SuperFan Diaries

By J.R. GreeneSociety & Culture Sports Personal Journals Football

SuperFan Diaries episodes

November 12Why "Boring" Businesses Win: CEO Lessons on Entrepreneurship with JR Greene
Today we’re taking a slightly different route. We’re talking about the business of being a superfan, specifically, the entrepreneurship it takes to build a successful corporation.
I’ve spent 15 years as the CEO of a large behavioral health company, but it wasn't always smooth sailing. Before I found success with Psychiatric Medical Care (PMC), I had my fair share of failures, including a toy company that cost me $400,000 in losses.
In this episode, I’m sharing the "cheat code" for success that I share with university students and aspiring entrepreneurs. We’re diving into:
The IMS Model Recap: A quick look at the Improv, Musical, and Syndication phases of a growing business.

The "Boring" Advantage: Why you should skip the "sexy" industries like AI or entertainment and look for high barriers to entry and low competition. (Wait until you hear why I’d invest in a plumbing franchise over an AI startup!)

The Bloomberg Advice: A story about Mike Bloomberg’s blunt advice to a young man who wanted to run for Senate.

Cash is King: Why being frugal is the ultimate safety net for when (not if) things go wrong.

Lessons from Failure: How my experience with Coca-Cola, Revlon, and a failed toy company led to building a company that treats hundreds of thousands of patients today.
Whether you're looking to leave your 9-to-5 or you're already in the thick of building your dream, these bedrock principles will help you stay in the game.

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16 min
November 05The IMS Model: From "Big Orange Tux" to CEO with JR Greene
Welcome back to Superfan Diaries! I’m JR Greene, and today we’re stepping off the field and into the boardroom. I often get asked how I went from leading the team onto the field in a Big Orange Tux to leading one of the largest behavioral health companies in the country. It all comes down to a framework I developed over 15 years as a CEO: The IMS Model.
Whether you're starting a side hustle or managing a department in a massive organization like HCA or Oracle, every venture moves through three distinct phases. Understanding which phase you’re in, and who you need to hire, is the difference between massive success and a total crumble.
In this episode, we break down:
Phase 1: Improv – The "fake it 'til you make it" stage. It’s about frugality, saying "yes," and finding creative ways to stay in business.

Phase 2: Musical – The hybrid stage. You’re building structure, "swim lanes," and scale, but you're still performing live and making mistakes.

Phase 3: Syndication – The high-level execution stage (think The Price is Right or Proctor & Gamble). Tight swim lanes, predictable growth, and private equity interest.

The HR Secret: Why hiring a "Syndication" person for an "Improv" role is a recipe for disaster.
I’m sharing the lessons I learned growing a company from 5 employees to thousands, serving hundreds of thousands of patients.

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14 min
October 28 125 Stadiums: The Incredible Journey of Superfan Patrick Yarber
Today, we’re talking about a man who redefined the word "superfan." Imagine visiting a home game at every single FBS stadium in the country... all 125 of them.
From the Big House to the Swamp, from Texas to Oregon, it’s a quest that took decades to complete. In 2013, at the University of Idaho, Nashville’s own Patrick Yarber finally finished what almost nobody else has ever done.
But here is the part of the story that will stop you in your tracks: Pat did it all while legally blind.
Pat describes his condition as "gun barrel vision," he can see what’s directly in front of him, but nothing else. Think about the logistics: navigating airports, connecting flights, long treks to stadiums in the pouring rain or blistering heat, often entirely alone. He did it for the love of the tailgates, the fandom, and the pure magic of college football.
Pat Yarber is a fan of the people, for the people. His story is a testament to the power of passion over any obstacle.
Head over to superfandiaries.com to watch the full ESPN footage of Pat’s journey and leave your comments below. Don’t forget to follow, review, and nominate your favorite superfan!

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11 min
October 21Lewis Brice: "Seein' Things," Clemson Pride, and the 50/50 London Challenge!
Joining me today is the one and only Lewis Brice. Born and raised in Sumter, SC, Lewis comes from a family that can "sing the phonebook"—from his mama’s gospel roots to his brother, Lee Brice. Lewis has carved his own path with over 50 million streams, a British Country Music Award, and a brand-new single that’ll have you hitting repeat all day.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into:
The 50/50 Challenge: Can Lewis guess how many games the Jaguars have played in London? (Spoiler: It’s more than you think!)

Live Performance: Lewis grabs his new guitar to perform an incredible acoustic version of his latest hit, "Seein' Things."

Clemson Blood: Why the Tigers always come first and the story behind that legendary Rod Gardner touchdown.

The "Buzzbeater" Rapid Fire: Tombstone, Bojangles fried chicken, and why his daughter Rhaelynn is his toughest critic.
Lewis is the definition of a "superfan"—he lives for the music, the game, and the grind. Whether you're a Clemson Tiger, a Jaguars fan, or just a lover of great country music, this episode is for you.

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31 min
October 14The Roar from 34: How "Wild Bill" Hagy Changed Baseball Forever
"O-R-I-O-L-E-S!"
Welcome back to Superfan Diaries. I'm JR Greene, and today we’re taking a trip to Baltimore to talk about a man who redefined what it means to be a fan. If you were in Section 34 of Memorial Stadium in the 70s and 80s, you knew exactly who he was: William "Wild Bill" Hagy.
Wild Bill wasn't just a spectator; he was a participant. A cab driver by trade with a big beard, a straw cowboy hat, and a pair of giant sunglasses, Bill led the "Roar from 34" by spelling out the team's name with his entire body. He turned a baseball game into a performance, and the Baltimore Orioles—and their legendary manager Earl Weaver—fed off that energy all the way to a 1979 World Series appearance.
In this episode, we explore:
The Legend of Section 34: How one man’s refusal to sit down changed the culture of the stadium.

Authentic Fandom: Why Wild Bill represents a "blue-collar" era of sports that is getting harder to find in today's corporate, billion-dollar stadium world.

The Players' Perspective: Why legends like Ken Singleton and Mike Flanagan looked to the stands for Bill’s energy.

The End of an Era: The move to Camden Yards and the infamous "cooler incident" that led to Bill’s departure from the stands.
Wild Bill Hagy passed away in 2014, but his legacy lives on every time a fan stands up and refuses to be quiet.

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13 min
October 08How’s My Arch? The Story Behind the Viral GameDay Sign with Liam Bradshaw
Today, we are coming to you live with a very special guest—a fellow die-hard Vol fan who managed to break the internet in under five minutes. Joining me is University of Tennessee freshman and Knoxville local, Liam Bradshaw!
You’ve seen the sign. You’ve seen the TikToks. "How’s my arch?" — a cheeky poke at one of the most hyped quarterbacks in college football. But how does a freshman go from an idea on Google to standing front-and-center on ESPN College GameDay with 500,000 views?
In this episode, Liam takes us behind the scenes of:
The 3:00 AM Stakeout: Why he never actually went to bed and how a little "tenacity" (and maybe a fence-hop or two) got him to the front of the pit.

AI Meets OfficeMax: The high-tech process of creating a viral masterpiece.

The Viral Aftermath: What it’s like being "The Arch Guy" on campus and whether he’s heard from the Manning family yet.

Desert Fan Island: Liam’s must-haves if he were stranded in Neyland Stadium, from Talladega Nights to the legend himself, Peyton Manning.
Whether you're a Vol for life or just love a good viral moment, you don’t want to miss Liam’s story of persistence, creativity, and pure Big Orange energy.

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19 min
September 30 16 Seasons of Perfection: Chicago Bears Legend Patrick Mannelly Joins the Show!
JR Greene here, coming to you from the podcast booth on Music Row in "Nash-Vegas!" Today, we’ve got a real Bears legend in the house. We’re talking about the man who has played more games in a Chicago Bears uniform than Walter Payton, Dick Butkus, or Mike Ditka. Please welcome the one, the only, Patrick Mannelly!
Patrick spent 16 seasons as the most consistent long snapper in NFL history, and in this episode, we’re diving into the "perfectionist gene" required for the job. We cover everything from his Duke education (and why he almost went to Wall Street instead of the NFL) to the secret of a perfect spiral snap.In this episode, we’re talking:
The specialized life of a Long Snapper: Why you only get noticed when you make a mistake—and how Patrick avoided those for 16 years.
Longsnapper.com: How he snagged the ultimate domain name for just $9 back in 1999!
The Patrick Mannelly Award: Why it’s so important to recognize the unsung heroes of college football.
The "Honey Bears" Curse: We get Patrick's take on the legendary Chicago curse I covered in my last episode.
Desert Fan Island: Patrick reveals his must-have movie (Fletch!), his favorite Soldier Field snack, and which Bears legend he’d want to be stranded with.
Whether you're a die-hard Bears fan or just a student of the game, you don't want to miss Patrick's stories from the sideline and his bond with legends like Jim McMahon and Rex Grossman.
Find Patrick at longsnapper.com and make sure to follow, review, and nominate your favorite superfan at superfandiaries.com.
Remember, if you make one person smile today, you’ve had a great day. If you make ‘em laugh? Even better.

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36 min
September 23From Billy Goats to Madden: The Craziest Sports Curses with JR Greene
Good evening, fans! JR Greene here, coming to you from the Superfan Diaries booth in the heart of Music City, Nashville!

Tonight, we’re diving into the strange, the superstitious, and the downright spooky world of Sports Curses. Have you ever wondered why your team just can’t seem to catch a break? Is it bad coaching, or is there a 100-year-old goat to blame?

We’re breaking down the most infamous streaks in history, including:
The Curse of the Billy Goat: How a smelly pet kept the Cubs from the World Series for 71 years.

The Curse of the Bambino: The trade that haunted Boston for nearly a century.

The Madden Curse: Why NFL stars are terrified of being on the game’s cover.

The Honey Bears Curse: My personal favorite—how disbanding a cheerleader squad might have doomed the Chicago Bears.
Whether it’s skyscrapers in Philly or ghosts in San Francisco, we’re exploring why we, as superfans, believe in the impossible. Did putting a tiny statue on top of a skyscraper really save Philadelphia sports in 2008? You be the judge!

Grab a hot dog from the stand outside and settle in. Do you believe in curses, or is it all just luck? Let me know in the comments!

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18 min
September 16 A Personal Tribute to Dolly Parton: The Letter That Changed Everything
Today’s episode of Superfan Diaries is a deeply personal one. As many of you know, Nashville, Tennessee, and the entire world recently lost a true legend: Dolly Parton.
I’ve been thinking a lot about her impact lately, and I wanted to share a story that goes back way before I was even born. My family has a unique history with Dolly—my great uncles, the Bailey Brothers, were bluegrass pioneers who gave a young, 9-year-old Dolly one of her very first breaks on the Cas Walker Show when no one else had a slot for her.
Fast forward to my 20s, when I was living in LA and "tinkering" with the idea of becoming a country music star myself. I sent my demo to Dolly through my Uncle Dan, and a few weeks later, I received a letter that I still read with goosebumps to this day.
In this video, I’m sharing the contents of that beautiful, humble letter from 2003 and the "humble reality" it gave me about my own career path. We’ll talk about Dolly’s incredible mentorship, her unmatched grace, and why she remains the ultimate icon for superfans everywhere.
Also, keep an eye out for a little "Where’s Waldo" moment—Dolly actually makes a special appearance in my book, My Magic Tux!
Thank you for everything, Dolly. We’ll miss you.

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19 min
September 09Black Hawk Down Hero & Country Star Keni Thomas: Surviving Somalia and Finding Music Row!
Welcome back to the Superfan Diaries! I’m your host JR Greene, and today we have a true American warrior in the studio. You’ve seen the movie Black Hawk Down, but today you’re hearing from a man who was actually on that helicopter on October 3rd, 1993.
We’re sitting down with Keni Thomas—U.S. Army Ranger, Bronze Star recipient, author, and country music artist. Keni takes us inside that 17-hour firefight in Mogadishu and shares the life-changing lessons on leadership and commitment that he brought home with him.
But it’s not all war stories! We talk about:
The Gator-Vol Rivalry: As a University of Florida grad, Keni faces the music (and my Tennessee pride) here in Nashville.

Meeting Chris Collinsworth: A heartwarming story about a jersey, a Sunday school class, and a lesson in being a “friend.”

From Rifles to Records: How Keni transitioned from the Ranger Regiment to opening for acts like Toby Keith and Montgomery Gentry.

Coach Keni: Why his 7- and 8-year-old football team uses green and red wristbands to tell their left from their right!
Plus, stick around for a live performance of Keni’s hilarious original song about a trip to Mexico gone wrong!
Find Keni at: KeniThomas.com
Pick up his book: Get It On (available wherever books are sold)
Follow the show: SuperfanDiaries.com
Remember, if you make one person smile today, you’ve had a great day. Make ‘em laugh? Even better. Go get ‘em!

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49 min

About SuperFan Diaries

From the publisher's feed

Put on your lucky cap and crank the volume—SuperFan Diaries with J.R. Greene is the fast-paced sports podcast that celebrates the raw passion, wild rituals, and heart-stopping moments that unite fans everywhere. From game-day superstitions to legendary comebacks, J.R. dishes out high-energy stories and insider takes on every sport under the sun.