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Bill Simmons podcast

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by poindexter, Jun 23, 2009.

  1. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    Okay I am late to the podcast world - I got a nano for Father's Day - and am completely excited about listening to podcasts for my commute. I have downloaded various podcasts, and am happy with the quality.

    I am not a Bill Simmons fan, yet think he does great work on his NBA writings (when they are linked here). I downloaded a recent podcast, where he talks soccer with ESPN's Rob Stone.

    I appreciate that Simmons earnestly tries to understand a sport he knows little about (my uneducated guess is that he has a young kid playing soccer, and now is in the 'soccer world'). Stone does a great job describing the details of World Cup qualifying.

    But eight minutes in, he falls upon the classic ESPN cliches: comparing something in soccer (or any sport) to either:

    a) the U.S. beating Russia in 1980; or
    b) a team winnning feels like the Celtics and Red Sox winning championships

    Its so lazy - and so cliche. No matter what the sport, does it always have to come down to the U.S. beating Russia; Michael Jordan; or Tiger Woods?

    If you have to use the US/Russia analogy, or the Sawx winning the World Series, just don't say anything.

    Thanks for letting me know early, Bill. I can delete you off my list.
     
  2. It's Bill Simmons. Don't think too hard and you'll enjoy the show.
     
  3. KVV

    KVV Member

    What a pefect summary of the state of sports journalism today.
     
  4. imjustagirl

    imjustagirl Active Member

    Poin: Get the Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me podcasts. Thank me later.
     
  5. maberger

    maberger Member

    i'd add This American Life and Studio 360
     
  6. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    Thanks, folks.
     
  7. TigerVols

    TigerVols Well-Known Member

    The best podcast available: Planet Money.

    Great stuff there.
     
  8. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    In other words, a "pudcast."

    ::) ::)
     
  9. Batman

    Batman Well-Known Member

    Poin, you might want to give Simmons another chance. He often has some discussions on there about writing, or the creative process, that are interesting. He also has had some good stuff about the old media vs. new media debate. The podcast he did with Mark Cuban was great.
    In short, Simmons seems like he's trying to use the podcast to break out of his Sports Guy gimmick. He falls back into it once in a while, but as a whole there's more good than there is bad.
     
  10. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    I agree.

    I listen to a little bit of nearly all his podcasts. I usually don't listen to the ones where he does nothing but chat with his old buddies. Too much Yankees-Sox talk for me. But his NBA stuff is great, and he has indeed done a ton with the new media angle.

    Apparently, he's got a new one up with Chad Ford. I'll check it out at work tomorrow.
     
  11. Rhody31

    Rhody31 Well-Known Member

    I like Simmons and Adam Carolla's is very good.
    And if you're a fantasy baseball dork, ESPN's Fantasy Focus is usually a-plus.
     
  12. poindexter

    poindexter Well-Known Member

    A week later:

    Carolla is just fantastic.
    Wait, Don't Tell Me didn't make the cut. Sounds too much like a late night talk show (Leno-ish). Just not my cup of tea
    This American Life from PBS is a winner.
    World Soccer Daily is a winner

    I will check out Planet Money.
     
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