In advance of Event 4 of ⁠Around the World in 80 Sporting Events⁠ (Little League Baseball World Series) we speak to Jason Fink. Jason is the President and CEO of the ⁠Lycoming County (PA) Visitors Bureau⁠. Lycoming County is home to both Williamsport and South Williamsport.

For those who might be planning to visit the LLBWS this year (or sometime in the future), Jason provides listeners with some not-to-be-missed things to do in the region. These include the ⁠Susquehanna River⁠ and its myriad outdoor activities, the ⁠Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat⁠, ⁠Millionaire's Row Historic District⁠, and, of course, all that Little League offers (the ⁠Museum⁠, the ⁠Original⁠ sight, and ⁠Historic Bowman Field⁠ [home of the annual ⁠MLB Little League Classic⁠]).

Jason also offers up some spots to grab a bite or a brew as well as the fun fact that there are three Pop Tart plans located in Lycoming County. Those sights pump out 4 million pop tarts, daily.

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Our guest this week is Tej Seth, a football analytics afficianado who attempts to teach our retired English teacher host a thing or two about the math and science of professional football.

Tej is the co-host of the Stats and Scheme podcast along with Shawn Syed. The show has just begun its second season where the hosts take a deep dive into football analytics. You're also able to follow Tej on X/Twitter @tejfbanalytics.

Along the way we learn about Tej's origin story as a sports fan (Hint: It involves one of the biggest upsets in the Big House's history) as well as what being a football fan has meant to him. He also shares how and when he began marrying his love of football and his love of math and coding.

lf you suddenly find yourself discussing "expected points added" or "get off speed" you'll, no doubt, have Tej to thank for this.

He even tosses in a few thoughts on who's worth a draft pick in your upcoming Fantasy Football Drafts.

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In this special bonus episode of Conversations we catch up with three generations of the Hill Family that recently attended Event 3 of Around the World in 80 Sporting Events: Cubs-Cardinals at Wrigley Field. It's a fly-on-the-wall sort of episode as host Doug Hill tries to keep everyone on topic to reflect on a wonderful day at in the Friendly Confines.

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We're joined in this special bonus episode by Mary Nedbalski, Chicago's Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce's Marketing and Membership Director.

Lakeview East is the part of Chicago that includes the Wrigleyville neighborhood, home to historic Wrigley Field. That location is the site of the next stop on host Doug Hill's "Around the World in 80 Sporting Events" project.

Mary provides listeners with plenty of facts and figures as it relates to Wrigley Field, Wrigleyville, and the entire Lakeview East area. For example, 7.1 million different visitor passed through Wrigleyville in 2023, Wrigley Field employs 7,000 workers, and Wrigleyville brings in over a quarter billion dollars in revenue annually.

If you're considering a trip to Chicago's northside anytime soon (for Cubs' action, big-name concerts, Northwestern football, or myriad other events) this is an episode for you.

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We're delighted to be joined by the dean of Detroit professional sports broadcasting, George Blaha.

George has been calling Detroit Pistons games for going on 50 years and, just because there's more time in the year, he's also been calling Michigan State University football for nearly as long.

During our time with George, he enlightens us to the impact of the University of Iowa football coach Forest Evashevski and St. Louis Cardinals' broadcasters Jack Buck and Harry Caray on his development as both a sports fan and his eventual interest in broadcasting.

He also traces his career back to that bit of luck he experienced in 1976 when he landed the Pistons' job, some of the memorable moments witnessed in person along the way, as well as how he developed his unique broadcast style/vernacular.

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In this episode we enjoy a Conversation with the Eugene, OR, husband-and-wife duo of John and Jennifer Scurlock. With track and field competition set to begin at the Paris Summer Olympics we felt the timing was just right to catch with this pair who were able to see several sessions of the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.

Along the way we discuss everything from Olympians from year's past such as Flo Jo and Gail Devers to current members such as local product Jaida Ross (shot put), Sha'Carri Richardson (sprints), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (hurdles), Gabby Thomas (sprints), Ryan Crouser (shot put), teenager Quincy Wilson (400 meters), and Noah Lyles (sprints).

And, just because he seems to be everywhere in Paris (and was in Eugene, too), ⁠Snoop Dogg⁠ is referenced.

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Back in late May I took the 75 step journey (maybe!) across my backyard with my recording device and a bottle of Willett Pot Still Bourbon in hand to have a visit with my neighbor, Paul Merkourios.

We had a lovely conversation, discussing plenty about all Detroit teams - the Lions and Tigers, especially - as well as the recently completed NFL Draft in Detroit, the University of Michigan football team, Greek dancing, and what it's lke to be a sports fan struggling with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Then the technology gremlins attacked. It was a nearly catastrophic tech disaster, but thanks to a tremendous amount of tedious work by our in-house technology specialist (yay, Carol!) the recording was recovered and we offer it in its entirety today.

While some references are now a bit dated, we hope you still find our Conversation with Paul enjoyable and informative (both M.S. and Greek dancing).

We catch up briefly with our sidekick (and wife<3), Carol Hill, to garner her perspective on attending ⁠The 152nd Open Championship.

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We're joined in this episode by Jason Brunner-Burns. Jason was born and raised in Ludington, MI, and has recently relocated there with his family.

A lifelong golfer and golf fan, Jason is now the junior varsity golf coach for Ludington High School and recently introduced his soon-to-be 4-year-old daughter to the game.

As befits an episode airing the opening day of The 152nd Open Championship, we talk a lot of golf during our time with Jason. He touches on those players he admired (David Duval and Phil Mickelson), LIV Golf, courses he's played (East Lake Golf Club), and others he'd like to play (Pebble Beach Golf Links, Augusta National Golf Club, Bandon Dunes Golf Course, and the Old Course at St. Andrews).

Jason also gives us a brief overview of the Jack Nicklaus redesign of the old Grand Haven Country Club, now known as American Dunes Golf Club. It supports Folds of Honor and salutes fallen U.S. military personnel daily.

Oh yeah, we also touch on a bit of Detroit Lions' football, the first event he remembers attending - Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions, November 17, 1991 - had a tragic outcome. Lions' lineman Mike Utley was injured and became paralyzed from the waist down.

We're joined by South Ayrshire (Scotland) County Councillor Alec Clark to discuss what's what about this week's 152nd Open Championship played at Royal Troon Golf Club that lies within South Ayrshire County.

Alec was a wealth of knowledge and shares that over 150,000 spectators will flow into the community of Troon this week (population about 15,000 on a normal day) and bring with them about 200 million pounds sterling. Alec also shares background on all that goes into the planning process for an event of this magnitude.

Most importantly, perhaps, Alec provides us a bit of an insider's perspective on what else there is to see and do in South Ayrshire. See this helpful link for even more information.

Alec's suggestions on what's of interest:

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