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USA Handball Talk (Episode 9): Barstool Takes on Handball

Last Wednesday (31 Jan 2024), Barstool Sports put out the welcome mat for the US Handball Union in their Chicago facility. Several athletes including former national athletes, Ty Reed, Alex Recker and Michael King, referee, Josh Forsthoefel and USA Handball Talk co-host, JD Orr were on hand to demonstrate, play and talk handball with the Barstool Crew.

It was a far cry from the 2020 dust-up which started when Barstool guest, former NFL QB, Jay Cutler, talked about the U.S. winning a gold medal at the Olympics. This claim and others led to outrage within the world-wide handball community… but, also some good publicity for the sport.

Last Wednesday was some more great promotion for handball and if you watch the Stool Stream on YouTube you’ll see and hear a lot of great dialogue with Barstool as they learn more about the sport. And, while the court was too small and narrow for a full handball experience, the Barstool crew also got a real taste for handball and how it’s harder than it looks.

On the podcast we discuss how the demonstration came about, some behind the scenes interaction and how the dialogue with Barstool might continue. Here are some links from the Barstool handball demonstration and initial controversy that erupted in 2020:

  • “Stool Stream” video of the entire handball demonstration: Link
  • Barstool highlight reel: Link
  • Additional behind the scenes content: Link (starts at 11:29)
  • Xavier O’Callaghan interview with Barstool (14 Feb 2002)l: Link
  • “Pardon My Take” Spouts more Nonsense and USA Men’s Coach Calls for a Challenge match (7 Feb 2020): Link
  • Is the USA Team Handball CEO Take the Side of Jay Cutler and Pardon My Take? (24 Feb 2020): Link

Participants

  • *JD Orr – Columbus Armada
  • Josh Forsthoefel – Columbus Armada
  • Alex Recker – Columbus Armada
  • Jacob Roberts – Kentucky Stags
  • Cooper Black – Miami (Ohio)
  • Ryan Peterson – Milwaukee United
  • Ahmed ElHady ElSayed – NYAC
  • Mike King – NYAC
  • Charlie Harper – Ohio State
  • Bob Wise – Ohio State
  • Matt Bolger – Pickerington Pandas
  • Ross Miner – unaffiliated

Watch on YouTube or listen/download the mp3 file at the top of the page

If you have any suggestions for future topics, a title for our podcast or have some intro music you would like us to consider please let us know on social media.


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And, be sure to check out the podcast archive with interviews and great handball discussion going all the way back to 2006: Link