Episodes

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 shut it down, the European league was a great incubator for football coaches and talent. In this episode we hear from former Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme and former East Carolina head coach Steve Logan, both alumni of NFL Europe, on their memories of the league.

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 coach Roman Gabriel, simply wanted to be part of this sports world. He had a front row seat for the one and only season of the Skyhawks. He shares what it was like to travel with the team, and what happened to all that glorious Skyhawks gear. arv3bqmd

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 tailgate with your own booze before the game and universities would hold private events where alcohol was available, but there was no public sale. The Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks played at NC State's Carter-Finley arena. The prohibition of beer sales presented a loss of revenue for ...

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. Tony talks with Joe Ovies about the challenge of covering a team with an 0-10 record, and the toll of the season on everyone involved.

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), being part of the Skyhawks gave them the chance to keep their football careers alive for one more season. Hoyle and Maye look back on their experience as Skyhawks, and despite their dismal 0-10 record, they actually do have happy memories of being on the 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 that team should be located. Of course Charlotte is the home of the Panthers today, but it wasn't the only city in contention. How close did Raleigh come to having an NFL team?

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 League of American Football franchise that never won a game in their lone season played in 1991. The goal? To highlight how, despite the massive misstep in thinking a minor league football team would work at Carter-Finley Stadium, the Raleigh Durham Skyhawks provide a fascinat...

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