The Press Box

The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker and Joel Anderson catch you up on the biggest media stories, from sports to politics and everything in between.

Latest Episodes

Dianna Russini Resigns From The Athletic

Today on The Press Box, breaking news: Dianna Russini resigned from The Athletic. So Bryan was joined by Joel Anderson and Nora Princiotti to give their reactions to the resignation and discuss what they think could be next for Russini. Before the news broke, the trio recorded a whole other podcast about their thoughts on the Vrabel-Russini story (16:39), and they discussed what it’s like being a woman in sports media (54:30) and what the point of sports insiders is in today’s media landscape (1:04:19).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Guest: Nora Princiotti
Producers: Bruce Baldwin, Isaiah Blakely, and Jamie Yukich
Additional Production Supervision: Conor Nevins

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Sam Altman and Trump’s War Room. Plus, ESPN Draft Guru Mel Kiper Jr.

Today on The Press Box, Bryan and Joel start by talking about two big pieces that have dropped this week. First is a story from the New York Times taking us inside the White House and how Trump led the United States into war with Iran. The second piece is from the New Yorker, about OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman (13:00). Lastly, they discuss the news and drama surrounding pictures released of NFL insider Dianna Russini and New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel hanging out poolside in Arizona (21:13). Then, they are joined by ESPN’s draft expert Mel Kiper Jr (30:50). They discuss how he got into draft coverage, handling criticism, and much more. Then in Joel’s lightning round, Mel says who some of his favorite prospects have been at each position he’s ever scouted (1:04:35).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Producers: Bruce Baldwin, Donald LoBianco, Isaiah Blakely, and Sarah Reddy

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The April Issue: The 50th Anniversary of 'All the President’s Men' With Sean Fennessey

It’s time for the April issue! Bryan is joined by Sean Fennessey to talk about 'All the President’s Men' in honor of its 50th anniversary. They start by discussing how this movie plays in today’s climate politically and journalistically. Then they talk about all the major players that are involved in this movie—from the stars, including Robert Redford (10:56) and Dustin Hoffman (49:10), to the filmmakers, including Alan Pakula(1:00:14)—and some of their favorite cameos (53:47).

Host: Bryan Curtis
Guest: Sean Fennessey
Producers: Bruce Baldwin, Isaiah Blakely, and Sarah Reddy

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Trump’s Iran Threats, Vanity Fair’s Chloe Fineman Cleanup, and Bryan’s Spring Break Adventures

Today on The Press Box, Bryan and David start by catching up about Bryan’s spring break trip. Then they talk about Trump’s Iran tweets (15:28), Bill Raftery’s obscure reference during the national championship (19:07), and much more. Later on, they talk about what to do with ESPN Radio (50:17) and discuss what makes a great used bookstore (57:25).

Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline!

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker
Producers: Bruce Baldwin and Isaiah Blakely

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Bomani Jones on Social Media on Trial, AI Use, and the State of Hip-Hop Media

Today on a special episode of The Press Box, Joel is joined by friend of the show Bomani Jones. Joel and Bomani start by discussing the social media addiction trial in California that found Meta and Google liable (03:23). They dive into a larger conversation about social media use in 2026, and whether you can still build a following on social media like you used to (10:45). Next, the guys discuss the reaction to their takes on Jay-Z and look at the state of hip-hop media as a whole (24:08). After that, Joel asks Bomani about his use of AI (43:56) and his thoughts on the general conversation surrounding AI in 2026. The show ends with a discussion about Will Wade being hired at LSU (53:46), before a quick conversation about the Jaden Ivey situation (59:32).

All that and more, here on The Press Box.

Host: Joel Anderson

Guest: Bomani Jones

Producers: Isaiah Blakely, Bruce Baldwin, and Brian H. Waters

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A Final Four Preview. Plus, the Issues With College Basketball Coverage and an All-Time UNC Starting Five With Tate Frazier

No Bryan Curtis this week, so Joel Anderson is joined by his fellow co-host from Ringer Tailgate, Tate Frazier! Joel and Tate preview this weekend’s Final Four matchups on the men’s and women’s side. Then, they get into the issues with how college basketball is covered (13:24) before the lighting round (35:18), where Tate gives his all-time North Carolina starting five, the best team to never win a national championship, and more.

Host: Joel Anderson
Guest: Tate Frazier
Producers: Bruce Baldwin and Isaiah Blakely

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The March Issue: James Talarico and the Dream of Turning Texas Blue

It’s time for the March issue! Bryan and Joel are here to examine Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico in his race to turn Texas blue. They take a look at who Talarico is, why he’s gained national recognition from other Democrats (18:49), and how Texas turned into a completely red state (36:47). Then they take a look at how the Texas Senate race has gone so far and they give reasons for optimism and pessimism for Talarico’s case for Senate (41:58).
Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Producers: Bruce Baldwin, Isaiah Blakely, and Donald LoBianco

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Senator Chris Murphy on Trump's Iran Games, the Democrats’ 2026 Bumper Sticker, and Why He Loves ‘Andor’

Today on The Press Box, Bryan is joined by Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut! They start with Senator Murph’s breakdown of the events that led the Senate to approve a bill to fund DHS except for ICE. Then they discuss a bunch of other current events including the war in Iran (16:29), whether he’s running for president in 2028 (28:18), prediction markets (29:37), and much more.

Host: Bryan Curtis
Guest: Chris Murphy
Producers: Abou Kamara, Isaiah Blakely, Jacob Cornett, and Kevin Cureghian

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Jay-Z in GQ, Podcasting vs. a Writer’s Brain, and a Sports Media Beef Check-In

Today on The Press Box, Bryan and Joel start by discussing Jay-Z's exclusive interview with GQ and the art of celebrity interviews. Then they discuss the trending topic of whether podcasting is rotting writers' brains (21:25). Then, in the Notebook Dump, they talk about the Stephen A. Smith–Jason Whitlock and Dan Orlovsky–Pat McAfee sports media beefs (34:12), Savannah Guthrie's interview with 'Today,' Tracy Kidder, and the Sports Emmys(54:03).

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson
Producers: Bruce Baldwin, Isaiah Blakely, and Jaime Yukich

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The Evaporating Iran News, CNN’s Podcast Identity Crisis, and Sports Radio’s Wilding Period

Today on The Press Box, Bryan and David talk about the shortening news cycle under Trump, especially during wartime. Then they talk about journalists trying to get back into the Pentagon (20:19). In the Notebook Dump, they talk about Bill Raftery, Bob Woodward’s new book, sports radio fights (27:08), and more. Plus, the Overworked Twitter Joke of the Week, and David Shoemaker Guesses the Strained-Pun Headline!

Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker
Producers: Bruce Baldwin, Isaiah Blakely, and Jamie Yukich

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