1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: It's night Side with Dan Ray. I'm telling you Boston's news. 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:10,039 Speaker 2: Radio now that the NHL is back in business, the 3 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 2: Olympics are officially over and again it was a great Olympics, 4 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: and let's hope that the Olympic spirit carries on for 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 2: the Ruins for the balance of the spring and into 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 2: the well into early June and onto the Stanley Cup 7 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,239 Speaker 2: finals and hopefully maybe a Stanley Cup. 8 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: My name is Dan Ray. I'm the host of Nightside, 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: heard every Monday through Friday night right here in WBZ, 10 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: Boston's news radio. We're a ten thirty on your AM dial. 11 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 1: If you happen to be driving anywhere in the country 12 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden you have stumbled upon us, 13 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: lock us in ten thirty on the AM dial. Rob 14 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: Brooks is my as I call him, my partner in time. 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: He is the producer of this program. Back at Broadcast 16 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: Central headquarters where the program em and it's from in 17 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:55,279 Speaker 1: beautiful downtown Midford, Massachusetts. I am broadcasting remotely from an 18 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: unknown location. Anyway, we have four interesting guests coming up 19 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: this hour. We're also going to be talking about a 20 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: question of transparency at Boston City Hall and going to 21 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: take a look, a little bit of a long look 22 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: down down the road at where the economy in twenty 23 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: twenty six might venture. With an economic strategist who was 24 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: a guest of mine a couple of weeks ago, Dan Vveroni, 25 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: of a company called Potomac Core. But in the meantime, 26 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: we're going to spend this hour with four people. We're 27 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,319 Speaker 1: going to talk with Gary Washburn or the Boston Globe 28 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: about the surprising season successful season of the Boston Celtics. 29 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: Going to talk with a former Olympic boxer about and 30 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,839 Speaker 1: eating an eating disorder I should say that is among 31 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: some male athletes, particularly those who step into the into 32 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: the ring wearing boxing gloves. Going to talk about the 33 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: importance of creating lasting memories with grandparents with a licensed psychologist, 34 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: doctor Dale Atkins. But first like to introduce it to 35 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: Chris Coroso. Chris is an MBA and certified Trust and 36 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: Producery advisor, and we're going to talk about social security, 37 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: something which all of us will rely upon at some 38 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 1: point in our lives. Chris Caroso, Welcome to Nightside. 39 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 3: How are you nay great? Dan, Thanks for having me so. 40 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: I have been aware of social security since before I 41 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: started a work. It is whenever anyone talks about social security, 42 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: particularly if they're politicians, it's called the third rail of 43 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: politics because everybody is concerned about social security, and the 44 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: primary concern is will my money be there when I retire? 45 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: All will social security dry up before I retire? And 46 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 1: there's been a report that has been recently released according 47 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 1: to the Congressional Budget Office, would suggests that social security 48 00:02:55,919 --> 00:03:00,919 Speaker 1: funds may evaporate a little earlier than exed in twenty 49 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: thirty two. Now, I don't believe SO security is going away, 50 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: and I can't believe that the politicians will let it 51 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: go away. But what do you read into this report 52 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: from the CBO about SO security funds drying up in 53 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 1: twenty thirty two. That's a scary proposition, Yeah, And. 54 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 3: It's scary every year. They come up with this report 55 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 3: every year, and the final year keeps changing. Either it 56 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 3: goes up, a year goes down, a year went was 57 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 3: that it was a thirty twenty thirty three last year. 58 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: Now it's down to twenty thirty two. And it's not 59 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 3: so much that the funds are going to be totally 60 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 3: run out that it's going to be totally dry. What 61 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 3: it means is that they won't have enough funds to 62 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 3: keep up the benefits as promise. So if everything remains 63 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 3: the same, what it means is that they're going to 64 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 3: have to cut back on some of the benefits that 65 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 3: they promise. You're going to get a haircut in that 66 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 3: Social Security paycheck that you're used to get it. 67 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:05,040 Speaker 1: I gotta tell you, I think that Americans are living longer. 68 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 1: And I know that my younger listeners will be upset 69 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: to hear about this, but it seems to me the 70 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: easiest thing to do is to recognize that Americans are 71 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 1: living longer and move the retirement age up a little 72 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: bit every year. Tell me why that's not possible. 73 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 3: Well, it's not that it's not possible. It has been 74 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 3: going up a little bit every year, started a few 75 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 3: years ago. As you get as your birth year gets older, 76 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 3: you will have to work a little longer to get 77 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 3: full Social Security payment. Now, right now, you max out 78 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 3: at age seventy, no matter what, So that number could 79 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 3: possibly go up. And what might be an indicator of that. 80 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 3: Look at what they've done with the IRA's required minimum distribution. 81 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 3: It used to be age seventy, then it's age seventy two. 82 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 3: Now it's age seventy five. Well not now, but by 83 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 3: the time people born in nineteen sixty reach seventy five, 84 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 3: that's when their retired minimum distribution will kick in. So 85 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 3: it does make sense that the age requirement will go higher. However, 86 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 3: it's not the upper age requirement that's most concerning. It's 87 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 3: the lower age requirement, which right now is sixty two. 88 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 3: People can start taking money out very young, as now 89 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 3: considered very young. 90 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: But at a discount. 91 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 3: At a discount, yes, but it still takes money out 92 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 3: of the system. And in fact, there's a whole series 93 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 3: of like almost kind of gaming sort of things. Is 94 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:40,159 Speaker 3: it better to take the money out at sixty two, 95 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 3: at your regular retirement age, or wait until age seventy 96 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 3: A lot of it has to depend on whether or 97 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 3: not you have other assets, other retirement assets that you 98 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 3: can use. It's a unit of work to do, and 99 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 3: if you are lucky enough to have other retirement assets, 100 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 3: usually what they'll say is maybe take out those assets 101 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 3: first and wait so that you can get higher premiums 102 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 3: on your Social Security. 103 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I know that you can do actually a rough 104 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: mathematical calculation and figure out if you take early, or 105 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: if you don't take early, let's put it like that, 106 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: say it's sixty six, which well, I'm not sure if 107 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: it's still sixty six considered full retirement age. But if 108 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: you don't take early, then you sort of extrapolate the 109 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: numbers and say, okay, how many years do I have 110 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,280 Speaker 1: to live in order to recoup the money that I 111 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: didn't take early? So it's not simple mathematics. It's almost 112 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 1: algebraic or maybe even calculus to figure out. And then 113 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 1: you've got to sort of say, well, what's my longevity? 114 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: How long did your parents, how long did your grandparents live, 115 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: and all of that. When will this debate heat up? 116 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: Because the debate is not going on right now. There's 117 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: no effort, certainly in an election year to do anything 118 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: about this. In my opinion, it's not going to be 119 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: an issue in this election year. How close would we 120 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: have to get to twenty thirty two before becomes top 121 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: of mind to the public. 122 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 3: Probably twenty thirty two. They're probably going to wait till 123 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:26,840 Speaker 3: the last minute. And you said it yourself, it's the 124 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 3: third rail. They're afraid to deal with it. They were 125 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 3: afraid to deal with it in nineteen eighty three, which 126 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 3: was the perfect time to deal with it. They were 127 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 3: afraid to deal with it in two thousand when we 128 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 3: thought there might be some headway into it. So here's 129 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 3: my prediction. My prediction is they're actually going to probably 130 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:47,240 Speaker 3: be able to do something significant. And that's because if 131 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 3: you look at what's going on with all these states, 132 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 3: a lot of these states are requiring companies or workers 133 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 3: to put money away into retirement state manded iras. What 134 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 3: Trump we've talked about at the State of the Union 135 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 3: address is something very similar to that, only on the 136 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 3: federal level, where if you're not covered by a retirement 137 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 3: planet work, the government will have one and you'll be 138 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 3: able to put money in there, and the Trump is 139 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 3: saying the government will match it up to one thousand dollars. 140 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:21,400 Speaker 3: But that idea is moving away from a defined benefit plan, 141 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 3: which is what social Security is. So all that money 142 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 3: that you put into Social Security, it's not your money, 143 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 3: you'll never see it. It already went to go pay 144 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 3: out people who are way older than you. Way you're 145 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 3: going to get social Security is if young people continue 146 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 3: to work and pay in the Social Security so that 147 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 3: to define benefit, the defined contribution is more like a 148 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 3: four to one kick where the money that you put 149 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,480 Speaker 3: in out of your own salary always remains your money. 150 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: No one, Well, remember in two thousand Al Gore talked 151 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: about a locked box. Oh yes, right, but no one 152 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: knew what he was talking about. But that's what he 153 00:08:57,920 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: was talking about. 154 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:00,439 Speaker 3: Mm hmm. 155 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:03,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, if you remember the two thousand election. You may 156 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: be too young to remember the two thousand election. I'm 157 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: not sure, Chris, but that was a term of art 158 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 1: that Gore tried to invoke. Bottom line is I don't 159 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: want anybody to lose sleep over this tonight. Rest easy. 160 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: What's the likelihood that people's current benefits, people currently on 161 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: Social Scurity might see a haircut in their benefits. That's 162 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: the one that does bother me. 163 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:30,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, my guess. And I don't have any reason other 164 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 3: than my gut to say this. And if you're already 165 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 3: getting Social Security, chances are politicians are going to bend 166 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 3: over backwards to make sure that you maintain that benefit 167 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 3: level that you're currently enjoying. It's just too risky to 168 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 3: cut somebody's check that's already getting one that's already depending 169 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 3: on one. 170 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 1: That will end. On that note, Chris, because that's a 171 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: very positive note for a lot of my listeners. Chris 172 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 1: Carrol so Coroza excuse me, a certified trust in producer 173 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: advisor for folks want to get in touch with you, Chris, 174 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: give us a website. Maybe some people would like to 175 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: ask questions that I wasn't smart enough to ask. 176 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 3: It's really easy. It's just my name, Chriscorosa dot com. 177 00:10:12,679 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 3: Oh there, you'll find out ways to get a hold 178 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 3: of me, and you'll also read some of my columns too. 179 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:21,079 Speaker 1: Okay, Carosa is spelled c A r O s A 180 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: c A r o l dot com. Chris, appreciate it 181 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: very much, enjoyed the conversation. 182 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 3: Thank you, Thank you. 183 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: Next up on the other side of the breakout to 184 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: talk with doctor Dale Atkins, licensed psychologist, and we are 185 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: going to talk about the importance of creating lasting memories 186 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,559 Speaker 1: with grandparents, the six ways grandparents can build better relationships 187 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: with their kids and their grandkids. This should be a 188 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: positive conversation. Talk with doctor Dale Atkins in just a 189 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: minute or so. It's nice with Dan Ray on w 190 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:58,959 Speaker 1: Boston's News Radio. All right, welcome back everyone. We are 191 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 1: going to talk with doctor Dale Atkins. Doctor Atkins is 192 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: going to talk to us about the importance of creating 193 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:13,680 Speaker 1: lasting memories between grandparents and their grandchildren and their kids. 194 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: Doctor Atkins is a licensed psychologist with more than forty 195 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 1: years of experience, and Doctor Atkins pleasure to have you 196 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: join us tonight. I have my wife, and I have 197 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: a little grandson who will turn four on July fourth, 198 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: on the nation's two hundred and fiftieth birthday, and a 199 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: little granddaughter who will turn one later this spring, and 200 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: so I'm all the years about building relationships with grandchildren. 201 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: I guess you have quite. 202 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 3: A few I do. 203 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 4: And congratulations to you and your family on entering this 204 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 4: this next stage of life, because it can be wonderful. Yes, 205 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 4: we have six children between the. 206 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:06,840 Speaker 5: Ages of thirteen and twenty one, and they've been of 207 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 5: a magnificent opportunity for me to kind of develop some 208 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:12,839 Speaker 5: of the things that we'll be talking about, and also 209 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 5: just enjoying different perspectives and wonderful activities and just it's 210 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 5: an opportunity for growth. It's fantastic. 211 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: Okay, So let me ask you a couple of questions. 212 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: If I can't my wife adores grandson. Okay, I do 213 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: believe that if he had said to her. You know, 214 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: I want to shoot an apple off your head. She 215 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 1: would put the apple on her head, fully confident that 216 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 1: he would just shoot the apple. I'm a bit of 217 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: a disciplinaria when kids act out, so I'm kind of 218 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:49,959 Speaker 1: the bad guy right now. What can I do? And 219 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: I'm getting better? You know, my grandson we're doing better, 220 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: We're doing better, but he does no wrong with in 221 00:12:56,640 --> 00:12:59,679 Speaker 1: my wife's eyes. And for me, it's a little frustrating 222 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: because it's like, whoa wait a second, now, hold on here, 223 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 1: you know, and please you important words and all of that. 224 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: But I'm the bad guy, So what can I do 225 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,360 Speaker 1: to not be the bad guy? 226 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 4: Well, I think that you should stop thinking yourself a 227 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 4: bad guy, first of all, down because really what you're 228 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 4: trying to do is teach him by not only talking 229 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 4: to him, but also by example. And example is generally 230 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 4: the best way to teach, because kids of most ages 231 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 4: aren't going to be attentive when we're lecturing them or 232 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 4: telling them what the rules are. But when we show 233 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 4: them and we talk to them ab that this is 234 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 4: the way we do. 235 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 5: It in our house, which is usually a really good 236 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 5: way to start. 237 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 4: Because you don't want to undermine whatever the parents are 238 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 4: doing or saying or teaching. But you can also say, 239 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 4: in our house, this is what we do and this 240 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 4: is why we do it. And so I think that 241 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:55,960 Speaker 4: you don't want to be a bad guy. Nobody wants 242 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 4: to be the bad guy. The other thing is I 243 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 4: think that it would be helpful, just as I would 244 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 4: suggest to parents, for grandparents to at least try to 245 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:06,320 Speaker 4: be on the same page when they're in the same 246 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 4: room with a kid, like that really does help. 247 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:16,559 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, yeah, I think that tip in our 248 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 1: house this is the way we do it is important 249 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: because whenever he asked me for something, I always say, 250 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 1: got a magic word? Oh yeah, please. It's like, uh, 251 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: develop that I call it a magic word and all that. 252 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: So talk about the phases because obviously mine are young. 253 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: Not everyone has young and you have older. Yeah, but 254 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: there are people even have older, you know, grandchildren than 255 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: you do. Tell us about maybe a little bit about 256 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 1: the stages. You're also an author. You've written some books. 257 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: Your new book is called The Turquoise Butterfly, which is 258 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 1: about the relationship between a little girl and her grandmother. 259 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 1: Has a little bit of a lesson in dealing with 260 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: loss in that I've actually read The Turquoise Butterfly. 261 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 4: Well, thank you for reading it. Yes, that I do 262 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 4: talk about the loss of a grandparent. I do talk 263 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 4: about how to kind of match personalities that are really different. 264 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,120 Speaker 4: In the book, the little girl of Victoria. 265 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 5: Is hesitant, she's a little bit anxious, she's very curious, 266 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 5: but she's held up by herself. And here she's matched 267 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 5: with this grandmother who is adventurers. 268 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 4: She's like a fluttering butterfly, and they have these adventures together. 269 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 4: And what we see is what the little girl learns 270 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 4: from the grandmother and what the grandmother learned from the 271 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:37,520 Speaker 4: little girl about different about respect, about caregiving, because it 272 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 4: takes place over three years, and what I was trying 273 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 4: to do is to help children and grandparents understand that 274 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 4: this is. 275 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 5: A growing relationship. So when you talk about people who 276 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 5: have grandchildren who are much older, it evolves into a 277 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 5: very different relationship. 278 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 4: Just as a parental and child. 279 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 5: Relationship changes over time, parent relationship changes over time, but 280 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 5: in different ways. Because one of the things that we 281 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 5: know from a lot of research is that when children 282 00:16:09,120 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 5: spend a fair amount of time with their grandparents, and 283 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 5: the grandparents are perceived as patient and caring and asking 284 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,160 Speaker 5: the kid's perspectives about things, and listening, not just lecturing, 285 00:16:23,240 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 5: listening that the kids become much more empathic, that the 286 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 5: kids become much more compassionate. And what's so interesting is 287 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 5: over time, as the grandparents get older, the children become 288 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 5: much more responsive not only to their grandparents, but to other. 289 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 4: Older people that within society. So the grandparents can do 290 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 4: something the parents can't do, and among the many things 291 00:16:49,520 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 4: that fit into that category, if they generally have a 292 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 4: little more time, they have a little more patience, they 293 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 4: have a lot more opportunity to share their own culture 294 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 4: or their traditions, their stories, their memories, and kids really 295 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,120 Speaker 4: love that, so if they're exposed to it when they're 296 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 4: very young, as they get older, we see the kids 297 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 4: referring back to tell me again, Grandpa, when you were 298 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 4: growing up, what where did you have to go to 299 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 4: go to school? Or where did you go on holiday? 300 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 4: Or what did your dad do? Because telling the story 301 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 4: to a four year old is different from telling it 302 00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 4: to a sixteen year old, and then the twenty five 303 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 4: year old looks at it very differently, So it builds 304 00:17:31,320 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 4: a relationship based on a common thread. 305 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 1: Over time, great great advice and a great way to 306 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: put it. My favorite grandparent was my mom's dad, who 307 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 1: I sort of connected with him. He taught me how 308 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,360 Speaker 1: to play checkers, and he would never let me win 309 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 1: until we figured I finally had, about the age of eight, 310 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: figured out how to win and then let him win. 311 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 4: Let me find you. He wasn't a bad guy, wasn't. 312 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,600 Speaker 1: Oh, No, great guy, very patient, very patient. You've described him. 313 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: Made me, you made me think about him. Yeah, he 314 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:15,919 Speaker 1: was the one. His his wife, my grandmother, when we 315 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 1: would walk in the house, would say children should be 316 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 1: seen and not her. She was kind of old. 317 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, you know there aren't. There aren't a lot 318 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 4: of grandparents who feel that way. These days. They're much 319 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 4: more engaged, and they're much more interested in what the 320 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 4: kids are doing, sometimes very interested and a little too 321 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 4: interested for their kids. 322 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,800 Speaker 1: I got it. So the book is called The Turquoise 323 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:47,000 Speaker 1: Butterfly by doctor Dale Atkins. And if folks you must 324 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,479 Speaker 1: have a website, I assume how can folks get in 325 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: touch with you? 326 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 5: I do? 327 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:57,880 Speaker 4: Well? Thank you. The website is www dot d R 328 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 4: d A l e A t k I n s 329 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 4: dot com. 330 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 3: So it's w W W dots trust me. 331 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 4: All right. So it's doctor Dale Atkins dot com and 332 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 4: the doctor is spelled out d R and you're very 333 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 4: trying to get all one word d R. 334 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,399 Speaker 1: D A L E A n K I n S 335 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: dot com. Doctor. I really enjoyed the conversation. 336 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,080 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for having me, and good luck with 337 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 4: your grandchildren. 338 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: Well, I will the little one do that guy? No, no, no, 339 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: the little girl she just looks at me and smiles, 340 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: and I look at her and smile. And we don't 341 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: talk much, but she's the happiest little baby that I've 342 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,120 Speaker 1: ever seen in my life. 343 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 4: The language, the language that you are teaching her through 344 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,680 Speaker 4: that smile is worth a thousand words. Don't worry about 345 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 4: the words. 346 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 1: Sounds great. Thank you so much. We'll talk again. I 347 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,640 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you very much. Will we get back 348 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: to talk right after the newscast? Of a problem and 349 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,959 Speaker 1: evening disorder that some male athletes, so maybe a lot 350 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: of male athletes have. We're gonna talk with Danny O'Connor. 351 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: He's a former Olympic boxer and also a professional boxer 352 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: with our roots here in New England. And you'll be surprised, 353 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 1: you'll be surprised at some of the concerns that he 354 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:22,320 Speaker 1: has for people in that sport and for male athletes 355 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: in general. Stay with us back on Nightside right after this. 356 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: It's Nightside Boston's News Radio. Delighted to introduce you to 357 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:39,440 Speaker 1: Danny O'Connor, former Olympic boxer and also a champion boxer 358 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: as a professional boxer. Danny O'Connor and welcome to Nightside, sir. 359 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 1: How are you. 360 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 6: I'm doing well, Thanks for having me Dan. 361 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 3: Nice to meet you. 362 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 1: Nice to meet you too. You've got a great first 363 00:20:50,720 --> 00:20:56,360 Speaker 1: name there. This is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and 364 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: you want to talk about eating disorders male athletes. I 365 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 1: know that a lot of boxers have to make weight 366 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: in advance of fights, and I assume that part of 367 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:16,200 Speaker 1: that eating disorder might become part of your lifestyle as 368 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,199 Speaker 1: a boxer. Or am I overstating that. 369 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 6: I think definitely being involved in a weight class for 370 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 6: a majority of my childhood and adult life played a 371 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 6: role in definitely exacerbating and developing eating disorder. But you 372 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 6: can definitely compete in a combat sport in a weight 373 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 6: class without an eating disorder. It doesn't have to develop 374 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 6: into one, but ultimately mine did I think a lot 375 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 6: of it had to do with awareness. I had no 376 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 6: idea what an eating disorder was, what it would be, 377 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 6: and what twenty years of my life would turn into. Like, 378 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 6: you know, we're talking about a very serious mental health 379 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 6: issue that spanned twenty years, almost killed me numerous times 380 00:22:12,400 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 6: and put me in the ICU. So it was something 381 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 6: that I just had no awareness. When I started in 382 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 6: a weight class when I was a you know, a 383 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,400 Speaker 6: freshman in high school. I had no idea what it was. 384 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 6: I had no idea the tactics that I was using 385 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 6: to maintain that weight class, and I never once asked myself, like, 386 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 6: how was this going to affect me in ten years? 387 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 6: I just thought that I would go back to what 388 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 6: you would perceive as normal when my profession was done 389 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 6: and I had reached all this success that I was 390 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 6: set out too. And yeah, man, it was it was definitely. 391 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 6: It was definitely a long road. 392 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,719 Speaker 1: So you have written a book called Weight Class, A 393 00:22:55,760 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: Fighter's life or death Battle with an Eating disorder? In uh, 394 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: you know, Layman's terms, What how you're eating disorder evidenced itself. 395 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: Were you were you overeating, under eating, eating the wrong stuff? 396 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 1: Tell us what what you were doing? That was putting 397 00:23:16,080 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: you really in some jeopardy. 398 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 6: Well, I was diagnosed with binge eating, so that means 399 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 6: I could not control the amount of food that I 400 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 6: was eating, and ultimately that was in direct conflict with 401 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,880 Speaker 6: my weight class, which was maintaining a certain weight. So 402 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 6: when when one was out of control, it directly affected 403 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 6: the the other thing, and which since there was obviously 404 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 6: too much, the weight fluctuations of up and down were 405 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 6: just we're just absolutely wild. It was. It was absolutely chaotic, 406 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 6: and you know, we're talking about losing weight and gaining 407 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 6: weight in fluctuations of you know, sometimes up to sixty pounds, 408 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 6: you know, sixty six zero. 409 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: Whoa, what what was the what was the what was 410 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 1: the biggest weight you ever carried? 411 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:11,639 Speaker 6: Oh, I went up to two hundred pounds before. And 412 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 6: so think of it like this. At nineteen years old 413 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 6: when I started boxing, I weighed one hundred and forty pounds. 414 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:19,919 Speaker 3: That's my weight class. That's that's the weight class I 415 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 3: competed at. 416 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 6: In twenty twenty three, my last professional fight, I was 417 00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:28,560 Speaker 6: at the same weight class of one hundred and forty pounds. 418 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:32,359 Speaker 6: So I maintained that weight class for all the way 419 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 6: through youth. To my adult I'm forty years old now, 420 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:40,440 Speaker 6: so yeah, I mean it was so then. 421 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,160 Speaker 1: When you when your boxing career ended, is that when 422 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: when the weight came at you? 423 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:45,879 Speaker 3: Or what? 424 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:49,639 Speaker 1: Give me the timing here? Well, I'm missing the timing. 425 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 3: So the timing was through throughout right. 426 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 6: I would compete at one hundred and forty, and then 427 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 6: a couple of days later here I'd be one hundred 428 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 6: and eighty, and then a month late I'd be two 429 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 6: hundred and then I'd have to go to training camp 430 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 6: and lose sixty pounds to weigh in to compete. And 431 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 6: it was the worse the eating disorder gut, the more 432 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,760 Speaker 6: extreme the weight tactics to take those off, to take 433 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 6: those pounds off gut. And if you look at it, 434 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,640 Speaker 6: if you look at it, Dan, I spent my whole 435 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 6: life chasing the WBC World Championship belt. That is the 436 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 6: epitome of being a champion. That is the most glamorized belt, 437 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 6: that is the green one that everybody knows, all the 438 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 6: former champions had it. I spent a decade ten years 439 00:25:34,359 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 6: from the time I turned professional two thousand and eight 440 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 6: after the Olympics until two thy and eighteen when I 441 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 6: got the chance to fight for that belt. Two hours 442 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,160 Speaker 6: before I should have walked in the ring to fulfill 443 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 6: the dream, I was ripped out of my hotel room 444 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 6: dead and sent to the ICU because the morning of 445 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 6: the fight, I lost twelve pounds to get to that 446 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 6: limit and my career was ruined. Obviously I didn't get 447 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:06,719 Speaker 6: to compete for that belt. You know, I have to 448 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 6: live with that. But ultimately, I think it just comes 449 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 6: down to normalizing the conversation. You've got to understand. You know, 450 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 6: national statistics right now say that ten million men are affected. Well, 451 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 6: in my span of twenty years, I've only talked to 452 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 6: four people, four men that ultimately spoke openly about this. 453 00:26:29,560 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 6: So that means that there's ten million people that are 454 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 6: suffering in silence. And the eating disorder is a very 455 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 6: very isolated thing. My professional team, the people that were 456 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 6: involved in keeping me alive, and my wife were the 457 00:26:44,040 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 6: only people that knew I had an eating disorder until 458 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 6: about a week ago when I published a book. So 459 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:55,159 Speaker 6: I had this, Oh man, it's insane, it's chaotic, and 460 00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 6: I can't even like explain to you how nuts it is. 461 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:01,920 Speaker 6: You have to read the book, and I wanted to do. 462 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,120 Speaker 6: What I wanted to do was I didn't you know, 463 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:07,679 Speaker 6: I don't love talking about my life, right, and so 464 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 6: I wanted to write a book where maybe I wouldn't 465 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:12,120 Speaker 6: have to talk about it and anybody that was suffering 466 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,160 Speaker 6: or that needed some connection or something. 467 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:15,639 Speaker 3: Could go read it. 468 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:19,160 Speaker 6: And what I realized very quickly is when you write 469 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 6: a book, you have to talk about it. More so 470 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:27,399 Speaker 6: in the last week, I've kind of dived into this 471 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:32,919 Speaker 6: absolutely chaotic, evolving journey that I've had for twenty years. 472 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 6: And the thing is nobody is talking about it. There's 473 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 6: no stories out there, and trust me, when I was 474 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 6: in my worst, I looked for it. I needed that 475 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 6: guy where I could say, hey, man, this is what's 476 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 6: going on with me, because I had no idea what 477 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 6: was going on with me. I had no idea why 478 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:51,720 Speaker 6: my brain was telling me to do something and my 479 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,120 Speaker 6: body was not listening, and I thought I was going 480 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 6: nuts and I didn't have that connection. So for me, 481 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:02,040 Speaker 6: I feel like it is absolutely my responsibility to now 482 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,560 Speaker 6: share what I went through and hope that it can 483 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 6: that it can reach someone that needs to hear my 484 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 6: story or the blueprint of what I went through, how 485 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 6: I recovered. Because really there's two parallels here, Dan. There's 486 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 6: everybody that's suffering or affected by eating disorder, but then 487 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:26,080 Speaker 6: there's also some kid somewhere in the world is going 488 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 6: to step in a weight class that has no eating disorder, 489 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 6: and if he doesn't make some different decisions than I did, 490 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 6: he has no idea the path, the journey that he 491 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:40,760 Speaker 6: could then set out for the rest of his life. 492 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 6: So there's really two things. There's the people that are affected, 493 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 6: and then there's the early intervention before it, even before 494 00:28:47,280 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 6: you even go down that road, and it's it's it's 495 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:55,160 Speaker 6: I feel like it's my responsibility to spearhead this and 496 00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 6: start talking about it and normalize it so that anyone 497 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 6: affected can get help and anyone that's not affected can 498 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 6: stay away from it. And there's no story. 499 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: It sounds like a great book. I'm looking at it 500 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:13,760 Speaker 1: right now. It is entitled Weight Class, A Fighter's Life 501 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 1: or Death Battle with an Eating Disorder. It came out 502 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: on February ninth of this month, so it's brand new. 503 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 1: I'm assuming it's on Amazon and hopefully in bookstores as well. 504 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 1: Do you have a website that people can follow you at, Dan, 505 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: because I think you have much more to say and 506 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: much more, much more to share, and much more to 507 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: teach with a lot of people. And I think you 508 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: may have found your real calling in life. And I 509 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: mean that seriously. 510 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 3: I appreciate that. 511 00:29:43,040 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 6: And and yeah, you can go on Barnes and Noble 512 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 6: dot com and get the book. You can go on 513 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 6: Amazon and. 514 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 3: Get the book. 515 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 6: My website is bite like aman dot com. You can 516 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 6: also get the book. There's some direct from the author 517 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 6: support right there and the real Danie O'Connor on Instagram. 518 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 6: And I appreciate those kind words. I do feel like 519 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 6: it is my purpose to the book was the most 520 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 6: meaningful thing I've ever done in my life, and it 521 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 6: was meant to help people. 522 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:15,840 Speaker 1: Well, I'll tell you what what boxers go through in 523 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: the ring. It's it's an extraordinary it's I think, the 524 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 1: toughest sport that anybody can participate in. You obviously are 525 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: very intelligent. You you express yourself remarkably well, and you 526 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 1: speak with a passion. Uh, this is your life's calling. 527 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: And love to have you back some night and maybe 528 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: do with maybe an hour together and we'll take phone 529 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: calls fair enough. 530 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 3: I would love I would love it. I appreciate that. 531 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 3: I would. I look forward to it. 532 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 1: Dan. We'll be back in touch with Danny O'Connor. Weight loss, 533 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:55,240 Speaker 1: a fighter's life or death battle with an eating disorder. 534 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: Real honor to meet you and interview you tonight and 535 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 1: your passion is remarkable and we will have you back. 536 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, Danny O'Connor. 537 00:31:07,960 --> 00:31:09,080 Speaker 3: Thanks, I appreciate it. 538 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,800 Speaker 1: All right, when we get back, we have one more 539 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: guest to talk about tonight to talk with tonight, Gary Washburn, 540 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: And we'ren of the Boston Globe talking about this Boston 541 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: Celtics teams that may be a lot better than well 542 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: probably you and I expected. We'll talk about it right 543 00:31:27,040 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: after the break. You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on 544 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 1: Boston's News Radio. Delighted to welcome back Gary Washburn, Boston 545 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: Globe sports reporter. He is the basketball expert of the Globe. 546 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: Bob Ryan is the professor emeritus, if you will. But 547 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: Gary Washburn, welcome to Nightside. How are you good? 548 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 3: How's it going? 549 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: It's going great. I'll tell you what this is going 550 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: great for you. Well know the Boston Celtics. They dominated 551 00:31:57,600 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: the Lakers. I think they have won five in a row. Uh, 552 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: they played last night in Phoenix. They beat the Suns. 553 00:32:06,600 --> 00:32:13,440 Speaker 1: You know, pretty uh, pretty decent West Coast team with 554 00:32:13,440 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: without Tatum, who's been out all season, or Jalen Brown. 555 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,920 Speaker 1: What's going on with this team? We talked earlier this fall, 556 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:26,400 Speaker 1: and you were much more bullish on it than most people. 557 00:32:26,520 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: But I think that even they may have exceeded your 558 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: expectations so far. 559 00:32:31,400 --> 00:32:36,959 Speaker 3: What's going on, Well, they've just been able to play 560 00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 3: extremely well together. They've gotten unexpected performances and uh, you 561 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 3: know kind of uh, you know, upticks, you know, better 562 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:54,000 Speaker 3: than expected. Uh, you know, showings from guys like a 563 00:32:54,080 --> 00:33:00,280 Speaker 3: Jordan Walsh, Luca Gar's, uh, Peyton Pritchard's played well. Uh, 564 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 3: Mimius Catus turned himself into a quality starting NBA center. 565 00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 3: In addition to the attention to the contributions of Jalen Brown, 566 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 3: who has turned himself into a number one option. Obviously, 567 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:16,400 Speaker 3: there was a lot of concern as to whether he 568 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 3: could handle such a role beaten primary score without his 569 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:25,640 Speaker 3: partner in crime, Jason Tatum, and he's taken that responsibility, 570 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 3: was a starter on the All Star team, headed for 571 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:33,520 Speaker 3: a first team All NBA position, and potentially you know, 572 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:37,840 Speaker 3: some MVP votes. So, uh, everything has just kind of 573 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 3: worked out better than expected because they've just gotten uh 574 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:46,000 Speaker 3: production out of players that might not have been expected 575 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,640 Speaker 3: to give that production, and it's so far it's worked 576 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:51,040 Speaker 3: out very well for them. 577 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: Well, it's interesting as I look at the standings and 578 00:33:53,880 --> 00:33:58,719 Speaker 1: you follow us so closely. Obviously it's the Celtics and 579 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: the Knicks in the Atlantic Division that will be a 580 00:34:03,280 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 1: tough series for both of those games. But then there's 581 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,960 Speaker 1: a couple of teams in the Central Detroit and Cleveland, 582 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:12,560 Speaker 1: who I think could be a problem. So would you 583 00:34:12,600 --> 00:34:16,399 Speaker 1: agree with me that the Eastern Conference champion is one 584 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:18,839 Speaker 1: of those four teams and you can put everybody else 585 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 1: to the side for now. 586 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:26,600 Speaker 3: I would say that, you know, Cleveland is rising recently 587 00:34:26,640 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 3: with the addition of James Harden and they made some 588 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 3: roster adjustments. The Knicks have as much talent as anybody 589 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 3: in the Eastern Conference. They's just been a little bit inconsistent, 590 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,600 Speaker 3: but they can, you know, get everything together and make 591 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:46,800 Speaker 3: our deep run. Detroit is likely going to be the 592 00:34:46,880 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 3: number one seed. They're five games up, five and a 593 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:51,719 Speaker 3: half games up on the Celtics. I may have just 594 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:55,280 Speaker 3: been a Juggernaut in terms of just everything coming together 595 00:34:55,320 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 3: for them. All their young players have fulfilled their potential. 596 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,480 Speaker 3: They play hard, they played tough, They're very physical, they 597 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,319 Speaker 3: play good defense. They have an MVP candidate in Kate Cunningham. 598 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:10,000 Speaker 3: So those four teams, obviously, in addition to the Celtics, 599 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:12,120 Speaker 3: are likely to come out. One of those four is 600 00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:14,640 Speaker 3: likely to come out of the East. There's a couple 601 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:16,640 Speaker 3: of wild cards. You know, you'd never know what to 602 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 3: expect out of a team like Philadelphia with Joe l 603 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 3: and b Tyrese Maxie and now Paul George is coming 604 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 3: back from suspension. They should be an interesting team to 605 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 3: look out for. So's the Orlando Magic, which has the 606 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 3: great talent but just lacks the consistency. There's a bunch 607 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 3: of teams in the East that on any given night 608 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,799 Speaker 3: can beat you. But the question is consistency. So which 609 00:35:40,800 --> 00:35:43,600 Speaker 3: everything is more consistent? Who's going to come out? 610 00:35:43,840 --> 00:35:46,320 Speaker 1: How did the Pistons get so good so quickly the 611 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,960 Speaker 1: last couple of years, You know, they were like the 612 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 1: single ditchits for most of the season and then boom, 613 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:56,400 Speaker 1: they're on top of the top of the heap. Here 614 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:56,920 Speaker 1: in the East. 615 00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 3: Just a lot of years of losing a lot of 616 00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:06,960 Speaker 3: years of getting high quality picks and just kind of 617 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 3: nurturing those picks. Just two years ago, team lost twenty 618 00:36:10,680 --> 00:36:13,560 Speaker 3: eight games in a row, but they kept the young 619 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:18,399 Speaker 3: core together. They've got some great coaching and with JB. Bickerstaff, 620 00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 3: they got a leader in Kate Cunningham, a legitimate All 621 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 3: Star caliber center, and Jalen Durham, like all of their 622 00:36:25,239 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 3: picks and all of his stunnings have worked out really 623 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 3: well for them. They made some good decisions to upgrade 624 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 3: their roster to make sure that they didn't, you know, 625 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 3: stay down for long, and now they've risen to the top. 626 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:43,359 Speaker 1: Gary, I know that most Celtics fans and I think, yeah, 627 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:45,439 Speaker 1: I would put you in the category, not as a fan, 628 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:49,879 Speaker 1: but as an observer, would love to see Tatum get 629 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:52,839 Speaker 1: back before the season. I know he's been working out 630 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:54,880 Speaker 1: with the team. I know he's been doing some practices 631 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:57,960 Speaker 1: up with the D League teams, and the Celtics are 632 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 1: on the road. How do you handy cap the chances 633 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 1: that we will see Jason Tatum before the playoffs start? 634 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,239 Speaker 3: Well? I do think he does return this season, but 635 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:14,440 Speaker 3: the clock is ticking. You know, you don't want him 636 00:37:14,440 --> 00:37:17,160 Speaker 3: coming back with five games left in the regular season 637 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:20,960 Speaker 3: and suddenly, after almost a year off, you're throwing him 638 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:23,799 Speaker 3: into high intensity playoff games. You want to give him 639 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:26,560 Speaker 3: ten to fifteen games to be able to get his 640 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:31,320 Speaker 3: legs from under him, getting premium basketball shape, be able 641 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:35,080 Speaker 3: to be a productive player. So that clock is ticking. 642 00:37:35,120 --> 00:37:37,520 Speaker 3: We have about six weeks just a little bit more 643 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 3: than that left in the regular season, and so you'd 644 00:37:41,600 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 3: like to see Tatum get like a month at least, 645 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 3: you know, which means probably the middle of March would 646 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:51,160 Speaker 3: be a projected return date if he were to return. 647 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,319 Speaker 3: I think it's all about how comfortable he feels, how 648 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:58,759 Speaker 3: mental how the mental approach is, whether he's ready to 649 00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 3: get back into the riggers in the NBA game and 650 00:38:01,480 --> 00:38:04,000 Speaker 3: trusts his body and he feels like he can help. 651 00:38:04,400 --> 00:38:06,480 Speaker 3: And that's the thing. I don't think there's any doubt 652 00:38:06,520 --> 00:38:09,000 Speaker 3: that he could help his team. But when you have 653 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:12,920 Speaker 3: had your first ever you know, not career threatening, but 654 00:38:13,360 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 3: major injury, career altering insury, I should say, uh, that 655 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:21,640 Speaker 3: does impact your mentality and impact your approach. So I 656 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 3: think that's what he's dealing with right now. 657 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:26,840 Speaker 1: Yar, You're the best. I thank you very much for 658 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:31,200 Speaker 1: answer the questions and giving us a real refocus on 659 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:34,120 Speaker 1: the NBA season. We're about at the two thirds mark 660 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,200 Speaker 1: and the third to go, and let's hope the Celtics 661 00:38:37,239 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 1: keep clicking because this would be a very unexpected year. 662 00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 1: No one would have thought that they would be this 663 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:47,080 Speaker 1: good this late in the season, except for maybe Gary Washburn. Gary, 664 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: thanks so much for your time tonight, and hope to 665 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:51,160 Speaker 1: talk to again before the season ends. 666 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,360 Speaker 3: Okay, thank you. 667 00:38:53,040 --> 00:38:56,439 Speaker 1: Very welcome. Thank you. All Right, we get back. We're 668 00:38:56,480 --> 00:39:00,440 Speaker 1: going to talk with Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn. He 669 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:04,239 Speaker 1: wants to see a lot more transparency at Boston City Hall. 670 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:07,000 Speaker 1: Is he gonna get it? Probably not, but I think 671 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,759 Speaker 1: it's important that we talk about it. Coming back right 672 00:39:09,800 --> 00:39:13,719 Speaker 1: after the nine o'clock news here on a Thursday night, 673 00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:17,000 Speaker 1: as we move towards a little closer towards the weekend. 674 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:18,040 Speaker 1: Coming back right after this