The Bill Simmons Podcast - podcast cover

The Bill Simmons Podcast

The Ringerwww.theringer.com
HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons hosts the most downloaded sports podcast of all time, with a rotating crew of celebrities, athletes, and media staples, as well as mainstays like Cousin Sal, Joe House, and a slew of other friends and family members who always happen to be suspiciously available.
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Episodes

NBA Over/Under—Western Conference (Ep. 268)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House, Jason Concepcion, and Kevin O'Connor to discuss the analytics cases for Devin Booker and Andrew Wiggins (8:00), Dennis Smith Jr.'s potential in Dallas (11:00), hypothetical Mike Conley Jr. trades (16:00), the Boogie experiment in New Orleans (22:00), Ricky Rubio's fit in Utah (28:00), the talent ceiling of the Clippers (35:00), the Nuggets' new look (43:00), Jeff Teague's average point guard play (50:00), the stars in OKC (56:00), the Spu...

Oct 04, 20171 hr 30 min

Guess the Lines Week 5 With Cousin Sal and Joe House (Ep. 267)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal and Joe House to discuss the rising L.A. Rams (6:00), Deshaun Watson's dominant performance (10:00), the lack of Presidents Cup coverage (16:00), and the poor football on display in London (23:00). Then, Bill and Sal run through the Week 5 slate and guess the lines for each game (29:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 02, 20171 hr 6 min

Live From NYC's Advertising Week With Malcolm Gladwell (Ep. 266)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons and author Malcolm Gladwell host a live podcast event for NYC's Advertising Week and discuss wide-ranging topics, including building a personal brand and the rise of tanking in professional sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 29, 201752 min

Jake Gyllenhaal on Picking Roles, Filming in Boston, and Creating Characters (Ep. 265)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Jake Gyllenhaal to discuss auditioning for 'The Sandlot' (7:00), his new film 'Stronger' (13:00), shooting on set in Boston (24:00), role models in acting (30:00), 'Donnie Darko' (38:00), the social importance of 'Brokeback Mountain' (48:00), Heath Ledger's legacy (58:00), filming a sports movie in 'Southpaw' (1:10:00), working with Tom Ford (1:14:00), and shooting a sibling thriller with his sister, Maggie (1:18:00). Learn more about your ad choice...

Sep 27, 20171 hr 20 min

Guess the Lines Week 4 With Cousin Sal (Ep. 264)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the NFL facing off against Trump (6:00), Big Ben's struggles (13:00), Tom Brady's mastery in the two-minute drill (19:00), Deshaun Watson's statement game (26:00), Bears-Packers (29:30), Saints-Dolphins in London (34:00), 49ers-Cardinals (39:00), Steelers-Ravens (43:00), updated odds on the first coach fired (49:00), Cam Newton's lack of explosiveness (55:00), Rams-Cowboys (1:01:00), and another riveting edition of "Parent Corn...

Sep 25, 20171 hr 15 min

Andy Samberg on Pioneering Digital Shorts, the 'Rocky' Franchise, and Hosting Awards Shows (Ep. 263)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by comedian Andy Samberg to discuss the Oakland sports scene (6:00), producing the first digital shorts on 'SNL' (10:00), the best casts ever on 'SNL' (15:00), impersonating Nicolas Cage (22:00), making mockumentaries with HBO Sports (28:00), selecting the essential 'Rocky' movies (36:00), preparing to host awards shows (44:00), and finding the right roles on TV (55:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Sep 22, 20171 hr 10 min

Nathan Fielder on Life as a Millennial, Magic, and More 'Nathan For You' (Ep. 262)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by comedian Nathan Fielder to discuss the return of 'Nathan for You' (6:00), Michael Phelps racing an animated shark (15:00), David Blaine's magic special (18:00), how to talk about the Spurs (32:00), living life as the original millennial (38:00), developing YouTube videos (48:00), and growing up with Seth Rogen (58:00). Then, The Ringer's Mike Lombardi joins to give his thoughts on Sean Payton's sloppy start (1:09:00), the Falcons' impressive start (...

Sep 20, 20171 hr 44 min

Guess the Lines Week 3 With Cousin Sal (Ep. 261)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss Sunday night's Emmys (5:00), Triple G vs. Canelo (8:00), the stout NFC South (16:00), Jay Cutler's first win with the Dolphins (22:00), Trevor Siemian impressing in Denver (27:00), Buccaneers-Vikings (34:00), Marshal Yanda's injury (38:00), Texans-Pats (44:00), Romo's rapport with Jim Nantz (48:00), Steelers-Bears (53:00), Marshawn Lynch's impressive return to form (1:01:00), Eli Manning's struggles (1:06:00), and Jerry Jones t...

Sep 18, 20171 hr 17 min

Richard Jefferson on Podcast Fame, Jason Kidd's Greatness, and Kyrie's Departure (Ep. 260)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cleveland Cavaliers forward and NBA champion Richard Jefferson to discuss training with the Walton family (8:00), Tim Duncan as a teammate (15:00), Jason Kidd's dominance (23:00), the 2002 Eastern Conference finals (28:00), Kyrie's scoring ability (33:00), the missed opportunities in the 2017 Finals (38:00), the more offensive-minded NBA (44:00), the 2004 Olympic debacle (52:00), Kevin Love's room to improve (58:00), social media in the NBA (1:03:00...

Sep 15, 20171 hr 17 min

Koosanity, Daniel Snyder, Best Bacon, and Gronk Panic w/ David Chang, Joe House + Bill's dad (Ep. 259)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by renowned restaurateur David Chang and fellow DMV native Joe House to discuss the struggles of the Washington professional football team (12:00), Dan Snyder's dysfunctional stadium setup (18:00), the best kinds of bacon (24:00), the best salads to pair with bacon (30:00), food at last weekend's U.S. Open (33:00), and hotdogs as the next food frontier (44:10). Then, Bill's dad calls in to address the state of Boston sports scene (53:30), the problems ...

Sep 13, 20171 hr 22 min

Guess the Lines Week 2 With Cousin Sal (Ep. 258)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Cousin Sal to recap all the NFL action from Week 1, including the QB panic meter (6:00), Russell Wilson's woeful protection (14:00), Carson Wentz's impressive debut (18:00), fantasy football standouts (24:00), and Tony Romo's budding TV career (30:00). Then, Bill and Sal run through all of the Week 2 matchups and give out their best bets for the week (35:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Sep 11, 20171 hr 18 min

Friday Rollin' With Joe House and Mallory Rubin (Ep. 257)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House to discuss the Patriots' deflating opening loss (6:00), Kareem Hunt's rookie breakout (11:00), Gronk vs. Eric Berry (16:00), the downside of Tom Savage (22:00), Kyrie's thoughts on the Celtics (31:00), and way-too-early NBA odds (36:00). Then, The Ringer's Mallory Rubin joins to break down the lack of offseason NFL story lines (43:00), Antonio Brown's 'Dancing With the Stars' gimmick (49:00), player movement in the NFL (55:00), the spiritu...

Sep 08, 20171 hr 28 min

Houston Relief, Red Sox Signs, and New Chargers Kicker Younghoe Koo (Ep. 256)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by staff writer Shea Serrano, a Houston resident, to discuss the Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and his grassroots social media campaign to raise funds (7:00). Then, JackO joins to give his thoughts on the Boston Red Sox stealing signs from the Yankees (23:30) and Trump's latest tirade (46:00). Finally, rookie Los Angeles Chargers kicker Younghoe Koo comes on to discuss his journey from South Korea to the NFL (54:00). Learn more about your ad choices....

Sep 06, 20171 hr 23 min

Guess the Lines Week 1 With Cousin Sal (Ep. 255)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to continue the age-old tradition of guessing the NFL lines before each weekend's slate of games. Topics include: NFL futures (6:00), Philip Rivers's number of touchdown passes (16:00), MVP odds (21:00), odds for first coach fired (27:00), Pats-Chiefs (35:00), Packers-Seahawks (40:00), Andrew Luck's over-under games played (47:00), Steelers-Browns (51:00), Bengals-Ravens (57:00), Cowboys-Giants (1:05:00), Saints-Vikings (1:12:00), and the...

Sep 05, 20171 hr 19 min

The Kyrie Trade Saga, CFB, MLB, and 'Thrones' With Kevin O'Connor and Mallory Rubin (Ep. 254)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons gives his thoughts and theories on the bizarre Kyrie/Isaiah trade saga and why he still believes Kyrie Irving's ceiling is underrated (5:05), then brings on The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor to discuss Friday's press conference in Boston and the league's reaction to the deal (26:05). Then, The Ringer's Mallory Rubin previews the 2017 college football season and September's MLB pennant race before indulging Bill's primitive Game of Thrones thoughts (while longing for h...

Sep 01, 20171 hr 35 min

Willie McGinest on USC Celebrity, Snoop's Days in Long Beach, and His Best Career Win (Ep. 253)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by former Patriots Super Bowl champion linebacker Willie McGinest to discuss the differences between Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick (8:00), the rudderless Patriots of the ’90s (16:00), pushing the USC Trojans to hire Pete Carroll (26:00), O.J.'s superstar status at USC (31:00), Snoop Dogg's days playing quarterback (35:00), Dr. Dre's creative genius (43:00), the Michael Vick experience (56:00), the 2001 Super Bowl win (1:04:00), and where Willie keep...

Aug 30, 20171 hr 26 min

Kevin Durant IV: Ask Kevin Anything, Part 2 (Ep. 252)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by 2017 Finals MVP Kevin Durant for the second installment of a two-part series to discuss the outlook for the NBA's new-look teams and to continue answering listeners' most pressing mailbag questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 28, 20171 hr 4 min

Kevin Durant IV: Ask Kevin Anything Part 1 (Ep. 251)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by 2017 Finals MVP Kevin Durant for the first installment of a two-part series to discuss the shocking Kyrie Irving trade and to answer listeners' most pressing mailbag questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24, 20171 hr 7 min

Kyrie-Isaiah Emergency Trade Podcast (Ep. 250)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons assembles all of The Ringer's NBA experts to dissect the decision to trade Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics and discuss whether the Cavaliers became better heading into the 2017-18 NBA season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 23, 20171 hr 4 min

The Sports Repodders: Floyd-Conor, Yawkey Way, Kaepernick, and 'Pivot to Video' (Ep. 249)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on Ringer editor-at-large Bryan Curtis and Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Gay to discuss Mayweather-McGregor media hype (5:00), politics playing a role in every sports conversation (18:00), the NFL's desire to control everything (25:00), LeBron's power in the NBA (34:00), writers weighing having a platform and getting paid (40:00), the problem with the "pivot to video" (50:00), Boston potentially renaming Yawkey Way after David Ortiz (1:01:00), and P...

Aug 21, 20171 hr 34 min

Dave Roberts on Dodgers Regular-Season Dominance and Mallory Rubin on Giancarlo Stanton's Trade Value (Ep. 248)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to discuss his famous steal against the Yankees (5:00), the depth on the Dodgers this season (11:00), the sense of urgency to win a World Series in L.A. (17:00), the influence of analytics in baseball (23:00), the conundrum of balancing rest with chasing history in the regular season (30:00), Yu Darvish's arrival (40:00), and the best advice he's gotten from Magic Johnson (44:00). Then, The Ringer's Mallory R...

Aug 17, 20171 hr 38 min

8 Best Kyrie Trade Scenarios With Kevin O'Connor (Ep. 247)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Kevin O'Connor to discuss Kyrie's limited trade market (6:00), Josh Jackson's trade value (10:00), the Knicks' best shot to get Kyrie (17:00), Cleveland's interest in Jamal Murray (23:30), Jabari Parker's trade potential before his injury (30:00), the Lakers trading for LeBron (38:00), and Kyrie's chances to be a Cavalier this season (44:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Aug 15, 201749 min

Summer Hot-Air NFL Story Lines With Mike Lombardi, Tate Frazier, and Joe House (Ep. 246)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by The Ringer's Mike Lombardi, Tate Frazier, and Joe House to discuss the most ridiculous NFL offseason talking points, including Andrew Luck being overhyped (14:00), Odell Beckham Jr. being overrated (26:10), Richard Sherman and Russell Wilson's relationship (32:32), Kirk Cousins's contract (37:00), and Cam Newton's scrambling style (45:30). Then, they make a few sleeper predictions for the 2017 NFL season (56:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...

Aug 11, 20171 hr 11 min

The 25 Greatest Patriots Wins of the Brady-Belichick Era (Ep. 245)

HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by fellow Boston diehard Kevin Hench to discuss the birth of the Brady-Belichick dynasty, the duo's best Super Bowl victory, the best team the Pats beat during their run together, the most important pass of Brady's career, the most improbable comebacks, and the most rewarding moments for Patriots fans since 2001. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...

Aug 08, 20171 hr 53 min

Smart-Guy Friday: Cycle CEO/Founder Jason Stein and Bill's Dad on 'Game of Thrones' (Ep. 244)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cycle CEO/founder Jason Stein to discuss the evolution of branded content (5:00), Joel Embiid's Twitter personality (11:00), Facebook curating content (21:00), the YouTube generation (32:30), the reinvention of sports (42:00), monetizing Twitter (52:00), the Rock's social media dominance (1:01:00), and the chances of Amazon one day owning the NFL (1:07:00). Then, Bill's dad joins to talk about the Red Sox's resurgence (1:27:00) and his best guesses ...

Aug 04, 20171 hr 50 min

Mayor Eric Garcetti and Casey Wasserman on Landing the 2028 Summer Olympics (Ep. 243)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and sports media mogul Casey Wasserman to discuss L.A.'s Olympic bid (5:00), modernizing the Coliseum (11:00), the biggest Olympic concerns (17:00), L.A.'s underdog status with the IOC (25:00), Trump's involvement in the bid (34:00), connected car-share technology (40:00), and L.A.'s Olympics legacy (44:00). Then, The Ringer's Jason Concepcion joins to give his thoughts on Kyrie's trade request (1:01:00) and NBA playe...

Aug 01, 20171 hr 26 min

Charlize Theron on Becoming an Action Hero, Avoiding Rom-Coms, and 15 Minutes With De Niro (Ep. 242)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron to discuss her new action film 'Atomic Blonde' (5:00), auditioning with a poor English accent (11:00), Johnny Depp’s presence (16:00), Tobey Maguire's gambling (22:00), chatting with De Niro (33:00), consulting Patty Jenkins on 'Monster' (39:00), overcoming a neck injury (47:00), working with Seth MacFarlane (54:00), and the loss of irony (1:02:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...

Jul 27, 20171 hr 9 min

Kyrie-LeBron Fallout and Carmelo-to-OKC With Kevin O'Connor and Joe House (Ep. 241)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor and Joe House to discuss Carmelo Anthony potentially going to OKC (5:00), Kyrie Irving's decision to demand a trade (14:00), the importance of All-NBA honors (18:00), John Wall vs. Kyrie (25:00), LeBron's blindsided act (35:00), David Griffin's best moves (43:00), Dan Gilbert's dysfunction (50:00), potential trades for Kyrie (56:00), LeBron's media strategy (1:03:00), and the big-picture move for LeBron (1:12:00). Learn m...

Jul 24, 20171 hr 18 min

Smart-Guy Friday: Nathan Hubbard on Zombie Bands, Ticket Trends, and Twitter Comebacks (Ep. 240)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on former Ticketmaster CEO and House Eats 3 judge Nathan Hubbard to discuss the booming business of nostalgia-rock concerts (5:00), James Dolan's desire to improve acoustics in arenas (18:00), the best bets for future Super Bowl performances (27:00), Taylor Swift's chance to perform at the 2018 Super Bowl (32:00), Dave Matthews Band and the emphasis on touring (37:00), the real reason season tickets exist (46:00), the impact of adding more arenas in Los A...

Jul 21, 20171 hr 18 min

JackO on 'Mike and the Mad Dog,' and Shea Serrano on the Best Worst Movie Dunks (Ep. 239)

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons brings on old buddy JackO to discuss Aaron Judge's slump after the home run derby (7:00), the Yankees' trade for Todd Frazier (12:00), the scariest hitters in the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry (26:30), and the genius behind 'Mike and the Mad Dog' (34:00). Then, The Ringer's Shea Serrano joins to break down the Best Worst Movie Dunks of all time (49:00) and explain what's going on with the Spurs (1:03:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...

Jul 19, 20171 hr 17 min
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