Just Not Sports

NBA scribe HOWARD BECK is one of the best sportswriters on the planet ... just don't make him cover the Red Sox imploding while R.E.M. breaks up, dammit! (Trust us.) We go deep on Howard's R.E.M. fandom, including the band's college rock roots, Michael Stipe's "universally private" lyrics, Howard's Top 4 (OK, more like 8) albums, the wonderful art of Mike Mills-fronted songs, the perks of being in a fan club, and the best R.E.M. deep cuts. It's the end of podcasting as we know it ... and we feel fine.