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!

NETWORK SPONSOR

Row One - the vintage shop for sports history fans!

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer

A Different way to hear sports history.

I am Orville Mulligan and yes the career journey I took was as a Sports Writer. My story will fill the listener’s ears with my journey of perhaps the greatest time in sports history, the roaring 1920s. I was fortunate enough to rub elbows with the greatest legends of sport in the era and attend some of the most iconic events in sports history.

The tales are complete with the music, people, places and slang used at the time to place the listener into the feelings that we experienced as I started my epic career.

Join us in the adventure of a lifetime, Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer, found here on Sports History Network, on OrvilleMulligan.com or your favorite podcast provider.

Head to the ORVILLE MULLIGAN OFFICIAL WEBSITE for more information.

NETWORK SPONSOR

Row One - the vintage shop for sports history fans!

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer

A Different way to hear sports history.

I am Orville Mulligan and yes the career journey I took was as a Sports Writer. My story will fill the listener’s ears with my journey of perhaps the greatest time in sports history, the roaring 1920s. I was fortunate enough to rub elbows with the greatest legends of sport in the era and attend some of the most iconic events in sports history.

The tales are complete with the music, people, places and slang used at the time to place the listener into the feelings that we experienced as I started my epic career.

Join us in the adventure of a lifetime, Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer, found here on Sports History Network, on OrvilleMulligan.com or your favorite podcast provider.

Head to the ORVILLE MULLIGAN OFFICIAL WEBSITE for more information.

NETWORK SPONSOR

Row One - the vintage shop for sports history fans!

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer

A Different way to hear sports history.

I am Orville Mulligan and yes the career journey I took was as a Sports Writer. My story will fill the listener’s ears with my journey of perhaps the greatest time in sports history, the roaring 1920s. I was fortunate enough to rub elbows with the greatest legends of sport in the era and attend some of the most iconic events in sports history.

The tales are complete with the music, people, places and slang used at the time to place the listener into the feelings that we experienced as I started my epic career.

Join us in the adventure of a lifetime, Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer, found here on Sports History Network, on OrvilleMulligan.com or your favorite podcast provider.

Head to the ORVILLE MULLIGAN OFFICIAL WEBSITE for more information.

WIN A FREE PLAAY CLASSIC BOARD GAME

This podcast is sponsored by PLAAY Classic Sports Simulation Board Games! Spelled with TWO "A's" P-L-A-A-Y... 

Realistic board game re-creations of professional football, hockey, baseball, NASCAR, golf and more--they cover nine sports in all, with a tenth--basketball--coming in 2022!

You can re-live great seasons of the past, create "what-if" match-ups from different eras, and MUCH more! It's FUN!

If you're into sports history, you should check 'em out...

(PLAAY with two "A"s) P-L-A-A-Y Classic.com. Use the code "SHN" at checkout and get 10% off your first order!

With Thrive, you can eliminate the countless hours of research and focus on only the top-tier athletes that have the biggest impact on the game. Choose 10 out of the 20 available player props to build your lineup. each prop is assigned a fantasy value for both the Over and the Under, based on how likely it is to hit. Hit the most props and rack up the most points to win a share of the prize pool.

Thrive has over $140,000 guaranteed in prizes for NFL Week 1 and has awarded over $4 million. Thrive's featured $100k guaranteed contest is $20 to enter and first place takes home $20k! (Through the special Sports History Network code, you get a free entry into this contest).

But there's more:

Use this link or the promo code SHN when you sign up today and you will receive an instant 100% match up to $100. Deposit a minimum of $50 and you earn a free ticket to the NFL Thursday Night $20k tournament and Week 1 NFL $100k tournament (that's a $40 value).

THRIVEFANTASY Link

Even More:

Enter the giveaway to score a ThriveFantasy Swag Bag here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

This week on “Football Attic,” I was pleased to welcome Jerry Foley, senior editor of The Giant Insider, and co-host of the Giant Insider podcast.

I asked him how his love of the New York Football Giants came to be. He said that when he was very young, he got under his father’s skin by wearing a jersey of Eagles running back Wilbert Montgomery. It was in 1982, however, that he became a Giants fan for life.

“I remember my dad’s side of the family making fun of him because the Giants had lost to the 49ers, and they were Jets and Eagles fans, and I remember it was almost like Michael Corleone with his father, and I just said, ‘I’m with you now,’ and that was it...I just got really mad at everyone for making fun of my old man.”

We talked about if any of the four Giants Super Bowl victories stuck out the most. He fondly remembers 1986 since it was their first championship, but also gave a great deal of the credit to the 2007 team that upset the undefeated New England Patriots, saying that it all began with their defeat of Dallas in the NFC Divisional round.

“Once they beat the Cowboys, it was like, ‘They can do this,’ I wasn’t afraid of Lambeau Field or how old Brett Favre was. Then you thought, ‘Man, they played the Patriots great in week 17,’ they can take this team.” That they did, limiting the historically great New England offense to just 14 points.

Jerry has had his fair share of heartbreaks, however, namely the 2002 Wild Card playoff game against San Francisco, in which New York blew a 38-14 third-quarter lead and lost, 39-38.

“Jeremy Shockey dropping that touchdown, you just felt the momentum change. They had to kick a field goal there when he had an easy touchdown. He catches that ball, the game’s over.”

The Giant Insider originated in the 1990s, and as a teenager, Jerry would frequently write in to the then-editor, Ken Palmer, who gave him a job as a staff writer in 2013. Since then, he has taken on the duties of senior editor, and has started a podcast with beat writer Chris Bisignano.

Jerry also has an amazing memorabilia collection. He considers his crown jewel to be a seat from the Polo Grounds, which even has the old “NY” logo of the New York Baseball Giants on the side. Other artifacts of note are a program from the December 6, 1925 game between the Giants and Bears, in which the NFL’s first superstar, Chicago’s Red Grange, wowed the New York fans, and a program from the December 7, 1941 game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, the date that lives in infamy.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Follow Matt on Twitter @matt_pizzano

EPISODE SUMMARY

This week I interview my father, a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles Fan.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Since today is Christmas Day, I thought it would be fitting to spend today's episode looking back on the first National Football League games to be played on Christmas, and the circumstances that led to those games being the only ones of their kind for almost 20 years. Today, we're going back to 1971.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Today, we're going to talk about another one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history: the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. That defense allowed only 165 points in the regular season, less than even the 1985 Bears and the 1972 Dolphins. Just like those two teams, the Ravens won the Super Bowl that year, but with a competent offense, they could have joined the '72 Dolphins by going undefeated. Instead, they finished 12-4. You'll hear why shortly.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Today, we're going to talk about one of the greatest NFL defenses in recent memory, one that doesn't get its fair remembrance due to a lack of Hall of Famers and a lack of playoff wins. That would be the New Orleans Saints' defense of the late 1980s and early 90s, particularly the linebacking corps, who earned the moniker of the "Dome Patrol."

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

This episode covers a little about the history of college football on Black Friday.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

Since a certain holiday is this Thursday, it seemed right to tell a story involving the National Football League on Thanksgiving, one of America's great traditions. Today, we're going to talk about a game that put the "turkey" in Turkey Day, but also left a big impact on the NFL: a 1968 clash between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Detroit Lions. This episode will focus more so on the Eagles, and how they sabotaged their own chances for a #1 draft pick.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

EPISODE SUMMARY

The 1992 San Diego Chargers season was not a normal one. They made the playoffs for the first time in awhile, so it should have been great, right? You'll see. Just listen.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

Read the entire episode blog post and check out some other cool info regarding this episode here.

FOOTBALL ATTIC BACKGROUND

My name is John Gidley, and as I’m looking on my bookshelf, I see a lot of books about the National Football League.

There’s a book about the 72 Dolphins, one about the 85 Bears, another about the Immaculate Reception. Let’s be honest with ourselves, though: how many times have we heard these stories?

Where are the tales of the men who aren’t as prominent? Stories of the dominant Washington team of 1991, or of the stonewall defense of the 1977 Atlanta Falcons, or of the days when the Philadelphia Eagles wore white helmets? Well, there’s only one place to find those, right here in the Football Attic.

Each week, I’ll tell you about games, players, coaches, and teams who aren’t necessarily forgotten but are not as well-known as they should be. This isn’t just a podcast for those whose memory will be jogged by these retellings.

I’m 22 years old, and I’m an advocate for a greater historical perspective among younger NFL fans. So come join me as I take my weekly trip upstairs into the Football Attic. Just be sure to watch your step!

To learn more about this episode, head here to the website.

To learn more about this episode, head here to the website.

To learn more about this episode, head here to the website.

You can learn more about this episode here.