The Pickup Game is a podcast about street football, or soccer, in New York City. It profiles a rich and diverse community that crosses social and political divisions. The show features players and communities sharing their stories and voices. Listeners can contact the host at jc@pencilandpaper.net.
Episodes
Jordi Brescó
In episode 3 of season 2 of The Pickup Game, I speak with Jordi Brescó a Catalan journalist based in Jerusalem who reports on Israel and the West Bank.He is the author of Rivalidades crónicas (Chronicle Rivalries), which chronicles the history of lesser-known rivalries in the world of football. Politics, history, cities, and identity are the ingredients in a feisty cocktail of local derbies. There
Manolo Celi
In the next episode of The Pickup Game, I introduce Manolo Celi: a filmmaker, artist, and musician. We dive into the rabbit hole of AI creation, the ability to lose, dictators, the Terminator, and the midterm elections.
Jim Amberger
In the inaugural episode of season 2, I speak with Jim Amberger, a firefighter who comes from a line of firefighters. We talk about discovering the city through the people who take us on unknown paths, what 9/11 means to the ladder companies, the reputation of New Yorkers, and the potential tragedies of clear skies.
Trailer for Season 1 of The Pickup Game
Conversations with Kinan Azmeh, Tom Crawford, Charles Donaldson, and John Schaefer.Transcript:I’ve learned about the true depth of this game which is the people who play it. And in this podcast, I would like to introduce themand introduce their stories. If you want me to describe pure moments of happiness and satisfaction, it can be yes, playing Carnegie Hall and scoring a nicely collectively bui
Jean-Christophe Couet
It’s not every day that I get interviewed by New York Public Radio’s John Schaefer at WNYC. At the beginning of the year, I started a podcast about the pickup game in New York City. Through a series of interviews, it became a portrait of the city. Our diverse players transcend societal divisions and politics, discussing everything we loved and feared in a shared environment. In this interview, I t
Rob Blackman and Juan Sanguinetti
In the penultimate episode of Season 1 of The Pickup Game, I am joined by Rob Blackman and Juan Sanguinetti. The World Cup has been divisive for some, polarizing for others, and enthralling for many. It has brought countless people from diverse backgrounds together to celebrate our differences, something those of us in New York experience daily.
Joe Cogan
In episode 22 of The Pickup Game, Joe Cogan of Parkit Management talks to me about the Goals for Good competition, the World Cup fever engulfing the U.S., and rewarding simple actions for the people who need it most.
David Briggs
In Episode 21 of The Pickup Game, I sit down with David Briggs, an architect, a painter, and a player aiming to still be on the pitch at 70. David takes us through his love of radio, the spaces between buildings, Milan Kundera, the power of religion and Caravaggio's use of prostitutes as models for his figures.
Johnny Gandelsman
In Episode 20 of The Pickup Game, I chat with Johnny Gandelsman, a violinist, producer, MacArthur Fellow, and founding member of Brooklyn Rider. Our conversation ranges from the World Cup and Marjane Satrapi's views on two countries at war, to the love of New York and lifting people up in times of need.
Mark O'Brien
In Episode 19 of The Pickup Game, I chat with Mark O'Brien, a pickup game player for the past 62 years. We talk about Bob Marley's pickup game at Battersea Park, the politics surrounding the World Cup, and his recommended summer read, Home and Away by Karl Ove Knausgård @karl.ove.knausgard and Fredrik Ekelund, a captivating book told through email exchanges about the beautiful game. Mark also co-f
Bill Siegmund
In Episode 18 of The Pickup Game, I visit Digital Island Studios near the Flatiron, where I speak with its owner, Bill Siegmund. Bill, a Hawaii native, talks about recording live music, falling in love with Chelsea Football Club through Punch magazine, the pageantry of the World Cup, and the growing fear of traveling to the US.
Tom Montague
In Episode 17 of The Pickup Game, I sit down with Tom Montague, a British American who grew up and studied in Michigan and has called New York City home for the past 15 years. We talk about holding on to what makes us who we are, the tarnished "special relationship" between our two countries, and the shame of politics poisoning a global event that was built to celebrate our differences.
David Slarskey
In episode 15 of The Pickup Game, I hang out with David Slarskey, a lawyer, a teammate, and a one-time playwright, but ultimately a philosopher. Our conversation is a play written in three acts: conflict, merit, and the values of both success and failure.
Lorin Wertheimer
In episode 15 of The Pickup Game, I sit down with Lorin Wertheimer for a conversation that spans his brush with British royalty, defining moments of boyhood, writing for soap operas and reality TV, and powering through creative roadblocks.
Saral Kochar
In episode fourteen of The Pickup Game, I speak with Saral Kochar, our friend from Delhi. Saral left Delhi at the ripe age of 17 for London. From the capital of the United Kingdom, he traveled to Hong Kong before settling in New York. He started his own business after working in the textile industry as far afield as Bangladesh. The culture he has acquired throughout his rich trajectory rubs off on
Tom Crawford
In episode thirteen of The Pickup Game, I speak with Tom Crawford, a British native of Norfolk and father of two. We discuss the accessibility of the game and how it places you just a handshake away from communities you might never otherwise reach.
Neil Parchment
In episode twelve of The Pickup Game, I sit down with Neil Parchment, a Jamaican New Yorker with three children. We speak about the tragic events of September 11, 2001, raising children, and speaking Patois.Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/3RtN1lMjkS6xsC8qwX33DcApple podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pickup-game/id1871153963I Heart Radio:https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-
Roland Lewis
In episode eleven of The Pickup Game, I sit down with Roland Lewis, a nonprofit leader involved with Habitat for Humanity and the Waterfront Alliance. We talk about the agonizing love of teams, the wars that surround us, and how community and inclusivity hold everything together.
Daryl Kessler
In the tenth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Daryl Kessler. He is a sports fan, lover of the arts, and lawyer. We discuss the beauty of the game, the tragic loss of his teenage son Milo, and the power of community. We also discuss the upcoming World Cup and how it fits into current times.You can find the podcast Milo Time, hosted by Daryl Kessler and Lisa Cohen, on every platform. It is a
Remy Lupica
In the ninth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Remy Lupica president of the Brooklyn Football Foundation. We discuss the rich history of football/soccer in Brooklyn, the fan experience, Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League (USL), the US Open Cup, and the upcoming World Cup. We also touch on the philosophy of Eric Cantona and playing with Fidel Castro. It's a rich insight
Jared Fontaine
New episode dropping March 12th!In the eighth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Jared Fontaine @theideaofmachines , a lawyer and musician. We speak about growing up in the outskirts of Philadelphia, studying in Japan, working in Italy, and the importance of consuming time to feed the heart.Music in this podcast is Rāngr from @theideaofmachines 's album Rāngr.
Sujay
In our seventh episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Sujay, an organizer of the pickup game and community leader. We speak about his upbringing in Hong Kong, identity, belonging, how we're perceived by others, and raising children in a diverse landscape.Music in this episode is “Calling” by Marija Rasa @em___er from her Album “Fog”.
Ehi Uwa
In the sixth episode of The Pickup Game, I'm speaking with Ehi Uwa, born in Brooklyn and raised Nigerian. We speak about blizzards, white flight, racism, getting a drink with Ian Wright, Zohran Mamdani's love for the game, and the global power of differences. Music used in this podcast is "Joromi" by Sir Victor Uwaifo.
Charles Donaldson
In the fifth episode of The Pickup Game, I speak with Charles Donaldson, a Jamaican-American low-income housing lawyer and Arsenal fan.We speak about immigrant identity, being a New Yorker, the rising fear of the political climate, childhood memories, and the necessity of having a band of brothers.Our intro is composed by Jared Fontaine of @theideaofmachines.Write to us at info@pickup.nyc
Kinan Azmeh
I speak with Kinan Azmeh, a Syrian-American clarinetist, composer, artist, subject of a feature documentary and lover of the beautiful game. We spoke about travel bans, devastation, Damascus, New York City, and the ephemeral poetic beats of life. Kinan's music is enigmatic, poetic, and wonderfully cinematic. In a world turned upside down, it's refreshing to be exposed to optimism in a form
Andy McAllister
I'm speaking with Andy McAllister, a 5th generation Brooklynite. We talk about the circle of life, religion, and tugboats.
José Manuel Simián
I’m speaking with José Manuel Simián, a lawyer, journalist, storyteller, father of three, and goalkeeper, who also serves as Director of Marketing at Huge.
John Schaefer
In this inaugural episode, I speak with John Schafer, radio host at public radio and author.
Recommended
Take Back Your Health®
Solved Murders - True Crime Stories
Old Time Radio - Gunsmoke
ESPN SportsCenter Update
Back to the 80s Radio
Heaven’s Gate Academy
Deadline: White House
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
TED Business
Ranger Bill | Old Time Radio Adventure & Family Drama
زن بودن
Christmas Old Time Radio
