House of Strauss

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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comJoe is really smart about the sports + business overlap, as evidenced by his viral story about Glen Taylor thwarting his own sale of the Timberwolves to the ARod + Lore duo. We got deep into that deeply reported article and hit other topics of interest, such as…* The Pat McAfee + Bill Belichick combo* Robert Kraft’s Dynasty hit job on Belichick backfiring* Roger Goodell expanding the NFL season* NBA TV rights reports * The paradox of why NBA broadcasters might pay more while asking for less inventory * The Minnesota mess* Glen Taylor’s sneaky trick to recapture team control* Those Forbes team valuations matter more than you’d think* Why the WNBA can’t pay Caitlin Clark a lot of money* The articles arguing that Clark got a big Nike deal in large part because she’s White

Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight on the Volume Network seemingly appeared out of nowhere, thriving at the top of NBA media. Of course, like many an “overnight success story,” his rise was many years in the making. This was a great conversation wherein we discussed, among other things…* How Jason used 2020 era Twitter Spaces as the battering ram to break into media * Why Jason, as the counterpoint to Spike Eskin, loves JJ Redick* How Jason’s career was decided by Colin Cowherd’s 5 seconds of judgment* Reducing a game to a story* How much should we blame or credit luck and variance in an outcome? * Dre Greenlaw’s Super Bowl Achilles: Luck or something else? * Analytics-leaners dismiss the midrange at their peril* Steve Kerr’s secret to NBA playoff successHouse 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.comProminent foreign policy writer Eli Lake, currently posting at The Free Press, dropped by HoS to talk basketball. I, of course, wanted to discuss Lake’s views on politics, culture and the ever fraught topic of Israel. I’m not sure which of us won the battle for topic allocation, but I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation (and I’ve made the NBA part of it free). Subjects include, but are not limited to…* Why Eli is “my least favorite kind of intellectual”* Eli’s beloved Sixers…getting mighty intriguing? * How to fix the Warriors* Eli, much like fellow Philly Jew Spike Eskin, has issues with LeBron’s public persona. * Why LeBron vs. Daryl Morey on China turned into a crisis at my then place of work* Is Eli, post October 7th, still friendly with Glenn Greenwald? * The Zionist case for America ceasing to fund Israel’s military* Protestors who block bridges against Israeli military action…is there a logic to what they’re doing?* Are today’s protestors imitating the legend of the 60s? Or doing their own thing?* Trump at the bodega

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe’ve got Andrew Bogut and Mike “Pro” Procopio of the Rogue Bogues podcast to discuss the eliminated and possibly dead Golden State Warriors dynasty. Obviously we talked about a lot of other subjects with these first grade ballbusters. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* The Warriors. What should they do? * Draymond Green as player-podcaster* Did the Warriors really screw up the James Wiseman pick? Or were there just few good options?* Jontay Porter getting banned from the NBA for prop bets* The way assistant coaches scheme against one another for power* The time I got yelled at by a media member in front of Steph Curry* Players and coaches leaking secret information to reporters* Gilbert Arenas slighting Nikola Jokic* Is it an issue at all if Luka Doncic is chubby?* Pro is the King of Feminism because he was pro WNBA before it was cool

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comTop flight Audio Man Spike Eskin is here to discuss the newest NBA podcast hits. Spike’s gotten a lot of mileage out of humorously critiquing LeBron and JJ Redick’s “Mind the Game” pod, but perhaps he should be focusing more of his energy on Michael Porter Jr.’s “Curious Mike” product? Topics discussed:* Is Spike a hater for laughing at LeBron’s Internet-lauded NBA strategy podcast? What’s wrong with two dudes drinking fancy wine and talking hoops? * Why did Spike’s “LeBron caught himself in a lie” clip go this viral? * Is the broader media afraid to have fun with LeBron’s foibles?* LeBron’s child star origins on display* Michael Porter Jr. interviewed porn star Lana Rhoades and the results are very entertaining* “Poop cookies” and the controversy surrounding Porter Jr.’s Rhoades interview* A case of “locker room” talk infuriating segments of social media * Athletes as political/social omnivores

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBoy do we have a loaded topic docket with America’s preeminent sports media critic and New York Post newsbreaker Ryan Glasspiegel. Honestly discussed fraught topics abound. As Ryan would frame this rundown: * All things Caitlin Clark (ratings, will it translate to WNBA, the backlash from women's basketball players and the backlash to the backlash)* Why Norby Williamson's out at ESPN/who he is/what it means * Dawn Staley/Outkick: What’s with the prestige media anger over the biological male in women’s sports question? * Why Timberwolves ownership dustup should be a bigger story* Ryan loves WrestleMania. I don’t understand WrestleMania

Sports announcers and 49ers Youtuber Guy Haberman had vocal cord surgery and now sounds like Patty + Selma. I find his current predicament fascinating. He insists the subject of announcer voice issues isn’t interesting. We start talking 49ers around the 52 minute mark, for people who are into that sort of thing. Topics include:* What does a vocal cord surgery do for a broadcaster?* Which sports announcers qualify for Top 5 “All Pipes” Team* Do New York announcers have the best accent for the job? Do Midwesterners have the worst?* Why did the elite duo of Guy + John Middlekauff break up? * Is Brandon Aiyuk going to be traded? * My crazy contrarian NFL takes* Does the NFL have a good understanding of which positions actually matter?* Who should the Niners draft?* How good is the talent around Brock Purdy? Better than what the Lions have around Goff? * Why paying your QB big money is no death sentence * Oh, and subscribe today!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.comOur friend Amin Elhassan went negatively viral with his jump shot, but it’s only made him stronger. Many a fraught topic discussed in this one, including whether it’s easier to say things now vs. the recent past. Subjects include but aren’t limited to…* Amin’s crazy co-workers argued that Michael Jordan lacked charisma* Amin’s moment as Internet main character, based on a jump shot* Ben Bolch of the LA Times becomes main character over calling LSU women’s team “Dirty Debutantes,” and something about hot sauce? What happened here?* Don’t search “Dirty Debutantes” on a work computer* Is the Basketball Race War good for society?* Caleb Williams’ Nail Polishgate* Is the younger generation of athletes more into Williams’ style of personal expression?* Male feminist writers aren’t helping women’s sports when getting too defensive on behalf of players

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comIn the Elon X era, no article ever goes viral. At least that’s what I used to think. But now, of late, articles in New York Magazine and The Cut have broken through as a sort of rage bait. To assess what’s going on, we’ve called in honest and trenchant culture writer Kat Rosenfield. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Pre mourning your old dog* Getting “serious” with your significant other early * The Andrew Huberman cover story in NY Mag* How the Huberman story, while well written, fails to hit its target* It’s hard to publicly shame a man over having six girlfriends * Kat’s piece on how nobody cares about the Christine Blasey Ford memoir* The weirdness of the Brett Kavanaugh moment* Journalists taking out high school resentments on public figures* I’m “ethnically liberal”

If you’re an NBA fan you know who Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner are, beyond being recent guests on House of Strauss. In this episode, I used my “stupid questions” approach to ask these current media members about their old jobs. The answers? Well, they were anything but stupid. 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

Joe covers sports, business and often how the two intertwine. He’s been all over the sports + gambling topic, most recently with his viral observation on live sports betting integration getting added into NBA League Pass. Basically, Joe discusses all my favorite topics, so of course we had a great conversation. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* How America and Europe are on opposite timelines with sports betting* Is the sports betting boom going to harm young peoples’ sports fandom?* Why you can somewhat easily beat the books (except they won’t allow it)* Should sports books be forced to take the bets of winners?* Should sports gambling be made illegal again?* Contradictory signals on the NBA’s TV rights prospects* What do we think really happened with Shohei Ohtani?* The future is athletes getting in trouble like Ohtani didHouse 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.comThrilled to have Chris Vernon on because I’ve long been curious about his career as an NBA + overall sports podcaster. The best way I can summarize Verno for those who do not know: Think if Sam Kinison was really into the Memphis Grizzlies. Topics include but are not limited to…* Vernon used to hilariously CRUSH Pau Gasol* How Chris chose the Grizzlies as his success vehicle * Why Robert Saleh is the reason 49ers Youtube exploded * JT The Brick saved Chris’ career with some unforgettable advice * Why Tony Allen is a better NBA player podcaster than some others* Why Vernon thinks the NBA will be profitable despite losing full game watchers* Gas station boner pills?* Do the kids like the NBA?* Will this LeBron + JJ Redick podcast be a success?

Incidentally, Subscribe to my channel if you want the occasional video/Youtube experience for non paywalled articles…Tom Haberstroh has written an explosive article in The Finder about just how improbable the NBA’s post All-Star break scoring drought is. I think it’s impossible to look at these numbers and reach any conclusion other than that the NBA directed referees to call games differently. But does Tom himself think this? Discussion includes but is not limited to…* A wild free throw stat, unseen in 2000 games, happens twice on the same night* Tom gets into the numbers on a dramatic drop in fouls called* GMs don’t believe the league’s position that this is random and non directed* I say it really really really really looks like the NBA is lying* Why would the NBA lie about something so (allegedly) obvious?* Tom reveals a sneaky big benefit to the lack of foul calls * “Trying to get pregnant” is a funny euphemism.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.comThe preeminent sports media critic is here, right after breaking sports media news. We discuss, in notes cribbed from his X feed: * Ryan’s Pat McAfee vs. Stephen A. Smith story * Shannon Sharpe, digital juggernaut* The media lets it slide that Mark Cuban rips Trump nonstop yet sold his baby to partner with statistically the world's largest Trump supporter* A vibe shift where nobody cares about athletes like Joe Burrow hanging with Trump* The viral moment of LeBron getting very friendly with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss* I cost Ryan money on unders picks with my NBA scoring drop article. * National NBA media can't stand most of the stars being in small markets

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI’m not sure how to describe this free flowing conversation with geneticist and writer Razib Khan, which was to be expected since Zeeb’s one of the most brilliant/idiosyncratic people I’ve ever met. Naturally, this talk is all over the place after beginning with, and I’m not sure there’s another way to describe this, social media reaction to “Aella’s birthday gangbang”. Topics discussed:* Razib knows the infamous Aella, who’s a rationalist data scientist between orgies. * Razib is friends with Aella, but is viscerally disgusted by her lifestyle. * Is human “disgust response” logical? * Is gene editing going to destroy sports? * Very tall people are rarer than it seems* Michael Jordan’s “mailman” theory on his own parentage * “Female sperm is heavier” * “The Sports Gene”* Why do men get autism and schizophrenia more frequently than women?* Ashkenazi really do have Middle East ancestry * Is the tech scene right wing? Left wing? * Why Microsoft is killing Google * An analysis of problems at Google

Larry Krueger, proprietor of The Krueg Show, and former Bay Area radio mainstay, might know a thing or two about succeeding locally. A couple years ago he was pushed out of his role at KNBR, at which point he started building his 49ers-centric Youtube channel. It’s been a big success, currently at over 40,000 subscribers and rapidly gaining. As a fan of his channel, I wanted insight into the comeback story behind it and Larry’s overall perspective on media. Pod discussion includes, but is not limited to: * How advice from comedian Al Madrigal helped Larry build The Krueg Show* Larry is so granular with his analysis and yet it works on a big scale* The massive gap between America’s passion for football and actual knowledge* Why people feel comfortable second guessing football coaches vs. other sports* Larry’s disagreement with Grant Cohn* Larry’s since resolved fight with “The Coach”* We both object to a Dan Patrick take on Kyle Shanahan in the Super Bowl* How the Warriors handle the media* Larry gives us his take for dream 49ers 1st round pick and realistic 1st round pickHouse 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.comWhat have I been doing with my life, waiting this long to have Frank Isola on? Frank’s a famously bold New York Knicks beat writer turned multi media star. You can find him on ESPN and Sirius radio, talking NBA and a range of other subjects. Frank comes from the era (and region) where media was confrontational. The overall modern lack of confrontation was just one subject we addressed in this podcast. Topic docket: * Frank and the other Knicks beat writers seemed totally insane to me back in the day* Is Andre Iguodala an obvious Hall of Famer?* Andrew Wiggins is missing. Surrounding media gonna look into it?* Coaches should wear suits* CAA-Knicks: Is agency influence real? * Frank tortures me with 49ers Super Bowl second guessing* Draymond Green vs. Bonta Hill* Can Caitlin Clark save the WNBA?* How the lack of accepted criticism hurts the WNBA

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comRichard Hanania is, I believe, the most controversial person to appear on this podcast (though I’m curious if the subscribers can offer up some competitors for that title). Based on his public profile one might think his book, The Origins of Woke, would be a searing polemic. But it’s not. It’s really more of a law history with a focus on how legal decisions determine institutional policy and cultural norms. I think most people assume law to be downstream of culture. This book asserts that it’s mostly the other way around. Some of these legal decisions, like sports-relevant Title IX, you’ve heard of. Others are more obscure and yet massively influential. Whatever one’s political persuasion, the idea of judicial ruling as skeleton key to culture is worth discussing. And so we discuss that, plus other topics. For example…* Why did Richard want to appear on House of Strauss?* I met Richard, did not like his manner, but was intrigued* Can Richard define “woke”?* Discussing The Origins of Woke* How we overrate the importance of peoples’ secret motives* What’s the deal with Title IX?* I explain how Kenny Smith got pilloried during Sabrina Ionescu vs. Steph Curry* The Hanania vs. Yarvin debate (Democracy vs. Monarchy) * One major thing the most outraged critics of Hanania and Yarvin are right about* Republicans come off like weirdos now* Richard, Glenn Greenwald and others who fight against their own audiences * Does Matt Yglesias secretly like Richard?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comSpike Eskin of Rights to Ricky Sanchez is here because a few of his favorite characters are in the news. Frankly, there’s no better person to cover Doc Rivers vs. JJ Redick as it plays out in the media. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Does Spike hate JJ more than JJ hates basketball fans? Topics...* Spike on where Doc is lying* ESPN’s hilariously unbelievable reporting on Doc taking the Bucks job* Why did Redick get blasted for his correct take on Doc?* Redick’s bizarre meta media critique and “54K pageviews” humblebrag* Redick’s appeal as Twitter mirror* JJ’s postseason vulnerability * Why does Spike hate JJ? * How Tony Romo went from great to less great announcer* I failed my customers by doing too much football this season* What’s with writers fearing AI replacement?

Friend of Pod Sarah Hepola is on to discuss the viral Emily Gould divorce essay. Some of you might be blessedly unaware, but this piece kicked off quite a chattering class firestorm on Valentine's Day. Many despised Gould and saw in her so many failings of millennial culture writers. Others praised her work as honest and vulnerable. Since Sarah wrote an incredible, sometimes self-lacerating book about her own battle with alcoholism, she’s well positioned to offer a verdict or two here. We discuss Gould, the past era of personal essay she spawned, millennials, feminism, and whether I should have Richard Hanania on the podcast. Many topics broached here, sports not so much. 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.comThis one is a lot of politics/culture, so pure sports lovers be forewarned. We also had to paywall it for standard Wos reasons. Personally, I believed this to be a very fruitful conversation with HoS favorite Big Wos. We agreed, disagreed, and eventually got to common ground on what the House of Strauss foreign policy should be. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* What’s wrong with ESPN’s coverage of the tragic shooting in Kansas City? * What specific gun law do journalists reacting to these incidents want?* Jon Stewart’s Daily Show return* Stewart’s comments about Biden’s decline and reaction in media* Does Biden at the top mean the status quo is strong right now or weak? Wos says “strong,” I say “weak.”* Tucker Carlson’s post-Fox decline in influence * Tucker in Russia* Wos wasn’t aware of the “Fidel is Trudeau’s dad” conspiracy theory * Is that conspiracy more or less believable than Frank Sinatra as Ronan Farrow’s father?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comLate collapse against the Clippers on Wednesday notwithstanding…the Warriors suddenly look pretty good. Given the recent vibe shift, I figured I’d ring up Light Years co-host Saam Esfandiari to discuss the Draymond-fueled run of good play plus a variety of other topics in media. Discussion includes but is not limited to…* Which hurt Bay Area fans more: The 2024 Super Bowl loss, or the Warriors losing Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals?* Draymond Green, the man you cannot quit* Reflecting on Draymond’s career and how so many expected him to be washed up by now* What’s with this report about the Warriors exploring a LeBron trade?* Pat McAfee vs. Bill Simmons feud and why Youtube can’t work on television * Has Youtube overtaken television?* Is this actually a bad time for aspiring sports media creators? Or are there more opportunities?

We love having Ashlee on because he’s always covering a fascinating topic. Today it’s how AI is being used to decipher ancient Roman scrolls that were damaged by the Vesuvius eruption. Thanks to the technology of the future, we might be on the precipice of learning about the mysterious past. What knowledge might we gain here? Why is the Catholic Church perhaps worried about the implications? And what’s with the meme of dudes obsessing over ancient Rome? We discuss all this, plus how Ashlee feels about the Apple Vision Pro goggles (And Apple in general). 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.comRyan Glasspiegel, our nation’s preeminent sports media critic, is back, and trying to explain this “ESPN, Fox and Warner Team Up to Create Sports Streaming Platform” story. We’ve both got some questions, but the main one is this: What type of person is going to pay for this service? In the second half of the pod, we’re talking…* Super Bowl prop bets, including a sneaky long shot from radio legend Larry Krueger* Why capital J journalists perceive a politicization of the Big Game* What’s with this insane Taylor Swift + Chiefs + Biden conspiracy theory? And will I convince myself of it if Nick Bosa is held absent any calls? * Will Steven Ruiz of the Ringer really quit his job if the Niners win? * Glasspiegel presents an impressively hot take on Brock Purdy’s ranking among quarterbacks. * My take on Tom Brady replacing Greg Olsen in the Fox NFL booth* What are the Top 5 public teams in the NFL? Steelers falling down the list?

I love Guy, and should have had him on sooner than this. In his day job, he’s an expert play-by-bay man for a variety of sports. In his burgeoning other career, though, he’s a rising force on San Francisco 49ers Youtube. We discussed this upcoming 49ers-Chiefs Super Bowl, talking Brock Purdy (of course) and whether Purdy haters or Purdy evangelists were more to blame for the insane discourse surrounding the Niners QB. Then we got weird, addressing whether aliens exist and if greater collective knowledge can break what’s enjoyable about a sport. 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.comOne of my favorite conversations on this site, if I do say so myself (Subscribe today!). Many of you are familiar with Kmele Foster’s work on The Fifth Column and other platforms, but I’d say it’s rare to get him in an interview setting. Obviously, Kmele did not disappoint. Few in media think deeply on as wide a range of available subjects as Kmele does, which is why we were able to discuss all of the following: * Does Kmele believe aliens exist?* Should you consider yourself a “vector of history”? * Is it less fashionable to contemplate the meaning of existence these days?* Does Kmele believe in God?* “Our behavior determines the content of our minds”* Why did Friedrich Hayek influence a college aged Kmele’s thinking?* Can Kmele reconcile his freedom-forward perspective with the unmanaged chaos he sees in Oakland and San Francisco? * Is libertarianism a philosophy that leaves normies behind?* Should all drugs be legal?* Does Big Tech share some blame for the problems in the Bay and the world?* Why should we be optimistic about technology if it outpaces our ability to adapt to it?* Is wokeness, whatever it is, downstream of law? * Are governments giving way to the tech overlords?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comLast time the great Rob Henderson was on we discussed his incredible memoir, Troubled. In it, he takes you on a journey from his youth in foster care to and through his Yale admission. An inspiring story, right? Turns out that not everyone wants to be inspired. So why are certain bookstores blocking Rob, a guy with a large following, from holding events? We get into the mystery, talking about class, ideology and whether the issue is Rob’s content or his associations.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBomani took issue with my “What if Brock Purdy Had Jordan Love's Saturday Performance?” article, which was a good excuse to bring back an HoS favorite. What followed was, in my opinion a highly enjoyable conversation. Topics included but weren’t limited to…* Why Bomani has more hardcore fans than similarly well known entertainers* Bo’s take on Brock Purdy, having seen him play at Iowa State* Does the public care about Jordan Love? * Race and the paradigm shift on quarterbacks* The power of football announcers to shape the narrative we debate* Bomani’s past Josh Allen takes vs. his present Josh Allen takes* Is Buffalo coming up short the fault of Josh Allen?* Doc Rivers going from Adrian Griffin’s advisor to his replacement as Bucks coach

Former NFL scout and current rising YouTuber John Middlekauff takes on NBA vs NFL media culture, plus he delivers a BOLD prediction for NBA TV rights. Among other topics, we discuss how taboo it is in sports media to think about the most important person: The customer. 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.comThe world’s preeminent sports media critic was ATTACKED by Dave Portnoy for breaking a story. We talk to Ryan right after he defended himself on Kirk Minihane’s Barstool-affiliated show. Topics mentioned: Ryan’s defense under fire, journalism best practices, Barstool as a business, plus my theories on incoming Peacockification.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comFriend of Pod Amin Elhassan is here to discuss the following: * A vigorous defense of Jerry Krause* Is it acceptable for Warriors fans to boo this team?* Is Michael Jordan to blame for anti Krauseism?* Zach Lowe giving up his NBA awards vote. What’s the secret reason?* Taylor Swift on the football broadcast vs. Eminem

First 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 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 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.

We 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 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 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…