SilentPunt Podcast

SilentPunt Podcast 223 / September 10, 2026 The story of Vince Lombardi’s Packers usually arrives in the voice of John Facenda: frozen breath, muddy jerseys, and giants doing battle on the tundra. But after the cameras left, a group of young women was doing much of the work that made those football lives possible. This week, I’m joined by mother-daughter authors Laura Kostelnik Biskupic and Kather...

SilentPunt Podcast 222 / August 27, 2026 Joe Palumbo has been a national champion, an All-American, a lawyer, an NFL intern, a sports agent, a wealth manager for professional athletes, and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Somehow, that’s only the setup. We talk about NIL money, why some athletes handle wealth better than others, the recurring dream that college football gives you one more year of...

SilentPunt Podcast 221 / August 20, 2026 Fred Segal has spent a decade preserving the predictions sports media would rather forget. As the creator of Freezing Cold Takes and author of the new book Freezing Cold Takes: College Football , he has built an archive of certainty gone bad—from coaches crowned too early to games declared over before they were. In this episode, Fred and I talk about why co...

SilentPunt Podcast 220 / August 13, 2026 Phil Villapiano has stories. About growing up on the Jersey Shore and watching Bruce Springsteen perform before most people knew his name. About being drafted by the Oakland Raiders without knowing exactly where Oakland was. About surviving the brutal practices and even longer nights of the Raiders’ legendary training camps. And, of course, about spending t...

SilentPunt Podcast 219 / July 30, 2026 At 157 pounds, JJ Birden was never supposed to last nine seasons in the NFL. In this conversation, the former Kansas City Chiefs receiver explains how he turned speed, preparation, and a stubborn desire to prove everybody wrong into a career that included catching passes from Joe Montana. Birden also opens up about his less-documented years after football: bu...

SILENTPUNT PODCAST 218 / July 16, 2026 For the many new readers here: the basic rhythm at SilentPunt is that one week I write an essay, and the next I talk to someone interesting. The subjects bounce between middle age, marriage, parenting, sports, and whatever fresh indignity adulthood has provided lately. 🥃 📚 🥃 📚 🥃 📚 🥃 📚 🥃 📚 🥃 📚 Jason Botts grew up dreaming of spending one day in the...

SilentPunt Podcast 217 / July 2, 2026 This week on the SilentPunt Podcast, I’m joined by Christopher Warner , author of Playing for Keeps: Legendary Athletes in Combat During World War II . Since this is a July 4th edition of the show, we talk about athletes who did more than simply serve during the war. These were men who had already become champions, stars, record-setters, and future Hall of Fam...

SilentPunt Podcast 216 / June 18, 2026 This week on the SilentPunt Podcast , I’m joined by New York Times bestselling author Tim Brown , whose new book, Nolan: The Singular Life of an American Original , is about a lot more than fastballs, strikeouts, and longevity. It’s about myth, toughness, fathers, Texas, aging, and what happens when a man becomes bigger than the facts of his own life. Tim and...

SilentPunt Podcast #215 / June 4, 2026 Author, photographer, humorist, and fellow Substacker Sheila Moeschen joins me to talk about her new book, Book Lovers’ New England: A Guide to Literary Landmarks , which takes readers through the homes, museums, towns, and landscapes connected to some of New England’s most iconic writers. We also get into the strange persistence required to make creative wor...

SilentPunt Podcast #214 / May 21, 2026 🎙️ Former Coast Guard Academy head football coach Bill George joins the podcast to discuss his book Home Fields , a story that begins with football and service academies but evolves into something much deeper. We talk about mortality, World War II family history, caring for dying parents, fatherhood, coaching, guilt, and the realization that the things we dev...

SilentPunt Podcast #213 / May 7, 2026 🎙️ Retirement is supposed to be the goal. Work hard, build something, and one day you’re free…but it rarely feels the way people expect. This week on the SilentPunt Podcast, I’m joined by author Andrea Hoffman ( What Are the Chances ) to talk about what actually happens when the thing that defined you ends: identity, expectations, and why freedom can feel a li...

SilentPunt Podcast #212 / April 23, 2026 Lee Bacon has published 10 books, landed a movie development deal, and built a writing career most people would have quit on long before it worked. Before that? Rejections. A lot of them. Forwarded this? Subscribe to SilentPunt below. All posts are free. We talk about what it actually takes to stick with something when there’s no payoff, how becoming a fath...

SilentPunt Podcast #211 / April 8, 2026 Discover how Lizzy Wright transitioned from a career in intelligence to becoming an author of memoirs and fiction, weaving her personal experiences with her professional expertise. In this episode, Lizzy shares insights on morality in espionage, the challenges of writing memoirs, and her exciting upcoming novel, Saffron Spy . (If you listen on Apple or Spoti...

SilentPunt Podcast #210 / March 25, 2026 How do you become a writer with no connections, no plan, and no clear path? 📚 In this episode , bestselling author Luke Epplin (Moses and the Doctor, Our Team) shares how he went from a small town in Illinois to New York City, and eventually to Random House and a USA Today bestseller. ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 Intro 1:15 Small-town Illinois → wanting more 6:40 Choo...

SilentPunt Podcast #209 / March 4, 2026 This week, I talk with Professor Spalding about the strange world of quantum mechanics. We dive into the famous double-slit experiment , probability, photons, black holes, and why reality behaves far differently than common sense suggests. Plus, how quantum technology is already shaping our future. Remember, all episodes of this podcast and accompanying news...

SilentPunt Podcast #208 / February 25, 2026 * My co-host this week is my old buddy Mark Prel. Mark is a teacher, coach, husband, and father…as well as a big-time Buffalo Sabres fan. If you are into hockey, give him a follow on X at ‘sabresfunstats.’ * Can boxing be saved? * Favorite 80s movies. * Bills coaching situation. * Challenges of raising boys compared to girls. * Listeners of the week. ⭐️...

SilentPunt Podcast, #207 / February 18, 2026 * How GenX got screwed. * Books. * Why is there still horse racing? * You gotta problem?? Soooo many great comments from last week’s episode with Sheila Moeschen , thanks to all of our listeners! Special shout-out to Daniel Puzzo for commenting on YouTube as well. To that end, if you are listening on Apple or Spotify, please follow us there and leave a...

This week on the SilentPunt Podcast , we rewatch Super Bowl XXIV (49ers vs Broncos) and do live commentary over it in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000 . I know way too much about football. My co-host Sheila Moeschen knows almost nothing. Humor and nostalgia ensue. Sheila is a fantastically talented humor writer based out of Boston (follow her on Substack here ). She is also an amazing pho...

SilentPunt Podcast, #205 / February 4, 2026 Minnesota Twins pitcher Justin Topa joins SilentPunt for a relaxed conversation about the long road it took him to reach the major leagues. We talk about bouncing around pro baseball, keeping at it in the face of adversity, and what life in the big leagues actually looks like once you get there. If you enjoy the episode, please rate, review, and subscrib...

Folks! Wherever you happen to be listening to this, please do something so the old ‘algo knows you like us: rate, review, subscribe. ❤️ In addition to Substack, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Heck, we’ve even got a TikTok these days (🤪). January 28, 2026: * Free Solo guy. * Madonna, Madonna, Madonna * Male plastic surgery. * Ice feedback * Comment of the week! This is a...

January 21, 2025 * This week’s episode is an interview with Brian Fowler. Brian, a social media star and huge Las Vegas Raiders fan, tells us about his quest to break two Guinness World Records this year. * Follow him on YouTube here , or Instagram here . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.silentpunt.com

** Please remember to Rate / Review / Subscribe wherever you listen or watch. Last week’s episode was our most downloaded yet, thank you!!! January 14, 2026 * Neck tattoos. * ICE in Minnesota. * 90s NBA. * How smart are you? Comment of the week! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.silentpunt.com

Season #1 concluded with 8,000 downloads…not bad for a couple of meatheads! Throw us a like or a ❤️, and if you’re listening on Apple or Spotify , please hit the follow button. If you are one of our dozens of YouTube watchers, please hit Subscribe there as well 😉. ¡Muchas Gracias! January 7, 2026 * Sticker & Gasser. * Why do you travel? * The Boring Company. * Grievances. * What are you reading?...

December 24, 2025 This week’s co-host is hilarious writer Lindsey Smith . Check out her Not Normal publication anytime you need a good laugh! Please Rate / Review / Subscribe wherever you listen or watch. * Weekly Sticker & Gasser. * Creepy old men, NIL, UNC, and general college discussion. * Christmas with young’uns. * Existential question: Would you rather have had Jerry Stiller’s career or Anne...

December 17, 2025 * Jason Collins, first openly gay man to play in a major sporting league, and his health struggles. * People in pajamas. * Bourbon tasting. * Scott Galloway discussion. * Comment of the week. 🎤 📣🎤 📣 If you are a loyal listener, please consider forwarding this to someone else you think may like it. Thank you! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with oth...