The Press Box

Bryan and David answer your Listener Mail and discuss how the rules of journalism are approached (0:36), react to the reporting about the “concerned citizen” at Elizabeth Holmes’s trial (21:42), touch on what an in-season version of 'Hard Knocks' could look like (29:21), and much more! Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan...

Bryan is joined by The Ringer's Kevin Clark to break down Peyton and Eli Manning's 'Monday Night Football' broadcast. They discuss the chemistry between the brothers, talk through which elements were a hit or miss, and predict how this type of broadcast could impact broadcast television moving forward.  Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Kevin Clark Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your...

Bryan and David recap Week 1 NFL media reactions and address the self-aware overreactions (5:23). Then they answer more Listener Mail and discuss newscaster pronunciations (22:10), overused headlines (25:06), and the transition to digital edition covers in journalism (33:21). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis an...

Bryan and David answer your Listener Mail and talk through the piece “The Dying Art of the Hatchet Job” (0:35), touch on former president Trump providing an alternate audio feed for the Holyfield-Belfort fight (40:12), and discuss the news that Rachel Bonnetta will join the NFL Network and focus on legalized sports betting content (43:29). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Sh...

Twenty years have passed since 9/11. Writers Tom Junod and James B. Stewart stop by to remember and reflect on the events of that day. Bryan talks with Stewart to discuss his 2002 New Yorker piece, "The Real Heroes Are Dead," which follows Rick Rescorla—former soldier, officer, security specialist, and hero who helped save thousands of lives on 9/11—through his love story with his wife, Susan (0:5...

Bryan and David break down the ongoing coverage of Hurricane Ida as they discuss how social media and new technology are being used to relay footage and enhance reporting. Then, they weigh in on how these clips and updates are circulating throughout the news.  Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...

Bryan and David open up the mailbag and answer your Listener Mail. They discuss the removal of Rachel Nichols from NBA programming (0:38), talk through Stephen A. Smith’s vision for ESPN (8:55), weigh in on 'Monday Night Football' coverage for the upcoming season (22:20), and more! Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

Bryan and David discuss the question: When will sports TV start to sound more like a podcast? They weigh in on the difference between the television and podcast art forms and the difference between the spheres of fame on both platforms. Then they talk through the evolution of television.  Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices....

Bryan and David are joined by Ringer writer Claire McNear to unpack her story about recently chosen and now-ex ‘Jeopardy!’ host Mike Richards (0:30). They break down Claire’s reporting, discuss the response she received to the piece, and touch on what will come next in the ongoing saga that is the search for the next ‘Jeopardy!’ host. Later, Listener Mail, in which they answer questions about Davi...

Bryan Curtis is joined by author and journalist Spencer Ackerman to break down his new book ‘Reign of Terror’ and to discuss recent news and events involving the United States leaving Afghanistan. They cover the 20-year “War on Terror,” weigh in on the decision Biden and his administration made to pull out of Afghanistan, and talk through the United States’ approach to foreign policy since 9/11. H...

Bryan Curtis is joined by New York Magazine contributor David Freedlander to discuss the news that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has resigned. They break down the events that led up to his resignation, the way in which Cuomo’s team decided to handle the news, and how this affects New York’s political climate.  Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: David Freedlander Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn m...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker dive deeper into the ongoing saga involving brothers Andrew and Chris Cuomo. They discuss Governor Andrew Cuomo’s stance on resigning as inquiries into accounts of sexual harassment continue (6:25). Then, they weigh in on Chris Cuomo’s decision to take a “previously scheduled vacation” during this time, as well as CNN’s decision to keep him on the air (21:10). Plus...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker answer your Listener Mail! They unpack Chris Cuomo’s role at CNN as the inquiries into accounts of sexual harassment by his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, continue (6:15), talk through the reinvention of the NBA draft (15:02), and discuss how to watch the Olympics (27:42). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strai...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker break down Gawker 2.0 and discuss how it compares to the older site (0:35). Then, host of the 'Fiasco' podcast, Leon Neyfakh, joins to talk about the new season that dives deeper into Benghazi (6:22).  Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Guest: Leon Neyfakh Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker answer some listener questions about the media's reaction to Simone Biles, the new dateline approach for NFL beat reporters, and a lot more (4:05). Then Bryan is joined by Bob Costas to discuss his new HBO Show 'Back on the Record,' his famous interviews with Vince McMahon, and his favorite parts of hosting the Olympics (36:38). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoema...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker start by going through all their media notes about the Olympics (4:48). Then Slate's Josh Levin joins to talk about his new podcast, 'One Year,' (20:04) and Levin helps David guess this week's Strained-Pun Headline (45:10). Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Guest: Josh Levin Production Assistant: Isaiah Blakely Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Guest: J...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker open up the mailbag and answer your listener mail. They touch on the ESPN announcement that the Manning brothers will cohost a 'Monday Night Football' telecast (5:40), discuss Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson heading to space (15:52), and weigh in on Addison Rae’s short-lived UFC journalism career (20:56). Later, Brian Raftery joins to break down his new narrative po...

David Shoemaker is joined by Ringer writer Mirin Fader to discuss her new book, 'Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP.' They talk about the process of converting her original feature story into a book, how Giannis’s free agency affected the timeline, and what it's like publishing a book in real time as Giannis is currently in the NBA Finals.  Host: David Shoemaker Guest: Mirin Fader Associat...

Bryan Curtis is joined by NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton to discuss David Halberstam’s book “The Breaks of the Game,” about the 1979-1980 Portland Trail Blazers. They discuss Walton’s relationship with Halberstam, his experience playing with the Trail Blazers, and why Walton has not yet read the book.  Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Bill Walton Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your a...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker are answering your listener mail about the ongoing saga inside ESPN (7:35), the lack of information coming from the White House press corps (15:48), their Olympics viewing plans (32:50), and whether or not David calls Bryan “babe” (47:02). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Da...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker unpack the news that ESPN analyst Rachel Nichols will no longer be the sideline reporter at the NBA Finals after making inappropriate comments about her coworker Maria Taylor. They discuss how the saga unfolded, ESPN’s response, and what this could mean for both Nichols and Taylor. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn mo...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker dive into a new batch of Listener Mail. They break down the history of harsh obituaries (8:40), Mitt Romney’s latest Trump wrestling analogy (13:20), how to correctly write an oral history (21:40), and much more. Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Associate Pro...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker provide some media notes on the 2021 NBA playoffs. They weigh in on whether or not this will be a lesser NBA title than ones before (7:13), discuss their perceptions of the teams left (17:56), and how sports media has changed over the years (24:57). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.  Hosts: Bryan Cu...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker answer your Listener Mail and talk about the difference between Trump-era journalism and what we’re seeing today (4:08), Conan O’Brien stepping away from his talk show (9:33), and what an NBA team’s standing could mean for its reporters (15:11). Then, Michael Roston and Sabrina Imbler from The New York Times join for a postgame interview to discuss their clever hea...

Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker are joined by NBC moderator Chuck Todd. They discuss the format of ‘Meet the Press,’ weigh in on the impacts of moving to streaming, and talk through the media’s coverage of the Trump era (7:06). Later, The Athletic’s Tim Cato joins to discuss his piece covering the Dallas Mavericks and their front office. He talks about the process of writing and sharing the story...