Libsyn Directory

Twice As Many Popes (Mike Golic Jr’s Version)

Release Date: 01/14/2026

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) ...

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...

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) ...

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)

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...

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...

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) ...

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...

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...

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)

More Episodes

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)