House of Strauss

Congrats to Mr. ZigZag for winning our NFL Week 4 contest on sportspredict.com. What’s his prize? Well, should he choose to accept it, it’s a 30 minute phone conversation with yours truly. That’s right. You win a week, we talk on the phone, about whatever you’d like. So ZigZag and future Week winners: Email me at houseofstrauss@substack.com if this prize is appealing, though I completely understand if it is not. This week’s pod with Steve was a fascinating look at how this season’s NFL kickoff change has turbocharged the value of a select few kickers. Are these unsung peripheral performers actually now among the sport’s most valuable players? Could such a thing be true? We get into that, plus secrets behind my unsustainably high SMART score, the “Death of Expertise,” and whether the ability to predict truly equals expertise. Enjoy!Oh and I should mention that we’ll be discussing some of these topics and more on the BCC Chat. House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAmin has been hysterical in his commentary role for these Pablo Finds Out episodes on BallmerGate. With a brand new one out on Clippers Media Day, we had to discuss. Topics include but not limited to…* Amin haunts my grieving dog death process * Jim Rome went into Old Jim mode ripping Ballmer* Why can’t the Clippers just explain why they’re innocent?* Uncle Dennis, the scapegoat* Did we think Kawhi knew?* Why couldn’t journalists within the NBA have been the ones to report this story out?* Why is Pablo rubbing some media people the wrong way?* Does the reality even matter anymore on whether Ballmer is guilty? * Amin and I tackle David Cross ripping fellow comedians for doing the The Riyadh Comedy Festival* Would Amin and I do the Riyadh Comedy Festival

Thought this was a good YouTube live with the Glasspiegel (uploaded for you to the HoS audio feed). But then again I am biased. Topics include…* Kimmel Kontinues (with Sinclair allowing him back on the air)* Disney’s rock and a hard place* Brendan Carr really botched it* Is Trump’s battle for network media…irrelevant? * Can the boomers be propagandized in either direction by traditional TV?* Are there…too many athlete podcasts?!* Caitlin Clark’s Nike models….don’t exactly look like Caitlin Clark?* Roger Goodell denies Tom Brady’s conflict of interestHouse of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

Shana Tova to those taking the day and to those working. Congrats to Tom P for winning this week. Email me at houseofstrauss@substack.com to collect a free subscription for one year. In this version of NFL Market Inefficiencies, Steve and I address my unsustainably high NFL picks SMART score. The nation wants to know: What’s my secret? We also get into whether it’s easier to gamble on prop bets versus game outcomes, explain a revolutionary new kickoff invented by the Rams, and get into whether punting strategy should be informed by how aggressive the opponent is. Enjoy…House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comSubscriber CJ sent me the following email:Good Evening Ethan,I’ve got a potential podcast suggestion given current events: Rob HendersonCancel culture reversalCensorship and self censorship changesVibe shiftSpeech and debate on campusesYoung menAlso Rob met and recorded a never (or likely never) to release podcast with Charlie Kirk before his passing. Might would have some insights or thoughts to share regarding him.Just a thought, I’ve enjoyed y’all’s conversations in the past and think it could be a good chat that has some new and revisited topics with updated lenses.I’m nothing if not sensitive to subscribers, so I reached out right away to the great Rob Henderson. Our conversation mirrors that topic list and it is a good one. Thank you, CJ.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comFOOTBALL AMERICA! host Dave Dameshek has long had his own idiosyncratic voice and style. He’s got a unique Pittsburgh flair, not that Blue Collar Steel Town would embrace having flair. He’s also, above all, a fantastically authoritative arbiter. And so I invited Dave on to “arbit” on a range of topics including but not limited to…* What’s America’s Mount Rushmore of regional accents? * Which American accent would you want your hypothetical wife to have?* We want Southern accents in pilots?* Dave Portnoy as Michigan homer on Fox? Fair or foul?* The problem with athlete broadcasters * Great pro athlete, bad broadcaster? * Moralizing sports terms like “Don’t get pass happy!”* Domes for NFL teams, yay or nay?* Can tiny Floyd Mayweather be the GOAT fighter if so many could kick his ass?* Ban the tush push? * Field goals are too easy (unless you’re Jake Moody)House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support

Loving the NFL tournament we’re doing at SportsPredict.com, headed up by Steve Kuhn (even if Brandon Aubrey’s leg kicked away my dreams). Given that Steve’s got an incredible mind for market inefficiencies, I want him here, regularly, to tell us what everyone else is missing about America’s favorite sport. Join up still to test out how you fare against myself and Steve, a guy who ran a $14 billion hedge fund. To enter the House of Strauss Lobby, password is HOS.In this pod we discussed, among other matters…* What’s the effect of the new NFL kickoff rules that Donald Trump hates?* My “I don’t know anything and neither do YOU” picks strategy* The impact of kickoff rules on 4th down decision making* Onside kicks used to be MONEY* Minnesota did a CRAZY white flag punt* Should a coach employ trick plays based on randomness?* What trends are we seeing early?* House of Strauss subscribers and Chat BCC participants are really…SMART? * Micah Parsons’ successful impact in Green Bay* Why does Kyle Shanahan want a predictable running back over a talented running back?House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comYa, I think you have an idea of what we’re going to discuss. And it’s one of my favorite conversations yet.

I’m declaring this JOURNALISM WEEK on the HoS podcast feed. Today we’ve got the great Tyler Dunne talking about his bombshell series on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. On Thursday, we should also have Pablo Torre on another big story you might have heard of. Today’s pod with Tyler gets to what happened behind the scenes with Caleb and the Bears + why many in the sports media became too defensive on Williams’ behalf. It’s a good one. Reminder: Every week of the NFL season, we’re doing a prediction contest at SportsPredict.com (Password: HOS). It’s not gambling, it’s free of charge, and it will involve prizes. You just pick game events and track your status on a leaderboard. So far it’s been a lot of fun, even if I’m badly trailing my audience members. Thanks for reading House of Strauss! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

So, like many of you, I love thinking about games, probabilities and market inefficiencies. And, like many of you, I have profound reservations with regard to the sports betting conquest of America. With that in mind, I’m proud to announce a new sponsor at House of Strauss: Sportspredict.com. The goal of my new advertiser is to host a place for sports predictions that isn’t gambling. There are no bets made here, but there are picks. The idea is to compete and demonstrate predictive ability absent insidious financial downside. I encourage HoS subscribers to join the NFL picks pool this season, free of charge, and compete for a prize (to be determined later). If nothing else, you can demonstrate NFL intellectual superiority over an idiot who liked Dallas’ Micah Parsons trade. Oh, and access code is: HOS.Steve is the founder of this company but I wouldn’t have him on just due to that. He’s also a House of Strauss subscriber, and lurker in the BCC Chat. Put simply, he’s one of us. He’s prone to novel theories of his own and believes that a lot of money is left on the table by our most prominent sports franchises. In this pod we discuss topics that include, but aren’t limited to…* The appeal of a non gambling sports prediction site* What makes for a good predictor? * My two NFL picks in Week 1, and the market inefficiencies targeted with them* NFL coaches are still committing 4th down malpractice* Major college coaches are still committing “Go for 2” malpractice* Steve’s “Fourth and Smart” idea that could revolutionize special teams play* NBA teams are declining in “2 for 1” usage* Steve loves the BCC ChatHouse of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI really enjoyed Freddie deBoer’s NFL preview and wanted to discuss America’s favorite sport with him. Neither of us are all that associated with football analysis and yet we can’t stop thinking about it. So we went for an NFL download as the season approaches…Freddie’s Micah Parsons trade takeHow NFL stars are dictating terms to teams like NBA starsFreddie’s perspective on the wildly divergent pay scales between NFL positionsCan you be a bad locker room guy just by having a podcast?Are we being honest about the level Patrick Mahomes is actually at right now?Racial ghosts and the Lamar Jackson Discourse How Lamar defenders oddly can underrate himFreddie have a take on Pablo Torre’s Kawhi Leonard reporting?

Sports bet discourse continues to burble on the BCC Chat, and I’m adding more fuel…We’ve had the Man Who Would Ban Sports Betting and now we have the Sports Betting Man. Raheem Palmer is the co-host of the Ringer Gambling Show. He says he’s gone broke before and made millions. He leads a life most of us can’t imagine. He just moved to Las Vegas. I had questions. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* The problem with the Sharp Lifestyle* What is Raheem’s “model” for making bets* Is losing also addictive?* Should prop bets be banned? * Raheem watches every pro basketball league and believes the NBA is unique in superstar coddling * Josh Allen is great, not a choker, and also “not who people want him to be” * Do we need a new term for “point shaving” now that players tank for props?* Is Pro Football Focus astrology for dudes?House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWe talk around it a lot on HoS but writer Charles Fain Lehman has just come out and said it: He thinks the legalization of sports betting is bad and wants it reversed. Plenty have expressed misgivings, but this man has actually staked out a position. I’m not sure anyone is as prominent in America’s burbling anti-vice movement as Charles is currently, so I wanted to get his perspective. How bad is sports gambling and will there ever be a public appetite to bring back prohibition? I found this talk fascinating and hope you will too. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Will Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce getting married result in an actual baby boom?* What’s the legalization of sports betting done to society?* Rank the young male vices in terms of damage: sports betting, porn, weed* Do porn and weed use curb criminality? * Did the American public want this sports betting legalization?* How popular is sports betting with the American public?* Would young men vote to protect access to sports betting and/or porn? * Charles’ thoughts on Richard Hanania’s Do We Need Sports Betting to Get to Mars? Maybe theory* Charles writes a lot about psychedelics but refuses to do any* Charles and I are both skeptical of ayahuasca shamans* Is alcohol use a net negative or net positive for society?* Zoomers are anti weed?!

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comI’ve been struggling to figure what what time we’re in, post Vibe Shift. Pirate Wires founder Mike Solana finally articulated what I’d been thinking without knowing I was thinking it: We’re in a Culture Cold War. I felt a burning need to discuss this, and so we did, plus many other media/culture topics. Subjects include but aren’t limited to…* Christopher Rufo vs. Doreen St. Félix leading to nothing = Culture Cold War* Why nobody is able to cancel anyone else now* Are we in a Culture Cold War forever?* Is culture NOT zero sum?* How the Internet breaks our moral intuitions* PTSD for those of us who remained sane in 2020* The “you can’t criticize me” defense from those who just lost cultural power* We will never have a shared reality ever again* Culture War matters* How Mike would advise Disney on how to win back Zoomer males* Why does “moral inversion” exist and why is it prevalent now?* Why Mike supports hearing Aella out, but understands the backlash to her

Audio for Random Offense with Amin is up on the HoS feed, though the mic is a little distant. Great episode in my humble opinion!. House of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comWos is back from Europe, armed with a fresh perspective on all goings on stateside. BCC chatters took bets on what he’d talk about and now we learn the truth. Perhaps this was the most candid Wos/HoS yet. Topics include!* We are jealous of NBA podcaster Nate Duncan * Wos was in Barcelona when everyone there decided they hated tourists * My Guy Haberman podcast got spliced in an unflattering way, which I deserved * The time Wos saved me from getting humiliated and fired* The moment Nick Wright won me over as a person* Has Paige Bueckers market corrected Caitlin Clark? * Why Paige Bueckers can’t be Caitlin Clark fame-wise* Wos admits to attending the 2016 Women’s March. No word on whether he wore one of those hats* Trump vs. Taylor Swift means celebrities have limited political power* Did The Media decide to savage Bill Belichick’s girlfriend due to her politics? * Wos is OUT on sports gambling

Guy Haberman, who’s filling in right now for the legendary Greg Papa, is busy, but he made time for us. Since Guy considers me a “football outsider,” we decided to have fun with that status. In this podcast, I operate as Football Skeptic, wondering why the sport is how it is, and questioning if indeed it should be. Because you can tell me I’m an idiot here or in the Group Chat. Topics include…* Should NFL teams just never practice in preseason because Full Health would be a massive Week 1 advantage? * Are injuries luck? * Does my defensive shrinkage theory explain why NFL offense is slipping? * Am I a FOOL for wanting an NFL defense with 11 fast totally interchangeable guys?* Is Kyle Shanahan actually a genius? * Am I biased against Shanahan because he’s inarticulate? * What determines which NFL positions get money? Is it merit based?* Bill Belichick, Tom Brady skeptic? * Why did the 49ers lose the Super Bowl by not expecting a predictable play?* It’s about Acceptable Quarterback, not Exceptional QuarterbackHouse of Strauss is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.houseofstrauss.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comAndrew Sharp from Sharp Tech (and many other pods) is here to break down why the hell Paramount Plus paid the UFC over a billion dollars per year. We cover that and..Trump DC crime takeover? This episode goes places. Topics include…* Why Andrew Sharp thinks Air Pods = Massive Apple scam* The shocking UFC/Paramount deal* Is this the best or the worst time to be a sports fan?* Why the NFL has a secret interest in keeping ESPN alive* Was Game of Thrones the last monoculture show?* Is White Lotus monoculture?* What’s wrong with Apple TV’s “Stick”?* Trump’s DC crime takeover* Andrew CRUSHES journalist Peter Baker* Why did Taylor Swift choose to announce her album on New Heights?* The real problem with showing Taylor Swift so often during NFL games

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comIt’s time for some sports biz with Move Insoles entrepreneur and NBA agent Nate Jones. We don’t have traditional sponsorships here, but House of Strauss certainly endorses Move and Chat BCC. Huge happenings in the world of ESPN this week, and I needed Nate’s insider perspective. We discuss…* The NFL formally joining forces with ESPN, getting a 10% equity stake* Roger Goodell saying his competitor isn’t the NBA, but instead Google* The WWE and ESPN agreeing to a five-year, $1.6 billion deal* How has pro wrestling gotten more popular after publicly revealing its fakeness?* Is danger key to pro wrestling maintaining popularity despite scripted nature?* The Agency Model, where Klutch or some other agency runs an NBA team* Are the Spurs wrong to give De'aaron Fox a massive contract after (an assumed) prior handshake deal? * Is coaching via LLMs really the future of youth sports?

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.houseofstrauss.comSarah Hepola is here for one of my favorite conversations of the year. It ranges from Brent Musburger’s public horniness to American beer advertising to honest analysis of the nation’s attractiveness insecurities. Topics include but aren’t limited to…* Who else? Sydney Sweeney: A complete analysis* What did “sex sells” go away in advertising?* “Hot, Not Pretty” vs. “Pretty, Not Hot” actresses* If we’d known nothing about the controversy, would we find the jeans ad weird?* Aren’t ads supposed to tickle our horrible base impulses?* Las Vegas sexy jobs that aren’t “sex work”* The cartoonish sexism of social media era beer ads * And the twiiiinnnns* What’s with blondes? * Uncomfortable realities of who’s popular in the dating market * Green dildos on WNBA courts