Generation Balme

Where is the line in professional (and for that matter, amateur) sport? Does it really exist? Has it ever really existed? Humanity has a funny way of regulating things, which we found out in the steamy test cricket series between Australia and South Africa. It raised so many questions about how we view sport and how important it is to us.

With that being said, Neil and I thought it was time to introduce one of Australia's most acclaimed and respected sportswriters, Greg BAUM, to the Generation BALME war room - is he really just a Balme in disguise? We speak about the weird, wonderful and wacky world of sport in Australia and abroad, including plenty on test cricket, but we also look into the 'reality TV' obsession, American politics, ethics and morality in sport and many, many other topics in this fascinating chat.

William and Neil Balme wanted to always be learning when they catch up for their podcast, but I doubt either of them thought they would learn as much as they did about video games during this episode. Laura Voss is a video game designer and she detailed to Generation Balme everything you would want to know about video game creation, the best games to play and the surprisingly ways that technology will affect the world's future.

Talking with family and friends about your own mental health is one of the first steps many take on the road to seeking help and releasing the valve on your mental health status. In one of the most revealing and amazing episodes yet, listen as William talks to his dad Neil about his own battles and challenges with his own mental health. Neil is a sensational listener, and whilst he might have been aware of some of the challenges William has faced, this is the first time he is hearing much of the detail. This is a must listen episode.

The Balme lads are back after a well earned Christmas and New Year break. Neil and William did record this brilliant chat with Mental Health advocate, Simon Hogan just before the break. Simon is a former Geelong footballer that prematurely ended his career as he battled his own mental health concerns of depression and anxiety. Simon is refreshingly honest about his plight and shares his story and his thoughts on where the support for mental health needs to go in the future.

If you were even slightly inspired by the celebrations around the nation when same sex marriage was legalised in the Australian parliament recently, then you will be nothing but inspired by Angie Green. Angie is the CEO of Stand Up Events and she has been working to achieve equality for all Australians since she can remember. Neil and Will are of course there to learn throughout a fascinating conversation on where we are as a society in recognising everyone as being equal.

Generation Balme explores all the topics you might discuss at the water cooler or the bar or at your local cafe. In these conversations, it's father and son. Neil and William Balme challenge the generational changes in society whilst exploring their own relationships with the topic of discussion. This week, up for discussion is leadership and their special guest is Ray McLean - the founder of Leading Teams. Leading Teams has worked with many of the elite sports teams in the country. Learn how it all started, what the philosophies are based on and why it works. Ray is candid on which leaders he admires and why Leading Teams has not been applied to politics and politicians where seemingly Australia is lacking leaders the most.

When it comes to football writing in Melbourne the names don't get much bigger than Caroline Wilson. The Chief Football Writer for The Age for two decades discusses her career and the state of football journalism. If you can get past the fact this was recorded a week after Neil and Caroline were able to celebrate Richmond breaking a 37 year premiership drought, then you will love hearing what Caroline has to say. Neil and Will Balme's father and son chats have explore the issues that we talk about. Episode one and two talked about our sexuality and our relationship with alcohol to take a listen to those if you can.

Thank you for making it to episode two of the conversations that my dad, Neil and I are recording. This week our guest is James McCubbin - CEO of UCROO. The conversation is about our relationships with alcohol and in James' case his non-relationship. So why does someone in their early 20's decide to give up drinking altogether? What are the ramifications? What are the societal pressures and our dependencies of alcohol? How important is drinking for footballers? These are just a few of the questions we tackle on this week's Generation Balme.