Random Offense is an interactive news show confronting the cultural flashpoints that reliably ignite debate across the sports world. This show invites you to dig deeper, challenge assumptions, and join the conversation in a way sports media rarely has.
Ethan Strauss is a former NBA beat writer for ESPN and The Athletic who knows the inner workings of traditional sports media. Now, on 2WAY, he's hosting unfiltered conversations with media moguls, broadcasters, former athletes, and fans. He’s joined by producer Trace Crutchfield, whose background in immersive, offbeat reporting helps guide the show’s tone. Between Ethan and Trace, all bases are covered—especially the ones nobody else dares to touch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Random Offense is an interactive news show confronting the cultural flashpoints that reliably ignite debate across the sports world. This show invites you to dig deeper, challenge assumptions, and join the conversation in a way sports media rarely has.
Ethan Strauss is a former NBA beat writer for ESPN and The Athletic who knows the inner workings of traditional sports media. Now, on 2WAY, he's hosting unfiltered conversations with media moguls, broadcasters, former athletes, and fans. He’s joined by producer Trace Crutchfield, whose background in immersive, offbeat reporting helps guide the show’s tone. Between Ethan and Trace, all bases are covered—especially the ones nobody else dares to touch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, host Ethan Strauss and guest Ryan Glasspiegel dissect a "bombshell" NBA scandal involving two sweeping FBI indictments linking league personnel to organized crime and illegal gambling. They break down the "Operation Nothing But Net" case, which accuses Terry Rozier and Damon Jones of insider sports betting , and the "Operation Royal Flush" case, which accuses coach Chauncey Billups of involvement in rigged, high-stakes mafia poker games. The hosts explore the even more serious allegation that Billups also engaged in game-fixing by tipping off a gambler about sitting his starters , and discuss the scandal's proximity to LeBron James via Billups' "Clutch Sports" agency hoodie and Damon Jones' close friendships. The conversation also covers the political angle, including Stephen A. Smith's controversial theory that the indictments from Kash Patel's FBI are Trump's "revenge" on the "woke" league. The hosts also discuss how the NBA's own normalization of "tanking" may have provided "cover" for this corruption. Finally, they pivot to the positive, praising the NBA's new media presentation, particularly the "beautifully done" production and nostalgic feel of NBA on NBC.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
(0:00) Show Introduction
(0:56) LeBron James Injury Discussion
(2:59) LeBron's Hennessy Ad Controversy
(6:30) Inside Nike's Ad Agency
(8:34) Athletes and Their Public Personas
(11:50) Lakers Drama with Luka Doncic
(16:16) Clippers Controversy and Fan Response
(20:44) Language Learning and Basketball
(46:39) ESPN Ratings Discussion
(55:23) Origins of Basketball Terms and Show Wrap-up
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(0:00) Intro
(1:12) Kimmel vs Trump Analysis
(8:12) Corporate Boycotts Impact
(13:08) NFL Ratings Controversy
(17:23) Athlete Podcast Boom
(52:50) Caitlyn Clark Marketing
(1:00:04) Brady's Announcing Career
(1:01:19) Final Thoughts
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Mike Pesca is back! This time, he and Ethan discuss the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel's cancellation, and how the media has been handling the whole situation.
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(00:00) Introduction
(05:19) Jimmy Kimmel Controversy
(33:46) Adam Corolla's Perspective on Media Bias
(35:58) The Humanization of Public Figures
(41:54) Media, Politics, and Public Perception
(01:08:02) Final Thoughts
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Ryan Glasspiegel joins this week to talk about Charlie Kirk, Ballmergate, and Uncle Dennis.
(00:00) Introduction
(00:39) Ballmergate
(26:00) Charlie Kirk's Assassination
(55:15) Financial Engineering in Media
(01:02:31) Media Consolidation
(01:07:05) Final Thoughts
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Ethan Strauss welcome sports strategist Joe Pompliano to break down the business of sports. Together they explore how money, culture, and storytelling are reshaping the games we watch and the way we watch them.
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(0:00) Introduction
(2:34) Current Kawhi Leonard Scandal
(6:42) Aspiration Company Background
(10:23) Suspicious Contract Elements
(14:45) Timeline and Plausibility
(31:37) NBA Investigation Predictions
(42:54) Power and Punishment
(55:16) Final Thoughts
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Ethan is joined by Random Offense perennial Ryan Glasspeigel to talk about Micah Parsons, Ryen Russillo, and Bill Belichick's "gold digger."
(00:00) Introduction
(01:45) Micah Parsons Trade
(12:48) Barstool
(31:55) Dan Le Batard
(36:45) Stugotz
(39:53) Dan Le Batard
(41:15) Doris Burke
(50:42) NBA Broadcasting
(01:01:39) Belichick's Late Career and Public Persona
(01:03:46) Final thoughts
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Ethan is joined by former NBA executive and current podcast host for Meadowlark Media.
(00:00) Welcome
(00:33) Breaking News
(07:25) Digital and Social Media
(16:07) Viewer Questions
(33:19) Controversy
(36:36) ESPN's Strategy Shift
(38:18) Sports Broadcasting
(47:32) Baseball's Popularity and Challenges
(52:34) Rich Eisen
(56:06) Stuart Scott
(01:03:01) Final Thoughts
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Join Ethan and special guest Nancy Rommelmann on Friday 8/15 at 4PM ET as they discuss sports, media, men vs. women —complete with live caller participation!
(00:00) Introduction
(02:30) Male Cheerleaders
(06:11) Cultural Shifts
(14:39) Sextortion in Sports
(27:56) NFL Fandom
(31:46) Cultural Shifts
(39:14) Mark Marin
(47:12) Andrew Tate
(55:32) Humor in Controversial Figures
(01:00:08) Conclusions
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Ethan and special guest Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports discuss the State of Sports Media.
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Join Ethan and special guest Mike Pesca, host of The Gist, on Friday 8/1 at 4PM ET as they discuss the State of Sports Media—complete with live caller participation.
Sign up at 2way.tv/ethan for the opportunity to join the conversation.
Subscribe to Random Offense on YouTube.
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Join Ethan and special guest Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports on Friday 7/25 at 4PM ET as they discuss the State of Sports Media—complete with live caller participation.
Sign up at 2way.tv/ethan for the opportunity to join the conversation.
Subscribe to Random Offense on YouTube.
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Join Ethan and special guest Tom Haberstroh of Yahoo Sports on Friday 7/18 at 4PM ET as they discuss the State of Sports Media—complete with live caller participation.
Sign up at 2way.tv/ethan for the opportunity to join the conversation.
Subscribe to Random Offense on YouTube.
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Join Ethan and special guest Michael Moynihan of The Moynihan Report on Friday 7/11 at 4PM ET as they kick off our weekly 2WAY discussion—complete with live caller participation.
Subscribe to Random Offense on YouTube.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ethan Strauss sits down with Ryan Duffy to talk about his latest work on Netflix's Untold: Shooting Guards, which examines the infamous 2009 NBA locker room incident between Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton. The 2WAY discussion covers the evolution of the Untold series, the intricacies of sports journalism, and Duffy's journey from Vice to Netflix.
To get things started writer and cultural commentator Kat Rosenfield, diving into her recent piece in The Free Press about the rise and fall of Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Wesley Lowery—a story that brings the post-BLM media landscape and #MeToo tensions into sharp focus.
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