The Bill Simmons Thread

[Hal Waffid]

I thought Bill was decent this time. He asked why the eye test seems to support one conclusion among the punditry (“Yay, Dallas!”) while all the data and history points strongly towards Boston. Which was a good way of framing the disconnect, such that it allowed him to make the case that Boston is being criminally disrespected without sounding whiny and partisan.

That's excellent. This is why I like him. That and when he is a hypocrite it is the funny kind of hypocrisy and not the irritating kind.

BS: Dan Shaughnessy wrote the Celtics have a chance to end a drought...Boston teams haven't won a title in 5 years and 4 months. Apparently that's a drought. I think he was kidding
Ryen: (sounding totally serious) well...depends on what your standard is

 

[The Social Chair]

View: https://www.twitter.com/ToLey88/status/1795226102224298492

 

[TomRicardo]

Ryen wants it both ways. Too much of a coward to pick the Mavs so we get hedged Cs pick. I want to slap this fucking guy for the way he tries to diminish Tatum. He better keep up is little Muay Thai lessons if he plans on coming back to the mean streets of CT. Call me a Stan or whatever, Russillo is dead to me now.

Russillo really doesn't value defense but really doesn't want to be the guy that doesn't value defense. It is weird because he understands what goes into defense, he understands what is needed, but like can't make the comment that Brown is better than Irving defensively.

He wants to see beautiful basketball. He was guys to scream and yell like assholes but when it comes time to actually grind, Ryen hates the living shit out of it. It is weird position for curmudgeon like him who are usually pro defense. There is a reason he loves Luka and Ant over an SGA.

 

[Auger34]

RR is not a fan of Jaylen Brown as a player at all. Even his compliments are weirdly backhanded (or just really not compliments)

 

[Hal Waffid]

I don't like that BS has RR and Bryan Curtis on RR does most of the talking. RR should be a distant 3rd chair in that room. Too many people in the booth.

 

[ifmanis5]

I did like the Perk live tweeting the Revolutionary War bit. The Colonies winning the trade deadline by adding the French Navy was a good line.

 

[ElUno20]

Cousin Sal! This will be the first bs i download and listen straight through in a while.

 

[JCizzle]

I did like the Perk live tweeting the Revolutionary War bit. The Colonies winning the trade deadline by adding the French Navy was a good line.

I was dying at that. I would love a ‘Perk tweets a historical event’ segment.

 

[ElUno20]

I dont see how a team as cool as the celtics could lose

That line was wild. Even for Bill.

 

[TomRicardo]

I don't like that BS has RR and Bryan Curtis on RR does most of the talking. RR should be a distant 3rd chair in that room. Too many people in the booth.

The great irony being the discussion was about how there are too many people on a NBA broadcast.

 

[Kliq]

I dont see how a team as cool as the celtics could lose

That line was wild. Even for Bill.

I loved it. Bill has been afraid to fully embrace the Celtics team throughout the playoffs, and now that they've reached the Finals and he has had to listen to all the same Mav-loving media takes that we all have, he's just finally decided he is going to fanboy out and love this team. He would have never said that line with Russillo, but with Sal and House it was perfect. Sal's response of "What are you, ten years old?" was perfect.

I also thought Bill's "We are going to break, and when we come back, House is going to apologize to everyone for saying the term bitch bet" was hilarious.

 

[Remagellan]

I loved it. Bill has been afraid to fully embrace the Celtics team throughout the playoffs, and now that they've reached the Finals and he has had to listen to all the same Mav-loving media takes that we all have, he's just finally decided he is going to fanboy out and love this team. He would have never said that line with Russillo, but with Sal and House it was perfect. Sal's response of "What are you, ten years old?" was perfect.

I also thought Bill's "We are going to break, and when we come back, House is going to apologize to everyone for saying the term bitch bet" was hilarious.

I hate the Celtics, which is a large part of the reason why I haven't been listening to his pods with Russillo during the playoffs, because whenever I dipped into one I felt he was doing a bs BS "reverse jinx" by talking up their potential Western opponents over a team that has posted numbers that have them ranked not just as the best team this season, but as one of the best teams in history. But it was refreshing to hear Bill finally say what I believe he's believed all along, and even talk a little about the fear that because of how great this team has been, it will be devastating if they lose, even knowing, as House kept pushing, that they're still loaded for next season. Because one need only be reminded by Bill Walton's recent passing of the fate of the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers, whose budding dynasty was stifled in the cradle, to know that nothing is guaranteed from year to year.

And I'm fine with Bill gushing like a ten year old over his team. My goodness, if sports can't make you feel like that from time to time, why would we ever bother following them?

 

[Foxy42]

Cousin Sal saying all Ringer employees get a 3% raise and an autographed camouflage Russillo sweatshirt if the C’s win was gold…

 

[Mystic Merlin]

The fact EVERYONE at the Ringer, with the possible exception of KOC, wants the Celtics to lose horribly just to fuck with Bill/revel in his pain makes a Bill heelturn into unapologetic fanboy the right move.

 

[johnmd20]

The fact EVERYONE at the Ringer, with the possible exception of KOC, wants the Celtics to lose horribly just to fuck with Bill/revel in his pain makes a Bill heelturn into unapologetic fanboy the right move.

I think this is because for the last 4 years, Bill has taken pride and joy when his friend's sports teams lose, immediately having them on the pod if they have suffered a tough loss. So he can mock them.

Schadenfreude is real.

 

[BosoxFaninCincy]

I was not paying much attention to the Dad episode, and I don't know nearly as much about BS as many, but he was talking about coming back to Boston for games when he was going to high school in CT. Where did BS go to high school? I am so not up on the family dynamics.

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

I was not paying much attention to the Dad episode, and I don't know nearly as much about BS as many, but he was talking about coming back to Boston for games when he was going to high school in CT. Where did BS go to high school? I am so not up on the family dynamics.

Parents divorced and he went with his mom to CT. He went to a private school in Greenwich for HS.

 

[luckiestman]

I was not paying much attention to the Dad episode, and I don't know nearly as much about BS as many, but he was talking about coming back to Boston for games when he was going to high school in CT. Where did BS go to high school? I am so not up on the family dynamics.

Greenwich Country Day, I think. Divorce situation.

 

[ManicCompression]

Do these podcasts with his dad get an audience? It’s an auto skip for me and I can’t imagine many folks sit through all of it

 

[tims4wins]

Do these podcasts with his dad get an audience? It’s an auto skip for me and I can’t imagine many folks sit through all of it

It's not good.

 

[luckiestman]

Do these podcasts with his dad get an audience? It’s an auto skip for me and I can’t imagine many folks sit through all of it

His dad is minimum 5x smarter than RR so you’re telling on yourself

 

[Bongorific]

Do these podcasts with his dad get an audience? It’s an auto skip for me and I can’t imagine many folks sit through all of it

I enjoy them for the quaintness. It sounds like when I talk to my old uncles about sports when I see them once a year at the family Christmas party in Boston.

 

[nattysez]

I almost never listen to the podcasts with his dad, but this was an exception for me. The guy has seen a lot of Celtics games in his lifetime and just left a good win. I correctly assumed it would be a pleasant listen.

 

[bankshot1]

Simmon's dad is a long time fan, with deep institutional knowledge, who understands the game and speaks his mind clearly. You're not going to get contrived hot takes and his kid gives him a nice platform. I think the father/son chats about a shared experience is sort of refreshing,

 

[tims4wins]

At least Bill was able to give up 2nd row Joe, although his dad doesn't seem to, yet.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

His dad seems like a generally pleasant guy that, while tending toward negativity as a fan, really enjoys watching basketball. I know several people like him in my extended family. I can understand why someone wouldn’t want to experience an hour of Bill talking to him, but I don’t mind him in doses. There’s no real agenda he brings and he isn’t forcing a schtick for laughs or attention, and I like hearing about the games he’s seen in person.

 

[chrisfont9]

Agree with the above. Bill and his dad talking about the Sox is like reading the Shaughnessy comments, but I have a lot of respect for Dr. Bill's NBA acumen, and Bill's too. I have skipped a few of their pods when they get overly negative, but last night's was a good indicator of why they're worth listening to. They talked about Holiday, just watching all the things he does on the court that you won't necessarily see unless you're in the building. Stuff like that, and their history at Cs games, is good insight.

 

[cromulence]

Do these podcasts with his dad get an audience? It’s an auto skip for me and I can’t imagine many folks sit through all of it

I'm with you on this. I usually listen to his dad for five minutes and then wonder why the hell I'm listening to this and switch to something else.

 

[8slim]

I find the pod with his father to be sweet and enjoyable.

 

[JCizzle]

Hey Bill, if you read this before your pod - ask Ryen how the slob's defense was tonight after spending the first twenty minutes gushing over tough midrange shots.

 

[8slim]

I’m looking forward to hearing how awful Russillo will be on tonight’s pod.

 

[JCizzle]

I’m looking forward to hearing how awful Russillo will be on tonight’s pod.

I generally really enjoy Russillo, but this team is a glaring blind spot for him.

 

[luckiestman]

I generally really enjoy Russillo, but this team is a glaring blind spot for him.

I listened to his post game analysis of game one and I figured out this asshole’s trick. He is a master at making it sound like he has a deep understanding of something when that something has already happened; he sounds like a genius. Problem for him is I heard the trash falling out of his face that was forward looking.

 

[The Social Chair]

I’m looking forward to hearing how awful Russillo will be on tonight’s pod.

I haven't listened but I groaned when I read "more Tatum struggles" as the first topic in the description.

 

[The Social Chair]

I haven't listened but I groaned when I read "more Tatum struggles" as the first topic in the description.

Worse than expected. Russillo and Simmons both don't know much about basketball. When they go to live games and can't steal analysis from twitter it becomes very apparent.

Russillo's smugness is unbearable and he sounds like an idiot tonight. Just the worst POINTZ discussion possible.

 

[jose melendez]

Worse than expected. Russillo and Simmons both don't know much about basketball. When they go to live games and can't steal analysis from twitter it becomes very apparent.

Russillo's smugness is unbearable and he sounds like an idiot tonight. Just the worst POINTZ discussion possible.

I don’t really buy that, but they absolutely have a blind spot on Luka. Very little discussion of the fact that perhaps Luka’s issue is conditioning.

Also, Tatum was awful last night is not that good a take. He shot like shit and finished like shit, but there’s no way he was worse than Kyrie. He had great passes and continued to defend well. Kyrie was bad at everything.

 

[Mystic Merlin]

‘Kyrie was awesome compared to Tatum.’ - Russillo, minutes after saying Kyrie has been bad.

Tell me more.

‘If Luka was healthier I think they woulda stolen the game.’ You mean less plobby? Hey, what if KAT wasn’t a headcase? I guess the TWolves, who Simmons declared had basically won the Finals after beating Denver, would’ve won last night, too.

 

[m0ckduck]

‘Kyrie was awesome compared to Tatum.’ - Russillo, minutes after saying Kyrie has been bad.

I think that's the single dumbest take I've ever heard on the Simmons podcast, and I've been a regular listener for years.

The plain insistence on turning Tatum's bad shooting night into sweeping indictment of him as a player (ignoring the playmaking, rebounding and defense) is making my brain cells fizzle. Russillo is now back to droning on about Tatum's turnovers in Game one (?!) without mentioning that Luka had 8 of them last night.

 

[m0ckduck]

On a lesser note of whining by me: Jrue has been awesome this series, and I don't mean to take anything away from him. But Simmons' steady fixation on him as the C's best player in the Finals so far smacks so much of "I know hoops, I pay attention to all the little things, look at me dissecting the game." Of Holiday's 26 points last night, I have half directly assisted by Tatum, 11 of them on room service layups— and yet, virtually no mention of this, Tatum was allegedly a disgrace to the game of basketball, etc etc.

edit: credit where credit is due: Simmons just described Kyrie's offensive game as "sports movie offense," which is perfect. Russillo continues to embarrass himself suggesting that he'll go for 50 in G3.

 

[BS_SoxFan]

These playoffs have broken Ryen’s brain, and honestly really turned me off to him in general. His podcast used to be a weekly must listen for me and he’s been so bad on these Bill pods that I find myself skipping a lot of his episodes or just fast forwarding to life advice. He needs a break.

 

[ElUno20]

RR has always been unlistenable to me. I'm glad you Cs fans are finally coming to that conclusion.

 

[8slim]

These playoffs have broken Ryen’s brain, and honestly really turned me off to him in general. His podcast used to be a weekly must listen for me and he’s been so bad on these Bill pods that I find myself skipping a lot of his episodes or just fast forwarding to life advice. He needs a break.

I listened to RR's show a few times a couple years ago. I thought it was decent, but at first I assumed the life advice segment must be parody. You know, because the guy giving life advice isn't married, has no kids, and was arrested for being drunk and naked in a strangers house six years ago.

 

[88 MVP]

I liked Russillo, and listened to most of his pods and his Sunday NBA pods with Bill. The takes on last nignt’s pod were a joke. He is so completely invested in his narratives that Luka is right there with Jocic as the undisputed #2 player on the planet, and that Tatum will *never ever* be a top 4 player, and filters everything through that lens. He’s become unlistenable.

Also, lol at him saying Pritchard is unplayable in this series because he’s missed a few shots. I thought PP competed his ass off and played very credible defense when switched onto Luka last night.

 

[luckiestman]

edit: credit where credit is due: Simmons just described Kyrie's offensive game as "sports movie offense," which is perfect. Russillo continues to embarrass himself suggesting that he'll go for 50 in G3.

Bill is safe from a lot of the traps RR falls into. Billy’s a fun guy with a strong rooting interest and his correctness isn’t that important but if you pay attention to over unders, guess the lines, and other preseason stuff he seems to do pretty good. In the preseason, BS was all over OKC being good this year and tape grinder was super skeptical.

 

[BS_SoxFan]

I listened to RR's show a few times a couple years ago. I thought it was decent, but at first I assumed the life advice segment must be parody. You know, because the guy giving life advice isn't married, has no kids, and was arrested for being drunk and naked in a strangers house six years ago.

Yeah I’m certainly not taking any advice from him on my marriage or kids, but it’s a fun listen and he has good rapport with Nephew Kyle and Cirutti so it’s usually the best part of the podcast.

 

[nattysez]

I've thought this thread was previously being a bit too hard on RR, but saying Tatum was "terrible" last night is indefensible. One rebound away from a triple double in a Finals game and as referenced above, he fed Jrue a bunch of times.

 

[Vinho Tinto]

John Dennis had Ruttillo pegged years ago; but Ryen still has a nice view of the Pacific.

 

[Seabass]

Bill, you're right, great point. You know how you've been saying that Spurs can't throw an entry pass to Wemby, well, I'm gonna zag on you here, I think you're underselling how much they can't throw him an entry pass, so you're even more right than I thought you were, which was completely right! Have you heard of World War II? I'm not lonely, just strong. Tatum was terrible and Kyrie's going for fifty next game unless you don't think he's gonna go for fifty at which point I will say what do you think he's gonna go for and then in like three minutes I'm gonna say I think he's gonna go for that number and then pretend to have forgotten you said that, and then point out that we agree completely! Was the last one out loud? OK, going to Greenland for five days! Boats!

 

[8slim]

Bill is safe from a lot of the traps RR falls into. Billy’s a fun guy with a strong rooting interest and his correctness isn’t that important but if you pay attention to over unders, guess the lines, and other preseason stuff he seems to do pretty good. In the preseason, BS was all over OKC being good this year and tape grinder was super skeptical.

Yep, Bill’s a fun hang. He’s enthusiastic and funny, comes up with silly categories that are ridiculous but great to talk about, and is just generally a good guy to listen to for an hour or 2. I don't need him to be right, he’s here to entertain us.

Russillo is just a monotonous drag.

 

[Auger34]

‘Kyrie was awesome compared to Tatum.’ - Russillo, minutes after saying Kyrie has been bad.

Tell me more.

‘If Luka was healthier I think they woulda stolen the game.’ You mean less plobby? Hey, what if KAT wasn’t a headcase? I guess the TWolves, who Simmons declared had basically won the Finals after beating Denver, would’ve won last night, too.

Wait....what?!?!?

Tatum had a terrible shooting night but was aces at everything else. Kyrie had a bad to mediocre shooting night and absolutely sucked at everything else.

For someone that talks incessantly about taking notes during games and sets and all of that shit, this is an embarrassing take by Russillo.

It's not that surprising though. He has a negative blind spot for this Celtics team and is obsessed with Luka.