The Sports Maniac is a German-American podcast that features professional sportswomen (and sometimes men and women) as hosts and guests. Each week the hosts discuss current events, sports trends, and give their favorite picks for the upcoming week. With a podcast lasting over 30 minutes each, the Sports Maniac has quickly become one of the most popular podcasts in its genre. It has earned a reputation as one of the most entertaining and accessible sports magazines on the internet. I have been a subscriber for several months now, and here are my reasons for my high opinion of the podcast.
One of the greatest things about the Sports Maniac is its fresh approach to sports. Unlike many podcasts which only occasionally touch on current events, the Sports Maniac features a more constant stream of sports stories and opinions. Guests range from long time professionals to die-hard fans who just tune in to hear the sizzling sounds of their favorite teams and players. While some of the content may be repetitive due to the nature of the sport itself, other features are genuinely funny and informative. A perfect example was when the hosts discussed the relatively recent trend of college athletes using their scholarship money to go pro. In response, one of the guests, a well-known sports writer, had a lengthy piece discussing the myriad ways in which athletes use their scholarship money, most of which do not involve playing in the NFL.
Unlike other podcasts, which are often a one-dimensional experience where a boring athlete is interviewed ( ESPN’s The Sports Junkie springs to mind), the Sports Maniac features an interesting cast of characters. Among them are several women who are active in sports and discuss various topics with the hosts. For example, one of the guests, a women’s tennis player, spoke candidly about her recent injury, saying she “almost lost the voice” due to the pain. Another guest, an active cheerleader for the University of Michigan football team, spoke with great knowledge and enthusiasm about the upcoming game against rival Michigan State. Sports Maniac also features interviews with various sports personalities from all over the world. Undoubtedly, this helps to enhance the irreverent tone of the show.
One of the things that struck me as unique about Sports Maniac was the wide variety of guests that would be interviewed, most of whom were well known sports figures. Guests included former sports athletes, sport journalists, commentators, and others who are well known in their own right to comment on current events. I especially enjoyed listening to former NFL coach, John Elway, who spoke candidly about his departure from the team. Sports Maniac also featured former NASCAR driver, Mark Martin, who spoke about the highs and lows of being a driver for so many years and about winning his last race before retirement. Former Formula 1 driver, Jacques Laffitz, offered his perspective on what it’s like to drive F1 cars, while Steve Kerber, former Formula 1 champion, spoke with passion and wisdom about his career and legacy.
Another great feature of Sports Maniac is the wide variety of sports segments that are hosted and produced. In addition to sports bloopers and interviews, there’s also plenty of behind the scenes stories and insider information on athletes and sports that only fans and professionals would know. For example, we did a feature story on Lebron James and how he took a pay cut to stay in Cleveland, which led to him having an extremely difficult time finding a new home in the NBA. Other sports segments that have been featured include football, golf, hockey, baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, and more.
If you love sports and you want to get in on the action with your own podcast, I highly recommend Sports Maniac. The great thing about this podcast is that it’s completely free to download. There are episodes available each and every week, and they are perfect to listen to after work or school. If you love sports and you want to keep up to date on all of the happenings in sports, podcasting is the way to go.