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PODCAST · sports

Pass It Down

by Mike Silver, Natalie Silver

Since launching his career as a journalist three decades ago, Michael Silver has demonstrated an uncanny ability to connect with the sports world’s most compelling figures—and to get them to open up about their most cherished convictions and experiences. From Dennis Rodman to Anna Kournikova, from Joe Montana to Marshawn Lynch, Silver’s interview subjects have consistently delivered, and no one in his field has a more diverse and impressive array of relationships.Now the award-winning writer (Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! Sports, GQ) and television personality (NFL Network) is set to launch a podcast which will bring these interactions to life on a recurring basis. At a time when the intersection of sports, politics, pop culture and social media has never been more crowded, Pass It Down will take listeners on an entertaining and enlightening joyride.Riding shotgun will be Silver’s daughter, Natalie, a UC Berkeley graduate (like her parents) who has experience in the realms of music, nat

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Episodes

  1. Ep. 59: Michael Silver, Independent

    The end of Pass It Down’s unannounced hiatus starts off with a bang, as Natalie details Mike’s untimely head-bang and its chilling effect on his co-host. After commemorating this year’s relatively tame Blocktober, Mike talks about his eight-year NFL Network journey and why that unlikely…

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  2. Ep. 58: Author Steve Kettmann Remembers Pedro Gomez

    Kettman retraces the emotional whirlwind that began in February, when he learned of his close friend’s sudden passing, and continued as he spearheaded and edited the book that would hit the shelves in July. We hear about Pedro’s cynical conscription of the “Berkeley Guy” into the baseball beat...

  3. Ep. 57: Ron and Stephanie Rivera Welcome Mike to Washington

    After explaining his motivation for bringing Mike on as a Washington Football Team content contributor, Ron heartily endorses the ‘Clean Slate’ plan that will unblock fans of the team on Twitter (at least for now). That leads to a healthy discussion about Ted Lasso, binge-watching and which WFT...

  4. Ep. 56: Dr. Harry Edwards: The Devil Is In The Delivery (Part 2)

    We pick up with Dr. Edwards’ recounting of the long history of athlete activism in the U.S., from baseball-playing Civil War soldiers to Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the anthem and beyond. He expounds upon the power--and inherent danger--of social media, and why it is an important protest...

  5. Ep. 55: Dr. Harry Edwards: The Devil Is In The Delivery (Part 1)

    After years of concealing evidence about the dangers of head trauma, the NFL settled a class-action lawsuit with former players… and employed “race norming” as a criteria, a practice racist in both its premise and systemic impact. Dr. Edwards, who regards race norming as part of the “medical...

  6. Ep. 54: George Kittle, Stealer of Souls

    The San Francisco 49ers’ star tight end weighs in on his team’s wild offseason, which he likens to “a tornado after a hurricane after a thunderstorm,” explaining which teammate “sweats olive oil” and assessing the pre-draft trade that landed quarterback Trey Lance. After addressing his Panda...

  7. Ep. 53: ESPN’s Dianna Russini

    While discussing disgruntled Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during a recent appearance on ESPN’s morning show, Russini managed to cast her husband in a glaringly mediocre light, leading his friends to tell him, “Yo--your wife just trucked you on TV.” After amusingly recounting that...

  8. Ep. 52: Christopher (Kid) Reid, Part 2

    Kid talks about growing up in The Bronx and Queens worshipping seminal rappers like Melle Mel--and later getting to hang with his idols. After landing the lead role in House Party originally intended for Will Smith (who, thanks to Kid’s regrettable business decision, ended up with a hit sitcom on...

  9. Ep. 51: Christopher Reid, aka Kid (Part 1)

    Kid describes his early experiences as a celebrity, including the time he was asked to autograph an item that offended him on a deep level. He recalls touring with Digital Underground and then-roadie/all-purpose regulator Tupac Shakur, a future superstar who was shot on the night Kid and Mike met...

  10. Ep. 50: Don’t Play on the Freeway

    Why did Natalie get cut out of the family group chat on draft night? Did Kyle Shanahan do Matt LaFleur dirty? Can the disconnect between Aaron Rodgers and the Packers be bridged? What did Mike and John Elway do on a hotel balcony a few hours after the legendary quarterback’s last NFL game? Did…

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  11. Ep. 49: Talking Bills and Tennis with Kim and Jessica Pegula

    Fresh off a recent run to the Australian Open quarterfinals, Jessie Pegula details her unlikely rise to the upper echelon of the WTA Tour… and, equally impressive, her history of unwavering support for Bills quarterback Josh Allen, even as her mother grew skeptical during his first two seasons....

  12. Ep. 48: Thomas Dimitroff (Part 2)

    A few nights before Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, Dimitroff hosted Silver and some of his NFL Network colleagues at his Buckhead home, treated them to some exquisitely selected bottles of expensive red wine and took them outside to try out the zip line he installed in his backyard. Drama ensued…

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  13. Ep. 47: Thomas Dimitroff (Part 1)

    Dimitroff shares vagabond stories from his scouting days, recalling how his VW van came in handy in the wake of 9/11--and how his dying father’s advice convinced him not to get caught up in being overly conventional. He explains the aggressive mindset that fueled his 2011 draft-night trade for…

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  14. Ep. 46: The Athletic’s Vic Tafur Talks Raiders & Other Mayhem

    After explaining why he was drawn to Michigan defensive end Kwity Paye as the subject of a pre-draft profile, Tafur breaks down the logic (or lack thereof) behind the Raiders’ offseason moves and assesses the state of the relationship between head coach Jon Gruden and quarterback Derek Carr. Vic...

  15. Ep. 45: Hue Jackson: The Sangria Chronicles

    Beginning with the backstory behind the infamous sangria photo--in the immediate aftermath of his firing by the Browns--Jackson shares a barrage of previously unreported details about his ill-fated stint with the franchise. Following a one-and-done, 8-8 season as the Oakland Raiders’ head coach…

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  16. Ep. 44: Legendary photographer Michael Zagaris (Part 2)

    Eager to photograph the Rolling Stones in the early ‘70s, Zagaris talks his way onto a tour by impersonating an editor of English Vogue and never looks back. He also recalls getting caught in the crossfire of a violent clash between Led Zeppelin and iconic rock impresario Bill Graham and tells…

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  17. Ep. 43: Gaucho Fever (Featuring Josh Elliott): UC Santa Barbara March Madness Special

    Featured guest Josh Elliott tells Mike, Natalie and her younger brothers--UCSB students Greg and Robbie--how he ended up playing water polo at the school in the ‘90s and why the former Good Morning America personality still feels so connected to his alma mater. With the Gauchos set to take on...

  18. Ep. 42: Legendary photographer Michael Zagaris (Part 1)

    For a few blissful moments shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, young campaign staffer Michael Zagaris believed Bobby Kennedy would become President. The Senator had just won the California primary, but moments after his victory speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, he was...

  19. Ep. 41: Sage Rosenfels (Part 2)

    Beginning with his hilarious recap of the notorious “Rosencopter” defeat to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, and continuing with his evocative portrayal of the tension between future Hall of Famer Brett Favre and head coach Brad Childress during the Minnesota Vikings’ 2009 season, Sage...

  20. Ep. 40: Sage Rosenfels (Part 1)

    Following a brief comparison of Mike’s and Sage’s inductions into respective Jewish Sports Hall of Fames, the longtime NFL quarterback talks about his unconventional upbringing in rural Iowa, his emergence as an NFL prospect and the PhD course in offense he received from future 49ers head coach...

  21. Ep. 39: Amy Trask, Princess of Darkness (Part 2)

    Mike and Amy have had their battles, one of which occurred in the aftermath of a surreal press conference that featured one of her Raiders employees railing at another sports journalist and his “smoke pot smokin’ buddy Mike Silver” (who at the time was not present and was not, in fact, his…

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  22. Ep. 38: Charissa Thompson & Jeff Darlington (Part 2: YOU HEARD ME)

    Beginning with Mike and Charissa’s origin story (featuring mimosas and a double entendre-drenched show pitch), and ending with Mike and Jeff’s (featuring the Crown Jewels and a saucy Soho club), Natalie is bombarded with a fast and furious barrage of true confessions. We learn about Jeff’s...

  23. Ep. 37: Charissa Thompson & Jeff Darlington (Part 1: Super Bowl Party Edition)

    In the same manner in which they offended guests at the Indianapolis J.W. Marriott nine Super Bowl Saturdays ago (as detailed in the story that kicks off this episode), FOX’s Charissa, ESPN’s Jeff and NFL Network’s Mike air some of their dirty laundry--quite literally, in one of their cases. With...

  24. Ep. 36: Donovan McNabb (Super Bowl LV Preview)

    McNabb explains why the winning quarterback from Sunday’s NFC championship game, Tom Brady, can be considered the greatest of alltime--and why he believes the losing QB, Aaron Rodgers, has not earned that same consideration. In previewing Super Bowl LV, McNabb highlights a pair of former players...

  25. Ep. 35: Inauguration Special

    After Mike recounts some of his previous inauguration-viewing experiences, including the cataclysmic coalescence of his sporting and electoral nightmares, he and Natalie welcome a special guest who claims to know a great deal about swearing-in ceremonies, peaceful transitions of power and a whole...

  26. Ep. 34: Amy Trask, Princess of Darkness (Part 1)

    Why did Mike get banned (repeatedly) by the Raiders--and why does Amy view it as a sign of Al’s respect? What did Amy scream at the NFL’s supervisor of officials during the infamous “Tuck Rule” replay review in the 2001 playoffs? What did Amy’s sixth grade teacher tell her mother about her...

  27. Ep. 33: Playoff Preview with NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund and Taylor Bisciotti

    In the process of becoming high-profile NFL Network personalities, Cynthia Frelund and Taylor Bisciotti have been objectified and stigmatized--and offered money for photos of their feet. Yet the close friends and accomplished journalists are football nerds at heart, and in this spirited and...

  28. Ep. 32: NBA Coaching Trailblazer Lindsay Gottlieb

    Lindsay explains to a pair of Cal alums (who wanted her to stay in Berkeley forever) why she became the first head coach of a Power Five women’s program to bolt for the NBA, pinpointing the moment she first viewed such a move as more than a pipe dream and its potential impact on future…

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  29. Ep. 31: Bachelorette Finale Special With Series Creator Mike Fleiss

    From their days as college journalists who spent much of their time at Grateful Dead concerts to their shared social media battles against MAGA nation, the two Mikes have had each other’s backs… while busting each other’s balls. Now Natalie joins the fray, immediately provoking a story about the...

  30. Ep. 30: 30 for 30: A Look Back at 7 Months of Awesomeness

    Mike and Natalie talk about why they chose the fantastic guests they did and highlight some of their favorite moments of the past seven months’ worth of episodes. We revisit Steve Kerr’s savage sigh at his daughter’s college volleyball game and the absurd chant Mike led at Dodger Stadium during…

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  31. Ep. 29: Colts Owner Jim Irsay Remembers John Lennon

    Irsay recalls the moment he learned, via Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football, of Lennon’s murder--”a steel sword through the heart”--and puts the event into historical context. The Colts’ owner and music-memorabilia collector settles the debate as to who is the best songwriter of all-time and...

  32. Ep. 28: San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ann Killion

    Three decades ago, Mike and Ann were young beat writers covering the star-studded San Francisco 49ers--and Natalie wants to know where all the bodies (and bottles) are buried. Now an award-winning columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, Ann spills a lot of intel, relating the challenges of...

  33. Ep. 27: Big Game Special: Stanford trombonist Gary Tyrrell

    As the trombonist who got run over by Cal’s Kevin Moen at the end of The Play--the epic, five-lateral kickoff return that decided the 1982 Big Game--Gary Tyrrell has spent decades recalling his place in football history. He does that here, expansively and hilariously, and so much more. From...

  34. Ep. 26: COVID-19: The Experts Return

    Back in June, Dr. Gregory Huhn and Dr. Ajay Nirula--two highly accomplished medical experts on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19--joined us to discuss all things pandemic. They return with the latest on the worsening conditions throughout the country and the highly promising news on…

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  35. Ep. 25: Post-Election Happy Hangover with Gus, Ann and Gunnar Frerotte

    During his 15-year career as an NFL quarterback, Gus Frerotte loved to let it fly--especially in the presence of a certain sports journalist who shared his left-wing political sensibilities and disdain for self-important coaches and players. In a celebratory conversation taped on the morning…

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  36. Ep. 24: Rolling Stone’s Jamil Smith (2020 Election Special)

    As America confronts a crisis in democracy he likens to a “five-alarm fire,” Smith--an Emmy-winning producer (The Rachel Maddow Show, NFL Films) who now specializes in national affairs and culture for Rolling Stone--tells us what’s on the line in this election, and why it’s only the beginning of...

  37. Ep. 23: Chris Long on Saving the Soul of Our Democracy

    After declaring that “our democracy is on life support,” former NFL standout and prolific podcaster Chris Long issues an urgent call to action as election day approaches--and explains why he’s hopeful that the overt racism and toxic leadership of the last four years can lead to seismic and…

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  38. Ep. 22: Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur

    Matt LaFleur coaches the league’s highest-scoring team, and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers… but even in a surreal season taking place in empty stadiums, he can’t escape the noise. As an inexplicable clicking sound rages in the background, LaFleur calmly answers tough…

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  39. Ep. 21: Blocktober Special (Part 2)

    Many of Mike’s Twitter followers regard Blocktober as the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Sadly, as we saw in Part 1 of our Blocktober Special (Ep. 20), there will be a tragic trail of former followers by month’s end--as a steady procession of racists, bigots, blatantly disrespectful Twitta...

  40. Ep. 20: Blocktober Special

    Many of Mike’s Twitter followers regard Blocktober as the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Sadly, there will be a tragic trail of former followers by month’s end, as a procession of racists, bigots, blatantly disrespectful Twitta Gangstas and journalistic-integrity doubters get dispossessed of...

  41. Ep. 19: Confronting College Football in the Time of COVID-19--A Conversation With Cal Director of Football Administration Andrew McGraw

    In the wake of the Pac-12’s announcement that it will play football in 2020 after all, Cal director of football administration Andrew McGraw walks us through a wild seven months that included a campus shutdown and a conference-wide player revolt that began in Berkeley. He also shares his own...

  42. Ep. 18: Crash and Burn: Donté Stallworth’s Horrifying Hot Air Balloon Adventure

    In 2013, Donté Stallworth was preparing for his 11th NFL season when he took his then-girlfriend on a hot air balloon ride. When it hit a power line, they were electrocuted, engulfed in flames and told to brace for a crash landing. Then things got even crazier. For the first time, Stallworth…

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  43. Ep. 17: Heat Check: From the Front Lines of the California Wildfires

    Jade Bugsch provides a first-hand account of her experiences on the front lines of some of California’s raging wildfires--and provides an excuse for Natalie and Mike to swap stories (scatalogical or otherwise) from the girls’ shared soccer and field hockey conquests. Excessive meat consumption,...

  44. Ep. 16: #nopromo The Greatest Show on Sports Television, aka The Aftermath, Returns For Another Season

    The dissection of the greatest show on sports television begins with a history lesson showcasing former cast member Nate Burleson and the ‘Toe Drag Swag’ that launched him to stardom and degenerates into a debate over whether Steve Wyche, Rhett Lewis or Daniel Jeremiah had the more distinguished...

  45. Ep. 15: Donté Stallworth on race, sports and the most important election of our lifetime

    Beginning with a story about an ill-timed bathroom visit before running the 40-yard-dash for NFL scouts, and concluding with a 40th birthday fantasy that includes serenading his White House neighbors with a bullhorn, Stallworth entertains and enlightens while digging into the most significant...

  46. Ep. 14: NFL Roundtable, 2020 Season Preview

    After agreeing on a name for one of the family group texts, Mike, Natalie and her younger brothers Greg and Robbie begin uncovering hard truths about one another, including Mike’s reason for joining Houseparty, the draft-night outrage in the household after the Packers traded up to select Aaron...

  47. Ep. 13: Anatomy of the George Kittle Deal (with agent Jack Bechta)

    After harkening back to Mike and Jack’s Delirious Adventure at the Indianapolis Airport--and revealing that Natalie’s favorite football player as a kid was former Eagles and Packers cornerback Al (31 The Dirty One) Harris, Bechta’s client--we lock in on the long process that led to Kittle’s...

  48. Ep. 12: Barry Switzer, Coaching Legend (Part 2)

    Barry, Mike and surprise guest Steve Silver take turns recounting an emotionally charged, wine-fueled dinner at a San Antonio steakhouse with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and his son, Stephen--and the gang is off and running once more. From the Tupac Shakur pregame speech that might have been, to…

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  49. Ep. 11: Barry Switzer, Coaching Legend (Part 1)

    When Jerry Jones fired Jimmy Johnson following consecutive Super Bowl victories in 1994--and brought Barry Switzer out of exile to coach the Dallas Cowboys--it rocked the football world. Switzer fills in some vivid details from that indelible chapter of NFL history and talks about the great times...

  50. Ep. 10: Corbin Reiff, Author of Total F*cking Godhead: The Biography of Chris Cornell

    Two people who revere Chris Cornell (both with the last name Silver) pick the brain of the man who authored the late Soundgarden and Audioslave singer’s hot-off-the-presses biography, exploring stories and backstory and everything in between. In fulfilling the promise he made to himself as a...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Since launching his career as a journalist three decades ago, Michael Silver has demonstrated an uncanny ability to connect with the sports world’s most compelling figures—and to get them to open up about their most cherished convictions and experiences. From Dennis Rodman to Anna Kournikova, from Joe Montana to Marshawn Lynch, Silver’s interview subjects have consistently delivered, and no one in his field has a more diverse and impressive array of relationships.Now the award-winning writer (Sports Illustrated, Yahoo! Sports, GQ) and television personality (NFL Network) is set to launch a podcast which will bring these interactions to life on a recurring basis. At a time when the intersection of sports, politics, pop culture and social media has never been more crowded, Pass It Down will take listeners on an entertaining and enlightening joyride.Riding shotgun will be Silver’s daughter, Natalie, a UC Berkeley graduate (like her parents) who has experience in the realms of music, nat

HOSTED BY

Mike Silver, Natalie Silver

Produced by Mike Silver

CATEGORIES

sports society culture

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Pass It Down have?

Pass It Down currently has 59 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Pass It Down about?

Since launching his career as a journalist three decades ago, Michael Silver has demonstrated an uncanny ability to connect with the sports world’s most compelling figures—and to get them to open up about their most cherished convictions and experiences. From Dennis Rodman to Anna Kournikova, from...

How often does Pass It Down release new episodes?

Pass It Down has 59 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Pass It Down?

You can listen to Pass It Down on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Pass It Down?

Pass It Down is created and hosted by Mike Silver, Natalie Silver.
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