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)  

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HoS: Kat Rosenfield

A podcast about sports, politics, the future and technology.  

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We are joined by Mike Pesca, host of The Gist, and (much to his great shame), House of Strauss super fan. On today’s pod we unpack the various overlapping dramas surrounding Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement speech. The NFL has disavowed Butker’s words. But has “the NFL” really disavowed his words? Topics include but aren’t limited to… * Mike and I like a good hypocrite * Is there any throughline to the social justice causes (Why is Greta Thunberg now protesting an Israeli singer’s inclusion on Eurovision?) * The Harrison Butker media freakout * Can fervently followed religion co-exist with the secular ideology of institutions? * The modern issue with telling women to “be a homemaker” * Bill Simmons succeeds because he still has takes (and others don’t) * A take or two on Glenn Greenwald * Mike questions me on my NBA takes over the years

HoS: Mike Pesca

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

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HoS: Grant Cohn vs. The Media

Ben Kaplan and Danny Parkins are best friends and co-creators of this particular passion project. It turns out that the ranks of NBA decision makers and coaches are replete with guys who cut their teeth in obscure Division 3 college programs. The sheer amount of influence out of D3 is pretty incredible, as the book chronicles and conveys. So why has this happened? How come the lowest level of college competition is fueling the highest level of decision making in pro competition?  We get into that, plus question big shot Chicago radio host Danny about Caleb Williams… House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.   

This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

HoS: Danny Parkins & Ben Kaplan

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Ryan, our nation’s preeminent sports media critic, is here to discuss reports that NBC wishes to offer the NBA a tremendous amount of money. What does this mean, other than that Adam Silver is our lord and savior?  Topics… * Can Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT) possibly come up with a competing offer? * What’s with WBD CEO David Zaslav sitting at Knicks-Sixers with Goldman Sachs tycoon Lloyd Blankfein? * Do Barkley and the other TNT guys join NBC in this scenario?  * Irony of WBD needing the NBA most, but being most likely to be forced out * Oddness of young Thunder players doing that “What a pro wants” ad * Which TNT halftime guy is least essential? * NBA playoff ratings are all over the map. New Nielsen system or something else? * That traditional space at end of pod where we talk Israel/Gaza campus protests  * Are these protests being received by the public in a totally different way had Elon not bought Twitter?

HoS: Ryan Glasspiegel on NBA TV Deal

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

HoS: Kat Rosenfield

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