The President of the United States doesn’t normally call business people to thank them for taking a chance on an ex-con. But, that’s exactly what President Obama recently did when he phoned up Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles and current employer of convicted felon Michael Vick. The White House says Vick wasn’t the main purpose of the phone call, but Bill Littlefield wonders if he should have been.

Only A Game Senior Producer Gary Waleik shares his thoughts on the music used on the year-end “best of” show.

On Christmas Eve, 1914, a gruesome war was briefly interrupted by a number of spontaneous truces, including one during which German and English combatants listened to each other sing carols, traded gifts, and played soccer. Bill talks with author Stanley Weintraub, the author of Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce, in which is recounted tales of those unlikely events.

Ever stare down a piece of rubber that’s rocketing at your head at over 100 miles per hour? Would you do it without a helmet? Before modern-day netminders could dazzle crowds with acrobatic stops, hockey goalies had to be a lot more careful with their crania. As the invention of hockey’s goalie facemask turned 50, Only A Game’s Doug Tribou celebrated the innovation.

In January 2010, lesser-known Chinese tennis player Zheng Jie made an impressive run in the Australian Open, which was a great story, except for the fact that no one knew how to pronounce her name. Fortunately, Bill called in the Two Chinese Characters to help him out.

Is it a race? A car show? Whatever you want to call the Hunnewell Hill Climb, there is no doubt that it features some of the most beautiful antique cars around. Only A Game’s Bill Littlefield reports.

Sadie Babits brings back a wild and wooly story from Bend Oregon, site of the inaugural U.S. Beard and Moustache Championships.

Bill Littlefield shares a story about a game rigged to disappoint and the wide-eyed little girl whom it did not disappoint.

For the athletes competing at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, sports can bring fame, fortune, and even redemption. Not every athlete will make it to the Olympics, but for the 400 teenagers playing sports in the Doc Wayne Athletic League, sports just might be the key to their success. Only A Game’s Karen Given has our story.

Each week, Only A Game Senior Producer Gary Waleik offers his thoughts on the music we use for the show.