Podcasts about AFL

What happens when a young athlete from Australia skips university, invests his savings, and builds a sports brand from scratch? You get Kip Grip, performance grip socks designed for ballers across every sport. In this episode of The Gametime Guru Podcast, host Shane Larson sits down with Kiprian Pacoski, founder and CEO of Kip Grip, to talk about competing in soccer and AFL (Australian Rules Football), launching a physical product business as a young entrepreneur, and the deeply personal mental health mission behind the brand. What you will learn in this episode: What are grip socks and why do athletes use them? Kip Grip grip socks are designed to reduce slippage inside your shoe during sharp cuts and turns, using Coolmax moisture-wicking technology to keep your feet dry and stable during competition. Kiprian walks us through going from 5 to 6 product prototypes to a finished product, why he chose entrepreneurship over college, guerrilla marketing strategies for small sports brands, and how Kip Grip is showing up for youth athletes that the big brands are ignoring. We also get into the mental health mission behind Kip Grip and the phrase "Keep It Pushing," a message Kiprian built into the brand after battling through his own personal hardships. Kip Grip performance grip socks are designed for: Soccer players, basketball players, AFL players, baseball players, runners, and multi-sport athletes. Whether you are a youth athlete, a coach looking to outfit your team with team packages, or a sports entrepreneur learning how to build a brand from the ground up, this episode delivers real value. Connect with Kip Grip: Shop: https://Kip Grip.com.au/    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kip_grip/  General Inquiries: support@Kip Grip.com.au Club and Team Inquiries: club@Kip Grip.com.au Find The Gametime Guru Podcast: Search "Gametime Guru" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. New episodes drop every Friday at 8AM Eastern. Subscribe so you never miss an interview. If this episode gave you value, leave a review on Apple Podcasts or a rating on Spotify. It helps more athletes, coaches, and sports entrepreneurs find the show.

This is a cheeky bonus excerpt from the full episode. To listen to the whole thing — and get access to future Chronicles — become a PODIUM Member (our foundling tier) via our Substack.

Listen to the boys chat about all the news from Cricket, NRL, AFL, NFL, NBA, UFC, Soccer, F1 and MORE!

Essendon's 2026 season is almost here. With Round 1 against Hawthorn just 8 days away, Jono and Humey return for the annual Don The Stat Season Preview. Breaking down everything Bombers fans need to know heading into the new AFL season. After a brutal 2025 that saw 15 debutants and a 13-game losing streak, the big question is whether the young Bombers can take a step forward in 2026. In this episode we analyse: What the practice matches revealed The key statistical trends that shaped Essendon's 2025 season Which metrics will matter most in 2026 List changes and emerging young talent The biggest strengths and weaknesses of the squad A full SWOT analysis of the Bombers Our three bold predictions for the season ahead Plus: Another Damian Barrett Lifetime Achievement Award nomination Discussion around Essendon's midfield, intercept game and turnover defence Which players have surged into Round 1 contention If Essendon is going to improve in 2026, the answers will likely come from territory, turnovers and transition football. We break down exactly what to watch for. _____ Watch 'The Moment that Mattered' and listen to our Post Match First Thoughts exclusively on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/donthestat Don The Stat Website: https://www.donthestat.com/ Follow Us on Twitter and Bluesky: Jono at twitter.com/JonathanJWalsh / https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjwalsh.bsky.social Ian at twitter.com/Kyptastic1 / https://bsky.app/profile/kyptastic.bsky.social Don The Stat Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/donthestat Follow Don The Stat on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donthestat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Essendon's 2026 season is almost here. With Round 1 against Hawthorn just 8 days away, Jono and Humey return for the annual Don The Stat Season Preview. Breaking down everything Bombers fans need to know heading into the new AFL season. After a brutal 2025 that saw 15 debutants and a 13-game losing streak, the big question is whether the young Bombers can take a step forward in 2026. In this episode we analyse: What the practice matches revealed The key statistical trends that shaped Essendon's 2025 season Which metrics will matter most in 2026 List changes and emerging young talent The biggest strengths and weaknesses of the squad A full SWOT analysis of the Bombers Our three bold predictions for the season ahead Plus: Another Damian Barrett Lifetime Achievement Award nomination Discussion around Essendon's midfield, intercept game and turnover defence Which players have surged into Round 1 contention If Essendon is going to improve in 2026, the answers will likely come from territory, turnovers and transition football. We break down exactly what to watch for. _____ Watch 'The Moment that Mattered' and listen to our Post Match First Thoughts exclusively on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/donthestat Don The Stat Website: https://www.donthestat.com/ Follow Us on Twitter and Bluesky: Jono at twitter.com/JonathanJWalsh / https://bsky.app/profile/jonathanjwalsh.bsky.social Ian at twitter.com/Kyptastic1 / https://bsky.app/profile/kyptastic.bsky.social Don The Stat Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/donthestat Follow Don The Stat on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/donthestat?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

You can't help but like Danny McGinlay. Not only is he funny, clever, smart (and punctual), he smells good - even on radio and podcasts. One of the hardest-working comedians on the circuit, Danny does it all, from The Front Bar to his Comedy Festival shows, the Danny/ Boyd Bulldogs podcast and his infamous AFL match day banners, his performing plate is always full, but what about the ones in the McGinlay kitchen? Danny's love of a baked bean jaffle is no laughing matter and his cooking tip highlights a much underrated chicken option. As well as conducting his own private Twisties poll, Danny has some thoughts on our Food Poll this week as we ask for a yay or nay on cottage cheese. Presented by Sarah Patterson & Kevin Hillier Broadcast each Sunday on the ACE Radio Network - https://aceradio.com.au/ Catch us also on: Radio 2DD - Easy Listening - On Line - https://www.2dd.online/ Follow us on Facebook...https://www.facebook.com/foodbyteswithsarahpatterson/ Twitter & Instagram - @sarahfoodbytes Post-production by Chris Gates for Howdy Partners Media © 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melbourne great David 'The Ox' Schwarz has a keen interest on two teams this season!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Sean, Tom and Sean as they return for the 2026 AFL season with a brand new structure but same amount of yelling while asking the most important sporting question of all; How Good's Footy? We're back, baby.Find the Footy Tipping Comp hereFind us on Instagram at howgoodsfootypodEmail us at howgoodsfooty@gmail.comYou can physically send us stuff to PO BOX 7127, Reservoir East, Victoria, 3073.Join our facebook group here or join our Discord here.Want to get in contact with us?Website | RedditOr individually at;Sean | Tom | DuscherParts of this episode were recorded and produced on Wurundjeri land, we respectfully acknowledge the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This was the very first episode of The Howie Games ever recorded - with the greatest voice Australian sport has ever known, Dennis Cometti. Farewell to the very best. Our thoughts are with the Cometti family on this terribly sad day. ❤️ ------------- #TheHowieGames | Dennis Cometti. The doyen of Australian sports commentary. A man with the rare ability to match the perfect sporting moment with the perfect sporting comment. As he prepares to call his last game of AFL, Dennis provides us with some incredible insight into the man behind the mic. ------------- Follow The HowieGames on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehowiegamespod/ Follow The Howie Games on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehowiegamesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

449 - AFL 2026 Opening Round Tips   Podcast Website  https://www.ayankonthefooty.com/    Please subscribe to the mailing list. 2025 Listener Survey - I'd love for you to take a moment to complete the survey Guest Intake Form - link Want to help out the podcast? Leave me a review! Buy me a coffee, Podcast fundraiser ayankonthefooty is A podcast working to grow interest in the AFL in the US - Buymeacoffee   Podcast "merch" storefront ayankonthefooty Shop | Redbubble   Best 100 AFL Australian Football League Podcasts  I am #10 in Australia?  Thanks so much for this everyone!   A Yank on the Footy March 2024 Introductory episode   @Yank_on A Yank on the Footy Podcast - Home | Facebook ayankonthefooty@gmail.com   MAILING LIST signup: I hope you'll consider signing up for the mailing list, so you'll be the first to have the new  episode dropped off right into your inbox.  You can sign up for the mailing list that is on ayankonthefooty.com For crisis support, please contact: Lifeline http://lifeline.org.au 13 11 14  Beyond Blue http://beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636 In the U.S.: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 1-800-273-8255 –  Active duty military and veterans, dial 988 and press 1

Charlie Curnow won't know what's hit him when he and his new Swans teammates open the 2026 AFL season against his former club, Carlton. Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan are back in 2026 to take you through the games and share their wisdom on all things AFL. Hopefully, they can help you pick a winner in your tipping contest. Other games this week include Gold Coast v Geelong, GWS v Hawthorn, Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn and St Kilda v Collingwood.Support the show: https://subscribe.theage.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has defended the league's decision to keep Opening Round in the fixture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damian Tardio has gathered the top seven of Dennis Cometti's best commentary moments after news broke of his death on Wednesday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It comes after Geelong head coach Chris Scott's recent comments about the midfielder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shaun catches up with Jess Yates to gear up for the F1 season and the big question: will Kim K be there? Seven’s Abbey Holmes drops in to preview the AFL season kickoff, putting her reputation on the line by calling the Lions for the 2026 premiership. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a Wide World of Sports update. A snapshot of the latest sport stories from the 9News team including: Swans to unleash star recruit in AFL opener Waratahs coach defends Joseph Sua'ali'i An all-time great knock propels NZ into T20 World Cup final The biggest sport stories in less than 5 minutes delivered twice a day, with reports from the 9News team across Australia and overseas. Subscribe now to make it part of your daily news diet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

General Manager of Football Performance at Richmond, Tim Livingstone, spoke to Jimmy Bartel about the club's young crop of players, as well as how head coach Adem Yze is going.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Collingwood great has shared his thought on his former side ahead of the new season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

General Manager of Football at the Brisbane Lions, Danny Daly, joined Jimmy Bartel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dennis Cometti has been the soundtrack to so many of Australia's great sporting moments, and today the record stopped. From Australian Rules to Olympic triumphs to Test match cricket, Dennis was as intelligent as he was entertaining. We remember the giant of the industry that was Dennis Cometti, and the legacy he will leave. Featured: Clint Wheeldon, ABC SPORT. Subscribe to the ABC Sport Newsletter

Richmond great Matthew Richardson has reflected on the life of commentator and former colleague Dennis Cometti, after his death at the age of 76.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Director of Football at 3AW during Dennis Cometti's time at the station, Graeme Bond, joined Jacqui Felgate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dennis Cometti’s fellow caller during his time at Channel Nine, Eddie McGuire, joined Jacqui Felgate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to the full 2026 AFL season preview with Matt Granland, Matthew Richardson and Joel Selwood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It comes after Geelong head coach Chris Scott's recent comments about the midfielder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary AFL commentator and broadcaster, Dennis Cometti, has died aged 76. 3AW Afternoons host Tony Moclair reacted live on-air to the sad news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Melbourne great David Schwarz has paid tribute to the legendary broadcaster, who had the privilege of working with him on Channel Seven for several years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fellow commentator Hamish McLachlan got emotional after finding out the news this morning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3AW Breakfast host Ross Stevenson was the latest to reflect on the life of the esteemed AFL commentator.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damian Tardio has gathered the top seven of Dennis Cometti's best commentary moments after news broke of his death on Wednesday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richmond great Matthew Richardson has reflected on the life of commentator and former colleague Dennis Cometti, after his death at the age of 76.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dennis Cometti’s fellow caller during his time at Channel Nine, Eddie McGuire, joined Jacqui Felgate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

General Manager of Football Performance at Richmond, Tim Livingstone, spoke to Jimmy Bartel about the club's young crop of players, as well as how head coach Adem Yze is going.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie McGuire and Jimmy Bartel look ahead to Opening Round. The team Eddie thinks are travelling alright, an open market on when the AFL will announce the Grand Final start time, Clarko's future and how the Top 10 is really going to work.EDDIE AND JIMMY ON INSTRAGRAMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has defended the league's decision to keep Opening Round in the fixture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

General Manager of Football at the Brisbane Lions, Danny Daly, joined Jimmy Bartel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Collingwood great has shared his thought on his former side ahead of the new season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Director of Football at 3AW during Dennis Cometti's time at the station, Graeme Bond, joined Jacqui Felgate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Damian Barrett and Nat Edwards bring you the latest footy news on AFL Daily. The Blues don't want to buy into Curnow v Carlton tomorrow night while the footy world counts down the minutes until the first match of the season. Jai Newcombe is free to play after having his one match ban overturned at the AFL tribunal last night. Patrick Dangerfield is in a race against time to be ready for the Cats season opener against Gold Coast and we pull out the 2026 crystal ball with our predictions. Subscribe to AFL Daily and never miss an episode. Rate and review wherever you listen to podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FULL SHOW : Carrum Beach far away in time, the suburb wants to change its name, Channel 7 Reporter Chris Reason joins us to update what's happening in the Middle East. Xander McGuire is in to talk Round 1 of the AFL, we'll chat to our second Million Dollar Mark finalist and she has an interesting way to spend the million and Kym Illman who captures the Formula 1 stops by for a chat. Catch Mick in the Morning, with Roo, Titus & Rosie LIVE from 6-9am weekdays on 105.1 Triple M Melbourne or via the LiSTNR app. Mick In The Morning Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/molloy Triple M Melbourne Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/triplemmelb Drop us a voice memo: https://www.mickinthemorning.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Autumn is here, the Gabba goal posts are up, and it's time to unfurl another flag.On the last Saturday of September last year, a fourth quarter avalanche sealed the club's fifth flag since the merger. This weekend, on the first Saturday of March, we begin the quest for our sixth.And we have one of the biggest Roar Deal episodes of all time to launch season 2026.Coming up on the podcast this week:-We preview the massive season opener against the Bulldogs and the drama of our first team selection for 2026-The club's General Manager of Footy, Danny Daly, joins us to talk through injuries, selection dilemmas, and a sneaky question about Zac Bailey's contract-One of the best video editors in the country - Alex Cottier - the man behind last year's AFL.com.au premiership documentary Pound The Rock - joins us ahead of this Wednesday night's launch of 22 Days, the AFL website's 2025 Premiership documentary-The crystal ball makes its first appearance for 2026-After months of work in the studios, we have the premiere of the revamped Brisbane Lions club songAnd much more!Plus, we are so excited to welcome Kartable on board as our new sponsor for the 2026 season!Kartable is a trade procurement platform, effortlessly bringing vendor and trades together for material and service: engaging, planning & purchasing. There is a solution for you. Jump in and make your free profile today at kartable.com.au/roardeal - or reach out to James direct (james@kartable.com.au) to learn how Kartable can support your business.

The sports reporter shed light on the debate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rush Hour with Maroon, Millie and Hindy are joined by Triple M and AFL legend Nick Riewoldt plus all the latest on this weekends NRL team lists.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to a Wide World of Sports update. A snapshot of the latest sport stories from the 9News team including: Parramatta hoping to lure Blues prop AFL making inroads in northern states Aussie stars return to the Sheffield Shield The biggest sport stories in less than 5 minutes delivered twice a day, with reports from the 9News team across Australia and overseas. Subscribe now to make it part of your daily news diet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carlton premiership player and two-time Brownlow Medallist, Greg "Diesel" Williams, joined Jacqui Felgate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a summer of twirling our seventies cricketing moustaches and enthusiastically rubbing a red ball in our groin area, it's time to get real. Time to get our rucks in a row, our behinds in gear and our floggers in hand. ..Footy is Back, Baby! Armed with a mouthful of words, a fistful of opinions and a head full of you know what, the Ruck 'n Roll team will leave no turn unstoned to bring you a totally unique perspective on the 2026 football season. That's a cast iron promise from our iron carrying cast. This week we also talk the music of Wings. Bake a cake, buy a present and call the firies as Stephen J and Kev celebrate yet another birthday. By the way Peaky - that wish will never come true. Ruck ON!!! Kevin Hillier, Mark Fine, Stephen J Peak, Ken Francis Post-production by Steve Visscher | Southern Skies Media for Howdy Partners Media | www.howdypartnersmedia.com.au/podcasts © 2026See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Gangland Wire, Host retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins dives into the shadowy intersection of organized gambling and college athletics through the story of Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal.  During the early 1960s, Rosenthal built his reputation by identifying weaknesses in sports systems, particularly among vulnerable college athletes. He met one who could not be bought, Mickey Bruce of Oregon. At the center of this story is a little-known but pivotal attempt at a fix involving the Oregon Ducks. Rosenthal and his associate, David Budin, believed they had found an opening, but they ran headlong into the integrity of Oregon halfback Mickey Bruce. Bruce flatly refused the bribe, setting off a chain reaction that would help expose a much wider pattern of corruption in college sports.   I break down how this wasn't an isolated incident but part of a nationwide effort by gamblers to influence outcomes and exploit young athletes. The episode explores the mechanics of organized gambling, attempts to fix games, and why college sports became such an attractive target for mob-connected bookmakers. The story reaches a dramatic turning point during U.S. Senate hearings on gambling in college athletics, where Mickey Bruce publicly identified Lefty Rosenthal as one of the men who tried to corrupt him. It's a rare moment in mob history—one where a gambler is named in open testimony by a player who refused to bend.   From there, I trace Rosenthal's continued rise in the gambling world, from Miami to Las Vegas, where he would help shape modern sports betting while repeatedly managing to stay one step ahead of serious legal consequences. Rosenthal’s story raises enduring questions about accountability, the limits of law enforcement, and why some figures seem untouchable. I close the episode by reflecting on Rosenthal's legacy—and on Mickey Bruce's quiet heroism.   Hit me up on Venmo for a cup of coffee or a shot and a beer @ganglandwire Click here to “buy me a cup of coffee” Subscribe to the website for weekly notifications about updates and other Mob information. To go to the store or make a donation or rent Ballot Theft: Burglary, Murder, Coverup, click here To rent ‘Brothers against Brothers’ or ‘Gangland Wire,’ the documentaries click here.  To purchase one of my books, click here. 0:03 The Story Begins 4:14 The Bribe Attempt 7:58 The Aftermath of Scandal 12:26 The Rise of Lefty 14:34 College Sports and Corruption 18:58 The Online Gambling Boom 22:26 The Fall of Adrian McPherson 24:24 Mickey Bruce’s Legacy [0:00] Hey, hey, all you wiretappers, back here in the studio of Gangland Wire. This is Gary Jenkins, a retired Kansas City Police Intelligence Unit detective. I worked a mob for about 14 years, and now I tell some mob stories, as many as I can find. And we all know Lefty Rosenthal. We all know Robert De Niro played him as Ace Rothstein in the film movie Casino. And that movie, part of the reason it was so good that Nicholas Pelleggi, the screenwriter, and wrote the book, was able to spend hours and hours interviewing Lefty Rosenthal in real life. He had gone to Florida by then and it seemed like the mob wasn’t after him anymore. They had one attempted bombing of him, if you remember. [0:41] So it was a really good movie. There’s really good depiction of that era and that system that they had going out there. Let’s go back on Lefty Rosenthal’s history to a guy that he couldn’t corrupt. Lefty Rosenthal thought he could corrupt anybody, but he found a guy that he couldn’t corrupt. It was really one of his early cases where law enforcement, the FBI, and other state law enforcement agencies figured out Lefty Rosenthal was somebody, and he was a pretty big gambler. He was a nationwide gambler. In 1960, the Oregon Ducks had a pretty good team. What a name, the Oregon Ducks. They had a man named Dave Grayson and the quarterback with Dave Gross in the backfield. They had a 5’3 All-American receiver named Cleveland Jones. What a name, Cleveland Jones. They went 7-2-1. They lost to Michigan, and they also lost to eventual Rose Bowl champ Washington. But this was good enough to gain a Liberty Bowl invite to play Penn State. Oregon lost the bowl and played in two feet of snow and freezing temperatures in Philadelphia that year. [1:50] But the biggest news of the season was made during their trip to Ann Arbor to play Michigan. They had this potential All-American player named Mickey Bruce, who really was obscure compared to especially this Dave Gross or this Cleveland Jones, who was an unusual player. He was a president of his fraternity. He was a former Little League World Series star. He was the son of an attorney. He was a team captain. He played halfback and defensive back. And there was two professional gamblers came to Ann Arbor that year and they didn’t know much about this guy, but they did know, one of them’s name was Budin, David Budin, and the other one was Frank Lefty Rosenthal. They didn’t know much about Mickey Bruce, but they had a connection to him. A guy who played for the Oregon State basketball team named Jimmy Granada and knew Boudin from when they were little kids growing up on the basketball courts in New York City. Now, Granada told Mickey that he had two friends staying at the team hotel and they needed tickets. This time, players could then were given tickets and they could turn around and sell them to people. Boudin ended up finding him and introduced himself and said he was Jimmy Granada’s friend and invited Mickey up to the room and said, I’m the guy that needs a couple of tickets. [3:15] Mickey was a little bit hesitant, but didn’t know this guy. He’s probably got a New York accent, probably slick, more than likely. He hesitated at first and booted and said, just take a few minutes. I just want to get you to go and get those tickets. And so he goes him, so he follows him into the room and he finds Lefty Rosenthal waiting there, who he doesn’t know and won’t even have any idea who he is till much later. So they chatted a little bit about the game as people will and ask him questions about the team. And Rosenthal mentioned that Oregon was a six-point underdog. He said, do you don’t think a player could be bribed? Mickey said, I suppose they could. Buden then cut in. He said, Mickey, he said, what do you think it would cost to ensure that Michigan won by at least eight points? Mickey plays along. He says, you’re the big-time gamblers. You should know. So Buden said, about $5,000. And Mickey said, that’s probably fine. [4:14] Mickey said, let me check into this. And he said, I’m late for a team meeting and I got to get going. So they made plans to meet later on about 9 p.m. Mickey was no fool or small town rube. His father had been a Chicago attorney and he now practice in El Cajon, California. [4:31] He raced to catch up with his teammates and told an assistant coach about the bribe who told the athletic director, who then called in the Michigan State Police, who called in the FBI. And they told Mickey to go ahead and show up at 9 p.m. at the meeting in the hotel room. They don’t want to apprehend Buden and Rosenthal right now. They want to get some more information and really get a real solid bribery attempt out of them. So acting on the advice of these cops, Mickey goes back to the hotel room that evening. [5:00] Buden and Rosenthal start talking to him. And so they gave him tips about how to carry out this scheme without attracting any attention. Buden and Rosenthal say, we’ll give you an extra $5,000 and you can get the quarterback, Dave Gross, to go along with this scheme. He said, Mickey, you just need to let some pass receivers get behind you once in a while and let them run up the score a little bit. And you’re not going to win anyhow, more than likely. Get the quarterback to call a few wrong plays nobody really ever noticed. And he said, I’ll give you each $5,000 after the game if you’ll do that. He also offered Mickey $100 a week just to call him at his house down in Florida and update him about the health of Oregon’s team before weekly betting lines were released makes you wonder how many guys did Rosenthal have calling him to update him on injuries and everything on different college teams and professional too. Because I know from doing a story before that Ocardo and a lot of the Chicago gangsters really valued Rosenthal’s tips on making their football bets. He seemed to have some kind of an inside track. [6:08] As he got ready to leave, Mickey said, oh, wait a minute. I gave you those tickets. You got to pay me, which were only worth about three bucks each. And so Lefty gave him 50 bucks for the two tickets. Mickey would remember later that he had to roll $100 bills in his pocket, which is typical for a high-flyer, high-rolling kind of a dude like that, have a big roll of cash in your pocket. And then you reach down in, peel some off so everybody can see how much money you got in your pocket. Rosenthal said, hey, I got to leave tonight, but see my friend Buden in the morning, David Buden, and he’ll give you the money. Mickey agreed, went back to his room. The next morning, while eating breakfast with his teammates, he sees a state trooper leading Buden out of the hotel in handcuffs, and then missed Lefty Rosenthal, who, as he had told them the night before, the Lefty was going to be leaving, and they had made a good bribery attempt. I don’t know what the police were waiting on. They were trying to make an even better case or something. I guess they probably They wanted him to go back in and catch them all together with the money. But then lefty left, and they went ahead and pulled the trigger early. You never know how these things work out exactly and what was at play. During the game, Mickey, I tell you what, Mickey played his heart out. He got an interception for a touchdown. It didn’t make any difference. Michigan won easily, 21 to nothing, and easily covered the six-point spread. [7:28] A player will later be asked about this, and part of the reason was he said the coach had called a late-night team meeting and told them about this bribery attempt and asked them if any of them had been approached. Of course, everybody said no. Whether they had or not, they’re going to say no. But this player said it really shook us. We just had no rhythm. We just couldn’t get together for that game. [7:50] Buden, when he was arrested, it turns out he was arrested for registering at a hotel under a fake name. He ends up paying some little fine and leaving town. [7:58] Lefty was long gone the next day. It’s possible that Rosenthal and Buden knew that just attempting this bribe might have the negative impact on Oregon’s chances against the spread anyhow. All we know for sure is they got off scot-free in the end, and Buden paid a $100 fine or whatever. Lefty, but he did get exposed because Mickey Bruce, he didn’t have any idea of what he was getting drawn into, but it became a nationwide scandal. Basketball and football games, college games were being influenced on a wide scale by these gambling interests and Lefty Rosenthal was right in the middle of it all. Part of the McClellan committee, Senator McClellan of Arkansas convened his select committee just to investigate gambling and college athletics later that year. Because of this Michigan interaction with Lefty and college players and attempted bribery, they brought Mickey Bruce in. September the 8th, 1961, there’s a Senate hearing witness table. And sitting at that table is Mickey Bruce at one side and Frank Lefty Rosenthal at the other. And this was the same Frank he’d met at this hotel room. And he literally fingered Rosenthal as one of the men who attempted to bribe him. That photo that I’ve got in there, if you’re on YouTube, Rosenthal fled the fifth, of course. [9:27] Committee here, meetings like that, really what they’re good for is to stir law enforcement and bring people out and bring out and get the public riled up against organized crime. That’s what McClellan’s committee was really good for. They had several of those committees that finally got local authorities and the FBI to start looking at organized crime. And in particular, this is the mother’s milk of organized crime by now is gambling. And college sports gambling was the thing at the time. There was some pro teams going on, but it didn’t have near the action going down on it that the college teams had. There was a lot more interest in college and a lot more college games every week. Later on the next year, Wayne County, Michigan District Attorney’s Office wanted Mickey Bruce to come back to Detroit and swear out a complaint against the people that tried to bribe him and name him and give statements and everything. Bruce, by then, he didn’t really want to mess with it. He was playing football. He had his fraternity work. He had to keep his grades up because he was going to law school. [10:32] But they had a game against Ohio State that November. Michigan authorities thought, just come in and see us when you’re here. But he was out for the season by then. He had separated his shoulder, and he never really played again when they were playing Stanford earlier that year. He wasn’t going to go back to Michigan. His coaches tried to get him to cooperate, but he said, I’m done with the whole matter. In an interview, he said, as far as I’m concerned, this whole thing should have been dead a month ago after it happened. He conferred with his father, and they both said they can’t really make him do that. [11:05] He said, I didn’t have time to go. I’ve got all these school activities that I’m doing, and I just don’t want to go. And he said, the Michigan police botched this thing from the start. They should have stuck around, and they should have got Rosenthal before they left town. There were several things they should have done, and it was a poorly run investigation that probably wasn’t going to succeed anyhow. And he said it had been over a year, and he said, I don’t really remember exactly what happened. I understand all that, and he could have helped him make a case, but there’s an obscure a paragraph in Lefty Rosenthal’s FBI file. And it might explain a little more about why Mickey Bruce didn’t testify in a criminal trial against Lefty. It already testified and pointed him out in the McClellan hearing. But right after that, his mother received a telephone call in her home in El Cajon, California. Now, there’s some, it says name redacted, but you can easily fill in the name. 1961, September 1961, name redacted, El Cajon, received a phone call from an unidentified male asking if, name redacted, can you fill in, Mickey Bruce, name redacted, answered in the negative, at which time this person uttered an oath and added, you’re going to get it, and so is he. I think it’s pretty easy to fill in the names of Mickey Bruce and his mother easily. [12:26] Bruce stayed home Oregon went to Columbus Lost to the Buckeyes again Wayne County DA Dropped any cases Against Buden and Rosenthal For lack of evidence Lefty will continue During these years To run his sports book Out of Florida He’ll continue Traveling around the country And making contact With people in the College sports world Trying to bribe players And coaches And gather information And. [12:50] Cops in Miami were watching Lefty by then, 1960, New Year’s Eve. Police Chief Martin Dardis of Miami knocked on Rosenthal’s door with a group of guys and found him in his bedroom in his pajamas. He had a telephone in one hand and a small black book in the other. Dardis took the phone away from him and started answering the calls, and they were from bettors all around the country. He remembered that there was one guy named Amos who wanted to place a bet on a football game on New Year’s Day. And Dardis handed the phone to Rosenthal who told the guy that was calling in says you’re talking to a cop you stupid SOB. [13:28] During that raid, Rosenthal complained he’d paid $500 to keep local police from harassing his bookmaking operations. He said, you guys must be kidding. [13:37] Evidently, you didn’t get your piece. About a year later, February 1962, after the Senate hearings, detective knocked on his door again in Miami. He came to the door sporting dapper attire, which he was a really dapper dresser, and he had painted fingernails, according to a newspaper account. He said, I’ve been expecting you. [13:58] The detectives arrested Rosenthal, not for bribing Mickey Bruce, but he and his friend Buden faced charges in North Carolina for offering $500 to Ray Paprocki, a basketball player at NYU, and wanted to shave points in a 1960 NCAA tournament against West Virginia. During this time, authorities had uncovered a nationwide network of fixtures who conspired to influence hundreds of college basketball games over a five-year period. In the end, 37 players from 22 schools were arrested on charges relating to [14:31] port shaving. Man, that’s, boy, that was huge. We’ve got these guys going down now periodically that are getting involved because of the apps. And we’re going to get a little more into that. This gambling thing and college athletics especially, but even pro athletics. It’s a corrupting force, guys. I know a lot of you like to bet on games, but it really, there’s a real potential for corrupting the game. And in the end, if they keep it up and people keep corrupting these games, it’s just going to be like wrestling. You’ll just, somebody will control who’s going to win and who’s going to lose in every contest. That’s what these gamblers would like to get, and they’d make all the money. [15:08] Rosenthal pleaded no contest. He got a $6,000 fine for trying to fix this NYU-West Virginia game. He claimed that David Buden gave up his name and that he said later on, trying to clear himself of that, that that wasn’t really me. David Buden did it, and he would have given up his mother’s stay away from what he had to face. That was when the Nevada Gaming Control Board was after him. [15:33] In 1967, Rosenthal, under the watch of the Chicago Outfit, started acting like his outfit bosses and bring outfit tactics down to Miami. He started intimidating rival bookies and others in Miami who incurred his wrath. He ordered bombings of the territory. I interviewed the son of a CIA operative named, his father’s name was Ricardo Monkey Morales. Look back and see if you can find that interview of the son of Monkey Morales. I think Monkey Morales was probably in the title. And he told us about his father’s relationship with Rosenthal. He told him that Lefty had told his dad that he represented organized crime out of Chicago. And he said that Morales said that Rosenthal paid him. He said that Rosenthal paid Monkey Morales to blow up Alfie’s newsstand with a bookie joint in the back. He also had him, they had him blow up a car and a boat owned by a well-known jewelry thief that the mob was pressuring to do some burglaries for them. He also had him explode a bomb. I remember this, explode a bomb in the front yard of a Miami police officer trying to show his power. I guess this guy was messing with him or something, trying to tell everybody he was connected to the outfit and don’t mess with me. [16:50] Morales would also claim that he’d witnessed Rosenthal meeting with Tony Splatron in Miami in 1967. [16:58] 1970s, he goes to Las Vegas at the request of the outfit, which we all know. We’ll go back over it a little bit. Even legitimate gambling people will say he invented the sportsbook industry in Las Vegas. They didn’t really do that before. And Sports Illustrated once called him the greatest living expert on sports gambling. He’ll die in 2008 of natural causes down in Florida after all the skimming investigation went down and people started going to grand juries and being indicted and going to trials and everything. All the mobsters did. Several people in Las Vegas did. A guy out of the Tropicanda who was Kansas City’s man, Joe Augusto, and a guy named Carl Thomas who worked at both casinos and helping in skimming and several other guys that worked in the casino business. But guess who never was indicted? And guess who never even was called in for an interview? And guess who just hid out? Lefty Rosenthal. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Jane Ann Morrison of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Finally, they get an FBI agent to confirm to her that he was a top echelon informant during all this time. They try to blow him up in his Cadillac, another famous attempted mob hit. A lot of people speculate on that. They’ll always say it was Kansas City because they thought he was an informant all along. and never liked him and never trust him because he really, he brought all the heat down out in Las Vegas. Now, the heat was coming anyhow, but he maybe brought it a little bit quicker. [18:24] There’s a former federal prosecutor out of Las Vegas that once said, it’s been said you should never speak ill of the dead, but there are exceptions to the rule, and Frank Rosenthal is one of those exceptions. He is an awful human being. [18:38] Dave Budin, the guy who first approached Mickey Bruce, Yes. Continues in the sportsbook game and draws his son Steve into it. And by the 1990s, the online betting industry has taken over from your neighborhood bookie and a mob just running everything. It’s a multi-billion dollar thorn in the side of the U.S. authorities. [18:59] 1998, federal prosecutors indicted Miami gambler David Buden, same man that tried to bribe Mickey Bruce, and indicted Buden’s son for running something called SDB Global. [19:13] Which later became SBG. Federal authorities prosecuted Boudin under a federal anti-gambling statute because SDB Global was incorporated in Costa Rica, but it was based in Miami. Pleaded guilty and got a $750,000 fine. In Kansas City, during those same years, the son of the feared mafia capo, if you will, Willie the Rat Comisano, Willie Comisano Jr., They headed up a group of bookies that contained the names and sons and other extended relatives of many Kansas City Mafia members out of the 50s and 60s. And they were using the internet and dealing with either SDB Global or one of the other sports betting sites that sprung up in Costa Rica because they were all over the place. Budins were high flyers in this doing business out of Costa Rica. And they were making a lot of money, a lot of money. In 2004, SBG comes to the attention of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They sent an undercover in, and they asked an SBG operator why the company required customers to call before wiring each new deposit. And he got him on tape to say, because we change the names in the countries of the middlemen all the time. The agent suggested that the process made it uneasy, and the employee of SBG said, you don’t have to worry about it. Lots of people do it. [20:35] Well, during this investigation, they also found there was a Florida State star quarterback named Adrian McPherson was placing bets on games that he was playing in and ends up getting dismissed from the Florida State Seminoles football team. He was a rising star, a rising young star quarterback. In the investigation, they learned he’d already lost $8,000 to a local bookie who’d cut him off. He was giving him, extending him credit. Guy owed him $8,000 and he cut him off. So that’s when he turned to online SBG sites. Now, you have to pay up front. So he was getting some money to gamble somehow, and he tried to hide this activity by using a roommate, but a review of his phone records showed several calls to STB, and one time was, like, just before, there were, like, two in a row. And that’s how they were, like, trying to hide it and then pass it off to make it look like there was somebody else making the bet. He eventually gets arrested. He pleads to lesser charges. But one of those charges was check forgery. And when a gambler starts losing, many times they’ll turn to those white-collar crimes like check forgery, embezzlement. They’ll start stealing from their work, shoplifting, drug dealing. They can do anything like a junkie, man. They’ll do anything to keep gambling. [21:52] I once knew a guy said he couldn’t even walk into a casino because he just starts getting a rush. He just can’t stay away from the machines once he walks in. So he totally has to stay out. Adrian McPherson, he was also an all-star baseball player. Even though he is kicked out of college ball for betting on his own team, he then gets drafted. The New Orleans Saints in 2005 draft him. They want him as their starting quarterback. But they also drafted a guy named Drew Brees, who ended up leading him to the Super Bowl in 2006. [22:27] Now, later in that season or during that season, the Tennessee Titan mascot will accidentally hit McPherson with a golf cart. He sues him for several million dollars. The following year, he does this. He’s been injured by this golf cart. I don’t know if it wasn’t a career injury, obviously, but they also the gambling thing. And the following year, he appears with the Grand Rapid Rampage AFL team. Then he goes to a Canadian team. Then he plays on a variety of arena football teams, a different one every year almost. And finally, in 2018, the Jacksonville Sharks, which is an arena team, releases him. His gambling led him to a free fall into obscurity. He was on his way up to life-changing generational wealth, and the gambling just got him. [23:17] Let’s go back a minute, you know, all these, I’ll be telling all these stories about these low rents and degenerate gamblers. Let’s go back to the incorruptible Mickey Bruce. He was injured during 1961 during his senior year. His last game was in 1961 against Stanford. His three seasons of Oregon, he rushed 29 times for 128 yards. At one touchdown, he caught 10 passes for 113 yards and three touchdowns. Defensively, he intercepted six passes in the last season, returned six punts for an 11-yard average. He ends up being drafted in the 24th round of the 1962 AFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, but he never pursued a professional football career. Instead, he followed his father’s footsteps. He went to law school and became a lawyer out in California. [24:08] Michael J. Bruce, his story goes really beyond the gridiron. He’s on that very short list of individuals who have implicated gangsters, pointed them out in court, and survived. And he prospered from then on under [24:20] his own name. He didn’t go in witness protection or anything like that. He might not have agreed to prosecute Lefty going back to Michigan for that other case, but he did stand up and point at Lefty Rosenthal and say, he’s the one that tried to bribe me. 1981, Mickey Bruce will get the Leo Harris Award. Presented to alumni, alumnus Letterman, who have been out of college for 20 years and have demonstrated continuous service and leadership to the university. Some of the other, Alberto Salazar went to Oregon. He got it. A guy named Dan Fouts, I know that name, Johnny Robinson, Bill Dellinger. [25:02] So guys, it’s much better to get a Lifetime Achievement Award for doing good than to get a car bomb or to die in obscurity. So thanks, guys. That’s the story of Lefty Rosenthal and his earlier years before the skimming and really the story of a tribute to Mickey Bruce, a guy that stood up and did the right thing when it needed to be done. Thanks, guys. And don’t forget, stand up and go to your computer and order one of my books online or rent one of my movies or look at my website and see what you like there. Make a donation, if you will. I got expenses. Don’t usually ask for. I got ads. They just cover some things and then other things. Some of these FOIA things cost a lot of money and got a few expenses. Anyhow, so thanks a lot, guys. But mostly, I appreciate your loyalty and all the comments that you make on my YouTube channel and on the Gangland Wire podcast group. It’s inspiring. It really, truly is inspiring. It keeps me coming back. Thanks, guys.

Episode 448 - AFL 2026 Ladder Predictions   Podcast Website  https://www.ayankonthefooty.com/    Please subscribe to the mailing list. 2025 Listener Survey - I'd love for you to take a moment to complete the survey   Guest Intake Form - link Want to help out the podcast? Leave me a review! Buy me a coffee, Podcast fundraiser ayankonthefooty is A podcast working to grow interest in the AFL in the US - Buymeacoffee   Podcast "merch" storefront ayankonthefooty Shop | Redbubble Best 100 AFL Australian Football League Podcasts  I am #10 in Australia?  Thanks so much for this everyone! A Yank on the Footy March 2024 Introductory episode @Yank_on A Yank on the Footy Podcast - Home | Facebook ayankonthefooty@gmail.com MAILING LIST signup: I hope you'll consider signing up for the mailing list, so you'll be the first to have the new  episode dropped off right into your inbox.  You can sign up for the mailing list that is on ayankonthefooty.com For crisis support, please contact: Lifeline http://lifeline.org.au 13 11 14  Beyond Blue http://beyondblue.org.au 1300 22 4636 In the U.S.: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 1-800-273-8255 –  Active duty military and veterans, dial 988 and press 1

It's always one of the biggest talking points in the pre-season and now Jay Clark has answered all the big questions on his Top 50 AFL players list.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take a look back at our favourite moments from Daisy's final week with the show - including Billy taking an air horn to the footy, NBL MVP Bryce Cotton, Peter V'Landys' latest potshot at the AFL, Essendon captain Andy McGrath, Topics Warren, Jakara Anthony, Daisy's AFL 9s game, Paco Luciano, a tribute to Daisy, and Billy's Joke.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.