Press Box Access

In other news . . . I’m taking a hiatus from recording new episodes of my podcast Press Box Access.
The plan is to pause for a few months and catch my breath after cranking out 82 episodes in the past three years. I appreciate the co-producers at Evergreen Podcasts for honoring my request for a break.
My intent has been to create oral history with sportswriters from the past 60 years about what it has been like to do their job. And share some laughs, too. The process has allowed me to collect stories from some of my favorite journalists, many of them longtime friends and travel companions from my own three decades in the sports circus. Damn, I miss ’em.
I can’t thank the following writers enough for being so kind as to to grant me their precious time by being guests on the show:
Bob Hunter, Tom Archdeacon, Kevin Blackistone, Dick Jerardi, Christine Brennan, Bob Ryan, Dennis Dodd, Marla Ridenour, Mark Purdy, Sam Farmer, George Diaz, Randy Harvey, Jerry Crasnick, Terence Moore, Mike Lopresti, Joan Ryan, Bud Withers, Bob Kravitz, Bill Livingston, Dick Weiss, Timothy Smith, Bonnie Ford, Jerry Izenberg, Rick Telander, Helene Elliott, Hal McCoy, Austin Murphy, Ron Higgins, Vahe Gregorian, Malcolm Moran, Jarrett Bell, Vito Stellino, Johnette Howard, Dave Kindred, Dan Wetzel, Tony Barnhart, Bud Shaw, Melissa Isaacson, Jerry Tipton, Mark Whicker, Bill Koch, David Steele, Alexander Wolff, Art Spander, Elliott Almond, Damon Hack, Gary Shelton, Mary Schmitt Boyer, Bob Ford, Bernie Miklasz, Lenn Robbins, Rick Cleveland, Jeff Jacobs, Tim Kurkjian, Claire Smith, Wendell Barnhouse, Al Pearce, Thom Loverro, Liz Clarke, Patrick Reusse, Peter King, John McGrath, Geoff Calkins, Filip Bondy, Sheldon Ocker, Charles Pierce, Diane Pucin, Art Thiel, Mike DeCourcy, Jayson Stark, Mike Vaccaro, Dave Molinari, and Paul Hoynes.
I’d also like to thank everyone at Evergreen Podcasts in Cleveland for their support and work on this show, especially producer Bill Huffman and chief content officer Gerardo Orlando.
Most of all, thanks to anyone who has taken time to listen to even one episode. Hopefully you’ve enjoyed hearing from the guests as much as I have.
We’ll return with new episodes at some point. There are so many more writers I know, respect, and want to capture on tape.
In the meantime, you can listen to all 82 episodes of Press Box Access here: https://evergreenpodcasts.com/press-box-access/episodes...
You can also find them on any platform, such as Spotify or Apple Podcasts, where you enjoy podcasts.
If you like the show, please hit the subscribe button. As Bluto Blutarsky said: “Don’t cost nuttin’.” Tell a friend. And write a quick review of the show, which helps spread the word. Five stars, and I buy the beers.
Also, check out the Press Box Access channel on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gjrWkPeR
There, you’ll find short clips on topics from the guests, as well as full episodes. Thanks to Dave Jingo for his work on that channel.
Hit subscribe while you’re on the YouTube channel. Again, it’s free.
Email the show at [email protected]
Twitter:
Instagram: pressboxaccess
Rock on.

New episode of Press Box Access:
https://evergreenpodcasts.com/press-box-access
We travel to the Big Apple and beyond as New York Post sports columnist Mike Vaccaro shares tales from 35 years of living his childhood dream job. Isiah Thomas depicted in a tabloid clown suit. John Calipari’s colorful language in a full rant. A postseason run by the Yankees in the wake of 9/11. Badminton (yes, badminton) at the Olympics. Fifty-nine hockey columns in 61 days. Six newspapers on the daily beat of Arkansas sports. That time he was fired. Vac recounts all this and more. He also discusses returning to work since his left leg needed to be amputated below the knee in 2022 because of health issues. Welcome back Vac.

Vaccaro has been the lead sports columnist for the New York Post since 2002, and he has been named New York Sportswriter of the Year four times by the National Sports Media Association. He has covered the Olympics, World Cup soccer, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, Stanley Cup playoffs, Final Four and college football championship games numerous times. Vac not only writes about local, national, and international sports, he also writes a Sunday column called “Open Mike.”

The Associated Press Sports Editors, the New York State Publishers Association, the New York Press Club, and the Poynter Institute are among those that have awarded Vaccaro more than 100 journalism honors during his career, which began in 1989 at the Olean (N.Y) Times Herald. He became the sports editor of the Northwest Arkansas Times in 1991, then wrote sports columns for the Middletown (NY) Times Herald-Record, Kansas City Star, and Newark Star-Ledger before joining the New York Post in November 2002.

Vaccaro is the author of three books: “Emperors and Idiots” (about the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry); “1941 – The Greatest Year in Sports”; and “The First Fall Classic” (about the 1912 World Series).

A native of West Hempstead, N.Y., Vaccaro graduated in 1989 from St. Bonaventure University, where his name was added to the Jandoli School Wall of Distinguished Graduates in 2022.

Follow Mike on X:
You can read Vaccaro’s columns for the New York Post at this link: https://nypost.com/author/mike-vaccaro/

Here is Vac’s column about how past personal struggles helped make 2023 a glorious year: https://nypost.com/2023/12/23/sports/past-personal-struggles-helped-make-2023-a-glorious-year/

Here are other links to this episode:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1BpESQ2YRRmUVxl4tdjJIm

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mike-vaccaro-isiah-thomas-is-on-the-back-page-in-a/id1548780678?i=1000643643147

If you enjoy the show, please hit the subscribe button. As Bluto Blutarsky said: “Don’t cost nuttin’.”

You can also write us a review. Five stars, and we buy all rounds. A review helps to spread the word.

Check out our show’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/ where can find short clips on topics, as well as full episodes.

Hit subscribe while you’re on the YouTube channel. Hey, it’s free.

Email the show at [email protected]

Follow this podcast on Facebook at: https://lnkd.in/diA4nNv4

Twitter:

Instagram: pressboxaccess

Evergreen Podcasts