The Superstar Loyalty Letdown | The Journalism Charade

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit BillReiter.Substack.com. Bill and Pretty Daddy hit a broad range of topics: LeBron to Philly, Belichick’s latest issue at UNC, radio wars, Caitlin Clark and the state of the WNBA, heat checks on the Eagles and Chiefs, Ohtani, Aaron Donald, the impending MLB trade deadline, when journalism sells out and when sellouts pose as journalists, the price of loyalty, and much more.To listen to more Reiter Than You podcasts, read Bill Reiter’s columns and reporting, and get more sports content, sign up as either a paid or free subscriber at BillReiter.Substack.com.

The good news, bad news of being away last week when LeBron James announced he’s going to the Philadelphia 76ers was clear.Bad news: No immediate pod on the news. The timing, to say the least, was a bummer.Good news: A little time to ruminate, to think about this latest turn in LeBron’s long, impressive and intriguing career, and to have some perspective when the time came to finally give my thoughts on the move.Which is what today’s pod is about (and yesterday’s radio show here in LA).Yesterday, in fact, I made some news of my own — and more than one person very, very angry — when I said that LeBron James never truly loved LA. And that he showed himself to be a mercenary looking for the next gig.Seems spot on, a day later. But I’m glad I get the chance to expand a little here.So today’s pod is my reflection on LeBron-to-Philly — why it can work, why it may not, what it says about LeBron James, how that’s totally OK and how, in a time where nuance is nearly dead, this story requires as much of it as possible. It’s a free one, with the video above and the audio version below. Enjoy.

We’re back! Apologies for the delay, but Pretty Daddy and I do our best to make up for it with a fun, wide-ranging pod: LeBron reverting to his The Decision-form, where he’ll go and why he hasn’t announced that team yet, Christian Pulisic’s no-good-very-bad tournament, Caitlin Clark drama reaches a new level, tales of of the salad days, the time I met Tom and got locked in a small room, Buy or Sell, and more.

Bill and Pretty Daddy try to make sense of the Jaylen Brown trade, lament PG’s career, remember when past NBA group-think was so very wrong, get into that red card and celebrate the USMNT’s big win, and mull of Bum Of The Week and a member of the show’s supposed acumen, and more. Enjoy — and Happy 4th!

Bill and Tom talk life for LeBron after the Lakers, the World Cup and the USMNT’s path, Ja Morant and other NBA free-agency happenings, and a surprise — and personal — Bum Of The Week no one saw coming.For an ad-free version of this podcast, subscribe at BillReiter.Substack.com, or become a paying subscriber for added benefits and shows.  

Bill jumped on the pod with Pretty Daddy just as the news broke: The Minnesota Timberwolves had sent Naz Reid and a bevy of picks and pick swaps to Charlotte for LaMelo Ball. Bill hated it. Tom loved it. So they got into what, exactly, this means, why it happened, and what its says about not just the T-Wolves but the NBA writ large.For an ad-free version of this podcast, subscribe at BillReiter.Substack.com, or become a paying subscriber for added benefits and shows.  

Giannis finally got traded, and his move to Miami creates more questions than it answers for Bill and Tom: Are the Heat actually good? How do they fill out the roster? Did the Bucks win this deal? Why not the trade with Boston instead? Is Doc Rivers still the absolute worst? We get into that and more, plus we talk Dusty May to Dallas and plenty of World Cup. 

Things are slow, soccer is having a moment, and so Pretty Daddy rolled in for an uncomfortable — and widely enjoyable — bit of podcast jazz with Bill. We moved across many topics, talked soccer and marriage and LeBron and the past, and generally had a great time. Hope you enjoy. For an ad-free version of this podcast, subscribe at BillReiter.Substack.com, or become a paying subscriber for added benefits and shows. 

Bill and Stu go deep on the World Cup: Why the USMNT might be legit, an all-time debacle by Spain, Brazil’s potential issues, Germany’s great start and more. Plus, we ponder how the Knicks built a surprising championship run and what to make, now, of Wemby and the Spurs. Plus, a Buy or Sell that Stu turns into pure excellence.For an ad-free version of this podcast, subscribe at BillReiter.Substack.com, or become a paying subscriber for added benefits and shows. 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit BillReiter.Substack.com. Bill, Pretty Daddy and Stu and chop it up in a free-for-all mailbag that’s chalk full of all your questions: Movies, baseball, QB debates, tell-all tales of former colleagues, criticisms directed our way, origin stories, and more. A very, very fun pod — hope you enjoy. It’s behind the paywall, yes, but here’s a free preview:To listen to the whole show, and more Reiter Than You podcasts, read Bill Reiter’s columns and reporting, and get more sports content, sign up as either a paid or free subscriber at BillReiter.Substack.com.