Editor’s picks: The top podcasts of 2020
From discussing in-depth stories about Syracuse sports to covering the history of racial divides in Syracuse, The Daily Orange Podcast and Sportscast brought weekly episodes detailing some of the biggest stories of 2020.
The Daily Orange’s podcast section selected our six most significant episodes from the year. Here are our picks.
See the other sections
Madeline Forman | Staff Photographer
A history of racist housing policies, Cuse Youth BLM and a cat cafe
In this episode, fall 2020 staff writer Marnie Muñoz discussed the story of Angel Gonzalez’s two perspectives of the city of Syracuse as a student and a resident of the city’s Westside. The episode provides detail on the neglect low-income neighborhoods in the city of Syracuse face while the university area develops.
This episode also features fall 2020 assistant news editor Sarah Alessandrini discussing how the Cuse Youth Black Lives Matter movement grew online and fought over policing in schools. Fall 2020 assistant culture editor Sydney Bergan also ended the episode detailing Syracuse’s newest cat cafe.
Courtesy of SU Athletics
An in-depth look at how SU won 2015 cross country NCAA title
The D.O. Sportscast presented a two-part narrative podcast series with the most detailed account of Syracuse men’s cross country’s 2015 NCAA title to date.
In part one, the episode reveals everything you need to know about the team’s five scoring runners and their former head coach Chris Fox. The second part brings you right to the day the Orange won their first NCAA cross country title since 1951.
Chris Hippensteel | Asst. Digital Editor
Protests over police killing, city schools unready for remote learning
This episode of The Daily Orange Podcast featured fall 2020 news editor Chris Hippensteel, who discussed why Last Chance for Change organizers demanded information from the Syracuse Police Department about the killing of Steve Smith. The Last Chance for Change organization is one of many organizations within the city of Syracuse that helped organize 40 consecutive days of protesting over the summer.
It also included fall 2020 assistant news editor Maggie Hicks, who spoke with parents and students within the Syracuse City School District, some of which felt lost without access and training for the transition to remote learning.
Courtesy of John Carcaterra
45 years of John Desko and his path to the Hall of Fame
This episode dives into John Desko’s 45 seasons with Syracuse as a player and a coach. Desko, who coached Syracuse to 11 national titles in 22 seasons, was selected for the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020.
This Sportscast episode features fall 2020 sports editor Andrew Crane, who caught up with some men’s lacrosse alumni about their former teammate and coach.
Corey Henry | Senior Staff Photographer
‘In love and struggle’: #NotAgainSU’s occupation of Crouse-Hinds Hall
The Daily Orange Podcast explored #NotAgainSU’s occupation of Crouse-Hinds Hall beginning in February. It focused on a timeline of events leading to the occupation of Crouse-Hinds Hall, student and faculty reactions and a detailed list of the new demands released by the #NotAgainSU movement.
Each reporter featured on the podcast explained their perspectives throughout their coverage of the movement and constructed a detailed timeday of what took place each day of the sit-in.
Max Freund | Staff Photographer
Everything you need to know about Rex Culpepper
In a season where very few aspects of Syracuse football were consistent, stand-in fifth year quarterback Rex Culpepper answered the call for head coach Dino Babers after Tommy DeVito went down late against Duke.
This episode of The D.O. Sportscast explained what made the soon-to-be SU alum more than just another player in a uniform. From vintage guitars, stock trading, fixing up motorcycles and surviving cancer, Senior Staff Writer Danny Emerman detailed Culpepper’s life story during his first weeks as the Orange’s starting quarterback in 2020.