Rushmore Podcast

What happens when two of the most dominant scorers in basketball history sit down to build their ultimate starting lineups?Total chaos.On Season 2, Episode 3 of The Rushmore Podcast, Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Durant join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to draft, trade, and defend their definitive all-time starting fives. From immediate blockbuster trades to heated arguments over whether Steph Curry is a true point guard, this conversation cuts through modern analytics to reveal how all-time greats actually evaluate the game.Inside the episode:* Modern Spacing Debate: Would Shaq score 70 a night in today’s NBA, or would he hate the perimeter volume?* Coaching Systems: Why Shaq believes Phil Jackson’s triangle offense wouldn’t survive today, and how Steve Kerr adapted it into Golden State’s random basketball.* The Blockbuster Trade: Shaq swaps Hakeem Olajuwon for himself to complete KD’s all-time 6’10” roster.* Pat Riley Lore: Shaq exposes the Heat’s brutal body fat tests and the personal exemption he demanded before getting traded.* The Point Guard War: Shaq’s controversial take on Steph Curry and why Tim Duncan and Giannis are barred from the big man category.* 1996 Bulls Retrospective: Ari Emanuel confronts Shaq on getting swept by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.* The Height Myth: KD reveals what happened when he stood next to Hakeem Olajuwon in real life.Special thanks to our partners who make Rushmore possible:* Lovable: Build complete web apps and websites in minutes just by describing what you want in plain language—no coding required. See our site at https://rushmorepodcast.com and start building your own project today at https://lovable.com.* LinkedIn Ads: Cut the bull spend on empty impressions and target the specific companies, job titles, and decision-makers that drive revenue. Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn Ads and get a $250 credit toward your next one at linkedin.com/rushmore (Terms and conditions apply).* DraftKings: New DraftKings customers, sign up with code RUSHMOREPOD, spend just $5, and get $200 in rewards within 21 days, includes all markets. Terms at https://dkng.co/offer.Watch the full live episode above, or stream on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

When NBC tested the original pilot for The Seinfeld Chronicles, network executives circulated an internal research memo stating that “no segment of the audience was eager to watch the show again.”Nine seasons and 180 episodes later, it became the most influential sitcom in television history.In Season 2, Episode 2 of The Rushmore Podcast, Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky sit down live with co-creators Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David to settle the four most iconic, structurally perfect episodes in the history of the show.A quick word from our partners:* Lovable: If you can describe it, you can build it. Lovable designs, builds, and iterates software with you in plain language—no coding required. We used it to build our own site at rushmorepodcast.com. Start building your vision today at lovable.com.* LinkedIn Ads: Cut the “bull spend.” LinkedIn Ads delivers 121% higher ROAS than other major networks by targeting specific decision-makers and companies instead of vanity metrics. Spend $250 on your first campaign and get a $250 credit toward your next one at linkedin.com/rushmore.Inside the conversation:* Why Larry David kept the premise for “The Contest” hidden in his notebook for two years.* The real-life dinner date that spawned “The Puffy Shirt” and the “Low Talker.”* The midnight rewrite hours before filming that saved “The Marine Biologist.”* The executive meeting where Larry David walked into the studio parking lot and quit.Watch the full live episode above, or stream on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Pat McAfee sit down with Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to build the definitive Mount Rushmore of Greatest NFL Comebacks.There are only four spots on the mountain. From Tom Brady erasing a 28-3 deficit in Super Bowl LI to Frank Reich’s 32-point comeback against the Houston Oilers, the Minnesota Miracle, and Damar Hamlin’s miraculous return to football, the panel debates which four moments stand above the rest.Along the way, Roger Goodell reveals what it was like facing a hostile Indianapolis Colts locker room before the 2011 lockout, his secret basement CBA sessions with Jeff Saturday, and why he refused security orders to leave his seat during the Minnesota Miracle. Pat McAfee breaks down his high school kicking origin story, Peyton Manning’s neck injury, and the time he checked into a rogue fake punt against the Dallas Cowboys.SPONSORS:• DraftKings: New DraftKings customers, Sign up with code RUSHMOREPOD, spend just $5, and get $200 in rewards within 21 days, includes all markets. Terms at https://dkng.co/offer.• ZipRecruiter: 4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. Try it FOR FREE at https://ZipRecruiter.com/RUSHMORE.CHAPTERS:00:00 The Pat McAfee Football Origin07:21 Roger Goodell Walks Into the Lion’s Den!13:40 28-3 The Greatest Comeback in Super Bowl History!15:40 Andrew Luck’s Unbelievable 38-10 Playoff Miracle!17:46 The Game That Created Steel City’s Iconic Song!20:06 Damar Hamlin’s Impossible 7-Month Comeback22:16 The INSANE Comeback You Forgot Existed!24:05 Beating 0.6% WIN Probability for NFL History26:11 10 Seconds Left and Zero Hope!28:58 Peyton Manning Breaks an Impossible Defense!34:44 Joe Burrow’s Iceman Run to the Super Bowl!38:18 Pat Saw Peyton’s Neck Stems & Panicked!40:07 Pat McAfee vs The Dallas Cowboys46:07 The Definitive Comeback Rushmore!46:30 Ranking the Best Football Songs!48:50 The Greatest Football Movies Ever Made!STREAM AND SUBSCRIBE:• YouTube: Watch full episodes in 4K at youtube.com/@therushmorepodcast• Spotify & Apple Podcasts: Stream full video and audio on demand.• Substack: Receive every episode, breakdown, and discussion directly at rushmorepodcast.substack.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

Over the past year, the most influential figures in sports, comedy, music, fashion, and business sat down to answer one impossible question: Who belongs on the ultimate Mount Rushmore of culture—and who gets left off?From Tom Brady to Shaq, Kevin Durant, Dana White, Jerry Seinfeld, and Anna Wintour drawing lines in the sand, Season 1 set the foundation. Season 2 raises the stakes significantly.New full-length episodes premiere every Tuesday starting October 20th.Follow The Rushmore Podcast across all platforms:• Substack: Receive every episode, breakdown, and discussion directly • Spotify & Apple Podcasts: Stream full video and audio on demand• YouTube: Watch full episodes in 4K with visual debatesJoin the debate and build your mountain: rushmorepodcast.substack.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com

Welcome to the Rushmore Podcast, where legends join Ari Emanuel and Ben Persky to debate the ultimate Mount Rushmore of any topic. Tennis icons Maria Sharapova and John McEnroe come together to build the Mount Rushmore of female tennis players. Serena Williams delivers an unmatched serve and competitive fire. Steffi Graf achieves a golden slam and athletic perfection. Martina Navratilova claims 18 singles majors while Billie Jean King reshapes sports culture. Maria shares her personal memories of getting dominated by Monica Seles at 16. John argues for the pioneers who shaped the sport. The hosts, Ari and Ben, add their own lists. After a tense tiebreaker between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, a definitive final four emerges.Special thanks to Maria Sharapova & John McEnroe for joining our greatest female tennis players episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rushmorepodcast.substack.com