The Other 51

“More than anything else, I wanted the chance to connect it to Philadelphia and the country as a whole at the time the film was being made. I felt like nobody had done that.”Friend of the show Mike Sielski joins Brian to talk about the writing and reporting of his new book, “Going the Distance: Stallone, Philly, and the Making of Rocky” Mike talks about his journey with Rocky as a son of Philadelphia and how that journey brought him to writing a book about the making of the movie. He talks about what makes this such a Philadelphia story and how he reflected that in the book. Mike and Brian talk a lot about the myth around the making of Rocky, how Mike set about to find the true story, and how he balanced the line between telling the truth and honoring what the myth means to people. Mike also discusses why it was so important to have Sylvester Stallone’s voice in the book, how he got the actor’s email address, and the secret to getting Stallone to reply to the message. He also tells Brian his favorite little detail in the book, and describes how an issue of Playboy magazine was integral to his reporting. “The real story in and of itself is crazy and improbable enough that people will still derive the sense of joy and pleasure from knowing the truth.” LinksGoing the Distance on AmazonGoing the Distance at an Independent Book Store near youBlood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (the best thing Mike’s read lately). SupportSubscribe to Sports Media GuyFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify 

“Frank Deford. Dan Jenkins. John Underwood. The list could go on. We thought we were in Valhalla.”Larry Keith joins Brian to talk about his long career as a reporter, writer, and editor at Sports Illustrated. Larry, who worked at SI from 1970 to 2004, traces his career path from covering high school football in North Carolina to hosting a radio show with Dean Smith at Chapel Hill to Sports Illustrated. He and Brian talk about why covering high school football is so formative for so many sports journalists. Larry talks about what it was like to be at Sports Illustrated during the magazine’s legendary glory days. Larry discusses the aura that legendary editor Andre Laguerre had and one of his memorable interactions with him at the old HoHo Bar in New York. He also talks about the process of writing a Sports Illustrated cover story, what it was like to cover the 1979 NCAA finals between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and how he helped hire Rick Reilly at the magazine. “We had the best writers. We had the best photographers. We had brilliant senior editorial leadership in Andre Laguerre. And it all came together. LinksTouch ‘em All by Larry KeithJohn Adams by David McCullough (The Best Thing Larry’s read lately)America’s Founding Son by Bob Crawford (The Best Thing Brian’s read lately.)SupportSubscribe to Sports Media GuyFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify 

“This wasn't gonna be a soccer book. This was gonna be a book about a weird soccer team.” Leander Schaerlaeckens returns to the show to talk about the writing and reporting of his excellent new book, “The Long Game: U.S. Men’s Soccer and its savage, four-decade journey to the top, or thereabouts.”Leander talks about the idea for this book dates back to the US failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and how an article he wrote for The Ringer got him started on this process. He discusses how he landed on the book’s structure, how he picked which historical events to focus on and how he worked to make sure the six player  profiles are not just standalone pieces but also speak to larger issues facing US Men’s Soccer. He also describes the leap from writing magazine-length pieces to a book and the biggest challenge.Leander tells Brian about how this generation of US men’s players don’t view media obligations the same way as previous generations did, and how that created both a challenge and an opportunity. There’s also a quick digression about Christian Pulisic’s coffee table book.“What I’d like people to take away from the book is just how weird and wacky the US National team’s history is and how kind of miraculous it is in a sporting sense where they are now." Note: We recorded this episode in June 2026, early during group play of the 2026 World Cup.LinksThe Long Game on AmazonThe Long Game at an independent book store near you.Pulisic: My Journey So Far The Nazi and the Psychiatrist by Jack El-Hi  (The Best Thing Leander’s read lately.)SupportSubscribe to Sports Media GuyFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify

“I had this moment, this great joy and excitement, followed by an equal sense of panic and fear because, I got the deal to write the book, and then I realized I had to write the book!”Bob Crawford returns to The Other 51 for a deep dive into the research and writing of his excellent new book: “America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick.”Bob talks about how he built on his 2022 podcast about Adams, Founding Son, and was able to expand the story in book form. He and Brian talk about how the book is as much a snapshot of America in the 1830s and 1840s as it is the story of any one person. Bob talks about how he decided to make Adams’ evolution into an abolitionist the center of the book and how he learned about Theodore Weld and Benjamin Lindy and how important they were to this storyBob describes how life on tour with the Avett Brothers was actually very conducive to writing, how he had a tub of books on the tour bus and how digital media made his work much easier. He also tells the story of his unboxing video gone wrong and describes what makes John Quincy Adams so fascinating to him.  “He’s America’s greatest public servant, hands down.” LinksAmerica’s Founding Son on AmazonAmerica’s Founding Son from an independent book storeAmerican History HotlineThe Road to NowThe Living Declaration (The Best Thing Bob’s read lately.)SupportSubscribe to Sports Media GuyFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify 

“Here’s what I felt through this entire process in writing this book: I felt complete trust.”Joe Posnanski and Michael Schur join Brian to talk about their new book, Big Fan: Two Friends, 81,589 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love.(*I’m told it’s actually 82,490 miles. Thank you to Joe Posnanski, now the official ombudsman of The Other 51.)Joe and Michael talk about how a clip of the World Darts Championship inspired this whole project and how they figured out what events they would attend. They talk about why avoided the big events, and how Joe’s career as a sports writer made that easier. Joe discusses what it was like to write collaboratively, and Michael talked about how they worked to capture the vibe of their friendship on the page. They also say what they learned from writing about each other. “If you have an ego about your writing, you will miss great ideas, you will not be receptive to criticism or rewriting or editing and you will stubbornly stick with whatever your first stupid idea was and your thing won’t be as good.” LinksBig Fan on AmazonBig Fan from an independent bookstoreThe Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout (the best thing Joe’s read lately.)On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle (the best thing Michael’s read lately) SupportSupport the show at Buy Me a CoffeeFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify 

“I find it to be a pleasure. To be able to write a book is a privilege, but to do it, to me, is a pleasurable event. I just really enjoy writing. I still do.”Mike Vaccaro, my good friend, career mentor, and fellow proud St. Bonaventure graduate, joins me for a deep dive into his delightfully fun new book, “Bosses of the Bronx: The Endless Drama of the Yankees under the house of Steinbrenner.”We talk about why and how he came back to book writing after a long break and why this project was the one that stuck. Mike talks about how thinking of each chapter as one of his columns helped him so much through this process, and how important it was for him to tell these stories in his own voice. That leads to a larger discussion about how to develop your voice as a writer, and Mike also talks about what it was really like to cover George Steinbrenner. “Everything that’s in that book is me.”LinksBosses of the Bronx on AmazonBosses of the Bronx from an independent bookstoreAll of Mike’s books. Mike at the New York Post. 1929 by Andrew Ross Sorkin (The best thing Mike’s read lately.)The Uncool by Cameron Crowe (The best thing Brian’s read lately.)SupportSupport the show at Buy Me a CoffeeFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify 

“I approach these things almost novelistically. I start with character.”Luke Epplin joins the show for the first time for a deep dive into the writing and reporting of his new book, “Moses and the Doctor: Two Men, One Championship and the Birth of Modern Basketball.”Luke talks about how his experience as a failed novelist — his exact words — trained him to write and research and report the way he does. He describes how learning about one moment from the 1982 NBA Finals propelled him into this story. We talk about how he humanized the almost mythical figures of Julies Erving and Moses Malone, how he made Philadelphia a character in the book, and why pace is so important to him as a writer.“The sort of trick with the book is to convey that larger than lifeness as it was experienced at the time.”LinksMoses and the Doctor on Amazon.Moses and the Doctor on BookshopOur Team (Luke’s first book) on BookshopWhat We Can Know by Ian McEwan (the best thing Luke’s read lately)SupportSupport the show at Buy Me a CoffeeFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify 

Friend of the show Alysa Auriemma is back to talk about writing, motherhood, her new collection of short stories, her future books, and so much more. That “so much more” is Heated Rivalry. Yes, the full bonus episode, and more Heated Rivalry content, is here. But before that, Alysa talks about the two short stories in her new collection, “The Archives of Theara: Stories of the Kinborn.” She discusses how they fit into the All Daughter’s Rise extended literary universe, how it served as a way back into this world, and what it was like revisiting these characters years later. We talk about points-of-view as writers and readers, and Alysa also mentions her upcoming rom-com book coming out over the summer.She also talks about being a writer as a new mom, and how writing can be one of the things that helped her find her way back to being herself.LinksThe Archives of Theara: Stories of the Kinborn All Daughters RiseHeated RivalryAlly Marcie Writes on InstagramSupportSupport the show at Buy Me a CoffeeFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple Podcasts

Our regularly planned episode with Alysa Auriemma , where we talk about writing and her new collection of stories and motherhood and all of the things, will be out next week. But we also talked a lot about Heated Rivalry. Well, Alysa had a lot to say about the show and the book series. As a bonus, and a preview of the full episode, enjoy some Heated Rivalry talk. Follow Alysa here.

Bestselling author Jeff Pearlman returns to talk all about the writing and reporting of his new book, “Only God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac Shakur.”Jeff talks about how and when he decided to write a biography of Tupac, what made the late rapper a compelling topic, and how he’s similar to Bo Jackson (the subject of Pearlman’s previous book). Jeff talks about how he interviewed 652 people for this book, how he found them and how he structured the interviews. This leads to a discussion about the importance of sincerity and empathy in reporting, and Jeff describes how he got a Ph.D. in what it’s like to grow up black and poor in education. Jeff also describes why Ebay is his secret reporting weapon, and how he wrote Brian’s favorite sentence of the year. LinksOnly God Can Judge Me: The Many Lives of Tupac ShakurBuy on AmazonBuy on Bookshop.orgAll of Jeff’s books on AmazonJeff on YouTubeJeff on TikTokWho Knows You By Heart by CJ Farley (the best thing Jeff’s read lately)Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye by David Ritz (the best thing Jeff’s read lately)Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover (the dorkiest/best thing Brian’s read lately)SupportSupport the show at Buy Me a CoffeeFollow us on Instagram.Subscribe at: Apple PodcastsSpotify