Roth “got stranded by the blizzard,” so Tom Ley, Editor-In-Chief at Defector, is here! Drew and Tom debate whether this was the best winter Olympics in their lifetime, then Tom decides whether each of Adam Silver’s proposed NBA rule changes makes sense or not. Finally, they share what’s upcoming for Defector, and open up the funbag to answer real questions from real listeners.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• Old German castles
• FBI dweeb
• Screen time bad?
• Your signature biathlon

Sponsors

- Factor, where you can get 50% off and free breakfast for a year

- Mint Mobile, where new customers can get a 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for $15 a month

- Brooklyn Bedding, where you can get 30% off sitewide

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by comedian, podcaster, and curling professional and expert John Cullen! His new book, Curling Rocks!: Chronicles of the Roaring Game, is out now. They talk all things curling, from Broomgate to Boopgate. Plus: are curling shoes as fun to wear as they look (yes), can John get Drew into nu-metal (no), and Roth shares a giant sandwich from his childhood.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• Unfortunate coffee purchases
• Running out of rocks
• Boopgate
• The Spirit of Curling
• Breaking a rib while sneezing

Sponsors

- Raycon, where you can get 20% off

- MeUndies, where you can get get up to 20% off your first order, plus free shipping

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by Kathryn Xu (Defector) to talk dogs! Kathryn covered the Westminster Dog Show, and it was a lovely, fluffy, yappy experience. Did her favorite, Aslan the Pomeranian, come out on top? Then, they talk Figure Skating and Olympic infidelity. Finally, they open the funbag to answer a strong question from a (probably) less-than-sober listener. 

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• Dogs!
• Daniel the Golden
• Aslan the Pomeranian
• Doggie eugenics
• Semen marketplace
• Figure skating in How To Train Your Dragon
• One jacked arm

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We remember Dan McQuade.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• Lone Wolf McQuade
• American malls
• Baywatch
• Sneakers
• Knight Rider
• Being jumbotron-worthy

Sponsors

- Blueland, where you can get 15% off your first order

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rohan is back! And promising future Italian sandwich talk, because he’s going to Milan to cover the Olympics. Drew and Roth talk with him about his Italian food plans, the situation in Minneapolis, the Dolphins, and the saddest new coaching hire of this cycle. Then, they open up the funbag to answer – are sports broadcasters entitled to any dignity when it comes to brand tie-ins?

Subscribe to NBC News’ The Sports Desk newsletter here!

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• Outeating non-GMO flour
• It’s-uh-me, Rohan!
• Minneapolis
• Belichick not being in the Hall of Fame
• A nuclear Dolphins take
• Bob’s Big Boy in a suit
• Revenge bedtime antics

Sponsors

- MeUndies, where you can get up to 50% off

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by Patrick Wyman, author of the upcoming book Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World and creator and host of the new podcast Past Lives! They ask Patrick how our present compares to the past, and why everyone in the White House has terrible form. Then, they pick favorites for the AFC and NFC title games and open up the funbag to answer real questions from real listeners!

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• MAGA dads
• We’re gooners, too!
• Stalin a snack..?
• Deviations from the norm
• Porn character actors

Sponsors

- Raycon, where you can get 20% off sitewide

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by Arif Hasan, CEO and Chief Writer of Wide Left, to preview the divisional playoff games! But first, because Arif lives in Minnesota, he shares his experiences on the ground from recent weeks. And of course, they’ll crack open the Funbag to answer real questions from real listeners.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• ICE slipping on ICE
• Disbelieving in Bo Nix
• Christian (Charlie) Kirk
• The fraudulent Bears
• Run the ball!!
• Weird old guys and spoiled dumdums

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth ring in the new year with Kalyn Kahler, and go long about the NFL post-season. First and foremost, what the hell is going on with the Raiders? Has Tom Brady been an awful shadow president for the team? And then, to the Playoffs: How is Kalyn liking the Bears’ chances? What would be the most interesting matchup? 

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• €30 Plane WiFi
• Grinding the press conference tapes
• Nepotism at its finest
• Waking up with Dave Portnoy
• Turtle death pact

Sponsors

- Blueland, where you can get 15% off your first order

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth reflect on their years, personally, professionally, and politically, and look forward to 2026 being, if not better, then maybe just a little more consistent. Then, they open the funbag to answer real questions from real listeners. Thank you for listening for another year!

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• The J Pass
• Lil Davie
• Yosemite, Four Kings’ crab, & Metallica/Oasis
• Fake cough syrup
• Pills the size of a bialy

Sponsors

- Mint Mobile, where you can get 50% off Unlimited premium wireless

- Factor, where you can get 50% off your first box plus free breakfast for a year

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s the most magical time of the year once again! Drew brings Roth and guest Matt Selman, The Simpsons EP and Showrunner, a list of Williams Sonoma’s finest – who is more in tune with the everyman consumer? Does anyone need a $350 Porsche-branded Smeg toaster? No.

Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!

Stuff We Talked About

• That new upstart TV show The Simpsons
• USB ports in the ice maker
• No possessions enlightenment
• The finer points of contract law

Credits

- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth

- Producer: Brandon Grugle

- Editor: Mischa Stanton

- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts

- Subscribe to Defector!

About The Show

The Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.