1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,679 Speaker 1: So I really, you know, studied those tapes. I would 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: take them out of the bin, put them in the 3 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: machine and just stare and you know, write notes and whatever. 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 2: And I'm in my own little world. 5 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:12,039 Speaker 1: And then one time I'm looking at, you know, the screen, 6 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: and the tapes come out and they pop them in, 7 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, I just felt this presence 8 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: to my left and I look up and it's Dan Patrick. 9 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 2: He goes, so you're nervous. Hello, my favorite listeners. This 10 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 2: is the podcast we like to call Off the Beat, 11 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 2: and I am the host that I like to call 12 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 2: Brian bombcart nerd Listen. Some people may say the holidays 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 2: end right after New Year, but those people are very 14 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 2: very wrong. True believers celebrate the real holiday season all 15 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 2: January long, straight through until the second Sunday in February. 16 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 2: That's right. I am talking about the holy days of 17 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 2: the NFL playoffs. And my guest today is, well, he's 18 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 2: a holy man. Rich Eisen one of my favorite fellas 19 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: in the business. He was a renowned sports reporter partnered 20 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 2: with Stuart Scott on Sports Center on ESPN for many 21 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 2: many years. He then was the first hire and is 22 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 2: now the face of the NFL Network. He's also hosted 23 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 2: his Emmy nominated talk show, The Rich Eisen Show for 24 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 2: almost a decade now, where I am a frequent contributor. 25 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,280 Speaker 2: We have to celebrate a victory today as well, because 26 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 2: Rich is a proud alumnus of the University of Michigan, 27 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: and just a few hours before we recorded this, the 28 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: Michigan Wolverines won the Division one twenty twenty three college 29 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 2: football Playoff championship. Go Blue, as Rich would say, So 30 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 2: we're going to talk about that. We're going to talk 31 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: about his career in journalism, and of course wild Card Weekend. 32 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 2: Let's see how right or wrong Rich was, and then 33 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 2: of course everything leading up to the big game next month. 34 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 2: Here he is one of my favorite people on the planet, 35 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 2: Rich Eisen. Bubble and squeak, I love it. Bubble and 36 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: Squeakna bubble and squeak. I could get every mon left 37 00:02:48,520 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: over from the ninety before. Well, hail to the victor. 38 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 2: That is correct. I appreciate you referring to me as 39 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 2: a victor. 40 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: Brian, have you slept it's Monday like a baby. 41 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 2: Like a Yeah, you've slept really well, except I'm sure 42 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 2: your phone's going off every forty five minutes as you're 43 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: sleeping with all the news pouring in. I know, it's 44 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 2: been insane, brother, it's been insane. Today we're recording this 45 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 2: January the eleventh. Bill Belichick is no longer the coach 46 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 2: of the Patriots. Yesterday, Nick Saban no longer the coach 47 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 2: at Alabama. Your thoughts, It's been totally insane, man. I 48 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 2: you know, I've been fortunate to do what I do 49 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 2: for a long time since ninety six nationally and never 50 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 2: seen it like this. Never never had the modern day 51 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 2: Lombardi and the modern day Paul bear Bryant retire within 52 00:04:00,880 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 2: a span of fifteen hours before the other one mutually 53 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: parted ways with his longtime employer. And you know Belichick 54 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 2: twenty four years at New England, seventeen years for Saban 55 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:21,599 Speaker 2: in Alabama, and to have them both leave their current 56 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 2: positions within that time period, preceded by Pete Carroll after 57 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 2: fourteen years in Seattle, I don't recall a quarterback a 58 00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: coaching carousel spinning off its axis like this one. Well, 59 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 2: and also vray Ball leaving Tennessee, which I think most 60 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,919 Speaker 2: thought was unexpected. 61 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: Yes, and then about to cannonball into this coaching carousel 62 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 1: or pool is Jim Harbaugh, my guy from Michigan. So 63 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,400 Speaker 1: it's nuts man. So you've got a six time Super 64 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: Bowl champion head coach and a seven time national champion 65 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: head coach in Saban departing the current national champion head 66 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: coach potentially entering the twenty twenty one Coach of the 67 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: Year in vrabel switching jobs as well. And Pete Carroll, 68 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: who like what Jim Harball wants to be is a 69 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: super Bowl winning head coach with a national championship in 70 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: his trophy case as well from college. It's nuts man, 71 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:32,359 Speaker 1: It's totally crazy. 72 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: I want to talk a little bit more about your 73 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 2: time at Michigan, but before I transition into your life, 74 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 2: I just I have to ask you one question. Is 75 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 2: that a Packers gay? I can't know you. I know 76 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 2: where you're going. That's the other g I know you're 77 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,720 Speaker 2: going with this. Well, first off, should Georgia have been 78 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 2: given the opportunity to play Michigan? No? Why should they have? Why? 79 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: Four best teams? Okay for market one of the four 80 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 2: best teams. Let me ask you this, QUOESU and Brian. 81 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety seven, Michigan won a National Championship and 82 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: had to share it with Nebraska, right, because they had 83 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: the misfortune of playing the last I guess one would 84 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: say a college football season before the BCS was born. 85 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: Where had the BCS taken place in nineteen ninety seven, 86 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: Michigan and Nebraska would have faced off the next week 87 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,479 Speaker 1: against one another, and that didn't happen. So I have 88 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: spent nineteen ninety seven to the present day having to 89 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:40,560 Speaker 1: push back at Nebraska Cornhusker fans, Well, you know, I know, 90 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 1: you know you had well, I guess Tommy Fraser at 91 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:45,920 Speaker 1: the time, I don't know who the hell it was. 92 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: You know, we had, you know, Charles Woodson patrolling the 93 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 1: secondary and you know Tom Brady on our sideline. He 94 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,359 Speaker 1: wasn't playing. It was Brian Greasy. But I think you 95 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: get to see where I'm going this whole argument. I'm 96 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: not going to have it with you about Michigan. What 97 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: would happened had Georgia taken on Michigan. I'm just not 98 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 1: going to countless it because the bottom line is for 99 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: Georgia to have made it, they needed to beat Alabama, 100 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: which it did not do, right, And then Michigan took 101 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: on Alabama the next week and retired Nick Saban. So 102 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: you know, obviously you could sit here and say Georgia's 103 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: better than Texas and Georgia is better than Washington. But 104 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 1: Washington went through its season and a conference undefeated and 105 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: won it. 106 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 107 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: Texas went through its conference season and won it. Didn't 108 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: go undefeated, but they did beat Alabama, which beat Georgia. 109 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: So you couldn't put Alabama in over Georgia, and you 110 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: couldn't put Alabama in over Texas either, because Texas had 111 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: beaten Alabama heads up. So for Georgia to have just 112 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: avoided this whole conversation and they just needed to beat 113 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 1: Alabama and didn't know that would have been interesting. Had 114 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: they made it. They would have taken on Florida State 115 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 1: in the Rose Bowl, and Michigan would have faced Washington 116 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: one week earlier, and then we'll see what had happened. 117 00:08:15,080 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: I don't know, but I get what you're saying now. 118 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 2: I know it is interesting. I talked to Josh Brooks, 119 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,120 Speaker 2: the athletic director at the University of Georgia, the week before, 120 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 2: and I asked him what happens if Alabama wins? You know, 121 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,679 Speaker 2: Georgia was hurt. Bowers was hurt. Conkey was hurt, and 122 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 2: he wouldn't he said, well, I always have to win. Yeah, 123 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 2: that was it. That was it, you know. 124 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 1: But I'll tell you what it would have been an 125 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: interesting battle because Michigan was way better and deeper this 126 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: year than the time the two of our schools faced 127 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,319 Speaker 1: each other in the Orange Bowl two years ago, where 128 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: Michigan wasn't ready for that. This year, I think Michigan 129 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 1: would have been a bit more ready for it. 130 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:05,199 Speaker 2: Now you deserve of all kudos, congratulations and and yeah 131 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,719 Speaker 2: you did it, and now I did it. Yes, you 132 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 2: did well. You you would part well if you have 133 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 2: Portnoy did it right, you you should have as much 134 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:17,319 Speaker 2: say as him, right. 135 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 1: I was just down the road from him at the 136 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: Rose Bowl. Yes, as a matter of fact, And you know, 137 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:25,559 Speaker 1: my twelve year old son was sitting next to my nephew, 138 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: who's a senior in Syracuse and is well versed on 139 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: the travails of the stool Presidente and his seven figure 140 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: bet on Michigan. 141 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 2: At the Rose Bowl. 142 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: My twelve year old son turns to me in no 143 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: fewer than about eight times during the game, he goes, Dad, 144 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: is that guy over there really betting a million dollars 145 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: on this game, and I'm like, I believe, so, I 146 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: believe so that you should ever do such a thing. 147 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 2: But yeah, yeah, so I hear you. You grew up 148 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 2: in Stayland, Yeah yeah, and Wagner High School there. When 149 00:10:08,640 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 2: did you get an idea? I always liked talking to 150 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 2: people about you know, when you're a kid, you have 151 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 2: a dream of being a fireman or being a quarterback 152 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 2: of the Patriots or whatever. When for you did you 153 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 2: start thinking that that journalism at least was something that 154 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 2: you wanted to do well. 155 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,959 Speaker 1: It was basically when I realized I couldn't hit the curveball, 156 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: make the jump shot, throw the perfect spiral, run very fast. 157 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: And I did love sports, and I always did love 158 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:45,960 Speaker 1: the idea of being a sportscaster. You know, I learned 159 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: early on that if I ever wanted to reach a 160 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 1: certain level within the sports world, it wasn't going to 161 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 1: be through the athletic part of it. It was going 162 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 1: to be through the verbal part of it. So I 163 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:03,760 Speaker 1: grew up having emulate Marv Albert was the NBC local 164 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 1: sportscaster at night, also called Knicks Games and Ranger games, 165 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: And I grew up listening to Marv and watching him 166 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: Howard Cosell on Monday Night football was somebody who I emulated, 167 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: and so I always thought to myself, that's something I'd 168 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: want to do and found my way into it through 169 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: just a long journey from college into working for a 170 00:11:29,960 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 1: local newspaper in my hometown as an intern working for 171 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: the student newspaper at Michigan and Sports Center came into 172 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: the world in nineteen seventy nine, and then while I 173 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: was in college from eighty six to ninety that's really 174 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: when it began to explode and was kind of put 175 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: on my radar screen as a goal of wanting to 176 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: do that. Oh you were thinking about it then in college? Hell, yeah, absolutely, Well. 177 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: I did a couple of things extracurricular in college. One 178 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: was work for the Michigan Daily and I covered beaucham 179 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: Beckler's final season as the football coach there and covered 180 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: the Rose Bowl that year actually, and that's what's kind 181 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: of emotional for me to see Michigan with Harbaugh win 182 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 1: the Rose Bowl this year and bring my wife and 183 00:12:18,280 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: kids and nephew to the game, and so you know, 184 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: kind of point like that press box right there is 185 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: where I sat in that in nineteen ninety and now 186 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,480 Speaker 1: here I was in January first of twenty twenty four 187 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: with the you know, my whole family watching Michigan Win. 188 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: It was really emotional for me. And the other thing 189 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: I did was stand up comedy. That was when stand 190 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: up really exploded in the mid to late eighties, when 191 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: they made Tom Hanks Sally Fields movie out of you know, 192 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: stand up comedy, and people were waiting around the block 193 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: to get in, and the student union was having a 194 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 1: comedy night once a month, and I did comedy there 195 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: probably once every other month. Sometimes I did it one 196 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: month after another, and I loved it. I loved the feedback. 197 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 1: I loved trying to figure out what a crowd was 198 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: into making jokes and having a set and doing that. 199 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 1: And it was the toughest thing to date, Brian, that 200 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:18,079 Speaker 1: I've ever had to do is stand up which is 201 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: another reason why I love to have funny people on 202 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 1: my show every day, and comedians. You know, not only 203 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: because I grew up also watching Johnny Carson and Letterman 204 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: and that's the lifeblood of talk shows, are comedians coming 205 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: in and you playing straight man to him or her. 206 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: But I also just really respect the craft. Those are 207 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: the two things I did in college. Who do you 208 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,440 Speaker 1: remember like loving or you know, kind of following in 209 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 1: terms of stand up as you were doing it, or 210 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:50,680 Speaker 1: was there anybody you emulated or well, I mean, I 211 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: don't know if I really was into that, I mean 212 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 1: about getting into who I emulated. I just loved going 213 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: and doing something and the immediate feedback of performing in 214 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: front of a crowd. I've always never really had a 215 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 1: problem with that. And at this point, you know, in 216 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:12,439 Speaker 1: time in my life and my career, I'll make a 217 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: joke on NFL Network or my Daily show, or I'll 218 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: have done it on Sports Center, which is again in college, 219 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 1: it kind of mixed all the dreams together of comedy 220 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: and performing art and sportscasting, which is what Sports Center 221 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 1: really was at the time. And so I really didn't 222 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: have one comic that I was trying to emulate. I 223 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: was just being myself and having a good time. And 224 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: I loved it. I just like I said, I really 225 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 1: loved it to the point where now I'll make a 226 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:43,880 Speaker 1: joke on any of those sets, and it's not the 227 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: job of the you know, the folks behind the cameras 228 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: on the floor to laugh at my stuff. But if 229 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 1: I don't get an immediate feedback to a joke I 230 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 1: make on the air, I'll think it's fallen flat. So 231 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: I do miss the feedback. I do miss all of that, 232 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: and it was amazing, man. I I loved doing it, 233 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: loved it. 234 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 2: Well. You know, another thing that was happening at this 235 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:11,280 Speaker 2: time was the huge comedy Second City that was birthing 236 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 2: out of Chicago. I know you spent some time in 237 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 2: Chicago before moving on to ESPN. You got a job 238 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: of the Chicago Tribune. Were you covering sports there? Jeez? 239 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 2: Was I covering in Chicago? I'm not really. I went. 240 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 1: I went there for a hot minute, really for graduate school, 241 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: and that's where I really had hoped to move into 242 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: the TV world in Chicago, because I after graduating Michigan, 243 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: I went back to my hometown newspaper for three years 244 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: and worked there for a while and had a great time, 245 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: but realized that wasn't really what I wanted to do. 246 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 1: I really wanted to try sports casting. We really wanted 247 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 1: to get into TV. So I went back to Northwestern 248 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: lived there for about six months, I you know, just 249 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 1: to pay some bills. I did some stringing for the 250 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 1: Chicago Tribune, where I would, you know, go out to 251 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: Wheeling or Schomberg and and and get the stats from 252 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 1: the coaches of the high school games and call them 253 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: in to the sports desk. You know, like that's what 254 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: I did, right, But I also had a great time 255 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: covering sports for the school you know, or I guess 256 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: for my school work. And that's when Jordan retired for 257 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: the first time. Okay, that was wild. Was there met 258 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: Harry Carrey as the Cubs once I think it was 259 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: they named Tom Treblelhorn their new manager. So I met 260 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: Carrie Carrey before the press conference. 261 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 2: It was noon. He was already into a couple bloody Mary's. 262 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 2: I'll never forget that. 263 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 1: So that's what I basically did in Chicago while I 264 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: was there trying to get my degree, my master's degree. 265 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 2: Right, you know. One of the other things that I 266 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:55,480 Speaker 2: like to touch on our people that others don't know about, 267 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 2: who have sort of a profound impact on you. I 268 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 2: read Mike Mangus, yea there in Northern California, read and reading, Yes, 269 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 2: you worked at k r c R there. Yeah, did 270 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 2: he have a specific he was a sports director, have 271 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 2: a specific idea? Was in your director. 272 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, I got my first job in Reading California after 273 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: I was done with Medill at the School of Journalism 274 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,120 Speaker 1: There I graduated, and I got a call from one 275 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:29,439 Speaker 1: of my fellow classmates who got a job in Reading California, 276 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: and she told me, you know, the sports casting job 277 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: is open here. 278 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 2: You should apply for it. And I did. 279 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,359 Speaker 1: And it took really I had to really, you know, 280 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: twist the arm of the news director to let him 281 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: know that this kid from New York City was really 282 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:50,479 Speaker 1: serious about coming to his hamlet in northern California and 283 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 1: treating a job with seriousness, but also bringing my brand 284 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 1: of sports center isms to local sports casting. And I 285 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:03,120 Speaker 1: did that. And Mike was the main sports anchor there. 286 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: He had been there for a long time and he's 287 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: still there now. And there were four sports casts there 288 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: that per day, at five o'clock, five thirty, six thirty, 289 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: and eleven. So I did the five and the eleven, 290 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: and so it was a long day. But I just 291 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 1: remember a lot of the stuff that I did was 292 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: just off the wall. I brought a sports center style 293 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: to local TV. And you know, there was a big 294 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:34,800 Speaker 1: wrestling match that was going on in the high school 295 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: prep sports world there Anderson High School. Their school's nickname 296 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: were the Cubs, and they were going against another local 297 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,680 Speaker 1: high school and a big, you know, real wrestling competition, 298 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: and I decided to make like a wrestling promo out 299 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:55,479 Speaker 1: of it and turn myself into the junkyard Cub, you know. 300 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 1: And I enlisted Mike in to be the straight man, 301 00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:01,919 Speaker 1: like the mean gene of it, you know. And there 302 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:03,639 Speaker 1: were a lot of people there and reading who were like, 303 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: you know, what is wrong with this person, you know, 304 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,920 Speaker 1: like and they'd call up and they'd complain, like he's 305 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: not taking this seriously. My son is trying to get 306 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: a wrestling scholarship, or my son, this is really important. 307 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 1: I used to wrestle for Anderson, and my kid is 308 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:21,679 Speaker 1: now wrestling because it's a legacy, and he's treating it 309 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: like it's it's the WWF because I believe it predated 310 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: the WWE. And Mike, I mean, I don't think he 311 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 1: ever told me, but I'm sure you saved my job 312 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: a couple of times, you know, where he took the 313 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: figure it a bullet for me and the complaint department 314 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: and the general manager of the station at the time, 315 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:46,719 Speaker 1: who was very you know, matrician and buttoned up and 316 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: probably was wondering, why did we hire this person who's 317 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: creating so much of a ruckus that we're getting calls 318 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: at nights. Then we never got calls from people over 319 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: twenty o'clock sports cast, like what the hell is happening? 320 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 2: You know? So Mike. 321 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: Mike was always awesome to me and gave me the space, 322 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: knowing that I wasn't planning on being there to make 323 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: a career out of being and reading. My goal was 324 00:20:11,480 --> 00:20:15,080 Speaker 1: to get to Sports Center, and remarkably I got there 325 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: from reading, Like I really like won the lottery by 326 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: being discovered by ESPN while I was at KARCRTV, and 327 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,120 Speaker 1: I went from there to Sports Center at age twenty six. 328 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:31,679 Speaker 1: It was like getting struck by lightning. 329 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:37,080 Speaker 2: But what an incredible gift, though, to have the experience 330 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 2: before being thrown in there, to be able to do, 331 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 2: you know, some different ideas, to allow you to explore 332 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 2: your own brand of humor, and to have that experience 333 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 2: in front of a camera with a crew around. You know, 334 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 2: it's not just in your basement, but having that on 335 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 2: air experience that seems like a great gift. 336 00:20:57,520 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: Well it was, and you know, I mean, when I 337 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:03,000 Speaker 1: walked into Sports Center for the first time, Brian, there 338 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:04,919 Speaker 1: were more people in the newsroom than were in the 339 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: entire employee list of KRCR, you know, and then you 340 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: look around the newsroom and it was everybody that I 341 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: was dreaming of becoming a colleague of, or had been 342 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 1: emulating or ripping off in my sports casts. And suddenly 343 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 1: I was thrown into that world. And it was the 344 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: golden age of Sports Center nineteen ninety six. When I 345 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: strolled in there, it was Dan Patrick, Dan and Keith. 346 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:34,200 Speaker 1: At night the big show, the six o'clock Eastern Sports 347 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 1: Center with Bob Lee and Robin Roberts and Charlie Steiner, 348 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 1: and then the overnight show was Craig Kilbourne and Linda Cone, 349 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 1: and you know, a whole host of others. Mike Tarrico 350 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:51,160 Speaker 1: is occasionally doing it still, like Kenny Maine. Kenny Maine obviously. 351 00:21:51,240 --> 00:21:51,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. 352 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,119 Speaker 1: And then you know, the ultimate obvious one is Stuart Scott, 353 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 1: who I was connected with more often than not for 354 00:21:57,119 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: about a seven year period after that. 355 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 2: Were you intimidated walking in, Oh hell ya. 356 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:05,120 Speaker 1: Of course, you know. I mean I remember trying out. 357 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: I mean, they flew me all the way across the 358 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: country from Reading to Connecticut, and unbelievably, there was a 359 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,440 Speaker 1: snowstorm on the East coast. The first time I attempted, 360 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 1: it couldn't get as far as Chicago. Had to go 361 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: back to Redding without telling anybody there where I was going. 362 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: And I was just like broken hearted that I had 363 00:22:22,080 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: to go back because I'm dreaming as I'm flying east 364 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: and then I'd never get there and turn around. I'm like, 365 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: maybe this is a sign that's never going to happen. 366 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: But two weeks later I went back and I remember 367 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: staying in the hotel across the street on the Sunday 368 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 1: night before the Monday, I was auditioning, and I just 369 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: couldn't sleep, just not only because I was so hyped up, 370 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:47,440 Speaker 1: but it was one of those hotels where you could 371 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:50,439 Speaker 1: hear this stream of water above you and you realize 372 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 1: it was the person urinating in the room above you. 373 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:56,720 Speaker 1: So I couldn't get any sleep, and I'm like, you 374 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 1: know what, let me just turn on Sports Center now 375 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: and get in the mode. And I'm watching the Dan 376 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: and Keith Big Show, and as they're going through their highlights, 377 00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,119 Speaker 1: I thought to myself, I would have done it this 378 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: way I would have used that line. My thought would 379 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 1: have been that not this or that was a great line, 380 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:16,159 Speaker 1: but I would have tried it this way. That's how 381 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: I was going, just to keep my mind as an 382 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: exercise going through it. Next day, go in, it's now 383 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: time and they give me the rundown, you know, piece 384 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: of paper with the list of the highlights that I 385 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: would be calling and the you know, hey, write us 386 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: in on camera, lead in into this highlight, and then 387 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 1: you'll do three three highlights, and then you'll do this 388 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,679 Speaker 1: on camera, lead into those highlights. And the highlights that 389 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: they gave me were the exact tapes from the Dan 390 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 1: and Keith show the night before. So I was unwittingly 391 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: preparing exactly for the audition I was going to have 392 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 1: the next day. And so I crushed it. Man, I 393 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: knew exactly what I was going to say, all the stuff. 394 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:02,960 Speaker 1: If I would have done it this way, I then 395 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: did that, did that right, And I nailed it. I 396 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:11,479 Speaker 1: mean I crushed the audition, crushed it. And I remember 397 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: Al Jaffy was the VP of Talent at the time, 398 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 1: coming out and he was elated because, you know me, 399 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: he's flying some kid, twenty six year old kid from 400 00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: reading California across the country. I'm sure there were some 401 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 1: of his colleagues going really like, is this the guy 402 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 1: you really want to throw in the mix with all these, 403 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, with everybody, And and I then got completely 404 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:38,560 Speaker 1: intimidated by walking in there. When I was fully hired. 405 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 1: They had me observe I was the last hire before 406 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: ESPN News was created where they would then put all 407 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: the future hires on there to cut their teeth. I 408 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: was the last one that they hired and threw directly 409 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: into the Sports Center pool. And the one thing that 410 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:55,399 Speaker 1: I did observe that I did pick up on it. 411 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 1: That's something that sticks to me to this day is 412 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 1: every single one of the Sports Center anchor colleagues that 413 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:08,240 Speaker 1: I was so eager to be colleagues with, and that 414 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: I thought I knew because I watched them each and 415 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,159 Speaker 1: every one of them walked in the room and was 416 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: the same exact person that they were on the air. 417 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 1: And I remember thinking to myself, Okay, so if I 418 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 1: don't know if you can curse on this pod or not, yes, okay, 419 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,200 Speaker 1: I mean so if you're going to try any bullshit 420 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 1: on the viewer, they're gonna smell it that you have 421 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: to be completely authentic. I mean when Chris Berman walked 422 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: in the room, because he rarely did sports centers back 423 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 1: when I started, but he would just kind of parachute 424 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: in for one week and go back and do sports centers, 425 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: and that was the week I was observing. So to 426 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: watch Berman walk in the room and be the Chris 427 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: Berman I watched on the Draft and Sports Center, I'm like, wow, okay, 428 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,160 Speaker 1: like that's the way to do it. You can't come 429 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: out and give some sort of a voice, some sort 430 00:26:00,520 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: of you know, bullshit. Just be yourself and everyone Dan 431 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 1: Keith name it, everyone killboard my god. I mean that 432 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: he's as genuine from on the air as off the 433 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 1: air as anybody I've seen. So that was definitely a 434 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:17,760 Speaker 1: lesson I learned real fast. 435 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 2: It seemed like, or I don't know, from the outside, 436 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:43,360 Speaker 2: it seemed well like you and Dan seemed to clearly 437 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 2: have a great relationship. Now both of you visit each 438 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 2: other's shows fairly regularly. Did you feel like there was 439 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 2: a lot of internal competition because everyone at that point, 440 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 2: Oh okay, there was yeah, oh yeah, I'm sorry I 441 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 2: mean to interrupt you. No, no, no, yeah, yeah, no, I. 442 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,919 Speaker 1: Mean, but you know you also had to understand as well, 443 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: you know, like sure there was some internal competition, but 444 00:27:09,359 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: there was also some tough love. And you know, I 445 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,399 Speaker 1: got some from Keith about my on air style and 446 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: Dan hayes me. You know, like the tapes that I 447 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:20,880 Speaker 1: told you about that that I was able to audition 448 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:22,800 Speaker 1: off of and know already because they were from the 449 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: show the night before. When I would do the two 450 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 1: AM Sports Center, the eleven o'clock tapes would come upstairs 451 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 1: and most of them would be reused, you know, the 452 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: when there was a baseball game that was over for 453 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,199 Speaker 1: the eleven o'clock show, and they would just use it 454 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:38,199 Speaker 1: again for the two am show because there wasn't anything 455 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: that was that needed to be added to it. So 456 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:43,640 Speaker 1: I really, you know, studied those tapes. I would take 457 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 1: them out of the bin, put them in the machine 458 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 1: and just stare and you know, write notes and whatever. 459 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:49,959 Speaker 2: And I'm in my own little world. 460 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: And then one time I'm looking at you know, the screen, 461 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: and the tapes come out and they pop them in, 462 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:56,360 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, I just felt this presence 463 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,520 Speaker 1: to my left and I look up and it's Dan Patrick. 464 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:06,400 Speaker 2: He goes, so you're nervous, And I thought. 465 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: To myself, you know, like, all right, I think I'm 466 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:14,160 Speaker 1: being as here. And I took that as a little 467 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: bit of a He wouldn't have done it if he 468 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: didn't think I could handle it or I that was that, 469 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 1: you know, when when Keith left to go to MSNBC 470 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: and his seat was open, there was I wanted it bad. 471 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 1: Stuart was pissed that I wanted it bad. He's like, 472 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:33,920 Speaker 1: we're a team, Like, what do you want to leave 473 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:35,960 Speaker 1: our team to go just be with Dan? Like Dan 474 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,400 Speaker 1: was with Keith, Like you know, you don't need to 475 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 1: create a new team. We're the team, you know. Like, 476 00:28:41,800 --> 00:28:43,760 Speaker 1: but you know, and when Kenny got it, there was 477 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,760 Speaker 1: some a lot of people like, well, you know, I 478 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:47,920 Speaker 1: deserved it. 479 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 2: There was some of that, no doubt about it. 480 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:52,960 Speaker 1: But it was just an incredible place to be and 481 00:28:53,000 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: certainly at the time that Sports Center was having it 482 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 1: was I'm really lucky to have that time, really lucky. 483 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 2: What were you most proud of during your time there? 484 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:06,960 Speaker 1: Uh, just most proud of being myself and growing up 485 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: and having a great time with Stuart. And I'm just 486 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,120 Speaker 1: proud of the fact that I still run into people again. 487 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 1: I'm fifty four now, and I'll have like it's crazy, man. 488 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 1: I'll have like I'll be standing there at school, you know, 489 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: with my my kids, you know, I had kids a 490 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: little late with my wife. I'm standing there and a 491 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,239 Speaker 1: dad whose kid is in my kids class will come 492 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: up to me and tell me, you know that they 493 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: grew up watching me on Sports Center, you know, before 494 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: they went to fifth grade school. Because Sports Center used 495 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,000 Speaker 1: to be re aired, the one that Stuart and I 496 00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 1: did was wrapped by three am. Like my regular out 497 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: time average was about three thirty in the morning, and 498 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 1: then I'd go to sleep and the shows would be 499 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 1: reared from five am Eastern all the way to one 500 00:29:57,200 --> 00:29:59,520 Speaker 1: o'clock Eastern. There would be a noon to one o'clock 501 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: Eastern show. Now, as you know, ESPN is live programming NonStop, 502 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:05,160 Speaker 1: but at the time they would just rea air those 503 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:08,800 Speaker 1: Sports centers. I got some of the biggest exposure television 504 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: exposure of my career while I was sleeping, you know, 505 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: I was aids the world, like sleeping at eleven in 506 00:30:15,080 --> 00:30:17,560 Speaker 1: the morning because I needed my six hours, you know. 507 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: And so I'm just proud that it still resonates for 508 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: so many people, and that whenever the subject matter may 509 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: come up on social media or wherever I meet people, 510 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 1: they've got like this warm and fuzzy feeling about their 511 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 1: own childhood or growing up, and they view me as 512 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:41,280 Speaker 1: some sort of a figure from that time when they 513 00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: were young and innocent and learning about sports and having 514 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:46,680 Speaker 1: fun watching Sports Center, that I'm that person for them 515 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: here in twenty twenty four. 516 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 2: I'm really proud of that. Yeah, that's really awesome. And 517 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:57,160 Speaker 2: I love to hear you say how authentic everyone was, 518 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:03,880 Speaker 2: because I would say, particularly you and Stuart worked so 519 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 2: well together and felt so comfortable, so different in so 520 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 2: many ways, but just complimented each other perfectly. Yeah, did 521 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 2: you get to meet him? I did get to meet him? 522 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 2: What and where was it early SBS? I think yeah, 523 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 2: the first time and and maybe the first couple of times, yes, 524 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 2: And saw him on the golf course actually the ESPN 525 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,760 Speaker 2: thing they used to do. Uh yeah for the SP's 526 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 2: right out for the s that's right. Yeah. Yeah, he 527 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:38,760 Speaker 2: loved to play golf. 528 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:45,640 Speaker 1: He was terrible at it, terrible, He was terrible at it, yes, 529 00:31:45,720 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: but he loved it and he had no concept of 530 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: how to score none at all. I mean, you know, 531 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 1: we we had to tell him at one point, like 532 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: listen today, if you hit the ball out of bounds 533 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: and you then drop the ball where there is a 534 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:06,600 Speaker 1: white steak, you need to go back and read tea it. 535 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: If you drop it where there's a red steak, you 536 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: may hit it from there, but it isn't your second shot, 537 00:32:15,560 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: you know. Like we had to tell him that, and 538 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: it wasn't It wasn't him being you know, trying to 539 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 1: teach it like there was no money on the line 540 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: or anything like that. We're just like, dude, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, 541 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: no no, there are provisionals like pro v's. He thought 542 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 1: meant provisional. I'm like, no, that's the name of the 543 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: golf ball man, you know, Like. 544 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 2: I remember, and I think I played with him twice, 545 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 2: and this was before this was a thing. I don't 546 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 2: know if if this was a normal thing or maybe 547 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 2: it was a weather. 548 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: He wore sleeves like a long, tight part of that 549 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,400 Speaker 1: is because he was ripped. He was ripped. I think 550 00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:58,440 Speaker 1: you want to show off as physique. Stewart was ripped. 551 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,640 Speaker 1: He was always ripped that. Oh yeah, and it was 552 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 1: a Jordan thing too. I'm sure he had all the 553 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:05,240 Speaker 1: latest Nike gear from his buddy MJ. 554 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:07,280 Speaker 2: And Tiger. 555 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 1: Oh god, Tiger loved him, and he loved Tiger. He 556 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:16,080 Speaker 1: always Stewart always looked great on the golf course. He 557 00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:19,080 Speaker 1: always had the latest of this, that the other thing. 558 00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,320 Speaker 1: And then he'd go out and shoot a buck thirty 559 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:23,920 Speaker 1: and tell you he shot in eighty nine and we're like, dude, 560 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 1: oh my god, like you gotta be kidd me. 561 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 2: And then again, like his eyesight was very poor. 562 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: Just watching him look for a golf ball, We're like, dude, 563 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: you've got fifty of them in your golf bag. You know, 564 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,240 Speaker 1: Tiger just sent you a box of nine hundred of them. 565 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:45,520 Speaker 1: Just drop one and count it as a stroke, you 566 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: know when you do it. Oh my god. I just 567 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: love being around him. He was just he was always 568 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:54,160 Speaker 1: a blast man. And we did we did get along. 569 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,959 Speaker 1: We did get along from the very very beginning. One 570 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: of my favorite Sports Center commercials we did together. It's 571 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 1: very rarely seen. We ad lib the entire thing. It 572 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 1: was right around We shot a Sports Center commercial around 573 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 1: that they said they were gonna air and they were 574 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: gonna air it around Christmas. They wanted to shoot a 575 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: Christmas time spot, and they didn't even have a script 576 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:19,920 Speaker 1: for it. They just had an idea that Stewart would 577 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:24,040 Speaker 1: present me with an IFB in a box like one 578 00:34:24,080 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 1: of those ear pieces and just present it to me, like, 579 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 1: come up to me in my desk and we add 580 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:32,240 Speaker 1: lib the whole thing where I'm just typing away, taps 581 00:34:32,280 --> 00:34:33,719 Speaker 1: me on the show and he goes, this is for you, 582 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:35,919 Speaker 1: and I'm like for me, and I open it up 583 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 1: and it's the my earpiece they had mine and I'm like, 584 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:42,240 Speaker 1: oh my god, it fits you know, my size and everything. 585 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,640 Speaker 1: Thanks man, And we would then we paused and waited 586 00:34:45,680 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 1: and quickly gave the bro hug and then separated like 587 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:52,200 Speaker 1: a right, you know, cool, and he walked away wordlessly. 588 00:34:52,239 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 1: It was perfect, like we did it and like one 589 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:58,960 Speaker 1: or two takes. It was exactly thirty seconds. They're like 590 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:01,920 Speaker 1: good enough on and we thought they'll never air it 591 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 1: because there was no script, and those Sports Center commercials 592 00:35:05,440 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 1: were really closely guarded, like they would walk around the 593 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:13,280 Speaker 1: Widen Kennedy people with the ESPN folks from the marketing department. 594 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 1: If you were chosen for those spots, that was very 595 00:35:15,840 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: competitive too, Like you like how many. 596 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 2: Spots did they get? How many? 597 00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:21,200 Speaker 1: Because I only got one? And you like, and you know, 598 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: am I you know how much am I in it? 599 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:26,440 Speaker 1: You know that's that was very competitive back at the time. 600 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,319 Speaker 1: And they're like, you know, we were thinking of doing 601 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:31,000 Speaker 1: one for Christmas. You guys want to try it, and 602 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: they put my earpiece in a box. He walked, tap 603 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:35,680 Speaker 1: me on the shoulder. I remember, I was sitting at 604 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,560 Speaker 1: my desk. It's rarely seen. I don't even know if 605 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: it's on YouTube or not. 606 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 2: Wow, I loved it. We just we ad lived it 607 00:35:42,719 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 2: the whole thing and it was I love that guy, man, 608 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 2: love it. It's awesome. Uh, you leave seven eight years 609 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:55,680 Speaker 2: at ESPN and you become I mean, I think it's 610 00:35:55,719 --> 00:35:59,400 Speaker 2: safe to say the face of the NFL network, the 611 00:35:59,560 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 2: first higher, first talent higher in two thousand and three. 612 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:10,319 Speaker 2: You've now been there over twenty years. How difficult was 613 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,720 Speaker 2: it for you to leave ESPN? Oh it's real tough. 614 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 2: Oh it was real tough. But they made it easy. 615 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:21,080 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, after a while, you know, Sports 616 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:25,440 Speaker 1: Center changed as an entity because just a you know, 617 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: in our fast paced media world, man, I mean, the 618 00:36:29,600 --> 00:36:34,080 Speaker 1: advent of cell phones and the explosion of I know 619 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,720 Speaker 1: I'm dating myself the Internet. It really changed Sports Center 620 00:36:37,719 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: from a show, and at least in the mindseye of 621 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:44,160 Speaker 1: management of a show telling you what happened, assuming you 622 00:36:44,239 --> 00:36:46,759 Speaker 1: hadn't seen it yet, or assuming you'd only seen it 623 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,239 Speaker 1: once and wanted to see it again in a entertainingly 624 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 1: presented highlight form. And it went from that when I 625 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:55,719 Speaker 1: first got there to the end of them assuming you've 626 00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,200 Speaker 1: not only seen it, you've seen all the highlights. Now 627 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:01,120 Speaker 1: you just want to know why something happened, or an 628 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: argument over why something happened and whose fault it was, 629 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 1: or you know that sort of thing. And that was 630 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,360 Speaker 1: how things changed. I went from being a sports center 631 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:16,760 Speaker 1: anchor to a crossfire moderator sometimes is how I felt. 632 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:19,799 Speaker 1: And I also saw that, you know, Disney had just 633 00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:24,719 Speaker 1: recently bought ESPN, and I wanted to play with other 634 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:27,160 Speaker 1: toys in the Disney chest. I thought I should have 635 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:30,719 Speaker 1: a presence on say, Good Morning America when a big 636 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:35,120 Speaker 1: sports story hit, or do other things like play by play, 637 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:38,319 Speaker 1: and at the time management only wanted me to do 638 00:37:38,440 --> 00:37:43,960 Speaker 1: more sports centers right, and I firmed my ground, and 639 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:48,400 Speaker 1: towards the end they gave me a possibility, like literally 640 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: two weeks before the end of my contract, being up 641 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,640 Speaker 1: to the idea of maybe hosting a show called Cold 642 00:37:53,680 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 1: Pizza that turned into their morning Venture in New York City. 643 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,920 Speaker 1: I turned that down for various reason, even though I 644 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,160 Speaker 1: wanted to live in New York City, and so I 645 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 1: guess they took that as an opinion of, Hey, we 646 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 1: tried our best and you're out. That was tough, man, 647 00:38:09,160 --> 00:38:11,399 Speaker 1: I mean it was tough. I never thought I would 648 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:14,719 Speaker 1: leave ESPN. It was my identity. They took me out 649 00:38:14,719 --> 00:38:18,960 Speaker 1: of Reading California, and so I joined NFL Network. I 650 00:38:18,960 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: had another opportunity to potentially call Braves games for TBS 651 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:28,160 Speaker 1: because they were taking full and complete control of the 652 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:34,640 Speaker 1: Braves broadcast into a re tooled TBS. And I guess 653 00:38:34,960 --> 00:38:37,000 Speaker 1: I'm just trying to think here, would I have wound 654 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:38,279 Speaker 1: up on TBS more than you. 655 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:41,560 Speaker 2: I don't know anymore? 656 00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 1: Okay, not anymore, I know, not anymore, but back in 657 00:38:45,080 --> 00:38:47,440 Speaker 1: two thousand, you know, back in the aughts, you know, 658 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: and in the early sure. Okay, I'm just I know, 659 00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 1: I'm just throwing out I'm just trying to find like, 660 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:56,279 Speaker 1: because they were retooling TBS into a spot where people 661 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 1: would watch comedy and stuff like that and and then 662 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 1: braves games and things that nature. But I chose NFL 663 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:04,840 Speaker 1: network out here in LA and you know it was 664 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:07,719 Speaker 1: run at the time by Steve Bornstein is the former 665 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:10,480 Speaker 1: president of ESPN, and you knew what I could do. 666 00:39:10,560 --> 00:39:13,040 Speaker 1: I always tell Stevie smart enough to have hired me twice, 667 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 1: and now here I am twenty years in man. 668 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:22,080 Speaker 2: Twenty years. You do an amazing thanks job on the network. 669 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:26,719 Speaker 2: I feel like, you know this sounds weird, but I 670 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 2: feel like you're very, very fair when you perceive there 671 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:36,920 Speaker 2: to be multitude of sides. Thank you. I appreciate that, 672 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:37,160 Speaker 2: you know. 673 00:39:37,239 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 1: I honestly I always feel, you know, Brian, like there's 674 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:44,800 Speaker 1: got to be some version of a nuance, you know 675 00:39:44,800 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 1: what I mean that maybe I'm not thinking about or 676 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:51,400 Speaker 1: anybody else is thinking about. 677 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:52,120 Speaker 2: I don't know. 678 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: I just want to take the approach that I hope 679 00:39:56,760 --> 00:40:00,760 Speaker 1: is completely open, too. 680 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:02,960 Speaker 2: Normal. 681 00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:05,680 Speaker 1: I don't know, you know what I mean, like don't 682 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:08,279 Speaker 1: I don't know what else how else to describe it, 683 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:11,320 Speaker 1: but it is something that I'm I'm hopeful that people 684 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,239 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Yes, And I always try to be as 685 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:17,280 Speaker 1: reasonable as possible, but I'll sometimes fly off the handle. 686 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:20,000 Speaker 2: You know, I don't know. Well, you know, I love 687 00:40:20,080 --> 00:40:23,319 Speaker 2: the NFL and by the way, the work that they 688 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:25,399 Speaker 2: have given me an opportunity to do on Good Way 689 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:28,200 Speaker 2: Football a number of times. I love seeing you on it, 690 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 2: man that really enjoy doing that, even co hosting it 691 00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 2: very rarely. But you know, I think the thing that 692 00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:42,800 Speaker 2: the NFL is awesome. They're not always right, and everything 693 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:46,560 Speaker 2: that happens on the field doesn't always go correctly. And 694 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:51,240 Speaker 2: to me, just as a person doesn't have to be perfect, 695 00:40:51,719 --> 00:40:54,360 Speaker 2: that entity doesn't have to be perfect. I think where 696 00:40:54,920 --> 00:40:58,800 Speaker 2: I think at times people get frustrated is when we 697 00:40:59,160 --> 00:41:03,919 Speaker 2: are all expected to pretend that it is perfect right, 698 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,640 Speaker 2: and I feel like you, in a very even handed way, 699 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:09,919 Speaker 2: are are very fair. Well, I appreciate that, but. 700 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:14,359 Speaker 1: I mean, look, I'm fortunate. I'm fortunate to that when 701 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 1: I took my job with the NFL. So I got 702 00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:21,279 Speaker 1: I got let go by ESPN, and late in May 703 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:24,120 Speaker 1: of three I got married. On June seventh of o three, 704 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:27,440 Speaker 1: I went on my honeymoon. On my honeymoon, I was 705 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:32,799 Speaker 1: driving from Venice where I signed my contract, down to 706 00:41:32,880 --> 00:41:35,839 Speaker 1: Tuscany and on driving my wife on me a one. 707 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:39,120 Speaker 1: My phone goes off and you know, and so she 708 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:41,480 Speaker 1: answers it because of course she's not going to give 709 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:44,480 Speaker 1: it to me driving in Italy where people, you know, 710 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 1: drive this close to your bumper, and then she hands 711 00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:50,360 Speaker 1: me the phone and I'm like, this must be someone important. 712 00:41:50,360 --> 00:41:52,560 Speaker 1: It must be The president said it was Dick Vital. 713 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:54,960 Speaker 1: He was sad that I had left. But the reason 714 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,239 Speaker 1: why I bring all this up is I got a 715 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:01,600 Speaker 1: call when I came back from my honey moon from 716 00:42:01,640 --> 00:42:05,440 Speaker 1: the COO of the NFL. I was unfamiliar with the 717 00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:08,799 Speaker 1: NFL float chart. Brian completely unfamiliar with the float chart. 718 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 2: I didn't know. 719 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:11,920 Speaker 1: I did more baseball than anything else when I was 720 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:16,000 Speaker 1: at ESPN, and I call up Bornstein and I'm like, 721 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 1: I got a call from an executive who says he 722 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:22,480 Speaker 1: would like to meet and talk. He goes, who is it. 723 00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:24,960 Speaker 1: I'm like, it's the CEO. His name is Roger Goodell, 724 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:28,279 Speaker 1: and he goes, Roger called you, and I'm like yeah. 725 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:31,400 Speaker 1: He goes, hang up for me call him back, and 726 00:42:31,440 --> 00:42:37,200 Speaker 1: I'm like, okay, I got it. And I called Roger Goodell, 727 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:41,319 Speaker 1: the Chief Operating Officer of the NFL, and he got 728 00:42:41,400 --> 00:42:44,880 Speaker 1: right on the phone, welcome to the NFL, and do 729 00:42:44,920 --> 00:42:48,080 Speaker 1: you play golf? And I'm like yeah, and he goes, 730 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:51,600 Speaker 1: do you want to play? And I'm like sure. And 731 00:42:51,640 --> 00:42:53,759 Speaker 1: within the next week to ten days, I was on 732 00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:56,560 Speaker 1: a golf course with him, just me and him, and 733 00:42:56,600 --> 00:42:57,440 Speaker 1: we're playing around. 734 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,120 Speaker 2: And I remember where I was. 735 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:01,920 Speaker 1: Because it was at the time what I appeared to 736 00:43:01,920 --> 00:43:04,839 Speaker 1: be in my life, the deepest sandtrap I'd ever been in. 737 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,200 Speaker 1: And you'll remember those, right, Brian, even though you're not 738 00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:10,399 Speaker 1: in those very often. I know you're a game, You're 739 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:14,640 Speaker 1: a great state. I remember getting out of that sandtrap 740 00:43:14,719 --> 00:43:17,959 Speaker 1: and he finally got around a business in the back nine. 741 00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:21,000 Speaker 1: He says to me, you were hired to do a 742 00:43:21,120 --> 00:43:24,799 Speaker 1: job for us, and I want to make sure you 743 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,160 Speaker 1: do the job that you were hired to do. If 744 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:32,320 Speaker 1: there's anybody that ever pushes back against something that you say, 745 00:43:32,840 --> 00:43:35,680 Speaker 1: you know, and you're uncomfortable about that, you reach out 746 00:43:35,719 --> 00:43:38,120 Speaker 1: to me and I'll help fix it. That's what he 747 00:43:38,160 --> 00:43:40,759 Speaker 1: said to me before I even uttered a syllable for 748 00:43:40,880 --> 00:43:44,239 Speaker 1: NFL Network, I didn't come on the air until November 749 00:43:44,239 --> 00:43:47,920 Speaker 1: of that year. This was the summer, and true to 750 00:43:47,960 --> 00:43:53,960 Speaker 1: his word, honestly, so, I feel safe if you will 751 00:43:54,280 --> 00:43:59,920 Speaker 1: to criticize officiating or coaches decisions or anything that may 752 00:44:00,120 --> 00:44:04,040 Speaker 1: happen when it comes to changing a rule or anything 753 00:44:04,160 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 1: like that. I feel completely at ease, And I think 754 00:44:08,719 --> 00:44:09,800 Speaker 1: that helps. 755 00:44:09,719 --> 00:44:29,880 Speaker 2: You know with what you're talking about. You know, I 756 00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:31,920 Speaker 2: was going to ask you about this. You mentioned it before, 757 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:35,120 Speaker 2: obviously I know now it is something that's exciting to you. 758 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:40,600 Speaker 2: Celebrate twenty year anniversary in November. The next day you 759 00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:46,080 Speaker 2: call the Chiefs. Yeah, the Chiefs Dolphins game from Germany, 760 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:50,080 Speaker 2: only the second time there? You like calling the games? Oh? Man? 761 00:44:50,160 --> 00:44:50,799 Speaker 2: Do I love it? 762 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:54,360 Speaker 1: I love it because everything that you know I've in 763 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:59,000 Speaker 1: this conversation is you know, your listeners probably would gather 764 00:44:59,120 --> 00:45:03,600 Speaker 1: by now. What I've done my entire career is talk 765 00:45:03,640 --> 00:45:07,520 Speaker 1: about things either after it's over, or talk about things 766 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:08,840 Speaker 1: in advance of them to get. 767 00:45:08,719 --> 00:45:09,520 Speaker 2: You ready for them. 768 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:13,359 Speaker 1: Yes, and here I am talking about it in real 769 00:45:13,440 --> 00:45:16,640 Speaker 1: time and I'm the one describing it for you. 770 00:45:17,640 --> 00:45:18,279 Speaker 2: I love that. 771 00:45:18,880 --> 00:45:23,560 Speaker 1: What a what a complete blessing it is to have, 772 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:27,840 Speaker 1: you know, quarter century into my career, an opportunity to 773 00:45:27,840 --> 00:45:31,239 Speaker 1: try something different, to be challenged by the endeavor and 774 00:45:31,360 --> 00:45:37,000 Speaker 1: love every second of it, you know, like the kid 775 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:41,520 Speaker 1: that learned fast. I can't hit the curve, and I 776 00:45:41,560 --> 00:45:44,240 Speaker 1: can't throw the spiral, and I can't make the jump shot. 777 00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:47,960 Speaker 1: I would be the one watching those who could and 778 00:45:48,040 --> 00:45:51,200 Speaker 1: calling the action in the street in Staten Island, you know. 779 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:54,560 Speaker 1: And now here I am doing that, like doing that, 780 00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:58,840 Speaker 1: and not just anywhere in these different locations around the world. 781 00:45:59,040 --> 00:46:02,480 Speaker 1: These very important games for the league to try and 782 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:06,360 Speaker 1: sell the game abroad, and the crowds there are awesome. 783 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:09,240 Speaker 2: They are awesome. The crowd in Munich, Germany. 784 00:46:09,360 --> 00:46:13,719 Speaker 1: You know, ask Brady, ask Pete Carroll anytime you see him, 785 00:46:13,760 --> 00:46:15,480 Speaker 1: what was that game in Munich like? And they will 786 00:46:15,480 --> 00:46:18,160 Speaker 1: tell you it felt like a super Bowl and it did. 787 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:21,400 Speaker 1: The games in Germany this year, the games in London, 788 00:46:21,440 --> 00:46:24,040 Speaker 1: whenever I get to do them, and then the ones 789 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:27,240 Speaker 1: that I call domestically, I don't take them for granted 790 00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:32,400 Speaker 1: for various reasons. One because there is such a fleeting 791 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:35,600 Speaker 1: time where you get to do something new and love it, 792 00:46:36,200 --> 00:46:39,279 Speaker 1: so I'll take advantage of that. Also, I better get 793 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:41,640 Speaker 1: it right because it is the largest audience that I 794 00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:44,560 Speaker 1: speak to. I mean, you could take you could take 795 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:46,839 Speaker 1: the ratings of the Sunday Morning show that I've been 796 00:46:46,840 --> 00:46:49,960 Speaker 1: fortunate to do for thirteen years now. Add it up 797 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: for an entire season, and it doesn't equal potentially the 798 00:46:54,680 --> 00:46:59,160 Speaker 1: audience for name a game like that Dolphins Chiefs one. 799 00:46:59,560 --> 00:47:01,279 Speaker 1: What a huge h audience it was. So if I 800 00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:04,839 Speaker 1: get something wrong, twenty five years of my credibility could 801 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:08,000 Speaker 1: be flushed right down the toilet on the spot. And 802 00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:14,719 Speaker 1: then the last thing is it is a serious responsibility 803 00:47:14,840 --> 00:47:20,719 Speaker 1: for somebody to call a game accurately but not overwhelm 804 00:47:21,040 --> 00:47:24,520 Speaker 1: the viewer. I've got to be additive, right, you know, 805 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:28,880 Speaker 1: I can't be subtracting from your enjoyment of the game 806 00:47:29,640 --> 00:47:33,040 Speaker 1: because I'm screwing it up or I'm talking too much, 807 00:47:33,520 --> 00:47:35,200 Speaker 1: and it is really challenging. 808 00:47:35,920 --> 00:47:36,120 Speaker 2: You know. 809 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:38,279 Speaker 1: One last thing on it. It just dawned on me 810 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:40,560 Speaker 1: this morning. I said this to my wife when it 811 00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:44,200 Speaker 1: woke up. I mentioned it on my show today that 812 00:47:44,920 --> 00:47:48,439 Speaker 1: in the twenty four years of Belichick being the head 813 00:47:48,440 --> 00:47:51,279 Speaker 1: coach of the Patriots, the number of big games he 814 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,359 Speaker 1: coached in right, all those Super Bowls. The first one 815 00:47:54,480 --> 00:47:57,799 Speaker 1: was called by Pat Summerle In his last game in 816 00:47:57,840 --> 00:48:02,400 Speaker 1: the booth was Tom Brady's over the Rams in that 817 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:04,640 Speaker 1: Super Bowl with John Madden in the booth. It was 818 00:48:04,640 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 1: the last ever Summer All Madden game, and then their 819 00:48:08,200 --> 00:48:10,960 Speaker 1: next Super Bowl was Joe Buck's first game in the 820 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:15,400 Speaker 1: booth calling a super Bowl for Fox with Collinsworth and 821 00:48:15,480 --> 00:48:18,520 Speaker 1: Aikman in the booth. And Jim Nance has called all 822 00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:21,120 Speaker 1: those Super Bowls for him as well, and Al Michael's 823 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:24,640 Speaker 1: called the Malcolm Butler super Bowl moment in all of 824 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:27,840 Speaker 1: those AFC Championship games and Monday Night games and Sunday 825 00:48:27,920 --> 00:48:31,759 Speaker 1: Night games. The person who called Bill Belichick's last win 826 00:48:32,440 --> 00:48:35,080 Speaker 1: as a head coach of the New England Patriots, you 827 00:48:35,120 --> 00:48:35,759 Speaker 1: were looking at. 828 00:48:35,800 --> 00:48:37,279 Speaker 2: You here you go. 829 00:48:37,719 --> 00:48:39,719 Speaker 1: So what I told my wife this morning, I'm like, 830 00:48:40,239 --> 00:48:43,279 Speaker 1: isn't that something that's so cool? I called it on 831 00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:44,120 Speaker 1: Christmas Eve? 832 00:48:44,600 --> 00:48:48,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know. And I'm like, okay, I'll put that 833 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:51,839 Speaker 2: on my resume. Yeah I got that, And I don't 834 00:48:51,880 --> 00:48:54,439 Speaker 2: take it for granted. Man. I'm like, that's I got 835 00:48:54,440 --> 00:48:58,680 Speaker 2: to do it. I'm really lucky. That's awesome. There's so 836 00:48:58,800 --> 00:49:01,320 Speaker 2: much I could talk to you about the Rich Eisend Show, 837 00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:04,959 Speaker 2: but you've been on and I may be on again soon. 838 00:49:04,960 --> 00:49:06,560 Speaker 2: I don't know if you've heard the word yet. But 839 00:49:07,560 --> 00:49:10,959 Speaker 2: I will be in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl 840 00:49:11,000 --> 00:49:14,959 Speaker 2: this year. Let's go. Sure someone will call you about Okay, good, okay, 841 00:49:15,160 --> 00:49:18,520 Speaker 2: all that you have done for Saint Jus Research Hospital, 842 00:49:19,160 --> 00:49:21,160 Speaker 2: through that, the amount of money that you have made 843 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:25,799 Speaker 2: on Run for Run, Rich Run. I can't let you 844 00:49:25,880 --> 00:49:31,839 Speaker 2: go though. We're here on January eleventh, wild Card weekend. Yes, 845 00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:34,600 Speaker 2: you have your own job. They pay way more than 846 00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:36,879 Speaker 2: I do on NFL network. But I want, I want 847 00:49:36,920 --> 00:49:41,439 Speaker 2: you to give me a thought about each game. 848 00:49:41,480 --> 00:49:45,360 Speaker 1: Brown Okay, you're ready. This will help me prepare. You're helping, 849 00:49:46,080 --> 00:49:47,960 Speaker 1: just a thought. You don't you don't have to do 850 00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:51,760 Speaker 1: at you. I know what you're looking for. Browns. Texans 851 00:49:52,160 --> 00:49:52,960 Speaker 1: is fascinating. 852 00:49:53,320 --> 00:49:53,880 Speaker 2: Uh. CJ. 853 00:49:54,000 --> 00:49:59,120 Speaker 1: Stroud is only the sixteenth rookie starting quarterback. Again, we're 854 00:49:59,160 --> 00:50:02,280 Speaker 1: counting brock per in this, even though he didn't start 855 00:50:02,280 --> 00:50:03,520 Speaker 1: a full year like CJ. 856 00:50:03,640 --> 00:50:04,279 Speaker 2: Stroud did. 857 00:50:05,040 --> 00:50:09,200 Speaker 1: Somebody who is unquestionably the starting quarterback for someone's team 858 00:50:09,280 --> 00:50:13,200 Speaker 1: as a rookie going into the playoffs. He's He's the 859 00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:17,319 Speaker 1: sixteenth such quarterback in the Super Bowl era to do 860 00:50:17,440 --> 00:50:19,680 Speaker 1: what he has done. I believe he is going to 861 00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:22,680 Speaker 1: be the offensive rookie of the year. He has been dynamite. 862 00:50:22,800 --> 00:50:25,919 Speaker 1: He has been dynamic. He has taken the Texans from 863 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:29,080 Speaker 1: worst to first. And the guy he's facing is a 864 00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:33,319 Speaker 1: thirty eight year old starting quarterback just like you know, 865 00:50:33,440 --> 00:50:36,200 Speaker 1: Purty in a way, got the gig late in the 866 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:40,920 Speaker 1: season and he is the most mister relevant guy in 867 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:43,960 Speaker 1: a long time. And Joe Flacco as Super Bowl MVP 868 00:50:44,160 --> 00:50:47,480 Speaker 1: for the brown thirty eight year old going against a 869 00:50:47,520 --> 00:50:52,040 Speaker 1: twenty two year old Brown's against Texans. I can't wait. 870 00:50:52,239 --> 00:50:54,600 Speaker 1: It could be a matchup between two of the finalists 871 00:50:54,640 --> 00:50:58,080 Speaker 1: for Coach of the Year in Stefanski and Damico Ryans, 872 00:50:58,560 --> 00:51:01,080 Speaker 1: and the Browns have an opt opportunity if they win 873 00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:04,400 Speaker 1: that game, depending on if the Chiefs do beat the 874 00:51:04,400 --> 00:51:07,880 Speaker 1: Dolphins in that night game, which we are possibly expecting 875 00:51:07,880 --> 00:51:10,240 Speaker 1: because the Dolphins, as you and I are talking right now, 876 00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:13,120 Speaker 1: don't have Xavi and Howard one of their defensive backs 877 00:51:13,480 --> 00:51:16,920 Speaker 1: Jalen Waddell and Raheem Moster are questionable for that game. 878 00:51:17,360 --> 00:51:19,520 Speaker 1: Tyreek Hill was in a walking boot, and I'll just 879 00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:26,080 Speaker 1: say this, despite his remarkable physical capabilities and athleticism, I 880 00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:29,880 Speaker 1: profer to say ankles that are already a little bit 881 00:51:29,920 --> 00:51:33,239 Speaker 1: banged up. Tighten up in zero degree temperature, which is 882 00:51:33,280 --> 00:51:35,920 Speaker 1: what this is supposed to be like in Kansas City. 883 00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:39,920 Speaker 1: And it's the Tyreek Kill game against the Chiefs in 884 00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:42,440 Speaker 1: Kansas City that we did not get because that matchup 885 00:51:42,520 --> 00:51:45,799 Speaker 1: was called by me and NFL Network in Germany, so 886 00:51:45,840 --> 00:51:47,640 Speaker 1: we didn't get that. We're going to get that now. 887 00:51:47,680 --> 00:51:52,799 Speaker 1: And then the rarity of the third playoff game of 888 00:51:52,840 --> 00:51:55,760 Speaker 1: the week, and those are the two on Saturday. Get Peacock, folks, 889 00:51:55,800 --> 00:51:59,640 Speaker 1: because it's only streamed that Kansas City Dolphins game. Woe 890 00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:01,960 Speaker 1: to what works in the Foe and Banks in Thirty 891 00:52:02,040 --> 00:52:05,120 Speaker 1: Rock and Burbank in New York and California of people 892 00:52:05,160 --> 00:52:08,480 Speaker 1: calling up on Saturday saying where is that Chiefs Dophins game. 893 00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:11,839 Speaker 1: It's on Peacock. It's only being streamed. So there's that. 894 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:14,239 Speaker 1: And then the rarity that the third playoff game, the 895 00:52:14,280 --> 00:52:18,520 Speaker 1: first on Sunday, completes the entire conference. The AFC will 896 00:52:18,520 --> 00:52:21,600 Speaker 1: be done and wrapped up of Super wild Card weekend 897 00:52:21,640 --> 00:52:25,000 Speaker 1: before the NFC plays a single down on this weekend. 898 00:52:25,480 --> 00:52:29,280 Speaker 1: It's the Steelers in Browns at part of the Steelers 899 00:52:29,280 --> 00:52:32,319 Speaker 1: in Bills on Sunday, and the Bills a team that 900 00:52:32,400 --> 00:52:34,320 Speaker 1: a lot of folks didn't think they'd make the playoffs 901 00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:37,040 Speaker 1: at six and six, and the Steelers go from seven 902 00:52:37,080 --> 00:52:38,960 Speaker 1: and seven to make the playoffs. You got a six 903 00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:43,280 Speaker 1: and sixteen as the two seed now hosting a seven 904 00:52:43,320 --> 00:52:45,480 Speaker 1: and seven team that you think was going to go there. 905 00:52:45,920 --> 00:52:48,280 Speaker 1: And everybody from Pittsburgh, as you know, makes a straight 906 00:52:48,320 --> 00:52:52,160 Speaker 1: line up to Buffalo to actually go and see that game. 907 00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:56,600 Speaker 1: Potentially you put it all together, and there's bad weather 908 00:52:56,640 --> 00:52:57,799 Speaker 1: coming for that one too. 909 00:52:58,520 --> 00:52:59,840 Speaker 2: Do the Packers have a chance. 910 00:53:00,560 --> 00:53:05,200 Speaker 1: So the Cowboys and the Packers, as you know, my god, 911 00:53:05,320 --> 00:53:07,120 Speaker 1: you know green Bay very well. I know you're a 912 00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:13,120 Speaker 1: Packers and Falcons guy together. And so you know Rogers' 913 00:53:13,120 --> 00:53:17,040 Speaker 1: success against Dallas in his two playoff games. One of 914 00:53:17,080 --> 00:53:19,160 Speaker 1: them was Des caught it in Lambeau. The other one 915 00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:23,480 Speaker 1: was Jared Cook caught it in Dallas. Farv had less 916 00:53:23,520 --> 00:53:27,719 Speaker 1: success against Dallas in his times against the Cowboys in 917 00:53:27,760 --> 00:53:30,319 Speaker 1: the playoffs for Green Bay, which, as we all know, 918 00:53:30,800 --> 00:53:33,080 Speaker 1: if Fox wants to show some Ice Bowl footage, I 919 00:53:33,080 --> 00:53:36,040 Speaker 1: think they'll do that too. These are classic teams to 920 00:53:36,120 --> 00:53:40,240 Speaker 1: face each other in a perfect perfect matchup for Jordan 921 00:53:40,320 --> 00:53:45,239 Speaker 1: Love in his remarkable first playoff season as the full 922 00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:49,520 Speaker 1: time starter in Green Bay. I'm psyched, man. What better 923 00:53:49,600 --> 00:53:52,520 Speaker 1: way for the Cowboys to be tested at home where 924 00:53:52,520 --> 00:53:55,239 Speaker 1: they seem to be invincible than have a team that 925 00:53:55,360 --> 00:53:58,560 Speaker 1: doesn't know any better because they're all like nineteen years old, 926 00:53:58,640 --> 00:54:01,359 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And so I can't wait 927 00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:03,080 Speaker 1: to see what that one is. And then of course 928 00:54:03,120 --> 00:54:06,200 Speaker 1: the fact that it's Mike McCarthy against the Packers against 929 00:54:06,239 --> 00:54:09,200 Speaker 1: the guy that replaced him. It's pretty sweet on every front. 930 00:54:09,200 --> 00:54:12,640 Speaker 1: There then the Lions taking on the Rams. Math of 931 00:54:12,800 --> 00:54:16,240 Speaker 1: all the people for the Lions to have to stroll 932 00:54:16,280 --> 00:54:18,560 Speaker 1: into their building, them all the gin joints in all 933 00:54:18,560 --> 00:54:22,319 Speaker 1: the world. Okay, it's been thirty years that this gin 934 00:54:22,440 --> 00:54:25,120 Speaker 1: joint has hosted a playoff game, and the Lions have 935 00:54:25,160 --> 00:54:28,600 Speaker 1: been waiting this for decades. The one guy who strolls 936 00:54:28,640 --> 00:54:31,040 Speaker 1: into one and done him in that situation is the 937 00:54:31,120 --> 00:54:35,279 Speaker 1: Lion King himself in Matthew Stafford. And then there's the 938 00:54:35,360 --> 00:54:37,880 Speaker 1: fact that you know he's on the Rams because the 939 00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:41,200 Speaker 1: Rams flipped Jared Golf to Detroit and he's the guy 940 00:54:41,200 --> 00:54:44,200 Speaker 1: that's trying to show McVeigh that, yeah, I know you 941 00:54:44,280 --> 00:54:47,919 Speaker 1: got your ring with Stafford, but not today. And Dan 942 00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:50,480 Speaker 1: Campbell's bite kneecaps off and that's why I think the 943 00:54:50,600 --> 00:54:54,360 Speaker 1: NFL chose that one for Sunday Night Football on Sunday 944 00:54:54,440 --> 00:54:57,400 Speaker 1: Night on NBC. And then you've got the Monday Night 945 00:54:57,480 --> 00:55:00,440 Speaker 1: finale between the Bucks and the Eagles. And last year 946 00:55:00,480 --> 00:55:02,719 Speaker 1: the Bucks were on Monday Night with Brady couldn't get 947 00:55:02,760 --> 00:55:05,759 Speaker 1: past the Cowboys? Can Baker get past Philly which has 948 00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:08,759 Speaker 1: looked like a shell of a team compared to what 949 00:55:08,800 --> 00:55:11,040 Speaker 1: they looked like even in the first dozen weeks of 950 00:55:11,080 --> 00:55:14,360 Speaker 1: this season, let alone last year's NFC Championship game. And 951 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:16,959 Speaker 1: the Eagles and Bucks have a playoff history for sure. 952 00:55:17,080 --> 00:55:20,920 Speaker 1: Warren Sapp always loves to tell me how the team 953 00:55:21,120 --> 00:55:25,720 Speaker 1: shut down the vet in their Super Bowl season years 954 00:55:25,760 --> 00:55:28,279 Speaker 1: ago when they went to the Super Bowl and won it, 955 00:55:28,719 --> 00:55:31,880 Speaker 1: and then the next year opened up the New Link 956 00:55:32,320 --> 00:55:35,280 Speaker 1: and beat the Eagles. There that back to back boom boom. 957 00:55:35,560 --> 00:55:39,160 Speaker 1: They beat the Eagles twice, shutting their old building and 958 00:55:39,239 --> 00:55:41,960 Speaker 1: christening their new building with a big fat L. They 959 00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:44,640 Speaker 1: go way back, and I can't wait. I hope that's 960 00:55:44,640 --> 00:55:47,200 Speaker 1: what you were looking for for a bold card preview. 961 00:55:47,360 --> 00:55:51,280 Speaker 2: That's why you're the best in the business. Thanks Rich Eison. 962 00:55:51,480 --> 00:55:54,160 Speaker 2: I mean if that didn't get you excited for this weekend. 963 00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:58,839 Speaker 2: Nothing here we go, nothing will. Congratulations on your Wolverines, 964 00:55:59,239 --> 00:56:04,440 Speaker 2: Thanks Pal, as Pat McAfee said pregame Monday night. Despite 965 00:56:04,440 --> 00:56:08,479 Speaker 2: all the distractions this year, these players found a way 966 00:56:09,280 --> 00:56:13,719 Speaker 2: to impose their will and they did and they won 967 00:56:14,200 --> 00:56:15,000 Speaker 2: and your has. 968 00:56:14,840 --> 00:56:18,120 Speaker 1: To full disclosure. Pat said that, and then chose Washington. 969 00:56:18,320 --> 00:56:24,920 Speaker 1: So I saw it. I see everything, Brian, I see everything. 970 00:56:25,080 --> 00:56:27,919 Speaker 2: Well they made No he was right. He just wasn't 971 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:32,600 Speaker 2: right about that. Well done. Congratulations and good luck this weekend. 972 00:56:33,280 --> 00:56:49,440 Speaker 2: Thanks Pal. Thank you Rich. It's always fun talking a 973 00:56:49,480 --> 00:56:53,600 Speaker 2: little NFL with you and so interesting to hear about 974 00:56:53,600 --> 00:56:59,200 Speaker 2: your journey from Redding, California to well Bristol, Connecticut. I'm 975 00:56:59,239 --> 00:57:02,359 Speaker 2: looking forward to see how your predictions play out over 976 00:57:02,400 --> 00:57:06,479 Speaker 2: the next few weeks. Thank you everyone for listening. Come 977 00:57:06,520 --> 00:57:11,080 Speaker 2: back next time. An old friend be in the studio 978 00:57:11,200 --> 00:57:14,759 Speaker 2: with me. She's a hell of a lady and she 979 00:57:14,840 --> 00:57:26,720 Speaker 2: loves cats. Off the Beat is hosted and executive produced 980 00:57:26,760 --> 00:57:31,120 Speaker 2: by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Ling Lee. 981 00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:35,600 Speaker 2: Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Liz Hayes, 982 00:57:35,720 --> 00:57:39,640 Speaker 2: Hannah Harris, and Emily Carr. Our talent producer is Ryan 983 00:57:39,960 --> 00:57:44,240 Speaker 2: Papa Zachary and our intern is Ali Amir Sahem. Our 984 00:57:44,320 --> 00:57:48,040 Speaker 2: theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by the one and 985 00:57:48,080 --> 00:57:49,520 Speaker 2: only Creed Bratton,