The Bill Simmons Podcast

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ringer staffer Kevin O'Connor to discuss who the NBA MVP is as things stand right now (6:00), the pace of the Pelicans (13:00), LeBron vs. Giannis (20:00), takeaways from the Sloan Conference (25:00), Brandon Ingram vs. Ben Simmons (38:00), Kawhi Leonard's trade value (46:00), and the top 2018 NBA draft prospects (1:01:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by The Ringer's David Shoemaker to discuss the WWE TV rights (6:00), UFC vs. WWE on Fox (13:00), Ronda Rousey's character in the WWE universe (27:00), and HBO's 'Andre the Giant' documentary (40:00). Then, Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and New York Times critic-at-large Wesley Morris join to re-rank the 2013 Oscars (50:00) and review where the Academy went right and wrong five years ago.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons calls up Joe House to discuss the need for the definitive Michael Jordan documentary (06:30), how every MJ game was "must-see TV" (19:00), the trouble with comparing him to LeBron (26:00), the Kawhi Leonard mystery (41:30), and tweaking the playoff format (45:00). Then JackO gets on the line to talk about Johnny Weir's style (54:15), Canada's performance in the Winter Olympics (56:00), Tonya Harding's undeserved redemption (01:04:30), and their favorite moments of the Olympics (01:05:00).

Read Bill's article, "How LeBron Can Finish His Fairy Tale Better Than MJ," here: https://t.co/dze1usPJ0m

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal dish out potentially problematic parenting advice and share stories from their time as dads in the second part of this series.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons breaks down the reasons why the NBA playoff format needs to be dramatically different (5:00). Then, Cousin Sal hops on the line to give his thoughts on the Winter Olympics (27:00), the NBA All-Star Game (34:00), and early Oscars picks (42:00). Finally, Rockets GM Daryl Morey joins to detail his journey through the NBA ranks and the importance of analytics in his life (56:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Nuggets forward Richard Jefferson to discuss his new life in Denver (6:00), Jamal Murray's potential (12:00), Luke Walton vs. LaVar Ball (22:00), the most impressive rookie in the NBA (30:00), the LeBron GM narrative (38:00), Kyrie Irving's ability to lead (46:00), the IT situation in Cleveland (56:00), and the best NBA teammates (1:04:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by talent manager Scooter Braun, who discusses his upbringing around basketball (6:00), the cyclical nature of music (16:00), the decision to roast Justin Bieber (23:00), Kanye's creativity (30:00), the narcissistic nature of superstardom (48:00), the best basketball players in music (1:08:00), and the struggles of safety on tour (1:18:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Fox Sports host Rob Stone to discuss the new U.S. Soccer president (6:00). Then, JackO joins to give a full update on all the happenings of the Winter Olympics (26:00). Then, Bill's dad hops on the line to give his takeaways from Paul Pierce's jersey retirement in Boston (45:00). And finally, Boston radio host Kirk Minihane runs through the hottest story lines and the shifting culture in Boston sports (1:01:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by his old ESPN buddy Ryen Russillo to discuss Isaiah Thomas's value in the NBA today (6:00), OKC's positive outlook for keeping Paul George (13:00), the pitfalls of the NBA salary spike (20:00), LeBron's new teammates (34:00), LeBron's next move (54:00), and the impressive upcoming 2018 NBA draft (1:06:00). Then, another former ESPNer, Tom Haberstroh, offers his thoughts on who won the trade deadline and the one trade that didn't happen that should have. Finally, Joe House hops on the line to give his opinion on what it would take for the Wizards to give up John Wall.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Wall Street Journal sports columnist Jason Gay and Ringer editor-at-large Bryan Curtis to discuss new media's impact on Super Bowl LII coverage (8:00), broadcast experimentation in the NBA (22:00), the best announcing teams (38:00), Chris Berman's return (52:00), and reasons to not care about the 2018 Winter Olympics (1:01:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the bad matchups for the Pats (5:00), Doug Pederson's MVP coaching (12:00), the strip sack on Brady (18:00), the Malcolm Butler mystery (24:00), the future of the Pats defense (32:00), Nick Foles's next move (41:00), the Super Bowl odds for next season (52:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:02:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Mike Francesa to discuss the latest 30 for 30, on Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells (7:00), the Mount Rushmore of NFL coaches (18:00), the media coverage of Super Bowls (28:00), Eli Manning's fourth-quarter magic (34:00), and picks for Sunday's final showdown (58:00). Then, Vince Staples joins to give his thoughts on the Blake Griffin trade and the state of Clippers fandom (1:04:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by 'Black on the Air' host Larry Wilmore to discuss the young L.A. Lakers under Luke Walton (6:00), George Gervin's playground game (15:00), Blake Griffin's goodbye (25:00), N.Y. traffic vs. L.A. traffic (34:00), the age of "agreement culture" (42:00), the power of differing opinions (50:00), and Kendrick Lamar's accessibility (1:05:00). Then The Ringer's Juliet Litman joins to discuss all things 'Bachelor' (1:11:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss surefire Super Bowl prop bets (10:00), LeBron's Lakers odds (20:00), Ronda Rousey at Royal Rumble (34:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (38:00). Then, Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons joins to discuss HBO's first great drama, 'Oz' (54:00), Kevin Costner's magical arm in 'For Love of the Game,' and the making of 'Whiplash' (1:24:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons reunites with Jalen Rose to discuss the origins of The Fab Five (5:00), Jalen's rise at ESPN (14:00), 'The Grantland Basketball Hour' (30:00), the NBA All-Star draft (36:00), LeBron's longevity in the East (1:01:00), Kawhi Leonard's situation on the Spurs (1:16:00), Coach K's new sales pitch (1:28:00), and the best NBA Finals cities (1:40:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the Eagles' dominating victory over the Vikings (4:00), Doug Pederson's playoff performance (10:00), the return of Chris Berman (14:00), the Pats' game-winning plays (22:00), the largest Super Bowl spread in nine years (28:00), Danny Amendola's clutch catches (32:00), and the Pats' lack of penalties (41:00). Then, former Cowboys quarterback and current CBS commentator Tony Romo joins to give his thoughts on his first year in the booth (44:00) and the end of the golden age of quarterbacks (51:00). Finally, Bill and Sal wrap it all up with another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:03:00).

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HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by ‘Lady Bird’ writer-director Greta Gerwig and star Saoirse Ronan to discuss the reception of the film (02:00), the enjoyment of making a coming-of-age story (10:00), and the timing of its release in today’s current climate (34:00). Then, Mike Francesa joins Bill to discuss the unbelievable end to the Vikings-Saints game (51:30), Tom Brady's injured hand (53:30), the most shocking in-game playoff football moments (59:00), their predictions (01:06:45), and the best possible story line for the Super Bowl (01:18:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Zach Lowe of ESPN to discuss the angriest NBA fan base (02:00), locks for the Western Conference All-Star starting lineup (04:30), Anthony Davis vs. Karl-Anthony Towns (19:30), the Cavs potentially trading for Boogie Cousins (34:00), their current All-Defense first team (55:45), if the Rockets are legitimate (58:30), the Isaiah Thomas–Paul Pierce drama (01:07:00), and the most bizarre story in the NBA (01:11:15).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss Stefon Diggs's miracle catch in Minnesota (5:00), the Vikings' destiny potential (15:00), the Falcons' poor play-calling (24:00), Mike Tomlin's miscues (30:00), the league's lack of big-name quarterbacks (40:00), Tom Brady defying age limitations (48:00), Jaguars-Pats (52:00), Vikings-Eagles (58:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:04:00).

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HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by New York radio legend Mike Francesa to recap last week’s picks (2:35), give their picks for the NFL's divisional round (4:45), discuss NBA coaches’ issues with coverage of LaVar Ball (34:50), and debate who the Red Sox should acquire in the offseason (45:15). Then Kathy Carter, president of Soccer United Marketing, joins to discuss her campaign to become the next U.S. Soccer president and the next step for American soccer as a whole (49:35).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by The Ringer's very own Sean Fennessey and Chris Ryan to discuss Bill's top 10 movies of 2017.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the up-and-down wild-card weekend (5:00), the Falcons' big upset (10:00), Blake Bortles's unmatched badness (14:00), Cam Newton's comeback effort (18:00), Jon Gruden's goodbye (24:00), Titans-Pats (29:00), Falcons-Eagles (35:00), Jaguars-Steelers (39:00), Saints-Vikings (42:00), House's defense of taking the Chiefs moneyline (46:30), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:01:00).

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HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by New York radio legend Mike Francesa to discuss the leaked news regarding the New England Patriots trading away Jimmy Garoppolo (2:10), evaluate Jon Gruden’s imminent return to the NFL (18:45), debate the likelihood of Bill Belichick taking another job (23:30), and give their NFL picks for this weekend (36:33). Then, Bill calls his dad to get a Boston resident’s perspective on the Patriots story (48:10) and the Celtics’ dominant season thus far (61:45).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by comedian and star of HBO's 'Crashing,' Pete Holmes, to discuss his start in comedy, his favorite conspiracy theories (11:00), why roasts are therapeutic (22:00), the art vs. the person (28:00), the premise behind 'Crashing' (33:00), New York's stand-up scene (46:00), recording with Garry Shandling (55:00), Aaron Rodgers's UFO obsession (1:03:00), the power of boredom (1:12:00), and finding the weirdness with podcasts (1:20:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the battle for the 6-seed in the AFC (5:00), Andy Dalton's clutch TD for the Bills (9:00), the terrible Titans (13:00), Jon Gruden's potential new gig (16:00), the best teams against the spread in the regular season (28:00), Titans-Chiefs (34:00), Falcons-Rams (41:00), Bills-Jaguars (47:00), Panthers-Saints (51:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:05:00).

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HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined again by New York radio legend Mike Francesa to recap last week’s NFL picks (2:23) and offer up picks for Week 17 (19:06). Then, The Ringer's Kevin O’Connor joins to discuss precocious NBA rookies (28:17) and the Oklahoma City Thunder trending upwards (31:28); former NFL linebacker Chris Borland and The Ringer’s Kevin Clark come on to debate the factors that hinder player safety in football (35:33); and The Ringer’s Mark Titus and Tate Frazier sit down to consider a hypothetical college basketball rivalry (43:39).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson and Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey to discuss the changing landscape of selling movies (10:00), dropping out of college to pursue filmmaking dreams (20:00), working with Burt Reynolds (35:00), the art form of DVD commentary (45:00), the comedic genius of Adam Sandler (54:00), the intense setting while shooting 'The Master' (1:07:00), and writing scripts on Microsoft Word (1:18:00).

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HBO and The Ringer’s Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the end of the Cowboys’ playoff hopes after their loss to the Seahawks (2:40), Jimmy Garoppolo’s continuing success as a 49er (5:40), and the gambling implications of the Eagles’ fourth-quarter field goal (11:00). Then they guess Week 17 lines (37:20) and share a very special Christmas edition of Parent Corner (1:06:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by legendary New York sports radio host Mike Francesa to discuss Jimmy Garoppolo's setup in San Francisco (5:00), Eli Manning's offensive line problem (12:00), Matt Ryan's down year (19:00), picks for Week 16 (32:00), Detroit's quiet season (40:00), and Super Bowl odds (45:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by The Ringer's editor-at-large, Bryan Curtis, to discuss John Skipper's decision to step down at ESPN and Skipper's lasting legacy at the company. Then, Stratechery's Ben Thompson joins (32:00) to give his thoughts on Disney's most recent acquisition and who's competing in the tech space with Netflix.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the crazy Pats-Steelers finish (6:00), Todd Gurley's dominant performance in Seattle (15:00), Jimmy G's new groove with the Niners (21:00), the Ravens' playoff chances (36:00), the top NFC contenders (44:00), the Seahawks' struggles (57:00), the NFL games on Christmas Day (1:01:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:05:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by his dad for his first full podcast, to talk the best and worst of Boston sports (2:50). Then, The Ringer's Kevin Clark stops by to talk Jimmy G, the AFC playoffs, and growing up a tortured Orlando Magic fan (22:50). Finally, The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor calls in to discuss some of the trades that shaped this NBA season, Russell Westbrook's off-ball play, the trade deadline, and way-too early NBA Finals talk (54:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by his old buddy JackO to discuss the Yankees trading for slugger Giancarlo Stanton (5:00), Derek Jeter's secret agent status (12:00), the state of the Miami Marlins (17:00), the renewal of the Red Sox–Yankees rivalry (21:00), Shohei Ohtani signing with the Angels (27:00), Mike Francesa's farewell (35:00), and the chance Holy Cross changes its mascot's name (42:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss their fantasy football showdown (5:00), Carson Wentz's injury (11:00), Derek Carr's struggles (21:00), the holiday shopping showdown (33:00), Keenan Allen's comeback (39:00), Ravens-Browns (47:00), Winston vs. Mariota (54:00), Raiders-Cowboys (59:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:02:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Bryan Curtis and The Wall Street Journal's Jason Gay to talk podcasts and journalism in 2017 (2:08), reinventing studio sports shows (27:15), the 2018 World Cup and Winter Olympics (55:55), and how millennials can break into sports media today (66:40).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Bryan Cranston to discuss his first big break (5:00), Erik Estrada's ego during 'Chips' (12:00), Larry David's comedy bootcamp (23:30), playing a TV dad on 'Malcolm in the Middle' (32:00), dealing with fame (43:00), the importance of streaming with 'Breaking Bad' (54:00), and working with Richard Linklater (1:04:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss Gronk's cheap shot (4:15), the Music City Miracle 2.0, (8:20), feeling sorry for Eli Manning (23:30), Jimmy Garoppolo and Bill’s new favorite NFC team (27:05), the goofy playoff picture (33:55), Week 14 lines (39:40), and another edition of Parent Corner (67:12).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to discuss Draymond's chances of winning 'Survivor' (6:00), the one-and-done rule (15:00), the art of taking plays from other coaches (30:30), and the difference between winning a title as a player and as a coach (44:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr to discuss the modern NBA player (6:00), deciding against taking the Knicks job (15:00), Jordan's competitiveness in practice (20:00), getting rid of excessive replay reviews (27:00), Jordan's flu game (35:00), and Jeff Van Gundy's two-knucklehead theory (42:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the struggles of the Cowboys and "The Clapper" (5:00), Carson Wentz vs. Tom Brady MVP odds (14:00), the playoff picture (19:00), Alvin Kamara's ROY campaign (26:00), the chances the Cowboys bring back Tony Romo (33:00), the number of bad coaches in the NFL (40:00), the Blake Bortles gambit (48:00), the Rams' dominant offense (54:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:03:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal dish out potentially problematic parenting advice and share stories from their times as dads.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by best-selling author and old buddy Chuck Klosterman to discuss switching to Sirius XM over the internet, the pop culture influence on politics, the lack of humor in media coverage, the potential of Ben Simmons, and the comedic genius of Jim Carrey.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss Dak Prescott's disappointing Sunday night (5:00), Kansas City's chances of losing the AFC West (14:00), Wentz vs. Brady MVP odds (18:00), the NFC playoff picture (22:00), Tony Romo's lack of luck (29:00), the three Thanksgiving Day games (37:30), the Rams-Saints marquee matchup (44:00), Blaine Gabbert vs. Blake Bortles (51:30), Panthers-Giants (1:01:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:07:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Joe House to construct a top-20 list of the best current NBA players through one month of the 2017-18 season.

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by one of the most influential authors of the 21st century, Ta-Nehisi Coates, to discuss the importance of reading (6:00), LeBron's impressive run managing his celebrity status (18:00), the decision to challenge President Obama (28:00), the role of athletes in political protest (34:00), the Colin Kaepernick situation (48:00), the O.J. doc (1:01:00), and the best season of 'The Wire' (1:08:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the loaded NFC wild-card race (5:00), another week of bad beats in the NFL (11:00), Jerry Jones vs. Roger Goodell (20:15), Martellus Bennett's return to New England (28:00), Rams-Vikings (33:00), Ravens-Packers (37:00), Bengals-Broncos (44:00), Bills-Chargers (48:30), Saints-Redskins (54:00), and another edition of "Parent Corner" (1:00:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by The Ringer's Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker to discuss the glaring problems with 'Thursday Night Football' (7:00), the rise of breaking investigative Hollywood stories (28:00), the JFK conspiracy world (34:00), the much-maligned ESPN layoffs (48:00), and announcer shelf lives (1:04:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons offers up his thoughts on the Celtics' win streak (5:00) and Kyrie Irving's newfound love of facilitating his teammates (10:00). Then Dan Patrick of 'The Dan Patrick Show' joins to discuss his role in BS's dismissal from ESPN (27:30), the problems with today's sports coverage (36:00), and Westbrook's situation in OKC (49:30). Then Hillsong pastor and NBA confidant Pastor Carl Lentz joins to lay out how secret NBA scrimmages come about in the summertime (1:08:20).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Cousin Sal to discuss the lowlights of the NFL weekend (6:00), Sal's fantasy mishaps (14:00), Eagles-Chiefs (24:00), the Cardinals' playoff chances (28:00), the end of Eli Manning (35:00), Steelers-Colts (40:00), Chargers-Jaguars (45:00), Dolphins-Panthers (54:00), and another rousing edition of "Parent Corner" (57:00).

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HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Ringer editor-in-chief Sean Fennessey and New York Times critic-at-large Wesley Morris to discuss Oscar noms (7:00), Clooney's struggles (23:00), Jennifer Lawrence's missed chances (32:00), the state of Tom Cruise (41:00), and reasons to watch 'The Deuce' (58:30). Then, recently departed ESPNer Tom Haberstroh joins to give his thoughts on the Cavs' lacking defense (112:00) and potential Boogie Cousins trades (1:24:00).

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