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BenchMarks

BenchMarks

By: Empty The Bench Network
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BenchMarks is an audio-first documentary series from the Empty the Bench Network, where the biggest moments in sports aren’t just remembered — they’re re-examined.


Hosted by Callan McClurg and joined by voices from across the Empty the Bench Network, BenchMarks lives at the intersection of E60, 30 for 30, and Real Sports. Each episode digs deep into the controversial moments, polarizing figures, and defining games and plays that refuse to fade with time. These are the stories that sparked debate, shaped careers, altered leagues, and still echo through locker rooms, broadcasts, and barroom arguments years — sometimes decades — later.


Through immersive storytelling, original reporting, archival sound, and thoughtful conversation, BenchMarks revisits the moments that history never settled. Not to sensationalize them, but to understand them — the context, the consequences, and why they continue to matter. This is sports history told with humanity, curiosity, and a willingness to ask the uncomfortable questions.


If you believe the best sports stories don’t end at the final whistle, subscribe to BenchMarks wherever you get your podcasts and join us as we revisit the moments that defined the game — and the people inside it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes
  • BenchMarks: When The Ground Stopped The Game

    BenchMarks: When The Ground Stopped The Game
    Apr 6 2026

    On October 17, 1989, the "Battle of the Bay" between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco San Francisco Giants was supposed to be the center of the sporting universe. Instead, at 5:04 PM, nature took center stage.


    In this gripping episode of BenchMarks, Callan McClurg recounts the harrowing moments when the Loma Prieta earthquake struck just minutes before Game 3. This episode features the original, chilling audio from the ABC Sports broadcast, capturing the exact second the signal flickered and Al Michaels famously told a national audience, "I'll tell you what, we're having an earth—" before the transmission cut to static.


    McClurg explores the surreal atmosphere inside a packed Candlestick Park, where fans initially cheered the tremors before realizing the magnitude of the disaster unfolding outside the stadium walls. We detail the devastation across the Bay Area—from the collapse of the Cypress Street Viaduct to the fires in the Marina District—and the unprecedented decision to postpone the Fall Classic for a period of time.


    When The Ground Stopped the Game is a tribute to the resilience of a community and a look back at the time the World Series took a back seat to survival, forever linking the history of the Giants and A's to the strength of the people they represent.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    13 mins
  • BenchMarks: The Fall of the Golden Boy

    BenchMarks: The Fall of the Golden Boy
    Mar 30 2026

    In the pool, Ryan Lochte was a force of nature—a 12-time Olympic medalist whose laid-back "Jeah!" persona made him a global brand and the heir apparent to Michael Phelps. But during the 2016 Rio Olympics, that golden image dissolved in the fluorescent light of a Brazilian gas station.


    In this episode of BenchMarks, Nick Morgasen deconstructs the night that derailed a legendary career. We revisit the explosive headlines of an "armed robbery at gunpoint" that terrified the world, only to watch as the narrative crumbled under the weight of security footage and conflicting testimonies. Morgasen examines the "Lochtegate" fallout: the public urination, the vandalized soap dispenser, the drunken confrontation with security guards, and the fabricated story that turned a superstar into an international pariah.


    We dive into the severe consequences that followed—the loss of every major sponsorship, a 10-month suspension from swimming, and the stinging labels of "immature" and "liar" that stuck to the 32-year-old veteran. Beyond the scandal, we look at the human cost of a "golden boy" struggling to reconcile his frat-boy persona with the responsibilities of a global icon.


    This is a story of how a single, alcohol-fueled night of "over-exaggeration" didn't just cost a man millions of dollars; it permanently altered the legacy of one of the greatest swimmers in history.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    14 mins
  • BenchMarks: Bull On Parade | Pt. III

    BenchMarks: Bull On Parade | Pt. III
    Mar 23 2026

    By the autumn of 1995, Michael Jordan had his rhythm back, but the Chicago Bulls needed a new edge to reclaim the throne. What followed was not just a season, but a march toward immortality.


    In the final installment of this three-part Michael Jordan odyssey, Zain Bando breaks down the construction of the greatest team ever assembled. We examine the high-stakes gamble on Dennis Rodman, the colorful and controversial "Worm," whose rebounding prowess and defensive tenacity provided the missing link to the Bulls' second dynasty. Bando takes us through the grind of the historic 72-10 regular season, a record that stood for twenty years as a testament to the team’s absolute refusal to lose.


    The episode culminates in the "flawless" stretch of the late 90s, exploring the intricate chemistry between Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Phil Jackson’s Zen-like leadership. We relive the emotional 1996 Father's Day championship, the legendary "Flu Game" in 1997, and the tension-filled finale of the 1998 season—popularly known as The Last Dance. From the locker room friction with management to Jordan's iconic "Final Shot" in Utah, we celebrate the end of an era that defined the NBA for a generation and cemented the Bulls as a global cultural phenomenon.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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    14 mins
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