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- [00:01]
Adam Amin
Dan Bernstein, unfiltered. Unfiltered on 312. Sports
- [00:08]
Dan Bernstein
it is DBU on 3, 1, 2. Brought to you by Chicago Window. Guys, you can call Russ Armstrong at 847-302-9171. And we are presented in partnership with my bookie. Whenever the stakes are high, my bookie is where you turn bets into bankroll. Always a big matchup on the schedule. We, we're all watching. We all have our hot takes. And no matter the sport, that prop board is as much fun as the final score. You know, on Mondays and Fridays, I usually have a prop for you. And my bookies board is deep and fun to play. Player performances, game milestones, all in between interesting action for you. And if there's a time to get in, it's now. So you register, you deposit at MyBookie AG. When you use the code DBU, that first bets covered up to 500 bucks. If it doesn't hit, you use that bet back bonus token and you can run it back like it never happened. But it's going to hit. No worries. One account, one wallet. You like the spread. Live bet during the action, a casino during halftime or between games. Everything's right there at MyBookie AG. So don't just watch the action. Use that code DBU, get that bet back bonus token, and make it pay with my bookie. We are lucky to be joined today by the voice of the Chicago Bulls and the voice of national baseball, football, basketball. Whatever his Fox Broadcasting bosses may need, he is one that is always available. It is a voice that you hear often. I don't know when Adam Amin can ever come up for air, when you're not in some hotel room trying to figure out where you just woke up. But he's found time for us on three one, two Sports today. How are you?
- [01:48]
Adam Amin
I'm doing okay, my friend. How are you doing?
- [01:50]
Dan Bernstein
I'm okay. Amid everything, I thought we'd get kind of the newsy stuff out of the way. And that is what's, what's happening with the Chicago Bulls. And I guess my takeaway at the moment is whether intended or not, this is Billy Donovan's team. This when, when, when you say anybody who comes in up here has to be ready to work with Billy Donovan here, that makes Billy the most powerful basketball person in the organization. I'm not saying it can't work, but it is a choice. It's a choice to bolster your coach and say, this is essentially, if it's not the Billy and Michael show, it's it's the Billy show right now. Did that surprise you?
- [02:35]
Adam Amin
I think just in the way that it took place, like, over time. Not necessarily in the moment, not necessarily to look around and go, well, this is obviously the most articulate basketball mind that's working right now in terms of his connectivity to the organization and to the greater basketball world. Right. He's a basketball hall of Famer. Again, I. I always want to make sure we say that this is mostly based on his college career, but that doesn't disregard success that he's had. He's been doing this for 11 years at the NBA level. So he's an NBA coach. And I. I sometimes have a tendency, especially this time of year when we just saw the national championship game get, you know, get played on Monday night. My tendency is to naturally think about Billy's college career, but I have to temper that sometimes myself. And remember, like, this guy's been doing it in the NBA for more than a decade now. This is an NBA head coach and clearly the most articulate basketball mind in the organization. When you talk about everything he knows about the current team, everything he knows about the landscape of the current NBA, and I'm sure which he probably hasn't shared fully with media or a lot of people around the NBA in general, other than maybe the people closest to him, his thoughts on what this organization probably needs or. Or should do. I'm sure he has thoughts that he has yet to express because as he stated and as I off, you know, I. I do give him credit for, like, he's tried to stay in his lane. Even if he was the person that was most connected to the most amount of people in this organization, he's probably kept a lot of this stuff to himself. He's like, that's not my job. My job is to coach the team. My job is to take in whatever personnel is. Is put in front of me and try to make the most of it. And I do think, you know, if that's one of the better things you can say about any coach is that he works with the hand that he's dealt. I think Billy's done that a lot over the last several years with the Bulls. So it's not shocking to me when you put all those things and compound all those things together that, you know, I don't think this is not the right phrase, but it's the kind of first one that comes to mind. He's the last one standing when it comes to the. The remnants of this regime. And I've been the full time broadcaster for the Bulls since Arturo, Mark and Billy were brought in in 2020. That was my first full season. So I did the first interview with him. I, I had a pre existing relationship with him from his time at Oklahoma City. So, you know, I was familiar with him. We had a good rapport and respect and he's maintained that level of respect with just about everybody. Everybody has a respect for Billy, even if they don't, you know, think you think everything of him that they think of, you know, the great NBA coaches in the, in the league. If they don't, you know, don't have a full picture perspective of him. I still think that you walk away with a certain level of respect for Billy. And yeah, right now he is the most powerful person in this organization in terms of just basketball thought process and decision making, at least for the rest of this season. The three games left before he goes and has this conversation with the ownership
- [05:37]
Dan Bernstein
group and the conversation is going to be important. But I do think he's given us some indications in just some of the words that he used in the tone of his comments that he isn't looking to leave. No, it certainly sounds like that he remains invested in what the Bulls are doing. And I think that level of power extends past this year. I think the fact that you say anybody we bring in is going to work with Billy Donovan, I don't want to compare it, and this is, I don't want to compare it to Bob Pulford with the Blackhawks, but you get this organizational carryover. It's kind of the way the Bears used to do it. That didn't end up great. And I'm not saying it can't work. But does that mean that you are building around Josh Giddey and Modest Bou Zealous? Because a Bulls fan could sit here reasonably and say, look, we need fresh eyes on everything you got to bring in. Find out who's sitting at the right hand of Sam Presti or the, you know, and bring somebody in here, say, look, I don't like Josh Giddy. I don't like Modest Bouz Ellis. You might think they're core players. Not in my book, they're not. So is. Is this just a, a redoubling of a commitment to something that was started by the previous regime?
- [06:52]
Adam Amin
I don't necessarily think it has to be. But again, as you accurately stated, it now falls on arguably the most powerful person in the organization, basketball wise, and that's Billy. A lot of this is now dependent on his decision making and his thought process. And that's a challenge to Billy as well. I, I'm putting that out, I guess, in the sense like that's a challenge for Billy Donovan to look at everything in a more objective fashion. Because I think one of the things that guys like about him is that he's not objective. He's very subjective. He treats people the way that the individual needs to be treated or should be treated or want to be treated. He coaches guys harder than other guys.
- [07:33]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, that's coaching. That's. It's NBA coaching.
- [07:36]
Adam Amin
Yeah, that is that he treats people subjectively and I mean that as a compliment. So I think it's going to be up to him to maybe look at some of this stuff a little bit more objectively. And I'm not saying, again, that is not an indication as to whether he can or can't do that. I'm just saying that the Billy that I see the most or comment or observe the most is the subjective one is, is the one that focuses on what does this person need at this time, what kind of coaching does this person need at this moment and how do I bring that out? And we saw that in a blowout win over a horrible Washington team the other night when you know, he's staring down Mack McClung after a blown assignment in what is, I think at the time, a 24 or 26 point game. You know, like that's, that's subjective coaching and that's what every individual needs. He's trying to coach up a kid who's only playing in his 13th or 14th NBA game at that point. So that, that is something I appreciate about him in a lot of ways. I think when you separate coach versus I'm not calling him an executive because he's not, but his expertise is going to clearly at least if he stays with this organization. And that again, as you said, the, the tone seemed like he certainly is very open to that and appreciates how much investment Michael Reinsdorf and the Reinsdorfs want to put in him. And again, I don't blame them for that because, oh, he's got the greatest
- [08:56]
Dan Bernstein
job in world right now. He's. He's got the owner, the actual owner saying this is the guy, this is the guy.
- [09:03]
Adam Amin
And that's a great. And I, I also don't think Billy's the type of person, human being who gets drunk with power all of a sudden. I think he takes it as a serious responsibility and that's just the type of person I think he is. He operates with that level of kind of like. And I won't go so far as to call it like, a more like, moral conduct, but like, this is sports morality, right? Like, hey, I'm being entrusted with the lives and livelihoods a lot of people, more so than maybe even before, more so than just the players that I'm coaching now. It's. Well, a lot of people are looking at me for my opinion, and my opinion, all of a sudden carries that much more weight. So that is a challenge. And Greg Popovich struggled with that. Going in the opposite direction, right. From executive into the head coaching position in the mid-1990s. Like, there was an initial struggle with that. But guess what masks it. A little luck in the lottery and opportunity to pick some of the players or to influence the roster a little bit, to drive a style that you would rather prefer to play because you believe it's the best course of action based on your knowledge of basketball. Like, we saw how that went. There's a lot of extenuating factors that led to Gregg Popovich's success, but it can be done. But there's a clear separation. And I think that's where Greg, in, you know, 30 years ago now, basically at this point, had to toe that line and to figure out, okay, well, what does the coach need to be doing now and what does the executive need to be doing now? How does the coach need to look at this individual? How does the executive need to look at this individual? And again, he's not going to be the executive. But if his influence is, as such, to where the executive is going to be based on him and his relationship and rapport and desire to work with that person, if that's what it's based on, then, yeah, he's got his maybe not as loud, but certainly a very loud voice in that room where men talk and decisions are being made right now for this particular organization.
- [11:01]
Dan Bernstein
And one thing he's already done, I would argue, at an executive level, is speak on behalf of the organization.
- [11:08]
Adam Amin
Yes.
- [11:09]
Dan Bernstein
Where somebody like Popovich, who is. Is defensive and careful with his words, a brilliant man and a wonderful speaker, but who isn't always as comfortable. He's not a natural talker in the way that Billy is. And because of the choices made by Arturis Karnishovas, I think it is. They left Billy out there twisting in the wind multiple times to answer organizationally. So I think he's already. You use the word articulate twice already in describing Billy Donovan, and he's great at that part of his job. I think there are few Coaches who are able to. To encapsulate and compartmentalize and contextualize the game and the business of the game in his way. And if that allows him to do some of this more in a way where we know he's not speaking for somebody else, I think he's fully prepared.
- [12:04]
Adam Amin
I think so too. And I don't doubt that watching Billy handle some of the questions that. And again, I've talked to people around the NBA about this. That's not normal where a situation where, you know, that the Jaden Ivy situation that took place, which seemingly was the straw that kind of broke the camel's back in this, in this instant. It was not a one. You know, I think we reiterated this on the, on a broadcast the other night where it's like, this wasn't a one instance, you know, occurrence. This was just a lot of things that compounded over time, small and large, widely perceived and narrowly perceived. All of those things combined to the eventual decision that was made this week, it seems like to me. And, you know, when the Ivy instance happened, it was Billy who was out in front of the media answering the questions and trying to handle it. And, and I don't think he spoke out of turn in terms of saying, like, acting as if he was like, in an executive capacity. I just think he was speaking in the. The same way he always does. Like, this is what my perspective is. This is all I can do and this is what my experience would dictate to me. And I don't doubt that somebody somewhere in one of those offices at the United center or at the Advocate center was sitting, watching a television or watching on their phone and heard him speak and say, well, he handled that pretty well. That's not a bad person to possibly put into a position where they speak for the organization a little bit more often because Billy tries very hard not to do that. He tries not to speak for other people. He tries to speak on his own behalf. I've heard him several times. Well, I haven't talked to Arturis about this or I haven't talked to Mike about this or Mark about this, which also, you know, maybe that's a, that's a communication issue that Michael Reinsdorf also pointed out. That has probably been a little bit more obvious to those who are in one of those rooms every day listening to these guys talk. Like it probably felt. I hear a lot of or read a lot of the saying, well, obviously this was a problem. They're there every day and they sense it a little bit more. And I think a lot of people in these press conferences lately have listened to him speak on behalf of the organization in a sense and probably walked away thinking it's not a bad person to put as, as a mouthpiece and as a spokesperson for things that we would like to do, but also come off as somebody who, and, and I don't think even think it's disingenuous to be, to come off as somebody who just seems honest about it. And I do think that that is a welcomed attribute right now as well. You know, I said it a lot over the six years that Arturis was the head man. Like I don't mind that he plays things close to the best. I don't mind that executives in professional sports.
- [14:34]
Dan Bernstein
I covered Jerry Kraus. I, I spent, I spent three full years covering Jerry Kraus. So if you want, I mean close to the vest as pathology.
- [14:42]
Adam Amin
I've seen close up, yes, exact. As a, as a true religion. At times I would say I don't mind when executives are playing things close to the vest. But I also think there needs to be a clear articulation of process thought, especially with those in the know and, and whether it's a private conversation or public one, there does need to be some articulation of what the thought process is because I do think cities, organizations and fans are owed that when it's a billion dollar industry, when it's a billion dollar business and their economy. The reason people care so much about professional sports in particular in the third largest market in the country, is because it's not just a fan service product. It is an economic boon. It is a thing that affects the branches around it. That's why fans demand so much the Bears and the Bulls and the Cubs and the Sox and the Blackhawks, because those are industries and businesses that affect the other areas around their gravitational businesses. So that's why fans demand a little bit of articulation, a little bit of clarity. And I think people who work in the organizations demand and deserve a little bit of clarity. And I think that's maybe why, that's maybe what stuck out in the last couple of weeks in terms of how Billy was put in front of the media and, and, and again had to that that's not normal. Again, I talked to other people around the NBA, other people that work in other organizations and they said like ideally it would be either the owner, the CEO or the one of the front office executives like a GM or VP that would be in front of the media answering questions about an incident that is now suddenly garnering national attention, that's not usually what a head coach does. And when you put Billy in that situation, it does seem like he handled it about as well as you could have asked anybody to handle it.
- [16:24]
Dan Bernstein
I think I've told you this, but I watch every Bulls game and even, even the bad ones. And what I know, I know, I
- [16:34]
Adam Amin
know your tendencies as a masochist. I'm well aware.
- [16:36]
Dan Bernstein
But nobody. It hasn't been. Because what I've learned is that I think you and Stacey and Mark Brady, you do some of your best, best work in some of these blowouts or when things turn badly, like it becomes a must listen podcast almost when you guys start talking ball. And you know, I love, you know, give me the hot sauce. And I, I love all that. But, but I like it more at. When Stacy's basketball sensibilities get offended when the coach in him comes out. And because he did coach, I was, I went, I went to his championship game with the Dakota Wizards, the Rockford Lightning, back in the day, man, I, I came out of the Rockford Lightning. So I've got, I've got some skin in that game. And I've seen Stacy coach. He knows some things. I don't agree with him on everything, sure. But, but I, I do know when he cares deeply about the way the game is being played and he, and he's not shy. And you guys have had a lot of room in a lot of these late games, especially since the deadline. You guys have a lot of, A lot of room to just talk balloon. And when you mentioned before that there are people at the Advocate center watching televisions and they hear what Billy Donovan has to say. They hear what you have to say, too. They hear what you and Stacey have to say. And this is my belief. I think it matters. I think the two of you, your plural opinions on the Bulls, you know, Michael Reinsdorf is not watching an alternate feed. He's listening to everything you say. And he's a guy that doesn't. I don't think he knows basketball that well. Hell, he kept Jim Boylan around. Cause Jim Boylan was sitting next to him on the plane. You know, that. That tells me you don't know basketball or people in that regard. But I do think it matters. A lot of the stuff that you said, not any. You didn't. You never insulted the Bulls. You never insulted anyone. But in a very delicate way, when you're pointing out what other teams do, what other teams have, and when you say, wow, that's the kind of live wire athlete or that guy's huge. Look at how he sets that screen and what he does. I think over time, like coats of paint, it starts to matter, I think. I'm not saying you did this, but I do think that your influence is felt.
- [18:58]
Adam Amin
I appreciate you saying that. I think more of that is just credibility and familiarity, I'm sure, with a lot of people. And I, I, again, Stacy and I have talked about this a lot over the years because we have been at times accused by Bulls fans. And it's okay. We're not the first home broadcast team to be accused of it, and we certainly will not be the last and not in the NBA or especially Major League Baseball or in hockey or anything else to, like, not root hard enough for the Bulls or be too critical at times or feel like we're praising the other team too much. I. That's fine. That that is all in the eye and ear of a beholder, and that is okay. There is nothing wrong with feeling that way because that fluctuates on any given night, for any given team, for any given person who's brought, is who's sitting in one of our chairs is fortunate enough to be doing it. Like, every fan is going to perceive things differently. So that's okay. But what I take away from that over the years is that Stacy and I have a. I think, as you said, a delicate balance. But we do have a balance of being praiseful when it's, you know, a. A great play and great play in general made by a player on the Bulls. And I think it's taken more seriously when we're critical of how the Bulls play or don't play. And I think it also carries weight with the country because this is a league pass league. This is about as nationalized of a local sport as we have. We, I mean, Yep, Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe are doing pass broadcast rankings the other day because people watch, they like for more, I think, than baseball and hockey. I think this is more of a nationalized sport among the games that have local broadcasts. And we strike that balance, I think, and do a pretty good job. And our crew does as well.
- [20:47]
Dan Bernstein
The other part of that, I should say, Adam, is that the NBA is really good about relaxing their rules, about sharing content. And part of the reason that you're right about that is because unlike some other more frightened or protected leagues, the NBA wants all that out there. Like, they know it's good and they see. They want. They want people to hear your voice in a local broadcast. They want people to hear Eric Collins going crazy and just, and how all of that resonates.
- [21:14]
Adam Amin
I think so. And that's part of the reason, I'm sure that that feeling has been cultivated and curated over the last, what, 10 years or so, 15 years or so, that this is a highlight driven league. And I know people have chastised the NBA for that, but it is personality driven, it is player driven, it is highlight driven. And because of that, over time you get exposed to most of the league. There are broadcast like tiers for people on Reddit all the time. And like, like, I've seen them, I understand, I try not to, like, you know, my buddy Jeff is like, hey, they said this. And it's like, please don't send this to me. But it's, you know, nice once in a while when it's a compliment or whatever. But like, that's part of the balance that we strike. There's a credibility that comes in to doing this job that I think we've worked very hard at. Like I, I. And that's unseen labor. And it's not laborious labor by any means, but it is unseen. We think about these things. We think deeply about how we frame an argument about, for or against a player. We think deeply about what's the grab. Like, I work directly with Tamara Anderson on our graphics, like to say, hey, I think this would be the best way to frame this. What do you think? And she'll come back with something and give me something. I go, that's better, let's do it that way. We think very deeply about how we frame our broadcast. And I think that's one of the reasons that it gets as much praise as it does and, and our crew, rightfully so, gets as much praise as they do because they think about this very deeply and how we try to frame this. And we want that balance, we want that credibility so that when we do praise somebody, when we do get Patrick Williams his, you know, flowers for having a 25 and 5 game for the first time in his career. But we all, you know, we give him his flowers for that. And I like to believe that people think it's a credible thing because we've been very critical of him and we were critical of him in the, the way we told the story about his production to money value, like it's one of the worst in the NBA. That's just a fact. That's just, that's a tangible thing that you can take a look at. So of course I feel empowered and emboldened to talk about that while also not insulting the person that he is and praising what he is doing currently and hoping from a fan perspective, that's the blend of having a little bit of a fan perspective that both Stacy and I have. Him being part of this organization for three decades and me being from here and rooting for them as a kid and having this emotional connectivity that we think very deeply about these things. So I hope that when we present them it has a certain level of credibility based on the, the totality of how we speak about the game, about the team, the organization. We try never. And I like to believe we've succeeded in never making it personal. But you see what you see and we can't sugarcoat that. So I hope that balance has, has played into how it's perceived over time.
- [24:04]
Dan Bernstein
And I play a little home game where I think I'm pretty good at. I've got like a pretend Mark Brady in my ear and I try to do it. I try to do like a reverse, like a Mad Lib where I hear what you and Stacy say after you're
- [24:20]
Adam Amin
backseat producing right now.
- [24:22]
Dan Bernstein
And I'm kind of like, you know, I know this is a perfect time to go back to that highlight and bring that up like there, there it was. And so I do a little producing and directing in my head. But I also can kind of feel that steady, quiet hand and mind of his where he, Mark Brady not only gets the bit but, but he really does represent in the way the broadcast sounds and looks. He doesn't just the lowest common denominator is the lowest level. Don't make people dumber.
- [24:56]
Adam Amin
Yeah.
- [24:57]
Dan Bernstein
Then it's, you know, start to make people smarter. I think he takes care of the smartest fan in a way that not everybody who's just checking boxes or doing a perfunctory broadcast. The more attention you pay, the more you can really learn about the Bulls and the opponent. I love that.
- [25:18]
Adam Amin
And he's, you know, got that sensibility while also keeping like a 13 year old sense of humor at times, you know, and laughing with us on talkback and sometimes that bleeds out over the air and you can start giggling and, and will. And I've just given up on trying to pretend like it's not happening. I just could say, well, Mark Brady told me to say this and this got us laughing and this is what happens. Like I think pulling the curtain back a little bit on, on any broadcast, especially a local one, and showing that, you know, we all, all do have a little bit of personality and, and the fact that we've been working. We've again, it's the same crew. It's, it's Mark, Russ, Tamara, James, Claire, you know, John, Frank. It's, it's like the whole crew has been the same for a long time. And I think that plays into how we present it because it's just a level of comfort that other crews aren't fortunate enough to have because they haven't had the time together. The, the time on task that we've all had allows us to do that and lean into each other's personalities and lean into what Mark is laughing about and also what he's thinking about. What's the other angle of how he's presenting something to us. And we've had like disagreements like off the air about like, hey, no, I really think it should be this. And Mark will go, no, no, hey, look at, look at it from this perspective. And Stacy is passionate as he is, might disagree, but I think that makes it better. I think it makes us sharper and I think it's creates a little bit of a, of a soft edge on what is, I think a very polished broadcast. It just gives it a little bit of a softer edge so that we can play around and have some space to mess around.
- [26:50]
Dan Bernstein
Well, one thing I want to ask though, the Stacy overdone sigh before one of the reads. Okay, so I have you heard this audible? And this goes back early in the season. I have a theory that a reed was put in front of him and he saw one of these long ass reads that we all have to do. And he went, we've all been there. We've like, I, I, I've done it a million times. Where back in the score days I'd be like, I've got three Vermont teddy bears in the next 20 minutes. Jesus, what are we doing here? And I feel like I'm gonna do a Jack Brickhouse or a Casey Casem. So I heard that and Jason was with me. And Jason's like, oh, he totally doesn't want to do this read. And like, I think you're right. And then he started exaggerating it more as if to, as if to hide it. Does my theory hold water?
- [27:42]
Adam Amin
I think it, I think it holds buckets of it, man. That's, that is, I think all of us. Because, because you've done this long enough, Dan, to where you go like, oh, I know what that he is really gearing up to, to lock it because, because it's, it's, it's a physical task all of a sudden. To be like, oh, God, I have to breathe this. Okay, here we go. And. And again, that. That's part of the comfort, I think, that obviously he has for. Have done, you know, having done this for as long as he has with Neil and now with me. And I think that's just. But that's part of the comfort level, man. Like, that's just that it's. It's. It's stuff that, you know, people gravitate to you for because it's just, hey, he. Like, it's a little peccadillo, you know, that. That this person has that I'm familiar with that makes them real, a real part of my life. Like, oh, there he is. He's got that tendency. Oh, they're like, oh, Adam's laughing again at some of the same joke that he's laughed at 50 times. And it's not necessarily the joke that gets me. It's the timing of it and the familiarity of it. And it's. It's chicken soup in a lot of ways with, you know, or if you want a tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich on a cold day, it just feels very comfortable. And that's a great. That's a really, really fortunate place to be as a broadcaster. It probably is. Any employee in any job that anybody does, if you have that level of comfort and. And. And ease with the people that you work with, that's a. That's a great blessing.
- [29:10]
Dan Bernstein
Are you tired at the end of a season? Like, are you. Are you a little fried?
- [29:16]
Adam Amin
I'm there now. And it's only because it's been the heaviest volume and it's at the end of it. So, you know, this will be once the NBA season is over. This. My easiest time of the year is the summer, and I'm still working from, you know, Tuesday to Friday on prepping baseball. I'm putting together these long player profiles, and as you know, baseball is the most cumulative sport. So it's constantly reading every day. And again, it's not laborious. It's not manual labor.
- [29:46]
Dan Bernstein
It's a lot of work.
- [29:47]
Adam Amin
It's just a mental taxation every day of kind of bringing yourself to do it. And I don't. That nobody likes the process of preparation. I hate the prep process. It's so distinctive for me that I have a long checklist for every sport that I do, and especially with football, because of the volume, but certainly with baseball, because it's a national sport that I cover, and I'm only parachuting in for one game a week. And it's the most polarizing amongst national, for national broadcasters, amongst fans, because baseball, you're just way more familiar with your people, like you just are. And it's, it's longer period of time and it's a longer season, so you're way more comfortable with the people that bring you in, your, your games and how they frame them. And we come in, parachute in for Saturday night and we frame everything a completely different perspective and try to be as local and dialed in as possible, but we speak about it and frame it differently, and that's just the way it is with, with national baseball broadcasts. So my, my intensity for the week is still pretty high because I don't want to slip. You know, I was getting ready to do the Cubs Guardians game on Saturday and, like, all I kept reading about was quit. I, I probably read more about Quentin Berry than anybody in the city was reading that week because it's like, that's the biggest story of the week that week until Friday when Kate Horton got hurt. And obviously the, the news that came in the other day is pretty, pretty tough to hear for Cub fan. But, like, that's an intensive week of just making sure I'm on top of it, so I'm not. Nothing slips past me because I don't want to show up on Saturday and not know the things that John Shambi knows. I'm not going to know everything, but I want to know what he knows. I want to know what Chip Carey knows about the Cardinals, because I want to make sure I'm as up to date as possible for St. Louis. And I want to know what Dave O' Brien knows, because I want to know what's going on with the Boston Red Sox and they're throwing the ball all over the field and Roman Anthony's getting thrown under the bus by Alex Cora. Like, I need to speak intelligently about these things come Saturday night. So it's still an intensive week, but it's one game a week, and it's three Saturdays out of the month, and I'm going to Rome at the end of May.
- [31:45]
Dan Bernstein
Oh, cool.
- [31:46]
Adam Amin
My friend. For my friend's wedding. And, and go, you know, enjoying that time and, you know, easing back in. But once August starts and you get to the Chicago Bears preseason, then you're in football mode. You're in. Once football mode starts, it is full go from that moment, so August to, you know, mid April, it's nonstop. And I'll finally get a breather, you know, next week with a, you know, after the regular season's over. I have a Saturday off as well. That's the first time that I look around and go, does anything in my life need to get taken care of right now? That's the first.
- [32:17]
Dan Bernstein
I want to ask you about that. You know, we had Jason Benetti on and, you know, I've known Jason since he was a very young man and interning for us. And this is a lifestyle you chose in a way that I don't know if it was for the generation before you. And I'm not sure how many people your age really have to ask that question. You just said, like, okay, now where is the rest of my life? Do I need. Is there upkeep on my home or where are the people in my life? How does it ever make it difficult to be the friend, the sibling, the son? Where do you find time for the rest of everything that so many of us at least have? It makes me feel like I've got a luxury or a privilege to spend time worrying about these things. You don't have that time.
- [33:09]
Adam Amin
You make it. You know, it's. It's the same way. Anybody else who does any job and has to balance, you know, work and life and home and their kids and their spouse and their family and all of it, it's just. But you, you find your people for it. You know, I've. I've been with the same woman for the last almost three years at this point. She's got a, you know, preteen son and. And we handle that the best way we possibly can. And it sucks. It's not easy being away. And there's a lot of times where we get two weeks at home, you know, during a home stand and even though we're doing games, you know, after the, like after the All Star break, we had the All Star break, that was a week I didn't go anywhere. I stayed at home because it was just nice to be home. And then we had a two week, three week stretch, two and a half week stretch where, you know, it's a seven game home stand so I don't have to get on a plane for three weeks. That was like a vacation almost. And that was a great time to be able to go out on dates and, you know, just be at home and watch and catch up on the shows that you want to catch up on and, you know, check in with my mom and see how she's doing back in, you know, Addison, and seeing how my brother and his son are doing. And, you know, there's a lot of just constant checking In. And that's a job in and of itself. But that's no different than what anybody else has to do. I also wouldn't have as strong of relationships with the people in my life as I do if they weren't the right people who understood this as well. And that's part of the choice. I don't. You never under. I never understood that fully until, you know, three years ago when, you know, I started dating my best friend and we realized, like, oh, well, she really handles this well, or doesn't handle it well, but hides it from me.
- [34:47]
Dan Bernstein
And it's like what coaches say when I always talk to you talk to coaches about that, they're like, look, it's not a neutral selection of the people around you at that point. It is. Your life has selected for the people who are there through this. In a way, yeah, they.
- [35:04]
Adam Amin
I think the universe puts, you know, if you want to, you know, look at it in almost a spiritual way, like, the universe puts in front of you the people that it believes that are best for you in that moment and at that time. And. And it wouldn't work otherwise. I don't think it works otherwise. And it has to, because I've dedicated so much of my existence as an adult to this. You know, like, this is what I chose, and it's gonna. I. I like to believe in my heart of hearts that if I had chosen any other profession or any other path, I'd be fine. I'd like to believe that because I would have applied.
- [35:38]
Dan Bernstein
What would you have been? What would you have.
- [35:40]
Adam Amin
I don't. That's the thing I don't. Like, I, like, would I have been. I was selling cars in Skokie when I was interning at ESPN Radio? Like, would that have been, like, a line of work that I would have chosen? Would I, you know, do something, you know, with a. Fortunate to have a very good education? Like, is that something that I would have pursued? I just didn't like science and math the way that other people. What about opera? I, My. When my voice dropped from tenor to baritone, I think that went out the window. But, like, would I. Would I just do music stuff? Like, would I just pursue the creative out, you know, an outlet and. And like, I get to do on the side now. Like, is that something I would have pursued? And I'd like to believe that if I applied the same things that I've applied to my broadcasting career and professional life to some other avenue, maybe I would have some success and be fortunate enough to be okay by the time I was 40, which I'll turn 40 at the end of the year this year. I like to believe that, but I don't know that. So making a choice and having it work out the way it has and it's not the finish line and it doesn't mean I get to coast. Especially if you have big things that you want to accomplish, which I do. Like this is. This was a choice from the time I was 23 years old and moved to, you know, Spirit Lake, Iowa and decided to go to a town of 3, 000 people for eight months and, and be by myself and be isolated, then move to New Jersey and then all that, you know, everything that followed after that, like that was a conscientious choice. And the people that are in my life that play as big of a role as they do are in a lot of ways conscientious choices that I probably made a long time ago and fortunate to have those types of people in my life that make it work because it doesn't work without them.
- [37:24]
Dan Bernstein
What are those other things you want to accomplish? There isn't really all that far for you to go from here.
- [37:30]
Adam Amin
It's framing it in a weird way or a different way now because I, like any broadcaster worth their salt, wants to do the super bowl or wants to do the NBA Finals or wants to do the World Series. And for me, at the end of the day, it's it. I really, I. The super bowl is the thing that sticks out to me the most. That is the highest level of accomplishment in a play by play field to be able to have the opportunity. And by the way, it's not always a meritocracy because so much of it is dependent on who owns it and who do you work for.
- [38:02]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, it's ever a meritocracy who owns
- [38:05]
Adam Amin
it, who has the rights to it and who do you work for? Are. And the company that you work for, are you at the top of it in that particular moment? And I do think there is merit to it. I do think there is a lot of merit that goes into it. Like, I look at my colleagues who call the biggest games and I go, they should be there. Good for them. I, I'm thankful that they get to do that. And I would like to do that at some point someday down the line. The difference is now can you frame it in a way that if it doesn't happen, you don't look at yourself as a failure? And that's the hard part. And that's the part that I've started to get closer and closer and closer and closer to as an adult who's conscientious about these things and has plenty of, has had plenty of therapy sessions to talk about these things with Rob. So I, I think that's really important to be able to frame it in a way that, like, hey, if you don't accomplish this or if you don't get there, that doesn't mean you didn't accomplish something because you said it right. Dan, like, at this point, what else do I really have to have to do? Like, I get to call the three sports that I care the most about, one of which I get to call for a team that I care a whole lot about. And the other sports are sports that get huge, you know, viewership. And I get to call huge games. It gets called playoff games in major league baseball, it's called big NFL games. And at that, at this point, it's just, hey, I would like to do the biggest ones because that's the, those are the ones that people that care the most about or the most amount of people care for. But if I don't get there, is it that important anymore? And it's really, it's getting to the point where it's not. I would like to do those things professionally, but on top of it, I would just like to, you know, if, if we are at the doorstep of impending doom, as it feels like it, as it feels like sometimes when I log onto the Internet and look at X or look at an algorithm for five minutes, like, suddenly it feels like this might be the last day on earth, especially here in D.C. right now as we're recording this, like, I'm, I'm good with the people that I have and the process that I've taken to get there. And hopefully it continues to work out so I can keep taking care of the people that I want to take care of.
- [40:08]
Dan Bernstein
Our conversation on Dan Bernstein unfiltered on 312 Sports with Adam Amin is brought to you by Russ Armstrong in Chicago. Window guys, give him a call at 847-302-9171. He's got a factory here in Chicago. He's here in Chicago. He roots for the same teams you do. And he will make sure you get the best deal and the best price. And you say it can't be that simple. It really can. You can get quotes elsewhere. You can hear about all these gimmicks. But Russ will explain the difference between some of these loss leader gimmicks and all these teasers and what things really cost and make sure that you get the best windows at the best price. Made locally here in Chicago by someone, you know who uses the same crew to install the windows. The people that did mine will do yours. And he just wants to make sure you're happy. So give Russ a call when you need windows 847-302-9171. Check out his 5 star reviews@chicagowindowguys.com you mentioned, I don't know if you were kidding when you were talking about Rob and therapy, but as, as somebody who has had any number of, of professional anxiety dreams, I've had some awesome play by play anxiety dreams and it's a, it's, I've had some very specific ones. And it's gotta be hard for you because you never know what city you're in. My God, you wake up and you're in some, you know, Marriott, whatever. You don't know where you are. But I, the one that I get, I want to know how this compares to yours. When I was doing a lot of play by play, I always got the one where I would get to the arena or the stadium and I would find visiting radio. Visiting radio, visiting radio. And wherever it said visiting radio, I couldn't see the game. Either it was on the roof or it was in the hallway. And I said, well, I can't see the game. And the person was, this is visiting radio. Nobody else complains. We have visiting radio here. You're the first visiting radio person to complain. Like, but I literally can't see the game. And it was, it was some version of that or some version of I left the equipment in the hotel.
- [42:14]
Adam Amin
Sure.
- [42:14]
Dan Bernstein
So what, what is, what is your, do you ever have one where you go, ugh, this again.
- [42:19]
Adam Amin
It's the, it's a recurring. I missed the flight. I Woke up at 6pm for a 610 game or something like that. Like I, I wake up in a panic and this is while I'm sleeping. So I'm dreaming myself in a panic and then I wake up and it's 11am on game day and it's fine, we're okay. I'm get, you know, getting my bearings and trying to realize what bed is this, what hotel is this, what city is this, what is the game that we have to call today? And after about, you know, 20 seconds or so, you can kind of calm down. But it's a recurring thing. It constantly comes back just because I'm sure my brain is so exposed to the wanting. You know, this is like the Main anxiety is, am I there?
- [43:07]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
- [43:07]
Adam Amin
Especially with as much as, you know, as much as I travel and, you know, this, especially these last few weeks, there are a lot of not close calls, but a lot of just tight flights. And I got to get into this city. And between doing, you know, there was a stretch where we were doing a West coast trip with the Bulls at the beginning of March, and I had to leave it. You know, they played in Phoenix. They had two off days there, but I was going to Houston to go do World Baseball Classic. And then I was rejoining the team in Sacramento and taking their, you know, the first flight out.
- [43:38]
Dan Bernstein
They did a whole bit about that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. On the broadcast, they showed you. Where in the world is Adam Amin?
- [43:44]
Adam Amin
Taking the red eye from LA to Miami. And then this past week, like, I'm going to St. Louis on Friday after the Bulls game or on. On Saturday after the Bulls game Friday, flying to Dallas on Sunday to rejoin the team. And then, like, little things like that. It's just trying to maintain, like, the right track of where I'm supposed to be. And because I'm constantly surrounding my brain with. All right, did you book this? I didn't book my flight to Cleveland last week. I was supposed to take a flight to Cleveland on Saturday morning to do the Cubs game that eventually got rained out. I hadn't booked the flight until the night before. I forgot to book the flight.
- [44:17]
Dan Bernstein
Don't you have somebody who does that for you?
- [44:19]
Adam Amin
Well, I. So we do that on our own. We don't have to pay for it or anything. Like, we go through an app that. That Fox, you know, supplies for us. A lot of companies use, right? You know, it's called Trip Source. So we go through Trip Source and it's like, all right, this flight at this time. And I just. I do them all in chunks. I get my schedule and I go, all right, how does it work with the Bull schedule? Okay, it goes with this. Let me make sure I can fly on this day, this day, fly back, whatever. And all of a sudden, like, I just realized I thought I had booked it. I didn't. And just. That's a panic moment, too. So I wake up on Saturday to take a 7am flight. I had slept two hours in my own bed after we got back from New York City because the Bulls had played the Knicks. I slept in my bed for two hours. I woke up at 5am I take the 7am flight. I take a nap in Cleveland. I wake up, we go to the park. You know, that. That Was a fortunate day that they banged the game at 5pm and I go, you know what? I could, I can catch a flight back to Chicago instead of having to take the 5am back tomorrow morning. My brain is constantly surrounded by what's the next thing? What's the next thing? What's the next thing? That it's harder to stay present. So the anxiety that I get from that manifests itself in the one recurring weird anxiety driven, panic driven dream that I have, which is very similar to what you're talking about.
- [45:31]
Dan Bernstein
I get it, believe me. Do you have a routine enough that keeps you healthy as far as eating and exercise and at least knowing wherever hotel you're staying, you've got what you need or you do bring, you know, exercise equipment with you? Like, like because you're in shape and you know, you, you, you can't allow the road to dictate some of these things that can get you really unhealthy really fast.
- [45:57]
Adam Amin
Well, my first six or seven years working at ESPN, you know, so I'm in my mid-20s, into my, into my early 30s basically. And I, my, the latter half of that, I became like a food guy at ESPN where it's like I was doing what Todd Blackledge used to do, where he would do Taste of the Town. Well, I, I, we just loved going to restaurants. We go to great restaurants in, in Boise, Idaho and you know, Starkville, Mississippi and you know, Waco, Texas. And you're all over the country and you're like, well, I want to eat. Well, you're in these fun towns, these fun college towns. You might as well enjoy the local fair. And we started like, I gained a lot of weight through it, which is fine. There's nothing wrong with that. I just noticed it, right? I was always a super skinny kid, you know, until I got to college and then I started to be a little bit more health conscious. I took very poor care of myself when I first moved away and went to Iowa. And I was a, I had a bad Newport habit for a long time and you know, I was up to about a half a pack a day in my, at my worst new ports. I was a Newport guy, I was a menthol guy. Yeah.
- [46:56]
Dan Bernstein
Wow. Now that if you ever wanted like a, a window, there is, you're, you're, you're honorary, you're invited to the barbecue, my man. You are, you absolutely are.
- [47:11]
Adam Amin
I'm very much of the culture of, foreign of the culture. I've always been foreign of the culture in this, in this wonderful city. That I'm from.
- [47:18]
Dan Bernstein
So I'm like a linen suit and a conversion van.
- [47:24]
Adam Amin
I know it says Addison. I know it says Addison, Illinois on the Wikipedia page. I understand that, but don't ever take the city out of me. I. I've spent many, many a night enjoying a Newport with a stranger. So. But, like, I. Again, I. Like, that was a habit. I had to. I had to change. And all of this, I realized, is just conscientious decision making. It has to be. It can't just be like, you have to every. I have to every day go, hey, you should go to the gym today. Just do it. Just do it. You're gonna feel good after you, after you get done. It's gonna suck for the first 20 minutes. You'll muscle through it. You'll. You'll. You hate yourself in the middle of it. And then you walk out and you go, I'm glad I did that. Hey, try to eat now instead of eating at midnight. Like, it's just become conscientious decision making out of necessity. And when a doctor tells you, hey, you know, your cholesterol is a little high or you should be doing more, like, I'm responsible for myself. I've never had a personal trainer. I've never had a dietitian. It's just, I have to conscientiously make the decision. And I think that that's a form of self care, right? Like, I think all of us, when we conscientiously and outwardly and out loud say, hey, I'm gonna go do this, because it's gonna be better for me, then I'm more liable to do it. So, you know, the last two months in particular of traveling with the Bulls, again, I go, no, let's make sure that every day we're very fortunate. We stay in nice hotels that have very nice gyms. When I go home, I bought a home in a building that has a very nice gym. And I went in there and said, this is a plus. You should make sure that you take advantage of this. And I have to do that. I have to make those decisions for myself. And I'm happy to have done that a lot more over the last year. Plus. So that's important to me.
- [49:04]
Dan Bernstein
At the same time, where does music fit in for you? And as important as it is to you, and I know that anybody who does what you do as a DJ for fun and just to make sure that you get that creative outlet that you mentioned before, that that's an itch you gotta scratch, where does it fit in where do you find time? Do you listen to music when you prep? Do you listen when you're waiting for a plane? And what kind of things, you know, what kind of vibes do you create to do your best work? And where does music have, have an impact on that?
- [49:41]
Adam Amin
You know, I think more often than not, if I'm working for a long period of time and I'm on the road, you know, I'm, I'm FaceTiming or on the, with my partner, she's. It's just a way to stay connected and it feels like we're not apart, you know, as much. So that, that certainly helps. I, I think we both just sit on, on the phone and work. You know, she works late nights sometimes too. She's a creative person. So like I, I think that certainly helped. I think when I'm by myself I usually flip on some kind of, you know, high, higher tempo music, you know, and for me it's often is the case it's house music just because that's what I end up using and I, that is part of the side gig and that's fun to do. So it's almost like doing two jobs and kind of curating stuff. Is something going to hit your ear? But for the most part it's, it's just putting on something in the background and having something that I don't, that's not going to drag too much of my focus away because I'm probably like a lot of people where like I need to get into it and it's a slow churn and once you get into the rhythm then you can't get me out of it. But getting into that rhythm is a hard thing for me to do. So if there's something in the background that doesn't drag focus but sets a tempo and that's always been something in music that's really important is setting a tone and tempo for, for the night that you know you're setting up for another DJ or closing out or whatever it may be like that's always been like a little conscientious thing. Again, I know I've used that word so much today with you, just the word conscientious. Because that's what I've come to realize. I have to be thoughtful about this. I have to be a lot more thoughtful about how I operate day to day. Otherwise I'm just going to let stuff slip by the wayside. So when I'm in these modes it's, it's good, it feels rhythmic, it feels like I Get a lot done. But getting into that. That state, that flow state, I guess, as some people might call it, like, that's important to get there. So whatever's in the background, whatever comfort is on in the background is usually a good way to kind of get in that mindset.
- [51:41]
Dan Bernstein
Some of the best advice that I ever got when I was very, very young, and it was specific to hosting talk radio, and it was always, you're speaking to one person that you never say, you Cubs fans out there or you Bears fans. It's you the Cubs fan or you the Bears fan. It has to be a singular relationship in talk radio or in podcasting. And I'm learning that too, because I have no idea what I'm doing in podcasting. I have no concept of. Of what I'm doing yet. But it's different in play by play. You are speaking to a larger audience, and yet you have to have a picture of the person, you know, your idealized viewer, to whom you are presenting this. And it's different in a national broadcast than it is in a local. And how do you make sure that your internal settings are picturing the right, ideal consumer of what you're providing that day or that night?
- [52:42]
Adam Amin
I think saying the word you helps, you know, like, to. To really try to make somebody at home, which is what you guys have done forever, right? Like in split sports talk radio, that was always the thing. You feel like you're part of the conversation because you're welcomed into it as a fly on the wall. And that's never a bad way to operate in any form of, I think, media, especially when it is connection driven. I. I've always thought that that was an important thing to do, is to be able to drive a connection. And. And that's what I think makes great baseball broadcasters in particular. But a great broadcaster in general, especially for a local team, is to be able to make people feel like there is a personal connection. People go up to Stacy Boundaryless at times and just kind of just insert themselves into his space sometimes. And. And he. And it's because they feel. They know, familiar. They feel like he is part of their family or part of their home life or part of their, you know, their friend group because of how he has formulated a connection with people for a long time. I think great communicators do that. And, yeah, it's not always comfortable for him, and it's not always comfortable for anybody who suddenly turns around and goes, hey, somebody's, you know, asking you for something, and that's fine. That's part of the gig, that's part of the territory and that's part, that's the benefit of the connection. You should look at it as a benefit that people feel comfortable enough with you because you've done a good enough job of curating a feel a feeling with them on a night to night or day to day basis or week to week, whatever it may be. Like you, you create comfort. I have this working theory about the great like top flight broadcasters in the country and it's the guys that. It's the Kevin Burkhart to the world that call the Super Bowl. It's the gym Nances, it's the Tiricos, the bucks, the people that you know. The number one guys. The number one guys.
- [54:34]
Dan Bernstein
Tariko is unbelievable. He never stumbles.
- [54:39]
Adam Amin
It's, it's. He's a steel trap. His mind is, is so incredible. And he's the one that kind of taught me like how are you? How do you, how can you be a smart guy that doesn't bludgeon people over the head with the fact that you're trying to be smart or trying to deliver?
- [54:54]
Dan Bernstein
You're stealing my bit. That, that's my whole career. I'm right here.
- [54:59]
Adam Amin
I'm sorry, I'm standing right in front of the front of the exhibit A. Right? This is, this is exhibit A of it.
- [55:04]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah.
- [55:05]
Adam Amin
Like that's, that's. I always wanted to be like I was a nerdy smart kid who didn't fit in very well and I didn't know how I was supposed to be in the world world, you know, just in terms of walking around with this, with this weird brain that told you things that other people's brains would never notice or made it. And again, you're made to feel awkward when you're 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17 felt.
- [55:31]
Dan Bernstein
Think of Benetti had the same thing and he, and he's dealing with having cerebral palsy. Think about that.
- [55:39]
Adam Amin
We've had conversations about that. He and I have just like the discomfort that, that you feel with like how you think and when you're made to feel like that's not how sports are supposed to be because it's a, you know, it's, it's a good old boy network or it's, it's the, it's the jock network or whatever it may be played. You never played. And I definitely think that's less and less now. That's certainly less now than it ever has been. I do think audience fans crowd way more intelligent now than ever just because of The. The breadth of information that they have access to fans, I think are small. I think you have to call games differently because of fans now, because they are just smarter and no more. So my job is to try to know a little bit more, or at the very least, if you know more than I do, how do I take the knowledge that you have and try to have a personal discussion with you when you and I aren't personally talking? And that's something that you have to. To learn. And I followed Mike's lead on that. Ian Eagles lead on that, Dan Schulman's lead. Like they. I always just felt along with the local flavor of listening to Pat and Ron, you know, do. Do games every day. And to feel like it was just, hey, come on in. You're here, you're with us. You're part of our crew. You're part of our group. And that's a. That's a feeling like sports broadcasting attracts certain personalities. I'm one of those personalities that is looking for a way to let all this, like, stuff in my head out in a way that makes sense to somebody else. And over time, my theory has been the reason Kevin Burkhart now is the youngest of the group that calls the super bowl, the reason he sounds like he belongs, like he's. Like he should be calling the super bowl, is now you've heard him, like, in 20, 25, maybe 30 big moments now over the last several years of him being a lead guy. Now. People remember the DJ Moore touchdown. People remember his Eagles calls in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago. People remember things that he has said. And it's only, everybody's good at this that's doing this job. You may not like them or you may disagree with that because you have a subjective feeling that this person is not as good or you like this other person better. That's fine. That's all part of the deal. That's subjectivity at its core. But the reason Burkhart sounds like a number one now is because now you've heard him 20 or 30 times. Joe Davis sounds like he belongs doing the World Series. I've known this since we were doing minor league baseball together, and we've been friends for 16 years now at this point. But I've always known that he sounded like a big announcer when he was 22 to me, but now the country hears him on the swing of his life. Justin Jefferson climbs the ladder. Otani in the World Series. The, you know, to beat the champ, you gotta knock him out. All these, like, Calls that are now, like, stuck in people's heads. He's got like 20 of those. I've got maybe like five because I've been in those positions a little less. I've got like five or maybe if I'm lucky, 10 of those somewhere in that range. And to get to a point where you become one of the lead guys, the Tiricos, the Bucks, the Eagles, the Nances, the whomever you revere, and like, you got. People have to hear you like 15, 20 times, do something or say something cool or say something that's appropriate in a really cool moment.
- [59:05]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah, I put Kevin Harlan in that group, too. I would definitely include Harlan because that's. There's just something immediately triggers memories when you hear that that particular timber, that
- [59:15]
Adam Amin
psychology has to be implemented into a fan's head before they ever accept you as one of, like the, the big ones. Like one of the great announcers or one of the main announcers or a number one guy or a big game voice. Like, I've been doing this as long as a lot of other people have, but I don't have the same resume yet because it's just, I. I had a different path to get to some of these games, and that's okay. Jay. Like, I don't know if Jay. I think Jason Benetti is a household name. I certainly believe that because I've known him a long time and I've always felt that he was either a household name or going to be very shortly a household name. But only now are people around the country because he's a number one baseball announcer. And it's only going to get bigger once they're on NBC rather than on Peacock on Sunday nights. Like, people will get there with Jason and realize, where was this guy the whole time? All of us in Chicago, like, where were you? Like, he's been without. We knew this guy was going to be great for a long time. Wayne Randazzo is a close friend of mine. People now are starting to see, like, we all know it. He's been in Chicago forever, but only now be with the Angels and Apple TV and the big baseball moments. He's calling. It takes a while. It takes like, that's resume building. And they don't tell you about that when you're 22 years old and getting an award from the state of Indiana for being a good college kid at broadcasting. Like, you don't. They don't tell you that this is the, the process that all these people went through. They just didn't do it on Social media, they just didn't do it, you know, at the same level. It was just a little bit of a different path to get there. You got to get. That's my working theory, that these guys and myself included, kind of have to build up that resume to make it comfortable for a fan.
- [60:52]
Dan Bernstein
You're not even 40 yet. You're a child in this.
- [60:55]
Adam Amin
I'm a child in this. Which is a hard thing to remember. It's a hard thing to remember sometimes.
- [60:59]
Dan Bernstein
Yeah. Because believe me, like, you're just starting. You had. You had such a quick entry into the highest level of the business that I hope you remind yourself of that every once in a while, that this is important. This is maybe the middle of the beginning or the end of act one for you, and you're already here. So you're so far ahead of the game right now. To hear that level of ambition and conscientiousness about it is, you know, I don't want you to get too weighed down by that. Still 39 years old.
- [61:38]
Adam Amin
Like I said, that's. That's the process that's of getting to the idea, like, because again, so much of this now is out of my control. So much of this now is out of my control. It's.
- [61:48]
Dan Bernstein
Who knows what the media is going to look like? Who knows what the hell. It's all the lines between, what is television, what is radio, what is content, where is it, how do people find it? Is everything going to be on the phone? Like, all of these definitions 15 years from now may be completely blown up.
- [62:07]
Adam Amin
It's. It's jumbled, as jumbled as it ever has been. It's wide open, you know, like streaming services, networks are still fighting for. For, you know, to have the. The legacy segments of broadcasting that they've had for the last 30 to 50 years. Like, it's a strange landscape out there. And that's fine. That's part of the deal. All out of my control. So all I can do is. Like we talked about with Billy Donovan at the top. Here's the hand that you're dealt. How do you make the most of the hand that you're dealt and how do you maximize the opportunity that you have in front of you?
- [62:38]
Dan Bernstein
Last thing for you. We appreciate your generosity with your time today as always. Adam, how big are the Bears this year for Fox and for. For Fox Football? This. Like, I've. I keep thinking about what the Bears were last year and how they just explained. Exploded into the consciousness and everything that happened depending on the fickle fate of the way the NFL works. I would think that there are people at Fox who look at the Bears as a, as something that should be forward facing nationally.
- [63:15]
Adam Amin
That's a, there's a reason Tom Brady was showing up for as many Bears games as he was, especially late in the season, because they are a draw. Caleb Williams is a draw. We have, you know, we always do this seminar in July or August before the football season starts at Fox. And CBS does it too. Everybody does it. And you know, one of the discussions we always have is how do audiences absorb and perceive the NFL? Right. Because for those of us who are in the weeds of it, you're in the weeds of it in your segment of broadcasting. I'm in the weeds of it in my segment of broadcasting. We're all deep in it. And if you're a fan, you're in it in your own way and it's probably fairly deep in, in your estimation. So how, how do the, how does the average consumer for the country's largest consumer product basically perceive it every week? And it's so different than how you and I do it. They all, most fans can identify like five players. Most fans. And I know that sounds weird, but think about like your aunt or like your 12 year old nephew who is like kind of into football and knows this person or that person is just starting to learn it the way you and I started to learn it when we were kids. Like you can still only name so much. So the average fan can name Aaron Rodgers, oldest quarterback in the league. So the most familiar familiarity, Dak Prescott, quarterback of the Cowboys because it's the Cowboys. Patrick Mahomes because they're the most successful organization of this.
- [64:40]
Dan Bernstein
Don't tell me Caleb's there now Travis
- [64:43]
Adam Amin
Kelsey because he's dating Taylor Swift. And I think now you're starting to get there because Caleb Williams was on national tv. Enough. Did enough. Cool. To where you go, oh, that's cool. Who's that? That guy did something interesting. Who's that? That's, that's how fandom in the big tent sports works. And suddenly Caleb Williams has walked into the big tent and said, hey, I got a lot of people here that want to hang out in the big tent. Can they come? And that's how the, that's the Bears fans now. That's how this, that, this is how big money cons, big consumer or large volume consumer sports and businesses work in this country.
- [65:25]
Dan Bernstein
And the publicly traded media companies do.
- [65:28]
Adam Amin
Like this is, this is how this is big time. And the Bears are suddenly A lot more big time. And Fox of course wants that because for the last several years the AFC has been dominant because of the quarterback play. Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, the, you know, the three at the very top of the list. You know, the Cowboys haven't had great, as great a success the last couple of years as they did, you know, three or four years ago. The Bears haven't had great successes until this past season. Jared Goff in the lands just in the last two or three years are back on the map now. So now the NFC is starting to get a little bit more of a power shift. Jalen Hurts, Williams, Prescott, Jared Goff, Jordan Love to an extent as well because the packers are a familiar brand in the NFL. Like you're starting to get a little bit more of that shift and at the forefront of that is the biggest market in that group until the Giants, until Jackson Dart leads the Giants to 12 wins. They're not going to be as relevant as Caleb Williams is. And, and as much as I love Matthew Stafford, I think he's one of the greats of all time. LA is still not. It doesn't have the blue collar nature that Chicago does and it doesn't have the same care. Although these last couple of years it has grown and certainly this past year was as good of a Rams fan season as I've ever seen. Where the fans at? SoFi were finally starting to steer a little bit more towards 5050 for home games than than they have in years past and they had some sellouts like the Bears carry that mantle for the NFC because of the market size and because of real star power. And for the first time in as long as I can remember, this is real star power for a modern era, for how social media and the Internet consumes the NFL and how large of a tent the NFL takes up. And Caleb Williams walked into the tent last year and said, got a lot of people in this city that you guys haven't really paid a whole lot of attention to, understandably. So I'd like to bring them into the tent and that's what's happening with the Bears right now. I love it.
- [67:23]
Dan Bernstein
And then I just picture him grating cheese. Oh, it's perfect. Adam, this was really a delight and I appreciate it. Travel safe and at the end of the basketball season, take a little decompression time. I don't know what mountain you can climb or what, what lake you're going to go sit in, but I hope you are able to take some time for yourself.
- [67:45]
Adam Amin
I appreciate the hell out of you, buddy. I appreciate it so much. Thank you, Danny.
- [67:48]
Dan Bernstein
Thanks. That is Adam Amin of Chicago Sports Network and Fox for everything that he does. And this is all brought to you in partnership with my bookie. Whenever the stakes are high, my bookie is where you turn bets into bankroll. Always a big matchup on the schedule with everybody watching and having their takes. Look at that prop board that my bookie has. Because it's deep, it's fun to play. Player performances, game milestones, everything in between. This is the kind of action that keeps things interesting all game long. So if you want to get in, get in. One account, one wallet. MyBookie AG. Everything lives there. You don't have multiple sites you gotta deal with. Everything's at MyBookie AG. Use the code DBU when you register and make your deposit. And your first bet's covered up to 500 bucks. That provides you with a bet back bonus token that allows you to run that bet back. Everything at MyBookie AG, live betting during the action. There's even a casino for halftime or between games. All there. Don't just watch the action, make it pay. The code DBU at my bookie. This has been Dan Bernstein, Unfiltered, brought to you today by the Chicago Window guys and Russ Armstrong and in partnership with my bookie, Dan Bernstein.
- [69:03]
Adam Amin
Unfiltered. Unfiltered. On three, one, two, Sports.