PODCAST · sports
Pablo Torre Finds Out
by The Athletic
Follow Pablo down the rabbit hole, beyond the game — every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday — on his Pulitzer-winning video podcast, part of The Athletic Podcast Network.You’ll get a deep-dive "talkumentary" episode, reported by Pablo and Curiosity Correspondents like Emmy-winning comedian Wyatt Cenac and Oscar-winning director Ezra Edelman, answering urgent questions such as: Are you smarter than an NFL quarterback? Does Giannis intentionally miss free throws to win free chicken for fans? And why does the FBI director play so much hockey? This storytelling has been honored by the Pulitzer Prizes, the Emmy Awards, the Peabody Awards and the Edward R. Murrow Awards. (Journalism!)Plus: Pablo hangs out with handpicked figures from sports, culture and politics like Sue Bird, Action Bronson and U.S. Senators… plays Share & Tell with friends like Domonique Foxworth, Mina Kimes, Katie Nolan and Dan Le Batard (aka his boss)… and unveils the secrets of capitalism with David
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441
The Missing Ambassador of the World Cup
He covered soccer before it was cool, promised to go WikiLeaks on FIFA, then got detained and mysteriously collapsed in Qatar. If there was ever someone we needed to hear from, as a global conduit during this corrupt World Cup on American soil, it's Grant Wahl. So his former co-host, Chris Wittyngham — along with his family and one of the many stars he inspired — helps Pablo listen back to Wahl's lost tapes, re-live his fearless run for office and the rainbow target on his chest... then put the conspiracies to rest.• Previously on PTFO: America Signed Up for the World Cup. FIFA Stuck You with the Tab.• Listen to Le Batard & Friends re-live Grant Wahl's LeBron cover story• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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440
What the World Cup Can Teach the American Fan, with John Green and Daniel Alarcón
We are numb, as Americans, to the attention of the globe and the power structures of our sports leagues. But what if love of country could be simple again? And what if fans had more power than we thought? Pablo feels the football osmosis from the (banned) bestselling author and his old friend turned MacArthur Genius, as they offer a liberal-arts education in the beautiful game — from the fault in our superstar interviews to the damage wrought by Alexi Lalas upon our would-be Neymars and Messis. Plus: a pump-up speech that Ted Lasso would never, ever fantasize about.• Subscribe to "The Away End with Daniel Alarcón and John Green"• Previously on PTFO: How John Green Turned Celebrity into Obsessive Optimism• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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439
Sarah Jessica Parker on the Seductive Power of Sports and the City
New York is palpably horny right now. And happy. So we invited the patron saint of sex and this town to chase euphoria, appreciate the romance of the American idea, advise these young Knicks, remember the halcyon days of HBO... and make the case for reading books in the crowd.• Previously on PTFO: Celebrating These Knicks Title Vibes, with Desus Nice• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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438
USMNT's Tim Weah on World Cup Dreams, the American Idea... and Wu-Tang
He is the realest member of Team USA — an activist athlete, from Brooklyn and the African diaspora, choosing to represent a divisive nation as it tries bringing the globe a little closer together. In a rare sit-down ahead of the U.S. men's national team match against Australia, Timothy Weah explains the pressure of this moment, the power of soccer over politics... and why the Knicks' good-luck charm might need to strike again.• Listen to The Athletic FC Podcast• Listen to Tifo Football Podcast• Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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437
The (Summer School) Sporting Class: Sex, Dolan and Contract Haircuts
Did the Knicks owner's pump-up speech help them win it all? Did their players stop fornicating because of it? How much do billionaires matter to championships anyway? And should superstars sacrifice millions for the greater good? David Samson and Domonique Foxworth chart the power and powerlessness of the billionaire class.• Subscribe to "The Domonique Foxworth Show"• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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436
"Reverse 9/11": Celebrating These Knicks Title Vibes, with Desus Nice
Transcendence on the court. Dancing in the streets. And a drunk Instagram Live for the ages. Why wait 'til the parade? Pablo raises a glass (while devouring an egg-and-cheese) with Desus — his fellow New Yorker and bard of Knicks nation — to the commute of a champion and the beauty of a bandwagon; to the drip of Landry Shamet and the sweat of Patrick Ewing; to KAT and OG and Wu-Tang and, yes, even Coldplay. Just not that traitor from Sesame Street.• Subscribe to "Desus Pieces"• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter • Subscribe to The Athletic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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435
UFC at the White House: How Dana White and Donald Trump Cashed In
The president's birthday-party fight card is straight out of central casting — and chock-full of political favor-trading. Who stands to gain the most? Luke Thomas unapologetically explains why everyone, from MMA fans to D.C. pundits, is missing the real story... then unearths fresh evidence of a purely transactional relationship.• Take the PTFO audience survey• Subscribe to "Morning Kombat" with Luke Thomas• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter• Subscribe to The AthleticPreviously on PTFO:• The Right-Wing Takeover of Combat Sports Is Upon Us• The White House's Dirty Takeover of Public Golf Courses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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434
America Signed Up for the World Cup. FIFA Stuck You with the Tab.
The biggest party in global sport is underway, and soccer's governing body stands to profit nearly $9 billion. How did FIFA squeeze U.S. taxpayers with so many hidden costs? The Athletic's Adam Crafton crunches the numbers on wasted public money, as Pablo dissects comically absurd demands upon host cities — from "clean" stadiums and super-V.I.P. treatment... to a pop-up jail.• Take the PTFO audience survey• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter• Subscribe to The AthleticFurther reading:• "The U.S. signed up for the World Cup — and its host cities are paying for it"• "U.S. states waived taxes to host World Cup"• "The $25.8m Kansas City 'World Cup jail'"• Rahm Emanuel Q&A: 'The numbers don't work'" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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433
Linsanity Is Dead. Long Live Linsanity: Jeremy Lin on the Finals, the Garden and the Healing Power of These Knicks
Madison Square Garden hasn't felt this alive since a little-known point guard from Harvard became the most popular person in New York City. On the occasion of his grand return, Jeremy Lin sits down with Pablo, who's been covering him since their dorm-room days, for a full-circle conversation about pressure, toughness, fleeting fame, the end of his run with the Knicks, squashing the beef with Carmelo Anthony and, yes, getting recruited by Kim Kardashian.• Take the PTFO audience survey• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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432
Ballmer's Secret I.O.U., Aspiration's "Web of Lies" and the Zenith of Fraud: Kawhi-Gate, Part XI
As Adam Silver calls for the NBA's Kawhi Leonard probe to wrap up and Aspiration's co-founder gets 14 years behind bars, Pablo investigates how Steve Ballmer covered his tracks on a side deal of his own — and with the SEC on the case. Former DOJ prosecutor Lou Manzo returns to make sense of the relationship between a billionaire and a fraudster, while David Samson is finally convinced that the richest owner in sports has lost credibility.(Additional reporting by Anita Bennett)• Take the PTFO audience survey• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"Previously on PTFO:• Part I: The Silent Superstar and the Rotten Apple Tree• Part II: An Argument with Mark Cuban• Part III: The Mystery Investor, the No-Show Payday and the "Smoking Gun"• Part IV: Steve Ballmer, the Other Cuban and the $118 Million Infusion• Part V: Steve Ballmer's "Inconceivable" Donation, the $20 Million Guarantee and a Head on a Spike• Part VI: An IRL Showdown with Mark Cuban• Part VII: The Briefcase, Ballmer's Social Network and Aspiration's House of Cards• Part VIII: Uncle Dennis, Ballmer's $50 Million Sprint and the Side Deal That Wouldn't Die• Part IX: Ballmer's Tree Money, the Whistle-Blowers and the Document You've Been Waiting For• Part X: Steve Ballmer's Victim Impact, the Man Who Prosecuted Aspiration and the Abacus of Incarceration(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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431
Do Not Mess with the Reporter Who Took Down Jeffrey Epstein
Julie K. Brown went from working in a bell factory to ringing the alarm on masters of the universe and (finally) winning a Pulitzer. The Miami Herald reporter visits Pablo to shed light on the culture of silence that protected Epstein for so long, the legal dream team that struck his secret deal, then how Epstein pulled out all the stops... to stop her investigation. Plus: the whistleblower who gave away the A-Rod steroid scandal, sneaking into a hospital to interview Joe Frazier... and the maddening therapy of Philly sports.• Take the PTFO audience survey• Read "Perversion of Justice" by Julie K. BrownPreviously on PTFO:• Part 1: We Investigate Harvard's Hidden Epstein Files• Part 2: How Harvard Whitewashed Jeffrey Epstein's Millions• Plus: The NBA Player, the Congressman and the Epstein Files Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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430
Exclusive: Inside Zohran Mamdani's NYC Sports Equinox (feat. Adam Friedland)
Pablo visits the mayor of New York in his backyard, on the eve of the NBA Finals — and the cusp of heartbreak for his Arsenal F.C. — to discuss Knicks joy, soccer pain, hair loss, Donald Trump, Charles Oakley, Victor Wembanyama's Eid fit and, yes, flopping. Plus: Fellow Arsenal die-hard Adam Friedland checks in, on the state of socialism... and optimism.• Take the PTFO audience survey!• Subscribe to The Adam Friedland ShowPreviously on PTFO:• Lina Khan (and Zohran Mamdani) on Why Billionaires Never Learn — and the Apolitical Absurdity of $6,000 World Cup Tickets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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429
Share & Eat the Rich & Tell with Tim Miller and Stephanie Ruhle
Can Trump ruin these Knicks vibes? Why are billionaires so sensitive? Just how much of the White House is for sale? And is the pope radical? Or can decency levitate? Plus: the joylessness of a luxury box and… Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as a war criminal.Further content:• The White House Intervened to Get a $620 Million Deal for a Company Tied to Donald Trump Jr. (ProPublica)• The Trader in the Oval Office (The Bulwark)• Subscribe to The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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428
Exclusive: The Harambe Tapes, Revealed
Ten years ago today, one gorilla's death broke the internet, from sports and politics to million-dollar memes. But Harambe's life was a tragic battle over name, image and likeness — including files the Cincinnati Zoo worked to suppress... until now. Desus Nice and Katie Nolan help Pablo get to the bottom of what gorillas in our midst can teach us about ourselves.• Subscribe to PTFO on YouTube to watch the Harambe tapes and more• Subscribe to "Casuals with Katie Nolan" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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427
"Celebrity Jeopardy!" Film Study (Championship Edition) with Mina Kimes and Domonique Foxworth
How is preparing for a game show like playing in the NFL? What's the first rule of "Jeopardy!" Fight Club? And why would you bet zero dollars with a million on the line? Plus: Katie Nolan's secret pep talk, Daily Double brain glitch, Spygate... and a buzzer bibliography.Previously on PTFO:• "Celebrity Jeopardy!" Film Study with Mina Kimes and Timothy Simons• Behind the Scenes of Pablo's History-Making "Family Feud" AdventurePlus:• Subscribe to "The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny"• Subscribe to "The Domonique Foxworth Show"• Support SELAH Neighborhood Homeless Coalition Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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426
Unlocking the State Secrets of College Football, with FOIAball's "King of the Bros"
He dug up Dianna Russini's playlist for Mike Vrabel. And Osama bin Laden's p*rn stash from the CIA. He even got a DM from Bill Belichick's girlfriend on the prowl. Now, David Covucci is shattering the illusion of coaches' power — and the unfathomable pastimes of the billionaire booster class — one embarrassing document bomb at a time. Pablo finds a kindred spirit... and Jessica Smetana makes history.• Subscribe to FOIAball Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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425
Share & Walk Alone & Tell with Mike Schur and Joe Posnanski
Have billionaire owners left us in the twilight of American fandom? Are crying Liverpool fans actually the cure for male loneliness? And is the NFL offseason running out of juice? Would you get married during the Super Bowl on Valentine's Day? Plus: Jim Thome's farm adjacency, Regis Philbin analytics, Gerry and the Pacemakers, institutional investors, the worst pandemic crowd... and feeding a sandwich to Stugotz on Microsoft Teams.• Read "Big Fan" • Subscribe to The PosCast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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424
Cheap Trick: Debunking the "Magic" of Mentalist Oz Pearlman
He's wowed presidents, pro athletes and podcasters. But magicians tell us Oz Pearlman's viral act has crossed an ethical line. Stevie Baskin, after obsessively studying Pearlman's tricks, explains to Pablo how influencers from Charles Barkley to the White House were in on the act — and why he thinks this brand of "mind-reading" amounts to fraud.• Much more from Stevie Baskin's YouTube video• Previously on PTFO: The Unwritten Rules of Magic(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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423
The Sporting Class: Is the NFL Killing the Golden Goose?
What do the tech titans of Silicon Valley and the old heads of traditional broadcast television have in common? Answer: they all need to kiss the ring of Roger Goodell. But will the NFL get too greedy in their continued pursuit of maximum return on their media rights? And why is Rupert Murdoch secretly meeting with Donald Trump? The Sporting Class — aka “Rich Guys OnlyFans” — returns…Read Vanity Fair's Roger Goodell's Hollywood Blitz: Why All the Other Moguls Have to Kiss the Ring Read Wall Street Journal's Rupert Murdoch’s High-Stakes Blitz Against the NFLSubscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"https://www.youtube.com/@npds Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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422
"Be Like Satoshi": We Unmask Scottie Pippen's A.I. Crypto Slop
Why is the Bulls legend hawking "the Mona Lisa of sports" as a talking Web3 meme-coin NFT? And who are the secret weapons turning the 60-year-old Hall-of-Famer into a crypto bro, with a last-ditch effort to cash in on The Last Dance? Pablo breaks out the folders for Jordan family friend Wyatt Cenac and former Pippen colleague Amin Elhassan, featuring revelations on MJ's son, Benihana, Lil Hippo... and so on.• Previously on PTFO: The Last Dance of Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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421
It's the End of LIV Golf as We Knew It (and Trump Feels Fine)
The president may have ended his favorite sport's civil war — by waging a war of his own. But what did we really learn from Saudi Arabia's multibillion-dollar golf experiment? Journalist Alan Shipnuck explains what insiders are texting about but won't say out loud: that golfers are the most overpaid athletes on Earth, that peacetime is suddenly more complicated for the PGA Tour... and that sportswashing is insidious because it works.• Read "LIV and Let Die" by Alan Shipnuck• Previously on PTFO: Phil Mickelson, the Pipeline and Trump's (Alleged) 14-Inch Pipe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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420
"Did You Hear That, James?" We Survived MSG Surveillance... with Edward Snowden's Lawyer
The Knicks are surging. But politicians are condemning owner James Dolan and his tax breaks, after our investigation with WIRED. So Pablo tests the limits of facial recognition with his playoff ticket plug Ben Wizner, who just happens to be the Deputy Legal Director at the ACLU — and one of America's foremost experts on modern privacy. Which makes him uniquely (if begrudgingly) qualified to break down everything from spooked NBA journalists and a banned puppy, to Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein connections… to, yes, the Mount Rushmore of whistleblowers.• Previously on PTFO: We Got Inside Knicks Surveillance — and MSG's Deep State Is Stranger Than You Think• From WIRED: "The Shocking Secrets of Madison Square Garden’s Surveillance Machine"• Watch "CITIZENFOUR" by Laura Poitras• Read "Permanent Record" by Edward Snowden• Read "Your Face Belongs to Us" by Kashmir Hill• PTFO Vault: We Found the Secret Rap Album That the NBA's Best Executive Doesn't Want You to Hear(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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419
Share & Anti-Pulitzer & Tell with Michael Cruz Kayne and Sam Reich
What does Mark Cuban think of Pablo's big Pulitzer Prize win? Did A.I. write that JPMorgan threesome lawsuit? And are the steroid Olympics in fact the Apollo mission of RFK Jr.'s America? Plus: third-tier "Mad Men" characters, self-canonization, the polymath of punch-ups, the lifespan of an inbred beagle... and Zoop.Further content:• Pablo Torre left the worldwide leader in sports to start a podcast. It just won a Pulitzer. (Poynter)• Ex-JPMorgan banker Chirayu Rana files wild new claims against exec (New York Post)• Inside the Enhanced Games, Where Athletes Compete on Steroids. And Growth Hormones. And Adderall. (Vanity Fair)• Michael Cruz Kayne: Sorry For Your Loss (Dropout TV) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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418
Steve Ballmer's Victim Impact, the Man Who Prosecuted Aspiration and the Abacus of Incarceration: Kawhi-Gate, Part X
As the Clippers await punishment, their owner is big mad at Pablo — and appears worried about what Aspiration's founder might have told the NBA. So Pablo and David Samson (finally) sit down with a special guest: Lou Manzo, the former DOJ prosecutor who investigated this whole tree-planting fraud in the first place, to go inside the courtroom, comb through footnotes and focus on the end game.(Additional reporting by Anita Bennett)Previously on PTFO:• Part I: The Silent Superstar and the Rotten Apple Tree• Part II: An Argument with Mark Cuban• Part III: The Mystery Investor, the No-Show Payday and the "Smoking Gun"• Part IV: Steve Ballmer, the Other Cuban and the $118 Million Infusion• Part V: Steve Ballmer's "Inconceivable" Donation, the $20 Million Guarantee and a Head on a Spike• Part VI: An IRL Showdown with Mark Cuban• Part VII: The Briefcase, Ballmer's Social Network and Aspiration's House of Cards• Part VIII: Uncle Dennis, Ballmer's $50 Million Sprint and the Side Deal That Wouldn't Die• Part IX: Ballmer's Tree Money, the Whistle-Blowers and the Document You've Been Waiting For• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter for exclusive access, documents and invites• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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417
Failure to Report: How Harvard Whitewashed Jeffrey Epstein's Millions (Part 2)
Epstein wasn't just funding women's sports or creeping around campus. Our new files — and Harvard's own audit — show how a billionaire pedophile used the biggest brand in academia to launder his reputation. Pablo and The Harvard Crimson's Dhruv Patel continue their investigation, with exclusive internal files, letters and interviews with athletes who say the university normalized a monster — and skirted accountability, until now.• Part One: "The Jeffrey E. Epstein Fund for Women's Athletics"• More from The Harvard Crimson: "Women's Rugby Players Were Told to Keep a $25,000 Gift Quiet. The Donor Was Epstein."(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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416
"The Jeffrey E. Epstein Fund for Women's Athletics": We Investigate Harvard's Hidden Epstein Files (Part 1)
How did an unforgettable donation from the most notorious pedophile in America get past the most prestigious university's self-investigation? And why did Harvard allegedly ask to keep it confidential? Pablo and The Harvard Crimson's Dhruv Patel unearth internal financials, the secret role of president Lawrence Summers, plus new Jeffrey Epstein correspondence — and speak to the team that "never asked to be affiliated with this monster."• More from The Harvard Crimson: Women’s Rugby Players Were Told to Keep a $25,000 Gift Quiet. The Donor Was Epstein.(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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415
The Man Who (Relentlessly) Sued the NFL Has Receipts: A Sitdown with DeMaurice Smith
Secret salary caps. Accidental email attachments. Truth-serum texts from owners. Slide decks for ESPN. If anyone knows how to dork-out on billionaires taking your money — and documenting their greed — it's the former NFL Players Association boss who negotiated $100 billion for athletes... and sued the sh*t out of The Shield. With his union now plagued by scandal — and America as unregulated as ever — De Smith enters the studio in Gladiator Mode.• Read "Turf Wars" by DeMaurice SmithPreviously on PTFO:• Part I: The NFL's Secret Collusion Case, Revealed• Part II: We Sparked an NFL Union Crisis. Here's the Sequel.• Part III: We Followed the Money in the NFL Union Scandal. So Did the FBI.• Part IV: We Investigated the Hollywood Cover-Up the NFLPA Ignored • Part V: The Silenced Top Cop and the Cabal of "Strip-Club Dreams"• Plus: The State of the (NFL) Union, with Mike Florio• The Sporting Class: Are NFL Players Ready to Strike? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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414
The Sporting Class: Affairs, Private Eyes and the All-Seeing Eye
What are the business ethics of sh*tting where you eat? Can you be a journalist and an "insider" at the same time? And what happened after the Knicks' owner doxxed the man threatening his arena's beer? David Samson — the Marie Kondo of sports infidelity and the watchful eye of Florida baseball — helps Pablo decode the messy stories of Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel... and James Dolan versus his enemies.• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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413
"Celebrity Jeopardy!" Film Study: Share & Buzz & Tell with Mina Kimes and Timothy Simons
How does the game-show game clock move so fast? Why do you become 30% dumber when the cameras roll? And is Mina part of a sociopathic conspiracy with Ken Jennings? Plus: Andy Richter, button analytics, the dais height advantage, Daily Double anxiety, tanking board games for your kids... and a Stat Boy cameo.• Subscribe to "The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny"• Watch "Nobody Wants This" with Timothy Simons on NetflixPreviously on PTFO: • Share & Jeopardy! & Tell with Mina Kimes and Dan Le Batard• Behind the Scenes of Pablo's History-Making "Family Feud" Adventure• How "Veep" Predicted Trump, with the Real-Life Jonah Ryan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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412
Exclusive: How The Onion Finally Shut Up Alex Jones for Good
The notorious conspiracy theorist profited from his vile Sandy Hook conspiracy. Then America's finest (fake) news source decided to troll the world's greatest troll. Ben Collins — who transformed from reporting on the historic Infowars defamation trial to buying out his "ideological enemy" in a Storage Wars-style auction saga — tells Pablo why The Onion committed to the ultimate bit: doing the right thing.(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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411
We Got Inside Knicks Surveillance — and MSG's Deep State Is Stranger Than You Think
Tracking players. Monitoring kids. Allegedly watching a fan enter the bathroom. The panopticon of notorious owner James Dolan has been caught in glimpses. But a WIRED investigation — revealed in collaboration with PTFO — lifts the veil on the Orwellian scope (and occasional clown show) of MSG security, from The Garden and The Sphere to the streets of New York and out across America. Correspondent Noah Shachtman and Pablo hear from spooked insiders, read snooping group chats, scour a second-by-second confidential report, plus view the facial-recognition database itself — only to discover that paranoid billionaires... are all around us.• Read the full digital cover story at WIRED• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter for exclusive access, documents and invites(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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410
The Right-Wing Takeover of Combat Sports Is Upon Us
Donald Trump's comfort zone. Coercive deals. Saudi funding. In the era of American favor-trading, a company called TKO Group Holdings is dominating the fight game. (Welcome, Zuffa Boxing.) And as longtime MMA dean Luke Thomas dares to explain, UFC boss Dana White may be in denial — and it may not be good for fans or fighters — but it pays to be in bed with a transactional regime.• Subscribe to "Morning Kombat" with Luke Thomas Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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409
The Fandom of the Opera: A Linebacker, a White Whale... and a Secret
We get it: As Timothée Chalamet said, "no one cares" about opera. But you should listen, instead, to former college linebacker Brandon Jovanovich — whose impossible rise from cater waiter to Captain Ahab proves that the artform that used to rule the world has way more in common with sports than you realize. (And that's even before you realize what he's been playing through, onstage.) Also: what a castrato is, Bugs Bunny, actual divas, Modell's and monster trucks.Further content:• "Inhabiting Ahab" (Patrick J. Sauer)• Vote for PTFO at The Webby Awards: Best Sports Podcast + Experimental & Innovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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408
Bobbleheads on Spikes: The (Selfish) Case for Rules, with David Epstein
Whether it's A.I. companies pirating millions of books or NBA owners violating the salary cap, the most powerful entities in America are trying to circumvent laws created to restrain them. Bestselling author and investigative journalist David Epstein (no relation!) makes the case for why rules are not obstacles to progress, but the opposite: the very things that make a society — and a market — free. • Pre-order David Epstein's new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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407
The Banned Prince Documentary: Director Ezra Edelman Speaks (PTFO Vault)
America's best documentary filmmaker spent nearly five years making a nine-hour masterpiece for Netflix. Which you'll never see. Edelman sits down with Pablo in search of catharsis — if not closure — in the battle for truth and control over the life story of one of the biggest control freaks ever.(This episode originally aired March 4, 2025.)• Previously on PTFO: When Docs Cry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qi6x3QF-v8• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter for exclusive access, documents and inviteshttps://pablo.show/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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406
Perhaps Our Last Hour on Earth, with Katie Nolan and Michael Cruz Kayne
Civilization had a pretty good run. Will the astronauts be the last ones living? Will Jordon Hudson sue Pablo and/or beat him in a foot race? Could Sam Altman be bigger than Madoff and/or complete our curse on A.I.? And is your fiancé in the Epstein files? WHO KNOWS? But we f'd around and took your questions, live. So, come with us if you want to live. So mote it be.• Vote for PTFO at The Webby Awards: Best Sports Podcast + Experimental & Innovation• Subscribe to "Casuals with Katie Nolan"• Watch Michael Cruz Kayne's special, "Sorry for Your Loss" — now streaming on Dropout TV • Further reading: "Sam Altman May Control Our Future — Can He Be Trusted?" (Ronan Farrow & Andrew Maran Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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405
Share & Squirrel & Tell with Elle Duncan and Desus Nice
Do we need robot umpires more than we thought? Is Netflix the Yankees of media? What's the best kind of catfishing? And have we finally evolved beyond pizza rat? Plus: Aaron Judge choking, Teanna Trump choking, an old man smoking with a crowd... and the price of free p*rn.• Vote for PTFO at The Webby Awards: Best Sports Podcast + Experimental & Innovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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404
"Don't Go to the Lakers": We Unraveled the Case of the Mob Hit That Saved Vegas
When the body of a Vegas power broker showed up in the back of a Rolls Royce in 1979, the new sports capital of America was born. Why the hell did superstar UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian's guy really get whacked? Correspondent Sean Carey unearths police reports, a thrown fight against Sugar Ray Leonard... and a bag man on the skim who re-legitimized Sin City — and proves HBO's hit show wrong.(Additional reporting by Kris Belman) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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403
"The Meanest, Most Arrogant, Obnoxious Little Brat I Have Ever Met in My Life"
What is a documentary now? Would you turn against your alma mater? Why did a fan throw a beer bottle at Dan Le Batard's head? And is America just Miami? Child star turned muckraker Billy Corben knows. Plus: Night Court, 2 Live Crew, Jughead Jr., corruption, cocaine... and pool boy cucking.Further content:• Watch "The U" and "The U Part 2"• Watch "30 for 30: Broke" on Netflix• Watch "Cocaine Cowboys" on Netflix• Watch "God Forbid" on Hulu• Subscribe to Billy Corben's Rakontur on YouTube• Subscribe to "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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402
The Sporting Class: Are NFL Players Ready to Strike?
Domonique Foxworth ran and — Mamma Mia! — lost in last week's secretive election by the NFL Players' Association. As he explains to Pablo and David Samson, unions may be more corporate than ever — but the fight against billionaires has never been more consequential. And the implications may turn nuclear for an MLB lockout.• Subscribe to "The Domonique Foxworth Show"• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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401
"That's Just Corruption": Sen. Chris Murphy on the Prediction Market Crackdown and Profiteering in Youth Sports
Kalshi and Polymarket have created a Wild West for sports, war and politics in a shamelessly unregulated era. But the U.S. Senator from Connecticut (and Huskies homer) tells Pablo that it's time to turn back the clock on insider trading, as leagues are "knowingly corrupting" the game. And that a return to the roots of rooting for our home teams (and families) requires Congress protecting against a profit-driven idea of America.• Previously on PTFO: The Prop-Betification of Everything, with the Forefather of Prediction Markets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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400
The State of the (NFL) Union, with Mike Florio
Maximum scandal, maximum secrecy. Now that the NFLPA's game of thrones has sent football back to the future, and new executive director J.C. Tretter back to office, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio says Roger Goodell and the bean-counters at the league office are ready to pounce on an 18-game regular season — and football every night of the week.• Subscribe to PFT Live with Mike FlorioPreviously on PTFO:• Part I: The NFL's Secret Collusion Case, Revealed• Part II: We Sparked an NFL Union Crisis. Here's the Sequel.• Part III: We Followed the Money in the NFL Union Scandal. So Did the FBI.• Part IV: We Investigated the Hollywood Cover-Up the NFLPA Ignored • Part V: The Silenced Top Cop and the Cabal of "Strip-Club Dreams" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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399
"Who Is Going to Pull a Pablo Torre on Pablo Torre?"
How did a firing at ESPN birth this show? Can you be anti-establishment within the establishment? And will the principles of journalism survive, when billionaire principals keep contaminating the newsroom? Dan Le Batard and Human Battery Chris Cote join Pablo for another navel-spelunking edition of Share & Tell. Plus: making Jay Bilas play the race card, a Nazi poker hand with Joan Rivers, the O'Reilly factor, Jared from Subway... and six billboards outside Akron, Ohio.• Subscribe to "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz"• Previously on PTFO: Le Batard's Lost Trump Tapes, Revealed Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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398
Eyes Wide Open: The Consequences of Finding Out, with Tom Junod
From 9/11 and Ali to sharing a bed with Nicole Kidman and outing Kevin Spacey, he was already one of the greatest — and most confrontational — magazine writers of all time. Then Tom Junod decided to investigate his own father's "Mad Men"-Lib of a secret life. What could possibly go wrong? What would Mr. Rogers think? And what the hell was in that briefcase?• Read "In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir" by Tom Junod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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397
Exclusive: The NFL Players' Union, the Silenced Top Cop and the Cabal of "Strip-Club Dreams"
As the NFLPA plots to restore its scandal-plagued leader to power, the labor group's outgoing lead security officer sits down with Pablo. And Craig Jones — the conscience of a billion-dollar union — does not hold back.Previously on PTFO:• Part I: The NFL's Secret Collusion Case Revealed• Part II: We Sparked an NFL Union Crisis. Here's the Sequel.• Part III: We Followed the Money in the NFL Union Scandal. So Did the FBI.• Part IV: The NFL Union Elected a New Leader. We Investigated the Hollywood Cover-Up They Ignored. (Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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396
Meet the Edge Lord: Secrets of a Gambler Winning America's Money
He's a hedge-fund exec by day... and a blacklisted sports-betting savant by night. On the eve of your March Madness pool, Galen Hall breaks down his Oceans 11-style strategy that dominated a ruthless, $18.7 million NFL pick-'em contest — including game-theory negotiations with a multi-national syndicate and speaking through the podcast void to "Juicy K." Turns out, optimizing for underdogs across a portfolio of brackets comes down to psychology more than math.• Previously on PTFO: The Best Bettor in NBA History on How to Solve a Gambling Crisis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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395
Share & MMAmerica & Tell with Wyatt Cenac and Tim Miller
Is an (alleged) MMA fighter-in-chief less bad than Evil Barbie on her love plane? Is Washington just performative sadism now? And are you still Stephen A.-curious? Plus: Chuck Lidell's workout room, a re-patriated blankie, Benihana, Huggie Bear, Bernie Sanders as a bouncer, Dean Cain as a football player... and Frank Ocean gossip.• Subscribe to The Bulwark Podcast with Tim Miller• Previously on PTFO: The Goalie Who Went to Hell and Back Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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394
How Billionaires Call the Shots in the NBA (and America), with TrueHoop's Henry Abbott
In an era devoid of accountability for the Epstein class and sports owners (and in-between), Pablo finds a kindred spirit in the OG blogger turned ESPN insider turned fellow independent muckraker who's not afraid to call out the backroom dynamics of Adam Silver during wartime: If billionaires can't police themselves, does cheating matter? Do the people who run the sport... really love the sport? If there's no effort to be decent, where do the lies end? And if Steve Ballmer's already negotiating, what is his minimum viable punishment?• Previously on PTFO: Ballmer's Tree-Money, the Whistle-Blowers and the Document You've Been Waiting For• "Bron got me on sea bass"• Subscribe to TrueHoop by Henry Abbott(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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393
Ballmer's Tree-Money, the Whistle-Blowers and the Document You've Been Waiting For: Kawhi-Gate, Part IX
How did millions travel from the Clippers to Aspiration to Kawhi Leonard? Amin Elhassan and David Samson join Pablo — live onstage at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, right where Adam Silver was just sitting — to examine new and extremely credible evidence.Previously on PTFO:• Part I: The Silent Superstar and the Rotten Apple Tree• Part II: An Argument with Mark Cuban• Part III: The Mystery Investor, the No-Show Payday and the "Smoking Gun"• Part IV: Steve Ballmer, the Other Cuban and the $118 Million Infusion• Part V: Steve Ballmer's "Inconceivable" Donation, the $20 Million Guarantee and a Head on a Spike• Part VI: An IRL Showdown with Mark Cuban• Part VII: The Briefcase, Ballmer's Social Network and Aspiration's House of Cards• Part VIII: Uncle Dennis, Ballmer's $50 Million Sprint and the Side Deal That Wouldn't Die• Subscribe to Pablo's newsletter for exclusive access, documents and invites• Subscribe to "Nothing Personal with David Samson"• Subscribe to "Basketball Illuminati" with Amin Elhassan(Pablo Torre Finds Out is independently produced by Meadowlark Media and distributed by The Athletic. The views, research and reporting expressed in this episode are solely those of Pablo Torre Finds Out and do not reflect the work or editorial input of The Athletic or its journalists.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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392
Share & Bubble & Tell with Mina Kimes and Derek Thompson
Is A.I. gonna boom, bust or just become Excel? And how screwed are we either way? Plus: Peyton Manning, Lamar Jackson, Geraldo Rivera's vault, a young Tim Pawlenty, vibe-coding NFL scouts... and Filipino Jell-O. Further content:• "A.I. as Normal Technology" (Columbia University)https://knightcolumbia.org/content/ai-as-normal-technology• "The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis" (Citrini Research)https://www.citriniresearch.com/p/2028gic• "Nobody Knows Anything" (Derek Thompson)https://www.derekthompson.org/p/nobody-knows-anything• "This Is How the A.I. Bubble Will Pop" (Derek Thompson)https://www.derekthompson.org/p/this-is-how-the-ai-bubble-will-pop• "Fear of A.I. Eliminating Jobs Makes Its Way to Football (Mike Florio)https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/fear-of-ai-eliminating-jobs-makes-its-way-to-football• Previously on PTFO: How Artificial Intelligence Is Already Changing Sports, with Daryl Morey and Sendhil Mullainathan• Subscribe to "The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny"• Subscribe to "Plain English with Derek Thompson" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Follow Pablo down the rabbit hole, beyond the game — every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday — on his Pulitzer-winning video podcast, part of The Athletic Podcast Network.You’ll get a deep-dive "talkumentary" episode, reported by Pablo and Curiosity Correspondents like Emmy-winning comedian Wyatt Cenac and Oscar-winning director Ezra Edelman, answering urgent questions such as: Are you smarter than an NFL quarterback? Does Giannis intentionally miss free throws to win free chicken for fans? And why does the FBI director play so much hockey? This storytelling has been honored by the Pulitzer Prizes, the Emmy Awards, the Peabody Awards and the Edward R. Murrow Awards. (Journalism!)Plus: Pablo hangs out with handpicked figures from sports, culture and politics like Sue Bird, Action Bronson and U.S. Senators… plays Share & Tell with friends like Domonique Foxworth, Mina Kimes, Katie Nolan and Dan Le Batard (aka his boss)… and unveils the secrets of capitalism with David
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