The Most Popular Third Party in U.S. History

EPISODE 97: From RadioShack to Reform, with Jon Bois.

So, one big reason I brought Jon Bois into the PTFO studio is to discuss his excellent new documentary series about the most successful third party in American history. It’s a saga which holds many forgotten lessons for us, it turns out, that are ever more useful this year.

But you should also know — as perhaps evidenced by the subject of the new series I just mentioned — that Jon and I have come to consider each other spiritual cousins, of sorts, inside a largely homogenous sports media ecosystem.

Even though Jon is the sort of cousin you might only see once a year, when he drops a seven-part, nine-hour documentary about the Minnesota Vikings:

Or a two-parter about why there are fewer and fewer athletes named Bob:

When combined with these 3-D charts, polygons tumbling across the topography of what does seem to be Google Earth, the product Jon makes for Secret Base, over at SB Nation, feels to me like a nostalgic, almost analog futurism. Whether the subject is Bud Grant or Dave Stieb or Barry Bonds.

Or even Ross Perot.

To watch all three parts of Jon’s new series, by the way — titled REFORM! — head over to their new Patreon, just launched this week. (It’s worth it.)

DKN/YOUTUBE SPOILER ALERT:

Levitatingly,

Pablo