Episodes

Skyhawks E7 | Requiem for the World League of American Football
March 22, 2023

Skyhawks E7 | Requiem for the World League of American Football

The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks only lasted one season, but the World League of American Football carried on until 2007. At the end, it was known as NFL Europa. Though newly elected NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was quick to shu...
Skyhawks E6 | End of the line for NC's first pro football team
March 15, 2023

Skyhawks E6 | End of the line for NC's first pro football team

Michael Kennedy was the equipment manager for the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks. Not a glamourous role, but there wasn't much that was glamourous about the World League of American Football. Kennedy, like the players and head coac...
Skyhawks E5 | NC's complicated history with beer doomed the Skyhawks
March 8, 2023

Skyhawks E5 | NC's complicated history with beer doomed the Skyhawks

Until a few years ago, alcohol at college sporting events was a delicate dance in hypocrisy. Back in 1991 without a special exemption, the sale of alcohol was not allowed at public university facilities. You could always tail...
Skyhawks E4 | Tony Haynes has a front row seat to an 0-10 season
March 1, 2023

Skyhawks E4 | Tony Haynes has a front row seat to an 0-10 season

Losing ain't easy. Losing for a whole season, well that's another level of pain. It wasn't just hard on players and coaches. As a broadcaster, Tony Haynes had a front row seat to the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks' losing season. To...
Skyhawks E3 | Last chance at football glory for local players
Feb. 22, 2023

Skyhawks E3 | Last chance at football glory for local players

For one disappointing season, the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks didn't give fans much to cheer for. But the team did give hope to the men on the field. For Wilson Hoyle (former kicker from Wake Forest) and Mark Maye (former UNC QB)...
Skyhawks E2 | How close did Raleigh come to getting an NFL team?
Feb. 15, 2023

Skyhawks E2 | How close did Raleigh come to getting an NFL team?

The Carolina Panthers played their first game in 1995. Behind the scenes, there had been years of negotiations over whether or not North Carolina--or the "Carolinas" collectively--could support an NFL team, and exactly where ...
Skyhawks E1 | The football team that never won
Feb. 15, 2023

Skyhawks E1 | The football team that never won

The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks. For some of you, that team will ring a bell. But for most sports fans in the Triangle, they're probably wondering why Joe Ovies is going to devote a few podcast episodes about the defunct World Le...
S2 Coming Soon: The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
Feb. 6, 2023

S2 Coming Soon: The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks

Joe Ovies returns with a new season of A Brief History of Triangle Sports