EPISODE 415: The NFL's Dallas Texans - With David Fleming

Peabody Award-nominated writer and Episode 389 guest David Fleming (“Breaker Boys: The NFL's Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship”) returns to the show to unpack one of the National Football League’s most chaotic and fascinating chapters: the disaster of the 1952 Dallas Texans.

In his new book,"A Big Mess in Texas: The Miraculous, Disastrous 1952 Dallas Texans and the Craziest Untold Story in NFL History," Fleming chronicles the league’s first attempt to plant a professional football franchise in football-crazed Texas — a venture so ill-fated that the NFL reportedly still disavows it.

Fleming guides us through the Texans’ brief and turbulent existence, from their origins as the financially struggling New York Yanks to their relocation to Dallas under the ambitious but ill-prepared Miller brothers. We explore a 1–11 season riddled with logistical nightmares and meet the team’s unforgettable characters: future Hall of Famers Art Donovan and Gino Marchetti, unsung heroes like Buddy Young and George Taliaferro, and a broader cast of characters who fought to keep the team afloat despite unrelenting chaos.

You'll hear about rattlesnakes on the practice field, barroom brawls, bounced checks, paternity suits, one-legged trainers, humiliating defeats, a miraculous victory, strip poker with groupies, and even a future Hall of Fame coach stealing a cab. Amidst the madness, Fleming spotlights the Texans’ lone shining moment: a Thanksgiving Day "home game" upset over the Chicago Bears at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio — an improbable triumph that perfectly captured the team’s fleeting flashes of brilliance against a constant tide of organizational mayhem.

PLUS: your chance to win a copy of "A Big Mess in Texas"!

A Big Mess in Texas: The Miraculous, Disastrous 1952 Dallas Texans and the Craziest Untold Story in NFL History - buy here

EPISODE 413: "The NFL Today" (And More!) - With Jayne Kennedy

The incomparable Jayne Kennedy ("Plain Jayne: A Memoir") joins us for an intimate conversation about a career that defied expectations and left an indelible mark on both sports broadcasting and American culture. Raised in small-town Ohio and catapulted to national attention through beauty pageants and professional ambitions, Kennedy soon found herself in early 1970s Hollywood — landing a succession of parts on TV variety shows, commercials, and film. But it was her move to CBS’s The NFL Today in 1978 that cemented her place in television history.

For two groundbreaking seasons, Kennedy sat alongside Brent Musburger, Irv Cross, and Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder on what was then the most influential NFL pregame show in America. As one of the first women — and among the very first Black women — to co-anchor a national sports broadcast, she brought poise, charisma, and depth to a space long dominated by men. 

Kennedy reflects candidly on what it was like to navigate the high-pressure world of network television, from the excitement of breaking barriers to the behind-the-scenes tensions that eventually led to her controversial departure in 1980.

In a conversation that spans both triumphs and challenges, Kennedy shares how her time on The NFL Today shaped her career, the lessons she carried into later endeavors, and why her story still resonates in today’s conversations about representation in media. 

PLUS: Your chance to win a copy of "Plain Jayne" via this week's trivia question!

Plain Jayne: A Memoir - buy book here

EPISODE 412: "Madden & Summerall" - With Rich Podolsky

Veteran sportswriter, Sports Broadcast Journal columnist, and Episode 233 guest Rich Podolsky ("You Are Looking Live!") returns to the show — this time to explore the story of perhaps the greatest broadcast partnership in NFL history. 

In his new book, "Madden & Summerall: How They Revolutionized NFL Broadcasting," Podolsky offers a rare inside look at how kicker-turned-play-by-play man Pat Summerall, and coach-turned-color-analyst John Madden became the voices of America’s Sundays — and why their impact still reverberates across sports media today.

Through Podolsky’s storytelling, we uncover how the duo’s unlikely chemistry — Summerall’s minimalist gravitas paired with Madden’s booming energy and boundless teaching — redefined the way fans understood the game. We trace their journey from the heights of CBS to their groundbreaking leap to Fox, where their presence gave a fledgling network instant credibility. Along the way, Podolsky reveals how Madden transformed the role of analyst, turning film sessions and telestrators into staples of the craft, while Summerall perfected the art of saying more with less.

What emerges is not just a portrait of two men, but of a cultural moment: the rise of the NFL as America’s most powerful television spectacle, carried into living rooms by a duo so iconic that no team since has truly replaced them.

PLUS: Your chance to win a copy of "Madden & Summerall"!

“Madden & Summerall: How They Revolutionized NFL Broadcasting” - buy book here

EPISODE 405: Leo Lyons & The NFL's Rochester Jeffersons - With Jeffrey Miller & John Steffenhagen

In 1898, a 16-year-old dreamer named Leo Lyons was tossing a football around a Rochester, NY sandlot. Within two years, he wasn’t just playing—he was managing, coaching, and bankrolling a team that would become an National Football League charter member: the Rochester Jeffersons.

This week, we sit down with authors Jeffrey Miller and John Steffenhagen to explore their powerful new book, "Leo Lyons, the Rochester Jeffersons and the Birth of the NFL" - the unbelievable-but-true story of how one man’s relentless vision helped shape pro football’s earliest days.

From challenging Jim Thorpe’s Canton Bulldogs and signing Black players decades before integration, to mortgaging his house and offering Red Grange $5,000 per game, Lyons’ tale is one of grit, guts, and heartbreak. 

With exclusive access to the Leo Lyons Collection, Miller and Steffenhagen uncover the backroom deals, sandlot beginnings, and forgotten heroes behind the NFL's formation.

It’s a story of ambition, obsession — and a dream that changed American sports forever.

PLUS: Tim devises a strategy to definitively get Leo Lyons into the Pro Football Hall of Fame!

Leo Lyons, the Rochester Jeffersons and the Birth of the NFL - buy Book Here

EPISODE 401: AFL Football & Civil Rights Pioneer Abner Haynes - With King David Haynes

In this special episode, we sit down with King David Haynes, son of American Football League legend and civil rights trailblazer Abner Haynes, to discuss his newly released biography "Abner Haynes: An American Hero."

Abner Haynes was far more than just a football star — he was a barrier-breaking athlete, community leader, and a courageous voice for racial justice. From integrating Texas college football in the 1950s to becoming the league's first MVP in 1960 to standing at the forefront of athlete activism during the 1965 AFL All-Star Game boycott, his story is as American as it is heroic.

King David shares deeply personal stories about his father’s triumphs and struggles — on the field, in the locker room, and in segregated America — and reflects on how Abner’s legacy continues to resonate today. We talk about what it was like to grow up as the son of a sports pioneer, what inspired the book, and how the family continues to honor Abner’s legacy in the modern era.

Abner Haynes: An American Hero - Buy Book Here

EPISODE 400: Hall of Fame Broadcaster Steve Albert

It's our 400th, so we’re going big with a guest who’s called it all, seen it all, and somehow lived to laugh about it.

Steve Albert ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Broadcast Booth") -- Hall of Fame broadcaster and proud member of the legendary Albert sportscasting family (including nephew/Episode 320 guest Kenny) -- joins us for a deep dive into his one-of-a-kind, 45-year ride through the wilds of professional sports. From vanished leagues to unforgettable fights, from Brooklyn bedrooms-turned-broadcast-booths to center stage at Showtime Championship Boxing, Albert's stories are equal parts history and hilarity.

In this special milestone episode, we retrace Albert’s journey through memorable stops like:

• The WHA’s Cleveland Crusaders, where his broadcast partner was the coach’s elbow-needling wife;

• The MISL’s New York Arrows, where goal-scoring was nonstop and whiplash an occupational hazard;

• The final ABA game ever played, which he and his older brother Al called from opposing sides;

• 30+ years across the NBA, including 20 seasons with the New York and New Jersey versions of the Nets, and a career-capping, Emmy-winning turn with the Phoenix Suns;

• Local New York TV sports anchor stints, where juggling 6 o’clock newscasts and rush-hour traffic to call evening games became an art;

• And, of course, his nearly quarter-century ringside seat with Showtime Championship Boxing -- including the infamous Tyson–Holyfield (II) “Bite Fight”

We also talk about growing up in a house where three brothers fought over the mic instead of the remote, how a botched bathroom door nearly derailed a broadcast, and why the strangest moments in sports often happen outside the lines of the game.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Broadcast Booth - Buy Book Here

EPISODE 393: The NFL Incorporates AAFC Stats - With Ken Crippen

In a surprise move that instantly reshapes the league’s historical narrative, the National Football League last month announced it will now officially incorporate statistics from the upstart All-America Football Conference (AAFC), the short-lived but impactful rival professional football league that operated from 1946 to 1949. 

The decision brings long-overdue recognition to the achievements of several prominent players from the mid-20th century and results in the revision of several long-standing records in the NFL’s official record books.

Renowned early pro football historian Ken Crippen ("The All-America Football Conference: Players, Coaches, Records, Games and Awards" and "The Original Buffalo Bills: A History of the All-America Football Conference Team") returns to the show (after a seven-year absence) to help us break down the NFL owners' decision to finally recognize the AAFC, as well as the historical significance of the move - which further burnishes the statistical legacies of star players like Y.A. Tittle (Baltimore Colts), Mac Speedie and Otto Graham (Cleveland Browns); Cleveland's iconic Paul Brown; and, most obviously the original Browns franchise - the only league champion the AAFC ever knew.

Plus, the bizarre story of how the original AAFC statistical records were providentially rescued from a New York City dumpster shortly after the announcement of the merger with the NFL in 1949! 

The All-America Football Conference: Players, Coaches, Records, Games and Awards - buy here

The Original Buffalo Bills: A History of the All-America Football Conference Team - buy here

EPISODE 392: Dan Pastorini & The Houston Oilers

This week, we're thrilled to welcome a true legend of grit and perseverance — former NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini ("Taking Flak: Life In The Fast Lane").

Born and raised in the Bay Area, Pastorini made his mark early at Bellarmine College Prep before starring at nearby Santa Clara University, where he etched his name into the school’s record books and shined as the Most Outstanding Player of the 1971 East-West Shrine Game.

Drafted third overall by the Houston Oilers during the famed "Year of the Quarterback" in 1971, Pastorini became a symbol of toughness and innovation — famously pioneering the use of the flak jacket to play through brutal injuries. During his nine seasons with the Oilers, Pastorini led the team through the beloved "Luv Ya Blue" era under coach Bum Phillips, playing alongside greats like Earl Campbell and Elvin Bethea. His leadership helped fuel dramatic playoff victories and brought Houston to the brink of Super Bowl glory in both 1978 and 1979.

It's a revealing conversation, which includes Pastorini thoughts about:

• His upbringing, early sports dreams, and why he chose football over a potential MLB career after being drafted by the New York Mets.

• Life in the NFL trenches: the hits he took, the historic games he played, and the deep bond he formed with the city of Houston.

• The controversial 1979 AFC Championship loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — and the call that still sparks debate.

• His transition to Top Fuel drag racing, where he broke barriers once again by winning major NHRA events and clocking speeds over 270 mph, AND

• His passion for giving back through the Be An Angel Foundation and reflections on a life lived at full throttle.

From quarterback to drag racer, businessman to philanthropist, Dan Pastorini's story is one of resilience, reinvention, and heart.

Taking Flak: Life In The Fast Lane - buy here

EPISODE 390: Sports Broadcaster Jim Lampley

It's a bucket-list conversation this week with legendary sports broadcaster Jim Lampley as he shares insights and anecdotes from his new memoir, "It Happened!: A Uniquely Lucky Life in Sports Television." 

With a career spanning five decades, Lampley takes us behind the scenes of some of the most indelible moments in modern-day sports broadcasting, offering a first-person, blow-by-blow account of history-making assignments, iconic calls, and never-before-told stories - including: 

• Becoming the first live sideline reporter for a nationally televised college football game;

• Rising to ABC Sports heir apparency behind legends like Jim McKay and Howard Cosell;

• Covering an astonishing 14 Olympic Games across multiple networks, including ABC, NBC, and Turner; AND

• Hosting HBO’s Wimbledon telecasts and reaching Hall of Fame status as the 30-year voice of HBO World Championship Boxing (including his unforgettable call during George Foreman’s miraculous victory over Michael Moorer)

BUT, OF COURSE, we naturally drag "Lamps" back to some of his more “forgotten” stops made along the way, including:

• Play-by-play and studio host for the original USFL;

• First-ever host at ground-breaking all-sports radio station WFAN/New York; AND

• Local news anchor at CBS's Los Angeles O&O flagship KCBS-TV 

It Happened!: A Uniquely Lucky Life in Sports Television - buy here

EPISODE 389: The 1925 NFL Champion(?) Pottsville Maroons - With David Fleming

It's our long-overdue dive into one of the most controversial stories in National Football League history — the tale of the Pottsville Maroons and its stolen 1925 championship — with ESPN journalist and author David Fleming, whose acclaimed 2007 book "Breaker Boys: The NFL's Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship" is newly apropos on the 100th anniversary of what many consider to be pro football's most egregious historical blunder.

Fleming guides us through the dramatic rise and fall of the Maroons — an Eastern Pennsylvania coal-country semi-pro team born of grit, visionary coaching, and the raw determination of hard-working, hardscrabble working-class miners/players/characters, like Tony 'The Human Howitzer' Latone.

We'll trace how this unlikely squad stormed into the NFL in 1925, defeated its powerhouse Chicago Cardinals in the ostensible title game, and then toppled a heavily-favored University of Notre Dame "Four Horsemen" squad in a much-hyped exhibition match.

But their moment of triumph became their undoing. The NFL suspended the team for allegedly violating territorial rights for the game — a charge hotly contested to this day — and stripped them of the title. Instead, the Cardinals were awarded the championship, and Pottsville was left with nothing but heartbreak.

Hear how the Maroons’ win over the Fighting Irish actually helped legitimize a still-fledgling NFL — and how the league "repaid" them with what many call the worst injustice in pro football history. We'll explore the political maneuvering behind the decision, the 100-year fight for redemption, and what it reveals about the NFL's ownership power dynamics, both then and now.

Breaker Boys: The NFL's Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship - buy here

EPISODE 376: The 5th Annual(-ish) Year-End Holiday Roundtable Spectacular!

It's our year-end Holiday Roundtable Spectacular - featuring a look back at the year's newest additions to "what used-to-be" in professional sports (RIP MLB's "Oakland" Athletics & the NHL's Arizona Coyotes), and a predictive glimpse into what might be in store for 2025 - with two of our favorite fellow defunct sports enthusiasts: Steve Holroyd (Crossecheck, Philly Classics & Episodes 92, 109, 149, 188 & 248); and Paul Reeths (OurSportsCentral.com, StatsCrew.com & Episode 46).

Buckle up for our yearly mélange of amusement and bemusement at the fringes of the pro sports establishment, as we simultaneously marvel at and lament some of the most curious events of the past year, debate who and what might be next to stumble into oblivion, and conjecture about future scenarios for the next generation of defunct and otherwise forgotten pro sports teams and leagues - including:

• Spring football's unified UFL

• Arena Football League 2.0 RIP (and Arena Football One 2025)

• MLB's now-Sacramento-and-someday-Las Vegas (maybe) Athletics

• The NHL's Utah Hockey Club (fka Arizona [née Phoenix] Coyotes, via the WHA's original Winnipeg Jets)

• Major League Cricket

• Baseball's genre-bending Savannah Bananas - and its soon-to-launch Banana Ball Championship League

• Indoor soccer's new Baller League

• Premier League Lacrosse's pivot to city teams and a new women's division

• The new League One Volleyball (LOVB) takes on the 2nd-year Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF)

• NWSL soccer

• PWHL hockey

PLUS: Can Diamond Baseball Holdings (41 MiLB teams and counting!) be stopped?

AND: Will Michael Jordan, et al. break up the NASCAR stock car monopoly?

EPISODE 374: The NFL's Providence Steam Roller - With Greg Tranter

We welcome pro football historian (and Buffalo Bills memorabilia patron) Greg Tranter ("The Providence Steam Roller: New England's First NFL Team") to our microphones this week for a look back at the oft-forgotten Providence Steam Roller - which competed in the early-days National Football League from 1925-31.

Based in Providence, RI, the Steam Roller holds a unique place in gridiron history as the first and only team from the Ocean State to win an NFL championship. The team's unusual name reflected the industrial character of the region and was derived from a local steamroller manufacturer.

The Steam Roller played their home games primarily at the Cycledrome, an outdoor stadium primarily designed for bicycle races, which provided a distinctive playing venue. In inclement weather, the team occasionally used the Providence Auditorium, making them one of the few teams to ever host an indoor NFL game.

The club was renowned for its tough, physical play -especially in 1928 when, under the leadership of player/coach Jimmy Conzelman, the Steam Roller achieved its greatest success by winning a closely contested (and ultimately board room-decided) NFL title over the Frankford (PA) Yellow Jackets.

Despite their championship success, the Steam Roller struggled with the financial challenges common to early NFL teams, particularly during the Great Depression. In 1931, the franchise folded due to declining attendance and steepening losses at gate.

Though short-lived, the Providence Steam Roller left a lasting legacy as a reminder of the NFL's early days, when the league was still establishing itself in small and mid-sized cities across the United States.

The Providence Steam Roller: New England's First NFL Team - buy here

EPISODE 373: The Once and Future Detroit Lions - With Bill Morris

We jump aboard this NFL season's biggest bandwagon with a look back at one of the league's most enduring, yet historically mediocre franchises - and the only club operational for the entirety of the post-AFL era to never appear in the Super Bowl.

Bill Morris ("The Lions Finally Roar: The Ford Family. The Detroit Lions, And The Road To Redemption In The NFL") joins the podcast to help us wallow in the colorful, but supremely confounding history of pro football's Detroit Lions - especially during the last 60+ years of family majority ownership begun in earnest by William Clay Ford Sr. back in 1963.

From the "Curse of Bobby Layne" to Billy Sims, from Barry Sanders to Matt Millen, and from the Pontiac Silverdome to 2008's historic winless season - it's all here! 

Plus, we speculate whether this season will finally see the Lions return to NFL championship glory.

The Lions Finally Roar: The Ford Family, the Detroit Lions, and the Road to Redemption in the NFL - buy here

EPISODE 367: Myron Cope: Voice of the Steelers - With Dan Joseph

Voice of America news editor and Pittsburgh native Dan Joseph ("Behind the Yoi: The Life of Myron Cope, Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Broadcaster") joins the podcast this week for a deep dive into the legacy of one of pro football's most unique broadcast voices.

Myron Cope (1929-2008) served as the radio color commentator for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1970 to 2005, becoming an irreplaceable voice in NFL broadcasting. Known for his distinctive, gravelly tone and catchphrases like “Yoi!” and “Okle-dokle,” Cope's excitement and unapologetic support for the Steelers led fans to mute their TVs and tune into his radio broadcasts. His career extended beyond game days, with his pioneering evening talk show dominating Pittsburgh’s airwaves for over two decades and earning him the honor of being the first pro football announcer inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh to Lithuanian Jewish parents, Cope initially pursued journalism, writing for publications such as Sports Illustrated. But it was through the airwaves that he truly captured fans’ hearts. In 1975, Cope created the "Terrible Towel" - a gold towel Steelers fans waved in support of their team - which became a powerful emblem of Steelers Nation. His contributions to the team’s lore also include co-naming 1972's “Immaculate Reception,” forever tying him to one of the NFL’s most iconic plays.

Beyond broadcasting, Cope’s legacy reflects his dedication to his family and community. He donated all Terrible Towel royalties to the care facility where his son, born with brain damage, still resides. Over his lifetime, Cope raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children with disabilities, underscoring the kindness and loyalty that endeared him to Pittsburgh and solidified his place in sports history.

Behind the Yoi: The Life of Myron Cope, Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Broadcaster - buy here

EPISODE 366: "Mornings With Madden" - With Stan Bunger

John Madden (1936-2021) was more than a football icon - he embodied the sport itself. As the unmistakable voice of the NFL for nearly 30 years, he brought America’s game into TV living rooms across the country. His name became synonymous with football, not just through his legendary broadcast career, but also as the face of his eponymous "Madden" video game franchise. On the field, he was a coaching mastermind, holding the highest career winning percentage of any NFL coach - achieved exclusively with one club, the AFL-then-NFL Oakland Raiders (1969-78). Madden’s influence reshaped how fans experienced football, both on screen and in person.

But there was another side to Madden, known only to those in the San Francisco Bay Area - where he not only grew up and resided, but also where he shared a daily ritual for nearly four decades - a morning chat with his local radio station. To the nation's fans, Madden was the booming voice of Sunday pro football, but to Bay Area listeners, he was also their neighbor, engaging in lighthearted, often profound conversations about life beyond the gridiron. These radio segments offered him a break from the spotlight, where he revealed a more personal and down-to-earth side to his personality.

In "Mornings with Madden: My Radio Life With An American Legend," former KCBS-AM/FM morning news anchor Stan Bunger—the radio host who spent over fifteen years in daily conversation with Madden - presents a rare, intimate look at the man behind the legend. Drawing from thousands of recordings and personal memories, Bunger reveals a different Madden: a devoted father, loving husband, bad golfer, dog owner, and fan of roadside diners. Off-screen, Madden pondered life’s simple joys and frustrations with the same humor and passion that captivated millions on TV.

Mornings With Madden: My Radio Life With An American Legend - buy here

EPISODE 365: NBC Sports Broadcaster Tom Hammond

Legendary sports broadcaster Tom Hammond ("Races, Games, and Olympic Dreams: A Sportscaster's Life") joins host Tim Hanlon for a myriad of career memories from his nearly 35-year journey calling top-tier league packages and prime events for NBC Sports.

Plucked from regional sportscasting obscurity in 1984 for a one-time stall reporting gig as part of the network's telecast of the inaugural Breeders' Cup, Hammond performed so well that an NBC executive offered him a chance to call Sunday NFL/AFC football games on the spot. 

The broadcast launched Hammond's multi-decade career with NBC Sports and a pathway to the top levels of American television sportscasting -including other major properties like the NBA, Notre Dame football, horse racing's Triple Crown, and perhaps most memorably, an astounding 13 different Olympic Games (summer and winter) calling marquee events such as gymnastics, track and field, and figure skating.

But of course, we can't let Hammond forget his time as the lead voice for the network's curious, but ultimately ill-fated AFL on NBC arena football adventure from 2003-06!

Races, Games, and Olympic Dreams: A Sportscaster's Life - buy here

EPISODE 360: The NFL's 1952 Dallas Texans - With Mike Cobern

Metroplex restauranteur and armchair football historian Mike Cobern (Wards of the League: The Untold Story of the First NFL Team in Dallas) joins for a deep dive into the mostly forgotten saga of the 1952 Dallas Texans, the one-year wonder that has nearly vanished from the annals of National Football League history.

Before the Cowboys became "America's Team," the NFL's Dallas Texans were nobody's team!

Wards of the League: The Untold Story of the First NFL Team in Dallas - buy here

EPISODE 359: The Making of the Super Bowl - With Dennis Deninger

Syracuse University communications professor and former Emmy award-winning ESPN producer Dennis Deninger ("The Football Game That Changed America: How the NFL Created a National Holiday") joins the show to take us through the origin story and unlikely sociological trajectory of the Super Bowl - pro football's annual championship extravaganza that morphed from uncertain beginnings during the late 1960s AFL-NFL merger into one of America's dominant cultural touchstones.

From the book's dust jacket:

The Super Bowl has changed what was just another wintry Sunday into America’s unofficial holiday. It’s the biggest entertainment event of the year. It’s the most important advertising event of the year. It is the biggest gambling event of the year. More Americans watch this game than vote in presidential elections.

How did this all happen? In "The Football Game That Changed America," Dennis Deninger reveals how the Super Bowl went from almost being canceled after its first two years to becoming an ingrained part of American life. He tells the story of how this colossal event came to be—including the challenges, stumbles, and amusing surprises along the way—and details the game’s incredible impact well beyond the sports world, touching virtually every facet of life in the United States.

The Football Game That Changed America: How the NFL Created a National Holiday - buy here

EPISODE 330: The 4th Annual(-ish) Year-End Holiday Roundtable Spectacular!

We press the rewind button on a most interesting 2023, and peer ahead into the uncharted waters of 2024 with our fourth-annual(-ish) Holiday Roundtable Spectacular - featuring three of our favorite fellow defunct sports enthusiasts: Andy Crossley (Fun While It Lasted & Episode 2); Paul Reeths (OurSportsCentral.com, StatsCrew.com & Episode 46); and Steve Holroyd (Crossecheck, Philly Classics & Episodes 92, 109, 149, 188 & 248).

Takes of varying temperatures fly as we review some of the most curious events of the past year, debate who and what might be next to wobble into obscurity, and conjecture about future scenarios for the next generation of defunct and otherwise forgotten pro sports teams and leagues - including:

• USFL 2.0 + XFL 3.0 = TBD 2024

• Oakland A's to Las Vegas (maybe)

• Major League Cricket

• Savannah Bananas

• MiLB ownership consolidation

• Premier Lacrosse League: from tour to teams

• Professional Box Lacrosse Association (RIP)

• Women's pro volleyball

• MLS vs. US Soccer

• NBA, NHL & MLB expansion/relocation rumors

• NWSL expansion & TV deal

• Women's hockey 3.0: PWHL

PLUS, we speculate on the dubious reincarnation of the Arena Football League!

EPISODE 329: The 1963 AFL San Diego Chargers - With Dave Steidel

After last week's ugly, team-record 63-21 drubbing by the Las Vegas Raiders, and the subsequent dismissal of its head coach and general manager - it's been a (yet another) rough season for the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers.  While family owner/scion Dean Spanos tries (again) to plot a plan forward, we look nostalgically back to the franchise's early years in San Diego as one of the charter entries in the iconoclastic American Football League - an era that produced the club's (still) one-and-only championship in 1963.

AFL history chronicler Dave Steidel ("The Uncrowned Champs: How the 1963 San Diego Chargers Would Have Won the Super Bowl") helps us zero in on the story behind that AFL title-winning season - with an in-depth revisit of iconic coach Sid Gilman's blockbuster squad, featuring revered Charger greats like Tobin Rote, John Hadl, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln, Chuck Allen, and future Pro Football Hall of Famers Lance Allworth and Ron Mix. 

Plus: we debate whether the '63 Chargers could have truly beaten the NFL champion Chicago Bears that season for a definitive (albeit mythical) pre-merger American pro football title.

          

The Uncrowned Champs: How the 1963 San Diego Chargers Would Have Won the Super Bowl - buy book here

Remember the AFL: The Ultimate Fan’s Guide to the American Football League - buy book here

AFL Trivia & Tales - buy book here