Just Not Sports

We sit down with former NFL first round pick AARON MAYBIN, who has found an amazing second career as an artist and activist for social progress. (This just COULDN'T be more in Gareth's wheelhouse.) Also ... Joe is busy so Brad edited this one. So please forgive the occasional glitch. It's a learning process, OK!

Besides being one of the best writers this side of Isla Nublar, BRYAN CURTIS is also an authority in all things "Jurassic Park." The Ringer editor-at-large goes deep on why the first one still holds up, the franchise's best scenes, wild theories and just why "The Lost World" is, in the words of Ian Malcolm, one big pile of ... well, you know.

You know KEITH LAW as the always opinionated baseball writer for ESPN.com and analyst on "Baseball Tonight." But he's also a skilled boardgame aficionado who regularly reviews new games for Paste Magazine. We go deep on Keith's all-time games, the strategy vs. luck debate, classic games vs. new, and whether Sorry is the worst game ever. Oh, and we spell "boardgame" as one word ... deal with it.

When NICOLE AUERBACH isn't stalking the sidelines at NCAA games or the Olympics for USA Today, she's catching up on one of her all-time favorite shows: "Parks And Recreation." We break down the sitcom's cult status, the joy of "Treat Yo Self Day," and of course her uncanny resemblance to co-star Aubrey Plaza. Including whether Nicole ever tries to score a dinner reservation using her doppelganger's name.

Baseball Prospectus writer MATT SUSSMAN loves curling ... and he even has a world ranking to prove it. Starting at 35:00 we go deep on the nuances of the game, TV's newly expanded curling coverage, comparisons to "broom ball" and his own Olympic aspirations. Plus, we start the pod by talking about the sports world's reaction to the first week of the Trump presidency.

Reporter and author SRIDHAR PAPPU joins our show to discuss his recent Male Animal column in The New York Times about what happens when big-time sports fans find themselves no longer caring as much. Is it inevitable? Should "fair-weather fandom" lose its stigma? And for the love of god, is Adam a Packers fan or a Broncos fan?!

Mike Tunison will move you! No, not emotionally... literally, he will move you. Like, boxes and trucks, etc. The Sports Writer talks about his side business as a moving man. Plus, Gareth and Adam go into the field for an MMA Knife class, and then breakdown Meryl Streep's comments on sports from the Golden Globes. Quirky interview? Field piece? Topical sports discussion? Just Not Sports is bringin' it in Episode 61.

Spencer Hall, or @EDSBS as he's better known, wrote one of 2016's most talked about pieces of sports writing with his essay, "BUFFALO," a look at the majestic animal and the violence of football (it works). With the NFL Playoffs and College Football Championship upon us, we spoke to Spencer about the American Bison, and examined the moral complexity of football fandom.

It's the Just Not Sports Christmas Special ... starring the Queen of England. Kinda! Well, we couldn't get Queen Elizabeth II, but we have the next best thing: Mark Young, of Fox Soccer, shares with us his childhood memories of listening to the Queen's annual Christmas day address to the Commonwealth. God bless us, everyone!

Former New York Giants standout DAVID WILSON used to flip in the end zone - but now hopes to live it up on stage. We talk to him about his burgeoning music career, why he writes songs about his faith, and how early Michael Jackson compares to old Michael Jackson. Then (30:00) we go deep on one of the wackiest local car ads ever featuring Carmelo Anthony, Clinton Portis and many more!

It's the first pod ever to talk city planning AND country musicians who golf in the same show! We start with show runner MICHAEL SCHUR ("Parks & Rec," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "The Good Place") on his love of the iconic book "The Power Broker," which his wife banned him from talking about at parties. Then, we go deep on the country music career of golfer John Daly with GABE SPITZER, who directed the amazing "30 for 30" on the crooning golfer.

KENT BAZEMORE of the Atlanta Hawks likes the Scot Harvath spy novels so much, he changed his name to Scot Harvath! Well, on Twitter. We break down his fascination with the literary character, the proper spelling of "Scot," Navy SEAL culture, and whether he'll land a cameo in the movie. Then (53:00) we go deep on the new rap album by Damian Lillard with hip-hop performer and producer DEF JEF!

The gang attempts to digest, debate and detox from Election 2016, including the sports world's reaction to the most polarizing election since Quincy Adams vs. Jackson. Then Anna Kudak, an expert in gender issues and host of the Gendered podcast, helps analyze how women in sports will react to the election of Donald Trump.

KAYLA HARRISON is a lot of things. Gold medalist. Judo legend. But she's NOT a victim. We talk to this inspirational athlete about how she survived sexual abuse by a youth coach ... and how she's starting a journey to help others with similar experiences. Then (37:00) we go deep on the martial arts skills of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the Bruce Lee flick "Game of Death."

ESPN's JEMELE HILL never watched the "Bachelor" franchise ... but when she found "Bachelor in Paradise" she was hooked! We break down the good (Nick's image rehab), the bad (Ashley I's "stage 5 clinginess") and the basic (Josh's taste in pizza) on BiP. Then, we discuss the phenomenon of Cubs fans and haters dressing as Steve Bartman for Halloween. Stop. It. Guys.

PGA legend GARY PLAYER will whip your butt in the gym - and he's not afraid to tell you. Now 81, the Hall of Fame golfer known as Mr. Fitness has spent decades staying in shape by training champion horses. We talk racing, shoveling manure, crying with Nelson Mandela, mining gold with Arnie, and more. Then (42:30 mark) we go deep on the culture of hazing and "locker room talk" in sports. And consider giving Joe a swirly!

Denver Broncos kicker BRANDON McMANUS has a million-dollar leg ... but an even better palate. We break down the series of reviews he's done on the Denver restaurant scene, and learn what bull testicles taste like. Then (32:15 mark) we go deep on the link between hockey and Canada's greatest rock band, The Tragically Hip.

USWNT defender MEGHAN KLINGENBERG has her own YouTube cooking show: #KlingsKitchen. We break down her family history with cooking, her burgeoning vegetarianism, and the art of making her camera-person laugh. Then (33:55) we talk to the Baseball Card Vandals about the hilarious art of defacing old cards.

Packers great GREG JENNINGS (who once won a Madden game on a broken leg!) joins us to talk about our new video project #PlayersGonnaParent, where Greg and Bears icon CHARLES TILLMAN make the case that (gasp!) it's OK to skip a game to be at the birth of your child. Watch the video here: http://bit.ly/2deSQFb

Longtime Chicago Bears defensive end ISRAEL IDONIJE spent his career defending the end zone. Now he's defending the planet ... kinda. We break down his new career writing comics about athlete superheroes. And we also go deep on the (uh...hilarious?) team jam "Ram It" by the 1980-something LA Rams.