The David Stein Show - Sports Talk Radio Done Fresh

On your local Sporting News radio station between 2am-6am, Sunday through Thursday, David Stein hosts a sports talk show that is changing the landscape of sports on radio. Aptly named, the Celebration of Life through Sports, listeners skip the typical fare of analyzing games, stats, and rosters; choosing instead to spend four hours discussing how a particular issue, involving sports, affects them in life.

Launched eighteen months ago from the Los Angeles offices of Sporting News Radio, the Celebration of Life through Sports, sports talk show has been a runaway hit with men and women seeking something more than just how someone played in the last game or who is soon to be traded. A far cry from what is typically associated with sports talk, David Stein and the gang producing the Celebration of Life through Sports have chosen to build a show based on paying it forward, random acts of kindness, and telling the world something good in their lives.

When callers hit the show and speak to David Stein, before they can bang or talk about the night's theme, they have to tell David what is good going on in their lives. Many a caller has shared phenomenal stories of helping people, encouraging people, and being a source of strength for others. And still others, in the midst of dark places have become transparent enough to allow listeners to feel the pain associated with where they are at the moment that they call. It is moments like these that separate the Celebration of Life through Sports show from others throughout the day.

Each Monday is Random Act of Kindness Monday. Friends of the show are encouraged to do something nice, randomly during the course of the day. This has become contagious and friends of the show have begun to follow through on a daily basis. Paying it forward has become the hallmark of the show.

Listeners are not some disjointed group of fans who are so consumed with sports that they have lost their humanity. If anything else, humanity is a focal point of the show. Not a night goes by when someone in distress calls in and is immediately followed by someone else who says how they were in the same boat and survived the struggle. From cancer to homelessness, addiction to depression, the listeners are friends, friends of the show. In fact, one caller was able to capture the essence of the show when he called it 'Cheers'.

The host, David Stein has been in radio and entertainment for the better part of the last twenty years. In his role with the show, he serves as more than the catalyst for conversation. Oftentimes, he is the comforting voice of encouragement for friends of the show who call in to the show with their opinions while at the same time, forging ahead in the midst of pain and other problems. As the show has grown, so has it become abundantly clear that the Celebration of Life through Sports show is what David is supposed to be doing.

Each show is filled with outstanding conversation and also interesting snippets of cuts from shows such as 'The West Wing' and any sitcom that has ever been on television. You could hear a speech from John F. Kennedy one minute and a serious moment from President Bartlett the next. Every show has a purpose, a point to it. There is no absent conversation, no trivial themes attached to the Celebration of Life through Sports.

From calling spouses, tomatoes, to serving up 'winner, winner, chicken dinner' comments for outstanding bangs and acts of kindness, Stein serves as champion and doctor, allowing his words of hope and life to reach people exactly where they are. This departure from the normal way of doing sports has been intentional for David Stein. And he has done it well. The show's massive following is a testament to how much heart and hope is flowing through the world.

Each show is dedicated to first responders. Firefighters, police officers, EMT's and others are honored each night with a moment of reflection and thanks as they are the ones called to run into the fire when the world is trying to run out of one. Recently David Stein took a trip to Virginia and spoke at a conference honoring police officers. That night he did a ride along with one of the friends of the show.

What makes the show so special are the friends of the show. These men and women nightly bring their ideas and opinions to the table. Every show has a different feel. Some shows are lighter than others. But you can rest assured, if you laugh on Monday at 3am there is a chance you will be shedding tears by 5am. And that is the beauty of the show. Recently a caller dialed in from outside Chicago who wanted to talk about that night's theme. While talking about the theme, and emailing afterwards, the friends of the show found out the caller was homeless and struggling to find a job. Within twenty minutes, friends of the show had stepped up in amazing ways with offers to help in any way that they could.

This was not about sports. It was about life. And sports is the universal language of the world. Incidents like that happen nightly as people struggling with drug abuse, alcoholism, marriage, or just about anything serve their lives up before the friends of the show and trust that there are people around the country who have their back. And without fail, it happens, night after night.

If it is 3am in the morning and you are struggling to fall asleep, do yourself a favor and turn your radio in to your local Sporting News Radio affiliate. On there you will find men and women supporting each other, believing in each other, loving each other. It is a celebration but not of a touchdown scored in the end zone but of a touchdown scored in life. When one friend wins they all win. And that is worth a 'winner, winner, chicken dinner'.