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Unvarnished Football

Unvarnished Football

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Former NFL executive Upton Bell provides the best football insights with co-host Michael Jackson. No gimmicks. No gossip. Just football.

Upton Bell was Director of Player Personnel for the Baltimore Colts under head coach Don Shula in the 1960s. Held same role when the Colts won Super Bowl V. He next became General Manager of the New England Patriots and changed the team’s name from the Boston Patriots to New England Patriots. His father, Bert Bell, founded the Philadelphia Eagles and was later NFL commissioner. Bert Bell invented the NFL Draft, the two-
minute warning, and overtime. Upton also was a pro football team owner, owning the World Football League’s Charlotte Hornets. His broadcasting credits including hosting New England Patriots pregame and postgame shows, and the long-running television show, “Sports Beat” on WSBK-TV in Boston. He is regularly quoted in many national media outlets including the New York Times and Washington Post.

Michael Jackson is an author, oral historian, and show host. His oral history book, The Game Before the Money was published by the University of Nebraska Press in 2014 and included interviews with NFL legends like Frank Gifford, Bart Starr, and Don Maynard. He writes TheGameBeforeTheMoney.com and hosts The Game Before the Money Podcast. Other past projects include directing a film documentary featuring the 1970s Luv Ya Blue Oilers, an oral history of HBCU
football, and two more published football books. As a host, he hosted a weekly national program on the SportsMap Radio Network, weekly live high school football postgame shows and high school football play-by-play on multiple radio stations in the Austin/San Antonio market area.

Unvarnished Football is protected under copyright. All rights reserved. Under no circumstances is AI data collection or mining (including modeling, generative, and the like) allowed from the content on the podcast.

Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Football (American)
Episodes
  • How Many NCAA Football Players Are Gambling?
    Jun 11 2026

    Upton Bell, a former NFL executive and NCAA basketball player discusses the recent gambling scandal involving Texas Tech quarterback Brenden Sorsby with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. The hosts discuss an NCAA study that found a significant percentage of D1 athletes violate NCAA rules and bet on college sports.

    The two also compare the Knicks' Game 4 NBA Finals comeback with great comebacks in NFL playoff history.

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    45 mins
  • Remembering Raymond Berry and NFL Trade Thoughts
    Jun 2 2026

    Upton Bell, a former executive with the Baltimore Colts, remembers Colts great and NFL legend with co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money. Both hosts share personal memories they have of working with Raymond Berry. The two also discuss the Myles Garrett and A.J. Brown NFL trades.

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    45 mins
  • Brian Flores Lawsuit and NFL Commissioner Power
    May 28 2026

    Upton Bell, former NFL executive and son of NFL commissioner Bert Bell, looks at the history of the NFL commissioner's power and how it's been viewed by the courts in light of the recent Supreme Court decision to decline hearing the NFL's appeal in the Brian Flores lawsuit. Co-host Michael Jackson of The Game Before the Money brings up several court cases and Congressional investigations filed throughout NFL history as Bell shares firsthand accounts of proceedings.

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    43 mins
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