SPS Podcast 24-Rocky Hehakaija

We spoke to Dutch football legend, Rocky Hehakaija about growing up and playing football in The Netherlands.

Rocky has inspired a generation of female footballers, she is a pioneer, an icon and we were so happy to speak with her. She shared her story, her background, what inspires her, and the knee injury that led to a new path.


We learned about her football heroes, being a street football, her love for Ajax, traveling the world, and giving hope to others.

She also started her own foundation Favela Street Foundation as she does a lot of for the game, including scouting for Nike and a Stadium Speaker for the KNVB.

Instagram- Rocky.hehakaija

SPS Podcast 23- Felipe Cardenas

We spoke to Felipe Cardenas from The Athletic about his journey into covering football.

Felipe told us about the grind from advertising/ marketing/ PR to starting his own blog. We spoke about his home, Colombia, and the amazing footballers that the country has given us with.

In addition, we learned about his college soccer days, covering Atlanta United, the growth of the MLS and soccer in America, the talents to look out for, and his career highlights.

Felipe is an amazing guy who blessed us with so many gems and we wish him the very best.

https://theathletic.com/author/felipe-cardenas/

Twitter- FelipeCar

SPS Podcast Episode 22- Olu Alege

We spoke to Olu Alege, a creative extraordinaire.

Olu talked about growing up in NYC/Bronx, playing basketball, being a Lakers/Kobe Bryant fan as well as his impact on his life.

Olu has also started his own agency called "No Noise". We spoke about the difficulties of being a black creative in a world where we create but do not receive credit but with his agency, how he is bridging that gap, we spoke about his marriage and finding the one.
We also spoke about the impact soccer has had on his life, his love for Man Utd, going to Old Trafford for the first time and watching the World Cup.

SPS Podcast Episode 21- Christine Cupo

We spoke to Christine Cupo, one of the best football minds we know about life, football and everything in between.

She told us about her journey to become a fan of the beautiful game to becoming an Arsenal and Juventus fan. We learned about living in NYC during a pandemic/ quarantine while trying to stay fit as well her background in art.

Christine also is a Soccer pickup organizer, she taught us about the difficulties during these times, her famous dog Gigi blessed us. 




Twitter- CCupo

Instagram- MissCupo

SPS Podcast Episode 20- Conducta

This week's guest is an icon in the making, we spoke to DJ, Producer and football aficionado Conducta.

We learned of his deep love for Arsenal and football, what got him into music, working with AJ Tracey to create the iconic track "Ladbroke Grove."
In addition, Conducta spoke about how his Nigerian background shaped him into the man he is, spoke about his football kit collection, Kiwi records, his first magazine cover and what is next for him.

Instagram- conductauk
Twitter- ConductaUK

SPS Podcast Episode 19- Heath Pearce

We spoke to former USMNT, Bundesliga, and MLS all-star Heath Pearce.

He told us about his journey to the professional ranks, from Modesto, California, to Bradenton, Florida to Portland, Oregon to Scotland, to Denmark to Germany and back to America, Heath had a very exciting professional career.

We learned about his career off the pitch, which includes DJing FIFA 13's launch in NYC, playing with Thierry Henry, playing against Sergio Aguero, Lionel Messi Ronaldinho, David Beckham, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, David Villa, Xavi, Iniesta, Dirk Kuyt and CONCACAF memories.

SPS Podcast Episode 18- Mel D. Cole

We spoke to legendary photographer Mel D. Cole about his love for football, travelling to Rome, becoming a photographer, advice for people creating and we spoke about legendary SOB nights.

Mel D. Cole told us about legendary SOB nights, hanging out with Kid Cudi, some of his favourite shots and his agency Charcoal Pitch F.C. 

Big shoutout to Black Arrow FC.


Twitter- meldcole
Instagram- meldcole
meldcole.com

SPS Podcast Episode 17- Ethan White

Ethan White is the perfect picture of who are at the Shirtless Plantain Show, an intersection of culture, football, #MENSWEAR, art and whatever else you want to throw in there.

We learned about his journey from youth football to playing at the prestige University of Maryland program, to playing for his local team DC United, to Philadelphia Union to NYCFC.

He told us about playing for Patrick Vieira with teammates such as Andrea Pirlo, Frank Lampard, and David Villa. We spoke about his early retirement in pursuit of a career in photography.

In addition, we spoke about the lack of representation in media, racism in the MLS, and his next career steps.

Follow him on Instagram- ethanwhite and Twitter- EthanWhite15

https://t.co/OPesYc4q7Y?amp=1

(Please excuse the wind noise!)

SPS Podcast Episode 16- Warren Creavalle

A footballer, a creative and all-around great man, Warren Creavalle.

We spoke to Philadelphia Union's own Warren Creavalle about his journey to the MLS including his stops in Houston and Toronto, his creative brand, and working with his wife, designing the MLS Black Lives Matter T-shirt, MLS black players coalition, and playing in the bubble.

Warren also told us about playing for Guyana and visiting his homeland.

You can follow him on Twitter- warrenspeak and Instagram- _creavalle

SPS Podcast Episode 15- Tiffany Blackmon

We spoke to reporter Tiffany Blackmon about her journey from Georgia State to Charlotte FC. She spoke about her career and the stops along the way, including Louisiana, to Houston doing work with The Rockets to Oklahoma working with The Thunder and to the NFL Network.

Tiffany told us how soccer shaped her and the future with the MLS and Charlotte FC.

We also learned about what she would have been doing instead of journalism and how she progressed in an industry that is challenging.

SPS Podcast Episode 14- Sonja Cori Missio

We spoke to Sonja Cori Missio,  a Toronto-based writer who often covers Canadian, Italian, and Swiss soccer.

We spoke about her introduction to soccer; her love for Udinese and Toronto FC. We also spoke about the importance of representation, more women's voices in the sport, and what she does to make that a reality.

In addition, we talked about the Toronto Raptors, Canada's growth as a soccer country, the greatness that is Canadian Women's soccer and World Cup 2026.

We found about her love for The Wire, The Spice Girls, UK Grime, and her lucky boots.

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SPS Podcast Episode 12- David Butler

We spoke to David The Host, whose journey has been anything but usual. From Baltimore to Australia to Amsterdam, his journey has taken from American football to brushing shoulders with the elite football talent in Europe.

He has attended Champions League finals, the World Cup, interviewed some of your favorite current and previous footballers. He used to work for 433, one of the biggest football publications, his story is one of hard work, perseverance and great things happen to great people.

SPS Podcast Episode 11- Grant Wahl

We spoke with the legend that is Grant Wahl.

Grant spoke about Bob Bradley, his career at Princeton, his career at Sports Illustrated, David Beckham, the MLS, going to the men's and women's World Cup, the state of soccer in America, and his short collection.

Grant has been a major voice in soccer for the last two decades and he is not letting up.

He was an amazing person to speak to and gave advice to aspiring journalists.

SPS Podcast Episode 10- Ebun Olaloye

We spoke to owner and chief creative officer of Live, Breathe, Futbol (LBF) Ebun Olaloye about his journey from Nigeria to New Jersey to Philadelphia.

Ebun talked to us about starting the business in 2010, the ups and downs of starting your business, the lessons that he has learned along the way.

Ebun also spoke to us about his love for Arsenal, football, the city of Philadelphia and connecting football to culture.

SPS Podcast Episode 7- Carl Anka

We caught up with Carl Anka, a legend in the making. Carl Anka is a journalist and broadcaster covering Southampton FC for The Athletic. His previous bylines include the BBC, the Guardian, VICE, and BuzzFeed.

We spoke about football, his journey into his career, moving from London to Southampton, mental health, black lives matter movement, spreadsheets, rap music, wrestling, and so much more.


0:00- 19:50- Intro/ career journey/ mundial mag/ importance of reading/ career advice/ importance of spreadsheets

20:00- 25:00-Beef/ using twitter/ helping black folks out

25:20- 29:00- overreaching, last dance, politics of people, creating relationships

29:11-41:22- Transfer rumors, David Orenstein

41:23- 48:00- the internet, using Twitter and social media

48:00- 1:00:09- Black lives matter movement, Musa Okongwa, Second civil rights movement, pandering, Raheem Sterling x media, racism in football, stereotypes of black footballers.

1:00:09- end- Questions for Carl

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SPS Podcast Episode 6- Maggie Ntim

We had to honor and privilege to speak with Maggie Ntim, known to many as the ‘Connector’ from Queens, New York has built her brand as a Sports and Entertainment Sponsorship and Partnership Maven. We spoke about her career which has included successfully navigating sponsorship and partnership deals for sports, entertainment, and technology companies including working with such talent as 50 Cent, Nas, Kylian Mbappe, and the Late Nipsey Hussle. 

She spoke about her time working for Universal Music Group, G-Unit Records, Madison Square Garden and Coca-Cola and having worked on both 2018 and 2019 FIFA Men’s and Women World Cup. 

She continues her success as an entrepreneur by serving as Founder/FIFA Agent in her own marketing, management, soccer/football player representation, and experiential events company, Trinity 3 Agency. Trinity 3 Agency’s roster of work includes working with clients in NWSL,English Premier League,French Ligue 1, USL Championship, and Bundesliga leagues  as well as FIFA, and MLS.

As one of the first African American female soccer/football agents, she’s on a mission to recruit more minority women agents, and continue to advocate for more minorities in sports.

0-10:00 Intro/ who is Maggie Ntim

10:50- 13:30- Marketing agencies, creative agencies, creating your own lane

13:36- 16:10- NY Knicks, being a fan working for MSG, John Starks and Reggie Miller

16:11-17:10- Growing up playing soccer, basketball

17:11- 23:00- Soccer and sports synergy, growing soccer in America from a marketing and agent perspective

23:20- 27:00 Sending kids to play soccer, best countries to sending kid to play soccer, development, agent advice for players

27:50-33:33 Women’s soccer

33:34-42:50- Music career

42:51- 45:00- Marketing world

45:01-50:00- Maggie as an agent and trinity3 agency/ giving back/ Jordan’s and back footballers helping their communities

50:23- 52:28- Brand synergy, Jordan and soccer, soccer growing in America

52:29- 55:27 Steve Stoute and advertising

55:28-1:16 Rapid-fire questions

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