Almost Shameless

This week Tom Brady Sr. spoke with NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran and said he thinks his son has been vindicated by winning in Tampa Bay. But what exactly is Brady's gripe with 20 years of unprecedented success again? (2:51) Plus Tanya proposes a batshit idea for getting the NFL to back off of their taunting rules for on-field celebrations (25:21). 

As we all wrap up our Week 1 analysis, Tanya checks in on where the Patriots stand as they prepare to bounce back in Week 2 against the Jets - and dives a little deeper into exactly what Bill Belichick is looking to get from Mac Jones this season and whether it's a formula that can stand up long term against the current powers of the AFC (2:34). Then she expands the conversation to the rest of the...

It's the last podcast of the NFL offseason before the most wonderful time of the year kicks off on Thursday night, and this week's episode is setting some ground rules for the Almost Shameless listeners, watchers and followers. First Tanya addresses the trolls and broader misogynist community that seemingly cannot move themselves into the 21st century to adjust to the new reality of a diversifying...

In a twist no one saw coming, Cam Newton didn't just lose the starting Patriots QB job -- he lost his job altogether. Tanya quickly breaks down her thoughts on the mysteries surrounding the surprising cut as well as Bill Belichick's somewhat alarming comments about COVID vaccination in the NFL (4:00). Then she checks in on the recent history of rookie QB success, and explains the three major hurdl...

Tanya cuts to the chase as she launches into a breakdown and critique of Scott Zolak's problematic comments about Cam Newton's on-field demeanor at Patriots practice, and how his viewpoint is a reflection of a much larger issue with the way too many people all around New England speak about Newton in general (2:50). The show wraps up with a quick plea to the listeners to step outside their comfort...

It's another weekend podcast as Tanya quickly recaps the Patriots second preseason game and dives into the complexities of what is happening for fans and media as the reality of Cam Newton as the starter begins to sink in (3:18). Then it's over to the NBA where LeBron feels disrespected by scouts and execs after being left out of a recent ESPN poll of the best player in the league,, and Tanya wond...

NFL Nation got it's first glimpse at the re-tooled Patriots, an improved Cam Newton and a composed Mac Jones -- and everyone immediately forgot how to analyze the quarterback position. So Tanya kicks the show off with a breakdown of how the QBs looked and how media and fans reacted (2:32), and gets into some other highlights from the exhibition (15:05). Then she issues an early warning to Patriots...

There is one topic and one topic only for this week's show, and it's all about Cam Newton and the way the media has handled the reporting and analysis of his journey from last season through the second week of training camp (02:00). First Tanya goes no holds barred in laying out her beef with how the local media has mislead fans about what Cam is capable of as a starter and what is best for a team...

It's an all Tanya show straight from her family home in Massachusetts, so she kicks things off with a little recap of where things stand with Cam Newton and Mac Jones as Patriots camp begins (4:20). Then she checks in with the Aaron Rodgers situation with the Packers after a bizarre candid press conference that may not win the fans over the way he thinks it will (11:57). Finally, the biggest news...

This is the first seasonal mailbag EVER on the Almost Shameless podcast, so strap in to get to know Tanya a little better while also getting your weekly does of sports hot takes sprinkled in. From the Patriots QB depth chart to the social media importance of The Office, there's a little something for everyone. 

There's no better way to prepare for Patriots training camp than with an old school attack on the Patriot Way! Mike D'Abate of SI Maven and Locked on Patriots joins Tanya to discuss Julian Edelman's thoughts on the fun of winning, and to whom he will pass the leadership baton on offense (5:00). Then Mike shares a few of the more underrated and overlooked storylines for fans and media to watch out...

It's been a weird off-season for the Patriots with a QB battle for the first time since January of 2002, but this week the target of national scrutiny is maligned WR N'Keal Harry, who wants a trade from the only team that wanted to draft him in the first round, and Tanya explains why this is a lose-lose for everyone involved (5:09). Then it's a long overdue clapback at Aaron Rodger's eat, pray, lo...

The Boston Celtics have entered their new era with the hiring of Ime Udoka (01:48), and it wouldn't be a major breaking story in 2021 without someone epically embarrassing themselves on Twitter (04:15). Then Tanya breaks down the importance of Carl Nassib as the first active NFL player to come out and what it's been like to watch the evolution of how the sports world dealt with the news (12:53). F...

Yet another Twitter debate regarding analytics in the NBA was sparked late last week, culminating in the accusation that people who prefer the study of efficiency are nerds who are ruining sports fandom. So Tanya brought on Bryan Kalbrosky, writer  for HoopsHype and For The Win, to break down the disconnect between the highlight purists and the people paying closer attention to the numbers behind...

Tanya reunited with friend and former co-host Courtney Fallon of the Bad Signal Podcast and The Game Day NFL to host a very special reunion episode of Fox & Fallon. After getting the audience reacquainted with their banter they kick things off by ranking on a scale of 1-10 just how much Patrick Mahomes was to blame for the Chiefs' meltdown on Sunday (07:00). Then it's on to the GOAT, and Tanya won...

It took until Week 15 when the Patriots were officially mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for the cowards to get up on their soap boxes and declare that we finally have proof that Bill Belichick can't do anything without Tom Brady. This podcast is dedicated to firing that lazy, bad faith, garbage fire take into the sun to burn for eternity (04:54). 

It's the first THANKSGIVING episode of Almost Shameless, which is appropriate because almost shameless is how most of us feel about the amount of food we're about to consume. First up, it's asterisk szn!! Time to start being honest with ourselves about the realities of what COVID has done to affect the fairness of the game, and what it will mean for the eventual winners and losers this year (3:56)...

NBA draft analyst Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype and USA Today SMG joins Tanya with some fun tidbits to help the casual NBA fan prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft. 

Before all the ranting, Tanya takes some time to reflect on and remember the lives and impact of Alex Trebek and Tommy Heinsohn, the media grandfathers that many of us shared and lost this week (01:22). Then it's back to sports, with an optimistic take on a wild Patriots win over the winless Jets and Cam Newton's success in the wake of Tom Brady's failure (8:04). Then, league commissioners and tea...

This week Tanya is detouring from the insanity of the NFL to chat with USA Today Sports Media Group NBA managing editor Bryan Kalbrosky about the league's plans for the final two months of 2020. They discuss the report that the NBA is looking to begin camp by Dec. 1st with the season starting before Christmas (5:49), and whether LeBron will be back on the court that soon (14:04). Bryan also give h...

The Patriots lost a closer-than-the-score-would-have-you-believe contest against the Chiefs on Monday night, but the story actually began early in the weekend prior. Tanya breaks down Cam Newton's COVID timeline and the inconsistencies in how the NFL handled the Patriots game and the rescheduled Titans-Steelers game (03:47). Then it's on to the juicy stuff, and boy was it sour. Patriots fan (and a...

Russell Wilson is the MVP of the NFL and probably has been for longer than we've realized (4:00). Plus, the Patriots are the best team in the AFC East despite preseason expectations -- and their 1-1 record (10:50). And finally, re-assessing how we talk about athletes and their adversity during the pandemic (15:30).

Things come and go, especially in 2020... but the NFL remains. Week 1 has passed and many things happened that we expected, including Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs looking like Super Bowl contenders yet again (06:14). However not everything went according to the offseason script. Cam Newton and the Patriots surprised with their dominant if not always tidy win over the Dolphins, and Tanya has some...

BASEBALL'S UNWRITTEN RULES HAVE GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME, FOLKS. Tanya breaks down exactly what happened between the Padres and Rangers to cause the latest BS meltdown over baseball players doing their jobs well, and why the unwritten rules are more than just antiquated ... they're a sign of resistance to diversity and social change. (3:30) Then it's on to college sports again, where it's time to ad...

Tanya is back and kicking things off loudly with a condemnation of one BIG10 football coach who is the perfect example of dealing with COVID-19 in sports the wrong way. Then she breaks down Brett Favre's comments regarding kneeling in the NFL, and the journey of learning to have difficult conversations with people who are approaching highly emotional topics with ignorance but also in good faith. T...