Pod-Alization: Violence On Ice & Disgrace And Courage on The Soccer Pitch

New podcast about the most violent hockey team in history

I hope these hockey players had a good dental plan, because
iHeartPodcasts and Novel have announced The Fighty Pucks, a new podcast, about The Danbury Trashers – The Most Violent Hockey Team in History. 

Geez, imagine that. Violence in hockey. It's ancient Rome's gladiator games, only on ice and with sticks and skates instead of swords and chariots. And don't forget the mullets.

Hosted by Claire Crofton, an award-winning audio producer who has worked internationally for the BBC, Radio New Zealand, and ABC Radio National, The Fighty Pucks is the story of one of the most violent minor league hockey teams in history – The Danbury Trashers.

The team of bad boys, misfits and bruisers, led by 17-year-old AJ Galante, became widely known for its brawls at Danbury Ice Arena in Danbury, Connecticut. AJ and his father, a powerful businessman with mob ties, ran the team as they went rampaging on a violent path to glory. But all the while, the team was being secretly watched by their toughest opponent of all - the FBI.

In episode one, “Game One: The Galantes of Danbury,” Claire Crofton will introduce listeners to the Galante family, and the city of Danbury, Connecticut, where the story unfolds.

Listen to episode one HERE. 

Religion of Sports and PRX Announce New Podcast Counterattack with Briana Scurry


Counterattack with Briana Scurry is the latest venture to come out of the Religion of Sports and PRX partnership. This new show is a turgid brew of sports, sexual harassment, misogyny, and courage by players worn down by a toxic organization.

The six-part weekly podcast debuted on May 11, and can be found HERE. The host of the podcast is Briana Scurry, legendary goalkeeper for the ‘99 US Women’s National Team.

While the women of U.S. soccer have dominated on the world stage, their fight for equal pay and decent working conditions on the domestic front has been relentless. Some of the inadequacies of the pro leagues can be chalked up to economics, while others have been the result of a toxic mix of gender inequality and extreme power imbalances. Players have suffered sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and manipulation at the hands of coaches. And complaints against those in power have been kept in the shadows—or ignored—until now.

Counterattack discusses professional player’s Sinead Farrelly’s experiences with the dark side of the league that ultimately led to an early retirement after a stellar career. But in 2021, she and her former teammate, Mana Shim, took their power back—by telling their story.

Their courageous decision to go public inspired other players to come forward and led to a reckoning within the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Following their revelations, half of the league’s head coaches either resigned in disgrace or were fired.

In March 2023, after seven years away, Farrelly returned to the league that she now helped transform and signed with New York’s Gotham FC. This April, she was also called up to and became a starter for the Irish Women’s National Team.

Listeners will hear directly from Farrelly––who was inspired to pursue the game following the historic ‘99 US Women’s National Team World Cup victory–– as well as other women whose experience and choices have changed women’s sports forever.

This will be the first time audiences have the opportunity to hear Farrelly’s personal, intimate account in her own words.

Briana Scurry is widely recognized as one of the world’s most talented and influential goalkeepers. Her 173 international appearances as one of the first African American and openly gay professional athletes championed equality and diversified the sport. Scurry pioneered the first paid professional women’s soccer league as a founding player in 2001.

In 2017, she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Named starting goalkeeper for the United States Women’s National Team in 1994, she led the team on an illustrious run that included two Olympic gold medals and the 1999 FIFA World Cup.

Religion of Sports – an Emmy Award-winning production company – was co-founded by Gotham Chopra, Tom Brady, and Michael Strahan. Religion of Sports produces content focused on a single narrative of Why Sports Matter to explore greatness and human potential.

One of the world’s leading podcast publishers, PRX is home to Radiotopia, known as one of the most creative and successful podcast networks. In addition, PRX distributes trusted public radio programming to hundreds of stations nationwide, including The World, The Moth Radio Hour, This American Life, Snap Judgment, Reveal, and Latino USA.