On the Bleachers

We've reached the final whistle for On the Bleachers: Taylor and Travis got married! We talk about it, recap the Summer of Sports, and say thank you to everyone who has listened along the way.

We know you can't give yourself a nickname. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the Super Bowl, Seahawks for sale; MLBPA drama; Olympic condoms; Lindsey Vonn's week was even worse than you think; Biathlete cheating confessions; The Fall(s) of the Quad God; Alysa Liu is doing things her way; and an interview with investigative sports journalist Albert Samaha about a college basketball sports betting scandal, the FBI investigation into late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay's death, and the demise of the Washington Post sports section.

Links:

Stephen A. Smith is 'moving closer' to 2028 presidential run: 'I will confess to you' (Yahoo! Sports)

Tony Clark resigns as MLBPA director after internal inquiry (ESPN)

Love in a cold climate: Winter Olympic village runs out of condoms after three days (The Guardian)

Lindsey Vonn 'Struggling' After Her Fifth Surgery to Correct Injuries from Her Olympics Crash (People)

Lindsey Vonn reveals that her beloved dog, Leo, died the day after her downhill crash at Olympics (LA Times)

Biathlon medalist admits to cheating on girlfriend in interview (ESPN)

Biathlete's infidelity confession that rocked the Winter Olympics – and Norway (The Athletic)

Kazakhstan's Mikhail Shaidorov — delivering the skate of his life — shocks the world with gold (The Athletic)

'Quad God' Ilia Malinin falls twice in Olympic disaster, allowing Mikhail Shaidorov to claim gold (AP)

In Her Big Olympic Moment, Alysa Liu Celebrated Her Freedom (New York Times)

'Cashing all day': The Instagram star accused of corrupting NCAA hoops (by Albert Samaha for the Washington Post)

FBI is investigating the death of Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay (by Albert Samaha, Will Hobson, and Sam Fortier for the Washington Post)

Albert on BlueSky

We're resetting the timeline. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the Super Bowl matchup; Bill Belichick's Hall of Fame scandal; the 49ers injury conspiracy theory; Trinity Rodman gets paid; PWHL transphobe reveals herself; and basketball players speak out against ICE.

Links:

Jaxon Smith-Njigba core (Instagram)

Never change, Quinn Hughes (Instagram)

I'm just here so I don't get fined (YouTube)

Fanatics apologizes for jersey shortage (Twitter)

Sources: Bill Belichick will not be a first-ballot Hall of Fame (ESPN)

Jordon Hudson Planning 'Huge Bash' for Boyfriend Bill Belichick on 'Same Day' as Football Hall of Fame Ceremony (Exclusive) (People)

'No Firmly Established Evidence' for Viral 49ers Injury Theory (Front Office Sports)

Juszczyk Wants 49ers to Investigate Substation: 'I'm Very Curious' (Front Office Sports)

Trinity Rodman contract saga ends with record Spirit deal (ESPN)

Swiatek, Pegula echo Gauff on need for privacy at Australian Open (ESPN)

The Athletic should retract their Britta Curl redemption story (Out of Your League / Beehiiv)

Minions Olympic skate routine hangs in the balance (CNN)

Digging Out (Basketball Feelings / Substack)

Bad Bunny Calls Out ICE During Grammys Acceptance Speech (YouTube)

Turning Point USA unveils alternative Super Bowl halftime show lineup with Kid Rock (USA Today)

We're using sports to connect with the youth. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the results of NFL's Divisional Round; Travis Kelce's charity and aren't all athlete charities a scam, really?; Fandom culture continues to crash into hockey culture, with mixed results; Russians are once again freelancers at the Olympics; and female millennial excellence is coming for the Olympic Games.

Links:

Review of Walter Payton nominees raises questions about Kelce nonprofit (The Arizona Republic)

Kraken remove BookTok content after Alex Wennberg controversy (ESPN)

Two fans at the Sharks - Kraken game with a humble request for Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith (Reddit)

Linus Ulmark rumor screenshots (Twitter)

Linus Ullmark rumors, explained: Senators blast 'lowest forms of trolls' over online leave speculation (Yahoo! Sports Canada)

Mendes Monday Musings (NHL.com)

After daring to show personality, Zayne Parekh is learning how hockey deals with dissenters (The Globe and Mail)

Russians won't represent their country at Winter Olympics even if Ukraine war ends, IOC chief says (Reuters)

Russian Insider Says State-Run Doping Fueled Olympic Gold (The New York Times)

Russian athletes brace for another isolated Olympic experience (ESPN)

Terrible news: Venezuela WBC manager Omar Lopez has confirmed that multiple players have dropped out of the roster for non-injury reasons. (Reddit)

Alysa Liu returns on her own terms with Milano Cortina approaching (Olympics.com)

How Amber Glenn finds power in authenticity as a bisexual and pansexual Olympian (NBC Dallas)

Amber Glenn, 26, Faced Concussions, Mental Health Crisis and Coming Out, Then Started Winning Golds: 'I Never Gave Up' (People)

Can fantasy football punishments end the male loneliness epidemic? (Washington Post)

We are a bowling ball covered in knives. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss Notre Dame's college playoff snub and how the post-season teams are decided; Fernando Mendoza and the unreal story of the Indiana Hoosiers; we break down the NFL Wild Card weekend and look ahead to the divisional round.

Links:

Mike Golic Jr's daily TV show, Golic and Golic

Mike Golic Jr. on Bluesky

Notre Dame Shockingly Excluded From College Football Playoff (Sports Illustrated)

Notre Dame opts to skip postseason entirely after being left out of College Football Playoff (NBC Sports)

Indiana is part Cinderella story, part spirit-breaking bully, and 'the secret's in the dirt' (The Athletic)

Fernando Mendoza, Heisman winner, started his football career as QB4. Look at him now (The Athletic)

Mike Tomlin steps down as Steelers coach, ending 19-year run (ESPN)

Sources: Marcus Freeman to stay at Notre Dame despite interest from NFL (ESPN)

'Architect of the turnaround' (Bill Snyder's story on NCAA's website)

"I will remember going 98 yards with my boys" (YouTube)

Bears fans come together with the help of cheese graters, both real and fake (WBEZ Chicago)

George Kittle posts 'I'll be good' on Instagram after tearing Achilles tendon (The Athletic)

Why Nick Sirianni, A.J. Brown got into sideline argument during 49ers vs. Eagles (Yahoo! Sports)

Bills' Josh Allen: Limited by trio of injuries (CBS Sports)

The Athletic Football Show (YouTube)

We'll give you all our disagreements for free. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss O Line Christmas gifts; NFL Narrative Fantasy final scores; the Sabres don't suck?!; Kalshi, Polymarket, and commodifying every feeling or thought you've ever had; US Men's Hockey snubs IRL Shane Hollander; Puka Nakua and Mookie Betts choose to spend their one precious life with Andrew Tate's bestie; and Phillip Rivers continues to ride his unexpected renaissance.

Links:

FIFA, after backlash to World Cup ticket prices, creates new $60 category for small number of supporters (The Athletic)

Joe Burrow gifts offensive linemen authentic fossils for Christmas (ESPN)

Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld Gifted His Offensive Lineman a 'Quarter of a Cow' for the Holidays (People)

Chiefs agree to deal to play in dome in state of Kansas in 2031 (ESPN)

Dream come true (TikTok)

Trevor Lawrence's Wife Helps Teammates Pull Off Hilarious Surprise After Jaguars Quarterback Goes Viral for AI Meme (People)

God is great (Instagram)

Jack Eichel, Sabres saga explained: How a medical disagreement led to the star's trade to Vegas (CBS Sports)

Kekalainen named Sabres general manager, replaces Adams (NHL.com)

Former NHL player sues Blackhawks and speaks out about sexual abuse (NPR)

The Kalshi-fication of everything (Yahoo! Finance)

Sunak aide admits placing bet on general election (BBC)

Two originals join forces: Kalshi and the Chicago Blackhawks announce partnership (Kalshi)

Venezuela Trades, Not Sports, Drive New Prediction-Market Legislation (Front Office Sports)

Kalshi Shrugs Off Affiliates Spreading Fake Sports News (Front Office Sports)

Scandals, prediction markets: Is 2025 a turning point for sports betting? (ESPN)

Jason Robertson Is Everything Team USA Needs, Whether or Not They Know it (D Magazine)

Stars' Jason Robertson Breaks Silence on Olympic Roster Snub (Sports Illustrated)

Puka Nacua Did An Antisemitic Little Dance (Defector)

Rams' Puka Nacua shares baffling concussion take in controversial livestream (Reddit)

Mookie Betts controversy: Why Dodgers star is in hot water over antisemitic comment on Adin Ross live stream (Yahoo! Sports)

Rams star Puka Nacua apologizes for antisemitic dance on livestream (The Athletic)

​​​​All eyes are on the NFL's most atypical owner. Where will her curiosity lead her next? (The Athletic)

Have we got the Patreon for you! A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the backstory and first episode of HBO's new gay hockey show, Heated Rivalry.

Links:

The full episode of our Heated Rivalry discussion (Patreon)

All civic duties should include good gossip. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the NASCAR settlement; Phillip Rivers's return is Millennial Excellence; the NFL Narrative Fantasy Draft update; skyrocketing World Cup ticket prices; IOC seeks to ban trans athletes; the best and least popular PNWL player looks to beat the transphobe allegations; Lando Norris wins F1, experiences feelings.

Links:

Patreon!

FIFA president Gianni Infantino accused of rules breach over Trump (ESPN)

NASCAR reaches settlement with 23XI, Front Row to end year-long legal saga (The Athletic)

Injured New York Giants star's 'unhinged' live stream antics leave fans in stitches (The Daily Mail)

Watch End of an Era (Disney+)

Quinn Hughes on the trade (TikTok)

Bill Daly says NHL players won't compete in Milan Olympics unless ice meets safety standards (The Athletic)

Transgender women to be banned from all female Olympic events (The Times of London)

A PWHL player was vilified for her social media activity. Now she wants to clear the air (The Athletic)

Who deserves a redemption narrative? (Out of Your League)

Lala and James Fight About… Pasta? (YouTube)

And we take that personally! A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the FIFA peace prize; Trinity Rodman and NWSL's self-own; Michael Jordan, text messages, and other drama from the NASCAR trial; reality stars on an alternate NFL broadcast; George Pickens goes off; Lane Kiffin quits, internet rejoices; and athletes getting hurt in all-too-human ways; an LPGA golfer is curing her anxiety with fantasy novels.

Links:

The Weird Spectacle of the World Cup Draw (The New Yorker)

Gianni Infantino accused of breaching FIFA's ethics codes in relation to President Trump comments (The Athletic)

NWSL said it would fight for Trinity Rodman. It's only fighting with itself (The Athletic)

Jessica Berman Makes Her Priorities Clear (Defector)

'Sunday Night Football' alternate broadcast: If you love Bravo and chaos, this one's for you (SB Nation)

God talking to college football coaches (TikTok)

Lane Kiffin Responds To Troubling Rumor About His Beloved Dog (Yahoo! Sports)

Ole Miss players accuse Lane Kiffin of lying in his farewell statement (The Athletic)

"Insane misogynistic undertones": Social media erupts to Matthew Tkachuk's statement on girls calling NHL players by their nickname (SportsKeeda)

Jack Hughes' freak injury joins long list of NHL's unusual off-ice setbacks (USA Today)

The Multibillion-Dollar Business of Pro Athlete Recovery (Front Office Sports)

Pro golfer Alison Lee found a unique way to calm her mind: Reading fantasy books (The Athletic)

We believe it could also always be better. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss NFL narratives (Brosmer woes; shirtless locker room victory chants; Jauan Jennings gets what's coming to him); a bald man solves a hair care crisis; people are packing stadiums for women's hockey; get ready for pro women's baseball; the gross right-wing incentives driving anti-trans athlete narratives; and a cyclist takes a stand.

Links:

He's Baseball's Only Mud Supplier. It's a Job He May Soon Lose. (The New York Times)

Browns' Shelby Harris blasts Jauan Jennings: 'I see exactly why they punched him in the nuts' (NFL)

Cowboys' Jerry Jones says he offered Jets first-round pick, Micah Parsons for Quinnen Williams (The Athletic)

Trevor Lawrence looks exactly like all of these things (Twitter)

How a bald coach solved volleyball's ponytail predicament (ESPN)

good, bad, & ugly: a'ja wilson's pettiness, t-boy embezzlement, & the studbudz clap back (out of your league)

Tate McCrea and Jack Hughes Go to Dinner (Reddit)

The path to the women's professional baseball league (out of your league)

Kelsie Whitmore is No. 1 pick in first Women's Professional Baseball League draft (The Athletic)

Mo'ne Davis Is Finally Ready to Play Baseball Again (Sports Illustrated)

How Right-Wing Superstar Riley Gaines Built an Anti-Trans Empire (Mother Jones)

Award declined after trans women not included (BBC)