Holmberg's Morning Sickness – 09-08-25 FULL SHOW (Monday)

Podcast: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness, 98 KUPD | Hubbard Radio
Air Date: September 8, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo

Overview

This Monday, the Morning Sickness crew dives into a jam-packed episode celebrating a wild NFL weekend, John’s misadventures in DIY concrete work (and resulting ER trip), viral Philly baseball “Karen” drama, questionable role models in sports, and the hilarity of amateur construction—all with their signature irreverent, honest banter. John rides a euphoric high after the Ravens' loss (“true joy!”), shares his harrowing brush with blindness while installing backyard solar lights, and the guys riff on everything from DIY trades to WNBA TV annoyances, aging, strange haircuts, and relationship conundrums in their "What Would Brady Do?" segment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. NFL Week 1 Reactions & “The Joy of Hate”

• (03:24–08:53): John revels in the Ravens' loss, sporting a “crying Lamar Jackson shirt” and explaining how true happiness comes from watching your most-hated rival lose, rather than even your own team's victory.
  • "Your kids, meaningless. Steelers stupid. Today I married my wife. No, that's not happy. You don't know happy. So you hate the way I hate and watch the thing you hate fail." – John (04:38)
• Brady and Brett relate, recounting past rivalries (Packers/Bears).
• Quick recaps: Steelers win, Cardinals beat Saints, Bengals' bizarre seven-yard half (“record for least yardage in a half to win”), and appreciation for Bills killing Raven hopes.

2. John’s DIY Solar Light Project (And Emergency Room Visit)

• (08:54–22:13): John narrates (with glee and humility) his weekend “do it yourself” project: installing massive solar light poles for his basketball court, including:
  • Eyeballing all measurements (“dig two perfect holes”)
  • Accidentally using a mix of deck mud, mortar mix, and actual concrete (and not realizing until later)
  • Pouring cement, no gloves/goggles (“pussies use gloves”), enhancing pride in “just doing it”
  • Medical Scare: A concrete splash in his eye leads to frantic online searches (“This is one of the most major medical emergencies you can have”), urgent care, and a harrowing eye flush.
    • "Is it bad to get wet, mixed concrete in your eyes? Is that bad? Should I be concerned? Rinse your eyes for the next 30 minutes. Never stop rinsing your eyes. Go to the doctor immediately.” – John, recounting the panic (15:17)
  • End result: perfect lights, “even with concrete in them, I still managed to put up two”

Notable Quotes

• "Eyeball things. Maybe I'm gonna say it better than anyone in the world." – John (09:38)
• "Pussies use gloves. That's not me. I don't use gloves. I stir with my hands and go dip it in the pool." – John (21:14)

Timestamps

• (20:15) – “Amazing” lighted court moment: “Played basketball last night…my feet hurt so bad…an awesome day of DIY projects.”
• (22:04) – Recounting the ER flush for concrete-in-eye crisis.

3. Trades vs. White-Collar Skills

• (38:52–39:07): John muses: Future belongs to people “who can do things.” Promotes trade school over traditional academics.
  • "The future belongs to people who can do things. Computers are going to do therapy and doctor and lawyer…Dude who can actually construct and fix something—that’s the future." – John

4. DIY, Machismo, and Construction Guy Stereotypes

• (24:31–30:58): Riffing about “real” men, construction guys, car repair, and pride in DIY projects.
  • "You know what fixes things? A nice swing to the broken thing." – John (35:30+)
  • Construction envy: “You think you got a snowed with your tool belt and your measuring tapes…I am Jesus. I work with wood and hand—wait, my hand and my wood, I've been doing that for years.” (33:43+)
• Discuss dangers of not grounding solar poles (“lightning rod”), and DIY shortcuts.

5. Viral Sports Moments: Phillies Ball “Karen”

• (70:31–81:39): Rundown of viral Phillies–Marlins home run drama: a woman (with a “Cruella de Vil” haircut) yells at a dad, demanding a home run ball he gave to his son.
  • Multiple angles: Her righteous anger, social media innocence, and the family getting showered with gifts in response (even an RV!)
  • "You out the horrible people [with viral videos]…but sometimes you feel bad for some folks who did something dumb..." – John (81:38)
• Wry observations about “fun haircuts” and social cues they trigger.

6. Sports Role Models: Michael Vick Debate

• (60:23–68:09): John rants about Lamar Jackson’s idolization of Michael Vick (“shouldn't be anyone's favorite, given the dog fighting past”). Draws analogies to other tainted athletes (O.J. Simpson, Ray Lewis, Deshaun Watson).
  • “You can't say Michael Vick’s your favorite…He shouldn't ever be brought up as a decent person again.” – John
• WNBA as sports filler in YouTube TV’s NFL multiview gets roasted.

7. Modern Annoyances: TV, Apps, and Streaming

• (56:05–59:50): The group bemoans the cost of cable-cutting (“al la carte TV is costing us thousands more”), overlapping streaming bills, and algorithm misfires, with hilarious asides about commercial targeting.

8. What Would Brady Do? (Relationship Advice Segment)

• (137:44–147:47): Monday’s “WWBD” presents listener dilemmas:
  • Should a man keep financially supporting his ex’s kids’ private schooling after a nasty breakup? (Consensus: if already paid, let it finish; don’t continue indefinitely—John: "You got to dump the whole family, break your own heart, and then stop dating people with kids.")
  • 16yo son dating a 20yo woman—proud or worried? (Hosts: There's something off with a 20yo woman dating a 16yo boy; reversed scenario more usual but still “touchy.”)

9. Miscellaneous Banter & Tangents

• Buying half a cow directly for freezer beef
• (129:33–132:21): Glee over discovering/using propane flamethrowers for weed and bug control.
• “Fun haircut” rants (how wild/unconventional haircuts often signal emotional baggage)
• Generational ribbing on handiness, trades, and masculinity
• (157:44–160:45): Entertainment drill: VMAs, Ozzy tribute, Charlie Sheen publicly acknowledging having had sex with men, Tom Hanks "deplatformed" at West Point, and commentary on celebrity downfalls.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On DIY pride:
  “My eyes are a natural level. They're perfect. Absolutely. Thanks to Dr. Jay Schwartz. Even with concrete in them, I still managed to put up two.” – John (19:16)

• On hate as joy:
  “You hate the way I hate and watch the thing you hate fail. It is unreal joy. It's true joy. It's relaxation. Brady, you should try this. When you find hate and aim it at something...you can't experience joy like I'm experiencing.” – John (04:38)

• On single moms:
  “This is why you don't date a single mom...You gotta dump the whole family. It's gonna cost you a few bucks. But you were playing house, you paid for the kids.” – John (145:06+)

• On the viral Phillies "Karen":
  “She's a human Subaru Outback...She is a human Subaru Outback.” – John (71:09)

• On Michael Vick as a role model:
  “Michael Vick should not be in the public eye...the fact they turn a blind eye to all the things that guy did because they never really made it back public...there's about seven pages that'll make you want to throw a punch through a concrete wall.” – John (65:57)

• On men and handiness:
  “People who can hands on things...that's the future. Computers are going to do therapy and doctor and lawyer, you're all done...If I knew it, I wouldn't need you. Stop being a dick about that and just fix my car.” – John (38:52, 35:30)

• On concrete in the eye:
  “This is one of the most major medical emergencies you can have. This will burn your eyeballs out in a matter of hours...I was a bit of a scared bitch. I kept my cool pretty good.”— John (15:17, 41:32)

Important Timestamps & Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | Description | |---------|-----------|-------------| | NFL Week 1/Euphoria | 04:00–08:53 | John rants/raves about NFL, joy of hate | | DIY Light Pole Story | 08:54–22:13 | Full saga: mistakes, ER, triumph | | Lightning rod/Construction banter | 23:17–33:41 | On grounding, short cuts, manliness | | Trades value/AI future | 38:52–39:07 | “Future is trades” riff | | Viral Phillies “Karen” breakdown | 70:30–81:38 | Play-by-play and social commentary | | Michael Vick rant | 60:23–68:09 | On role models and morality in sports | | WNBA/YouTube algorithm gripes | 56:05, etc. | Rants on streaming irritations | | WWBD: Ex’s kids’ tuition | 137:44–147:47 | “What Would Brady Do?” advice saga | | Entertainment Drill | 157:44–160:45 | Closing segment: celeb, pop culture notes |

Language & Tone

• Frank, irreverent, playfully crass, loaded with sarcasm, gleeful self-deprecation, rapid-fire wit, and an undercurrent of old-fashioned “dad” humor.
• John takes particular joy in mocking both himself and the world, especially when he feels vindicated (e.g., Steelers win, Ravens lose).
• Unfiltered honesty about health scares, family, sports fandom, blue-collar pride.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a prime slice of raw, unfiltered morning radio, equal parts sports therapy, blue-collar comedy, and “DIY: Don’t Try This At Home.” You’ll find:

• Hilarious and cringeworthy stories from the hosts’ real lives (John’s flirtation with blindness; installing lights “by eye not tape”)
• Real debates on relationship ethics, modern masculinity, and social phenomena (viral “Karen” drama)
• Roasting of sports figures and modern life (streaming TV, “fun haircuts,” WNBA placement)
• A cast that never spares themselves in their own jokes, and tackles even serious topics (like cancer or addiction) with irreverence and authenticity.

Whether you’re looking for football therapy, DIY encouragement (or warning), or just need a laugh at the messiness of modern life, you’ll find it here—as always, delivered with KUPD’s signature Arizona edge.