#44 - Jeremy Schaap, ESPN journalist: upsets, doping, triumphs, and the importance of sports

Mar 11, 2019

Jeremy Schaap, a renowned ESPN journalist and author of "Cinderella Man," dives into boxing's most remarkable upsets, including Buster Douglas's historic win over Mike Tyson. He shares anecdotes from his infamous Bobby Knight interview and discusses the impact of doping scandals in sports. Highlighting the lessons sports impart and the societal issues they reflect, Schaap articulates how following in his father's journalistic footsteps shaped his values. Expect a captivating blend of sports history, ethical dilemmas, and personal reflections.

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ANECDOTE

McGwire's Home Run Chase

Jeremy Schaap covered Mark McGwire's 1998 home run chase.
He now regrets not approaching the steroid story with more skepticism.

ANECDOTE

Armstrong's Doping

Jeremy Schaap covered Lance Armstrong's Tour de France victories and comeback.
He asked about doping but regrets not digging deeper, like David Walsh.

INSIGHT

Cycling's Doping Problem

Removing Lance Armstrong's titles without others' is hypocritical.
He believes Armstrong deserves his jerseys back due to widespread doping.

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In this episode, Jeremy Schaap, preeminent journalist at ESPN, discusses two of the most incredible upsets in boxing history, both of which Jeremy has expertly covered during his illustrious career, most recently culminating in the 30 for 30 special, 42 to 1. We also discuss his infamous Bobby Knight interview, his coverage of the doping scandals in baseball and cycling, as well as the pressures of following in his father’s enormous footsteps who taught him the importance of fairness in journalism. Additionally, we discuss the deeper meaning of sports, what it teaches us, and how he uses sports as a platform to bring light to greater societal issues.

We discuss:

Jeremy and Peter’s shared obsession with boxing history [5:15];
Cinderella Man: The incredible upset of Max Baer by James Braddock, and the rise of the great Joe Louis [9:00];
42 to 1: Buster Douglas beats Mike Tyson for one of the most unlikely upsets in the history of sports [23:30];
Contrasting fighting styles from “destroyers” to “artists”, and comparing the auras of the all-time greats [36:30];
Mike Tyson’s take on the Douglas fight, what went wrong for Buster Douglas following his victory, and other incredible upsets in sports history [45:30];
Ranking the greatest boxers since the 1960s [54:00];
Jeremy’s famous Bobby Knight interview: A career defining moment [57:00];
The pressures of following his father’s career path, and what it means to be a fair journalist [1:01:30];
The meaning of sports: how it brings us together and gives us a platform for bigger discussions [1:11:00];
Jeremy’s biggest regret in reporting, the 1998 home run chase, and the doping scandals of baseball and cycling [1:17:30];
The biggest and most underreported stories in sports [1:26:45];
Best 30 for 30 episodes: Jeremy and Peter pick their favorites [1:31:30];
Baseball: Steroids and the hall of fame [1:34:30];
Final thoughts on what makes sports so special [1:37:45]; and
More.

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