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Pablo Torre finds out everything, from losing ESPN the day his daughter was born to betting on himself to winning a Pulitzer, exposing Steve Ballmer, Life Surge, Tim Tebow, Bill Belichick and taking on sports’ most powerful.

The Pivot Podcast: Full Episodes

Hosted by Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor and Ryan Clark

1h 4m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

This episode features investigative journalist and podcaster Pablo Torre discussing his unconventional career path, high-profile investigations, and the philosophy behind his show, Pablo Torre Finds Out. Torre recounts the chaotic day his daughter was born while his ESPN show was simultaneously canceled, and how failing to secure his desired LSAT scores pushed him away from law school and into journalism. The conversation delves deep into his major investigative pieces, including the Los Angeles Clippers' salary cap circumvention involving Steve Ballmer, the religious-financial enterprise Life Surge featuring Tim Tebow, and the tragic case of death row inmate Charles Don Flores. Torre explains how he balances rigorous fact-checking and whistleblower protection with a process-driven approach to storytelling, aiming to hold powerful figures accountable in an era ripe with financial crime.

  • Prioritize a process-oriented mindset over results to avoid constant panic and burnout. 14:59
  • Investigative reporting relies heavily on verifying documents provided by courageous human sources. 23:12
  • True accountability journalism requires examining public interest and the flow of money in modern scams. 28:56
  • Sports ecosystem investigations can serve as a metaphor for broader financial crimes in the real world. 35:33

Chapters

  1. 0:01
    Podcast Intro & Sponsor Ad

    Hosts introduce the episode and Google Chrome ad, setting the stage for the interview.

  2. 0:55
    February 24, 2020: Birth and Loss

    Torre recounts the day his daughter was born and his ESPN show was canceled, illustrating personal stakes in his work.

  3. 7:24
    Harvard, LSATs, and Career Pivot

    Torre discusses his academic background, failed LSAT attempts, and decision to pursue sports writing instead of law.

  4. 23:13
    Investigative Process and Ethics

    The conversation turns to how Torre builds stories, relies on whistleblowers, and maintains integrity in reporting.

  5. 25:15
    Kawhi Leonard, Boingo, and Corporate Schemes

    Torre discusses the Kawhi Leonard no-show jobs, corporate capture, and ongoing federal investigations.

  6. 35:00
    Life Surge, Tim Tebow, and Scams

    The hosts delve into the Life Surge scheme, its religious framing, and Tim Tebow’s involvement, highlighting predatory practices.

  7. 36:37
    Public Interest and Accountability

    Torre reflects on the importance of public interest, consequences for financial crime, and the role of investigative journalism.

  8. 37:18
    The Clippers, Ballmer, and Financial Crime

    Torre explains the investigation into the Clippers’ salary cap violations, Steve Ballmer’s role, and the broader implications for financial crime.

  9. 48:30
    Personal Reflections and Future Directions

    Torre shares personal insights, the impact of his work, and his vision for future investigations.

  10. 55:31
    Exploring the Cowboys Fan Phenomenon

    The hosts discuss why death row inmates frequently shout out the Dallas Cowboys in their last moments.

  11. 59:47
    The Impact of Sports on Prisoners

    Flores uses Cowboys fandom to cope with isolation and maintain hope while on death row.

  12. 1:00:31
    Reflections on Trust and Reinvention

    Pablo reflects on trusting new partners and the personal growth from reinventing his career path.

Highlights

  • 3:32

    Birth of a Daughter and Show Cancellationstory

    Pablo Torre reflects on February 24th, 2020, when his daughter was born three weeks early and he simultaneously discovered his ESPN television show was canceled.

  • 10:48

    Failing the LSAT as a Blessinginsight

    Torre explains how choking on the LSAT and failing to follow the traditional academic path of his immigrant parents turned out to be the greatest gift of his career.

  • 18:45

    The Impact of the Clippers Investigationdata

    Torre discusses how his investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers and Steve Ballmer resonated past sports and drew a direct response from billionaire owners.

  • 23:12

    Relying on Whistleblowers and Documentsstrategy

    Torre details the rigorous vetting process required when dealing with human sources and whistleblowers who risk their safety to share confidential documents.

  • 29:32

    Uncovering the Golden Age of Scamsinsight

    Torre argues that modern society lives in the golden age of financial crime and scams, necessitating journalism that targets predatory religious and financial setups like Life Surge.

  • 36:32

    Holding the Wealthiest Accountableinsight

    Torre explains that holding billionaires accountable through sports investigations establishes a vital precedent that consequences still exist for financial wrongdoing.

  • 55:31

    Investigating Death Row Cowboys Fansstory

    Torre describes his investigation into Charles Don Flores, a death row inmate convicted through junk science like police hypnosis, who remains obsessed with Dallas Cowboys football.

Quotes

  • “I grew up, I went through K to 12, went to Catholic school, altar server, parents incredibly religious from the Philippines, where Tim Tebow happens to be born, by the way.”
    Unnamed speaker · 30:45
  • “I care about financial crime as the question of, is it even possible to hold the richest people accountable when it comes to what they are doing with their money?”
    Unnamed speaker · 36:15
  • “The thing that crystallized for me was at all of these stops along my personal trajectory, nothing ever felt like it was truly me until you get to start something yourself.”
    Unnamed speaker · 16:09
  • “And the story we started with was one of those, this seems stupid, but we want to take it seriously.”
    Unnamed speaker · 55:40
  • “In the state of Texas, there's a database, there used to be a database, in which you could see the last words of the inmates being executed.”
    Unnamed speaker · 55:47
  • “And the question that I had as a reporter was, why?”
    Unnamed speaker · 56:17
  • “And that was, you guys know this, you guys live it.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:00:49
  • “Because everyone's going to know why this didn't work.”
    Unnamed speaker · 1:00:56
  • Google Chrome 0:01–0:24
  • Caesars Sportsbook 11:11–12:03
  • Google Chrome 41:04–41:28

About this episode

“I will go to prison before I reveal who my sources are.” Pablo Torre On this episode of The Pivot Podcast, Pablo Torre joins Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor for a wide-ranging conversation about the journey that took him from Harvard, to ESPN, to building a show of his own—and becoming one of the most fearless investigative voices in sports media. Pablo opens up about the highs and lows of his career, including the surreal experience of losing his ESPN show on the very same day his daughter was born. Rather than allowing that moment to define him, he turned it into fuel, creating Pablo Torre Finds Out and betting on himself at a time when there were plenty of reasons to doubt what came next. That gamble paid off. Pablo discusses the recognition his work has received, including a Pulitzer Prize, and the responsibility that comes with investigative reporting when your stories involve some of the biggest names, most powerful organizations and richest owners in sports. He takes us inside his reporting on Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, the questions that surrounded the franchise, and what it feels like to pursue a story when you know the people you're investigating have vastly more resources and power than you do. He also opens up about his fascination with Bill Belichick, the psychology behind reporting on larger-than-life sports figures, and why the deeper you get into investigative journalism, the more you understand the personal risks that come with challenging powerful people. From his investigation into Life Surge and its connection to Tim Tebow, Pablo discusses his reporting, the questions his investigation raised, Tebow's response—along with the growing pressure that comes with shining a light on powerful figures who are often not the ones used to being scrutinized. At its core, this is a conversation about resilience, curiosity and courage—about losing a platform, creating your own, and continuing to ask difficult questions even when you know the answers could come with a price. Because in sports, the scoreboard tells you who won the game. Investigative journalists like Pablo Torre are often asking a different question: Pablo shares how he never imagined his work would lead to such strides nationally and become a force that is not only award-winning work, but public service, holding even those most powerful accountable. Full video Episode streaming now on Netflix. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

0:00
1:04:15

10,282 words · 6 speakers

Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

Topics

  • Clippers
  • Life Surge
  • Texas
  • Aspiration
  • ESPN
  • NBA
  • Boingo Wireless
  • Philippines
  • Daktronics
  • Sports Illustrated

Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated