Watching HBO's "The Wire" has helped Rhodes contextualize his own experiences dealing with raceNICOLE SWEET
This week, THE DAILY caught up with sports video platform Overtime Senior Dir of Strategic Partnerships BRANDON RHODES to break down what's on his watch list. Some responses have been edited for clarity and brevity:
- Right now, I’m obsessed with Overtime's original series, “PROLIFIC PREP - SUPERTEAM,” which covers the senior season of two McDonald's All-Americans including JALEN GREEN and NIMARI BURNETT. My YouTube consumption has ballooned considerably since joining Overtime and, in my humble opinion, this is the best show our content team has done. Since my hoop dreams are relegated to old man pickup, the series hits even harder for me.
- “THE WIRE” is the best show ever made and definitely worth the hype -- as OMAR said, “You come at the king, you best not miss.” This show is the most nuanced depiction of the issues facing the Black community. It follows the war on drugs in Baltimore from every angle including the inner workings of the cops, dealers, the working class, the educational system, politics and journalism. The show has helped me continue to understand that racism is highly systemic and that solutions must be multi-faceted.
- Shortly after the quarantine started, I wanted to learn something new, so I signed up for a MASTERCLASS on negotiation hosted by former FBI hostage negotiator CHRIS VOSS. As the lead of Strategic Partnerships at Overtime, negotiating with brand partners, athletes and even my boss is something I practice everyday. I found Voss' approach to be validating, enlightening and impactful.
- "BILLIONS" is addicting and continues to be a topic of conversation during work virtual water cooler chats. It follows the top hedge fund managers in N.Y. and the lawyers that try to lock them up. CHUCK RHOADES and BOBBY AXELROD are sensationalized characters, but they have taught me some lessons that I actually try to apply to my work. This includes building a power team -- seek out expertise and top talent, build trust and empower them to make some (money) moves.
- I've been doing a deep dive into American history, especially as it relates to the disenfranchisement of people of color. I was trying to find the best show that uncovered the American Revolution and after looking at articles, books, interviews and even some Ted Talks, “JOHN ADAMS” seemed to fit the bill. The series uncovered many historical facts that I didn’t know about which I love -- I love when a TV show can both entertain but also educate and push a call-to-action which was me researching and learning even more about this time period.
Interested in sharing your binge-watching favorites with the industry? Contact Andrew Levin at alevin@sportsbusinessdaily.com.
