The Press Box

The Ringer

The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker and Joel Anderson catch you up on the biggest media stories, from sports to politics and everything in between.

Subscribe Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

1,299 episodes
Updated Yesterday
Explicit

Episodes1299

Newest first

Jun 24, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
Your Biden-Trump Debate Cheat Sheet, ESPN’s Opening Bid for Stephen A., and the Return of the New York Tabloids With Jason Gay
Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay. He kicks off the show with five thoughts on the upcoming presidential debate (2:23). Then they discuss ESPN’s first bid to Stephen A. Smith and how it compares to Pat McAfee’s deal (20:21). Later, they talk about JJ Redick becoming the new Lakers head coach and leaving the podcast game (33:42). They close the show with the 48 New York tabloid headlines about Justin Timberlake’s arrest (54:07). Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Jason Gay Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 20, 2024 · 58 min
Zaz and the NBA Rights, CNN’s Rocky Road to the Biden-Trump Debate, and the Washington Post's Embattled Publisher With Puck’s Dylan Byers
On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes Dylan Byers and starts the show with a discussion about the word “defenestration" (1:20).Then they discuss the following: Dylan’s reaction to Charles Barkley’s "retirement” (2:42) What did David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery do wrong during the NBA negotiations (9:18)? CNN producing the presidential debate (15:02) William Lewis, ’Washington Post’ publisher, gets embattled (30:16). Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Dylan Byers Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 18, 2024 · 53 min
Charles Barkley “Retires,” the Journalist and the Brat Pack, Agony at the U.S. Open, and CNN’s Big Debate
Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show by discussing yet another Charles Barkley “retirement announcement” (0:42). Then, they close out this NBA season with talk of ESPN adding an active player to their pregame show (13:14) and JJ Redick potentially being the first podcaster turned NBA coach (15:50). They then discuss the upcoming presidential debate and why it will be a huge night for CNN (19:40). Later in the Notebook Dump, they get into the Brat Pack documentary and why it is an interesting, secret media movie (32:01). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 13, 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
Final (?) NBA Finals Takes, the Caitlin Clark Discourse, and Hollywood’s Junket Crisis With Katie Baker
On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes Katie Baker, and they have a loaded show for you, with the following discussion topics: Brian Windhorst's Scarface-like message to Luka Doncic (1:45) Jayson Tatum’s reaction to Joe Mazzulla's quotes (5:57) Remembering Jerry West, a friend to sportswriters everywhere (14:03) The Olympics and Caitlin Clark discourse (24:03) The Hollywood junket crisis (37:14) Remembering Howard Fineman (52:14) Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Katie Baker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 10, 2024 · 48 min
How Is ESPN Covering the Finals? Plus, a Chaotic Week at The Washington Post and the Art of the Awkward Interview.
Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show with sounds from a couple of awkward interviews (1:05). Then, they get into the following topics: Reactions to ESPN’s halftime show criticism (9:31) Doris Burke makes television history (18:07) JJ Redick’s upside as an announcer (20:42) Later, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss a chaotic week at The Washington Post (33:01) Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 5, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
Bob Costas on Michael Jordan, "Roundball Rock," Bill Walton, and 12 Years of the NBA on NBC
Hello, media consumers! The NBA Finals begin this week, so Bryan brings you the podcast a day early, and he welcomes one of the most prolific voices in basketball history, Bob Costas. They take a look back at Bob’s time with NBC, discussing the following: The first year of the NBA on NBC and how Bob was wanted as a play-by-play announcer (2:02) The art of putting together the story of the game (6:52) Michael Jordan’s run during the beginning of the NBC era (16:22) The O.J. Simpson chase during the 1994 NBA Finals (24:28) Calling what we thought at the time was Michael Jordan’s final shot in the NBA (41:01) The 1998-99 NBA lockout (45:22) Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Bob Costas Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 3, 2024 · 51 min
NBA Finals Story Lines, More on the Trump Verdict, Charles Barkley’s Free Agency, and Colin Cowherd: Resistance Hero
Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show with some notes on the coverage of the Trump verdict (1:09). Then, they get into the following topics: What kind of story are the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks (9:02) Charles Barkley’s free agency and what could happen with the talent from ‘Inside the NBA’ (18:19) Later in the Notebook Dump they discuss: Reactions to Colin Cowherd’s monologue about Trump’s conviction (32:43) The upcoming presidential debate and the advertisements that will be available for purchase (41:00) Bryan and David are in LearnedLeague trivia (43:15) Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 30, 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
The Strange End of the Trump Trial, Baseball’s Spot in the Sports-World Lineup, and Nerd Culture Deep Dives With Mallory Rubin
Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes the Ringer’s ultimate team player, Mallory Rubin. They kick off the show by discussing the live coverage of the Trump trial deliberations (4:47). Then they discuss baseball’s place in the media lineup as networks are willing to pay $2 billion for the NBA while ESPN is trying to get out of a $540 million deal with MLB (16:12). They close with a fun discussion about Mallory’s career, which includes a chat about the things she has done a nerd culture deep dive on (33:40). Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Bryan and Mallory’s conversation was recorded before the jury of the Donald Trump trial was finished deliberating. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Mallory Rubin Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 28, 2024 · 59 min
Remembering Bill Walton, Saving the Washington Post, and the Latest on the NBA Rights Scramble
Hello, media consumers! We lost a basketball and media legend this week, the one and only Bill Walton. Bryan and David kick off the show by reading some of his quotes and discussing how he was ahead of his time (0:20). Then, they get into the current reported plan to save The Washington Post, which includes subscription tiers and additional content for superfans (10:43). Later, in the Notebook Dump, they talk about how the NBA playoff pregame shows have added a member to the panel (32:10), the Mavericks’ “commanding” lead in the Western Conference finals (40:02), and the latest on NBA media rights and how Turner could have maintained the rights without a bidding war (42:37). Bryan closes the show with a fun story from the movies (47:29). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 23, 2024 · 1 hr 6 min
NBA Inches Closer to a Rights Deal, ESPN’s No. 1 Team, and Stephen A.’s History of Debate TV With Howard Beck and Sheil Kapadia
Hello media consumers! We close out a busy week with two appearances! First, Howard Beck joins Bryan to discuss the NBA finalizing the rights deal (1:20), what is intriguing about NBC and Amazon’s coverage (9:30), and the NBA going back to broadcast television (18:00). Then, Sheil Kapadia joins to discuss whether or not Charles Barkley would work with his ‘Inside the NBA’ teammates elsewhere (21:51), thoughts on ESPN’s number one announce team (25:23), ESPN’s ‘Up for Debate’ docuseries (36:55), and more. Host: Bryan Curtis Guests: Howard Beck and Sheil Kapadia Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 22, 2024 · 1 hr
Patrick Radden Keefe on Crime Stories, No-Access Journalism, Getting Tenure at The New Yorker, and Turning 'Say Nothing' Into a Series
Last week, Bryan went to the Santa Fe International Literary Festival and was able to speak with Patrick Radden Keefe. They discussed a few things about Patrick’s career, including: How Patrick discovered magazines in junior high school and what stood out about them (2:21) How he pitches a story to The New Yorker today (12:20) His attraction to crime stories (17:19) Whether there are too many crime stories in the era of Netflix (25:07) Write-arounds and no-access journalism (31:20) Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Patrick Radden Keefe Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 21, 2024 · 48 min
ESPN Loves the Knicks, Scarlett Johansson and AI, Reporters Discover the T-Wolves, and the Media Acid Test
Hello, media consumers! David kicks off the show with a fun story for you (0:40), then he and Bryan get into NBA playoff talk with the following: How much does sports media know about Minnesota (7:05) Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns's reactions to being told they are supposed to lose (12:25) Stephen A. Smith and ESPN’s love for the New York Knicks (15:01) Later in the Notebook Dump they discuss: Scarlett Johansson’s voice being used for AI (26:42) Netflix and the NFL (31:00) Cam’ron’s appearance on CNN with Abby Phillip (38:05) Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 16, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min
Presidential Debate Strategizing, the NBA Rights Endgame, and New Yorker Editor Succession With Semafor’s Max Tani
Hello media consumers! On the Final Edition, Bryan is joined by Max Tani, media editor at Semafor, to discuss the following: Biden and Trump agree to two presidential debates on CNN and ABC (01:33) What to make of the NBA media rights negotiations (19:13) JJ Redick: podcaster and coach? (28:20) The succession plan for The New Yorker’s next editor (35:31) Joe Kahn and the young reporters at NYT (44:23) Covering the media beat (48:15) Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Max Tani Producer: Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 13, 2024 · 58 min
Checking in on the Trump Trial, Weekend Sounds from the NBA and How “The Phantom Menace” Changed the Media
Hello media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the week by checking in on the Trump trial and discussing how we have been getting updates without it being televised, including real-time updates from the New York Times (0:21). They then get into a few things from NBA playoff weekend, including the following: Shaq telling Nikola Jokic that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deserves to be NBA MVP (7:51) Some very interesting sounds during Luka Doncic’s press conference (10:41) How do NBA analysts judge teams when they keep getting blown out (12:47) JJ Redick's intrigue over the Lakers’ coaching vacancy and whether or not he would still keep his podcast (24:22) Later, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss the 25th anniversary of ‘Phantom Menace’ and how it changed media (35:12). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, Only in Journalism, and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 9, 2024 · 59 min
The Death of Journalistic Swagger, Apple Is Crushing It, ‘The Office’ For Newspapers, and "The Revenge of the Homepage" With Julia Turner
Hello media consumers! On the Final Edition, Bryan is joined by Julia Turner—one of the hosts of Slate's Culture Gabfest! They get into the following topics: Jack Shafer’s story in Politico about “journalistic swagger” (1:20). Ben Smith of Semafor’s interview with New York Times executive editor Joe Kahn regarding the 2024 election (20:26) The Apple ad about the new thin iPad (32:56) An ‘Office’ spinoff, but for a newspaper company (35:26) Reggie Miller has learned something from Bryan and other podcasters (40:00) Kyle Chayka's, of The New Yorker, story: "The Revenge of the Home Page" (42:59) Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Julia Turner Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 6, 2024 · 54 min
A Report From the Tom Brady Roast, Pat Beverley Stiffs a Reporter, and Kristi Noem’s Memoir-gate.
Bryan and David start by recapping Bryan’s experience at the roast of Tom Brady. Then, they discuss the reports and negotiations around the upcoming NBA media rights, and what it could mean for the ‘Inside the NBA’ on TNT (23:37). They also talk about Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley not allowing a media member to participate in a media scrum for not subscribing to his podcast (29:11). Later in the Notebook Dump, they talk of Kristi Noem being “misquoted” in her memoir, followed by The Old Guy’s Still Got It, The Tad Friend Rule, and Only in Journalism (39:02).Plus the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Isaiah Blakely Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 2, 2024 · 1 hr 10 min
NBC Vs. TNT for the NBA, College Reporters Covering the Protests, Stephen A. Smith on Mike Trout, and the Baseball Beat With The Athletic’s Andy McCullough
Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes Andy McCullough, a writer for The Athletic and the author of the upcoming Clayton Kershaw biography ‘The Last of His Kind.’ They start off by discussing NBC's and TNT’s bidding for the NBA’s TV rights and what the NBA would look like without TNT (01:47). Then, they discuss the ongoing college protests over the war in Gaza and the student reporters covering it from the ground (13:12). After that, they discuss recent comments from Stephen A. Smith and Charles Barkley (25:04). Finally, they delve into Andy’s career as a baseball beat writer, what it’s like to be on deadline every night, and the process of interviewing Clayton Kershaw for his new book (45:47). Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Andy McCullough Producer: Eduardo Ocampo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 29, 2024 · 1 hr 4 min
Joe Biden Does Howard Stern, NBA and NFL Draft Observations, the Return of ‘The Onion,’ and the ‘New York Times’ vs. the White House
Hello media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the week with a headline we never thought we'd see: Joe Biden did ‘The Howard Stern Show’ (0:41). They then get into the following: A recap of interesting sounds from NFL draft weekend (8:43) NBA playoffs observations, rights negotiations, and Cari Champion’s LeBron James tweet (22:53) Bryan’s playoff grinch takes (34:02) Then, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss the following: Politico’s Eli Stokols story on the feud between President Biden and the New York Times (40:01) The Onion is back! (50:53) Graydon Carter opens a newsstand (53:04) Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, Only in Journalism, and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 23, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min
Mock Draft Week in America, Knicks Mania, the Yankee Umpire Affair, and Howie Schwab Stories With Peter Schrager
Hello, media consumers! Bryan is back on Tuesday and joined by Fox Sports senior writer and 'Good Morning Football' host Peter Schrager! Peter kicks off the show by discussing the move of 'GMFB' from New York to California (2:20). They discuss the NFL draft, starting with some draft terminology, how Peter puts together a mock draft, and more (7:04). Then they get into New York sports, starting with the Knicks' big Game 2 win and the electricity of the fans (32:54), and followed by Yankees manager Aaron Boone's ejection for something a fan yelled at the umpire (39:43). To close the show, Peter shares a few Howie Schwab stories (44:06). Host: Bryan Curtis Guest: Peter Schrager Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 22, 2024 · 50 min
Scenes From the Trump Trial, the NBA’s New Rights Deal, the Afterlife of the Alt-Weeklies, and Remembering Howie Schwab
Bryan and David start the show by remembering Howie Schwab, who died over the weekend. They reflect on his legacy as a producer, researcher, and the final boss on ‘Stump the Schwab’ (1:00). Then they discuss the Donald Trump trial, at which cameras were barred from the courtroom and Trump struggled to stay awake (9:41). Afterward, they get into upcoming bids for NBA rights (15:56). They then talk about the Summer Olympics, how much of it they'll watch, and who will be featured (27:43). Later, during the Notebook Dump, they bring up the afterlife of the alt-weeklies (36:35) Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker Producer: Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices