Hockey Work
On the Bleachers
We’re using sports to connect with the youth. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer 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: (The Arizona Republic) (ESPN) (Reddit) (Twitter) (Yahoo! Sports Canada) (NHL.com) ...
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Twice As Many Popes (Mike Golic Jr’s Version)
On the Bleachers
We are a bowling ball covered in knives. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer 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, Mike Golic Jr. on (Sports Illustrated) (NBC Sports) (The Athletic) (The Athletic) (ESPN) (ESPN) (Bill Snyder’s story on NCAA’s...
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Known Ball Knower
On the Bleachers
We’ll give you all our disagreements for free. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer 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: (The Athletic) (ESPN) ...
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Heart, Mind, and Groin: Heated Rivalry Discussion (Patreon Teaser)
On the Bleachers
Have we got the Patreon for you! A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer discuss the backstory and first episode of HBO's new gay hockey show, Heated Rivalry. Links: (Patreon)
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Do You Dominate the Taco?
On the Bleachers
All civic duties should include good gossip. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer 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: ! (ESPN) (The Athletic) (The Daily Mail) (Disney+) (TikTok) (The...
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Eat This Up, Clouted Ah Wrld
On the Bleachers
And we take that personally! A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer 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 New Yorker) (The Athletic) (The Athletic) (Defector) (SB...
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He’s a Ho And I Want That Known
On the Bleachers
We believe it could also always be better. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer 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: (The New York Times) (NFL) (The Athletic) (Twitter) (ESPN) ...
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The Algorithm Giveth, The Algorithm Taketh Away (Arif Hasan's Version)
On the Bleachers
We’ll find the romance. A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer discuss MLB’s MVPs; more sports brothers with podcasts; the NBA’s mob ties; Nico is out in Dallas; YouTube TV and ESPN make up; and (57:00) we talk to Wide Left’s Arif Hasan about JJ “Nine” McCarthy and his future with the Vikings. Links: (ESPN) () (Vanity Fair) (The Athletic) (True Hoop / Substack) (CBS Sports) (Front Office Sports) (Torched / Substack) (Awful Announcing) (Awful Announcing) (Cord...
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I Want to Be a Baseball (Jordan Shusterman’s Version)
On the Bleachers
We’ve got pucks in our pants A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer discuss LAPD’s reaction to Dodgers fans celebrating doesn’t bode well for the big sports events the city is set to hold; Pitchers indicted in sports gambling scandal; a Narrative Fantasy update; Cooper Flagg learns about losing; transphobic op-ed roils the NWSL; Ovechkin scored 900 goals; and (51:20) we talk to Céspedes Family BBQ co-host Jordan Shusterman about how he picked the Mariners, covering this postseason, and how to occupy...
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Lads Being Bros
On the Bleachers
We also played in the 18-inning game! A sports podcast through a pop culture lens. Culture critic and novelist and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer discuss the incredible end to the World Series and the continuation of the Drake curse; the ongoing Tyler Skaggs trial and what would it take to make an MLB owner sell; and are shirtless men at college football games curing the male loneliness epidemic? Links: (MLB Glossary) (The Athletic) (Sports Illustrated) (The Los Angeles Times) (Yahoo! Sports) (The Athletic)
info_outlineWe’ll use rainbow tape because we want to! A podcast about where pop culture and sports culture collide… inspired by the relationship between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Culture critic and novelist Zan Romanoff and journalist and Scamfluencers senior producer Sarah Enni discuss the MLB’s lovable losers; Taylor Swift buying her masters back; athletes don’t need to defend blasting Chappell Roan in the locker room; NHL fans on “touch watch”; this Pride Month, the symbolism is the point; and the shifting relationship between fans and artists/athletes.
Links:
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Rockies Hit New Low With No Clear Answers in Sight (Front Office Sports)
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Hannah Keyser’s Rockies post (Bluesky)
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No assurance of transaction between Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia despite White Sox investment deal (Sports Business Journal)
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Taylor’s letter (TaylorSwift.com)
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Taylor Swift Buys Back Her Masters From Shamrock, Reclaiming Her First Six Albums (Billboard)
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What's with the Oilers and this Pink Pony Club song? (Edmonton Journal)
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Why Are the Boston Red Sox Singing ‘Dancing on My Own’? (The New York Times)
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Oilers Fans Went Haywire After Connor McDavid Touched Clarence Campbell Bowl (Sports Illustrated)
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A Brief Recap on NHL Pride (The Daily Californian)
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Luke Prokop is the first openly gay player under contract in the NHL. And he’s the grand marshal at the Milwaukee Pride Parade. (Wisconsin Public Radio)
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NHL lifts ban on rainbow-colored Pride Tape, after a player defied it (NPR)
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Pride progress? As gay pro athletes consider coming out, each announcement makes a mark (The Athletic)
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Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter apologizes for using homophobic slur (The Athletic)
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Baseball is For Everyone: Mariners Celebrate Pride Month (YouTube)
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24 NFL teams have posted Pride Month messages. 8 have not. Don’t read much into that. (Outsports)
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Dodgers pride night jersey (MLB.com)
What's the best way for a music fan to support their favorite artists? (NPR)