Episodios

  • The Psychology of Trash Talk: How Words Win Games with Rafi Kohan

    The Psychology of Trash Talk: How Words Win Games with Rafi Kohan
    Dec 27 2025
    In this episode of Skin in the Game, John and Tim dive into the psychology, history, and surprising power of trash talk with journalist and author Rafi Kohan, whose latest book explores how a few well-timed words can shape competition, performance, and culture. From Larry Bird and Michael Jordan to Tiger Woods and modern-day MMA, Kohan explains how trash talk isn’t just bravado — it’s a deeply human form of communication rooted in psychology, identity, and strategy. They explore why trash talk surged in the 1990s, how it intersects with race and cultural perception, why it can sharpen elite performance, or unravel it, and how the same lessons apply beyond sports to parenting, leadership, and everyday life. Along the way, Kohan shares stories from locker rooms, comedy stages, military training grounds, and global arenas, revealing why this “risky pleasure” remains one of the most fascinating elements of competition.
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    1 h y 1 m
  • Influence in Sports: Josh Barnett and an Encore Conversation with Troy Vincent

    Influence in Sports: Josh Barnett and an Encore Conversation with Troy Vincent
    Dec 20 2025
    This episode of Skin In The Game explores the influence and leadership that impacts the future of sports. In the first half of the episode, hosts John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei are joined by Josh Barnett of Sports Business Journal, the premier business-to-business publication in the sports industry. Barnett walks through SBJ’s Influence 125, a look at the most influential people in sports over the past 25 years. He explains how the list was created, why it isn’t ranked, and how influence shows up across ownership, media, technology, marketing, and league leadership. The conversation examines iconic figures like Roger Goodell, Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Gary Bettman, while also considering the impact of on-air talent, global audiences, and emerging influence in women’s sports. Then the episode features an encore presentation of a standout conversation with Troy Vincent, Executive Vice President of Football Operations for the NFL. Vincent shares how the league’s investment in flag football is expanding access, affordability, and opportunity — especially for girls and young women. He discusses the growth of sanctioned varsity high-school programs, college scholarships, and the road to flag football’s Olympic debut at LA28. Vincent also reflects on mentorship, leadership, and the responsibility athletes and leagues have to use their platforms for social impact, including his work addressing gender-based violence through the Vincent Commission.
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    53 m
  • Inside Lake Placid: Skiing, Tourism, and an Olympic Legacy

    Inside Lake Placid: Skiing, Tourism, and an Olympic Legacy
    Dec 13 2025
    Lake Placid has long been synonymous with Olympic history, but today it’s also a case study in how sport, tourism, and economic development work hand in hand. In this episode, John Cimperman sits down with Darcy Norfolk Rowe, Director of Communications for the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA), to explore the business and impact of winter sports in New York State.
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    54 m
  • The Real Impact of Golf: Jobs, Tourism & Policy in New York State

    The Real Impact of Golf: Jobs, Tourism & Policy in New York State
    Dec 6 2025
    Golf is more than a game. It’s an economic engine, a job creator, a tourism magnet, and a powerful steward of green space. In this episode, John and Tim unpack the findings of New York State’s new Golf Impact Study with guests Gina Rizzi and Tom Kaplan, revealing a side of the sport most people never think about. The conversation begins with the dollars-and-cents impact: how golf supports local economies, drives tourism in both Western New York and Southern Ontario, and sustains thousands of jobs across public and private courses. But the discussion quickly turns to a surprising and important theme, legislation. Gina and Tom break down how regulation, environmental policy, and rising operational costs are reshaping the golf industry, and why having a “seat at the table” in Albany is critical to protecting both courses and the golfers who rely on them. Golf may look simply like a walk in the grass with a bag of clubs. But as this conversation shows, its impact runs far deeper.
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    53 m
  • How FloSports Built a Streaming Empire for Overlooked Sports

    How FloSports Built a Streaming Empire for Overlooked Sports
    Nov 29 2025
    What began in 2006 as two brothers with a van, a camera, and a belief that overlooked sports deserved real coverage has grown into a powerhouse that streams 50,000 events a year across more than 25 sports, from wrestling and track to cheer, motorsports, and elite global hockey. FloSports CEO and co-founder Mark Floreani and content producer Mark Bader join John and Tim for a deep dive into one of the most fascinating disruptors in sports media. Mark shares how FloSports identified the “long-tail” opportunity long before streaming was mainstream, building a direct-to-consumer model around the idea that passion, not size, defines a great sports audience. Bader takes listeners inside the culture that powers FloSports. It’s a staff made up of true athletes and insiders who live the sports they cover, telling stories from the inside out and elevating communities often ignored by traditional broadcasters. The conversation dives into the company’s meteoric rise in wrestling, the boom in women's wrestling and youth participation, the growing universe of dirt-track racing, and the massive expansion of FloHockey, including rights to the AHL, ECHL, USHL, OHL, and QMJHL.
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    52 m
  • The Rise of Olympic Flag Football: Inside USA Football’s Game Plan for 2028

    The Rise of Olympic Flag Football: Inside USA Football’s Game Plan for 2028
    Nov 24 2025
    In 2028, flag football heads to the Olympics, and USA Football is steering the ship. In this episode, John and Tim talk with Scott Hallenbeck, CEO of USA Football, and Callie Brownson, former NFL coach and current head of high-performance for the U.S. national teams, about the rapid rise of the sport and what it means for athletes across the country. Scott walks us through USA Football’s evolution into the nation’s first governing body for the sport. He explains how the NFL’s investment, international momentum, and the IOC’s push toward smaller-team disciplines created the perfect pathway for Olympic inclusion. Callie shares a behind-the-scenes look at building elite men’s and women’s national teams from youth development pipelines to talent transfer athletes and the growing number of states sanctioning girls’ high school flag. The conversation dives into the global surge of participation, the economics fueling the sport, and which countries pose the biggest competition in Los Angeles. The world is embracing a new version of American football, and Team USA is racing toward gold in 2028.
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    52 m
  • Reimagining the Coliseum: Inside Hamilton’s $300 Million Transformation

    Reimagining the Coliseum: Inside Hamilton’s $300 Million Transformation
    Nov 15 2025
    This week on Skin In The Game, John Cimperman and Tim O’Shei connect with Nick DeLuco, senior vice president and general manager of the newly transformed TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario.
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    53 m
  • How the NFL Became America’s Religion & Why Every Day Is Sunday with Ken Belson

    How the NFL Became America’s Religion & Why Every Day Is Sunday with Ken Belson
    Nov 8 2025
    New York Times reporter Ken Belson, author of “Every Day Is Sunday,” joins John and Tim to unpack the business and culture behind America’s most powerful sports league, and to share why this story resonates even if you’re not a football fan.
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    53 m