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  • The Ten Thousand Dollars That Grounded a Super Bowl Career

    The Ten Thousand Dollars That Grounded a Super Bowl Career
    2026/10/30
    A Super Bowl champion linebacker faces a secret choice about ten thousand dollars-will it ruin his NFL career?

    The Ten Thousand Dollars That Grounded a Super Bowl Career

    This episode explores the story of Mychal Kendricks, a Super Bowl winner whose career was dramatically cut short. It delves into the seemingly small decision that led to his downfall and the complex family history that shaped his choices.

    Person: Mychal Kendricks
    Date: February 4, 2018
    Event: Super Bowl LII victory
    Amount: Ten thousand dollars
    Team: Philadelphia Eagles

    - Mychal Kendricks grew up in a household where his mother, Yvonne Thagon, raised three children alone after his father's addiction pulled him away.
    - He excelled in football, becoming Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at UC Berkeley before being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012.
    - Kendricks signed a four-year, $4.44 million contract with the Eagles, including a $1.67 million signing bonus.
    - In 2013, he had one of his best statistical seasons, recording 106 tackles, 4 sacks, and 3 interceptions.
    - In 2014, Kendricks met Damilare Sonoiki, a young man with access to material non-public information about publicly traded companies.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • A prison guard's phone call launched a career that fell to condiments

    A prison guard's phone call launched a career that fell to condiments
    2026/10/29
    A baseball player gets a second chance after a prison guard's call - but will a condiment-covered slide ruin it?

    A prison guard's phone call launched a career that fell to condiments

    This episode explores the remarkable journey of William James Gates Brown, from his time in the Ohio State Reformatory to becoming a major league baseball player. It delves into the pivotal moments and decisions that shaped his path, and how the game itself provided him with a unique opportunity.

    Person: William James Gates Brown
    Date: August 7, 1968
    Location: Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield
    Event: Burglary conviction
    Sentence: 22 months

    - Gates Brown was serving 22 months for burglary at the Ohio State Reformatory at age nineteen.
    - A prison guard, who also coached baseball, noticed Brown's swing and made a phone call to major league organizations.
    - The Detroit Tigers responded, and scouts Frank Skaff and Pat Mullin helped Brown secure early parole.
    - Brown received a check for seven thousand dollars and a contract, choosing the Tigers due to their unintegrated roster and Tiger Stadium's short right-field porch.
    - He quickly advanced through three levels of minor league baseball, earning an All-Star title and leading a league in batting average.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    21 分
  • Three scratches across his face that ended a World Cup dream

    Three scratches across his face that ended a World Cup dream
    2026/10/28
    A Soviet football star, Eduard Streltsov, is poised for the 1958 World Cup when a photograph with three scratches changes everything. He faces a twelve-year sentence, but the truth behind his fall remains elusive.

    Three scratches across his face that ended a World Cup dream

    This episode delves into the mysterious downfall of Eduard Streltsov, a football prodigy whose career was abruptly cut short just before the 1958 World Cup. What led to the disappearance of a national hero?

    Person: Eduard Streltsov
    Date: May 26, 1958
    Location: Moscow
    Status: Convicted
    Charge: Rape

    - Eduard Streltsov was a 20-year-old Soviet football striker with 18 goals in 20 international matches, set to play in the 1958 World Cup.
    - He was raised by his mother, Sofia Frolovna, after his father left, instilling in him a deep hunger for belonging.
    - Streltsov became the youngest player on the Fraser factory team at 13 and signed with Torpedo Moscow in 1953, remaining loyal to the club.
    - By 1955, he was the top scorer in the Soviet league and scored a hat-trick in his national team debut against Sweden.
    - In 1956, he helped the Soviet Union win Olympic gold, scoring a decisive goal and setting up the winner in the semi-final.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • The playoff goal that kept Sparta up, and brought him down

    The playoff goal that kept Sparta up, and brought him down
    2026/10/27
    A promising football career takes a dark turn when a tackle on the pitch leads to an unprecedented criminal charge in Dutch football.

    The playoff goal that kept Sparta up, and brought him down

    This episode explores the story of Rachid Bouaouzan, a young winger whose career was irrevocably altered by a single tackle in a 2004 match. It delves into the unique legal and sporting ramifications that followed, questioning the boundaries between a foul and a crime.

    Person: Rachid Bouaouzan
    Date: December 17, 2004
    Location: Rotterdam
    Event: Football tackle in Eerste Divisie match
    Clubs: Sparta Rotterdam, Go Ahead Eagles

    - Rachid Bouaouzan was a 20-year-old winger for Sparta Rotterdam, a club in the second tier of Dutch football.
    - During a match against Go Ahead Eagles, Bouaouzan made a tackle that severely fractured Niels Kokmeijer's leg, ending his career.
    - The Dutch football association (KNVB) issued a ten-match ban and suspended Bouaouzan for the remainder of the season.
    - For the first time in Dutch football history, a prosecutor decided the tackle was a crime and filed criminal charges for battery.
    - Despite the ongoing legal case, Bouaouzan returned to play for Sparta Rotterdam and scored a crucial playoff goal that helped the club achieve promotion to the Eredivisie.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • The T-shirt that announced a growing 17 million euro debt

    The T-shirt that announced a growing 17 million euro debt
    2026/10/26
    A football star scores his 100th Serie A goal revealing a T-shirt with a growing €17M debt - how far will the number push his career?

    The T-shirt that announced a growing 17 million euro debt

    This episode covers the story of Adrian Mutu, a footballer whose career was defined by a record-breaking financial penalty from FIFA. It explores what he built, why it collapsed, and what it means that he continued to score goals a decade later, carrying the debt with every step.

    Person: Adrian Mutu
    Date: January 15, 2012
    Location: Northern Italy
    Debt: 17,173,990 euros
    Organization: FIFA

    - Adrian Mutu scored his 100th goal in Serie A, revealing a T-shirt with a message.
    - The footballer owed over 17 million euros to a London football club, a debt increasing by five percent annually.
    - This figure, from FIFA, was the largest financial penalty in the organization's history, stemming from a positive cocaine test.
    - Mutu joined the Argeș Pitești youth academy at eight years old in 1987, making his professional debut a decade later.
    - By late 1998, Dinamo București acquired him for 600,000 euros, where he scored eighteen goals in eighteen matches.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • The verbal agreement that bent a champion

    The verbal agreement that bent a champion
    2026/10/25
    A football manager wins the Eredivisie in his first season, but a record-setting career takes a turn. How does a champion fall so far?

    The verbal agreement that bent a champion

    This episode explores the career of Frank de Boer, from his early days as a football prodigy to his unexpected struggles as a manager. It delves into the pivotal moments and relationships that shaped his path, asking what happens when greatness is elusive.

    Person: Frank de Boer
    Date: May 15, 2011
    Location: Grootebroek, North Holland
    Event: Eredivisie title win
    Sport: Football

    - Frank de Boer, born in Grootebroek, began his football journey with his twin brother Ronald, coached by their father.
    - He became a key player for Ajax under Louis van Gaal, mastering Total Football and winning the Champions League in 1995.
    - At the 1998 World Cup, De Boer delivered a sixty-yard pass to Dennis Bergkamp, resulting in a legendary goal against Argentina.
    - His career saw a turning point at Euro 2000, where he missed two crucial penalties against Italy in the semi-final.
    - De Boer and his brother Ronald successfully sued Ajax to enforce a verbal agreement allowing them to leave for other clubs.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    18 分
  • The second Michael Tuck Medal began his fall

    The second Michael Tuck Medal began his fall
    2026/10/24
    A decorated AFL player faces a career-ending injury - but how does a man who sacrificed everything end up taking everything from six families?

    The second Michael Tuck Medal began his fall

    This episode explores the journey of a celebrated Australian football player whose life took an unexpected turn after an injury forced his early retirement. It delves into the chain of events that led him from the pinnacle of his sport to a situation where six families lost their savings.

    Person: Nick Stevens
    Date of birth: January 3, 1980
    Drafted: 1997, Pick 25 (Port Adelaide)
    Retirement: October 29, 2009
    Families affected: Six

    - Nick Stevens was picked by Port Adelaide in the 1997 national draft and quickly made an impact, finishing runner-up in the NAB Rising Star award in 1998.
    - By 2002, at 22, he won his first Michael Tuck Medal, becoming the youngest player to receive the pre-season competition award.
    - In 2003, Stevens left Port Adelaide for Carlton after compensation negotiations broke down, a move that coincided with Port Adelaide winning the AFL premiership the following year.
    - Despite his club's struggles, Stevens rebuilt his career at Carlton, winning a second Michael Tuck Medal in 2007, a feat unmatched in the game's history.
    - His career ended in 2009 at age 29 due to severe neck injuries, with doctors advising that continued play risked permanent spinal damage, leading him to walk away from his contract.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    16 分
  • The Bentley's headlights flashed, and Donté Stallworth fell

    The Bentley's headlights flashed, and Donté Stallworth fell
    2026/10/23
    An NFL star with a multi-million dollar contract, Donté Stallworth's life takes a dark turn when his Bentley strikes and kills a man. How does a football career built on "Hands" lead to such a devastating fall?

    The Bentley's headlights flashed, and Donté Stallworth fell

    This episode covers the life and career of NFL player Donté Stallworth, from his humble beginnings to his meteoric rise in professional football, culminating in a tragic event that changed everything. How did a man with so much promise end up in such a situation?

    Person: Donté Stallworth
    Victim: Mario Reyes
    Date: March 14, 2009
    Location: MacArthur Causeway, Miami
    Blood Alcohol Concentration: 0.12

    - Donté Stallworth was born in 1980 and developed exceptional football skills, earning the nickname "Hands" from his University of Tennessee teammates.
    - He was drafted 13th overall by the New Orleans Saints in 2002, becoming the first player in 20 years to score a touchdown in his first four professional games.
    - In 2007, Stallworth enrolled in the NFL's substance abuse program, a detail that remained largely confidential.
    - He signed a six-year, $30 million contract with the New England Patriots and played in Super Bowl XLII.
    - On the night of March 13, 2009, Stallworth was in Miami, driving his black 2005 Bentley Continental GT.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分