The Distraction: A Defector Podcast

Emma Baccellieri (Sports Illustrated) is back, and with a new book! Drew and Roth ask her about her writing process, and how she worked with co-author Jordan Robinson. Then, they talk Emma’s women’s Sweet Sixteen bracket and WNBA players’ collective bargaining. Finally, it’s Emma’s Soda Minute, and Drew and Roth open up the funbag to answer questions from Distraction listeners. Go get Emma’s new book, Court Queens: Celebrate the Players, Teams, and History of Women's Basketball, out now! Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutOpening day is opening nightWhen Netflix had DVDsWNBA CBA marathon negotiationsEmma’s new favorite sodas!Dr. Pepper’s medical credentialsMr. Pibb’s neck tattooHistorical one-sided relationshipsThe good mustachesBloop out, get hard (cheese)Credits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy March Madness! As always, Drew and Roth are joined by Ken Pomeroy of KenPom.com to talk about the men’s bracket. Is Ken’s insight still the gold standard, or are AI rankings coming for his job? Do the top seeds all look ready to bloom on schedule, or is one of them obviously the cream of the crop? And who’s in everyone’s final four? Then, they open up the funbag… for corrections? Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutIrish accents (of varying quality)Emergency BoozersA one-man anti-Arizona armyGolf course dealmakingThe death of the WAC & CinderellaSponsors- Raycon, where you can get 20% off Essential Open EarbudsCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rohan Nadkarni, an NBC News sports reporter who covered the Milan–Cortina Olympics, shares on-site tales and food highlights from Milan. He gushes about live figure skating, Italian sandwich culture, and surprising Olympic logistics. They also dig into Italy’s upset over the US in the World Baseball Classic and recent NBA and NFL storylines.

Spencer Hall of Channel 6 joins Drew and Roth to talk college football! But first they have to figure out whether college sports as a whole are poised to go extinct, or if that rhetoric is actually just schools fighting for money. Then, they open up the funbag to answer questions from listeners, like if they could do it all over, where would young them go to school in 2028?Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutWeightlifting and warhammerCigarette voiceSharing an email address with your wifeWarren G. HardingSlams on mathsWoke MoochSponsors- Blueland, where you can get 15% off your first orderCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tom Ley, Editor-in-Chief at Defector — a sharp sports editor and writer — joins to dissect the Winter Olympics, from figure skating to emotional hockey upsets. He weighs Adam Silver's NBA anti-tanking proposals and trade-deadline lottery ideas. Tom also previews Defector's upcoming coverage and answers listener Funbag questions about phones and signature biathlons.

Drew and Roth are joined by comedian, podcaster, and curling professional and expert John Cullen! His new book, Curling Rocks!: Chronicles of the Roaring Game, is out now. They talk all things curling, from Broomgate to Boopgate. Plus: are curling shoes as fun to wear as they look (yes), can John get Drew into nu-metal (no), and Roth shares a giant sandwich from his childhood.Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutUnfortunate coffee purchasesRunning out of rocksBoopgateThe Spirit of CurlingBreaking a rib while sneezingSponsors- Raycon, where you can get 20% off- MeUndies, where you can get get up to 20% off your first order, plus free shippingCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by Kathryn Xu (Defector) to talk dogs! Kathryn covered the Westminster Dog Show, and it was a lovely, fluffy, yappy experience. Did her favorite, Aslan the Pomeranian, come out on top? Then, they talk Figure Skating and Olympic infidelity. Finally, they open the funbag to answer a strong question from a (probably) less-than-sober listener. Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutDogs!Daniel the GoldenAslan the PomeranianDoggie eugenicsSemen marketplaceFigure skating in How To Train Your DragonOne jacked armCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We remember Dan McQuade.Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutLone Wolf McQuadeAmerican mallsBaywatchSneakersKnight RiderBeing jumbotron-worthySponsors- Blueland, where you can get 15% off your first orderCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rohan is back! And promising future Italian sandwich talk, because he’s going to Milan to cover the Olympics. Drew and Roth talk with him about his Italian food plans, the situation in Minneapolis, the Dolphins, and the saddest new coaching hire of this cycle. Then, they open up the funbag to answer – are sports broadcasters entitled to any dignity when it comes to brand tie-ins?Subscribe to NBC News’ The Sports Desk newsletter here!Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutOuteating non-GMO flourIt’s-uh-me, Rohan!MinneapolisBelichick not being in the Hall of FameA nuclear Dolphins takeBob’s Big Boy in a suitRevenge bedtime anticsSponsors- MeUndies, where you can get up to 50% offCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew and Roth are joined by Patrick Wyman, author of the upcoming book Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our World and creator and host of the new podcast Past Lives! They ask Patrick how our present compares to the past, and why everyone in the White House has terrible form. Then, they pick favorites for the AFC and NFC title games and open up the funbag to answer real questions from real listeners!Do you want to hear your question answered on the pod? Well, give us a call at 909-726-3720. That is 909-PANERA-0!Stuff We Talked AboutMAGA dadsWe’re gooners, too!Stalin a snack..?Deviations from the normPorn character actorsSponsors- Raycon, where you can get 20% off sitewideCredits- Hosts: Drew Magary & David Roth- Producer: Brandon Grugle- Editor: Mischa Stanton- Production Services & Ads: Multitude Podcasts- Subscribe to Defector!About The ShowThe Distraction is Defector's flagship podcast about sports (and movies, and art, and sandwiches, and certain coastal states) from longtime writers Drew Magary and David Roth. Every week, Drew and Roth tackle subjects, both serious and impossibly stupid, with a parade of guests from around the world of sports and media joining in the fun! Roth and Drew also field Funbag questions from Defector readers, answer listener voicemails, and get upset about the number of people who use speakerphone while in a public bathroom stall. This is a show where everything matters, because everyone could use a Distraction. Head to defector.com for more info.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.