Podcast Summary: The Stacks Ep. 401 — "I'm Doing a Little Bit of Everything" with Joel Anderson

Host: Traci Thomas
Guest: Joel Anderson (Senior writer at The Ringer, co-host of The Press Box, former host of Slate's Slow Burn podcast)
Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and candid episode, host Traci Thomas welcomes acclaimed journalist and sports writer Joel Anderson. Their conversation ranges from Joel’s journey in journalism and his approach to sportswriting, to deep dives into media, book recommendations, and the shifting landscape of nonfiction narratives—especially by Black writers. The discussion is sprinkled with humor, thoughtful analysis, and personal anecdotes, making it an engaging exploration of books, sports, and culture.

Joel Anderson’s Path to Journalism

(03:22 – 07:58)

• Background:
  • Joel hails from Houston, Texas—specifically Missouri City, noting the dramatic demographic shifts in his neighborhood growing up.
  • He pursued football in high school and college at TCU, but a coaching change and loss of passion led him to the campus newspaper, where he quickly rose to editor-in-chief.
  • “If I couldn’t play in a Super Bowl, I wanted to cover a Super Bowl.” (06:25, Joel Anderson)
• On Sports Journalism:
  • Joel’s sports reporting career spans nearly 25 years, moving from local papers to national platforms like Buzzfeed, ESPN, Slate, and now The Ringer.
  • He highlights the difficulties and occasional awkwardness of transitioning from athlete to journalist, especially in college environments.

The Sporting Life: Watching vs. Covering

(07:58 – 13:43)

• Attending Major Sporting Events:
  • Both Joel and Traci share their “bucket list” sporting events—World Cup, Wimbledon, World Series—and reminisce about the energy of international fixtures.
  • Traci relays her transcendent experience at the 2006 Euro Cup in Germany:
    • “It was unreal, like, unlike anything I'd ever experienced in my life. Like, I was crying. I was so moved by the whole thing.” (09:15, Traci Thomas)
• Reporting vs. Experiencing:
  • Joel says covering games can sometimes dampen enjoyment:
    • “If you're at a game and you have to cover it, that's the best way to not enjoy it.” (12:26, Joel Anderson)
  • The tension between meeting deadlines and appreciating the moment:
    • “I'm not really watching it for the beauty and the contest. I'm looking for storylines… I'm constantly trying to figure out things instead of actually getting to enjoy the experience.” (12:52, Joel Anderson)
• Best Game Covered:
  • 2018 Rose Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Georgia—memorable for its drama and energy. (10:52 – 11:56)

The Journalist’s Craft and Media Reflections

(13:50 – 23:26)

• Autonomy at The Ringer:
  • Joel enjoys significant editorial freedom: “It’s probably 80% me, 20% assignment.” (13:50, Joel Anderson)
  • Example: Coverage of Malcolm Jamal Warner’s passing.
• Day-After Stories:
  • “At the ringer we’re like a day after…that necessarily requires you to sort of think ahead a little bit about what might be interesting.” (16:20, Joel Anderson)
  • He aims to write accessibly:
    • “I want to write stories for people that don’t necessarily follow sports.” (17:01, Joel Anderson)
• Media Industry State:
  • Joel is frank about his pessimism:
    • “We're underreacting. I feel really scared about the future of the industry.” (18:11, Joel Anderson)
    • Laments the decline of local outlets, bad business practices, and public/media trust issues.
    • “The only way it seems that most people feel when they take over a newspaper… ‘Oh, we gotta cut it.’” (20:18, Joel Anderson)
• Journalist-Reader Relationship:
  • Readers are more attached to journalists, following them across platforms.
  • Joel notes surprise at being recognized:
    • “I did not get into journalism to be a person who anybody recognized.” (22:45, Joel Anderson)
  • Building a following is now part of the business.

Podcasting: The Slow Burn Experience

(23:26 – 28:23)

• Transition to Podcasts:
  • Slate approached Joel to host Slow Burn’s Tupac and Biggie season, his first foray into podcasting.
  • Influenced by 30 for 30’s Ricky Henderson episode and “Becoming Oprah/Obama.”
• LA Riots Season:
  • Joel insisted on covering the LA Riots, considering it his most important work:
    • “That’s the thing that I most wanted to do, the thing I was most interested in.” (27:20, Joel Anderson)
  • Aimed to humanize figures like Rodney King, show the complexity beyond the headlines.
  • On the need for a definitive book on the LA riots, he agrees the time is now as eyewitnesses age:
    • “If it’s going to happen, it’s going to have to happen here in the next five years.” (30:32, Joel Anderson)

Book Recommend Corner: “Ask the Stacks”

(36:35 – 42:58)

• Listener Question:
  • Marley seeks a nonfiction rec for her Philly-sports-loving, history-buff dad.
• Traci’s Picks:
  • The Sixth Man (Andre Iguodala)
  • Misunderstood (Allen Iverson)
  • The Man Nobody Killed (on Michael Stewart)
  • Heartland (Keith O’Brien, about Larry Bird) (Due March)
• Joel’s Recommendations:
  • Namath and Pistol Pete by Mark Kriegel (“just fantastic”)
  • Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx is Burning (on Yankees and NYC in the 70s)
• **Discussion of “dad book energy”—sports nostalgia, history, baseball stadiums.

Lightning Round: Books & Reading Habits

(43:11 – 66:16)

• Two Books You Love, One You Hate:
  • The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson (“All Timer”)
  • Black Boy by Richard Wright (“changed my life, Professor”)
  • Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger (“top three”)
  • Book he hated: Chief by Daryl Gates (“What it would be like to read a Rush Limbaugh text”)
• What He Reads for Pleasure:
  • Nonfiction about places (e.g. God Save Texas by Lawrence Wright, Boomtown)
  • City of Quartz by Mike Davis—helped with his LA Riots project
• How He Reads:
  • Nowadays: audiobooks/Kindle in the dark—“I have a three year old and a one year old…”
  • Classic ideal: curled up with a snack (apple chips) and a drink, comfy couch, cloudy weather
  • On old book dates with friends in Houston at Bookstop and Half Price Books.
• Kids’ Books and Rediscovering Joy:
  • Dr. Seuss: “I wish I had the mind to do the kind of writing he does…the Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish…” (53:06, Joel Anderson)
  • Caps for Sale also a rediscovered favorite—“I’ve kind of re-fallen in love with kids books.”
• Last Book That Made You Cry:
  • The Warmth of Other Suns (“I bawled…I wish I could hug Isabel Wilkerson, man. That book was so emotional to me.” (56:14, Joel Anderson)
• Genres and Representation:
  • Laments that Black journalists are often steered only to memoir, while the genre of deep investigations like Friday Night Lights is dominated by white writers.
  • “They want you to emote about racism, right, for their audiences… but there are things that need our perspective, need our side of, to tell that tale.” (61:36, Joel Anderson)
• Books He Would Assign as a Teacher:
  • Roots (“one of the more formative books I've ever read in my life”)
  • Black Boy
• Book to Assign the Current President:
  • “The Quran. He should try to read it. It would help him.” (65:28, Joel Anderson)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the changing relationship between writers and audience:

  • “If you’re going to succeed at this business, you’ve kind of gotta be able to prove… that people follow you and they follow your work and they care about you when you say things.” (23:09, Joel Anderson)

• On the urgency of preserving history:

  • “We gotta get this, like, definitive [LA Riots] book done. Because it just feels like, you know, we're coming up on 40 years, and in what, 32. 32 will be 40 years.” (29:05, Traci Thomas)

• On reading fiction vs. nonfiction:

  • “People have told me, even KSA has told me, you should read fiction…But I don’t have time because I got to read all this other stuff that I don’t know about.” (59:08, Joel Anderson)

Key Timestamps by Segment

| Time | Segment | |--------------|-------------------------------------| | 03:22–07:58 | Joel’s journalism origin story | | 07:58–13:43 | Sporting events & watching/covering | | 13:50–17:16 | Editorial freedom & writing goals | | 17:43–23:26 | The media landscape | | 23:26–28:23 | Podcasting and Slow Burn | | 36:35–42:58 | Book recs for Marley’s dad | | 43:11–66:16 | Book lightning round |

Tone and Style

The conversation is highly conversational, warm, irreverent, and intellectually curious. Both Traci and Joel are candid, funny, and passionate about journalism, books, and the intersections of culture, race, and media. While touching on tough realities, there’s an undercurrent of hope in championing better storytelling and broader perspectives.

Upcoming: Book Club

• Next Episode: Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger (with Joel Anderson, December 31st)

Final Thoughts

This episode serves as both a behind-the-scenes look at contemporary journalism and a love letter to books that have shaped lives and society. Joel’s reflections offer insight into why certain stories matter, the importance of accessible writing, and the urgent need for diverse voices in nonfiction.

For more book talk, lists, and extras, visit thestackspodcast.com or join the Stacks Pack on Patreon.