The Lore

One question. One guest. One story that only Chicago can tell. The Lore is a podcast about the moments, myths, and people behind Chicago sports that never made the highlight reel. Host Tom Loxas sits down with the insiders and witnesses who were actually in the room. Small focus. Gritty. Chicago. Some of it is history. Some of it is happening right now. All of it is Chicago sports culture. The Lore is a Chicago sports podcast covering the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago sports media, and the culture around sports in Chicago.

Episodes

Latest Episodes

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Sep 1, 2026

20 min

Something feels different on the South Side. But Sox fans have been here before.
Carmen DeFalco of ESPN Chicago joins The Lore to talk about whether this White Sox team is actually different — and whether Chicago is ready to fall back in love with them.
From the arrogance of the old regime to Colson Montgomery's unlikely redemption. From Pope hats to Roch Cholowsky crying tears of joy when he got drafted. From the Ja Rule fiasco to the Purse Girl going viral.
Carmen makes the case that this team is more likable than the 2021 version ever was. And he's all the way back in.
Are you?

Sep 1, 2026

20 min

Jul 31, 2026

30 min

Every Cubs era seems to have one. A player who divides the fan base.
Right now it's Ian Happ. Before him, Aroldis Chapman—for reasons that had nothing to do with baseball. Before that: Jason Heyward, Alfonso Soriano, and more.
Andy Dolan from the Pointless Exercise Podcast has been living inside every version of this argument for twenty years. The names change. The arguments don't.

Jul 31, 2026

30 min

Jun 2, 2026

27 min

Marc Silverman's grandfather was an inaugural Bulls season ticket holder in 1966.
Marc grew up at the Chicago Stadium, experienced three championships as a fan, then covered three more as a reporter. Then he boycotted them.
The Waddle and Silvy host joins The Lore to talk about what pushed him to walk away from the team he loves most — and whether Chicago can fall back in love with the Bulls again.
"I hate the Bulls so much because I love them." This is that conversation.

Jun 2, 2026

27 min

May 19, 2026

34 min

Three self-proclaimed ballpark nerds spent two years designing a virtual White Sox stadium from scratch. Not because anyone asked them to — but because they couldn't believe nobody was building what fans actually wanted.
Travis Sawchik of Chicago Magazine and Mark Anderson of MLBCathedrals walk through their vision for Comiskey III — what old Comiskey got right, what Rate Field got wrong, and why the South Loop site might be the best stadium opportunity in baseball.
The skyline. The river. The seats you can actually see the game from. This is what getting it right looks like.

May 19, 2026

34 min

May 6, 2026

24 min

Ted McClelland wrote a piece in Chicago Magazine arguing that letting the Bears go to Indiana might actually make sense.
So we tested that argument — and went deeper into what Chicago has gotten wrong with its stadiums for decades.
Mike North — the legendary Score host who was behind the mic for all of it — breaks down the emotional cost of old Comiskey Park, the missed opportunity of new Comiskey, and why crossing a state line is something Chicago can't stomach.
Two voices. Two perspectives. One question Chicago isn't done answering

May 6, 2026

24 min

Apr 8, 2026

19 min

The Cubs are finally extending their core — and spending like a big-market team again.
It's exactly what fans have been asking for.
So why do the vibes still feel off?
Sam Olbur of Locked On Cubs joins The Lore to talk about whether the Cubs are actually chasing a championship — or just getting comfortable with the baseline.

Apr 8, 2026

19 min