TBTL #4577 "The Changing Of The Teasons" – October 16, 2025

Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

Episode Overview

In this Thursday edition titled “The Changing Of The Teasons,” Luke and Andrew riff on everything from the oddities of migrating geese and portable saunas to their feelings on baseball heartbreak, the Manning football dynasty, and the pedantic use of the word “Lego.” They offer classic TBTL banter about introvert/extrovert culture, the rightness (or wrongness) of “extroverted” socializing, and an extended, emotional debrief about the Mariners playoff performance. The episode wraps up with their listeners’ Blursday (birthday) shoutouts, lavish digressions about Christmas trees, and pop culture tangents that only these two could manage.

Key Discussion Points

1. The World is “Topsy Turvy” and Change is in the Air

• Opening Observations: Luke notes the idyllic weather but also the geese “flying north for the winter,” musing, “Everything is topsy turvy in this world” (01:13).
• Notable Quote: “We've the thing. We thought there was a law around them having to fly south... Now they figured out, well, we can just fly north and see what happens. Crazy world, folks.” – Luke (01:49)

2. Mariners Meltdown & Baseball Therapy

• Wellness Checks from Friends: Luke describes receiving texts after the Mariners' rough loss, showing his “brand as guy who cares about baseball too much is strong” (02:28).

• Baseball Losing as Life Metaphor: Luke and Andrew dissect the Mariners’ “good old-fashioned drubbing” by the Blue Jays and find comfort in the loss being a blowout rather than a nail-biter:

  “Yesterday was, yesterday was such a not—I think a lot of people see the score and they're like, oh my god, the boys are going to be so bummed today. This was like the least bummer loss of the postseason for me..." – Andrew (44:15)

• High Leverage vs. Garbage Time: They explain why the post-season strategy—saving “leverage arms”—matters and commiserate over bullpen woes.

• Superfan Anxiety: Luke jokes about not having fingernails left to bite after so many tense games:

  “I have not had any fingernails left since...the 15 inning game...” (72:12)

• Predictions & Superstition: Andrew tries to avoid making predictions lest he “jinx” the team. They discuss how unlike other sports, a baseball blowout doesn’t guarantee repeat performance the next day.

3. Pop-Up Social Saunas: An Extrovert’s Dream or a Forcing Function?

• Social Saunas in Seattle: Luke introduces the Seattle Times piece about “Tooley Lodge,” a mobile sauna designed to foster community (04:12–06:38).
• Introvert/Extrovert Riffs:

  “This feels a little bit forced to me...this is another example of extroverts being confused why other people aren't extroverts and really trying to shove it on people.” – Andrew (04:12)

• Conversation Cards in Saunas: Both hosts find the idea of enforced chat in small, sweaty quarters “exhausting,” pushing back against engineered extroversion.
• Tone: Light and self-deprecating as they admit their own social limitations.
• Quote:

  “If you just sort of force yourself to enough group sauna situations with enough little laminated cards that are conversation starters, you can kind of will yourself into that.” – Luke (04:43)

4. Sauna & Heat Analogies: Hating the Jog but Loving the Jogger

• Luke explains:

  “Well, the thing about the jogs after a night of too much drinking is that I hate the jog. I hate the experience. I just...You love the jogger.” (08:35)

• Andrew confesses to once “hotboxing” himself in the car on purpose:

  “Sometimes on a really, really hot summer day...I would, like, get in my car and not turn on the air or roll down the windows for as long as I could possibly go and just, like, get real sweaty.” (11:01)

• The hosts spin off into a fantasy film about Andrew house-sitting a haunted mansion (13:19–15:33), complete with Glenn Powell as Andrew, and a subplot of loving saunas—showcasing TBTL’s trademark improvisational humor and pop culture references.

5. “Chad Powers,” the Mannings, and Sports Comedy

• Exploring TV Show Origins: They fall down a delightful rabbit hole discussing “Chad Powers,” a sports comedy starring Glenn Powell, based on an Eli Manning “undercover quarterback” skit (16:09–21:27).
• Manning Family Admiration: Luke recounts a “Texas Monthly” article about the Manning family that makes him appreciate their down-to-earth attitude despite massive fame (21:44–24:28).
• Relatability of Arch Manning:

  “Arch Manning is babysitting at Dave and Buster's. Like, I love how deeply normal that is.” – Luke (27:43)

• Generational Pressures: They discuss the challenge of remaining grounded as a third-generation sports scion.

6. Digressions: Language, Rituals, and LEGO Lore

• “Carrying the Mantle”: The hosts chase down the biblical origins of the phrase, joking about confusing mantle/mantlepieces (33:16–35:29).
• LEGO vs. Legos: Luke and Andrew side with "Legos," not the corporate-correct "LEGO bricks," and recall the infamous Velcro “hook and loop” legal campaign (83:32–87:01).

7. Listener Donations & Blursday Messages

• Donor Acknowledgements: Heartfelt (and comically digressive) thanks to listener-supporters, including anecdotes about geography and mass transit (32:56–38:15).
• Blursday Shoutouts: Birthday wishes and TBTL inside jokes galore, including:
  • Listeners' kids commandeering podcast-branded musical instruments
  • Pet reactions to melodica/harmonica performances
  • Tangents regarding Christmas trees, ornaments (“fox” ornament memory), and personal holiday traditions (78:04–82:05)
  • A long, affectionate riff on the correct and incorrect ways to talk about LEGO/legos.

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “I feel like I'm partners with the Hulk. Happy birthday. Pretty, pretty good.” – Luke (00:52)
• “You love the jogger.” – Andrew, summarizing Luke’s approach to healthy habits (08:43)
• “If I lived alone, I'd have like a tabletop tree probably… I'd hang, like, five ornaments on it.” – Andrew, on Christmas traditions (79:27)
• “Is that Corva Coleman?!... Behind a tree?” – Luke, imagining an NPR-themed D&D scenario (83:18)
• “For me to, for me to weirdly say Lego instead of Legos, I was playing with Legos. Somebody left all these Legos around…” – Luke (87:38)
• “I would absolutely snip a Lego to make the brick fit. I would pound it on there with a hammer.” – Luke, on LEGO impatience (87:48)

Notable Segment Timestamps

• 01:13 – Opening: Geese flying the “wrong” direction, weather, intro banter
• 02:28 – Mariners loss debrief, fan anxiety
• 04:12 – Pop-up social saunas & extroversion, discussion of Seattle Times piece
• 13:19 – Mansion/superfan/sweatbox film fantasy tangent
• 16:09 – “Chad Powers”/Eli Manning, sports comedy
• 21:44 – Manning family lore, Arch Manning story
• 32:10 – Listener donations, show support acknowledgments
• 42:10 – Baseball fan psychology & postgame anxiety
• 73:30 – “Alexa” and rooting for the Mariners, extreme fan behavior
• 74:48 – Blursday messages segment (continues with birthday wishes and TBTL in-jokes)
• 83:32 – LEGO/Legos and Velcro digression and song

Tone and Style

The episode features TBTL’s classic mix: wry, self-deprecating humor; earnest (bordering on obsessive) sports analysis; good-natured tangents about language, pop culture, and midlife existence; and playful teasing between two old friends who invite their listeners into their quirky world.

For New or Occasional Listeners

If you’ve never listened to TBTL, this episode showcases its trademark blend: deep dives into semi-absurd topics (from saunas to LEGO grammar), relatable anxieties about sports and socializing, and a community of inside jokes and personal shoutouts. The show’s original flavor is all here—an easygoing, smart, and heartfelt take on getting through daily life with humor, humility, and a lot of baseball.

Power Out!