Small Town Dicks

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Akil Baddoo joins Yeardley Smith for a candid and joyful conversation about confidence, resilience, and learning how to stay grounded through the inevitable highs and lows of professional baseball.

Akil traces his love of the game back to hitting baseballs with his dad in the backyard, breaking a window before he was even old enough for Little League, and hitting his first home run at five years old. He talks about the confidence his mother instilled in him, knowing from a young age that he wanted to play professionally, and why he never believed in having a backup plan.

He also opens up about the setbacks that tested that confidence, including Tommy John surgery, a grueling rehabilitation, the loss of his brother, and the uncertainty of what would come next. Akil shares how journaling, meditation, and learning to control his thoughts helped him through those moments and prepared him for an unforgettable start to his Major League career: a home run on the first pitch he saw, followed by a grand slam and a walk-off hit in his first three games.

They also talk about handling failure in a sport where even the best players fail most of the time, staying connected to the joy that made him love baseball in the first place, and the importance of family, community, and his Ghanaian and Trinidadian roots. Plus, Akil shares why he opened The Fade Lounge in Atlanta, his plans to give back to his former high school, and his lesser-known talent for roller skating.

Then Akil takes on the Last At-Bat, answering rapid-fire questions about his favorite Beyoncé song, the toughest pitcher he has ever faced, the career he might have pursued outside of baseball, his 200-pair sneaker collection, and the person he trusts most in the world.

Every athlete has a story. Guard the Yard is here to hear it.
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A quiet summer night takes a terrifying turn when a woman discovers someone she knows has broken into her home, intent on hurting her. What follows is an hours-long, harrowing fight for survival and an all-hands-on-deck search for a dangerous suspect.

Our own Detective Dan shares this chilling home invasion case, taking us inside the meticulous police investigation, the race to find the suspect and one woman’s extraordinary determination to survive.

Detective Dan was formerly a K9 handler and Violent Crimes detective at the same Small Town police department as his brother, Dave. Dan regards his years as a K9 handler to be the most rewarding of his career. He is now retired.
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In the finale, a new DNA tool, often referred to as genetic genealogy, has finally led investigators to Joseph DeAngelo’s doorstep. Paul walks us through the aftermath of finally identifying the Golden State Killer. For the victims, it brings long-awaited answers. For Paul Holes, it brings relief, attention, and a void, much like you’d expect when your 24-year obsession finally comes to an end.

Want to hear the entire series right now?

Join Super Duper Fam at ⁠⁠⁠⁠smalltowndicks.com/superfam⁠⁠⁠⁠ for access to the full ad-free binge feed, and use promo code GSK for your first month free.

What is Chasing the Golden State Killer with Paul Holes?

This is a 10-part limited series from Small Town Dicks, Paul Holes tells the full story of his 24-year pursuit of the Golden State Killer.

Across ten episodes, Paul joins Yeardley, Dan, and Dave for a firsthand account of one of the most significant cold case investigations in American history. From the early crimes of the Visalia Ransacker to the East Area Rapist attacks, the Southern California homicides, and the DNA breakthrough that finally identified Joseph DeAngelo, Paul walks listeners through the evidence, the setbacks, the mistakes, and the personal toll of doggedly pursuing a case for decades.

This is a rare, firsthand account of the work, the weight, and the persistence behind a case that forever changed the way crimes are investigated.

Small Town Dicks Presents: Chasing the Golden State Killer with Paul Holes is an Audio 99 production.

Written by Paul Holes and featuring Detective Dan, Detective Dave, and Yeardley Smith.

Produced by Jessica Halstead and Monika Scott.

Executive produced by Ben Cornwell and Yeardley Smith.

Edited by Katie McMurran and Soren Begin, with additional editing by Cristina Bracamontes.

Sound supervision by Logan Heftel.

Design and social media by Andrew Polk.

Theme music composed by Logan Heftel.

Photo courtesy of Anton Floquet | ⁠⁠⁠⁠antonfloquet.com⁠⁠⁠

To support the making of this podcast, visit smalltowndicks.com/superfam and hit the “Join” button.

Stream all episodes at smalltowndicks.com/goldenstatekiller.
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Welcome to the premiere episode of Firehouse Files, hosted by Steve Buscemi, Marian Fontana, and Dennis Gordon. Firehouse Files features firefighters and first responders sharing firsthand accounts of the calls that have stayed with them.

Today’s special episode, “Never Forget,” commemorates the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks and honors the firefighters who were lost that day and in the years since.

Steve, Marian, Dennis, and their guest, former FDNY Fire Commissioner Dan Nigro, were all in New York City on September 11 and each experienced the tragedy from a different perspective. Dan was serving as the FDNY’s Chief of Operations when the first plane struck the World Trade Center and became Chief of Department after Chief Peter Ganci was killed in the collapse.

Together, they reflect on what they witnessed that day, the firefighters who entered the towers, the rescue and recovery efforts that followed, and the enormous personal toll 9/11 took on the firefighting community. They also discuss survivor guilt, mental health, and the 9/11-related illnesses that continue to claim the lives of first responders 25 years later.

“Never Forget” serves as both a memorial to those we lost and an introduction to Firehouse Files.

The full first season will premiere in January 2027.

Firehouse Files is a co-production between Audio 99 and Olive Productions
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A new kind of DNA analysis changes everything. After learning how genetic genealogy helped identify an unknown victim in a kidnapping case, Paul Holes begins to wonder whether the same method could be used to find the Golden State Killer. Working with a small team, he uses an SNP profile to identify distant relatives and build family trees that may ultimately lead to a name. After decades of dead ends, the case begins to move with astonishing speed - culminating in, at last, the arrest of Joseph D’Angelo.

Want to hear the entire series right now?

Join Super Duper Fam at ⁠⁠⁠⁠smalltowndicks.com/superfam⁠⁠⁠⁠ for access to the full ad-free binge feed, and use promo code GSK for your first month free.

What is Chasing the Golden State Killer with Paul Holes?

This is a 10-part limited series from Small Town Dicks, Paul Holes tells the full story of his 24-year pursuit of the Golden State Killer.

Across ten episodes, Paul joins Yeardley, Dan, and Dave for a firsthand account of one of the most significant cold case investigations in American history. From the early crimes of the Visalia Ransacker to the East Area Rapist attacks, the Southern California homicides, and the DNA breakthrough that finally identified Joseph DeAngelo, Paul walks listeners through the evidence, the setbacks, the mistakes, and the personal toll of doggedly pursuing a case for decades.

This is a rare, firsthand account of the work, the weight, and the persistence behind a case that forever changed the way crimes are investigated.

Small Town Dicks Presents: Chasing the Golden State Killer with Paul Holes is an Audio 99 production.

Written by Paul Holes and featuring Detective Dan, Detective Dave, and Yeardley Smith.

Produced by Jessica Halstead and Monika Scott.

Executive produced by Ben Cornwell and Yeardley Smith.

Edited by Katie McMurran and Soren Begin, with additional editing by Cristina Bracamontes.

Sound supervision by Logan Heftel.

Design and social media by Andrew Polk.

Theme music composed by Logan Heftel.

Photo courtesy of Anton Floquet | ⁠⁠⁠⁠antonfloquet.com⁠⁠⁠

To support the making of this podcast, visit smalltowndicks.com/superfam and hit the “Join” button.

Stream all episodes at smalltowndicks.com/goldenstatekiller.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices