

The Press Box
The Ringer
The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker and Joel Anderson catch you up on the biggest media stories, from sports to politics and everything in between.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 7, 2022 • 43min
Live From Radio Row! Plus, Palin vs. NYT.
Bryan is live from Radio Row to talk with David about the media leading up to the 2022 Super Bowl (0:00). They discuss the hype surrounding the Super Bowl, the Radio Row hierarchy, and the quid pro quos attached to the week (6:43). Later, they break down the ongoing Sarah Palin vs. New York Times libel trial and talk through what we could learn about journalism throughout (25:23). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feb 2, 2022 • 46min
Al Michaels Revisits the 10 Super Bowls He Called
Bryan is joined by Al Michaels to break down his past 10 Super Bowls called as we approach Super Bowl LVI, featuring the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams. Michaels revisits close games ending in interceptions or stops, discusses working alongside the great John Madden, and talks through what it’s like calling Super Bowls with dynasty teams versus games featuring new teams. Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Al MichaelsAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 31, 2022 • 39min
Takes on Tony Romo, the Halftime Show Invasion, Sideline Reports, and Tom Brady's Retirement U-Turn.
Bryan and David begin the pod by reacting to all of the pronunciations of the word 'Bengals' by TV and sports radio personalities. They then analyze Tony Romo's announcing performance, (3:17) Andy Reid's clock management, (10:47) and the unfortunate CBS half-time show during the Bengals-Chiefs AFC Championship game. They wrap up the pod by dissecting every chapter of Saturday's chaotic media mishandling of Tom Brady's botched retirement announcement (19:21) and look forward to the bevy of hastily assembled Bengals and Rams profiles being written for Super Bowl week. (34:52)Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerProducer: Erika CervantesProduction Assistance: Chris Sutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 27, 2022 • 1h
The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson on Latin America, War Reporting, and 'Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life'
Bryan is joined by The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson to unpack his career covering topics ranging from stories in the Peruvian jungle to the first democratic election following Peru’s 12-year-long dictatorship. They discuss his stint at Time magazine and then talk through his journey covering guerrilla groups in Latin America and eventually, Che Guevara.Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Jon Lee AndersonAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 24, 2022 • 1h 2min
More Weekend Football Notes, Media News From Chicago, and the Profile Location of the Week
Bryan and David are back to discuss the weekend full of divisional-round playoff games. They break down the impact these games have had on the audience and touch on Aaron Rodgers’s interview with Kevin Van Valkenburg two days before his divisional game as well as Tony Romo's performance (6:42). Then, they address the potential career moves for New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, former Cowboys star Troy Aikman, and NBC commentator Al Michaels (25:21). Lastly, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss the news that the Chicago Sun-Times was acquired and will become a nonprofit, touch on Robert Costa leaving The Washington Post for CBS News, and then wrap things up with a new feature called Chyron Copy Editor (39:20). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 20, 2022 • 57min
Carl Bernstein on His First Job, Newspaper Love, a Great Prank, and Scandals That Are “Worse Than Watergate”
Bryan is joined by Carl Bernstein to discuss his career as a reporter dating back to his time as a teenager at the Washington Star. They reflect on the newsroom in the ’60s, what it was like covering the Kennedy vs. Nixon presidential election, and how the Watergate scandal compares to recent times.Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Carl BernsteinAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 18, 2022 • 38min
TV Football Breakdown, Media Piss Test, and Netflix Sports Docs
Bryan and David break down media moments from the football-packed weekend, including Drew Brees’s reporting, Troy Aikman’s Cowboys comment, and Dak Prescott’s reaction to his fans throwing trash on the field (0:28). Then they switch gears for another Media Piss Test, where they decide whether Mike Lindell soiled the bit, before reacting to the news of upcoming Netflix sports docs highlighting both tennis and golf (27:46). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained Pun-Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 14, 2022 • 40min
NPR Departures, Awards Season SEO, and Wordle-Loving Reporters
Bryan and David begin with a breakdown of the recent NPR departures as chronicled by NPR’s own media reporter David Folkenflik (1:06). They transition to the rise of Wordle, a puzzle game heavily featured on the Twitter accounts of reporters everywhere (11:30). Then they discuss the Postgame Question of the Week, posed to Stetson Bennett IV after Monday’s college football national championship game (19:00). They then tackle the Media Piss Test (24:00) and later talk about the unsurprising dissolution of '60 Minutes+' (26:30). Finally, they examine how exactly SEO considerations might affect this upcoming awards seasons (32:33). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerProducer: Devon Manze Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 10, 2022 • 1h 6min
RIP Longform, Carlson vs. Cruz, Bob Saget Obits, and Postgame Question of the Week
Bryan and David break down Ted Cruz’s appearance on the 'Tucker Carlson Tonight' discussing the siege of the Capitol on January 6 (9:25). Then, they bid farewell to longform.org (30:05), present the Postgame Question of the Week (43:49), discuss Nick Kristof’s attempt to run for governor (45:54), and share some Bob Saget obits (52:36). Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline. Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David ShoemakerAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jan 8, 2022 • 40min
Mina Kimes on How We Cover Aaron Rodgers
Bryan touches on the news that The New York Times has bought The Athletic before then being joined by Mina Kimes to discuss the Aaron Rodgers discourse. They talk about her 2017 piece featuring Rodgers, discuss his relationship with the media, weigh in on past comments about both potentially leaving his team and his stance on the vaccine, and eventually parse through the ongoing discourse involving his run at MVP. Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Mina KimesAssociate Producer: Erika Cervantes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


