Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown both IRL (center) and in cartoon form. Huge Olympic and Paralympic fans no matter the medium!!!
It’s not everyday I receive an email from someone(s) pitching themselves to be guests on Conversations with Sports Fans. So, when I received an email from someplace called Keep the Flame Alive that included a full rundown about what they’d be willing to discuss on my show, I was simultaneously intrigued and flattered.
And that was all before I headed flamealivepod.com to learn more about what Jill Jaracz and Alison Brown have been creating.
Holy Moly!
These two former research librarians have been doing work. They launched Keep the Flame Alive in September 2017 as a way to, you know, keep that Olympic and Paralympic spirit alive with each other and, hopefully, build some community with others interested in the same.
Now, eight years later, they’re a fully accredited media outlet, have enjoyed countless discussions with Olympians and Paralympians, and are preparing to attend their third consecutive Games when the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics begin in early February.
To say I found kindred spirits in Jill and Alison is probably underselling it. As you’ll soon discover this Conversation features plenty of digressions in the name of three sports-crazed fans who are merely chopping it up with each other.
My hope is you enjoy the ease with which we discuss the Games (past, present, and future) and are rooting for us to track each other down when we’ll all be in Milan in a couple of months.