Englishman James Rowlands celebrates his visit to Tropicana Field, marking the 30th MLB park he’d seen a game in. (Photo by James Rowlands)
The mysterious way people are connected continues to amaze me.
Nearly 13 months ago, I attended a soccer match in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at River Plate‘s famed EstadioMas Monumental. Among the fellas who were part of that tour group attending the match was Tim Walker, an English ex pat who was living St. Petersburg, FL.
During the ensuing year, Tim and I have remained in contact.
We trade occasional WhatsApp messages about whatever sporting event either one of us recently attended. Tim was even kind enough to join me on a previous episode of Conversations with Sports Fans (S:4, E:59) when he totally buried the lead by failing to divulge early in out chat that he once had a business meeting with then-International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch.
That aside, it’s been terrific to get to know Tim a bit better and, in fact, he’s joining me for the 2027 Daytona 500.
So it was a pleasant surprise when he called me late this summer about a fellow Brit he’d just met through a mutual friend: James Rowlands.
“I think he’d make an excellent guest for your podcast, Doug,” Tim began.
He then went on to inform me that, despite living in Leeds, England, James had just visited his 30th MLB ballpark with a visit to Tropicana Field. Oh yeah, Tim went on; he’s also been to FIFA World Cup finals, countless English soccer grounds, Cricket World Cups, and Rugby World Cups. And he’s seen quite a few music acts live.
What Tim didn’t disclose early in the discussion (or maybe he did and I’ve just conveniently forgotten) is that James is a long-haul pilot for a major commercial airline and thus has major logistical and financial components (flight and lodging) covered by his employer.
So Tim put us in contact with one another, and the result of that contact is the episode you find before you today.
In the event you needed any more reasons to listen, James has also attended golf’s four major championships, eight Formula 1 circuits, four European Soccer Championships, a Super Bowl, a soccer match in all 92 English soccer league grounds, and more.
Spain’s stifling defense and possession game proved too much for the sport’s GOAT – Lionel Messi – and his Argentinian teammates to overcome in Sunday’s 1-0 championship.
I knew of only one person to check in with after the finale to see how it went from their perspective: Stephen Miller.
Regular listeners of Conversations might remember Stephen because he first began talking about the 2026 World Cup on this show back in April 2025. He was so stoked for the event being in North America that he even planned his retirement from a career in K-12 education for June 2025 to ensure there would be no conflict for his attention during the past five weeks.
So, for your benefit and mine, I check in with Stephen again, and he surprises us with a pair of mini-Conversations of his own with longtime friends and fellow soccer fans who were at his Bellevue, WA, home yesterday for his final World Cup Watch Party. With that, I encourage you to listen to Stephen’s discussions with Dean Falvey and Dani Neal following my time with Stephen.
This special World Cup episode attempts to put a bow on the soccer tournament that took up residence in North America for the past five weeks. I figured only Stephen Miller, who claims to have watched all or part of 103 of the 104 matches, could do the job.
The University of Tennessee’s Dr. John Sorochan, left, and Michigan State University’s Dr. Trey Rogers, led a team from the two universities in developing the turf being used in all 16 2026 FIFA World Cup stadiums. (Photo courtesy of MSU)
Recently, I happened to read an article about a Michigan State University turf management professor who led a team of colleagues and graduate students in partnership with a similar team from the University of Tennessee.
Their mission: Identify the appropriate grass types, design a growth plan, and oversee the growth of the turf that comprises the 16 pitches (e.g. fields) being used for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
What’s even cooler, is that he was part of a similar team leading up to the last time the World Cup was contested in North America (USA 1994) to develop and execute a plan to grow grass in the Pontiac Silverdome (the only domed facility used for that World Cup). And his counterpart at Tennessee, Dr. John Sorochan, was a student member of that 1994 team.
Even more fortuitous for me – and you! – was the fact that MSU had a press kit on Dr. Rogers as well as a person to contact for media requests.
I suspect you’ll find this Conversation as fascinating as I did as Dr. Rogers discusses both 1994’s successful endeavor as well as the current one which he watches play out – quite literally – on his television every day.
My Conversation with Dr. Trey Rogers from Michigan State University.
Mark Griffiths in the broadcast booth at AFC Wrexham.
I readily admit to my European soccer naivete.
The Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso”might have been the gateway to getting me curious about the sport in the United Kingdom, but it was FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” that provided a compelling real-life story about a moribund northern Wales club – WrexhamAFC – that benefits greatly from the North American star power of its actor/club owners Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds. It was “Welcome” that, well, welcomed me into the greater world of professional soccer in the UK.
Today marks the end of Season 5 for “Welcome” and one consistent voice throughout the series’ history has been the Red Dragons’ broadcaster, Mark Griffiths.
In Mark I found a kindred spirit of sorts. A school teacher by day, the soccer match broadcasting was a volunteer side gig for him. The feature-ette “Welcome” did on Mark during Season 3 caught my eye.
Mark Griffiths received the Hollywood treatment by “Welcome to Wrexham” during Season 3.
I filed this away and resolved to make an effort to have Mark join me on an episode of Conversations.
That finally happenened this week.
And, I must say, I don’t believe I was too far off on the whole kindred spirit perception. As you’re about to discover, he and I embarked on a wide-ranging discussion about sports, history, Wales, broadcasting, viral moments, crazy cats, World Cup, and much – much – more.
When the Conversation finally drew to a close, I dare say we were both shocked to see we’d been talking for close to 90 minutes. To us, at least, it felt like 15.
I hope you find Mark to be as engaging as I did. Now I need to figure out how to get to Wrexham and have our next discussion in person:-)
This week the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off with a pair of Group A matches on Thursday in Mexico. Over the next 39 days another 102 matches will be contested across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, as the three nations serve as a tri-hosts of the event.
The last time a nation in North America hosted FIFA’s quadrennial futbol-a-palooza, it was 1994 and the USA played solo host.
The final was contested in the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA, before nearly 95,000 fans who turned out on July 17, 1994, to watch Brazil and Italy do battle.
It was mostly a defensive struggle as the teams’ played to a scoreless tie through 90 minutes of regulation, added injury time, and 30 minutes of extra time.
That set the stage for Penalty Kicks to decide the game’s world championship and it came down to the fifth and final Italian kick, after Brazil had three of its first four and Italy had only scored twice in four chances.
The immediate aftermath of Italian Roberto Baggio’s missed penalty kick at the conclusion of the 1994 FIFA World Cup in Pasadena, CA’s, famed Rose Bowl Stadium. Brazilian goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel rejoices at his country’s victory, pointing his gloved fingers skyward. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Allsport)
Reigning FIFA World Player of the Year, Roberto Baggio, a 27-year-old Italian midfielder who played professionally for Juventus, had the fate of Italy on his foot against Brazilian goalkeeper, Claudio Taffarel, who – ironically – played professionally for Italian club Reggiana.
Baggio’s right-footed boot sailed high over the crossbar and sent the Brazilian team and its faithful into a frenzy as it secured its fourth World Cup. The nation added a fifth eight years later during the Korea/Japan-hosted 2002 World Cup.
Footage from Baggio’s errant penalty kick via ESPN’s coverage of the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final at the Rose Bowl Stadium.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
In December, the University of Men’s Soccer Team won the program’s first NCAA National Championship.
My dream for Season 5 of Conversations with Sports Fans was to have regular Conversations with fans of the so-called non-revenue college sports. Broadly speaking, this means (for most programs) something other than fooball and men’s (and women’s in some instances) basketball.
Admittedly, it’s been slow to launch, but I was joined by Northwestern University Women’s Field Hockey fan, Perry Nigro, in Episode 7 (find it here) and I’m pleased to share the second installment with you in this episode that focuses on the University of Washington Men’s Soccer Team which won the 2025 National Championship in thrilling fashion (see the video below).
Thanks in large part to UW Men’s Soccer Sports Information Director, Jack Larkin, I was able to have some discussion with a quartet of Husky soccer (men’s and women’s, it turns out) fans that span three generations.
Listeners will first hear from the Patchin family, mother Katie and children Caroline and Charlie, as they discuss how they became interested in UW soccer and how attending soccer camps, various team events where they were able to interact with players, and Caroline and Charlie serving as ball retrievers, has helped create likely fans for life.
Then listeners will hear from Marty Rood who played soccer for the Coach Mike Ryan over 50 years ago. While the Patchins have only known of the recent successes of the program, Marty shares the long view, looking back to his era when the school won it’s first league title, how it’s evolved through the years, the disappointment of the National Championship loss in 2021, and the euphoric feeling he had sitting in the small UW section in Cary, NC, WakeMed Soccer Park, site of December’s victory over nearby North Carolina State.
This was my first full year on the road in pursuit of my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events goal of reaching 80 iconic venues and/or events by the time my biological clock hits 60 in June 2027.
As such, I saw a lot in 2025.
In total, I traveled 53,982 miles, set foot on two new continents (Asia and South America), witnessed 26 events, and spent many nights not in my own bed.
Here are my highlights from the year that’s about to have been.
Number 5 – A December Sunday at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field
Packers’ fans celebrate a score during their 28-21 victory over the rival Chicago Bears.
My final event of 2025 was just about everything I could have hoped for.
The visiting Chicago Bears and host Green Bay Packers were playing for the NFC Central Division lead, both had winning percentages of over .700 this late in the season (the first time that’s happened since December 11, 1932), the skies were clear, and the temperatures felt like single-digits by the time the late afternoon game concluded.
The fact that the game came down to the penultimate play, a Caleb Williams pass to the end zone was intercepte by Keisean Nixon sealed the Packers’ 28-21 victory.
The only things that would have made this a game 10-out-of-10 would have been that final Bears’ drive heading into the endzone we were seated in and an occasional snowflake falling to create a total commemorative snow globe moment.
All the Content from Event No. 34 Still Needs to be Created. Stay Tuned:-)
Number 4 – Lionel Messi’s (Likely) Final Competitive Home Match for Team Argentina
This sums up, perfectly, the adoration the Argentine fans have for Lionel Messi.
It’s widely assumed that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the final international go-round for Argentine soccer legend, Lionel Messi.
If this in fact remains true, then I’m able to say I was among the 77,000 spectators in Buenos Aires’ Estadio Mas Monumental for one of the game’s greatest of all-time’s final competitive home match when Argentina defeated Venezuela, 3-0, in CONMEBOL’s Matchday 17.
I understood next-to-nothing the public address speaker said throughout, but what I did understand the unmitigated affection that crowd had for Messi. From the standing ovation he received as he stepped off the bus in the loading dock, to his first appearance on the pitch, to the two goals he scored (and even the one that was disallowed by an offsides call), to his exit from the pitch following post-match media.
That no one in the stadium considered leaving until he was off the field is a visual I’m unsure can ever be erased from my mind.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 24 at this link.
Number 3 – Arkansas Pitcher Gage Wood No-Hits the Murray State Racers in the MCWS
Arkansas pitcher Gage Wood celebrates a big out during his 19 strikeout no-hitter of Murray State during the Men’s College World Series in Omaha.
Like so many, I walked into Omaha’s Charles Schwab Stadium that steamy June 16 afternoon pulling hard for the Cinderella team of the Men’s College World Series, the Murray State Racers.
By the fifth inning, however, allegiances were subtly shifting.
Arkansas Razorback starting pitcher Gage Wood was DEALING! It looked like the Racers’ batters were swinging wet lasagna noodles against Wood as the strikeouts mounted.
By the seventh inning, I’m fairly certain everyone in the park knew what was happening.
That it happened was too cool for school.
Wood threw the first no-hitter in MCWS play in 65 years. His 19 strikeouts were the most in a 9-inning MCWS game … ever.
That I was there and, through the generosity of a stranger, had seats behind homeplate, is truly remarkable.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 19 at this link.
Number 2 – Indiana Class 4A High School Sectional Final in Historic Muncie Fieldhouse
The opening tip between Greenfield-Central (white uniforms) and Mt. Vernon in the Indiana Class 4A High School Sectional Championship at Muncie Fieldhouse.
I was born and raised in Indiana and, as such, have a special fondness in my heart for high school basketball.
It was a fairly regular part of my weekly life as a youngster before my family moved to Michigan before sixth grade.
So, of the many events I planned to witness in 2025, I eagerly anticipated taking in some Indiana high school tournament basketball action. The first round is known as Sectionals in the Hoosier state and I was underwhelmed by the competitiveness I saw at the first two sites visited.
But on Saturday of Sectional Week … well I saw a gem.
I went with my cousin, Brandon, and his daughter, Calah, to see the Class 4A Sectional Final at historic Muncie Fieldhouse on a warm March evening. That there was a line to get in boded well and that the favored team, Greenfield-Central, was a among the top five teams in the state also provided optimism.
What none of us knew until the game began is who, exactly we were seeing.
Greenfield-Central’s star, Braylon Mullins, would go on to win Indiana’s coveted Mr. Basketball honor a few weeks later. He was a 5-star recruit who was destined for Storrs, CT, and the then 2-time defending NCAA Champion Connecticut Huskies. Mt. Vernon’s standout was a junior who’d already committed to Purdue named Luke Ertel.
The two duked it out all night, Mullins scored 38 and Ertel 36, but the upstarts from Mt. Vernon came away with an 83-76 double-overtime win. A thriller to be sure and a terrific way to cap off my week feasting on basketball in hoop-crazed Indiana.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 14 at this link.
Number 1 – Witnessing the Setting Sun at the Rose Bowl on January 1
The golden hour at the 2025 Rose Bowl. What a view!
Odd, isn’t it, that I traveled nearly 54,000 miles in 2025 and my most memorable moment came on the very first day?
Never mind the football game (which The Ohio State won in a rout over Oregon), I was there for the environment, the pagentry, and the sunset.
I got it all!
The Tournament of Roses Parade shortly after dawn, the B-2 bomber flyover at the conclusion of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the ceremonial coin flip featuring the Grand Marshal (Billie Jean King), the Goodyear blimp hovering overhead throughout, and, of course, the sunset that was appointment viewing for me during my youth and – who am I kidding?!? – adulthood.
I won’t lie, it was a long day – especially considering I participated in the Run with the Roses 5K at midnight – but it was the best day of the year by a long shot.
Check Out All the Content from Event No. 11 at this link.
It’s Boxing Day Weekend in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth which means a full slateof English Premier League matches and an indertiminate number of markers for this chap.
If there was ever a need for central casting to deliver/create/identify a Norwegian male for an upcoming role, do I have some tremendous news for that department: The work is done!
The son of Norwegian soccer player, Alfie Haaland, Erling was born 25 years ago in Leeds, England, while his father played for Leeds United F.C. Erling stands 6-foot-5 with long flowing blonde hair that’s usually tied up in a pony at the back of his head. Haaland has presented a mess of challenges for opposing defenders since joining City prior to the 2022 season.
Manchester City forward Erling Haaland reacts after a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. (Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Earlier during the 2025-26 season Haaland became the most prolific goal scorer in his first 100 English Premier League games, netting his 88th during an August 31, 2025, victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, besting Alan Shearer‘s previous mark by nine markers. He took Shearer down again earlier in December when he scored his 100th EPL goal in just his 111th match. Shearer accomplished it 30 years ago in 124 matches.
And it’s not just the EPL where Haaland has made his mark. He’s also the fastest to score 50 UEFA Champions League goals (49 matches) and the fastest to 50 international goals (46 matches). His work on the international scene for Norway has also qualified it for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the first time the Norwegians have qualified since before he was born (1998). No, his father was not on that roster, but Alfie did play for his country in the 1994 World Cup.
After all this, Haaland did disappoint (us, at least) by not scoring during City’s Boxing Day Weekend 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Erling Haaland’s highlight goals for Manchester City.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser was the creation of former Ann Arbor News Sports Editor Geoff Larcom. Longtime friend and fellow Ann Arbor News alum, Pat Schutte, took it to heights previously unknown. We aim to keep it alive here at The Sports Fan Project. The cropped photo and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.
