How It All Played Out

"If we don't beat you, we'll knock your bloody blocks off"

As soon as a sport star reaches Mount Olympus, you can guarantee that somebody is waiting in the wings to bring them crashing back down to earth. Fair or foul, an opponent will find any means to defeat a rival, restricting them from their usual tactics and well drilled gameplay.

In one of the most bitter and controversial Ashes series ever played, England set their sights on cricketing legend Don Bradman. Their method? A brutal, calculated strategy known as Bodyline—a tactic so aggressive it sparked outrage, strained diplomatic ties, and forever changed the spirit of the game.

In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward break down the origins of Bodyline, the logic behind "fast leg theory," and why Australia viewed it as nothing short of an assault on fair play.

Was it genius strategy or just plain unsporting? And why did it cause such a deep rift between two cricketing giants?

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Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

From a sport historians to fashionistas, In this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward read an intriguing email from listener Scott, who claims to know why tennis players flip their collars up. But does the theory hold up?

The pair also discuss other sporting attire, exploring how and why certain garments are used in the way they are. And they give their honest opinion on England's grey Euro 96 kit.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"Sit down son, it's all over. No one will ever forget what you did here today"

In part two of this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark Pougatch and Paul Hayward cover the last two fights in the legendary trilogy between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. From the buildup to Super Fight II to the searing heat and savage intensity of the Thrilla in Manila, they explore the bitter rivalry, racial tensions, and raw physical toll that made this clash more than just a boxing match—it was a war.

Step into the 1970s, where insults flew on TV, faces swelled beyond recognition, and two icons pushed themselves past the limits of endurance in a fight that left one man near blind and the other physically and mentally broken.

This is more than sport. This is unfiltered, unforgettable history.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

Commiserations to last place.

With Wales getting the Wooden Spoon for two years running in the Six Nations, Mark and Paul discuss how and why the 'prize' came about and they also talk NFL with the Mr. Irrelevant award.

Remember to follow or subscribe and give us a 5 star review too!

We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"If we were twins in the belly of our mama, I'd reach over and strangle him"

Sport is all about debate. Who is the best, who is the most famous and who has had the most impact? Many would say that Muhammad Ali is the greatest figure in sport, but you could argue that he’s one half of the greatest rivalry in world sport of all time as well with Joe Frazier.

In this episode of How It All Played Out Mark and Paul start in 1964 to understand how these two boxing titans became who they were and how their fighting history, mixed with politics fueled a fierce rivalry. 

It involves religion, war, class, money and race relations to build a feud like no other. From the war in Vietnam to Madison Square Garden, this trilogy of fights not only remains iconic today, but would go on to change the face of boxing forever. 

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

We're used to seeing sports being played in 60,000 seat stadiums under humongous flood lights with a roaring crowd. But did you know astronaut Alan Shepard once played golf on the moon?

Join Mark and Paul in this bonus episode of How It All Played Out as they find out about some of the more unusual places humans have played sport. From the trenches of World War I, river football in the Cotswolds and cricket down a mine in the Lake District.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

“Few Tears, No Blood as Snow White Beats Poison Dwarf”

Sport is fueled by rivalries. They are rooted in religion, social class, bitterness and some in plain jealousy. Think Revie vs Clough, Ali vs Frazier or Senna vs Prost.

In this episode of How It All Played Out Mark and Paul travel to a cold, damp America in 1994 where figure skater Nancy Kerrigan is exiting the ice after a routine practice session. She's warming up for the US National Championships, expecting to qualify for the Winter Olympics that are to be held in just a few weeks time.

Moments later, she's attacked by a man wielding a baton who strikes her on the knee. A cameraman is close by and captures her screams of “Why me?”

But why indeed was she attacked? And what role did fellow ice skater Tonya Harding play in what would soon turn into the biggest sporting scandal of the decade?

This is a story that involves manipulation, greed, jealousy and the FBI.

Remember to follow or subscribe, and give us a 5 star review too!

We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

It doesn't really make sense, does it? Football in the rain, hail, and snow. Why not in the lovely summer months? Surely the Premier League would look glorious in the sun.

But there are reasons why the Brits play in December & January, and we can blame the private school system.

Join Mark and Paul in this bonus episode of How It All Played Out as they find out the why we play football in the winter, and how it came about.

Remember to follow or subscribe and give us a 5 star review too!

We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

"Is he in?"

For this episode of How It All Played Out, Mark and Paul travel to the home of Head Groom Jim Fitzgerald on a stormy night in County Kildare in the Republic of Ireland and investigate one of the most shocking stories from the 1980s - The kidnapping of racehorse Shergar. 

This story involves the IRA, a ransom of 2 million pounds and a mystery that is still to be solved.

From masked gunmen with submachine guns, fraud, rumours, Irish country policemen and three leading journalists being flown to Belfast to negotiate Shergar's safe return, travel back in time to explore a bizarre sporting story like no other.

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We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells

What is deep backward point or a third man? And does the term 'Silly point' make sense?

Join Mark and Paul in this bonus episode of How It All Played Out and find out why cricket fielding positions are called what they are.

Remember to follow or subscribe and give us a 5 star review too!

We'd love to hear from you! Email us: [email protected]

Executive Producer: Adem Waterman

Head of Podcasts: Factual: Al Riddell

Director of Podcasts: Vicky Etchells