The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

Defector’s own Ray Ratto joins Drew and Roth to look back on NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend, both the teams that looked terrible that lost and the teams that looked killer for winning. And they break down the new coaches, the fired coaches, and if the coaching openings are even good. We will be directing you to The New York Post too, but it’s for a very good and Giants-y reason. And as always, let’...

Our first guest of 2024 needs no introduction: Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew and Roth to preview the NFL playoffs. But along the way, we’re keeping Rohan’s New Years Eve malady secret for viral marketing, examining how much of a Philly dude Bradley Cooper is, trying to keep Roth from being fully assassinated by Aaron Rodgers’ strike team, and wondering how good the food is at this...

Happy 2024, listeners. Here’s to another year with more Distractions. We’re giving you the classics on this two-man episode: leading off with Drew vomiting and how weird are the fans of the teams in the college football finals. Then our favorite football guys are truly being their best self at the turn of the year: Dan Campbell going for two many times in a row, the Broncos performing publicly rid...

The podcast title is referencing Final Fantasy, so you know that Defector’s own Dan McQuade is joining Drew and Roth. They’re talking about how bad the Eagles are, how bad Jalen Hurts is, and which PS1 games fit which NFL teams. In the second half, they wonder if any team would take Draymond Green, and by team they mean wrestling organization. And as always, we get some voicemail Funbag questions....

Drew and Roth drill down on the most important story in sports right now: is Tommy DeVito’s agent proof that we’re living in a simulation? Because it’s just too on the nose. But first, Roth unspools the effects of Shohei Ohtani’s signing, on the current baseball picture and the sport as a whole. And we’re a little late on it, but we need to go through the incredibly ridiculous stories about Sean M...

The Simpsons executive producer and co-showrunner Matt Selman joins Drew and Roth to talk about something only he knows: the food at SoFi Stadium. But seriously, Matt explains what it’s like making the historic cartoon in 2023, how necessary it is to have silly people together in the same room, and how to make jokes for people who’ve been watching the show for decades. In the back half, they hit t...

Defector’s own Dave McKenna joins Drew and Roth to talk about Ireland's sports as it intersects with the political climate in the country. But first, these three longtime sportswriters untangle the next media company that wants to give you the slop via AI, Sports Illustrated. And we can’t let Dave McKenna leave without wrestling with the Dan-Synderless-But-Still-Deeply-Frustrating Washington Comma...

Defector’s own Jasper Wang joins Drew and Roth on Thanksgiving to talk about the Annual Report that Defector releases about how their business is going. The conclusion: financial stuff is much more fun when you give yourself a challenge inside of it. But they also ask Jasper about the butt-related football highlights of New York Jets, the different types of sports-crazy inside of Michigan and Ohio...

Author of  60 Songs that Explain the 90s Rob Harvilla joins Drew and Roth to explain the 90s. At the risk of sounding like old farts, there’s a lot of talk about how mixtapes really showed how much you liked a girl in middle school, Rico Suave, and the six cassette tapes that Rob owned as a teenager. But Rob doesn’t get off that easy, as he needs to explain the simmering hell that is being a Brown...

The sports world is rounding into full dramatic nonsense shape, and Drew and Roth are on it! They’re covering the miraculous comeback of Josh Dobbs (and how much Drew screamed during it) alongside the wealth of garbage QBs starting in the National Football League. Then, they break down what’s going on in college football with forums weirdo Connor Stallions, and wrap up with Josh McDaniels and the...

Defector’s own Ray Ratto joins Drew and Roth to look ahead at the NBA season after a few games. But really, they need Ray to guide them through the harrowing James Harden trade and the incredibly bold colors of these in-season tournament courts. And as always, we dive into the Funbag! Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!...

Sports Illustrated’s Emma Baccellieri joins Drew and Roth on the eve of the World Series. They dive into why the Rangers are so good, examine the continuous Rich-Boy-Heel Vibes of the defeated Astros, and give equal weight to the Phillies and Diamondbacks becuase we didn’t know who was moving on yet. And as always, we dive into the Funbag!   If you want to go to a live Distraction show where you l...

Coming down off the high of seeing listeners laugh at them in person, Drew and Roth meditate about the live show, the podcast, and themselves. The Distraction marches onwards even if we leave comrades behind. And at the end of the show, they answer a slew of voicemail Funbag questions! If you want to go to a live Distraction show where you live, let us know at defector.com/livedistraction ! Do you...

Everyone’s favorite Distraction Guest Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew and Roth at Littlefield in Brooklyn, New York! They discuss Jimmy Butler’s emo haircut, the success of the Dolphins, many real-life NYC sandwiches, and a whole lot more. Plus, they’re on the spot as the audience asks live and in-person Funbag questions.   If you want to go to a live Distraction show where you live, let us know at defe...

Drew is locking Roth in to do a whole lot of baseball talking, because it’s the Haterrrrr’s Guiiiide to the 2023 MLB Playoffs! Who’s fun, who sucks, who’s gonna win it all, and who do we wish would win it all? But we also take an aside to talk about Michael Lewis, Walter Isaacson, and how they suck now. And as always, we Remember a Guy and dive into the Funbag.   Do you want to hear your question...

Defector’s own Giri Nathan & Samer Kalaf join Drew and Roth to break down the best way to trade friendship bracelets at Chiefs games. We’re only joking a little bit, since everyone’s talking about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce possibly dating. But that cannot overshadow the sheer magnitude of garbage that are the Bears, Broncos, and Mac Jones. Plus, Roth breaks down how embarrassing Bob Menend...

Drew and Roth are on their own, so we only spent, like, five minutes talking about HJ nomenclature. They hit a wide range of Distraction-specific topics: the ethics of showing gruesome injuries, Coach Priiiime, the NBA’s PPP, and Elon Musk being an objectively boring person. And as always, the Guy of the Week and a Roth-forward Funbag!   The Distraction Live Show in NYC, with special guest Rohan N...

Executive producer of Harley Quinn and Abbott Elementary Justin Halpern joins Drew and Roth for the saddest event in baseball: The Pathetic-Off! Justin, demoralized by the Padres, challenges Roth, terrorized by the Mets, to decide who has the most upsetting experience rooting for their home team. And at the top, Justin gives us an update on the current state of the WGA strike. And as always, we Re...

Senior Writer for The Athletic and former Defector comrade Kalyn Kahler is back to preview the NFL season with Drew and Roth. They’re deciding if every single team will be Good or Bad this year with absolutely no explanation in between. But at the top, Kalyn gives her perspective, as someone at the Athletic, on the New York Times shuttering its sports desk.   The Distraction Live Show in NYC!! Oct...

It’s for another Drew and Roth Mess Around Hour, Sponsored by Bareback Sportsbook! The first half is a dive into the emotional and mental state of being a Vikings Fan. The second hafl is a grab bag of all your favorite podcast things: Drew’s bits coming home, voicemail and written Funbag questions, B+ celebrity impressions, and more.   The Distraction Live Show in NYC!! October 4th! Littlefield! N...

Spencer Hall of the Shutdown Fullcast and Channel Six joins Drew and Roth for a summertime tradition like no other: previewing the college football season. Spencer prognosticates the CFB Mega League, if New Yorkers will ever care about college football, and which teams will be the most fun to watch. Plus, we Remember a Guy and dive into the Funbag!   Do you want to hear your question answered on t...

Andy Behrens of Yahoo Sports joins Drew for the Haters’ Guiiiiiiiide to the 2023 fantasy football season. Andy explains where fantasy football stands in the face of sports gambling and how to draft for the reality of the 2023 NFL, while giving his top positional and rookie picks. Plus, we Remember a Guy and dive into the Funbag!   Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give u...

Wall Street Journal’s Lindsey Alder joins Roth and guest host Defector EIC Tom Ley to talk deliberately and calmly about August baseball. Of course, the first half is about noted modern emo enthusiast and Met Pete Alonzo, which is exactly the story we want. Plus a remembering a Guy (the chocolate sauce on this chocolate ice cream) and diving into the Funbag!   Do you want to hear your question ans...

The summer’s got that dog days in ‘em, so Drew and Roth going hard into summer food opinions and voicemail Funbag questions. Which will create more arguments: euphonic baseball player names or the proper way to eat a lobster? You can only find out from listening!   Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!   Sponsors - Calder...

Defector’s own Abigail Segel joins Drew and Roth to talk about the Women’s World Cup. Abigail explains the injuries hampering the extreme talent of the USWNT, who has a chance to break through in this year’s tournament, and how much of a “Vlatko” US Coach Vlatko Andonovski seems to be. All that plus Candian and American food takes, Remembering a Guy and diving into the Funbag!   Do you want to hea...