Just Not Sports

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 gave the best bear hugs, the only show he binge-watched after retiring, hanging with Toby Keith and more! Boomer Sooner!

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 expectations, a football coach with only one play and whether Shaq has a case for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

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 art of tuchus-lingus ... don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds. Just ask Charlotte.

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 "Calzona" coupling and on-air LGBTQ representation, and the amazing art of "remixing" a show's storylines. Really fun interview.

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 of watching Guy Fieri when you're on chemo.

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 concept album about the 2019 US Women's National Team winning the World Cup. (Spoiler, Brad thinks it is.)

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 with you, always.

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 fashion can inspire and unite. Then, we flash back to 2x guest BECKY SAUERBRUNN's first trip to the pod where she talked "Ender's Game," video games, horror movies and more. GO GO USA!

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 character "Lane Pryce" the whole time? (Also, yes.)

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.

When Olympic champion CODY MILLER isn't training ... or vlogging ... or swimming ... he's movie-going. (That's a word, don't look it up.) So we break down his passion for films, why he started his new podcast "Best Movie Worst Movie," which films in his house are "poster worthy," and debating Harry Potter with fellow Olympians. Oh, and when he's gonna do the sequel to "Gymkata" ... "Swim-kata."

When it comes to MOLLY KNIGHT's Tori Amos fandom, the author and newly minted Athletic LA sportswriter admits she "drops a bomb" on people when she tells them she's seen Tori 100+ times (!) in concert. But it's that unwavering commitment that makes her perfect to finally become the one person in sports to accept this show's longtime "Talk Tori with Brad" challenge. They break down best albums, deep cuts, the "plugged" tour years, learning to love "Space Dog," plus the pressure of having Tori's personal email address but not knowing when it's OK to actually email.

When she's not breaking down today's NBA, Yahoo's SEERAT SOHI is studying tape on some key players from yesteryear. The basketball writer is a true "Mad Men" obsessive who has watched the celebrated Sixties-set TV series over and over. So we break down favorite episodes, best character arcs, how the social commentary holds up ... and yes, a few gripes. Shut the door, have a seat, time to talk the drama at SCD&P.

TREVOR PRYCE was a multiple time All-Pro defender in Denver and Baltimore, but now he resides in a fantasy world far, far away! His "Kulipari" series went from book shelves to Netflix series to ... well, he'll only tease where it's going next. We break down his creative process, the art of cold-calling studio execs, working with Luke Skywalker and more. Plus, Brad explores his "Elizabeth Holmes voice truther-ism" in full.

Sportswriter JANE McMANUS is a highly respected columnist, host and educator. She's also someone who saw N.W.A. in concert ... in Lincoln, Nebraska. We break down her love of old-school rap, whether she's #TeamChuckD or #TeamFlav, and the joy of seeing your kid write a term paper on hip-hop. Oh, and after the old-school rap talk we get into older-school archaeology, which ancient ruins hold up today and whether she believes in Ancient Aliens!

During his NBA career, BARON DAVIS was one of the most electrifying players in the league. Now, he's channeling that same excitement to something else ... Christmas! We go deep on why Baron created the character "Black Santa," how Black Santa and "Mrs. C" are redefining the spirit of Christmas for many kids, and the secret to keeping your beard from going gray. Plus, Brad gives his starting five of holiday movies ... which includes two non-movies somehow.

MICHELLE CARTER turned heads in Rio by winning the gold medal in shot put. But daily, the self-professed "Shot Diva" also turns heads for her bold talent with make-up. We go deep on how she got into the beauty game, how she's pushing body-positivity to her fans, and just how much pressure there is applying a bride's make-up on her wedding day. Oh, and then Brad brings on his daughter Charley to fight over when it's okay for a kid to wear make-up. (Spoiler: Not when she's only 5.)

USWNT and Utah Royals FC superstar BECKY SAUERBRUNN makes her triumphant return to the pod! The all-world defender starts by breaking down the polarizing movie adaptation of "Ready Player One," and whether it holds up to one of her all-time favorite books. Then, she opens up about playing 125+ hours of the latest Zelda, whether the rebooted "Tomb Raider" is any good, and why she's so excited for the "The Name of the Wind" series. Oh, and reading "Scream" Wikipedia pages. She does that too.

12-time Olympic swimming medalist NATALIE COUGHLIN loves food and wine so much ... she makes her own! We break down this iconic athlete's venture into urban farming, cookbook-writing and wine-making. (Oh, and becoming a mother.) And just for good measure, we talk about diving with sharks, too. Because when you're a world champion swimmer getting away from JAWS is less of a problem.

The Ringer's SEAN FENNESSEY has many titles. Editor-in-Chief. Chief Content Officer. Podcaster. But we appreciate him best as Horror Film Buff. Sean goes deep with Brad on the history of horror movies, including a breakdown of Sean's tremendous "Horror Oscars" piece from earlier this month. (Is "Gremlin's 2" horror? Is "Poltergeist" better than "The Thing?" Is "Texas Chainsaw 2" crazy or ... batshit crazy?) Plus, they analyze the great new Ringer podcast series "Halloween Unmasked" and why that film remains such a phenomenon today. Subscribe to Sean's podcast "The Big Picture" & "Halloween Unmasked" wherever you listen to pods.