Good Seats Still Available (2025)

Although you could be forgiven for somehow thinking that teams like the Dallas Chaparrals, Sacramento Gold Miners, Caribous of Colorado, Ohio Glory, San Diego Conquistadors, New York/New Jersey Hitmen, Bay Area CyberRays, Minnesota Fighting Saints, Philadelphia Bell, and San Francisco Fog were mere figments of your imagination. Or for believing leagues (and premises) with names like World Hockey A

ssociation, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, World Team Tennis, Continental Indoor Soccer League, International Volleyball Association, Roller Hockey International, or even "XFL" (which wasn't even an acronym) were mere flights of fictional fantasy, too. In fact, the history of North American professional sports is littered with scores of teams and leagues that, today, are mere fuzzy recollections in the minds of former players, patrons, broadcasters, and owner-dreamers. From troubled, eager-to-relocate franchises in established organizations like the NBA (really, the Utah Jazz?) or Major League Baseball (hint: look up "Youppi!"), to pioneering clubs comprising audacious, but often wobbly circuits like the World Football League, American Basketball Association, Major Indoor Soccer League, and Women's Professional Soccer -- teams of all shapes, sizes and suspicion have routinely come and gone from the pro sports landscape over the last century. While they may be the forgotten footnotes of sports history, teams like the Seattle Pilots, New Jersey Gems, Pittsburgh Triangles, Indianapolis ABC’s, Virginia Squires, Chicago Blitz, Birmingham Americans, Oakland Seals, Washington Senators, New England Tea Men, New York Arrows, Rockford Peaches, and The Hawaiians have their place in the hearts and memories of fans from coast to coast. Dozens of franchises and scores of leagues that, at one time or another, captured the fancy of sports fans in every major North American market – only to leave behind little more than a raft of souvenir ticket stubs and, in many cases, unpaid bills. This podcast is dedicated to unearthing, reliving and preserving the rich stories behind the rise and fall of some of the most wild and woolly moments in (often forgotten) sports history. And to provide some level of proof that you (and they) weren't dreaming after all.

09/07/2025

🏀 EPISODE 402: The Milwaukee Bucks Origin Story - With Jordan Treske 🏀

It's a Wisconsin road trip this week for a sit down with Jordan Treske, author of "Building the Milwaukee Bucks: Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar, Oscar Robertson and the Rapid Rise of an NBA Franchise," to explore one of the most astonishing turnarounds in modern American pro sports history.

Treske walks us through how Milwaukee rebounded from the loss of the MLB Braves to become an NBA basketball powerhouse in just three seasons — thanks to savvy ownership, an historic draft coin flip, and the ultimate pairing of two all-time greats: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (née Lew Alcindor) and Oscar Robertson. We’ll also unpack the racial and cultural tensions of the era, the ABA bidding war, and the community’s unique investment in the team.

Whether you're a Bucks fan or a basketball history buff, this conversation offers fresh insight into how a franchise — and a city — found its "big league" identity through the game.

PLUS: From 1977, the Milwaukee Bucks theme song "Green And Growing (The Bucks Don't Stop Here)!"

Listen NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or: ➡️ https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/listen/2025/7/6/episode-402-the-milwaukee-bucks-origin-story-with-jordan-treske

05/07/2025

In this special episode, we sit down with King David Haynes, son of American Football League legend and civil rights trailblazer Abner Haynes, to discuss his newly released biography "Abner Haynes: An American Hero."

Abner Haynes was far more than just a football star — he was a barrier-breaking athlete, community leader, and a courageous voice for racial justice. From integrating Texas college football in the 1950s to becoming the league's first MVP in 1960 to standing at the forefront of athlete activism during the 1965 AFL All-Star Game boycott, his story is as American as it is heroic.

King David shares deeply personal stories about his father’s triumphs and struggles — on the field, in the locker room, and in segregated America — and reflects on how Abner’s legacy continues to resonate today. We talk about what it was like to grow up as the son of a sports pioneer, what inspired the book, and how the family continues to honor Abner’s legacy in the modern era.

Listen NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or: ➡️ https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/listen/2025/6/29/episode-401-afl-football-amp-civil-rights-pioneer-abner-haynes-with-king-david-haynes

28/06/2025

🎙️ EPISODE 400: Hall of Fame Broadcaster Steve Albert 🎙️

It's our 400th, so we’re going big with a guest who’s called it all, seen it all, and somehow lived to laugh about it.

Steve Albert ("A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Broadcast Booth") -- Hall of Fame broadcaster and proud member of the legendary Albert sportscasting family (including nephew/Episode 320 guest Kenny) -- joins us for a deep dive into his one-of-a-kind, 45-year ride through the wilds of professional sports. From vanished leagues to unforgettable fights, from Brooklyn bedrooms-turned-broadcast-booths to center stage at Showtime Championship Boxing, Albert's stories are equal parts history and hilarity.

In this special milestone episode, we retrace Albert’s journey through memorable stops like:

-- The WHA’s Cleveland Crusaders, where his broadcast partner was the coach’s elbow-needling wife;

-- The MISL’s New York Arrows, where goal-scoring was nonstop and whiplash an occupational hazard;

-- The final ABA game ever played, which he and his older brother Al called from opposing sides;

-- 30+ years across the NBA, including 20 seasons with the New York and New Jersey versions of the Nets, and a career-capping, Emmy-winning turn with the Phoenix Suns;

-- Local New York TV sports anchor stints, where juggling 6 o’clock newscasts and rush-hour traffic to call evening games became an art;

-- And, of course, his nearly quarter-century ringside seat with Showtime Championship Boxing -- including the infamous Tyson–Holyfield (II) “Bite Fight”

We also talk about growing up in a house where three brothers fought over the mic instead of the remote, how a botched bathroom door nearly derailed a broadcast, and why the strangest moments in sports often happen outside the lines of the game.

Listen NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or: ➡️ https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/listen/2025/6/22/episode-400-hall-of-fame-broadcaster-steve-albert

#400 🎙️

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