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  • Behind the Curtain of the L.A. Lakers: The Buss Legacy & LeBron's Final Act with author Yaron Weitzman
    2025/11/13
    In the latest episode of The Brian D. O’Leary show, we sat down with Yaron Weitzman in a wide-ranging interview that dove into the modern Lakers dynasty, the lasting imprint of the Buss family, and the evolving career of LeBron James. *** Featured Guest Yaron Weitzman: Author, NBA journalist, and insider on all things basketball, discussing his new Lakers book and the deeper drama surrounding LeBron, the Buss family, and team culture. Find Yaron on social media: · X/Twitter (@YaronWeitzman) · Instagram (@yaronweitzman) · TikTok (@yaronweitzman) *** Books Mentioned A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers (Doubleday, October 21, 2025) | Yaron Weitzman | A behind-the-scenes account of the recent Lakers’ journey, focusing on the politics, personalities, and tensions that have shaped the LeBron-era Lakers. Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers and the Most Audacious Process in the History of Professional Sports | Yaron Weitzman | A deep dive into the inner workings of "The Process," chronicling how the 76ers undertook an unapologetic rebuild to become a contender. Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP | Mirin Fader | A New York Times Bestseller tracing Giannis Antetokounmpo’s journey from poverty in Greece to world stardom—a nuanced look at his off-court and on-court evolution. Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990s New York Knicks | Chris Herring | The definitive story of Pat Riley’s Knicks—physical, controversial, beloved, and often chaotic throughout the NBA’s golden era. Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty | Jeff Pearlman | The inside story of the Lakers’ 1996–2004 dynasty, documenting the unforgettable drama and cultural change led by Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson. I do not recommend any of Pearlman’s work, as I believe him to be a disingenuous, sanctimonious jerk … Oh, and a liar. But I’m dutifully giving you the resources. –BO’L *** Key News Stories Discussed The Luka Doncic Trade to the Lakers (February 2025): Lakers landed Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris in a three-team blockbuster trade, sending Anthony Davis to the Mavericks—a move that shifted the balance of power in the West. For full details and quotes from both the Lakers and Mavericks front offices: See ESPN: “Luka Doncic to Lakers, Anthony Davis to Mavs in 3-team trade” (February 2025). https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43659380/sources-mavericks-trading-doncic-lakers-anthony-davis Dallas Mavericks Fire GM Nico Harrison (November 2025): Following the controversial Luka trade and mounting pressure from fans, the Mavericks fired GM Nico Harrison at a dramatic team meeting. For the backstory, front-office statements, and Harrison’s reasoning at the time of the trade: See ESPN: “Mavericks fire GM Nico Harrison amid continued fan angst” (November 2025). https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46928742/sources-mavericks-expected-fire-general-manager-nico-harrison *** Chael Sonnen on LeBron – The "Same Guy" Allegation Viral Video/Podcast Segment: Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen claimed on the Flagrant 2 podcast that he and LeBron James “have the same drug guy.” Sonnen alleged LeBron uses EPO and other PEDs, a claim that’s made waves online but is unsupported by any formal evidence or NBA violations to date. For the podcast segment, see: https://x.com/MavsStan41/status/1633276225442521088? also … https://heavy.com/sports/nba/los-angeles-lakers/shocking-claims-about-lakers-lebron-james-revealed/ *** If you have a Substack or want to get started on that platform, I just put together a 31-page guide about how to do it. Properly. It’s called Your Substack Success Blueprint. We talk about Magic Johnson in this podcast, so to pay homage to one of the game’s true greats, the first 32 people to buy Your Substack Success Blueprint will get a sweet $32 discount. Use code SUBSTACK at checkout. Deal expires after the first 32 purchases, or at the end of the calendar year, whichever comes first. https://briandoleary.gumroad.com/l/blueprint/ *** For press, sponsorship, or guest inquiries, contact brian at briandoleary dot com (you know the drill…).
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    36 分
  • The Men Who Made the NFL Unstoppable – Interview with author KEN BELSON
    2025/10/27
    Ken Belson on How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Built the NFL's $10 Billion Empire EPISODE OVERVIEW In this compelling deep-dive conversation, Brian D. O'Leary sits down with Ken Belson, New York Times sportswriter and author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural and Economic Juggernaut (Grand Central Publishing, October 14, 2025). This wide-ranging interview explores the transformation of the NFL from a beloved sporting league into a ten-billion-dollar cultural phenomenon. Belson reveals the untold stories behind the three most influential figures in modern football history, their business strategies, their political maneuvering, and the existential threats now facing America's most powerful sports league. Runtime: Approximately 46 minutes Release Date: October 27, 2025 Guest: Ken Belson, New York Times Sports Business Correspondent and author of Every Day Is Sunday: How Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Roger Goodell Turned the NFL into a Cultural and Economic Juggernaut (Grand Central Publishing, October 14, 2025) WHAT YOU'LL LEARN The Modern NFL's Foundation (1993-Present) Why 1993's labor agreement—not a Super Bowl or dynasty—marks the true beginning of the modern NFLHow free agency, salary caps, and 50-50 revenue sharing created unprecedented labor peaceThe pivotal role of Steelers owner Dan Rooney and Broncos owner Pat Bowlen in shaping the league's economics Jerry Jones: The Relentless Salesman How Jones "taught the NFL how to sell" despite alienating fellow ownersThe Rupert Murdoch deal that transformed television economics foreverRobert Kraft's assessment: Jerry can "charm a dog off a meat truck"Why Jones doesn't chase money—he chases the chaseThe "Cowboys peanut butter" philosophy: monetizing everything not nailed down Robert Kraft: The Real Estate Wizard The brilliant 7-year strategy to acquire the New England PatriotsHow Kraft bought parking lots, then the stadium, then finally the team—leaving owners with nothingWhy Connecticut and Providence offered sweetheart deals, but Kraft stayed in FoxboroughPatriot Place: The revolutionary stadium-as-real-estate-development modelHow Kraft's unshared revenue strategy changed sports franchises forever Roger Goodell: The Senator's Son Goodell's childhood ambition letter: "I want to be NFL Commissioner"The political instincts he absorbed from his U.S. Senator fatherWhy some NFL staffers called him "too nakedly ambitious"Goodell's strategy: schmoozing with owners at every opportunityWhy can't he find his own replacement (or won't step down)?Prediction: The next commissioner will be a media expert, not a football insider Bill Belichick & The Jets Resignation The Leon Hess succession crisis that drove Belichick away from New YorkWas there tampering between Kraft and Belichick? The evidence examinedWhy Paul Tagliabue warned teams to "tread carefully" with BelichickThe compensatory draft picks the Jets received—and why they got the short end The Los Angeles Stadium Saga Inside the 2016 Houston meeting, where Jerry Jones lobbied relentlessly for Stan Kroenke's visionWhy the Rams-only bid beat the dual Raiders-Chargers proposalPaul Allen's rare appearance—and how "The Oracle" swung critical votesJerry Jones, celebrating with a tumbler of scotch: "He's the salesman. He got his catch that day."How the NFL turned two stadium problems into one world-class solution Gambling's Stranglehold on Sports Why Jones and Kraft invested in gambling platforms before legalizationHow the NFL profits from sponsorships and game data sales—not direct gambling revenueThe disturbing shift: from communal Sunday football to atomized, real-time phone betting"The book always wins. The sportsbook's going to win. Now you've got people pissed at the NFL."Brian's fear: economic downturns + player financial struggles = integrity crisesThe Cleveland baseball team scandal, Jontay Porter's lifetime ban, and the NCAA's dangerous new policyWhy allowing college athletes to bet on football is "streamlining the pipeline from amateur athletics to federal indictment" The Future of the NFL Why 97% of NFL fans never attend a game—and what that means for the league's priorities"Fans in the stadium are essentially props for TV broadcasts"The COVID revelation: Cardboard cutouts worked fine. Do stadiums even matter?Cable TV's death and streaming's fragmentation: How will fans afford to watch?The NFL's challenge: squeezing every penny without breaking fan loyalty KEY QUOTES On Jerry Jones: "Jerry taught us how to sell." — Carmen Policy, former 49ers President On Robert Kraft: "He could charm a dog off a meat truck." — Robert Kraft on Jerry Jones On Gambling: "We went from sitting down with your dad with a clicker, maybe a can of beer, your jersey on, and you watched for three hours. You watched a drama, basically. Now you're betting on a tight end you don't care about because he's on ...
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    46 分
  • Baseball in the ROARING TWENTIES - Interview with author Thomas Wolf
    2025/09/27
    BASEBALL IN THE ROARING TWENTIES: The Yankees, the Cardinals, and the Captivating 1926 Season by Thomas Wolf (University of Nebraska Press, September 1, 2025) Quick recap The discussion between Brian and Tom Wolf centered on Wolf's new book about the 1926 baseball season, which explored notable players like Babe Ruth and the competitive dynamics between teams that year. The conversation delved into the broader sports landscape of the 1920s, including the rise of different sports and the challenges faced by black baseball players during this era. The discussion concluded with an examination of key figures in baseball history, including Rube Foster's role in forming the Negro Leagues and the alleged scandal involving Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker. 1926 Baseball Season Highlights Tom Wolf discussed his new book, BASEBALL IN THE ROARING TWENTIES, focusing on the 1926 season, which he selected for research related to his previous book, The Called Shot: Babe Ruth, the Chicago Cubs, and the Unforgettable Major League Baseball Season of 1932 (Nebraska, 2020). He highlighted the compelling nature of the 1926 season, which featured notable players like Babe Ruth and Rogers Hornsby, and explored their rivalry despite never playing against each other in the same league. Tom noted that the season's dynamics, including the Yankees' and Cardinals' intense competition, made it particularly interesting. The discussion focused on the 1926 baseball season, particularly the dramatic career turnaround of Babe Ruth, who went from a poor 1925 season to lead the Yankees to first place in 1926, marking the beginning of his second-half career dominance. The conversation also explored the broader context of 1920s sports, including the rise of college football, boxing, and horse racing, as well as the emergence of the Negro Leagues and the challenges faced by black baseball players during that era. The discussion highlighted how the Black Sox scandal and Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis's opposition to integration effectively halted the progress toward racial integration in baseball, despite early efforts by managers like John McGraw and Connie Mack to sign black players. Rube Foster's Vision for Integration The discussion focused on Rube Foster, a pivotal figure in the formation of the Negro Leagues in 1920, and his vision for integrating baseball. Foster's health crisis in 1926 led to his decline and eventual death. Still, his legacy includes the first colored World Series in 1924 and an 11-game World Series between the Chicago American Giants and the Atlantic City Giants. The conversation explored Foster's ultimate goal of integrating the major leagues, which began to happen with Jackie Robinson in 1948, and his proposal for exhibition games between Negro League teams and Major League teams, which was rejected by MLB owners concerned about the impact of integration on their bottom line. 1919 Black Sox Scandal Investigation Brian and Tom discussed the alleged scandal involving Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker, which Dutch Leonard claimed was a fixed game in 1919. They explored the history of the scandal, including Cobb and Speaker's retirements under pressure from Commissioner Landis, as well as the $20,000 in hush money paid to Leonard by Ban Johnson. The conversation highlighted the complex relationships and power dynamics between baseball executives and players during this period. 1926 Baseball Rivalry Insights The discussion turned to the rivalry between the American League and the National League. Tom and Brian explored the careers of several legendary players, the 1927 Yankees' dominance, and Babe Ruth's controversial stolen base attempt in the 1926 World Series. They also discussed the different styles and strategies of the two leagues, emphasizing the historical significance of the World Series when the leagues were more distinct in their approaches. # # # Ready for insights reserved for serious listeners only? Subscribe now and join thousands of readers who've discovered why Brian O'Leary's perspective is reshaping how thoughtful Americans understand our culture. Visit BrianDOLeary.Substack.com for exclusive written analysis and premium subscriber benefits. @BrianDOLeary on the Fountain App, 𝕏–Twitter, Substack, and YouTube. # # # Links Books by Thomas Wolf: The Called Shot: Babe Ruth, the Chicago Cubs, and the Unforgettable Major League Baseball Season of 1932 (Nebraska, 2020) https://amzn.to/4nDu0Qv BASEBALL IN THE ROARING TWENTIES: The Yankees, the Cardinals, and the Captivating 1926 Season by Thomas Wolf (University of Nebraska Press, September 1, 2025) https://amzn.to/4msYLGF *** *** *** Disclaimer: “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
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    32 分
  • The Heart of Performance: Jim Murphy on Inner Excellence
    2025/05/12

    In the latest episode of the Brian D. O'Leary Show, Jim Murphy, the author of the bestselling book INNER EXCELLENCE: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance in the Best Possible Life, discusses the widespread impact and philosophy behind his work. Highlighting how NFL star AJ Brown benefited from Inner Excellence's teachings during critical games, Murphy elaborates on the book's core system that promotes being fully present and mastering self for extraordinary performance. He compares his concepts to those popularized by James Clear in Atomic Habits, emphasizing the importance of redefining success and learning from perceived failures. Murphy draws from his rich background as a former professional baseball player and coach, sharing personal anecdotes and experiences that shaped his understanding of sports psychology and human behavior. He emphasizes the importance of emotional stability, adaptability, and self-mastery both in sports and life. With his heartfelt insights and practical advice, Jim Murphy offers listeners the tools to navigate their lives with clarity, purpose, and resilience.

    Find

    INNER EXCELLENCE: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life (Grand Central Publishing, April 29, 2025)

    at https://briandoleary.com/innerexcellence

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    31 分
  • Reading People – Human Typology with Scott Fischbuch
    2025/02/28

    After a long delay in production … Brian hosts Scott Fischbuch, a Jungian Typology expert, for an in-depth conversation on personality types and his methods. Scott explains his approach to personality typing, which involves analyzing preferences in conversation, turns of phrase, and behavioral mannerisms.

    Brian shares his journey into podcasting and reflects on how his personality type has evolved. Scott identifies Brian's personality type as ISTJ and explains the significance of introverted sensing and extraverted intuition.

    They discuss the impact of cultural influences on personality and the importance of effort and team dynamics in professional and personal settings. The episode touches on the nuances of effective communication and the role of empathy and sympathy in understanding others.

    Scott's site: ToolsWithScott.com

    Brian O'Leary –

    • BrianDOLeary.com
    • @BrianDOLeary on 𝕏–Twitter
    • @BrianDOLeary on YouTube
    • BrianDOLeary on Substack
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    1 時間 16 分
  • They hate you for believing in real things. Who's team are you on?
    2024/10/02

    Website re-launch: https://briandoleary.com

    Los Gatos Review (quarterly magazine): https://losgatosreview.com

    The O'Leary Letter: http://OLearyLetter.com

    O'Leary's Laws

    O'Leary's First Law: Nice is not a virtue.

    O'Leary's Second Law: You can't cast yourself out of a tangle.

    O'Leary's Third Law: While apologies are often necessary or appropriate, never should you have to explain yourself, particularly for something you believe and are not sorry for.

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    27 分
  • They're now calling it discourse ... not disinformation
    2024/07/18

    Column at Substack: https://briandoleary.substack.com/p/theyre-now-calling-it-discourse

    For our regular emails: https://briandoleary.com/letter

    Find us on 𝕏-Twitter : https://x.com/BrianDOLeary

    This column on 𝕏-Twitter : https://x.com/BrianDOLeary/status/1814045579301019731

    Text of article follows:

    They're now calling it 'discourse' What happened to disinformation?

    By now, you've probably seen a host of graphics in the swampwaters of social media, hastily cobbled together by run-of-the-mill milquetoast leftists. Virtue-signalers, viz.

    A meme gone viral over the last few days is a checklist that attempts to pacify the reader with a bunch of platitudes, one being "Contribute to discourse, not division."

    This, of course, is a less-than-subtle dig at non-leftists. Gaslighting. To oppose the leftist agenda naturally causes "division" in the minds of these people.

    However, and as a matter of principle, it is really only our people who have been the ones to contribute — and show interest in — discourse so-called. We're the ones with ideas and questions.

    They're the ones scolding you and forcing compliance with their inanities.

    In other words, the left divides. Their people dismiss you and want you dead.

    The underlying motive is still not entirely clear, but it matters not.

    Remember if you wanted to learn more about the coronavirus mania and the resulting panic? You were told to shut up, wear a mask, and get injected with vaccines. Any information that did not tow the party line was called "disinformation" and was not allowed within their polite society.

    That's division.

    Now, it appears that the political left — the most violent and destructive force in the entirety of Western Civilization — still runs cover for those within its ranks. Lately it's for those who express displeasure in the fact that the gunman in Butler, Pennsylvania "missed."

    Once again, this is nothing short of division. There is no discourse where this is remotely appropriate. Yet, the talking heads in corporate media circles and the lunatic fringe spouting "conspiracy theories" are nonetheless given free range.

    The meme concludes: "We can transcend the bitterness and be better, even when we disagree."

    No we can't. They should, however.

    It is their problem and it is much more than disagreement. It is an impossibility.

    Where there was once a large fissure within the culture, the last several days have revealed a cleaving on that divide.

    For it is not tenable to maintain a polity or a culture with people that hate you and want you dead.

    These people are your enemies. They are the dividers.

    It is personal. They came for your family and your livelihood. They'll do it again.

    It is political — which is, to say, little more than the simple distinction between who is a friend and who is an enemy.

    And it has nothing to do with elections.

    Some people might think there are hard choices to be made. To the contrary — the choices aren't difficult.

    Painful perhaps, but pain is part of life. It's unavoidable.

    Suffering, on the other hand, is a choice. For too long folks have been entirely too comfortable suffering and enduring under this regime.

    Admittedly, the left may be a catalyst for such "victim mentality," but mentality is a choice.

    Attitude is also a choice and you are in control of your choices.

    As always,

    Brian

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    8 分
  • Surround yourself with better people
    2024/07/16

    BrianDOLeary.com

    Straight to the email list + our FREE Time Management checklist : BrianDOLeary.com/letter

    O'Leary's First Law: Nice is not a virtue.

    O'Leary's Inner Sphere : http://OLearyInnerSphere.com

    The Vintage Mencken (gathered by Alistair Cooke)

    “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

    Since we tend to “Serious Content Amidst an Unserious Culture,” we don’t believe in linking to anything that isn’t worthwhile. We believe in our mission here and we’re in the business of keeping our website, emails, and podcasts going. Affiliate commissions do help to cover some associated costs.

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    30 分