The Press Box

Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson sit down with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker following his historic third-term victory and the Democrats’ sweeping midterm success. Pritzker discusses Donald Trump naming Stephen Miller as White House chief of staff, whether the war with Iran cost Republicans the election, how Democrats changed their message, and the investments he made in Texas races (0:00)—later touching on his long-running feud with Greg Abbott (18:15). They also ask about his conversations with Jim Clyburn and Pritzker's possible 2028 ambitions, as well as the effort to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois (28:08). In the conversation that followed, Bryan and Joel assess Pritzker’s presidential prospects.

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Hosts: Bryan Curtis and Joel Anderson

Guest: Governor JB Pritzker

Producers: Jon Jones, Steve Ahlman, and Ben Cruz
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Bryan Curtis, Joel Anderson, and David Shoemaker break down the stunning 2026 midterm election, in which Democrats swept Texas’s statewide offices and scored major Senate victories in Kansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, and Maine. They examine the reporting and candidate failures that helped produce the wave, visit the “Fox News Funeral Parlor” to assess conservative media’s response, and check in on the still-unresolved contests in Mississippi and Alaska before trading election-night television takes.

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Hosts: Bryan Curtis, David Shoemaker, and Joel Anderson

Producers: Jon Jones, Steve Ahlman, and Ben Cruz
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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker preview Election Day by unpacking a final wave of Democratic-friendly Senate polling and the bizarre fallout in Michigan after Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers, then struggled to explain her reversal to Anderson Cooper (12:52). Bryan and David rank the 10 races they’ll be watching most closely—from Michigan and Texas to Kansas, Iowa, and potential surprise states (41:02). Then Bryan offers his final predictions for control of the House and Senate before they discuss an update on Michael Wilbon’s health (53:44).

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Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producers: Jon Jones, Steve Ahlman, and Ben Cruz
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Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker celebrate Halloween by dressing as Joe Buck and Troy Aikman before reflecting on Ernie Johnson’s 37-year run as host of 'Inside the NBA,' the understated instincts that made him a uniquely beloved broadcaster, and what the show might become without him. They also dissect Pat McAfee’s escalating response to a harmless Utah student video and how his outsize presence has changed 'College GameDay' before surveying a batch of startling midterm polls in South Carolina, Kansas, Texas, Maine, and Michigan.

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Hosts: Bryan Curtis and David Shoemaker

Producers: Jon Jones, Steve Ahlman, and Ben Cruz
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Welcome to the October Issue of the Press Box. First, author Michael Connelly joins the show to talk about his years as an LA crime reporter, his Harry Bosch novels, why Bosch lives in the hills above LA, and much more. He also weighed in on the Bosch Amazon series and the current state of his old paper, the LA Times.

Then, Chris Ryan and Bryan list their all-time favorite detective novels.

Host: Bryan Curtis

Guests: Michael Connelly and Chris Ryan

Producers: Jon Jones and Steve Ahlman

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