The Sports Refuge Podcast

Andre Collins’s basketball resume is one that the most die-hard basketball player would aspire to replicate.

The Crisfield, Maryland, native competed and won championships at the prep, college, and professional levels of basketball.

But what’s more impactful is what he’s done following his post-basketball career as an entrepreneur and community leader.

In this episode, Collins joins host Earl Holland to discuss his basketball journ...

No one is more passionate about his D.C. sports teams than David Cabrera.

And the only thing that Cabrera is more passionate about is his family, as he is a doting husband and father of three daughters.

In this episode, Cabrera joins host Earl Holland to discuss his love for Washington sports, fatherhood, and his career path outside the field of journalism.

Cabrera will also discuss the impetus behind his football-centric podcast, ...

Pro wrestling is something that has its share of skeptics and believers.

With its larger-than-life characters, its good versus evil battles, and unique storylines, it is one of the most popular forms of entertainment, along with movies and television.

In this compilation episode, host Earl Holland talks with various guests about their love for interest in wrestling.

Guest excerpts include:

Brian Banks from Episode 7: Piledriver

Kev...

The bond between a father and son is one of the strongest. Those relationships have been immortalized in various media such as music and movies.

The lessons and stories passed down through the years are part of strengthening that relationship.   In this episode, host Earl Holland Jr. sits down with his father, Earl Holland Sr., to discuss his experiences growing up and attending school during segregation; and why he served in th...

It’s a celebration! Not only is it our 100th episode, but it is also time to talk about all things football-related ahead of the big game between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. In this episode, host Earl Holland does double duty with two football-themed interviews. The first with jersey aficionado Ben Penserga as they discuss the announcement of the rebranding of the former Washington Redskins into the new Wa...

Two-thousand twenty-one was a year of transition as many people were in the process of returning to a sense of normalcy following a pandemic-filled 2020 that drastically altered much of the way we lived. During the past year, it was also a time for good conversation with many of the guests who appeared on the Sports Refuge Podcast. In this episode, host Earl Holland shares excerpts of some of his favorite episodes from 2021...

Each summer, the village of Cooperstown, New York, transforms into a bustling city as it welcomes thousands of fans who visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum. This pilgrimage is due to the hall of fame's yearly enshrinement of its newest class of inductees. With the 2022 ballot including former players like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, and Curt Schilling, the high-profile names are a wh...

With the National Football Conference’s playoff brackets set, the opportunity to hoist the George Halas Trophy and clinch a spot in Super Bowl LVI is up for grabs. Join host Earl Holland as he talks with fans of the teams competing for a spot in the “Big Game.” Fan representatives include: San Francisco 49ers fan Jeffrey Scott Philadelphia Eagles fan Tom Rader Arizona Cardinals fan Joseph Comeau Los Angeles Rams fan...

Seven teams vying for the AFC Championship and a shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy are ready for a lengthy playoff run. Which of the seven teams will be hoisting the Lamar Hunt Trophy and representing the AFC in Super Bowl LVI? Join host Earl Holland as he talks with fans of the teams competing for a spot in the “Big Game.” Fan representatives include: Pittsburgh Steelers fan Chris Weiss New England Patriots fan T...

As the National Football League added additional playoff spots in each of the conferences to expand postseason field. But even with the extra playoff spot, there were still teams that ended up missing out. In this episode, host Earl Holland talks with fan representatives of the teams that just missed the cut in the NFC playoffs. The teams represented are: Minnesota Vikings: David Kraus New Orleans Saints: Amanda...

With the addition of a playoff spot in the American Football Conference postseason, there were greater opportunities for teams to vie for a run at the Lamar Hunt and Vince Lombardi trophies. But even with the extra playoff spot, there were still teams that ended up missing out. In this episode, host Earl Holland talks with fan representatives of the teams that just missed the cut in the AFC playoffs. The teams represent...

Kristian Blake has always had a love for R&B music. But recently, he’s found a greater interest in more classical music styles such as jazz. For Blake, who performs with family members as part of a musical group “Klassic Soul,” his enthusiasm for music was put to the test at one point following an illness that left him without his voice for nearly a year. In this episode, Blake joins host Earl Holland to discuss fatherhood,...

“Ball is Life” is the perfect way to describe the devotion, obsession, and passion for the game of basketball. For many of the guests in this episode, their hardwood exploits tell the story of their basketball journeys, with many of their stories ranging from triumphs and great achievements to disappointments and cautionary tales of deferred dreams. Join host Earl Holland in this best-of-episode featuring some of his previo...

October has arrived, and it means more than just the change of weather and leaves falling from the trees. It’s also the final sprint of a months-long marathon of the Major League Baseball season, culminating with the World Series. From spring training to the dog days of summer and the final weekend, several teams were vying for a postseason ticket, with some able to make it and others ending up on the outside looking in. ...

Sometimes, necessity is the mother of invention. That was the case when three friends — Willie Marx, Ben Stecker, and Michael Michaud ­­­— sought to fill a void with the loss of sports during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. As leagues suspended their seasons and postseason tournaments were halted, the friends came up with an idea to not only but add a wrinkle to it with their own season-long historical fantasy spor...

Jenny Hopkinson has two passions – journalism and ice hockey, both of which she became interested in at a young age. Starting out creating her own newspaper that she would distribute to family members, Hopkinson parlayed that into a decade-long career that included nearly five years at The Politico before ultimately stepping away from journalism a few years ago. Hopkinson’s on-ice exploits alternated over several periods of...

While Donta Finney doesn’t follow a particular religion, he follows a philosophy of spiritual positivity. Born from his discipline in both martial arts, namely kar-do-Jitsu Ryu, and his background in weightlifting, he has blended the two in his career as a personal trainer. In this episode, Finney joins host Earl Holland to discuss his most recent experiences, including his return to his native Maryland following a three-ye...

Thomas Banks, Kristian Blake, and Korey Collick share a passion for R&B music, but that’s not all they share. They are also fathers, husbands, black men, and close friends of mine. In this episode, I talk with Thomas, Kristian, and Korey about recent events in their lives, their families, and life lessons and experiences. We’ll also discuss R&B music, what it’s like being a father, Kristian’s auditions for “The X Factor...

Running can be a painful endeavor if you ask Vanessa Junkin. The wear and tear Junkin accrued training for marathons has led to running injuries ranging from the traditional shin splints up to the fracture of her ribs. But one of Vanessa’s most painful experiences stemmed from being struck by a car while on an evening run late last year. In this episode, Junkin joins host Earl Holland to discuss that harrowing moment a...