OJ & America

This week the Bill Bradley Collective ushers in season five on location before a live audience of friends, family and listeners at New London’s own Draft Choice. The topic of conversation centers around the many lives of O.J. Simpson. One of the great collegiate and professional football players in modern history, Simpson’s second act saw him stay immersed in the public limelight as a network commentator, screen presence and Madison Avenue pitchman. His celebrity hits a crescendo in 1994, as he stands trial for the murder of both his ex-wife and an acquaintance of her’s in what may have been the most publicized criminal trial in history. Simpson’s life is a microcosm of the collision of sports, politics, fame and race in America, and this conversation seeks to unearth what coverage of Simpson across each of his different acts says about society and how we reconcile the intersection of those forces. But first we rant, as Ed examines some of the recent transgressions of Florida’s highest elected official; Andrew delivers a mid-season eulogy for his New York Yankees and laments the underlying forces behind their failure, and finally Zak considers the results of C-SPAN’s Presidential Historians Survey and offers a harsh critique of the selection at number 29. A huge thanks to our fantastic hosts at Draft Choice and to everyone who came out and joined us live. The Bill Bradley Collective is humbled by your continued patronage, and hope you will join us next week and beyond for this, now our FIFTH, season with you.