EVERY FAN IS curious as to what the biggest stars of their favourite sports are really like.
Who better to portray the unvarnished personalities behind the carefully managed personas than the writers who know them best? . . . The writers who have documented their careers, observed their crucial moments, both public and private, and have spent countless hours in conversation with the athletes and those around them.
The unmissable Behind the Lines podcast gleans sharp insights on the biggest names in sport such as Lance Armstrong, Lionel Messi and Tiger Woods from those who have covered their exploits meticulously over many seasons.
Here, David Walsh and Alan English talk about the pursuit of Lance Armstrong which culminated in possibly the biggest sports story of this century so far. The Irish sports writer and editor go into fascinating detail about the Sunday Times investigation which ultimately led to Armstrong being stripped of seven Tour de France titles for systematic doping.
The pair recall the pressure and legal threats from Armstrong’s side, but also the thrill of chasing the truth in this most enthralling of stories.
“It was the most enjoyable time of my journalistic career. I loved it. Getting a little lead on Armstrong,” Walsh says.
English says Walsh probably never felt more alive as a journalist. “Why else would you be getting into this game?”
This special episode is available for free, but if you’d like to listen to the full episodes with English and Walsh, or any of the other great episodes in our Behind The Lines archive, we’ve a special offer for any new members who sign up this week.
Highlights from The42 Membership / SoundCloud
Go to members.the42.ie and enter the promo code BTL10 at checkout to receive €10 off the price of an annual membership.
Once you’ve signed up, you can start enjoying over 100 episodes of Behind the Lines and all of our other great benefits including our Rugby Weekly Extra, Football Family and GAA Weekly podcasts, as well as our journalists’ exclusive analysis on rugby, soccer, GAA, boxing and more delivered straight to your inbox.
