Pass It Down Mike Silver, Natalie Silver

It’s been awhile since the last Pass It Down episode, and like Lucy Ricardo, Mike and Natalie have some splainin’ to do. It turns out they both have new jobs (kinda/sorta, in Mike’s case), one of them is going Hollywood… and blatant racism–from the mouths of NFL owners, or otherwise–pisses them off as much as ever. Oh, and they believe that a certain fictional British sportswriter should have his testicles placed under the guillotine. Happy Blocktober, everyone.

When ESPN’s Pedro Gomez died of sudden cardiac arrest on Super Sunday, it sent shock waves through the sports world. His close friend, author and journalist Steve Kettmann, was particularly crushed--and he channeled his grief into an ambitious and emotional project. Five months later, Kettmann joins us to discuss ‘Remember Who You Are,’ a book featuring 62 essays about Gomez’s rich and remarkable 58 years on the planet. If you knew Pedro, this book (and episode) will resonate with you deeply; if you didn’t, you’ll get a strong sense of why the esteemed baseball journalist was revered by so many.

In the wake of the Washington Football Team’s announcement that Mike will come aboard as a content contributor and preseason sideline reporter, the WFT’s First Family rolls out the welcome mat--and four proud Cal alums talk Twitter clemency, Ted Lasso, secret flights to the Bahamas on Daniel Snyder’s luxury jet and much, much more. We also discover how Snyder won over Stephanie while wooing Ron as his next head coach and why Daddy’s Little Girls are always clutch, whether they’re carrying a podcast or caring for a cancer-stricken coach.

The Civil Rights icon and esteemed sports sociologist educates Mike (his former UC Berkeley student) and Natalie on some of the most important issues of our time, including climate change, gun control, women’s rights and the racial divide that spawned the Trump presidency. Beginning with a blistering assessment of the NFL’s reliance on “race norming” in a concussion-lawsuit settlement--and his charged conversations with commissioner Roger Goodell--Dr. Edwards speaks truth to power and reminds us why he has been one of the most significant American activists of the last 60 years. He also talks about being a target--from the moment he began organizing the iconic black-glove salute by American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics--and explains why, despite our societal struggles, he’s optimistic about the future.

The Civil Rights icon and esteemed sports sociologist educates Mike (his former UC Berkeley student) and Natalie on some of the most important issues of our time, including climate change, gun control, women’s rights and the racial divide that spawned the Trump presidency. Beginning with a blistering assessment of the NFL’s reliance on “race norming” in a concussion-lawsuit settlement--and his charged conversations with commissioner Roger Goodell--Dr. Edwards speaks truth to power and reminds us why he has been one of the most significant American activists of the last 60 years. He also talks about being a target--from the moment he began organizing the iconic black-glove salute by American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics--and explains why, despite our societal struggles, he’s optimistic about the future.

Three years into his career at the University of Iowa, George Kittle was a hard-partying screwup who barely played on Saturdays. Then Kittle shifted his approach, turned his career around and went on to become one of the best--and most colorful--football players on earth. In our unguarded and slightly unhinged conversation, the San Francisco 49ers’ All-Pro tight end covers his pivotal epiphany and much, much more: From feeling an opponent’s soul leave his body, to his impact on the Panda Express menu, to his youthful social-media rants toward NFL players, to whether his head coach’s dog is named after him. We also talk about the 49ers’ eventful offseason, Jimmy G’s looks, Trey Lance’s arm and his post-draft text to Kyle Shanahan.