Every Olympics collector has their special category of things they collect. When we were in Boston at the Olympin show, we met Cathy O'Connor who only collected Torino 2006 items. We asked why, and she responded that it was because she was there as the U.S. women's ice hockey team doctor.
Wait a sec--what?!?
Of course we had to talk with her!
Professional athletes make a boatload of money, right? Well, not most American Olympians. They rely on agents like this week's guest Jesse Lichtenberg, founder of JL Management, to help them get exposure to their sport and their endeavors -- and hopefully land some deals that will lift them above the poverty line. Jesse talks with us about being an agent to sliders--luge, bobsled and skeleton--and what you need to be a successful agent (hint: killer negotiating skills are just part of the puzzle. Sharpies and peanut M&Ms are also key).
This week we're talking with another Gamesmaker -- the people behind the scenes who keep things running. At the International Shooting Sports Federation, for decades that woman has been Grace Hahn, the Executive Assistant to the Federation President, who has also been a member of the IOC. Grace dishes on what the Olympics are like from the federation side and what it's like to interpret some of the tougher conversations that happen at the Olympics.
After the tragic death of Olympian Kelly Catlin, we wanted to talk to someone about sports psychology and try to understand some of the mental challenges elite athletes face. Sport and Performance Psychologist Dr. Kristin Keim of Keim Performance Consulting joins us to explain the field of sports psychology, how athletes use it for improving performance, and how they use it when it's time to retire.
This week we're going back in time a little bit when Marketing didn't have the power of social media that it does today. In the 1990s, Olympic marketing was focused more around the event itself rather than making it an event consumers thought about regularly. Then came marketers like our guest Stuart Sheldon, who thought about ways to integrate sponsors and National Governing Bodies and the Olympics like never before. Hear about the transformation that took place in the world of sports marketing.
When you need Olympic-caliber hockey ice, you get the best in the world. For the PyeongChang 2018 Olympics, Adam Stirn got the call to be an ice technician at the ice hockey venue, where he drove the Zamboni on a nightly basis. Learn what makes good hockey ice, and just how difficult it is to drive a Zamboni!
MatTalkOnline's Jason Bryant returns to tell us about his adventures as the in-house English announcer for the wrestling competition at the Rio 2016 Olympics. It's a wild journey that goes through Uzbekistan, naturally.
On this week's show, the dulcet tones of Wrestling Hall of Fame writer, broadcaster and announcer Jason Bryant joins the show to explain the ins and outs of one of the oldest Olympic sports: Wrestling. Plus, Alison hatches a 10-year plan to compete at LA2028.
Wouldn't it be amazing if your job took you to the Olympics? NBC Boston Video Journalist Sean Colahan lived the dream this winter by covering the Olympics for the local news station. Sean tells us what it was like to be a local news cameraman at PyeongChang 2018, the gold medal game he saw, the pins he traded, and just how cold it was.
On this episode we talk with multifaceted photographer and author Lou Jones about the wonders and difficulties of photographing the Games. Lou shares the nitty gritty of what it takes to be a successful Olympic photographer, including a tough training regimen.