The Hidden Power of Creating a Media Persona | The Schmo DSH #761

Summary

Podcast Summary: Digital Social Hour | The Schmo DSH #761

Title: The Hidden Power of Creating a Media Persona
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: The Schmo
Release Date: September 27, 2024

In episode #761 of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly engages in a dynamic conversation with his guest, The Schmo, delving into the intricacies of crafting a compelling media persona. The discussion traverses the realms of sports media, personal branding, the evolving landscape of athlete-led content, and the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on media interactions within the combat sports community.

---

1. Introducing The Schmo Persona

The episode opens with Sean Kelly and The Schmo discussing the transformative effect of adopting the Schmo persona. The Schmo explains how donning glasses allows him to embody a completely different character, creating a distinct identity separate from his natural, relaxed demeanor.

• Notable Quote:
  "I'm a relaxed, easygoing dude, but when I put the glasses on, I'm in character. It takes a life of its own." [00:00]

2. Experiences in Sports Events

The conversation shifts to The Schmo's experiences organizing and participating in celebrity sports events, particularly the Mayweather Celebrity Basketball Game. They reminisce about past events, notable participants, and the unexpected outcomes, such as teammate injuries.

• Notable Quote:
  "This is the Schmo. He's the pro. It's the digital social hour. We're wrapping this thing up. Clearly, this is a completely different guy speaking than the one you were just listening to." [00:15]

3. The Evolution of Media and Athlete-Led Content

A significant portion of the discussion centers on the shifting dynamics of media, especially how athletes are increasingly taking control of their narratives through podcasts and personal content channels. The Schmo highlights the decline in traditional media's relevance and the rise of athlete-driven platforms.

• Notable Quote:
  "Everyone's getting their own podcast now. So it's kind of forcing the hand of traditional media. Hey, how are you going to respond to this? How are you going to stay afloat?" [05:05]

4. Balancing Influence and Entertainment

The Schmo elaborates on his strategy to blend traditional media professionalism with the engaging, spontaneous nature of influencers. This balance has enabled him to maintain a unique presence in the media landscape, staying ahead of trends and adapting to changes effectively.

• Notable Quote:
  "I take the best of the influencer content creator world, and I take the best of the media world, which is what I come from, and I find a balance and I find what works between them." [10:10]

5. Favorite Sports and Personal Preferences

Exploring personal interests, The Schmo discusses his affinity for the NFL and UFC, citing their robust media integrations and continuous engagement with audiences. He contrasts these with other sports like basketball and baseball, emphasizing the strategic elements he appreciates.

• Notable Quote:
  "It's probably NFL and UFC." [19:37]

6. Impact of COVID-19 on Media Interactions

The Schmo shares firsthand experiences of covering events during the pandemic, particularly within the UFC's Fight Island bubble. He reflects on the challenges of conducting interviews under strict health protocols and the lasting impressions these experiences left.

• Notable Quote:
  "We did, and I was interviewing people with, like, a mask on and, like, a plastic thing. If you look back at some of those old interviews, it's hilarious." [21:33]

7. Upcoming Events and Future Plans

Looking ahead, The Schmo outlines his involvement in upcoming events, including PFL activities in Salt Lake City and the UFC Expo at UFC 303. He also touches upon potential appearances at other sports-related events, balancing his commitments across various platforms.

• Notable Quote:
  "I'm gonna be doing some PFL this weekend. They're in Salt Lake City. I'm gonna do some content around that." [24:45]

8. Debating the Definition of a Sport

A spirited debate arises around what constitutes a sport, with The Schmo advocating for combat sports while critically examining other emerging or less traditional activities like power slapping and pickleball. He emphasizes the skill, strategy, and physical demands that differentiate genuine sports from mere entertainment.

• Notable Quote:
  "Anything where you can build sweat equity, I, I think is, is a sport." [28:37]

9. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

As the episode concludes, Sean Kelly and The Schmo reflect on the evolution of media personas and the importance of adaptability in the ever-changing media landscape. The Schmo reiterates his commitment to entertaining and engaging his audience through innovative content creation.

• Notable Quote:
  "This is the Schmo. He's the pro. It's the digital social hour. We're wrapping this thing up. We appreciate your time." [31:16]

---

Key Insights:

• Media Persona Creation: Adopting a distinct character can significantly enhance personal branding and audience engagement.

• Shift in Media Dynamics: Traditional media is being challenged by athlete-led content platforms, necessitating adaptability and innovation.

• Importance of Authenticity: Balancing professional credibility with relatable, entertaining content is crucial in building a loyal following.

• Impact of Global Events: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated rapid changes in how media personnel interact with athletes and cover events.

• Defining Sports: The conversation underscores the subjective nature of what constitutes a sport, highlighting the importance of skill and strategic elements.

Conclusion:

Episode #761 of Digital Social Hour offers a compelling exploration of the power behind crafting a media persona in today's fast-evolving digital landscape. Through candid discussions and insightful anecdotes, Sean Kelly and The Schmo provide listeners with a deep understanding of the strategies and challenges involved in building a successful media presence within the sports industry.

---

Connect with The Schmo:

• Website: schmo312.com
• Social Media: Follow The Schmo 312 across all platforms
• YouTube: The Schmo

---

Thank you for tuning into this summary of Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly and The Schmo. For the full conversation and more engaging content, be sure to listen to the episode on your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[A]

I'm a relaxed, easygoing dude, but when I put the glasses on, I'm in character. It takes a life of its own.

[B]

Yeah, that's the part that surprised me, actually, when we met today without you with the glasses.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You were totally normal.

[A]

Yeah, I appreciate that.

[B]

So you're really putting on a total 180 on your actual personality when you're in that.

[A]

All right, this is the schmo. He's the pro. It's the digital social hour. We're wrapping this thing up. Clearly, this is a completely different guy speaking than the one you were just listening to.

[B]

All right, guys, got the schmo here today. Thanks for coming on, man.

[A]

Hey, thanks for making it happen.

[B]

Yeah. It's rare not to see you in. In your uniform.

[A]

I appreciate that. Well, actually, I had a basketball uniform the first couple of times we met. Yeah, we played in the Mayweather celebrity basketball game. You came out to the fight hoops game, I believe, too. So I've actually seen you in. In, like, a basketball environment on the gym court.

[B]

Yeah, this is the first time we're not in a basketball environment.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. You could hoop, though, bro.

[A]

It's not like you. You're scoring points. I wish I had your height.

[B]

Yeah, the height comes in handy. Man. That was a fun game. You organized that every year. The one with the UFC fighters.

[A]

I don't think that's happening ever again.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Well, Jamal Hill tore his Achilles.

[B]

I remember that.

[A]

And Dana was.

[B]

Dana called you up, didn't he?

[A]

Actually, no, they did not. But, you know, everyone wanted to play.

[B]

Yeah. So it was a blast.

[A]

So much fun, dude. I would do it every year.

[B]

I can't believe he still played on it, too. He came in. Just take the last shot.

[A]

He's a Hooper.

[B]

That dude's mental tough.

[A]

He's good. But Phil Rowe. How good is Phil Rowe at basketball?

[B]

He was good. I was upset we lost that game, man.

[A]

DC was, too.

[B]

DC blocked me. He blocked me. And how tall is that man?

[A]

5 10?

[B]

Yeah, I never told anyone that. To be honest, I was pretty embarrassed that.

[A]

No, yeah, D.C. was on our team. That's right. Okay.

[B]

D.C. was on the other team. I was on Jamal's team. You were on DC's team, right?

[A]

I was on DC's team, yeah.

[B]

You guys got us.

[A]

Yeah, man.

[B]

I can't believe he blocked me, dude. He was so pumped.

[A]

He's a competitive guy, right?

[B]

Yes. What you been up to lately, though?

[A]

I'm just chilling. I'm diversifying. I saw him on ESPN Radio here in Vegas every Tuesday. So not as much in the podcast scene as live radio. I've dude a lot of professional sports outside of just doing combat sports. We just had boxing, we just had Javante, Tank Davis.

[B]

Oh, you were commentating that.

[A]

I was not commentating that. I was still covering it as media. I do commentate fights though, for Up Next Fighting unf. They're an independent organization in Southern California. Their next event July 6th, so I'm their Schmo Rogan post fight interviewer and I do commentary is like the third man in the booth for them. It's a mix of both professional and amateur fighters. So it's, it's fun. It's at the Commerce Casino hotel and like 15 to 17 fights usually.

[B]

Holy crap.

[A]

And. And you know, Southern California is a hotbed. It's a lot of good talent comes out of those. Those gyms in that region. So it's, it's a fun event. And some of those guys, they end up going into the UFC and fighting the ufc. Taco Badia just fought a couple weeks ago, UFC Fight Night. He's an alum from Up Next Fighting. So I do that this week. I'm in Salt Lake City. I'm going to do some stuff with the pfl, so that's more mma. I was just at Stanford because Helen, my fiance's younger brother, just graduated Stanford business school. So I went up to that campus.

[B]

And it's a big deal.

[A]

Stay busy, man. I do NFL, NBA baseball, mma, boxing.

[B]

You got no time off, my guy.

[A]

Stay entertained.

[B]

Combat sports, how you made it like at first, though, right?

[A]

That's how I blew up. That's how I got my social media following.

[B]

Got it from interviewing fighters, right?

[A]

I would say yes, of course, interviewing fighters. But my verse fight first viral moment was finally asking a question at a press conference. It's back in April of 2019 that they were doing a seasonal press conference in Atlanta. And I got the mic and I asked Dana White a question in a very schmo way and garnered a lot of attention. And I've kind of been on a rocket ship going forward since then.

[B]

Nice. Yeah, it took some balls to ask that question, right?

[A]

It. It did. I planned it for three weeks, you know. Yeah, I. I just. I knew it was going to go one or two ways. Exceptionally well or exceptionally bad. It was either going to be my last, like, UFC event or it was going to catapult me into doing more and more.

[B]

And he's polarizing. Depends what day you catch him too.

[A]

That's true. I'VE been on both sides.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, he. He's got those days, right. That Nina girl really blew up recently.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

She's like the female version of you.

[A]

A lot of people tell me that, so. A lot of people say that. Yeah. Uh, she's. She's doing it. Yeah. And it seems like she's doing that. She's. She's gotta go.

[B]

Seems like out of nowhere, too. Like past year. I don't know how long she's been there, but yeah, she's.

[A]

She's blowing up in that space, for sure.

[B]

Yeah. I think it's a really unique way and a personal way of connecting with the athletes.

[A]

Absolutely. You gotta find ways to showcase their personalities. That's exactly why I created my character. And she's found a great way to. To do things, and her style, too, so. And that's what people want to see. People want to see that side of their favorite athlete.

[B]

Yeah, no, it's cool to see you do that, because a lot of athletes are kind of. What's the word? I don't know if they like reporters. You know what I mean?

[A]

There's a very bad stigma with the media, and I don't even know if it necessarily derived from sports media as a general media. But look, when I started doing schmo stuff and I was working in corporate America back in 2015, we're talking nearly a decade ago, I noticed back then there's a disconnect between athletes and media. I just felt like media were getting so lazy with how they're asking questions and going about their day. It's like, oh, oh, you just won. How does it feel? Or you just like just basic generic things that they're not even really putting effort into their jobs. And I think a lot of what you see today is in re as. That's a repercussion of people not doing their jobs the way they should have been doing.

[B]

You saw the Mavericks go out the media heavy this playoff run.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Just stupid questions. But that's why I think there's so much more athletes now that have become their own media, start their own podcast, send their own message. I see it in all sports, not just mma, but NBA, NFL, baseball. Everyone's getting their own podcast now. So it's kind of forcing the hand of traditional media. Hey, how are you going to respond to this? How are you going to stay afloat?

[B]

Right.

[A]

Because right now it's not looking good.

[B]

Yeah, it's a new era. They're going to lose viewership with all these podcasts. LeBron started one Shaq. So many people, right.

[A]

They've already been losing it and that means they're losing sponsors. And just. There's just been this whole shift in the whole media industry the past few years and it's still shifting right now. It's interesting to see how it all unfolds.

[B]

Yeah, I know NBA, especially though even the reporters, a lot of them are former players now. Reggie Miller.

[A]

Yeah. And I even think like, like NBA and tnt, they started doing a couple years ago. I'm not as familiar with it this year. I don't know if I watched as much this year, but I feel like they do like Tuesday nights. They do like players only nights or something like that. So the broadcasters are only guys that played in the league at some point, which I think was a unique spin.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. You found a great niche because the players respect you and like you. Right. Because there's certain reporters that get a lot of heat.

[A]

I'm not there for clickbait or just to like a got you type of moment. I'm there to entertain and have fun.

[B]

Yeah. Because a lot of guys go out. Skip.

[A]

Yes. Well, Skip's got a very specific brand where he knows he's pissing people off. He knows he's marginalizing a certain audience just to get a reaction out of you.

[B]

Yeah, I see a lot of players go after Shams.

[A]

Yes. Oh, I actually. Shams. Chicago guy, right?

[B]

Yeah. The Indian guy. Republican reports on NBA news.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, I think I know who he is. I've met him before. Are they going after him?

[B]

Sometimes he'll report something and then the players don't think it's true. So that's the problem with breaking news. Sometimes it's a bad source.

[A]

Yeah. So. So with the whole breaking news bit, like, sometimes I get breaking news. There's been occasions where I've done it, but I don't. It's not my brand. I don't really care to be the one to break news.

[B]

Yeah. You never cover the drama. I noticed.

[A]

I'm just in it to have fun and entertain. Like, I don't. I'm not. I'm not. Not a drama type person. Like, this is my personality that we're talking to now. Like, I'm a relaxed, easygoing dude, but when I put the glasses on, I'm in character. It takes a life of its own.

[B]

Yeah. That's the part that surprised me actually, when we met today without you with the glasses.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You were totally normal.

[A]

Yeah, I appreciate that.

[B]

So you're really putting on a total 180 on your actual personality.

[A]

When you're in that completely, it's like, well, I come from Chicago, right. So I have a lot of influences and the Second City Chicago legends and there's been so many characters even in broadcasting. Harry Carey had crazy big glasses. That's an influence. But I always say Craig Sager, remember long term NBA with the clothing meets Rodney Dangerfield. Sports versus comedy. Second, but a lot of influences. John Belushi, Chris Farley, rest in peace, Mike Myers, like both those guys, all three of those guys. Huge influences throughout my childhood. And just humor and being a weird, goofy guy.

[B]

I love that. And so you want to do this for a while then?

[A]

I've been, I've been the schmo for nine years.

[B]

Holy crap.

[A]

Holy crap. Right? It's been a full time gig for nine years. I mean, look, I'm. I love waking up talking sports and making people laugh. That's the premise. So however I can do that. When I created the character, no, I didn't expect to be a schmo full time or, or for life or whatever it is. But like I could easily create another character like I did with the Schmo and make it completely different.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

But you know, I'm having fun and that's what it's about. And I'm evolving. Like what I'm doing today is. Looks a lot different than last year and even two, three years ago. Even the, the media games different because I'm a credentialed media member and I've just noticed a lot of things shifting and I'm just even looking at ways to just evolve my content now and just expand because I'm doing so many things. Like I'm doing a lot of local things. I work with Ford country here locally in Nevada at that dealership and I'm kind of like their spokesperson, so doing more local local Ford vehicle content. And then I've been doing a lot of stuff with Better Media and Jake Paul's company.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

So that's always important for the fight content. And I just find ways to stay involved and grow. That's what's important to me.

[B]

Yeah, you said you've seen a lot of shifting. What, what did you mean by that?

[A]

Yeah, to kind of going back to what we said a couple minutes ago about kind of athletes empowering themselves to be their own voice. Like I feel like guys creating more content being content creator. There's content creators themselves outside of competing inside a ring or a cage, starting their own YouTube channels, creating content. So the interview like content, that's always been my bread and butter. I don't know if the demand's the same for it as it once was. The access is. Is different now because a lot more, I think creators are trying to get into the media space, and there's a blend between what's media, what's a content creator? Because when I started this, like, I was the only one who these traditional media would be like, how do I classify this guy? Because I take the best of the influencer content creator world, and I take the best of the media world, which is what I come from, and I find a balance and I. I find what works between them. But everyone wants to classify you and put you in a bubble for something, and I've always blurred those lines. But now I feel like traditional media is at this point where they're just taking so much from the content creator world and blending it to the media world. It's like, I kind of was ahead of my time.

[B]

Yeah, you were nine years super. That was before influencers even, like, came out.

[A]

Yeah. And I. I always took offense to being an influencer. Like, I'm not an influencer. But it wasn't until, like, two years ago, I'm like, all right, call me an influencer, whatever it is, as long as my bank account's going.

[B]

Yeah, facts. Yeah. It did have a negative stigma, though, being labeled one.

[A]

It did, it did, yeah.

[B]

So I guess you're moving into a new, new vertical then, if these interviews are dying out.

[A]

Well, yeah, I mean, I'm just doing. I'm doing everything. Like, my whole vision. When I create the character, is this over zealous, like, over the top character that's not just limited to one specific thing. Like, when I blew up an mma, I doubled down to that. The audience wants to see it. I'm gonna listen to it. People started following me that were fight fans, and I'm like, I'm a big fight fan. And if fight fans want to see that more of those interviews and that content, I'll give you more flight related content. But for me, sports is entertainment. Entertainment's everything. It's food, it's travel, it's fashion, and sports, among other things. I want to do it all.

[B]

Yeah. Which Major league sports do you think does the best job at media integrations?

[A]

Well, I think in this country in particular, NFL is king. I think when I look at the NFL, if you look at their metrics, if you look at how they're able to own the calendar, not just in football season, but outside of Football season because if you really break it down, 17 week regular season schedule, but they do such a good job of owning, owning the calendar year in and year out. Because look, I come, I'm, I'm doing a sport, mixed martial arts. So there's no off season. So of course there's a fight or an event going on every single week as there should be in combat sports and boxing. Whether it's that or mma, there's got to be something going on. But if you look at what the NFL does in a team, you know, team sports with their popularity, the NFL and the NBA dominate popularity in this country. From the sports world. Everyone talks about the big football four, hockey, baseball being the three and four. But if you go and you look at what the NFL's doing, just like the NFL draft, how people celebrate the NFL draft and these OTAs and these offseasons, like right now at this particular time we're doing the show, this is the most dead time they say in professional sports at this midway through the summer with like, you know, basketball coming to an end, with the NBA finals potentially could end tonight, could end tonight. Hockey coming to an end. You know, you're in the thick of baseball season. Some people don't really start paying attention to the pennant race in the fall.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So like it could be the most boring time. But the NFL, they do such a good job. If you talk about those pundits in TV, the ESPN's, the Foxes, they, they talk about the NFL every single morning they have you talking about them. That's the conversation. That's why I think they do the best.

[B]

Yeah, I could see that. Do you think any sport will ever take over the big four in America?

[A]

I think you, I think mma, I think ufc, what they've done with the brand has the closest thing to butting in, into the big four, whether you want to call it the fourth one being hockey, which probably is, I think, I think baseball's ahead of hockey and a lot of, in a lot of metrics, just mainly because baseball's like 162 game season. They're just there the most, most time of the year and there's so many players, so many moving things.

[B]

Contracts are bigger too.

[A]

Contracts are bigger. There's no salary cap and, and they're all global sports. But I think baseball is even more global than a sport like hockey.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Just in terms of just where popularity is region wise and whatnot. But I think if there's ever a chance for a sport to penetrate or sports league, it would be the ufc.

[B]

I agree. I think it might eclipse hockey in our lifetime.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, think about it too. Like 30 years, this sport. Where was the NFL 30 years into their sport? Were they still wearing leather helmets? If not, they may have just graduated from leather helmets.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But it looked completely different. The evolution you've seen in this sport in 30 years has been astronomical. Can only imagine what would look like 30 years from now.

[B]

Yeah. Who's your favorite sports commissioner?

[A]

Well, I'm biased though. But then it'll be. But it has to be. Why? Because what other sports commissioner will you get access to like you would for Dana White? You're not going to get the same with Adam Silver or Roger Goodell and stuff. Go to Roger Goodell. Look at him during the NFL draft. He gets booed when he's going into the other. Wow, I didn't know that he gets booed. Well, not as much now as it was like five, 10 years ago. Because when he first came into the league, like early mid 2000s, took over for Paul Taglibu, he was just like this iron fist commissioner, like giving out fines and suspending players for all these crazy things, like obviously marijuana. The leniency now versus back then, completely different. But like, people would be suspended for longer periods of time back then. And what really, I think disconnected him and fans is there would just be no continuity in the punishments. Someone like Ray Rice, you know, on camera with beating his wife, that punishment so much different than like someone else, like with domestic violence and whatnot. There was just no consistency. And I think the fans pointed that out. But I would say over the past couple years, he, It's. He's really relaxed in a lot of those ways and change things. And at the end of the day, who's paying his salaries? It's the NFL owners. The NFL owners love the guy.

[B]

Right. I'd agree. Dana. The access is crazy.

[A]

Yeah. But Dana's got to be it.

[B]

Yeah. I don't see other interviewers interviewing commissioners of other leagues, just, you know, pulling up to them and asking them questions like that.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely.

[B]

UFC press conferences are goated too.

[A]

I swear I made my bread and butter initially.

[B]

Yeah, well, what were some of your favorite press conferences?

[A]

Well, it's got to go back to UFC for me. Clearly UFC 236 because of my moment, my viral moment, asking Dana the 165 pound question. But literally you could throw any Conor McGregor press conference in there because he always makes an entertaining. You're never going to get like, you know him and Nate Diaz, you know, iconic throwing of the water bottle, any of that type of stuff. So obviously I have my bias. And then for my. My moment. But then I would say also anything Conor McGregor related.

[B]

Can't deny that I was bombed when the fight got canceled, actually.

[A]

Yeah, of course.

[B]

I think his shin is just toast, man.

[A]

It's. I mean, it was completely shattered. And a lot of people forget, too, that going into that Dustin Poirier trilogy fight, he had injured that leg that snapped. He was contemplating pulling out. I remember, you know, whether it was a documentary I saw or he had somewhere I saw video footage of just like the struggle of him dealing with that injury leading up to the fight.

[B]

Wow. Damn. If he pulled out, he could have still been fighting now.

[A]

Should have, could have water. You never know.

[B]

Yeah. That nerve damage is no joke, though.

[A]

It's crazy. I think Sean Strickland, someone who's a very colorful personality, posted some sort of X ray of his. His leg bones and how all the damage and the wear and tear, it just doesn't look like a traditional human leg. It's. It's a very brutal, unforgiving sport. But, you know, that's why we love it so much. High risk, high reward.

[B]

Have you ever gotten interviewed, Sean?

[A]

Yeah, plenty of times.

[B]

What'd you ask him?

[A]

So many different. So many different things outside of fighting's great stuff. I mean, the thing about Sean is you don't have to really ask him anything. He'll dictate where the interview is going to go. He will bring in politics, he'll bring in gender, he'll bring in anything he likes to make fun. And that's great because the character, the schmo, if you Google it, it's stupid person. My whole shtick is being self deprecating. So if I'm gonna have an athlete poking fun at me and what I'm wearing, what I'm doing, it makes my job that much easier.

[B]

Yeah. He either hates you or loves you. I noticed with him.

[A]

Yes. I'll have a good relationship with him. I know he doesn't hate me.

[B]

Yeah. You didn't box him like Sneako.

[A]

I did not box him like Sneako. That takes a lot of balls. I've gone in there and done like schmo versus the pro with some guys.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Uh, but he's not one of them. And the thing with Strickland is I don't think he really has an off switch, so I know he was legit. Yeah, maybe he's not throwing with a hundred percent power, but legit when you watch Sean Strickland fight, he never really throws a hundred percent with power anyways. He's just there to touch guys up maybe 60 to 70% and then sure, occasionally he'll throw something with power, but most of his stuff is high volume just to touch you up anyways. But I don't think he really has an off switch or if he's going up against Sneako or for. He's going up against Dricus. Duplicity.

[B]

Yeah. That makes is your favorite sport to watch.

[A]

It's probably NFL and UFC.

[B]

Wow. NFL's too slow for me.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, the thing is for me, I watch Red Zone and I've been playing, I've been in fantasy football since I was 10, 12 years old and I've been a commissioner with all my, my frat buddies for a decade. We've been in this league and it's super competitive. There's 14 of us. So the stakes are always high.

[B]

It's a deep league.

[A]

It's deep and there's bragging rights on the line every time and we do this in person draft every year. So like I have such like sweat equity in the season.

[B]

That makes sense.

[A]

And I'm from Chicago, so I've been this diehard Bears fan since I was a kid.

[B]

That's a rough one.

[A]

So. So I more have just allegiance to my city and I think that's what associates. But if you look at the sheer number of sports time that I watch, my eyes are glued to something. I don't think it beats mma. There's no doubt. Especially in the past six, seven years.

[B]

It's hard to be MMA man. Especially in person.

[A]

Especially in person. And, and Helen and I have been so blessed to see so many great fights in person. And a bulk of the those blessings came during the pandemic. Just being on Fight island and being there and like, like no very limited humans being involved to see what's going on behind the scenes just to get the fights to go off. Just the crazy things we did. Like traveling to Abu Dhabi, like is a 16, 17 hour flight. But then getting quarantined into a room and then bringing you three meals a day for 48 hours. Like, like it's just like you're locked in your room and the only time you leave the room is to get tested to make sure you don't have the, the, the COVID Yeah. Which no one talks about anymore.

[B]

Yeah, no one talks about it anymore.

[A]

Funny how that is crazy.

[B]

So you went to the bubble. That's cool.

[A]

Yes. That was notified island.

[B]

Yeah. The first big bubble.

[A]

Yes. That's. That was like, experiences that I'll never forget.

[B]

Yes. You couldn't even interview anyone then.

[A]

No, we did.

[B]

Oh, you did.

[A]

And I was interviewing people with, like, a mask on and, like, a plastic thing. If you look back at some of those old interviews, it's hilarious. People are going to shield. But the thing is, too, is I didn't do it by choice. I didn't want to wear any of that stuff, but we had to. I'm sure that the people on the UFC side that were enforcing it were just doing it to cover their ass, to save their job. They were not necessarily doing, because, oh, my God, you're going to do this. They just want to protect themselves.

[B]

Yeah. They didn't give a shit.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

They're going to look, future generations are literally going to laugh, I think, at what we did during that pandemic.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, people are still laughing now.

[B]

Facts. And they made a lot of people in your industry get the shot, too.

[A]

You know, it's crazy, too. It's like, I only got it because I figured you had to get it. I had to get it because that's how we could travel. That's how we could. And if you didn't get it, they would put you into all these extra, like, things and hurdles to just to cover it. Like, there's a wristband for people that had the shot, didn't have the shot. And again, like, at least they're putting this on, because had they didn't, I'm sure the networks and the investors would have shut it down.

[B]

Yeah. Did you get all four, though?

[A]

No, no, I think I got the first one and the second one, but I didn't get any boosters.

[B]

You should be fine.

[A]

Did you get any boosters?

[B]

Hell, no.

[A]

Do you get any of the shots?

[B]

No, but I was lucky. I didn't have a job that required.

[A]

It or setting was so crazy, though, too. It's like, I feel like the people that kept getting the shots and boosters were the ones who kept ending up getting Covid facts.

[B]

Yeah. Some people got all four.

[A]

I never got Covid until I got the first shot.

[B]

Really?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

It's crazy.

[B]

I got it at Danba's, Aaron's house. I thought I was dying. I got, like, the first wave before I hit the news. That was deadly.

[A]

Oh, man.

[B]

I felt like it kept getting weaker from there.

[A]

I, I. And I think it did because all the strains and it still exists now. People are think they're getting the flu or the cold. It might even be some sort of descendant variation of. Of the virus. But, like, yeah, what really sucks is, like, all the deaths being labeled as COVID deaths. But it was just. They had other causes of death too. And it's like, we never really know what the numbers are too, because. Did people all of a sudden start dying of COVID Now I hear nobody.

[B]

Dying of COVID Yeah, it's like inflated. And now I just saw ventilators killed a ton of people. They just found out.

[A]

I'm sure they did.

[B]

Like, when you got put on that, you pretty much died.

[A]

And it's like, too. It's like, what's the number one cause of that death in. In the world or this country? Heart disease and stuff like that. Who are the people dying? What are the numbers? Are where they overweight? Did they have preexisting conditions? Like, if you're going to come out with data, at least be transparent with the big full picture rather than just picking what's convenient for your argument.

[B]

Yeah, it was crazy.

[A]

I'm a stickler for that type of stuff.

[B]

No, I look back and I'm like, wow, they really were good at manipulating people's emotions during that time. They got me for a bit, dude. I almost got it. I almost got the shot.

[A]

I like, I said we. We did it because we felt we had to do it.

[B]

And there's also a lot of family pressure, too.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Friends.

[A]

I know my parents were. It was super important.

[B]

Sam. My parents, my fiance's parents. And it's like, damn, am I going to be a black horse? What is it? Black sheep of the family or something? You know? But time will tell. Truth always reveals itself, doesn't it? Dude, it's been. It's been cool. Anything events you got coming up next where people can find you up.

[A]

Gonna be doing some PFL this weekend. They're in Salt Lake City. I'm gonna do some content around that. Next week's gonna be the busiest week of the year with International Fight Week. I'll be at the UFC Expo.

[B]

Will you be on Power Slot?

[A]

I don't know if I'll be a Power Slap.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Not sure yet because there's also, like a sack camp going on with NFL stuff, Max Crosby and some of the biggest football players. But I will be at UFC 303.

[B]

Got it.

[A]

I do know that. Which all leads up to that. I'll be at UFC 303. Not sure if I'll be at Power Slap yet. Just. There's so many different yeah. People and things pull me in different directions. Will you be. Will you be?

[B]

I will be. I'd love to see you at 1. Your reactions would be hilarious at Power Slap.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Have you been to one yet?

[A]

I've not been to one yet.

[B]

That's surprising. I'm surprised because you go to all the UFC events.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, is it not your scene or is there a reason?

[A]

I'm just, you know, I. It's. It's not. I have nothing negative to say. It's just not my cup of tea, really. Just not my cup of tea. Like, you know, some people are into cricket. I'm not, you know. Or some people are into volleyball, or some people are into motocross. And some people aren't. Like, people have their sports. People have what they like and don't like. It just. It was just not something that, like, I fell in love.

[B]

I feel that you're a fight enthusiast. I don't see it as a sport.

[A]

Well, that's the thing. Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? Like, I would not consider that.

[A]

What would you. What would you say?

[B]

Just entertainment.

[A]

Like, entertainment?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

For if. So that's the thing. If I could take myself out of being a sports media world, which is. If we're getting rid of labels, which I ultimately want, I could totally see that. So if you want a label as entertainment, absolutely. I could get behind that completely. Where I have trouble getting behind is, is the sport thing.

[B]

Got it.

[A]

And doing things from a sports perspective, that makes sense.

[B]

You know, that's.

[A]

That's my. That's my thing. Because, like, if I. If I could go as a fan and not have to work and just be like an enthusiast of it, I'd sign me up, I'd be right there. Front row reactions, everything. But because I have to work and I'm media and I have to look at it in a different light and more from the sport angle, that's the reason it doesn't do it. For me.

[B]

That makes sense. You just don't respect it as a sport. Comes down to that.

[A]

To each their own. Like, for me, for sports, like, there's offense and there's defense.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You can't play defense in that.

[B]

Right. Yeah.

[A]

So for that reason, like, and for me, when I grew up playing sports, whether football, lacrosse, basketball, I love playing defense. I'm a defensive guy. It's, it's. It's part of the sport. Like in the. In the greatest basketball player of all time conversation, you got LeBron and Michael Jordan. What? Michael Jordan will always have over LeBron James is. How many defensive player of the year awards does LeBron James have and how many does Michael Jordan have? Jordan got it. LeBron never got it.

[B]

He never got one.

[A]

Never got one.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

It's an important aspect of the sport. LeBron James is 682-60. Michael Jordan 6, 6, 2, 15. Considerable size difference between the two playing different positions, different eras. And one was a defensive mvp.

[B]

One wasn't a lot of respect to defenders because it, it is tiring. Man. I'm in the lifetime league out here. I. Whenever I have to guard the best player, I am gassed.

[A]

You're gassed, right. And that's why even in a sport like football, you have 11 guys on the field, but you don't have the same guys playing offense as they do do play defense. How many guys in the NFL right now are on both sides of the ball? I can't think of one person off the top of my head that's playing both sides.

[B]

Not one. Maybe on the punt return and offensive.

[A]

Special teams, but that's, that's a little different too, because that's. You're coming in for one play and that play happens every, maybe three to eight times every game. If that.

[B]

Yeah, no, that's. That's true. You got to factor in the defense. 100. What about pickleball? You respect that sport?

[A]

Of course. It's like human tennis. It's human. Like it's. That's like my. I know older people are involved in getting involved in that because they can do that, but like, yeah, I. Anything where you can build sweat equity, I, I think is. Is a sport.

[B]

Yeah, it gets a lot of heat because I, I study people comments on, on social media and whenever I see a viral pickle, comments are like, this is not a sport. And they hate on it. But I, I respect it.

[A]

But some people will then argue, is golf a sport?

[B]

It is.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, and since some people say it's NASCAR sport.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Requires a lot of skill.

[A]

It requires skill. I mean, to each their own. And that's where you could make an argument too, that power slap is a sport because then the slapping requires a specific skill set. And maybe your chin has to have some sort of bone. Bone structure density. But that's the thing too is once your chin goes, you can't get your chin back.

[B]

Yeah. Well, there's too much luck involved in that sport for me to consider it a sport.

[A]

True. Because you flip a coin, the other guy, you get knocked out. You never got your chance to Slap. That always bothered me.

[B]

That bothered me, too. Because the guy who goes first, 95 chance they're winning or have an edge to win.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So I wish there was more way to change that. Maybe the first stop should be at the same time that.

[A]

Okay, now I'm on board. All right, Now I'm on board. Now you got equal chance, equal defense. Maybe there's a way you could, you know, just like, you know, like with boxing, you know, you throw the jab.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And. Yeah. You know.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Maybe if you could play some D a little bit, like, have a hand in there. Because some of those knockouts are vicious.

[A]

Can you imagine, like, they. Because. Because it's a new sport.

[B]

Right.

[A]

They're going to change the rules. Can you imagine? They just create some sort of new surface space where you can stand in. It's some sort of, like, box structure that allows you to move your head to a certain degree. I don't know how you can make a slap in that, but I'm just thinking of ways out loud that you can maybe switch the variations of it to allow something like defense and strategy to really come to play.

[B]

That'd be cool because this can only go so far with the current format.

[A]

Right. Like, how far can you take it? Like, how many people are. You can. Can enjoy a live experience. Like, how big can the arena or the venue be? And then, like, how do you make a real show out of it? Because, like, they're blessed that a lot of the overhead, a lot of the costs, it's just using what they've already built with the UFC.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But how do you grow it beyond that?

[B]

100 schmo? It's been cool, man. Where can people find your site and your social media handles?

[A]

Yeah. So the schmo312.com is my website. Follow me on all socials at the Schmo 312. The YouTube's at the Schmo. T H E S C H M O Again, the way I'm talking now is not how I would be a character. Do you gotta get something?

[B]

Yeah, let's do it, man.

[A]

What. What do we want to do?

[B]

Do your closing statement that you normally do.

[A]

All right. This is the Schmo. He's the pro. It's the digital social hour. We're wrapping this thing up. We appreciate your time. Clearly, this is a completely different guy speaking than the one you were just listening to.

[B]

Absolutely. It's been an honor, man. Thanks for coming on. Thanks for watching, guys. See you tomorrow.