SWWP #14 - The New York Sports Guy & Content Entrepreneur (feat. Alex Day)

Summary

Podcast Summary: SWWP #14 - The New York Sports Guy & Content Entrepreneur (feat. Alex Day)

Podcast Information:

• Title: Something Wrong With The Podcast
• Host: Julian Delgado
• Episode: SWWP #14
• Release Date: April 22, 2025
• Description: A podcast where your intrusive thoughts are said out loud. Every week Julian discusses ‘something wrong with the culture’ while also being your hilarious unlicensed therapist. Want to be a part of the show? Call 877-557-SWWP to leave a voicemail and get some advice.

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Introduction to the Episode

Julian Delgado (B) welcomes listeners to Episode 14 of Something Wrong with the Podcast, introducing his guest, Alex Day (A), known as "Mr. New York Sports." Julian humorously challenges the authenticity of sports commentators, setting the stage for an engaging conversation about sports, content creation, and personal experiences.

Notable Quote:

Julian (00:17): "Alex, I'm so happy to have you because everyone in podcasting thinks they can talk sports, but no one actually knows how to talk sports."

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Discussing Sports Commentary

Alex shares his approach to connecting with sports fans, emphasizing the importance of discussing favorite teams to gauge mutual interests. He highlights how sports can serve as a universal language, fostering immediate connections.

Notable Quote:

Alex (00:31): "I try to see what I have in common with them. All right, who are your teams? You know, then they tell me who their teams are."

Julian probes whether Alex feels intimidating to casual fans, comparing the dynamics to those in politics, where engagement often lacks depth.

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Alex's Career Journey

Alex provides an overview of his career, detailing his time at Overtime, OT7 Football, and his freelance endeavors. He discusses his transition from production roles to content creation, driven by a passion for broadcasting and storytelling in sports.

Notable Quote:

Alex (03:27): "I always wanted to be broadcast. I always thought like I wanted to be either Derek Jeter or Stuart Scott."

He recounts his role at the Yankees, focusing on creating player profiles and humanizing athletes, which honed his skills in sports content.

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Yankees' Innovations and Traditions

The conversation delves into recent Yankees innovations, notably the introduction of the torpedo bat developed in collaboration with MIT scientists. Alex explains the technical enhancements and their impact on the game, addressing concerns about tradition versus modernization.

Notable Quote:

Julian (11:31): "So what is that? Why is it, like, every time baseball. It's like, every time you talk about, like, a big moment in the sport, it's like the Astros cheating, the pine tar incidents, the bloody sock. Now it's the torpedo bat."

Alex defends the Yankees' use of the torpedo bat, arguing its legality and technological advancement, which other teams have adopted subsequently.

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Discussion on Baseball's Popularity and Issues

Alex and Julian critically examine the declining fanfare in baseball compared to other sports like football and basketball. They attribute this trend to the slow pace and frequent outcomes like home runs or strikeouts, which may reduce viewer engagement.

Notable Quote:

Alex (08:00): "Baseball just made it home run or strike out or walk. That's boring, you know?"

They discuss efforts to modernize the sport, such as introducing the pitch clock to reduce game length, aiming to make baseball more appealing to contemporary audiences.

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Personal Stories: Chicago Cubs World Series

Alex shares a personal and emotional recount of attending the Chicago Cubs' historic World Series win in 2016. He describes the city's euphoric celebration and its profound impact on both him and the local community.

Notable Quote:

Julian (21:33): "That night was a core memory for me."

Alex highlights the juxtaposition of the Cubs' victory with significant global events, emphasizing the unique cultural significance of sports triumphs.

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Transition to Music and Interactions

The conversation shifts to Alex's involvement in the music scene, detailing his experiences at Dreamville Fest and interactions with artists like J. Cole and Bert Kreischer. They explore the intersection of sports and music, illustrating how both industries influence and complement each other.

Notable Quote:

Julian (32:22): "I just recently got back from Dreamville. Dreamville Fest. The final one and another. Just like, just being with those guys every time is always a fun time."

Alex shares anecdotes about meeting his musical idols, underscoring the blend of professional and personal passions in his life.

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Life in New York and Networking

Julian and Alex discuss the significance of networking in New York, a city teeming with opportunities yet challenging due to its fast-paced environment. They reflect on how chance encounters, like their meeting at a J. Cole concert, can shape careers and foster meaningful relationships.

Notable Quote:

Alex (46:13): "If you're in a city like New York where it's just like, I may not know the right people, but at some point I'm going to run into them."

They emphasize the importance of consistency and authenticity in building a personal brand, leveraging social media as a pivotal tool in their professional journeys.

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Personal Struggles and Work-Life Balance

The dialogue takes a candid turn as both hosts share personal challenges, including the impact of aging, social changes, and maintaining a balanced lifestyle amidst demanding careers. Alex touches on his experience with COVID-19 furlough and the subsequent reinvention of his career path.

Notable Quote:

Julian (48:00): "I've never lived a normal life. We just met at a music festival."

They discuss the psychological aspects of success, such as imposter syndrome, and the necessity of self-affirmation in high-pressure environments.

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Sports Predictions and Team Analyses

In the latter half, Julian and Alex engage in spirited discussions about various sports predictions, focusing primarily on New York teams like the Yankees, Mets, Giants, and Jets. They analyze team performances, player dynamics, and potential playoff outcomes, providing insightful and often critical perspectives.

Notable Quotes:

Alex (99:56): "The Yankees will go to the World Series."

Julian (100:25): "The Mets lose in the NLCS."

They delve into specifics, such as the Yankees' use of the torpedo bat and player performances, the Mets' acquisition of Juan Soto, and the Giants' quarterback uncertainties, offering a comprehensive outlook on each team's prospects.

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Closing Remarks

As the episode winds down, Julian and Alex reflect on their enduring friendship, shared experiences, and the importance of staying grounded despite their professional successes. They reiterate their commitment to providing honest and engaging content, encouraging listeners to reach out and become part of the show.

Notable Quote:

Julian (104:40): "This is Episode 14 of Something Wrong with the Podcast. No voicemails. We're just talking sports today. We'll see all next week."

They sign off with expressions of camaraderie and anticipation for future episodes, leaving listeners with a sense of connection and anticipation for upcoming content.

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Key Takeaways and Insights

• Authenticity in Sports Commentary: Alex emphasizes the need for genuine passion and knowledge in sports journalism, critiquing superficial commentary prevalent in the industry.

• Balancing Tradition and Innovation: The Yankees' adoption of the torpedo bat symbolizes the broader tension in sports between preserving tradition and embracing technological advancements.

• Impact of Personal Experiences: Shared personal anecdotes highlight how pivotal moments, like witnessing the Cubs' World Series win, shape one's passion and perspective on sports.

• Networking and Opportunity: Living in New York provides unparalleled networking opportunities, underscoring the importance of being proactive and authentic in leveraging them.

• Navigating Success and Personal Growth: Both hosts discuss the challenges of maintaining work-life balance and personal well-being amidst professional success, offering relatable insights for listeners.

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Useful for New Audience

This episode serves as an engaging blend of sports analysis, personal storytelling, and professional insights, making it valuable for both sports enthusiasts and individuals interested in content creation and personal development. Julian and Alex's candid and humorous dialogue provides a relatable and informative experience for those unfamiliar with the podcast.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Julian (00:17): "Alex, I'm so happy to have you because everyone in podcasting thinks they can talk sports, but no one actually knows how to talk sports."

• Alex (03:27): "I always wanted to be broadcast. I always thought like I wanted to be either Derek Jeter or Stuart Scott."

• Julian (11:31): "So what is that? Why is it, like, every time baseball. It's like, every time you talk about, like, a big moment in the sport, it's like the Astros cheating, the pine tar incidents, the bloody sock. Now it's the torpedo bat."

• Alex (08:00): "Baseball just made it home run or strike out or walk. That's boring, you know?"

• Julian (21:33): "That night was a core memory for me."

• Julian (32:22): "I just recently got back from Dreamville. Dreamville Fest. The final one and another. Just like, just being with those guys every time is always a fun time."

• Julian (48:00): "I've never lived a normal life. We just met at a music festival."

• Alex (99:56): "The Yankees will go to the World Series."

• Julian (100:25): "The Mets lose in the NLCS."

• Julian (104:40): "This is Episode 14 of Something Wrong with the Podcast. No voicemails. We're just talking sports today. We'll see all next week."

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the rich and dynamic conversation between Julian and Alex, covering a spectrum of topics from sports innovations and team dynamics to personal experiences and professional growth. The inclusion of notable quotes with timestamps provides depth and authenticity, ensuring the summary remains engaging and informative for both existing and new listeners.

Transcript

[A]

Nothing wrong with the pussy. Nothing wrong with the pussy.

[B]

Nothing wrong with the pussy. Yeah. What's this? Episode 14? Doesn't matter. Welcome back. Something Wrong with the Podcast. It's Julian. I'm here, joined today with New York sports guy Alex.

[A]

What's going on?

[B]

Alex, I'm so happy to have you because everyone in podcasting thinks they can talk sports, but no one actually knows how to talk sports. So I need you to either say, I'm full of shit and don't know what I'm talking about, or I am a good sports commentator based on how this conversation goes.

[A]

But see, I like what. How sports fans immediately know if you're talking to a sports guy. Like, for me, that's always been the one thing that, you know, when I first meet someone, I try to see what I have in common with them. All right, who are your teams? You know, then. Then they. Then they tell me who their teams are. You know, you kind of feel out what they know about it. That's how I've always connected with people, and I feel like that's one of the first ways we connected too.

[B]

It is true. But are people not intimidated by you? Like, if you meet them and they want to talk sports, then it's kind of like talking to someone that, like, I feel like people that are interested in politics don't have the.

[A]

The patience or down upon.

[B]

Yes. Or like, the wherewithal to be like, okay, like, you're referencing this, but did you know in 1732, it's like, don't be that guy. Like, you know, you can be that guy with sports. Do you ever pull that car? Pardon me? Do you ever pull that card on people that are being an asshole? Like, giving you a hard time? Be like, bro, you didn't even know. Like, you. You're trashing this player. But this went into effect. And because of this player and this. Do you ever do that?

[A]

I only pull that card when someone else is like that. Like, oh, you think you know a lot. Like, let me see how much you know. But at the same time, I think there's a certain amount of joy, like, whether it's sports or music or anything about teaching someone what you know a lot about. Like, for instance, you know, I'll explain sports to girls as if it's a Bravo show. Like, you know, hey, they used to date and now they broke up and now she's married to a dude and he just got traded to the team and they have a kid together.

[B]

If you were to explain, if you were to Explain.

[A]

That'd be talking about Cody Bellinger and John Carlos.

[B]

Okay. I was going to say. What was that? All right. That was a wild story.

[A]

Wild story. That was crazy years ago and you know, adults are adults, but yeah, crazy story.

[B]

That was. Yeah. All right, well, for those that don't know, Alex is like Mr. New York sports in particular. But I don't want to just limit you to new to New York because you're, you're better. You're bigger than that. Pause. You're better than that. Like what? So where. For people that may not know where, where can they find you? Where do they cut? Because I know you're one of those people that like, even when we met. Which. We'll get into that in a second. When I saw you, I was like, why do I know his face but I don't know where I know him from? I. It's like you guys have like an Internet face.

[A]

I'm the guy who's. If you're a sports fan, constantly pops up on your fyp. I worked for overtime for three years.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So a lot of people, if you're a big overtime fan or maybe you watch ote basketball. I did play by play for them or OT7 football and then I left. And I do a lot on Instagram and Tik Tok on pages Alex Day 7. And then I do a lot for yes Network for, for the Yankees on, on the baseball side too. But you know, I now I'm, I'm full time freelance and I'll work with different media companies or brands, whatever, and like kind of just piecing this thing together.

[B]

Yeah. How's that? When. Because you said around Covid that's kind of when you kicked off like a solo career or like explored more. So you said you've been doing this newer 22.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So creating content.

[A]

Kind of. I, I always wanted to be, I always wanted to do broadcast. I always thought like I wanted to be either Derek Jeter or Stuart Scott.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like Stuart Scott was, you know, Chris Berman.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Scott Van Pelt, like those sports center guys. I went into production. I was a, I was a producer shooter. I was holding the camera for four or five years. I worked for the Yankees and I got furloughed during COVID And what was.

[B]

Your role at the Yankees?

[A]

So the in house video team, like they would do player profiles, highlights, come up with different ways to humanize these dudes who are kind of robots.

[B]

That's how you got good at that.

[A]

So I was editing for four or five years and like, trying to get creative with. I mean, baseball players are traditionally not fun. Like, basketball players. Football players. Football players are my favorite to interview by far.

[B]

Why is that?

[A]

Because they have a perfect balance of being cool and not caring about the fact that they're cool.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Like, basketball players, a lot of them, they know they're cool, but they had kind of had that too cool for school type attitude. Like, they're kind of thinking about what they're saying. They're. They act like they're the. Because they are the.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Football players. Like, I don't know. Maybe I've just been around football more in my life, but, like, football players, they don't give a.

[B]

Is that Is. Or basketball the worst? Or is there is hockey where, like, what's the worst? If you're like, I don't want to. This is the worst kind of sports.

[A]

Like, I think baseball players are the hardest to interview because there's a culture and kind of with hockey, too. But I don't really interview that many hockey players. We're like, unless you've proven yourself, they don't. Dudes want to. Don't want to go back to the locker room and step out and show their personality. Unless you're that guy, you know, like, unless you are an all star, it's like, oh, God. You're gonna show your personality. Like, have you proven it?

[B]

Yeah. Who the hell are. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Who the hell are you? You know, Is this.

[B]

Do you think that's because. And I. I'm just again, piecing this together in real time. Do you think that's because in the basketball, there's. I always look at sports with, like, helmets and gear that covers your obstructure face totally. As, like, a barrier. But not basketball, there's what, like, 300 or so professional athletes?

[A]

We can name the starting lineups on every team. Yeah.

[B]

Each team has, you know, 15 or so people, so. But it's such a small pool of guys. Whereas in baseball, it's like, huge roster. You could be a starting rotating pitcher that no one's ever heard of because there's so many of those guys. Like, is it. Do you think it's because the volume, the amount of people in the league itself, it's like, even with football, it's like there's 100 some people on the team. It's like, dude, there's too many damn people. I'm not going to know who the backup. Backup linebacker is.

[A]

Yeah. But I think back when we were growing up, like, 90s, 2000s, if I asked you to name right now 20 baseball players. Your mind would probably go to dudes that we watched growing up.

[B]

Oh yeah. But even they were all Stars though. Like those. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

I don't think it's that because if you look in the past, there were the same amount of players and we knew those guys. You knew those guys, I'm guessing just as like a casual baseball fan, like Sosa McGuire, A. Rod Griffey, Clemens, like Randy Johnson, Jeter. These are household names now. It's like, how many household names are.

[B]

There even like a superstar. Like, I don't even. I'm doing. Again, not a crazy. I don't even sound like I'm trying to shit on these guys. I don't care enough about baseball to even think my opinion matters. Like, you take a superstar, a generational player, like, it's like Mike Trout.

[A]

You're like, you walk down. Yeah.

[B]

Like, who really knows Mike Trout though?

[A]

Like, Mike Trouts never want to playoff.

[B]

I found out he loves weather.

[A]

I didn't know what he sounded like till he did an interview.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

During spring training I was like, oh, that's what Mike Trout sounds like.

[B]

This guy's like the face of the. Or one of the few face of the league. And I'm like, dude, I don't know anything about this guy other than like once a year he makes like a crazy catch that I hear about, you know?

[A]

You know Judge Ohtani.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

But it's like you could probably count them on two hands, three hands, the guys that would get recognized walking around New York.

[B]

Dude, what is it, what is it with baseball? Why is the game suck. Like, why is it trending downwards in terms of like fanfare? Like, like, like what you're saying, like start, start. I'm awareness. Like, why is that happening?

[A]

I. I think the bottom. I don't want to call it the bottom peak because that's hypocritical. But like the, the lowest point has been hit. Like they're going up.

[B]

When was the lowest point?

[A]

I would say maybe like five in the last. Maybe like five to ten years ago. And here there's. There's two reasons why is like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

One is like analytics in football made football dope. Like, okay, now we're just going to throw 50 times a game. We're going to get 40 point games. And for a while basketball too, like, you know, they're shooting more threes now. It's gone too far. Baseball just made it home run or, or strike out or walk. That's boring, you know?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That. That's not fun. And then the players aren't as willing to market themselves. You know, like, that's. That's not great. I think all of it's getting better. Then they have the pitch clock. Like, the average baseball game now is two and a half hours.

[B]

I love. I love the. As a casual. Love the pitch clock.

[A]

They didn't even change the game. They just trim the fat.

[B]

True. But what is it with, like, when now. So as, again, I'm casual.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

The casual fan watching baseball. It's like two things that wouldn't happen in baseball come across my timeline. It's like either a cheating scandal.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Or what the hell. It's like a good fight, a good fight.

[A]

We love a good fight. Well, baseball fights are ass, but. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. It's like. It's either like a fight or a shove. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's like a lot of shit. Yeah. It's like, dude, you don't. You.

[A]

A basketball.

[B]

You literally have cleats on. You can plant and throw a haymaker. And you guys still holding a bat. You're holding. Yeah. You're holding a. Fuck a torpedo bat at that.

[A]

Now we're talking.

[B]

Yeah, but it's like, so what is that? Why is it, like, every time baseball. It's like, every time you talk about, like, a big moment in the sport, it's like the Astros cheating, the. The pine tar incidents, the bloody sock. Now it's like the torpedo bat. Is this fair? It's like, why does it always seem like there needs to be something that's counter, like, against the sport or breaking the rules to, like, get that story?

[A]

It's always been like that. But that's the thing. And. And I will say, like, this isn't me bashing baseball, because I love baseball, but, like, you can't just put lipstick on a pig. You know what I mean? Like, baseball is baseball. It's not. It doesn't have the pace of basketball or hockey or the collisions of football. Like, it's kind of more similar to golf. Now, I'm not a golf guy, but, like, you play 162 games.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Starts and stops. It's slow. It's a grind. Like, that's what's gonna cause excitement. Like it to, you know, to. To assume the action in baseball is. Is not like basketball or football, where it's like, you know, you know, in the playoffs, that's one thing, but in regular season, it's like, okay, what sticks out in 162 game season? Yeah, there's always that Like, I still watch it all.

[B]

There's always that, like, I call like the. The when sports center used to matter and the top 10 used to be like, sure. There used to be like that shit part of the season of the. Of not baseball season, but just like of the sports calendar where all top 10 players are just diving catches.

[A]

July and August, you're just like, this.

[B]

Is the worst time. It's always just deemed like the worst month in sports.

[A]

The NBA finals end.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then before week one of the NFL season.

[B]

Yeah. It's just like, we're just watching guys make a cool throw from the outfield to throwing someone out at home or someone does like a sick diving catch. Like, but now. Okay, so now let's talk specific to Yankees. Cause I know that's your team first. I saw your video on it. But I want your, like, live thoughts on the. The. The two big things that are their headline this year. The beard change, the facial hair change, and then obviously the torpedo bat. Now that's like the headline thing. And I feel like you're gonna have like the Yankee answer where you love the bat, but if a fucking Red Sox did it or any other rival franchise did it, you'd be like, of course the fucking. That's how I feel. Like every fan is like, it's cool if your team does it.

[A]

I'm actually not really.

[B]

You don't like it?

[A]

No, I like it. And I think it's. It's legal. Like, and not. Not just it's legal. Other teams should thank the Yankees because now they're allowed to use it. It's not like the Yankees are the only ones who are doing it. All they did was take a rule and say, wait a minute. There's no rule about. About the. You know, everything is within the parameters of it. It's not like they're the only ones that are using it. Those teams now hit up the bat company. Hey, we like them too. So now every team gets to use it. And also the players are even getting smart about it. Like, they'll be like, okay, when there's a sinker ball pitcher, we're not going to use a torpedo bat because we want the bigger barrel. Like, oh, really?

[B]

It's already down to that granular of a level where they're like, yes. Oh, wow.

[A]

They're figuring this out in like two, three weeks. Like, the baseball nerds will find a way. But like, I don't know. I think it's cool, the fact that you've been doing something for over 100 years.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And what's cool is like someone not in sports came up with it. You know, it took like a nerd in mit.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To be like, hey, why don't we just increase the surface area? And now the balls that are missing the barrel are also part of the barrel.

[B]

So let's explain, for those who don't know, the, the traditional bat is more of a, what, a bowling pin shape, you would say?

[A]

I don't know. I would, I would actually say the torpedo bat is like that. I don't know. Everyone knows what a baseball bat.

[B]

Everyone knows what a normal base. What the Yankees, the scientists at MIT did is basically focus. He moved the sweet spot of the bat where the bat, where the most of the wood is. It's the thickest part of the bat to where statistically the hitter hits most hits with the bat. Mostly it would be like if you.

[A]

Like sat on the barrel. So now the barrel is longer and like, not quite as thick.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But there's more of a sweet spot.

[B]

And I mean, we're a few games in past this moment, but the Yankees started off with just drilling home runs every other swing. So that obviously sent people through.

[A]

Do you think people were hot?

[B]

Do you think the franchise had beef with that fucking newscaster that kind of like just blew the whole thing, like on the air was like, by the way, they're hitting with these fucking souped up bats now.

[A]

Use it last year. Yeah, I mean, he blew their cover. But also I was thinking, like, what if the Yankees, like, didn't use those bats this year and then they just pulled him out in October, like, oh, wait, save them. We've been, you know, now we're gonna use them come the playoffs. Now other teams can't use it. Like, maybe you shouldn't have used the opening day.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. If, if you could. Oh, we didn't talk about the facial hair yet. Thoughts on the facial hair?

[A]

All right, let me preface this by saying, like, I'm a good balance of. I mean, I'm. We're, we're like the same age. I'm 30, but I also grew up a baseball fan. I'm a pretentious ass Yankees.

[B]

Okay, there we go.

[A]

I'm a pretentious ass Yankees fan, no facial hair. And I hate, I hate the rule, bro. I hate the rule. Like, when you grow up a Yankees fan, you're just taught how the Yankees are different and you hold that over fan base. Other fan bases head, which is so douchey and pretentious, but it's just Part of what makes it great. Like, okay, every team wears names on the back of their jerseys, but the Yankees don't. Because when you go to the ballpark, you should know that 99 is Aaron Judge, and you should know that 27, John Carlos Stanton. Like, you go watch the, you go watch the, the Mets, you know, you need to look at the back of their jersey to see who those guys are.

[B]

That is so pretentious. Like, like it's a level of arrogance.

[A]

Oh, it's a, it is an unbelievable level of arrogance that I'm not in any other part of my life.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But you know, they, they've had the rule for like 60 years. No hair that touches the back of your collar. No facial hair. The owner, George Steinbrenner, like, thought, you know, it should be very militant. No player is bigger than the team. You know, whether you're, you know, Dominican or from Texas or you're black or you're Chinese. Like, everyone should look like a Yankee. And this was like his whole idea and the whole thing is ridiculous.

[B]

But it created something.

[A]

They created something. They created a tradition.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So it's not really about the facial hair. It's about the tradition.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the level of arrogance that Yankee fans have, including myself.

[B]

So. Okay, so this isn't one you're willing to come around to. You're not a fan of it at all.

[A]

Okay, here's the story for you. I've never, I've never told the story. So I worked for the Yankees for three years and I worked as a producer and that rule wasn't. It wasn't for employees, but like if you had a beard, you'd get a comment or two.

[B]

Really? Even down to the employee right level.

[A]

Exactly. So this was in the 2010s. I don't remember what year. MLB Draft. I go down to Tampa. I'm help filming a segment on like behind the scenes draft night. And I probably had maybe like 2 days stubble for comparison. This has only been like 5 days. Like I grow a beard pretty quick.

[B]

Yeah, I'm with you.

[A]

What's your heritage?

[B]

My mom's Lebanese.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And my dad's like Portuguese and Cape Verdean, like mixed African descent. So it's like. Yeah, my dad has a thick ass beard and my mom's, you know, the Middle Eastern hairy shit.

[A]

So I.

[B]

And it was destined.

[A]

My dad's Middle Eastern and my mom.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

From Connecticut. So.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah, actually my dad's from New York, but my dad, Middle Eastern hair, my grandparents stuff. So I'm down there With a two day old beard. Scruff. Stubble.

[B]

Dude. Yeah.

[A]

Someone in the Yankees front office. Alex. MLB draft. You couldn't shave for the draft.

[B]

Really?

[A]

And you know what? He was right. And I was embarrassed as hell. Like I was embarrassed as and from that. You know, I, I sometimes have a beard. Most of the time I'm like pretty clean shaven.

[B]

Is this long for you right now?

[A]

Kinda in the sense that like it's only been a couple days. But I'm normally clean shaven when I do stuff for the Yankees for. Yes.

[B]

Really? I'm still to hold that day.

[A]

Oh yeah.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

100 I. I sent a Snapchat to, to my boys down in spring training. Clean shaven, like on the field at spring training and saying like, you see this? Like I don't care if they change tradition. This means something to me, man. This means something to me. You gotta keep tradition.

[B]

Someone's gotta do it.

[A]

Yeah, of course. Of course. It's not about the beard. It's not about the beard. It's about the tradition.

[B]

Wow. So that I never thought about it from the, from the. Extending beyond the players themselves and just like throughout the entire organization.

[A]

Yeah. I mean it's just like a culture thing. Joe Aaron Judge said he isn't growing a beard because like it's about the Yankees who are before him and stuff. So now it's like, well, the captain's saying that are you going to step out?

[B]

But that's the thing. Does that now, does that create a divide amongst the team where it's like Captain basically says makes a, makes a public call to not to shave and. But then, you know, you got like the young guy who's maybe in his first year was like, I don't, I don't fucking fuck tradition. I'm new here. Like I want my beer. Like, you know, whatever.

[A]

The rookie left fielder, Jason Dominguez, he's got a beard. He's got a beard.

[B]

You have any insight? Has this created any division or.

[A]

I don't think so.

[B]

Nothing. What if his percentages go down? He starts playing like shit or he drops a couple.

[A]

You know what? I think it's true about any sport. Like if you're balling, ignore it. If you're balling, you can do anything you want. You can do any. You can. You can get in trouble off the field, on the field. Think about basketball, football, like basketball team isn't gonna have. If you're the ninth guy on the bench and you do some stupid shit off the court.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Team's gonna cut You. You're not worth the headache.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If you're. If you're putting up 20, 10 and 8. You know what? Those are personal.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

You take your time and you figure that out.

[B]

Come back when you're ready.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah. Damn. I never thought about. Damn, that's crazy.

[A]

Well, I.

[B]

You said that the down years of baseball were about. So you're saying around 2016 or so.

[A]

2016 was fun. Cuz like, that was. You know, Cubs won the World Series, but I think like just the 2010s and 20, like going from home run or nothing. Home run or striking out. That's when baseball started to change and like they had to kind of change rules to combat.

[B]

Because I brought up the 2016 in particular because I was living in Chicago. I lived in Chicago for three years. Three years I was there. The Blackhawks won two Stanley Cups and the Chicago Cubs glory dynasty.

[A]

It was probably electric there. When.

[B]

Oh, the summer I moved there was the parade for the Cup. Oh, not a crazy NHL like hockey. I love watching hockey live, but like, I don't know, maybe that best live sport, best sounding like just drop the gloves. Yeah, yeah. It's just like, fuck it. We're like, just scrap. Like, it's just so impressive on so many levels. I recommend live hockey to so many people that would never consider going. And then they go and they love it. But parade then. And then that following year I start following the Cubs. Like, I get into it. So when they win, I'm like, I know the team, I know the stats. I'm like, in it.

[A]

In it. Rizzo, Brian. Oh, man.

[B]

That team, Javi.

[A]

That's a baseball city.

[B]

Yes, yes. So. And I went to a lot of the. The games, even though they were killing it were really dirty. I would go to Wrigley all the time. So I brought. I have some things that I. I mean, look at this. This is 27. This is from 2017. NLDS game one, dude. October 9th. So I think this was the Dodgers, I want to say, but like, look, it was a $75 ticket for a playoff game.

[A]

That's sick. It's also so sick that you have the stuff.

[B]

Yeah, this is the. I got the physical stub and then I also brought. I wanted to show you because this is cool. This shit I never share with anybody because no one cares about this stuff, but I know you would.

[A]

This is.

[B]

Dude, this was from the Chicago Tribune. This is when the Cubs won, I believe. This is when we. Yeah, this is when they beat the Dodgers.

[A]

I nerd out over this shit. I have chills. And the Chicago Tribune, one for the ages.

[B]

That's when they beat the Dodgers to advance to the World Series.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

And then I got one better. This is.

[A]

I know you're from New York, but.

[B]

Like, I love the, like, I don't.

[A]

Know if I lived in Chicago and I didn't really have a baseball tie and then I lived in Chicago when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016.

[B]

Dude, it was intoxicating.

[A]

I think I would be a Cubs fan. And for me, like, I've always kind of like the Cubs just nl like, man.

[B]

So I'm not trying to be a fair weather. That's why I don't claim the Cubs. But if I were to root for.

[A]

A team, they won one World Series in 130 years. You're not being a fair one.

[B]

It would be that. Yeah, I know it would be the Cubs. So this was from. This was. Wasn't the last game, but this was when they were up when they beat the Indian. They beat the Indians, beat the Cup 7 2. This was game four, do or done.

[A]

Cubs now face a must win situation as Indians take commanding three. One series lead. And then Cubs never lost and we didn't lose.

[B]

And you know where I was when game seven happened? I was in that crowd outside of Wrigley. I have so many old videos, Snapchats, which I can upload here. It was the most fun thing I've ever. It was because it was. I felt like the. The scene was. It was me and like four of my friends, my teacher friends that I met in Teach for America. And it's. We're standing outside Wrigley open container. Everyone's just drinking, drunk as shit.

[A]

Cubs won the World Series. No loss.

[B]

Not yet, though. We're standing out there during the game. Sluggers is the one bar in that corner.

[A]

But like that's the batting cage bar. Yeah, I've been there.

[B]

All the bars are packed. You can't go in anywhere. But people had the radio playing in the stadium was playing game audio so you could hear what was going on. And then you had obviously the big board outside of Wrigley. So you're seeing Cubs go up, crowd fucking. We all think we're about to win it. So everyone's pouring into the streets. And by we, the Cubs are about to win. Indians tie it.

[A]

Raja Davis.

[B]

They tie the game and then extra innings and then the rain delay and what pops up on the screen at Wrigley again, it's like, what is it like seven. I don't remember what the score is, but a little.

[A]

Maybe six.

[B]

Six. Six. Six. I said seven was one of those. Yeah. A little umbrella emoji pops up on this, on the screen, and just rain delay flashes across the screen and we're all just, like, holding our breath. Game resumes maybe 20 so minutes later, eight said, whatever. Cubs, Cubs win. Final mayhem. Just absolute calamity. I've never seen a city explode to that level. And then what's funny is that parade, the Cubs World Series parade, is the, I believe, the seventh largest gathering of people ever. And if you look at the list, it's hilarious. It's like dalai Lama's death, St. Paul, John Francis. It's like all these miracle religious figures. And then number seven, Cubs World Series win. It was like three or four million people.

[A]

Like, what are the Chicago Cubs and Dalai Lama. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. It was like. Yeah, it was like sandwich in between, like, these huge religious moments, and it's like the Cubs winning the new Pope, you know?

[A]

Wow, that is crazy.

[B]

I was there and it was like, that was. I. I mean, again, not. My team didn't grow up. I cried. I was so emotionally invested in that team. And just, I was so happy for the city. Like, it changed people's lives because then that's when the local news networks went crazy. Like, this person was born the year the Cubs. And he was like, on his deathbed.

[A]

Crying, die in peace.

[B]

Yes. It's like his dying wish was to watch the Cubs when he dies the.

[A]

Day of the parade.

[B]

It's like this whole fucking SAP store. I'm like, this is. This is why I love sports. But it's like, damn. Like, this is cool. Like, I was so infatuated by that.

[A]

So you know what I think? Even though you're from New York, I said it before, but if I were you, like, permission to be a Cubs fan. I feel like you're in New York to stay now. But, yeah, it's like, well, how often are you gonna go to Rayleigh Field? But like, that's. That's a core memory.

[B]

It really. Yeah, that was that.

[A]

Not even a baseball fan. But like, that is. That is a core memory that. If you are from Chicago or in Chicago. I can only imagine.

[B]

Yeah. But I think that, like, kind of reigns true, like, universally about. It's not just like, you have to like the team. It's just if you're a sports person, like, that story, not necessarily like the underdog story, but it's like if you're. If you're in sports. And you truly, deeply care about just what sports represent and what they can do for people and the world at large. That's what kind of, like, gets me to hooked on a team or a group or a person or a player, an athlete that I may not have known a week before or have cared about a year before.

[A]

It's bigger than the game.

[B]

Yeah. And it's like, even down to. I mean, certainly in this country, fucking football, college football in particular, like, even, like, the race dynamic in this country, sports changed how sports pretty much has made black people acceptable everywhere because it's like, fuck, they can do everything so much better.

[A]

Right. I mean. I mean, think about, like, Alabama football.

[B]

Exactly. Exactly what I'm referring to.

[A]

Think about the USC came down and.

[B]

Beat the shit out of them. They had to let a black person touch the ball.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Like, they just had to the.

[A]

And I wish I had these, like, facts off the top of my head, but, like, you know how basically, like, Alabama became a powerhouse. I mean, of course, at Bear Bryant and stuff, but like, they became a powerhouse when they started letting it, you know, having black student athletes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, there you go.

[B]

Just.

[A]

You have to, you know, if you're in Alabama, if you're in, you know, University of Tennessee.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, Arkansas, like, got all these.

[B]

Guys bred and born right there. You're not.

[A]

Come on. You know, college football, 100%. Like, you go down there to SEC country. And we're from New York.

[B]

Like, dude, I'm terrified of the south.

[A]

So I went to school in North Carolina.

[B]

Okay. Oh, congrats on the check. Did you go to unc?

[A]

No, I went to Elon.

[B]

Oh, okay. I know the Pirates.

[A]

The. The Phoenix.

[B]

The Phoenix. Isn't that made up, Bird? I didn't know why. No, I'm talking about ecu Eastern. Yeah. You see, with the. The purple.

[A]

The purple and gold.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Yep. So that, you know, that's not even full south, but, like, that's enough. I mean, SEC country. I feel like I'm stepping into a different. A different world.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, like, I feel like even as an east coaster, you go to the west coast. That's. I can. I can get down with the West Coast.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

You know, you go to. You know, I. I covered a game last year. This is. This is kind of the Deep South. I went to Oklahoma.

[B]

That's far enough.

[A]

And I went to a Sooners game. It was Oklahoma, Alabama.

[B]

Oh, man. Yeah.

[A]

First of all, it was so much fun.

[B]

Probably amazing.

[A]

Dude, the night before the game, we're in Oklahoma and we went to a piano bar. Like a dueling pianos bar. Classic, classic.

[B]

Classic. Okay. And so American.

[A]

And oh, just wait. And in the middle of the set, like, we like all military members who are actively serving to come up to the front, come up on stage. Cool. But like I'm thinking like, oh, I've never seen this before. At a bar. At a bar.

[B]

Yeah. And like a land acknowledgement.

[A]

And. And they go in front, they go on the stage. The piano player presses a button. A big flag comes down. Big flag comes down. And the place is going crazy. I felt like I was in Chappelle show and the place is going crazy. And. And maybe it was like, God bless America. I'm trying to think what's. What song, what super patriotic song. And people are going crazy for these active military members. And funny to me, like, I'm just thinking, you know what? Good for them. But like, I have never been to anything like this in my whole life.

[B]

It's just different.

[A]

Different.

[B]

It's like the value system is different. It's like I was listening to Blaine Kiffin just did the Obons podcast.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And like, I'm just like, I'm just curious to hear how someone that works that closely in SEC football because he used to coach at usc. I'm like, he's touched different parts of his country. He got into it talking about like, I'm coming from like, you know, a West, like a faster paced climate. Like, you know, with raising my family. We're just like, we gotta go, we gotta go. And then I would go down to Ole Miss and everyone's very slow and like, yes, sir. Respectful and yes, sir. And it's like all. And he's like kind of just talking about the differences between and even just the fandom. He's like, this is their everything.

[A]

It just means more.

[B]

Yeah. And like it truthfully down to the core, like, the fabric of. I know Oxford isn't like a city beyond that campus, but. And that's the thing. I think a lot of SEC schools kind of position themselves like that. Like, Gainesville isn't shit without Florida. Tuscaloosa isn't shit without Bama at all. Oxford's nothing without Ole Miss. So it's like you're looking, you're placing these.

[A]

You would have never heard of those cities if it wasn't.

[B]

Well, I did something to Oxford. To me, I was like, congrats on the Rhodes Scholarship.

[A]

Like, that's how I.

[B]

That's how I associate Oxford. So, like, I don't know what any.

[A]

Tuscaloosa that's in Italy, right?

[B]

Yeah. I was like, what? Yeah. Was that a hooker's name? Like, who the is Tuscaloosa? Yeah.

[A]

Eric Ada. Yeah.

[B]

So, like, it's just, it's. Yeah. Culturally, it's so. It's so, so, so, so different. And that's why I kind of think of why it's so difficult for college teams to pop in New York. Because it's like, yeah, who are you really? Who's focusing on that when you can do. There's so many professional teams, but also like Broadway shows, concerts. Like, there's so much pulling your attention in this city where it's like, I was so happy St. John's got a good draw in the tournament. They were a two seed. But like, cool. Like. But like, there's so much more happening here.

[A]

Like, that's why I think like a Super bowl could never be in New York or like, you know, main events that take over that area. Like, I was just at Final Four in San Antonio. Final Four could never, should never be in New York because it was cool how, you know, you're kind of in this bubble. Like, not much going on in San Antonio. Everyone there was for the. There for the Final Four. It consumed the city, you know, helped their economy a ton.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If they did the Final Four in.

[B]

New York, you have to compete with.

[A]

You're competing with everything.

[B]

Yeah. Louis C.K. at the Garden. Like.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's just like, which.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Speaking of which, I went to his last special at the Garden. It was a Incredible dude. Sorry.

[A]

Sounds amazing.

[B]

Yeah. He's about to do another tour. I want to go. Wow.

[A]

I went in high school actually, at Radio City.

[B]

Oh.

[A]

And it was just, you know, that was before the scandal that I went post.

[B]

Scandal. You smoked it. It was great. This was his comeback special. The whole thing was.

[A]

Sorry, sorry.

[B]

Was the branding behind it. So.

[A]

God. Well, you know, since we're talking comedy and stuff and we. I think we got to step a little bit outside sports and. And tell the people how we met because.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

It's a pretty funny story.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. So while it's kind of into the music scene, so. J. Cole did his anniversary show for 2014 for sale drives at Madison Square Garden. Speaking of the garden.

[A]

10 year show. 10 anniversary.

[B]

10 year anniversary. Which is crazy to think that that's been.

[A]

Did you go to the original tour?

[B]

No, no, no, no. I was, I was. What was that, 2,014.

[A]

I was really 15.

[B]

Yeah. I was in. I was in Chicago I was going in the thick of the shits back then. Yeah. I don't even think I had a dollar to my name. I couldn't do the original dollar.

[A]

You were on the Dollar and a Dream. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I was really dreaming about a dollar. So, yeah, we're waiting outside of what's a will call at msg.

[A]

Yep. We're both waiting on some tickets.

[B]

Yeah. And those that listen know, like, Boss is one of my closest friends. But in circumstances like this, this is always like a shit show because they're running down tickets in increments and shifts. I don't like being late to anything. So I showed up aggressively early.

[A]

Same.

[B]

Yeah, you were. You were there from the start.

[A]

We were both hype and we showed up at Will call, and neither of our tickets were there yet because there was an issue between Dreamville and msg.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

With getting the list in time so they didn't fulfill the ticket orders. Oh, two tickets under Julian, two tickets under Alex.

[B]

Yes. So I brought Damaris from. We had actually just left recording an episode. And I. Damaris didn't know I surprised her. She got all emotional. It was a very cute thing. She's a Die Hard J. Cole fan. Brought her. So it's the two of us. She's on the very much. Like, I know it'll all work out. I'm not gonna stress about it. She said, I'm gonna go across the street, get a drink and have some food. I'm like, you motherfucker. Like, I'm. I know we're fine, but I just get, like, that anxiety just didn't go away. So I'm just like, you saw me. I'm checking the guy at the window every five minutes. He's like, dude, I don't know what to tell you. I'll be like, I'll be right back. They have eight Will call windows. I'm hitting every fucking window. So we're just like, small talking for perspective.

[A]

I got there at 7 when you and I were online the first time I walked up. So, you know, get there at MSG at 7:00. We didn't, you know, it's 9:00. We didn't have our tickets yet.

[B]

At least two hours standing. And mind you, at that time, there's probably about 100 or so people pooling by will call at this point. Damaris finally comes back because I'm texting her like, get the fuck over here. She comes back, and then we're seeing in waves people getting taken or their tickets are coming to the will call. And they're getting ushered into the stadium. They're getting back to the wherever. Like the VIP riser. Shit. And we're like 10 minutes from start. Did you get your tickets before me? I had to have been last.

[A]

Yeah. But we talked after. You're like, yeah, I got mine. Like, it was. We were in the same box.

[B]

Yes. Yeah.

[A]

In the same box.

[B]

Yes. So Damaris and I get our tickets. We get. We walk into the stadium as the first. Like the intro. Yeah, yeah. As he's doing the intro to be free and show was amazing, obviously. Fantastic. And then there was the after party at msg. Yup. Which fantastic.

[A]

I. Man, there. I have so many. Just little snippets from the after party at msg.

[B]

What a cool night, by the way, to just party at the Garden afterwards.

[A]

Right. So that's the thing. Like, we met on. Talk about core memories. Like, that night was a core memory for me. I'm sure it was like that for you. To J. Cole, 10 year anniversary. And we're back. You know, we're. I. I don't even know. Backstage is right. More in like the underbelly of msg.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And just the conversation. So I was with my cousin Andrew, Shout Out G. And he's a die hard J. Cole fan too. And we're like, yo, I just, we just talked. Like, I made a comment to Jid about because he was wearing a Falcons jersey.

[B]

He's always repping.

[A]

Always. I forgot maybe, like, right, like Rice. And I'm forgetting what jersey he wore. But he very. I knew he played college ball and I also knew that he went to Hampton and Hampton played Elon.

[B]

Oh, Jed played college ball.

[A]

Yeah. He was a cornerback.

[B]

Really?

[A]

And like, I. One of the reasons that JIT is one of my favorite rappers when I first heard him is like his sports references. Or like, he gets. You can tell he gets it. And same thing with Boss. Same thing with Cole. Like, you know, I feel like all the Dreamville guys. And I just started. I had like a 10 minute conversation with Jin about football and I told him like, bro, your sports references are amazing. He's like, which ones? And I started off, yeah, of course.

[B]

What are some of the. Give me a.

[A]

Like, like on, like, like on down bad. When he's talking, you know, 44 Chrome, Hank Aaron. I'm forgetting what the actual line is. Yeah, yeah, he's talking. There's one where he's like, I'm in the slot. Like, is it Welker Edelman in cover three? Because you know, if you're a slot receiver, like, cover three is soft coverage. And he was a quarterback.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And like, we're having that kind of.

[B]

Conversation down to the.

[A]

We're having that kind of conversation. And meanwhile, like, everyone's smoking, and we're like, I guess we can. And my cousin. My cousin Andrew asked. Maybe it was like, causes manager. Like, it's cool if we smoke here, right? And this is before everyone was smoking.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

And he. And he just turns to my cousin, he's like, brother, do as the Romans do. And to this day, that's what. That's what him and I still say to each other. Yeah, do as the Romans do. And it was just, you know, you look around and be like, people are having just the best time. I'll hear certain songs. Like. Like, when I came in here, I was. I was singing Hyb hi. Yeah, Hide your.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I remember being there. And like, that's a song that you go out. If you go out, you never hear that song.

[B]

Such a Good time song.

[A]

Have you ever heard that song out?

[B]

Not unless I was with those guys. And it goes off every time.

[A]

Correct. So I'd never been out where that song comes on. And all of a sudden, every single person had your bitch, had your wife. Like, you know what this is? This is a special night.

[B]

It's a such a good time, man. I. I love those guys. So I. Yeah, I just recently got back from Dreamville. Dreamville Fest. The final one and another. Just like, just being with those guys every time is always a fun time, but it's just like, Cole. Every time I get to speak to Cole, interact with Cole, I'm like, I still can't believe. It's still, like, weird, but it's like. It's amazing. He's like. He's a great guy. He's normal as shit, but it's just like, this is, like, cool. Like, you can step outside of the moment and be like, this is cool.

[A]

Look, I mean, I interview athletes for a living. I. I haven't become jaded with it, but I become used to it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That night, I only kind of met Cole. He walked past me at the after party to the MSG after party. And there's a line that Cole says in his podcast, the one that they did with Inevitable. Inevitable.

[B]

Yeah. Where.

[A]

How? When he saw. He saw Wayne, Wayne was just, like, in his eyes. He was like. He was, like, levitating. He was, like, purple. Like, do you remember that line in that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I thought that was the Funniest line. I was like, what the hell is he talking about? And Cole walked into that club and dat me up. I was like, you know, that motherfucker isn't real. Like, that is. That is. That is surreal. I mean, you know, I feel lucky. I get to interview a lot of athletes and musicians and stuff, but someone like Cole been listening to for 15 years, that was. That was crazy.

[B]

Do you prefer. I know, like, you're more in this, like, professionally this, like, online, the sports wheelhouse, but do you. Do you, like, prefer interviewing athletes or musicians more? Do you have a preference on either?

[A]

I get way more excited for musicians.

[B]

Really? Because you think that's only because you're not used to that yet or.

[A]

Yes, but also, like, music and sports are. Are very close to me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, it's 1A, 1B and it's closer than you think. And then it's really everything else. Like, there's some. You have those friends. Maybe you're one who's like a show guy or a movie guy or, like, I don't know, just different parts of. Or comedy. Like, of course, we all watch movie shows. Comedy and have different. But like, for me, it's sports and music and. And when I get a chance to, you know, work with a musician or like. Like even, you know, there's plenty of athletes who I'll maybe text with because I've worked with them before. Okay, that's so and so. But, like, if Boss texts me, because he'll always text me about the Yankees, I'm like, damn, that's wild as shit. Like, I was just listening to Boss half an hour ago, you know, Meanwhile, the Yankee starting pitcher, who I've known, you know, for maybe years, like, you become a little bit used to that. And for me, anytime I get to do stuff in music, it's like, it.

[B]

Really is a matter of, like, it's pinch me used. Yeah. To your point. Like, I. A lot of these guys have become very close friends with them. Very happy. I'm fortunate to. But it's. I was having this conversation with Jordan, Jordan Rose, who does the complex. If you see. If you watch any complex videos, his face.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I always say you've got the face of complex. And I was like, do they pay you as a face music? Shut up. Like, a whole thing. But he. We were at Dreamville together.

[A]

That means no. Yeah, that means no.

[B]

Now they take. They got to take care of my guy there. But he was saying, like, we had his moment. He had just interviewed Ludacris and It was just like, a whole thing. Whatever. Yeah. We're just like, hanging, casually talking with Luda before, that's like, what are we doing? And then Luda walks away, goes to do his set, and we just, like, look each other's moment. Like, isn't this, like, we're in it? But we still. You're always going to feel like an outsider in an industry, because obviously we're not the artists, but we still play a very important part in this whole ecosystem.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

But it's like, it's not. But I live in New York. I live such a regular life, as does he. So it's, like, weird that there's this whole level of experience or a level of. I always joke when I go these festivals or when I go to these shows. I'm just stepping into my timeline. I'm just walking into the Internet, and it's like. But I'm never. It's never lost on me that I have access to this level of talent, these amazing, talented people that I grew up loving, and now I can call, you know, an acquaintance or even, best case, like, a friend. It's just like, yep, that has to be similar for you. It's like, I don't care how many times you stand or talk to Jalen Brunson, you're like, how the fuck is this still happening?

[A]

Not only. Not only am I totally the same as you, but, like, there's times where I really feel like it's almost imposter syndrome.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like, hey, I have my normal life, and these are the things I. Normal. I normally do. And then you step into this arena of work, slash fun, slash whatever you want to call.

[B]

Because it is a job. Because it is a job lost on people.

[A]

And, hey, you didn't sneak in there.

[B]

No.

[A]

You were invited. You were asked to be there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think, you know, I've been doing this for a while, and, you know, if it's a night, like, maybe the cold night, or if it's a, you know, final four, whatever the event is, like, I'll almost have to remind myself, like, hey, you belong. Like. Like, you. You know, you've earned a right to be at this table. But it's crazy when then you step back into your normal life and you're just a guy. Yeah, dude. Like, I don't know. It's. It's a weird balance of. You kind of live in a double life sometimes.

[B]

What would you say? Because this is. I don't like questions like this. I don't often get to ask people that are in a similar situation because I know there's a lot of like young. I get emails DMS all the time from like young, hungry college kids are like, I really want to work in podcasting, music, journalism, sports. Like, I just don't have an in. I never had. I certainly didn't have an in. There is no the in is honestly, it's your phone and it's like how you go about utilizing it and marketing yourself. But like, for someone that wants to. I'm not even like, give them the career advice. But it's like that what's. There's a weird mentality that we have to have where it's like we belong, but we're still normal. Like, how do you. I feel like when people watch this or watch other people in our situation, like, well, they only got that way. Like people like, he only did that cuz a Rory and Maul. It's like, no, like, I did this. I lived on a couch for six months before I even. I worked as a part time writer at Hot 97. I didn't know who Rory was. Two years into moving in New York, we just met at a music festival. Like, these things just the dominoes kind of fell into place. It was like right time, right opportunity for certain things to happen in my life. But the whole way I was like, there's some guiding force or like there's some intrinsic value that I have in myself that got me here.

[A]

If you don't have it inside you, because the fact that it's never been more accessible.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like there's never been a time in history where having an in matters less.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Because it's your phone.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So, you know, it really is kind of what you do with it. I mean, for me, I basically started over at 26. Like, I got furloughed during COVID this. I knew I wanted to do broadcast and I started doing social media. Like, because I did social media got some success. I got hired by overtime and then I worked at overtime after I had already built a little, you know, somewhat of a name for myself on social media. Then they hired me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Then with overtime, I was doing it pretty much on my own. And then I left. I think being consistent is important. I think your network is really kind of everything.

[B]

It's huge.

[A]

It is.

[B]

Which is why it matters. To live in a city like New York where it's just like, I may not know the right people, but at some point I'm going to run into them. Like how we met.

[A]

But but, but my net, you know, my network didn't help me have that in my. My network has helped me grow within.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

The end. And with that being said, the main thing is. The main thing. Like the main thing is the work. And then it's your network that helps you take it. Oh, someone really likes the work that you're doing. You know, to this day I left overtime. I have someone film for me on a camera. I do the editing myself. There's no bells, it's on my page. I'm not hired full time by a company or anything. So I think it's about consistency, it's about authenticity. Like I never really feel like. And I do feel this way sometimes scrolling on my for you where I feel like there's no way that's how someone acts. You know what I mean? Like. Like there's no way that's how someone acts. And I feel like I'm just playing myself, you know?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Maybe sometimes a little bit of a character you turn it on.

[B]

I've seen you. Like you have to though. But like that's a part of the.

[A]

It's like a character of yourself.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, you're playing the most extreme version of yourself for sure.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Like I don't think of myself as like a WWE character. It's like, you know, now I'm, I'm here with Jalen Brunson brother. No, I'm just like, I'm turning up all my sliders to 10, you know.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So, you know, I think that's, that's what makes it easy and that's what makes it fun.

[B]

What was your first. I'm trying not to turn this into an interview, but it's like fun to talk somebody that's doing this on their own as well. Like, what was your first like in moment even before you got hired by overtime. Like, what even got their attention from you? Like what was your first successful post or like thing that you did?

[A]

So I, this was crazy. So I was, I got furloughed. I had a long term girlfriend, broke up. We were living together, moved out.

[B]

All right.

[A]

I was living at home and I did a, I made a tick tock video.

[B]

Where's home? Where in New York did you grow up?

[A]

So I, I lived in the city until I was 8. Parents moved up to northern Westchester.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

For middle school and high school and elementary from. From second grade to high school. And then they move back to the city.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

And I did, I did this video where it was like a rapid fire take and it would be a question that. A sports question that couldn't be answered. For instance, which point guard would you rather have in their prime?

[B]

So great common engagement, great.

[A]

But it would be comparing athletes from two different generations.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What point guard would you rather have in their prime? Stephon Marbury or John Moran? And the video started where I, I was sitting on the couch and my dad, my dad's a huge sports fan. He made me such a big sports fan. And he would ask a question, I'd be sitting on a couch, I'd crack a beer because hey, we're just chilling on the couch or just drinking a beer. Yeah. And then he'd rapid fire these. And I had 400 followers.

[B]

And did you ever explain the answer? Was it just the name of the app?

[A]

Fire. And then I'd give one, I'd get one sentence. Okay, so you're watching this 45 second video and like probably 10 different one. You know what quarterback would rather have in a two minute drill? What, what, what hitter would you want up in the 9th inning? More? What? You know, who would, who would win in the three?

[B]

So all these like clutch moments. Pick this guy. That guy.

[A]

But it's not trivia. It's literally.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's all hypotheticals. And that video got like a couple hundred thousand views and all of a sudden nothing.

[B]

Was there something here? Did you rinse and repeat that model?

[A]

So I said, I'm gonna do one of the. Cuz I was living at home.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because I had just gotten out of this relationship. I said I'm gonna do one of these a day.

[B]

Yes, I can have a beer a day.

[A]

I guess what I would do is I would film like, I'd film like three a night. And then I'd stash him.

[B]

Okay, got you.

[A]

And it's funny because my parents like really don't drink. So I would be like, I'd be sitting there doing these, I'm just filming literally like, like, I guess you're getting drunk here on a Tuesday night. Like, like. And then Covid's going, I'm working.

[B]

Ma.

[A]

Ma. The meatlo. Where the melo. You know, I had 350 followers and then that video got a couple hundred thousand. So I'm gonna do one of these a day, Monday through Friday, no weekends. And that's it. And I just, I, I pumped these videos out, just one a day. And I, I honestly stopped doing them because I felt like time to evolve. And like, I got bored. And like it was a little, it got a little repetitive kind of Ran out of topics a little bit with it. Honestly though, it'll do it. And yeah, that was really the first half of 2021. Then. Then I started working for overtime.

[B]

Wow, that's awesome. Okay, well, you did mention sports trivia. And I did. I'm speaking to chat GPT. I brought up a bunch of notes.

[A]

I'm not looking at the screen.

[B]

Yeah. So I have some difficult Yankee trivia. This is what I put in here.

[A]

Hit me.

[B]

All right. Okay.

[A]

I'm looking at the camera too. I'm not looking at the screen right here.

[B]

What year did the interlocking NY logo become the official logo for the Yankees? Ooh, these are very difficult questions.

[A]

That's tough. I'm going to say I'm going to give you a decade because I've got no idea. I'm going to say like, I'm going to say like the 50s.

[B]

Way earlier.

[A]

Way earlier.

[B]

Way earlier. 30s, 1909, I guess you have Ruth and.

[A]

And those guys would be 1909. For some reason I kind of pictured the, the logo be separate. Okay.

[B]

They said it originally appeared on NYPD Metals in 1877 before being adapted.

[A]

I kind of overthought that one.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Give me another.

[B]

First Yankee to hit a home run in a World Series history, Man.

[A]

When you're, when you're asking questions about what happened in the classic one.

[B]

Is this thing classics?

[A]

Ruth. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

1921. Babe Ruth. First Yankee MVP after Ruth retired Lou Gehrig. No. Well, this could be a trick question because did Lou Gehrig win the whole league MVP? Because this is, this is Ale.

[A]

Okay, who is it?

[B]

Joe DiMaggio.

[A]

Joe D. Okay.

[B]

Yeah, that's a, that's a. That's a ridiculous question. Which Yankee manager has the highest winning percentage minimum 100 games?

[A]

Joe? Tory?

[B]

No.

[A]

Casey Stangle?

[B]

No. I don't even know who these people are. I know Joe.

[A]

Billy Martin.

[B]

No, these are all old fuckers, dude. You're not going to get Ed Barrow.

[A]

No, I wasn't getting that.

[B]

1920. Who are these people?

[A]

I just rattled off four managers before 2000. But no.

[B]

Okay. I'm trying to find like barrel current question.

[A]

It doesn't even have to be current.

[B]

Second all time hits in Yankees history after Jeter.

[A]

That's. That's Gerrig.

[B]

It is Luke. Eric. That is correct. Okay, and then this isn't on here. I was just gonna ask you generally what are your. If you had to rank top three baseball movies, man, and then we can generalize and just do sports movies. But I Want your baseball ones first? Because I think of any sport, there are the best baseball movies.

[A]

Totally. Yeah, totally. And there's some basketball, football. All right, man. In no order. But my top three, I think Sandlot.

[B]

For sure. Without a doubt.

[A]

Because I think also of. For our generation. Sandlot. Sandlot's an important one. Field of Dreams. That's a classic. And then I'm gonna say, man, I'm gonna say Bull Durham.

[B]

What the fuck is that?

[A]

Bull Durham. That's like a. It's like a.

[B]

You would do some, like, deep cut.

[A]

It's. It's a 90. It's. It's Kevin Costner and what the fuck is her name? Susan Sarandon. What about.

[B]

You're not gonna do the one with homie with the Cubs? One with.

[A]

With which.

[B]

What the fuck?

[A]

Oh, rookie.

[B]

You're not gonna do Rookie of the Year?

[A]

I could name 42. I could name.

[B]

That was low key. Underrated. Bernie Rip, Burning Mac, Mr. 3000.

[A]

I was just about to get to that.

[B]

That's an underrated baseball.

[A]

That is an uncride. Angels in the outfield. Major league.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

League two.

[B]

Does basketball count?

[A]

Hell, no. Wait, wait, wait. What's the one? I love this movie with the. The female baseball players. A League of Their Own. I've never seen a league.

[B]

I've never seen A League of Their Own.

[A]

Tom Hanks. That's a fire.

[B]

Oh, dude. Moneyball.

[A]

Moneyball, of course. Okay. So random. That movie right there.

[B]

This one.

[A]

Look, that's not Even a top 10 baseball movie of all time. But that might be one of the most underrated comedies the last 10 years. Everybody wants some.

[B]

Everybody wants.

[A]

It's a lot of famous actors and actresses who are famous now, but it was like, one of their first roles. It's. Who's the. Who's the guy that was in the romcom with Sydney Sweeney. Glenn Power.

[B]

Oh, the guy that's currently banging her.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Probably. Yeah.

[A]

100%.

[B]

Good for him. Yeah.

[A]

Jealous.

[B]

Nice.

[A]

Congrats.

[B]

Sick.

[A]

Must be nice. Yeah. And. And I'm forgetting who else. But that's a sick movie.

[B]

Okay. Damn, there's so many good baseball ones.

[A]

Okay, give me yours and then I'm on your top three.

[B]

Basketball. Sandlot. Sandlot. Rookie of the year. And then in the third spot. Honestly, that. That. The third spot could probably rotate for me.

[A]

Definitely.

[B]

I don't have, like, a stand. Like, those two, without a doubt, are in my, like, pantheon. I don't know. Like the third one. I don't know. I just. I'd have to. It'd have to be one I've seen recently. The one that I saw the most recently was Moneyball. But I don't want to put that in my top three.

[A]

Mr. 3,000. I'm probably.

[B]

I'm gonna put that one.

[A]

That's a great.

[B]

My three.

[A]

That's a great movie.

[B]

Mr. 3000 is my three.

[A]

That's a great, great movie.

[B]

Yeah. Bernie Mac.

[A]

Give me. Since the other sports are. Give me your top five sports movies that don't include baseball movies.

[B]

Oh, honestly, that's tough. Like, most. I don't really. I don't know.

[A]

Can I throw some out?

[B]

Yeah, please.

[A]

Because I feel like we have some similar tastes.

[B]

I have. I have a classic Disney Channel movie that I love. Basketball movie. Luck of the Irish was classic. Great movie. Classic, great movie.

[A]

Yeah. For me. And I know this is going to be a crazy answer. My favorite basketball movie of all time is Coach Carter.

[B]

That's your favorite of all time?

[A]

It's not the best. I'm just saying, like, that's like a comfort movie for me. Like, throw on Coach Carter.

[B]

Okay. It's a weird comfort movie, though.

[A]

I don't know. It kind of has everything, right. Like, it has the drama, it has the basketball.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Has a. A lister. Samuel L. Jackson.

[B]

Yeah. What. What you.

[A]

You could say like Hoosiers.

[B]

True. Say true.

[A]

Like, a lot of the other basketball movies are kind of.

[B]

Why are all basketball movies so serious?

[A]

Oh, well, that's what I'm saying.

[B]

Joanna, man.

[A]

No. Get out of here. No, come on, get out. I like a comedy, like the.

[B]

Ahead of its time.

[A]

Like the Kid.

[B]

The Cage, Black Trans.

[A]

The KD Thunder movie.

[B]

Oh, go thunderstruck.

[A]

Thunderstruck.

[B]

Oh, Space Jam.

[A]

Space Jam. A basketball movie.

[B]

Yes. What do you mean, is it a basketball. It's a Bill Murray in a basketball movie. That's what it is. That's. You can't. It's undeniable classic.

[A]

It's like Space Jam 2. It's like basketball adjacent.

[B]

Space Jam 2 is ass.

[A]

Yeah. That was a tough look.

[B]

Like Mike.

[A]

Like Mike, number one basketball movie classic. But I think Space Jam, that's basketball adjacent.

[B]

How? There's basketball. The whole thing is basketball.

[A]

Yeah, you're probably right.

[B]

I am right.

[A]

You're right.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

All I had to do was think about it a little bit more. Yeah.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Would you also say that they didn't.

[B]

Golf with the Looney Tunes like semi pro.

[A]

You know, the counts.

[B]

I love Will for. That's a great movie.

[A]

That is a funny.

[B]

Is that John C. Reilly, too, in that One or. No. I don't know.

[A]

Well, no, they were. The Talladega. I don't. I don't think. I don't think it was.

[B]

Who was the second lead in that with him?

[A]

Yeah. It's been a minute.

[B]

I don't remember. Semi Pro is a good one. I. I think with sports movies. For me, I like a comedy sport. Did you watch? It's not a comedy sports one. It's really dark.

[A]

Longest Yard.

[B]

That's a good one. That's a great one.

[A]

I thought you about to say.

[B]

No, that's a great. No, this one's dark. Dark. It's like a relatively new one. The Ben Affleck one. He's like. He's like a drunk.

[A]

Oh, no. I was gonna watch that. I came across my Netflix the other day.

[B]

Dude, it is the saddest. Like, most depressing. The way back.

[A]

Yeah. This is not good.

[B]

Like, it's. I mean, the movie's okay, but it's like, it's not good. Like, it's fucking dark. It's dark. Like, he shouldn't be. Like, he never should have gotten the opportunity. They had to be. It's like, it doesn't. It's not like, oh, he did it. It's like, Jesus Christ.

[A]

You know what came out around the same time that was good was the Adam Sandler one where he's a scout.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That Ann Edwards is in.

[B]

Damn. What's that shit called? That was a Netflix movie.

[A]

Yeah, that was. That was a great movie.

[B]

That was a good.

[A]

I really like that movie.

[B]

They got to give aunt a movie.

[A]

He. 100%.

[B]

He is so fun. D. I love everything about. Everything about him on and off the court. Like, even that Netflix the Journey in Paris thing that he stole the whole series every time he was on camera, it's like, this is a show.

[A]

Well, that. That clip with him and Obama.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, that's what I want my athletes to be like.

[A]

You know what the funny part about that clip is? And if you've never seen this clip, which I imagine most people have seen, it is during the Olympics, it is Anne Edwards.

[B]

Joel Embiid.

[A]

Joel Embiid. Thank you. And Obama.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And they're talking about, you know, who's got the best game and stuff. And Obama makes a joke to Embiid about, like, oh, you got to help the young kid out. Talking about Ant. And Ant starts, like, checking Obama. Like, nah, I'm him. I'm him. Yeah. I'm really like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And Obama clearly sees that Edwards is not joking. At all. And then Obama calls LeBron and Katie over, and you see LeBron and Katie give and a look like, you stupid motherfucker.

[B]

Like, stop.

[A]

Like, the clip is so absurd that there's a case to be made that Ant didn't know who Obama was. Like, I saw that in a lot of comments. Like, do you think he knows?

[B]

Do you think this was like some exec or something?

[A]

Like, do you think he knows who he's talking to? Like, the clip was that absurd? Absurd. It was that absurd.

[B]

I love that, though. I want my superstars to be that. Oh, well, we could pivot.

[A]

Should we talk next?

[B]

I wore this shirt for a reason. It's our time. I think I'm gonna be realistic, very realistic with my Knicks prediction. By the time this episode comes out, game one will have ended.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

So we're speaking before the Detroit. Before Detroit, before game one. Prediction wise, I think we'll. Best case scenario, Eastern Conference finals.

[A]

We are clearly in tier two. Yeah, we are. There's a case to be made. We're a top five team. And most of the year we were. True.

[B]

Most of the year.

[A]

True. But we're not.

[B]

We don't.

[A]

Top three, you know, we're not better. There's a.

[B]

We went big jump between three and five, by the way.

[A]

Exactly. Between Boston, Cleveland and Oklahoma City. We are in the next tier. So if we beat Detroit, if we lose to Detroit, heads will roll. If we beat Detroit in seven games, that will be bad.

[B]

That's bad.

[A]

If we beat them in six games, I don't even.

[B]

What's your prediction?

[A]

Nixon 5.

[B]

I want. I think 4. One is doable.

[A]

Nixon 5.

[B]

I agree.

[A]

If you're just talking about talent levels, I know Detroit, it's not disrespecting Detroit, but you got to take care of Detroit. And the way that the Knicks play, like they play grueling games, they can't be going six, seven games and think that they have a shot with Cleveland or Boston. Like they're going to run out of gas if they have a long series.

[B]

You got to win. You got to win fast. Especially with the way Thibodeau coaches. Because those guys are going to play every single minute until that series is over.

[A]

Why do you think the Knicks aren't in tier one?

[B]

It's a good question. Because, like, on paper, we have the team. We have the team, we have the talent. I don't know if it's like a mentality that I just think I was about to say I don't think our superstars have hit that. That gear. But that's not the case. Like we have that.

[A]

Cat had a great year. Brunson had a great year. He's about to be first team all NBA OG second half of the year. Great.

[B]

Too much miss with OG this year.

[A]

If he stays aggressive like he has been. I'm with it. Mitch came back. I'm going to point the finger for a second a little bit.

[B]

I sure.

[A]

The Knicks have a Bridges problem.

[B]

I completely agree.

[A]

And what the problem is is that he's been good. He hasn't been great. Now they're going to have to pay him this offseason.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They traded five first round picks for him and they didn't pay him. So now he has all the leverage. Yeah, because he knows they have to pay him because they just traded all these picks. But do you want to give him that money?

[B]

No. God, no. No.

[A]

I.

[B]

Well, there's the early trade talks. Devin Booker. How many pieces would we have to give up? Obviously, including.

[A]

We just gave up all the picks for Bridges and we can't trade Bridges. He's about to be a free agent.

[B]

Yeah. I don't understand like how this is going to work, but I saw early trade talks or packages for the Knicks were eyeing. Eyeing Booker, I think, which I think could put us over the. That edge.

[A]

So. So let me ask you this because I think this answers the question. I think the biggest difference between last year and this year is this team just isn't tough. Like they aren't. They don't play tough defense. It doesn't have the same grit to them. Yes, they're more talented.

[B]

Cat softened him on defense.

[A]

Okay. But think about this. You had Randall, who, you know, Randall had his faults, but Randall was a tough motherfucker. Hartenstein, Hardenstein and Divincenzo.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you replace them with Cat and Bridges. Okay. Your identity is going to change. I'm sorry. It is. It is. Brunson's a tough heart's having a great year. You know, you do the cat trade 10 times out of 10 because he's that good on offense. Yeah, but their identity changed and they're not like a Tibs team.

[B]

They're. They don't play like a Tibs team. They don't.

[A]

And we also have the personnel.

[B]

We also don't have a bench.

[A]

But that's also a tips thing. We kind of do though.

[B]

But like not enough. That's always my thing. It's like Boston's second rotation is a starting five. Right.

[A]

And we have Deuce.

[B]

We Have Landry Shammit, who just kind of snapped the other day, but it's like kind of nice, but, like that level of consistency. I'm not saying go out there and drop 38 every game, but it's like we need a who's our 20 point off the bench guy. 15, 20. Who's our, like, regular. Yeah, no, it's like, I know who wants to be, but who isn't fucking consistent enough is the fuck. What the hell is the name? The ugliest shot I've ever seen.

[A]

Oh, campaign.

[B]

Campaign. Like, Campaign goes in there and does this.

[A]

He kind of looks like. He kind of looks like the dude from Ice Age. You ever think about that, Sid?

[B]

He'll shoot, but it's like, I like that level of confidence, but it's not consistent. McBride, great spark off the bench, but that's not enough. And then right undersized.

[A]

Got really six guys between Brunson, Hart, OG Bridges, Cat and Mitch. Yes, those are. Those are your big six. And then there's a drop off from there. The next core is like, that's a tough rotation.

[B]

That's why they don't rotate.

[A]

Right. Then you got Deuce and Deuce. Sham it. Campaign. Oh, shout out. Precious.

[B]

Oh, I do love Precious. Achua.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Great. He's great.

[A]

Okay, so you know what? That's nine, ten guys.

[B]

But that's not it. It's just not the right 910 guys, though.

[A]

It's because they. They don't have the. Last year they had the. We needed it turns out they got hurt, but they don't have the.

[B]

Yeah, we don't this year. So. Okay, so we.

[A]

Knicks got in a fight this year. Who would you feel good with them throwing hands this year?

[B]

I think.

[A]

I think because we're about to play Isaiah Stewart.

[B]

Well, I think because he. Because he plays. Because he comes off so nice and he doesn't show emotion. I think OG could destroy somebody.

[A]

He's. He's.

[B]

If he really, like, got to the shits and everybody. Clowns Cat. And his Internet Persona is like, fruity. And like, stop. It's like, like cats got. There's a dog in there. He's also fucking huge. So it's like, what are you going to do? Take down a giant? Like, no, you're not going to do that. Like, I saw him at the Cole show, the. The anniversary show, and I was like, oh, yeah. Like, he was with this girl, obviously. He's like, guard down. But I'm like, this guy's a monster. Like. Like, come on.

[A]

Huge Human being, huge human being.

[B]

Like, objectively, a scary human.

[A]

Last year, if the Knicks got a fight, okay, I would. I would. I'd be toured about Mitch getting hurt.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Honestly, like, Mitch is. Mitch is one more injury away from. From being out for a while. But that's my point. Like, I. I don't love. They've got the talent, but I'm not sure about their. Their identity, their DNA compared to last year.

[B]

Okay, so say we advanced 4:1. Best case scenario, 4:1, Detroit. Who are we facing in round two?

[A]

Boston. We're on the Boston side of the.

[B]

Project, so we're not going to make it to the final.

[A]

We're in trouble.

[B]

Oh, damn. There goes my wish. I didn't even know. I haven't looked at where we would have fall.

[A]

Yeah, because. Because Cleveland got the one seat.

[B]

Cleveland's the one. Is it. Is it wrong of me that I still think we'd have a better shot? I don't. I still, all year have doubted Cleveland.

[A]

Yeah, they've shellacked us. But, yeah, I'm with you. Because if you think about it like this, like, if you were to combine both rosters and then you were to rank every player.

[B]

I'm facing Cleveland every time.

[A]

Right. Like, I think the Knicks. Call me crazy. I think this is. I don't even think this is fully correct. If you ranked every player on the Knicks and Cavs. I think the Knicks have the top two players.

[B]

Yeah. Yes.

[A]

No disrespect to my guy, Donovan Mitchell, who is one of the coolest dudes I've ever interviewed. No doubt about it. But I'm taking Cat and Brunson over.

[B]

Over Mobley or Derek Garland.

[A]

Garland.

[B]

These guys are fucking incredible. But I just don't believe in that squad yet. I don't. Maybe it's just because it's new.

[A]

They're deep, though.

[B]

They. That's the thing. They have a bench. Their rotation is strong.

[A]

And Boston. Boston's both. Boston, if you were to rank every player, then they have. Yeah.

[B]

Boston is scared. You think they're gonna run it back?

[A]

I really hope not.

[B]

I fucking hate boss.

[A]

I really hope not. They don't even have hateable guys.

[B]

Tatum is hateable because it. Not because he's a bad person.

[A]

He's just corn.

[B]

He's corny. He's just not a bad person. I think Tatum's great, but I also.

[A]

Have a little bit of a theory that his generation has been online too much and, like, he can't let his mind go to, like, doing his own thing. Like, all he's ever seen is Kobe highlights and Kobe on the ground doing this and stuff. And I think that's true about a lot of athletes who are of, like, the current generation. Like, there's a little bit of a lack of originality.

[B]

There is none.

[A]

Yeah. Because it's. They're online so much, and you grow up watching the YouTube highlights and, you know, I don't know.

[B]

Except Ant.

[A]

Except. And accepting. Except. And. But you know what? Some of those press conferences. I know the jokes write themselves, but, like, he kind of answers questions like, Michael Jordan.

[B]

Yeah, but like that. But that.

[A]

It's different.

[B]

The thing with that, it's like. Yeah, it's like, that's who he is. He has that DNA of like, I'm the fucking man. Like, I'm not going for the quote. I'm telling you how I feel. Like, you could see Tatum, Boston 1. You could see him trying to, like, what's the quotable. I can repeat here? Like, he. What?

[A]

It was hard to watch.

[B]

He repeated the Kevin Garnett line. Then he repeated a. A Kanye line.

[A]

Picture.

[B]

Yeah. He recreated the phone. It's like, you're going down to the photo.

[A]

It's like, with the trophy in the lock.

[B]

Like, dude. Like, you're. And then I know you could see it on his face. Visible disdain. When Jaylen Brown won the mvp. Like, he was rocked over that moment. And, you know, like, that's. I don't. That's. I can't get behind that. I don't like that.

[A]

Yeah, I think. I don't know. I call me and I've. I've interviewed him, actually. Fun fact. My first job out of college was for Duke, and I worked there for one year, really, in the athletic department and doing media for them. I was a assistant, a production assistant, and it was the Tatum year. Luke Kennard.

[B]

What year was this?

[A]

2016 team.

[B]

Who else is on? Luke Canard.

[A]

Tatum. Luke Canard. Grayson Allen.

[B]

Oh, you had the Grayson Allen.

[A]

Harry Giles, if you remember Harry. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Emil Jefferson, who played there for 15 years.

[A]

He's now coaching for them. Yeah, he's Frank Jackson, if you remember him. He's. I don't even think he's in the league anymore, but Tatum's nice and he's boring and he's harmless. So all those things make me, like, I don't know. He doesn't give enough to hate. Is he corny? Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I don't hate him. Hates a terribly strong word.

[A]

He's corny. But, like, there's athletes I Hate for. For sure. And I just. I don't know, he's just corny. Like, he just lacks originality.

[B]

Have you interviewed anyone you hate? Not hate, but, like, been like, fuck, fuck that guy. Like, what?

[A]

No, I haven't yet. I haven't. There have been there. Some. There have been some that, like, maybe I wasn't a fan of before. I want to think I'm gonna.

[B]

Did. Yeah. Did anyone, like, turn you be like, oh, like, that's a nice.

[A]

So many nice guy. So many have had term. Like, there's so many random athletes that I'll root for now because they were just. Donovan Mitchell. Just like, Donovan Mitchell, stand up dude.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, cool dude.

[B]

Smart guy.

[A]

Too smart. I always say, like, like the bigger the superstar athlete because they're all nice and stuff, but, like, typically the more boring they are just because they're so PR trained.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the ones that can, you know, have some fun despite being that bit like Josh Allen, like, I'm rooting so hard for that dude.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Because he's just the man.

[B]

Like another person winning in life.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

This girl. Jesus.

[A]

Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. I'm trying to think who I interviewed.

[B]

Well, while you're thinking, yeah, I had one recently. Not an athlete, a comedian. I'm not, I'm not a big fan of his comedy, to be honest, but what a stand up guy. I. And I've heard nothing but great stories about him. I just hadn't experienced it myself. Bert Kreischer.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Dude. I don't get it. The comedy thing doesn't. He never hooked me. Like, I just not my style.

[A]

It feels like the same joke on repeat a little bit.

[B]

Yeah. It's like, it's like 30 versions of the Machine or whatever. And it's like the shirts off. Like, I get the whole. Maybe it's not even the comedy. Maybe it's just like the aesthetic. Go to south by Southwest, hang out with him.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

For a full day. We get drunk together. We're at this, like, house party.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Sauna. Cold punch. We're just kind of making these rounds. Small talk. Great. Super nice. And then he just turns down with kfc, turns to Casey and he goes, you guys want to go to the mothership? He's like hammered in, like, you know, at this point. Sun's down. He's like, you know, got a crazy tan. He's still in like his, like short shorts, his chubbies, in flip flops. He's like, you just want to go now? We're like, what? Yeah, yeah. Brings us to the mothership. Like, personally walks us in, brings us to the green room. We meet, like, the Shane Gillis, Tony Hinchcliffe, like, Cam Patterson that pop from the Hinchcliffe show.

[A]

Like, all the local funny.

[B]

He's like, yeah, I love him. But Bert was just like, yeah, yeah. Like, I want to hear. Like, yeah, this is what I wanted to do for the night. I want you guys to be a part of it. He was like, so nice. You guys need a drink? You guys good? You need anything? Like, yo, these are the. He introduced us all.

[A]

The guy.

[B]

Like, I didn't know anything. He introduced me to some of those guys. Like, has. He knew them? So he was just, like, very, like, accommodating and just like, yeah, like, help yourself. You know, hang out in the green room. There's the doors there to go watch the guys do their sets, whatever. Like, I was like, there are certain people. Their talent or what they do may not be. For me. This speaks more. Not to athletes. Athletes are more numbers, database. It's like, okay, obviously, your stats are there. You can play. But with comedians and actors, it's always, like, a feeling. Bert's that person. I'm like, okay, the jokes and the comedy or whatever, the content may not be for me, but I understand why he's in the position that he's in because of the guy that he is and how he carries himself and how, like, selfless and just nice he is. I was like, that's cool. Like, that's the one person recently that, like, turned me. I'm not. Like, I watched his new special. Whatever. It's like, this guy's. I get it. I get why he's a superstar.

[A]

He just moved to the top of my list after hearing that he's. Because he's always across that way. But you know what? You never know.

[B]

And the Internet's turned on him. Like, everyone hates him now because I.

[A]

Think, you know, a lot of his jokes are kind of repetitive, but he's always, by the way, you know that Van Wilder is about him.

[B]

Really? I never knew that.

[A]

You've seen Van Wilder?

[B]

Yeah, I've never knew that.

[A]

Yeah. Rolling Stone magazine went down to FSU because they wanted to. FSU was named the number one party school Country.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And they were trying to find who is the number one partier at the number one party school in the country. And they walked around the campus. This is in the 90s. And everyone they kept pointing to kept bringing them to Bert. So they entered.

[B]

That makes so much sense.

[A]

There's a. There's a profile on him in the 90s as an FSU student. And then they turned that article that Rolling Stone magazine did into Van Wilder. Is that Ryan Reynolds? Is it?

[B]

I don't, I don't remember.

[A]

They turned that article into him.

[B]

They really casted him up on that.

[A]

Yeah, right. Go from, go from, yeah, to Ryan Reynolds. I, I, I'm pretty sure it is. But yeah, they, I mean, his, his, his story goes back that long of just being a legendary partier. All right, let's see.

[B]

Yeah, let's see.

[A]

Oh, I'm so off.

[B]

Is that, who is it is Ryan Reynolds.

[A]

Is it?

[B]

Yeah, that's Ryan Reynolds on the COVID.

[A]

I'm looking from far away here. Yeah, it is.

[B]

Holy hell, it is Ryan Reynolds. Wow. He's young. Damn it. That makes me want to rewatch this now, right? Knowing that. But that's the thing, like even the thing that we were doing was a house party with him. And like, when I would leave the house, like, take it, cuz it was like a whole thing. I like, go out, just get some air or whatever, and I would leave the gate, like the fence of the house, and I would just hear, you know, you hear a crowd, a party's worth of voices, a crowd's worth of voice, and then you just hear one voice, just elevate and radiate above everybody. And I was like, it's Bert. Like, you can just hear. I'm not focusing on what he's saying. You just hear him. And I'm like, I get it.

[A]

That laugh. He's like, yeah. Like, I, yeah, it's like I can't even imitate.

[B]

It's like his mic was pitched up to like 15 and everybody was just at like your regular speaking tone. It's like you can just hear him over everybody. I'm like, I now I understand. He told a story about he was in Atlanta shooting a movie with Shaq. And it's just like, you could just, it's just, he just gets it. Like, everyone loves him and he always talks so highly of everybody. Like, he had nothing but great things to say about Shaq. Even, like the insults were comedy. Like, he was just like, very like, yeah, like, this is what's going on anyway. Like, you know, I'll give you all the details about my life right now. I'm like, this guy's like, what a nice fucking dude.

[A]

You wouldn't even know.

[B]

No idea. Talk to Sagara for a minute. More serious, more normal of a guy, right? Segura is a huge, Didn't Know about him. He's a huge movie. Movie and show guy. Like a huge, like, what do they call, like a cinephobe Cinema? Yeah, like.

[A]

Like how we're talking, you know, movie show guy versus maybe sport music guy.

[B]

He was like, we spoke for like 20, 30 minutes about just television and Oscar films and just like classic movies. Like, this is cool. They're such different, polarizing, different people.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Tom's like, sober, skinny as now. Looks incredible. Like all, you know, spiffed up and like a great suit. You know, a casual suit. Burt's shirtless. Toes out. Painted feet, painted toenails. He drank, chugged five beers in the sauna. Loudest person at the party. It's just like, that's their whole dynamic.

[A]

I'm like, that's so five beers in the song.

[B]

He put five beers down. The song. I'll never forget. It was the most impressive thing. It's like, they're warm and they would just bring them and you just got to stay hydrated. It's still like the weirdest thing. And then walk outside, get like a B12 vitamin shot, and then go jump into the pool. It's like he did a shoe in the pool. I'm like, dude, what are you like, how does this keep. How do you wake up and do this? I'm low, young, 30s, and I, I.

[A]

He's married. He's got kids.

[B]

I have hangovers now and I can't take them like I used to.

[A]

Yeah. If you have a big set. I'm not talking a Saturday night. I'm talking a big Saturday night. What day do you feel normal?

[B]

Tuesday.

[A]

Yeah, Tuesday.

[B]

I need at least. That's a 48 hour recovery.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that's like, more often. Not bedridden. Like ordering Chinese food. Chinese.

[A]

What's your order?

[B]

First meals Chinese. I'd have, like, keep it simple. Either general sour chicken.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

I need my won time. The combo wonton soup, shrimp for like, the fried rice and a Coke. I need a Coke.

[A]

750.

[B]

That's it?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, food.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

10 minutes every time. Boom, boom. Run it over. Making gold.

[A]

Broccoli don't sleep on beef.

[B]

Underrated. That's like, when I want to be healthy. You go for the broccoli.

[A]

Marginally.

[B]

Because it's like broccoli.

[A]

True. Yeah. Yeah. They got good margins on the beef. Yeah, yeah. The little Chinese places here, dude.

[B]

But like, that's like that. But, like. Yeah. Then I'm just, just. I drink maybe 10 of these. Water, water, water, water, water. And then like Monday's Just like a throw it away day. Throw it away. More bad sleep. If I. If I'm motivated. Go. Go to the sauna. Sweat.

[A]

The. The day after the Cole concert. I think. I think that was one of the most hungover I'd been in 2025. That. That was an all time hangover for me. All time hangover. And we were at, you know. I know I was at the after party late that night too. I'm pretty sure when I left.

[B]

Oh, I didn't. I was in it for the whole thing.

[A]

Yeah, I left it. I left at maybe four.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And you. And you were still there.

[B]

Still there, man. And I'm not like I used to be. I don't do anything anymore. I don't do like, dry. Like, I'm just like up. And it's just like. I don't know if it's like an age thing or just my body just gets tired and it's just like, dude, shut down. Like, I feel like not start developing maybe because I slung a slide. So it's like I feel like knots are like my. My legs just get heavy and I'm just like. You know, my friends are just like animals. I'm just like, oh, my God, dude, I can't do this anymore. But I used to be able to just go. There was never a stop I couldn't make. There was never a night I couldn't.

[A]

That's nature telling you, though. You know, it's nature.

[B]

Oh, yeah. And I'm listening. I'm listening. I've been much better. I hardly drink like I used to, but, like, yeah, it's. It's weird making that turn and it hits you fast, man.

[A]

It. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, Tuesday that it went from. It went from, you know, Monday to Tuesday. That was. That was the big difference. Maybe even Sunday to Tuesday. Sunday to Tuesday.

[B]

Imagine being. Just to tie this back to sports. Like, imagine being like how we feel in terms of. Like, I play basketball once a week recovery. Probably about three to four days before I'm ready to let go again. Luckily, it's just a once a week run. In the summer, I play outside. I'm trying to do a little, but it's like my body's like, even on that.

[A]

Right, right.

[B]

But let's just stick within drinking. We need like two, three days recovery. And then we realize we're washed. How does that. If you're an athlete and you're like, I'm a 25. 5 and 5 guy.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And then just like one day, it's just like, you're not that guy anymore.

[A]

You know what? Comparing being a 25, 5 and 5 to drinking at 30, 32 years old.

[B]

Is admirable, but it's just like, it's like there's this. Everybody has a switch. Your performance is going to drive role.

[A]

You got to play a role. That means when you're going out, you got to be the glue guy. You know, you got to be leading that second unit. You have to be. You're not, you're not the 20, you're not carrying, bringing the ball up the court.

[B]

What are your spots in New York? Like, what's your. Well, first of all, what's your role in the friend group? Like, who do you. What's your play?

[A]

My play is I'm this, I'm the social butterfly guy. Like, I can see like, like I like meeting other people out and maybe bringing them to the, you know, to the friend group. Hey, just met so and so. Like, they're now with us.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, just, just meet them out.

[B]

Yeah. It's the opposite of me. I'm not, I'm not a facilitator at all.

[A]

You know what I'm. I, I would say that in many aspects of my life, my pro comp would be Josh Hart. That's my pro. You know, I'll put up like 15, 10 and 10. The ugliest triple double ever. Like, no shots.

[B]

We'll leave the bar with 20 new friends.

[A]

In all aspects of my life, I'm out here grinding. And you know what? I put up good stat lines, but don't look at it.

[B]

I start on starter.

[A]

I play winning basketball. I'm a starter. I have a good stat line. But if you watch the highlights. Yeah, you know what? He did get that offensive rebound and put back. He did have that transition coast to coast on the two on one. Yeah, you know, it's. You gotta, you gotta, you gotta grind it out and be a facilitator and make the people around you better.

[B]

Yeah, that's good. So what's your advice? It, like bar, lounge, like, club, like, what's your New York? You can do every Swiss Army New York, you know, whatever you want.

[A]

There's a spot. There's a spot. I don't want to blow up. Well, I could bleep it. Okay. There's a spot called.

[B]

Oh, fantastic spot. Yeah, go over there. It's close.

[A]

Okay. That, that spot is my kind of vibe. Like it's a kind of lounge dancing.

[B]

You kind of.

[A]

Yeah. Vinyl. You have, you have some old school music. Then maybe you just have someone who's there and pops by and maybe starts getting on a mic and performing. Yeah, it's not really that well known. You know, you're. You're buzzing the gate to get in.

[B]

Yeah. It's like an apartment setup. Yeah.

[A]

You're like, where the fuck am I right now? And then you go in there, you're like, okay, this is different than other places.

[B]

Last time I was. I gotta go there more frequently. Last time I was there, my friend. Well, Boz is obviously very good friends. Anderson Pack. And I'm not. I wouldn't say I'm friends. Then we met a few times now.

[A]

Because that's, like, on the. That's, like my favorite artist.

[B]

Really? Yeah, we're just with them last week.

[A]

Fuck.

[B]

Wait. Yeah. No, yeah, last Wednesday. Yeah. Yeah. So was it the Peewee? Yeah, he does the dj. DJ Peewee.

[A]

I've seen DJ Peewee. Like, if I were to go on a deserted island and I can only bring one album. This is a crazy take. I think I would bring the album Malibu, because that beautiful. That album, for me, would check off hip hop.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It would check off Good soul.

[B]

It's Good Times.

[A]

R and B dance. Like, that album, to me, has like six different genres. And of course, there's a better rap albums. There's better. There's better albums of every one of those genres.

[B]

You want a utility album in that situation, man. The Josh Hart album.

[A]

Josh Hart. That. It's all making sense. It's all making.

[B]

Falling into your profile.

[A]

Absolutely. You know, whether it's his stuff with no Worries.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Or his stuff with Bruno Mars.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like. Yeah, I'm a. I'm a huge fan of his.

[B]

Yeah. So.

[A]

Okay, so you went there with him.

[B]

Well, so my friend, a girl that I know, curates a lot of their. Their DJ nights and.

[A]

Well, like the Monday nights there.

[B]

Yes, exactly.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Well, how am I not seeing you on one of these?

[B]

I.

[A]

Well, that's.

[B]

I haven't been in a long time. We got to go together. So she booked him and I did, mind you, this is all before I knew she even worked, was working with them, even booking them. I'm texting. My friend is like pax, photographer, creative director. I shot his last no Worries album cover. Like, he's the man. His name's Israel. Israel Shoots is his Instagram. Very unfortunate name in this climate. For Instagram account.

[A]

Not a great. Not. Not a great name.

[B]

His new account is Israel Shoots and Doesn't miss. That's his new. That's the rebrand. Yeah. So anyway, we're at.

[A]

Oh, my God. He.

[B]

I'm texting him and he's like. And we're doing something with Boz at some other. I don't know where we were. But we go there after, and it's like, obviously rocking vinyl set.

[A]

Totally.

[B]

He's, you know, playing like James Brown. When we walk in, it's just like. Everybody's like, get up.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

It's just like the hair is bouncing and shiny.

[A]

The wig.

[B]

The wig is incredible. With the glasses. He's all just in a.

[A]

Like Edna.

[B]

Yeah. Yes. Literally looking like Edna. So we pull up and it's just like, you know, every time is great. And that was the last time I was there. But last week we pulled up on him after a friend's birthday party at. He was at Webster party. Was a. My friend runs, kind of. Is like the man over there kind of holds that place down. He runs the whole thing. And probably have to bleep that, too. I don't want people. Yeah. Jesus.

[A]

In the streets.

[B]

We're bleeping so much.

[A]

We're in the streets.

[B]

Yeah, dude, we gotta go out.

[A]

I was there with a hundred percent. I was there a couple weeks ago with Mac McClung, and he had a. And he had a Jeep.

[B]

Put a hoop down there. He's fucking. Bro.

[A]

It was crazy. No one recognized him.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No, it's like, oh, this dude just won three.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like. And then he's.

[B]

That guy gets pulled out of, like, the, you know, the cage once a week, a weekend every year. And it's like, go do your thing.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Go away.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But he should get a chance because he's even. He's balling in the G League. Like, he. I think he led the league in scoring this year.

[B]

It is crazy how much of a jump there is from G League to NBA. Like, even. Like, even with, obviously, Mac McClung, but even like a. More an artist, a player that gets more of an opportunity to play in the NBA, obviously, because he's LeBron's son, Bronny. Like, you'll see him in the NBA laughing stock. Make a wish. We know all the jokes. Goes to the G League. He has, like, a 30 point. It's like, there's that much of a talent jump between G League and NBA where it's like the guy who's more or less the laughing stock of the NBA can go to the G League and put up, like, career numbers. It's like, Jesus, man. Like, it's Such a fine line. Like, man.

[A]

But. But I also think someone. Someone like Matt McClung. You're telling me if you had him on your bench and he was playing the campaign role of. He's getting 15 minutes a night. Defense is secondary. We just need buckets. Just go get buckets. I feel like that kind of guy could play that role. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong.

[B]

You're not wrong. But like, what's the. Now let me ask you this. What is the thing? Because I. I think politics at some point plays into a lot of this. Your agent.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

Your agents.

[A]

Whoever age.

[B]

Your age. Yeah. Like your. Your size. Like. Right. But it's like, what. All those. All those things considered. What is it? Assuming all those things are right and you have the right profile, what is that thing that separates a guy like Mac or another guy in the. I just don't know. Many of their point shooting. Yeah. Like, what's the.

[A]

I think three point shooting.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Trying to take at least 30 threes a game.

[B]

Yeah. Right.

[A]

Like Celtics are taking 50 threes a.

[B]

Game and have more than half of their shots.

[A]

Right. Like, I feel like I don't know what the number is, but I gotta imagine the average number of threes taking a game is over 25. So if you can knock down threes.

[B]

Welcome to the league.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, honestly, if you want to look like. To your point, not even. Even some NBA like. I'm thinking of great Knicks like Steve Novak, Novocaine. You earn your contract standing in that corner and hitting threes. No one being a. No one's paying you to. No one's paying you for ship of that corner.

[A]

100%.

[B]

He had size, though.

[A]

Good size, being a 3 and D guy. Danny Green.

[B]

Danny Green, you know, honestly. Yeah.

[A]

Made a career.

[B]

He.

[A]

He barely moved on offense.

[B]

Robert Ori was the original. Like maybe I'm trying to. From that even older era, like when we were younger. Those guys have always. Yeah, yeah. Like those guys have always existed in the NBA. It's like your utility is you're. You're a shooter.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You're just a shooter.

[A]

Sniper.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're Kyle Korver.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Bucket.

[B]

You know, one of my favorite player developments because I grew up hating Duke. Still hate Duke. Hated him in college. J.J. redick, villain, villain. One of the best Duke villains of all time. Of course, goes the NBA. Little undersized, can't do that shooting bullshit here. Beefs up, becomes a lockdown defender.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And like changes his game completely and just ends up playing what like 15 or so years. Like, he.

[A]

He became 12 years. And. And even to your point, I love how he plays in the similar Duke way. Grayson Allen.

[B]

Same. Yeah. I still don't like him, though. He's a dick. Right?

[A]

Grayson Allen. And by the way, off the court, very quiet. Very quiet. I remember when I worked there in 2016, I was taken aback by how nice and quiet he was off the court. You know, you obviously see. And that was the year, by the way, when he had the two tripping incidents. Oh, yeah, yeah, it was that year. Quiet, nice guy off the court.

[B]

It's weird, though, how. Like, some. Not weird. I mean, we get it as like, a former athlete. Like, there's a switch. Even when I play basketball now, like, there's a switch. Like, you just become a different person. It's like a course, like severance.

[A]

Like, that is such a good comparison.

[B]

Yeah. It's like the lights go on. Or like I was doing it. As soon as that ball gets checked, you're like, fuck, I'm the fucking man, you bitch. Fuck it. And then, like, as soon as final whistle blows, everyone gives dap. You're like, hey, man, it was so great, like, seeing you. Like, let's get a beer after this. It's like, what is that? I do that. I know. I'm like that.

[A]

I'm like, grayson, your Audi is a very nice, quiet guy.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Grayson, you're. Believe it or not, people actually love you. And then as soon as these lights come on, you have that fucking Duke jersey.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You have that Duke across your chest. You become a fucking. You're tripping everybody and trying to break ankles. Like you. No one likes you here.

[A]

Isaiah Stewart, you're out. Yes. It's a real nice guy. Yeah, but he's trying to fight everyone.

[B]

Yeah, that Severance thing, it is. It's true, though. I feel like we have that to some extent.

[A]

Have you clearly.

[B]

Have you watched and it was pivot to show. Have you watched any Black Mirror episodes so far?

[A]

Randomly. That's a show that I have been told I need to fully dive in.

[B]

I just finished the new season. Pretty solid.

[A]

I mean, solid. Anytime I watch an episode of that show, I end up thinking about that episode for, like, a while.

[B]

Yeah, there's a while. I don't want to spoil it.

[A]

Also, I've got to finish Severance. I watch.

[B]

What? So.

[A]

So I started watching season one when season two came out. I just finished season one. I'm about to start season two. No spoilers. She's alive.

[B]

I'm not a spoiler. They pissed me off one. They pissed me off a few times season two. But they literally end an episode with. In season two with that line again. I was like, you can't get that off twice. It kind of ruined it. Like, it kind of really kind of rubbed me the wrong. I was like, really? You can't do that twice.

[A]

Isn't it kind of crazy that Ben Stiller came up with that show?

[B]

The man, dude. The man is such. In also like Apple tv. Historically awful promotion for their shows. Like, awful. Like, right. They just don't have. They don't have the sauce when it comes to that stuff. He's changed that whole. Right. He's like, given that. That network respect in terms of like television.

[A]

Yeah. Before it was what te lasso and like, what are the other.

[B]

Yeah, but even that's like goofy and cheeky.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Like, severance is like, give me a serious, like, drama.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Like, right. Death, darkness.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Difficult conversations. Like in. In. I think it couldn't have come at a better time. Are you watching the studio at all?

[A]

No.

[B]

Oh, it's incredible.

[A]

Yeah. Oh, it's Seth Rogen, dude.

[B]

It's so good, bro.

[A]

It's hard to be a sports fan and a show watcher. I can only do one of these at the same. Like, like, baseball season started. The Yankees play every night.

[B]

Are you watching? Are you that guy? Are you an every game guy?

[A]

Like, no, but yeah, like, I, I know what happened every single night with the Yanks. It's killing me right now. I don't know what the score is. We've been recording right here. You are you like, for three.

[B]

Like, I'll, like if I'm in bed or like if I'm out or like if I'm just occupied or with somebody, I'm on my phone. Like, check in. Yeah. Like, I don't need to. What they want 6, 3. Congrats.

[A]

There we go.

[B]

But like, I don't need to watch.

[A]

No, same.

[B]

Okay. Because I was wondering, like, what's your level? Like, if you said your girl and you're like, at home is like, if we're doing nothing, we all. We had dinner, we're hanging like, like maybe we were optioning a movie where you're just like, throw the Yankees on. They're playing la. They're in la.

[A]

You know what? Yeah, yeah, I'm. I like, I'm. I'm a sick puppy with it. I'm a sick puppy, Julian. You know, like, you know a 7:00 game ends at 9. 39, 45. And like, yeah, you watch a movie after that or a show or maybe it's a game that's like inconsequential. And I'm like, you know, what a follow along on my phone.

[B]

But like, playing the Marlins cares.

[A]

Playing the Marlins in May. Like, let's put on a movie.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I will have the score up on my phone. I'll be keeping tabs and, you know, I'll fully know what happened.

[B]

I wish I was more versed in this topic, but I want to talk. I know you're a hockey guy. What's your, like? Hockey. The Rangers suck. So what's going on with them? Like, where. How can they get back on track? Like, what's, what's going to turn that franchise around?

[A]

All right, I'm going to assume that most people listening aren't hockey fans. So I'm going to give a. I'm going to give a one minute primer on what happened. The Rangers were really, really good and they went to the conference finals last year.

[B]

But then they get smoked in that, right? Yeah.

[A]

And all the stars were aligning and they got smoked and it was clear they reached their ceiling. So the GM said, we're breaking this shit up. Kind of like think of it as like the Lob City Clippers.

[B]

Oh, man.

[A]

You know, they had. That was a great team.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That team was never gonna get over the hump. Right? They just weren't. They. They were up on the, on the Warriors. They weren't getting over the hump. Well, it's hard to break up that team after a year like that. So the gm, who was a former player, tried to like, kind of break it up. Like, the captain had a no trade clause and he's like, tried to privately like bully him into waiving the no trade clause. Then he put out a memo to all the, all the other teams saying, hey, everyone's available. That memo, that memo got leaked. So all the veterans are like, man, fuck you. Like, oh.

[B]

Like, that's drama.

[A]

So not just that, oh, this has been, this has been some Knicks shit this year. So not just that. Everything starts getting real bad like early in the year, like mid November. And the team that just went to the conference finals, veteran team just fucking quit. Like, I had never seen anything like it. Like, these dudes have no dog in them and I love these guys for a long time. Like, these guys have been. This core has been together for years and like, like a legacy tarnishing type of effort that they put forward this year and they just had it like, like, here, here's stats to show you how sad this team is. Ready. They never came back in any game where they were down by multiple goals.

[B]

Oh, that's bad.

[A]

Like, they would go down, they'd roll over like a dog. They never, they didn't win three straight games since, like the 10th game of the season. They played the same amount in the NBA as NHL.

[B]

I'm not a sports bettor, but they sound like a great team to bet on all year.

[A]

Here's the thing. They went to the conference finals. They went to the conference finals and they just missed the playoffs. So that's.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

You know, you have. The GM is clunky, the players quit, and then the coach couldn't keep it together.

[B]

That was a very good summary.

[A]

There you go. But see, that's what I mean. Like, that's what I mean. Like when we were talking in the beginning of this, when you're like, oh, you one of those sports fans? I was like, we'll try to prove him. Like, no. Like, like, I love explaining this shit to people.

[B]

Yeah. Who really made that simple, like, you.

[A]

Know, the Yankees have had this window with Aaron Judge got the best player and they can't get over the hump. And they've got this window. And that's why they, you know, they keep having to go all in every year because how many years do you have the best player in the world and the best pitcher in the world?

[B]

How far do you think they'll. Just a couple of questions before we get out of here because we've been. We've been rocking for a minute. How far do you think the Yankees will go this year? Predictions. Let's do New York sports. Predictions.

[A]

I think the Yankees will go to the World Series.

[B]

Will they win?

[A]

I feel like it's going to be Yankees, Dodgers. I'm worried about that. Like, the team's going very different in a couple of months because they got a bunch of injuries. You know what? Fuck it. Yeah. They're going to win.

[B]

Okay, great. I'll save this just in case the. I want to touch the. How far will the Mets go and what are your thoughts on the whole Juan Soto thing that happened?

[A]

The Mets are not better than the Dodgers. They're not. I don't think they're better than the Padres. I think. I think the Mets lose in the nlcs.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Kind of similar to last year.

[B]

Soto, look, was he worth it?

[A]

I don't know if anyone's worth $800 million. Granted, I was pretty pissed that he didn't sign with the Yankees. You know what? Like, I think if you're the Mets, that's like a huge win for you. Like, you just got one off big bro. Like, that's.

[B]

Yeah, that could be the turn.

[A]

You feel like the tides have turned. Yeah, but there's already some weird stuff going on where, like, you know, he's had a nice start to the year, but he hasn't been tearing the COVID off the ball. And then he's like, you know what? You know, I was seeing more pitches to hit when I had Aaron Judge hitting behind me because pitchers were afraid to throw to Judge, which is true. But like, man, you just got paid $800 billion. Shut your, shut your mouth.

[B]

Swing the fucking bat.

[A]

Yeah, you're getting paid to be the man, so be the man. Don't make excuses. You know, and. And the dude he has hitting behind him, Pete Alonzo, is a great hitter and is having just as good of a year as Judge through three weeks. So, you know, Soto, you know, every Yankee fan loved him last year, so it sounds crazy to bash him this year. And he's an amazing player. But the Mets, The Mets are. No team is as good as the Dodgers. Yeah, like, the Dodgers are.

[B]

They're really that far.

[A]

Dodgers are like the Heat the second year of LeBron and Wade and Bosh. Whatever that after they lost to Dallas.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. 2012.

[A]

It's like that.

[B]

Yeah. Okay. And then real quick, we'll do Giants and Jets. What do you got for them this season? Who's. Who's quarterbacking the Giants? First of all, didn't they just get like 15 new quarterbacks? Russell Wilson.

[A]

Russell Wilson and James. I'm actually hyped for Jameis, bro.

[B]

Jameson, New York is going to be great.

[A]

Only if they let him play. Like, I think it's going to be Ross, at least start the year. I. The Giants are in a dangerous spot because they're about to be in like full on QB purgatory. Like, they're about to win like seven games and then just like kind of.

[B]

Be middle of the pack.

[A]

Yeah. Then you can't draft Arch Manning and then you miss the playoffs and you. You hate life. Yeah, they definitely got better, but I'm.

[B]

Worried that, like, they're not good enough.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Not bad enough.

[A]

Russell. Like, that's why I want James Winston to play. I'm like, you know what? Jameis will either win us two games or nine games. Like, yeah, I can get. I can talk myself into either of those. One, a playoff run. Would be sick. That's what Giants fans deserve after all these years of hell. Or if you get the second pick, then you can finally get your next qb. I do not want six wins. Russell Wilson will not lose less than five games. He will not win more than eight. And then. And then you're like. Well, you're just stuck on loose.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You're just purgatory on purgatory.

[B]

And the jets, historically, the one team that is funny is worse than the Giants. And they're also located in New York.

[A]

The same. Like, they got a little bit better. Like, the. They're. They're. They're just. They're just as sad. They're just as sad, you know? You know, in all of. In between basketball, football, and baseball, the Giants and jets are ranked second and third and worst winning percentages in all sports the last 10 years.

[B]

Damn. Damn.

[A]

They share a stadium.

[B]

Jesus. That's.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

What's your next prediction?

[B]

Well, now that I know we get Boston in the second round, we're out second round, which sucks. I just wanted to be competitive. If we take him to six, that'd be cool. We just can't get embarrassed. Like, compete with that. Compete with tier one. Like, don't make it so I have nothing to believe in going into next year.

[A]

Yep.

[B]

And then make a good move off season. If they compete enough, there'll be some players that'll be like, new York's looking good because we are looking good. You might. You need that as a tool to bring in the talent that we need to get over that hump. Yeah. But. Yeah, I don't know.

[A]

And I think I don't like our odds against Boston.

[B]

Not at all. No. I think this year Boston will repeat and they'll probably see OKC in the final.

[A]

Let's go, Thunder.

[B]

Yeah. Let's go, Thunder. Alex, man, this is.

[A]

Bro.

[B]

Fantastic, bro.

[A]

Long time.

[B]

Yeah. You got to have a night out, bro.

[A]

Let's do it, boss. You hear this?

[B]

Bring Andy. Thank you. Everybody. This is. What are we on? Episode 14 of Something Wrong with the Podcast. No voicemails. We're just talking sports today. We'll see all next week. I love you. Peace.

[A]

Peace. That was awesome, man. Fun. Shit.

[B]

We rock.

[A]

That.

[B]

Is it.