The Wheel of Sport

In 1970, old VFL rivals, Carlton and Collingwood faced each other in the Grand Final. The game took place in the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground to over 120,000 people packed in to see the spectacle. However, Collingwood dominated the first two quarters and raced into a healthy lead. Carlton walked off at half time deflated and dejected. A team talk and a revolutionary change of tactics and approach by the Carlton coach Ron Barassi, not only changed the course of this Grand Final, but it changed a sport forever. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hansie Cronje burst onto the international cricket scene in a match against Australia. With youth, good looks and a champion of reconciliation in South Africa, Cronje rose to the heights of his sport and society. This story covers a remarkable on pitch deal with the English cricket captain; dark dealings in hotel rooms; a confession and a sad, unexpected end to life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take most Olympic sports for granted and they have the sense that they have always been there. However, sports have to compete against each other to make the Olympic roster. Some win but many get rejected. This episode is the story of the Winter Olympic sports that never quite made the grade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The story of John Montague. An exceptionally talented golfer who was reluctant to join the tour but very keen to live the celebrity Hollywood lifestyle. Montague worked his way through Hollywood's A-list society before his life took a turn when an eagle-eyed detective spotted him in Time magazine and his past quickly caught up with him. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a blast through some of the technological advances in sport that you may never have heard of including one which may have been inspired by a British soap opera! Stories of pink newspapers being sold out of the back of vans, snooker selling TVs and how split screen revolutionised a sport. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baseball in the USA was a industry ran by the owners, for the owners. Players had few rights and were paid a fraction of what they were worth. Nobody challenge the status quo - until Marvin Miller battered down the door and unlocked the freedom of the players. This is a story of the power of the union and how it was used to modernise a national sport and show the rest of society that the power of the bosses could, and should, be questioned. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freediving is a niche sport due to the level of difficultly and the risk of serious injury and death. The serenity and peaceful nature of deep-diving can lull the participants into a different world and prove addictive. This is the story of how freediving became a cult sport with a truly deadly risk. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Very few athletes ever get the opportunity to represent their country at the Olympics. Through training, discipline and shear sporting talent, some manage to make the grade. Once there, they will do everything in their power to try to get a place on the podium and, failing that, try to represent themselves in the best light possible. This is the story of an 'athlete' who broke the mould by sauntering into the Olympics with little sporting prowess but excellent management of her calendar and air miles. Elizabeth Swaney became an unlikely focus of the 2018 Winter Olympics for all the wrong reasons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the story of an American billionaire who found himself in the inner circle of the home of English cricket. Now a convicted criminal, Allen Stanford managed to land his helicopter on the hallowed turf at Lord's Cricket Ground, convince the ECB to play a one off game in the Caribbean and ultimately left a shameful mark on the English game. What attracted one of England's most stuffy and conservative sporting bodies to this lavish and corrupt billionaire? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shergar was an Irish-bred wonder horse. With exceptional ability, speed and stamina, the horse captivated a sport and international attention. The prospect of Shergar sharing his genetics and creating a new generation of competitive, world class horses was too good to miss for investors. However, the extraordinary value of Shergar attracted the unwanted attention of a band of Irishmen who were looking to raise funds for nefarious activities. Was the kidnapping successful? Did the ransom get paid? Where is Shergar today? Listen to The Wheel of Sport to find the answers! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Oxford Dictionary describes Parkour as the sport of moving through a city by running, jumping, and climbing under, around, and through things. However, there is debate on whether it is a sport at all. There has been splits, international recognition and a lineage traced to the early 20th Century. Parkour also has a lot to owe the French Firefighter who inadvertently provided the inspiration for a new and exciting activity which sparked worldwide interest. This is the story of a modern athletic activity which is still developing, growing and finding its way in the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mayo is a proud county situated on the wild west coast of Ireland. With passionate fans and a history of producing some of Ireland's finest sports stars, Mayo GAA are one of the leading sporting organisations in Ireland. They should have won a huge amount of major trophies in the post-war period but they have struggled to get over the line. In this episode, we explore the legend of a curse that was placed on the Mayo team in the 1950s and has haunted them to this day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexandre Villaplane was an immigrant footballer trying to make his way in the amateur game. He got off to great start and quickly became the best player in the country. Villaplane led France in their World Cup debut in 1930 but on his return his sporting career spun out of control and, with the onset of the Second World War, the demise of this malign character became inevitable. This is the story of a player who rose to greatness before sliding into the underworld and collaborating with the evils against his own countrymen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jean Marc Bosman was a lower league professional footballer but his challenge to be in charge of his own destiny had a hugely significant impact on football in Europe and is still shaping how careers are fulfilled and players are transferred. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you were playing top level NBA and a coach told you of some small change to your game that could improve you exponentially? What if the coach told you that the change was perfectly legal and within the rules? What if the coach told you that every player in the NBA knew about it but almost nobody does it? This is the puzzling story of how top level basketball players refuse to make a small change that could improve their performance and the history of it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was the summer of 2012. The world had gathered in London for the 2012 Olympic Games. Team GB had targeted a number of key sports in which they could medal but on Saturday 4th August 2012 the medals rained down on the team. From the morning, right up to an extraordinary 45 minute period, the golds kept coming in one of the most captivating periods in Olympic history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Highland games has endured throughout the ages and exists today as a celebration of Highland culture and Scottish defiance against the aggression of their neighbours. A mixture of strength and skill often inspire by agriculture, the Highland games provide an opportunity to revel in Scottish history and a legacy of historical sporting development. Although the games were coopted by the royal ruling class, they remain a symbol of life before living under English rule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mildred Ella Didrikson, who was known simply as 'Babe', became one of the greatest athletes of all time. However, that was just part of her story. At only 5ft 7in, Babe ran, jumped, threw, pitched and swung her way to be the best sports all rounder that ever lived. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally Robbins was a gifted athlete who managed to show so much promise, she was selected for the Australian Olympic rowing team. Although they were outsiders to medal at the Athen's games, the team had got themselves within half a second of the leaders. However, by the end of the race, the Australian boat dragged through the water over ten seconds after all the other teams had finished. What had happened? Why had they thrown away the lead? Who or what was responsible? This is the story of Lay Down Sally, Athens 2004. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ian has avoided social media, his phone and been disciplined and determined, not to know the score of the EFL Trophy Final 2021. He gives Matt a call who is going to reveal to result of the game and give a detailed match report. However, there was an unexpected intervention... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.