The Bill Simmons Thread

Auger34

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Game 3 of the last NLCS had lower ratings than both NBA opening night games in younger demos.

http://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2017/10/mlb-postseason-ratings-yankees-astros-dodgers-cubs-lcs/



Bill is right. The NBA is more popular with younger demos if we use social engagement, TV ratings, and merchandise sales.
NBA is definitely more popular than the MLB. I think the argument is that it’s not nearly as wide of a gap as Simmons portrays. The NBA is very popular but not close to as popular as BS makes it out to be
MLB’s popularity has waned a bit but Simmons acts like its at sub MLS levels.
His overall point is right but it’s just not nearly at the degrees he claims
 

Kliq

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Maybe the mods want to break this discussion out; but as a resident millennial I will say the NBA is very, very popular with people under 30 and the MLB is more of a niche sport. As an example, just yesterday I was playing basketball with a bunch of other 20-somethings and while waiting to get into a game, I was looking at the Sox game and said something like "Man, Sale is really mowing them down today". The guy sitting next to me said "Whose that?" which surprised me, but then a quick survey of the half-dozen guys around me resulted in only one of the other guys actually knowing who Chris Sale is. And this was in Boston. Of course, if I said something like "Eric Bledsoe is going off!" everyone would know who I was talking about. Part of that is circumstantial; if I was playing beer league softball instead of basketball, I would have probably gotten a better a response; but still.

I think a part of that is the NBA, whether it is by coincidence or on purpose, is just so much more culturally relevant for young people than MLB. The fundamental aspects of basketball have given the league some inherent advantages, the natural style of the game of basketball that celebrates the individual is perfect for the way young people consume media. The NBA has been way ahead of the game in terms of social media, and since basketball generates great highlights, it's perfect for the Youtube/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat generation. Another thing is that basketball through pop culture is just so much more relevant than baseball, whether in music, fashion, etc. Hip-hop not just becoming mainstream but dominating the music industry, has certainly helped.

As an aside, I feel like when I joined SoSH eight years ago, I was one of the youngest members. Today, at 24, I still feel like I'm one of the youngest members. Maybe I'm wrong about that but there just are not a ton of people my age who are that passionate about baseball.
 

riboflav

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This has been a popular refrain for decades. Bob Ryan, I think it was, used to admonish us in the 90s that the so-called sports of the X Games were going to surpass, even lap, baseball in popularity by 2010.

FWIW, my son (age 6) and his friends know a ton about MLB (can name every team and multiple players on each team, collect baseball cards, attend MLB & MiLB games and so on); yet other than my son they know next to nothing about the NBA. Still, I wouldn't conclude anything broad just based on 8 or 9 6-year olds.
 

scott bankheadcase

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Maybe the mods want to break this discussion out; but as a resident millennial I will say the NBA is very, very popular with people under 30 and the MLB is more of a niche sport. As an example, just yesterday I was playing basketball with a bunch of other 20-somethings and while waiting to get into a game, I was looking at the Sox game and said something like "Man, Sale is really mowing them down today". The guy sitting next to me said "Whose that?" which surprised me, but then a quick survey of the half-dozen guys around me resulted in only one of the other guys actually knowing who Chris Sale is. And this was in Boston. Of course, if I said something like "Eric Bledsoe is going off!" everyone would know who I was talking about. Part of that is circumstantial; if I was playing beer league softball instead of basketball, I would have probably gotten a better a response; but still.

I think a part of that is the NBA, whether it is by coincidence or on purpose, is just so much more culturally relevant for young people than MLB. The fundamental aspects of basketball have given the league some inherent advantages, the natural style of the game of basketball that celebrates the individual is perfect for the way young people consume media. The NBA has been way ahead of the game in terms of social media, and since basketball generates great highlights, it's perfect for the Youtube/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat generation. Another thing is that basketball through pop culture is just so much more relevant than baseball, whether in music, fashion, etc. Hip-hop not just becoming mainstream but dominating the music industry, has certainly helped.

As an aside, I feel like when I joined SoSH eight years ago, I was one of the youngest members. Today, at 24, I still feel like I'm one of the youngest members. Maybe I'm wrong about that but there just are not a ton of people my age who are that passionate about baseball.
It's on purpose. It's a strategy pushed by then deputy commissioner Adam Silver. He crushed it.
 

Kliq

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Klosterman and Simmons together on the podcasts are basically just throwing out half-baked ideas and discussing them. I don’t know why people take them so seriously.
 

luckiestman

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Klosterman and Simmons together on the podcasts are basically just throwing out half-baked ideas and discussing them. I don’t know why people take them so seriously.

And it’s great! 2 hours of them just talking and I loved (almost) every minute.
 

Kliq

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And it’s great! 2 hours of them just talking and I loved (almost) every minute.
Yeah it’s a blast. I never stop to think how stupid they sound because it’s mostly just hypothetical bullshit; it’s a lot like the conversations I have with my friends; it’s not exactly meet the press.
 

allstonite

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For the record, I completely agree. It’s still one of my favorite podcasts especially with Chuck. However Bill still says stupid shit often and it’s fun to see him called out because most of his friends or employees just let it slide
 

Leskanic's Thread

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Klosterman and Simmons together on the podcasts are basically just throwing out half-baked ideas and discussing them ... I never stop to think how stupid they sound because it’s mostly just hypothetical bullshit...
Agreed.

it’s not exactly meet the press.
Sadly (for MTP), it kinda is. (But that's a different thread, maybe forum, and perhaps now board.)

Since this is the thread for nitpicking Simmons from time to time, I'll put this here instead of the Ringer one: I had a fine time with the Jaws episode of the Rewatchables, but it really hurt how Bill kept saying that Amity was supposed to be on Long Island. Like...c'mon, man.

Also painful: everyone kept saying the Kintner boy is attacked on the 4th of July, including calling his "4th of July scene" one of the best of the movie. Which seemed so weird until one of them (I think Bill) said something about having last watched the movie a few months ago. I guess it's not so rewatchable that you would rewatch it before recording a podcast on it.

Thus ends my nitpick bitching about this free content.
 

The Needler

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Thus ends my nitpick bitching about this free content.
Is this a thing now, feeling bad about criticizing media you don't (directly) pay for? network TV, online fake news, and public domain books, we should should just shut up and be grateful for? What about the second through fifth movies I see per month using moviepass?
 

Leskanic's Thread

lost underscore
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I don't think it's "a thing" so much as a comment in anticipation of the "well, we'll make sure to get you a full refund" retort that can come in response to criticisms of things like podcasts, online articles, message board chatter, etc.

Either way, I think the "stop listening if you don't like it" is the better line of thinking in such instances.
 

Gunfighter 09

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Fourteen minutes in, and the Denzel podcast is already outstanding.

Yep, Denzel is skyrocketing up my “celebrity I would want to share a few beers with” chart based on that podcast. The Ray Allen story is awesome and I really enjoyed listening to Denzel talk about his sons.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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Thirded on the Denzel podcast. He is fantastic and Sprtsguy33 gets the best out of him. Highly recommended for any fans of Washington and or Simmons.
 

ifmanis5

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Bill re-ups with HBO. Not seeing any terms of the deal but The Ringer is doing well.
Hollywood Reporter‏Verified account @THR
Bill Simmons is staying put at HBO with a pact focused on sports programming. @LaceyVRose with details

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/bill-simmons-hbo-1202882395/
The Ringer, in its second year, is breaking its traffic records each month with June being their highest trafficked month ever with over 40 million page views and close to 10 million unique visitors. That is up 40% over the same time frame last year.
 

allstonite

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I love the Sports Repodders and wish they did it at least once a month. And maybe mixed in more people, like our own Chad Finn. Jason Gay’s parting shots are always hilarious

“Just kidding Bill. You don’t write anymore”
 

luckiestman

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On Rewatchables “Die Hard”, Bill dropping a “fuck that guy” about Roger Ebert and Fennesey being distraught by it was one of the best podcast listening moments of my life.
 

shlincoln

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I never knew how much I wanted to hear Simmons attempt to say "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" until just now.
 

chrisfont9

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Thirded on the Denzel podcast. He is fantastic and Sprtsguy33 gets the best out of him. Highly recommended for any fans of Washington and or Simmons.
I dunno, I thought Simmons did that thing he sometimes does, which annoys me, where he keeps insisting on a fan's point of view to someone who actually produces the thing (actor, athlete, etc) and who clearly can't see things from the fan's view. It got especially awkward with Jeff Goldblum too. He's generally excellent and I'm a fan, but he needs to be able to adapt during an interview to where the subject is coming from.
 

Kliq

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JackO has a fun rant on today’s BS Podcast; if you want to hear a depressed Yankee fan lose it.
 

gtg807y

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And he's promoting his teenage daughter's Instagram page? [puts on "as a parent!" hat] As a parent, that's really fucking weird.
 

Vandalman

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On Rewatchables “Die Hard”, Bill dropping a “fuck that guy” about Roger Ebert and Fennesey being distraught by it was one of the best podcast listening moments of my life.
The "How Do We Cast Danny Trejo in This Movie" segment is one of the best parts of The Rewatchables. Hearing them do Danny Trejo as every major character in Good Will Hunting, for example, makes for a great podcast.
 

braudimusprime

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She's great. I never would have listened to an interview that was just Simmons and Bo Burnham, but having her in the 3rd chair made for a really interesting conversation.
 

johnmd20

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Actually Jack-O is right next to me with a loaded gun to my head. Oh no, he caught me typing ... tell my wife that I lo
Actually Jack-O is right next to me with a loaded gun to my head. Oh no, he caught me typing ... tell my wife that I lo
Actually Jack-O is right next to me with a loaded gun to my head. Oh no, he caught me typing ... tell my wife that I lo
Whoa.

Anyway, the first time I heard Simmons' daughter was going to be on the Podcast, I audibly groaned. And then I cringed and I was unequivocally embarrassed for Bill. Then I listened to her and I did a full 180. She adds a lot to the show. She's funny, poised, engaging, and polished. I guess they focus grouped her and it worked. Zoe is excellent.

You know what isn't excellent? Simmons going on Larry Wilmore's podcast and saying he thinks it's possible the moon landing was faked. Come on Bill, COME ON.
 

Vinho Tinto

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You know what isn't excellent? Simmons going on Larry Wilmore's podcast and saying he thinks it's possible the moon landing was faked. Come on Bill, COME ON.
Is it surprising? He used to proclaim that bird shit landing on you was a sign of good luck. I’ve only taken it that my shirt is likely ruined.
 

cheech13

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Simmons has his kid on his podcast? He's become everything that he's hated.
She's really good for her age. I doubt I'd be as prepared or as smooth on a podcast.

However, putting my Mr. Judging Parent hat on for a moment, listening to her and Bill discuss the things she and his son are into gives me the impression that's he's a terrible parent. Granted my kids are younger, but I can't imagine letting my kids spend their entire day on Instragram and Youtube or playing Fortnite.
 

HowBoutDemSox

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However, putting my Mr. Judging Parent hat on for a moment, listening to her and Bill discuss the things she and his son are into gives me the impression that's he's a terrible parent. Granted my kids are younger, but I can't imagine letting my kids spend their entire day on Instragram and Youtube or playing Fortnite.
You never listened to the Cousin Sal podcasts where they did the Parent’s Corner segment, did you?
 

shlincoln

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You know what isn't excellent? Simmons going on Larry Wilmore's podcast and saying he thinks it's possible the moon landing was faked. Come on Bill, COME ON.
Wilmore roasting Simmons about it was pretty great though.
 

kenneycb

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She's really good for her age. I doubt I'd be as prepared or as smooth on a podcast.

However, putting my Mr. Judging Parent hat on for a moment, listening to her and Bill discuss the things she and his son are into gives me the impression that's he's a terrible parent. Granted my kids are younger, but I can't imagine letting my kids spend their entire day on Instragram and Youtube or playing Fortnite.
He probably lets them wear baggy pants and their hat backwards too.
 

johnmd20

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She's really good for her age. I doubt I'd be as prepared or as smooth on a podcast.

However, putting my Mr. Judging Parent hat on for a moment, listening to her and Bill discuss the things she and his son are into gives me the impression that's he's a terrible parent. Granted my kids are younger, but I can't imagine letting my kids spend their entire day on Instragram and Youtube or playing Fortnite.
How could you listen to his daughter on his podcast and come away thinking anything but, "Man, she's on the ball, and incredibly polished for a THIRTEEN year old, she must have been raised pretty well."
 

nattysez

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JackO has a fun rant on today’s BS Podcast; if you want to hear a depressed Yankee fan lose it.
Not as fun: JackO proving that he (as he admitted) did not watch much of the series after repeatedly insisting that the MFY don't throw at the Red Sox enough in a series when they nearly beaned Mookie.
 

Kliq

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How could you listen to his daughter on his podcast and come away thinking anything but, "Man, she's on the ball, and incredibly polished for a THIRTEEN year old, she must have been raised pretty well."
It also seems pretty judgmental to believe that his kids only look at Instagram and play Fortnite. I mean, he brings up Fortnite because that’s something he likes to do with his kids, and most 13 year old girls are into Instagram.

Before he started having his daughter on the show, 90 percent of the time he talked about her was in relation to some soccer tournament she was in, so it’s clearly not all they do.
 

Spacemans Bong

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He’s the dirty little secret of the Simmons-Jacko pods: neither one of them is much of a baseball fan. Actually it’s not much of a secret.
I think Simmons might be better than JackO, at least when it comes to his own team. At least Simmons actually watched most of the action from a huge series between rivals that are both playing at or near a 100-win pace.