The Bill Simmons Thread

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I'm sure they both love it in LA --- but Bill and Sal would be "perfect" to replace the hole at NY's WFAN that was left the day 'Mike and the Mad Dog' ceased working as a team.

I mean - that timeslot, covering all the sports and pop-culture, during the midday in New York (simulcast via cable or DirecTV?) couldn't be more ideal.
Yeah if this was 15+ years in the past when Sal and Bill were co-writers on the Kimmel show with Sal not doing much else and Bill less than halfway through his ESPN run, it would have been appealing for sure. But Bill is rolling in Spotify cash and Sal has several jobs that bring in good money from all appearances. The desire of either of them to do terrestrial radio seems nil, they have a lot of fun with the freedom of a podcast together and would probably continue to do that once a week even at minimal pay since their other "day jobs" are lucrative.
 

Kliq

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Say whatever you want about Bill, but the guy really does like the idea of creating a new space in the media sphere and working and promoting younger talent. After he left ESPN he could have easily just taken a high paying gig doing a podcast for a major outlet, but instead he basically launched Grantland 2.0 because he really believed in the concept and thought it could work, even after Grantland died.
 

jose melendez

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Say whatever you want about Bill, but the guy really does like the idea of creating a new space in the media sphere and working and promoting younger talent. After he left ESPN he could have easily just taken a high paying gig doing a podcast for a major outlet, but instead he basically launched Grantland 2.0 because he really believed in the concept and thought it could work, even after Grantland died.
Kind of, but it’s not really grant land 2.0.
There’s a lot less long form and a lot more listicles. I checked grants and every day. I check the ringer when o want a take on the latest episode of Loki.
 

JRedburn

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Kind of, but it’s not really grant land 2.0.
There’s a lot less long form and a lot more listicles. I checked grants and every day. I check the ringer when o want a take on the latest episode of Loki.
I'd be fascinated to know the details, but I'm interested how many people out there are like me and never visit theringer.com but are huge consumers of their podcast content. Feels like their big takeaway from Grantland was that podcasts were where they could make money -- and they've doubled down on that at The Ringer and the Spotify acquisition certainly was all about the podcasts. At this point, the website feels more like the minor leagues for developing talent for the podcasts.
 

johnmd20

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I'd be fascinated to know the details, but I'm interested how many people out there are like me and never visit theringer.com but are huge consumers of their podcast content. Feels like their big takeaway from Grantland was that podcasts were where they could make money -- and they've doubled down on that at The Ringer and the Spotify acquisition certainly was all about the podcasts. At this point, the website feels more like the minor leagues for developing talent for the podcasts.
The website is definitely a vanity project for the writers. The money is in the pods (and the banana stand) and the talent are on the pods. The writers for the dot com are just trying to get content out there.
 

HoyaSoxa

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With apologies for treading on ground partially covered in the separate Ringer thread, I believe people are missing out on some darn good writing if you only consume audio content from the Ringer. In particular, Katie Baker, Elizabeth Nelson, Mirin Fader, and Alan Siegel are all terrific writers who are rarely featured on podcasts and do mostly "long form" work. Throw in some very interesting articles that go well beyond the podcast work from Bryan Curtis, Nora Princiotti, Kevin O'Connor, Rob Harvilla, Allison Herman, and Ben Lindbergh, plus over the top coverage of big pop culture phenomena (Succession, Adele, Marvel, etc.) and I believe the site is very much worth a daily visit, whether or not it is driving much of the company valuation.
 

Kliq

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I check in on Rodger Sherman's "Winners and Losers of NFL Week ___" every Monday, it's a great recap that is informative and funny.
 

JCizzle

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I was half listening to million dollar picks while making food and I'm pretty sure at one point Schrager actually praised Sean McVay for not flying to Cabo during their bye week. An NFL coach. After getting blown out on Monday night. C'mon man!
 

luckiestman

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I was half listening to million dollar picks while making food and I'm pretty sure at one point Schrager actually praised Sean McVay for not flying to Cabo during their bye week. An NFL coach. After getting blown out on Monday night. C'mon man!
They were really funny this week. It was better than normal.
 

johnmd20

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They were really funny this week. It was better than normal.
Indeed. It was whimsical.

Their bets and the analysis behind it is kind of dumb but that is part of the charm. Simmons literally doesn't know what he's talking about but he talks like he's figured it out and it's really funny and enjoyable. Warren Sharp talks like he's got it all figured out and it is utterly charmless and it is actually grating and I cannot listen to him because he's an arrogant douche.
 

Mystic Merlin

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Indeed. It was whimsical.

Their bets and the analysis behind it is kind of dumb but that is part of the charm. Simmons literally doesn't know what he's talking about but he talks like he's figured it out and it's really funny and enjoyable. Warren Sharp talks like he's got it all figured out and it is utterly charmless and it is actually grating and I cannot listen to him because he's an arrogant douche.
Sharp definitely sucks.

I do find it funny when after a bet goes horribly wrong Bill opines with something like ‘how DIDNT we consider the road team playing after a Monday Night win against a QB who knows your coach revenge game factor.’

As for Schrager, I don’t think he was kidding with the Cabo comment, which I think makes it funnier.
 

luckiestman

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If you ever need to explain the mentality of a Masshole to anybody, just have them listen to the Russillo “Ask Them” story; the perfect mix of hilarious/sad/bitter.
 

Remagellan

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Top-notch work from Simmons and Russillo on their "Hoosiers" Rewatchables podcast. (Drove about three-and-a-half hours to a basketball commentary assignment this afternoon, and it definitely got me fired up and in the mood!) Also nice to have Haralabob back on a Simmons pod.
Agreed, although it continues to bother me that two guys who know basketball as well as they do fail to understand why Coach Dale insists on his players passing at least four times before shooting the ball: he clearly wants to shorten the game, as his team plays game-long man-to-man defense with a practically non-existent bench.
 

tmracht

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Kind of, but it’s not really grant land 2.0.
There’s a lot less long form and a lot more listicles. I checked grants and every day. I check the ringer when o want a take on the latest episode of Loki.
Yup Grantland was a first check each day. Not so much with the ringer.
 

Leather

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Agreed, although it continues to bother me that two guys who know basketball as well as they do fail to understand why Coach Dale insists on his players passing at least four times before shooting the ball: he clearly wants to shorten the game, as his team plays game-long man-to-man defense with a practically non-existent bench.
Hoosiers with Jack Nicholson would have been pretty fun.
 

johnmd20

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Granted, this was done because of synergy and promotion, but it doesn't matter. The Kenny G interview this morning was fantastic.
 

luckiestman

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Granted, this was done because of synergy and promotion, but it doesn't matter. The Kenny G interview this morning was fantastic.
I almost don’t want to listen. I can’t see a way the interview can actually be as funny as the absurd premise of Billy interviewing Kenny that is running in my mind.
 

jmcc5400

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I haven’t gotten to Kenny G yet, but just wanted to note that both Woz and Van are great additions to the Ringer. Woz’s breakdown of Warriors-Suns was excellent.
 

Pablo's TB Lover

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Oh my, the JFK rewatchables is posted. Four-man pod with Bill, Sean, Chris and Koppelman, but two hours long so hopefully not too much cross-talk. I am definitely here to listen to and laugh at what I expect are Bill's batshit theories, based on his brief references in the past.
 

luckiestman

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Oh my, the JFK rewatchables is posted. Four-man pod with Bill, Sean, Chris and Koppelman, but two hours long so hopefully not too much cross-talk. I am definitely here to listen to and laugh at what I expect are Bill's batshit theories, based on his brief references in the past.
Hate seeing Koppleman’s name. Hopefully he does a decent job. Would love Klosterman in his spot.
 

johnmd20

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Hate seeing Koppleman’s name. Hopefully he does a decent job. Would love Klosterman in his spot.
Koppleman is Rewatchables kryptonite. But at least it's 4 people, so he probably can't destroy this episode like he destroyed First Blood and Wall Street.

I have a long drive coming up on Sunday, so this is one of the pods I have ready to go. I was looking forward to it more when I didn't know BK was on it.
 

canderson

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Top-notch work from Simmons and Russillo on their "Hoosiers" Rewatchables podcast. (Drove about three-and-a-half hours to a basketball commentary assignment this afternoon, and it definitely got me fired up and in the mood!) Also nice to have Haralabob back on a Simmons pod.
Funny, I quit listening to this episode. I hated it. Russillo bothered me and they really need a three person podcast for these IMO. YMMV!
 

luckiestman

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Koppleman is Rewatchables kryptonite. But at least it's 4 people, so he probably can't destroy this episode like he destroyed First Blood and Wall Street.

I have a long drive coming up on Sunday, so this is one of the pods I have ready to go. I was looking forward to it more when I didn't know BK was on it.
40 minutes in and he is decent as a 4th. Probably his best showing and I’m a hater from way back.
 

Shelterdog

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Ha!!! This made me legit spit out water.

I just greatly prefer when they have 3 people doing recaps, I think it adds so much to the conversation.
Optimal configuration for me is Ryan/Fennessey/Simmons. Essentially pretty good film discussions with Ryan and Fennessey but kept light/funny/not dragged into _yet another_ six minute discussions of Roger Deakins by having Simmons there.
 

Bozo Texino

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Optimal configuration for me is Ryan/Fennessey/Simmons. Essentially pretty good film discussions with Ryan and Fennessey but kept light/funny/not dragged into _yet another_ six minute discussions of Roger Deakins by having Simmons there.
Agreed. That said, any time Mallory Rubin and her terminal horniness want to show up, I'm cool with it.
 

Captaincoop

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If you ever need to explain the mentality of a Masshole to anybody, just have them listen to the Russillo “Ask Them” story; the perfect mix of hilarious/sad/bitter.
That was one of the most pathetic stories I've heard someone tell about themselves in public while seemingly being totally unaware of how pathetic it sounded.
 

Leather

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That was one of the most pathetic stories I've heard someone tell about themselves in public while seemingly being totally unaware of how pathetic it sounded.
An especially curious self-inflicted own given that Simmons had earlier asked "Jimmy Chitwood....is he an asshole?!"
 

Leather

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I was nodding along with him vigorously. Chicken breast is far superior!
Depends on the application. I prefer breasts for sandwiches and as a stand-alone entree (breaded, parm, etc...). But I think thighs are superior for stews and slow-cooking.
 

johnmd20

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Listening to Simmons talk about gambling is grating. He's been gambling for 20 years and every time he loses, it's always because something happened that he should have seen because it was obvious in hindsight. That is no how gambling works, it's difficult and random because football is a game played with human beings.

Can he just fucking admit that gambling is random and sometimes (most times?) you just lose? It's so silly.
 

TheGazelle

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An especially curious self-inflicted own given that Simmons had earlier asked "Jimmy Chitwood....is he an asshole?!"
Actually, even better - Russillo posed that question and then followed up with his thesis about why it was true.

The Hoosiers pod was good, although I agree with others that the Rewatchables benefits from having 3 people on it - Ryan/Fennessy/Simmons is great, but there are other good versions. It's hard for a 2 person pod to match.
 

Remagellan

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Actually, even better - Russillo posed that question and then followed up with his thesis about why it was true.

The Hoosiers pod was good, although I agree with others that the Rewatchables benefits from having 3 people on it - Ryan/Fennessy/Simmons is great, but there are other good versions. It's hard for a 2 person pod to match.
I agree. They should just add Chris, Van, or Mallory to whatever duo is tabbed to do a Rewatchables, and proceed from there. They all bring something, and if Bill is involved, they've shown themselves willing to challenge him when he asserts something that is clearly wrong. (Like his often lookism-based recasting decisions).
 

TheGazelle

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I agree. They should just add Chris, Van, or Mallory to whatever duo is tabbed to do a Rewatchables, and proceed from there. They all bring something, and if Bill is involved, they've shown themselves willing to challenge him when he asserts something that is clearly wrong. (Like his often lookism-based recasting decisions).
Yeah, we haven't seen Mallory recently (unless I'm forgetting one). She's always excellent on these and it is always great to see where/how she will make Simmons and Fennessy totally uncomfortable while CR cackles in the background.
 

johnmd20

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Yeah, we haven't seen Mallory recently (unless I'm forgetting one). She's always excellent on these and it is always great to see where/how she will make Simmons and Fennessy totally uncomfortable while CR cackles in the background.
Mallory did Bridesmaids in January of 2021. That was the last one she's been on.

Needless to say, there is never a reason to do a 2 person Rewatchables. It's always worse than a 3 or 4 person one. Always.