The Pickup Game

In episode fourteen of The Pickup Game, I speak with Saral Kochar, our friend from Delhi. Saral left Delhi at the ripe age of 17 for London. From the capital of the United Kingdom, he traveled to Hong Kong before settling in New York. He started his own business after working in the textile industry as far afield as Bangladesh. The culture he has acquired throughout his rich trajectory rubs off on all of us.

In episode thirteen of The Pickup Game, I speak with Tom Crawford, a British native of Norfolk and father of two. We discuss the accessibility of the game and how it places you just a handshake away from communities you might never otherwise reach.

In episode twelve of The Pickup Game, I sit down with Neil Parchment, a Jamaican New Yorker with three children. We speak about the tragic events of September 11, 2001, raising children, and speaking Patois.Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3RtN1lMjkS6xsC8qwX33DcApple podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pickup-game/id1871153963I Heart Radio:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-pickup-game-321512687/YouTube Music:https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEJRlTiTSIZQL6CSZzXIVepgZDZ35llQRAmazon Podcast:https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8f647d81-ba37-499d-9b13-e239ce7b6a8c/the-pickup-game

In episode eleven of The Pickup Game, I sit down with Roland Lewis, a nonprofit leader involved with Habitat for Humanity and the Waterfront Alliance. We talk about the agonizing love of teams, the wars that surround us, and how community and inclusivity hold everything together.

In the tenth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Daryl Kessler. He is a sports fan, lover of the arts, and lawyer. We discuss the beauty of the game, the tragic loss of his teenage son Milo, and the power of community. We also discuss the upcoming World Cup and how it fits into current times.You can find the podcast Milo Time, hosted by Daryl Kessler and Lisa Cohen, on every platform. It is a heartwarming look at all things Milo loved.The music in this episode of The Pickup Game, Psiche by Tomas Kutavičius and The Queen Commanded by Kinan Azmeh.

In the ninth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Remy Lupica president of the Brooklyn Football Foundation. We discuss the rich history of football/soccer in Brooklyn, the fan experience, Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League (USL), the US Open Cup, and the upcoming World Cup. We also touch on the philosophy of Eric Cantona and playing with Fidel Castro. It's a rich insight into how the game was born and bred in the US.

New episode dropping March 12th!In the eighth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Jared Fontaine @theideaofmachines , a lawyer and musician. We speak about growing up in the outskirts of Philadelphia, studying in Japan, working in Italy, and the importance of consuming time to feed the heart.Music in this podcast is Rāngr from @theideaofmachines 's album Rāngr.

In our seventh episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Sujay, an organizer of the pickup game and community leader. We speak about his upbringing in Hong Kong, identity, belonging, how we're perceived by others, and raising children in a diverse landscape.Music in this episode is “Calling” by Marija Rasa @em___er from her Album “Fog”.

In the sixth episode of The Pickup Game, I'm speaking with Ehi Uwa, born in Brooklyn and raised Nigerian. We speak about blizzards, white flight, racism, getting a drink with Ian Wright, Zohran Mamdani's love for the game, and the global power of differences. Music used in this podcast is "Joromi" by Sir Victor Uwaifo. 

In the fifth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Charles Donaldson, a Jamaican-American low-income housing lawyer and Arsenal fan.We speak about immigrant identity, being a New Yorker, the rising fear of the political climate, childhood memories, and the necessity of having a band of brothers.Our intro is composed by Jared Fontaine of @theideaofmachines.Write to us at [email protected]

I speak with Kinan Azmeh, a Syrian-American clarinetist, composer, artist, subject of a feature documentary and lover of the beautiful game. We spoke about travel bans, devastation, Damascus, New York City, and the ephemeral poetic beats of life. Kinan's music is enigmatic, poetic, and wonderfully cinematic. In a world turned upside down, it's refreshing to be exposed to optimism in a format that transcends emotion. Please look out for the film “Half-Moon”, directed by Frank Scheffer, which will eventually be available on streaming platforms.The songs in this podcast are:"The Queen Commanded" and "Daraa" by Kinan Azmeh and City Band from the album Live in Berlin, and "November 22" by Kinan Azmeh from the album Elastic City.

I'm speaking with Andy McAllister, a 5th generation Brooklynite. We talk about the circle of life, religion, and tugboats.

I’m speaking with José Manuel Simián, a lawyer, journalist, storyteller, father of three, and goalkeeper, who also serves as Director of Marketing at Huge.

In this inaugural episode, I speak with John Schafer, radio host at public radio and author.