HOUR ONE:
As sports fans look forward to the upcoming college football championship, we take a look at the treatment of athletes in big-time college sports and the impact of big-money sports programs on higher education. We learn about the recent academic scandal at the University of North Carolina with whistleblower Mary Willingham and UNC professor Jay Smith. Bob’s investigation includes the voices of Len Elmore and other former players; college officials like University of West Virginia president Gordon Gee, who had a controversial tenure at Ohio State; and journalists who cover college sports, including Dave Zirin and John Feinstein. It’s our documentary titled Dropping the Ball: The Shady Side of Big-Time College Sports.
HOUR TWO:
Disgust is a complex human emotion. What we find nasty, gross, and outright nauseating, is psychologically connected to what attracts, excites, and motivates us. Rachel Herz discusses whether these predilections are innate or learned. Her book on the subject is titled That’s Disgusting.
Amy Stewart is not an entomologist but that hasn’t stopped her from writing Wicked Bugs: The Louse that Conquered Napoleon’s Army & Other Diabolical Insects. It’s an A to Z list of terrifying stories about the havoc those tiny creatures can cause.