Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • PodBean
  • Subscribe To The My Pal Sammy Newsletter
  • ABOUT
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

My Summer Lair

Think NPR's Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: My Summer Lair with host Sammy Younan: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Summer Lair
    • Space Station Oddity
  • Set The VCR
  • New Book Alert
  • True Sammy Stories
  • Toggle search form
Ethan Strauss (The Victory Machine: The Making & Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair

157 | Ethan Strauss (The Victory Machine: The Making & Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty)

Posted on June 2, 2020March 7, 2023 By Sammy Younan No Comments on 157 | Ethan Strauss (The Victory Machine: The Making & Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty)

My Summer Lair Chapter #157: Does Winning Mean You Are Successful?

Winning covers a multitude of sins. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant played together on the LA Lakers from 1996 to 2004; winning three consecutive championships (2000, 2001, 2002) and making an NBA Finals appearance in 2004. Yet what’s fascinating is that winning didn’t do it for Kevin Durant. He played on the Golden State Warriors from 2016-2019 and they won 2 championships (2017, 2018).

In The Victory Machine: The Making and Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty author Ethan Sherwood Strauss writes the following 3 sturdy observations:
“Most sports books are celebratory in nature, but this one dwells on the sadness that comes with success.”

“I think that’s part of the modern condition: the modern celebrity is being tricked into giving away too much and corrupting their image for the public.”

“Many NBA stars are hookah heads, surprising as this may sound. They are up later than you and occasionally require a more relaxing social activity.”

These are distinct insights you don’t often get in a traditional NBA book; based on this My Summer Lair conversation it’s clear Ethan passionately thinks about these things. If you have a chance check out the book. You’ll dig it.

This is my second Oakland NBA writer interview having interviewed The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson for his Kevin Durant book: KD: Kevin Durant’s Relentless Pursuit to Be the Greatest. Both sports writers contemplate the broader culture when they write: they see patterns and gauge impacts. They’re telling you an NBA story but the NBA is just an analogy. Ethan’s book is clearly about “The Making and Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty.” So you’d pick up this book thinking it’s about the NBA and the Warriors and Curry and KD blah blah blah. Yet as you see from those 3 observations: “Most sports books are celebratory in nature, but this one dwells on the sadness that comes with success.”

That’s no longer an NBA story per se that’s something far more compelling and honest.

It’s a damn good book; it helps if you’re into the NBA but even if you’re not it’s worth the wrestle and trying to understand what success means for you…what success looks like for you. That’s the journey Kevin Durant and the Warriors are on: which makes their team name so apt.

Ethan Strauss (The Victory Machine: The Making & Unmaking of the Warriors Dynasty) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair

Ethan Strauss @ W • T • F

Host Sammy Younan

Recorded: Tuesday April 28, 2020 at 4:30 pm

Stress free pop culture tastefully harvested for your divine delight. Once a week a carefully curated edition of My Pal Sammy goes directly to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter so we can have some dynastic fun!

My Summer Lair, Podcast Tags:Ethan Strauss, NBA, New Book Alert, Steph Curry, The Golden State Warriors, The Victory Machine

Post navigation

Previous Post: 158 | Nick Reynoldson (I’ll Be Fine)
Next Post: 159 | Lulu Wei (There’s No Place Like This Place, Anyplace)

More Related Articles

Jordan Ain’t No Joke Episode 6 (The Last Dance Podcast) Garbage Time - NBA
Jordan Ain’t No Joke Episode 5 (The Last Dance Podcast) Garbage Time - NBA
Corey Ross & Svetlana Dvoretsky (Immersive Van Gogh) 181 | Corey Ross & Svetlana Dvoretsky (Immersive Van Gogh) My Summer Lair
Bruce Mau & Bisi Williams (Mau: Documentary) Sammy Younan My Summer Lair Chapter 200 200 | Bruce Mau & Bisi Williams (Mau: Documentary) My Summer Lair
Justin Willman (Magic for Humans) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair 155 | Justin Willman (Magic for Humans: Season 3) My Summer Lair
Blood In The Snow Film Festival (Kelly Michael Stewart & Jen Gorman) My Summer Lair 94 094 | Blood In The Snow Film Festival (Kelly Michael Stewart & Jen Gorman) My Summer Lair

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • #SetTheVCR: September 25-October 1, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    It's my birthday week and the TV recommendations are…well mostly my taste. Some cake and candles to go with this week's #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: September 18-24, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    For this week's TV recommendations we got a Superpower, Super Models, a Saint and Saving people. That's right it's #SetTheVCR where this weekend we check into The Continental for a 3 night stay.
  • #SetTheVCR: September 11-17, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    This week's #SetTheVCR is Based on a True Story. Lots of TV recommendations that'll guide you through the Wilderness but do look out for a sudden Swarm or even a comedic Wolf.
  • #CouchWorthy: August 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    A terrific TV recap of August 2023. Here some August TV highlights that are #CouchWorthy. Maybe you missed em or didn’t hear about em. Sweet Sammy Suggestions for August 2023…
  • #SetTheVCR: September 4-10, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    This week's #SetTheVCR is a Rogues' Gallery of thieves, creeps, killers and criminals. Oh and lots of Star Trek to balance out all the dark TV recommendations.
  • #SetTheVCR: August 28-September 3, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    RoboCop and a Wanted fugitive. Choose Love because it's time to #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: August 21-27, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Flash forward and see yourself enjoying these TV recommendations with your Vacation Friends: It's #SetTheVCR!
  • #SetTheVCR: August 14-20, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Take Shelter from the Summer heat with these Untold TV Recommendations: from Elvis to Tracy Morgan this week's #SetTheVCR is Killing It.
  • #SetTheVCR: August 7-13, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    You maybe Summering but with this #SetTheVCR post is All Up In The Biz of TV recommendations. Only Murders In The Building returns so we should kick off this TV week with a Clue.
  • #SetTheVCR: July 31-August 6, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Welcome to the Paradise of TV Recommendations: this week's #SetTheVCR is bursting with blockbusters and concludes with a Lollapalooza livestream. Not bad for the dog days of Summer.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: DCEU Is Pee-Ew | Batgirl vs HBO MaxAugust 5, 2022
    Sammy & Rob Gaudette discuss and review the status of the DCEU following the cancellation of Batgirl on HBO Max. Rob still has hope.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: Contact Photography Festival 2022 | Culture SnapMay 12, 2022
    Sammy is joined by photographer Henry VanderSpek aka Culture Snap to discuss and recommend a happy handful of Contact Photography Festival exhibitions.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: A Taylor Hawkins MemorialMarch 28, 2022
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss the shocking and sad passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins on March 25, 2022.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: All The Batmans | Keaton To Nipples to BatfleckMarch 10, 2022
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss All The Batmans: from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: 2021 Induction Ceremony | Rock & Roll Hall of FameNovember 25, 2021
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss their happy highlights from the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

  • Yaron Weitzman (Tanking to the Top) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair 148
    Under-Review: Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers
    by Sammy Younan
    My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan reviews Yaron Weitzman's Tanking to the Top. Trust The Process of The Philadelphia 76ers?
  • New Book Alert: January 10-14, 2022
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
  • New Book Alert: January 3-7, 2022
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
  • New Book Alert: November 8-12, 2021
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
  • New Book Alert: November 1-5, 2021
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.

Copyright © 2023 My Summer Lair.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme