Built to Last: Evolution and Reinvention

In milestone Far Middle episode 200, Nick reflects on the series’ nearly four-year history and announces upcoming format changes. “Like all good things in life, evolution is part of the process and journey toward continuous improvement,” says Nick. Despite upcoming changes in format, the Far Middle’s mission and message are built to last.

Similarly built to last, and a fitting sports dedication for a landmark episode, Nick celebrates America’s iconic sports statues that dot cities across the country and provide a legacy for future generations to know and recall their cities’ sports greats.

While such a tribute could fill a three-hour-plus Far Middle discussion (maybe someday it will), Nick proceeds to highlight his “Mount Rushmore of sports statues in the Steel City.”

The four honorees include Pirates legend Honus Wagner (dedicated in Far Middle Episode 137), 1960 World Series hero and Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski, the great Roberto Clemente (dedicated in Episode 21), and prolific Penguin Mario Lemieux. Le Magnifique is among a select group of multi-featured dedications. Including, of course, Super Mario’s feature in Episode 66, as well as his 1992–1993 season spotlight in Episode 93.

These statues—crafted by artists like Susan Wagner (Mazeroski, Clemente), Frank Vittor (Honus Wagner), and Bruce Wolfe (Lemieux)—symbolize Pittsburgh’s rich sports legacy while immortalizing both athletic greatness and the sculptors who transformed history into bronze.

Nick then revisits the Far Middle’s origins as a companion to his book Precipice: The Left’s Campaign to Destroy America, which evolved into a standalone platform for rational discourse on policy, culture, and current events.

Across its four-year run, the show has regularly tackled topics like administrative overreach, climate policy, education, geopolitics, and capitalism, consistently advocating for “the doers” – working-class innovators and flyover America – while critiquing elitism and ideological policymaking.

Key pillars of The Far Middle’s ethos include:

• Defending individualism against the tyranny of the majority and the wisdom of the elite experts.
• Promoting civil discourse even amid polarizing topics.
• Championing capitalism as the optimal economic system: “It's not perfect, far from it, but it's the best economic system to elevate the human spirit we've come across in history,” says Nick.
• Prioritizing data-driven analysis over emotional or speculative arguments.

Announcing a major format shift, Nick reveals the podcast will transition from weekly 25-minute episodes to a less frequent, deeper-dive format. New episodes will focus on single themes (e.g., history, science, music) with supplemental visuals or companion articles, aiming for “predictably unpredictable and uniformly unconventional” explorations.

The evolution mirrors bold reinventions in rock history, prompting Nick to present his “Magnificent Seven” of rock acts that successfully reinvented their style to achieve new heights. Those artists include Genesis, U2, and Bob Dylan, but you’ll have to listen for the other four greats who all risked creative overhauls to achieve new heights.

Nick closes by urging listeners to embrace change while staying rooted in foundational American ideals, stressing: “There will never be another Far Middle—especially with this new chapter dawning. Until we talk again on that horizon, always stay connected to that Far Middle.”