinner at Paul Wahlberg’s Alma Nove restaurant in Hingham, Bob and Kirk compare suspensions, opine on ESPN, debate the state of Boston sports teams and in Bob’s case, defend his penmanship from an incredulous guest.

Bob Ryan is in his element with one of his favorite athletes he ever covered in 40 years of Celtics reporting. Dave Cowens won battles, fights, and titles; quit teams, drove Boston cabs out of boredom, fouled out of over 100 games, reinvented the jump hook, and also happened to win two championships and wind up in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Steve Grogan may be one of the toughest players in Patriots history. He’s also second in NFL history in running touchdowns by a QB. And oh yea, he was a pretty damn good quarterback for 16 exclusive seasons with the Patriots who could throw the long ball and run the naked bootleg as well as anyone. Steve reflects on his Patriots days and how the franchise developed into the model operation it is today in an enlightening and nostalgic conversation on Bob Ryan’s Boston Podcast.

Bill Littlefield, Boston-based, nationally known author and long time host of WBUR’s Only A Game talks to Bob about covering sports the NPR Way.

Bob Ryan stars on his own podcast as he and show creator Bob Snyder look inwards at their Boston hit and Bob fields questions from his social followers.