Outstanding Authors

Author:

Vicki Mayk is the author of Growing Up on the Gridiron, a book about Owen Thomas, a student and football player at the University of Pennsylvania who committed suicide.  Owen was also my next-door neighbor.

Matt, Morgan, Owen, Kathy, and Tom Thomas
Conversation:

Total run time: 38:24

3:59 - Why Vicki wrote this book 8:35 - My relationship with Matt15:35 - My memories of Owen, including when he broke our window with a bb gun21:38 - Penn professor Adam Grant on how Owen was special25:28 - Football as a brotherhood, and if any changes to football should be made32:05 - Impressions of Parkland School District

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.

Dr. Andrew Selee is the president of the Migration Policy Institute and the author of Vanishing Frontiers: The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together. 

Total run time: 26:21

  2:38 - US and Mexico as highly integrated neighbors

  7:26 - The "Mexican Dream": Americans moving to Mexico

  9:32 - Current state of immigration, including caravans and the border wall

18:51 - Impact of anti-immigrant rhetoric

21:24 - Mexican president Obrador

23:05 - Best places in Mexico to visit

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.

George Vecsey is an author and former columnist for the New York Times. We talk about his experience covering soccer detailed in his book Eight World Cups.  Visit George online at georgevecsey.com, and follow him on twitter @georgevecsey. 

Total run time: 55:13

  2:29 - The state of soccer coverage in America in 1982

  6:41 - Turning his experiences into a book

10:07 - The great fans from Trinidad and Tobago

12:53 - US vs. Brazil: July 4, 1994

14:49 - The joy of traveling

20:12 - Best player, team, and national anthem

28:11 - Alternatives (or lack thereof) to penalty kick shootouts

31:39 - The state of American soccer

38:35 - Baseball talk, including best players and Hall of Fame voting

46:01 - The future of American football

48:14 - Crossing paths with Donald Trump

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.

Additional Links:

Pen Densham is a screenwriter, author, director, and producer. We talk mostly about Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, which he co-wrote and produced and which I recently profiled. He also wrote the book Riding the Alligator: Strategies for a Career in Screenplay Writing.

Total run time: 41:02

  1:41 - How he got started on Robin Hood

10:36 - The Robin Hood soundtrack

14:13 - Starting the movie with the Crusades

18:30 - Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham

23:25 - Kevin Costner's performance

25:41 - Sean Connery's cameo

27:56 - His work on Rocky II

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.

J.W. Rinzler is a former editor at Lucasfilm where he wrote several books including the one we'll be discussing on this podcast, The Complete Making of Indiana Jones.  You can purchase the book on Amazon and can visit J.W. on his website.

Joseph Passman is an Iraq War Veteran, a PhD candidate, a childhood friend, and a seeker of fortune and glory.

Total run time: 53:15

  2:20 - How J.W. got started at Lucasfilm

10:31 - CGI and its effect on quality

14:58 - Temple of Doom and Last Crusade

18:33 - Crystal Skull

23:10 - Indy 5

25:35 - George Lucas

33:06 - J.W.'s current projects

35:12 - Joined by special guest Joe Passman to talk all things Indiana Jones

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can also download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.

Erik Kirschbaum is a correspondent for Reuters based in Germany.  His latest book is Soccer Without Borders: Jürgen Klinsmann, Coaching the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team and the Quest for the World Cup, on sale at Amazon. 

Total run time: 41:10

  0:47 - How Erik met Jürgen Klinsmann and how the book came about. 

12:17 - Klinsmann's competitive side and how he deals with criticism.

17:21 - The time Klinsmann asked the ref not to give his opponent a red card.

21:42 - Klinsmann's job security and future.

26:03 - Ways to improve the U.S. men's national team.

33:13 - The atmosphere at a European soccer match.

38:18 - What Germans think about the U.S. Presidential election.

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can also download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.

Randall Jahnson is a screenwriter who worked on The Mask of Zorro, one of my favorite movies of all time.  He lives in Portland but teaches screenwriting to clients throughout the world.  Learn more about Randall at his website randalljahnson.com.

Total run time: 53:47

Listen to this song first to get in the right mood for the podcast.

0:01 - introduction

1:23 - getting involved with the Zorro project and meeting Steven Spielberg

12:41 - researching Zorro, Joaquin Murrieta, and the history of California

21:38 - working on the script

32:43 - more writers brought in

44:29 - Zorro goes to Spain (almost)

52:52 - epilogue

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Casey FitzRandolph is an Olympic long track speed skater who competed in the '98, '02, and '06 Winter Olympics.  He won the gold medal in the 500 meters at the '02 Salt Lake City Games. You can visit him online at his official website CaseyFitz.com.

Book:

No Stone Unturned, written by Jessie Garcia, is the story of the FitzRandolph family.  It is available through Amazon.

Total run time: 29:28

  0:01 - Introduction and background on Casey

  1:34 - Casey talks about what makes a good speed skater

10:22 - short track vs. long track

17:51 - the gold medal ceremony

22:15 - the advice he'd give young athletes

23:28 - his family's book, No Stone Unturned

28:48 - Epilogue

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can also download the mp3 by clicking here, and you can listen in iTunes through both the Olympic Legends and Outstanding Authors podcasts.

How We Can Save Sports: A Game Plan - available for purchase on Amazon.

Dr. Ken Reed is the sports policy director of League of Fans, an organization dedicated to reforming sports at all levels of society.  Follow him on Twitter at KenReedLofF.

Total run time: 50:56

0:01 - introduction

0:51 - Ken's background and involvment with League of Fans

8:05 - taxpayer funded stadiums

11:33 - concussions and CTE

21:18 - fighting in hockey

24:13 - lack of opportunity in youth sports

28:55 - coaching and empowering athletes

37:44 - college sports and the NCAA

46:45 - possibility of a National Sports Commission

50:08 - epilogue

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can also download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.  And my apologies for the faint clicking noise in the background -- shall I blame Garageband or an infestation of crickets in the MacGyver Project studios?!

Visit the film's website (which includes ordering information for the DVD) 

Visit the show's website (which includes every episode for listening or download).

The show is also available in iTunes.

Steve Skrovan has worked as stand-up comic and as a writer for Everybody Loves Raymond. His 2007 film, An Unreasonable Man, is a documentary about the life and legacy of Ralph Nader, and Steve currently co-hosts a weekly radio show with David Feldman where they discuss political issues with Ralph and other guests.

Steve isn't technically an author, but he's a writer and director and so I thought it would be applicable to my podcast.  Plus as I say in the episode introduction, it's my podcast and I can do what I want!

Total run time: 1:09:09

0:01 - introduction

1:25 - Steve joins in and we discuss An Unreasonable Man

15:10 - 2000 Presidential Election

30:34 - Ralph and hypomania

36:30 - origin of the Ralph Nader Radio Hour

1:07:13 - denouement and "Stand up, Rise up"

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The embedded player works best in Google Chrome.  You can also download the mp3 by clicking here, and the podcast is available in iTunes.