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Todd and Eric return to the TodCast bracket to decide whether a focused music-ranking origin story can defeat a pumpkin conversation that somehow travels from coffee and pie to Smashing Pumpkins. This is what happens when nostalgia, questionable scoring, and a complete lack of March Madness collide. They compare two very different episodes using the highly scientific categories of entertainment, information, and original audio quality, because apparently a simple “which one did we like better?” would not be enough. In this episode: Episode 119, “Eric the Music Mathematician,” faces Episode 82, “Pumpkins: Spice or Smash?” in the six-versus-eleven matchup.Eric revisits the long-running Music Ranked project, including music metadata, rating systems, algorithms, websites, WordPress, and years of conversations about how to quantify musical taste.Todd and Eric explain why the Music Ranked episode feels more focused and structured, with the kind of conversation that could happen at a family gathering before someone goes looking for bean dip.The music episode becomes a small history lesson about how hobbies evolve, how websites get rebuilt, and how one project can keep returning even after it has apparently fizzled out.Pumpkins: Spice or Smash? begins with pumpkin spice and wanders through pumpkin pie, Cool Whip, whipped cream, pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting, Halloween, and pumpkin smashing.The pumpkin conversation eventually arrives at the Smashing Pumpkins, proving that the title was not merely decorative and that the TodCast can usually find a logical path to a rock band.From music algorithms and WordPress experiments to pumpkin spice, pie, carving, smashing, and a band whose name conveniently keeps the theme alive, this episode is a bracket recap with three scoring categories and just enough logic to make the result feel official. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at todcastpodcast.com or send us your ideas via email! Produced & Edited by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency Listen to more episodes on the TodCast PodCast IMDb page.

Pumpkin spice has taken over coffee, candles, body products, and the entire autumn calendar. Todd and Eric investigate whether it deserves the attention or should be politely returned to the patch. In this episode: Eric introduces pumpkin spice as the neglected member of the Spice Girls.He admits he has never had pumpkin spice and mostly regards it as something that is simply there.Pumpkin pie, canned pumpkin, real pumpkin, Cool Whip, crust, and the correct whipped-topping ratio are debated.Pumpkin carving is compared with pumpkin painting, including the practical advantage of leaving the pumpkin intact.Pumpkin seeds are judged tasty but suspiciously labor-intensive.Eric recalls trying to smash whole pumpkins in the woods, discovering that a full pumpkin is basically a vegetable-shaped medicine ball.Todd recounts the much more effective and absolutely not recommended method of launching pumpkins from a moving car.The episode closes with Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Corgan, “1979,” and “Tonight, Tonight.”From pumpkin spice skepticism and pie preferences to carving kits, pumpkin seeds, failed pumpkin demolition, and a rock band with an excellent name, this is a complete investigation into autumn’s most aggressively marketed vegetable. Todd and Eric do not settle whether pumpkins are spice or smash. They do establish that some pumpkins are better left intact, especially when Eric is holding them. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at todcastpodcast.com or send us your ideas via email! Produced & Edited by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency, Eric Hersey's bio. Listen to more episodes on the TodCast PodCast IMDb page.

Eric has spent years developing a system to answer a question nobody asked: exactly how much does he like every musical artist he has ever heard? What began as a 169-artist MP3 disc grew into a personal music laboratory involving spreadsheets, metadata, discographies, algorithms, hard-drive disasters, and enough mathematical tinkering to make simply listening to a song seem irresponsible. In this episode: The MP3 disc that started Eric’s mission to rank his favorite artists.Why a normal music collection became a spreadsheet-based research project with custom formulas and increasingly specific rules.Ratings, skips, play counts, song totals, and a modified Net Promoter Score determine who rises and falls.Duplicate tracks, alternate takes, movie dialogue, soundtracks, and background scores are removed before they corrupt the sacred mathematics.Elton John and Boston learn that a great greatest-hits album does not guarantee a free pass for the entire discography.The Beatles, Journey, Weird Al, Simon and Garfunkel, Elton John, ELO, Pink Floyd, Phil Collins, Chicago, and the Moody Blues occupy Eric’s difficult-to-defend top ten.A hard-drive failure wipes out Eric’s metadata and forces him to rebuild the project.Weird Al and Tenacious D receive the kind of serious consideration usually reserved for Nobel Prize nominees.From five-star ratings and greatest-hits albums to mathematical formulas and deeply personal nostalgia, this episode explores what happens when Eric turns his music collection into a long-term scientific experiment with no peer review. Todd asks the reasonable questions. Eric supplies the spreadsheets and a ranking system that may eventually determine the precise musical value of every song on Earth. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at todcastpodcast.com or send us your ideas via email! Produced & Edited by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency, Eric Hersey's bio. Listen to more episodes on the TodCast PodCast IMDb page.

Todd and Eric return to the TodCast bracket to decide whether a family-filled episode about Todd’s past can defeat a homemade toy tournament. This is what happens when nostalgia, questionable scoring, and a complete lack of March Madness collide. In this episode: Episode 99, “Embarrassment Like Only Family Can Provide,” faces Episode 136, “March Madness? No, It Is April Gladness! We Have Toys!” in the five-versus-twelve matchup.Todd remembers recording with his mother Paula and sister Crystal, while Eric points out that the family is now collecting podcast and IMDb credits.The family episode includes stories about book reports, pretending to be sick, puking on walls, science projects, bicycles, tree houses, and Todd’s questionable study habits.Todd and Eric discuss the special value of hearing their mother’s voice preserved in an audio recording.The toy bracket is revisited with its thirty-two entries, manual research, online voting, seed numbers, and a frankly excessive number of rules.Lego wins the toy tournament, while Kenner Star Wars action figures are remembered as an early casualty that Todd still finds emotionally troubling.Entertainment value goes to the family episode, largely because bringing in Mom and Crystal adds an extra dimension of self-inflicted embarrassment.Information value goes to the toy bracket, because listeners may learn about toys they missed while learning very little useful trivia from Todd’s childhood.Original audio quality becomes the deciding factor, with the family conversation defeating the more recent bracket episode despite both recordings having their own technical problems.The old recording includes fewer robotic Wi-Fi moments, less filler, and a more natural conversation, proving that sometimes the older episode wins the rematch. From family stories and old board games to toy brackets, Lego victories, Wi-Fi robots, and the highly scientific process of awarding points for entertainment, information, and audio quality, this episode is a bracket recap with just enough logic to make the final result feel official. Todd and Eric do not settle which episode is objectively best. They simply score the competition, declare a winner, and promise to finish the tournament sometime before the next major cultural era. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at todcastpodcast.com or send us your ideas via email! Produced & Edited by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency Listen to more episodes on the TodCast PodCast IMDb page.

With March Madness mysteriously unavailable, Todd and Eric turn to a much more important tournament: a bracket ranking toys and activities that probably should not be taken this seriously. Thirty-two contenders enter the competition, carefully selected through spreadsheets, polls, nostalgia, and the sort of informal research that makes a toy bracket feel almost scientific. In this episode: Lego takes the number one seed while Play-Doh earns the number two seed in the activities bracket.Atari, Silly Putty, View-Master, Simon, playing cards, and Super Soaker face off in a series of surprisingly serious matchups.The Rubik's Cube, Trivial Pursuit, Frisbee, Bubble Solution, Light Bright, Spirograph, Operation, and Play-Doh attempt to survive the opening rounds.Todd and Eric debate whether the Rubik's Cube is really a game or simply the fidget spinner of the eighties.Playing cards deliver one of the biggest upsets by defeating Super Soaker, proving that versatility and year-round availability still matter.Care Bears, Playmobil, Barbie, Slinky, Hot Wheels, American Girl dolls, Furby, yo-yos, and Fisher-Price Little People compete for toy-bracket supremacy.Star Wars action figures make an early appearance before being defeated by Matchbox cars, creating a result Todd and Eric are not prepared to accept emotionally.Little People become the Cinderella story of the tournament by defeating Transformers, Polly Pocket, Matchbox cars, and Hot Wheels.Lego defeats Play-Doh in the activities final, while Little People somehow make it all the way to the overall championship.The final decision comes down to cumulative bracket advancements, giving Lego the title of champion over all other lesser toys and activities.Coloring books, yo-yos, questionable bracket math, and color-your-own-adventure.com help bring the tournament to its completely reasonable conclusion.From Lego and Play-Doh to Barbie, Star Wars figures, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price Little People, this episode attempts to determine which toys and activities deserve to survive a March Madness-style tournament. The results include nostalgia, several bracket-busting upsets, and at least one decision that Todd and Eric would like to appeal. Unfortunately, the people have spoken, and apparently they had strong opinions about Little People. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at todcastpodcast.com or send us your ideas via email! Produced & Edited by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency, Eric Hersey's bio. Listen to more episodes on the TodCast PodCast IMDb page.

Todd invites his mom and younger sister Crystal onto the TodCast PodCast to reminisce about childhood, family game nights, and the many ways a loving family can quietly document your most embarrassing personal history. What begins with tree houses, candy, square pizzas, and fond memories eventually becomes a detailed investigation into Todd's procrastination, questionable study habits, science fair anxiety, and the time he apparently needed to avoid school because of a book report. In this episode: Crystal remembers the family tree house, which turns out to have been a few boards, a rope, and a tree that was apparently considered structurally sufficient.Childhood trips to the laundromat involved sorting Tupperware, matching socks, collecting loose change, and buying candy and square pizzas.Todd and Crystal save their nickels and dimes to see Snow White at a midday theater showing.Todd explains how working at the library allowed him to avoid being the person responsible for telling his sister and her friends to keep quiet.A strategically placed bookshelf helped divide Todd's shared bedroom and protect his Star Wars possessions from younger siblings.Crystal and Todd revisit the board games of their childhood, including Hoosker Doo, Stay Alive, Pushover, Flinch, Rook, and the elusive American Express game.Todd attempts to explain why Pushover, a game involving tiny people riding on other tiny people's shoulders, remains one of the greatest and most confusing games ever created.Star Wars board games, Ewoks, Death Star dogfights, Dagobah, and the general appeal of owning anything with a lightsaber on the box make an appearance.Treasure Island becomes shorthand for Todd's spectacular decision to avoid an assigned book report until pretending to be sick seemed like the most reasonable option.Science fair projects were manageable right up until Todd had to stand in front of people and talk about them for five minutes.Crystal reveals that Todd has always been the family's unofficial technology support department and one of her choices for a hypothetical game show lifeline.Todd receives some genuine compliments from his family, although only after spending most of the episode being reminded of his academic crimes.From childhood chores and questionable tree-house construction to board games, Star Wars toys, book reports, and science fair nightmares, this episode gives Todd's family an opportunity to revisit the memories he might have preferred to leave safely in the past. Fortunately, Crystal and Mom are also willing to confirm that Todd turned out pretty well. Which is generous, considering the evidence presented. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at todcastpodcast.com or send us your ideas via email! Listen to more episodes on the TodCast PodCast IMDb page.

After years of hearing Eric explain Disney like it was both a vacation destination and a legally recognized personality trait, Todd finally goes to Walt Disney World. What starts as a work trip to Orlando turns into Todd’s first real Disney experience, complete with Epcot, buses, baguettes, fish and chips, Guardians of the Galaxy, and the troubling realization that Eric may not have been completely making this stuff up. In this episode: Todd arrives at Disney fully prepared for crowds, chaos, and financial ruin. All-Star Music proves that giant jazz icons and efficient check-in can coexist. Spaceship Earth introduces Todd to the giant golf ball that is secretly full of history. The Soarin’ queue spill becomes an accidental masterclass in washcloth-based crisis management. Fake England finally gives Todd the fish and chips experience real England failed to deliver. France contributes baguettes, butter, and the birth of Butter Pockets. Guardians of the Galaxy delivers Tears for Fears, mild motion sickness, and one important lesson about eating before roller coasters. Eric gets to spend several days proving that his Disney obsession is only mostly concerning. Somewhere between Spaceship Earth, the France pavilion, and a perfectly timed “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Todd discovers that Walt Disney World is not just mouse ears, gift shops, and expensive snacks. It is also baguettes. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at https://todcastpodcast.com/ or send us your ideas via email! Find out what Eric has been up to in the world of websites and SEO at https://strongmindedagency.com.

After surviving Epcot, Todd finally arrives at the main event: Star Wars Land. What follows is a full day of Millennium Falcons, stormtroopers, roller coasters, animatronic ghosts, singing aliens, and a growing realization that Disney might have spent an unreasonable amount of money making fake places feel real. In this episode: Todd finally steps into Galaxy's Edge after years of hearing Eric talk about it. The impossible task of acting normal when a full-size Millennium Falcon is suddenly parked in front of you. Rise of the Resistance somehow managing to be a ride, a movie, and a military operation at the same time. Why waiting in line inside a Star Destroyer is surprisingly enjoyable. Blue milk, green milk, and important scientific research into alien beverages. The tragedy of the missing droid parts and the Jawas who may or may not be responsible. A visit to Oga's Cantina, where coaster theft becomes an international incident. Smuggler's Run, Bespin, and the ongoing struggle to keep the Millennium Falcon in one piece. Space Mountain teaches Todd that complete darkness and roller coasters are not always best friends. The PeopleMover continues its campaign to be the greatest attraction nobody can properly explain. Carousel of Progress somehow becoming one of the most unexpectedly delightful experiences of the trip. Why Disney's attention to detail is both impressive and slightly alarming. From wandering the streets of Batuu to eating lunch inside a fake drive-in movie theater, this episode covers the day Disney finally stopped being a concept and became a real place for Todd. The original goal was to prove Eric wasn't completely crazy. The final verdict remains under review. Connect with Todd and Eric: Check out our website at https://todcastpodcast.com/ or send us your ideas via email! Find out what Eric has been up to in the world of websites and SEO at https://ericherseyweb.com and https://strongmindedagency.com.

The bracket continues with one of the strangest matchups yet: a disastrous piece of Star Wars history versus a flying Dodge Omni dream that somehow evolves into a full discussion about teleportation ethics. One episode is a structured roast of one of the worst television specials ever created. The other is two guys accidentally inventing a dystopian sci-fi future while talking about baseball pants. In this episode: A revisit to Spoiling Star Wars: The Holiday Special and why the special somehow gets worse with age.Abby’s introduction to one of the most confusing pieces of Star Wars media ever created.Wookiee conversations, uncomfortable variety show energy, and the ongoing trauma of Life Day.A breakdown of The Flight of the Dodge Omni and how one random dream became a thirty-minute improv session.Flying cars, teleportation test pilots, and why Todd fundamentally does not trust humanity.The horrifying logistics of naked teleportation Starbucks hubs.A comparison between structured review episodes versus completely freeform conversational chaos.Honest discussion about audio quality, old recording setups, and why three microphones never sounded the same.What starts as a normal bracket recap slowly becomes another example of what the TodCast PodCast actually is at its core: two people taking ridiculous ideas far more seriously than necessary. One episode warns you not to watch something. The other warns you not to invent something. Only one moves on.

What starts as Eric sharing a random dream immediately spirals into a full-scale debate about flying cars, teleportation, government tracking, magical transportation systems, and whether society can be trusted with a third dimension. Spoiler alert: probably not. In this episode: Eric dreams about driving a flying Dodge Omni inspired by Flight of the Navigator.A pickup baseball game in Martins Ferry somehow launches a 45-minute future-tech discussion.Why flying cars sound awesome until you remember other people exist.The horrifying logistics of airborne traffic jams, sky intersections, and people throwing soda cans from 2,000 feet.Disney technology, Spider-Man web shooters, and why Todd does not trust humanity with hover vehicles.The rise of teleportation as the superior transportation option.Teleportation ethics, naked arrival logistics, and the terrifying future of retina-scan Starbucks.How one Dodge Omni dream accidentally creates a dystopian sci-fi universe.From repulsor lift technology and magical sling rings to conspiracy theories about why we “aren’t trying hard enough,” this episode somehow transforms into one of the most detailed conversations ever inspired by a car that should absolutely not be airborne. If you’ve ever wondered whether society is emotionally prepared for flying cars, the answer is probably no. But that won’t stop Eric from trying to invent one.

Todd, Eric, and special guest Abby dive headfirst into one of the strangest television disasters ever broadcast - The Star Wars Holiday Special. What was supposed to be a fun holiday event somehow became 90 uninterrupted minutes of confusion, Wookiee yelling, awkward musical numbers, and Harrison Ford looking like he actively wanted to leave. In this episode: The infamous 20-minute Wookiee conversation that tests everyone’s patience almost immediately.Why the Holiday Special feels less like Star Wars and more like someone filmed a fever dream in a RadioShack.A breakdown of bizarre variety-show performances, awkward comedy sketches, and aggressively seventies television decisions.The introduction of “Life Day,” which somehow feels both deeply important and completely meaningless.Wookiee home life, strange hologram entertainment systems, and what may or may not be space pornography.The first-ever appearance of Boba Fett hidden inside a cartoon that somehow becomes the best part of the special.Why Mark Hamill looks like he wandered in from an entirely different production.A heated debate over whether this is the worst thing ever made… or simply the most confusing.From Bea Arthur singing in a cantina to endless growling conversations that absolutely should have had subtitles, this episode explores every uncomfortable, hilarious, and baffling moment of the Holiday Special. If you’ve never seen The Star Wars Holiday Special, this episode may save you 90 painful minutes. If you have seen it, this is basically group therapy.

March Madness continues (in April, because time is a suggestion), and this one is a clash of eras. Todd and Eric revisit the oldest episode in the bracket versus one of the most downloaded episodes of all time. One is a raw, unfiltered solo drive-time ramble that probably should have stayed in the car. The other is a structured deep dive into a legendary band that somehow convinced Spotify’s algorithm to care. In this episode: A return to Seasonings and the chaotic, stream-of-consciousness origins of the TodCast.Why beard season, flannel season, and random life observations somehow became a full episode.The ongoing conspiracy theory behind Seasonings becoming a surprisingly popular download.A breakdown of Music Ranked: Chicago and how it quietly became a fan favorite.How Spotify’s algorithm may have accidentally done more marketing than Todd and Eric ever have.The evolution of the show from “guy talking to himself in a car” to “two guys pretending this is structured.”A head-to-head comparison using quality, information, and entertainment as the deciding factors.What starts as a simple bracket matchup turns into a look at how the podcast has grown, what works, what absolutely shouldn’t have worked, and why it somehow did anyway. One episode represents the raw beginning. The other represents a moment where things looked slightly more intentional. Only one moves on.

Todd and Eric revisit one of the most downloaded episodes in TodCast history with a remastered deep dive into one of the most unique bands of all time. What starts as a simple ranking exercise turns into a full breakdown of a band with multiple identities, shifting sounds, and decades of music that somehow all falls under one name. In this episode: The origins of Chicago and how they helped define the horn-driven rock sound.Why their album naming system makes everything more confusing than it should be.The evolution from classic rock experimentation to full-blown soft rock ballads.The internal band dynamics that led to a major shift in sound and direction.A debate between early-era Chicago vs later-era Chicago and which version actually holds up.How nostalgia plays a role in ranking music and whether it should.From 25 or 6 to 4 to power ballads about undying love, this episode explores what makes Chicago both iconic and divisive depending on when you discovered them. If you’ve ever argued about whether a band “changed too much” or just evolved with the times, this one hits right in that sweet spot.

Todd goes back to the beginning with a completely unstructured episode that somehow turns into a full exploration of personal “seasons.” What starts as a drive-time ramble with no agenda evolves into a surprisingly thoughtful breakdown of identity, habits, and the rhythms that define everyday life. In this episode: The origin of Beard Season and why October 1 became a personal milestone.High school mustache rules, Navy regulations, and the long road to facial hair freedom.Why shaving your beard creates chaos for everyone around you.The transition from Sweater Season to Flannel Season and what that says about evolving style.The concept of hobby cycles including painting season, reading season, and writing season.A look at early ToddCast energy where anything could become a topic. From wizard costumes and shoe polish hair hacks to long-form reflections on creativity, this episode captures the raw foundation of the podcast before structure, before polish, and before expectations. If you’ve ever found yourself fully committed to something for a season and then suddenly moved on, this episode will feel very familiar.

March Madness continues, but not the way you remember it. Todd and Eric revisit a heavyweight matchup between two very different episodes - the structured chaos of mascot combat and the surprisingly relatable world of mug hierarchy. One is a foundational bracket episode. The other is a modern, polished conversation about something everyone secretly has opinions on. In this episode: A deep dive into Mug Hierarchy and why every kitchen has an unspoken ranking system. The evolution of the podcast - from rushed uploads and questionable titles to more intentional, searchable content. A look back at Pre-Spring Sportsball Mascot Combat Insanity and how it launched a recurring bracket format. Honest critiques of audio quality, pacing, and early podcast growing pains. The difference between conversational episodes vs rapid-fire bracket formats. A head-to-head breakdown using three criteria: quality, information, and entertainment. What starts as a simple recap turns into a meta discussion about podcasting itself - how ideas evolve, what makes an episode memorable, and why some concepts stick long after recording. One episode represents where the show is now. The other represents where it started. Only one moves on. Connect with Todd and Eric:Check out our website at https://todcastpodcast.com/ or send us your ideas via email!Find out what Eric has been up to in the world of websites and SEO at https://ericherseyweb.com and https://strongmindedagency.com