outside the game

outside the game (E5) - Is Toronto still undoubtedly a hockey town?

outside the game is a five-part podcast series. It's a sports podcast that doesn't care about the score. Before getting into the episode, I take some time to reminisce about going through the process of building a podcast from the ground up. I take you through the process, what I had to do, what I learned, what made me proud and my future in podcasting (spoiler alert: it's TBD). I then get into the episode. The fifth episode seeks to explore whether or not the Toronto Raptors are catching up to the Toronto Maple Leafs in terms of popularity. In other words, which team rules Toronto? It approaches the question from a whole bunch of angles. Team success, ticket prices, attendance, social media presence. To be honest, hockey will likely always have the edge over basketball in Toronto but it might be fair to say that the gap has shrunk over the past decade or so. Artwork by Amanda Szeto.

outside the game (E4) - Can you separate the athlete from the person?

outside the game is a five-part podcast series. It's a sports podcast that doesn't care about the score. The fourth episode asks whether we can separate the athlete from the person. Inspired by the #metoo movement, I explore whether we can (and should) continue to root for athletes who've done bad things, whether proven or alleged. For example, I've always loved Louis CK. But now given the allegations against him, I struggle with whether or not I should continue to love his work. The same goes for some athletes who've done bad things, whether or not it's been proven in a court of law. I examine the cases of Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods. Do our public figures, including our favourite athletes, deserve a second chance? Artwork by Amanda Szeto. Portions of the following YouTube clips were used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6xt1pJ1owg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67HVtWgDE10 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6jSHBHRIBM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BgJKC1vAV4

outside the game (E3) - Pressure and sports

outside the game is a five-part podcast series. It's a sports podcast that doesn't care about the score. The third episode focuses on pressure and sports. It champions athletes for their insane ability to thrive in pressure-packed situations. It also counts down the top 5 most pressure-packed situations in sports, from penalty kicks in the World Cup to having to sink a 3-footer to win a golf major. Note from host: I would not deal well with any of these situations. Artwork by Amanda Szeto.

outside the game (E2) - Activism and sports

outside the game is a five-part podcast series. It's a sports podcast that doesn't care about the score. The second episode focuses on activism and sports. Should athletes get involved with social and political issues, such as #blacklivesmatter or sharing their opinions on the current US president? Or, as one Fox News anchor famously suggested, should athletes, specifically LeBron James, "shut up and dribble" and #sticktosports? Should they stay on the sidelines to not risk alienating a segment of their fanbase? Artwork by Amanda Szeto. Portions of the following YouTube clips were used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJlA2lkpXsw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Euyu8TS0eI8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHa1TlgEIs

outside the game (E1) - Mental health and sports

outside the game is a five-part podcast series. It's a sports podcast that doesn't care about the score. The first episode focuses on mental health and sports, specifically the NBA's recent involvement with mental health, thanks to players such as Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan. It's one of many reasons why the NBA is the most progressive league in sports and one I love to root for. Artwork by Amanda Szeto. Portions of the following YouTube clips were used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ov9XZzByA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE93xahPxaE