heh, that's like the only one I haven't listened to in the last month. Just his weekly football ones after the Sunday games have been weak, and this one was especially bad because it was like 95% Patriots and then just briefly touch on the other teams.

of all his guests I think Mike Lombardi is the best, at least most knowledgable and makes me look back at some of the plays a lot differently. Cousin Sal is kind of funny but mostly just a talking head and him and Bill parrot each other.

Really? You like Lombardi? He seems like such a yes man to me. He seems to think everyone is good on every team. It always annoys me. And he tries to make really awful basketball analogies all the time. I have a feeling I'm alone though because the guy sure does seem popular.

He had this gem in the one from today "Because if GB had Marshawn Lynch they would be a lock to go to the super bowl".

ya lombardi is a complete blowhard. its no surprise he was an awful gm.

Perfect description. He seems like one of those guys who thinks everyone he talks to is a professional sports betting zillionaire. He keeps throwing these random guys names into podcasts and thinks they are experts just because they are walking around sportsbooks all the time.

I thought the Ted Leonis one was pretty great, as have been all the recent NBA ones.

Millman is awful. I did like Lombardi but agree that his analysis is a bit wishy washy. The blue chipper thing he had going was pretty awful.

It may sound really dumb, but my favorite guests of his are his friends.

I think House and JackO are both very entertaining just about everytime they are on.

I wouldn't say thats dumb. House is awesome and I like JackO even though I dont like baseball. Sal is always enjoyable.

The out of the blue one off guests (Leonis, Al Michaels, Steve Kerr etc.) are also much better than the recurring commentators he has on (Lombardi, Schatz etc.).

Klosterman is probably my favourite, although his podcast appearances for some reason make me fearful that one day the Gladwell email sessions are going to make it into podcast form.

I think the podcast is at it's best when it's the most casual. Some of the best (and sometimes worst) ones are w/Jacoby of the "regular" guests. Wish we could get Klosterman soon again soon.

I just mean it's dumb because they really have no professional information at all to give out. It seems so amateurish that they are even on there.

I also <3 Klosterman.

Thinking about it, I think I just enjoy the podcasts when it seems like they are just dudes talking on the phone. Guys like Schatz, Lombardi, Millman all just seem like he called them for a podcast. Where as Klosterman, JackO, House, the NBA podcasts(Stein, etc) seem like they could legitimately be having this conversation regardless of whether it is recorded or not.

This is the essence of Bill Simmons schtick. He's the regular fan just like you and me, only with a quicker recall of 80s and 90s pop culture, his buddies fit perfectly into that niche.

House/JackO/Gus/Jacoby are his best recurring guests. As far as serious sports discussion goes though, other than the NBA, which I'll admit he is probably the most knowledgeable of the MSM (I know, lolMSM) the analysis just isn't that good.

Fellow journalists are usually good too. I'm especially thinking of Buzz Bissinger. Sepinwall is good too.

It's a good forum for personalities though. When he has talented, compelling people on (Klosterman, Ace) the show can get good. But I still listen to every episode. The drone is great.

Also, as a struggling sports bettor I love the Sal podcasts simply because they're always talking about getting killed on the same **** I got killed on. It helps to know I'm not alone.

The amount of ******** this guys spews is simply amazing. Every ****ing week.

Lol Millman. "I had some sharps emailing me Sunday morning who jumped on Seattle vs. NO" (didn't say anything on last week's podcast though). Cool story bro - might as well post in the betting forum that you loved the Jets ML last week.
I like Gus and House - something about JackO's voice makes me want to punch him in the face.

Less podcasts, more writing. His views aren't really that enlightened or interesting. He's not nearly as funny when speaking. I don't like spending 30 minutes to hear what he thinks.

His main appeal is that he's a good writer

He is, some of the time. His take on Belichick's 4th-and-2 from last year was so astoundingly dumb that it made me seriously question why I even liked the guy in the first place.

If he says if gambling were legal ONE MORE TIME

Wow I disagree completely. He is a terrible writer, especially when he needs to write a longform column and not just mailbags/picks where he can write 100-200 word blurbs. The podcasts are good because he has good guests and is much better than the Colin Cowherds of the world who put on a shtick to be "controversial"

my favourite millman bit from this week, paraphrasing :

bill : so yeah, i noticed how even though green bay are the overall favourites, the superbowl line is AFC -1

millman (excitedly) : i know!! isn't that amazing???

bill : why is that?

millman : i have no idea!!!

bill : well my theory is... (explains the reason which anyone with an IQ greater than 90 can work out)

millman : yeah, that's what i was thinking!!!



also as someone stated above, it's totally hilarious when he lists stuff like 'yeah man bobbo at bobbo.com did awesome this week, he was all over the jets moneyline and the steelers', as if we're supposed to be gobsmacked that some random dude in vegas hit a 1/7 shot.

Simmons' columns are a complete afterthought for me at
this point but his podcasts are still one of my more enjoyable time kills.

i cant stand his semi lispy socialite voice.

millman and simmons sound like the exact same person on podcast, their voices are like identical

yeah, this really was an awful exchange

I've never listened to a Millman podcast, I fell like I'm missing out

I feel like hanging out with Millman and Simmons in Vegas for an entire weekend would be MUCH more boring than it sounds

Not even close to going with, say, Barkley and Viffer

Millman might get you some contacts with wiseguys tho.