Episodes

  • Numbers and Words: Part 2 of The Optimist's G6 Preview with Bill C. (PREVIEW)
    Jun 26 2026

    Steven Godfrey is joined by ESPN's Bill Connelly to discuss if Memphis or Navy or even UTSA can take advantage of an interesting year in the American, what North Dakota State will do in year one at the FBS level, how we should think of the reconstituted Pac-12, and whether Jim Mora has magic powers.

    This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    4 mins
  • Why didn't the NBA see Jalen Brunson coming?
    Jun 24 2026

    Dan Devine, cohost of The Big Number and senior NBA writer for Yahoo, joins Ryan Nanni to discuss the persistent narrative of Jalen Brunson, The Most Unexpected Finals MVP. What makes Brunson different from other small guards before him? Why did the league seemingly undervalue a player who'd won so consistently in high school and college? And what might teams learn from watching Brunson lead the Knicks to a titlle? Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • The Single Wing: Time-Traveling Godfrey (PREVIEW)
    Jun 19 2026

    Steven Godfrey takes the microphone for this edition of the Single Wing, answering listener questions about the Big 12's eject button, the school that reminds him of his 26-year-old truck, the theoretical basis behind It Just Means More, beverage rankings, and working with your friends.

    This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    6 mins
  • How greedy can FIFA get with the 2026 World Cup?
    Jun 17 2026

    Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni have some fun exploring the cost of World Cup group stage tickets before Ryan is joined by Rachel Bachman, Senior Sports Reporter at the Wall Street Journal, who's written about the individual struggles of fans trying to get into the games of the 2026 tournament. How (and why) has FIFA changed its pricing structure for this World Cup? What was the whole deal with seat locations changing? Or the crypto path to tickets? And is this the way every organization will run its ticketing going forward? Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    57 mins
  • Not-An-Emergency Discussion: The Brendan Sorsby Injunction (PREVIEW)
    Jun 12 2026

    At the end of a week that began with Brendan Sorsby winning a temporary injunction against the NCAA and seemingly preserving his chance to play most of the 2026 season, Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni sat down to talk about what that injunction actually did and why many headlines don't describe the issues with sufficient precision. We also consider the philosophy behind the cardinal sin of sports - betting on your own team.

    This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    35 mins
  • What's making Major League Baseball stadiums so noisy?
    Jun 10 2026

    Ryan Nanni is joined by Jake Kring-Schreifels to discuss Jake's recent piece on a phenomenon popping up all over MLB stadiums: loud, omnipresent music and sound effects throughout baseball games. Why are stadiums cranking up the volume? How do fans feel about the change to the traditional baseball experience? And will this become the new normal for America's pastime? Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    44 mins
  • Grappling With The Death of Kyle Busch (PREVIEW)
    Jun 5 2026

    Steven Godfrey sits down with Ryan Nanni to discuss the untimely demise of Kyle Busch and examine how we react when athletes suffer unpredictable harm, why the circumstances of Busch's death affect us in a somewhat personal manner, and whether there are any lessons to learn from this tragedy.

    This is a preview of the full episode, which is available to paid subscribers – go to phantomisland.show to sign up today. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

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    3 mins
  • Did the Las Vegas Sphere save the New York Knicks?
    Jun 3 2026

    Rodger Sherman, writer of the Sports! newsletter, joins Ryan Nanni for a discussion of the long and tortured history of the New York Knicks under James Dolan, the historic run the team has gone on to get to the NBA Finals, and why Knicks fans may have a multibillion dollar concert venue in the Las Vegas desert to thank. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.

    We're also letting you know about what's going on with a previous Phantom Island guest, D.J. Byrnes, who was arrested and charged with harassment this week, seemingly by political figures who want to punish him for doing the job of a journalist. If you'd like to support D.J., you can subscribing to his independent outlet The Rooster, or contribute to his Venmo (https://account.venmo.com/u/warrengharding) or PayPal (https://paypal.com/paypalme/ohiorooster).

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    1 hr and 24 mins