Over the course of a remarkable career spanning Rolling Stone, MTV, ABC, and ESPN, Chris Connelly has become one of the most respected voices in American journalism and pop culture storytelling. From profiling icons like Madonna, Tom Cruise, and U2 in the early days of Rolling Stone to becoming a familiar face during MTV’s golden era, his work has consistently blended insight, humanity, and cultural relevance.

At ESPN and ABC, Connelly has contributed to programs including Outside the Lines, E:60, Good Morning America, and 20/20, producing award-winning stories that go far beyond headlines and highlights.

We also discuss ESPN’s inspiring “My Wish” series, which Connelly has hosted since 2006 in partnership with Make-A-Wish America. The series has become one of the network’s most emotional and impactful features, granting sports-related wishes to children facing life-threatening illnesses.

In this conversation, we talk about: • The evolution of music and sports journalism • The heyday of MTV and celebrity culture • Storytelling with empathy and humanity • Behind-the-scenes moments from ESPN and ABC • The lasting impact of “My Wish” • Lessons learned from decades of interviewing iconic figures

A special conversation for a milestone 100th episode.

Make-A-Wish Foundation

ESPN - My Wish playlist

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We appreciate you listening to the Tinman Podcast! Be sure to follow us or subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcast. Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube X Facebook Instagram - @TinmanPod Email - tinmanpod@gmail.com DASHCLIP Check out our partners at DashClip by visiting their website, thedashclip.com. Specializing in crafting exceptional wallets that go beyond mere accessories, Dash Clip is not just a brand; it's a philosophy, a daily reminder to embrace life and make every moment count.

The road to the College World Series begins this weekend with NCAA Regional action at sixteen sites across the country. Miami Hurricanes assistant coach Chris Dominguez helps preview his team and the Gainesville Regional.

Dominguez was a standout collegiate player for the Louisville Cardinals before eventually reaching the major leagues, where he won a World Series title. The Coral Gables native is back home as part of the Hurricanes’ coaching staff, looking to help Miami build on last year’s Super Regional appearance and ultimately punch its ticket to Omaha.

Key Topics

• Chris Dominguez's journey from player to coach
• Strategies for success in regional and super regional tournaments
• Importance of pitching, defense, and team chemistry in postseason

Resources

University of Miami Baseball University of Louisville Baseball NCAA Regional Brackets

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We appreciate you listening to the Tinman Podcast! Be sure to follow us or subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcast. Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube X Facebook Instagram - @TinmanPod Email - tinmanpod@gmail.com DASHCLIP Check out our partners at DashClip by visiting their website, thedashclip.com. Specializing in crafting exceptional wallets that go beyond mere accessories, Dash Clip is not just a brand; it's a philosophy, a daily reminder to embrace life and make every moment count.

Melissa Brumm is here to preview Abbey Road on the River, affectionately referred to as "AROTR", the world's largest Beatles-inspired music festival. This will be the 25th edition of the event held each year over Memorial Day weekend at Big Four Station Park in Jeffersonville, IN.

Attendees will enjoy over 250 Beatles and 60’s themed concerts performed by 50 different bands from around the world. They can also enjoy a Beatles-merchandise marketplace, on-site food and beverages, retail and craft vendors, interactive art and activities for kids.

More than 20,000 music fans from across the world have been regularly attending Abbey Road on the River since 2002. They come with friends, with kids, with grandkids, or even alone. They come because it’s a place where everybody’s happy. A place where the fans mingle with the bands, and the bands become fans when they watch fellow bands perform. A place where every day is like a magical mystery tour down memory lane.

Abbey Road on the River (Website)

AROTR Ticket Link

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We appreciate you listening to the Tinman Podcast! Be sure to follow us or subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcast. Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube X Facebook Instagram - @TinmanPod Email - tinmanpod@gmail.com DASHCLIP Check out our partners at DashClip by visiting their website, thedashclip.com. Specializing in crafting exceptional wallets that go beyond mere accessories, Dash Clip is not just a brand; it's a philosophy, a daily reminder to embrace life and make every moment count.

Michael Eaves is a six time Emmy award winning sports journalist. He is most often seen anchoring nighttime editions of SportsCenter from the studio but has also anchored from the road at the Masters and other events. He also has reported from the Summer and Winter Olympics.

In addition to anchoring SportsCenter from the Masters and other golf events, Eaves in 2021 expanded his role to conducting post-round interviews with players during ESPN’s live coverage of the Masters. He also has been a host of MMA Live for ESPN and previously hosted NBA Countdown.

This marks Eaves’s second visit to show. Be sure to check below for a link to our first conversation, where we took a deeper dive into his broadcasting journey and career path.

In this episode, we discuss Rory McIlroy’s recent Masters victory—and, like good Kentuckians approaching the first Saturday in May, we also spend time talking horse racing and the Kentucky Derby.

Season 2 Episode with Michael Eaves

V Foundation: Cancer Foundation for Research Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund

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We appreciate you listening to the Tinman Podcast! Be sure to follow us or subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcast. Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube X Facebook Instagram - @TinmanPod Email - tinmanpod@gmail.com DASHCLIP Check out our partners at DashClip by visiting their website, thedashclip.com. Specializing in crafting exceptional wallets that go beyond mere accessories, Dash Clip is not just a brand; it's a philosophy, a daily reminder to embrace life and make every moment count.

Leading off this year’s Kentucky Derby lead-in lineup is Dan Metzger, President of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). TOBA plays a vital role in the thoroughbred industry through education, advocacy, and philanthropy. The organization welcomes newcomers to the sport, supports longtime participants, and has a meaningful voice in policy decisions—That includes a seat at the table for the International Grading & Race Planning Advisory Committee, which Metzger likens to the College Football Playoff committee—sorting through mountains of data to determine which races earn Graded Stakes status, and at what level.

Metzger wasn’t born into horse racing. His career began with legendary broadcaster Cawood Ledford, the voice of the Kentucky Wildcats and an award-winning figure in racing media. From there, Metzger’s path took him to Breeders’ Cup Limited and eventually to TOBA, where he has served as president for more than 25 years. His perspective spans decades of growth and change across the sport.

Our conversation covers current trends in the industry—the challenges of a declining foal crop, the economics driving racetrack closures, and the bright spots like younger fan engagement, event-driven experiences, and strong numbers at recent sales. We also dive into some top venues and favorite Derby memories.

There’s plenty here for both the casual racing fan and the diehard.

Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA)

Breeders Cup

Churchill Downs

Keeneland Racecourse

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Chrissi Poland is an acclaimed vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. A true soul singer at heart, she is known for both silencing a room and bringing that room of listeners to their feet with her vocal ability and deep connection to the music she is delivering.

Poland has shared a stage or studio with legends like ‘Soul Man’ Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, and Smokey Robinson; contemporary artists like Scissors Sister, Sheryl Crow, and Lady Gaga; and countless others.

On her album FOREVER MUSCLE SHOALS, Poland shines a light on the music recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama in the late 60’s/early 70’s including the songs of Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Bob Dylan, The Rollings Stones, Cher and more. We discuss that work as well as her original music which she takes great pride in.

Our topics span from her adolescent days performing for anyone that would listen, to cutting her teeth in New York City, to the unique demands of balancing touring the world with motherhood.

Chrissi Poland - Website

Chrissi Poland - YouTube

Chrissi Poland - Spotify

Chrissi Poland - Facebook

Chrissi Poland - Instagram

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As Racing Louisville sets its sights on a second postseason berth in 2026 and prepares for its home opener this weekend against the Washington Spirit, goalkeeper coach Sergio Gonzalez joins for a conversation.

A standout goalkeeper in his playing days, Gonzalez has spent more than two decades developing some of the country’s top keepers at every level of the game. His résumé includes work with multiple college programs on both the men’s and women’s sides, youth national teams, and now six years in the women’s professional game. [

Gonzalez is widely respected not only as an elite goalkeeper trainer, but as an even better person. His time in Louisville has only reinforced that reputation. He has the temperament, work ethic, and adaptability to connect with just about any personality—something made clear by the fact that three different head coaches have wanted him as part of their culture since the club’s founding. That kind of continuity doesn’t happen in professional sports unless you consistently deliver quality on the pitch and carry yourself the right way off it.

We cover Gonzalez's playing background, his journey through the coaching ranks, and Jordyn Bloomer and the rest of Racing's current goalkeeper corps among other topics.

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Harvey Araton spent decades working for daily newspapers in the New York City area—spending 25 years at The New York Times, where he served as a Sports of the Times columnist for 15 years. Basketball has long been his specialty, but his career spans nearly every major sporting stage.

In 2017, Araton received the Curt Gowdy Media Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, honoring excellence in basketball journalism. He was also named Sportswriter of the Year in 1998 and was a 1994 Pulitzer Prize nominee, among many other accolades.

Over the course of his career, he covered 10 Olympic Games, along with Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, multiple World Series, Super Bowls, and NCAA Final Fours. He is also the author, co‑author, or editor of ten books. His New York Times bestseller Driving Mr. Yogi explores the poignant relationship between Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry. When the Garden Was Eden, his acclaimed account of the New York Knicks’ championship teams of the early 1970s, was adapted into an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, which Araton co‑produced.

Most recently, he published his middle‑grades novel The Goal of the Game, released last December.

In our conversation, we discuss Araton’s writing process, his favorite events to cover, and timely youth sports themes explored in his new book.

Harvey Araton's Book 'The Goal of the Game' Harvey Araton's Official Website Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

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