House of Strauss

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We had to have Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post on to discuss Disney/ESPN vs. Charter, the face off that might kill sports viewership as we know it. Or get resolved soon. Ryan has a take on his initial take and many other takes. We get into it. Topics include but aren’t limited to:* Why Charter has leverage over ESPN* Why Ryan thinks this gets resolved* Is there an ideological component to the position Disney finds itself in?* The re-bundle could be upon us. * What does it mean for the NBA? If cable dies, are they in trouble as an inventory sport?* Reader JF (JK!) is doing the Big Short on sports TV rights. Is he going to be correct?* Skip Bayless’ new Undisputed lineup vs. ESPN’s First Take* How streaming dilutes audience from an advertiser perspective This is a 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 favorite guest is here (don’t tell the others), prompted by a certain Substacker’s contention that there’s negative demand for sports writers to engage in conventional political commentary. Wos is the ideal guy for this topic because he somehow does both sports and political talk while retaining the goodwill of most reasonable people. What’s his secret? Is there a secret? This podcast includes but is not limited to the following topics: * How Wos avoids the “sardine in the vending machine” issue* Is the problem talking politics when you’re in sports? Or is the problem that the sports talker adopts an annoyingly predictable politics? * The Trump-based litmus test for whether you’re too ideological* Can Wos become an NFL pundit? * Wos is fully in love with the New York Jets* Aaron Rodgers: Where’s the media at on this guy now?* The NFL’s comeback* Wos had takes on this controversial article about Obama’s past and present

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like so many people, I was shocked to see Disney separate Nate Silver from his famous website, 538. How could this happen? What’s next for Nate, post-538? We get into it. Our jumping off point is Nate’s new Substack, Silver Bulletin, which I thoroughly enjoy. That site covers topics ranging from poker to politics and, of course, pro sports. So we talk about that, plus discuss what the “Indigo Blob” is. This podcast outline, put together by the astute Sam Schuette, is of a conversation that includes but is not limited to the following:* Silver’s memorable Poker tournament experience* How he deduced people by observing their mannerisms* Famous YouTube video of winning a massive bluff* How sports parallel poker* Using stereotypes about yourself to your advantage* Why Ed Reed intercepting Peyton Manning is like a poker player predicting an opponent’s next move* Why shouldn’t there be an ideological purity test for pollsters?* Separate the art (polling) from the artist (political lean of pollster)* Activism as journalism and the PR-ification of everything* Writers using moral authority to tell audience what to think about Taylor Swift’s boyfriend* Has it been successful for the Democrats to make their journalism more progressive?* Advancing political arguments via buzzwords like “the science” and “misinformation”* The semantics and effects of wokeness* Has “woke” been overused? Is it time for a new name?* How wokeness created a conservative equilibrium (Bud Light boycotts)* Terrible Twitter before Elon vs terrible Twitter with Elon* The increased equilibrium of current Twitter* Which arguments are safe to make on Twitter when questioning institutional consensus gets framed as right wing?* The importance of political parties for normies* Why Nate hasn’t given up politics yet* Importance and uncertainty of the 2024 election* Aligning what he does with his interests* Reflecting on FiveThirtyEight* Its missed potential for a subscription opportunity* What ended his run there?* His issues and differences with the new guy running 538, G. Elliott Morris* Silver’s Sloan panel with Bill James* James’ talent for making crazy takes seem plausible* Why Bill James thinks the NBA has the worst athletes* The Pac-12’s dissolution to the Pac-4* Why sports are so much bigger in the Midwest and South 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 a way it’s been too long because we should have had Kevin O'Connor on sooner. The man delivers coverage that’s both comprehensive and prolific, plus he amiably powers through any backlash. I’m curious about how he does his thing and so I asked. Oh, and we discussed Elon Musk too. The following outline comes courtesy of our resident intern, the astute Sam Schuette:* What’s the best way to watch games as an analyst?* Watching one by one in the morning vs watching five different monitors all at once* Clips vs full games* Reacting to draft hits and misses* Killian “The French Cam Payne” Hayes* How to react to a miss on a prediction/ranking* Going from covering one team to becoming the NBA generalist* The added pressure of knowing everything about all 30 teams* Getting thick skin by growing up on the internet* How arguments on online forums and comment sections can teach mental resilience* Yes, the goddamn Lillard trade standoff we can’t avoid in any pod* Similar situation to Durant in Brooklyn* Waiting it out is more appealing to Portland than it seems* Changing team allegiances as a journalist* Rooting for the Lakers and Heat as a Celtics fan?* The temptation to root based on how the outcome validates a take* Controversy over KOC’s Elon tweet* When Musk responded to a troll tweet about Kawhi Leonard’s trade destination* Separating what a person does from what they say* Liking someone’s actions more than their words* Kevin Garnett as a basketball muse* The power of the individual player in changing a team’s culture* J. Kyle Mann, Caitlin Cooper, and underrated NBA writers* KOC’s on-air partners* Big Wos the “takesman”* Chris Vernon’s Dolan-Putin analogy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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