Random Offense is an interactive news show confronting the cultural flashpoints that reliably ignite debate across the sports world. This show invites you to dig deeper, challenge assumptions, and join the conversation in a way sports media rarely has.
Ethan Strauss is a former NBA beat writer for ESPN and The Athletic who knows the inner workings of traditional sports media. Now, on 2WAY, he's hosting unfiltered conversations with media moguls, broadcasters, former athletes, and fans. He’s joined by producer Trace Crutchfield, whose background in immersive, offbeat reporting helps guide the show’s tone. Between Ethan and Trace, all bases are covered—especially the ones nobody else dares to touch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Random Offense is an interactive news show confronting the cultural flashpoints that reliably ignite debate across the sports world. This show invites you to dig deeper, challenge assumptions, and join the conversation in a way sports media rarely has.
Ethan Strauss is a former NBA beat writer for ESPN and The Athletic who knows the inner workings of traditional sports media. Now, on 2WAY, he's hosting unfiltered conversations with media moguls, broadcasters, former athletes, and fans. He’s joined by producer Trace Crutchfield, whose background in immersive, offbeat reporting helps guide the show’s tone. Between Ethan and Trace, all bases are covered—especially the ones nobody else dares to touch.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this episode of Random Offense, host Ethan Strauss and guest Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports investigate the potential end of ESPN’s hegemony over live sports rights, positing that a merged Paramount and Skydance entity could leverage vast financial resources to usurp the network’s dominance. The conversation transitions to the NBA’s media ecosystem, analyzing how partnerships with NBC and Amazon are bolstering ratings while debating if LeBron James’s public persona has become a detriment to the league’s popularity. Furthermore, they examine the reasons behind Stephen A. Smith’s exit from NBA Countdown, citing a strategic pivot by ESPN and a potential clash between Smith's commentary style and the NBA’s brand preferences. The episode concludes with an analysis of NFL storylines, specifically the reported internal friction involving Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown on the Philadelphia Eagles, as well as the disparity between the advanced metrics and public perception regarding Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.