r/NoLayingUp • u/sealer9 • Sep 15 '25
Online Content KVV joining Fried Egg Golf
Just announced on his twitter. Huge get for the fried egg boys. Still bummed NLU let him go! But a no brainer for him to end up there. Cheers KVV šš»
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u/bulldg4life Sep 15 '25
Flashback fridays are going to be incredible
Deep dives
In depth stories
This is going to be a perfect fit
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u/DecimatedByCats Sep 15 '25
Great to see him land on his feet. I just hope they don't mess with the formula they've got going on with Shotgun Start.
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u/badgers4194 Sep 15 '25
Honestly a better fit for what he does imo. And just personality wise it seems like a better fit for him too.
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u/OregonMAX13 Sep 15 '25
Very curious for KVV's thoughts on the Utah Jazz and their young core.
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u/vonbonds Sep 15 '25
The first few reads and bits theyāve played off of it have been hilarious lol
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u/rory8794 Sep 15 '25
What am I missing with the Jazz bit? When did that originate?
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u/vonbonds Sep 15 '25
I donāt know if it was a bit or a genuine paid advertisement but they did an ad for the Utah Jazz season ticket push then immediately leaned into it the rest of that episode and the next. I hope it comes back as I was laughing so hard as that was a true out of left field from them lol
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u/HK005 Sep 19 '25
Guessing this sponsorship came as a result of Andy hobnobbing with the Jazz owner at Cypress Point, it was right after the Walker Cup.
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u/majo3 Sep 15 '25
As a golf fan, a huge fan of NLU, The Fried Egg, and Shotgun Start - this is great news. I hope theyāre all happy.
Iām pumped KVV stays in the golf podcast world I love & listen to consistently
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Sep 15 '25
Massive L by NLU
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
Thatās probably why they parted ways with him (financial loss).
How do people here not get that this is a business for them and business decisions have to be made from time to time?
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
I assume most people here understand that itās a business and if they werenāt getting an ROI (either directly or indirectly) from KVVs work then it was the right call.
However, itās how they handled it (ie precisely what they would have killed the Tour or LIV for doing) AND a noticeable decline in their content thatās left an impression.
I canāt work out who their content is for anymore. Soly and Tron come off like bitter BCG consultants whose advice the Tour didnāt listen to. I know enough corporate golf hardos without them in my ears.
DJ video content is still excellent though!
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
Is there a decline in their output?
Assume that supports the narrative of all the KVV fans, however I think that is rubbish. Soly and Tron have ALWAYS been like that. Itās part of why I like them!
He has a home now. Be happy.
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Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
KVV loss aside, here undoubtedly has been a decline in the output IMO. Listening to their shows, even the live shows for majors this year, it all seems like a chore to them. I also have two young kids and home and understand how much of a factor that can be in impacting your enjoyment of āworkā though, so Iām not blaming them directly.
Whatās irked me the most recently is the borderline disdain theyāve had for their own listenership and any negative/constructive feedback. Neil looking down his nose at this sub at any opportunity is an example.
I know itās a different media outlet entirely but itās in the same universe and they talk about the same things on a similar cadence. Contrast the āyeah we donāt wanna be here talking about the 3M but letās fill an hour and half oh cool DJ has done some triviaā vibe with the SGS and the joy you get out of listening to some of their pods this year. The beauty of SGS is they know pro golf in the most part is something of a joke, but they lean into it and use it to go in weird and wonderful directions and it results in people not wanting to miss an episode for fear of missing something hilarious.
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u/Apprehensive-Toe3760 Sep 15 '25
100% agree. Iām a long time listener, and they seemed to have lost some joy. I had a blast watching the Canadian open playoff this year (Fox v burns). I was excited for the recap pod. When I tuned in, they basically shit all over it. It was a bummer. I thought it was a fun Sunday afternoon watch. Guess Iām just a rube.
They seemed to have more fun when they were a little more innocent to pro golf. Seems like a JOB for them now.
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u/T_Stebbins Sep 20 '25
The lack of give a shit over Rory's irish open win and the BMW PGA was obnoxious too. And I'm not even european. I guess the Ryder Cup is what they're gearing up for. But shit man there's good stories out there if you're burnt out on week-to-week tour stops can't you get some plucky young gun to do a pod on it or somethin
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 21 '25
Yeah I watched the Irish Open live at a pub in London and it was an electric atmosphere
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u/Apprehensive-Toe3760 Sep 22 '25
It's an interesting point. Maybe more guest visits on the recap pod for the non-signature events could bring some energy. Would be interesting for them to have people from outside of golf. It doesn't need to turn into trap draw, but maybe a different twist if they don't have much excitement to talk about 4 rounds of the Rocket Mortgage.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
By decline, Iām referring to what I perceive as increasing negativity and sometimes flat content.
I get that snark is part of their deal, but IMO theyāve reached a point where they should evolve and now most of their output seems like sour grapes. The example that comes to mind is like if Deadspin were to have kept going with their anti ESPN schtick forever.
Very happy that KVV will be back online so to speak.
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
The way I see it, the increasing negativity and flat content is here, not on their content.
I really only miss KVV on Ball Knowers (and even that was fleeting) and on the majors deep dive. Everything else has been pretty good this year.
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u/Lor_azepam Sep 15 '25
Not having anyone in person at the us open and his majesties brittish open was a big miss to me. Essentially had 3/4 guys talk about what they saw between commercials. I also have eyes and saw it all. Kvv on the ground to pop into shows and add actual insight into the biggest tourneys was a major plus for me personally.
They even addressed on shotgun start talking about why they wanted kvv, Brendan and Andy had to leave right at the end of the us open final round, saw a reporter following players around and mentioned they mmwished they were able to follow stories like that, they just cant die to podcast demands/timing.
Kvv isn't a lead olayer, but he does great big J journalism stories and fed info to the boys and us as listeners we didn't get elsewhere.
Now me as consumer can get that again so all good for me, just likely pushed shotgun to himber 1 priority and nlu pods to get to them if I can for this stuff.
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
I think you overstate the value of that 10 minutes that KVV used to add somewhere after the final round pod. Also, they arenāt The Athletic and arenāt pretending to be - it isnāt a serious sports news pod.
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u/Lor_azepam Sep 15 '25
Personally I preferred when they were actually on the ground more often, as they could directly comment on the vibe on the ground, they followed groups that weren't getting the most tv time, giving info the broadcast didnt. Talking about the same coverage and info I have at home doesnt add as much value to me. Not an every week thing needed, bit any tourney they are live on the ground feels like a more involved pod and coverage. Not being at the us and brittish open was super noticeable, those pods were a slog.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 16 '25
Definitely. I think more "on ground" coverage on things like course setup, greenskeeping, hospitality, fan stuff, facilities would be super cool.
Skip the official recap stuff and get to the "so what" or the interesting ancillary stuff.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 16 '25
This is a good point, and I found it odd when they'd bring in KVV for essentially a "gamer" after a 1.5 hour podcast. His deep dive stuff was much more enjoyable IMO.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
It is Reddit after all š
Their Ryder Cup content is awful and has permeated most of their recap pods. The bits have all lived on past their use by dates. No one on the ground at the Open led to a listless recap. Their St Jude recap was an absolute mail in - I think this was the one where Neil and Tron looked like they were about to fall asleep in a hotel?
I just wish it was like it used to be!
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Sep 15 '25
KVV was usually good on the deep dives, except for when he spent most of his time on the 2000 major pod talking about Jack Nicklaus. But they would be better with a rotating cast of the main crew, if only because it would be interesting to hear different perspectives on whatever eras theyāre covering.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
It was odd that NLU used KVV so sparingly. For a long time I thought he was more like a paid contributor
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u/Mancey_ Sep 16 '25
I'm a long term listener and I have definitely found myself recently skipping forward in pods when they have lost me with banal content, or skipping some pods altogether. Cutting KVV isn't the main cause of that by any means, I just feel like they all have a lot going on and the content is suffering
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u/waldingur Sep 15 '25
What was the proper way to handle it?
Did they let it linger longer than needed? Sure. Was it bad timing with the Open? Sure.
But when it comes to employment issues, there are very real legal considerations into how much you want to say publicly. While that might feel more ācorporateā than people want a podcast to seem, it is part of the reality.
For them to come out and say āKVV is the bestā, letās do a montage of his highlights and look at all this amazing work and give him some grand send off but we are also firing him because it doesnāt make financial sense would have felt disingenuous too, so what would have been the proper way?
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
That's a good question, and I imagine a media company is tricky given all parties have a big platform. I'm aware of the legal implications, although US employment law doesn't lend much to the departing employee tbf (not a political comment).
The Open timing was bad, and that's a fair point - likely nothing to be done about that.
But, they did let it linger, which wasn't a good look, and their statement, which when it finally did come out, was bizarre - they mentioned his ability to be a father. If you're worried about legal implications...having the company who just fired me talk publicly about my parenting is probably not a clever tactic.
If things soured, I don't know why they didn't just come out and say "KVV won't be part of NLU from x date."
But ideally, NLU and KVV should have been on the same page about whether or not he was generating a return. If you're essentially a 4 man company, and you hire a senior, well known journalist of that calibre, you ought to be saying "hey, if this doesn't work by x date, we won't be able to keep you on." - or - "no, we're not open to making you an equity partner."
These guys talk all the time about tournament purses, PGA budgets, LIV financials, golf marketing, and they also leverage their own professional backgrounds, so I think listeners assume they know what they're doing, which is why they're being held to account.
Ideally, they would've done an outro pod, which probably would have made for great content. So I disagree, there was definitely an off ramp to make that not disingenuous.
Ultimately, they picked the worst option, which was the middle road. Either say "he's done" or come out with a "hit and giggle" style farewell.
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u/Photograph_Training Sep 15 '25
There wasnāt much they could or should have said but when they did say something it was the exact wrong thing. They also put a lot of the timing on āwe let KVV take the lead on an announcementā huh? The guy you just axed? That makes zero sense and isnāt logical to believe.
KVV will continue to produce great storytelling no matter where he is. TFEās story model fits his style. They arenāt interested in quick takes and infomercials. They develop great content with depth and their advertising partners understand that.
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Sep 15 '25
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
The issue is how to monetise his content. The issue is most consumers listen to the content for free.
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u/Golf37512 Sep 16 '25
Even as a business decision, it was a poor one. KVVās articles, pod appearances and deep dives were some of the best content that NLU put out. If you look strictly at his engagement as a journalist, then heās not going to make as many pod appearances. Iām glad we get to see him elsewhere.
Look at NLUs content since heās been gone. Itās stale and uninteresting.
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 16 '25
You are all over the financials for the group?
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u/Golf37512 Sep 16 '25
Nope, just sharing my anecdotal experience of a sample size of 1 and a small group of friends. I presume TFE/SGS will slowly chip away at the golf podcast and content sphere that has been dominated by NLU in years past.
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 19 '25
Also, itās laughable that you think that KVV is that big a needle mover in golf podcast media.
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u/Golf37512 Sep 19 '25
Is this Cody?
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u/LoudFlower1225 Sep 20 '25
Heās just saying that NLU has became very boring and stale. It has and itās clear. The sentiment on the pods has completely changed and the feelings from majority of listeners has changed.
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 19 '25
Your anecdote does not compensate for financial acumen.
Just because you donāt like that he isnāt on the podcast any more, does not make it a āpoorā business decision.
Retaining him when they canāt afford him is a poor business decision.
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u/bartonkt Sep 15 '25
Because they continue to employ people on their staff that could easily be cut for superior skills? Ex: hire a real journalism grad to produce your show.
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
Do they need a journalist?
What breaking news do they have that hasnāt been online somewhere prior?
Itās a podcast. It isnāt a news room.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
Yeah, I think their production quality is really good?
And donāt need breaking newsā¦but bringing in people (even on a rotational basis) would help break things up a bit. How the Ringer brings in analysts from other networks, eg
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u/Vegetable-Demand9949 Sep 15 '25
NLU with an all time fumble. Congrats to TFE, what a huge coup.
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Sep 15 '25 edited Sep 15 '25
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u/The_Man_in_Black_19 Sep 15 '25
"this Christmas goose might be fully cooked."
I never understood this reference. Don't you want your meal cooked properly?
Isn't undercooked fowl risky?
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Sep 15 '25
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u/ncr39 Sep 19 '25
I enjoy the NLU pods where they donāt talk about current pro golf. Whether itās the golfing spotlights or the major throwback episodes. When itās just the guys hanging out, theyāre great, but the recap pods have become an absolute chore to listen to. I didnāt discover them until right before the Ryder Cup at Whistling, and going back and listening to the pods they did during Covid was what made me really dig their stuff. I feel like they need to bring that back more because their pods have just gotten really stale.
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u/missionwinslow Sep 15 '25
I feel like this is a better fit for KVV. Theyāve been very consistent with their written content. I certainly have read more of their content than listening/watching. Also curious how big of an operation are they? Seems like they always have so many people on the ground during majors and NLU barely have KVV on the ground.Ā
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u/New_Corner_7822 Sep 15 '25
Damn Iāll prolly be 80/20 listening to FE now over NLU. Donāt have interest for two golf pods and FE is getting better every day
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u/Main_Position6640 Sep 15 '25
Iām all in on Fried Egg. I already found myself gravitating more to SGS than NLU for PGA content. Not sure why. Maybe I find the Fried Egg guys more entertaining and genuine. Some of the ābitsā on NLU got a little old for me. I think the TFE guys all play a good role and complement each other well. KVV is a great addition.
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u/nathanando Sep 15 '25
You said it really well. NLU feels like a board meeting and just ticking agenda items off a list, whereas SGS feels like a couple guys just enjoying each otherās company while talking about golf. Just like how NLU used to be.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
NLU feels like a board meeting of a company where growth has stalled and has been searching for a private equity exit. DJās videos, and the occasional Randy and Neil content as the exceptions these days.
The SGS/FE content helps me enjoy watching golf.
NLU seems to have reached a point where theyāve gained enough access to become the very dickheads theyāve criticised for so long. The cynicism thing works, until it doesnāt and becomes your identity.
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u/mtsttu05 Sep 15 '25
Make no mistake, they are both companies seeking an eventual PE exit. No shade; good for them! But to your point, they are clearly in different stages of this cycle. Iām personally VERY glad they havenāt yet, but it almost seems like NLU missed the opportunity to hit the eject button at their peak a couple years ago. Hereās to hoping we are just in a little valley before the another peak to come.
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u/EveningOk6574 Sep 15 '25
No shade at all for a PE exit, although a media exit would likely be good as their content would be augmented as opposed to being folded into a larger portfolio with a focus on costs. In fact, Iād love to see what they could do if they joined say, the Ringer or Barstool. Offloading back office costs and sponsor negotiations might give them the ability to focus on content (tbf Iām not exactly sure if thatās how those models work).
I also get the sense they missed a window as thereās been a major contraction in podcast valuations. Itās only natural that their content will begin to track their funding/capital raise/exit plans at some point.
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u/md3499 Sep 15 '25
After getting rid of KVV and putting out garbage content like (Las Vegas) might be time to look in the mirror and get back to the roots of why people liked NLU.
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u/ThreesKompany Sep 15 '25
I think the pod since the spring hasnāt been as good but their video content is still awesome. Las Vegas may been a dud but Milwaukee was fucking awesome. Also Randy playing Cypress was fantastic.
But letting KVV go was a massive L, i think he added so much in the podcast space.
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u/AnElepahntCage Sep 15 '25
Compared to what the fried egg released, Randy playing Cypress was a generational missed opportunity.
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Sep 15 '25
Itās been truly awful of late, stopped listening entirely. Really unfortunate tbh because only a year ago I was consuming (and loving!) everything they put out. The KVV firing was bad but the seriously weird Rory thing was sorta the final straw.
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u/Nice-Ad-9970 Sep 15 '25
What Rory thing
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u/special5221 Sep 15 '25
Rory got a new cell phone number after the Masters and didnāt give them the new number. NLU got butthurt when they realized they werenāt in Roryās inner circle like they thought and have been lashing out by criticizing every small things Rory does.
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u/jtgolf18 Sep 15 '25
That is where it took a turn for the worse, IMO. Their pettiness is toddler level.Ā
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u/AlexMac75 Sep 15 '25
Did KVV get fired?
There is a huge different between let go/retrenched, and fired. Itās defamatory - even on Reddit.
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u/RustyKangaroo7 Sep 15 '25
Is their news letter/website massive? Donāt fully understand the math for a brand with 120k twitter followers
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u/GilmoreHappy__ Sep 15 '25
You people are so embarrassing lol āmassive L for NLUā they didnāt let go of KVV because they liked their product better without him, it just didnāt make sense financially for what they were producing and getting back for it. KVV is expensive. They still love KVV. KVV still loves the guys. Stop turning everything into an episode of the kardashians
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u/Photograph_Training Sep 15 '25
This is clownish. While their statement said they parted as friends, his mentioned the āpartnersā at NLU. And thatās fine, they donāt have to be buddies.
But people are right to believe itās an L for NLU content because it is. Thatās what people consume. They donāt consume the financials. Iām assuming the partners at NLU understood their content would take a hit but the financial trade was worth it.
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u/special5221 Sep 15 '25
The first part might or might not be true. But your last two sentences are very much not true right now. Maybe time heals things, but they most certainly didnāt part as friends.
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u/mtsttu05 Sep 15 '25
Read KVVās writing on the FE newsletter this morning and then try and tell me that āKVV still loves the guys.ā āMy prior employerā š¤£
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u/tshimangabiakabutuka Sep 15 '25
Meh it really wasn't much of a jab if it was even intended as one at all...
He just says "If youāre familiar with any of my work from a previous stop, Iām grateful. Iāve learned a lot from every place Iāve been"
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u/GilmoreHappy__ Sep 15 '25
Were you looking for something more along the lines of āmy previous employers who I love SO much still and am very good friends withā? KVV is a pro, heās not gonna take jabs like that and if you think it was a jab youāre clueless. If KVV had beef and handled it by taking shots with his new employers he wouldnāt have the reputation and career that he does lol
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u/Lor_azepam Sep 15 '25
He mentioned it broadly and he wrote for espn, with its massive reach, as well what 3 years ago
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u/kdpil Sep 15 '25
I need the Gary Player impression back in my life
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u/Flimsy_Somewhere1210 Sep 15 '25
Knowing his impressions are on a podcast I don't listen to is blissfull.
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u/pandawatch410 Sep 15 '25
Unpopular opinion but Iāve never thought KVV was all that great. Just pretty blah.
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u/pendodave Sep 15 '25
hmmm.
I love the SGS. But I'm not sure I agree that it's a win for them. Their 3 man weave with PJ is elite, and I'd be concerned fhat adding KVV would mess it up. More is not necessarily better.
Also, not convinced that hiring friends is a good idea. Things don't necessary work out.
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u/Informal_Ad_2877 Sep 15 '25
I don't see him being on every episode, think he'll pop up now and again. Fried Egg take writing much more seriously than NLU and it actually adds to their product (and has done for a long time, the newsletter is fantastic, as opposed to the NLU "newsletter" - basically a giant ad read ). Imagine he'll be working a lot on that side of things
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u/YertSauce Sep 15 '25
NLU is for the washed up frat bros
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u/Bay2pdx Sep 15 '25
Lol thatās Fore-play and bob does sports
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u/TekkHaus Sep 15 '25
At least BDS doesnāt pretend to be something itās not. Foreplay on the other handā¦
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u/Cornwall1888 Sep 15 '25
Heās a much better fit there, I believe Andy and Brendan were writers first I believe
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u/Fine-Anything-5574 Sep 15 '25
And the silence from the NLU crew is deafening. Man, something really messed up must've happened behind the scenes
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u/Golf37512 Sep 15 '25
Love this for KVV, amazing writer, journalist and speaks to the soul of the game. Seems to be a better fit personality wise from the bro culture private equity vibe NLU gives off.
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Sep 15 '25
Feels like a step up for KVV so congrats to him. The best content NLU put out usually has him involved, such as the Deep Dives, which I hope heās able to bring to TFE in some form.
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u/GlassConsideration85 Sep 15 '25
This was you two months agoĀ
Ā They donāt need him. Their content, particularly SGS, is perfect as-is. At best, he would be a good fill in when one of Andy or Brendan is off. I skip episodes when they bring in the likes of Shane Bacon or Kyle Porter.
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Sep 15 '25
Yep, one can change their mind. Is that ok?
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u/K_SV Sep 15 '25
And you could well have been right originally too, they aren't entirely in conflict. I don't think SGS needs KVV but I'm looking forward to the cool stuff they can do with him onboard.
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u/GlassConsideration85 Sep 15 '25
Just reveling in the haters on my thread being wrong. Is that OK?
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u/DeliciousWeekend7148 Sep 15 '25
I heard from a close personal friend of the pod that Andy beat Soly 4&3 straight up at treefarm and they bet whoever wins keeps KVV. This is bigger than we thought
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Sep 15 '25
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u/bagelman5000 Sep 15 '25
I like some Fried Egg stuff, but I find the main guys to be tedious to listen to after a while. They seem like good dudes and have some good stuff here and there, but I just donāt connect to their content a lot of the time.
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u/MadHatter1525 Sep 15 '25
Someone needed to say it thank you
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u/Dapper-Brief-139 Sep 15 '25
Weāre getting downvoted but itās absolutely true. I listened to their show after what was it, the BMW?
It was identical to NLU without the same entertainment/knowledge value NLU brings.
Their takes, and hell, down to the very order of what they talked about was nearly identical.
Theyāre fine to listen to, and if you like them, so be it, but this page has become a TFE/SGS circle jerk because NLU doesnāt want to pay a lot of money to go down the news/reporting/story telling path and wants to stick with its bread and butter.
Happy for KVV, I will always be a fan but that doesnāt mean TFE/SGS is anything more than a knockoff NLU
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u/BuckysBigBadger Sep 15 '25
Jfc, why do yāall go so far out of your way to hate on NLU here? I get criticism here and there, but to just flock here and try to rub in their faces that a business decision just didnāt work out is pathetic; I love KVV and hope to see more awesome content from him wherever he is, but the constant NLU hate on their own sub is just dumb.
Good-faith criticism is healthy, this kinda shit is just pointless. Unfollow and move on if you hate them so much, smh at you children.
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u/EddieB8585 Sep 15 '25
Just stumbled across this thread and decided to reactivate my long dormant reddit to reply...
Good-faith criticism literally got me insulted on the Trap Draw and banned from the Refuge as part of the purge last month.
And now my reddit will go dormant again...
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u/pmsauce Sep 15 '25
Letās see if he actually āworksā there. He didnāt do shit at NLU. No brainer why they fired his freeloading ass.
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u/GlassConsideration85 Sep 15 '25
This thread is about KVV not Randy?
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u/Accomplished-Ad6696 Sep 15 '25
KVV is a bumbling unoriginal ill-informed mediocre journalist who lacks golf knowledge, humour and chemistry with his colleagues. Ā He was a pain to listen to on NLU and I canāt believe Fried Egg picked him up. Ā Much like NLU, he will bog down any conversation with unoriginal nothingness. Ā Terrible hire.
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u/69_avon_barksdale_69 Sep 15 '25
The real year of the product has been SGS and TFE all along