HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by 'South Park' cocreators Matt Stone and Trey Parker to discuss writing the show during the 2016 election (6:00), their show's similarities with 'SNL' (13:00), the NYT's 'Ghostbusters' review (19:00), the difference between humor and trolling (28:00), Bill Hader's increased involvement with the show (35:00), streaming 'South Park' (43:00), having creative free rein (47:00), the rivalry between Butters and Cartman (51:00), the sheer amount of powerful ...
May 03, 2017•1 hr 22 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons welcomes longtime friend of the show Joe House to discuss the CP3 era in L.A. (5:00), sign-and-trade options for Blake Griffin (18:00), reasons to reassemble the Clippers' core (21:00), Stockton-CP3 comparisons (29:00), Wizards-Celtics (32:00), Ian Mahinmi's struggles (38:00), Al Horford’s impact (44:00), the odds of a Warriors sweep (48:00), Gordon Hayward's free agency (52:00), Raptors-Cavs (58:00), Harden's sloppiness (1:04:00), Aldridge's future with the Spu...
May 01, 2017•1 hr 16 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Kevin O'Connor to break down the somewhat-uneventful first round of the NBA playoffs (01:00), Game 6 for Chris Paul (05:30), Golden State's chance at sweeping the playoffs (11:30), what's wrong with James Harden (15:30), a must-win game for the Celtics against the Bulls (22:00), and the Raptors eliminating the Bucks (30:00). Then, Mike Lombardi joins the show to talk about Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears (41:00), the Panthers taking Christian McCaff...
Apr 28, 2017•1 hr 18 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons welcomes back Cousin Sal to discuss potential NFL draft prop bets (4:00), the backup QB conundrum (10:00), the Pats' sneaky-good picks (16:00), a potential Jimmy G draft-day trade (19:30), the Warriors' 16-0 potential (28:00), Edmonton's Stanley Cup odds (32:55), and betting on the writers' strike (36:00). Then, two-weight world champion boxer Andre Ward joins (40:10) to discuss his Olympic gold medal in Athens (45:00), 12 rounds vs. 15 rounds (51:00), fighting ...
Apr 26, 2017•1 hr 35 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by old NBA buddy Haralabos Voulgaris to discuss Kawhi's MVP case (5:00), the importance of durability (10:00), Isaiah Thomas's improved play (14:00), James Harden's defense (20:00), Shane Battier's advanced stats (27:00), LeBron's injury luck (34:00), Blake Griffin's power forward style (40:00), the Warriors' "disease of more" (45:00), the Bucks-Raptors toss-up series (48:00), Joe Ingles on the Clippers (55:00), Giannis's rise (1:04:00), the '01 Lakers...
Apr 24, 2017•1 hr 20 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons discusses the top NBA playoff story lines, including Rondo's injury (4:00), CP3's future plans (11:00), Steven Adams's disappearing act (14:00), the Jazz's struggles (19:30), Spurs-Grizz (23:30), Raptors-Bucks (27:00), and Round 1 playoff predictions (28:20). Then, 'The Breakfast Club' cohost Charlamagne tha God joins (35:50) to give his thoughts on Charles Barkley (40:00), the power of Black Twitter (44:00), the cultural influence of 'The Breakfast Club' (52:00...
Apr 21, 2017•1 hr 45 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Viceland stars Desus and Mero to discuss NBA fashion (5:00), making waves on the internet (12:00), the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry (16:00), the plight of Knicks fandom (24:00), Phil Jackson vs. Melo (30:00), Blake Griffin's Kia commercials (36:00), Jordan's gambling (42:00), 1990s NBA fights (47:00), LeBron's brand (53:00), La La and Melo's split (56:00), Chappelle's return (1:02:00), Denzel's one-name status (1:06), and Eddie Murphy's comedic reign (1:10:...
Apr 20, 2017•1 hr 15 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ringer staff writers Robert Mays and Jason Concepcion to discuss Bulls-Celtics (5:00), Rondo's playoff run (11:00), Fred Hoiberg out-coaching Brad Stevens (18:00), Jimmy Butler trade myths (22:00), a possible Porzingis trade to the Celtics (26:00), Phil Jackson's many missteps (32:00), Danny Ainge's master plan (35:00), James Dolan's youth (42:00), Draymond Green's blocks (45:00), picking Phil Jackson or Melo (48:00), and Vin Diesel's impact on the ...
Apr 19, 2017•1 hr 13 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Kurt Russell to discuss the origin of Mr. Nobody in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise (5:00), the alternate universe where he (and not Kevin Costner) played Crash Davis (16:00), the big chance to play Elvis on ABC (23:00), Snake Plissken's motivations in 'Escape From New York' (29:00), shooting 'Silkwood' with Meryl Streep and Cher (36:00), meeting Goldie Hawn (41:00), experiencing tabloid culture as a celebrity couple (48:00), Robin Williams's inc...
Apr 14, 2017•1 hr 22 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Joe House to definitively determine who deserves the NBA's highest honor (5:00), redraft the supporting casts of the Rockets and Thunder (8:00), and decide the "winner" of each NBA season since 2000 (13:00). Then, film producer Neal Moritz joins (28:15) to discuss the origin story of Vin Diesel's "Dom Toretto" (32:00), his bias against CGI shots (42:00), Paul Walker's untimely death (48:00), the Rock's intro to the franchise (54:00), the new trilogy of...
Apr 12, 2017•1 hr 32 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons answers a slew of mailbag questions from readers and listeners on the value/history of triple doubles and why Wilt never went for them (5:30), Bill's waffling on his MVP pick (10:45), lessons from Admiral/Olajuwon + MJ/Malone (19:00), Tony Romo's TV career (26:00), Jokic vs. Nurkic nickname ideas (35:00), Sergio Garcia's Masters win (42:00), Curry's 2016 MVP vs the 2017 candidates (48:00), the power of the TNT Bulls (53:00), Carmelo's future + a big 3-way trade ...
Apr 10, 2017•1 hr 11 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Joe House to discuss the Cavs taking the East crown (6:00), Toronto's newfound toughness (11:00), John Wall's unmatched speed (16:00), Rob Hennigan's scouting whiteboard (22:00), the great MVP debate (32:00), the second-best Spur (40:00), Popovich's coach-of-the-year candidacy (47:00), All-NBA selections (54:00), Draymond vs. Gobert (59:00), Isaiah Thomas's second-team spot (1:04:00), Karl-Anthony Towns's spectacular season (1:11:00), and Boogie's next...
Apr 06, 2017•1 hr 25 min
HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Bryan Curtis discuss the art of sports broadcasting (2:00). Then, Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post joins them to talk about Roger Goodell and the NFL’s credibility problem (28:45), the painkillers epidemic in sports (35:00), Pat Summitt (43:45), and the current state of ESPN (58:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 03, 2017•1 hr 13 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on NBA All-Star Kevin Durant to discuss his near season-ending injury (4:00), the decision to embrace being the enemy in OKC (15:00), the amount of talent in today's NBA (24:00), Russell Westbrook's and James Harden's MVP cases (30:00), ways to fix the All-Star Game (38:00), Scott Brooks's redemption in D.C. (46:00), the loaded 2017 draft class (56:00), and Shaq vs. JaVale McGee (1:04:00). Then they address James Worthy's harsh reality (1:11:00), Durant's...
Mar 31, 2017•1 hr 34 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by two-time MVP Steve Nash to discuss his best chance to win a title (6:00), the specialization of basketball (13:00), the modern point guard (17:00), playing with Kidd and KJ in Phoenix (24:00), players resting in the NBA (32:00), the NBA vs. Premier League schedules (39:00), Dirk's longevity (48:00), working with the Warriors (56:00), and the greatest soccer players in the world (1:10:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/ad...
Mar 29, 2017•1 hr 19 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on author Chuck Klosterman to discuss Kobe's storytelling in 'Musecage' (5:00), the Westbrook-Harden MVP race (15:00), Oklahoma City's talent disparity (22:00), the obsession with the triple-double (28:00), Devin Booker's 70-point outing (32:00), Carmelo's legacy (48:00), Gonzaga's mid-major dominance (1:00:00), the Final Four (1:12:00), and Kentucky's perfected recruiting pitch (1:16:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...
Mar 27, 2017•1 hr 22 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Kevin O'Connor to discuss the top-five draft picks in UK-UCLA (6:00), Lonzo Ball's NBA fit (13:00), the top-eight draft picks as of right now (23:00), the Clippers' losing ways (33:00), the NBA Sweet 16 model (40:00), Gordon Hayward's free agency (46:00), and the Nets' improved play (50:00). Then, JackO joins to discuss Trump's Time interview (54:00), the future of the Republican Party (1:01:00), and the Yankees' many prospects (1:05:00). Learn more...
Mar 24, 2017•1 hr 15 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on comedian Larry Wilmore, the cocreator of 'Insecure,' to discuss the 2017 Lakers drama (5:00), Kobe's prime (14:00), LaVar Ball's brashness (23:00), competitive balance in the NBA (33:00), Dave Chappelle's new stand-up (45:00), Richard Pryor's honesty (54:00), the multiverse political scenario (1:02:00), the success of 'Black-ish' (1:10:00), and the biggest fear in Trump's America (1:15:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adc...
Mar 22, 2017•1 hr 24 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Mark Titus and Chris Ryan to induct 'Blue Chips' into the Sports Movie Hall of Fame. Topics include: the most ridiculous moments (5:00), Nick Nolte's intense coaching style (14:00), Bob Knight's mystique (19:00), point-shaving scare tactics (23:00), Shaq's final college game (30:00), the player cameos (35:00), rebooting 'Blue Chips' (42:00), post-retirement Larry Bird (47:00), and the best college basketball movies (53:00). Learn more about your ad cho...
Mar 21, 2017•57 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer to discuss technology's impact of viewing habits (6:00), the Clippers' need for a championship (12:00), the potential of a new Clippers arena (24:30), the Seattle expansion for the NBA (35:00), the NBA boardroom (42:00), understanding the salary cap (54:00), the future of this Clippers core (1:02:00), and the Microsoft scouting report (1:12:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho...
Mar 17, 2017•1 hr 16 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on The Ringer's Mark Titus to discuss Evan Turner's ideal skill set (5:00), LeBron on a mid-major (8:00), Cousin Sal's best bet for the title (16:00), the best rivalry in college hoops (23:00), and Villanova's chance to repeat (28:00). Then, The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor join to give his thoughts on the top NBA prospects in March (37:00), Jayson Tatum vs. Josh Jackson (46:00), Rick Pitino's regrets (53:00), and the need for Gus Johnson (1:03:00). Learn more...
Mar 15, 2017•1 hr 13 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on former Grantland teammate Zach Lowe to discuss the Warriors' losing ways (6:00), the only teams to go three years without 20 losses (15:00), Durant on the Warriors (19:00), Jazz-Clippers (25:00), whether this is the last year for Doc Rivers (34:00), whether the Jazz are for real (40:00), All-NBA picks (48:00), are the Spurs smoke and mirrors? (55:00), James Harden's passing ability (1:02:00), and Croatian basketball power rankings (1:10:00). Learn more...
Mar 14, 2017•1 hr 25 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Mike Lombardi and Kevin Clark to discuss NFL free agency, Deshaun Watson's draft fit (7:00), Mike Glennon in Chicago (11:00), the Patriots signing Stephon Gilmore (19:00), Brandin Cooks rumors (26:00), the Romo-coaster (34:00), and which L.A. football team will be the worst (40:00). Then, JackO joins to give his thoughts on Trump's presidency (48:00), Mike Francesa's reunion with Mad Dog (1:04:00), 'SNL' so far this season (1:08:00), and building a wom...
Mar 10, 2017•1 hr 21 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Joe House to discuss the Wizards' impressive season so far (6:00), the Bradley Beal–Ray Allen comparison (11:00), the best free-agency acquisitions (23:00), Russell Westbrook's ball hogging ways (32:00), OKC's best-case scenario (39:00), and Westbrook chasing stats vs. wins (46:00). Then, NHL All-Star P.K. Subban joins to give his thoughts on the Bruins-Canadiens rivalry (57:00), his ability to be the NHL commissioner (1:05:00), hockey's concussion pro...
Mar 09, 2017•1 hr 31 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Celtics All-Star Isaiah Thomas to discuss his recent success (02:00), dealing with larger players' physicality (05:00), the polarizing Marcus Smart (14:00), his favorite NBA teams (16:30), the best players from Washington state (19:00), All-Star Weekend (25:30), meeting Tom Brady (29:00), Floyd Mayweather's fandom (32:00), Iverson comparisons (38:00), and the Celtics' title chances (46:00). Then, Ringer writer Shea Serrano joins to give his thoughts on...
Mar 06, 2017•1 hr 23 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons sits down with Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton to discuss growing up in the Boston Garden (2:00), his father's reaction to Luke's getting a head coaching job with the Lakers (10:00), his rookie season with teammates Shaq, Kobe, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton (12:30), the chemistry of last year's Golden State Warriors (16:30), working with Magic Johnson (40:00), what he learned from Phil Jackson (52:00), and his 20-year, friendly rivalry with Richard Jeff...
Mar 03, 2017•1 hr 8 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons ventures over to 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' to discuss the Oscars Best Picture mix-up (5:00), Ryan Gosling laughing (13:00), Cousin Sal's bad beats (16:00), Jimmy's near-death experience during rehearsal (25:00), behind-the-scenes Oscars insight (33:00), Jimmy's next hosting gig (44:00), and Jimmy's favorite fast food items (52:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Mar 02, 2017•1 hr 5 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on New York Times critic-at-large Wesley Morris and Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey to discuss the Best Picture fiasco (6:00), Casey Affleck's win (13:00), 'La La Land' losing (19:00), the Oscars voting process (24:00), and the 'Sully' snub (31:00). Then, they talk about 'Moonlight' moments (37:00), the 2012 Oscars (45:00), Netflix's model vs. traditional movies (54:00), and the best movies of 2017 so far (1:02:00). Learn more about your ad choices....
Feb 27, 2017•1 hr 2 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Joe House, Chris Ryan, and Kevin O'Connor to discuss Boogie's impact on the Pelicans (8:00), Brandon Ingram's potential (12:00), Paul George vs. Jimmy Butler (18:00), GMs using the trade machine (28:00), the Nerlens Noel trade (34:00), Jrue Holiday's value (44:00), the top players in the 2017 draft (54:00), P.J. Tucker's impact on the Raptors (1:05:00), Finals scenarios (1:09:00), and Andrew Bogut's next destination (1:14:00). Learn more about your ad ...
Feb 24, 2017•1 hr 13 min
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Stratechery founder Ben Thompson to discuss the Apple–LeBron James comparison (6:00), Netflix's dominance (14:00), Hulu's handicap (21:00), Twitter's lack of evolution (27:00), Facebook and Google's advertising strategy (37:00), Slack's upside (43:00), and the perks of living in Taiwan (52:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 23, 2017•57 min
