It’s the end of an era in the podcast-verse today, and odds are if you pump iron you’re likely to be more aware of it than most. In fact, bros and gym rats have likely been keenly aware of today’s RINGER swan song for Ryen Russillo for weeks. Way back at the end of August THE SPORTING NEWS’ Daniel Chavkin was among the many that broke the news:
Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reports that Russillo is leaving The Ringer to start a new media venture with the backing of Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy. The deal is not official just yet, but Portnoy has essentially confirmed it on social media. The 50-year-old Russillo has been a part of the sports media landscape for almost two decades, becoming one of the biggest personalities in the industry.
I happen to be a regular listener to Russillo’s show as it was one of the first I discovered when podcasts all but saved my sanity when my new life journey began practically concurrent with the beginning of the pandemic. I was familiar with him from his ESPN radio work both with and without Scott Van Pelt, and I came to respect his remarkable knowledge of college football and pro basketball. AWFUL ANNOUNCING’s Brendan Kleen practically turned his version into a eulogy:
Like Inside the NBA moving to Thursday nights or early rumors about an unhappy superstar, for the past decade hoops fans have known to lock into the NBA season when Ryen Russillo began to pop up Sunday nights on The Bill Simmons Podcast. Each February for the past seven seasons, the snide Russillo joined forces with the antic Simmons for some of the best basketball content anywhere. The writing was on the wall this summer during the NBA postseason, but these shows will be missed. Whether in Simmons’ guest house pre-COVID or virtually the past few years, the chemistry between these two was unmatched. There’s not anyone in sports media who comes through Boston that Simmons doesn’t vet, but it’s a credit to the Podfather that he got ahead of Russillo’s ESPN exit and made him one of the biggest pre-Spotify hires at The Ringer. Since that time, Russillo has become an NBA awards voter, occasional newsbreaker, and respected analyst in a way he wasn’t always in Bristol. Russillo’s exhaustive tape grinding and disdain for the gimmicks of NBA commentary became running jokes on Sunday nights, but they are what made him shine alongside Simmons.
Russillo’s eponymous podcast gave him the chance to display more of those endearing obsessive qualities with his own team, including his substantially younger but equally bro-code producers that would all weigh in with the program’s signature feature LIFE ADVICE, which can best be described as an intervention for muscleheads who may have good intentions but limited development of their more sensitive sides. The e-mails that they would react to were inevitably from listeners who essentially fell into similar demographic cells–male, millennial, athletic, professionally successful but personally lacking. Even those who were involved in healthy marriages and relationships would take the opportunity to air their issues and concerns, with Russillo taking the role of the frat advisor who ostensibly went through many of those experiences himself.
But through that transparent lens that Russillo allowed his ardent listeners to see him through it became more and more evident that despite those experiences and a level of accomplishment most could only dream of, he never has quite found a way to fully conquer his own demons. Many of his past transgressions are well documented, such as the one that SPORTSJONE’s Gurmeet Singh recapped:
In August 2017, Russillo found himself in an embarrassing situation that made headlines:
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He was arrested for misdemeanor criminal entry in Jackson, Wyoming, reportedly entering a stranger’s unlocked condo while drunk and unclothed.
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The case concluded after he paid a $250 fine, and he returned to ESPN shortly afterward.
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Sports Illustrated noted the incident sparked internal discussions at ESPN, likely resulting in his brief suspension.
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Upon his return, Russillo addressed the issue candidly, apologizing on air.
He’s also hardly a role model for those seeking sincere relationship advice:
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In 2014, an ESPN colleague Cari Champion posted a photo with him captioned “Here’s my boo,” stirring speculation—but no formal relationship was ever confirmed.
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A whisper on Reddit noted that Russillo “…never mentions dating” despite discussing other aspects of his life.
I’m not all that much of a yenta but my own sources in the sports media world have made me aware of at least two other dalliances with prominent, attractive female sports media personalities, one of which ended amicably when she married a professional athlete and one that the other party was quite bitter about even several years after he chose to end it.
He’s also mentioned on numerous occasions his intense desire to broaden out from sports, spending what few hours of spare time he has when he’s not obsessively watching League Pass on penning scripts for comedies and dramas and sprinkling in entire episodes devoted to this solo travels around the world, always including a search for a gym with sufficient enough weights to keep his impressive pecs up to snuff. Again, I know some folks who have seen his works, and let’s just say they’ve done their best to let him down gently.
To someone like myself who has especially of late endured disappointment after disappointment in pursuing passion projects his journey is endearing–perhaps THE reason I listen. But to the younger and more naively idealistic young men that are the clear target audience, the level of patience they’re capable of for someone who’s not yet cracked that ceiling is nowhere near as great as mine. And some of those young men happen to be Simmons’ core group of devoted employees–some of which are family members and go back with him to his Holy Cross days.
Which I why I give some credence to the stories on Reddit that point out what may have been the final straw in severing what was at one point an ideal relationship of smart, impassioned New Englanders. Witness this thread that’s been circulating in recent days as the countdown to the finale ramped up:
Ry isolates in manhattan beach like it’s still covid and barely talks to his own producers let alone anyone else. He and van are great together but imo that’s more to do with van having chemistry with literally anyone. Not sure how they are after “Santa Claus for adults” either…
theres that one time where he invited Kyle, Ceruti, and Wargon over and provided them with one Coors lights and no food(??) and spent most of the time taking bball game notes while they were there.
I don’t think it was an invite to come hang out, if I remember right Wargon, Ceruti, and Kyle were together because of some work thing and they were stopping by to pick up those golf clubs that Ryen was giving to Kyle. I mean he still should’ve been a better host but it’s not like it was a planned get together and he only had one beer.
Look, I have zero idea how credible these gossip-mongers actually are or not. But as someone who’s struggled to be part of his teams for most of my own career because of my at-times intimidating obsessiveness and smarts, when I chose (or had the choice made for me) to physically distance myself from the rank and file it made my situation a lot worse. And no matter how much I was getting paid (nothing like Russillo’s reported $3 million a year), it just wasn’t fun.
Russillo will apparently be improving upon that figure with Portnoy, and reportedly will be given more opportunities to pursue those passions. Those familiar with Portnoy, now in partnership with FOX Sports on a daily FS1 morning show and a Pat McAfee-like presence on the mothership’s BIG NOON college football pregame, observe that he and Russillo are much more culturally aligned.
I would love to see Russillo take more direct advantage of those connections. He would be an ideal compliment to BIG NOON for starters, and a revived version of his daily show a welcome addition to the otherwise moribund FS1 and FOX SPORTS radio lineup–the deal structure akin to what McAfee has carved out for ESPN. And if he really wants to branch out from sports, follow the lead of a Joe Rogan and offer hot takes on the world at large. The comparisons to Rogan are obvious and the opportunity for a somewhat less conservative viewpoint as a signature for his own show and a compliment to the balance of the FOX ecosystyem significant. And who knows? He might even be offered a reality competition hosting gig. Russillo most definitely defines “FOX attitude”.
But there is a tradeoff, Ryen. So allow me to offer YOU some “life advice” for a change. Showing up at the office on occasion would be a start. Plenty of FOX personalities have also settled in Manhattan Beach and when your hours aren’t the typical 9-5 the commute is modest and rather pleasant. I’ve done it myself on a few occasions.
And cultivating relationships with those colleagues, particularly those you will rely upon to do your heavy lifting, is most definitely advised. I know a couple of them love dogs and fine wine. Start with a chew toy and then maybe a private booth at Moe’s. The FX gang will still be on the lot for a couple of months more as well. You can always carry a spare script if you’re still intent on going that route. But honestly bro, at a certain point, ya gotta embrace your strengths and chill on the weaknesses. You’re in decade number six now. It’s time.
A fresh start can always provide perspective and potential. Take advantage of it. You’re the man, RR. Start acting more like one.
Until next time…