The Jonah Keri Podcast

Jonah Keri interviews David Schoenfield of ESPN, the new lead blogger and editor for the SweetSpot blog, replacing Rob Neyer. Topics include: Inflaming reader passions and perceived biases; previews of the NL East, AL Central, and AL West; whether defense is overrated; Seattle Mariners; whether the Texas Rangers can repeat; the AL Wild Card; speeding up the game; and splits and platoons. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Bethlehem Shoals and Eric Freeman of FreeDarko, and co-authors of the bookThe Undisputed Guide to Pro Basketball History. Topics include: Forgotten NBA legend Maurice Stokes; perpetual bridesmaids Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson; legacies past and present; individual superstars vs. team play; Derrick Rose; Russell Westbrook; the best player on a team always taking the last shot in a close game; and a preview of the NBA Playoffs. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Tom Penders, former college basketball coach and author of "Dead Coach Walking: Tom Penders Surviving and Thriving in College Hoops." Topics include: In-game awareness; the AAU; aggressive boosters, NCAA rules, and changes through the years in youth sports; extending the free market system to college athletics; the "student" in "student-athlete"; March Madness; dealing with the loss of a team's best player; breakout stars of the tournament; instant replay and selective officiating based on circumstance; and coping with losing.

Jonah Keri interviews Daryl Morey, General Manager of the Houston Rockets. They discuss the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference (which Daryl chairs); coming back from a mediocre NBA season; the NBA draft; NBA teams' use of statistical analysis; NBA owners; attracting players to a city like Houston; the playoff system; international scouting; NBA coaching; and the benefits of single-minded players. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

In a special edition of the podcast for the Wired.com Playbook, Jonah Keri interviews Michael Schur, co-creator of the NBC television show "Parks and Recreation" and former writer/producer for "The Office" (and on-screen, Mose Schrute on "The Office"). Schur also wrote about sports journalism as Ken Tremendous for FireJoeMorgan.com. Topics include: The legacy of Fire Joe Morgan, people who believe the world is flat, grasping for viewers in the era of niche television programming and web-based entertainment, the great Ron Swanson, character development on "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation," the creepiness of social media, and the chances for the Red Sox in 2011.

Jonah Keri interviews Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus about baseball prospects, player development, scouting, the future of the Kansas City Royals, the Atlanta Braves farm system, continuing the San Diego Padres' success, the benefits of having a couple of potential future superstars like the Washington Nationals versus having many solid but less spectacular prospects, catchers and shortstops with good bats but iffy gloves, the "closer mentality," enlightenment, and conspiracy theories. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Chris Jones of Esquire Magazine about game show-related investigative journalism, home renovations, the difference between wisdom and intelligence, magazine writing versus Web writing, writers' curiosity, developing story ideas, anti-intellectualism, war journalism, Chris's blog Son of Bold Venture, and meta conversations about media. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Rob Neyer, now a baseball writer for SB Nation and movie buff. This Oscars special covers Best Picture nominees, documentaries, English period pieces, Best Actor and Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Actor, and Best Director. Baseball topics include Rob's switch from ESPN.com to SB Nation, Rob as a mentor, the NL Central race, helping players with serious problems like alcoholism, a potential surprise of the 2011 season, and the upcoming MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference at which Rob and Jonah will be on the Baseball Analytics panel. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated about writing as a generalist and an outsider; writing what you know; budgeting time; writing in list format; one-downsmanship; public funding of sports stadiums and museums; podcasting; and performance-enhancing drugs and different eras in baseball history. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Jon Wertheim, writer for Sports Illustrated and co-author of the new book, Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won, about Scorecasting; going for it on 4th down; sports ownership; the impact of individual performances; excessive risk aversion; irrational thresholds; the "I" in "team"; whistle-swallowing by referees; icing; Tiger Woods and loss aversion; tennis; and MMA. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated about media criticism, sports media figures as celebrities, plagiarism, scandals, mainstream media crediting bloggers, Twitter and the fan experience, breaking news, the trend of mainstream columnists moving to blogger-oriented networks, search engine optimization, whether talented young writers can make a living in sports media, and the future of stadium attendance in the era of HDTV. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Dirk Hayhurst, a pitcher recently signed by the Tampa Bay Rays. Dirk is only the third active major leaguer ever to pen a New York Times-bestselling book. They discuss Dirk's book The Bullpen Gospels; Dirk's literary influences; catharsis through writing; baseball players seeking help for dealing with personal problems; how a celibate teetotaler fit into a baseball clubhouse; how baseball might react if a player came out as gay; the impact of social media on baseball; The Garfoose; reconciling a dream job with the realities of baseball life; "nutrition" in baseball; impressions of the Rays; and Dirk's next book. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri chats with Dan Shulman, ESPN play-by-play man for college basketball, NBA, and, soon, baseball's Sunday Night Game of the Week. Topics include: Duke-Maryland rivalry; Duke's bad rap; working with Dick Vitale; integrating statistics into play-by-play without alienating fans; teams to watch as we head into March Madness; approaching play-by-play in college versus professional basketball; the Clippers; taking over The Big Chair at Sunday Night Baseball; and whether the Toronto Blue Jays are headed in the right direction. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

Jonah Keri interviews Luke Winn of Sports Illustrated all about college basketball. Topics include: The Jimmer; the Mountain West conference; Kemba Walker and Jared Sullinger; Kenneth Faried, the next Dennis Rodman; whether unknowns still exist in the draft; the lost art of rebounding; Duke's present and future; integrating statistical analysis into sportswriting; The Style Archive; and stories for casual basketball fans to watch before we hit March Madness. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.

A conversation between Jonah Keri and Alex Belth, proprietor of the Bronx Banter blog and columnist for SI.com. They discuss Alex's years in the film industry including on The Big Lebowski; his work on Ken Burns' Baseball; the rise of Bronx Banter; the importance of community in the blogosphere and the lost art of quality writing; Montreal Bagels; Lasting Yankee Stadium Memories; the new book on Alex Rodriguez and author access; and self-promotion. Plus, the Food Pick of the Week.