

The Distraction: A Defector Podcast
Defector Media
Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voice mails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 30, 2023 • 57min
Please Have Dan Call Me Immediately (with Dan McQuade)
Defector’s own Dan McQuade joins Drew and Roth to share his experiences from on-the-ground reporting of the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games at Madison Square Garden. But don’t worry, folks; the Dan McQuade experience delivers with a deeeeeep dive into the most harmful reality TV shows. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag!Give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Stuff We Talked About
https://defector.com/florida-atlantic-really-did-it
https://defector.com/greg-kampes-been-running-the-football-inbounds-play-for-25-years-no-one-has-been-able-to-stop-it
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megan_Wants_a_Millionaire
Sponsors- Betterhelp - Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/distraction Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 23, 2023 • 1h 3min
Fairly Ridiculous University (with Rohan Nadkarni)
Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni joins Drew and Roth to talk basketball, both of the collegiate and professional varieties. But it really comes down to whether Rohan or Roth has more pride for the obscure colleges from their respective hometown states, Florida or New Jersey. And we’re delivering an extra special Guy of the Week with two Guys and the first voicemail Funbag!Give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Stuff We Talked About
https://twitter.com/david_j_roth/status/1618697112920928256
https://www.si.com/nba/2023/03/15/ja-morant-suspension-opportunity-redemption
https://www.si.com/nba/2023/03/09/new-york-knicks-could-actually-be-nba-title-contenders
https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.mobile.html
https://historydaily.org/night-before-halloween-devils-night-mischief-night-cabbage-night/3
Sponsors- Homefield Apparel: get 15% off your entire order with code "March" at checkout! Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 16, 2023 • 46min
The Idiot’s Guide to March Madness (with Ken Pomeroy)
College basketball metrics analyst Ken Pomeroy returns to the Distraction to give his preview of March Madness 2023! Drew, Roth and Ken make their Final Four picks, sort out the newest college coach you love to hate, and determine if this Purdue center can be likable. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag! Give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Sponsors- Homefield Apparel: get 15% off your entire order with code "March" at checkout! Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 9, 2023 • 1h 3min
GE’s Fart Joke Division (with Mike Schur)
TV producer and co-host of the PosCast Mike Schur joins Drew and Roth to talk baseball and the state of the TV industry. Of course, this also includes New York Post headlines, Lorne Michaels impressions, Jeff Koons statues, and the puzzling way that conglomerates expect 9-11% profit growth from their entertainment departments. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag!Give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Sponsors- Tab for a Cause - Raise money for charity while browsing the web at tabforacause.org/distraction Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 2, 2023 • 57min
Ostensible Movie Analysis (with Vince Mancini)
Vince Mancini of Uproxx joins Drew and Roth to make Oscars predictions, and everyone is smiling and high-stepping like they’re all going to lobby. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag, which cannot be missed if only for the impressions of Rob Schneider from SNL colliding with Rob Schneider now.Give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0! Stuff We Talked About
https://www.netflix.com/title/81436777
https://uproxx.com/tv/oscars-crisis-team-the-slap/
https://www.complex.com/sports/2012/12/hideki-matsui-to-retire-to-his-massive-adult-film-collection
Sponsors
Betterhelp - Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/distraction
Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 23, 2023 • 1h
Wasabi Peas, Smart (with Israel Daramola)
Defector’s own Israel Daramola joins Drew and Roth to celebrate the XFL. We’re kidding about 50%. We talk about if Mac McClung was a revival or a death rattle of the dunk contest, how much stock to put into a security guard’s account of what Ja Morant’s friends are doing, and what TÁR is trying (or not trying) to make us feel. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag!Spoilers for TÁR starting at 46:15. Stuff We Talked About
https://defector.com/the-nba-all-star-game-was-what-it-always-is
https://defector.com/nobodys-going-to-grizzlies-games-to-watch-ja-morants-pals-on-the-court
https://theathletic.com/4157284/2023/02/05/pacers-grizzlies-laser-ja-morant-investigation/
https://defector.com/cop-city-is-a-step-toward-cop-nation
Sponsors- Shaker and Spoon - Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/distraction- Tell someone you know about The Distraction! Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 16, 2023 • 58min
Excelsior, Young Man!
Drew and Roth are on their own, so they’re ready to give you the Super Bowl analysis that you can’t get anywhere else! Also Roth is released from his Persephone-And-Hades-style bargain with football coverage, so he can finally talk about NBA trades and how we never need to think about Kyrie again. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag!Give us 5 stars on Apple Podcasts to combat all the bad reviews about how this show is more about food than sports! Stuff We Talked About
https://defector.com/that-fucking-flag-ruined-everything
https://defector.com/the-man-who-invented-himself
Sponsors- Listen to “Good Sport” from TED wherever you get your podcasts Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 9, 2023 • 1h 5min
The Fresno Venereal Diseases (with Dan McQuade)
Defector’s own Dan McQuade joins Drew and Roth to break down their Super Bowl predictions, but also lots of Philly stuff, Xenogears, and hippos as sports mascots. We’re giving you the full Dan McQuade experience, which either a) you’re excited about or b) you’re going have wash over you like jumping into a wave. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag! Stuff We Talked About
https://defector.com/the-eagles-got-here-by-running-over-everyone
https://defector.com/bus-shelters-are-no-match-for-the-combined-weight-of-eagles-fans
https://defector.com/official-george-washington-university-statement-hippos-are-not-free-to-be-bold
https://twitter.com/TheGolaStandard/status/1621205789334552577
Sponsors- Listen to “Good Sport” from TED wherever you get your podcasts- Cornbread Hemp, use code distraction at cornbreadhemp.com Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 2, 2023 • 53min
Innovation in the Dickhead Space (with Patrick Redford)
Defector’s own Patrick Redford joins Drew and Roth to talk about two equally failing sports products: PowerSlap and the NBA. We’re kidding, but PowerSlap needs to change to UFC while the NBA needs to talk to their refs about their sleepless nights. And as always, we’re highlighting a Guy of the Week and diving into Funbag! Articles We Talked About
https://defector.com/dana-whites-power-slap-is-an-abomination
https://defector.com/theres-no-sense-in-the-lakers-crying-over-the-unavoidable
https://defector.com/why-are-so-many-nba-players-putting-up-40-this-year
Sponsors- Shaker and Spoon - Get $20 off your first box at shakerandspoon.com/distraction- Betterhelp - Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/distraction Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jan 26, 2023 • 59min
The Popcorn Sweats (with Kalyn Kahler)
The Athletic’s Kalyn Kahler joins Drew and Roth to talk about the winners of last week’s games charging forward into the NFL championship games and the losers who have a lot of bad feelings to deal with. But this leaves plenty of opportunity to discuss how your brain can make garbage smell like candy, if anyone on the Eagles has beef with Kalyn, and who in sports media does and does not have subscriptions to the Athletic. And as always, Guy of the Week and the Funbag! Articles We Talked About- https://theathletic.com/4118977/2023/01/23/dallas-cowboys-season-playoffs/- https://theathletic.com/4095518/2023/01/17/nfl-assisting-the-runner-qb-sneak-jalen-hurts-eagles- https://defector.com/what-did-the-bengals-know-about-jackson-carman- https://theathletic.com/4002003/2022/12/16/aaron-rodgers-packers-rookies/- https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/pat-mcafee-aaron-rodgers-discussion.html Sponsors- Betterhelp - Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/distraction- Tab for a Cause - Raise money for charity while browsing the web at tabforacause.org/distraction Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Eric Silver- Editor: Brandon Grugle- Production Services & Ads: Multitude- Subscribe to Defector! About The ShowFrom Defector Media: Former Deadspin writers Drew Magary and David Roth should really stick to sports. Sure, their new indie sports podcast will break down the week in sports: the Mets grounding into quadruple plays, NBA players getting testy on the court and horny on Instagram, Bill Belichick cutting 80% of his roster just to keep himself interested, horrifying takes from sports talk radio that need to be broken down, etc. But these two men and their guests will have their fair share of off-the-field issues they’ll also have to address: stupid Funbag questions, bad tweets from bad people, pointless food arguments, and even less. Every week is a VERY long week these days. We could all use a little Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.