Secret Base

Ad free: Saquon's free agency decision was a big deal

Hello. It's me, Joe. Hope everyone is having a fine Friday and gearing up for the weekend. In the meantime, I have a treat for ya here in the form of a Big Deal video. So lemme give you a lil teaser.

We can rarely point to a single decision in sports and say that was the difference maker for a team to win a championship. However, Saquon joining the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency helped transform Philly into an offensive juggernaut en route to winning the 2024 Super Bowl. Some expe...

Secret Base Museum: The Bat Donut

Hello, it's Seth! For a while, I've wanted to do a video series in which each episode is centered around a particular, familiar object. We meet the object, we mess around with it, and we learn its purpose and origins and any relevant stories. That's the idea. When everyone was in New York for the Scorigami screening, I grabbed one such object and made a few people shoot a pilot with me.

This is that! Here's a pilot episode of what we're currently calling Secret Base Museum. It's about ...

Ad-free: How to dominate the World Series and lose.

Hey pals, a fresh episode of Scattered straight off the press for your eyeballs to enjoy. Hell, maybe even your brain will like this one. Happy baseball postseason to all who celebrate it!

In 1960, the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates squared off in the 57th World Series. The Yanks thoroughly dominated the affair, unleashing an onslaught the likes of which we've never seen before or since. New York scored a whopping 28 more runs in the series than the Buccos, easily the Fall Clas...

JON'S SECRET BASE RADIO MUSIC PROGRAM: EPISODE 2

Hey! it's Jon again. I'm back with a second episode of the Secret Base Radio Music Program, in which I play a series of my favorite production music tracks and shoot the breeze in between. I had fun with the first one, and people seemed to enjoy it, so I was looking forward to giving it anothe...

Ad-free: The college football beef that got a mascot detained by police

Hello. This is Will. Go easy on me. It's been 17 years since I last wrote and produced a video. In that time I've been excavating deep into the content mines hoping to find answers to propel the work of Secret Base into the future, with the trade-off being less hands on work in the factory where everyone else produces the mined minerals into precious gems for your viewing. Does this metaphor work? Go easy on this metaphor as well.

Anywayyy, it's been a minute since I properly made a vid...

When an aging American track superstar gave pro basketball a shot

It's Seth again! From Secret Base! Recently I did this Big Deal episode about Nikki McCray and the American Basketball League. In my research for that one, I dove down a deep rabbit hole about the formation of the ABL in 1996 and, specifically, the league's successful recruitment of Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

It's hard for me to prove if you weren't sentient in 1996, but Jackie Joyner-Kersee casua...

Phys Ed: Brian Grubb beaned the same batter twice in one inning

Hi! It's me Seth. Herein lies our last episode with a guest* of Season 1 of Phys Ed. It features Brian Grubb, a legend of blogging, a hilarious individual, and someone who's chased the thrill of athletic achievement both as a child on a baseball mound and as an adult balancing apples in his power wheelchair. We loved talking to Brian. Hope you love it too.

Since we recorded this episode, Brian's Type Click Type blog has moved from Substack to Ghost, 2025-09-22 15:56:10 +0000 UTC View Post

Ad-free: An MVP switching leagues was a big deal

Hey pals, Will here on behalf of Seth. Seth's down at the Jersey Shore getting some R&R. He's also kind of a sicko so there's a good chance he's reading this from vacation. Hi Seth. I will reveal no secrets, I will try to be true to you and therefore, before I go any further, I must add Seth's classic catchphrase here.

Alrighty. If you're here then you are not aware this episode is pre...

Ad free: One bad hit created beef between Bear Bryant and Bobby Dodd and altered the SEC forever

Bear Bryant and Bobby Dodd are two of the greatest coaches that college football has ever seen. Importantly for us, these legends also shared admiration for one another, which blossomed into a friendship that endured through many years.

"Wait, but this is beef? Why is that lucky?" Well, if you'd let me finish, I'd tell you.

Those good vibes lasted until they were forced to share the SEC. As the Alabama vs. Georgia Tech clashes became more contentious, and things took an abrupt tur...

SCORIGAMI Live conversation with Jon, Alex, and Seth

Thank you all for submitting your questions ahead of the SCORIGAMI screening a couple weeks ago. If you weren't there, then know you were greatly missed. It's still a bit surreal that we pulled the thing off, but we never would've attempted it without your support. We know New York is not a convenient location for everyone - I mean, it's not really a convenient location for people living in NYC - but hopefully someday we're able to do more of these and make it out to new, different spots. How...

Ad-free: The Cavaliers breaking up their title-winning core was a big deal

Good morning, Patrons! Clara here, but you can probably tell from the tone (light and happy, but a light and happy that is dependent on a comfortable chair. You don't want me to post from the bad chair, trust me)

Ryan and I put our heads together (gently) for our newest episode of Big Deal, all about the Cavs deciding to trade away Kyrie Irving and bring normal-sized human Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland.

And we present it here sans ads for your viewing pleasure. So watch it already, c...

Phys Ed: Hector Diaz used to hate running. Now he runs half marathons on his birthday

Hi! It's Seth. I hope you already know the work and online personality of my dear friend Hector Diaz, but if you don't, please go check him out. You'll like him.

Hector came on our show to talk about (and help us talk about) figuring out our bodies by participating in sports. Topics include: being a kid who's bigger than other kids, finding a role in pickup basketball, saying farewell to a coach and mentor because he got...

Ad-free: San Diego gambling on Eli Manning was a big deal

What's good y'all. It's me, Joe, coming with another ad-free video that my boy JZ helped me cook up. Word of advice for any franchises and general managers: If an athlete explicitly tells you not to draft them, maybe it's best to listen! It’s night one of the 2004 NFL Draft, and as owners of the Number One pick, the San Diego Chargers messed around and found out. They wanted a quarterback, and by all accounts, the top-rated prospect of the draft was QB Eli Manning out of Ole Miss Universit...

Ad-free: There's exactly one way to legally goaltend in college football, but no one's ever done it (yet)

Welcome to Part 5 of Scorigami!!!

Ok, according to Jon's legal team, this is not 100% accurate, but because this episode of Weird Rules publishes the day after Scorigami wrapped up, it's basically the spiritual successor.

Speaking of, I'll do one last quick promotion for the Scorigami Live Screening that takes place tomorrow night - Wednsday 9/3 in NYC at SVA Theatre, there are still a...

SCORIGAMI, PART 4 OF 4: THE FUTURE.

ADVISORY: This is the episode we'll be showing for Wednesday evening's screening at SVA Theatre in New York City (as of this writing, a few tickets are still available). If you're attending, you may want to hold off on watching this one. Or you could watch it beforehand and smugly sit in the theater with arms folded and mutter things to the effect of "I already knew that" or "I knew that alre...

Ad free: Dabo Swinney's beef with NIL almost made him quit college football

What's good y'all! It's me, Joe. JZ and I cooked up this beef history episode about Dabo Swinney having issues with the Name, Image, and Likeness law that has swept through college athletics. Paying college athletes for putting their bodies on the line and earning universities a shit ton of cash sounds like a pretty fair thing to do, but Dabo doesn't think it's that easy. While that sounds like a bit of an asshole mindset, and you wouldn't be wrong in thinking that, Dabo at least has his rea...

Ad-Free: Pedro Martinez pitching deep into an ALCS collapse was a big deal

Good morning! It's Seth. It's morning where I am. Charlotte and I worked on this episode of Big Deal about Grady Little's notorious decision to leave Pedro Martinez in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS even though the THIS GUY IS ABOUT TO EAT SHIT alarms were absolutely blaring. This is the first time we've tried our new Big Deal format for an in-game decision and ... well, lemme know how you think it turned out. Hope you enjoy! And if you wanna see it with a bunch of ads, just wait a few hour...

Ad-Free: Frances Tiafoe's historic upset vs. Rafael Nadal needs a deep rewind

Here's today's episode of Rewinder! You get to watch it before all those chumps on YouTube! Just kidding, they're not chumps! But for real, dig in and learn about Frances Tiafoe's breakthrough moment against Rafael Nadal! Tennis!!!!!!

Your Pal,
Seth

P.S. Don't forget to grab tickets for our 9/3 Scorigami screening if you haven't got 'em yet!

Phys Ed: Jiazhen Zhang had to throw a medicine ball to get into high school

Welcome to another episode of Phys Ed! This one's particularly special. Jiazhen Zhang -- our beloved friend and supremely talented director/editor -- tells us all about playing sports and going to gym class during his childhood in mainland China, how things changed when he moved to an international school, and how he reflects on all of the above with the perspective of an adult living in the United States.

(Oh and if you wanna come see us in New York on Wednesday 9/3, 2025-08-25 16:00:23 +0000 UTC View Post

Ad-free: Alex Rodriguez switching positions to join the Yankees was a big deal

When we were talking through ways to title this series, Clara threw out one option based on comments/tweets/etc over the years that was 100% a goof, but also would've been fun. The form was as follows:

Babe, wake up! Alex Rodriguez's a Yankee.

Would it have grown old? Maybe. By avoiding using that format, do I now really want us to make a show just called "Babe, Wake Up"? You know it.

But for now, the only new show you have to worry about is Big Deal. In this episod...

Joe DiMaggio's record 56-game hitting streak was even more outrageous than you know

New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak is held in incredibly high esteem in the annals of baseball lore. The MLB hitting streak record is one of the most well-known records there is in the history of all organized athletics, both in terms of identity of the record-holder and the number reached.

Full disclosure: I am not as big a hitting streak mystique guy as most; ordinarily I’m not inclined to hold hitting streaks – including DiMaggio’s all-timer – to ...

Ad-free: MLB has a rule for one specific plant | Weird Rules

Imagine this.

You are Chase Utley, second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. You woke up today in Chicago and made your way to Wrigley Field to play a game that you’ve intimately known for decades.

The rules have stayed the same. The equipment has remained consistent through the years. You step up to home plate with a bat in your hand. The pitcher hurls a ball your way. A ball. Singular. The only ball ever involved in every game you’ve taken part in. That lone ball control...

Ad-Free: Hideo Nomo's unprecedented no-hitter at Coors Field needs a deep rewind

Hey pals, Will here, publishing on behalf of Seth while he's on vacation (after having covered for me while I was on vacation. We're taking breaks! Work-life balance! Huzzah).

Sorry for the delay on getting this up, but wanted to make sure the Scorigami live screening had enough breathing room. Y'all kind of got a sneak preview of this when we did the episode extension about Don Nomura, which in case you missed that here you go!

Hope you enjoy, we'll be back later in the week. Lov...

Scorigami Live: early access tickets for Top Secret Agents & Content Enjoyers

DID SOMEONE SAY SCORIGAMI LIVE SCREENING TICKETS??? PART 4 PLUS A CONVERSATION WITH JON AND ALEX AFTERWARDS??? HANG OUT WITH THE WHOLE SECRET BASE TEAM??? LIGHT REFRESHMENTS?????

As promised, for all of our Top Secret Agents and Content Enjoyers, it's time for your first crack at tickets. A pre-sale, if you will. Mentioned this yesterday but we're really excited to be able to not just get this event on the books, but to be able to cater it to y'all. This pre-sale, discounted tickets, ha...

Scorigami live screening information here (please come hang)

It's official: Secret Base is hosting a live screening of Scorigami, Part 4, on September 3rd in New York City. Jon and Alex will also have a Scorigami-focused conversation with Seth afterwards, which will be centered on YOUR questions (more on that in weeks to come). And lastly - YOU sweet Patron will have first crack at tickets, AND we've set it up so the first 100 come with a discount. Now, here's a nice thing Jon made...

2025-08-11 17:00:14 +0000 UTC View Post

Phys Ed: Ryan Nanni and his brother were awful tennis doubles partners

Ryan Nanni grew up in Tampa. Ryan Nanni has siblings. Ryan Nanni played high school tennis. All of the above combine for a SHOCKING and CONTROVERSIAL episode of Phys Ed.

Just kidding. It's lovely. We love Ryan so much. But yeah, it seems like Ryan and his brother were not particularly effective doubles partners:

Enjoy! And go check out 2025-08-11 16:00:20 +0000 UTC View Post

Ad-Free: The Clippers’ quasi-kidnapping of DeAndre Jordan was a big deal

Babe wake up, the Clippers re-signed DeAndre.

It was the summer of 2015. We were young, we were over-heated ( I assume), and for one night, we stopped everything and tuned into twitter as DeAndre Jordan's ...captors?... convinced him to renege on the verbal deal he made with Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks. It was a move that shocked, angered, and changed the way NBA free agency would work for the rest of time.

Welcome to "Big Deal." Our new series that takes you inside the mo...

SCORIGAMI, PART 3 OF 4.

It's Jon again! Alex and I have another episode of Scorigami ready for you. We'll drop this episode in YouTube in late September, but y'all get exclusive early access today. (If you need to catch up: Part 1 is here, and Part 2 is here.)

Across nearly an hour of split-screen madness, we'll relive ...