This podcast is part of the Sports History Network - the headquarters of sports' yesteryear.

SHOW DESCRIPTION:

These days, the New England Patriots are often thought of as one of the elite teams in the NFL. However, that hasn’t always been the case, especially during the team’s infancy, when they were a charter member of the upstart AFL and chaos and confusion often reigned. The Patriots of the 60s and early 70s were a transient team and played its home games in no less than 5 different stadiums. The Pats also cycled thru its head coaches quite frequently back then and one coach in particular is often remembered as the one who best epitomized the team’s failings during this time.

In this 4-part series, we will take a look at the team’s humble beginnings in Boston in 1960 to their first years in Foxboro. We will also do a deep dive into the timeline between 1969 – 1972 to relive some of the most shocking and bizarre events to ever impact a professional sports franchise. The Patriots: From Boston to Foxboro.

HOST - JOE SANTOS:

Joe Santos grew up in Massachusetts and is an avid football fan, with a special fondness for the NFL in the early 70s. This Week in Pro Football and NFL Game of the Week were must-see TV back in the day. And living in Massachusetts meant you saw all of the NY Giants games on tv, both home and away, as they were the de facto home team for the NFC. Due to the blackout rules at the time, only the Patriots away games were shown. Being a huge sports history fan, Joe will continue to tell the unusual stories from an era that's considered to be the golden age of pro football.

Thanksgiving Day, 1924. The recently-established tradition of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers football team hosting the Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions on the afternoon of the national autumnal holiday continues.

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is sent to cover the Pitt-Penn State “Keystone Classic” of 1924; in so doing, he discovers a throughline of the football-on-Thanksgiving tradition going back to 1621 (okay, actually, that’s going back to 1869) and reminds us that high-level football games on Thanksgiving are nearly as old as the official Thanksgiving holiday itself.

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is an audio drama podcast from Number 80 Productions and the Sports History Network.

Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) script & story by Os Davis.

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer stars Doug Fye, Ilona Fye, and Eric Bodwell. Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) co-stars, in order of appearance, Caedmon Holland, Forrest Hartl and Wayne Brett.

Additional direction by Eric Bodwell. Sound recording and primary editing by Don McIver.

The theme song of Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is “the Dayton Triangles Rag” and was arranged and performed by Bruce Smith.

Other tracks in this episode include

• “Jazz Club” by Kriss (available through fair-use agreement via FreeMusicArchive.org);

• “Litany of the Street” by Silverman Sound Studios;

• “Bimini Bay” (1921) by the Benson Orchestra of Chicago; and

• “Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer (Outro)” by David Liso of Dynamo Stairs.

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is produced by Os Davis and Darin Hayes. Series concept by Darrin Hayes.

Stay tuned for more episodes of Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer – coming soon!

The Minnesota Sports History Show is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

How's it going, guys? Welcome to the third episode of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, U of M hype man for the Sports History Network.

Today we are talking about the WNBA's all-time games winner and Minnesota sports living legend, Lindsay Whalen.

Her hard work, humility, and ability to razzle-dazzle in clutch moments exemplify Minnesota values. She is a true Minnesota treasure.

As a winner since high school at Hutchinson, she was a 4-time All-Missota Conference pick and won a state title with the Minnesota Jaguars. They would rank 13th nationally that year.

In the year 2000, she would go on to elevate the University of Minnesota’s women’s basketball program and receive national recognition. As a professional, she would win four championship titles and Olympic gold.

I’m going to take a pause on her endless achievements and talk about why she deserves to be mentioned with other Minnesota sports greats like Kevin Garnett, Randy Moss, and Joe Mauer.

She is a hometown hero. When she became eligible for the WNBA draft, she was the talk of local and national sports media.

It was the early 2000s and I was still in high school. Lindsay Whalen had just become a Gopher and took them to new heights, reaching the Final Four for the first time in the program’s history.

Just removed from the U of M men’s basketball scandal, Lindsay Whalen was a homegrown feel-good story and brought positivity to the local scene. It was an exciting time for women’s college sports in the Twin Cities.

By the time she graduated, she had helped increase Gopher women’s basketball attendance nearly ten-fold. Her impact on interest in the program was unquestionable.

I think Lindsay Whalen is a very important part of Minnesota sports lore. There is no one that is quite like her.

With all her personal and team accolades, she was even able to bring rings to the state and excel at the highest level. It is something that her contemporaries have not been able to achieve.

I remember the fervor leading up to the WNBA draft prior to her rookie season.

There were debates in the local media about how hard the Minnesota Lynx should try and draft her. Questions about how her game would translate at the pro level, and if it were to be a homer pick.

I remember Lindsay Whalen taking the sports front page of both the Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune. All eyes were on where she would take her career.

At the time, I thought it would have been a great move to ride her popularity and lift the Lynx.

When she was drafted by the Connecticut Sun, I felt that Minnesota had squandered a huge opportunity. She would go on to lead the Connecticut Sun to two finals appearances.

But the story didn’t end there. She would make a triumphant return to Minnesota in a trade and become part of a dynasty.

The Lynx would win four championships in six years with her as the floor general.

I love the narrative of her story. Hometown super talent brings prominence to her high school and college. Gets drafted out of state in the pros, much to the chagrin of the local fanbase. Hometown hero returns to her roots and wins multiple championships.

I can’t think of another parallel for Minnesota in the modern sports era.

Lindsay Whalen’s career is decorated from high school to the WNBA, and on the international stage. She currently coaches the U of M women’s basketball team where she continues to build upon her legacy.

Thank you for listening to the Minnesota Sports History Show on the Sports History Network. Join me next week when we talk about one of my favorite Minnesota Twins seasons. Have a blessed day!

MINNESOTA SPORTS HISTORY SHOW BACKGROUND

Each episode explores the rich history of Minnesota sports and considers its impact on the current cultural zeitgeist. The Minnesota Sports History Show strives to entertain and inform, tickle the sense of nostalgia, and share the joy and hardships of triumph and heartbreak. Episodes will range from musings about the Dome Dog era to interviews with athletes and sports personalities.