The Press Box

Latest Episodes:

Did Reporters Blow It With Biden? Plus, POTUS Breaks His Silence and a Report From the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp. Jul 08, 2024

Show notes

Hello media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show with talk of a rare breaking of silence: President Joe Biden’s interview on ABC (0:40). Then, they discuss the "Now They Tell Us" headline from the New York Post (13:50) and talk through whether or not the press blew it when it comes to reporting on Joe Biden (17:58).

Later, in the Notebook Dump, Bryan talks about visiting the NFL Broadcast Bootcamp for current and former players, and shares some sound as they discuss being a rookie at something again (29:55)

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Biden’s Next Move, Blaming the President’s Staff, and What It Was Like at the Debate With Tim Miller of 'The Bulwark' Jul 02, 2024

Show notes

With the holiday coming up, Bryan is treating you to the Final Edition of 'The Press Box' early. He welcomes MSNBC analyst and 'Bulwark' podcast contributor Tim Miller, and they discuss the following:

The atmosphere in Atlanta during the debate (2:14)
Reactions to some Biden family members blaming staffers for the performance (13:15)
Reactions to the media telling Biden to remove himself from the race (19:09)

This podcast was recorded before the announcement that Biden will sit down for a TV interview.

Plus, David Shoemaker guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Tim Miller

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Can the Media Shove Joe Biden Off the Ticket? Plus, A.I. Al Michaels and the NFL’s Big Loss in Court. Jul 01, 2024

Show notes

Hello media consumers! Bryan and David talk for the first time since the presidential debate. They discuss whether or not the media could push Joe Biden off the ticket and have an open Democratic convention to choose the candidate (1:45).

Later, in the Notebook Dump, they get into Al Michaels agreeing to allow NBC to use his voice for AI for olympics coverage (40:50) Then they discuss the antitrust lawsuit and the NFL loss regarding the ‘Sunday Ticket’ (51:06).

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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The Debate and the Democratic Panic With Semafor’s Benjy Sarlin. Plus, Jeff Greenfield Revisits Four Presidential Campaigns. Jun 28, 2024

Show notes

On the Final Edition, Bryan has a jam-packed show following the presidential debate.

First, he welcomes Semafor's Benjy Sarlin for a recap. They discuss:

The worst part of the night for Joe Biden (1:08)
The timing of the debate (10:35)
The history of incumbent presidents who've lost their first debates (15:31)
Ben’s opinion on whether or not Biden will be the Democratic nominee on election day (26:06)
What stood out about Donald Trump (31:04)
Anderson Cooper’s interview with Vice President Kamala Harris (39:19)

Then, he welcomes longtime CNN and ABC News political analyst Jeff Greenfield, who takes us back down memory lane as he revisits four presidential campaigns that he's covered in his career.

How Trump has changed everything he thought about campaigns (50:39).
Biden's run for president in 1988 and its collapse (54:12).
Television's importance to presidential campaigns in the '80s (56:43)
Behind the scenes of the race between George H. W. Bush and the Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in 1988 (61:35)
Bill Clinton's decision not to do an interview with Howard Stern interview, and Biden's decision to go through with it (70:46)
CNN's coverage of the 2000 election (76:17)
Observations from the Al Gore and George W. Bush campaigns (79:40).
Revisiting the night Florida was called for Al Gore and then recalled (84:12)
Covering the 2008 election and how campaigns were thinking about television in the age of social media (88:17)
What stands out about the Democratic primary campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (91:39)

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guests: Benjy Sarlin and Jeff Greenfield

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Your Biden-Trump Debate Cheat Sheet, ESPN’s Opening Bid for Stephen A., and the Return of the New York Tabloids With Jason Gay Jun 24, 2024

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan welcomes Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay. He kicks off the show with five thoughts on the upcoming presidential debate (2:23). Then they discuss ESPN’s first bid to Stephen A. Smith and how it compares to Pat McAfee’s deal (20:21). Later, they talk about JJ Redick becoming the new Lakers head coach and leaving the podcast game (33:42). They close the show with the 48 New York tabloid headlines about Justin Timberlake’s arrest (54:07).

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Jason Gay

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Zaz and the NBA Rights, CNN’s Rocky Road to the Biden-Trump Debate, and the Washington Post's Embattled Publisher With Puck’s Dylan Byers Jun 20, 2024

Show notes

On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes Dylan Byers and starts the show with a discussion about the word “defenestration" (1:20).Then they discuss the following:

Dylan’s reaction to Charles Barkley’s "retirement” (2:42)
What did David Zaslav and Warner Bros. Discovery do wrong during the NBA negotiations (9:18)?
CNN producing the presidential debate (15:02)
William Lewis, ’Washington Post’ publisher, gets embattled (30:16).

Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Dylan Byers

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Charles Barkley “Retires,” the Journalist and the Brat Pack, Agony at the U.S. Open, and CNN’s Big Debate Jun 18, 2024

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show by discussing yet another Charles Barkley “retirement announcement” (0:42). Then, they close out this NBA season with talk of ESPN adding an active player to their pregame show (13:14) and JJ Redick potentially being the first podcaster turned NBA coach (15:50). They then discuss the upcoming presidential debate and why it will be a huge night for CNN (19:40).

Later in the Notebook Dump, they get into the Brat Pack documentary and why it is an interesting, secret media movie (32:01).

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Final (?) NBA Finals Takes, the Caitlin Clark Discourse, and Hollywood’s Junket Crisis With Katie Baker Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

On the Final Edition, Bryan welcomes Katie Baker, and they have a loaded show for you, with the following discussion topics:

Brian Windhorst's Scarface-like message to Luka Doncic (1:45)
Jayson Tatum’s reaction to Joe Mazzulla's quotes (5:57)
Remembering Jerry West, a friend to sportswriters everywhere (14:03)
The Olympics and Caitlin Clark discourse (24:03)
The Hollywood junket crisis (37:14)
Remembering Howard Fineman (52:14)

Then, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Katie Baker

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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How Is ESPN Covering the Finals? Plus, a Chaotic Week at The Washington Post and the Art of the Awkward Interview. Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! Bryan and David kick off the show with sounds from a couple of awkward interviews (1:05). Then, they get into the following topics:

Reactions to ESPN’s halftime show criticism (9:31)
Doris Burke makes television history (18:07)
JJ Redick’s upside as an announcer (20:42)

Later, in the Notebook Dump, they discuss a chaotic week at The Washington Post (33:01)

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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Bob Costas on Michael Jordan, "Roundball Rock," Bill Walton, and 12 Years of the NBA on NBC Jun 05, 2024

Show notes

Hello, media consumers! The NBA Finals begin this week, so Bryan brings you the podcast a day early, and he welcomes one of the most prolific voices in basketball history, Bob Costas.

They take a look back at Bob’s time with NBC, discussing the following:

The first year of the NBA on NBC and how Bob was wanted as a play-by-play announcer (2:02)
The art of putting together the story of the game (6:52)
Michael Jordan’s run during the beginning of the NBC era (16:22)
The O.J. Simpson chase during the 1994 NBA Finals (24:28)
Calling what we thought at the time was Michael Jordan’s final shot in the NBA (41:01)
The 1998-99 NBA lockout (45:22)

Plus, David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline.

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guest: Bob Costas

Producer: Brian H. Waters

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