Back Porch Podcast

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

Hauscast returns this week and Will and Ryan talk about the Browns' perpetual death spiral, the Steelers' record-setting special teams, and how Panthers offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson is actually more detrimental to the team than Jake Delhomme.

The conversation then turns to crazy NFL owners, why ESPN decided to suspend Bill Simmons from Twitter, and the passing of Uga VII.

Talking after the jump.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

Daryl Johnston played his entire NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, and he currently covers the NFC for Fox on Sundays. So who better to talk to about the current state of the NFC and the Cowboys' place in it?

Thanks to the kind folks at MasterCard, FanHouse got a chance get Moose on the horn and we asked him about the Cowboys' decision to go "team-first," whether the NFC West has any redeeming qualities, if the Saints and Colts can really go undefeated, and who he likes in the Super Bowl. And finally (hey, we have to pay bills, too): how you can score your own Dallas Cowboys credit card

Pictures and podcast after the jump.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

Jerry Rice needs no introduction, but I'll give him one anyway: the guy was a decent NFL wide receiver over his 21-year career, winning multiple Super Bowls and setting a few records en route to becoming the G.O.A.T.

So, when the kind folks at Gillette offered FanHouse the chance to speak with Rice, we jumped at the opportunity. We got his thoughts on the state of the 49ers and Raiders, and specifically their new rookie wideouts, Michael Crabtree and Darius Heyward-Bey.

Talking after the jump.

Doyle Brunson is a poker legend -- as the game's popularity soared in the late 1990's, and as college players ditched class to play Texas Hold 'Em online, Brunson remained (and still remains) one of the greatest current players.

While Brunson didn't win the World Series of Poker this year, he did release a new book, The Godfather of Poker, in which he details his life story as a poker player. It's an amazing tale -- you can read about it and purchase it on Amazon here -- and absolutely worth a read. But even more awesome? FanHouse had the privilege of speaking with Doyle earlier this week.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

In a special edition of ye olde Hauscast (it's special because Wilson's not here!), everyone gets the answer to the age-old question of "What happens when gravel collides with velvet?" Joe Buck joined Will Brinson to talk baseball playoffs, Peyton Manning and some mild mocking of Artie Lange.

Extra bonus: I somehow forget to shill Buck's cause -- a cancer charity -- and he promptly mocks me for it. Seriously though, I egged on that, but I will say that Buck is decidedly more likable on the phone than he is in the booth. That could have to do with Tim McCarver though.

Podcast after the jump.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

SteelCityInsider.com's Jim Wexell comes on the show to talk Titans-Steelers. We get his thoughts on why he likes Pittsburgh to win (even though he's concerned that Kerry Collins and the Tennessee tight ends could pose problems). Jim also discusses the whole "Casey Hampton might get cut?!" rumors, the Big Ben vs. Philip Rivers debate, and the differences between Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin*.

Fun starts after the jump.

You can follow Jim on Twitter @JimWexell, and buy his most recent book, Steeler Nation: a Pittsburgh Team, an American Phenomenon, here.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

Football Outsiders' Doug Farrar* is back on the show to preview the 2009 NFL season. We talk about just how unlucky the 2008 Seahawks were, and why so many offensive coordinators are suddenly getting canned during preseason.

We also defy Doug to offer a semi-rational explanation for why the Raiders would pull the trigger on the Richard Seymour deal (added bonus: speculation on how Seymour might have been destined for Kansas City before Big Al stepped in), before we discuss those rookies who will have the best chance to contribute this season.

Listen after the jump.

* If you haven't already, please pick up the Football Outsiders Almanac, hands down the best preseason football guide anywhere. In addition to his work at FO.com, Doug can also be found on the Washington Post, and he's the editor of FalconInsider.com.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

Houston Texans starting quarterback Matt Schaub, who has teamed up with Gatorade to educate parents and youth coaches on heat-related illnesses, joins HausCast to talk about the obvious -- Andre Johnson's greatness and the team's expectations heading into the season. We also discuss the truly important stuff; namely, what's it's like to drill a spectator with an errant tee shot at a celebrity golf event.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

Michael Tunison, one of the founding writers of Kissing Suzy Kolber, joins HausCast to talk about his new book, "The Football Fan's Manifesto." Mike explains to Brinson why you have to pick a team by age of 8, then talks about how much team merchandise is too much for superfans, before the conversation turns to the recent Plaxico Burress news. Also find out what it would mean to own a Tommy Maddox Fathead, and if Ben Roethlisberger likes to fake injuries, play up the drama queen angle and use it as motivation during the season.

Moving pictures promo for Mike's book, as well as the podcast audio, after the jump.

The FanHouse Podcast: Because bloggers are much sexier on the phone.

It's been a busy few weeks in the sports media. First, news broke that ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews had been illegally videotaped in her hotel room.

And then on Monday night, we learned that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Las Vegas hotel room last July. The World Wide Leader decided not to report the news because, as ESPN Mac Nwulu told FanHouse's Michael David Smith, " ... [N]o criminal complaint has been filed. As far as we know, this is a civil lawsuit that Roethlisberger has yet to address publicly."

So we fired up the HausCast machine to talk to Newsday's Neil Best who, according to his blog, "leaves no stone unturned as he brings you news and commentary on the world of sports media." Podcast after the jump.