I love talking writing with other writers.
It’d be weird to list that as a hobby, but it is—in fact—sort of a hobby. So recently I decided I should do something about it.
Hence, my new weekly Bumpers podcast, Two Writers Slinging Yang.
The idea is simple: Every episode I’ll chat with a different writer about the craft. The first episode—which I just posted—stars Howard Bryant, the ESPN the Magazine columnist and author of several fantastic books, including Hank Aaron’s definitive biography. You can listen to the episode here.
So … why the name? Because I always thought “slinging yang” was a polite-yet-funny way of saying “talking shit” without saying “talking shit.” It’s also a dated expression that probably peaked in the mid-to-late 1990s—as I did.
As for the accompanying image, well, there’s no real reason. It’s a photograph from the 1990 Mahopac High School yearbook. You’re looking at three members of the golf team—Pete Nesbitt (who punched me in sixth grade), Tommy Jacobellis (who is now an attorney) and Chris Suppa (who gave me a Stray Cats record as a Bar Mitzvah present). Again, there’s no hidden message. It just made me laugh.
Anyhow, I’m 100-percent open to guest suggestions. Please offer ideas.
Thanks.
Phil Mushnick
Joe Posnanski
Gail Collins
Gregg Easterbrook,Tressie McMillan Cottom, Bob Lefsetz, Terry Pluto, John Feinstein, Tananrive Due, Condi Rice or GW. Bush.
Totally dig the yang. I got all caught up and now anxiously await every chat. Thank you for deciding to do this podcast, and thanks for continuing it. I hope you make it to episode 100. And honestly, someday I expect to have earned the opportunity to talk yang with you.
I have a boatload of suggestions for future shows. First the sportswriters:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Simmons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Atlas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Wilbon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gammons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Schaap
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Paige
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Lupica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Le_Batard
Next, the two-man segue from sports to the silver screen:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_Albom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Daniels (who played The Blue Man in the Albom-adapted TV movie of Albom’s novel “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”)
Last, some screenplay writers, including a pair of duos:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Robbins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Sorkin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Stone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quentin_Tarantino
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coen_brothers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wachowskis