Overview of J.A. Adande On Steelers + Dodgers Dynasties, The Myth Of Michael Jordan, NIL, LIV Golf Crashes Out
This episode is a wide-ranging conversation between Colin Cowherd and sports journalist and Northwestern professor J.A. Adande about what makes sports dynasties endure, how modern sports media is changing, and where major issues like LIV Golf, NIL, and Michael Jordan’s legacy fit into that evolution. Adande also gives behind-the-scenes context on his podcast Dynastic with Chuck Todd, which digs deep into iconic franchises like the 1970s Steelers and the Dodgers.
Dynasties: What Makes Great Teams Different
Adande’s podcast Dynastic focuses on the origin stories and defining decisions behind legendary franchises.
The 1970s Steelers
- The Steelers were described as a team that “arrived fully formed” for many fans, but the podcast explores how they were built.
- Key factors included:
- Strong drafting
- Early use of players from historically Black colleges
- Chuck Noll’s progressive leadership
- The Steelers’ history of racial integration, including the first Black quarterback to start a season for the franchise
- Adande says the Steelers are a major national team that hasn’t been over-documented, which makes them ideal for deep-dive storytelling.
- The episode also highlights “what if” moments, including Pittsburgh reportedly talking to Joe Paterno before hiring Noll.
The Dodgers
- The Dodgers’ dynasty is tied to both baseball excellence and cultural symbolism.
- The conversation emphasizes:
- Vin Scully’s role in growing the Dodgers’ mythos
- Sandy Koufax as a near-mythic figure, especially for Jewish fans
- The franchise’s representation of Los Angeles diversity through Jackie Robinson, Fernando Valenzuela, Hideo Nomo, Shohei Ohtani, and others
- Adande notes that Koufax added enormously to the Dodgers’ legend, both through dominance and the reverence surrounding his career.
LIV Golf: Business Success, Media Failure, Moral Complications
A major theme is LIV Golf’s rise and collapse.
Why LIV Failed
- Adande argues LIV never succeeded as a television product.
- It never generated the kind of rights fees or audience traction needed to compete with the PGA Tour.
- Traditional media covered the launch, but not the league as a serious sporting entity.
- In-person, LIV could feel interesting as a business disruption, but it didn’t translate well to TV.
Ethical and Journalistic Concerns
- Adande says the biggest moral issue for him was the connection to the killing of Jamal Khashoggi and the Saudi funding behind LIV.
- He acknowledges the argument that money from the same sources is increasingly present across sports, from foreign investment to franchise ownership.
- Still, he says the Khashoggi connection made LIV feel “unseemly” and hard to overlook.
Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and the Power of Mystery
The discussion turns to how Jordan’s legend was shaped by the era in which he played.
Jordan’s Two Eras
- Adande pushes back on the idea that Jordan was always inaccessible.
- Before 1991, Jordan was more available and did normal media appearances.
- After his first title and the rise of “Be Like Mike,” his fame became overwhelming and he became much harder to access.
Why Jordan Felt Mythic
- No social media
- No constant phone-camera scrutiny
- Less sports-media saturation
- Fewer opportunities for the public to see ordinary or awkward moments
Adande argues that if Jordan had played in today’s social-media environment, he would have been more heavily meme’d and nitpicked, which may have weakened his larger-than-life image.
LeBron’s Difference
- LeBron is more self-aware, more media-savvy, and much more visible in public life.
- Adande sees Jordan and LeBron as both all-time greats, but products of very different media ecosystems.
NIL and the Professionalization of College Sports
Adande is strongly in favor of NIL in principle.
Why NIL Makes Sense
- Athletes deserve to be paid their market value.
- The old NCAA model depended on players being unpaid, which he sees as an unjust premise.
- College sports, especially football, have not suffered in popularity from player compensation.
The Problems
- NIL plus the transfer portal has created a more transitory, less stable system.
- The current setup feels increasingly like professional sports without the structure of professional contracts.
- He suggests going further:
- Fully professionalize college sports
- Allow 2- or 3-year player contracts
- Give schools and fans more certainty
His Broader View
- The old G League model never solved the real development issue in basketball.
- In contrast, major college programs still offer intense competition, strong coaching, and big-time atmospheres that prepare players better.
The State of Sports Journalism
Adande draws a sharp distinction between sports journalism and sports media.
What Still Matters
- Journalism’s purpose is holding people to account and telling true stories that might not otherwise be told.
- He points to major investigative work that helped drive real-world outcomes, including franchise sales and accountability stories.
What Worries Him
- Traditional newspapers have been hollowed out by:
- Declining business models
- Loss of classified ads
- Editorial changes
- The migration of talent to other platforms
- He worries young audiences get too much of their information from social media rather than trained journalists.
What Gives Him Hope
- There is still strong student interest in journalism.
- His sports program at Northwestern is growing.
- He sees opportunity in podcasts, digital media, and new forms of sports coverage.
- He believes there is still a real appetite for truth-telling in a “post-truth” era.
Key Takeaways
- Dynasties are built by key decisions, not just talent.
- LIV Golf failed because it never became a real TV product, and its Saudi backing remained morally troubling.
- Jordan’s mystique was partly created by the pre-social-media era.
- NIL is broadly good, but the transfer portal and lack of structure make college sports unstable.
- Sports journalism is under pressure, but the need for rigorous, truth-based reporting is greater than ever.
Notable Insight
- Adande’s central media insight: the problem isn’t that people don’t want truth; it’s that the business and distribution systems for truth have changed.
- His central sports insight: great teams become dynasties because of a mix of smart decisions, cultural context, and timing—not just championships.