House of Strauss

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comFOOTBALL AMERICA! host Dave Dameshek has long had his own idiosyncratic voice and style. He’s got a unique Pittsburgh flair, not that Blue Collar Steel Town would embrace having flair. He’s also, above all, a fantastically authoritative arbiter. And so I invited Dave on to “arbit” on a range of topics including but not limited to…* What’s America’s Mount Rushmore of regional accents? * Which American accent would you want your hypothetical wife to have?* We want Southern accents in pilots?* Dave Portnoy as Michigan homer on Fox? Fair or foul?* The problem with athlete broadcasters * Great pro athlete, bad broadcaster? * Moralizing sports terms like “Don’t get pass happy!”* Domes for NFL teams, yay or nay?* Can tiny Floyd Mayweather be the GOAT fighter if so many could kick his ass?* Ban the tush push? * Field goals are too easy (unless you’re Jake Moody)House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support

Loving the NFL tournament we’re doing at SportsPredict.com, headed up by Steve Kuhn (even if Brandon Aubrey’s leg kicked away my dreams). Given that Steve’s got an incredible mind for market inefficiencies, I want him here, regularly, to tell us what everyone else is missing about America’s favorite sport. Join up still to test out how you fare against myself and Steve, a guy who ran a $14 billion hedge fund. To enter the House of Strauss Lobby, password is HOS.In this pod we discussed, among other matters…* What’s the effect of the new NFL kickoff rules that Donald Trump hates?* My “I don’t know anything and neither do YOU” picks strategy* The impact of kickoff rules on 4th down decision making* Onside kicks used to be MONEY* Minnesota did a CRAZY white flag punt* Should a coach employ trick plays based on randomness?* What trends are we seeing early?* House of Strauss subscribers and Chat BCC participants are really…SMART? * Micah Parsons’ successful impact in Green Bay* Why does Kyle Shanahan want a predictable running back over a talented running back?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.comYa, I think you have an idea of what we’re going to discuss. And it’s one of my favorite conversations yet.

I’m declaring this JOURNALISM WEEK on the HoS podcast feed. Today we’ve got the great Tyler Dunne talking about his bombshell series on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. On Thursday, we should also have Pablo Torre on another big story you might have heard of. Today’s pod with Tyler gets to what happened behind the scenes with Caleb and the Bears + why many in the sports media became too defensive on Williams’ behalf. It’s a good one. Reminder: Every week of the NFL season, we’re doing a prediction contest at SportsPredict.com (Password: HOS). It’s not gambling, it’s free of charge, and it will involve prizes. You just pick game events and track your status on a leaderboard. So far it’s been a lot of fun, even if I’m badly trailing my audience members. Thanks for reading House of Strauss! This post is public so feel free to share it. 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

So, like many of you, I love thinking about games, probabilities and market inefficiencies. And, like many of you, I have profound reservations with regard to the sports betting conquest of America. With that in mind, I’m proud to announce a new sponsor at House of Strauss: Sportspredict.com. The goal of my new advertiser is to host a place for sports predictions that isn’t gambling. There are no bets made here, but there are picks. The idea is to compete and demonstrate predictive ability absent insidious financial downside. I encourage HoS subscribers to join the NFL picks pool this season, free of charge, and compete for a prize (to be determined later). If nothing else, you can demonstrate NFL intellectual superiority over an idiot who liked Dallas’ Micah Parsons trade. Oh, and access code is: HOS.Steve is the founder of this company but I wouldn’t have him on just due to that. He’s also a House of Strauss subscriber, and lurker in the BCC Chat. Put simply, he’s one of us. He’s prone to novel theories of his own and believes that a lot of money is left on the table by our most prominent sports franchises. In this pod we discuss topics that include, but aren’t limited to…* The appeal of a non gambling sports prediction site* What makes for a good predictor? * My two NFL picks in Week 1, and the market inefficiencies targeted with them* NFL coaches are still committing 4th down malpractice* Major college coaches are still committing “Go for 2” malpractice* Steve’s “Fourth and Smart” idea that could revolutionize special teams play* NBA teams are declining in “2 for 1” usage* Steve loves the BCC ChatHouse 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.comI really enjoyed Freddie deBoer’s NFL preview and wanted to discuss America’s favorite sport with him. Neither of us are all that associated with football analysis and yet we can’t stop thinking about it. So we went for an NFL download as the season approaches…Freddie’s Micah Parsons trade takeHow NFL stars are dictating terms to teams like NBA starsFreddie’s perspective on the wildly divergent pay scales between NFL positionsCan you be a bad locker room guy just by having a podcast?Are we being honest about the level Patrick Mahomes is actually at right now?Racial ghosts and the Lamar Jackson Discourse How Lamar defenders oddly can underrate himFreddie have a take on Pablo Torre’s Kawhi Leonard reporting?

Sports bet discourse continues to burble on the BCC Chat, and I’m adding more fuel…We’ve had the Man Who Would Ban Sports Betting and now we have the Sports Betting Man. Raheem Palmer is the co-host of the Ringer Gambling Show. He says he’s gone broke before and made millions. He leads a life most of us can’t imagine. He just moved to Las Vegas. I had questions. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* The problem with the Sharp Lifestyle* What is Raheem’s “model” for making bets* Is losing also addictive?* Should prop bets be banned? * Raheem watches every pro basketball league and believes the NBA is unique in superstar coddling * Josh Allen is great, not a choker, and also “not who people want him to be” * Do we need a new term for “point shaving” now that players tank for props?* Is Pro Football Focus astrology for dudes?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 around it a lot on HoS but writer Charles Fain Lehman has just come out and said it: He thinks the legalization of sports betting is bad and wants it reversed. Plenty have expressed misgivings, but this man has actually staked out a position. I’m not sure anyone is as prominent in America’s burbling anti-vice movement as Charles is currently, so I wanted to get his perspective. How bad is sports gambling and will there ever be a public appetite to bring back prohibition? I found this talk fascinating and hope you will too. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Will Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce getting married result in an actual baby boom?* What’s the legalization of sports betting done to society?* Rank the young male vices in terms of damage: sports betting, porn, weed* Do porn and weed use curb criminality? * Did the American public want this sports betting legalization?* How popular is sports betting with the American public?* Would young men vote to protect access to sports betting and/or porn? * Charles’ thoughts on Richard Hanania’s Do We Need Sports Betting to Get to Mars? Maybe theory* Charles writes a lot about psychedelics but refuses to do any* Charles and I are both skeptical of ayahuasca shamans* Is alcohol use a net negative or net positive for society?* Zoomers are anti weed?!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI’ve been struggling to figure what what time we’re in, post Vibe Shift. Pirate Wires founder Mike Solana finally articulated what I’d been thinking without knowing I was thinking it: We’re in a Culture Cold War. I felt a burning need to discuss this, and so we did, plus many other media/culture topics. Subjects include but aren’t limited to…* Christopher Rufo vs. Doreen St. Félix leading to nothing = Culture Cold War* Why nobody is able to cancel anyone else now* Are we in a Culture Cold War forever?* Is culture NOT zero sum?* How the Internet breaks our moral intuitions* PTSD for those of us who remained sane in 2020* The “you can’t criticize me” defense from those who just lost cultural power* We will never have a shared reality ever again* Culture War matters* How Mike would advise Disney on how to win back Zoomer males* Why does “moral inversion” exist and why is it prevalent now?* Why Mike supports hearing Aella out, but understands the backlash to her

Audio for Random Offense with Amin is up on the HoS feed, though the mic is a little distant. Great episode in my humble opinion!. 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.comWos is back from Europe, armed with a fresh perspective on all goings on stateside. BCC chatters took bets on what he’d talk about and now we learn the truth. Perhaps this was the most candid Wos/HoS yet. Topics include!* We are jealous of NBA podcaster Nate Duncan * Wos was in Barcelona when everyone there decided they hated tourists * My Guy Haberman podcast got spliced in an unflattering way, which I deserved * The time Wos saved me from getting humiliated and fired* The moment Nick Wright won me over as a person* Has Paige Bueckers market corrected Caitlin Clark? * Why Paige Bueckers can’t be Caitlin Clark fame-wise* Wos admits to attending the 2016 Women’s March. No word on whether he wore one of those hats* Trump vs. Taylor Swift means celebrities have limited political power* Did The Media decide to savage Bill Belichick’s girlfriend due to her politics? * Wos is OUT on sports gambling

Guy Haberman, who’s filling in right now for the legendary Greg Papa, is busy, but he made time for us. Since Guy considers me a “football outsider,” we decided to have fun with that status. In this podcast, I operate as Football Skeptic, wondering why the sport is how it is, and questioning if indeed it should be. Because you can tell me I’m an idiot here or in the Group Chat. Topics include…* Should NFL teams just never practice in preseason because Full Health would be a massive Week 1 advantage? * Are injuries luck? * Does my defensive shrinkage theory explain why NFL offense is slipping? * Am I a FOOL for wanting an NFL defense with 11 fast totally interchangeable guys?* Is Kyle Shanahan actually a genius? * Am I biased against Shanahan because he’s inarticulate? * What determines which NFL positions get money? Is it merit based?* Bill Belichick, Tom Brady skeptic? * Why did the 49ers lose the Super Bowl by not expecting a predictable play?* It’s about Acceptable Quarterback, not Exceptional QuarterbackHouse 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.comAndrew Sharp from Sharp Tech (and many other pods) is here to break down why the hell Paramount Plus paid the UFC over a billion dollars per year. We cover that and..Trump DC crime takeover? This episode goes places. Topics include…* Why Andrew Sharp thinks Air Pods = Massive Apple scam* The shocking UFC/Paramount deal* Is this the best or the worst time to be a sports fan?* Why the NFL has a secret interest in keeping ESPN alive* Was Game of Thrones the last monoculture show?* Is White Lotus monoculture?* What’s wrong with Apple TV’s “Stick”?* Trump’s DC crime takeover* Andrew CRUSHES journalist Peter Baker* Why did Taylor Swift choose to announce her album on New Heights?* The real problem with showing Taylor Swift so often during NFL games

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comIt’s time for some sports biz with Move Insoles entrepreneur and NBA agent Nate Jones. We don’t have traditional sponsorships here, but House of Strauss certainly endorses Move and Chat BCC. Huge happenings in the world of ESPN this week, and I needed Nate’s insider perspective. We discuss…* The NFL formally joining forces with ESPN, getting a 10% equity stake* Roger Goodell saying his competitor isn’t the NBA, but instead Google* The WWE and ESPN agreeing to a five-year, $1.6 billion deal* How has pro wrestling gotten more popular after publicly revealing its fakeness?* Is danger key to pro wrestling maintaining popularity despite scripted nature?* The Agency Model, where Klutch or some other agency runs an NBA team* Are the Spurs wrong to give De'aaron Fox a massive contract after (an assumed) prior handshake deal? * Is coaching via LLMs really the future of youth sports?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comSarah Hepola is here for one of my favorite conversations of the year. It ranges from Brent Musburger’s public horniness to American beer advertising to honest analysis of the nation’s attractiveness insecurities. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Who else? Sydney Sweeney: A complete analysis* What did “sex sells” go away in advertising?* “Hot, Not Pretty” vs. “Pretty, Not Hot” actresses* If we’d known nothing about the controversy, would we find the jeans ad weird?* Aren’t ads supposed to tickle our horrible base impulses?* Las Vegas sexy jobs that aren’t “sex work”* The cartoonish sexism of social media era beer ads * And the twiiiinnnns* What’s with blondes? * Uncomfortable realities of who’s popular in the dating market * Green dildos on WNBA courts

House (of Strauss) keeping here. My Random Offense with Mike Pesca is up, file included in this email. Subscriber Craig T. Schwerin thoughtfully built off my “LLMs will be Ozempic for Golf” post. Sarah Hepola pod was just recorded, that’s incoming. In the meantime, I’ll be chatting about green WNBA dildos on BCC, so sign up for 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

Audio version of this article is up! Chat about it and other topics on BCC. 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

Narrations of articles are back! This one in particular kicked up a lot of conversation in the House of Strauss group chat on ChatBCC, which I’d encourage all to join. 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

Many of you have been asking that Random Offense audio find its way to the HoS feed, and we’ve worked things out to make it happen. This week we’ve got a State of Sports Media pod with Ryan Glasspiegel. Next week, when I’m back from vacation, we should have regularly scheduled HoS pods back in production. Have a nice weekend, everybody. 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.comA great talk with Jay Caspan Kang on his viral, “Heir Ball: How the Cost of Youth Sports Is Changing the N.B.A.” We also discuss Jay’s BULLYING of Christine Brennan over her defense of Caitlin Clark. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why youth sports is insanely competitive right now* Jay’s own misgivings about becoming a competitive sports dad* Why is t…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comLight Years co-host Saam Esfandiari is here to explain his perspective on NBA free agency, parenting, and Iran. Massive range in this pod. A great talk as always, including but not limited to…* Is there much to say about beloved Kevon Looney leaving GSW? * Why, oh why, is the “cuck chair” Saam’s preferred metaphor for GSW roster moves?* Why is Saam desperate to deal Jonathan Kuminga?* What is the chance Kuminga flourishes elsewhere?* Are millennial stars doomed to get injured?* Sam Presti shuts down Adam Silver’s BS on injuries!* We love what Denver did (Cam Johnson fro MPJ)* Western perspectives on the Middle East? * What’s with the American White Guy NBA moment right now?* Israelis in the NBA? * How to approach youth sports as a parent

Dieter Kurtenbach and Jake Hutchinson have done for 49ers Youtube what pod friend Nate Duncan did for NBA podcasting. I’m entranced by how Dieter and Hutch have decided to build an audience by getting as niche as possible about my local football team. And so we dig into what they’re doing and why it works. 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.comMike Silver, senior NFL writer at the Athletic, has written a remarkable book. “The Why Is Everything” is, in my opinion, the type of work that will no longer happen in the modern access-constrained world. So we get into it, exploring the coaching rivalries that shaped modern football and analyzing the friend/enemy relationships involved. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why is the “why” important for players to understand?* “It’s a crazy business. I’ve seen people fire their brothers.”* Five future head coaches worked on one 2013 Washington Redskins staff: Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Raheem Morris, and Mike McDaniel* Is Sean McVay a big hypocrite? Or just uncommonly vulnerable? * Mike McDaniel was Kyle Shanahan’s right hand man, to the point where Kyle undermined Mike’s dreams* What was working at the Daily Cal like for Mike and myself?* Will sports writers be replaced by AI technology?* Why the hell isn’t Mike Shanahan in the NFL Hall of Fame?!

Stop by live, Friday, at 2way.tv/ethan, where I can discuss most things and Mike Pesca can discuss everything. Topics I’d like to get into include NBA Finals, sports gambling as indicator of sports decline, plus the emergent visibility of baby boomer liberals in protest culture. Also…do we dare discuss Israel/Iran? See you there! 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 angering Stratechery’s Daman Rangoola in private about his JOY over Wednesday’s Lakers team sale, I decided to allow his grievances to be aired in public. Or at least behind this paywall. Beyond being highly informed about the tech world, Daman is a Laker obsessive, with ties to people in the know. And so we discussed topics including but not limited to…* Was I improperly throwing cold water on Laker fan excitement? * What’s up with the trend of hyped ownership changes going poorly?* Did Mark Cuban negotiate a bad team sale price? * How can Daman compliment Jeanie and be so damned thrilled? * Is Luka Doncic an OWNER KILLER???* End of NBA mom and pop shops* What should even get improved by the new Lakers?* Is Rob Pelinka guaranteed to be fired?* Why does the NBA allow the interruption of its Finals with this stuff?* Should the NBA overtly take over the WNBA?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur old friend and Yahoo!/Substack NBA writer Tom Haberstoh is here for some analytical diving. Great talk in my humble opinion. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Tom and I made Tim MacMahon famous and he owes us big time* Is a Thunder-Pacers Finals good for the NBA?* Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the new Tim Duncan* Does SGA not have a signature move? Which stars have what signature moves?* If you take away the steroid peak, is current Aaron Judge better than Barry Bonds? * Is Tyrese Haliburton not a superstar?* Are NBA coaches less valuable than ever?* How many draft picks would you trade for your team to acquire Sam Presti?* It’s time for NBA coaches to wear suits again!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur man Glass is here to discuss an oddly contentious week in sports media. Prominent names are fighting, so we decided to give our takes on what the hell is happening. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Is Bill Simmons right that ESPN will fuck up Inside the NBA?* Ryen Russillo draws ire of Mina Kimes over a harmless joke* Towel snapping maleness of Inside* Bill Simmons vs. Pablo Torre (A B.S. report with Pablo was released right after we recorded, so perhaps not history’s most contentious feud)* LeBron James vs. Brian Windhorst* How successful is LeBron’s Mind the Game podcast?* Is there are a big audience for basketball strategy in a podcast?* “NBA ratings don’t matter,” say people who seem to love when they’re up* The “High Floor, Low Ceiling” theory of NBA viewership * How big is the impact of small markets on viewership?* Is Pride Month now Pride Day in sports?* Why do sports teams tweet more about Pride than other corporations?* Elon Musk going at Trump’s bill on Twitter/X

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI’ve heard buzz about a memoir by Ed Latimore, who’s a former professional boxer and current professional writer. Ed’s developed a following for his life advice and his upcoming book is titled, Hard Lessons From the Hurt Business. I loved getting to know Ed on quite a free range assortment of topics. These topics include but aren’t limited to...* Having kids is the choice that later doesn’t feel like a choice* There’s a town in Canada that’s inundated with polar bears* What lessons you learn from getting knocked out on live television* Ed worries that anyone who’d attack him would likely have a gun* I sort of choked when opening up my live YouTube show* Why are we so afraid of public shame?* The story you can tell yourself to get over a breakup* Losing weight requires a “why” and mine is embarrassing

Here’s my Substack live video with Mike Pesca! Btw, Mike and Bomani Jones will be joining me for my inaugural launch of Random Offense on YouTube, Friday 4pm ET (1 pm PST). Here’s a link for that. Join up.Idea of Random Offense is it’s a bit like the old Callin show I used to do, with listener involvement, only more visual. You guys can call in, ask questions, submit article ideas for the Substack. See you Friday. 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

Matt is back! Nearly two hours of tech and media conversation, in which Matt reveals that he endorses Jon Voight’s plan to take Hollywood back to the 1970s. Also, we discuss how sports television is now aggressively eating scripted Hollywood. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* We were bullied into doing this episode by my only female subscriber* Woke Matt doesn’t think HBO’s The Pitt is woke* Did I accidentally trick a writer into thinking I’m a robot? * Max goes back to HBO Max* Old people are still running the show* “The creator economy is a scam”* Sports asserted their dominance at Upfronts* Are Group Chats going public? * Woke Matt defends universities Thanks for reading House of Strauss! This post is public so feel free to share it. 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.comHouse of Glass alert! Topics include but aren’t limited…* Nike not optimizing shareholder value* NBA lottery history suspicious but probably not rigged* Is Cooper Flagg a top tier prospect historically? Would you trade him for Giannis?* Why nobody cares about Anthony Edwards’ off court issues* Sad Bill Belichick situation* Does Bill Belichick really still have sex? * Meadowlark Media crossroads* Why the other media moguls have issues with Dan Le Batard

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comYou people emailed me, wanting Spike Eskin’s commentary on JJ Redick’s playoff flameout. This tweet was but a taste…We discuss Spike’s anti Redick theory and so much. more. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* “Farting in church” basketball takes like wanting more from Popovich’s coaching tree* Is it fair to suggest that Redick’s choking as a player can carry over into coaching?* Why everyone loves James Harden as choking archetype * What Redick misses about coaching* Why NFL film watching is “astrology for dudes” * A good sports pundit is right a lot. A great sports pundit is constantly wrong and it never matters* Does Spike feel betrayed by Dasha Nekrasova hiding her imminent marriage?

Mike of The Gist is here, which means the conversation flows so easily. We start with Giannis Antetokounmpo going viral again in defeat, and then hit a range of sports current events. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why the public likes Giannis’ defeat monologues* Is Antetokounmpo at all at fault for the Milwaukee disaster?* NBA playoff ratings have juice* What’s up with all TV ratings these days? Are they real or fake?* Aaron Rodgers is insufferable in totality but not in bite sizes* Why NBA superstars try to change too many things around them* How to deal with celebrities* How many NBA players earn more than Adam Silver? * Todd McShay > Mel Kiper * Mike defends Mel Kiper * My ONE big rule of drafting NBA and NFL players 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

Rogue Bogues podcasters (and former NBA professionals) Andrew Bogut and Mike Procopio are here for the playoffs! We start with the elevated physicality of Warriors-Rockets and whether Amen Thompson is at fault for Jimmy Butler’s injury. From there, we’re looking back on situations as wide ranging as when Draymond Green kicked Steven Adams in the nuts in 2016, all the way to whether the Warriors tried to trade Steph Curry for our humble podcast guest (not Procoprio) in 2012. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Who’s at fault for Jimmy Butler getting injured?* Did Ime Udoka make a mistake by using his move of putting Alperen Şengün on Moses Moody two weeks before the season ended?* Does Bogut think that Draymond Green really tried to kick Steven Adams in the balls back in the 2016 WCF?* What’s up with Steve Kerr scolding the Houston crowd for chanting “Fuck Draymond”?* Was Evan Mobley the right choice for DPOY?* We are not fans of how Jonathan Kuminga’s been playing* Our theories on why the Mavericks did their disastrous Luka Dončić trade* Would Pro take a bunch of money to do the Luka trade if ownership demanded * How Andrew feels about Mavericks president Rick Welts bringing up his name when trying to justify the infamous trade* Andrew swears that the Milwaukee Bucks had the option of taking Steph Curry instead of Monta Ellis in that 2012 trade* Will Andrew ever coach an NBA team? 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

One of my favorite conversations with Wos, if I do say so myself. Very NBA forward, if that’s your thing. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why Jordan Brand’s “Bad Luka” ads work* Laker Luka’s potential to become the face of the league* Why is Laker Luka such a hotter cultural commodity than Dallas Luka* Why I don’t believe in the Lakers* Steph Curry as Houston Boogie Man* Rudy Gobert as constant scapegoat* The controversy over the Braves TV guy getting a girl’s phone number* Kay Adams is skilled at professionally flirting and that’s OK* Shannon Sharpe might have a new sex tape?* The sorts of women NBA players “date” 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 never get to talk one-on-one with Light Years co-host and overall Warriors provocateur Andy Liu, but today is my lucky day. In this episode we cover why, exactly, Andy quit the sports writer path for whatever he became. We also discuss how I got fired from Yelp. Oh, and the Warriors made the playoffs finally.Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why did Andy quit formal sports media?* What did I learn about life from working at Yelp?* Why Steve Kerr gets the big things right* How does Andy feel about Kerr antagonist Jim Park?* The heroism of doing a job you hate * Is there a lot of entitlement in the media union movement?* Is the sports media wrong about Warriors vs. Rockets?* Why is the Jonathan Kuminga idea popular with national media?* Who do we want the 49ers to draft?

Audio version of this article is up.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.comAn ideal time to podcast with fellow indie media man Andrew Sharp, King of the Generalists. In addition to podcasting about the NBA, Andrew also co-hosts podcasts on technology and China. Obviously, there were topics to discuss. Subjects include but aren’t limited to…* Are America and China at war? * The precarious nature of what we need from Taiwan* “America is the biggest customer and the customer is always right”* Are we actually friends-friends with Canada?* Luka Dončić whines too much and we don’t feel bad that he got mistakenly ejected* Does Luka have a fetish for arguing against correct calls?* The Dallas Mavericks’ tone deaf effort to welcome Luka back* Do Andrew and I believe in the Warriors?* I do a mea culpa about Ime Udoka

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comCongratulations to Freddie, who’s a new father. Having just come up for air, he’s got takes on the state of our possibly melting down world, NBA corner 3 elimination, and the Jackie Robinson DEI imbroglio. For those who don’t want financial crisis/tariff talk, we begin with it and it ends at around the 25 minute mark. Enjoy!

* Mainstream NBA media tone vs. YouTube tone* The Event Level NBA takes are so much harsher than public takes* Agents can threaten everyone in your media org* Players Justin has pissed off* Why is it Old NBA heads vs. Current Players?* How do we feel about Kirk Goldsberry’s plan to ban corner 3s?* Why is Justin voting Nikola Jokic for MVP?* Justin recounts the time Jerry West eviscerated JJ Redick over “plumbers and firemen”* Why do Justin and I complain about the great LeBron James?* Nike origins of “More than an athlete” * The point of LeBron James as a “voice” that regular NBA media won’t say* Why the Warriors could be a tricky future matchup for the world beating ThunderHouse 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.comMany great topics today with our favorite sports media reporter! Items include but aren’t limited to…* LeBron’s massive hour-plus sit down with Pat McAfee* Is LeBron uniquely annoying among all time greats?* LeBron’s straw man arguments * Why is McAfee egging LeBron on to take shots at Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst?* The GOAT debate as needless dumping on the past* The NBA has an anti-nostalgia problem* Last week’s Jackie Robinson DEI flap and whether I was unfair to Mina Kimes* The WNBA’s big issue with negotiating a new deal* We discuss whether there’s an ideological component to why Hannah Hidalgo hasn’t gotten much spotlight * The Trump administration didn’t handle their Signal snafu well

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comJay Caspian Kang writes about a little bit of everything and so, in our conversations, we discuss a little bit of everything. Today’s main topic is whether the Analytics Movement is past due in sports. Related, per new data-based analysis of Democratic Party woes, is politics about to get a visit from the analytics movement? Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Are Michael Jordan’s shoes actually objectively good looking? * Why did bloggers adopt analytics as a cause? * Was the analytics era about the truth, or about asserting dominance over jocks?* Did fans like the era of NBA strategy blogging?* Why Fantasy Sports sells a fantasy of what it’s like to be a GM* The folly of thinking data analysis can reveal how to run a political party* Ezra Klein stepping into the void to take charge of the Democratic Party * Does Gavin Newsom have a shot at the presidency or is it just the right that’s warming to him?* Is 80 percent of politics just who runs Twitter?* Are the millennial NBA stars like America’s boomers (in holding back progress through longevity)

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comLiz co-hosts the Just Asking Questions podcast, which earnestly investigates the day’s most pressing political and cultural issues. She’s also, in no particular order, a Catholic, mom, surfer and natalism evangelist. I really enjoy Wolfe’s approach to conversations and public intellectual life so this pod is a long time coming. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why you should have kids* Whether it’s bad that Berkeley is so old now* Somehow, we also get into the topic of whether we should explore why we’re disgusted by certain forms of deviancy * How Liz and I feel about living next to Watch List neighbors* My son embarrassed me at Warriors practice by being exactly like me* Aella, the rationalist prostitute * That time Kyrie Irving and other NBA players were being compelled to take the vax

Hoops Tonight host Jason Timpf is back talking NBA nitty gritty + headier topics that we tend to get into. A great conversation as always, this time including but not limited to…* Why Jason knew the Jimmy Butler trade would work for the Warriors* The “blood and bones” perspective on basketball vs. analytics * The “why” function of Youtube* How players fit With and Without* Does Jason believe in the Thunder?* Why Jason doesn’t believe in the Bucks* The underrated MAIN problem with the NBA product right now* Why we’re doing MVP wrong these days* Why NBA players are so jealousHouse 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

Joe, who covers sports business, did a great deep dive on why ESPN’s big bet on ESPN BET has gone awry. What does this say about the current state of sports gambling? Have we reached peak sports gambling? Also, was ESPN’s Around the Horn cancellation more about surrounding structure, or inability to match modern sports fan culture? 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.comI can’t deny it. I’m really excited about the Jimmy Butler Warriors. I just had to discuss with Light Years hosts Saam Esfandiari and Andy Liu. If you’re a GSW fan, this is the episode for you. If you like NBA legacy talk…this might also be the episode for you. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Do we believe?* Reasons for belief* Was Bob Myers throwing cold water on the Warriors in the ABC broadcast?* Do I regret not being around for the entire Steph Warriors story arc?* If Draymond’s wild championship prediction is right…LeBron legacy implications* How Gregg Popovich and LeBron James are similar in GOAT debates

Mavs Moneyball Managing Editor Kirk Henderson went viral with his letter to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. Since going viral with text is almost impossible these days, we talked about why Kirk’s heartfelt missive swayed the masses. What the hell went on in Dallas to cause this infamous trade of a superstar? What are the media stories connected to it? Also, how do Kirk and I rank those to blame for the trade in terms of culpability? 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

Big Wos of Ringer fame is here to break down what the hell compelled the Mavericks to trade away an MVP level player entering his prime. We get into why Mavs GM Nico Harrison may have done the unthinkable, and whether there are genuine concerns about the Lakers’ new franchise guy. A fine conversation with our favorite bon vivant.Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Could history ever validate this decision?* Apparently I’ve joined the conventional wisdom in hating Adam Schefter’s tweet about the trade* Are we now secretly rooting for Nico Harrison to somehow win this bad trade?* Were there cultural tensions between Nico and Luka? * Why was Nico perhaps ill suited for taking over the reins from Cuban* How much it annoys GMs when a player gets FAT * Why is Luka getting fat* Luka and…beer?* The issue with Nico being schooled in the Mamba Mentality * Luka is Zion Williamson with results* Did the Mavs make a “win now” move? * Media squeamishness around discussing the DEI issue* How do we feel about A'ja Wilson’s sneaker release? 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…Razib Khan, beyond being a fine friend of pod, is an excellent genetic historian. He’s written a fascinating article about how Europe once had a burgeoning civilization…thousands of years before history as we know it began. We just haven’t understood much about a once thriving continent because these societies were largely wiped out by the people who became “Europeans”. These revelations turn a lot of conventional historical wisdom about ancient history on its head. Quoting Razib: Neolithic Europe was one of Eurasia’s most advanced regions 5,000 years ago, nearly on par with the Near East, matching India and surpassing China in material terms. In some domains, like gold-work, Europe was the pioneer. We may have forgotten this Europe, but it was hardly a backwater. It was a central engine of world civilization 5,000 years ago.Through the magic of modern technology, we’re getting new insights into this lost world. With increasing clarity, we’re also seeing just how brutal human life was in pre modernity. It’s not sports or media exactly, but I just had to discuss this all with Razib. I believe it’s important information and I can’t stop thinking about it. Topics include: * Where everybody came from* How nobody is really from anywhereThanks for reading House of Strauss! This post is public so feel free to share it. 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.comFreddie stopped by and we had a great conversation about hating Chiefs dominance despite its evident merits, and all these other aspects of popular sports fandom. Oh, and we discussed his fantastic essay, “After Liberal Cultural Hegemony.” Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Are NFL dynasties bad for the game?* Why do we feel sorry for Josh Allen, winner at life?* Is Josh Allen to blame for what happened? * Benjamin Solak did not “read the room”* Travis Kelce Fatigue* You’re allowed to hate teams as a fan* Stop telling fans to “appreciate greatness” * Is the vibe shift bad for our respective businesses? * What was the period before liberal hegemony ended? What was the point?