The Ringer's Bill Simmons shares his thoughts on the NBA restart, including Lakers-Clippers, Pelicans-Jazz, the NBA broadcast, NBA awards, and more (4:40). Next he talks with NFL Network's Kyle Brandt about his new Ringer podcast '10 Questions With Kyle Brandt,' the seemingly precarious 2020 NFL season, Brandt's time on 'The Real World: Chicago,' the golden age of MTV's 'The Challenge,' the evolution of reality TV, his recent two-hour interview with Aaron Rodgers, nostalgic NFL talk, and more (3...
Jul 31, 2020•2 hr 7 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by CC Sabathia and Ryan Ruocco of the ‘R2C2’ podcast to discuss MLB's shaky start to the season with multiple Miami Marlins players testing positive for COVID-19, how some of the concerns surrounding baseball can also be applied to the NFL, getting ready for the NBA restart, sports broadcasts during the pandemic, Ryan and CC’s dream podcast guests, and more (2:10). Then Bill talks with Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal about some of the challenges the NFL w...
Jul 29, 2020•1 hr 50 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal and Joe House to preview the upcoming NBA season including NBA MVP, playoff seeding odds, underdogs to win the title, pandemic-specific prop bets, and championship favorites. Later, they get into the upcoming golf majors and break down their favorite players before closing the show with a new edition of Parent Corner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 24, 2020•1 hr 37 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by actor, comedian, and writer Andy Samberg to talk about his new movie ‘Palm Springs’ on Hulu, his time on ‘SNL,’ and the role YouTube played in The Lonely Island’s success. Later they talk about scary movies, Andy’s Bay Area sports allegiance, video games, and quarantine (3:02). Then Bill is joined by journalist James Andrew Miller to talk about the sixth chapter in his podcast ‘Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty,’ including behind-the-scenes stories, casti...
Jul 22, 2020•1 hr 53 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter to talk about the upcoming 2020 Celtics postseason, the Westbrook-Durant era in Oklahoma City, and his time on the Knicks and Trail Blazers (3:10) Later, Kanter opens up about fighting for freedom, democracy, and human rights in Turkey (49:55). Then Johnny Bananas joins the show fresh off establishing his legacy as 'The Challenge' GOAT after winning 'The Challenge: Madness.' They discuss this past season, conspiracy theorie...
Jul 17, 2020•2 hr
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Yahoo senior NBA reporter Chris Haynes from inside the NBA bubble in Orlando to give us the scoop on how things are going. They discuss how the league has been administering the quarantine inside the bubble, why players decided it was in their best interest to play, Chris’s start in journalism, and covering the Cavaliers and Warriors during their rivalry (3:15). Then Bill talks with the director of the new HBO documentary ‘Showbiz Kids,’ Alex Winter, about ...
Jul 14, 2020•2 hr 6 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by ESPN’s Mina Kimes to discuss a new look for the Patriots with Cam Newton at the helm, some teams that probably should have tried to sign Newton, great NFL head coaches, uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 NFL season, and more (2:54). Then Bill talks with his old friend JackO to discuss the MLB’s plans for a shortened 2020-21 season, the gripping reboot of ‘Unsolved Mysteries’ on Netflix, and more (39:54). Finally Bill talks with actor Peter Gallagher about ...
Jul 10, 2020•1 hr 58 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by NBA insider Shams Charania to discuss the NBA restart, its implications for the 2021 salary cap, journalism in the Orlando bubble, and more (4:17). Then Bill talks with former editor in chief of The Hollywood Reporter, Matthew Belloni, about the short-form video platform Quibi, some of its missteps, and ways it could rally back (54:05). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 08, 2020•1 hr 38 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by two-time NBA champion and sports commentator Kenny "The Jet" Smith to discuss what makes 'Inside the NBA' so authentic, stories from the 1994 and 1995 Finals runs, Hakeem Olajuwon, ESPN's 'The Last Dance,' and more (3:10). Next, Bill talks with actor, producer, and writer Will Ferrell about quarantine family time; youth soccer; HBO's 'Succession'; LAFC; his new Netflix film, 'Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga'; and more (48:05)! Learn more abo...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 28 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to discuss the Patriots signing QB Cam Newton to a one-year deal (2:09) before revisiting a defining moment in 2010: LeBron James and ‘The Decision’ (50:56). Finally they look at the 2010 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks (1:16:09). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 29, 2020•1 hr 55 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by actor Don Cheadle to discuss some of his iconic films, including 'Boogie Nights,' 'Out of Sight,' 'Crash,' and 'Hotel Rwanda,' playing Sammy Davis Jr. in HBO's 'The Rat Pack,' Black actors and storytellers in Hollywood, working on TV and films during the pandemic, his Showtime series 'Black Monday,' and more (6:00). Then Bill talks with actor Rob Lowe about joining the podcast world with his new podcast, ‘Literally! With Rob Lowe,’ Hollywood in the 1980s, t...
Jun 26, 2020•2 hr 15 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to talk about their early years in podcasts and radio, respectively (3:10). Then they revisit the 2008 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks (40:33). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 22, 2020•2 hr 1 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by NBA veteran and New Orleans Pelican JJ Redick to discuss some of the challenges of staying NBA-ready during the pandemic, the benefits of regimented training and recovery, thoughts on the “Orlando bubble,” LeBron’s gravitas among NBA players, the playoffs format, and more (1:44). Then Bill talks with screenwriter and former entertainment journalist Cord Jefferson about the social significance of HBO’s ‘Watchmen’ and its "second impact," his time at Gawker, ...
Jun 19, 2020•1 hr 33 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by his old friend JackO to discuss the grim outlook for the 2020 MLB season and the ESPN 30-for-30 'Long Gone Summer' (2:45). Then Bill is joined by Grammy-winning rapper, actor, and entrepreneur LL Cool J to discuss historical hip-hop, the Rock the Bells brand, Kobe Bryant, Lakers greats, the original GOAT, set stories from 'Any Given Sunday,' and more (44:13). Finally, in an excerpt from the 'Flying Coach' podcast, Steve Kerr and Pete Carroll talk with NBA c...
Jun 17, 2020•1 hr 38 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons talks about the concerns some players are having about the return of the NBA, and some of the parallels to 1968 (1:55). Then Bill and Ryen Russillo revisit the 2007 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks (18:52). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 15, 2020•1 hr 51 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by sports analyst and former NBA player Jalen Rose to discuss More Than a Vote, a nonprofit organization championing voting rights created by LeBron James, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jalen, and other current and former pro basketball players (2:10). Then Bill, Chris Ryan, and Joe House revisit the 2006 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, comedy, and legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks (33:55). Finally, Bill talks to writer-director Judd Apato...
Jun 12, 2020•2 hr 41 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by attorney, author, and political commentator Bakari Sellers to discuss the "perfect storm" that mobilized the current Black Lives Matter movement; people and organizations making statements, including Roger Goodell, LeBron James, and Patrick Mahomes; some history behind the civil rights movement; the political climate leading up to the 2020 presidential election; Bakari's book, 'My Vanishing Country'; and more (1:55). Then Bill talks with stand-up comedian, ...
Jun 09, 2020•1 hr 48 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by World Series champion CC Sabathia to discuss his experience at the protests in Brooklyn, the moment he realized the nation was ignited by the killing of George Floyd, and the platforms today's athletes have and their ability to speak out against injustice. They also discuss CC's time with the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians, including the 2007 ALCS, watching LeBron James play high school sports in Cleveland, the incomparable Mariano Rivera, the 2009 ...
Jun 05, 2020•1 hr 15 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by civil rights activist and podcaster DeRay Mckesson to discuss a plan he and his team at Campaign Zero have been working on to systematically reform police departments to combat police brutality. They discuss how the use of recently obtained data, education, and smart solutions can help bring about these changes (3:45). Then, Steve Kerr and Pete Carroll are joined by San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich to have a conversation about the state of our na...
Jun 03, 2020•1 hr 52 min
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to discuss the recent protests, both nationwide and in L.A., after the death of George Floyd while in police custody (1:45). They then speculate on salvaging the 2019-20 NBA season (41:45) and revisit the 2005 NBA draft and discuss some of its subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks (1:04:05). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 01, 2020•2 hr 25 min
The Ringer's Bill Simmons answers a bunch of listener-submitted mailbag questions (2:10), before he is joined by author Michael Lewis to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of youth sports being cancelled, what a return to sports arenas may look like, the most interesting coaches, and more (33:55). Lastly, Bill talks with actor and director Jason Bateman about Season 3 of his Netflix series 'Ozark' as well as the HBO miniseries 'The Outsider,' his evolution as a director, reactions to 'Th...
May 29, 2020•2 hr 35 min•Ep. 667
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Kevin O'Connor to discuss the proposed World Cup–like group stage format for the NBA playoffs, potentially eliminating conferences, how to maintain the integrity of the NBA regular season, exciting matchups, and more (2:15). Then Bill and Joe House revisit the 2004 NBA draft and discuss some of the subplots, draft comedy, and NBA legends from that draft class (40:25) before redrafting the top 14 lottery picks (55:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
May 27, 2020•1 hr 52 min•Ep. 666
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to discuss The Match 2; encouraging rumors about the return of the NBA and possible playoff scenarios; ex-athlete commentator bias; Horace Grant's comments following ‘The Last Dance’; the spectrum of “forgivable athletes”; one of Bill’s favorite sports documentaries, ‘When We Were Kings’; and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 25, 2020•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 665
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House and Jason Concepcion to run though Jason's list of the biggest lies told in the ESPN documentary series 'The Last Dance' (2:20). Then, Bill talks with NBA champions Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes about the inception of the 'All the Smoke' podcast, their thoughts on the NBA playoffs prior to the league shutdown, Matt's time at the Clippers during the Donald Sterling era, the complex chemistry of the "Lob City" Clippers, the "We Believe" Warriors, ...
May 22, 2020•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 664
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by the Deadman himself, the Undertaker (a.k.a. Mark Calaway), to discuss the WWE’s documentary series ‘Undertaker: The Last Ride,’ as well as stories from more than 30 years of professional wrestling, his favorite 'WrestleMania,' his relationship with Vince McMahon, recovering from major injuries, learning from pro-wrestling legends, developing his character, the best crowds, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
May 20, 2020•1 hr 57 min•Ep. 663
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to discuss the final two episodes in the ESPN documentary series 'The Last Dance' (2:25) before Ryen and "Optimistic Bill" talk about the NBA potentially inching toward a return, as well as the murky future around the start of the MLB season (49:00). They share TV programming advice for content-starved networks (1:26:30) before revisiting Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz and Michael Jordan's sixth and f...
May 18, 2020•2 hr 31 min•Ep. 662
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons reads an excerpt from 'The Book of Basketball' on what makes Michael Jordan the GOAT (3:00), before he is joined by Northwestern University's director of sports journalism, J.A. Adande, to discuss covering the Jordan-era Bulls, thoughts about the ESPN documentary 'The Last Dance,' Michael Jordan’s relationship with Kobe Bryant, and more (36:48). Then Bill talks with The Ringer’s Jason Concepcion about the season finale of ‘Survivor’ (1:11:05). Finally Bill talks with ac...
May 15, 2020•2 hr 8 min•Ep. 661
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons shares his thoughts about Adam Silver’s meeting with the board of governors which seems to garnered "positive feelings" (2:28), before he's joined by ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser to discuss Tony’s mortal enemy, modern technology, continuing 'Pardon the Interruption' during the pandemic, and all-time captivating athletes including Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Bobby Orr, Secretariat, and more (16:53). Then Bill talks with The Ringer’s Van Lathan about ...
May 13, 2020•1 hr 44 min•Ep. 660
The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ryen Russillo to talk about Episodes 7 and 8 of the ESPN documentary series 'The Last Dance' (2:30) before discussing UFC 249 (41:40) and Adam Silver's call with NBA players regarding the possible return of an NBA season (1:04:40). Finally they revisit the 1997 NBA Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz, where Michael Jordan would win his fifth NBA title (1:25:07). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
May 11, 2020•2 hr 14 min•Ep. 659
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons shares an essay he wrote about Michael Jordan’s retirement (4:25) before he is joined by author Chuck Klosterman to discuss the 40th season of ‘Survivor,’ generational gaps between athletes, nostalgic basketball behavior, and the 1992 dream team, as well as quarantine life, the historical weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more (24:45) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
May 08, 2020•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 658
