The Gist Ethan Strauss: Great Writers, Bad Thinkers, and the Death of the Sports Gamer
May 2, 2026
Ethan Strauss, sports writer and Substack author known for sharp media commentary, talks about his 4:00 a.m. writing routine. He explores the trend of great writers who are bad thinkers. He breaks down what fuels WNBA cultural heat and reflects on the fading craft of the rapid-fire postgame sports gamer.
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4 A.M. Routine To Balance Work And Family
- Ethan Strauss wakes at 4 a.m. to write so he can be home afternoons for his son’s ABA therapy and produce posts before 7:30 a.m.
- He writes in a small office in pajamas with dogs on them and says the time constraint made him more productive and liberated.
Great Writers Can Be Bad Thinkers
- Mike Pesca and Ethan Strauss argue there are many great writers who are poor thinkers, producing elegant prose without rigorous argument.
- They link this to changes in media culture and selective publishing that rewards style over sustained, honest reasoning.
Writing Keeps Thinking Sharp
- Writing keeps thinkers honest because it forces clarity; leaving writing for podcasting or hosting can weaken argument quality.
- Strauss notes he sees public intellectuals decline when they stop exercising the writing muscle.
