Two Writers Slinging Yang: Recent Episodes
Jeff Pearlman
Jeff Pearlman's weekly in-depth, no-holds-barred conversation with a writer on writing. Available here and on iTunes
On the intricacies of his latest article, "A Republican Election Clerk vs. Trump Die-Hards in a World of Lies." On how to convince subjects to open up to a media outlet they don't trust. On working with a photographer.
On Kendrick, Drake and a fool's opinion of their beef; on a beautiful piece between Black-Italian cinematic ties; on Don Lemon as a voice for inspiration; on teaching those who can't write how to write.
On the joys of writing about prospects on their way up. On why Kerry Lightenberg and the 2004 Blue Jays drove him to drink. On how a non-journalist from Harvard became one of the best. On dealing with editors.
On why Gannett did what Gannett does and wrongly fired her for bullshit corporate reasons. On the importance of local media. On a bunch of crazy right-wing zealots overtaking a town's government. On the transition to Substack and the need to report.
On proudly being recognized as "The queer writer ...". On the Manhattan prison that inspired a book. On writing about people and issues who have been largely ignored and scorned. On writing and self-discovery.
On the anger of Bobby Knight and the love of Christian Laettner. On why John McEnroe was a brat and why Dean Smith only gave five minutes. On the magic of Sports Illustrated in the 1960s and the splendor of Frank Deford.
On finding joy in the aggregating of NBA info. On the fight for survival in the modern media landscape. On long-ago hockey fights and BYU-Wyoming games and dog sled races.
On whether being close to politics causes one to look less terrifyingly at politics. On whether CNN is still a worthwhile spot. On why one is better served covering sports than government. On the transition to Substack.
On the weird coolness of the Westminster Dog Show. On having an open mind to unique scenes and people. On why one writes a book about dogs. On writing through hell.
On the word-choice decisions one must make when writing a children's book. On the (gasp!) Dodger-loving grandma who inspired a character. On why we should cut Barry Bonds a break and why Will Clark is a lovely dude. On the hyper-criticized hug of a Major League pitcher.
On the highs and lows of chasing around Barry Bonds for six days (and being blown off repeatedly); on what it was to cover Mike Tyson in his prime; on the death of boxing writing; on why he left the business and never looked back.
On the lengths he went through to track down and corner a master scam artist. On whether podcasts have a future as a journalistic medium. On what happens when you don't use material from people you interviewed.
On the heyday of the blogger and what became of the genre. On why James Van Der Beek earned her scorn. On how one becomes less cruel (for sport) with age. On whether blogs have a place in 2024.
On covering the Lady Vols as they approach yet another NCAA Tournament; on making the leap from Ferris State to the big leagues; on women athletes and the passion of self expression; on landing a sweet gig out of college.
On wrapping a career after decades of chronicling the NFL; on picking up Boomer Esiason from the airport as a rookie Bengals beat scribe; on breaking the news of Lawrence Taylor's drug suspension for Newsday; on what is good and bad about modern beat writing.
On the untold story of Indiana high school basketball and the team you need to know about; on the brilliance of a young Oscar Robertson; on whether we can still dig, "Hoosiers"; on nearly coming to blows with a Hall of Fame point guard.
On the inspiration behind the Commodores' "Nightshift" and Selena's "Dreaming of You." On that first big song for Diana Ross. On the big winners of "We Are The World." On being credited as a writer on Tupac's "Hit 'Em Up."
On the brilliance of her latest piece, "How Nikola Jokić Became the World’s Best Basketball Player." On how she navigates a subject who doesn't speak with her. On the beauty of tiny details. On whether bad writers can learn to be good writers.
On coming up through small daily newspapers. On whether quotes bog down stories. On dealing with prep coaches. On whether athletes read newspapers.
On knowing from a young age what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it. On a string of irksome and weird conflicts with Dana White. On why interviewing UFC fighters is the best gig in the world. On the difference between wanting a career and craving a career.
On being named the first Black news columnist in the newspaper's lengthy history. On what the population misunderstands about Houston's Third Ward. On finding humanity in the recently deceased homeless man. On transitioning from fashion to news after the murder of George Floyd.
On the dispiriting demise (and end?) of his beloved magazine; on the curious case of Sidd Finch and the decision to tell Michael Jordan to bag baseball; on defending the Swimsuit Issue and a bitter divorce from Frank Deford; on Dan Jenkins and George Plimpton and William Nack and Pat Putnam and Rick Reilly and the world's greatest sports writers.
On why former Expos manager Dick Williams physically assaulted him; on the bliss of writing NHL game stories; on the Canadian appeal of Gary Carter; on the demise of a beloved magazine.
On why so many Colorado-based media outlets kneel before Coach Prime; on a long and trying fight to stay afloat as a journalist; on our weirdly combative days as Nashville prep writers; on infuriating Steve Alford and Corey Dillon.
On what it's like to cover an NBA team as it loses 27-straight games; on how to approach players when they have no interest in talking; on the empathy of Cade Cunningham; on working a locker room.
On what a Black man learned about America from white Christianity; on what football players need to know about the system they occupy; on how a Facebook screed became a terrific manifesto; on the book he dreamed of writing.
My dad, Stan Pearlman, died today of pancreatic cancer. He was 81 and a great man—as well as a beautiful writer. This is his final interview, conducted last week in South Florida.
On why Barry Bonds was such a monumental asshole; on a young Aaron Rodgers soaring at Cal; on the unique decency of Dusty Baker; on the wild, wacky Los Angeles Express of the USFL.
On the difference between a great book proposal and a crappy one; on representing Jimmy Breslin and Hank Aaron and Wolfgang Puck; on concerns as Jonathan Eig dove into the legacy of MLK; on how the book business has transformed.
On how one covers Georgia preps ... from Missouri; on growing up with a famous father and taking Charles Barkley to school for show and tell; on why a horse's fossilized poop lived in her family's basement; on how one moves on after losing a loved one.
On having Albert Belle threaten him with a bat; on the strange contradictions of Mike Ditka; on whether anyone cares about newspaper columns in 2023; on the joy of ... poetry.
On breaking barriers and becoming the Daily News' first woman sports columnist; on the different sides of Joe Namath; of how Dick Young lived up to his first name; on the 95-year-old strongman who needed a diaper.
On being (cruelly) let go by ESPN The Magazine and engaging upon a tough road of rediscovery; on sitting in a bar with an alcoholic relief pitcher and urging him not to drink; on the 1995 Yankees-Mariners classic; on life as a baseball glove entrepreneur.
On spending a season observing a college football team; on the love/hate relationship between Jackson and Coach Prime; on the affection Deion has for his players; on breaking in as an NFL scribe with the wild 1990s Dallas Cowboys.
On why society might be better off not chalking everything up to God; on the complications of admitting one believes in no higher power; on snagging a book deal on an unorthodox topic.
On what one should think about Division I college coaches and their pronouncements; on covering the expansion Cleveland Browns and the first-year Baltimore Ravens; on diving deep into C.J. Stroud and teaming up with Cardale Jones.
On why the history of basketball can (and can't) be told in 15 sneakers; on whether Michael Jordan was more accidental tourist than genius; on Dee Brown and the Reebok Pump; on why Russ has eternal love for Milt Palacio and Lucious Harris.
On the frustrations of modern NBA coverage; on a punch-throwing Rod Strickland; on the diva-like behaviors of Jerry Rice; on a frustrated Chris Webber and a furious Don Nelson.
On NFL locker rooms v. MLB clubhouses; on the pettiness of Bruce Allen; on nearly coming to blows with former Dodgers outfielder Milton Bradley; on professionalism and accountability in modern media.
On the tiny bits of decision-making that go into every column; on finding the nuance in Adam Wainwright's 200th win; on why long dashes are different than commas, which are different than ellipses.
On why re-writing is more fun than writing; on how a novelist comes up with the end of a story; on whether fictitious characters become real; on the orange couch and soggy pizza of a long-ago college newspaper.
Emotions, feelings as the show (based on my book, "Showtime") vanishes; the highs and lows of adaptation; the white party and 150-year-old Dr. J and memories that will last.
On how opposing candidates should go after Donald Trump and the MAGA nutties; on the highs and lows of the John McCain 2008 presidential campaign; on how elections have changed for the worse.
On why one would write a book on writing and failure; on the craziness of Rob Ford, former Toronto mayor; on why essays are so important in modern storytelling.
On how covering a habitually mediocre NBA franchise can still be interesting; on saying farewell to Bradley Beal and missing the frankness of John Wall; on a long-ago Frank Beamer piece (that needs to vanish).
On the joys of reporting from an Alabama Waffle House; on whether corporations ever do good deeds for the sake of helping people; on how a racist incident in college impacted her life and career; on having people open up when they'd rather not open up.
On the Ron DeSantis campaign banning him from an event; on covering the craziness of the Iowa State Fair (aka: The Super Bowl of Iowa politics); on why candidates for office should never pose eating a corn dog; on being one of his state's lone Black journalists.
On how he can dread all things climate change and still focus on amazing TV/film; on the joys of "Winning Time," the rethinking of "Veep," the small regret in "Anchorman," the highs of entertaining people; on whether bad reviews result in sleepless nights.
On why backup catchers are the coolest people on earth; on having David Wells and Jeff Juden loathe you; on covering the Shaq-Kobe Lakers; on being laid off as a columnist and bouncing back as an author; on not being Raiders WR Tim Brown.
On the magic of two words: Booty and Call; on the impact of cleaning bank toilets at 4 am; on the charisma of Tupac and the odd rear-end decisions of Madonna.
On her memories of being a young girl in a concentration camp; on how to put those memories into a book; on the pain of writing on trauma; on becoming an 85-year-old TikTok phenom.
On being let go by your beloved newspaper—then suing for age/health discrimination; on approaching athletes confrontationally; on Memphis as a rat hole and Milton Bradley as a human; on the feelings of journalistic mortality.
On the joys of covering Tony Gwynn and Kobe Bryant; on a cruel Kirk Gibson, a showering Tommy Lasorda, a furious Raul Mondesi; on the ill-advised Gabby Douglas piece; on the gazillion steps taken to reach journalism glory.
On creating greatness out of a seemingly meaningless late-season Eli Manning game; on covering Len Bias' draft night ... and the tragic aftermath; on resisting the call of hot takes; on a young Kwame Brown and an all-time great profile.
On finding her late father's ancient bucket list on a piece of crumped paper and living it out—then turning the odyssey into a book; on the desperate efforts to meet a U.S. President; on why one shouldn't eat an apple before skydiving.
On the old, glorious Sports Illustrated days of $400 hotel rooms and hanging with R.E.M.'s bass player; on gaining—and losing—a friendship with M. Night Shyamalan; on whether if matters if Tiger Woods likes you.
On creating and hosting "Killed"—the podcast about amazing articles that (sigh) never become articles; on Dakota Johnson's single salad and an angitated Kardashian sister; on whether there's any sort of future for magazines; on whether we can count on podcasts in the future.
On writing his 25th—and last—book; on his early job answering Mickey Mantle's fan mail; on Reggie Jackson and Joe DiMaggio and Sparky Lyle and Dick Young and Satchel Paige's lost uniform.
On chronicling one of America's all-time most fascinating and influential families, the Shakurs; on what the world needs to know about Tupac's mother, Afeni; on attending an exorcism and keeping a straight face; on the Seattle-based Jewish rapper who warranted a profile.
On the amazing rise and career of Fernando Valenzuela; on trying to convince a shy, guarded man to speak for a book; on what it's like interviewing our heroes as they age and decline; on why people still care about a saga from 40 years ago.
On his funky journalist odyssey from small-town upstate New York newspaper scrub to one of Australia's elite long-form scribes; on following a band's raucous path and chronicling every move; on whether it's OK for a writer to bond with a subject.
On watching the Vandy football team take back-to-back ass kickings from Alabama and Georgia—and trying to write humanely of the massacres; on leaping into a beat and learning on the fly; on whether people care about college print; on why she dreamed of newspapers; on covering Jim Harbaugh.
On whether the sports writers of today are better or worse than the sports writers of a decade ago; on the brilliance of Peter Gammons' World Series chronicling; on the Red Sox manager who committed suicide—and the writer who jotted down the details.
On what it is to tackle the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; on the hells of promoting a book pre-release; on the highs and lows and greater highs of authorship.
On putting everything you have into a book, then watching the publishing company mangle the release and price; on frustrations over seeing America's Covid response turn political; on chronicling the life of a famous football-playing father.
On the craziness of 2022 Indianapolis Colts and head coach (cough, cough) Jeff Saturday; on making his father proud by following the dream; on why a lifelong NBA fan left the Pacers beat to chronicle the NFL; on angering a linebacker and living to tell.
On surviving a childhood where she was beaten and molested; on what it is to run away from home and live on the streets; on how Tupac Shakur served as a bright light; on writing your way through pain and hurt
On more than two decades of covering Cardinals football; on digging into Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury; on making the transition from newspaper to team website; on the mystery that was David Boston.
On recently being laid off and leaving New Jersey without a single congressional reporter; on why covering politics is so important on the local level; on the story of his uncle's mid-pandemic funeral; on whether journalism is still a worthy field.
On the long, early-rise days of Spring Training via the baseball beat; on whether it'd be easier to cover Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. as a Spanish speaker; on whether one needs to care about baseball's new rules to cover baseball's new rules.
On covering the 1988 expansion Miami Heat through a 17-game losing streak; on writing sans bias about the NBA while being employed by the NBA; on the post-9.11 catharsis of writing about his late brother; on the highs and lows of modern media.
On having her name appear in nationwide newspaper transaction announcements; on the adjustment from media relations to covering a team; on the weird experiences of covering Roger Clemens and chronicling the World Series no one remembers.
On how she jumped directly from the UMass student newspaper to a Big Apple daily; on the kinship with her closest work pal—veteran NHL scribe Larry Brooks (age difference: 47 years); on the bliss of walking into an arena and realizing, "This is my life!"
On how she approaches covering a Super Bowl; on Peyton Manning's awful play as a final-year Bronco; on making the leap from editor to writer; on the inappropriate asshole NFL assistant coach.
On jumping into a new Major League beat and learning the landscape; on having a famous journalist as a father; on the heartbreaking saga of Stanley Jefferson and the Phillies pitcher with the tragic past; on a gross Pete Rose encounter.
On what it was like covering Michael Jordan and the 1990s Bulls; on being a rookie Buccaneers beat writer and dealing with John McKay; on a grumpy Dick Butkus and not being allowed in the Boston College locker room after a game.
On being told on Wednesday that your newspaper will die on Friday; on why local newspapers are dying at a staggering rate; on what a veteran reporter does when his office folds; on the joy of covering high school sports.
On the beauty of writing (beautifully, accurately) about hip-hop and Black culture; on the time Wyclef pulled a gun; on coming up through the newspaper ranks in Poughkeepsie; on the Whitlock weirdness at The Undefeated.
On covering year after year after year of dreadful Vanderbilt football; on embedding within a semi-pro football team and being forced to soar in a hot air balloon (despite a fear of heights); on why journalism keeps him young.
On how one writes funny material; on what little life quirks make for good columns; on his run as a major sports television star; on writing Michigan-Ohio State with a unique viewpoint.
On returning to her home state to cover the Cornhuskers; on what it's like to know your career path beginning at age 6; on the struggles and hardships women continue to endure in sports media.
On covering the Cardinals since 1978; on the legendary Garry Templeton-Ozzie Smith swap, the outrageous Joaquín Andújar, the immortal Albert Pujols and on surviving more than five decades in newspaper.
On writing a biography of a legendary sports figure when the legendary sports figure doesn't participate; on why Charles Barkley's niece was a game changer; on calling potential sources—then calling them again; on how a stutter impacts (and doesn't impact) his career.
On why Muhammad Ali so fascinates the world—even after unlimited access; on whether Irish sports fans care about what happens in the United States; on why the world needs a Leon Spinks book.
On the value of great lyrics v. the value of a great voice; on what his Crips background brings to his music; on what he recognized in a young Kendrick Lamar and why "2Pac Must Die" is a song for the ages.
On what it takes to ghost writer another person's autobiography; of what it's like to see musicians you love and admire self-destruct; on his contributions to Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing"; on the impact stuttering has had on his career.
On the genius behind one of the great HBO shows of all time; on the early frustrations and struggles of a young TV writer; of the difficulty of capturing scenes and voices on television.
On the highs and lows of Belichick, Brady and the dynastic Patriots; on whether columnists ever need to admit they were wrong; on the ills of social media and the future of the industry
The soups and nuts and crackers and eggs and muffins of writing my 10th book—featuring guest host Michael J. Lewis.
On why, oh why, tight ends save football; on whether Chuck Muncie was better than Bo Jackson (Jeff's answer: a strong no!); on diving into a first book and completing it all in less than a year.
On devoting herself to covering drug cartels and the opioid crisis; on having a gun pulled on her while reporting; on accidentally entering a crack den; on why journalism has been the ideal career.
On the decision behind writing a memoir; on the famous (and righteous) "Donald Trump is a white supremacist" Tweet; on why she doesn't miss TV and why there's still joy to be found in journalism.
On living with ALS; on piecing together a memoir for his sons; on the highs and lows of work as a freelance writer.
On the transition from beat writing to columnist; on driving to Pittsburgh to cover Albert Pujols—and missing the big moment; on why mock Tweeting John Wall wasn't the best idea; on representing African-American women in the sports media
On her dazzling new piece, "When a man with a pistol shows up outside a congresswoman’s house"; on the lessons of her legendary father; on transcription hell and the importance of place and time.
On the glorious days and wild nights of American magazines; on the insanity of the 50 Greatest Athletes (from every state) issue; on the famous bakeoff to become managing editor.
On how fewer and fewer sports photographers are able to make a living; on running out of film during an epic Derek Jeter home run; on shooting for Sports Illustrated and The National; on what makes Buster Posey an ideal subject.
A soup-to-nuts deep dive into reporting on tragedy; on asking people to discuss the worst pain of their lives; on second guessing your efforts; on driving nearly 4,000 miles across the state of Texas.
On his past life covering women's semi-professional football in Laredo, Texas; on working for a newspaper in Seattle and receiving (literally) no editing; on introducing himself to a new readership and working to be accepted.
On the joys of having made "Bull Durham" and the hell of making it; on whether "Cobb" is a misunderstood classic; on how his minor league baseball career impacted his filmmaking.
On the complexities and jots of writing a book about your father; on how to join "Boys in the Boat" and "Seabiscuit" as runaway best-sellers; on the art of the celebrity profile and Chris Pratt grilling Costco steaks.
On why one writes a book 30 years after his career ends; on the mistreatment of African-American players by the sports media; on why retired athletes hate the NFL; on being looked at as a piece of meat.
On the perils of children and their first cell phones; on why it's incredibly important for kids not to sleep near their phones; one how someone without a journalism background landed two book deals.
On putting e-v-e-r-y-t-h-I-n-g out there in a revealing memoir; on having your story featured on HBO's Real Sports—and then Real Sports failing to mention your book; on why covering America's prisons is a passion.
On the strangeness of a city that doesn't seem to want a baseball team; on Josh Hamilton's demise and Elijah Dukes' threats; on covering Sweet Lou and Joe Maddon and Carl Crawford; on surviving—and thriving—for decades in the biz
On how to research the lives of people who died centuries ago; on whether it's accurate to say, "History will judge a person"; on the impact of Donald Trump on the office of the president and whether Joe Biden should run again.
On the truth behind the Jason Kidd/Jim Jackson/Jamal Mashburn hostilities; on what it's like to cover Luka Dončić on a day-to-day basis; on how the changing sports landscape impacts the ability to chronicle the modern games.
On June 15, Jeff was asked to speak to a group of senior citizens at the Covington in Southern California. The chat was recorded, and touched on a large number of topics related to this pod.
On why Rickey Henderson fascinated him as a book subject; on what to do when a subject agrees to talk—then backtracks; on what people misunderstand about baseball's greatest base thief.
On driving to Uvalde, Texas on the day after the school massacre; on writing opinion pieces concerning the craziness of America's gun obsession; on attending the NRA Convention as a member of the press; on transitioning from military to media.
On why the quarterback dad is such a unique modern phenom; on why covering Frank Thomas was better than covering Sammy Sosa; on Albert Belle's terror and the joy of placing a bet.
On what it is to write a book that involves a unicorn and have folks assume you're promoting "the gay agenda"; on the best way to respond to negativity; on battling back from a brain tumor and embracing life
On life as America's only (we think) nostalgia reporter; on being young and asking older subjects to share their painful memories; on reporting on hardship with compassion and empathy.
On whether writing about familiar people was at all uncomfortable in "August: Osage County"; on why real life is too boring to be portrayed literally; on why he still uses a typewriter and what he tried to bring to the character of Jack McKinney.
On the detailed reporting that led to the dismissal of the Gators' women's soccer coach; on using different branches of social media to track down sources; on whether Tim Tebow remains relevant.
On the torture of writing a screenplay and watching everyone add their thoughts and notes and opinions; on how he became the "Luke Cage" executive producer; on having a member of Wu-Tang punch him in the face and steal his tape recorder; on his involvement in "Creed II."
On surviving 45 years at a single newspaper—and loving it; on covering Earl Campbell and Bum Phillips and Dan Pastorini; on whether it's still worth pursuing a career in journalism.
On feeling compelled to write about Jackie Robinson; on dissecting the details from long-ago newspaper articles; on the joy of the deep dig; on pissing off an NHL player and living to tell.
On how his love of baseball has lasted for decades; on the joy of Ken Griffey, Jr. and Joey Votto (and the walking annoyance that was Brandon Phillips); on taking a job at a dying newspaper.
On sitting across from Oprah and asking great questions; on whether celebrity can be intimidating; on how to convince people to open up during chats; on whether publicists are friends or foes.
On the enormous difference between Magic Johnson saying, "It does" and "It do"; on how to make a scene soar without overwriting and relying too much on dialogue; on sharing the credit for a project with dozens of collaborators.
On why it was time to set down his pen; on the old-school days of Philadelphia sports writing; on the biggest mistake of his career—and battling back; on Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and Pete Rose and Julio Franco.
On the weird landscape that is Hollywood; on writing dialogue for characters based upon real people; on the art of the ideal comic book; on serving as a "Green Mile" standi-n.
On what happens when someone says, "We wanna turn your book into an HBO series"; on our magical day on set and the difficulties of Sidney Moncrief's name; on meeting Sally Field and watching your work come to life
On what it's like to have a show coming out on HBO in two weeks; on the steps Jim took to option my book, "Showtime," and why he brought a block of chocolate, a tomato and imitation wine drink to my house; on life insider the writers' room.
On what it's like having (my pathetic, podunk home turf) work to ban her book from school libraries; on why people feel so threatened by words on a page; on whether it's limiting to write for a younger audience.
On locking himself in a cabin, living off of noodles and energy drinks while writing 8,000 words per day; on embracing the unique joy of shitty Amazon reviews; on why Urban Meyer is the world's biggest douche.
On chronicling the early days of a basketball icon; on the complications of writing about someone who recently passed; on whether the modern newspaper sports columnist still matters; on being called out via Zoom by a Philadelphia Flyer standout.
On jumping on to a new beat midway through a high-profile coaching search; on going from Iowa to Louisiana; on why one would pursue journalism over medicine.
On chronicling the exploits of the NBA's most physical team; on efforts to speak with Patrick Ewing and John Starks; on saying no and no to a topic—then yes.
On working in sex and also chronicling the world of the sex worker; on why the Washington Post insisted she use her real name in a byline; on whether saying, "I love you, too" to a client is kosher; on how one becomes a sex worker; on chronicling the trials of a trans child.
On athletes engaging with the media and deciding which reporters are trustworthy; on the myriad give-and-take options between scribes and jocks; on why nearly all professional football players are—ultimately—meat and what it's like to walk away from the sport.
On the nightmarish joy/hell of the 1999 compilation of SI's 50th greatest athletes from every state; on how we left out Geprge Brett (deliberately) and Evander Holyfield (accidentally); on whether print magazines are still worth reading; on how life without an office can be shockingly productive
On digging and digging and digging into a subject until there's nothing left to dig; on an eye-opening investigation into the Arizona Coyotes; on the art of the cold call; on the perils and/or advantages of interviewing someone over beers.
On how Mark's Barry Bonds book brought him glory, while my Barry Bonds brought bought me Dollar Store space; on how the entire Balco investigation commenced; on the non-joys of cold calling subjects.
On how her husband's ALS diagnosis led to catharsis via podcast; on listening to someone's pain without interruption or judgement; on why expressing one's feelings to a wide audience is so important.
On watching Allen Iverson cry and writing about it; on whether it's OK to think of a readership's makeup and cater toward it; on the hip-hop stylings of the late DMX.
On how to conduct the perfect interview; on why Dennis Quaid was such a nightmarish pain in the ass; on Reggie Jackson and Joe Torre and having people open up when they'd rather not open up; on beginning as a New York beat writer.
On how he still finds joy and passion out of a Michigan-Michigan state football game; on how living around the world has shaped his appreciation of the job; on an angry Rick Pitino and the rise and fall of The National.
On how one creates recipes; on the potential magic of banana chicken; on selling more than 4 million (yes—4 million) books; on adjusting to Substack and not caring what people think.
On the difference between writing funny and being funny; on what goes into the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" writing process; on the confusing, dated humor of Bob Hope; on why Fred Savage was able to forgive and why Donald Trump, Jr. remains an excellent source of material.
On what it is to write about grief, and how it helps (or doesn't help) the healing process; on the best ways to help people who are grieving; on what he would like us to know about his son, Max
On what it means to cover the intersection of sports and social issues; on what to write about Trevor Bauer; on why it's OK to have a Yankee tattoo and write about the Yankees; on writing a book with another person.
On covering a team far from home by living in his parents' Vegas-based RV; on how to report on the NFL's first openly gay player; on whether it's still possible to break news during a pandemic.
On why rhyming can be a songwriter's nightmare; on the difference between writing a good song and a great song; on whether he still owns a song once someone else records it; on his new memoir, "Stores to Tell."
On compiling a lengthy (and fantastic) book in the era of short reads; on how his obsessive mind works when it comes to reporting; on Joe Paterno strife and Robin Yount's older brother.
On how one starts a song with a killer line—then waits months for line No. 2; on writing through all the social media distractions of 2021; on why she should have worn KISS makeup while opening for Joe Cocker.
On arriving in a clubhouse, sitting on a player's chair and waiting for the confrontation; on standing up to (asshole) Kenny Lofton; on never being afraid of an athlete or manager.
On capturing Billie Jean King's voice via the written word; on weird times in the Detroit Pistons locker room with Mark Aguirre; on sexism in journalism and sustaining a long career
On her amazing, important piece on Kentucky hospitals and the awful impact of COVID; on interviewing people experiencing the worst days of their lives; on the Kentucky mistrust of the vaccine; on the amazing rabid raccoon and his tragic/non-tragic drowning.
On the blissful art of great food writing; on techniques to have people open up; on the oft-exhausting New York Times editing.
On the weird world of covering the Donald Trump White House; on why members of the administration were so willing to talk; on the pure hell of being an author during a pandemic.
On the nerves and anxiety of a first book release; of the greatest timing in the history of sports biographies; of what to do when an NBA team locks you out.
On the nerves and excitement of covering his first-ever Major League Baseball game; on deciding how to approach Joe Maddon; on laughing at the jokes of nearby writers; on failing to eat before languishing inside the Angels press box; on tie or no tie.
On making an in-his-prime Larry Bird quite angry; on the changing nature of the newspaper sports columnist; on David Oritz and PED; on covering the 1986 World Series and not caring who won.
On overhearing Barry Bonds' grand jury testimony—and debating whether he could report on it; on the wonderland of Bobby Valentine and the early-2000s New York Mets; on calling it quits at 10 pm because (yawn) we're old.
On his explosive Sunday piece exposing a football scandal at KU; on calling people who r-e-a-l-l-y don't want to hear from you; on covering year after year of brutally bad football.
On chronicling her late father's ALS—and the accompanying emotions; on leaving behind the world of ESPN and discovering some inner zen; on the craziness of the last-gasp Iverson 76ers.
How how his Nicaraguan culture impacts his journalism; on how to make clubhouse time useful; on the general manager who wasn't so happy to see him; on the awfulness of writing short pieces.
On how every cliche about aging is painfully true; on the brilliance of David Stern and the joy of the 1984 men's U.S. Olympic basketball trials; on the bliss of book PR
On going from anonymity to one of America's biggest authors; on finding a literary agent via Twitter; on writing in the voice of others and uncovering inspiration via real-life experiences.
On writing and reporting the saga of Drew Robinson, the Giants outfielder who attempted suicide—and lived; on knowing when to include details and when to leave details out; on having the world's sweetest first name.
On spending days and days in Schenectady, N.Y. to follow around a frustrated landlord and a frustrated tenant; on the keys to embedding and observing; on having reluctant subjects open up; on the trials of writing a screenplay based upon an article.
On taking someone else's thoughts and converting them into his written voice; on submitting (yikes) 229,000 words to a publisher; on 1970s ballplayers and the desire to be remembered.
On running a student newspaper via Zoom during a yearlong pandemic; on leaving the house to cover a white lives matter protest; on the Trump-beholden professor who made life weird.
On convincing people to talk when they have no desire to talk; on the ethical dilemma of feeling sorry for those who committed terrible acts; on how to investigate a podcast
On leaving his true love, journalism; on reporting during a pandemic; on the mystifying saga of the stranded donkey.
On whether it's OK to savage a restaurant; on discovering the best pizza crust and steak; on feuding (and making peace) with Anthony Bourdain and on the great baseball hepatitis scare.
On what it's like to have Tucker Carlson and his douche legions attack; on why we keep writing mean things about neighbors; on the rare journalist who actually (gasp) loves Twitter
On why tacos with an Astros catcher didn't sell him on a career covering sports; on the complexities and nuances of free speech; on having Talib Kweli as a sibling; on the fairness of new restrictive voting laws.
On how sports journalists used to receive such tremendous access; on Tiger Woods' parents; on understanding Johnny Unitas via his former teammates.
On delving into his family's past and not fearing what he might find; on writing an open letter to the University of Miami and urging the school to give up football; on why Milt Wagner should have been the next Dr. J; on the sad decline of magazines.
To celebrate the 200th episode, I go back in time 26 years and reflect upon a weird, funky, amazing, cool, stressful run inside the Sports Illustrated Bullpen–where rivalries were fierce, opportunities were golden and journalism careers could be made (or broken).
On the highs and lows of first-time authorship; on trying to get a book to Jerry Seinfeld; on tracking down the catcher with the yips; on having a book release delayed and living to tell about it.
On how we, as an industry, are covering LGBTQ-related issues; on earning the trust of two teen athletes; on describing a scene without having witnessed the scene; on the importance of Sue Bird coming out.
On transitioning from a mainstream publication to starting his own shop; on why the modern athlete is willing to talk to reporters from nontraditional outlets; on his moment in the spotlight with Aaron Rodgers.
On fighting her way into locker rooms and press boxes; on flying with Denzel Washington and having Paul Newman slam the phone; on how to respond when Mickey Mantle passes a note that says, WANNA FUCK?
On tracking down the reclusive Shelly Duvall; on Pee Wee Herman and a diner; on getting celebrities to open up.
On walking the line between ownership, players and the press; on how to handle conflict with reporters; on the high of the 1986 World Series and the low of a player's death; on finding stories when a team stinks.
On rising through the ranks at Sports Illustrated; on interviewing a naked 400-pound coach in his hotel room; on the perfect cover letter and approach to landing a job in journalism.
On the dazzling experience of covering a mediocre baseball team; on why college sports demand athletes play (and for free); on leaving a newspaper after nearly two decades and landing on his feet.
On deep diving into the impact COVD is having on education; on finding ways to have parents and students open up and engage; on Texas' oft-strange approach to schooling.
On being inside the U.S. Capitol as the building was under attack; on what it is to be dubbed "the enemy of the people"—then have a mob of angry #MAGA loons come looking for you; on how one can simultaneously be terrified and report.
On how early Hollywood disappointment led to success; on writing Johnny Lawrence—a character who is both loved and hated; on the greatest REO Speedwagon-centered scene in TV history.
On lasting and surviving and thriving at a newspaper; on covering a very young Baker Mayfield; on what sports looks like from a pandemic viewpoint.
On making sure every page of a script includes Christmas; on the art of peppy, smart dialogue; on why Hallmark Christmas movies work.
On landing that first book deal; on tracking down Phil Knight and a Pointer Sister for interviews; on the satisfaction of sitting in an empty book shop and knowing you've arrived.
On giving up a sought-after journalism job at age 28; on working for the ruinous evil empire that is Gannett; on what it is to be a modern newspaper scribe in a crumbling newspaper world; on Derrick Henry and Mike Vrabel and life inside the NFL bubble.
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Derrick Henry
On why one would think, "You know what demands a book? Kiss without makeup!"; on delving deep into the genius that was Blind Melon; on the 1980s New York Jets and life without a literary agent.
On the repeated torture that is the life of an author; on convincing Rudy Tomjanovich to open up; on Bobby Knight's temper, Steve Kerr's decency and being confused for the Miami Heat mascot.
On the challenges of writing in another person's voice; on landing a book deal; on covering year after year of New York Mets baseball (and living to talk about it)
On covering the 2020 presidential election; on the highs and lows of being a reporter when politicians go out of their way to make your life miserable; on writing the most important story of your life on deadline from home during a pandemic.
On covering politics during the craziest of years; on his new book, "Donald Trump V. The United States: Inside the Struggle to Stop a President"; on sharing a name with the greatest third baseman in baseball history.
On her masterful piece, "The 31-day campaign against QAnon" and all the little nooks and crannies of a one-of-a-kind profile.
On covering more than three decades of (generally awful) Jets football; on life with Adam Gase; on Keyshawn-Chrebet joy and Sam Darnold struggles and chronicling games from home in a COVID world
On the stoppage of travel for a journalist who lives to travel; on understanding COVID's impact on Houston—and writing about it; on thriving as a journalist with zero journalistic training.
On selling your soul to pimp a book; on doing 150 interviews; on $3,000 for a shitty website; on never turning down an interview; on endless bookplates
On finding herself temporarily unemployed at the start of a pandemic; on adjusting to a new beat when nothing is going on; on trying to meet Penny Hardaway and trying to cover Rick Pitino.
On the absolute pleasure-pain experience of writing a book; on eight hours in Montana with Phil Jackson and feeling the love of Shaq; on promoting a book in the aftermath of Kobe Bryant's death.
On a 10-year journey to write a single book; on developing the story of a battered, broken hockey goon; on whether people can learn to be good writers.
On making the jump from The New York Times to NFL.com; on whether we are kinder to friendlier sources; on Herm Edwards and Wayne Chrebet and covering the old New York Jets; on the awfulness of the locker room.
On the story of a midwestern kid whose love of football ruined his life; on how to interview subjects suffering from the loss of a loved one; on the power of empathy and the sorta-joy of a book launch.
On the gloriously rich days of 1990s magazine journalism; on finding a deep understanding of Whitney Houston; of her meh opinion of "The Chronic" and her love of the written word.
On covering the grand ol' game during a pandemic; on receiving a $50 tip at the piano from Dusty Baker; on introducing Washington to Bryce Harper and spending a season tracking RGIII/
On how the writing of Shel Silverstein influenced a lifelong love of words; on using the COVID pandemic to be productive without being productive; on the magic behind the song "Amazing" and teaching lessons via verses.
On having your heart broken and turning that hurt into a scathing, kick-ass memoir; on writing a first book and having it blow up; on the need to curse and the joy of self publishing.
On how one maintains sanity while going 24/7 American politics; on the jerkiness of an in-his-prime Roger Clemens; on the life and death of The National
On whether team chemistry is a legitimate thing—or just a phantom idea; on how Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent co-existed and how Aubrey Huff is a thing; on helping the young ballplayer understand the media.
On stepping up and speaking out when the head of Black Sports Online made unwanted sexual advances; one how women in media should respond in such moments; on the fear of placing a career on the line to do what's right.
On traveling 102 years back in time to construct a remarkable piece of sports journalism; on entering a clubhouse and seeking out the best sources; on covering Don Shula and the early-1980s Miami Dolphins; on sitting alongside a drunk Billy Martin and a potted plant.
On the nightmare of the noose/Bubba Wallace coverage; on nonstop Twitter hate; on how a kid who knew nothing about racing became a NASCAR authority; on bullying via Tony Stewart.
On becoming the youngest Sports Illustrated staff writer in magazine history; on negotiating for time with Ken Griffey, Jr.; on avoiding a fight with Phil Mickelson; on $400-per-night hotel rooms.
On how aging impacts a writer; on his comprehensive chronicling of KISS; on why being the Ethicist wasn't all he hoped; on sitting down for chats with Taylor Swift and Kobe Bryant.
On how one writes funny material; on staring down a half-empty room and having to perform; on the 100,649th person to scream, "Hey, Bob Sugar!"
On whether the United States of America survives the Trump Nightmare; on why courage in politics is so hard to find; on hope when there's little to hope for.
On winning the best mid-pandemic writing contest; on bad sushi in middle America; on tough times during an awful period in America
On writing "The Bronx Zoo" with Sparky Lyle; on finding the voice of baseball players; on the hell of a Lenny Dykstra collaboration.
On the highs and lows of that first book; on whether a novel based on the author's life is actually fiction; on pandemic book PR and the signings that aren't.
On the 800 layers of rejection that he fought through to land a book deal; on traveling America to track down a random fleet of faded Major Leaguers; on living the dream of collaborating with the Iron Sheik—and uncovering a nightmare.
On her early days as sports editor of the Main Line Chronicle; on what it takes to pull of a great interview; on whether she would still advise aspiring journalists to enter the field.
On making the shift from covering sports to covering coronavirus; on the heaviness of his new beat; on how one mentally deals with chronicling nonstop heartache.
On his scathing takedown of Clay Travis, professional buffoon; on the lessons of working on Jeb Bush's presidential campaign; on why some so-called journalists go for clicks over quality.
On myth vs. reality of Texas high school football; on how to tell the story of the Dallas Mavs without always talking about Luka Dončić; on whether a career in journalism matches one's dreams.
On what it is to have written an enormously popular book; on wasting away trying to find the perfect word; on the Tim O'Brien imposter who walked the earth.
On writing one of the greatest boxing books of all time; on researching a man who died a century ago; on being unable to ask questions (because everyone is dead); on the search for family members.
On having your book come out during a global pandemic; on an NBA franchise going out of its way not to help you; on the invaluable contributions of Jason Richardson's agent.
All sorts of questions about writing, reporting, researching. I turn to social media and take everything you've got.
On creating and running a newspaper in 2020; on how print can survive when print is dying; on writing a gazillion stories per week while also making sure everything gets done.
On the joys of a first Spring Training; on whether to dig into a player's alleged PED usage; on the advantages of youth when covering a young team.
On the uphill battle that was challenging Donald Trump for the GOP presidential nomination; on how he turned from praising the 45th president to loathing him; on putting that anger into words; on why Bernie Sanders can win.
On his comeback from the depths of journalism hell; on the toxic mix of anxiety, depression, alcohol and social media; on still loving the NHL after decades of covering it.
On the joy of chronicling the journey of a high school girls basketball team; on watching Muhammad Ali's sad fade; on confronting Bobby Knight and living for words.
On covering Super Bowl LIV and talking about it from a bus at 2 am; on what one looks for alongside 6,000 other credentialed media at the big game; on memories of Steve McNair and Eddie George glory.
On spending $60 on an Uber to cover a high school sporting event; on entering journalism as so many veterans are leaving; on a moment when race played no role in a buddy-buddy profile.
On her 1977 lawsuit that resulted in women reporters being allowed to enter Major League clubhouses; on why male media members were so reluctant to change; on an openminded Billy Martin and a resistant Bowie Kuhn.
On his editorial, "Trump Should Be Removed From Office," that sparked both outrage and praise; on the aftermath of death threats; on why so many evangelicals are willing to overlook a sinful president; on being on the other end of a Trump Tweet.
On covering the out-of-control Australian fires; on conducting the interview for this podcast while walking thru 122-degree heat; on whether his nation is properly confronting climate change.
On calling for Pat Summitt to step aside during her struggles with Alzheimer's Disease; on covering the 1996 Olympic bombing from feet away; on his time as a young white kid in the South handed the Tennessee State football beat; on a newspaper's decline.
On the blood on John Mugabi's shorts; on writing with a hangover; on what the great columnists look for and why interviewing is an art.
On having a player invite you to his hotel room to seduce you with candles and Drake songs; on the (non) excitement of baseball's winter meetings; on missing the World Series to power lift.
On what has to happen at a restaurant to result in a scathing review; on the wild food scene in Fort Wayne; on being an anonymous critic in a world that wants to know.
On his riveting piece about a high school baseball coach sued by a player he told to slide; on tracking down the long-ago youth umpire he flipped off as a boy; on the not-so-riveting world of Eli Manning; on being confronted by an angry hockey player nicknamed "The Grim Reaper."
On finding sexiness in random words; on whether an ugly word (like, c*nt) can be beautiful in the right context; on why writing about sex is healthy for the soul.
On finding bliss in covering two awful NFL teams squaring off; on what the greatest sports scribes have in common; on a story of a young girl's life and death that changed his life.
On writing a book when all of the characters are long dead; on growing up with a legendary journalist for a father; on wild nights and crazy days with Quinton McCracken, Bubba Trammell and the 1998 Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
On whether readers care more about the games—or talking about the games; on a memorable eight-year experience covering a legendary Bronco; on young days watching Tim Tebow and why it's OK to spend Sundays at home.
On his closeness with Brett Favre and riding across America with John Madden; on no longer being treated quite as uniquely—but loving the need to dig and hustle; on why he saw SI's struggles approaching and whether he's mad at Jalen Ramsey.
On the blissfully gritty days of the Big Apple sports columnist; on highs and lows with Mike Lupica; on writing "Namath" sans Joe Namath and on insulting Billy Crystal and feeling guilty about it in hindsight.
On what it is to write episodes of shows like "2 Broke Girls" and "The King of Queens"; on the highs and lows of the writers' room; on taking a break from TV to write her first book, "Don't Wait Up: Confessions of a Stay At Work Mom"; on calling out relatives in print and hoping they're not overly upset.
On the end of her time at the legendary magazine; on the future of SI and the future of magazines as a whole; on what one does after her dream job is taken away; on the decision to skip business writing for a career in sports chronicling.
On looking at yourself in the mirror and realizing, "I don't like the writer I've become." On the nonsense of "hot takes." On why readers ultimately prefer love and kindness to anger; on finding happiness in a mid-western city.
On the anguish and difficulty of writing a comprehensive oral history on the 9.11 terrorist attacks; on getting people to open up about tragedy; on a long-ago life running Howard Dean's website.
On finding something interesting in limited time with Baker Mayfield; on morphing from writer to all-around media professional; on whether it's OK to cheer for a sport; on perceptions of women in sports journalism; on the complexities of profiling Tyreek Hill.
In 1994 and 1995, as a fresh-out-of-college journalist, I couldn't get out of my own way. I was arrogant, dismissive, smug, juvenile, error-prone and painfully dumb. This is my story.
On how a soon-to-be 80-year-old scribe transitions from typewriter to computer; on seeing the real Roger Clemens; on having the subject of your profile call your wife to say you're cheating on her; on a bond with Tom Seaver; on flip phone life.
On covering high schools while simultaneously taking photographs while simultaneously keeping stats while simultaneously putting a section together; on existence at his 8,000-circulation daily newspaper; on how to treat young athletes.
On jumping onto a huge beat at a huge newspaper at a young age; on the awkwardness of the clubhouse approach; on life without Bryce Harper and life with Juan Soto; on surviving an eternal season of Major League Baseball.
On whether family drama is fair game in poetry; on the incredible power of the word "meat"; on the chance meeting with a long-ago girlfriend on a Brooklyn street and a sprig of lavender.
On her past life as a heroine addict and dealer who spent two years in prison; on witnessing executions; on seeking to improve life for people behind bars—and having the empathy and experience to do so.
On proposing, then writing a political book in a year of 800 other political books; on arranging an interview with the president of the United States, then sitting across from him for 40 minutes; on catching political figures off guard and having them open up; on the never-to-be Super Bowl champion Detroit Lions.
On the details and complexities behind his marvelous Boston Globe Magazine profile of Red Sox broadcaster Dennis Eckersley; on trying to convince a subject to allow you to drive along for a ride; on his time as a 24-year-old editor.
On how one turns his words into hip-hop; on mixing and matching sounds; on what it is to stroll a Kentucky stage naked while holding a stuffed penis; on whether it's OK to rap about shooting the president; on finding meaning in music and the overrated non-joy of appearing on MTV.
On leaving the magazine after 25 years; on interviewing people as they face death; on the gun store hostilities of a late Yankee relief pitcher; on the legacy of SI and learning how to write while working for America's best sports magazine.
On his past career as a singer/songwriter, and the parallels between two genres; on the Texas Rangers' pitcher whose story needed to be told—via notebook paper; on looking for small, overlooked stories and making them great.
On the aging scribe; on writing 22,000 words and having it cut down; on adjusting to a Netflix writers' room and looking back at Roger Ebert and "The Things That Carried Him."
On approaching Glenn Burke as he was dying of AIDS and writing his autobiography; on a final interview with Bill Buckner and craziness with Len Dykstra.
On covering Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential run; on writing an amazing profile on the woman who (famously) chopped off her husband's penis; on rising from the University of Texas to a fantastic career in journalism.
On what we can read into in The Athletic's new dedication to WNBA coverage; on women's college basketball programs hiring no male coaches; on starting a tennis blog and having that morph into a magical sports journalism career.
On the process behind his classic 2014 profile of a dementia-afflicted Y.A. Tittle; on the torture and pain that comes with quality writing; on his Academy Award-worthy non-scenes with Kevin Costner in "Draft Day."
On covering the 2020 Democratic field; on driving through Manhattan with Mayor Pete; on whether a writer can cover politics without having an opinion on Donald Trump; on the transition from sports to news; on Joe Flacco trumping Wayne Chrebet.
On the highs and lows of college journalism; on whether to print or not to print; on what journalism programs need to be offering students in 2019.
On deep diving into the crappy, pre-glorious Yankee years of Brien Taylor and Mel Hall and Andy Hawkins; on when to knock on a subject's door, and whether five phone calls are too many; on seeking out jacket blurbs and landing a literary deal on a less-than-obvious subject matter.
The absolute craziest journalistic experience of my lifetime. On Dec. 27, 1999, Sports Illustrated published "At Full Blast," my profile of then-Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker. His life changed. So did mine. For the 100th episode of Two Writers Slinging Yang, here's a detailed look back.
On the potential ugliness of social media interactions gone wrong; on writing about QAnon and the threats that followed; on political writing in the most heated of times.
On talking golf with Eddie Van Halen; on why Deadspin exists alongside Slam Magazine and Bill Simmons in innovative sports lore; on TV fame transforming people into assholes; in staying busy as a modern scribe.
This is a special episode of Two Writers Slinging Yang, in honor of the annual Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. I roamed the event (held on the campus of USC), seeking out interesting people. I found Daynabelle Anderson, who lost her 19-year-old son three years ago—and decided to speak to him via daily letters. She pieced the notes together into a book, then self-published. Remarkable woman whose story deserves to be told.
On covering the best college football team in America; on finding Trevor Lawrence's best friend at a small-town Burger King; on what one learned from a summer in the New York Yankees' clubhouse.
On how a blue-collar kid with no journalistic aspirations became one of America's great football writers; on covering athletes fairly, compassionately; on the death of a defensive back and the downfall of a daily newspaper.
In the first-ever Two Writers Slinging Yang recorded before a live audience, we travel to Ohio University to discuss Tom Brady's sadness after a Super Bowl setback; ways to write about 9.11 in the immediate aftermath; rules all young writers should consider following.
On finding new material about a beloved championship team from 50 years ago; on ghost writing athlete autobiographies and bringing unique voices to Mariano Rivera, Carli Lloyd and R.A. Dickey; on discovering depth and meaning via a former baseball phenom whose life was forever changed by 9.11.
On profiling Adrian Peterson and dealing with the detractors; on making a brief time with Antonio Brown count; on wearing jerseys in Instagram posts; on understanding the plight of the young African-American athlete.
On the absolute joy of a tiara atop the head of Cory Booker's 99-year-old grandmother; on directing your words toward humor and glee during the Trump Presidency; on knowing when to walk away from a column idea; on the unspeakable joy of seeing your play performed live.
On conveying much in a very small space; in bringing life to characters who existed only in your head; in watching "Justice League" with myriad cringes and being blown off by Reggie Bush.
On staring into the mirror and describing exactly what one sees; on the painful beauty of a memoir about a lifetime of weight difficulties; on forming a kinship with a former Kentucky quarterback.
On writing a book (and having it sell) on a relatively obscure library fire; on choosing just the right words to describe a moment; on why she never uses a recorder and rarely turns to direct quotations.
On covering the (zzzzzz) sleep inducer that was Super Bowl LIII; On finding new turf with a team that's been covered ad nauseam; on an angry James Harrison and a giddy Patrick Chung; on writing about three Super Bowls by age 24.
On what it is to cover the Super Bowl; on the heaven/hell that is Media Day; on whether it's possible to know Carson Wentz's true feelings; on existing as a fly on the wall (in an NFL locker room) alongside 500 other flies.
On self-publishing a book, inventing a publicist and moving a book to the prime store real estate; on why Walter was actually Waldorf; on how writing can make a reputation.
On scoring his first NBA press credential at age 14; on the kindness of Steve Francis and the uniqueness of Kwame Brown; on whether to talk sexual assault with Kobe Bryant and how to conduct a righteous interview.
On discovering the humanity behind America's opioid epidemic; on interviewing subjects in awkward, uncomfortable situations; on the time he demoted and suspended me (Jeff Pearlman) from our college newspaper.
On delving deep into a subject who's been dead for decades; on how one decides on the next book topic; on why one would be insane enough to become a biographer.
On his efforts to understand and humanize the former 76ers superstar; on writing a book via an unorthodox approach; on chronicling the post-NFL struggles of longtime Chiefs halfback Larry Johnson
On her newspaper's battle with the Springdale (Ark.) School District over a pulled article; on fighting for freedom of the press; on what a 17-year-old aspiring journalist thinks of the media landscape.
On a touching artistic farewell to George H. W. Bush; on how to speak via images; on having angry politicians come after you; on the impact of a cancer diagnosis on one's work.
On Stanley Teeven and writing about the legacy of a World War II victim he never knew; on whether an author should place himself in a narrative; on coming out of the closet via a Boston Herald column; on Robert Kraft's kindness.
On being thrown onto an NFL beat without much notice; on watching Alex Smith's leg being broken—then reacting as a writer; on whether players care whether a writer exists; on Major League Baseball presenting the Iran hostages with lifetime passes.
On transitioning from one dream journalism job to another dream journalism job to another dream journalism job; on avoiding cliches when cliches attack; on life inside the locker room.
On finding the courage and strength to come forward and blog about being raped; on the inevitable backlash of Internet trolls; on the liberation that comes with speaking out; on the nonsense world behind bubblegum pop.
On Tweeting about every ... single ... thing Donald Trump says; on why presidents can lie and get away with it; on covering former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, having him accuse you of being a stalking pedophile—then admitting it was all a lie and offering a bobble head doll as a peace offering.
On the highs and lows and glory and humiliation of promoting a book; on writing about a man (Bill Belichick) who tells his peers not to speak with you; on competing with the killing of Osama bin Laden for TV time.
On her riveting, detailed profile of Heidi Cruz, wife of Texas Senator Ted Cruz; on covering politics without slant or bias; on visiting an island that rising seas will ultimately engulf—and learning to understand why its inhabitants have faith in Donald Trump
On rising up from low-level fact checker to one of the world's elite soccer scribes; on having a gun held to his head in an unfamiliar nation; on the move from college basketball to soccer; on living out his dream career.
On how to navigate the football locker room in an era of NFL media indifference; on the awfulness of Bill Belichick and the anger of Danny White and the heartbreak of Dennis Byrd; on finding the real Jerry Jones in a new book, "How 'Bout Them Cowboys?"
On the writing and thinking behind "There Is No Escape from Politics"—one of my favorite pieces of 2017; on wasting away behind the desk at a fading newspaper; on the value of a forward-thinking editor and the trials and preconceptions that still (regrettably) come with being a young African-American scribe.
On profiling Chris Davis, Baltimore's first baseman, as he struggles through one of the worst seasons in Major League history; on worrying/not worrying whether a subject is happy with your work; on lessons learned from observing Tom Verducci.
Straight outta Auckland, New Zealand, the author of "Hounded," "Hounded 2," "Toxic Desire" and "Dead Wake" explains why severed heads and slashed necks and flesh-eating zombies bring her pen to life.
Catherine hosts the show as we talk about book writing; about the PR push and what it does to a writer; about Donald Trump and George Allen and bringing to life a long-ago league.
On traveling to Lithuania to track the Ball Family—minus their cooperation; on finding a voice; on watching hair being braided and seeing bliss; on a meteoric rise in a tough business.
On why, after nearly two decades in newspaper and magazine, he left; on sharing a name with one of America's most-famous scribes; on being locked in a minor league stadium and covering a young Ryan Lochte.
On becoming the first woman to ever cover an NFL team; on having athletes hit on her and present her with underwear; on Bert Jones and Chuck Fairbanks and Jim McMahon and the legend of the 1970s Boston Globe sports department.
On the ways experience, savvy, empathy and patience merge to make great journalism; on John Thompson and Coach K and sitting in the bleachers alongside the men (even when people demand one move elsewhere); on whether a woman will ever coach a Division I men's team and why a departure from ESPN was an unexpected blessing.
On the genius of Caddyshack; on whether great movies and bad movies deserve equal consideration; on why crappy films make him angry.
On the art and craft of the lengthy feature; on why he doesn't think of himself as a "sports journalist"; on Richie Parker and Radio and diving deep into a subject; on relying on a flip phone and going nowhere near Facebook and Twitter.
On finding beauty and reason in writing about death; on bidding literary farewell to the daughter of a Nazi, a Yankees pitching coach and a woman who fought cancer courageously; on Stuart Scott's final days and delving into the making of "The Pride of the Yankees.
On his farewell ode to Yogi Berra; on never succumbing to writer's block on deadline; on his verbal smackdown of a former Mets GM; on his late father's influence on a blissful career.
On tracking down an escapee monkey; on 15 minutes on the phone with Paul Reiser; on covering the Parkland shooting tragedy; on having a newspaper steal your words; on the value of Millennials and the power of large quantities of coffee.
On the life of a small-town newspaper sports editor; on the college basketball coach who brought a gun to practice; on the sad decline of The Tennessean and why media needs to keep focusing upon high school athletics.
On #fakenews and "failing New York Times" in the era of Trump; on chronicling John McCain's farewell; on the exciting slog of three presidential elections; on phone time with Joe Biden and why covering politics is like covering sports.
On whether sports columnists have a place in 2018; on squaring off against an agitated Juan Gonzalez; on liberal writing in a conservative part of America; on the saga of an amazing woman (raped at 12) and her Dallas Cowboy son.
On spending a night with Stormy Daniels at Thee Doll House in Tampa; on her remarkable piece about the trials, nightmares and slow growth of a feral child; on knocking on strange doors and sleeping side by side beneath a bridge with sex offenders.
On making every story count; on covering Cal Ripken, Jr. and writing beautifully on the night he broke Lou Gehrig's Iron Man record; on staring down Bobby Bonilla and Scott Erickson when things turned heated in the Baltimore clubhouse; on passion and love for a profession.
On making a good story great; on life inside an NBA locker room; on Monta Ellis and Lance Stephenson and John Wall and rooting for African-American tennis stars (criticism be damned)
On covering 130 games (of oft-bad baseball) per year and still finding things to write about; on the awkwardness of the Major League clubhouse; on Kevin Quackenbush's beard and the Padres' need to return to brown-and-yellow uniforms.
On writing the perfect song; on feeling the pain from long-ago lyrics; on singing a tune for the 200,000th time and still bringing forth emotion and joy.
On having a Major League manager launch his pants your way; on making every word in an article count; on seven minutes with Dave Henderson and playing golf in Greenland.
On the advantages of speaking Spanish in a Major League clubhouse; on showing your face after infuriating an athlete; on opining on a sport you know little about; on profiling the widow of Darryl Kile shortly after her husband's death.
On expressing oneself in the age of Trump; on holding evangelicals accountable for hypocrisy; on the power of social media and a Tweet from Katy Perry.
On writing funny with limited words and a tiny amount of space; on telling an entire story in a single box; on the, um, humor of Mike Huckabee and knowing when a joke doesn't work.
On what it is to go through a public layoff as a journalist; on moving on from ESPN (and to a different country); on covering Rex Ryan and Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow and the New York Jets; on writing about the tragic death of Joe McKnight.
On pitching (and then being assigned) the story of a 70-year-old Polish kayaker who has crossed the Atlantic three times; on capturing a subject without speaking his language; on the terror of awaiting that first call from your editor.
On the bliss of covering March Madness; on finding nuggets of information inside a crowded locker room; on the tragic story of a Colorado shooting victim and the joy of a Michigan State football player's Craigslist-purchased cat.
On what makes great criticism v. meh criticism; on the beauty of Breaking Bad and the inconsistencies of Entourage; on why one man watches so much television—then writes about it with passion and grace.
On reporting and writing definitively on the lives of Vince Lombardi, Barack Obama, Roberto Clemente, Bill Clinton; on finding nuggets of information that make your head explode; on the difference between dealing with athletes and politicians; on the Donald Trump biography he will never, ever write.
On the tricks and keys to working a clubhouse like a veteran reporter; on the yin and yang of Albert Belle; on Spring Training highs and lows and lessons from the Mel Hall-and-Steve Sax Era Yankees
On reporting on the deaths of four young women in a devastating car accident; on knocking on strange doors and interviewing hostile witnesses; on the grittiness of life at a New York City tabloid.
On the rude hot dog waitress who inspired his new book, “F You Very Much”; on how an idea goes from brain to reality; on his work becoming a Jim Carrey movie.
On covering a Super Bowl and surviving; on developing rapport with athletes; on her weeklong drive through football in America; on going from biochem to writing.
On the magic and dread of Twitter; on covering the Ball family up close; on bias vs. fairness; on finding the mother of Chris (Birdman) Andersen and admiring her tattooed eyebrows.
On writing and reporting the tragic saga of Monty Williams; on serving as a narrator for Jamal Crawford’s joyful ride; on forming bonds with subjects and writing with precision and depth
On writing the perfect sermon; on researching spirituality before preaching spirituality; on the uplifting words of Footloose
On the reporting and digging behind the Jerry Richardson/Carolina Panthers bombshell; on the Portland Jail Breakers; on bonding with sources and having people open up.
On covering Griffey and ARod; on the introduction of Aaron Boone and the departure of Evan Longoria; on precise writing and never wasting words.
On life at ESPN and BuzzFeed; On digging deep into the life of Earl Thomas when Earl Thomas is indifferent to the dig; on finding Michael Sam’s forgotten father; on knocking on strange doors and not knowing what awaits.
Minneapolis Star Tribune sports columnist on turning joy, anger, love, grief into a column; on writing about the bond between a girl with cancer and a crusty college coach; on Randy Moss moodiness and Larry Fitzgerald joy
On golf with Donald Trump, social media wisdom from Mark Cuban, finding tragic beauty in the story of a racist Major League owner and truth to power in football hazing at The Citadel