Welcome to the Edge of Sports Podcast. I'm Dave Ziren. I've been circling around this interview

since I picked up this book. I'm so excited he's going to be on the show talking about the author. Let me tell

you who this guy is. He was a regular writer and television opinionist on ESPN. He's the author

of a beautifully eclectic series of books like Juicing the Game, which is the best book about

steroids and baseball, The Heritage, which is the best book about the intertwining of sports and

black history, and best-selling biographies of Henry Aaron and Ricky Henderson.

His new book is a triumph.

It's called Kings and Ponds, Jackie Robinson and Paul Ropeson in America.

He's done a lot of press, And I promised him that this will be an

interview that at the very least has him answering questions. He does so he doesn't have to be

on autopilot. Because I've been there. I've been there. You're giving a brilliant answer and

half your brain is wondering what you're going to have for dinner. Let me tell you what his name is.

It's Howard Bryant. Howard. How are you doing sir good date how are you that

was uh that was an unexpected intro was it okay okay okay it's great thank you unexpected is a great

adjective um before we talk about the book and believe me you say the words words Robeson and Robinson and you're on a Nation magazine podcast, it's at the top of the vertical.

Pure catnip for the nation audience.

But before we talk about the book, we got to talk about something from the headlines today because from 2005 to 2007 you wrote for one of the

greatest brands in sports media at the time and that's the Washington Post easily i think the

most famous group of columnists at any paper in the country will bond and cornheiser people know but

also legends like shirley povich and dave kindred you mentioned dave also legends like Shirley Povich and Dave Kindred.

You mentioned Dave Shining.

I could go on and on.

...