Meet sports podcasters Mike and Dave.
They say they’re filling an important niche. There are many sports podcasts, probably too many. But there’s only one that we know of that proclaims Bethesda as its home.
Since May of last year, the two (we agreed to not use their last names) have talked and poked fun at sports in the basement of Mike’s mom’s house. The concept is part-satire, part-comedy and the target in many cases is the seriousness with which many people assign to the Redskins, Wizards, Nationals and sports in general.
“I think there is something to be said about inserting comedy into sports, making it more about the crazy, weird things that happen,” Dave said. “We sort of take that for granted because we’re so focused on these ‘heroic guys.’ A lot of that is growing up as a kid and admiring athletes and teams a little bit too much. So some of it is taking it back down.”
The podcast, entitled “Suck My Baltche,” in reference to the not so fondly remembered former Wizard Andray Blatche, can be profane, ridiculous and silly.
The two voiced a fake commercial for Tastee Diner, Bethesda’s venerable 24-hour diner, where Mike tells listeners they probably won’t need a reservation at 3 a.m.
On the last episode, they talked about scouting Pyle, Hoover and Cabin John middle schools for basketball analysts, just as high school and youth league coaches now scout middle schools for basketball players.
“Basically, there are thousands of sports podcasts out there. They’re all just sort of homogeneous,” Mike said. “‘How many wins will this team get. Why do you think this important player did this.’ We don’t really care.”
They admit to toeing a tight line when it comes to decency.
On the show, Mike is “staunchly in favor of keeping the Redskins name, inexplicably so,” he said. It’s a veiled way of criticizing those who refuse to consider the controversial name should be changed.
“To be in favor of the name isn’t funny, but to be a staunch supporter of a racist name is much funnier,” Mike said.
He’s a 28-year-old “underemployed lawyer” living with his mother. She’ll cook the two dinner sometimes — “Brisket, of course.”
Dave, also 28, is a New York transplant. “I’m lost in this D.C. suburban wilderness,” he said.
Bethesda, in particular the posh suburban reputation of Bethesda, plays a large role in the show and the Twitter account.
They jokes about Bethesda-based Honest Tea naming a flavor after them. The two have a standing interview offer (and running Twitter gag) to Julie Zetlin, the Olympic rhythmic gymnast from Bethesda.
“She’s sort of like our Oprah,” Dave said.
“It’s funny to play on this notion of Bethesda as this sort of utopian community,” Mike said. “We’re proud to be a Bethesda podcast. We consider ourselves Bethesda’s No. 1 podcast now that we’re talking to Bethesda Now. We want favors from Tastee Diner.”
Photo of Mike’s back via Mike
