Break It Down Show

Pete A Turner

Pete A Turner explores great conversations across a vast array of topics and personalities. The Break It Down Show is over 10 years old and has published over 2000 episodes. Find Pete at @peteaturner on most social media sites.

  1. 2D AGO

    Scott Davis – The Last of the Old Breed

    During World War II, over 16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces. Today, less than 1 percent are still alive. The Last of the Old Breed is an unprecedented oral history of the final living United States Marines from World War II, featuring over 130 veterans, ranging in age from 90 to 103. Told in harrowing detail, the witnesses reveal the brutal reality of combat against a fanatical enemy and the heavy toll it took on their post-war lives. Get The Last of the Old Breed on Amazon at amzn.to/47Ldusa From retirement facilities, veteran's hospitals, and modest homes across the country, the last witnesses opened up about the war like never before, determined to leave an honest account for future generations. For many of the veterans, this was the first – and final – time telling their stories. The Last of the Old Breed is a rare, unvarnished look at the Pacific War, in the words of those who were there. These are the stories that could not be told – until now.

    1 hr

  2. 3D AGO

    Pitching Ninja - Rob Friedman, Unhittable

    The Pitching Ninja joins Pete A Turner on the Break It Down Show. Rob Friedman has turned himself into a world class pitching coach, analyist and X/YouTube account. His work is a smash success. His latest smash is his book "Unhittable" which chronicles the rapid changes in how MLB pitchers approach the craft. Unhittable: How Technology, Mavericks, and Innovators Engineered Baseball's New Era of Pitching Dominance amzn.to/4tqBcCj Can Tarik Skubal three-peat as AL Cy Young? After winning Rookie of the Year and his first Cy Young, how does Paul Skenes get even nastier? Can Jacob deGrom crack 200 strikeouts again? How will Spencer Strider approach his return to dominance? Which pitchers stand to gain the most from an automated strike zone? And what separates Shohei Ohtani's approach to training from everyone else—why is he the outlier? If you're asking questions like these as the season approaches, Unhittable is just what you've been looking for to prep for Opening Day. Pitching dominates baseball as never before. Spin rate, sweepers, 105 mph fastballs—all have become standard when evaluating pitching arms and techniques and are familiar lingo in discussion and analysis of the game. Gone is the era of the swaggering power hitters. Batting averages are close to the deadball era; team records for strikeouts are broken and then broken again. The game has fundamentally changed, and hitters may never catch up.

    55 min

  3. 6D AGO

    Dr Amber Brittain-Hale – The US and Israel War vs Iran

    Dr Amber Brittain-Hale is back on the Break It Down Show with Pete A Turner. Amber and Pete are discussing the ongoing US & Israel vs Iran conflict. Among the things to discuss is the evolving relationship between the US and NATO. There is movement at the top of the Pete Hegseth's Dept of War as he swaps out his Chief of Staff. Finally, Amber provides us with some thoughts on post war, post Trump results from the chosen conflicts from 2025 and 2026. Dr. Amber Brittain-Hale joins Pete A Turner for a rich, optimistic conversation on leadership, global connections, and institutional reform.Amber shares her delight connecting through Pepperdine events, praising the university's focus on values-driven Christian leadership and preparing graduates to tackle complex world issues. The pair reflects on how history compresses—WWII feels recent when linked to family stories—reminding us today's frantic moments aren't as unprecedented as they seem.They explore the "dryer effect": how disparate threads (Venezuela-Cuba-China-Iran, Somaliland recognition, al-Shabaab funding via Minnesota fraud networks, California's massive COVID unemployment grift) tangle together through money flows and competing interests. Fraud in California alone rivals the GDP of many nations, highlighting waste over infrastructure.Amber and Pete discuss money's constant velocity, layered competitions in war and geopolitics, and the challenge of discerning truth amid conflicting viewpoints. They examine NATO's tensions—Europe denying overflight and basing rights while expecting U.S. support—questioning alliances without alignment. Trump's direct style, Greenland interest, and energy independence push a reform agenda, favoring nimble new structures like a potential Board of Peace over failing bodies like the UN.Both express optimism: abundance-minded energy policy, Abraham Accords expansion, and institutional reexamination can drive stability and prosperity. Amber praises clear-eyed leadership that prioritizes sovereignty and results, even amid discomfort from reform.A positive, insightful episode blending big-picture strategy with grounded realism—full of hope that creative solutions and aligned action can build a better world.

    1h 3m

  4. APR 2

    Max Nkias - American Trojan

    C. L. Max Nikias first arrived at USC in 1991, and has served as a professor, national research center director, engineering dean, provost, and president. He serves the university as a life trustee and as its president emeritus. During his tenure as president, Nikias advanced USC's premier academic and global standing, led a generational upgrade and expansion of both of the university's campuses, and created college pathways for low-income students. Every great story begins with a departure, a moment when familiar shores fade in favor of adventure and opportunities on a distant horizon. For Dr. C.L. Max Nikias, that moment came when conflict destroyed everything his family had built and they found themselves as refugees. At the time, he had no idea that those extraordinary challenges would form the early chapters of an improbable journey that would carry him and his wife, Niki, from a village of fewer than 1,000 people to the helm of one of America's leading research universities. Get American Trojan on Amazon at amzn.to/4dXllXo American Trojan: Leadership, Resilience, and the Renewal of Higher Educationtells the story of how he and Niki crossed the Atlantic with virtually nothing to their names, equipped with only a deep faith in the power of education and the promise of the American Dream. In his 2010 inaugural address, Dr. Nikias invoked the image of Homer's Odysseus returning home after a decade of struggle, comparing USC to his family's own "Ithaca," a new home where they built a life and raised their daughters as part of the Trojan Family.

    59 min

  5. MAR 31

    Robert Olmsted - Counterintelligence Agent

    Chief Rober Olmsted is a seasoned US Army Counterintelligence Agent. During his career, he took on many assignments. Like many spies, he always wanted to be the most comfortable person in the room. Chief was adept at leading field operations. This means going in with little preparation and still coming home, safe, with a bag of golden information. Chief Olmsted was in D Co 165th MI Battalion with Pete A Turner. The Break It Down Show welcomes the return of Robert Olmsted.

    1h 4m

  6. MAR 31

    Chris Papst - Failure Factory

    Chris Papst is the lead reporter for Project Baltimore, Fox45 News' ongoing investigation into Maryland's public education system. He is a national award-winning journalist and best-selling author. chrispapst.com Chris' work has led to the passing of state laws, criminal convictions and court rulings that have set legal precedent throughout Maryland. As an author, his books Failure Factory and Capital Murder both hit #1 on Amazon in three categories. His book, Devolution – a novel – was released in the summer of 2016. Get Failure Factory on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4t0THx8 ​ During his career Chris' work has received awards of recognition from institutions such as the Maryland General Assembly, the Maryland Office of the Comptroller and the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education. In 2023, Chris received the Excellence in Education Advocacy Award from the Randallstown Chapter of the NAACP.

    41 min

  7. MAR 25

    Nick Leisure – Golden, Starring Brian Austin Green

    Nick Leisure is an American filmmaker, director, and producer known for crafting grounded, character-driven thrillers with commercial appeal and global reach. Founder of Leisure Films Ltd., Leisure has built a reputation for delivering elevated independent features that blend gritty realism with high-stakes storytelling. His latest feature, Golden (Level 33 Entertainment), starring Brian Austin Green, Massi Furlan, Robert Miano, Glenn Plummer, Alena Savostakova, and Josh Gilmer, marks his most ambitious theatrical release to date, opening nationwide on March 20. The action-thriller follows a struggling print shop worker who discovers he can create flawless counterfeit money, only to be pulled into a dangerous cross-border criminal world he can't escape. Leisure's expanding slate includes The Last Bride (starring Charlotte Kirk, 2026) and New Year's Absolution (starring Michael Copon, 2026). He previously directed Last The Night starring Brian Austin Green and A Clear Shot starring Mario Van Peebles, both of which achieved successful theatrical releases and helped establish his voice in the independent action-thriller space.

    55 min

  8. MAR 24

    Amber Brittain-Hale & Mike Cote - The Iran vs US/Israel War

    Dr Amber Brittain-Hale returns to the Break It Down Show with Pete A Turner. Joining Pete and Amber is Mike Cote. Both Amber and Mike are credentialed policy folks who are regulars on the Break It Down Show. As the Iran conflict continues to evolve, we're looking to Amber and Mike to help get us on the right track. They argue the b******t-to-fact ratio exceeds 50/50, driven by legacy media spin, selective sourcing (e.g., Hamas-run health ministry or anonymous U.S. officials), and anti-Trump narratives that downplay staggering U.S./Israeli operational successes in degrading Iran's regime, missiles, and nuclear assets. Mike emphasizes military effectiveness, tactical ambiguity in messaging for operational security, and the need to ignore detached "failure" spins. Amber highlights Trump's psyops (e.g., "talking to someone in Iran"), appropriate pacing, and the value of primary sources while warning against cynical framing that undermines the effort. Both stress pre-existing detailed contingency plans, regional realignment (Gulf states, Ukraine, Japan partnering against Iran), and the war's role in broader stability—contrasting it with media-driven impatience over the Strait of Hormuz or "day after" scenarios. They critique media hypocrisy, anonymous leaks benefiting opponents, and politicized analysis (e.g., from figures like Mehdi Hasan or Joe Kent). Antisemitism ties into anti-Americanism, often funded by Iranian proxies. Mike Coté: rationalpolicy.com (Substack on geopolitics and history). Dr. Amber Brittain-Hale: brainstatesinc.com (foreign policy and strategic analysis). brainstatesinc.com

    55 min
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4.7
out of 5
96 Ratings

About

Pete A Turner explores great conversations across a vast array of topics and personalities. The Break It Down Show is over 10 years old and has published over 2000 episodes. Find Pete at @peteaturner on most social media sites.

Information

  • Creator
    Pete A Turner
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    299
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Break It Down Show

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