This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comFirst Things First co-host and Friend of Pod Nick Wright respectfully and angrily disagrees with my Rodgers vs. Kimmel take. He’s got a viral take of his own that he felt I’d slighted by extension. We decided to hash it out and after much vigorous disagreement, arrived at some fascinating topics I didn’t anticipate. This started as an argument, then turned into a cathartic journey into how the pandemic period can’t quite be let go. I’m glad we talked as this was one of my favorite HoS conversations…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWos alarm and this one is turbo-paywalled. We start off talking different sports and the perils of drafting QBs high. We eventually move on to Aaron Rodgers vs. Jimmy Kimmel, what Pat McAfee vs. ESPN means, DEI and Harvard, genius of Druski, plus Bon Appétit breakup retrospective. Enjoy!

Certain stories just grab you and Erich Schwartzel’s “Behind the Tragic, Instagram-Perfect Life of an Ex-Disney Executive,” is such a tale. After I read it, I knew we needed to have a conversation about the now deceased Dave Hollis, a man whose seemingly perfect life was upended by the project of broadcasting it. Erich is a star entertainment reporter for the Wall Street Journal, Friend of Pod, and fascinating thinker on these modern issues. This is the first podcast I’m submitting to the Youtube channel and I’d encourage you all to subscribe. Enjoy!House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comHad to send word to our favorite New York Postman. Had to do it in lieu of ESPN’s Pat McAfee using his show as a platform to attack ESPN brass, by name. What the hell is happening here? What direction is ESPN going? Who is this “Norby” guy McAfee’s mad at? We get into it.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe are joined by Spike Eskin, friend of pod, Rights to Ricky Sanchez co-host, and WFAN muckity muck. This was a wide ranging one, including but not limited to:* My shaky foray into tweeting, in defense of ratings talk* Spike and I discussing what it’s like to have a negative take and how it tilts what you want* NFL writer Bill Barnwell takes a shot at the Eagles fans* A subscriber emails me a Sam Hinkie takedown for Spike to address* Can civilians do real NFL analysis? * A reader agrees with Spike and hates on the Bear.* Would Mad Men be better with New York accents?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comJay Caspian Kang is a great writer and astute observer of Media Culture. Today, the genesis of our conversation is his podcast on whether politics has a place in sports anymore. Jay and I both agree that the Trump Era politics in sports moment has ended for now (I’m more in favor of it ending than he is). We also get into his contention that NBA media is unusually soft/cheerleading among media sectors. Jay might even be more critical of NBA media culture than I am, so naturally we get into this. Enjoy and Happy New Year…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur preeminent sports media critic is back! Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post is here for a discussion that includes but isn’t limited to…* Yes, Brock Purdy vs. analysis from Steven Ruiz and others* Do we dare do a “What if Purdy was Black?” hypothetical? * Why are NFL quarterbacks usually conservative and religious? * Is Mark Cuban selling his majority Mavs stake an NBA red flag?* How the Posey San Francisco comments played out in local media* The Defector goes after Bill Simmons over the sports gambling boom. * Is Pat McAfee’s ESPN show struggling?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI love Tyler Dunne’s approach to covering the NFL, which you can find on his Go Long Substack. Tyler chases a deeper understanding instead of low calorie clicks, so it was surprising/hilarious to see his 21,000 word deep dive on the Bills coach go viral due to one embarrassing anecdote (Hint: It has something to do with 9/11). We get into the story, the fallout, Josh Allen, and so much else about modern football in this episode.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comThe Gist host Mike Pesca made an embarrassing confession to me, supported with evidence: In 2023, House of Strauss was Mike’s most listened to podcast. Not only did Mike air this shameful admission, but he graciously agreed to do a Year in Review pod with me about HoS. In it, we get into many topics, including how certain interviews went, how other interviews should have gone and how much basketball do I actually watch nowadays. Enjoy…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comStar Substacker Rob Henderson has written a spectacularly haunting memoir of his own life, titled Troubled. Consider this podcast a sneak preview, as the book is coming soon and you won’t want to miss it. Rob is not only among America’s leading millennial intellectuals, but his upbringing is among the roughest I’ve ever heard. It’s a miracle that he’s self sustaining, to say nothing of achieving so highly as a writer and thinker. With all that in mind, we discuss the vast chasm between his native Red Bluff, CA and the Ivy League campus he eventually arrived at. Rob, who coined the term “luxury beliefs,” has a lot of thoughts on how higher status Americans are broadcasting the wrong messages to those who live elsewhere. Oh, and we get into the issue of university presidents in hot water over the “genocide hearing.” Enjoy…

Steve Kornacki is, as you may know, the affable guy who gives you highly accurate election information on NBC. He’s got other projects, though, and I found this one fascinating. In this episode we discuss “The Revolution,” a podcast series on Newt Gingrich’s rise to power. Kornacki’s series argues that the Newt-fueled 1994 Republican takeover of the House is crucial to understanding our current era. Before the 1994 midterms, we were in one political reality; Afterwards, the country fundamentally changed. Steve and I talk about all this, plus get into why he avoids sharing any of his own politics. Oh, let’s tease this: Steve gets into what the 2022 midterms meant and why he believes the Dobbs effect is overstated. Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comComing off Sunday’s thrashing of the Eagles, the San Francisco 49ers are riding high. Naturally, we had to have 49ers +/- host Tim Kawakami on to discuss a variety of Niners and Niners adjacent topics. Of course, given Tim’s status as the best sports writer in the state over the last two decades, we also had to get into why the industry isn’t doing a better job delivering a product TK’s succeeding with. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why LA-based sports writers tend to leave sports writing * Tim wrote a Brock Purdy column that might be his most read ever* TK’s thoughts on 49ers fans getting mad at Purdy doubters like Steven Ruiz* Is Trent Williams the most valuable Niner? Do offensive linemen get their proper due?* If customers are flocking to this Niners content and John Canzano is crushing it in the Pacific Northwest, then what is the sports writing industry missing?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe booked Bogut. Then Australian NBA news items popped up and the Warriors lost a 24 point lead on national TV. Just as we got Henry Kissinger killed earlier in the week, it seems HoS has had a negative impact on all issues adjacent to our wonderful guest. No matter. It was a great talk, especially when we went down Warriors memory lane. Before all that, we, of course, discussed whether this is the end for that storied core Bogut once played alongside. Oh, and we also talked Josh Giddey, the firing of Daniel Moldovan, and Gregg Popovich grabbing the PA microphone to scold his crowd.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comMichael Moynihan is one of my favorite podcasters. I always enjoy him at his Fifth Column home and, of course, when he visits HoS. The genesis of this pod is Michael’s 2018 Vice interview with Open AI CEO Sam Altman, which was on the topic of UBI (Universal Basic Income). To give a sense of how the interview went, here’s Moynihan’s recent Instagram description of the exchange, posted in the aftermath of Altman’s firing (and before his rehiring): So OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was fired. This is apparently news requiring a New York Times homepage takeover, with three (!) stories speculating about the reason for his ouster. Allow me to offer an alternate theory: Altman was fired because he’s an insufferable asshole. I interviewed him back in 2018…one of the most pompous, absurd, unpleasant people I’ve ever spoken to on camera. You see, Altman suffers from that most common Silicon Valley delusion…the one convincing billionaires that because they are very clever with computer code, they can also solve the world's most vexing social problems. Altman is a proponent of universal basic income and believes that when jobs are automated away, a more socialist government can make it all better with UBI-like transfer payments to the newly unemployed. I gently pushed back on this idea. He didn't handle it well. Here are two clips from the tail end of my interview with Altman.So that’s our jumping off point to questions about the damage well meaning utopians can cause, whether AI will replace journalists, and, obviously: Would people prefer AI Sports Illustrated writers or AI Sports Illustrated swimsuit models? Also we get into an Israel/Gaza detour and address whether the culture war has ended. Great talk, hope you enjoy.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comIf you wanted to follow the Open AI debacle in depth, Ashlee Vance’s articles in Bloomberg have been mandatory. Lucky for us, he took a moment out of his busy reporting schedule to hop on HoS and discuss the bigger picture questions connected to the corporate crackup. Also, there’s quite a reason for his proximity to the situation, which he reveals in the podcast. I’m not even sure how to timestamp this one, as the conversation jumps around to a lot of abstract places. I’ll just say that it’s a discussion I personally can’t stop thinking about since we had it. Vance is my favorite writer on the topic of the imminent future and there are some staggering possibilities afoot. Should we be terrified? Should we be inspired? Can we, fairly soon, become immortal? Do we want that? We discuss all this, plus talk about Ashlee hanging out with a community of brain-implant augmented monkeys

We’re rejoined by Ross Barkan, the best New York politics reporter, plus an overall astute commentator on many matters. This time, we’re talking about how the Israel/Gaza situation has shaken up U.S. domestic politics and revealed a massive generation gap between TikToker and TV watcher. I’m aware that not everyone necessarily comes to HoS for this conversation, but I aim to channel what’s interesting to me, in hopes it might be interesting to you. Oh yea, and towards the end, Ross and I discuss his confusion about the In Season Tournament. Enjoy…House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe talk to Pablo, host of Pablo Finds Out, proprietor of the Pablo Torre Substack, and all around media man. I’m very intrigued by his recent interviews, including but not limited to Larsa Pippen + Marcus Jordan. We discuss this inquiry into forbidden love, Dan Le Batard’s Trump tapes, Stephen A. Smith’s sex advice and much more regarding the modern sports media landscape.

Mr. Goodwill is, to borrow a phrase from Colin Cowherd, a young man who’s covered the NBA forever. He currently writes and podcasts about the league at Yahoo!, but he once was a beat writer, cutting his teeth while following terrible teams. In this episode, we take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about what the NBA media industry was like, and what our lives were like. Did we live in a golden age without really knowing it? House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comThis podcast is unlike the other podcasts. Why? Because Super Producer Anthony Mayes spliced in our reaction to Adam Silver talking on another podcast. Beyond and because all that, a great conversation among pod friends. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* We all watch Adam Silver talking about the ways NBA Twitter influences league policy (2:40)* We spend many minutes doing a Mystery Science Theatre 3000 on this Adam Silver interview with JJ Redick* Redick + Silver on the science changing with load management (12:35)* The NBA’s “Hawkeye” issue is pissing teams off (33:00)* Why are Warriors fans so interested in the Chris Paul addition? (40:00)* How do the Light Years boys feel about Media Bob Myers? (56:40)* Klay and the Warriors going to breakup? (104:14)* Andy doesn’t like how Jordan Poole is getting blamed for last season (110:30)* Lack of Warriors developing young players not Kerr’s fault? (112:10)* Why did Saam and Andy both tweet about the Mean Girls reboot? (115:00)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBig Wos wears many hats, but chief among them is all encompassing NBA analyst. So I brought back the gimmick I used for Nate Duncan and asked the man some dumb normie questions. Then, because it’s Wos, we couldn’t help but break away from that conversation and touch on a range of sports culture topics (including the insanity of the LeBron Decision Era, college football culture and pro athletes cheating on their wives). No time stamps because this one flew around a lot. Also, we recorded prior to Victor Wembanyama using Thursday night to warp everyone’s sense of what’s possible in the sport. Enjoy!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAndrew Sharp is the co-host of three great and wholly different podcasts. He’s an NBA diehard, but also an Adam Silver Era skeptic, which makes him unusual among current podcasters. Obviously, I share something in common with such a perspective. In this episode, we end up cathartically venting about the Silver era, discuss the in season tournament experiment that’s upon us and consider whether LeBron James is viewed positively by normies. Podcast topics include but aren’t limited to…* Is ESPN more uptight than FS1? (0:00)* Why is Andrew so negative on the NBA’s in season tournament? (10:00)* Why can’t the NBA be like England’s FA Cup? (16:00)* At what point is a sport’s brand diluted? Is the NBA risking it? (23:10)* Does a new tournament need a raison d'etre? (34:00)* Does the NBA’s new CBA hurt the ability for teams to feel familiar? (46:00)* The James Harden trade saga (53:50)* Why don’t Steve Ballmer and the Clippers get ripped by media? (58:50)* How the NBA should have handled its War on Flopping (109:30)* Does the normie love LeBron James? (119:00)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBecause I can’t get enough of The Nineties, we had to have Chuck back to discuss its sports cultural aspects, specifically with an eye towards the evolution of college football. Chuck has worried publicly about CFB losing its soul, which it appears to be in some capacity, but the sport is also surging in popularity. What do we make of this paradox? We discuss that, plus get into the NBA’s “care deficit” problem, how sports need an illusion of realness, the myth making of LeBron vs. Kobe, Deion Sanders, and, of course, Taylor Swift’s modern dominance. Enjoy the pod, which includes but is not limited to the following topics:* Whether Chuck is shocked by college football gaining audience while getting overtly transactional (6:00)* NBA’s “care deficit” (19:00)* How we now expect coaches and players not to care about their college teams (23:00)* The MLB playoff format and the illusion of sports as “real” (28:00)* Chuck’s initial Victor Wembanyama take (38:00)* Chuck on the improbability of LeBron James fulfilling his destiny (40:05)* Chuck and I argue a bit on if LeBron has a real flaw as a sports figure (43:00)* Kobe as more flawed figure but better myth maker than LeBron (46:04)* Chuck on Taylor Swift as cool, indicating a shift in what’s cool (48:50)* The modern oddness of parents enjoying Taylor Swift alongside their kids (53:40)* In retrospect, was Deion Sanders a bigger deal than Chuck knew? (58:00)* Is the Generation Gap ending as a concept? (106:00)* What is it about Taylor Swift that resonates with this exact era? (116:50)

Friend of Pod Freddie is here because his recent posts have been very much in the HoS wheelhouse. We talked Hollywood’s collapse, the endurance of David Foster Wallace as boogeyman in media, Freddie’s differences with The Free Press over the Israel issue, and, finally, how the NFL is consumed by the public. Quite a conversation and I was glad to have it. Hope you enjoy. Timestamps come via the Astute Sam Schuette: What’s Driving Hollywood’s Collapse? (1:30)* Convincing the audience that products are worth less through monthly subscription services* Netflix as the intermediary offering your product below market value and divvying it up to shareholders: how do you make a profit?* The interests of streaming services are contrary to Hollywood’sThe Level of TV isn’t Good (12:50)* How it relates to newspaper subsidizing and ESPN charging twice the fees of their competitors* Concentrating more money in the hands of fewer people* The streaming boom sucks money out of the systemIs Economics or Ideology to Blame for the Downfall? (21:10)* Reboot fatigue* Streaming has shaken up the entire structure of HollywoodSubstack’s Economic Model and the Pros and Cons of Unbundling (26:40)* How the unbundling of media affects Substack creators like Ethan & Freddie and the audience that supports them* The independence and freedom that unbundling allows, that big bundled outlets don’t allow* Can traditional journalism survive in the 21st country?What Models Work (32:00)* Local papers & media Twitter being overtaken by the New York Times* The struggles of the Washington Post, The New Yorker, etc* The Ringer succeeds by subsidizing with an overload of analysis content rather than reporting content. Is this the blueprint?The Antagonism Towards Paying for Things You Enjoy (36:20)* The Napster concept of devaluing media and content by inflating their access and supply* People are unwilling to grapple with real prices because they’re used to such bargains via streaming* Why Freddie plans to soon retire from his SubstackFreddie’s Differences with The Free Press (43:30)* Why aren’t they covering students who’ve gotten jobs rescinded over their criticism of Israel?* Why is it important for nations and people to be considered the underdog? Freddie’s Recent Piece: Mimetic Collapse (55:50)* Why is David Foster Wallace still a boogeyman years after he died?* How TikToks about the annoyingness of Gen Z “lit bros” went viral* Why do people criticize lit bros when they don’t exist?People falling victim to refinement culture (1:06:00)* Refinement culture and customers experiencing the same product from different competitors. * How does this apply to people sharing the same universal opinion?* Hating certain archetypes is fashionable within the wider cultureDo People Like Anything? (1:12:10)* It’s now important to agree on what you hate more than what you like* Do lefty creatives like anything?* Stan culture vs hater culture – which is more dominant?What Sports Freddie Enjoys (1:16:30)* Why the NBA should cut the season amidst the load management crisis* The NFL injury dilemma: how the injury frequency ironically gives the NFL appealWhat Drives Opinions in Sports? (1:22:10)* Small margins swing NFL opinions so heavily. Is this good or bad?* Does the NFL media reward hot takes even when they’re baseless?* Brock Purdy, Josh Allen, Bryce Young, Justin Herbert and distorted quarterback opinionsHouse of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comRyan Glasspiegel of the New York Post is here, following an avalanche of NBA and ESPNbusiness news. In this episode, we attempt to separate real from rumor, possibility from wishcasting. I believe we succeeded in yet another informative and entertaining podcast.Topics include but aren’t limited to…Amazon with a Thursday NBA package? (2:00)* Is this an appealing option to anyone outside the NBA?Is the NBA going to cash out and get the last helicopter out of Saigon? (7:00)* Talking about the sports TV business environment* Will Commenter JF be the Michael Burry of the NBA’s collapse?What if ESPN just let NBA rights expire? (20:00)* Would ESPN save money overall if they let the NBA go?Dave Portnoy vs. the New York Times (22:50)* Portnoy going on an offensive in anticipation of an NYT hit piece* NYT’s Israel reporting and Portnoy’s critiques * Portnoy’s “normal people political instincts”* Israel/Hamas in the journalistic and campus institutions vs. public opinionWhy is college football so hot right now? (43:00)* Why does CFB work better with NFL than CBB work with NBA?* Ethan has a Caleb Williams takeTravis Kelce’s world domination path (50:20)* How Travis Kelce is like chicken breast

Nikolai Yakovenko is a man of many hats (pro poker, jiu-jitsu, computer engineering, archery, baseball analytics), but the main reason we’re talking to him is because he founded an AI-generated competing newspaper. Are machines set to take over for journalists? We get into this and so much more, including whether Michael Lewis deserves critcism. Topics include but aren’t limited to…Explaining the AI newspaper (4:00)* What is DeepNews?Can an AI Successfully Write my Last Article? (6:50)* Can a machine ape my idiosyncrasies? * Can the AI be a contrarian?Nikolai: “I got into a bit of horse archery” (12:00)* Are Mongol skills having a moment??Could an AI be like hit song maker Max Martin? (24:00)* Can machines succeed in art?Can an AI Unlock Human Creativity? (37:00)* How the machine can help us find inspiration by taking over boring tasks?Could DeepNews avoid the New York Times’ Gaza rocket mistake? (42:00)* If AI is aggregating off the Internet, how does it avoid its errors?Does Michael Lewis deserve to be in hot water over his portrayal of Sam Bankman-Fried? (48:00)* What Michael Lewis might be focusing on that led him astray This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comFirst Things First is my favorite favorite sports show on TV and with the NFL season in full swing, FTF is as well. So, I figured this would be a good occasion to get more insights from co-host Nick Wright on why this is the rare sports TV show that works. We also debate that Brock Purdy guy he’s down on. Great pod all around, Nick was quite generous with his time and takes. Timestamps provided by the astute Sam Schuette:Nick’s clever Brock Purdy strategy (5:40)* Where does Purdy rank?* How Nick Wright learned the strategy from a local show debating gun control* Making the argument by partially agreeing with the opponent What makes First Things First successful (12:15)* Broussard being able to put up with Nick’s persona* Straddling the line between sports and non-sports for viewers who want bothHow Nick Wright resembles the opposite of Warriors Monta Ellis (16:00)* The difference between watching snippets and highlights versus the whole showDoing shows for the clicks or for the good of the show (21:00)* How Nick transitioned from one to the other* Nick’s viral MJ clip* Should you get your true opinion out when it’s not for the good of the show?Production Genius of PTI and Inside the NBA (28:40)* The techniques PTI created that the rest of the industry now uses* How Inside the NBA succeeds as a personality-driven show* Production of Inside the NBA Eric Mangini Story (33:30)* How Nick’s advice to Mangini pissed Nick off * The need for antagonists in sports talk show* Which things make Nick the most mad?Quarterback Assessments (44:40)* How Justin Herbert resembles Karl-Anthony Towns* Which quarterbacks are improperly discussed? * Josh Allen getting compared to Patrick MahomesNick Defends Having Purdy as the 18th-best Quarterback (51:30)* How similar are Jimmy G and Purdy?* How much credit does Purdy’s supporting cast deserve for his success?* How much does size limit him in terms of injury and performance?Why the Niners Might be Playing Too Hard (1:11:50)* Are the Niners’ injuries bad luck or reflective of who they are?* Randomness in sportsNBA Outlook (1:15:50)* Bucks or Celtics as the favorite in the East* Why Giannis gets misunderstood* How strong is the Nuggets’ hold over the West?Why Doesn’t National Sports Talk do Baseball? (1:24:20)* Do MLB fans not want to hear about other baseball teams?Nick’s Boxing Proposal (1:29:00)* Making boxing into a multi-billion dollar business inspired by UFC and figure skating* What’s currently killing the sport

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI’ve been sick this week, but thankfully the great Marcus Thompson is here to help me discuss both local and national sports topics of interest. I really enjoyed this ep, even if it nearly killed me. Timestamps provided by the astute Sam Schuette:Pat McAfee and Aaron Rodgers (2:55)* McAfee paying Rodgers millions to be on podcast* Is it scandalous or friends being friends?If you could pay a million dollars to have any player on the pod, who would it be? (6:50)* The prospects of George Kittle, Tom Brady, and more* How much would it take to get Kevin Durant?Marcus’ old regular pod with Draymond (13:00)Bryce Harper-Orlando Arcia Incident (17:10)* How it resembles the Warriors-Jazz situation from six years ago* Why were the Phillies so angry?Does the MLB regular season even matter? (22:50)* The randomness of the MLB playoffs* Is it a good product if the underdog has the same chance to win as the heavy favorite?Colorado’s glamor (28:20)* Why Colorado’s environment resembles an NBA Finals game more than a CFB game* Shedeur Sanders’ watch situationThe Taylor Swift and Beyonce Sports Theories (42:15)* At home, does Marcus see evidence of Taylor Swift brining in NFL fans?* Why Beyonce would have to leave Jay-Z for an athlete to match Taylor Swift’s hypeThe Rise of Brock Purdy (47:15)* How Brock Purdy hate fuels Bay Area radio* How much of his success should be attributed to him versus his surroundings?* Why his look makes people underrate him* Which teammates praise him the most?Seeing athletes in person versus on TV (1:10:10)* What watching in person reveals about players like Trent Williams* NBA players look thinner in personDo the Warriors miss being the center of attention against the Niners? (1:12:15)* Relishing the opportunity as an underdog* Why a 49ers Super Bowl would dominate the Bay 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comKatie Herzog, the funny and insightful co-host of Blocked and Reported is back 1) Because she has an open invite to appear on HoS and 2) Because BAR covered the Trevor Bauer saga, as I did too. Our conversation starts on the media coverage of Bauer and then gets into other journalism topics. Pod subjects timestamped by the astute Sam Schuette include…Trevor Bauer Saga (1:10)* Why did mainstream outlets quash the story’s epilogue?* Social incentives overtaking financial incentives when covering controversial storiesThe media’s role in sexual assault cases (14:30)* Does it matter if the accuser is named?* “Say her name” vs preserving anonymity* How much does partisanship affect these cases?The outside influences on journalists (21:07)* How the desire to sound right-thinking influences a journalist’s coverage* What’s worse: Audience capture or colleague capture?Has more smoke cleared for MeToo or BLM? (34:10)* How assumptions on race and gender influence perspectives* Which can we talk about more, issues that cross over with #MeToo or BLM?* Ibram X Kendi’s ESPN segment and why it got released after the window of interest closedThe Reality of NFL Players’ Views on their Careers (43:00)* Why do so many players not regret playing amid all the pain it caused?* Why it’s difficult for the journalists to acceptSixers Beat Reporter Fired For One Tweet: Fair or Unfair? (46:15)* Is it fair to fire an employee over a bad Tweet?* Can you support freedom of expression while recognizing that one tweet can reveal incompetence? X’s Role in the Israel/Palestine War (56:00)* Would the prior Twitter have censored the Hamas attack?Delayed Aftershock of Me Too in the Sports World (1:02:05)* Why did it come for public radio and not sports?* The role of sensitivity among the audience

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comNow that the NBA’s offseason has wrapped up, we’ve enlisted Kevin O'Connor to make sense of the chaos. Really, it’s just a platform for KOC to take a victory lap over the hardball tactics he advocated for Portland in his last HoS appearance. Given that KOC was correct in that assessment, I’m open to more convincing from him on other topics. So today’s podcast is themed, “Sell me on.” In this podcast, we discuss…Why KOC was right about how the Blazers should handle Dame’s trade demand (4:20)How the Heat were singled out for spite, but still wouldn’t have had the best deal (7:20)KOC sells me on Jrue Holiday as a playoff performer despite his recent issues (10:00)KOC sells me on Celtics as favorites in the East (14:00)KOC sells me on Kristaps Porzingis (16:09)KOC sells me on Tyler Herro being a bad contract (22:00)We discuss whether the popular derisive reaction to Miami’s media is fair (25:00)KOC sells me on Tom Brady over Patrick Mahomes (30:00)KOC sells me on the Cybertruck (35:00)We talk about whether the new CBA has broken the NBA as we know it (42:20)KOC sells me on The Sphere (53:00)What’s it like to be podcast married to Chris Vernon? (1:00:25)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comPuck News co-founder and The Town host Matthew Belloni is my go to on show business goings on. Nobody is better versed on this fast moving industry during a particularly turbulent epoch, and he conveys it all with panache. So, in this episode, I picked Belloni’s brain Timestamps provided by the astute Sam Schuette….Writers strike and the role of Twitter social pressure (1:40)How did Twitter facilitate the strike?Why is streaming such a bad business? (16:10)How the vanishing of windowing and bundling made revenue more difficultTaylor Swift and 4 Quadrant Marketing (22:05)Is Taylor Swift leveraging the NFL to get guys to see her movie?Barbenheimer Shattering Expectations (24:46)Why Barbie’s success was a triumph of the brand, not the genre of comedyThe difficulty of making “new” (30:00)The same people who run Hollywood now are the same people who ran Hollywood decades agoESPN vs. Fox – Who Fails First? (36:55)Why the stakes are higher for ESPNWill the Leagues get Saved by Big Tech? (40:45)ESPN’s problem with renting the leagues instead of owningNetflix dipping their toes into the sports worldIs Wrexham’s Popularity Real or Fake? (47:25)How it may set a trend for celebrities in sportsWinning Time’s Death (49:55)The expenses of getting non-sports fans to watch the showPeople not taking sports seriously (51:10)The complexities of covering sports that get ignored

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comNancy Rommelmann is one of my favorite journalists, so I looked to her on the question of whether there are any actual rules in journalism. She did not disappoint. In this pod, we discussed Portland expert Nancy’s live reaction to the Damian Lillard trade, her take on WaPo vs. Portnoy, and that “Has the Sexual Revolution Failed” debate down in Los Angeles. Topics in this podcast include by aren’t limited to….* Aforementioned Lillard live reax* What Emily Heil did wrong when confronted by Dave Portnoy* How you handle the subject of a “hit piece” * How Nancy was denied comment when she was the subject of a hit piece* LA Times vs Bari Weiss’ Sexual Revolution Debate* Nancy’s take on the “Has the Sexual Revolution Failed?” question* Is the trans kids in sports topic a real subject? Or a boogeyman subject? * What’s wrong with certain cities right now? And what’s with the denial?* Why don’t Portland men want to have sex?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAdam Mares is the brilliant impresario behind the DNVR sports media empire, a local institution, rooted in a literal Denver bar, that he’s building out to new cities and ventures. While the Denver Nuggets have been central to Adam’s personal coverage and the rise of DNVR, the arrival of Deion Sanders as coach of Colorado has been entirely different sort of windfall. This episode is about how one captures the current Deion moment, Sanders’ brilliance as modern media strategist, and, as always, some gripes about the current NBA state. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* The idea behind creating a physical space for digital fans* The arrival of Coach Prime* The impact of Prime on the media landscape* Has Deion been good for college football? * How Deion Sanders is like Donald Trump* The sneaky success of Deion’s son as personal social media manager* Is Sanders’ success sustainable longterm?* Adam’s take on the internationalization of the NBA* The patriotic reason fro why Adam’s going to root against Team USA* Is nobody learning from Nikola Jokic?* How the NBA needs more leadership and fewer rules

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBuyer beware, this might be the sports-iest HoS yet. Tim Kawakami, greatest Bay Area sports writer of the last two decades and my former boss, stops by to talk San Francisco 49ers. That’s right, I’m a football guy now, and I need TK to refine my takes. We also get into some Niners-Warriors parallels, Andre Iguodala’s new assessment of Jordan Poole, and where the San Francisco Chronicle erred in its Warriors coverage. Topics on this podcast include are not limited to…* Former Warriors GM Bob Myers is a Niners nut* What positions really matter in football? * Is Left Tackle or Pass Rusher more valuable?* The Brock Purdy Conversation: Why so continuously doubted?* What is Purdy good at? What is he not so good at? * What do we make of Purdy’s Thursday night football performance? * Andre Iguodala gave an interesting recent appraisal of Jordan Poole* Poole and TK had some friction* Why the San Francisco Chronicle messed up the Warriors’ rise

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI needed a talking to by the HoS Podbudsman, otherwise known as Spike Eskin of Rights to Ricky Sanchez and WFAN fame. Boy, did I get one in an appearance where Spike explains how I’m being a whiner and what I must do to fix it. Despite whatever emotional injury I withstood, I always value Spike’s advice because he’s an astute radio/pod professional and well intentioned friend. Podcast discussions include but aren’t limited to the following topics…* The aftermath of Aaron Rodgers’ disaster on the New York talk radio scene* What it sounded like when a host was dangerously optimistic about the Jets* Why Spike thinks I’m being a “whiny baby” about Elon Musk suppressing links on X* What I must do stop being a whiner and thrive* Is Spike jealous that I got to (briefly) meet the ladies of Red Scare? * A beef that Spike has with a commentator of mine about politics* Deion Sanders’ popular college football ascent and its search for opposing forces* Adam Silver both sidesing players not honoring their contracts

Great friend of pod and great friend in life Matt Klinman is back so we can compare notes on our respective industries getting throttled. Does this (currently striking) comedy writer and Internet prophet feel some “I told ya so” now that I’m going through something similar to his past experiences at Funny or Die? We get into that plus a lot more as the future of all entertainment and culture hangs in the balance. Topics in this podcast include but are not limited to…* I attended the “Has the Sexual Revolution Failed?” debate in Los Angeles. I give my debate scene recap. * How Matt discovered that Funny or Die and everyone else in comedy content was about to get destroyed by Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy* The divorce between Elon and Substack has consequences* Regis and Kelly narrating 9/11 live* Matt talks about the writers/actors strike and addresses my customers having reservations about his ilk* Outcome of Charter vs. Disney dispute* Is Bill Maher strike breaking? * Are there female degenerate sports gamblers?* The time Matt saved my life from a gang beating in Irvine, CA This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

And now for something completely different! We have top level investigative reporter Lee Fang, talking about how getting stranded at Burning Man. Okay, that’s not the entirety of the discussion, but it’s a jumping off point into many cultural and political subjects. I’ll warn that this one isn’t as sports centric, it’s still a great conversation in my humble opinion. Outline by the astute Sam Schuette…* Lee’s Burning Man article* Enjoying himself amongst the mass media hysteria* How it represents an escape from the politics and partisanship of the world* The human condition of cruelty* Has it always existed? Is social media just revealing it?* The fun of dehumanizing thousands of people online* The appeal of simplistic enemies* Why people wanted a controversial Burning Man story to be representative of the event’s shortcomings* Lefty meetings vs. Burning Man: are they really similar?* The fancy, elitist talk on the left versus the simple, welcoming Burning Man* Why does much of the left dislike an event that creates momentary lefty utopia?* The uncertainty of the Bay Area* Is it too big to fail?* The role of radical groups in the city’s downturn and the billionaires that fund them* The internet’s role in making people unlikely to admit they’re wrong* People not learning from their mistakes because of reputation risk* The fear of admitting that the bad guy is right* What would happen if the left and right swapped places?* Would a liberal in a rural community or a conservative in a big city offer solutions?* The horseshoe effect of complaining without a solution that plagues both sides* Why do people accuse the other side of being horrible people?* Choosing performative morality over fixing the issue* The loss of touch in society* How can a person feel connected when their politicians never deliver?* How name-calling and internet beef fill the social hole people feel nowadays* Lee’s experience with lefty journalism* How his work with the establishment revealed the corruption within it* The disconnect between liberal groups and the people they supposedly serve* Lee’s political orientation* What’s Lee’s political compass?* The importance of analyzing power and holding people accountable* What are the people inside the leftist circle like?* Lee gives the download on his social circle* The us versus them mentality that remains even after the issues they’ve won* What’s going on with Tucker Carlson?* Has he positioned his journalism out of resentment?* His fallout with Fox* Elon Musk’s conflict with the ADL* What the ADL gets wrong about their methodology?* Why Elon’s pushback deserves an asterisk This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

If you’re a baseball fan, you’ve probably heard of Driveline founder Kyle Boddy. If not, here’s your intro to one of the most revolutionary figures in sports, and a great podcast guest to boot. Kyle’s revolution is taking the Moneyball hunt for market inefficiency to the realm of improving players. After demonstrating an impressive proof of concept with pitching and hitting, he’s taking his storied abilities into the other major sports. Outline from the astute Sam Schuette… * Revolutionary changes in sports* Manu Ginobili’s Eurostep* How much is tradition worth following?* Can AI find new strategies that haven’t been tapped into?* Making sports less enjoyable by optimizing it* It pays for batters to play “boring”* How to look for the glitch and exploit it* What teams miss when they solely focus on big-name prospects and not undrafted players* If you’re great, throw it right down the middle* Why it’s un-American to ignore the under-the-radar players with untapped potential* What variables separate good organizations from bad organizations?* The importance of purpose and direction* Why Heat Culture is so prominent* How they hold their players accountable while other teams do not* Does the player-driven league limit accountability?* What constitutes good hitting?* Bat speed vs. smash factor vs. swing decision* What people misunderstand about the key to good hitting* Applying baseball sports science concepts to basketball* What Hawkeye player tracking can reveal that Second Spectrum cannot* Why basketball is harder to analyze than baseball and football* Secrets to pitching improvements* The role of overload-underload training in increasing pitch speed* Should you really keep your eye on the ball?* What recent research shows about how hitters make contact without looking at the ball* What kids’ love for video games reveals about players’ love for their sport* The importance of immediate feedback in video games and sports training* Making a player’s improvement into a quantifiable video game* Telling someone they’re getting better isn’t enough unless there’s data to support it* The importance of having a coach who wants it as bad as the player* Proving your worth through work ethic* What Kyle learned from Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe had to have Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post on to discuss Disney/ESPN vs. Charter, the face off that might kill sports viewership as we know it. Or get resolved soon. Ryan has a take on his initial take and many other takes. We get into it. Topics include but aren’t limited to:* Why Charter has leverage over ESPN* Why Ryan thinks this gets resolved* Is there an ideological component to the position Disney finds itself in?* The re-bundle could be upon us. * What does it mean for the NBA? If cable dies, are they in trouble as an inventory sport?* Reader JF (JK!) is doing the Big Short on sports TV rights. Is he going to be correct?* Skip Bayless’ new Undisputed lineup vs. ESPN’s First Take* How streaming dilutes audience from an advertiser perspective

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur favorite guest is here (don’t tell the others), prompted by a certain Substacker’s contention that there’s negative demand for sports writers to engage in conventional political commentary. Wos is the ideal guy for this topic because he somehow does both sports and political talk while retaining the goodwill of most reasonable people. What’s his secret? Is there a secret? This podcast includes but is not limited to the following topics: * How Wos avoids the “sardine in the vending machine” issue* Is the problem talking politics when you’re in sports? Or is the problem that the sports talker adopts an annoyingly predictable politics? * The Trump-based litmus test for whether you’re too ideological* Can Wos become an NFL pundit? * Wos is fully in love with the New York Jets* Aaron Rodgers: Where’s the media at on this guy now?* The NFL’s comeback* Wos had takes on this controversial article about Obama’s past and present

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAnd now for a man who needs no introduction, but we will be re-introducing on account of technical difficulties last time. It’s the great Bob Costas, legendary broadcaster of all things, and current baseball announcer for TBS and the MLB Network. In this episode, we’ve sent over friend of pod and big time WFAN muckety muck Spike Eskin to Bob’s place to deal with any tech issues. The result? A quality podcast wherein we discuss, among many topics, learn that HoS is a fine product!Pod outline written by the astute Sam Schuette: * Why are so many New Yorkers prominent broadcasters?* The lineage of Costas, Cosell, Breen, Albert, Tirico, and more* The law of averages and New York as the mecca* Talking Shohei Ohtani* How Ohtani resembles Michael Jordan (but LeBron does not)* The one thing he’s missing* Should Ohtani get surgery now or later?* The trajectory of the MLB* The association between a team and its stars* The imbalance between teams like the Rays and the Dodgers* Informed commentary vs. hot take commentary* Avoiding egregiously hot takes and personal blows* How exclusively positive commentary can make you seem less authentic* Why Costas regrets speaking to ESPN about leaving NBC* Clickbaity titles and the distortion machine made his Super Bowl removal a bigger deal than it was* How it created a false “Bob vs. NBC” storyline* “Your prerogative vs. their prerogative”* Trying to be honest vs. making trouble for your bosses* The bar for controversial commentary has gotten so low that anything can cause a fallout* Bob’s Pat Riley story* How a botched teleprompter let Bob save Pat during a broadcast* How David Stern and Roger Goodell differed as commissioners* Goodell ducked an interview with Bob* Stern enjoyed the fight and accepted contentious interviews* The gambling tsunami taking over pro sports* The moral issues behind it* Legalization and convenience enlarging the scope of its damage* Does it take away the authenticity of being a fan?* The Pete Rose Hall of Fame controversy* If steroid users are on the ballot, should Rose deserve a spot?* Does the influx of gambling in the MLB make the Rose lifetime ban unwarranted?* Bob appearing on Bill Maher* Not having to prepare for it* The difference between Real Time and Club Random* Aggregators mistranscribing podcast words* How the internet misrepresents everyone’s words* Bob’s defense of network TV* The edginess and intelligence it offered to the average viewer despite its timidness

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comA House of Strauss favorite is here for our Second Substack Anniversary (Subscribe today!). Amin Elhassan of Meadowlark stops by to, among other things, give me a lot of shit. Podcast topics include by are not limited to…* Amin examines whether the Toronto Raptors really stole secrets from the New York Knicks?* Is cheating the final boss of analytics?* Amin loves how baseball is the cheatingest sport by far* Amin roasts my 2nd anniversary post* In the sports doc boom following The Last Dance , only Quarterback is an undeniable hit. Is Patrick Mahomes our era’s MJ? * Tom Brady: Tim Duncan if he had 7 rings?* I have a new, unwelcome neighbor* Amin felt validated by Lizzo’s fall from grace* Would a Woj vs. Shams movie actually be good?* Years later, I finally reveal the real reason my stoned interview with Don Nelson went south

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comSaagar Enjeti is co-host of Breaking Points, one of America’s most popular news podcasts (Congrats to them on reaching 1 million subscribers on Youtube as an independent venture). He’s also a guy with strong opinions on why successful creators shouldn’t sell out. In this pod, we discussed his takes on the corporate sagas of Barstool and 538, plus we addressed the following question: Is Fox News or ESPN more doomed going forward? Conversation in this episode includes, but is not limited to the following topics listed by the astute Sam Schuette: * Why Saagar is anti-selling out`* The importance of standing for the content and the audience* Why Breaking Points is not the model* Being nuanced and normal is the exception to the rule of mainstream media* Getting to talk about what you want because you work for yourself* The Chris Matthews Interview that went bad* The clash of old media vs new media* The potential, imminent crash of Fox News* Their diminishing cultural power over the public * Why the era of incubating network stars (Carlson, Maddow) is over* How does Fox survive without Carlson?* Monoculture old media vs new media* There’s no more universal cultural reach among celebrities* “Fame is dead”* The Internet’s influence seeping into politics* Vivek Ramaswamy and Andrew Yang rising the ranks via the internet rather than through mainstream legacy* How Ramaswamy went from virtually unknown to competing with the former Vice President* The downfall of New Yorker profiles* The dysfunction Ronan Farrow’s Elon Musk profile accidentally reveals* Politics shifting toward lifestyles* How it shifted away from personal beliefs towards aspirational class* How hate fuels political involvement* Why the left loves talking about Trump and the right loves talking about wokeness* Richard Hanania controversy: How did his book survive?* What factors shielded him from an unearthing that would have recently been a death knell for others?* How it’s difficult for the media reaction to process Hanania’s fundamental weirdness* The shifts in fashion among the general public* Is it narcissistic to dress casually and expect respect?* When Ethan wore a suit with athletic shorts and sneakers for TV work

Tom Haberstroh is the new proprietor of The Finder, a Substack wherein he, well, finds things. He’s always been great at that by the way, dating back to when he joined the (then infamous) Heat Index at ESPN. As long as I’ve known him, Tom’s used research to uncover aspects that others either couldn’t find or didn’t even know to look for. In this episode we take a trip down memory lane, back to when Tom was a hot shot 24-year-old reporter, commissioned to cover the most controversial team in the world. Was Tom the object of some hatred, by proxy of LeBron James? Upon reflection, was a little of it perhaps justified? Then we fast forward to today and have Tom make sense of modern situations like James Harden vs. Daryl Morey. We also get a sense of why he thinks that sports gambling is a bigger problem for the NBA itself than I do. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comJay Caspian Kang of the New Yorker drops by and we revisit his tremendous Barstool Sports New York Times article from 2017. Jay was around the Barstool operation during the infamous blowup of what was to be a merger with ESPN/Disney. Now, there’s a new connection point between the companies as Barstool’s main gambling sponsor leaves to join ESPN. We look back on the article and ask the following: Did Barstool win in the end?But that’s merely a jumping off point. Many topics were covered in this pod, as outlined by the astute Sam Schuette. Those topics include but aren’t limited to…* Revisiting Kevin Durant’s exit from Golden State* Why Ethan has sympathy for Durant* The NBA Dark Web* The group of fans who love Monta Ellis and call Kevin Durant’s rings fraudulent* The race to be the most normie* The James Harden Daryl Morey Duel* Why Jay wanted Harden to be in the right* Harden’s Chinese wine selling* Barstool’s Big Move* Revisiting Jay’s Barstool article six years later* Why Barstool’s broad political reach worked in their favor* Why content doesn’t drive gambling as much as people think* Penn leveraging Barstool’s gambling-eager audience still couldn’t compete with the gambling titans* The importance of authenticity on betting apps* How BetMGM made bad PR because they didn’t want to pay a teacher $200k* The difficulty and ethicality of sports betting* Being good isn’t one big secret, it’s 1,000 little secrets* How many people actually win big?* Jay’s move to Berkeley* Why he enjoys it despite weird residents and stressed out students* Ethan thinks Berkeley is a “spiritually dark place.”* Self-segregation at UC Berkeley* The illusion of shared understandings* What drives people to choose who they hang out with?* The lack of interest surrounding Asian-Americans* Why do Asians get overlooked in cases like Affirmative Action which concern them?* The controversy surrounding Jay’s book* Understanding why people disliked it but not understanding why they didn’t * Getting less hostile on Twitter* Jay’s history of “bullying” on Twitter * How not being the underdog anymore makes him argue less* The “Redhead Beard Guy Song”* How the right uses music to own the libs* Why it’s effective because the left gives it attention

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comRyan Glasspiegel of the New York Post is here and we start by discussing the big sports business story of the day: PENN Entertainment’s exit from Barstool and its entry into ESPN. From there, we can’t resist the USWNT flameout discourse, discourse, discourse….

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comLike so many people, I was shocked to see Disney separate Nate Silver from his famous website, 538. How could this happen? What’s next for Nate, post-538? We get into it. Our jumping off point is Nate’s new Substack, Silver Bulletin, which I thoroughly enjoy. That site covers topics ranging from poker to politics and, of course, pro sports. So we talk a…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comIn a way it’s been too long because we should have had Kevin O'Connor on sooner. The man delivers coverage that’s both comprehensive and prolific, plus he amiably powers through any backlash. I’m curious about how he does his thing and so I asked. Oh, and we discussed Elon Musk too. The following outline comes courtesy of our resident intern, the astute Sam Schuette:* What’s the best way to watch games as an analyst?* Watching one by one in the morning vs watching five different monitors all at once* Clips vs full games* Reacting to draft hits and misses* Killian “The French Cam Payne” Hayes* How to react to a miss on a prediction/ranking* Going from covering one team to becoming the NBA generalist* The added pressure of knowing everything about all 30 teams* Getting thick skin by growing up on the internet* How arguments on online forums and comment sections can teach mental resilience* Yes, the goddamn Lillard trade standoff we can’t avoid in any pod* Similar situation to Durant in Brooklyn* Waiting it out is more appealing to Portland than it seems* Changing team allegiances as a journalist* Rooting for the Lakers and Heat as a Celtics fan?* The temptation to root based on how the outcome validates a take* Controversy over KOC’s Elon tweet* When Musk responded to a troll tweet about Kawhi Leonard’s trade destination* Separating what a person does from what they say* Liking someone’s actions more than their words* Kevin Garnett as a basketball muse* The power of the individual player in changing a team’s culture* J. Kyle Mann, Caitlin Cooper, and underrated NBA writers* KOC’s on-air partners* Big Wos the “takesman”* Chris Vernon’s Dolan-Putin analogy

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI enjoy Freddie’s perspective, so when he reached out about appearing on this podcast to talk about, well, podcasting, I was delighted to take him up on it. The end result was a pod about podding, but also so much more regarding the modern content game. Turns out Freddie had some NBA culture angles too. The following outline comes courtesy of the astute Sam Schuette:* What makes an interesting podcast?* Why people with massive followings like Steph Curry and Obama aren’t popular podcasters*  The media’s role in creating storylines for players* What the NBA bubble lacked* The post LeBron “Decision”overcorrection of the media covering player mobility* How the media went from ridiculing a free agency decision to being content with mid-contract trade requests* What’s the NBA’s appeal to a fan of a small market team?* Smaller teams struggle to contend when their stars request trades* Bill Simmons* What’s his secret to podcast success? * What’s the Ringer’s method of creating successful podcasts* Variance and ephemerality in podcasting* The barrier to creating content is lower than ever* So many people have the resources to make content, regardless of their skill* Has it gone too far?* Creative jobs vs “boring” jobs* How long should you follow your dreams?* The 45-year old screenwriter who can’t sell a script vs the office drone* Max Read and Matt Ygelisias’s blogging success * Is success a product of being in the right place at the right time or sticking it out?* The disintegration of the ladder up the ranks* Can an aspiring sports writer still work their way up to ESPN or The Athletic?* DeBoer’s Pixar post* The convergence of adulthood and childhood

A third pod this week and a good one I might add.John Middlekauff, former NFL scout and recreational golf nut, podcasts on both football and golf. In this episode, we draw on that combined expertise to get into whether there’s an overlap between these two worlds. Additionally, we discuss Colin Cowherd’s take on Tony Romo’s golf addiction, get an informed opinion on whether Steph Curry could really go pro on the links, and talk about whether running backs are actually getting screwed salary-wise (John has a contrarian take here). This was a more sportsy podcast than usually happens on HoS, and there’s nothing wrong with that…House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBeyond being a noted animal lover, Spike Eskin is one of our favorite guests. As co-host of the successful Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast and Vice President of Programming at storied WFAN, he’s always got great insights on the world of sports content. This podcast was no exception and I found myself having too good a time to end it on schedule. Topics include, but aren’t limited to: * Politics in sports and audience expectations* What Spike learned from a brief time in con radio world* Following Nate Silver’s theories on why many predictions are wrong* Is Harden constantly requesting trades really player empowerment?* Jeff Teague and the power of honesty in player podcasts* The decline of consensus opinions on TV shows* Spike has issues with The Bear* Did it matter if Mad Men wasn’t a completely accurate portrayal of the past?* Every TV show has its version of Dorne in Game of Thrones* How liking Oppenheimer can get you accused of being a communist* AI Music Covers* Things you would say with friends at a barbecue that would start a Twitter war

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBomani Jones is here and suddenly without constraints. We had a great conversation on sports industry topics, many of which we were able to get to by using the Damian Lillard/Le Batard/Woj situation as a jumping off point. Oh, and below we’re testing out a more complete podcast outline, put together by Sam Schuette. Pod subjects include but aren’t limited to:* Individual branding* After leaving ESPN, becoming your own brand as a journalist* ESPN equity stakes to NBA and NFL* Desperation? Inability to compete with big tech* Chess move? Leagues could be going for established networks after failed NBA TV* NFL has leverage over ESPN, no need to make deal* NFL’s popularity over other leagues* Good balance of variance and predictability in the NFL makes it exciting* Regular season matters more in NFL which piques interest all year long* Lillard trade/Woj drama* How did Woj’s relationship with Lillard’s agent influence his reports?* Lillard’s situation reflective of shift in players’ status in how they get to pick their next destination even when under contract* Different types of journalism (Windy vs Woj)* Windhorst: brings fans behind the scenes* Woj: more focused on breaking the big news first* White guys in the NBA* Tyler Herro undervalued because he’s white?* Whiteness can be a detriment to how a player’s perceived when he’s below average, but an asset when he’s good (x-cubed analogy)* White Americans vs white Europeans (guys who connect with media vs foreigners perceived as outsiders)* Many white Americans grow up in predominately white areas (where it’s more socially acceptable for a white guy to aim for the NBA)* Taylor Swift male audience* Recent influx of male audience members at Swift concerts, particularly among Gen-Z* Do guys actually care about her music or is it just a way for them to get a date?* Jonathan Ogden story (some guys simply enjoy the music, even those you’d least expect)* Messi in Miami* Miami is an ideal location because of Argentine population* It’s an “events” city* Will be tough to because few fans care about the team, only Messi himself* Running back salary* Running backs supposedly underpaid* Complicated by the fact that RB’s often leave their primes when they’re up for free agency* In multiple sports, CBA’s complicate players salaries and create disconnect between max contract players versus role players* Bomani addressing naysayers* TV show ratings* Unpredictable takes (sometimes traditionally left-wing, sometimes not)* What’s it like to have your career discussed as a proxy for wokeness

Jonathan Rosen wrote a book that can’t really be described in a sentence and I’m not sure it really maps onto anything else I’ve read. It’s a memoir and a horror story and really, you just have to read it. The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions is about Rosen’s childhood best friend, Michael Laudor and what became of this once boy genius. The short story: Laudor goes from brilliant Yale undergrad, to well compensated yuppie, to an institutionalized schizophrenic adult, to celebrated and accommodated Yale Law student, to being the subject of a Ron Howard movie wherein he’s played by Brad Pitt, to, finally, the killer of his pregnant fiancé. Just on the basis of that story alone, the book could be completely absorbing. But Rosen does something more with it all and we discuss so much of that in this podcast: His is a work that serves as a mirror for an era: Its ambitions, assumptions and tragic mistakes, all seen through the prism of one man’s journey. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI feel like Big Wos and I podded at the perfect time, given that Monday delivered a lot of sports media drama. Beyond all that, we went long on symbolism-as-politics, the Dame Lillard trade standoff, and, of course, The Bear. * This pod includes but is not limited to discussion of the following topics:* Dan LeBatard vs. Adrian Wojnarowski * Dan LeBatard vs. Stephen A. Smith* Is Woj wrong factually or just tonally? * We revisit Jemele Hill’s comments on what got her fired from ESPN* Political symbolism: What does it accomplish?* Wos has takes on the Heat vs. Blazers standoff over Damian Lillard * Is The Bear truly a great TV show? Is a backlash brewing? * Wos has become a great NBA analyst

And now for something completely different…Kat Rosenfield is an author and writer who often boldly covers matters of cultural controversy. So what does this podcast have to do with sports? Not much, beyond the following: So many people I ran into at NBA Summer League couldn’t shut up about Jonah Hill. Given that Kat has covered the Hill situation on her podcast, I wanted her additional takes on the topic. First question: Why the hell is this private matter made public such a story? Subjects on this podcast include but aren’t limited to…* Kat thought I might tie this to sports somehow* How this private drama got such public traction* Airing dirty laundry for the “win”* “Professional Surfer”?* Why are pro-therapy people anti “therapy talk”?* Rationalizing bullying as righteous * Can famous people really ever find love, post fame?* Looks as often unacknowledged social advantage (or disadvantage) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comPuck News co-founder and Ringer podcast host Matthew Belloni presents the most comprehensive view of whatever’s happening in showbusinss, both big and small picture. Naturally, I wanted his takes on the role of modern sports docs (Such as Quarterback on Netflix), ESPN, and the death of tentpole comedies post 2014. We got all that, plus a lot more, within a highly efficient podcast. Topics include but aren’t limited to: * Should I paywall this?* Is the much hyped Quarterback on Netflix actually good? Maybe not? * Matt’s take on the new Steph Curry doc and what isn’t in it. * Why is ESPN unable to afford sports docs that Netflix gobbles up?* What’s ESPN’s future in this dark hour?* How’s the NBA getting involved in streaming?* Is the NFL on Amazon a success?* The decline of comedy movies: How much does social media sensitivity play a role?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWhen Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports and the Volume podcasting network stopped by HoS, I wanted to pick his brain on industry subjects. As expected, he was a stupendously entertaining font of behind scenes takes. As a TV sports talk king and a podcasting network founder, he sees the modern content economy from different perspectives all at once. So we get into that, plus a lot more, as we freestyle 90 minutes of loose talk. Enjoy.This podcast includes but is not limited to discussion of the following topics…* Choosing storytelling over big names in sports talk* On talking politics in sports media and whether ESPN had too much of it* How Colin manages his podcast personalities * Why did Colin bet big on Nick Wright early on?* How does Colin balance Draymond Green being on his network with Draymond being an occasional sports talk subject?* Could Colin ever employ Aaron Rodgers as a podcaster given how frequently he’s critiqued the finicky quarterback?* Why can’t baseball be part of the sports conversation?* Are tight ends massively underpaid? * Tony Romo’s broadcast struggles * Does Colin really screen potential hires to make sure they aren’t golf nuts?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comMatt Welch from the great Fifth Column podcast stops by to discuss his role in that 3 man monster, his history in the business, and issues of the day. Podcast topics include, but are not limited to:* Is Matt the Ernie Johnson of Fifth Column or its Paul McCartney? * Are you now, or have you ever been a libertarian???* Is Fifth Column libertarian? Or something else? * What was Matt doing in Hungry during the 1990s?* The post Berlin Wall era vs. the post 9/11 era* We talk about my article on the 9/11 era in sports vs. today’s team-endorsed messaging* Leagues and teams are externalizing their internal issues with workforce homophobia* Welch is, sadly, an Angels fan. How does he feel about these calls to trade Ohtani?* Is Ohtani really like if Patrick Mahomes was also Nick Bosa? Or is it different?* The A’s are sad (Was Moneyball as a business strategy missing the forest for the trees?)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comA chaotic day in sports media as ESPN timed up their news of major layoffs exactly with the starting gun for NBA free agency. Given all that happened and his New York Post reporting on the matter, we needed Ryan to swing by on short notice and deliver his insights. From there, we bounced around to many a sports media issues. This podcast includes discussion of, but is not limited to the following topics….* Was this round of ESPN layoffs a sea change in sports media?* My article on Jeff Van Gundy getting axed. * Did NBA commissioner Adam Silver have a hand in Van Gundy’s ouster? * Why did so many TV people get axed, including Steve Young?* The financial factors pressuring ESPN and Disney* Ryan’s out on NBA free agency* “Windy” Season* Bill Simmons vs. Kyrie Irving* Is golf hot right now?

A benefit of my job is that I can read a book, enjoy it, and then interview the person who wrote it. This is exactly what happened after I binged Ben Smith’s Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral. Ben, now a founder of Semafor, formerly of the New York Times, and before that, EIC of Buzzfeed News, has written a contemporary history of the early news era in social media. There’s a lot about 2006-2016 that already seems foreign in retrospect. Ben’s book takes you back there, from the perspective of some major figures who tried to harness viral content to their own ends. Our conversation touches on, but is not limited to the following topics: * How did the New York Times win the big war over the future of media?* Jonah Peretti vs. Nick Denton (Buzzfeed vs. Gawker)* Was Nick Denton a genius? * Why Ben thinks that the Facebook app and Twitter app are dying* Is the NBA media more corrupt than other kinds of media?* Why are individuals gaining and institutions are losing? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAfter years of relative stasis, the Warriors have just seen their longtime General Manager quit, and, on Thursday, completed a trade of that saw the ouster of Jordan Poole and the introduction of Chris Paul. We talk about this, talk draft and eventually start drifting away from the pure basketball discussion. This pod includes discussion of, but is not limited to: * How do you feel about dumping Jordan Poole for Chris Paul?* How does Chris Paul feel about it?* Are we going to rip Bob Myers on the way out, Boston media style? * The Warriors never really develop their draft picks. Their fault? * Are draft picks a shakier (less successful) proposition in this era? * What’s the take on Zion Williamson’s porn-tinged fall from grace?* Is Zion getting too much grief for the porn lady’s accusations?* Was Ja Morant’s suspension too light?* Who’d you rather trade for: Zion Williamson or Ja Morant?* All good draft analysts should be weirdos * We’re all obsessed with Dean on the Draft, who once wrote a paper on dating market inefficiencies

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe re-welcome Katie Herzog of Blocked and Reported, the hilarious podcast that explains Internet meltdowns while weaving them into a spellbinding narrative. I asked Katie on because a) She’s a great guest, but also b) BAR-worthy topics of controversy are knocking into the sports world. Specifically, baseball’s awkward embrace of Pride celebrations and the broader societal conversation about trans in sports are both current hot topics. So we get into those and a lot more. This podcast discussion includes but is not limited to…* We talk about my dumb controversy vs. the Cavinders* The trans sports issue is popping up a lot. Is it a Waterloo for one political side? * Are there influential people who really don’t know that males have a sports advantage? * Pride Nights in baseball and player resistance * “Acceptance isn’t enough”* The Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence* Who’s offended by nipples at the White House?

Comedy writer and viral Facebook critic Matt Klinman returns to discuss my piece on Zoomer Influencers, and the general degradation of the content economy. We talk about topics including but not limited to:* Why are the Zoomer Internet stars non institutional? * Why can Jake Paul love Trump and it means nothing?* Was the ads-based cable bundle an unfair bilking of the customer? Was it the best of bad systems?* Are the social media platforms bad vehicles for ads-based content?* Why are all the old media institutions collapsing? Where is the money going?* What does it mean that popular sports sites need gambling to sustain?* I say “Thanos” wrong.* Is Youtube the best platform?* Australia as a warning from the sports gambling future This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOne of the great aspects of my job, whatever it is, is that I can arrange a conversation with people whose work I enjoy. Good vibes legend Joe House is such a person and has been since back before I’d even heard of Twitter. You might know House from his frequent B.S. Report guest appearances, or perhaps his Fairway Rollin’ golf show. The latter provided…

John Middlekauff is a podcaster, first and foremost, but used to be an NFL scout. After succeeding as a football Media Guy he’s expanded into golf, a topic I need some help with on account of the massive LIV/PGA merger story. John’s also a frequent critic of sports media tendencies, and we get into some of that over the course of this conversation. Near the end, John wants some of my takes on the Bob Myers’ exit from the Warriors. For those curious about LIV/PGA specifically, we start at the 36 minute mark and I eventually derail much of the conversation to express shock over the media framing. Enjoy! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comMichael Moynihan of Fifth Column fame is, in my opinion, one of the best podcast talents out there. Additionally, The Fifth Column is, beyond being hilarious, one of the great sanity-validating resources in this crazy era. We meant to talk some sports, and hopefully will next time. In this case, discussion included, but was not limited to:* On enjoying getting ousted by Vice News* Why the Fifth has more credibility when ripping Tucker’s Twitter show launch than prestige media outlets do* Tucker’s “Theyification” of everything* But wait. Is there a “They” out there, controlling our lives? How does it all work?* The Karl Popperification of Everything in media* Is social media good on balance? I argue no* “Don’t Look Up” worldview vs. a “Don’t Look Down” worldview

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWas bed-ridden sick last week, now I’m finally back to fulfill your content needs. Today we have the return of the New York Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel and we kick off our sports media talk by discussing a very curious number: 11.9 million. This podcast discussion includes but is not limited to:* The Game 1 NBA Finals viewership number finally, loudly confirms a theory I’ve been baking. Circumstantially at least* Does my conclusion mean that the NFL is about to see its viewership numbers radically change? * Ryan breaks down Shannon Sharpe leaving Undisputed and divorcing from Skip Bayless* I bring up Tucker Carlson leaving Fox because I momentarily forgot where Ryan works* Is there a Pat McAfee backlash now that he’s at ESPN?* The opaque nature of how people make millions on YouTube and can have it taken away

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur favorite combo is back as the NBA Finals kicks off. This episode may have even gotten a bit basketball-ish. In it, conversation touches on, but is not limited to…* Action Bronson’s brilliant decision to become a Food Vlogger* The NBA’s future depends on marketing the Denver Nuggets. How do they do it?* Why is soon to be former Warriors GM Bob Myers really quitting* The new Collective Bargaining Agreement will change the NBA as we know it. Nate Jones breaks down what’s going to happen* Why the best choice is just to pay Jaylen Brown* Steve Ballmer is so much richer than all these other owners

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOne day Nate quit being a lawyer and started an NBA podcast empire. Still, the urge to litigate remains, so he’s arrived at HoS to prove NBA commissioner Adam Silver innocent of my grievous charges. We debate Silver’s thus-far legacy and then move on to the other main event: Can Nate smartly answer some of my dumb NBA questions? Podcast discussion includes but is not limited to:* About a 7 minute preamble where Nate and Ethan discuss our awkwardness around in person greetings* I put Adam Silver on trial; Nate defends him * On what basis do we judge a sports commissioner?* My Dumb Normie Questions for Nate, such as…* Why is Erik Spoelstra the best coach? * Was Anthony Davis unfairly maligned* What’s Nate’s view on how good this Nuggets team is historically?* I’m hearing that the new CBA is designed to ruin the Warriors. Is this true and what does this mean?* Why was Nikola Jokic the biggest draft steal ever?* Why is Jimmy Butler so good?* Nate’s take on the most overrated food* My case for pepper as a coattail-riding condiment

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comThrilled for this well timed visit from Adam Mares of DNVR, in the immediate aftermath of the Denver Nuggets clinching their first ever Finals berth. A few years ago, Adam staked his independent media claim out in Colorado, a small market, where the NBA theoretically comes last. Now, the Nuggets are what’s hot and his DNVR site is where the national media comes for answers on the NBA’s latest phenomenon. On this pod, we discuss the incredible high he’s feeling as his grand plan comes to a shocking, though natural, fruition. Pod discussion includes, but is not limited to:* “ALL THE NUGGETS ARE GOOD“* Where does the bunny eat? * Did Adam cause all this to happen with his vision? * Adam vs. the NBA’s Him-ification* Why wasn’t this Nuggets juggernaut marketed well? * Would the Nuggets have been more mainstream in the recent past, like, let’s say, 2012? * Adam’s take on the idea that fewer people will watch a Denver Finals than a Los Angeles Finals* What stories did the media miss about this team? * LeBron was amazing this postseason; He also tried to control the narrative again.* Which media members are bending the knee to Jokic?

In terms of sales, Ashlee Vance might be the most successful writer we’ve had on this podcast, not that it’s a competition. And you know what? Sometimes the market is correct. Vance, whose new best seller is titled When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach, has a knack for identifying and distilling fascinating subjects. His Elon Musk biography, for example, is one of the most widely read biographies of the last decade. Have I read these books yet? Well, not exactly, to my great shame. And yet the conversation we had about these works, and related subjects, happened to be fantastic. The conversation includes but is not limited to…* The privatization of space is a huge thing. Major implications* Can space exploration actually make money though? * Elon Musk…what’s his deal, man? * How did Vance wear down Elon Musk* Is sending rockets into space easier than simply saying what you think? * Why did tech stop awing us? * British sports media has more class solidarity; America sports media sniffs jocks* Ashlee extends me some compliments and testimonials! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comSaam Esfandiari and Spike Eskin are, respectively, co-hosts of the Light Years podcast (Warriors) and The Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast (76ers). Both teams had their seasons end in searing disappointment over the weekend, which can be a tricky outcome to handle if you’re running a fan pod. Both guys handle failure expertly though, so we got into the nitty gritty of how that goes, plus some of their theories on players and media. Conversation topics include but aren’t limited to…* The Ricky fans are broken; The Warriors fans…less so* How to make fans characters in your pod universe* I hate being wrong about sports takes. Saam and Spike think it’s key to not fear this* Is “loser energy” real? Are certain highly paid, incredibly successful athletes…losers?* Can it be possible that the fans care more about the outcome than players?* Does Doc Rivers have loser energy?* Was Joel Embiid maliciously taken out of context when quoted saying, “Me and James, we can't win alone”?* Is the normie take correct and Draymond Green really did doom the Warriors’ season by punching Jordan Poole?* At 1:04:45 we discuss an accidentally hilarious article by an SF Gate writer who attended a Dave Chappelle show in San Francisco and was aghast.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comGreat to have the New Y Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel on because there’s so much sports media to discuss. And we get into it, from the uncomfortably seedy (Media’s treatment of the accused), to the hilariously bumbling (Mark Jackson treatment of Jokic). This conversation includes, but is not limited to:* Matt Araiza media coverage (why did almost everyone get the story so wrong?) * Mark Jackson and his MVP snub of Nikola Jokic. Accidental? Forgiveness time?* Kevin Durant’s legacy. Should I have opened my mouth about it on Cowherd?* The non apology apology form Pat McAfee to Brett Favre* Will Tucker Carlson on Twitter work? Or is Twitter just not TV? * Why Bud Light got hurt by a conservative boycott but Nike is impervious to red backlash

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comThe myth, the man, the Meadowlarker returns for more conversation and takes. This pod begins with my sincere compliment of a guy who’s become, in my opinion, essential to that LeBatard operation. So without further ado, this podcast includes but is not limited to the following topics:* A former NBA player told Amin he loves his HoS appearances; This makes Amin suspicious of said player* I LARP’d as Keith Olbermann in 2012 because my bosses kept treating me better after tantrums* We theorize what happened with the Glen Kuiper n-bomb error* I display my sociopathic PR skills, reveal how I would have saved Aziz Ansari in 2018* How players get over or underrated over time (Did Kobe’s tragic demise influence the way he’s discussed?)* Some NBA hipsters say Scottie Pippen was a top 2/3/4 1990s player. We start a list of guys we’d take over the admittedly great Pip.* Shawn Marion as another “hipster revisionism” guy* Amin talks about the time Marion was force fed the star role he always begged for* Did Amin and Ethan cry on recent podcasts? Or merely pause?* Amin reads his childhood diary entries.* We love the Cam'ron and Mase sports talk show

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comWe’ve ombuds’d with Spike. Can we ombuds’d with Mike? We tried to stay on topic with Mike Pesca, public radio/sports podcasting legend, but we ended up hitting so many subjects outside this here website. Subjects include, but aren’t limited to:* I just came back from Florida. What’s the deal? * There once was a banana that everyone ate and it was called The Big Mike. Now it’s extinct. * I went on Pesca’s podcast to discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo’s “there’s no failure in sports” moment. We analyze why his listeners hated our take. * Is it helpful to exaggerate certain societal threats? * Mike’s NBA vs. Senate salary comp became a random controversy * I’m trying to outsmart Elon Musk. Good luck to me.* Is, “Go Woke, Go Broke?” true or false?* Mike wonders why I didn’t cover certain stories, like Jon Gruden’s Raiders ouster* The conversation about women’s sports isn’t very nuanced* Mike asks for my most progressive sports media opinion

I found myself fascinated by Sarah Hepola’s memoir Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget, and so I reached out for a discussion. The book was a huge bestseller when it came out in 2015 and it keeps resonating with new readers. I am one of those readers. Though I’d never met Sarah in person, she was one of my bosses at Salon.com in 2009 and 2010, and I’d had no idea she was going through any of what was detailed in her book. In this pod, we talk about her enduring hit, and her unusually candid writing style, but also get into a lot more. As a pop culture obsessed young GenXer, Sarah has a particular perspective on the culture and how it’s moved over the last couple decades. We wanted to talk some sports, but got too wrapped up in the conversation at hand. Next time! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

As co-host of the successful Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast and Vice President of Programming at storied WFAN, Spike Eskin has some audio bonafides. Having been spellbound by his takes on what makes a radio show work, I wanted his advice on how to improve my operation. So here we go, no mercy, no malice. Spike’s here to improve whatever ails the HoS audio product. Discussion on this podcast includes, but is not limited to:* Kitchen myths* What I’m doing wrong* How I’m not a natural point guard* The magic of pausing* Spike has takes on Rogan’s recent podcasts* We try to break down what makes Red Scare a hit pod* We get into the media going crazy over Giannis’ “failure” speech * No Spike podcast would be complete without takes on JJ Redick’s ESPN heel act* Additionally, no Spike visit would be complete without takes on ESPN’s “appreciate LeBron” messaging This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comThe sports/econ/culture/whatever combo returns to HoS and boy do we have a good one for you. The launching pad topic is the NFL’s latest sports gambling scandal, but this podcast goes in a lot of NBA directions. This conversation with Wos and Nate touches on, but is not limited to…* Somehow we start on the past inaccessibility of porn * Young Nate Jones was a vice salesman * Is sports going all in on gambling bad for sports? * Can sports gambling make sports more popular?* Can players be tempted to throw games?* Phil Jackson had some comments about the NBA bubble* Is it unfair that people punish the NBA for political hypocrisy? * What’s up with the Blazers having so much admiration for Draymond Green?* Is Draymond the greatest defensive player, post Bill Russell?

Sherman Alexie has won many literary prizes and also played pickup basketball against John Stockton. In this pod, he humors all my questions about Native American life, riffs on Draymond Green’s situation and recounts how competitively angry the Utah Jazz legend gets in person. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comAnthony Slater has always been great at this job, to the point of changing it for everyone else. The cinematic Warriors-Kings (Or should it be Kings-Warriors?) series is a perfect excuse to have an in the weeds conversation with The Athletic veteran and now new father. This podcast discusses but is not limited to the following topics:* Who else? Draymond Green* Slater should write a book about what’s happening* What was it like being 23 years old and covering the Oklahoma City Thunder?* Why does Slater appreciate that Russell Westbrook is an asshole to every media member?* Warriors GM Bob Myers has more than one foot out the door* Did Myers sort of screw the Bay Area media by complimenting their soft coverage of Andrew Wiggins’ absence?* The difficulty of discussing a players’ personal issues* Covering Thunder GM Sam Presti vs. Warriors GM Bob Myers* How Slater changed the industry for everyone and quite suddenly

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comI kept hearing it from some unexpected sources in my life: You gotta get Grant Cohn on the pod. With the NFL Draft coming up, it was finally time. No person in the sports media appears to have more disdain for the sports media than Grant. And that makes sense, even if his father Lowell was a longtime local columnist. Cohn has made it outside the mainstream circuit, pitching his bold takes to a Youtube audience. He’s been publicly attacked by multiple 49ers players, dismissed by other media outlets and yet, his channel just keeps growing and going. We get into it all. This pod includes, but isn’t limited to discussion of: * Grant thinks I’m more controversial than he is?!* We recall a past lunch wherein Grant confessed he was struggling to make it professionally* What happened to turn his career around?* Why does Grant have disdain for the sports media of today? * The Javon Kinlaw incident* Why did the media take Kinlaw’s side? Why did they call Grant a “troll”?* 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is a fascinating study in coach psychology * Why do the 49ers care so much about his takes?* Andrew Wiggins being rusty cost the Warriors in Game 1. What’s up with the absence of commentary?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comAmin is back and taking this 1 hour 47 minute podcast into unexpectedly fraught territory. Beyond examining however my persona has evolved, we touch on some landmine topics. Discussion in this podcast includes, but is not limited to: * We riff on whether it’s moral to eat lion* Amin has thoughts on my (political? apolitical?) persona and how people assess it* We reflect on how normies vs. extremely online types reacted to the Rachel Nichols situation * We talk about, yes, the trans sports issue* We hear what Amin would tell his daughter per that particular issue* The MOM Rule, which is different from the DADD rule* We honestly discuss Warriors GM Bob Myers’ foray into podcasting and whether it’s working

Matt Klinman is a) My best friend since Middle School and b) the Co-Star of High Science, a new show on HBO Max that features Paul Bettany as an educational talking bong. Matt’s also something of a tech critic, who’s gone viral with his explanations of how Facebook killed a once thriving digital comedy scene. Beyond his show premiering on 4/20, this was an ideal time for us to chat, given recent Musk vs. Substack machinations. We get into that, while also arguing a lot. This pod discussion touches on, but is not limited to:* High Science as the show where it’s fun to learn* Trippy marine science facts* Matt thinks Musk attacked Substack because he “does things that suck because he sucks.” I demand a more granular explanation and we argue* Glass Onion is the most salient Musk satire. It’s also highly annoying to me* Matt lashes out at Matt Taibbi for being Gen X* Matt thinks our artistic nadir is more related to economics than Wokeness. I think Matt’s onto something but also in denial* Will AI kill us all? Do the nerds want to make it kill us all? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

HoS pod is quite happy to welcome Blocked and Reported co-host Katie Herzog. I’m a big BAR fan and believe it to be somewhat misunderstood, especially at this juncture. We get into how the podcast has evolved into a more journalistic and narrative driven product, plus touch on the ways an Old Public Radio golden age fell apart. This discussion touches on, but is not limited to: * Katie allegedly knows nothing about sports but somehow knows the relevant details of Meyers Leonard saying “kike” while gaming. * Shouldn’t the dumb jock defense help Leonard here? * White American NBA player politics * How Prestige 2000s Radio fell apart and why those carrying its torch are the people public radio hates * When you realize that the truth won’t set you free, what happens next?* Katie’s lost friends over what she’s written but I, oddly, don’t seem to have?* The challenge of sports with a lot of homophobia among players trying to advance Pride Nights* The Bon Appetit vs. Reply All Latinx Standoff Ouroboros* The Great Katie vs. Jesse debate about his leaving Twitter This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Rob Perez, otherwise known as World Wide Wob, has a million Twitter followers based on his ability to share viral content fast. That means always being on the job, including the segment we’d blocked out to record this podcast. In this case we were delayed because, stop me if you’ve heard this excuse before, Rob had to Twitch stream a car chase involving a stolen police vehicle. Coming off the high of that police chase wrapping up, we got into how Rob does what he does and why. Discussion on this pod includes, but is not limited to:* What’s a “fur missile”?* Moral issues in doing play by play of car chases* Rob regularly watches up to nine NBA games simultaneously, at full volume. How?* Why the International NBA fans are getting burnt out on the sport’s controversies* What the hell was NBA Top Shot? * What specific NBA stories did Rob turn viral? * Is Rob the pig, or is he Gwyneth Paltrow? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Damon Bruce and Ray Ratto were delivering great ratings in drive time at 95.7 The Game when, boom, they were fired out of nowhere. Nobody seemed to see this coming and it speaks to an overall instability in the radio industry. I had Damon on to discuss this shocker, look at his career in the Bay, talk about the radio industry and give us an indication of how he’s going to move forward. Discussion includes, but is not limited to:* What’s with the surprise firing? * Does Damon miss solo hosting?* Going toe-to-toe with Steve Kerr on James Wiseman* Damon vs. Gary Radnich, what happened there?* Talking about the long arc of Warriors success* How did having a stroke save Damon’s life?* Would Damon ever go back to KNBR? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comWe welcome back Big Wos and Nate Jones, two of my favorites in the NBA business/culture space. Today we discuss a range of hot button issues, including this forbidden zone that is the Andrew Wiggins situation. * Air fryers? A perfect life hack or a monstrosity? * Wos “Žižek” Lambre on why sports ceasing to care about fans is, indeed, capitalism* Wos with a take on the cringe/fake way LeBron becoming an owner would be advertised as representationism * Nate speaks on how the surrounding NBA organizational pressure is why players miss games that fans want them in * We get into the Andrew Wiggins situation with the Warriors. What expectations are fair and under what circumstances? * Are the NCAA women’s players more famous now than the men’s players? * Nate with a theory on how the NCAA women overtook the men* We get into how NIL changed the women’s game* Is the selling of sex appeal a problem for the NCAA? Or a benefit to those sports?* The “hoop dollar” vs. the “horny dollar”* Nate talks about what recruiting athletes for NIL is like.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comI once worked with expert NBA writer Rob Mahoney in what felt like impossible circumstances. Looking back, I want to know: Did he really handle it as easily as it looked from the outside? We get into that, take a look back on the industry and discuss his burgeoning podcast power. The episode touches on but is not limited to:* How did NBA writing become Rob’s life?* Why does he still do it?* Our insane experience of working at Bleacher Report in 2012* When the robots demanded that we say LeBron and D-Wade “choke because they’re mentally weak”* Did we experience the Chat GPT future in 2012?* How Sports Illustrated fumbled the bag* Who is the new Al Horford?* Can Rob explain Denver Nuggets title contention to a normie?* Rob’s Top 3 TV shows* Is Rob a nerd or a cowboy?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comMy old friend Tom Haberstroh stops by to break an NBA omerta or two. We get into his viral thread on how he ranked NBA referees and get deeper into one of the more protected subjects in sports. Podcast discussion includes, but is not limited to:* I saved my dog’s life, right before we started recording* Clearly I’m a hero* How did Tom figure out which referees the NBA favors most? * The NBA says they want half the refs to be female, but doesn’t appear to trust anyone in this cohort with big games* What’s up with players going after the refs in public?* Why did the refs submit a cringe apology to LeBron?* A lot more is known about the the Tim Donaghy scandal than is typically discussed* How Donaghy fixed games and how he helped the NBA by being an unreliable narrator* The scale of all the money that was chasing Donaghy’s picks around the world

Nick stops by for another round of unvarnished opinions about the industry and yes, on sports. This one went in many different directions and I enjoyed all of them. The podcast includes mention of, but is not limited to:* “Nick Wright has a shockingly attractive wife”* Why is local media now softer than ever on the teams it covers?* Should there be public funding of the media? * Are former athletes over indexed on sports television?* Nick takes issue with JJ Redick’s approach in his argument with Kendrick Perkins* Is there racial bias in MVP voting?* The original sin of Russell Westbrook winning MVP* With voting public, do NBA awards voters tail Zach Lowe’s opinions?* Nick and Ethan argue LeBron vs. Michael Jordan This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comBig Wos is back and he did not disappoint. We spent a good deal on Ja Morant aspects that have been undercovered and we riffed on a variety of topics that include, but aren’t limited to: * A check in on Wos’ popularity + ability to polarize * Has the money gotten too big in the NBA? * On why it’s impossible for Ja Morant to fumble the bag* A civilian vs. soldier dichotomy that isn’t related to the military * On the perils of Morant renouncing life as a “civilian” * NBA commissioner Adam Silver is only about business, and why that’s suboptimal* Adam Silver forces teams be the bad guy with punishments, which they resent * Has American basketball lost a step? * The NBA’s challenge in marketing the Europeans* Takes on Jon Stewart’s new gambit of interrogating extremely small time, small state politicians

I’ve long admired Adam Mares, a force behind DNVR Sports. What is DNVR, you ask? I’d say it’s a local sports site empire that’s spun its popularity off into, among other things, a Sports Bar. Not many in media have the vision or hustle to pull off what Adam’s done, let alone in a smaller market, replete with transplants. The guy just manifests. Among other big projects, Adam recently trekked out to Serbia to film an excellent documentary on the complicated origins of Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. We discuss all this and much more. The pod talk includes, but is not limited to:* How did Adam find this burgeoning niche? * What was it like to discover that you’re a bigger deal in Serbia than in Denver? * There’s a Serbian word that’s difficult to translate and it’s the skeleton key to understanding Jokic and their sports culture in general* What’s going on with all the allegations of racial bias within the critique of Jokic’s third straight bid for MVP?* Is the media biased towards Jokic? If not, was it biased towards Steve Nash for a different reason?* Did the media apply a different standard to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s bid for a 3rd MVP? Is that wrong? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comAudio version of this article is up.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comThis time Ryan and I start off on the conventional topics before spinning off into strange directions. His tweet nicely summarizes the docket but I’d add that we touch on the Deion Sanders controversy as well. Enjoy.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comBeyond being co-host of the successful Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast and Vice President of Programming at storied WFAN, Spike Eskin is a keen observer of what works in the audio format. Given that, I wanted his NBA takes, but also his insights into what makes a sports talk personality succeed. In this episode, we looked at the NBA’s disastrous All-Sta…

Shadi Hamid is an author, Atlantic writer, and Brookings fellow with a particular skill for pointing out the flaws in comforting popular assumptions. I’m a fan of Hamid’s work, including his latest book, The Problem of Democracy: America, the Middle East, and the Rise and Fall of an Idea.Three weeks ago, Shadi had a stray tweet about football fandom that drummed up some outrage at sports media sites. That’s not exactly why we’re talking, even if it is, in a roundabout way, how we came into contact. The anti NFL fan sentiment is a good jumping off point, though, to a broader discussion about sports, culture and whether it’s a force for good in society. Our conversation touches on, but is not limited to:* Football: Good for America?* Is football uniquely American?* How football in America is like hookah in the Middle East* The allure of nervous crowd energy* Shadi’s book on how liberalism and democracy are not synonymous* The difficulty of accepting a system in which you can lose, big time * The Cathedral, Yarvin, and the democracy-skeptical rightists This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comOur returning champ Ryan is back from Arizona, to discuss sports media goings on in the Super Bowl aftermath. We get into his experience of doing a Colin Cowherd profile, whether Brett Favre has a case in his suing of Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe, plus some LeBron James takes. This conversation broaches, but is not limited to:* Super Bowl viewership. A disappointment? * What’s Skip Bayless like in person?* The aforementioned Brett Favre: Why he’s not charged for a crime, why he’s suing Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe* Ryan’s annoyance at how Celtics-Bucks became a load management game* Can the NFL make women’s flag football a thing?* Bill Simmons and Spotify. Ryan gives some expository there* I oh so bravely stand up for Michael Jordan’s legacy vs. LeBron James

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comMy old boss, Athletic superstar and overall King of Bay Area Media stops by to talk Warriors and Niners. Obviously, the Warriors’ end to the Wiseman era gets some play here, but the conversation goes in a variety of directions. This podcast discussion includes, but is not limited to:* On how we should aspire to be like Steph Curry in terms of delegation* What happened with James Wiseman? When was it really over? * Can Joe Lacob be cajoled?* Tim’s Mailbag columns at The Athletic are incredible and he’s dropping news bombs within them* Why’d it end ugly between Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo?* How Brock Purdy seemed for real before getting thrown into action* Warriors GM Bob Myers: Is he leaving? Tim makes a bold prediction* Which team is bigger in the Bay, Warriors or Niners?* A theory or two on why Myers might be antsy to go* What does it mean that I declined to ask about the San Francisco Giants?* As a guy who serves readers expertly, but is often fighting with them, how does Tim feel about sports fans?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comMaggie Gray, CBS radio star and co-host of Maggie and Perloff, seems prone to unleashing a totally reasonable opinion that you’re not seeing elsewhere. Recently, it was the viral take that sports figures shouldn’t feature their children during press conferences (gasp!). On this episode, we get into the fallout from this heresy, plus address why James Dolan once went scorched earth against Maggie and her company. Topics on this podcast include but are not limited to:* Twitter made the media hate its customers* The evil anti kid take* Why the take is reasonable though scorned* Maggie interviewed Joe Montana the day this Wright Thompson piece dropped. * Cool Joe deflects, with honesty* How all great athletes fade from public memory* LeBron scoring title takes* The Rule of LeBron Cringe* Maggie vs. James Dolan* How’s the NBA doing right now?

Ross Barkan, proprietor of the best newsletter on New York politics, returns to discuss whether Knicks owner James Dolan might go down in flames. But before we get to that, he has a bone to pick with certain anti woke intellectuals. This conversation includes, but is not limited to:* The battle of ideas between Matt Yglesias vs. Wesley Yang* Ross’ critique of Yang’s recent focus* Can both Yglesias and Yang feel validated by history?* The Wokes, the Anti Wokes, and the Anti Anti Wokes, plus how nobody defines themselves as such* On how the cultural focus on Covid is fading out* Has James Dolan finally messed with the wrong crowd?* Dolan’s completely insane media tour This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comI’m on a big Richard Linklater kick right now, so Freddie’s Top 20 ranking of his movies came at the right time. Given the personal timing and Freddie’s excellent analysis, I just had to reach out and get some additional thoughts on the rankings, the director, and why his time-sensitive work endures. Yes, we also manage some modern media criticism in this episode. The conversation we have broaches, but is not limited to:Freddie’s review of TárMy dislike of HBO’s Inside the Episode features Why Freddie doesn’t write pure Culture WarHow the Boomers misled us on the finite nature of timeHow people who miss aspects of the past get stigmatized as owning all of itMalcolm Gladwell’s dirty trick against Matt Taibbi in the Munk debate If Dazed and Confused is a perfect movie, then why isn’t it Number 1 on Freddie’s list?The mystical nature of Matthew McConaughey’s charisma in Dazed and ConfusedWhy Freddie ranked his Before Sunrise trilogy the way he didDid Boyhood work? Was there anything deeper to School of Rock? Freddie discusses his piece on how the creative underclass is still raging

Meet Tyler Dunne, author of The Blood and Guts: How Tight Ends Save Football, and proprietor of the Go Long Substack. I’m a big believer in the principle that, the more specific the analysis, the broader the implications, and that’s why I was excited to read Tyler’s incredibly specific book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and, as happens, felt myself inspired to ask the author some follow up questions. On this pod, we discuss how tight ends unveil the meaning of life, represent the apotheosis of football player, get severely underpaid, and tap into a “sacred” tradition of permitted violence. Enjoy, unpaywalled. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comRyan is back, discussing events of the moment. The NFL playoffs is an unholy juggernaut, crushing all comers. We try out theories as to why it gained on the other leagues this past half decade. Then we pivot to “Canada’s top trending story,” a Russian defenseman, playing for an American team. This podcast discussion includes, but is not limited to:* The NFL’s golden decade, which has been largely unexplained in sports media* Are there any lessons to learn from its dominance? * What should the NBA have done? * Ryan loves the Joe Buck + Troy Aikman announcing combo?* Ivan Provorov, a Russian guy we’d never heard of, didn’t wear his NHL team’s Pride Night warmup shirt: Media anger ensues * Is the media freakout concentrated among Canadian journos, or are U.S. sports writers just as hyperbolic? * Ryan and I both aren’t in favor of punishing pregame abstentions like this, be it Colin Kaepernick, or this guy we just learned about* Why is the NHL, of all leagues, getting involved in controversies of late? * Bill Simmons had a fascinating interview with WWE CEO Nick Khan* Nick Khan has a theory on what ESPN might take from Turner in the next round of NBA television rights

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comI’ve known Bomani for about as long as I’ve been in this business and yet I never know what to expect when we catch up, beyond a great conversation. On this pod, he was candid about his adventures in sports television and insightful on a wide range of other subjects. The conversation includes, but is not limited to:* What it’s like to host a show* The time Bomani called me after I got fired* What prediction on his show is Bomani most proud of?* Sports and the crypto collapse: Why were athletes main characters? * Why doesn’t the NBA do promos like this? * We reflect on Bomani’s contention, “College basketball was better when Duke was the official team of White America.”* Does America benefit from sports rivalries as proxies for ethnic conflict?* Why did White America give up on basketball?* Why didn’t High Noon totally work and why was Bomani open about that reality? * What it’s like to perform your friendship for an audience when things aren’t working* Bomani’s thoughts on Skip Bayless vs. Shannon Sharpe* Bomani’s thoughts on his (perhaps) imitators* Is Chat GPT-style technology going to replace musicians? * Can the human love for music be wholly gamed by robots?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comBig sports media news week so we called in Ryan Glasspiegel to make sense of it all. This conversation includes, but is not limited to…* The odd media reactions to the tragic (though recently encouraging) Damar Hamlin situation. * Is it okay to do a story on how many people watched the scary situation? * The Football Hatin’ New York Times* Skip Bayless as the moment’s memetic scapegoat* Ryan and Ethan…don’t quite see how Skip’s tweet was that bad. * The building divorce between Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe* Ethan is against “disgusting” and “gross” Twitter responses* Stephen A. Smith addresses UFC impresario Dana White’s wife slap incident * Do we think reigning USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter’s going to lose his 2023 position over a 1991 kicking of his now wife? * Is Ryan’s affiliation with Ethan going to ruin his Madison Square Garden plans?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comHad the brilliantly idiosyncratic Athletic writer Marcus Thompson on to discuss if he came from the last generation of beat writers (then we took it from there). This is an industry chat, with the guy who served as my mentor as I entered the industry. Topics discussed in this podcast include, but are not limited to…* Beat writers…is that still a thing? * Is “no cheering in the press box” dead?* The Jenna Laine vs. Giovani Bernard controversy. Should Laine have apologized? * What are the unspoken rules in reporter vs. athlete locker room interactions? * How is covering NFL players different from covering NBA players?* How to ask questions of sports industry people* Why in person media access is humbling* What Marcus would ask players when they said “we’re friends.”* The darkness of humanity that superstar players see

HoS Pod welcomes Luke Burgis, author of the fascinating book Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life. I read it before our interview and can’t stop thinking about it. Not only is the book entertaining, but it gave me a different perspective on life. I can’t say that happens all too often. Luke is also the proprietor of the Anti-Mimetic, which continues on his book’s pertinent themes. A Substack devoted to one book’s themes might sound constraining, but perhaps after you listen to the podcast, you’ll see how Luke’s focus happens to be endlessly generative. Our conversation included, but was not limited to…* What is “mimetic desire”? * Why is understanding mimetic desire a skeleton key for understanding life?* Why Luke was researching professional sports (football specifically) for his book* To understand an athlete, you need to know what they desire* How the 1990s San Diego Chargers rejected the Denver Broncos imitative trap* How Steve Kerr used football coaching as a model for his basketball team* “I guess I believe in you more than you do,” as motivation* How similarity breeds rivalry more than difference does* What’s the most powerful mimesis engine: Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Instagram?* The “training wheels truth” that Twitter is an echo chamber isn’t totally true* The scapegoat as a deep human need* “Torches of Freedom,” a 1920s example of social justice capitalism This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comAudio version of this article is up.

Ethan and Ryan are back and discussing matters of controversy, including, but not limited to:* Video evidence reviewed by the San Diego DA appears to debunk "gang rape" accusation against punter Matt Araiza. Why no media mea culpa? Why so much anger at, say, a Substacker who pointed this out?* On the Grand Narrative being more important than whatever happened* What's with the media trying to establish a standard where accusations alone = consequences?* On how nobody knows how to talk about college athletes and group sex at parties leading to bad outcomes* The sad news about Grant Wahl out of Qatar* Ryan's noticed a pattern where a lot of traveling sports writers die young* Viktor Bout traded for Brittney Griner: The reaction* Who else: Elon Musk. Is he in the Tyson Zone?* The circular debate over the Twitter Files This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comAndrew Sharp has a very particular set of skills, which is why Ben Thompson of Stratechery tapped him for a bold new podcast venture. Given that Sharp is, admittedly, not a tech expert, what is he doing co-hosting a tech podcast? Moreover, why is he ideal for such a role? Our conversation includes, but is not limited to: Sharp’s odd knack for being a pod wingmanThe Twitter files (Some of the conversation might be a sequel to last week with Ryan)* Why Sharp’s given himself over to the Elon News Era* Why we both think Musk is being dishonest in self presentation * Somehow we end up talking Trump* Is Elon 200 IQ Trump? * Civility is good* Is the “Karen” era on Twitter over? * The old Twitter days* The height of Grantland and its aftermath* We go long on LeBron* Why did Nike and the NBA bury Giannis’ rise?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comReturning media critic champ Ryan Glasspiegel stops by for an emergency pod. Why? Because a couple days just yielded way more novelty than could properly be absorbed by any one person. In this pod, our discussion includes but is not limited to…* Kanye/Alex Jones/Hitler* Elon/Matt Taibbi/Hunter Biden* LeBron/Jerry Jones/Kyrie IrvingAnd more..

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comCertified Graying Millennial Saam Esfandiari returns to HoS, giving out takes for the holiday season. In this pod, our discussion includes but is not limited to…* Looks like Saam was right about his James Wiseman pessimism. Can a man, in good conscience, feel validated by a 21 year-old’s struggles? * The Wiseman Paradox: How can such a talented player, with good counting stats production, be so destructively bad?* Why NBA players might prefer to be called a “pussy” over “coward”* The Bay Area Media and propaganda: We know we’re softer than other regions, but are we also more inclined to buy happy lies? * Why did veteran SF Chronicle reporter Connor Letourneau take a (probable) shot at Saam and his co-host Andy Liu? * What’s grinding Saam’s gears in this World Cup about American coverage of Iran? * Our takes on how U.S. player Taylor Adams dealt with some hostile questioning. Our takes on the takes in response. * Is it permissible for an American to say “Eye-Ran” instead of “Ee-Rahn”?* Our unvarnished takes on the U.S. women’s soccer team getting half the USMNT prize money. How sexist are we? Or are we nuanced? Listen and find out. * Who runs the Bay: Gians, Niners or Warriors?

Topics on this podcast include:* Why did Tyler write so much about sports in a book that was mostly anchored in the business world?* Is there a way to improve at writing?* Is there a way to anticipate a paradigm shifting talent like a Kevin Durant or Steph Curry?* Why email response time is such a huge indicator of top tier talent* How ambitious are you?* What’s up with NBA defensive superstars being hard drinking maniacs?* Yugoslavia as NBA talent river versus China as NBA talent desert* The power of high draft pick incumbency* On Draymond Green being a great role player vs. Russell Westbrook being a terrible superstar* The feedback to Tyler’s viral piece, Classical liberalism vs. The New Right This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comOn this pod, we discuss:* Matthew’s got a branding pitch for me.* How does a man with five kids possibly do this job?* How did the groundbreaking Fantasy Focus Podcast come to be?* How Matthew was a genius at navigating Bristol bureaucracy* Trades are about listening* At ESPN, Bill Simmons was outside in and Matthew was inside out* What were those Love/Hate columns really about?* Is Matthew morally conflicted about gambling? Even a little bit?* Who’s more the archetypal Gen Xer, Matthew Berry or Bill Simmons?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comWe’re not quite done with Warriors’ Punchgate, and I’ll seize on any reason to speak with independent GSW-centric podcasters Andy Liu and Saam Esfandiari. In this episode, we discuss: * Draymond and The Punch* Is the Bay Area media soft? Compared to what?* Toy Story is like Draymond/Poole* Why it was tough for a media startup to get a foothold in LA* My own conflicts of interest and how they intersect with a Klutch story* Andy talks about “Podmond” Green* Saam’s take: Was Barry Bonds a bigger star in his day than Steph Curry in his day? * Andy hates weed, is the anti-KD* Did the league back LeBron over Steph? How’d it go?* Can the NBA make new household names or are those days gone?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comRyan covers sports media topics at the New York Post and often joins me on Callin sessions where we speak with listeners. This time, we decided to do a House of Strauss podcast about the fascinating, messy, mysterious Udoka Celtics scandal. On this pod we discuss: * How ESPN seems to be burying the Udoka/Celtics story on its website

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comWarriors populist podcast host turned Startup Man Sam Esfandiari is back, providing his insights. On this pod, I wanted to approach the heady topic of Gen Z sports engagement, as per Sam’s new venture. We got there, but were also distracted by all the juicy topics out there in the winds. Those include but aren’t limited to:* Everyone’s talking about how we aren’t talking about Brett Favre* What the hell’s going on with Ime Udoka?* Why the Udoka situation is more interesting that the Favre imbroglio* The Great Trey Lance Ankle Bay Area Sports Talk Controversy of 2022* Jimmy Garoppolo, Gavin Newsom and the benefits of being really, really, really, ridiculously good looking. * Jordan Poole’s contract* And yes, the topic of the pod: Why Gen Z isn’t watching sports and how that can change

The audio version of this article is up. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comIn this episode we discuss:* Is First Take choreographed or wholly improvised? * Stephen A. Smith’s approach* Why we don’t see a lot of in person political disagreement on TV* The incentives behind the Don’t Apologize Double Down PR approach* The BYU-Duke media hysteria * Why did Jay Bilas back the Duke player, post debunking? * Are the people at Fox News as suscepti…

On Saturday evening, the great Jonathan Tjarks passed away from a rare sarcoma. You can donate to help his family at this GoFundMe. Jon was brilliant, grounded and endlessly curious, in addition to many other great qualities. In summation, he was one of the highest quality people I’ve ever met. This is a deeply sad occasion, but I’m also reminded of how Jon offered so many notes of inspiration during his life’s journey. With that in mind, I’m re-releasing this podcast we did last September, where we discussed “The Meaning of Life.” I promise it’s not as heavy as the subject material would leave you to believe, but it also could give you something to think about. Jon was good at that. So, here’s to a superb basketball analyst, family man, spiritual philosopher and friend. Rest in Peace, Jon. We love you. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Casey Keirnan started from the bottom of standard NBA media before becoming a big success on Youtube. Today his channel has 203K subscribers and it’s growing. What secrets does this man hold? On the pod, we discuss:* How Casey turned his life around after nearly dying from a drug overdose in 2005* Why people get addicted* Is it okay that Youtubers rip off reporters? * Why he works as a Youtube creator* The allure of mystery in a video* What the formula for content success is* Why athletes aren’t best at telling their own stories This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit houseofstrauss.substack.comWosny Lambre and Nate Jones know a lot about the sneaker industry, a massive business that casts a large shadow over the NBA. In this podcast, which was one of my favorites, we discuss:* Upshot of Kanye West’s public breakup with Adidas and Gap. * How Kanye West, a non basketball player, became a uniquely powerful sneaker salesman. * How much of fashion is bu…

All hail returning HoS champion Rob Henderson, astute analyzer of human behavior. In this episode, we look at the Work From Home revolution’s massive impact on our lives, plus discuss Our Decade of Tinder. Some topics broached: * Why Zoomer athletes got sad* Young people are detaching from sports* Whether I’m right or wrong about Work from Home* Are cities in trouble?* Can rurals make a comeback?* Looking back on Derek Thompson’s critique of American “workism” * Looking at this Tinder retrospective and others* Is game the great equalizer that Tinder prevents men from leveraging?* Was it better when men actually had to ask women out in real life? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Daman has two public roles: Helping out Ben Thompson with Thompson’s world-beating tech newsletter, Stratechery, and troll-fully supporting the Lakers on Twitter. He’s a brilliant guy, with a mind trained for optimization, so I hit him up when I have business questions. This discussion is in that vein. In it, we discuss: * Why do tech bros love narrated articles? * How Daman trained his mind to listen to pods at super fast speeds * Why are journalists afraid to go subscription model?* Going for Likes vs. Going for Dollars* Who’s winning the streaming wars? * On whether the Binge Model was a mistake * How does the NBA create events within its regular season? * On if ESPN is too big (a monopoly on tv rights) to fail* The NFL bullying the NBA* Is Woj too big to fail? * LIV as player empowerment in golf* Could LIV happen in golf? * Daman vs. Kevin Durant on the concept of leadership* Did Deadspinism kill the concept of character in sports? * KD as man without a country This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

First, a quick announcement: As of today, we’re number 1 in sports newsletters. Who knows how long that lasts, but I’m thankful to the subscribers who got us there, all within the span of a year. Though I almost always paywall narrated articles, I’m unlocking this one to celebrate, in the spirit of generosity/discoverability. Thanks again, readers and listeners. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

First Things First host Nick Wright stopped by and didn’t hold back. We discuss:* How Colin Cowherd’s analogy game ruined local talk radio.* How Zach Lowe’s greatness led to failed imitators. * Nick’s take on Redick vs. Russo. * Nick’s take on Richard Deitsch vs. Skip Bayless.* Why Kevin Durant underestimates Nick. * Nick gets honest on his insecurities among writers. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Matt Johnson is press coordinator for Direct Action Everywhere, the organization behind the animals rights protests that are disrupting Minnesota Timberwolves playoff games. I asked Matt about the protests and about Wolves owner Glen Taylor, the factory farming tycoon whom the protests are aimed at. Matt’s is a subculture I’m not entirely familiar with, so I wanted to ask some questions and get his perspective. What’s it like to trying to outfox the authorities at Target Center? What are the moral questions involved in his work? We address these topics and a lot more. Enjoy. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

For the longer pods, I’m trying my best to find the most interesting people I can, even if their purview isn’t necessarily sports. Culture writer Rob Henderson, who’s gone from Red Bluff to the military and onto to the Ivy League, is one such person, and he’d qualify even without that idiosyncratic biography. Rob’s a great writer and one aspect of his focus is, of all things, television. We get into why and also what he’s thought about after close reads of Mad Men, Succession, and The Sopranos. Think you’ll enjoy this one. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

I recall Michael Moynihan saying that the benefit of working in journalism is that you can talk to anyone who fascinates you. It’s a good thing to remember, especially since, for all the modern era’s depravations, striking up a conversation is easier than ever. A few weeks back, I idly bought Chuck Klosterman’s new book on the Nineties and found myself fascinated by his insights and framing. Then, I figured I’d reach out and see if he wanted to chat. He was nice enough to oblige and the talk was great. Here’s our conversation, which I’ve decided to un-paywall. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

The Fifth Column co-host + Paloma Media co-founder stops by to discuss HBO’s Winning Time and finding success between ideological worlds. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Free audio version of this article is up. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Non sports content here…Top level Substacker Freddie DeBoer is back on HoS, I’m happy to say. We covered a lot of ground in this one, such as:* The meaning of the San Francisco school board recall* How and why the system is discriminating against Asian students* Why the post-Gawker NYC media set can’t digest political rebukes* Why are many of these people more anti-anti-woke than woke?* Why don’t writers talk about writing on podcasts? * Why Freddie doesn’t do Strunk and White concision style* The lack of sincerity in media Twitter This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Narrated version of this article. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Erich Schwartzel is a veteran film industry reporter who might have just written the most important book of the year (He’s a friend, but hey, the book is getting rave reviews). If you’re curious about the inside story of Hollywood getting coopted by China, by all means order “Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy.” In this episode we discuss, among many other things: * China’s longterm thinking vs. our corporations’ short term thinking* What surprising kinds of content China’s government bans in films (Such as Jamie Foxx’s penis)* Does Erich respect the CCP? What are their strengths? * Why the NBA is different from Hollywood This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Last time, we went serious. This time, we’re all over the place. We talked about, among other things:* Why Tjarks is an NBA lifer and I am not. * How basketball’s necessary unselfishness ironically inspires more selfishness.* Sports and warfare. * Kawhi Leonard and Gregg Popovich. * Chet Holmgren. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Here’s the free audio version of this article. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Ross Barkan is an extremely sharp journalist, independent thinker and seasoned Substacker. Offline we got to compare/contrasting political vs. NBA media and decided to make a podcast for ya out of it. I asked: Which world, political or NBA media, is more corrupt? This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

A pod about making sports television with Michelle Beadle. In it, we discuss: * Leaving the ESPN viper’s nest* Her uncommon comfort on camera vs. doing a pod* The time LeBron (allegedly) tried to get her fired* The odd ESPN/NBA tradition of women ousting one another* What a producer does to make a TV show pop* Beadle on The Beatles This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Hey audience. Substack superstar Matt Taibbi stopped by HoS to share his no bullshit perspective on, among other topics: * The journalism industry* His critics * Whether sports are a net positive in life* His hypothetical existence as a Celtics beat writerI’m paywalling this episode sort of as a test run. Over the last few months I’ve been running the podcast for free and need to actually compensate my ever capable producer. Hypothetical pod plan going forward would be to fall into a “free pod, paid pod,” rhythm, with some wiggle room depending on circumstance. Also there could be more audio plans afoot in the near future. Stay tuned. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

We are joined by Colin Cowherd, the preeminent sports talker in all the land. On this podcast we discuss:* Aaron Rodgers’ hamartia * Why Colin succeeded after leaving ESPN* What’s wrong with ESPN* Political misalignment between media and fans* Why younger sports talk personalities are struggling to find an audience This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

On this HoS Pod, we are visited by favorite guest Amin Elhassan and NBA agent Nate Jones. On the docket: * Real time reaction to allegations of Suns owner Robert Sarver using racist and sexist language.* Why NBA players need the hated media.* My article on Adrian Wojnarowski disseminating a social media résumé to potential sources. * Why Nate thinks the Warriors should get Ben Simmons. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Nancy Rommelmann is an excellent author, reporter and conversationalist. Here, we talk about the time she interviewed John Wayne Gacy, murderers, my Rachel Nichols article, Portland, and whether an adherence to Internet narrative is causing real life to collapse. Okay, I’ll admit it. My podcast isn’t really a sports podcast, least of all this one. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

So, to warn the sports contingent of subscribers, this one isn’t a sports podcast (Even if we let Jesse talk Celtics to close the episode). It is, however, about the broader issue of how to deal with criticism. Our friend Jesse was the target of an insane amount of it, in response to his covering of fraught issues. Now he’s quite successful independently. Here’s his experience and his advice… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

At age 33, with a wife and young son, The Ringer NBA writer Jonathan Tjarks was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. He’s reacted with remarkable stoicism to this news, even if he didn’t feel all too stoic at first. Jonathan’s a fascinating guy and someone who’s totally unique in sports media. I loved getting his perspective on life and hope you will too. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Wosny Lambre of The Ringer fame stops by the HoS to discuss the prompt, “Is Twitter real life?” I’m not sure we fully answered that question, but we got into a whole range of issues I wasn’t expecting, including Wos’ takes on AOC, Nancy Pelosi, and whether he’d actually broach his misgivings about Obama’s presidency to Barack in person. Obviously, if you aren’t much for the politics, this pod could be outside your wheelhouse. Still, I’d recommend it for all because Wos just happens to be so damned engaging, thoughtful and bullshit-free. Enjoy. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

House of Strauss pod is back! This time, we welcome one of the best writers on the internet, Freddie DeBoer. We discussed, among other things, the fall of Deadspin in relevance and what that meant. Hope you enjoy it. For those who don’t know, future podcasts are going to hinge on one question as a jumping off point. In this case, the question is, “Why didn’t Drew Magary become the next Bill Simmons?” Happy to hear your theories on that one below. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe

Hey audience. So I keep hearing from people that, these days, they prefer the audiobook experience to reading. Rather than mourn how we’ve degenerated into philistines or whatever, I’m here to serve the damned need. Since this article appeared to strike a nerve, I wanted to start with it and make it free for all listeners. Future narrated articles will indeed require a subscription, though. And yes, this is my voice doing the reading, for good and for ill. I take a sick amount of pride in doing my own stunts. It’s your money and I intend to work hard for it. Thanks for reading, listening and supporting the site. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit houseofstrauss.substack.com/subscribe