Cigars and Curveballs

Thom welcomes on Redskins QB great Joe Theismann for a variety of topics as football season is ramping up. Joe's thoughts on the new NFL rules controversy, Alex Smith, and the addition of Adrian Peterson. Also, Joe talks about his love of baseball and following the Nationals."

Thom chats with former MLBer Eric Soderholm, looking back on his career that included playing alongside Harmon Killebrew & Reggie Jackson . Eric tells Thom how he had a successful post playing career in business, among them being ticket brokering & overseeing a wellness center.

Thom brings you the rare podcast episode that combines Joe Montana talk & Missile Defense. Former 49ers Linebacker Riki Ellison joins the show to discuss his championship filled career with his unique post playing endeavors.

Thoms chat with a man with quite the resume. TV screenwriter/producer and also MLB play by play man Ken Levine. They cover his time working on MASH and his season behind the Orioles mic.

In honor of the recent "Bobby Bonilla Day" this month, Thom replays the initial episode of this podcast with former MLB great Bobby Bonilla, one of Thom's favorites.

Thom interviews D.C. native Maury Wills, best known for his record setting season of stealing 104 bases in 1962 as the shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maury talks about how he was able to latch onto the Dodgers' organization after learning the game in D.C., the influence Ty Cobb, playing in D.C. as a National League All-Star and more. A replay from last year in case you missed it.

Washington Kastles and Washington City Paper owner Mark Ein joins the podcast. Mark tells Thom about his love for tennis, the area's excitement for the Caps championship, what the Kastles look like this year, why he bought the City Paper, and more.

Thom welcomes on his favorite manager ever to cover, Davey Johnson. Davey discusses playing on those great World Series winning Orioles teams under Earl Weaver, being teammates w/ Hank Aaron, his distinguished managing career, and more. Among the managerial topics of note, his grudge against the other skipper in the 86 World Series, his relationship w/ Peter Angelos,and was he OK with the Strasburg Shutdown.

Thom's next guest is sportscaster Lesley Visser. Lesley discusses her days as a sports writing where she was the first ever woman to cover the NFL as a beat reporter, when she got a random phone call from Bear Bryant, covering Final Fours, Olympics, and more.

Former Heavyweight Champion of the World Larry Holmes joins Thom for more than just a discussion on their love of the Lehigh Valley. Larry talks about being Muhammed Ali's sparring partner at one point prior to eventually fighting him. They look back at his bouts against Ken Norton, Ernie Shavers, Gerry Cooney, and more.

Thom brings on the former sports editor of the powerhouse Washington Post sports section, George Solomon. They go over his early newspaper career, covering the 70's Redskins, working with and editing for big names in the "biz", and being the ombudsman for ESPN."

Thom chats with former Maryland football player & NFLer Pete Koch. They look back at his time in College Park playing for Jerry Claiborne & Bobby Ross (10:30), time in the NFL that included playing for Mike Shanahan in LA (18:55), his famous scene with Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge" (34:34), and more.

Longtime broadcaster Charley Steiner is this week's guest as he & Thom reminisce about the days they both covered boxing, working for Donald Trump when calling USFL games (11:12), moving from radio to ESPN (16:27), calling both Yankees and Dodgers games in his career & more (29:30).

Super Agent Leigh Steinberg joins Thom this week to discuss his past & new A list clients. They cover how NFL GM's have changed (21:55), new safety measures in the NFL (23:30), and the obligatory Jerry Maguire question (30:25).

Thom brings on former MLB Outfielder Eric Byrnes, known as a colorful character in his playing days. They start with his brief stint in Baltimore, his recent speed golf achievements, hard playing style, experience with Lee Mazzilli. The they close with the human element in the sabermetrics era and being involved in a brawl in his first game.

Thom is joined by former All Star Center Fielder Andy Van Slyke. They cover his career that began in St. Louis before he was traded to Pittsburgh where we saw much success alongside his teammate Barry Bonds. Thom lets Andy know how he shares some responsibility for him landing with the Orioles, Andy's post playing career that includes writing, and his thoughts on Bryce Harper & the Nats.

Thom welcomes on recent Nats Manager Dusty Baker to talk about the immediate aftermath of his life following the 2 NL East Titles in Washington. Conversation begins with Dusty returning to the Giants organization, how he dealt with his tenure ending in DC (10:01), the time he was Dave Martinez's skipper in San Francisco (23:56), his relationship with Bryce Harper (28:36), and more.

Thom has the pleasure & the honor to be joined by former All Star & NL Manager of the Year Felipe Alou. Felipe talks about growing up in the Dominican Republic, playing with and against so many baseball legends, and the 4th Alou brother. He also tells Thom his memories of the 94 Expos and his current thoughts on baseball in Washington.

Thom welcomes on longtime ESPN announcer Mike Patrick after he just ended his accomplished career. He talks about working w/ Lefty Dreisell, his memories of Howard Cosell (15:00), the greatest moment of his life w/ Arnold Palmer (23:30), being at the early days of ESPN & calling 3 decades worth of ACC action (27:08), and finally calling Sunday Night Football for years.

Thom is joined by Hall of Fame legend John Thompson. They start with his time as a dominant high school player in DC and he says who he thinks is the best local basketball player of all time. They cover the Hoyas program growth and Thom asks him how some of the biggest names in Georgetown history came to the Hilltop (18:27). Plus his thoughts on Patrick Ewing's first year (30:33).

As the NCAA Tournament rolls on, Thom brings on Basketball Coach Pete Strickland. They talk about how he is now the National Coach for Ireland, playing for the famous Morgan Wooten at DeMatha (10:51), his encounters some of the most famous coaches today including Calipari, Izzo, and Coach K (21:23), and finally the evolution of the 3 pointer on the college game (29:33).

Thom brings on the man who pitched the last Senators game & the first Rangers one. Throughout the episode they fill in the before & after of that stretch including playing for Ted Williams the manager (15:49), final season in Washington (20:01), pitching a no hitter (33:31), getting into coaching (40:42), and more.

Thom brings on one of the key behind the scenes figures in Washington landing the Nationals, Bobby Goldwater, this is a must listen for DC baseball fans. They start with his long career as an executive at Madison Square Garden (7:40), his 1 on 1 meeting with Muhammad Ali (13:17), moving to LA to manage the Staples Center (25:27), coming to DC to among other things try and get a MLB team (30:55), educating those high up in Baseball about how the city was changing and ripe for a franchise (32:25, & finally how he realized that the Navy Yard neighborhood was the perfect spot for a new ballpark (36:32).

Thom welcomes on former Washington Senator slugger Frank Howard. They discuss getting into the Nats Ring of Honor (4:21), playing for the Dodgers (7:34), playing basketball at Ohio State (18:20), homering in the 1963 World Series (21:23), being traded to Washington (29:01), having Ted Williams as a manager (33:06), DC now as a baseball town (38:01), how he landed the nickname "Hondo" (39:45) & did he actually hit a homer out of Yankee Stadium (42:51)?

While covering Spring Training in Palm Beach, Thom chats w/ the new Nationals Manager Dave Martinez. They look back at his well traveled playing career under many different skippers, which included a stop in Montreal (8:40), being with his now predecessor Dusty Baker in San Francisco (12:04), his developing knowledge of pitching (18:02), & learning from Bobby Cox (22:30).

Thom chats with the only man in the last 100 years to be a World Series winning Cubs manager, Joe Maddon. They discuss how he's known Nats GM Mike Rizzo since the early 80's (7:45), his idea for fantasy baseball in schools (13:34), what kind of manager Dave Martinez will be for the Nationals (18:16), & his memories of the 2012 pine tar controversy with Davey Johnson (20:08).

Thom is joined by DMV native and famous sportscaster James Brown. James attended Dematha High School on his way to a long accomplished career in sports television at the highest stage. They discuss his passion for baseball at a young age (7:25), James' thoughts on Bill Belichick (14:23), his interactions and interviews with Michael Vick (27:36), and getting chances to anchor the CBS Evening News (28:36). ​

Thom chats with one of the few Redskins to have been on all the Super Bowl teams in the Joe Gibbs era, tight end & 3 time champion Donnie Warren. Donnie shares his story of coming to Washington (6:13), his favorite John Riggins story (20:23), his theory on why they lost Super Bowl 18 (32:15), Gibbs leaving & his affection for the coach, & more.

Thom welcomes on one of the all time great voices of Boxing, "Colonel" Bob Sheridan. He talks about his distinguished Hall of Fame career including (15:18) calling the "Rumble in the Jungle", (23:55) "Thrilla in Manilla", (35:26), the night Tyson bit Holyfield, and (41:10) being in Tokyo for Buster Douglas' upset.

Thom welcomes on former Dallas Cowboys All Pro Defensive Tackle, Co-Super Bowl MVP and Terp Randy White. They discuss what led him to Maryland (6:46), playing for Tom Landry in Dallas (10:10), the Redskins/Cowboys rivalry in the 70's & 80's (26:21), & Joe Jacoby's Hall of Fame credentials (27:31).

Thom is joined by former Terp player and assistant coach when they won the National Title Billy Hahn. Billy talks of why he left the state of Indiana to play at Maryland (7:30), his favorite memories of playing for Lefty Driesell and of Cole Field House (13:26), how he started to work for Gary Williams at his alma mater (25:58), Billy's take on Maryland's rivalries with Duke & UNC (36:34), his tenure as Lasalle's Head Coach (42:02), and more.

Ernie Baur is a DC TV producer who saw it all. He and Thom reminisce on his illustrious career. 6:23 how he got his start in the biz, 12:39 Hanafi Siege coverage, 16:30 Birth of Warner’s catchphrase, 21:10 working w/ Glenn Brenner, and 25:28 getting to know and become friends with Sonny Jurgensen"

Thom welcomes on former longtime Capitals GM George McPhee. They discuss his long tenure in Washington, highlighted by a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals, the Jaromir Jagr acquisition, and the beginning and middle of the Alex Ovechkin Era in DC. Plus, his new role as GM for the expansion Las Vegas Knights, and the excitement it's brought to that city.

Thom is joined by a man who has seen it all in the boxing world, starting with Muhammed Ali at a young age. An expert story-teller who has worked with Howard Cosell, Don King, Mike Tyson, and more.

Thom is joined by Hall of Fame Safety Ken Houston. Ken remembers growing up in Texas and playing for the Oilers. He then covers his time as a Redskin that includes his famous game saving tackle. He achieved an amazing run of 12 straight Pro Bowls.

Thom welcomes on DC native author and George Pelecanos. George has incorporated Washington into many of his works and he also has been part of the writing team on many HBO hits such as "The Wire", "Treme" and "The Deuce".

Thom takes a trip down memory lane ahead of the Redskins visiting Dallas by chatting with former Redskins defensive tackle Diron Talbert. They discuss the rilvalry and his many seasons in Washington in the 70's.

Thom brings on Roy Firestone, a man best known for his riveting interviewing skills on Up Close, but also a man with more talents than you realize. They cover his time as an Oriole batboy as a kid, some of his more famous interactions, and what his current projects are.

Thom chats with former Redskins & Cowboys TE Jean Fugett. Jean is a Baltimore native who had a unique route to the NFL via Amherst. He also has a can't story about his time interning for the Orioles

Thom is joined by Al Bumbry, not only a World Series champion outfielder with the Orioles, but also a Vietnam Veteran. They discuss his unique background on this week's podcast.

Thom is joined by the son of former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall who has a biopic recently released. Thurgood Jr. is a very successful Washington lawyer who has had quite a career in the nation's capital. He is also quite the baseball fan.

Thom brings on Mike Veeck, part of the family legendary for innovation and fun in baseball. Mike has been a part of many minor league organizations and also was with the White Sox during the infamous Disco Demolition Night in 1979. Mike stresses the importance of fun atmosphere for the attending family.

Thom is joined by longtime Dodgers GM Ned Coletti. A man with humble beginnings who transitioned from sports writing to the baseball front office through a long winding road. They cover his time on both sides of the Dodger/Giant rivalry, how intense it is, knowing Barry Bonds, negotiating with Scott Boras and more.

Thom brings back on Nats GM Mike Rizzo as the team prepares the Postseason. They discuss the highs and lows of the season, which resulted in the 4th division title in 6 years. Overcoming a slew of injuries, deciding when to make bullpen changes through trades, and more.

Thom chats with one of the few kickers to make it to the NFL Hall of Fame, Morten Andersen. They discuss why he moved to America from Denmark, his amazing 25 year career that includes a dozen years in Thom's favorite city of New Orleans, his famous kick to send the Falcons to their 1st Super Bowl, and more.

Thom welcomes on DC native Maury Wills, best known for his at the time record setting season of stealing 104 bases in 1962 for the Dodgers. Maury talks about how he was able to latch onto the Dodgers organization after growing up learning the game in Washington, the influence Ty Cobb had on him, playing in DC as NL All Star, and more."

Thom brings on Ron Darling, World Series winning pitcher & current top notch TV color analyst. They cover his time broadcasting the 2005 Nationals,, early pro career & being traded to the Mets organization, the 86 Mets & his story of Game 6, the current Nats, and his thoughts on the current state of pitching.

Thom brings on veteran Redskins RB Chris Thompson prior to their season opener. Chris talks about growing up and his decision to play football, playing at Florida State, this year's Redskins offense and more.

Thom is joined by a former colleague at the Baltimore Sun, David Simon, best known for his work with the the HBO classic "The Wire". They discuss his new series "The Deuce", how it got made. always being associated with "The Wire", being a newspaper man, is a Wire movie in the mix, future possible projects, and more.

Thom has the pleasure and the honor to bring on DC TV host and former boxing manager Rock Newman. They cover how he came to manage former heavyweight champ Riddick Bowe, getting to know Eddie Futch, Bowe/Holyfield bouts, once negotiating with Donald Trump, the Fan Man incident and it's effects, his baseball career at Howard and love for the sports, and more.

Thom chats with the new all time DC home run king & longtime National, Ryan Zimmerman. They go back to him almost being drafted by the Royals, being called up to the big leagues very quickly, playing for Dusty Baker, will Bryce Harper be his teammate come 2018 and more.