The Sports Parent

By The Sports Parent

What's The Sports Parent about?

The husband/wife wonder duo of sportswriter Jeff Pearlman and family coach Catherine Pearlman merge sports and parenting into a podcast that digs into everything from overzealous Little League parents to participatory trophies for all. Featuring a loaded guest list of some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment.

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The Sports Parent episodes:

07.06.2017
15: Marijuana consequences and water polo screamers
Jeff and Catherine dive into the curious case of Keyshawn Johnson, the former New York Jets star who pulled his son from the Nebraska football team after he was caught smoking marijuana. We also mull over loud water polo parents...
06.22.2017
14: Why we (and you!) love sports
Jeff and Catherine devote much of the episode to explaining and analyzing our communal love of all things sports. We also discuss whether it's OK to bark at someone texting in a movie theater, and try and grasp why our...
06.08.2017
13: When organized sports ruin family together time, and the difficulty raising children with autism.
Jeff and Catherine wonder whether the seriousness of organized youth sports is cramping summer vacation fun, and empathize with the parents of autistic kids. Catherine also makes the strongest case yet for the career of Meryl Streep, despite her non-involvement...
05.25.2017
12: Paying for play, and teenage marathoners
Jeff and Catherine discuss whether it's kosher for parents to pay their children for big hits and homes runs. We debate girls wearing short shorts and whether it's OK for a local running club to train young teens for the...
05.11.2017
11: Penn State frat nightmare, and Yankee v. ostrich
Jeff and Catherine return to discuss the tragic death of a Penn State sophomore during a fraternity rush gone terribly bad. We also celebrate the life and career of Ping Bodie, the former Yankee outfielder who out-ate an ostrich.
10.13.2016
10: Youth coaches punishing players—and parents fighting back
Is it OK for kids to watch a presidential election when the candidates are talking infidelity and inappropriate touching? Is it OK for a youth sports coach to punish a bully with running? Is it OK that Catherine likes sushi...
10.01.2016
9: The Sports Parent Returns after a summer break
Jeff and Catherine discuss the tragic death of Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez; an excessively large 9-year-old rugby star pummels kids of the same age; a youth coach being banished to the bleachers because he kneeled during the national anthem.
07.21.2016
8: Fat shaming, breast feeding your 5-year-old, forcing God on your kids and TV host Dawn Neufeld.
What happens when you photograph an overweight woman in a public shower—then post the image online? Answer: A nightmare. Jeff and Catherine discuss this, as well as the impact of religious dogma on children, as well as why breast feeding...
06.30.2016
7: Mandatory hugging, A-Rod, Sports on Sundays and ESPN's Sage Steele
Is it OK for your kid to not hug people? We debate the merits of Alex Rodriguez and his drug-tainted career, applaud parents who opt to not keep their kids out of Sunday sports and talk with ESPN's wonderful Sage...
06.23.2016
6: Chely Wright, Funerals, Metal Detectors and Chinese Schools
Country music star Chely Wright is our special guest as we discuss the benefits (and perils) of taking children to a funeral, whether schools should have metal detectors and the crazy Chinese school schedule.
06.16.2016
5: The highs and lows of homeschooling, the mayor who punched an umpire and special guest, former Dodgers outfield Shawn Green
This week Jeff and Catherine debate the merits of homeschooling, discuss how to deal when your adult child is mentally ill and missing. We mock the fool who angry Tweeted against Stephen Curry's family ... and wound up losing his...
06.09.2016
4a: Stanford Swimmer/Rapist, When your kid can't sleep because you mistakenly told him about a murder, and special guest—Lakers owner Jeanie Buss (who r-e-a-l-l-y wants to be on #DWTS).
This week we discuss the horrifying saga of an alleged college rapist and the father pleading for leniency because his son loves Ribeye. We also discuss the lessons of Muhammad Ali, the discussions one can have with children about the...
06.02.2016
3: When Pros Refuse Autographs, Smoking Near Youth Sports Fields and NFL Linebacker A.J. Hawk
Jeff and Catherine are live from Studio A (OK, their bedroom closet) this week, bashing professional jocks for refusing to sign autographs for kids, and debating both athletic field smoking bans and whether an Arizona high school was right or...
05.26.2016
2: Youth Sport Specialization, Inane Pep Talks and Major League Scout Brian Johnson
Jeff and Catherine are live from Studio A this week, debating the merits of giving every kid a trophy at the end of the season and whether sport specialization is good for kids. They also speak with Major League Baseball...
05.24.2016
1: Baseball's Unwritten "Rule," Kids Growing with Sports and Olympic Volleyball Player Bev Oden
Talking with Olympic volleyball player Bev Oden about how how far is too far to push a young athlete, and when is it justified. And the one-minute debate pits east coast against the west coast.

What's The Sports Parent about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Sports Parent episodes:

15: Marijuana consequences and water polo screamers

14: Why we (and you!) love sports

13: When organized sports ruin family together time, and the difficulty raising children with autism.

12: Paying for play, and teenage marathoners

11: Penn State frat nightmare, and Yankee v. ostrich

10: Youth coaches punishing players—and parents fighting back

9: The Sports Parent Returns after a summer break

8: Fat shaming, breast feeding your 5-year-old, forcing God on your kids and TV host Dawn Neufeld.

7: Mandatory hugging, A-Rod, Sports on Sundays and ESPN's Sage Steele

6: Chely Wright, Funerals, Metal Detectors and Chinese Schools

5: The highs and lows of homeschooling, the mayor who punched an umpire and special guest, former Dodgers outfield Shawn Green

4a: Stanford Swimmer/Rapist, When your kid can't sleep because you mistakenly told him about a murder, and special guest—Lakers owner Jeanie Buss (who r-e-a-l-l-y wants to be on #DWTS).

3: When Pros Refuse Autographs, Smoking Near Youth Sports Fields and NFL Linebacker A.J. Hawk

2: Youth Sport Specialization, Inane Pep Talks and Major League Scout Brian Johnson

1: Baseball's Unwritten "Rule," Kids Growing with Sports and Olympic Volleyball Player Bev Oden