The Back Nines, Bedtimes, and Bourbon Podcast

Hosts Stephen and Michael take an objective, data-driven look at the gender pay gap across business, sports and entertainment, comparing corporate leadership, occupational patterns, and athlete endorsements.

They examine statistics on CEO pay, WNBA vs. NBA revenues and salaries, World Cup prize disparities, and potential fixes like pay transparency and performance-based compensation, ending with practical takeaways and open questio...

Hosts Stephen and Michael close out June by debating men’s mental health, the phrase "toxic masculinity," and whether harmful behaviors should be labeled by gender or simply called abusive. They discuss examples—refusing therapy, aggression, emotional manipulation—and examine double standards, relationship communication, and accountability.

The episode mixes candid personal stories, cultural critique, and practica...

Hosts Stephen and Michael cover the chaos of June’s many awareness months, swap funny and strange military safety-brief stories, and discuss PTSD and men’s mental health.

They also enjoy lighthearted tales of World Cup visitors discovering Waffle House, Buc-ee’s and ranch on pizza, then shift to a serious conversation about a deadly school track meet incident, questions of self-defense, jury selection, and parenta...

Part B of the episode dives into a creative fundraiser idea for Rising Tide Athletics: a sunup-to-sundown "Hole Challenge" where donors sponsor hole restrictions or give flat donations, paired with sponsor perks, social media coverage, shirts and raffle ideas while navigating legal and logistical hurdles.

The hosts also riff on local businesses, quirky promotional stunts (including a mariachi prank), minor-league hockey, community ...

On this episode of Backline's Bedtimes and Bourbon, hosts Stephen and Michael chat about parenting young adults, the role of LinkedIn in modern hiring and potential favoritism, insurance costs, college life skills, workplace production capacity, and colorful family stories — including a pepper-spray incident and classic car restorations. They mix humor, real-world observations, and practical advice while sipping bourbon.

Part...

Hosts Stephen and Michael riff on men's mental health month and dive into candid takes on overhyped bourbons (Blanton's, Angel's Envy), shady subscriptions (Disney arbitration), risky loans, golf gear flops, expensive youth sports, cigars, cars, and wild deployment stories.

Raw, funny, and practical — personal anecdotes and buying advice combine with outrageous stories and straightforward tips for avoiding hype and bad purcha...

Michael and Stephen unpack how modern dating expectations, income pressure, and custody rules contribute to men’s rising mental health struggles and suicide rates. They discuss dating preferences (height, income, body type), the financial fallout of divorce, and how emotional isolation and feeling unheard drive the crisis.

The episode highlights that June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month and stresses the importanc...

Hosts Stephen and Michael catch up over late-night drinks, covering a mix of personal stories and hot topics from their community. They dig into the rising costs and strict rules of competitive cheer, talk about local fundraisers and youth sports, and share amusing anecdotes about golf, relationships, and pop culture.

The episode also veers into wild news — a cruise-ship incident, fan theories about superhero movies, and a dr...

In this episode of Back Nine, Bedtimes, and Bourbon, Stephen is joined by a very special guest—his wife, Liz—for another installment of Unscripted.

What starts as a casual conversation quickly turns into a relaxed and honest look at everyday life. Stephen and Liz talk about everything from welcoming a new puppy into the house to the behind-the-scenes realities of building the podcast and balancing life, work, and respon...

In this episode of Back Nine, Bedtimes, and Bourbon, Stephen is joined by a special guest—Michael’s better half, Angela—for a raw and unfiltered “men vs. women” conversation.

What starts as a simple Q&A quickly turns into a deeper dive into real relationship dynamics. From male insecurities and communication breakdowns to why “I don’t know, you pick” never actually works, this epi...

Sometimes the best conversations aren’t planned.

In this episode, we go off script and address a few things that have been building—starting with a troll in our Facebook comments. Instead of ignoring it, we break it down and use it as a jumping-off point for a bigger conversation about criticism, accountability, and the difference between talking and actually doing.

We also get into the reality of modern parenting&mdash...

In this episode, Stephen and Michael begin the conversation by exploring the foundations of communication in relationships. The discussion focuses on the Five Love Languages, how people give and receive affection differently, and why many couples struggle to feel heard even when both partners are trying.

The goal of this episode isn’t to blame or shame either side of a relationship. Instead, it’s about understanding how...

Episode Zero – Introduction, Rules, and Jobs vs. Gigs

Welcome to Episode Zero — the official launch of the show.

In this kickoff episode, Stephen (your host) and Michael (co-host from the coast) introduce themselves, explain what this podcast is all about, and lay down the ground rules for how things will run moving forward. This is the foundation episode — who we are, why we’re doing this, and what listener...