It's the last dance for "Just Not Sports," and we're bringing out the big guns! MARVIN LEWIS coached our (well, Brad's) beloved Bengals for half our life, so we're thrilled to finally have our favorite all-time coach here to share his love of golf. We break down his short and mid-range game, his greatest tournament highlight (which is online, ya kn…

ERIC DAVIS is a legend. He hit an iconic homerun in the 1990 World Series to beat the heavily favored A's. He outlasted double-figure surgeries. He somehow made "buttonless 80s baseball jerseys" work. And, most crucially, he beat cancer. Our co-host Gareth Hughes is battling cancer now, so we dialed up Eric for perspective and a pep talk. And it's …

Calling all MAC alums! (Uh, and MAC "townies" like us.) We've got The Ringer's ace music critic and writer ROB HARVILLA - an Ohio University alum - to break down his new podcast "60 Songs That Explain the '90s." And we also talk growing up with '90s Cleveland sports, having Mazzy Star as your prom theme, and all things Hashtag MACtion. And because …

On any given day, you can hear SARAH SPAIN talking sports on ESPN. On TV. On Radio. On Podcasts. Online. (And hell, maybe now in the owner's box.) But she's also found ways to use her platforms to explore her passions beyond sports - which is kinda sorta what this show is all about. So we break down that balancing act, her favorite interviews beyon…

We continue our Exit Interviews with soccer icon ALEXI LALAS returning for the third time! After two appearances breaking down his own musical talents, this time we asked him to describe his life via mix tape. And he delivers with an all-time starting eleven! Then, Gareth and Brad do the same ... and it gets seriously weird.…

Hey, before we go away for good, let's look back! Gareth and Brad replay an interview with "Parks & Rec" and "Good Place" creator MICHAEL SCHUR on the one book he got banned by his wife from discussing at parties ("The Power Broker"). Then, we discuss and debate the legacy of Van Halen with NFL reporter JUDY BATTISTA. These are two of our favorite …

For years, JULIE DICARO has been one of the most outspoken voices about the challenges faced by women in sports. It's what first brought us to her in 2016, when we launched the #MoreThanMean campaign (alongside One Tree Forest Films) to combat online harassment. Half a decade later, we revisit that work to discuss what's changed ... and frankly, wh…

JESSE WASHINGTON of The Undefeated joins us to break down his new book "I Came as a Shadow" which he co-authored with legendary Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson about the life and legacy of this amazing coach, mentor, activist and man. Then, Gareth and Brad talk about what distracted us in 2020, and some show news for 2021.…

Washington Post reporter CHUCK CULPEPPER wrote an amazing story about the time Miami University (um, of Ohio) changed its nickname from R-dskins to RedHawks. And guess what? Yeah, everything was fine! With Native American nicknames back under debate, we check in on this time when a small Ohio town debated the change, the people who made it happen, …

It's the holiday season, and Super Bowl champ BEN UTECHT is a most wonderful person to talk with in this most wonderful time of the year. He's been active in music for years, and each December he performs a concert that channels the best holiday music from Andy Williams and Bing Crosby. We go deep on his show (which is virtual this year), his other…

If there's a big Boston sports story, MICHAEL HOLLEY probably wrote a book about it. But he's never chronicled a basketball team ... until now. We break down his new book on the turn-of-the-century Celtics' Big Three. That means talking Paul's inflated sense of self, KG's acting chops versus Ray Allen's, why basketball makes for such great books, a…

Sports Illustrated copy chief JULIE KLIEGMAN's Twitter bio says "Talk to me about the SpongeBob musical." So here ... we ... are. We go deep on the legacy of the beloved cartoon, the show's manic comedic style, the meme-ification of the characters, why most reporters are Squidwards at heart, and why she loves the human-starring SpongeBob stage show…

Comedian DAVID GBORIE had a full-fledged "athletic career," dammit, and you will respect it! We cajoled the co-host of "All Fantasy Everything" and the official Voice of Comedy Central to talk about his days on the high school gridiron, shady Wyoming-based two-a-days, creepy coaches, and that one INT he got that one time. Plus, we talk Denver sport…

ETAN THOMAS is many things. Poet. Writer. Activist. Athlete. We talk about his road from a decade-long NBA career to his new pursuits, which include creative writing, reporting, activism and more. And we guess what he would have brought into the NBA bubble to entertain himself. Then, since it's Halloween time Brad is joined by "Summer Blockbuster" …

It's election season, so we're calling up Congress! This week, we talk to U.S. Congressman SEAN CASTEN (who reps Brad's district in Illinois) to break down his relationship with sports. Growing up a Mets fan in the '80s (and almost missing their fabled Game 6 comeback), coaching his daughters in youth soccer, whether elected officials have time to …

We've spent five years on this show talking to people who play, cover and obsess over sports. But what's life like for folks who just don't care about these games? Reply All's ALEX GOLDMAN (one of our favorite podcast creators) joins to talk about life as a NON-sports fan. He breaks down the only team he ever really cheered for (the '84 Tigers), wh…

Journalist and podcaster JESSICA LUTHER has made a career out of covering some of the most controversial aspects of sports. So when she sits down with a good book, she wants a happy ending, dammit! We break down her passion for romance novels, and their role in sustaining her mental health. Plus, we talk her new book "Loving Sports When They Don't …

Sportswriter, broadcaster and host MAGGIE HENDRICKS loves her some crafts. She's been sewing, baking and crafting (if that's a word) her way through the pandemic, so we break it all down! The art of making your own clothes (and how to brag about it). Teaching herself how to sew (and using her powers to make Captain Marvel fan art). Plus, making swe…

Denison vs. Kenyon. It's the greatest college sports story you've NEVER heard. A historic 17-year national title streak on the line. Two archrivals separated by a few miles. And a group of dedicated athletes determined to unseat an all-time NCAA dynasty. This is the story of the 2000-01 Denison women's swim team as they tried to pry the Division II…

For those about to rock ... we salute you! By day, you can find MAURY BROWN reporting on baseball and the business of sports at outlets like Forbes. But by night, he's likely tearing up a stage somewhere. We break down his lifelong passion for playing hard rock and heavy metal. From touring the country (and sleeping in vans) with a hair metal outfi…

With the WNBA coming back, ESPN basketball analyst and "Around the Rim" podcast host LaCHINA ROBINSON goes deep on how this league is carrying the movement for racial justice and equality. We talk about why some stars are opting out of the season to focus on societal change, how white stars can "pass the mic" to women of color, and the tricky dynam…

When it's time to talk sports, you call the guy who recorded "Sports," the album. HUEY LEWIS is an icon of rock and pop culture, but he's also a huge sports fan. So we go deep on his love of San Francisco teams, which 49ers Hall of Famers sang on "Hip to Be Square," the time he got busted on the sideline during Monday Night Football, getting called…

From "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" to New Yorker essays about little league, Stephen King has had a compelling, sometimes tortured relationship with sports, and especially baseball. So we call up noted King and horror expert MICHAEL ROFFMAN -- co-founder of Consequence of Sound and co-host of the outstanding Loser's Club and Halloweenies podcasts…

As demonstrations continue to press for racial justice, Brad and Gareth take time to reflect on tough conversations this show has had over the years with Black athletes and media on racial equality, police violence, profiling, protesting and representation. Then, they amplify several Black voices who are worth your time.…

Between her work for USA Today's For the Win and her podcast "Ten Movies," HEMAL JHAVERI devotes a lot of time and thought to pop culture. And one Hollywood icon truly stands out to her: Keanu Reeves. We break down his filmography, his comedic roots, his status as an action hero, that insanely earnest Paula Abdul video he made, why "John Wick" work…

Pittsburgh Pirates' ace STEVEN BRAULT is now making a different kind of pitch ... to the theater world. He's got a new album "A Pitch at Broadway" that recreates several famous musical numbers with a modern, rock sound. We go song-by-song with a deep dive on why he chose the tunes he chose, how to be funny while singing, how creepy a Phantom of the…

JEFF BLAKE burst onto the scene for Bengals fans thanks to a heroic, iconic leap from third string to Pro Bowl quarterback during the mid-90s. And we were there for it, so humor us here folks. We break down Jeff's rise from obscurity, we go "full awkward Chris Farley questions" about his first game, then we geek out on his new venture into renewabl…

RUSS BENGTSON is an iconic chronicler of all things NBA and sneakers. Which is why he's launching a new podcast about Michael Jordan to coincide with the new ESPN doc. But let's shift our focus from his feet to his wrists. Russ collects and cherishes watches. Vintage. Historic. Stylish. Colorful. Space-Tested. Russ opens up about his personal passi…

RACHEL BONNETTA is a lot of things. A comedian. A sports TV host with FS1's "Lock It In." And someone who's just now starting "The Sopranos" so PLEASE DON'T SPOIL THE DAMN ENDING!!!! We break down her new Crooked Media podcast "Hall of Shame" about the most insane sports scandals of all time, we ponder which "Pod Save America" host would get picked…

You know KEITH LAW of The Athletic for his obsessive rankings of baseball prospects. But when we're all on lockdown, thank goodness Keith is *also* known for his obsessive rankings of boardgames! He returns to "Just Not Sports" to break down which boardgames can get you through social distancing. His new #1 game of all-time, the games that play dif…

Under Hashtag Quarantine we're all watching Hashtag Comfort TV. So let's turn that into Hashtag Sports! We sit down with Bleacher Report's DAVID GARDNER to do a TV Sitcom Draft. Who's going No. 1 -- "Seinfeld" or "Friends" or an upset? Does "The Simpsons" count as a sitcom? Does "Atlanta?" Do you need a raunchy show in your line-up? Oh, and we also…

When she's not hosting "Drinks with Binks" or "Call It a Night" on fubo Sports Network, you better believe JULIE STEWART-BINKS is rocking the eff out. We break down the rock 'n' roll fandom she inherited from her mom, getting starstruck interviewing Alice Cooper, whether Motley Crue and other 80s greats truly count as "classic rock," and a ton of o…

Many people know JODY AVIRGAN as a podcaster and producer who's done great work for "FiveThirtyEight" and ESPN's "30 for 30." But he's also found his way onto the "SportsCenter" highlights as a professional ultimate frisbee player. We break down his lifelong passion for the sport, his trash-talking intensity on the field, which athletes would make …

When she's not breaking down the games for The Athletic's WNBA and Buffalo verticals, LYNDSEY D'ARCANGELO is likely building up something out of this world. The sportswriter has a lifelong passion for LEGO, so we go deep on her favorite sets, the joys of building with her daughter, which creations are "wall worthy" and why a LEGO piece wound up as …

بقلم Brad Burke & Gareth Hughes

The only thing veteran Washington Football Team's longsnapper NICK SUNDBERG loves more than clean laundry is helping others' get their clothes clean. His Loads of Love (LOL) campaign spreads much-needed washers and dryers around dozens of DC area schools. We break down the benefits clean clothes have on students, the painful logistics of adding app…

بقلم Brad Burke & Gareth Hughes

Eat your heart out Robert Downey Jr., because Yahoo Senior NFL writer KIMBERLEY MARTIN is the original animal lover. She's owned dogs, cats, a (super old) turtle and multiple bunnies. Yes, bunnies. We break down her passion for pets, then call up our old co-host Gareth Hughes from CBS Sports to hear the latest in his battle against cancer - and tal…

WNBA All-Star DIAMOND DeSHIELDS has only been without "Game of Thrones" a few months, and she's already missing it. The dynamic Chicago Sky guard breaks down her passion for the fabled TV show, re-examines the polarizing final episodes, shares favorite moments, explores how Arya got such good hops, and reveals how the home stretch may have unified …

The Ringer's SHEA SERRANO returns to the show (he was kinda sorta our first guest ever) to talk about his new #1 NYT-bestseller "Movies (And Other Things)." We break down Michael Myers vs. rappers, defending "Halloween" sequels, the wisdom of the "Selena" movie, that whole Shaq-Dame rap beef, Josh Hartnett's bed head ... and more. Seriously, go buy…

National title-winning Oklahoma football coach BOB STOOPS has a new book about his career in football. So ... we're not talking *any* of that. Instead, we go deep on the busted-up Gran Torino he drove in high school, best places to eat in Northeast Ohio (shoutout Hot Dog Shoppe in Warren!), hitchhiking across Ohio to see Bob Seger, which OU players…

YOU: Why the hell is CHUCK KLOSTERMAN on this show? ME: Well, I will forever consider him part of the sports media expanded universe, for his contributions to sportswriting, Grantland, Simmons' pod - all that. So when Chuck has a book of short fiction, he gets to come on and talk short fiction. We debate unreliable narrators, unrealistic reader exp…

Before Yahoo MLB reporter HANNAH KEYSER got known for hopping on the bandwagon of baseball teams, she was firmly on Team Carrie. (Well, really, Team Miranda, but we'll get there.) That's right, she's a "Sex & the City" superfan with plenty of #HotTakes about the worst boyfriends, best Samantha-isms, best and worst ways the show has aged, and the ar…

Before covering sports and culture for ESPNw, KATIE BARNES tried a different kind of writing ... fan fiction! Katie was part of a vibrant and active online community that specifically explored the characters and relationships on the hit TV drama, "Grey's Anatomy." Katie joins us to talk about they got into the show, the importance of Grey's "Calzon…

GARETH HUGHES is a 7x Emmy winner for his work on the NFL, NCAA, Masters and documentaries. He's also Brad's best friend and a former co-host of this very pod. So when he got diagnosed with liver cancer, we just had to break it all down. The stigma of liver cancer when you're sober, explaining cancer to your kids, when cancer "hurts," and the joys …

In 2020, U.S. Soccer legend and Fox Sports analyst ALEXI LALAS will be eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Seriously. Now a quarter century into his solo music career, we bring back Alexi to discuss his new album "Look At You," running into his fans in Europe, when "la la la la la" is the perfect lyric, and whether his record works as a co…

When ESPN's JOON LEE isn't globetrotting around to various sporting events, you can bet he's scouting "Star Wars" merch! We break down Joon's lifelong love of "Star Wars," the generational divide on the prequels, why he's not afraid of Reddit spoilers for "Rise of Skywalker," and why he started collecting cool "Star Wars" stuff. May the Force be wi…

Look, I can't say if the USWNT will win or lose by the time you hear this - but we LOVED the run so let's do this damn thang! With the U.S Women's National Team thrilling us this July Fourth week, we go back to some of our best interviews with two stars from this year's squad. We start with MEGAN RAPINOE talking about her clothing line and how fash…

Peabody- and Gracie-winning Chicago sports talk host JULIE DiCARO returns to the show to help Brad shake off the looming trauma of HBO's "Chernobyl" series. Just who was to blame for an accident that almost killed everyone ... like, ever? Is Brad an awful person for not caring if TV dogs get shot? (Uh, yes.) And is it xenophobic to call the lead ch…

Grab your two-liter of Shasta and your all-Rush mixtape! We're talking to Awful Announcing's sports media guru ANDREW BUCHOLTZ about his love of the band Rush! Whether they count as "prog rock," if a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame speech entirely consisting of "blah" is a speech at all, and how you make a playlist entirely out of 18-minute songs.…