Rivalries, Legends, and Olivarisms with Oliver McGrath 9-2-25

Summary

Episode Summary

Podcast: Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast
Host: Scott Becker
Episode: Rivalries, Legends, and Olivarisms with Oliver McGrath
Date: September 2, 2025
Guest: Oliver McGrath, Youth Sports Fan & Athlete

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Overview

This episode features a spirited conversation between host Scott Becker and young sports enthusiast Oliver McGrath. The discussion centers around sports fandom, favorite teams across soccer, basketball, and Formula One, what it's like growing up in a multicultural family in New York City, the significance of sports rivalries, and the wisdom found in "McGrathisms" and "Oliverisms." The episode offers both insightful and lighthearted looks at how a young fan develops his knowledge and love for various sports.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Oliver’s Background & Sporting Influences

• Oliver’s Introduction (00:31)
  • Lives in NYC, plays for the Chelsea Piers soccer team, former German school student, now attending the Clinton School.
  • Multicultural heritage: “I was born in California and I'm Austrian. British America.” (00:42)

2. Sports Preferences and Fandom

• Favorite Sports & Teams (01:05, 01:35)
  • Favorite Sport: Soccer (“that's the one I play the most”) (01:05)
  • Follows closely: Formula 1 and basketball
  • Soccer: Manchester United (“I think they're the best team ever. But Barcelona is great. I love the way they play.”) (01:35)
  • Basketball: Chicago Bulls, admiration for Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan
  • F1: Ferrari (citing Schumacher, Hamilton, Lauda as inspirations)

3. Understanding of Sports Systems: Relegation

• Relegation in Soccer Explained (02:30)
  • “If you're relegated, that means you won't be playing for the same teams you were that year… if you do well enough, you can get promoted…”
  • Hope for teams like Venezia FC to climb back up remains.

4. Influence of Media and Pop Culture

• Sports Movies & Documentaries (03:03, 05:57)

  • Brad Pitt’s F1 movie triggered his interest in Formula One: “That was one of the things that got me into Formula One.” (03:03)
  • Key Resources for staying up-to-date: YouTube, Google, books, 442 magazine, ESPN’s 30 for 30 series, "The Last Dance," and Beckham documentaries.

• Advice for Emerging Fans

  • “Most of my information [came from] just watching YouTube videos, googling who’s the best at what sport… a great magazine for soccer that I used to read was 442…” (05:57)

5. Team Prognosis and Rivalries

• Chicago Bulls & American Sports (03:20, 03:29)

  • Skeptical of immediate Bulls success: “I don’t think they’re going to be title contenders for a very long time…” (03:29)
  • Doesn’t follow American football.

• Rivalries

  • Manchester United’s biggest rivalry:
  • “Biggest rival is Liverpool… there have been huge games deciding games that have been played between them.” (05:25)

6. McGrathisms & Oliverisms: Family Wisdom and Personal Sayings

• The Great Ones Adjust (04:50)

  • Favorite family “McGrathism”:
  • “The great ones adjust. That's my favorite one.” (04:50)
  • Host relates this anthem to Michael Jordan’s drive for continued improvement.

• Oliver’s Own Wisdom: Olivarisms (07:48–08:45)

  • “I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count.” (07:48)
  • “If it was a snake, it would bite you.” (08:19)
  • “If I were you, who would be me?” (08:45)
  • Oliver explains the meaning and how he uses each, showing a knack for clever phrasing.

7. Personal Heroes

• Favorite Player
  • “David Beckham is my favorite player of all time.” (07:22)

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Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On family expertise:

  • Scott: “Who is the most knowledgeable sports fan in the McGrath household?”
  • Oliver: “Definitely me.” (04:12)

• On learning about sports:

  • Oliver: “A great magazine for soccer that I used to read was 442. 442 is information is the name of the magazine... talks about all the latest news, predictions for the new season, the players, what's gonna happen, the games.” (05:57)

• Dealing with rivalries:

  • Oliver: “Liverpool is Manu’s biggest rival… there have been huge games deciding games that have been played between them.” (05:25)

• Passing along wisdom:

  • “The great ones adjust.” (04:50, 05:05)
  • “If it was a snake, it would bite you.” (08:19)

• On independence:

  • “If I were you, who would be me?” (08:45)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:31–00:56: Oliver’s introduction and background
• 01:05–01:14: Oliver discusses his favorite sports
• 01:35–02:07: Favorite teams across soccer, basketball, and Formula 1
• 02:30–02:47: Relegation in soccer
• 03:03–03:11: Discussing Brad Pitt’s F1 movie
• 03:29–03:46: Bulls’ outlook in the NBA
• 05:25–05:47: Manchester United vs. Liverpool rivalry
• 05:57–06:57: Advice and resources for sports fans
• 07:22: Beckham as Oliver’s favorite player
• 07:48–08:45: Introduction and description of “Olivarisms”

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Tone and Style

The podcast maintains a warm, humorous, and engaging tone throughout. Scott Becker is effusive in his praise for Oliver’s knowledge and curiosity, fostering a lively back-and-forth. Oliver brings both confidence and humility, sharing insights with a mix of youthful authority and wit—especially when discussing his own invented sayings.

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Summary

This episode is a fun and insightful look into the makings of a passionate young sports fan. Listeners gain not only a window into Oliver’s personal fandom—across global soccer, basketball legends, and the thrills of F1—but also a collection of practical tips for emerging fans. The blend of “McGrathisms” and original “Olivarisms” punctuates the conversation with memorable wisdom and charm, making this episode as thoughtful as it is entertaining.

Transcript

[A]

This is Scott Becker with the Becker Business Podcast and the Becker Private Equity Podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by a very special guest. We're joined by an avid sports fan, a brilliant sports fan, Ali McGrath. And Ali McGrath comes to us from a brilliant health system executive I've known for years, Tom McGrath. I assume that Ali is the much smarter part of the McGrath family and likely comes from the mother. Holly, can you take a moment and introduce yourself and then we're going to talk about sports today?

[B]

Yeah, sure. I'd be happy to, Scott. So I'm Oliver McGrath. I'm Tom Graff's son. I play for Chelsea Piers soccer team in New York City. We live in New York City. I used to go to a German school. Now I'm going to go to the Clinton School in Manhattan. I was born in California and I'm Austrian. British America.

[A]

What an amazing, amazing background. Tell us, Ali, your favorite sport and what sports do you follow most closely?

[B]

My favorite sport is soccer, and that's the one I play the most. And I follow F1 and basketball pretty closely, too.

[A]

So F1. Fascinating. So much more popular in Europe than here. Basketball is obviously popular every place and soccer is becoming more popular here. But still so much more popular in Europe. Correct?

[B]

Yeah, that's for sure. True.

[A]

What is your favorite team? Who's your favorite team?

[B]

My favorite team is Manchester United. I think they're the best team ever. But Barcelona is great. I love the way they play in basketball. To the Chicago Bulls, for sure, they have the greatest coach of all time, Phil Jackson, and the greatest player, Michael Jordan. And I also in F1, it's definitely Ferrari because they had Michael Schumacher, they have Lewis Hamilton, and they used to have Niki Lauda.

[A]

Let me ask you a question, and this might not be. You might not be familiar with this, but there's a famous Venetian soccer team, the Venezia Football Club, Venezia fc. And they were recently relegated. If you're relegated, can you tell the audience what that means? And if you are relegated, should you. Is there still hope for you to get back at it the next year?

[B]

Yeah. So if you're relegated, that means you won't be playing for the same teams you were that year. But. And in the next year, you're going to be playing with different teams, but if you do well enough, you can get promoted to the league you were just in.

[A]

There's hope for them to come back and so. So there is hope for Venetia FC to make it back up the next year. Or so, but. But it's tough when you're relegated, but you hope that you do well and so forth. Did you see the new Formula One movie? Did you see that with Brad Pitt?

[B]

Yes, I actually did. That was one of the things that got me into Formula One. I thought it was a great movie.

[A]

100%. And do you follow American football? American basketball? Any favorite teams there in basketball?

[B]

American basketball?

[A]

Yes. There you've got the Chicago Bulls. Right. Are the Bulls going to get any better or they're going to be stuck in mediocrity for a long time?

[B]

I think they will get a little better, but I don't think they're going to be title contenders for a very long time until they get some good draft picks. I think they'll stay where they are now for a while.

[A]

Sort of Midland. Right. And what about American football? Do you follow American football at all?

[B]

No, I don't follow American football.

[A]

Okay. Well, let's hope this is a year that the Chicago Beers start to get better. We'll see how it goes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Who is the most. Who is Oliver? You don't have to answer this question. Okay. Let me know if you're ready.

[B]

Yeah, I'm ready.

[A]

Who is the most knowledgeable sports fan in the McGrath household?

[B]

Definitely me.

[A]

Definitely you. Not even a question about that?

[B]

No.

[A]

And if like, you know, and both parents are great parents, we'll go with that. I'm not going to ask questions to differentiate mom versus dad and stuff like that. Do you ever follow the McGrathisms that your father has put together and published? Do you read those? Do you follow those? The McGrathisms?

[B]

No, I don't follow them, but I do have my favorite ones. I love the McGrathism or Thomas. The great ones adjust. That's my favorite one.

[A]

Love that. That the great ones adjust. And Michael Jordan was a great example that every year he came back with an improved skill set with something else. He did better and better. I absolutely love that great ones adjust. Are there other McGrathisms that you just love.

[B]

Me? A few are pretty good. I didn't. I don't know a lot of them, so. Yeah, but the great ones adjust is definitely the best, I think.

[A]

Fantastic. And Manchester United, the greatest soccer team of all time. Who was Manchester United's biggest rival?

[B]

Biggest rival is Liverpool because they both won the same amount of premier leagues. There are a lot of clashes between the players and coaches and fans. And there have been huge games deciding games that have been played between them. So, yeah, Liverpool is Manu's biggest rival.

[A]

Fantastic. Any advice you would give an emerging sports fan. How do they follow up to date on it? What advice do you give to an emerging sports fan?

[B]

Well, I actually found most of my information on just watching YouTube videos, googling who's the best at what sport, what. What are the rules, trophies you can win, how you win them, the best players, teams, coaches. And I read some books. A great magazine for soccer that I used to read was 442. 442 is information is the name of the magazine. 442 comes out, I think every month, and it talks about all the latest news, predictions for the new season, the players, what's gonna happen, the games. So 442 is great. I also watch documentaries, like a basketball documentary. And also it also covers more sports. Is 30 for 30 and the last Dance. And there's Beckham documentary too.

[A]

And those are fantastic. Quite frankly, the 30 for 30s and the last Dance and the Beckham documentary. I mean Bendam, I mean, not bending with Beckham, but what a fantastic, fantastic person he is to watch. Fantastic. And anything else, Oliver, that you'd like to share today with the audience? We are so thrilled to have you on. Makes my day. Brilliant young sports fan. Anything else you want to share with our audience today?

[B]

Well, David Beckham is my favorite player of all time. And yeah, that's it.

[C]

And Scott, I think Oliver has his own flavor of Oliver isms that he's come up with as well. And he likes to use that he would play. Probably love to share with you as well.

[A]

Oliver, I totally apologize for the studio interruption, but if you could give us a couple of those alpha, we would love to hear them.

[B]

Okay, sure. So Oliverism is. I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count. That means the question is so obvious that you don't really have to ask it.

[A]

We understand that one completely. You say that to one of your friends who's not that smart. I'm gonna give you three guesses. The first two don't count. If you get the last one, you've got this. And we use that with our friends to tease them who aren't that smart. Yeah, give me another one.

[B]

Yeah. Another one is if it was a snake, it would bite you. Which is if, like if you're looking for your glasses, but they're right next to you, you would say if it was a snake, it would bite you. But because it's so close to you, it would bite you.

[A]

I love that. And I love, more importantly, this concept of starting to categorize your thoughts at a young age and building a framework for thinking about things. Do we have another algorithm today?

[B]

Yeah, one last one. It is, if I were you, who would be me? So a lot of the time someone's saying, do this, do that, do this, do that. And that's. They're basically saying, do this because I told you to. This is what I would do. This what I want you to do. So you can say, if I would be you, who would be me? Because then you're just doing what that person's telling you to do, which is what they would probably be doing, but instead, and you doing your own thing.

[A]

Do you ever say that to your father? Or does that get you in trouble?

[B]

No, I do say it to my father, and it doesn't get me in trouble.

[A]

That is good. That is good. Good, good, good, good. He's teaching you to be an independent and intelligent thinker, which is fantastic. Oliver. Oliver. What a pleasure to visit with you. I totally apologize for the interruption from the studio audience. However bright the studio audience is, you know we can't allow that. Oliver. No, I'm just kidding. What a pleasure to visit with the two of you. Tom and Oliver, just fantastic. Thank you for joining us on the Becker Business podcast. The Becker Private Equity podcast. What a pleasure. Fantastic. And there is hope for Venetia fc. There is some hope for Venetia fc.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Good. Thank you so much.

[C]

Thanks a million.

[A]

Absolutely great pleasure. Thank you so much.