The K.P. Wee Podcast

Chris King, play-by-play broadcaster of MiLB's Tri-City Dust Devils, makes a second appearance on the podcast. In an episode originally recorded on Friday, June 11, King discusses the changes seen in the High A West League (formerly the Northwest League) and answers questions sent in by listeners near the end of the conversation.

Note: Coincidentally, this conversation happened just hours before Giants outfielder (and former Tri-City Dust Devil) Mike Tauchman robbed Washington's Juan Soto of a home run, and K.P. specifically mentions Tauchman because of an earlier conversation with King, who'd shared a cool anecdote about the Giants outfielder in Episode 5.

In today's episode, host K.P. Wee (author of the 2018 book The 1988 Dodgers: Reliving the Championship Season) talks about Dave Anderson and Brian Holton, a pair of unsung heroes—and forgotten contributors—on the 1988 L.A. Dodgers.

Holton went 7-3 with a sparkling 1.70 ERA for the 1988 world champions, including a 6-4 victory against the Cincinnati Reds 33 years ago this week on June 25, 1988. One of his other victories in 1988 came against the powerful New York Mets—making him the only Dodger pitcher to record a victory over the NL East champs during the regular season.

Anderson, meanwhile, filled in admirably at shortstop over a two-month stretch and helped the Dodgers reach first place—and hang on to top spot in the NL West. Of course, when a contending ballclub loses its starting shortstop (which the Dodgers did in 1988 when everyday shortstop Alfredo Griffin was sidelined after being hit in the hand by a Dwight Gooden fastball), it often means disaster—the 1987 Toronto Blue Jays and 1995 California Angels are brought up as examples—but Anderson's play ensured that disaster didn't strike in L.A. that season.

In this episode of The K.P. Wee podcast, you'll hear from Dr. Chelsea Heyward, a sports industry professional. She works as an advisor with the Players Coalition and is also a branding and digital media manager. As if that wasn't already enough, she is also a research associate at Morehouse College where she teaches Sports, Culture, and Power.

After a bachelor's in psychology at Long Beach State, Chelsea wasn't sure what to do when she graduated. When she heard about the masters degree in sports management, she stayed at Long Beach to enroll in the program. That's where it all started. After her masters, Chelsea went on to USC to get her doctorate in Organizational Change in Leadership. Her interested in athletes' involvement in social activism increased and she wrote her dissertation on improving the effectiveness of athlete activism. Since then, she has been involved in the sports industry in many ways and on many levels, including her teaching at Morehouse as well as her role at LaChica Sports with Angela LaChica.

Chelsea offers lots of insight about how she stays organized, what motivates her to work, and how she stays creative and curious. Plus, she offers valuable advice to high school students and young college students on how to become an open-minded learner and get their foot in the door with the sports industry.

If you're a fan of this podcast's intro music, please follow Roger Chong:

Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

KEY TOPICS:

• (2:09) – Introduction to Chelsea and how she got to where she is today

• (7:14) – How Chelsea balances her schedule in the day-to-day

• (8:38) – What motivates Chelsea to keep going every day?

• (9:50) – Chelsea explains branding and her person-centered approach

• (11:05) – Staying creative and being a lifelong learner

• (13:14) – Chelsea's advice for high schoolers and freshmen in college

• (15:42) – Being a sports fan while working in sports

• (18:29) – The pandemic's positive impact on Chelsea's work

• (20:34) – Advice from Chelsea on a student's path to do work in the field

• (23:54) – Finding a professional mentor

• (27:45) – Chelsea's guiding north: liberation of oppressed people

KEY QUOTES:

• (5:22) "Beyond wearing a T-shirt or tweeting about an issue, how can we change the system surrounding a problem?"

• (8:30) "It's almost underestimated about how important the people you work with are because they're shaping your worldview for 70% of your week."

• (10:42) "When I look at branding – either branding a business or a company or an initiative – is trying to look at it from a person's perspective. So, if this initiative were a person, what would it look like?"

• (12:32) "Creativity comes about through mixing ideas that haven't been mixed before."

• (14:02) "You should listen to listen, not listen to respond."

• (16:31) "It's about treating the athletes like people but also understanding what their schedule and their world looks like."

• (18:42) "It's [the pandemic] actually greatly increased my own personal impact I think because it's increased access."

• (21:05) "In sports management you understand the business side of sports, so you understand all that goes into it which becomes really important for understand how things work."

• (24:42) "I think it's getting to know as many people as you can as deeply as you can."

• (26:37) "For young people seeking out mentors, finding someone that doesn't tell you what to think but gives you a framework of how you should think becomes really important."

• (27:27) "There's not a one-size-fits-all solution but if people know themselves well enough, they can figure out what path forward best works for them."

• (28:14) "Everything that I do goes into liberation of people, whether it's socioeconomically, mentally, physically."

About K.P. Wee:

K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee:

K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of The K.P. Wee Podcast: https://kpwee.libsyn.com

In this episode, K.P. Wee looks at some knuckleballing feats and stories for the week of May 31 of past years. Included are Jeff Reardon's first victory in 1993 after the former all-time saves king added a knuckler to his repertoire (May 31, 1993), the Niekro brothers' record-setting 530th combined win in the big leagues (June 1, 1987), and R.A. Dickey's shutout against St. Louis in 2012 (June 2, 2012), which began a dominant month of knuckleball pitching, one which saw him pitch back-to-back one-hitters with 10+ strikeouts that June.

Also mentioned are the outstanding gems of Joe Niekro (June 4, 1987), Tim Wakefield (June 4, 1995), and Eddie Fisher (June 4, 1965). (Note: In the podcast, the date of Wakefield's 10-inning outing was erroneously stated as 1985; of course, it was actually 1995.)

Bonus: Not mentioned in the podcast, but also on June 4, 1953, Hoyt Wilhelm smacked his first career triple (in his 50th big-league at-bat) to break a 3-3 seventh-inning tie against Cincinnati. He got the pitching win in that game with three shutout innings in relief, when the New York Giants scored seven more runs in the eighth for an 11-3 victory. He would never hit another triple. Of course, Wilhelm had also homered in his first major-league at-bat a year earlier—and never hit another.

The music is by The Roger Chong Quartet, titled "Playing With the Duke," which can be found in their 2016 album "Funkalicious."

In this week's episode of the podcasat, K.P. sits down with Jason Takefman, a sports consultant and long-time sports executive in Minor League Baseball, the NHL, and the UFC. Jason is also the co-host of the podcast, "Baseball Writers: The IBWAA Podcast."

In this episode, Jason turns the tables on our host and takes over the show to discuss K.P.'s new book on baseball's career home run leader, Barry Bonds, and why it's high time the MLB legend receives his well-deserved place in the Hall of Fame.

You can pick up K.P.'s new book, The Case for Barry Bonds in the Hall of Fame, on Amazon.

To connect with Jason Takefman, follow him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-takefman-executive-mba-5156a42a/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jasonbtakefman (@JasonBTakefman)

Baseball Writers: IBWAA Podcast https://twitter.com/ibwaapodcast

Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:

• [01:54] Why K.P Wee wrote The Case for Barry Bonds in the Hall of Fame

• [07:33] Is Barry Bonds a victim of PEDs or of his surly public persona?

• [13:17] Is there a world where Barry would have been voted into the Hall of Fame?

• [21:15] Will players vote Barry into the Hall of Fame in 2024, and will he even show up?

• [27:43] If gambling was legalized 25 years ago, would this conversation be different?

• [31:42] Barry's close friends in MLB

• [36:34] What Barry's managers have said about him

• [38:44] How Barry's legacy will look in 25 years

• [41:12] Would Barry's story have turned out differently if he played for Boston or New York for his entire career, or at least for a bulk of his career?

Key Quotes by K.P. and Jason:

• "Barry Bonds was one of the first people who truly didn't care. Everyone talks about not caring what others say or brushing off the haters. But he actually lived it. [...] He was not a very well-liked person because he didn't suck up to the group of people who could frame a story. He didn't care that much." ~Jason
• "You can't give one person or body of people that much power, whether it's media, players, or managers. You can't because they get drunk with power. [...] If Major League Baseball divests its power for the voting, I think they would have a lot more real participation in the Hall of Fame." ~Jason
• "We have to remember that the Hall of Fame is not a shrine but a museum. You can't not have the greatest home run hitter in the history of the game not be a member of your sports museum." ~K.P.

This episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast features something a little different – a look at the business of sports through the prism of digital design. K.P. welcomes Sydney Noland, who has been the Seattle Seahawks' in-house digital designer since 2019. Her journey, which started somewhat accidentally, has offered Sydney access to colleagues she enjoys, a sport she has come to love and artistic challenges that make every day an opportunity for growth.

An Indiana native, Sydney initially moved to Seattle because it was where the Navy had based her husband. She was a recent graduate of Ball State in search of design experience of any kind. She applied for dozens of internship positions, but the Seahawks were the only potential employer to offer her an opportunity. She has since gone from football neophyte to an integral part of a pro franchise, learning all the ins and outs of the sport along the way!

Not only has Sydney helped establish the Seahawks' online presence with her contributions to print media and digital platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, she has also worked on app development and created templates that empower other members of the Seahawks team to contribute digitally. Learn about what it's like to be on a professional sports team's digital media team, including some practical career advice and tips for managing potential bumps along the way.

If you're a fan of this podcast's intro music, please follow Roger Chong:

Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

KEY TOPICS:

• (02:00) – Intro to Sydney and a bit about her background.
• (05:00) – The existence of "sports design" as an actual industry niche was all new to Sydney, who fell into it through luck and circumstance.
• (05:50) – What a digital designer's day-to-day looks like, especially in the context of promoting a sports team.
• (07:28) – When it comes to planning digital campaigns and content, Sydney draws inspiration mostly from her own imagination.
• (08:31) – The off-season affords a little bit of a break, but Sydney's calendar is still busy year-round with new projects to plan and execute all the time.
• (10:45) – Sydney delineates some of the differences between various aspects of digital design within different media contexts.
• (11:49) – The fun and less fun elements of being a digital designer. It tilts heavily towards the fun!
• (13:52) – Where Sydney was when she first heard that pandemic was threatening to force a lockdown, shut down offices and put a pause on all professional sports.
• (16:28) – How the transition to working remotely has impacted Sydney and others on the Seahawks team used to a lot of face-to-face social interactions.
• (17:45) – How Sydney balances work and family as well as structuring her time on the job at home.
• (19:00) – How Sydney's Bachelor of Fine Arts supported her career ambitions and what inspired her to pursue graphic design.
• (20:27) – How resilience played a crucial role in Sydney's dream. She was initially rejected by Ball State's art department but persevered!
• (21:56) – College provided the basics, but actually entering the real-world practice of digital design required some hands-on learning along the way. Participating in Ball State's "Digital Corps" was a critical piece, along with internships Sydney lined up over her college years.
• (24:10) – Marketing tips for aspiring digital designers who want to raise their profile and cultivate their brand:
  • Establish a personal website featuring your portfolio.
  • Showcase work at online platforms like Behance.net.
  • Network with other sports designers.
  • Post frequently on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media websites.

• (26:12) – Finding a mentor starts with reaching out. You never know which young creative will be generous with their time.
• (27:43) – How Sydney initially found out about the possibility of work with the Seattle Seahawks via Glassdoor. She followed up by researching the team online and staying open to learning about something entirely new.
• (29:05) – A few final thoughts from Sydney for aspiring digital designers – especially those with an interest in the sports sector.

KEY QUOTES:

• (04:40) – "I never had a thought about football – barely knew anything about football – compared to now!"
• (06:41) – "Nowadays we're even more into the digital realm because of COVID and pulling back on print, realizing how valuable these digital spaces are."
• (09:44) – "People always ask, 'What are you doing in the off-season?' And the answer is A LOT!"
• (11:50) – "The most fun part about my job is just seeing a big campaign come together as expected and looking great."
• (12:02) – "I love the creativity that goes into my job and that my co-workers are so trusting of my abilities … We're always trying to do something new, something different."
• (15:30) – "(Pandemic) was a wild time for all of us, trying to figure out how everything was going to work, which we eventually did. It was just a crazy time."
• (17:00) – "I've gotten closer to my boss and other co-workers from the pandemic because we're messaging each other more … making time for each other. I've gotten used to it, but it was weird at first."
• (20:15) – "I've always just loved art and been very passionate about it."
• (21:13) – "To anyone listening out there: Failure does not mean it's the end!"
• (26:17) – "If you find someone you're inspired by and they're willing to be a mentor, talk with you, answer questions and give you feedback from time to time, I'd say just reaching out is the first step."
• (29:10) – "My biggest piece of advice is, 'Don't accept that failure is the end of the road.' Sometimes you're just being turned in a different direction for the moment and there's something better up ahead than what you had planned."

Follow Sydney:

Website: https://sydneynoland.com

@LinkedIn

Online portfolio website: https://www.behance.net

About K.P. Wee:

K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee:

K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of the K.P. Wee Podcast: https://kpwee.libsyn.com

This episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast features a young woman who has launched a sports media career that includes a podcast featured in 36 countries. And she hasn't even graduated college yet! Aggie Dent, a senior at New York University studying Sports Management and minoring in Studio Art, shares her pandemic experience with developing global relationships and exploring new media platforms. In a far-ranging interview recorded two days before Major League Baseball's 2021 Opening Day, K.P. asks Aggie to share thoughts on everything from the overlapping beauties art and sports share to marketing and communications internships at Formula E and FC Bayern Munich to how the Alabama native picks her favorite sports teams.

Aggie explains how her podcast, Adventures with Aggie, got started and the ways in which it has evolved over its inaugural year. She focuses on sharing the stories of athletes and sporting professionals of all sports and backgrounds. K.P. solicits lots of helpful advice for young people who would like to pursue careers in the sports industry, especially within the realm of podcasting and sports branding and management. They round out their conversation with thoughts on staying open to opportunities in life. "Take a leap of faith" is advice commonly given to those launching a career. But Aggie embraces a different philosophy: "Take a baby step!" That's where her journey started and she plans to keep advancing her goals by putting one foot in front of the other and staying curious, open and excited all along the way.

You can find "Adventures with Aggie" here.

If you're a fan of this podcast's intro music, please follow Roger Chong: Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

KEY TOPICS:

• (02:55): What NY sports teams Aggie, an Alabama native, cheers on.

• (04:34): How sports and art overlap in Aggie's view. She loves the fact that the two complement each other and uses various media to communicate the technique and beauty present in both.

• (06:54): The Adventures with Aggie podcast – how it has evolved and where she hopes to take it in the future.

• (08:30): Pending topics that Aggie will be featuring in upcoming podcasts.

• (09:15): What got Aggie started on her podcast? Quarantine boredom, at first! Then, increasingly, genuine curiosity and the excitement in hearing stories.

• (11:58): Aggie's advice of aspiring podcasters.

• • First off, you never know until you try!

• • Then keep at it. In her case, she organically grew to find listeners in 36 countries!

• • Have fun with it!

• (14:35): Formula E and how Aggie got involved with electric car racing.
• (15:53): Aggie's role at NYU's Sports Business Society (for professional networking and community service events).
• (17:28): A few ideas for would-be incoming students at NYU. How to get the most out of the experience:
• • Reach out and solicit support/mentoring from older students.
  • Pursue and utilize internship, volunteer and other opportunities.
• (19:40): How Aggie connected with overseas sports teams and what those working relationships look like in the day-to-day (or 24-hour day when it comes to her remote, global relationships).
• (22:34): Aggie ponders what has been most rewarding about her podcast and other experiences thus far in her career:
• • Meeting a huge array of athletes with amazing stories.
  • Creating community with all the fascinating guests she has met.
  • Experiencing the trust others put in her as a host.
• (20:20): What it's like when emotions – positive or negative – come up in a podcast interview. Some have difficulty sharing their struggles, but they appreciate the platform and opportunity to tell their own stories.
• (27:06): Aggie's best advice to young people aspiring to whatever career:
• • Stay open and try anything and everything. (Aggie never imagined as a freshman that she'd be speaking to strangers on Zoom as a senior).
  • It's okay not to know exactly what you want to do.
  • Internships are a great way to test many different types of careers.
• (28:58): Where to find the Adventures with Aggie podcast and new episodes as they come out.

KEY QUOTES:

• (04:44): "Sports in itself is art. You can't look at a Hail Mary in football and not say that's a work of art."
• (07:39): "I wanted to dive deeper into storytelling."
• (07:49): "I'm focused on delivering the stories of athletes off the field and how their sport has defined what they have done with their lives."
• (08:30): "We have lots of different content for the rest of the year about lots of different sports."
• (11:00): "Curiosity pushes the show a lot."
• (12:10): "When I was starting out I didn't really mean to start a podcast … then people wanted more of your content."
• (13:26): "I enjoy every single one of my episodes. Maybe it's because I have that curiosity, that I want to know more but I love it!"
• (17:00): "Being able to speak with all these people from all around the world has been a really cool experience."
• (20:02): "If we weren't remote right now I wouldn't be working for these incredible teams across the world."
• (21:16): "I record at all hours of the day because my guests are from all over the world. So I'll wake up at 5am to record because that's when somebody can do it."
• (22:00): "It's amazing to see the international sports world come together during these virtual times and how it allows for all of these different experiences."
• (23:38): "Knowing that people trust me enough to share their stories and what has happened in their life … is so rewarding. And some of them are my friends now."
• (25:45): "I tell every single guest: I'm not trying to ask you hard questions. That's not the point of the show. The point of the show is to deliver your story in the way that you want to."
• (28:05): "I didn't know (as a college freshman) what I wanted to do and that's okay. You don't have to know what you want to do. Once you've tried all the things you think you want to try, then you can know what you want to do."
• (28:18): "'Try everything' is the most vital piece of advice – advice that I also received as a freshman."

Follow Aggie:

Website: www.adventureswithaggie.com

@LinkedIn

@Twitter

Formula E Racing: https://www.fiaformulae.com

About K.P. Wee: K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee: K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of the K.P. Wee Podcast: https://kpwee.libsyn.com

In this episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast, the tables are turned when Stan Markotich, former News Director at CJIV Radio, takes over the microphone to interview our host. Together, they explore all the various professional incarnations that have defined K.P.'s career: sports writer, educator and author of multiple works of sports and narrative fiction. There are lots of amazing anecdotes and stories to share along the way.

It's a conversation that runs the gamut from the early impulse (to help others) that drove and continues to drive K.P.'s career interests to managing interviews with irascible sports subjects to advice for young people who aspire to work in sports, most especially for those who are interested in becoming an author and building a body of work similar to K.P.'s own. Anyone can do it, the author and podcast host asserts, with dedication, patience, determination, preparation and – most of all – passion!

If you're a fan of this podcast's intro music, please follow Roger Chong: Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

KEY TOPICS:

• (01:49): How K.P.'s core values drove his professional interests.
• (02:58): K.P.'s career as an educator included corporate and teacher training while at the same time his gift for writing started to emerge.
• (04:00): How K.P.'s first efforts as an author came to pass, starting out as a hobby and progressing from there.
• (04:17): About the first book K.P. authored, a biography of baseball player Tom Candiotti and other ideas that flowed from there.
• (06:15): How K.P. created a bridge from his work in commercial and educational contexts to becoming an accomplished author with a special focus on sports.
• (07:25): Although not himself a professional athlete, K.P. relies on facts, records and historical stats to establish credibility and a sound foundation for his books.
• (09:32): The types of interactions K.P. has had with the athletes he has profiled and how he prompts them to recollect and share their stories.
• (12:48): Various methods K.P. has used to contact prospective subjects:
  • Via media relations representatives who can help secure interviews or permission to interact with players and other team members.
  • Old-school letters to retirees and others without PR organizations.
  • DM-ing on LinkedIn, Twitter or other social media platforms.
• (15:09): K.P. doesn't parlay his work in media relations for the Vancouver Canadians when he pitches prospective book subjects, instead sharing his resume and the track records of books he has previously authored.
• (17:05): Helpful insights that K.P. has adopted as a result of his work in media relations (for the Vancouver Candians) and how they are useful in communicating his professionalism and neutrality.
• (19:00): The publishing status update on K.P.'s book about Barry Bonds.
• (21:24): How K.P. has navigated awkward situations in which he's needed to approach a coach or player who might have had either a bad day or doesn't want to dredge up a particular memory.
  • Gilbert Dionne on Marty McSorley's illegal stick in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals.
  • Oilers Goalie Bill Ranford thoughts on Jimmy Carson's trade.
  • One unnamed player lit into K.P. because he didn't like a particular (innocuous) question.
• (30:26): Does K.P. consider himself more of an oral historian or biographer?
• (32:45): A lot of the stories K.P. tells are written to inspire young people to be tenacious, resilient or just to dream big.
• (35:00): How K.P. got started writing about sports figures and what it takes to break into publishing and other sports-related careers:
  • Passion is key.
  • Think about purchasing some basic equipment.
  • Do your research and get knowledgeable about various media (YouTube is a great resource).
  • Plan to invest considerable time.
  • Look up publishers who have issued the kinds of books you'd like to write, locate editors' contact information and send out a pitch. You've got nothing to lose.
  • Learn about your prospective subjects and then reach out in a professional, serious manner.
• (39:40): Above all, people who aspire to a career in sports just need to get started.

KEY QUOTES:

• (02:34): "Different people communicate effectively in different ways. I was one of those communicators who did better as a writer."
• (02:54): "From a young age I knew that I wanted to help others and one way of doing that was to become a teacher or instructor."
• (06:37): "Sports fans often have their own opinions and think they're right."
• (08:12): "Even though I have not been an athlete or sports journalist … I am happy and proud that I've been able to do the research and deliver stories that are accurate to the fans."
• (10:21): "I'm not there to push the player to get that next touchdown or goal or drive in that next run. I'm there to get them to recollect that special game, that best moment on the playing field."
• (14:16): "Even though I'm not an athlete professionally or amateur-wise, I have worked for the Vancouver Canadians minor league baseball team … (but) I keep that separate from what I do with my writing."
• (18:15): "I'm not a fan who is there to get an autograph. I'm here to get your story and to portray you in a positive light, not to slam you."
• (28:10): "Sometimes you may ask a question that you think is fair game … and need to cut the interview short. You just find another way to tell the story."
• (29:40): "You can report the facts, but that doesn't give you the story." (Stan)
• (31:22): "Helping people is not just teaching them things but also writing stories that can inspire."
• (32:52): "A lot of these stories are fascinating because of the athletes or coaches themselves."
• (35:33): "You have to devote a lot of time to do a good job at (writing). You can't be half-way and expect to really do a great job."
• (36:00): "You do this kind of thing (writing books) because it's a passion … and understanding that, you just go out and do it!"
• (39:18): "Above all understand that rejection will come. You just have to be able to deal with (it)."
• (39:33): "Be persistent, but don't be a pest. Don't be annoying! If someone doesn't want to be interview you have to respect that."

About K.P. Wee:

K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee:

K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of the K.P. Wee Podcast: https://kpwee.libsyn.com

In this episode of the K.P. Wee podcast, it's all about navigating the football industry's backroom staffing. In a conversation recorded in March 2021, Neil Stratton, founder of the Inside the League (ITL), offers valuable perspectives and advice for prospects, parents, coaches, administrators and agents. His blog, podcast, website and the many features his Inside the League website offers are critical tools for anyone who aspires to build a career in the college or pro football industry. Neil pioneered the concept of an online trade journal and has also served as an advisor to schools from the Big 10, ACC, WAC, Conference USA and Pac 10.

It wouldn't be covering the whole story, however, if Neil didn't share his early pre-Internet days and the various starts and stops he weathered along the road to success for his multi-faceted Inside the League franchise. K.P. and Neil also tackle the evolution of scouting and the changes in philosophy that have arisen since the Moneyball concept emerged, along with a new breed of owners who tend to run their NFL teams like they run their businesses. There is, Neil says, much more of an emphasis today on basing decisions on math and downsizing the role of scouting departments. It's hard to say whether that trend holds in a post-pandemic world.

The episode wraps up with advice for aspiring football professionals of all types and it comes down to one thing: Put yourself out there. The industry is sought-after and (at least has the appearance of being) glamorous, so don't expect anyone to send you an invitation. Find a way to contribute – volunteering or doing menial work – and find a mentor to start building your network from there!

Neil's excellent book, Scout Speak: Thinking and Talking about Being an NFL Evaluator, is available here. It offers insider perspectives and advice from legends in the field that you won't want to miss.

If you're a fan of this podcast's intro music, please follow Roger Chong: Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

KEY TOPICS:

• (01:34): How Inside the League came about, its roots and modest start in the transition between print- and Internet-based publishing
• (03:22): It was agents, financial advisers and wealth managers at All-Star games who initially encouraged Neil to start a publication focused on them, which he did in 2002. It was a slow start.
• (04:13) The summer of 2007, Neil went to work for the Hula Bowl. It was going to be a turning point but the game was cancelled and the wheels fell off. Neil was disgusted, until (with a nudge from his wife) Neil adopted a new subscription model and relaunched Inside the League.
• (06:31): It was a leap of faith for his new subscribers, who had no Twitter or other social media platforms giving them a peak behind the wall. But people came and Neil never looked back, having now added a podcast, a blog, newsletter, partnering and a number of other unique tools.
• (08:26): How an exam program for aspiring agents came into being and what ITL's testing/prep does to prepare people for the career.
• (11:20): Neil's expertise with scouting and the pervasive impacts of pandemic in terms of connecting people within and aspiring to the industry. ITL responded with professional development tools online featuring top figures who have shared their knowledge and experience.
• (13:37): All about Neil's book Scout Speak (now also available on audio) and who the book is targeted to serve. It provides insider information as well as stories culled from recordings made at events over the years, including interviews with more than 30 former and current general managers, scouts and other players in the industry.
• (16:20): Scouting isn't the "fantasy football" dream that many people might think. Neil gets into the nitty-gritty of what life looks like for those who pursue a scouting career.
• (17:18): Neil explains how ITL 1.0 was strictly about agents. ITL 2.0, which has expanded its focus on scouting. ITL 3.0 tackles the college personnel community and integrating it with the agent and scouting industries.
• (18:00): Passion and sacrifice are inevitable in this industry. The pay is small, the hours are long. You're up against deadlines, often lonely and unwelcome at the school you're visiting.
• (20:42): The dynamic between coaches and owners has evolved to where it's hard to tell the players from the scouts, who are very often young ex-players who are in shape but don't perhaps have as many contacts or as much experience.
• (23:10): The ways in which scouting has changed over Neil's 20 years in the industry and where it's heading in a post-pandemic world where priorities and contacts may bear more or less importance.
• (24:10) K.P. summarizes recent history in terms of distinguishing information gatherers versus talent evaluators.
• (24:27): How analytics have changed scouting standards and approaches – as well as the differing ways people interpret what quantitative data means.
• (27:25): Neil offers words of advice (and concrete tactics) for young professionals who aspire to get access, network and find their way onto the first rung in this highly competitive industry.
• (31:00): Neil's advice to aspiring football professionals: Volunteer at stadiums, find a camp that a player is putting on, do whatever you can to build relationships. (Posting comments on Twitter is not enough …)
• (32:30): The XFL's and CFL's future and what synergies may be out there – as well as opportunities for people looking for a place to put their skills to work and make important connections and access opportunities.

KEY QUOTES:

• (03:52) "(ITL got started) right when sports business news was something people were talking about, something new, and the idea of sports business management degrees was new … Money was being plowed into the industry."
• (04:02): "I thought it would be a wild success and everyone would want to know more about the industry but it wasn't that at all."
• (06:10): "The idea in '08 of using a credit card on the internet was still kind of a new idea, something people were nervous about and reluctant about so I had those things I was working against."
• (07:50): "From the initial idea, just trying to track and inform agents, we've expanded to work with agents, scouts, marketing people, financial advisers, wealth managers, people across this industry.
• (10:40): "I believe in the win-win. I believe I can help you get better and pass the (agents') exam and live your dream. All you gotta do is help me by supporting what we do. Our niche is to help people progress through the industry."
• (13:14): "We've been excited about how we've made it easy for people to become part of the industry they aspire to and get the questions only certain people can answer. Making the learning curve shorter is our whole goal."
• (15:30): "The idea at first was to write a book for people interested in scouting but as it has evolved a lot of my friends in the industry have picked it up and purchased it."
• (16:19): "Your rank-and-file fan thinks scouting is like fantasy football times a million. Well, it's not quite that. It's more drudgery, driving late nights and getting up early, sitting in a scouting room all day and talking to people who may not want to give you what you seek."
• (16:56): "Scouts don't have as much power as maybe people think they do. They aren't out calling the shots."
• (18:21): "You're certainly not getting rich. It's an industry where you've certainly got to pay your dues and work your way up. The salaries are better than they used to be. There are some approaching $100,000 but that's certainly not the standard. You're usually going to start out at $40,000 or $50,000."
• (19:40): "There is a camaraderie and fraternity to it that appeals to a lot of people, but that's such a small part of it … that you better be coming into it with a passion for the game because it's not as glamorous as you think."
• (22:25): "In the old days you had spirited arguments amongst scouts because these guys had coached, they had played in many cases; they knew what teams were looking for. They were used to teams doing a certain thing. They were cut from a different cloth.
• (24:48): "The difficulty with analytics is you ask two different people and they have a different answer on what analytics really is."
• (26:12): "I think there's a certain mix of traditional scouting and analytics that's most effective. The problem is no one really know exactly what that mix is."
• (30:40): "If you want to work in football you've got to be very intentional about looking for opportunities to go meet people, to go work for people, to prove yourself to people and if you aren't doing that … your chances aren't very good."
• (31:14): "Football is one of the most network-based industries out there and if you don't go out and meet people – and more importantly have a mentor or champion who will go to bat for you and help you find opportunities – it's almost impossible to break in."
• (33:52): "There are hundreds of people who want to do this kind of work and you've got to be the one to go in and do the things that other people don't want to do. That's how you stand out and apart from everybody else."

Follow Neil Stratton/ITL:

Website: http://www.insidetheleague.com

Blog: www.succeedinfootball.com

Podcast: The Draft Brawl Podcast

@Twitter

@LinkedIn

About K.P. Wee:

K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee:

K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of The K.P. Wee Podcast: https://kpwee.libsyn.com

This episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast features author, speaker, and former athlete Bo-Dean Sanders. In the '80s, Bo-Dean transferred from Cheyney University (the oldest HBCU in the U.S.) to Villanova to play on a majority-white football team. His book, Race Against … Against Race: My Journey of Diversity and Inclusion Through Sports, debuted in late 2020.

During the conversation, Bo-Dean shares a lot about his time facing racism in sports in the '80s. He begins by talking about his early relationship with football and how he wasn't exposed to diverse teams until at least his teen years. He thanks his upbringing for giving him the ability to empathize with the integrated teams he would eventually play for—especially at Villanova. He encourages listeners to embrace the fact that they can overcome any challenge thrown their way.

Bo-Dean also shares a story about the time he met Charles Barkley and the impact that had on his football career and his life as a whole.

Toward the end of the episode, Bo-Dean digs into the motivation behind writing his book, Race Against … Against Race: My Journey of Diversity and Inclusion Through Sports. He provides strategies for allies of those trying to advance the cause of racial equality, many of which are outlined in the book. He also applauds the work of current activists athletes who are continuing to move the ball forward, as he says, while acknowledging that athletes in the U.S. have "always done this work." He is thankful for the opportunity to be a spokesman of sorts for racial equality and works to build up the communities of those who are still disenfranchised around the country.

KEY TOPICS:

• (01:15) Bo-Dean shares a bit about his background.
• (02:00) Bo-Dean's relationship with Howie Long.
• (10:30) Why Bo-Dean was able to resist bad temptations while in school.
• (14:30) You can overcome your obstacles.
• (15:00) Advice to young athletes.
• (17:20) Bo-Dean's favorite coach: Tom Landry.
• (22:00) The time he met Charles Barkley playing college football.
• (35:50) Bo-Dean recounts how he didn't encounter diversity until he'd grown up.
• (36:40) The philosophy of Bo-Dean's book, Race Against … Against Race.
• (39:30) Comments on today's activist athletes.
• (43:00) Some final thoughts from Bo-Dean about race allyship.
• (46:00) Bo-Dean weighs in on the Philadelphia Eagles' 2020 season.

KEY QUOTES:

• (04:20) "As I would travel around, and ideas and memories came into my head [for the book], I would write them down on paper and throw them in the backseat of my SUV, and over time, I had a whole bunch of paper in the back of my SUV!"
• (10:00) "Just because I was accepted into Cheyney University as a student did not mean I was automatically given a position on the team: I had to earn my position on the team."
• (14:00) "I had to adjust and I had to grow, and I was able to do that through the years thanks to good teachers, teammates and a solid foundation."
• (16:00) "If you want to move to the next level, whatever the next level is, you still need to do your homework."
• (19:20) "Tom Landry was a leader, and he got a lot of respect across the league."
• (19:45) "Terry Hoage was the first player I saw on TV and thought I wanted to play that position."
• (31:50) "Just because I've never had a white teammate doesn't mean I can't treat them with the same level of respect as my black teammates."
• (37:30) "If you're on a diverse team, athletes have those conversations that are centered around race."
• (41:15) "Athletes have always played a role in moving the ball forward progressively and in the right direction for race relations."

To listen to additional episodes, please visit The K.P. Wee Podcast.

About Bo-Dean (from his website):

A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Bo-Dean and his siblings were raised by their single mother. He developed his values by attending his grandmother's Baptist church. His love of sports began while watching college football on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays. Bo-Dean began his college football career in 1984 as a walk-on at Cheyney University, the oldest Historically Black College-University (HBCU) in America. He transferred to Villanova University to continue his college football career after Villanova, which had previously dropped football after the 1980 season, reinstated it in 1984. Bo-Dean acclimated to the majority white team and in 1989, earned his varsity ring and jacket.

To learn more about Bo-Dean and his book, Race Against … Against Race: My Journey of Diversity and Inclusion Through Sports, check him out at www.bo-deansanders.com

Twitter: @BoDeanSanders42

Email: [email protected]

About K.P. Wee:

K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club's media relations department.

Follow K.P. Wee:

Website: www.kpwee.com

Email: [email protected]

@Twitter

@LinkedIn