A Pair of Greats, A Pair of Great Stories

Summary

Armstrong & Getty On Demand

Episode: "A Pair of Greats, A Pair of Great Stories"

Date: October 23, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Overview

This episode reflects on a turbulent day for the NBA—marred by news of a game-fixing scandal—by pivoting to positive, personal stories from two basketball legends, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal. With the NBA season just starting, Armstrong, Getty, and guest Katie swap anecdotes, reactions, and commentary, highlighting the human side of athletic greatness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The NBA Scandal and Shifting to Positivity

• Armstrong introduces the episode with mention of an NBA game-fixing scandal, but notes the coincidental timing of getting to share two uplifting stories from Michael Jordan and Shaq.
• The focus is on storytelling from NBA greats and celebrating the start of the new season.

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Michael Jordan’s Unexpected Vulnerability

[01:13–02:35]

• Armstrong: Sets up the clip, explaining that Michael Jordan is rarely in the media and tends to come across as “shallow” or obsessively focused.

  “A lot of people who are really good at focusing on things to the point of obsession and being great are kind of... they weren't thinking about a lot of other stuff.” [00:57]

• Jordan Story: Jordan hadn’t picked up a basketball in years until asked to shoot a free throw in front of a homeowner’s grandkids.

  • Jordan:

    “That’s the most nervous I’ve been in years... those kids heard the stories from the parents about what I did 30 years ago... the expectation is 30 years prior and I haven’t touched the basketball.” [02:04]

  • He made the shot, which he found deeply gratifying.

• Hosts' reactions:

  • Getty: “Wow. See, that's charming.” [02:35]
  • Armstrong: Appreciates the idea that someone so legendary could leave the game so completely.
  • Anecdote about Larry Bird: When asked if he could beat Jordan now, Bird says he’d try hard, “but I’m old and fat.”

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Shaquille O’Neal’s Lesson on Pressure

[03:29–04:49]

• Setup: Shaq’s appearance on The Tonight Show, recounting a turning-point story from his rookie season.

• Shaq’s Story: After a bad game against the Knicks, Shaq’s strict, military dad made him mull over what “pressure” really meant.

  “Pressure is when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from...” [04:24]

  • Shaq’s dad brought him to see a homeless family under a bridge, then challenged his assumptions about pressure.
  • Shaq helped the family after meeting them, and the lesson profoundly changed his perspective on his career and life.

  “So pressure to me is like when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from. So I don’t really believe in the word pressure.” [04:46]

• Armstrong: Notes this lesson stuck with Shaq and shaped his mindset for the rest of his career.

  "He no longer felt pressure. It was just like, it's just a game..." [04:52]

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Shaq’s Personality, Reputation, and Legacy

[05:18–08:19]

• Getty and Katie reflect on Shaq’s generosity, charisma, and approachability. Getty recalls seeing him play at University of Illinois vs. LSU and being underwhelmed—yet jokes about how Shaq turned that supposed lack of “skill” into “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

  “He's just a big, huge dude who backs in with his ass and flips the ball to the hoop...and then he made hundreds of millions of dollars doing that very thing over and over again.” [05:50]

• Armstrong recalls Shaq’s infamous freestyle rap after winning a championship in Miami:

  “Hey Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. That’s right, Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. That’s my favorite Shaq thing of all time.” [06:02]

• Katie shares a viral moment where Shaq protected a young fan from security backstage, calling him “a real down to earth dude.” [07:21]

• Getty describes seeing Shaq dwarf other NBA giants during the Dream Team’s practice session:

  “All the guys come out, including a couple of seven-[footers], like, wow, that's a big dude...and then standing next to a couple [of] seven footers, Shaq comes out...he made the other giant dudes look like children.” [08:17]

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Encounters with NBA Legends: Snubs and Highlights

[08:29–09:57]

• Getty jokes about being snubbed by Alonzo Mourning for a picture—leading to a running joke. Armstrong mentions being snubbed by Rick Barry, noting his reputation:

  “He’s a well known dick, though, so it’s not that surprising.” [08:51]

• Katie shares a personal memory of attending a Warriors youth camp, recalling how mugsy Bogues, despite being short for the NBA, seemed huge to her.

• The hosts reminisce about seeing NBA stars like Mugsy Bogues and Antwan Jamison up close and fostering children’s excitement for the game.

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Notable Quotes

• Michael Jordan:

  “…that’s the most nervous I’ve been in years … those kids heard the stories from the parents about what I did 30 years ago … the expectation is 30 years prior and I haven’t touched the basketball.” [02:04]

• Shaquille O’Neal (on pressure):

  “Pressure is when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from … I don’t really believe in the word pressure.” [04:24, 04:46]

• Armstrong (on Shaq’s mindset):

  “He no longer felt pressure. It was just like, it's just a game. I'm going to try my hardest … but it's not life or death. I'm rich, I'm healthy, I got a great family. What am I worried about here?” [04:52]

• Armstrong (favorite Shaq line):

  “Hey Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. That’s right, Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes.” [06:02]

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• NBA Scandal Introduction & Jordan Teaser: [00:00–00:55]
• Michael Jordan’s story (original recording): [01:13–02:35]
• Discussion of Jordan/Legacy: [02:36–03:27]
• Shaq’s Pressure Story (original recording): [03:29–04:49]
• Armstrong & Crew React to Shaq: [04:52–05:57]
• Shaq’s Rap Story / Personality: [06:02–06:54]
• Personal Stories & NBA Encounters: [07:21–09:57]
• Final NBA Reminiscence & Wrap: [10:02–10:20]

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Tone & Style

The episode is loose, lighthearted, and full of playful banter, mixing admiration for NBA heroes with self-deprecating humor and genuine nostalgia.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This episode stands out as a rare, endearing look at the humility and humanity of all-time-great athletes. Through both reflection and laughter, Armstrong & Getty—and guest Katie—spotlight what makes NBA legends relatable and inspiring, while side-stepping the headlines in favor of stories you’ll want to share.

Transcript

[Armstrong]

This is an iHeart podcast on a dark day for the NBA. Two legends step up with good stories. It's one more thing. Armstrong and Getty. One more thing.

[Getty]

That's good.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, it's really just a coincidence that on a day that the big NBA game fixing poker scandal thing broke, we got a couple of clips from two of the all time greatest players of all time that happened. Stories they told recently because the NBA NBA season kicked off this week. So a lot of NBA players are on various shows telling various stories because they're, you know, announcers and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. First one is Michael Jordan. Perhaps you've heard of him. Played for the Chicago Bulls with some success.

[Getty]

He have the wagging tongue in the steely nerve.

[Armstrong]

You don't hear a lot out of him. I've always considered him kind of dumb. He's always seemed like at least a very shallow guy to me with not a lot to say, but I don't.

[Getty]

Yeah, shallow might be a better description.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, a lot of people who are really good at focusing on things to the point of obsession and being great are kind of. Well, they're focused on one thing so they weren't thinking about a lot of other stuff. But anyway, here's a story Michael Jordan told on a show the other day. Do you ever.

[Michael Jordan]

Do you ever pick up a ball and just shoot? I haven't picked up a ball in years. No. Come on, just like walk past. There's gotta be a hoop somewhere at your place. You don't see a hoop anywhere around here. Eh, I don't. Seriously, the last time you picked up a basketball and shot it, I was at the Ryder Cup. Yeah. And I rented a house from, from the owner. Sure. He came over to do pictures. He had grandkids. And I was meet and greet. Thank him for, for allowing me to stay in the house. And he had a basketball court. He says, I want you to shoot one Frito. I said, really? I already paid for the. I already paid for the house. Like they got to see me. So when I stepped up to shoot the free throw, that's the most nervous I've been in years. Stop it. In years. Stop it.

[Getty]

Come on.

[Michael Jordan]

And reason being is those kids heard the stories from the parents about what I did 30 years ago. Right. So the expectation is 30 years prior and I haven't touched the basketball. I hope you switched it. Absolutely. I got the most gratifying that made my whole week is that I was able to please that kid, not knowing if I could.

[Getty]

Wow. See, that's charming.

[Armstrong]

Oh, yeah.

[Getty]

He rarely showed that side through his whole, you know, days in the public eye.

[Armstrong]

It's funny kind of an idea. I suppose there's no reason for him to pick up a basketball. It's just kind of funny that he, you know, having had one in his hand probably every day of his entire life from age 5 until whenever he retired. 41, 42, just, you know, why would he, I guess. I remember I saw Larry Bird being interviewed a while back, and Larry Bird was asked, do you think you could bit Michael Jordan one on one right now? He said, I'm old and fat. God, I can't even imagine. He said, I'd try real hard. I'd make him work for it. But I'm old and fat. Which I thought that was funny. Here's also a charming story. I thought this was great. This is Shaq on the Tonight Show, Shaquille o' Neal on the Tonight show with Jimmy Fallon. The other night, there was a game you were playing against the Knicks and.

[Getty]

You didn't play so well.

[Shaquille O'Neal]

So it was sort of like the Karate Kid. Like, he had small little sayings that really didn't make sense at the time. He's talking about his dad to your Knicks stories. I had a terrible game versus the Knicks. He made me fly home. And what I didn't like about the military, he was like, meet me at the house at 0700. So now I gotta do math in my head.

[Armstrong]

12 comparing the one. What am I doing? Is it 12? Yeah.

[Shaquille O'Neal]

I met him at his house in Orlando. And we got in the car, and he's the type you don't speak unless you're spoken to. So I was like, what did I do wrong? He was like, shut the hell up. So we're driving and we go into this bridge, and before we approached the family, he said, you couldn't handle the pressure. And I was like, yeah, it was Madison Square Garden, just Patrick Ewing, one of my favorite players. I couldn't handle it. And he says to me, pressure is when you don't know where your next meal is coming from. And there was a homeless family sitting right there. A guy, his wife and two kids. He said, that's pressure. Said, I'm tired of you spoiled rich athletes making all this money who don't perform at the level that you're supposed to perform to, blaming it on pressure. So he made me get out. I made contact with the family. I got him an apartment, got him a job and got him straight. But things like that just gave me A different perspective. So pressure to me is like when you don't know where your next meal is coming from. So I don't really believe in the word pressure. Wow.

[Michael Jordan]

My God.

[Armstrong]

I'd heard him tell that story before, and he said that changed his perspective the rest of his career. That was from his rookie year. He just. He no longer felt pressure. It was just like, it's just a game. I'm going to try my hardest. You know, I'd like to make this shot or whatever, but it's not life or death. I'm rich, I'm healthy, I got a great family. What am I worried about here? Which everybody should be able to get into that mindset, really. But it's hard to do.

[Katie]

Yeah, right?

[Shaquille O'Neal]

Yeah.

[Getty]

His dad sounds like an amazing guy.

[Armstrong]

Well, he's a big military guy and everything. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Katie]

I love Shaq.

[Armstrong]

Shaq is a very entertaining dude.

[Getty]

Shaq Fu. Shaq Daddy. Yeah. He's hilarious. Katie. When I was at the University of Illinois, they played the line. I played. Did he go to lsu?

[Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Getty]

Yeah, they played lsu. And everybody's talking about Shaquille o'.

[Armstrong]

Neal.

[Getty]

Shaquille o'. Neal. Shaquille o'. Neal. And. And I went to the game, and. And I came away completely unimpressed, really. He's just a big, huge dude who backs in with his ass and flips.

[Armstrong]

The ball to the hoop. Yeah.

[Getty]

And he doesn't look terribly skillful. And then he made hundreds of millions of dollars doing that very thing over and over again.

[Armstrong]

He was unstoppable there for about three, four years.

[Katie]

He showed you, huh?

[Armstrong]

Hey, Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. That's right, Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. That's my favorite Shaq thing of all time.

[Getty]

And then my only other.

[Armstrong]

Do you know that story, Katie?

[Katie]

No.

[Armstrong]

Oh, yeah. I think it was after they won their NBA championship in Miami. Of course it was. That's what he was up. So he. He and Colby don't get along. Lakers are a dynasty. He. He and Kobe don't get along. He leaves and goes to Miami, then wins a championship in Miami.

[Getty]

So he was more or less sent away because, hey, Shaq, it's Kobe's team.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. So he leaves. He leaves, goes to Miami, wins a championship in Miami, then goes to a club that night and is the DJ at the club. And he's there scratching, freestyling. He's freestyling. That was his rap. Hey, Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes. That's right. Kobe, tell me how my ass tastes.

[Getty]

And he did. He was actually pretty good freestyling too, but that was like the hook.

[Armstrong]

I love that.

[Katie]

He seems like such a fun guy. I've seen so many videos of him circulate online. You know, there. There was one recently where he was backstage somewhere. I don't know what he was doing, but there was this little tiny kid and he was wearing a Shaq jersey, and it was more recent. And the security, the kids went to go run to hug Shaq, and the security kind of pushed the kid back. And Shaq looked over and pushed the security guard out of the way and pulled the kid over and put his arms around him and stuff.

[Armstrong]

It was.

[Katie]

He just seems like a real down to earth dude.

[Getty]

Yeah, he's very generous. Very generous.

[Armstrong]

Because, you know, you heard the story about his dad is his upbringing. That right?

[Getty]

Yeah. So my only other shack story. And Jack was there, too, when the original Dream Team was. Was practicing at the Charlotte Coliseum, whatever they call it, where the Hornets played back in the day when we were working in Charlotte and the players were coming out of the locker room to get ready for practice, we were right there on the court. We'd been allowed in to observe it or whatever. Super cool. And all the guys come out, including a couple of seven and like, wow, that's a big dude. And blah, blah, blah. And then standing next to a couple seven footers, Shaq comes out and it's like, holy. Is that just one dude? I mean, he was so thick and so muscular, he made the other giant dudes look like children.

[Katie]

Wow.

[Getty]

Unbelievable.

[Armstrong]

That's right.

[Katie]

That must have been so cool.

[Getty]

Stop it with that, all right? Yeah, it was incredibly cool if you're an NBA fan. Yeah, it was amazing.

[Katie]

Oh, yeah.

[Getty]

Although I was snubbed by the great Alonzo.

[Armstrong]

Morning. That's right. That's right. Yeah.

[Getty]

I said, hey, Alonzo, a quick picture. And he's like, no, man, I gotta go over here. He just walked away.

[Katie]

Oh, no.

[Getty]

So that's been a running joke between us now for decades. Nah, I gotta go over there.

[Armstrong]

Jack.

[Getty]

Jack was snubbed by John.

[Armstrong]

John.

[Katie]

No, not Rick Barry.

[Armstrong]

Rick Barry is. That's right. Remember that BA legend Rick Barry on the newsroom for a while? He's a well known dick, though, so it's not that surprising. I said, hey, I just. I just got to say hello because, like, my dad will be amazed that I can say I actually shook your hand. He said, you know, whatever. Went back to. That's what he actually says to a guy who says what? I said I mean, that's a colleague.

[Getty]

No less than.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. And a radio colleague. That's the opposite of Shaq. Yeah, whatever. People idolize me. Whatever. Who cares? People like me. I don't care.

[Katie]

I've played basketball. Well, I don't anymore, obviously, but when I was a kid and I got to go to the. The warriors basketball camp, the Junior warriors in Oakland, and I'll never forget their smaller names, obviously, but Antwan Jameson and Mugsy Bogues. Back in the day with the warriors, they were like the dream team. We got to scrimmage those guys, and they were so fun, and they were out there just playing with all of us kids. And I just remember looking up and going, oh, my God. Mugsy Bugs looked huge to me because I was. I was like a little peanut. But it was.

[Getty]

So he was five, eight or something.

[Armstrong]

Yeah, he wasn't that tall.

[Getty]

One of the smallest.

[Armstrong]

Five, six.

[Katie]

Yeah.

[Getty]

He played for Charlotte when we were there, too. He was amazing to watch.

[Katie]

Really.

[Armstrong]

Tiny little dude times. By the way, if you are an NBA fan and you like the whole thing, there isn't a video that I saw not long ago of Shaq and Kobe talking to each other. They kind of did an interview with each other shortly before Kobe's death, when they had reconciled, talking about their days together and everything like that. That was really interesting as a basketball fan.

[Getty]

Oh, that's nice.

[Armstrong]

Yeah. Well, I guess that's it. This is an iHeart podcast.