House of Strauss

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAuthor/Podcaster Nancy Rommelmann stops by to discuss a myriad of subjects both morbid and inspiring. This is the week I am, out loud, sorting out the current cultural moment. Nancy, in all her wide ranging curiosity, is an ideal thought partner in this venture. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Freddie’s “After Liberal Cultural Hegemony”* Last Boys at the Beginning of History* Will legacy magazines become interesting again?* What young men see in Trump* Meghan Markle's dry pie* Why Mark Halperin has the best political podcast * Cannibalism* Why do people do political violence?* Why is Nancy interested in violence as a writing topic?

Nate Jones and I are both trying to figure out the current moment, an era that more or less kicked off on January 20th. Where’s the culture headed now that Trump is officially in power? What are the implications for athlete/sports culture? How is social media different now versus when we started to use it? 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.comGreat talk that’s anchored by this week’s cancellation of Very Bad Eagles Fan. As WIP host, pod friend Spike Eskin is our ambassador to all things Philly culture, plus a myriad of other pressing topics. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Does the NBA have a “massive negativity problem”?* The viral Eagles fan who called a Packers fan an “ugly dumb cunt” * This Eagles fan seems bad, but was the moment contrived?* We’re cancelling randos off viral videos again* Philly fans have a negative reputation. Do they like that reputation? * “History is fake”* There once was an ancient, burgeoning European civilization that was wiped out

One of my favorite podcasts to date…Independent NBA Podcast Beast Nate Duncan chastises me over my pronounciation and takes. He also offers his solution to what ails the NBA, but there’s a lot more. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Am I right to want hand checking above the arc?* What good reforms has the NBA made? * Are 3-pointers even the main issue?* Does Nate send soup back?* Is there a way to prevent Jimmy Butler situations?* Do NFL quarterbacks get paid too little?* Are dating apps good for society?* Is it more uncomfortable to strike up a conversation with a random woman in a bar, or a surly athlete you have to interview? * Nate doubts the power of conservative backlash against Caitlin Clark 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

As NFL newsbreaker Ian Rapoport told the world on Friday, preeminent sports media critic Ryan Glasspiegel is leaving the New York Post for Front Office Sports. Ryan and I discuss the why of his leaving such an established legacy brand, and segue into the business of sports media coverage. Plus we talk about the lurid Fox Sports sexual harassment allegations, California wildfires, current political cultural moment and more. 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

Happy New Year! We start off 2025 with an in depth discussion about, what else? H-1B Visas. In all seriousness, the visa issue has revealed fascinating dynamics within American politics and culture. Our guest Lee Fang wrote a fantastic article on the business dynamics behind a controversial policy that’s pitted Elon Musk against more traditional MAGA types. In this pod, our topics include but aren’t limited to…* What the hell are H-1B Visas? * Why is the “Tech Right” struggling to make a case for them? * Is Elon Musk’s loyalty to America or Mars? * I read the now infamous Vivek Ramaswamy tweet* What’s wrong with 90’s sitcoms and sleepovers?* “Market dominant minorities” and modern anti Indianism * Is the Tech Right against racism? Or just highly specific forms of it? * What are people in tech really like? 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.comRyan thinks you can guess the two major discussion points here. Topics include…* Why is a Gregg Popovich Trump rant going viral in conservative media over a month after it happened? * Why is NBA ratings discourse so overwhelming all of a sudden?* Did Adam Silver not use soft power like David Stern used it?* Are we more pessimistic about the NBA’s cultural future than Bill Simmons is? * The NBA’s America problem* Why is the NBA a WOKE piñata in conservative media?* How do we feel about Caitlin Clark clearly lying (Ryan seems fine with it)? * Does Clark’s TIME feature influence how fans relate to her?* Why is Hannah Hildago a potential future WNBA controversy generator?

One of our favorite cultural commentators returns to discuss men, women, politics and so much else. Great pod, in my unbiased opinion. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why there was a “Sydney Sweeney is mid” discourse on social media* Is modern dating terrible? * Why the dating app market is bad, even for its big winners* Single men should buy dogs * Does becoming Republican shrink male dating options? * Are nearly all marriages “politically mixed” marriages?* Is the political gender divide hurting society?* Is the Wifejak good?* Is “toxic femininity” a real thing?* Is the WNBA the only institution still on Earth 2? Or are there others? * What’s with people who voted for Kamala enjoying the outcome of Trump winning?* The meaning of Luigi Mangione supportHouse 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.comNon sports media edition, because a) I’m morbidly captivated by the Healthcare CEO assassination fallout and b) Any excuse to host Sarah Haider is a good one. Beyond being intelligent and brave, Sarah has some personally informed thoughts about ayahuasca, a topic of the moment given certain rumors about the CEO killer. Conversation includes but is not limited to…* High status people celebrating the murder of CEO Brian Thompson? * It’s underrated how frequently high functioning people lose their minds* Did ayahuasca compel Sarah to quit her own podcast? * If ayahuasca kills motivation, then why did Sarah do it? * Does living under threat of assassination, as Sarah might, inform perspective?* Are we completely honest in our public transmissions? * Are we more honest in real life or as writers/podcasters? * Why don’t professors, whose system saddles young people in debt, see themselves as oppressors? * What do we think of the politically minded tech libertarian types?

Depending on schedule, this is a potential Part 1 due to a surprise area Internet outage that cut us a bit short. Would love to discuss more topics with Tom, who’s just so easy to talk to. Like so many others, I was shocked to hear KNBR cut ties with the region’s most beloved sports radio host. Hopefully, the silver lining here is that we’ll get to hear more of Tolbert in other contexts. Dude’s a gem, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to chat about old basketball NBA with him. 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

NBA/Tech/China podcaster Andrew Sharp is here to “see where the takes take us,” and I love where it goes. * Is Andrew buying or selling the future of BlueSky?* The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight* What is Netflix’s sleazy strategy with this sort of live event?* Andrew explains how the NBA made way more TV money while in viewership decline* What’s driving the NBA viewership drop? Andrew wrote a list* Are we excited about Inside the NBA coming to ESPN? Are there downsides?* Has the vibe shifted such that Charles Barkley can talk about San Antonio women?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

Great podcast, if we do say so ourselves…* Did Ryan lose his life savings betting Kamala Harris on Kalshi? * The French polymarket whale who bet on Trump using the “neighbor method”* Has the election inspired a vibe shift in sports media?* The Ben Strauss argument that FS1 is more woke than ESPN* The “Democrats need a Joe Rogan” trope* Is the “Dem-friendly Rogan Bill Simmons”? * Is Shannon Sharpe the Dem-friendly Rogan? * The sports journo exodus to BlueSky and why it won’t work* I don’t think the shift to the right among Zoomers has much to do with “incels” * Inflation or culture war: What settled the election? 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

Nick is back, and candid as ever. This was a wide ranging conversation, as it always is, covering sports, media and political subjects. I wonder which aspects might get aggregated…Topics include but aren’t limited to:* Nick says our guy Freddie deBoer is mad at him. * I just bow down to the Kansas City Chiefs now. It’s easier. * Has the analytics movement devalued winning?* How does Nick feel about having a different politics than a lot of Kansas City Chiefs fans? * Would Nick have traded another Chiefs Super Bowl for his Bears pick working out? * How does Nick feel about having a different politics than Chiefs players? * Is politics any kind of proxy for how good a person is? * The NBA is flush with TV money, but is it struggling as a product? Do they need Nick’s reforms? * The MLB has some juice right now. Can baseball be made into a national sports talk show topic? * Can you hate your co-host and do a great sports show in the modern age? And much more…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

Not exactly sports, but sort of. I and New York politics expert Ross Barkan reflect on Trump’s landslide victory, the multiethnic factors propelling it, and where the Democrats go from here. 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

Eric (@HLinsight) is a real life pro sports gambler. He also has profound reservations about sports gambling’s introduction to the mainstream. I can confidently say that the conversation you’re about to listen to isn’t happening at any of the other mainstream sports media sites. This is a candid look at why betting sports, as fun as it is, is mostly a sucker’s bet. Topics include…* Parlays and other tricks apps use to keep you hooked* How the limiting of winners makes sustained success nearly impossible* Tout scams, busty pick advice, and other ways to get rich off worthless tips* Sports bet advertising that targets youth* Betting on games vs. events that are determined by inside info (Draft picks)* Can games be rigged in this era due to gambling?* Pro social gambling vs. anti social gambling* How do we feel about betting on the 2024 election? Good opportunities there?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

In addition to being co-host of the Light Years podcast, Saam is tasked with running Creator Growth at Playback, an interactive sports streamer app. This means that a lot of this millennial’s waking hours are spent on trying to figure out the sports viewership habits of Zoomers. This is the foundation of our conversation in this pod: What’s up with young people? What programs are they gravitating to and why? And are their habits upending traditional notions of what “mainstream” media even is? But first, true to Bay Area form, we start with expressing our annoyance at the conventional takes of Purdy-hating, “NFL Film Watchers.” Topics include…* “Film Watchers” don’t have an edge on the data* Is NFL Twitter worse for the fake smart takes than NBA Twitter* How the beat writer has to pretend to not care if the team loses * Ya, I cared when the Warriors lost* My regret over my ESPN the Magazine Draymond “hit piece”* How ESPN cut the Nike loses Steph Curry article from the Magazine* Will Compton farting at the Washington Post over his Bussin’ with the Boys Trump interview * Legacy media trying to recap these Trump and Harris Youtube show interviews* The filming over everything makes athletes more paranoid in the locker room now.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

My live video with Chris Best is available here as well, so it seems. Great talk, enjoyed being the one who answers the Qs this time. 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

Your guy Big Wos is back, with candid takes on the state of NBA media. This was a great conversation wherein we discussed the following:* A variety of ESPN NBA moves (Woj leaving, Lowe ousted, Shams hired)* Shams on First Take shows why we didn’t really need Woj anymore * Why does ESPN value news breaking so much!* I can now freely say that Brian Windhorst is great* The friendly fire of an ESPN article attacking ESPN host Kendrick Perkins over his NIL business * Is Perkins’ business sleazier than SOP for college education loans?* Will we see more Matthew Sluka situations where players simply quit over NIL issues?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.comWhen Tim Kawakami and I get together, we’re going to talk sports media. Considering that Tim just recently left the Athletic, where used to be my boss, and joined the ambitious SF Standard, we’ve got much to discuss. Also, for those who like Niners talk, we’ve got a whole lot of it in the back half of this pod. My teaser is that Tim dispels a commonly believed false notion or two. Enjoy!

Nate Jones, NBA agent and footwear entrepreneur at Move Insoles, is here to discuss a shocking corporate ouster at Nike. We get into how Nike modernized at its own expense, lost core customers, and ultimately fired a CEO they were just recently so enamored with. What lessons can be learned from the shoe apparel giant’s issues? What parallels do we see to recent problems at Disney and overall entertainment? Is this what happens when a corporation sacrifices art in pursuit of efficiency? Oh, and we also discuss why the hell Nike’s not making more of the Caitlin Clark moment. 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

Big content Friday at HoS! Today we’ve got YouTube superstar Saagar Enjeti on to discuss content trends. Saagar has been steadfast about not doing ads to support his business. What’s behind that philosophy? And why is he thrilled about the prospect of legacy media’s demise? Also, Saagar asks me some questions about what’s going on in the sports media space. 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

Had a fantastic time catching up with our friend Moynihan, co-host of The Fifth Column and all around podcasting force at The Free Press. This podcast is roughly two hours, one of which we’re making free. For whatever reason, we found the World War 2 revisionism controversy of Daryl Cooper on Tucker Carlson to be a fruitful subject. Why did the political horseshoe arrive at trashing Winston Churchill? Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Today’s protestors are physically weak compared to the high T 60’s protestors * How television shook up America in the 1960s* Jonestown* The Martyr Made Hitler vs. Churchill imbroglio* The “theyification” of Tucker Carlson* Can a “founding myth” be mostly real? * We’ve exited peak “wokeness.” Is that simply the result of Elon Musk buying Twitter?* What are the free speech implications of American culture getting shifted by one guy’s impact on one social media platform?* Can Michael draw a line between his old shop Vice collapsing and Republicans doing better with young males?* Jesse Jackson 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

Sports Analytics King Neil Paine is on to address some of the questions on our mutual minds. Am I correct that people are less into politics this election? Is Kamala Harris a classic backup QB promotion? Is baseball back in American culture (Thanks to Judge and Ohtani)? Is Ohtani paradoxically more fun now that he’s not pitching? Is Aaron Rodgers too old to be good? Is a “system quarterback” even a real thing? What NFL players have “shadow value”? We discussed these subjects and much more in a talk that was, in my opinion, quite enjoyable. 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

Ryan Glasspiegel is back, and we’ve got many a media topic to discuss. Did politics influence the Samantha Ponder ouster at ESPN (I say ‘no’)? What do we make of the presidential betting odds? How do we feel about how politics is all “vibes” and no substance these days? Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Sam Ponder: Was there any politics aspect to the ESPN firing?* Defending Pat McAfee against Awful Announcing* Trump/Kamala gambling odds * What's more important in elections: vibes or policy?* I am fascinated by the character that is Tim Walz* FS1 shakeup* Simmons/Klosterman and the gambling topic* Ryan has another WBD/NBA lawsuit prediction* Am I a Caleb Williams skeptic amid the hype? 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

Warning: This is a very football-heavy podcast. The NFL is back, and so is Warren Sharp with his massive 2024 Football Preview. Given that Warren is so well versed on NFL data and trends, I wanted to pick his brain on what America’s most analyzed league is currently missing. Obviously NFL coaches are highly informed, but is there something they’re doing wrong? Is football in its early stages Moneyball era, like baseball in the early 2000s? And why the hell have teams stopped scoring in this supposedly pass friendly epoch? We discuss these topics plus so much more. 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.comKat Rosenfield is an author and Free Press columnist who often boldly covers matters of cultural controversy. I was fascinated by her “What the Childless Among Us Leave Behind” essay, which anchors a lot of the pod. We also got into Nike’s new direction and a range of other subjects related to the modern gender wars. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Is there such a thing as objectively good style? * Is the meme of “unhappy childless woman” true? * The divide in perspective between parents and the childless* Kids give you existential relief * Why are cats symbolic of female loneliness? * Hillary Clinton’s “deplorables” vs. JD Vance’s “cat ladies”* Why are Gen Z men shifting Republican? * Why are older women overrepresented at Kamala Harris rallies?* Why did Obama resonate with young millennial males? * What is the visual Social Justice Aesthetic? * Nike shift and the current sanitized culture* Men expressing what they find attractive as underground movement

Big Wos and I were interviewed for The Spoils documentary, which examines how the AAU business is changing as the money in the NBA and NCAA explode. Director Mike Nicoll sat down with us to discuss that plus so many related topics of mutual interest. For instance, in recent years, American youth basketball has become something between a sport and exercise in social media brand building. Team USA just won gold in spectacular fashion, but is this the last truly dominant American basketball generation? Is that just natural as the sport gets more internationally popular, or has something gone wrong in how we cultivate future superstars? 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

I believe you’ve heard of Nate Silver, whose fame is well earned. Sometimes, it’s almost too bad that his reputation as a data/politics guy precedes him. Nate, the writer, is highly underrated. I was reminded of this once again while reading his new book, On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything. It’s an engrossing exploration of risk and probability, as applied to those who live with making difficult choices. We get into many of its fascinating topics and also discuss what had just happened: On Tuesday, Kamala Harris announced Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her presidential running mate, passing over Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. Topics discussed but not limited to…* Was Josh Shapiro’s Jewishness a deciding factor in losing out on the VP spot? Can we set odds on this?* Why presidential candidates are sometimes inclined to pick worse VPs* What it was like to hang out with Sam Bankman-Fried during his legal troubles* What’s with the Effective Altruists? Why do some think AI will kill us all?* Why are the Effective Altruists so disproportionately childless? * Profiling guys like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen* Is there a dispassionate way to cut through media noise and assess when Trump is helping his own cause? * Will Trump outperform the polls again? Should that be expected? * Can the NFL be Moneyball’d? 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.comOK, I’m back from vacation, leaping out of cold Lake Tahoe and into this particular hot water. The women’s Olympic boxing controversy is an absolute mess from a media perspective. When Angela Carini of Italy quickly tapped out against Imane Khelif of Algeria, it kicked off a cultural firestorm. Initially, some of those outraged by what they witnessed in the match were operating off of incomplete information. But in the follow up, many conventional media outlets were misleading in their corrections. Given all this confusion, I’ve enlisted evolutionary biologist Colin Wright to make sense of what’s likely happened, why it’s happened, and where the public conversation went wrong. We also discuss what determines “male” vs. “female,” and the impact of testosterone on the human body. Fascinating stuff, in my humble opinion. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Imane Khelif as subject of controversy * What is a DSD (Differences of Sexual Development) condition? * Where the “right” went wrong in the immediate aftermath of this controversy* Where the “left” is wrong in their correction of the right, especially in media* What’s with the impulse to morally shame people who seek an ethical guideline here?* How the IOC really dropped the ball* Does XY = male?* Does it matter at all that the International Boxing Association has Russian ties?* Odd ways that testosterone impacts the human body, right down to the fingers

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comNate Jones, current NBA agent and insole entrepreneur, has a lot of smart thoughts on our favorite topics. Today we discuss the big news in NBA media: Warner Bros (Turner Sports) is insisting it has the right to match a TV rights deal and the NBA says it doesn’t. Is this about to get ugly? Why must fans be deprived of Inside the NBA? Topics include but aren’t limited to...* The dispute between beloved fan favorite TNT and an NBA that wants to move beyond its old standby * Are broadcasters overpaying for the NBA? Or is this the path to riches?* David Stern is a McDonald's guy. Adam Silver is a Taco Bell guy* Why Nate thinks the NBA needs stars playing more years of college ball* Men’s college basketball is well known; Women’s college basketball is known well* Why NCAA basketball doesn’t help the NBA like NCAA football helps the NFL* Nate tells us whether he believes Jaylen Brown’s contention that he was left off Team USA due to Nike* Nate and I discuss what is sure to be a highly contentious election discourse, anchored in the political gender gap* Nate wishes the Democrats elected their candidate through a primary* I can never predict which issues will matter to people* Trump’s impact on the people around Nate and myself, in our Blue World lives

I saw NBA Youtube tycoon Jason Timpf out at Vegas Summer League and we got to talking about this exact topic: Do you need to truly love basketball to be a winner at its highest levels? That conversation led to this podcast, which includes Jason’s keen observations on Team USA. 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.comGlass man alert! Our favorite sports media expert has broken news, and so we discuss his stories, plus a range of other topics. To copy Ryan’s notes, here’s our loaded topic docket: * Skip Bayless leaving FS1* Success after ESPN* Shannon Sharpe’s ascension and impact as a megastar* NBA TV deal scuttlebutt with some informed speculation on big news* New York Knicks owner James Dolan's warnings about modern NBA* Trump assassination conspiracy theories * The right weaponizing cancel culture (as the left once did) to cost ordinary people their jobs * Shams Charania free agency bonanza

Cowherd alert! Colin and I did our yearly summer conversation, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We started by discussing the sports media mogul era and of course got into a range of interesting topics. Subjects include but aren’t limited to…* Colin on being not just a businessman, but a business, man* Colin reflects on Barstool’s success* How does Colin know who’ll work out as a podcaster?* Twitter/X is easy; Making content is hard* When is OK to talk politics in sports broadcasting?* Colin on Nike and LeBron/Klutch both misusing their power* The difference (and similarity) between how Steph and LeBron handled their careers* The difference between Kevin Durant and Steph Curry* Is KD like Aaron Rodgers?* Klay Thompson’s grumpy end with the Warriors* People are more likely to admit reality on sports than in politics 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

I’m a fan of Neil Paine’s data driven sports Substack and you should be too. Neil’s got a gift for finding sports mysteries and probing deeper. This conversation went so many places and I could have kept it going hours longer but for the hard out. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* The data driven case for Caitlin Clark getting left off Team USA* If Clark’s teammates are consistently dropping the passes, are the turnovers her fault?* Differences between the WNBA and NBA* Was Tim Duncan underrated? * Should NFL player stats be more respected by NFL analysts? * A sneaky reason for why Tom Brady is the GOAT* Will announcer Brady teach us about his greatness? * Why can’t teams beat the NFL Draft? * Do we actually know beforehand when an NBA Draft is a “weak draft”?* Does MLB showing us “catch probability” undermine our enjoyment?* Why can’t Canadian teams win a Stanley Cup? * Are some great players actually chokers? 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.comFreddie’s back, after writing a glorious rant titled Fuck the Modern NBA. For once I get to be the guy defending the league (and some of my friends). We also discuss the current potential Biden succession chaos. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why fuck the modern NBA? * Why has criticism of the NBA sharpened after the announcement of its big TV deal? Does the money mean the league is on the right track? * I defend what the champion Boston Celtics represent * Freddie and I disagree on whether the “fans as GMs” phenomenon is bad* ESPN’s coverage of LeBron/Bronny is weird* Dismissing Michael Jordan = Being angry at your dad* Freddie hates Nick Wright and I do not* Freddie on The Kamala Conundrum* Why are we here, right now, we these two presidential candidates?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comThis month, Jesse Singal’s beloved Boston Celtics won the NBA championship, and he was made happy forever. In between discussing the 2024 title and his widely hated Boston fan base, we of course talked about The Media. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Jesse was at the Game 5 Finals clincha (This is how Boston people talk, right?)* We saw Game 2 together at a Boston sports bar. Does the guilty liberal side of Jesse feel bad about joining in on anti Kyrie chants? * Is the journalism industry doomed mostly by structural or ideological issues? (woke vs. broke)* What’s with Jayson Tatum copying other peoples’ famous memes? * Audience capture is like James Harden* Is my Criticism Capture concept more explanatory than Audience Capture? * Should Jesse have tried to talk to Bill Simmons at Game 5? * I recommend a little place called the Grand Canyon* Is the Grand Canyon more elite than Yosemite?!

Thrilled to have Chris on for the first time. Like me, he’s a former NBA beat writer. Unlike me, he’s the co-host of a successful sports debate show. Chris is a very grounded guy who resisted the life as newsbreaker for his current role as commentator. We get into why he made that choice, his call on LeBron’s 2010 Decision, what it’s like to be repped by Klutch, the Harrison Butker controversy and baseball’s current status in America. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Broussard was early to report that LeBron was going to Miami in 2010* The pressure to be a newsbreaker following The Decision* Chris is repped by Klutch but believes that Michael Jordan is the GOAT* What did NBA beat reporting used to be like? * What are we losing now that beat reporting is on the way out? * Does the media make the NBA big time? * The Harrison Butker controversy: Is faith in conflict with corporate/modern culture?* Why I think Butker made his speech too political * Has baseball lost out in our modern era? 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.comIn this visit from our favorite sports media critic, we stop worrying and learn to follow the WNBA. Or Ryan does. I, like many a casual, mostly track the Caitlin Clark aspect. Seems like she’s…really good? Topics on this pod include but aren’t limited to…* A nerd could have predicted that Caitlin Clark was better than the initial numbers* The decision to keep Clark off the Olympic team is starting to look worse. * Ryan sees the Fever media situation up close* Do we dare discuss how the WNBA has shifted its marketing to advertise, uh, image?* WNBAer Natasha Cloud speaks out on Gaza, but few athletes join in on that topic* Why aren’t athletes backing Joe Biden in ways Dems have usually gotten support in the past? * Why aren’t athletes criticizing Donald Trump as used to happen? * JJ Redick gets hired by the Lakers. Shocker!* Speaking of politics, the Lakers under Jeanine Buss = one of the major political parties

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWhen there’s an ESPN + Adrian Wojnarowski driven controversy, Amin Elhassan and I delight in our ability to discuss the issue unfettered. And so we addressed this whole Woj + Danny Hurley + Lakers mess, while also talking about, what else? A Bay Area meetup that included many brilliant rationalists, featuring some of their peculiarities. Oh ya, and also the Boston Celtics. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Manifest Festival in Berkeley was such a unique setting. I run it all by a skeptical Amin* What’s with the Effective Altruists and polyamory?* Nate Silver as questions-besieged Nerd King* Do I love the Boston Celtics? I explain my affection for this much maligned now heavy NBA Finals favorite* Amin and I get into the absolutely bizarre Adrian Wojnarowski driven story where the Lakers seemed about to hire Danny Hurley (45 Minute Mark)* Was this a leverage play for Hurley? Or a different kind of Woj driven conquest? * How my being fired shaped Amin’s perception of the leading news breaker

Again we’ve got Andrew Sharp of the GOAT podcast, Sharp Tech, Sharp China, and perhaps some other podcasts I’m not listing. Needless to say, the man wears many hats, though covering the NBA is his main background (Yes, I can relate to this). Today we’re obviously discussing the Mavs-Celtics NBA Finals, exploding NBA rights fees as a business story and this bizarre Adrian Wojnarowski vs. Shams Charania proxy war over whether the next Laker coach will be Dan Hurley or JJ Redick. Oh, and we get into the following Sharp quote: Everything this Celtics team stands for represents everything I don’t want basketball to beEnjoy!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 can hardly keep track of all the sports media controversies pouring forth from Caitlin Clark’s debut WNBA season, so we enlisted WNBA fan and certified #GirlDad Ryan Glasspiegel. What the hell is happening here? Why is Stephen A. Smith doing battle with ESPN personality Monica McNutt? Why is Pat McAfee apologizing for calling Caitlin Clark a “white bitch”? Why is Sean Hannity attacking Pat McAfee over this? We answer all these questions and more. Topic Docket:* A whole lot of hilarious WNBA-related subjects (We’re allowed to laugh)* Much of the sports media is gaslighting us on what’s happening* Why do players hate Caitlin Clark? What’s the percentage breakdown? * Sean Hannity going after Pat McAfee? In a non political way? What? * The Negro Leagues + MLB stats integration topic

Our resident announcer Guy Haberman is back, and sounding much better since the last time we chatted. We went as deep as we could go on the profession of sports broadcasting. What’s the greatest call of all time? What’s Joe Buck’s style, distilled? Also discussed: Guy’s time with the great Bill Walton, my thoughts on how writing is different from podcasting, and how you should prepare for anything you do. Oh, and some 49ers stuff at the end, of course. 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 hearty welcome to American Soccer Man Alexi Lalas. He’s sometimes discussed as “controversial” in sports media, but is he? We get into how and why he expresses his views, how the culture is shifting, and how athletes are different from us. We also look back at his and Carli Lloyd’s viral 2023 World Cup commentary. Enjoy topics that include but are not limited to…* How does Alexi feel now about suddenly becoming a famous Gen Xer in 1994?* Alexi’s problem with soccer fans who “gate keep” soccer fandom* America’s the only nation where soccer fan can be coded as “well educated snob”* Why Lalas posted a 1993 photo of himself with the caption: Yup, in 1993 you would have seen this dude was flying down the 5 freeway into the warm golden California sun, with the windows down cranking Rush Limbaugh....and Ratt* Are athletes, including soccer players, more small “c” conservative than media? * How the NBA (cynically) stopped involving itself in politics* That time Alexi tweeted, “'Don’t kill the messenger. This #USWNT is polarizing”* Looking back on Bill Walton* Alexi thinks society would heal if all group chats were made public * His view on Megan Rapinoe* “Not everyone is wired like Carli Lloyd”

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWosny Lambre wears many hats and today we accidentally went heavy on politics. For that I apologize, given that sports > politics, but I did throughly enjoy the conversation (which even included some spirited arguing). The caveat is this is just two guys shooting from the hip on controversial matters. We are not experts. To quote Charles Barkley, “God’s the only expert.” Topics include but aren’t limited to…* This bizarre Isaac Chotiner interview with Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg where the latter tries to flee midway through. * Why is Joe Biden struggling in the polls relative to the Democratic Party?* Why has a slice of the public forgiven Trump relative to 2022, when Dems performed above expectations?* Do people now overwhelmingly vote for cultural reasons over economic reasons? * Wos is fascinated by how Bill Maher is regarded on the left* Stan Van Gundy accuses Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker of “cloaking bigotry under religious beliefs.” I’ll admit that I discussed this part before knowing the full context of SVG’s religion-critical commentary. * Is religion on a textual level compatible with modern culture?

Nate Jones is one of the most thoughtful commentators on all things NBA. For some insane reason, he still tweets his honest thoughts. We get into those, starting with the end of Turner’s Inside the NBA, transitioning to ESPN’s recent NBA issues and fanning out to Jones’ perspective on sharing normie political tendencies on Twitter/X. 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 are joined by Mike Pesca, host of The Gist, and (much to his great shame), House of Strauss super fan. On today’s pod we unpack the various overlapping dramas surrounding Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement speech. The NFL has disavowed Butker’s words. But has “the NFL” really disavowed his words? Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Mike and I like a good hypocrite* Is there any throughline to the social justice causes (Why is Greta Thunberg now protesting an Israeli singer’s inclusion on Eurovision?)* The Harrison Butker media freakout* Can fervently followed religion co-exist with the secular ideology of institutions?* The modern issue with telling women to “be a homemaker”* Bill Simmons succeeds because he still has takes (and others don’t)* A take or two on Glenn Greenwald* Mike questions me on my NBA takes over the years

Grant Cohn is a) The originator of the now multimillion dollar media ecosystem known as “49ers Youtube” b) Most prolific critic of 49er coach Kyle Shanahan and, now, c) In a beef with Athletic reporter David Lombardi. We start with that last part, because it’s an intriguing entry point. Why are Cohn and Lombardi openly fighting? Does Grant represent the gate crashing threat of New Media? Or is Lombardi heading him off at the pass by taking team-friendly coverage to Grant’s Youtube territory? We get into all of this, plus discuss hurting athlete’s feelings, Kevin Durant’s personality type, my least favorite 2024 Niner draft pick, and, who else? Brock Purdy. 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

Ben Kaplan and Danny Parkins are best friends and co-creators of this particular passion project. It turns out that the ranks of NBA decision makers and coaches are replete with guys who cut their teeth in obscure Division 3 college programs. The sheer amount of influence out of D3 is pretty incredible, as the book chronicles and conveys. So why has this happened? How come the lowest level of college competition is fueling the highest level of decision making in pro competition? We get into that, plus question big shot Chicago radio host Danny about Caleb Williams…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.comRyan, our nation’s preeminent sports media critic, is here to discuss reports that NBC wishes to offer the NBA a tremendous amount of money. What does this mean, other than that Adam Silver is our lord and savior? Topics…* Can Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT) possibly come up with a competing offer?* What’s with WBD CEO David Zaslav sitting at Knicks-Sixers with Goldman Sachs tycoon Lloyd Blankfein?* Do Barkley and the other TNT guys join NBC in this scenario? * Irony of WBD needing the NBA most, but being most likely to be forced out* Oddness of young Thunder players doing that “What a pro wants” ad* Which TNT halftime guy is least essential?* NBA playoff ratings are all over the map. New Nielsen system or something else?* That traditional space at end of pod where we talk Israel/Gaza campus protests * Are these protests being received by the public in a totally different way had Elon not bought Twitter?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAce New York politics reporter, all around culture writer and crazed baseball fan Ross Barkan objected to my “Is Baseball Dying?” article. Naturally I had him here to say his piece and boy did we hit on a range of other topics. * Contra conventional wisdom, is baseball more international than basketball? * Why might baseball survive the future? * Pete Rose was insanely famous in the 1970s, and we’ve forgotten* Is household name sports celebrity over, post LeBron James and Steph Curry?* Is Patrick Mahomes anywhere near as famous as prime Tom Brady was? * Taylor Swift and parasocial fandom* Will Swift exist outside her time? * Travis Kelce’s obvious bid for fame* Tucker Carlson vs. Bari Weiss on Israel* Campus fight over Israel