Almost Shameless

17. Your Brady > Belichick takes are trash and you're not going to get away with them

It took until Week 15 when the Patriots were officially mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for the cowards to get up on their soap boxes and declare that we finally have proof that Bill Belichick can't do anything without Tom Brady. This podcast is dedicated to firing that lazy, bad faith, garbage fire take into the sun to burn for eternity (04:54). 

16. Time to start talking asterisks on the NFL season, Tom Brady is broken, stuffing is the devil's bread

It's the first THANKSGIVING episode of Almost Shameless, which is appropriate because almost shameless is how most of us feel about the amount of food we're about to consume. First up, it's asterisk szn!! Time to start being honest with ourselves about the realities of what COVID has done to affect the fairness of the game, and what it will mean for the eventual winners and losers this year (3:56). Then, we dive into the eeriness of Tom Brady's time with the Buccaneers so far -- what is going wrong and why does it feel like the GOAT isn't all there? (15:28). And of course, we couldn't close out this holiday episode without a scorching takedown of the most wretched of the Thanksgiving side dishes (24:55).

15. NBA Draft preview with HoopsHype's Bryan Kalbrosky

NBA draft analyst Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype and USA Today SMG joins Tanya with some fun tidbits to help the casual NBA fan prepare for the 2020 NBA Draft. 

14. Cam Newton out-Brady-ed Tom Brady, pro sports leagues REALLY want you to know they're losing money

Before all the ranting, Tanya takes some time to reflect on and remember the lives and impact of Alex Trebek and Tommy Heinsohn, the media grandfathers that many of us shared and lost this week (01:22). Then it's back to sports, with an optimistic take on a wild Patriots win over the winless Jets and Cam Newton's success in the wake of Tom Brady's failure (8:04). Then, league commissioners and team owners can't stop reminding an economically suffering general public that COVID-19 is very inconvenient for their bottom line (19:15). And finally, a classic rant about the kind of person on Twitter that every media person hates but is too afraid to say it (22:00).

13. Escaping the NFL for an NBA roundup with Bryan Kalbrosky of USA Today

This week Tanya is detouring from the insanity of the NFL to chat with USA Today Sports Media Group NBA managing editor Bryan Kalbrosky about the league's plans for the final two months of 2020. They discuss the report that the NBA is looking to begin camp by Dec. 1st with the season starting before Christmas (5:49), and whether LeBron will be back on the court that soon (14:04). Bryan also give his diagnosis for the Celtics, and whether they need to make any major changes to succeed in 2021 (20:39), and they debate whether the Clippers are better off with Ty Lue and if Doc Rivers can really make a difference for the 76ers (32:00).

12. COVID has threatened the parity in the AFC, the Patriots "system QB" myth is finally dead

The Patriots lost a closer-than-the-score-would-have-you-believe contest against the Chiefs on Monday night, but the story actually began early in the weekend prior. Tanya breaks down Cam Newton's COVID timeline and the inconsistencies in how the NFL handled the Patriots game and the rescheduled Titans-Steelers game (03:47). Then it's on to the juicy stuff, and boy was it sour. Patriots fan (and a lot of hot take media) learned a hard lesson 20 years in the making on Monday night that began long before Cam Newton came to town. In short: the quarterback IS the system, and always has been (13:45). And finally, a re-run of Tanya's inaugural Trash Take Hall of Fame Induction -- because as bad as this take was before, it has only become more moldy and stinky in light of the Brian Hoyer/Jarrett Stidham disaster on Monday night (20:54). 

11. Russell Wilson is the best player in the NFL, Patriots are better than everyone thought

Russell Wilson is the MVP of the NFL and probably has been for longer than we've realized (4:00). Plus, the Patriots are the best team in the AFC East despite preseason expectations -- and their 1-1 record (10:50). And finally, re-assessing how we talk about athletes and their adversity during the pandemic (15:30).

10. Long live Cam Newton and Tom Brady, debuting the Trash Take Hall of Fame

Things come and go, especially in 2020... but the NFL remains. Week 1 has passed and many things happened that we expected, including Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs looking like Super Bowl contenders yet again (06:14). However not everything went according to the offseason script. Cam Newton and the Patriots surprised with their dominant if not always tidy win over the Dolphins, and Tanya has some thoughts about how it all went down - and the reactions to Newton's post-game skirmish (11:13). Then it's time to celebrate the annual Tom Brady Is Washed For Sure This Time: Buccaneers Edition! Is it possible that Brady and the Bucs lost a game they were supposed to lose?! We may never know (21:10). And finally, the debut of the Trash Take Hall of Fame. The inaugural inductee gets an unceremonious fleecing, as shall be the tradition henceforth (26:30).

9. MLB's unwritten rules are pathetic, giving college kids a damn break, protecting the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry

BASEBALL'S UNWRITTEN RULES HAVE GONE TOO FAR THIS TIME, FOLKS. Tanya breaks down exactly what happened between the Padres and Rangers to cause the latest BS meltdown over baseball players doing their jobs well, and why the unwritten rules are more than just antiquated ... they're a sign of resistance to diversity and social change. (3:30) Then it's on to college sports again, where it's time to address the hypocrisy of adults asking kids and young adults to self-police during a pandemic that none of us know how to handle. (14:46) And finally, an FYI for other baseball fans who try to wrangle their way into the sacred Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. (21:35)

8. How *not* to handle COVID in sports, Brett Favre on kneeling in the NFL, Bucs fans need to chill

Tanya is back and kicking things off loudly with a condemnation of one BIG10 football coach who is the perfect example of dealing with COVID-19 in sports the wrong way. Then she breaks down Brett Favre's comments regarding kneeling in the NFL, and the journey of learning to have difficult conversations with people who are approaching highly emotional topics with ignorance but also in good faith. Things lighten up a bit with a good old roasting of Bucs fans, and finally, Tanya returns with her rant of the week -- in defense of goalies.