David Shoemaker is joined by Ringer writer Mirin Fader to discuss her new book, 'Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP.' They talk about the process of converting her original feature story into a book, how Giannis’s free agency affected the timeline, and what it's like publishing a book in real time as Giannis is currently in the NBA Finals. 

Host: David Shoemaker

Guest: Mirin Fader

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis is joined by NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton to discuss David Halberstam’s book “The Breaks of the Game,” about the 1979-1980 Portland Trail Blazers. They discuss Walton’s relationship with Halberstam, his experience playing with the Trail Blazers, and why Walton has not yet read the book. 

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Bill Walton

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker are answering your listener mail about the ongoing saga inside ESPN (7:35), the lack of information coming from the White House press corps (15:48), their Olympics viewing plans (32:50), and whether or not David calls Bryan “babe” (47:02). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker unpack the news that ESPN analyst Rachel Nichols will no longer be the sideline reporter at the NBA Finals after making inappropriate comments about her coworker Maria Taylor. They discuss how the saga unfolded, ESPN’s response, and what this could mean for both Nichols and Taylor.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker dive into a new batch of Listener Mail. They break down the history of harsh obituaries (8:40), Mitt Romney’s latest Trump wrestling analogy (13:20), how to correctly write an oral history (21:40), and much more. Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Associate Producer: Lani Renaldo

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker provide some media notes on the 2021 NBA playoffs. They weigh in on whether or not this will be a lesser NBA title than ones before (7:13), discuss their perceptions of the teams left (17:56), and how sports media has changed over the years (24:57). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. 

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker answer your Listener Mail and talk about the difference between Trump-era journalism and what we’re seeing today (4:08), Conan O’Brien stepping away from his talk show (9:33), and what an NBA team’s standing could mean for its reporters (15:11). Then, Michael Roston and Sabrina Imbler from The New York Times join for a postgame interview to discuss their clever headline about moray eels (27:16). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. 

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Guests: Michael Roston and Sabrina Imbler

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker are joined by NBC moderator Chuck Todd. They discuss the format of ‘Meet the Press,’ weigh in on the impacts of moving to streaming, and talk through the media’s coverage of the Trump era (7:06). Later, The Athletic’s Tim Cato joins to discuss his piece covering the Dallas Mavericks and their front office. He talks about the process of writing and sharing the story, the resignations of Rick Carlisle and Donnie Nelson, and Mark Cuban’s response (39:07). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Guests: Chuck Todd and Tim Cato

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker are opening the mailbag and answering your Listener Mail! They reflect on the life and career of journalist Janet Malcolm, and discuss how her work has impacted the field of journalism (8:30). Then, they answer your questions about The Athletic's Dallas Mavericks story revealing front-office troubles (24:30), weigh in on President Joe Biden's response to CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins (48:44), and add to the list of “only in journalism” words and phrases (54:50). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. 

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker are joined by Atlantic writer Edward-Isaac Dovere to talk about his book ‘Battle for the Soul.’ They discuss Dovere’s decision to write a campaign book (10:28) and the challenges that arose during the writing process (22:52) before brainstorming campaign-book power rankings (33:40). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Guest: Edward-Isaac Dovere

Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes

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