The staff at Only A Game was sad to learn that ESPN was shutting down Grantland — the sports and culture blog founded by Bill Simmons in 2011. Over the past four years, we’ve had a number of Grantland writers join us on Only A Game to discuss their stories. Here’s a look back at some of those conversation.

Former San Francisco 49ers rookie linebacker Chris Borland was only 24 years old when he announced he was leaving the game. Only A Game’s Karen Given sat down with Borland to talk about how much his life has changed since he became a voice for those who feel that playing football isn’t worth the long-term risks of multiple concussions.

Grantland was a home for longform sports journalism at ESPN for four years. But five months after founder Bill Simmons left the company, ESPN shut down the site. James Andrew Miller, author of “Those Guys Have All The Fun: Inside The World Of ESPN” joins Bill Littlefield.

This week, Only A Game analyst Charlie Pierce discusses paid patriotism in professional sports, a baseball stadium that’s been converted into a nine-hole golf course and a sports broadcaster who fell asleep — on air — during a Champions League soccer match.

Eddie Eagan had never been in a bobsled when he was named to the U.S. Olympic bobsledding team for the 1932 Winter Games. Andy Bull, author of the new book “Speed Kings,” joins Only A Game to share Eagan’s story.

Becoming a Division I college football player is already difficult enough. What, then, does it take to reach that level as a blind athlete? Bill Littlefield speaks with long snappers Jake Olson and Aaron Golub about how they’ve navigated the world of football.

What does a turkey sandwich have to do with NCAA recruiting and the future of college sports? Only A Game’s Martin Kessler visits a new “fuel zone” at Ohio State to find out.

Torii Hunter is retiring after 19 seasons in MLB. Hunter earned nine Gold Gloves and played in five All-Star Games during his career. But Bill Littlefield will remember Hunter for something other than his impressive stats.

Is taking a scholarship away from a student-athlete an appropriate form of punishment? Is it possible to appreciate a player who might not be able to appreciate you? And is it acceptable that professional teams are getting taxpayer dollars from the Pentagon? Bill Littlefield is joined by Patrick Hruby and Kate Fagan.

The world of daily fantasy sports may face significant changes as state and federal entities further investigate FanDuel and DraftKings. Even bigger changes to the landscape, however, may result if state lotteries start producing their own versions of the games. Bill Littlefield isn’t convinced that’s a great idea.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Torii Hunter recently announced his retirement at the age of 40, bringing an end to his 19-year career. Hunter’s decision prompted Only A Game to take a look back at athletes who had successful careers well into their 40s.

As a professor at Florida State University, Diane Roberts knows a thing or two about college football. Roberts’ new book “Tribal” examines how college football fans come together to embrace a sport rich with culture, contradictions and traditions. Roberts joins Bill Littlefield.

The MLS is offering its most exciting games of the year, but those games just can’t compete with the World Series, the start of the NBA season and the ever-popular NFL. Bill Littlefield laments soccer’s predicament in the U.S. and celebrates it at the same time.

Only A Game analyst Charlie Pierce joins Bill Littlefield to discuss: Kobe Bryant breaking yet another NBA record, the arrival of the Sacramento King’s real-life robocop and the UCLA freshman quarterback who put a hot tub in his dorm room.

Highland Games festivals are known for putting traditional — and unusual — Scottish sports in the spotlight. The Braemar Highland Games in Scotland celebrated it’s 200th anniversary this year. Reporter Asa Merritt traveled to Braemar and followed one of the festival’s most competitive contests: tug of war.