Nightly Scroll with Hayley Caronia

Episode 153: JOHN ROCKER UNCAGED!
Date: October 10, 2025
Host: Hayley Caronia
Guest: John Rocker (Former MLB Closer, Conservative Personality)

Episode Overview

Hayley Caronia welcomes former MLB pitcher John Rocker for a candid conversation spanning his baseball career, Cancel Culture controversies, team name debates, masculinity, the current American political climate, and the shifting culture of sports and fandom. With both host and guest known for their outspoken conservative views, the discussion blends nostalgia, combative humor, and strong opinions about America's cultural crossroads, sports icons, and "woke" trends.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Baseball Memories & Braves Legacy (01:31–04:38)

• Classic Braves Fandom:
  John shares his lifelong passion for the Braves, revealing how playing for the team as an adult was deeply personal and emotionally charged.

  • "This is my team from 5 years old." (03:15)
  • He compares the NLCS Mets rivalry to backyard bragging rights—sports were about legacy and personal pride, not just a job.

• 1999 NLCS Game 3 Recollection:
  Rocker details the high stakes, the nerves of closing for future Hall of Famers, and the thrill of tough playoff atmospheres.

2. Cancel Culture & Team Names (04:48–09:26)

• Team Name Changes:
  Hayley and John mock Cancel Culture’s influence over legacy team names like the Cleveland Indians/Guardians and Washington Redskins, using sarcasm and dismissive language.

  • Rocker:
    • "Cancel Culture Mob is like the five year old at Toys R Us that throws a tantrum...until mainstream society tells Cancel Culture...shove it." (05:20)
    • Claims Native American leadership he’s spoken to don’t care about names, blaming "the left...idiots that want to change the name on bottles of syrup." (07:56)

• NFL’s Handling of Chiefs vs. Redskins:
  Citing team owners’ responses as the difference: "The owners of the Chiefs told Cancel Culture to...And the owners of the Redskins...kowtowed and tried to appease..." (09:02)

3. Super Bowl Halftime Show Critique & 'Woke' Culture in Sports (10:41–15:20)

• Bad Bunny Halftime Controversy:
  Hayley brands choosing a mostly Spanish-speaking performer as "un-American," and Rocker criticizes the NFL's pursuit of "woke" audiences:

  • "NFL Woke is not your fanbase. They're not. Stop it." (12:21, Rocker)
  • He jokes about audience likely being in the bathroom during the show rather than watching. (13:09)

• Ideal Halftime Show:
  Rocker would prefer rock acts from his era, like Kiss or Motley Crue, instead of current pop artists.

4. UFC at the White House & White House Cultural Events (15:39–17:27)

• Contrasting Event Outrage:
  Criticizes liberal acceptance of LGBTQ+ events at the White House, but outrage at a UFC event there.
  • "I would take a UFC fight over a tranny peep show any day. Wouldn't you?" (16:21, Hayley)
  • Rocker: "There's a lot more fans out there of Dana White and UFC [than drag shows]." (16:40)

5. Trump, Cancel Culture, and the 'Type A' Factor in Conservatism (17:27–25:04)

• Why Rocker Supports Trump:
  Trump’s outsider, combative persona resonated with Rocker, who long wanted a leader not beholden to the establishment.

  • "There needs to be some badass...that has the, you know, fu in his blood." (19:16, Rocker)
  • Praises Trump’s business experience, stamina, and policy consistency (recounting old interviews with Oprah). (20:30–22:40)

• "Closeted" Republican Athletes:
  Most athletes, being “type A” personalities, lean conservative, but many stay quiet to avoid backlash.

  • "Most athletes are type A personalities and most type A personalities are conservatives." (23:06, Rocker)
  • Hayley jokes that Republicans dominate the annual Congressional baseball game due to being better athletes.

6. Masculinity, Generational Politics, & Modern Athlete Identity (25:31–36:26)

• On Masculinity & Liberal Weakness:
  Harshly divides Republicans and Democrats: "Just better athletes...the rosy cheeked weirdo in the corner..." (25:31–27:09, Rocker)

  • Critiques liberal emotionalism vs. conservative logic in policy and culture wars, especially regarding standards in the military and sports inclusivity. (28:20-30:35)

• Toxic Masculinity & Young Men:
  Host and guest praise figures like Charlie Kirk for defending “masculine” values.

  • "How do we get more young men to get into sports and to be proud, strong, respectable men again?" (32:03 Hayley)
  • Rocker: "First thing is...not caring...about possibly being canceled..." (32:16)

• Liberal Protesters as Aging Relics:
  Points out that many current leftist activists/troublemakers are now the older generation reliving “protest glory days,” suggesting a generational flip. (34:23–36:06)

7. Politics in Sports Media & 2028 Predictions (36:06–38:45)

• Stephen A. Smith for President – Serious or Satire?
  Hayley and Rocker laugh off Bill Maher's suggestion; Rocker distinguishes Trump's business acumen from TV personalities.

  • "Getting on ESPN and saying ridiculous stuff about LeBron James does not groom you to negotiate with Netanyahu or Xi Jinping." (38:05, Rocker)

• 2028 Presidential Race Prospects:
  Rocker doubts the Democratic "bench," mocking AOC and Gavin Newsom:

  • "AOC that...moron Gavin Newsom. I got hammers. Do some. He's got good hair, I'll give him that." (38:29, Rocker)

8. The 'Uncaged' Podcast & Wrapping Up (38:45–end)

• John Rocker’s Podcast:
  Announces his new show, "Uncaged, The John Rocker Podcast," featuring unfiltered interviews with celebrities in sports and music.

  • "It drops every Thursday night at 6:00 Eastern...Check it out." (38:57)

• Invitation to Golf:
  Hayley and Rocker bond over both living in Florida and share banter about local geography, inviting Rocker for a golf game.

  • "If you ever want to get together to play golf...you're welcome on this podcast anytime." (40:19, Hayley)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Braves Fandom:
  "It was, it wasn’t just, I’m getting paid to play. It was, this is my team from 5 years old...I took those games very personally." — John Rocker (03:15)

• On Cancel Culture:
  "The Cancel Culture Mob is like the five year old at Toys R Us that throws a tantrum...If mom buys in the new toy, they will keep throwing a tampon to get what they want..." — John Rocker (05:19)

• On "Woke" Halftime Shows:
  "NFL Woke is not your fanbase. They're not. Stop it." — John Rocker (12:21)

• On Trump’s Qualities:
  "There needs to be some badass...that has the, you know, fu in his blood." — John Rocker (19:16)

• On Athlete Politics:
  "Most athletes are type A personalities and most type A personalities are conservatives." — John Rocker (23:06)

• On Masculinity:
  "First thing is...not caring...about possibly being canceled...I'm going to do it anyway." — John Rocker (32:16)

• On Changing Culture:
  "People are finally just getting sick of it. Look at, you know, the Rosie o' Donnell's of the world. Only place she's relevant is Greg Gutfeld show...They pull her fat ass up there and just roundly...it is such fodder." — John Rocker (33:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:31] John Rocker reflects on lifelong Braves fandom, emotional energy of postseason play
• [04:48] Team name debate—Indians, Guardians, Cancel Culture story from a Cherokee Nation golf outing
• [09:02] NFL team owners and Cancel Culture: Chiefs vs. Redskins
• [10:41] Super Bowl halftime: Bad Bunny controversy, “NFL Woke is not your fan base”
• [15:39] UFC event at White House vs. LGBTQ+ events critique
• [17:27] Why Rocker supports Trump—“unfiltered” leadership, cancel culture in sports
• [23:06] Type A athletes, secret Trump supporters, and Republicans dominating Congressional baseball
• [28:20] Military standards, gender, and liberal "contradictions"
• [32:16] How to rebuild pride in masculinity: "not caring about being canceled"
• [33:16] Aging liberal activists and the generational switch in protest culture
• [36:26] Stephen A. Smith for president? Why TV personalities aren’t qualified
• [38:45] The Uncaged podcast: John’s new project & guests

Tone

Highly combative and unsparing, with humor woven through sarcasm, nostalgia, and provocations. Hayley and John both embrace an unapologetic, "uncaged" approach to culture and politics—emphasizing pride, masculinity, tradition, and a refusal to yield to progressive trends or Cancel Culture.

For more, listen to the full episode on Rumble, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.