Podcast
Phantom Island
Hosted by Steven Godfrey & Ryan Nanni · EN
Every week, Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni walk you (and one another) through a question from the sports world. While they don't promise any conclusive answers, you'll get an interesting and thoughtful look at topics from a variety of perspectives. This feed is also home to Steven and Ryan's other work, including The Single Wing, where Godfrey answers listener questions, We're Not All Like This, Ryan's interview series profiling different sports fanbases, and more. Find out more at https://www.falconscottproductions.com/
55episodes
Episodes
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The Single Wing: Time-Traveling Godfrey (PREVIEW)
5d ago00:05:36Tap to summarizeSteven 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.
Transcribe →How greedy can FIFA get with the 2026 World Cup?
1w ago00:57:17Tap to summarizeSteven 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.
Transcribe →Not-An-Emergency Discussion: The Brendan Sorsby Injunction (PREVIEW)
2w ago00:35:11Tap to summarizeAt 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.
Transcribe →What's making Major League Baseball stadiums so noisy?
2w ago00:44:14Tap to summarizeRyan 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.
Transcribe →Grappling With The Death of Kyle Busch (PREVIEW)
3w ago00:03:28Tap to summarizeSteven 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.
Transcribe →Did the Las Vegas Sphere save the New York Knicks?
3w ago01:23:32Tap to summarizeRodger 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).
Transcribe →Numbers and Words: Part 1 of The Optimist's G6 Preview with Bill C. (PREVIEW)
4w ago00:06:04Tap to summarizeSteven Godfrey is joined by ESPN's Bill Connelly for an early 2026 snapshot of where things stand in the MAC, what possible upheaval of the pecking order looks like in Conference USA, and who you should keep an eye on in the Sun Belt.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.
Transcribe →How should we judge Auburn basketball's first year post Bruce Pearl?
4w ago01:10:45Tap to summarizeJustin Ferguson of The Auburn Observer joins Ryan Nanni to discuss an incredibly tumultous year for Auburn's men's basketball team that ended with a championship victory in the NIT. What did the national perspective miss about Steven Pearl getting his dad's old job? How did a seemingly fine Auburn season fall to pieces? Will Bruce Pearl, Talking Head be good, bad, or both for the Tigers? And why does Ryan think the football calendar impacted how this basketball season was perceived? Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.
Transcribe →What's fact and fiction about the 1970 USC-Alabama game and SEC integration?
4w ago00:48:56Tap to summarizeOn this bonus episode, Steven Godfrey and Ryan Nanni examine Bear Bryant's 1970 loss to Sam Cunningham and an integrated USC team, a game mythologized as a watershed moment in the racial politics of college football in the South. Was this truly an unprecedented loss for Alabama? What efforts at integrating had Bryant and the Crimson Tide attempted before this? And did this game overshadow other trailblazers in the conference? Plus: find out about the next longform series we're making! Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.
Transcribe →RE-RELEASE: How to write a coach profile (and how to quit doing them)
May 2502:00:33Tap to summarizeRyan Nanni sits down with Steven Godfrey to review a classic of offseason sportswriting: the coach profile. Examining the work Godfrey did interviewing coaches from James Franklin to Tom Herman to Geoff Collins, this episode explores how these pieces come together, what agendas they serve for both sides, whether you can get actual journalism from these stories, and why Godfrey eventually decided to abandon the format. Phantom Island is presented by Homefield and produced by Michael Surber.
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