Two Writers Slinging Yang

On the long, early-rise days of Spring Training via the baseball beat; on whether it'd be easier to cover Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. as a Spanish speaker; on whether one needs to care about baseball's new rules to cover baseball's new rules.

On covering the 1988 expansion Miami Heat through a 17-game losing streak; on writing sans bias about the NBA while being employed by the NBA; on the post-9.11 catharsis of writing about his late brother; on the highs and lows of modern media.

On having her name appear in nationwide newspaper transaction announcements; on the adjustment from media relations to covering a team; on the weird experiences of covering Roger Clemens and chronicling the World Series no one remembers.

On how she jumped directly from the UMass student newspaper to a Big Apple daily; on the kinship with her closest work pal—veteran NHL scribe Larry Brooks (age difference: 47 years); on the bliss of walking into an arena and realizing, "This is my life!"

On how she approaches covering a Super Bowl; on Peyton Manning's awful play as a final-year Bronco; on making the leap from editor to writer; on the inappropriate asshole NFL assistant coach.

On jumping into a new Major League beat and learning the landscape; on having a famous journalist as a father; on the heartbreaking saga of Stanley Jefferson and the Phillies pitcher with the tragic past; on a gross Pete Rose encounter.

On what it was like covering Michael Jordan and the 1990s Bulls; on being a rookie Buccaneers beat writer and dealing with John McKay; on a grumpy Dick Butkus and not being allowed in the Boston College locker room after a game.

On being told on Wednesday that your newspaper will die on Friday; on why local newspapers are dying at a staggering rate; on what a veteran reporter does when his office folds; on the joy of covering high school sports.

On the beauty of writing (beautifully, accurately) about hip-hop and Black culture; on the time Wyclef pulled a gun; on coming up through the newspaper ranks in Poughkeepsie; on the Whitlock weirdness at The Undefeated.

On covering year after year after year of dreadful Vanderbilt football; on embedding within a semi-pro football team and being forced to soar in a hot air balloon (despite a fear of heights); on why journalism keeps him young.

On how one writes funny material; on what little life quirks make for good columns; on his run as a major sports television star; on writing Michigan-Ohio State with a unique viewpoint.

On returning to her home state to cover the Cornhuskers; on what it's like to know your career path beginning at age 6; on the struggles and hardships women continue to endure in sports media.

On covering the Cardinals since 1978; on the legendary Garry Templeton-Ozzie Smith swap, the outrageous Joaquín Andújar, the immortal Albert Pujols and on surviving more than five decades in newspaper.

On writing a biography of a legendary sports figure when the legendary sports figure doesn't participate; on why Charles Barkley's niece was a game changer; on calling potential sources—then calling them again; on how a stutter impacts (and doesn't impact) his career.

On why Muhammad Ali so fascinates the world—even after unlimited access; on whether Irish sports fans care about what happens in the United States; on why the world needs a Leon Spinks book.

On the value of great lyrics v. the value of a great voice; on what his Crips background brings to his music; on what he recognized in a young Kendrick Lamar and why "2Pac Must Die" is a song for the ages.

On what it takes to ghost writer another person's autobiography; of what it's like to see musicians you love and admire self-destruct; on his contributions to Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing"; on the impact stuttering has had on his career.

On the genius behind one of the great HBO shows of all time; on the early frustrations and struggles of a young TV writer; of the difficulty of capturing scenes and voices on television.

On the highs and lows of Belichick, Brady and the dynastic Patriots; on whether columnists ever need to admit they were wrong; on the ills of social media and the future of the industry

The soups and nuts and crackers and eggs and muffins of writing my 10th book—featuring guest host Michael J. Lewis.

On why, oh why, tight ends save football; on whether Chuck Muncie was better than Bo Jackson (Jeff's answer: a strong no!); on diving into a first book and completing it all in less than a year.

On devoting herself to covering drug cartels and the opioid crisis; on having a gun pulled on her while reporting; on accidentally entering a crack den; on why journalism has been the ideal career.

On the decision behind writing a memoir; on the famous (and righteous) "Donald Trump is a white supremacist" Tweet; on why she doesn't miss TV and why there's still joy to be found in journalism.

On living with ALS; on piecing together a memoir for his sons; on the highs and lows of work as a freelance writer.

On the transition from beat writing to columnist; on driving to Pittsburgh to cover Albert Pujols—and missing the big moment; on why mock Tweeting John Wall wasn't the best idea; on representing African-American women in the sports media