After the 1998 NFL draft produced one of the greatest busts in history, what have we learned about the science of evaluating human talent – on and off the field?
Matthew Spolar
Matthew Spolar is a Producer at Retro Report. He has covered a range of issues, from sports to genetics to politics, including web series looking back at the historic import of past political conventions and campaign ads. He previously covered state politics in Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.
Posted inVideo
Louis Armstrong And The Black Celebrity’s Dilemma
As America’s jazz icon, Louis Armstrong was seen as a smiling, easygoing entertainer. But in 1957, he invited controversy by speaking forcefully on behalf of his fellow African Americans, putting him in a position familiar to many Black athletes today.
Posted inVideo
What Jesse Owens’s Story Tells Us About Sports and Politics
NFL players have been derided for injecting politics into the country’s favorite sport. But, when convenient, America has also celebrated black athletes for acting as political emissaries.
Posted inVideo
Lessons From the 2004 Democratic Convention: Obama’s Speech
Sometimes the most important speech at the convention isn’t delivered by the nominee.
Posted inVideo
Upheaval at the 1860 Democratic Convention: What Happened When a Party Split
Some issues are too fundamental for a party to withstand, and the consequences can last for a generation.
Posted inVideo
Lessons from the 1912 Republican Convention: Birth of the Modern Primary
The animosity between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt changed the primary process forever.
Posted inVideo
Lessons from the 1968 Democratic Convention: Under the Shadow of Protests
There are important lessons to be learned from the Democrats’ 1968 Chicago convention.
Posted inVideo
Smoking Man: Political Ads That Shaped the Battle for the White House
In the 2012 Republican primary, Herman Cain’s campaign produced an unusual video featuring Cain’s chief of staff, Mark Block, giving a pep talk while smoking a cigarette.
Posted inVideo
The Rock: Political Ads That Shaped the Battle for the White House
In 2007, long-shot Democratic candidate Mike Gravel released one of the strangest ads in political history.
Posted inVideo
Willie Horton: Political Ads That Shaped the Battle for the White House
The infamous Willie Horton ad placed a nail in the coffin of Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential run.
