House of Strauss

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

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

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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOne of my favorite conversations with Wos, if I do say so myself. Very NBA forward, if that's your thing. Topics include but aren't limited to…* Why Jordan Brand's “Bad Luka” ads work* Laker Luka's potential to become the face of the league* Why is Laker Luka such a hotter cultural commodity than Dallas Luka* Why I don't believe in the Lakers* Steph Curry as Houston Boogie Man* Rudy Gobert as constant scapegoat* The controversy over the Braves TV guy getting a girl's phone number* Kay Adams is skilled at professionally flirting and that's OK* Shannon Sharpe might have a new sex tape?* The sorts of women NBA players “date”

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI never get to talk one-on-one with Light Years co-host and overall Warriors provocateur Andy Liu, but today is my lucky day. In this episode we cover why, exactly, Andy quit the sports writer path for whatever he became. We also discuss how I got fired from Yelp. Oh, and the Warriors made the playoffs finally.Topics include but aren't limited to…* Why did Andy quit formal sports media?* What did I learn about life from working at Yelp?* Why Steve Kerr gets the big things right* How does Andy feel about Kerr antagonist Jim Park?* The heroism of doing a job you hate * Is there a lot of entitlement in the media union movement?* Is the sports media wrong about Warriors vs. Rockets?* Why is the Jonathan Kuminga idea popular with national media?* Who do we want the 49ers to draft?

Audio version of this article is up.House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

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

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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.com* Mainstream NBA media tone vs. YouTube tone* The Event Level NBA takes are so much harsher than public takes* Agents can threaten everyone in your media org* Players Justin has pissed off* Why is it Old NBA heads vs. Current Players?* How do we feel about Kirk Goldsberry's plan to ban corner 3s?* Why is Justin voting Nikola Jokic for MVP?* Justin recounts the time Jerry West eviscerated JJ Redick over “plumbers and firemen”* Why do Justin and I complain about the great LeBron James?* Nike origins of “More than an athlete” * The point of LeBron James as a “voice” that regular NBA media won't say* Why the Warriors could be a tricky future matchup for the world beating Thunder

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comMany great topics today with our favorite sports media reporter! Items include but aren't limited to…* LeBron's massive hour-plus sit down with Pat McAfee* Is LeBron uniquely annoying among all time greats?* LeBron's straw man arguments * Why is McAfee egging LeBron on to take shots at Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst?* The GOAT debate as needless dumping on the past* The NBA has an anti-nostalgia problem* Last week's Jackie Robinson DEI flap and whether I was unfair to Mina Kimes* The WNBA's big issue with negotiating a new deal* We discuss whether there's an ideological component to why Hannah Hidalgo hasn't gotten much spotlight * The Trump administration didn't handle their Signal snafu well

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

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

Hoops Tonight host Jason Timpf is back talking NBA nitty gritty + headier topics that we tend to get into. A great conversation as always, this time including but not limited to…* Why Jason knew the Jimmy Butler trade would work for the Warriors* The “blood and bones” perspective on basketball vs. analytics * The “why” function of Youtube* How players fit With and Without* Does Jason believe in the Thunder?* Why Jason doesn't believe in the Bucks* The underrated MAIN problem with the NBA product right now* Why we're doing MVP wrong these days* Why NBA players are so jealousHouse of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

Joe, who covers sports business, did a great deep dive on why ESPN's big bet on ESPN BET has gone awry. What does this say about the current state of sports gambling? Have we reached peak sports gambling? Also, was ESPN's Around the Horn cancellation more about surrounding structure, or inability to match modern sports fan culture? House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI can't deny it. I'm really excited about the Jimmy Butler Warriors. I just had to discuss with Light Years hosts Saam Esfandiari and Andy Liu. If you're a GSW fan, this is the episode for you. If you like NBA legacy talk…this might also be the episode for you. Topics include but aren't limited to…* Do we believe?* Reasons for belief* Was Bob Myers throwing cold water on the Warriors in the ABC broadcast?* Do I regret not being around for the entire Steph Warriors story arc?* If Draymond's wild championship prediction is right…LeBron legacy implications* How Gregg Popovich and LeBron James are similar in GOAT debates

Mavs Moneyball Managing Editor Kirk Henderson went viral with his letter to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. Since going viral with text is almost impossible these days, we talked about why Kirk's heartfelt missive swayed the masses. What the hell went on in Dallas to cause this infamous trade of a superstar? What are the media stories connected to it? Also, how do Kirk and I rank those to blame for the trade in terms of culpability? House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comBig Wos of Ringer fame is here to break down what the hell compelled the Mavericks to trade away an MVP level player entering his prime. We get into why Mavs GM Nico Harrison may have done the unthinkable, and whether there are genuine concerns about the Lakers' new franchise guy. A fine conversation with our favorite bon vivant.Topics include but aren't limited to…* Could history ever validate this decision?* Apparently I've joined the conventional wisdom in hating Adam Schefter's tweet about the trade* Are we now secretly rooting for Nico Harrison to somehow win this bad trade?* Were there cultural tensions between Nico and Luka? * Why was Nico perhaps ill suited for taking over the reins from Cuban* How much it annoys GMs when a player gets FAT * Why is Luka getting fat* Luka and…beer?* The issue with Nico being schooled in the Mamba Mentality * Luka is Zion Williamson with results* Did the Mavs make a “win now” move? * Media squeamishness around discussing the DEI issue* How do we feel about A'ja Wilson's sneaker release?

And now for something completely different…Razib Khan, beyond being a fine friend of pod, is an excellent genetic historian. He's written a fascinating article about how Europe once had a burgeoning civilization…thousands of years before history as we know it began. We just haven't understood much about a once thriving continent because these societies were largely wiped out by the people who became “Europeans”. These revelations turn a lot of conventional historical wisdom about ancient history on its head. Quoting Razib: Neolithic Europe was one of Eurasia's most advanced regions 5,000 years ago, nearly on par with the Near East, matching India and surpassing China in material terms. In some domains, like gold-work, Europe was the pioneer. We may have forgotten this Europe, but it was hardly a backwater. It was a central engine of world civilization 5,000 years ago.Through the magic of modern technology, we're getting new insights into this lost world. With increasing clarity, we're also seeing just how brutal human life was in pre modernity. It's not sports or media exactly, but I just had to discuss this all with Razib. I believe it's important information and I can't stop thinking about it. Topics include: * Where everybody came from* How nobody is really from anywhereThanks for reading House of Strauss! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comFreddie stopped by and we had a great conversation about hating Chiefs dominance despite its evident merits, and all these other aspects of popular sports fandom. Oh, and we discussed his fantastic essay, “After Liberal Cultural Hegemony.” Topics include but aren't limited to…* Are NFL dynasties bad for the game?* Why do we feel sorry for Josh Allen, winner at life?* Is Josh Allen to blame for what happened? * Benjamin Solak did not “read the room”* Travis Kelce Fatigue* You're allowed to hate teams as a fan* Stop telling fans to “appreciate greatness” * Is the vibe shift bad for our respective businesses? * What was the period before liberal hegemony ended? What was the point?

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

Nate Jones and I are both trying to figure out the current moment, an era that more or less kicked off on January 20th. Where's the culture headed now that Trump is officially in power? What are the implications for athlete/sports culture? How is social media different now versus when we started to use it? Enjoy!House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comGreat talk that's anchored by this week's cancellation of Very Bad Eagles Fan. As WIP host, pod friend Spike Eskin is our ambassador to all things Philly culture, plus a myriad of other pressing topics. Topics include but aren't limited to…* Does the NBA have a “massive negativity problem”?* The viral Eagles fan who called a Packers fan an “ugly dumb cunt” * This Eagles fan seems bad, but was the moment contrived?* We're cancelling randos off viral videos again* Philly fans have a negative reputation. Do they like that reputation? * “History is fake”* There once was an ancient, burgeoning European civilization that was wiped out

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

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAs NFL newsbreaker Ian Rapoport told the world on Friday, preeminent sports media critic Ryan Glasspiegel is leaving the New York Post for Front Office Sports. Ryan and I discuss the why of his leaving such an established legacy brand, and segue into the business of sports media coverage. Plus we talk about the lurid Fox Sports sexual harassment allegations, California wildfires, current political cultural moment and more. Enjoy!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comHappy New Year! We start off 2025 with an in depth discussion about, what else? H-1B Visas. In all seriousness, the visa issue has revealed fascinating dynamics within American politics and culture. Our guest Lee Fang wrote a fantastic article on the business dynamics behind a controversial policy that's pitted Elon Musk against more traditional MAGA types. In this pod, our topics include but aren't limited to…* What the hell are H-1B Visas? * Why is the “Tech Right” struggling to make a case for them? * Is Elon Musk's loyalty to America or Mars? * I read the now infamous Vivek Ramaswamy tweet* What's wrong with 90's sitcoms and sleepovers?* “Market dominant minorities” and modern anti Indianism * Is the Tech Right against racism? Or just highly specific forms of it? * What are people in tech really like?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comRyan thinks you can guess the two major discussion points here. Topics include…* Why is a Gregg Popovich Trump rant going viral in conservative media over a month after it happened? * Why is NBA ratings discourse so overwhelming all of a sudden?* Did Adam Silver not use soft power like David Stern used it?* Are we more pessimistic about the NBA's cultural future than Bill Simmons is? * The NBA's America problem* Why is the NBA a WOKE piñata in conservative media?* How do we feel about Caitlin Clark clearly lying (Ryan seems fine with it)? * Does Clark's TIME feature influence how fans relate to her?* Why is Hannah Hildago a potential future WNBA controversy generator?

One of our favorite cultural commentators returns to discuss men, women, politics and so much else. Great pod, in my unbiased opinion. Topics include but aren't limited to…* Why there was a “Sydney Sweeney is mid” discourse on social media* Is modern dating terrible? * Why the dating app market is bad, even for its big winners* Single men should buy dogs * Does becoming Republican shrink male dating options? * Are nearly all marriages “politically mixed” marriages?* Is the political gender divide hurting society?* Is the Wifejak good?* Is “toxic femininity” a real thing?* Is the WNBA the only institution still on Earth 2? Or are there others? * What's with people who voted for Kamala enjoying the outcome of Trump winning?* The meaning of Luigi Mangione supportHouse of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comNon sports media edition, because a) I'm morbidly captivated by the Healthcare CEO assassination fallout and b) Any excuse to host Sarah Haider is a good one. Beyond being intelligent and brave, Sarah has some personally informed thoughts about ayahuasca, a topic of the moment given certain rumors about the CEO killer. Conversation includes but is not limited to…* High status people celebrating the murder of CEO Brian Thompson? * It's underrated how frequently high functioning people lose their minds* Did ayahuasca compel Sarah to quit her own podcast? * If ayahuasca kills motivation, then why did Sarah do it? * Does living under threat of assassination, as Sarah might, inform perspective?* Are we completely honest in our public transmissions? * Are we more honest in real life or as writers/podcasters? * Why don't professors, whose system saddles young people in debt, see themselves as oppressors? * What do we think of the politically minded tech libertarian types?

Depending on schedule, this is a potential Part 1 due to a surprise area Internet outage that cut us a bit short. Would love to discuss more topics with Tom, who's just so easy to talk to. Like so many others, I was shocked to hear KNBR cut ties with the region's most beloved sports radio host. Hopefully, the silver lining here is that we'll get to hear more of Tolbert in other contexts. Dude's a gem, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to chat about old basketball NBA with him. House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

NBA/Tech/China podcaster Andrew Sharp is here to “see where the takes take us,” and I love where it goes. * Is Andrew buying or selling the future of BlueSky?* The Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight* What is Netflix's sleazy strategy with this sort of live event?* Andrew explains how the NBA made way more TV money while in viewership decline* What's driving the NBA viewership drop? Andrew wrote a list* Are we excited about Inside the NBA coming to ESPN? Are there downsides?* Has the vibe shifted such that Charles Barkley can talk about San Antonio women?House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

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

Nick is back, and candid as ever. This was a wide ranging conversation, as it always is, covering sports, media and political subjects. I wonder which aspects might get aggregated…Topics include but aren't limited to:* Nick says our guy Freddie deBoer is mad at him. * I just bow down to the Kansas City Chiefs now. It's easier. * Has the analytics movement devalued winning?* How does Nick feel about having a different politics than a lot of Kansas City Chiefs fans? * Would Nick have traded another Chiefs Super Bowl for his Bears pick working out? * How does Nick feel about having a different politics than Chiefs players? * Is politics any kind of proxy for how good a person is? * The NBA is flush with TV money, but is it struggling as a product? Do they need Nick's reforms? * The MLB has some juice right now. Can baseball be made into a national sports talk show topic? * Can you hate your co-host and do a great sports show in the modern age? And much more…House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

Not exactly sports, but sort of. I and New York politics expert Ross Barkan reflect on Trump's landslide victory, the multiethnic factors propelling it, and where the Democrats go from here. Enjoy!House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

Eric (@HLinsight) is a real life pro sports gambler. He also has profound reservations about sports gambling's introduction to the mainstream. I can confidently say that the conversation you're about to listen to isn't happening at any of the other mainstream sports media sites. This is a candid look at why betting sports, as fun as it is, is mostly a sucker's bet. Topics include…* Parlays and other tricks apps use to keep you hooked* How the limiting of winners makes sustained success nearly impossible* Tout scams, busty pick advice, and other ways to get rich off worthless tips* Sports bet advertising that targets youth* Betting on games vs. events that are determined by inside info (Draft picks)* Can games be rigged in this era due to gambling?* Pro social gambling vs. anti social gambling* How do we feel about betting on the 2024 election? Good opportunities there?House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

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

My live video with Chris Best is available here as well, so it seems. Great talk, enjoyed being the one who answers the Qs this time. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

Your guy Big Wos is back, with candid takes on the state of NBA media. This was a great conversation wherein we discussed the following:* A variety of ESPN NBA moves (Woj leaving, Lowe ousted, Shams hired)* Shams on First Take shows why we didn't really need Woj anymore * Why does ESPN value news breaking so much!* I can now freely say that Brian Windhorst is great* The friendly fire of an ESPN article attacking ESPN host Kendrick Perkins over his NIL business * Is Perkins' business sleazier than SOP for college education loans?* Will we see more Matthew Sluka situations where players simply quit over NIL issues?House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWhen Tim Kawakami and I get together, we're going to talk sports media. Considering that Tim just recently left the Athletic, where used to be my boss, and joined the ambitious SF Standard, we've got much to discuss. Also, for those who like Niners talk, we've got a whole lot of it in the back half of this pod. My teaser is that Tim dispels a commonly believed false notion or two. Enjoy!

Nate Jones, NBA agent and footwear entrepreneur at Move Insoles, is here to discuss a shocking corporate ouster at Nike. We get into how Nike modernized at its own expense, lost core customers, and ultimately fired a CEO they were just recently so enamored with. What lessons can be learned from the shoe apparel giant's issues? What parallels do we see to recent problems at Disney and overall entertainment? Is this what happens when a corporation sacrifices art in pursuit of efficiency? Oh, and we also discuss why the hell Nike's not making more of the Caitlin Clark moment. Enjoy..House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

Big content Friday at HoS! Today we've got YouTube superstar Saagar Enjeti on to discuss content trends. Saagar has been steadfast about not doing ads to support his business. What's behind that philosophy? And why is he thrilled about the prospect of legacy media's demise? Also, Saagar asks me some questions about what's going on in the sports media space. Enjoy!House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

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

Sports Analytics King Neil Paine is on to address some of the questions on our mutual minds. Am I correct that people are less into politics this election? Is Kamala Harris a classic backup QB promotion? Is baseball back in American culture (Thanks to Judge and Ohtani)? Is Ohtani paradoxically more fun now that he's not pitching? Is Aaron Rodgers too old to be good? Is a “system quarterback” even a real thing? What NFL players have “shadow value”? We discussed these subjects and much more in a talk that was, in my opinion, quite enjoyable. House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

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

Warning: This is a very football-heavy podcast. The NFL is back, and so is Warren Sharp with his massive 2024 Football Preview. Given that Warren is so well versed on NFL data and trends, I wanted to pick his brain on what America's most analyzed league is currently missing. Obviously NFL coaches are highly informed, but is there something they're doing wrong? Is football in its early stages Moneyball era, like baseball in the early 2000s? And why the hell have teams stopped scoring in this supposedly pass friendly epoch? We discuss these topics plus so much more. Enjoy! House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comKat Rosenfield is an author and Free Press columnist who often boldly covers matters of cultural controversy. I was fascinated by her “What the Childless Among Us Leave Behind” essay, which anchors a lot of the pod. We also got into Nike's new direction and a range of other subjects related to the modern gender wars. Topics include but aren't limited to…* Is there such a thing as objectively good style? * Is the meme of “unhappy childless woman” true? * The divide in perspective between parents and the childless* Kids give you existential relief * Why are cats symbolic of female loneliness? * Hillary Clinton's “deplorables” vs. JD Vance's “cat ladies”* Why are Gen Z men shifting Republican? * Why are older women overrepresented at Kamala Harris rallies?* Why did Obama resonate with young millennial males? * What is the visual Social Justice Aesthetic? * Nike shift and the current sanitized culture* Men expressing what they find attractive as underground movement

Big Wos and I were interviewed for The Spoils documentary, which examines how the AAU business is changing as the money in the NBA and NCAA explode. Director Mike Nicoll sat down with us to discuss that plus so many related topics of mutual interest. For instance, in recent years, American youth basketball has become something between a sport and exercise in social media brand building. Team USA just won gold in spectacular fashion, but is this the last truly dominant American basketball generation? Is that just natural as the sport gets more internationally popular, or has something gone wrong in how we cultivate future superstars? House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

I believe you've heard of Nate Silver, whose fame is well earned. Sometimes, it's almost too bad that his reputation as a data/politics guy precedes him. Nate, the writer, is highly underrated. I was reminded of this once again while reading his new book, On the Edge: The Art of Risking Everything. It's an engrossing exploration of risk and probability, as applied to those who live with making difficult choices. We get into many of its fascinating topics and also discuss what had just happened: On Tuesday, Kamala Harris announced Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her presidential running mate, passing over Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. Topics discussed but not limited to…* Was Josh Shapiro's Jewishness a deciding factor in losing out on the VP spot? Can we set odds on this?* Why presidential candidates are sometimes inclined to pick worse VPs* What it was like to hang out with Sam Bankman-Fried during his legal troubles* What's with the Effective Altruists? Why do some think AI will kill us all?* Why are the Effective Altruists so disproportionately childless? * Profiling guys like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen* Is there a dispassionate way to cut through media noise and assess when Trump is helping his own cause? * Will Trump outperform the polls again? Should that be expected? * Can the NFL be Moneyball'd? House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOK, I'm back from vacation, leaping out of cold Lake Tahoe and into this particular hot water. The women's Olympic boxing controversy is an absolute mess from a media perspective. When Angela Carini of Italy quickly tapped out against Imane Khelif of Algeria, it kicked off a cultural firestorm. Initially, some of those outraged by what they witnessed in the match were operating off of incomplete information. But in the follow up, many conventional media outlets were misleading in their corrections. Given all this confusion, I've enlisted evolutionary biologist Colin Wright to make sense of what's likely happened, why it's happened, and where the public conversation went wrong. We also discuss what determines “male” vs. “female,” and the impact of testosterone on the human body. Fascinating stuff, in my humble opinion. Topics include but aren't limited to…* Imane Khelif as subject of controversy * What is a DSD (Differences of Sexual Development) condition? * Where the “right” went wrong in the immediate aftermath of this controversy* Where the “left” is wrong in their correction of the right, especially in media* What's with the impulse to morally shame people who seek an ethical guideline here?* How the IOC really dropped the ball* Does XY = male?* Does it matter at all that the International Boxing Association has Russian ties?* Odd ways that testosterone impacts the human body, right down to the fingers

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

I saw NBA Youtube tycoon Jason Timpf out at Vegas Summer League and we got to talking about this exact topic: Do you need to truly love basketball to be a winner at its highest levels? That conversation led to this podcast, which includes Jason's keen observations on Team USA. Enjoy..House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comGlass man alert! Our favorite sports media expert has broken news, and so we discuss his stories, plus a range of other topics. To copy Ryan's notes, here's our loaded topic docket: * Skip Bayless leaving FS1* Success after ESPN* Shannon Sharpe's ascension and impact as a megastar* NBA TV deal scuttlebutt with some informed speculation on big news* New York Knicks owner James Dolan's warnings about modern NBA* Trump assassination conspiracy theories * The right weaponizing cancel culture (as the left once did) to cost ordinary people their jobs * Shams Charania free agency bonanza