On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss

James and Lauren Osborne are the founders of the Exchange Running Collective in East Nashville, a running store that brings the community together through ‘running culture, art, and social change.’ Their inclusive approach demonstrates the power of sports to create a better world. 

Legendary sportswriter and bestselling author Jane Leavy joins the show to discuss her acclaimed new book: “Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It. 

Celso Castilho, Vanderbilt history professor and director of the university’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies, joins the show. Castilho discusses recent protests by soccer fans in Nashville and Los Angeles and the implications of ICE raids on events such as the Club World Cup. 

On the heels of CMA Fest and in the midst of Pride Month, country music artist Bryan Ruby joins the show to discuss his one-of-a-kind career as a pioneering LGBTQ musician, professional baseball player, and nonprofit founder. 

Nick Cormier, founder and editor-in-chief of “The Fabric of Culture,” joins the show to discuss the connections between athletes, marketing, and fashion. As one apparel company founder said recently, “Sports stars are the new Hollywood stars.” 

From the third panel in our Sports & Activism symposium, Courtney M. Cox, professor at Oregon, Perry B. Johnson, professor at Southern Cal, and Joanna K. Love, professor at Richmond, lead a presentation on the connections between sports, music, and activism in the context of the Super Bowl halftime show. 

As part of our second annual sports and activism symposium conducted in partnership with the James Lawson Institute, Jesus Ortiz of Our Esquina.com hosted a session on the state of Latino athlete activism. Joining Jesus are professor Adrian Burgos Jr., former pro soccer player Janelly Farias & sports exec Sara Toussaint. 

Former Vanderbilt quarterback Kurt Page, the first SEC QB to throw for 3,000 yards in a season (1983), joins us from Europe to discuss his experience as the quarterback coach for the Wroclaw Panthers in Poland and how the opportunity has expanded his horizons and changed his life. 

Former Vanderbilt placekicker Rob Chura joins the show to discuss his recent trip to the US-Mexico border. A football coach, teacher, and director of Global Education at Saint Louis University High School in Missouri, Chura took a group of students to the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Mexico to work with deportees and migrants. 

Members of the Sports Business & Analytics student organization at Vanderbilt discuss their 2nd place finish at the SABR Case Competition in Phoenix and the purpose & work of their club.

Geoff Macdonald, the former national championship-winning women’s tennis coach at Vanderbilt and the real-life “Most Interesting Man in the World,” joins the show.

Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, joins the show to discuss the past, present, and future of the Museum, the incredible success introducing Black baseball history to kids through a partnership with the MLB The Show video game, and the importance of the museum in today’s political climate.

Washington Post sportswriter Dave Sheinin discusses his recent three-part series, “Beautyball.” The analytics movement helped revolutionize sports. But now the all-consuming influence of those efforts is being blamed for harming the aesthetics of our games, forcing league officials to make a course correction before it’s too late.

Former NFL punter Chris Kluwe made headlines recently when he was arrested after engaging in civil disobedience in his hometown of Huntington Beach, Calif., following his remarks at a city council meeting. Kluwe has been an outspoken advocate for social justice issues and has expressed views comparing MAGA to a fascist movement. He joins the show to discuss his path to activism and his opinions on the state of the country.