House of Strauss

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comA great talk with Jay Caspan Kang on his viral, “Heir Ball: How the Cost of Youth Sports Is Changing the N.B.A.” We also discuss Jay’s BULLYING of Christine Brennan over her defense of Caitlin Clark. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why youth sports is insanely competitive right now* Jay’s own misgivings about becoming a competitive sports dad* Why is t…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comLight Years co-host Saam Esfandiari is here to explain his perspective on NBA free agency, parenting, and Iran. Massive range in this pod. A great talk as always, including but not limited to…* Is there much to say about beloved Kevon Looney leaving GSW? * Why, oh why, is the “cuck chair” Saam’s preferred metaphor for GSW roster moves?* Why is Saam desperate to deal Jonathan Kuminga?* What is the chance Kuminga flourishes elsewhere?* Are millennial stars doomed to get injured?* Sam Presti shuts down Adam Silver’s BS on injuries!* We love what Denver did (Cam Johnson fro MPJ)* Western perspectives on the Middle East? * What’s with the American White Guy NBA moment right now?* Israelis in the NBA? * How to approach youth sports as a parent

Dieter Kurtenbach and Jake Hutchinson have done for 49ers Youtube what pod friend Nate Duncan did for NBA podcasting. I’m entranced by how Dieter and Hutch have decided to build an audience by getting as niche as possible about my local football team. And so we dig into what they’re doing and why it works. Enjoy!House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comMike Silver, senior NFL writer at the Athletic, has written a remarkable book. “The Why Is Everything” is, in my opinion, the type of work that will no longer happen in the modern access-constrained world. So we get into it, exploring the coaching rivalries that shaped modern football and analyzing the friend/enemy relationships involved. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Why is the “why” important for players to understand?* “It’s a crazy business. I’ve seen people fire their brothers.”* Five future head coaches worked on one 2013 Washington Redskins staff: Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Raheem Morris, and Mike McDaniel* Is Sean McVay a big hypocrite? Or just uncommonly vulnerable? * Mike McDaniel was Kyle Shanahan’s right hand man, to the point where Kyle undermined Mike’s dreams* What was working at the Daily Cal like for Mike and myself?* Will sports writers be replaced by AI technology?* Why the hell isn’t Mike Shanahan in the NFL Hall of Fame?!

Stop by live, Friday, at 2way.tv/ethan, where I can discuss most things and Mike Pesca can discuss everything. Topics I’d like to get into include NBA Finals, sports gambling as indicator of sports decline, plus the emergent visibility of baby boomer liberals in protest culture. Also…do we dare discuss Israel/Iran? See you there! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAfter angering Stratechery’s Daman Rangoola in private about his JOY over Wednesday’s Lakers team sale, I decided to allow his grievances to be aired in public. Or at least behind this paywall. Beyond being highly informed about the tech world, Daman is a Laker obsessive, with ties to people in the know. And so we discussed topics including but not limited to…* Was I improperly throwing cold water on Laker fan excitement? * What’s up with the trend of hyped ownership changes going poorly?* Did Mark Cuban negotiate a bad team sale price? * How can Daman compliment Jeanie and be so damned thrilled? * Is Luka Doncic an OWNER KILLER???* End of NBA mom and pop shops* What should even get improved by the new Lakers?* Is Rob Pelinka guaranteed to be fired?* Why does the NBA allow the interruption of its Finals with this stuff?* Should the NBA overtly take over the WNBA?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur old friend and Yahoo!/Substack NBA writer Tom Haberstoh is here for some analytical diving. Great talk in my humble opinion. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Tom and I made Tim MacMahon famous and he owes us big time* Is a Thunder-Pacers Finals good for the NBA?* Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the new Tim Duncan* Does SGA not have a signature move? Which stars have what signature moves?* If you take away the steroid peak, is current Aaron Judge better than Barry Bonds? * Is Tyrese Haliburton not a superstar?* Are NBA coaches less valuable than ever?* How many draft picks would you trade for your team to acquire Sam Presti?* It’s time for NBA coaches to wear suits again!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comOur man Glass is here to discuss an oddly contentious week in sports media. Prominent names are fighting, so we decided to give our takes on what the hell is happening. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Is Bill Simmons right that ESPN will fuck up Inside the NBA?* Ryen Russillo draws ire of Mina Kimes over a harmless joke* Towel snapping maleness of Inside* Bill Simmons vs. Pablo Torre (A B.S. report with Pablo was released right after we recorded, so perhaps not history’s most contentious feud)* LeBron James vs. Brian Windhorst* How successful is LeBron’s Mind the Game podcast?* Is there are a big audience for basketball strategy in a podcast?* “NBA ratings don’t matter,” say people who seem to love when they’re up* The “High Floor, Low Ceiling” theory of NBA viewership * How big is the impact of small markets on viewership?* Is Pride Month now Pride Day in sports?* Why do sports teams tweet more about Pride than other corporations?* Elon Musk going at Trump’s bill on Twitter/X

Ed Latimore, a former professional boxer turned writer, shares his journey and insights in this engaging conversation. He discusses the unintentional weight of parenthood and its profound consequences. Ed also delves into what getting knocked out on live television taught him about resilience. He candidly addresses societal fears around public shame and explores the surprisingly emotional 'why' behind losing weight. Plus, he shares a quirky anecdote about a town in Canada that's home to polar bears!

Here’s my Substack live video with Mike Pesca! Btw, Mike and Bomani Jones will be joining me for my inaugural launch of Random Offense on YouTube, Friday 4pm ET (1 pm PST). Here’s a link for that. Join up.Idea of Random Offense is it’s a bit like the old Callin show I used to do, with listener involvement, only more visual. You guys can call in, ask questions, submit article ideas for the Substack. See you Friday. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe