Concrete Cactus

CC v2.1.1 (BETA) | The AGITATOR, The ADVERSARY & The ASTRONAUT

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2440730/open_sms] 010 | We (and by we, we mean Ryan) come off hiatus (and git commits), with a new format in development at the time of this writing.  Anyway, we reflect on the assassination of a political podcaster and the unexpected empathy he had for someone Ryan's  disagreed with 65% of the time.  ALSO: * Liberal John McCain does Liberal John McCain things * (American) Football TikTok is inadvertently using ISIS propaganda * Man with receding hairline unapologetically screams at popular US senator weeks after apologizing for politely critiquing a controversial US congresswoman (MAKE IT MAKE SENSE) * We share some essential life advice from a future basketball (and New Jersey) hall-of-famer. 📚 We cited some sources for some of the content presented in this episode: https://www.notion.so/2d11ebb0a9fe816dade9efcf46a8951c    Twitter | Instagram | TikTok: @concacpodcast Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more enlightened takes.

Give Us 33 Minutes, and You’ll Understand Why This Podcast Had to Happen

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2440730/open_sms] Five months ago, Concrete Cactus started as a dry run. A side quest. A way to speak honestly without breaking under the pressure. What it’s become is still evolving—but this episode? It’s the closest we’ve come to hitting what we set out to build: fire meets reflection. We don’t just recap headlines here—we reckon with them. From wildfires in Jersey to an autistic child navigating Arizona’s broken care system. From subway chaos in NYC to establishing Jameis Winston’s true calling as the Giants’ Team Chaplain. And yes—Brandon finally gets to neo-glaze Shedeur Sanders. This episode touches the raw edges of what it means to advocate, endure, and show up when the world doesn’t make it easy. In this episode: * Media bias, ego, and why people stop speaking up * The systems that fail people long before anyone notices * A quiet moment that reframes whether you’ve been misunderstood—or undiagnosed Somewhere after the 33-minute mark, the curtain drops—and the why behind this podcast starts speaking for itself. If you’ve ever had to stay strong because no one else could...  If you’ve ever been the one who keeps it together while unraveling underneath...  If you’ve ever felt invisible until you broke— Give us 33 minutes. You’ll understand. ⚠️ This episode includes a brief reference to suicidal ideation. If you're struggling, please reach out. Seek medical attention. If not,Call or text 988 (U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). Twitter | Instagram | TikTok: @concacpodcast Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more enlightened takes.

007 | Phoenix Suns and the Spirit of Self-Sabotage

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2440730/open_sms] What do Suns owner Mat Ishbia, Elon Musk, and American Water Works have in common (besides being billionaires)? Self-sabotage. From luxury tax flameouts to the planned demolition of local landmarks, this episode tours the many ways power mismanages potential—and the regular folks who pay the price. Ryan kicks things off with an early COVID-era flashback that crashes into Jersey’s reemerging lanternfly infestation. Brandon drags us into the impending implosion of the Union Lollipop (aka “The World’s Tallest Water Sphere”)... and things only spiral from there: 🧠 Why helping people in Arizona might get you robbed  🐘 Lucy the Elephant vs. Elon Musk’s federal defund energy  🚇 Necrophilia on the NYC subway (yes, really)  🏢 A $3.8B designer jail in Chinatown  🗽 Reminder: The Statue of Liberty is in New Jersey—deal with it  🎙️ Stephen A. Smith 2028 (Brandon says no. Ryan says “send it.”) And then Ryan drops a handful of monologues—including one of the rawest closers we’ve had yet. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Cold Open 01:15 – Revenge of the Lanternflies 02:25 – Farewell to the Union Lollipop 05:52 – Billionaire Breeder vs. Lucy the Elephant 10:01 – Helicopter Tragedy on the Hudson… or NYC? 12:06 – Morbidness on the Subway is a Common Motif (Viewer Discretion Advised) 16:35 – NYC’s First Designer Prison 18:28 – What About Rikers? 19:42 – Mayor Meme Mourns Many 20:35 – Minimal Grift Moment™ 21:04 – Non-Revisionist WAHIs Segment 23:30 – Triple C Gets Double-Crossed by Subtypical Phoenix Goofy 25:59 – The Phoenix Buns Postseason Begins 29:33 – How the 2021 Finals Loss Inspired a Romantic Getaway 31:06 – Chris Paul’s PR Arc 33:19 – WHO Will Be the Next Suns Head Coach? 37:46 – Pistons Getting Pissy With Knicks Fans 39:15 – Purple Politics 41:43 – Errors & Omissions 42:35 – Stephen A. Smith 2028 44:15 – Weekly Anti-Transformational Coach Pep Talk 45:28 – Viewer Comments (TW: Self-harm) 50:10 – Wrap-Up & Final Wisdoms It’s satire with scars. Absurdity with insight. From the concrete. Cactus. Twitter | Instagram | TikTok: @concacpodcast Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more enlightened takes.

006 | yankees using TORPEDO BATS?!

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2440730/open_sms] 006 | Torpedo bats. OMNY & TAPP to-pay systems. Drunk mayors. You can’t make this up—but Concrete Cactus can break it down. 🧨 The Bronx Bombers are back—but this time, they brought missiles. Is it innovation… or war crimes at the plate? We—and by ‘we,’ we mean just Brandon—give the Yankees’ torpedo bat conspiracy a fresh pair of legs. Also in this episode:  – We drive you into “God’s country”—and all its pothole-filled glory. – Fresh off going independent, Mayor Eric Adams advocates for his initiative dubbed ‘Cop City.’ – Arizona’s Stolen Valor law stalls—after a real veteran blocks it to protect a fake one. Only in the desert, baby. – The Giants’ QB room becomes a heavenly Oreo: two devout saints on the outside and a wiseguy in the middle. All that—plus some soul-searching sandwiched between the nonsense.  It’s deep. It’s regional. It's “Lightweight Hilarious”.  It’s Cactus. 00:08 – MetroCard Farewell Tour Begins 01:42 – Torpedo Bats: Bronx Bombers Playing War Games? 03:26 – Ranking the States Ryan Hates Most (Spoiler: Florida Still #1) 04:30 – AZ vs NJ House Party Showdown 05:47 – Potholes, Sinkholes & Federally Funded Glory Holes 🕳️ (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED) 07:07 – Transit Secretary Talking Dirty… About the Wrong City (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED) 08:59 – March Madness Returns to Newark 🏀 09:48 – Giants QB Room Went Black 12:34 – First All-Black QB Division (And White Cornerbacks Just Watching) 13:06 – Stephen A. Smith vs LeBron (Now with Windhorst Catching Strays) 16:04 – NJ Mayor Arrested for DUI With Her Kid in the Car 17:48 – Arizona’s Stolen Valor Bill Gets Stalled by… a Real Vet? 19:34 – Cop City: Mayor Eric Adams’ Police Playground 21:12 – Errors (and an Omission) 24:27 – How to Stand Up a Video Podcast (In 3 Months or Less): A Case Study 25:50 – Wrap-Up: Stay Skeptical, Stay Warm 🌵 Twitter | Instagram | TikTok: @concacpodcast Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more enlightened takes.

005 | Mark Kelly Grounds #Tesla 🚗

Send a text [https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2440730/open_sms] Mark Kelly trades in his Tesla for a tank and calls Elon Musk an “a**hole” on live TV. Meanwhile, LeBron James and Stephen A. Smith reignite a 21-year ego feud, and we break down one of the weirdest music videos in NYPD history, and tap into our inner-nostradamus with some free agency predictions that came true post-taping.  Also in this (unusually compressed) episode: • IN MEMORIAM – one that actually matters • Devin Booker isn’t leaving Phoenix. Enough.  • Errors & Omissions: stuff we got wrong (or didn’t mean to lie about) Raw commentary, absurd news, and just enough facts to survive the group chat. Subscribe for semi-weekly chaos, callouts, and advice from AZ to NJ. #Tesla #ElonMusk #MarkKelly #StephenASmith #LeBronJames #NFLFreeAgency #JoeBudden #NYC #DevinBooker #Politics #News #Podcast Twitter | Instagram | TikTok: @concacpodcast Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more enlightened takes.