Cubs pranks, a $10k check & World Series comeback w/ former strength coach Tim Buss | Ross & Rizzo

Summary

The Lovable Reunion Podcast

Episode Title: Cubs pranks, a $10k check & World Series comeback w/ former strength coach Tim Buss
Hosts: Anthony Rizzo and David Ross
Guest: Timothy Thomas “Bussy” Buss, former Cubs strength coach
Date: June 16, 2026

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Episode Overview

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Chicago Cubs’ historic 2016 World Series win, Anthony Rizzo and David Ross welcome Tim Buss, their beloved former strength coach and legendary clubhouse personality. The trio reminisces about clubhouse pranks, the deep team culture, Tim's behind-the-scenes influence, and the wild, pivotal moments of 2016. The episode is packed with untold stories, laughter, emotional reflections, and the sense of family that drove the Cubs to greatness.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tim Buss: The Unsung Hero (02:34–04:53)

• Rizzo and Ross introduce Buss as the “biggest unsung hero of the 2016 World Series team,” and shower him with praise for his leadership and unique ability to unify the clubhouse.
• Quote:
  • Anthony Rizzo: “My career wouldn’t have been the same without you.” [03:00]
  • David Ross: “You have such a natural knack for real leadership and culture building… nobody’s a big deal around you.” [04:06]
• Buss calls himself now a “mid-level staff assistant” with the Anaheim Angels, poking fun at his own career journey.

2. Cubs Clubhouse Culture & Pranks (04:53–11:02)

• Spring training traditions: Tim’s outrageous skits (wearing a green suit, running in a jockstrap for charity, being shot with paintball guns).
• “Ball Bag of the Day” kangaroo court, holding guys publicly accountable for funny or dumb things:
  • Buss recounts Carlos Marmol filling a Ferrari with 87 octane gas, ruining it (“sat in the parking lot the rest of spring”).
  • Pranks on Buss himself, like staging his girlfriend’s car getting "crushed."
• The importance of these rituals in team bonding and keeping the clubhouse loose.

3. Player-Coach Camaraderie – “For the Boys” (08:14–11:02)

• Rizzo and Buss share their morning gym routines before games, and how those private moments deepened their friendship.
• Anecdotes of traveling to diners (like Hathaway’s in Cincinnati) and the significance of quiet moments away from baseball.

4. Realization of Team Specialness in 2016 (11:02–12:22)

• Buss didn’t truly “know we’d win it all” until the Giants comeback in the NLDS.
• Reflects on being humbled by winners (Lester, Ross, Lackey) joining the clubhouse and having to realize “I need to listen and just embrace everything that you’re bringing to the table.” [12:12]

5. Honesty, Positive Accountability, and the “Circle of Trust” (17:42–20:49)

• The team’s brutally honest, joking dynamic: “We would tell everybody off… we would make fun of anybody.”
• Buss started a stretch circle, where negativity had to be offset by “two positives for every negative”—helping struggling players hear real appreciation from teammates.
  • Quote:
    • David Ross: “Game seven, I was out there, and you had the whole team say one nice thing about Rossi... and I remember crying in that circle.” [19:22]
  • Lauded as a major mental boost, breaking down emotional barriers among players.

6. Maintaining Team Culture: Skits, Stretch, and Spontaneity (22:19–23:57)

• Buss’s talent for reading the room, keeping moments fresh, and making “stretch” the best part of the day.
• He even let Ross’s 4th-grade son run stretches for the team in spring training.

7. Pranks, Rituals, and Stories of 2016 (31:53–36:11)

• Joel Osteen clubhouse ritual for Sunday games (“make your crooked lines straight”).
• Rizzo chasing Buss’s old college record of going 10-for-10 in a doubleheader.
• Buss’s batting cage adventures and perspective on being the center of playful abuse.
• Buss giving advice to players—sometimes brashly—like telling Reed Johnson to crowd the plate, who later credited the tip in The New York Times.

8. Building Trust with Newcomers and International Players (36:11–39:39)

• Story of easing Yu Darvish into the team by encouraging pre-game “smoke breaks” (mirroring his NPB days), and how those off-field comfort rituals eased pressure.
• Buss’s ability to foster chemistry, regardless of language or background.

9. Role of Joe Maddon & Importance of Clubhouse Staff (40:36–42:43)

• Joe Maddon’s management style: “He wanted them to be themselves… comfortable being uncomfortable.”
• Buss credits Maddon for letting his personality shine and create collective bonds.
• The win wasn’t just about the players—coaches, staff, and trainers like Buss deeply shaped the team's mental edge.

10. World Series Game 7: Rocky, the Rain Delay, and the Secret Meeting (46:02–60:45)

• Rizzo reflects on venting to Buss after falling behind 3-1 in the Series, and the idea to play “Rocky” on every TV to inspire the team.
• Buss draws on his own down-3-1 comeback in the minors with Ross to believe in the turnaround.
• Key segment: The legendary 17-minute rain delay and Jason Heyward’s speech—Buss was the only non-player present.
  • Quote:
    • “What was being said was… ‘Let’s remember who the f--- we are… You got the best players in baseball… Just f---ing get it done. Don’t take this moment away.’” – Tim Buss [58:55]
  • Buss describes the moment as “epic” and a true turning point, crediting deep trust and unity for the Cubs’ ultimate resilience.
• After the win, Rizzo acknowledges giving Buss a public shoutout in front of millions at the victory parade.

11. The $10,000 Check Bet (61:27–63:03)

• Rizzo, in a slump, jokingly bets Buss $10,000 he wouldn’t get 100 RBIs. He does, delivers a check; Buss never cashes it, keeping it as a badge of friendship and “emergency slush fund.”
  • Quote:
    • Buss: “That’s the freshest 10-year-old check you’ll ever see.” [62:42]
    • Rizzo: “That’s who you meant to me, honestly… both of you.” [63:05]

12. Lasting Friendships, Accountability, and Lessons (63:43–73:58)

• Stories about staying late postgames, post-loss frustration, and throwing weight balls at walls, illustrating Buss’s burn to win and his relatability.
• Buss explains the balance between empathy, realism, and accountability.
• Emotional ending: All reflect on the lifetime bonds formed, saying “I love you,” and honoring Buss’s Hall of Fame feel for people and culture.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My career wouldn’t have been the same without you.” — Anthony Rizzo [03:00]
• “You have such a natural knack for real leadership and culture building... and being yourself.” — David Ross [04:06]
• “It was just with the boys type stuff.” — Tim Buss on early morning gym routines [10:07]
• “If you say something negative about someone... two positives!” — Buss and Rizzo on the positive accountability circle [18:22]
• “Game seven… you had the whole team say one nice thing about Rossi, and I remember crying in that circle.” — David Ross [19:22]
• “Rain delay... Ron Santo rain delay—godsend.” — Tim Buss, on Game 7 [58:31]
• “Let’s remember who the f--- we are… don’t take this moment away.” — Buss reminiscing Heyward’s speech [58:55]
• “You gave me a shout out in front of 5 million people. You just made my life.” — Tim Buss to Rizzo, on the World Series parade [61:17]
• “That’s the freshest 10-year-old check you’ll ever see.” — Buss on Rizzo’s $10,000 bet [62:42]
• “We’re family for life… we couldn’t have done it without each other.” — David Ross [63:21]
• “Every time you spend more than a couple minutes with Joe Maddon, you feel better about life.” — Tim Buss [68:36]

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Important Timestamps

• 02:34 – Show begins, Buss introduced as “unsung hero”
• 04:53 – Pranks, Ball Bag of the Day, culture-building
• 11:02 – Inflection point: realizing team was special
• 17:42 – “Circle of trust” and positive accountability explained
• 31:53 – Joel Osteen Sunday traditions
• 36:11 – Darvish “smoke breaks” story
• 40:36 – Joe Maddon’s impact on culture
• 46:02 – Game 7: Rocky, pregame rituals
• 56:13–60:45 – 2016 Game 7 rain delay, secret meeting, and Heyward’s speech
• 61:27 – The $10,000 check bet story
• 68:36 – Last reflections on Maddon and culture
• 73:57 – Emotional closing and lasting gratitude

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Tone, Language & Style

This episode is candid, hilarious, and deeply emotional—a mix of “old war stories,” raw admissions, and affectionate ribbing. The language is frank (“Let’s remember who the f--- we are”), and the stories are told like only teammates and family can do, reflecting true brotherhood.

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Summary Takeaway

An unforgettable look inside the 2016 Chicago Cubs, this episode shows that the legendary championship was built on much more than talent: it was forged by authenticity, laughter, accountability, and deep love—cultivated by unique clubhouse figures like Tim Buss. If you want to know what championship culture really looks like, the tales here bring it vividly to life.

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Transcript

[Anthony Rizzo]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[David Ross]

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[Hoda Kotb]

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[Fernanda Echadarri]

It's that time to put on your jersey and wave your flag, whoever you root for.

[Alec Baldwin]

Why do I watch the World Cup?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

That's like asking me, why do I breed?

[Anthony Rizzo]

And it's beautiful.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

The guys are young and cute and fit.

[Alec Baldwin]

It's not just a game. It's your culture.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I like watching it with my dad.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

It's a connecting force. From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernanda Chavari, and this is Is American Football, a show about soccer culture in the US and its underdog roots. Listen to American football on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alec Baldwin]

Hey, it's Alec Baldwin.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

This season on my podcast here's the Thing, I talk to composer Marc Shaiman.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's about the hang. It's the pleasure of hanging out with

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

the people that you're with.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You know, Rob and I was always

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

a great hang and director Morgan Neville.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Film school teaches you all the wrong things about making documentary. What do you want to say? Documentary is all about your ear.

[David Ross]

What do you hear?

[Anthony Rizzo]

I feel like my job is listening really, really hard.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Listen to here's the thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Anthony Rizzo, David Ross, Timothy Thomas Bus, Bus, Bus.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Stinks Bus.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Welcome back to another episode of the lovable reunion podcast. Me and my partner, David Ross are joined by my favorite the one I've been looking to most of. Interviewing one of My best friends in the entire world. One of my best friends in baseball. The person who means most to me in this game and the biggest unsung Hero of the 2016 World Series Championship team, Timothy Thomas.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Thank you. Wow. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[David Ross]

I'm so excited. I've got to start this off. I got to start this one off because me and Bussy go so far back. We were an A ball together in the Cali, San Bernardino.

[Anthony Rizzo]

What was this like in the 70s?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Thanks.

[David Ross]

What was that?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Two. 2000?

[David Ross]

Yeah, 2000. We were in the Cali.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. Before I got to the big leagues.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

What a championship in the Cali.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Bussy's going into his 25th season in the big leagues. He was our strength coach. Now he's a low level field coordinator.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I think I'm mid level now.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Mid level.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Mid level staff assistant with the.

[Anthony Rizzo]

With the Anaheim Angels.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Bossy. We talk about culture. We've talked about culture on this. He is. He was our leader on and off the field. He was our ringleader. And 2016. My career wouldn't have been the same without you. So I'm thanking you before we get into all these stories, but, jeez, you

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

want to give me waterworks right now?

[David Ross]

Yeah, we're trying, but we've been. We've been looking forward to this. You've impacted a lot of people and you know it. And your sense of humor. You're going to crack jokes the whole time. I know, but there's real. There's real leadership and culture building that you have such a natural knack for. And being been through winning and losing that you're just yourself. And to everybody, nobody's a big deal. You've had, you know, guys like Anthony and Trout and Ohtani and so. So D. Lee. You've had all the boys. You've seen a lot of baseball, you've seen a lot of characters, and you're one of the best I've ever been around as well. So kudos to you. We've got a championship like we talked about, and then I came back here and all of a sudden we win again.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Again.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's odd.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Unbelievable thought about you.

[David Ross]

Okay, okay, good point.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You guys got me a championship.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So we're gonna try to paint the picture of what Tim Buss meant to our culture. Because from the outside looking in, it's hard. It's really hard to tell, like, he was our strength coach. Right. How much can a strength coach really mean to a team? And hopefully throughout this episode, we can really paint that picture. Started in spring training, bus man, we roll in there, and Bussy's doing these pre spring training skits. Right. And there's a picture I saw of you in the full green suit coming out of vans. There was one time where in spring training, we were shooting him with paintball

[David Ross]

guns as he's running.

[Anthony Rizzo]

As he's running. I think he's just in a jockstrap, right?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. It was for charity.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It was for charity. Of course, it was always for charity. But we. We had these stretches, and before spring training, Bussy would call the meeting and he would just talk about stories. And over the years, who put something

[David Ross]

on Twitter the night before.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It was called the ball bag of the day. And this started with Darwin Barney.

[David Ross]

Right, the ball bags.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You want to explain the ball bag of the day story?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. It was just, you know, if you do something stupid, then we're going to call you out and everyone's going to have fun with it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It was almost like kangaroo court without for the day.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And so do you remember a good ball bag? I remember a lot of good ball bags. Carlos Marmal bought a 300. $300,000 Ferrari and put 87 octane when he filled it up the first time. And so he gummed up the pistons, and it sat in the player's parking lot for the rest of spring training.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No way.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Never. Yes. Yes way. We've had players think their cars got stolen. Yes. The. The ball bags. I got ball bagged. You guys crushed my car. Come out for stretch. So usually I would come out for, you know, I go through the clubhouse and be like, hey, let's go stretch. And this one day, I come out through the clubhouse and there's no one there. I go, what's going on? So I go outside, everyone's out there, and they start clapping for me or whatever. And so I walk out and I look out and my car is, like, flat as a pancake in the right field. Like, yes. Just crushed. And so I go, what. What's going on here? And they go, oh, we, you know, we messed with your car. I go, it's not my car. It's my girlfriend's car. And I drove her car that day. I was driving the. The Cub 16 passenger most of the spring and off season. And so I go, that's my girlfriend's car. So I crushed it. And so I had no idea what was going on. I'm like, dudes, like, not funny.

[David Ross]

Panic setting.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes, panic. And so right before the game started, all the players got together and threw me a new Set of car keys to a Nissan Xterra that drove for like 17 years.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. Oh yeah. What was the sport package car you just bought? Mercedes.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You bought por Porsche.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I got.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It's a grocery getter.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You're welcome. Yeah.

[David Ross]

Thank you.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You're welcome.

[Alec Baldwin]

Thank you.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Bussy and I, we would sit on the plane together. I would always go up and sit with him and just we would tell stories. We'd enjoy the plane rides and we became like brothers. And when we would get to cities, him and I would always go the next morning to work out at the gym. We go to a regular gym and Forbes and Stanwix in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania is so monumental to us because on that corner of downtown Pittsburgh at Forbes and Stanwix you see everything. And there was a Gold's Gym there. I don't know if it's there anymore, but we go work out in Gold's Gym. We'd be in tank tops.

[David Ross]

Just do what we bought tank tops. We all had matching highlighter colored tank tops. Like pink, blue and bright yellow from that Gold gyms down there.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yep. And we went there before the playing game, the playoffs against the Pirates.

[David Ross]

Oh yeah, right.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And we had those.

[David Ross]

And Riz had to eat at Moe's. Every time.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Welcome to Mo.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Every time.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes. We go in there and be like, they didn't really say welcome to Mose this time.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

That wasn't loud enough.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But those, those times for me were like therapeutic because like we were just going to talk to. We'd be away from the field and we would just talk baseball. We'd talk life. And at some point what, what I do. What. Our warmup was always on the treadmill. I said it all the time. I live my Life at a 2.55. So I'd always warm up on the treadmill at a 2.5. You never want to get higher, never wanna get lower.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, just start the walk.

[David Ross]

That was some of the best that routine here with us. We're sort of looking back were some of my favorite time because it got me out of bed. On the road we went and just moved around. Never crushed it. Crushed it. He was playing every day so it was great for him. And I love the. Just the camaraderie and us joking around, having lunch after that and going back and.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, it's just with the boys type stuff where we get up and, and move around and we, we'd move around

[Anthony Rizzo]

there in Pittsburgh and then in Cincinnati we would go to like these random gyms. Right. And then after there was this little diner down below, it's called Ann. Ann Hathaways.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Hathaway's.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Hathaway's.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I love Anne Hathaway. Yes.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But Hathaway's Diner, it's a real old school diner in Cincinnati. Good food, good people watching. It's like a little mall underneath.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. It's a greasy spoon.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And Bussy was mad at me one day, and we're. He's talking, she's like, you know how many people I brought to Hathaway's? And I brought Joe Girardi here. He starts listing off names because he's all pissed off of me, because I. I don't know. We were talking, but it was these little moments that formed this brotherhood. And let's get into the 16th season. When did you know that that team was as special as we all thought it was?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Well, it was special the whole way through. I didn't realize, like, holy shit, we're gonna win until you guys did what you did against the Giants in that. In that game in 15. Yeah.

[David Ross]

Oh, no, we came back. Okay. Okay.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Okay. Yeah. So in 16, you know, as far as a, you know, like, holy. I have a chance of winning. Gosh. Just went through the. The whole year. You guys are so awesome. And we grinded. I mean, every day was a grind. But to know that you guys were. Maybe when was. Was then, I do remember, you know, like, when Rossi, Lester Lackey, and when these dudes came in. And the one thing that sucked for me was listening to everyone come in and saying, you don't. You don't know what it takes to win. You know what it takes to win. And. And I, I, I felt like I was a winner, but I really wasn't.

[David Ross]

You went through a lot of losing.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Went through a lot of losing. You know, we won some games and we, you know, won some.

[David Ross]

You're in some good teams. Yeah, yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

But not finishing, but to be a winner and finish. And that's what you preach. When you came in, it's like, you don't know what it takes to win. And so when I. When I took myself and sat back and went, you know what? I need to listen and just embrace everything that you're bringing to the table. You won, Lester won, you guys won. Let me take that in. And once I did that and realized everything I could learn from you guys, and then knowing, like, after that game in San Francisco, that last inning, I was like, holy shit, these guys. These guys are gonna do it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

A show I'm so excited to see in July is Bon Jovi at the Garden.

[David Ross]

Let's go. Slippery when wet album.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Looking at tickets on SeatGeek.

[David Ross]

You get me one.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Can you sing me a song?

[David Ross]

Every rose has it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's poison.

[David Ross]

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[Anthony Rizzo]

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[David Ross]

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[Anthony Rizzo]

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[David Ross]

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[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Ooh.

[David Ross]

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[Alec Baldwin]

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[David Ross]

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[Anthony Rizzo]

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[David Ross]

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[Anthony Rizzo]

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[David Ross]

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[Anthony Rizzo]

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[David Ross]

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[Anthony Rizzo]

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[David Ross]

Thanks, Sekduk. Shout out.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Soup.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Gook.

[David Ross]

SG in the house. What I wanna. Before we get crazy, I want to tell the story about the rehab story and Jorge Solaire. George Solaire. We're in Cincinnati.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Jorge.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I would rehab George because he'd always, you know, he'd have a hamstring. My issue. I mean, look at it like this.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Anytime. Anytime someone got hurt, anytime someone got.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Oh, it's pissed.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He was an absolute trace.

[David Ross]

It's always the trainers or the strength conditioning coaches.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, I get 24 hours where I would just lose my. Because I thought at Some point that, like, a muscular injury or soft tissue. Yes, I could. I could. But you don't know what you guys do when you go home. I mean, I had a good idea,

[Anthony Rizzo]

but George.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And I love George. I mean, this guy came over here in a boat that was smaller than the waves. So it's like, congratulations, you made it over. I mean, unbelievable story. I love him. And I got to celebrate his 10 years in Anaheim this last year. That's right.

[David Ross]

And he's a World Series mvp, right? Right.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

So George is rehabbing the bad hammy. Right? And he's on second base, and I'm in the cage. Yes, George is.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You're in the shell.

[David Ross]

He's on. He's on the. He's on the DL, and what happened? He's on the il. He's on the island.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So we're doing. You know, you got to ramp them up to get them back. You get on field play. So during batting practice, I'm like, hey, George, just, like, get some reads off the bases while these guys are taking BP in Cincinnati. And so I get him to second base, and, you know, BP is like, boom. Every, you know, 20 seconds, another pitch is being thrown. And so I say to the BP thrower, I go, hey, can you just, like, pause. Give me a pause. I go, george go off then, you

[Anthony Rizzo]

know, having to be. While Rossi was hitting.

[David Ross]

I was in a cage at the time.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. So he's hitting. So Rossi's hitting. And so I go, can you give me a pause? And Rossi comes flying out of the shell, and he's like, fuck you. No, fuck you. Do that shit on your own time. Do that shit on your own time.

[David Ross]

Rehab. Rehab.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

George is just a young player.

[David Ross]

Yeah, yeah.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Really? Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I mean, George wasn't the guy we

[David Ross]

know now, but that's what it was funny. Like, mine and your relationship, knowing you, and then we're trying. I was like, we're not rehabbing guys at the show, trying to get ready for a game. But that was like, our team. We would. We would tell everybody off.

[Alec Baldwin]

Absolutely.

[David Ross]

We talked about it. We talk about. With Borzy. Talking about.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But when they. When it came time to play, we were. Yeah, let's go.

[David Ross]

Because we were all honest and upfront with each other. Like, you. We didn't let. We made fun of anybody. If you got a line like, that's your. Your superpower has always been like, you can get in there with guys and dig, and you make fun of yourself, but make fun of them. And everybody's laughing and loving you for it. And it kept everybody honest. You know, it's such a superpower.

[Alec Baldwin]

We.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We. Every stretch before we went out for batting practice or on the field, we would all get together and Bussy would pick two guys or one guy, whatever it was. And that year, it was like, if you say something negative about someone because it's so easy to go negative, you had to go, what?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Positive town.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Two positives.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So anytime you go negative, two positives,

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

two positive for every negative.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So we would. He would start. He had this ultimate feel of, like, the ebbs and flow of a season of. Of players. So he would know where guys were at mentally and physically because he was so in tune with everyone. So he knew when to pick on guys for that little players huddle and be like, all right, say it was me, Tony Rizzo, blah, blah, blah. You would say some good things about me. And then he would make everyone in the circle say something nice or monumental about that player. And it. It was one of those things during that year.

[David Ross]

What did we call that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

What was it called?

[David Ross]

Circle the truck. What do we call it?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Well, it was just the circle of trust.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Okay.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We called it something, but bossy would be the ringleader and all that. And what that did for guys over the years, like, we're struggling. You. Sometimes you feel like you're on an island, and then you have, you know, you're eight, seven to 10 guys that are out there for BP saying something nice and meaningful about you, and it's like, oh, like, all right. Like, feel good about myself again today.

[David Ross]

Well, you did that for me. I don't know if you remember. Like, I'm a. I. I cry every time I talk about this, but I. Game seven, I was out there, and you had the whole team that was out there say, oh, yeah, put me in the middle. And everybody said nice things, and each guy, tell me what you love about Rossi. Say one nice thing about Rossi, and it just like, you know, I remember crying in that circle because everybody. You know, dudes don't tell each other their feelings, but that was special to me. That was a. That was a. That was a. One of my favorite things about that season was that day and your. Your peers telling you cool shit to you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Well, yeah. And, you know, it's. It's always good to hear. I. I think that here's the deal, is that you guys are so awesome, and it's like, you don't think that anything bothers you. And so when you hear something positive, you guys, especially nowadays, you don't hear much. You know, positive positivity. It's, it's tough to get. And so to hear how people actually feel about you, like to hear like an Addison Russell or KB open up and just be like, hey, you know, but. And it was, at the end of the day, it was just stretch. It was, it was just stretch talking about.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No, at the end of the day. Those were life. Those were, those were Sundays with Maury. Okay.

[Alec Baldwin]

The book.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Okay, well that you had me read. Yes.

[David Ross]

We used to scream positivity on a 3, 2 pound. That's right.

[Anthony Rizzo]

A whole someone would scream randomly. Positivity. And then what do we call on the base on a 3, 2 count, we. And the whole dugout. Whoever had a 3, 2 count would be on the base, on the base, on the base. And if the guy got on base or walked or got a hit, the dugout erupted.

[David Ross]

It was like manifest. We were manifesting it. Right.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Literally came from you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And dude, to this day, if someone's up and they have a three, two count, it comes like on the base, on the base, on the base.

[David Ross]

It sticks with you, right? No doubt, no doubt.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Nutrafol is a number one dermatologist, recommended hair growth supplement brand and the official hair growth partner of Major League Baseball.

[David Ross]

For a limited time, Nutrifol is offering our listeners $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping when you visit nutrifol.com and enter promo code T L

[Anthony Rizzo]

R. That's neutrful.com spelled N U T R a F O L.com promo code TLR.

[David Ross]

What, you think they can't spell it

[Anthony Rizzo]

after I say it out? We're doing a hair product ad and you have a hat on. So why don't you show the, the viewers what you're.

[David Ross]

I got a hat on cuz I need some Neutropol in my life.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Think about how much better your hair is going to look after taking neutropol.

[David Ross]

Think about how much more money I would make if I had your flow.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, my hair is starting to look better thanks to Neutropolis.

[David Ross]

Oh man, so jealous. Well, those weren't just stretches. It was, it was. The reason why culture is built is because you looked forward. It wasn't like, oh, we got to go stretch and the guy's late. You're like, no, I'm, I'm not being late.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, what is Bussy gonna do today?

[David Ross]

Yeah, yeah, exactly what's Bussy got up to? And same with spring training, you all like, nobody was ever late because everybody's out there. Can't wait for you to start. The fact that the strength guys started without Stretch with just, you know, some kind of joke or. You let my son run. One day my son ran his whole. I got it on video. My son did a stand up routine for his talent show at school and he was like fourth grade and he was telling Bussy all he was out there for spring break and he was telling you in your office and you're like, you're running Stretch today. And he got out there and had

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

the whole guys hear that.

[David Ross]

Rolling. I got it on video. It's one of my favorite videos. Pull it up. It was crazy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Bussy was so good at like, when you were dark. He knew off the field you needed like a little bit of a release. So he would be you. You can count on him for everything. You take him, he would take you out. Literally prior Whole16 roster has been out with you and had a great night with you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

To just not take life so serious because what we were doing was we're breaking a curse there, you know, and the pressure, as much as we say, didn't get to us at times. It weighs heavy on everyone. The, the, the jersey weighs heavy at times. And yeah, your ability to bring guys together, to bring them off the field, to know when to go in, when not to go in was the best feel I've ever seen in the game. And it's a lost art in the game with chemistry and camaraderie. And I can say with confidence that you were the absolute best at it. Thanks.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

What an envelope. We were in Waterworks.

[David Ross]

Let, let's, let's get into like, I want to hear you talk about your experiences being in the game for so long, being on a World series team, but also a lot of losing before that.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Like a lot, a lot.

[David Ross]

So, so. And some winning in there. And you've seen winners. What do you look for now in players that you're like, that guy's a winner.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

That guy's a winner. Yeah.

[David Ross]

And going through the tough time, like, what are some of those traits that you've seen in players?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So I think before you guys came here, we had lost like nine or 12 straight playoff games in a row. Oh, you know what I mean? It was like nine win won a playoff game. And I remember even Ted Lilly, you know, beat the shit out of a water pipe at Dodger Stadium.

[Hoda Kotb]

Hey, I'm Hoda Kotb, host of the podcast Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb. Together we're going to have meaningful conversations with the world's most fascinating people. Like when actress Olivia Munn shared how she overcame fierce health challenges.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I've gone through breast cancer and then helped my mother through breast cancer, and that was more difficult. There's a lot of people who understand postpartum depression. I was not prepared for postpartum anxiety.

[Hoda Kotb]

Listen to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

I love the sounds. The buzzing from the stadium, the chanting from the fans, the announcers calling the place. Soccer, football, it's home.

[Alec Baldwin]

Why do I watch the World Cup?

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's like asking me, why do I breed?

[Fernanda Echadarri]

I inherited that fandom from my mom.

[David Ross]

I like watching it with my dad.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It's a connecting force.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernanda Echadarri, and this is American Football, a show about soccer culture in the US and its underdog roots. We go beyond the game to the people and the stories that make it great.

[Alec Baldwin]

A soccer game is a festival. It's not just a game. It's your culture.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I took an elbow to my head,

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

which cracked my skull.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It is an American game. The Brazilians don't like hearing that, though.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

Are they the only ones that don't like that?

[David Ross]

Nobody likes that.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

As we get ready for the Men's World cup this summer, listen to American Football as part of the Mike Kultura Podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Anthony Rizzo]

June is Black Music Month, and on the Drink Champs podcast, we're speaking with the hottest names in the culture, like Swae Lee.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Do you realize how legendary you are? I appreciate that I be seeing it, but I'm like, man, I still got, like, so much more to do. Like Prince, he dropped like, 30 albums. We dropped like, five right now, like, that's the rate we gotta be going. Yeah, that's a good attitude.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You also hear stories from industry legends and hip hop pioneers like Fab five Freddy.

[Alec Baldwin]

I directed one of Nas's early videos.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Which one? One Love.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

Wow.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yes.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I literally filmed in his apartment in Queensbridge. His moms were still up in that apartment. Nas was just beginning to take off. His pops used to live near me in Harlem. His dad introduced him him to a whole lot of, you know, conscious stuff, and he made a young prodigy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No matter the era, Drink Champs brings you the biggest names and the most unfiltered conversations. Listen to Drink Champs from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Alec Baldwin]

Mainstream media is full of crude depictions of the unhoused. Stories that shame and blame and paint the unhoused as a monolith. We the Unhoused is the podcast that's changing that. I'm Theo Henderson, creator and host, and for years I've created a space where the unhoused and their advocates can tell their own stories. In the last few months alone, I've interviewed unhoused parents, immigrants, mutual aid organizers, veterans, the LGBQTIA community, and the policymakers who make the laws that impact the unhoused existence. We Unhouse is a two time Webby and Signal award winning show with many exciting guests on the horizon. Tune in this week for my interview with Dr. Jill Wicherik, a street doctor turned influencer whose work with the unhoused community has made a huge impact online and in her community. Listen to we the unhoused on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Because he was supposed to pitch the next day and we got beat and we were flooded out. The whole dugout and locker room was flooded outside to go around and watch Lily cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. But no, I, you know, there was a lot of, a lot of losing, you know, until you win. So you only, you know, you only win one time unless you're a two time winner or three time winner. But as far as players see, you guys, never, I didn't, you know, we had had players in there that had talked about the curse and about not winning. We had, we had, I'd heard that, but when you guys came in, no one talked about it. You just talked, you just talked about winning and it was like a winning mentality. And so with Theo and the Ricketts and like, it just so happens it all worked out where they built this new huge complex and everything was more professional and pro and you had a great weight room, you had a great Gatorade station and all that. And it was like, it just kind of went, you know, arm in arm and to listen, to be able to listen to guys that, that have won. I never won. So when you came in, it's like, how can I tell someone what to do and what it takes to win? But at this point, when I go to sleep every night, I put my head on a pillow and I'm a champion.

[David Ross]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Because of you guys, we.

[Anthony Rizzo]

A story that's come to my mind is when we were in New York, when we were In New York. And it was a long night. We had a day game for Sunday, and that's when Joel Osteen happened. Just on tv in the background.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And he was saying some sermon about mishubashev or something.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Make your crooked lines.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He made crooked lines straight. And for some reason, that always stuck with us.

[David Ross]

That's hilarious. You remember that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Our ritual became, like, Sunday mornings. Oh, I gotta. We gotta put on Joel Osteen. Joel Osteen. So we're in Pittsburgh. Remember when. Pittsburgh All Star break. And before the All Star break, I'm gonna paint the picture a little bit. Tim Buss is a 2005 Newton High School hall of Famer.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Newton High School. Nice, Tony.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Shout out to Newton, Iowa.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Newton, Iowa. And Bussy's. Bussy would tell a story all the time when he was in. What college you go to?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I went to Iowa.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Wesley. Iowa. Wesley, right.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And he had a double header that day, and he went 10 for 10 in the doubleheader.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes, I did 10 for 10. 10.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Not easy to do at any level.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

10 for 10? Yes, 10 for 10.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And they lost both games. So they're driving back. They're driving back in the. In the Minivan or whatever, 16 passengers. And your coach was wearing your team out, and you're like, fuck. You're not fucking talking to me. I went 10 for 10.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So in that Pittsburgh series, I was going off before the All Star break, and there was a point where I was one for one, two for two. And I always said, I'm going to fucking beat this. 10 for 10. And at one point, I was 8 for 8 in that series. And every time I was like. I started counting down, like, two more, one more. When I would get on base right at bus seat, and we were scuffling. So the day before the All Star break, Jon Lester comes, and we're watching Joel Osteen. I'm on the floor. He wears me out.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Wears you out? Sunday getaway.

[David Ross]

Because he said the pigeon. Pigeon needed to pick it up or something like that.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, and Bussy was there, just like you. Sat on your little desk right there. The corner. Just let me go to diner. He walked out. He was pretty pissed, I remember.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And, yes, we were waiting for it. And it was. It's like one of those deals where it's like, oh, my God.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, I go to stepdad. Hey, it's not that bad. It's not that bad, right? He's like, no, it's not that bad.

[David Ross]

It's not.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He knows it's coming too.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You know what? We're gonna put Joel on today. We're gonna make Shimashef. We're gonna feel better about ourselves. Make her crooked line straight. And then John came in, and it

[Anthony Rizzo]

was quick, but we. We were also in Pittsburgh, and we were. It may have been a rain. It may have been a rain delay where we were in the cage and I started pitching the bussy. I was like, come on, bussy. Get in there. Take a couple hacks.

[David Ross]

And he.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He has a good swing, and he takes a swing and the ball comes right back up the middle, like, barely clips the L screen. And I'm like, out. I go down. He's like, that's it. I'm done.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I've been on the phone.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He was about to be released.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And it was like, I'm sick and tired of hearing about. You're in your high school hall of fame. You fucking stank. You're a piece of shit. And I go throw me a couple pitches. And Risk goes, all right. And we'd already. You guys had clinched, so clinch. Just playing out the season. And he goes, come on in. So I go. I go in and he throws me a pitch. And it's probably. It might be the best. Best fucking bat.

[David Ross]

We gotta get the video.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

We'll put the action scene just nick the L screen. It would have taken him out, broken his teeth, and he wouldn't have been part of the playoffs. 2016.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And you would have got it at least.

[David Ross]

Yeah,

[Anthony Rizzo]

that's.

[David Ross]

That's it. Well, that's the funny stuff about. About your mannerisms. Like, that's it.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I'm done.

[David Ross]

I'm done over it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You were so good at, like, you knew when to. To push guys. You knew when to piss guys off and when they were able to be pissed off. And I remember it was early in my career, we were in New York again, and R.E. johnson was on our team. He was struggling. This is all time top three. So Reed Johnson's like, ever venting a little bit about his swing. And boss, he's like, well, why don't you just fucking get up on the plate, like, and just crowd the plate. You fucking just get up or you're throwing a bp. And RE Johnson, you. You tell. He always went off shut the he. Like, you're a strength coach. Stay in your lane. Yada, yada, yada.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Reed and I were so close. It was Old Shade Stadium, wasn't it?

[David Ross]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And so Reed would, like, infamously be way off the dish. And so he was so awesome. And I remember when he played for the Blue Jays and he actually single handedly won a game against us and I was like so happy to have him with the Cubs. And I was like. And he kept bitching. It's like when players keep bitching around you and you listen to like D. Lee, D. Lee a couple times. It's like. And then you would say something, be like, shut the up and never talk to me.

[David Ross]

They just want you to vent.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It's one of those deals. They're venting and I couldn't listen to it anymore. And I was like, dude, why don't you escape close up on the dish a little bit. He goes, you. And so like three days later he goes like, his next start.

[Anthony Rizzo]

His next start. Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And in the New York Times he says, well, I was listening to my or strength conditioning coach Bussy told me I need to get on that plan.

[David Ross]

At least he gave me a shout out.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

He did.

[David Ross]

Oh God.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So it was Reed Johnson, but I did it with D. Lee. It didn't go over real well with D. Lee.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, those are the stories. Like you, Darvish comes over and kind of was quiet in his show here and you and I are getting to know him and the next thing you know you're getting Darvish to partake in some. Yeah, we did inning cigarettes and like from that point on with the Cubs. And even like still he's. Yeah, I still check in with him saying, hey, make sure you keep doing your thing because I do too.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I still have a smoke break with him.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

With the podcast.

[Anthony Rizzo]

His Darvish's first start. I was on the illness and we're down in Cincinnati. Cincinnati had right off the bench in Cincinnati is their, their grounds crew room. So I'm talking to Darvish, me, Cole Hamills and boss, you're talking to Darvish. I'm like, cole or you. What was Japan like? Did you smoke before games? Because you hear all these things. Oh yeah. But here they don't let me. And like, I don't know, like I want to. I'm like, well, dude, do it tomorrow. He said, no, I can't. I'm like, we're doing it tomorrow. So we go down and Bussy, Cole and Darvish, I'm there. But they're the ones that are smoking.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And Cole Hamills. Yeah. End up smoking a cigarette after his first out or before his first inning. He goes out and shoves. Then it's the second inning. I think he threw seven scores. And then from that point on it Was seven or eight scoreless. And Bussy had to wear it every

[David Ross]

time

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I go, why am I inhaling?

[Anthony Rizzo]

So it got to the point at rig. At Wrigley, there was no good spot. So in. In one of the. Our personnel's office, they put in a smoke thing that inhaled the smoke out. Cuz Darvish had to go in in

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

between in for Darius starts.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But because of you, like, he doesn't feel comfortable enough to do that.

[David Ross]

Because of you, now he has cancer.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes, because of me. I got in touch.

[David Ross]

That's because you're one of the boys, dude. And. And you got it. You got the grind. I told you the other night, like, only strength coach ever I'd come in, it's like, man, I don't feel like working today. Get this thing in. Let's bang this out. Bus. He's like, well, don't you. Don't, you know, you work out. You're a grinder.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You work.

[David Ross]

You're in here every day. Like, your body's telling you don't come in. Like you had a feel that is, you know, hall of fame feel in the fact of knowing how guys what they needed. Do you have a favorite 16 story? I'd love to hear a Riz 16 story. But do you have.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. First off, you know. You know, when you have douchebags, you're like, well, you need to work out. Because you don't work out. You're a douchebag. But when you have pros and, like, I don't feel like working, I'm like, then don't. Like, you're gonna get more out of not working out.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And Tony was the, you know, the king of wanting to work out the mornings and grinding it out and doing all that stuff. But, you know, 2016, I think that. Remember when we went. We're in Cincinnati and we had a workout, and all you got. You were there when Dexter and KB and everything tried to go to Hathaways. And it's like all of a sudden, it was like New kids on the Block.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Four or five guys.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It was, like, flooded. It's like, okay, this isn't going to. This isn't going to work out. And it was just a matter of all the fans. Yes.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Crazy that. That year was, like, insane.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It literally felt like a little bit like the Beatles. I don't know what they. But there was fans everywhere.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You know, and 16, it was such so many stories. Like, Riz would come up. I never seen anyone eat spaghetti with

[Anthony Rizzo]

ranch dressing on the planes, on the Planes.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And I would be like, what the are we doing? I'm your strength coach here. Can you lay off the ranch dressing with spaghetti?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. You had to dress. You had to dress the.

[David Ross]

If we were gonna be the fat ass when they retired everybody. The way you ate, but you look great, bro. You ate great.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Sixteen was great. It was. It was awesome. But it was. Honestly, it was a. A learning experience. But, you know, the. The stretch and all that stuff, that was just about the boys, you know, for the boys. Ftb for the boys. Yeah, because it's just. It's. It's about you guys. It's such a long season, as we know, and so if you can make this, like, as much of a family and that type of stuff. And it's good to get away, too. The four months away from everyone's good, too.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

But those seven, eight months when you're together, that's. It's really. It's. It's so key and it's.

[David Ross]

So you got to mix it up. You got to keep it light years.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And that was. You guys allowed me to do a

[David Ross]

bunch, and I think Joe allowed us to do that. Right? And. And talk about Joe. You. You've been with Joe for a little while. Multiple years. Like, tell us about how he impacted.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Oh, Joe was awesome. So we. The first time I met him, Joe's so eclectic, is he came out and, you know, as a strength coach, you got to be careful. Like, you gotta. You know, with coaches and like, how can I, you know, can I train these guys during the day? Within your allotted time of working them out. How can we do this? And Joe, first time I met Joey, came out and, you know, we have the agility field. We had the speakers, and I said, you know, I would love. Because some. Some managers I've been with be like, no music stretch should take an hour and all this stuff. And Joe came out and he goes, oh, I love this. You got speakers and stuff. And like, Led Zeppelin. And I was like, yes. And so he goes, you do. You get as crazy as you can for the boys. They'll love it. He goes, I want them. I want them to be themselves. I want people. Joe was so into guys being comfortable. Being uncomfortable, if you will embrace uncomfortable.

[David Ross]

Right?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And that was Joe. And he. And I ran with it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You sure did.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So that was, you know, that was like. Yeah, we went, yeah, but that was

[Anthony Rizzo]

a match made in heaven for you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Match. Main head.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I mean, and it couldn't have been a better.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Still is. Still is. I love him. And I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you guys if it wasn't for Joe Madden.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I agree. My God, we wouldn't be sitting here.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I don't think the boys would have. I, I, I don't know if we. You're breaking them.

[David Ross]

No, that's what we've talked about, how every person on the team has impacted us. Winning some way. Like you really needed all.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Not just the players either. Like, it was personnel, it was Otis and his staff, all of our coaches, every single person that.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, Ski, I mean, how about hints?

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's just all a cast of characters. And we, we would work out all the time on the road, right? It was like religious, like we would go and you were saying, like, I didn't feel like working out. There'd be days where I didn't feel like working out. But no, no, come on, we got to, we got to hit it a little bit. And actually, you know, we have like this incredible workout. I feel amazing. I didn't want to do a thing, but I got up to go because of our, what that time meant to me in my career was just like, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I wouldn't trade it for another home run. I wouldn't trade it for anything because that time was the best time of my career.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And you know, I mean, remember we would like wake up and I would usually go to bed at 4 or 5 in the morning and I'd be.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He'd be so fucking. His workout sometimes would be based on how long he stayed out and if he stayed out late. We were in again. Another New York story. We're in New York, we're at an equinox in New York, New York. Does this take in me, him, and I think Dexter maybe?

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And we're working out and you're not allowed to have a trainer in the equinox.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And Ron Darling's there like so Ron

[Anthony Rizzo]

Darling, Ron Darling, the announcer for the Mets, walks in either before or after. So we're getting after it. Me, him and Dexter. He's pissed off because it's New York. And I'm like, come on, we gotta work out in New York. Usually in the major cities you take those days off and he's busting me. He's fucked, dude. This, this, this. And this trainer comes over and goes, excuse me, sir, you're not allowed to train in here. He's like, oh no, we're not training. And the guy walks away. All right, now give me 10 more push ups. And I'm like, Stop. Like, I'm embarrassed, right?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And so we walk. I go, hey, thank you guys for letting me train these dudes. Right? And so that night, I'm. I'm up in the clap. The clubhouse, and during the game, and I hear Ron Darling going, these guys, these Cubs, these guys, they're. They're into it. They're aggressive. They're. They're locked in. You know, I saw their trainer and their guys working out this morning, and I was like. I was hung over to the bejesus, screaming at these guys like, let's fucking go.

[David Ross]

So mad. I remember the one we went to in San Diego, that little trip. We took pictures with Tony Gwynn statue.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Good eye candy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Our second. Our. We had a game and then an off day in 2016 in Anaheim, and we went all to the Equinox in Laguna beach or wherever we were.

[David Ross]

Yep.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And there was an upstairs. And at the time, we were all feeling good. It's right after spring training. We're all in good shape. So we're upstairs outside, shirts, shirts off, working out. And there's these monkey bars, and I'm gonna do the monkey bars.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You're done.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I had two blisters here and here on both hands that I was grinding through. And I'm like, oh. But it's a good story for the boys.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Outdoor monkey bars. Rust. I mean, it does. Yeah. So.

[David Ross]

Yeah. And you're released. You're gone. You're fired.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

One cut because you can't take a hack.

[David Ross]

Done.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Bussy. When we went down 3:1 in the world Series, I remember coming to you in the weight room and just venting like, they ain't doing this. We ain't doing this. Like, we just got swept last year. We're not. We're not losing this. And I. And that's when we started channeling Rocky.

[David Ross]

Like.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I was like, bussy. Tomorrow when we walk in here, I want Rocky on every tv. Rocky, none of this baseball just put Rocky on. And you embraced it. You said some stuff, but what made you believe that we can actually do that and win?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Because Rossi and I were down three games to one in San Bernardino in 2000. It's the LAN, Lancaster Jayhawks, the Seattle Mar.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's what you pulled. That's the inspiration you pulled from.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Absolutely.

[David Ross]

Last time he had been there.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Last time in 2000.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

This is 16 years later.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. So honestly, the inspiration was you guys, because you wanted to do that. We did it. You know, the Rocky stuff, the naked dancing and doing that stuff. And then if you Remember when we traveled to Cleveland? It was Halloween. Yeah, it was Halloween. So we had to dress up. And it wasn't like, hey, we're just going there for one game. I think I wore, like, assless chaps and everything, but whatever. So it was. But it was honestly, wasn't it just a feel of, like, just another game. And. And we knew you win that, you win the first game and it's over.

[David Ross]

Yeah. Well, with Arietta going.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Game six.

[David Ross]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You've always.

[David Ross]

Game five was the. Was the key for sure. And what everybody's talked about, but.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Well, that's.

[Alec Baldwin]

We.

[David Ross]

We've talked about it really did. There was no panic in the room. There was no, like. Yeah, we. We took a late flight so everybody could trick or treat. Like, Joe was still treating it like normal and just wear your Halloween costume on the plane.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, yeah.

[David Ross]

I would dress up as Schwarber. Had Schwarzer's sweatshirt on.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, so it was. It was so good. But. And then we came out for game six, and you guys.

[Hoda Kotb]

Hey, I'm Hoda Kotb, host of the podcast Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb. Together we're going to have meaningful conversations with the world's most fascinating people. Like when actress Olivia Munn shared how she overcame fierce health challenges.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I've gone through breast cancer and then helped my mother through breast cancer, and that was more difficult. There's a lot of people who understand postpartum depression. I was not prepared for postpartum anxiety.

[Hoda Kotb]

Listen to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

I love the sounds, the buzzing from the stadium, the chanting from the fans, the announcers calling the place. Soccer, football. It's home.

[Alec Baldwin]

Why do I watch the World Cup?

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's like asking me, why do I breed?

[Fernanda Echadarri]

I inherited that fandom from my mom.

[David Ross]

I like watching it with my dad.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It's a connecting force.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

From Futuro Studios, I'm Fernanda Echadarri, and this is American Football, a show about soccer culture in the US and its underdog roots. We go beyond the game to the people and the stories that make it great.

[Alec Baldwin]

A soccer game is a festival. It's not just a game. It's your culture.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I took an elbow to my head,

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

which cracked my skull.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It is an American game. The Brazilians don't like hearing that, though.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

Are they the only ones that don't like that?

[Anthony Rizzo]

Nobody likes that.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

As we get ready for the men's World cup this season. Summer listen to American football as part of the M Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Anthony Rizzo]

June is Black Music Month, and on the Drink Champs podcast, we're speaking with the hottest names in the culture, like Swae Lee.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Do you realize how legendary you are? I appreciate that I be seeing it, but I'm like, man, I still got like so much more to do. Like Princess, he dropped like 30 albums. We dropped like five right now. That's the rate we gotta be going. Yeah, that's a good attitude.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You also hear stories from industry legends and hip hop pioneers like Fab five Freddy.

[Alec Baldwin]

I directed one of Nas's early videos.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Which one? One love. Wow.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yes.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I literally filmed in his apartment in Queensbridge. His moms were still up in that apartment. Nas was just beginning to take off. His pops used to live near me in Harlem. His dad introduced him to a whole lot of, you know, conscious stuff and he made a young prodigy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No matter the era, Drink Champs brings you the biggest names and the most unfiltered conversations. Listen to Drink Champs from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Alec Baldwin]

Mainstream media is full of cruel depictions of the unhoused, stories that shame and blame and paint the unhoused as a monolith. We the Unhoused is the podcast that's changing that. I'm Theo Henderson, creator and host, and for years I've created a space where the unhoused and their advocates can tell their own stories. In the last few months alone, I've interviewed unhoused parents, immigrants, mutual aid organizers, veterans, the LGBQTIA community, and the policymakers who make the laws that impact the unhoused existence. We Unhoused is a two time Webby and Signal award winning show with many exciting guests on the horizon. Tune in this week for my interview with Dr. Jill Wicheric, a street doctor turned influencer whose work with the unhoused community has made a huge impact online and in her community. Listen to we the unhoused on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

get your podcast is took it to him and my goodness, what were you

[David Ross]

thinking of the Raje Homer, where were you?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I. I took a knee. I. I physically, I hurt so bad

[David Ross]

I went to the ground.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I'm not kidding.

[David Ross]

You really took a knee in the, you in the dugout in the weight room?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Okay.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I was in the weight room and I took A knee. Because I. I'd probably just stone a rally. Like a rally beer for the 12th

[David Ross]

time at that point, the last one, we're doing all my views.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, I got it. And a rally dip and whatever. And I physically. It's the first time I. I took a knee, but, you know, damn it. This game, you can just feel it. Even as fans, I think you can just feel when shit's going a little sideways. You can feel that.

[David Ross]

Oh, yeah, I could. Yeah, for sure.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Where I was in there and I was like this. I got. We gotta figure out how to change this feeling. But something doesn't feel right here in this guy. And I talked to Raje, I think it was last year, because he works for the.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's funny. We all won the World Series and everyone hates Raja for some reason.

[David Ross]

You know what I mean?

[Anthony Rizzo]

I see it to this day, and

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I'm like, dead serious. Yes. And I. And I saw him and I said, dude, I just have to know this for my own well being. I go, how the did you hit that ball like that? And he goes, I just. I got a tip. I got a tip. And. And he goes, it worked out. And he hit it right off the camera. Well. And LeBron.

[David Ross]

Everybody breaks out. LeBron.

[Anthony Rizzo]

LeBron.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It's like a fucking Jordan 11.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I remember. I remember you used to always tell a story. You always tell a story in 03 when you guys were in the NLCS.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Versus the Marlins. And it was game seven in. In Miami, right?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Well, no, we're back home, but.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Or whatever. Whatever game it was. And you said there was like this quiet in the stadium pre game. And all of a sudden the who Eminence front comes.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Oh, fucking love Eminence.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And on our plane rides, we would jam out.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Fucking.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We would jam. We'd be playing everything. But whenever Eminence front came on it, I always brought me back to that story. And in game seven on the line, I. I didn't really go out much during the playoffs to. To warm up, but game seven was like, this is it. Like, I'm gonna go and take this moment in. And I hit. And I come out to do my pregame stretch and stuff, and we're on the line and Phil Collins into the night. And like, from that story you told me on Eminence Front, for me, it was like the whole stadium got quiet.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And it was just like. All I could hear was this song and everything around me was moving so slow.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And I was just looking around at everyone like, I'm not Locked the in right. I just did my pre game, my pregame upper and downer. Did my pregame shot of don't get

[David Ross]

a telegram, shot him.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Shot of Woodford reserve and five hour energy. So I'm flying high, but everything around me small. And I'm just looking at guys, like looking in their eyes like, we got this.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And like that was my moment. Like where you're saying eminence front where.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And I just looking at you and what we had been through just together on this team and being together for so long, it was just like when we did win, it was. It was fucking. I just wanted to do everything for you, both of you. Honestly. Your career's over. You and I are like this. We're brothers. So I love you too.

[David Ross]

Yeah, I do.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We're emotional.

[Alec Baldwin]

I do.

[Anthony Rizzo]

But Bussy, when Raja hits the home run, we go back into the weight room.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And I remember my weight room experience

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

was with the rain delay.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, the rain delay. And I had just re upped on my pre game mix to like get myself going. And I just remember talking to you like, no, we ain't fucking going down like this. Yeah, no fucking way. And then all of a sudden, like people started congregating. Jhe calls everyone in. You were the only non player in there.

[David Ross]

That's all I remember.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You were the only non player in there. Think about this. This is how much he meant to us players that we have a players only meeting. That is just Jaehe speaking his mind. And you're in there. So what is that like for you to see all the waterworks going on?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

And that's all I remember walking in and the players only. I was like, there's Bussy. I was like, oh, bussy's fine. No, it's all I remember.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You were in the car, like, get this guy out.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah. Because we were. We were near. We were on the treadmills. In the back.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

In the back.

[David Ross]

In the back left. Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I remember to this day, Cleveland has changed their weight room. These douchebags, they've changed them. But no, I used to go in there and be like, this is where I was. Yes, this is.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah, right. Every time I went in there after I go, that's where I sat right there during the rain delay.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

But the best part was it was one of those moments where I was like, I was doing one of these and a coach tried to come in and J. Hey said, no, get your ass right out of here. And so when he.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I think it was Davey.

[David Ross]

It was Davey. They brought that over.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And so I'm like, I'm doing the Jim Belushi. Like, should I stay? Should I go? And I start walking out and J. Hey. Goes, no, no, you're one of us. And you're staying right in here and you're talking. And I go, okay, so. So I stuck in there and I sat there and watched, like, Theo and everyone walk by as you guys were doing, doing your thing. So that was.

[David Ross]

What do you remember about what was being said in there?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

That was epic. What was being said was I knew game was over. So we. We've all seen these tides shift, and that's the one thing in baseball, is that when. When the momentum turns. How can you turn it back in baseball? It's not like basketball or football. It's baseball. So it's like, how can we figure out how to get it back in our favor on the road? Which really, at that point was 50, 50 real game, and you couldn't do that. But you guys, that rain, that Ron Santo rain delay was like, It's a godsend. Yeah, godsend. And it was like when they came in, what was it, eight minutes, 12 minutes?

[Anthony Rizzo]

17.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

17 minutes, yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Joe west called it.

[Fernanda Echadarri]

Every.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Till this day, whenever I see Joe west, when I saw him, I would thank him. I'd say, hey, Joe.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Oh, you called the greatest rain delay in the history of the game. Thank you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Unbelievable.

[Alec Baldwin]

And they.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And they came and came in, said, you know, we're playing 17 minutes or whatever, and then Benny hit the spinner that, you know, kicked off.

[David Ross]

What do you remember about what J Said and what, what the boys? I think.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So.

[David Ross]

Do you remember?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes, I do. Yes, I. I remember all that. J, he. It was that. That speech was more about the boys in that room in the city of Chicago than it was about anything else. And it was not that, dudes, you know, it's one of those deals where you have speeches. It's like, I'm already trying. I'm trying. It's not like we're not trying, but it was like, hey, let's remember who the we are.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You got this.

[David Ross]

Best team in baseball.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yes. You got this. You got the best players in baseball. You got the best position players, the best pitchers, the best relievers. We had, like four of the best catchers.

[David Ross]

So many catchers. Well, he was there. We had all kind of catchers. Yeah, for sure.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

It was like, just fucking get it done. Don't take this, this moment away from me because you walk out of here as losers and you may not get it back. And so you have. You have this moment. You have this moment when we walk out of these doors. And you guys. It's one thing to talk about a moment, and that's another thing to do the moment. And it was another thing to take care of the Cuban missile.

[David Ross]

No doubt.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Remember that Chappie was to take care

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

of the Cuban missile.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Who made it his. His.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

This guy.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Athletic, life on the line for.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Absolutely.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. So it was our chat in. Is our him the city, the boys king. Let's just get it done. And we're gonna.

[David Ross]

Momentum changed.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And it did.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And we played. Takes a long way to.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Takes a long way to the top if you're gonna Rock and roll by ACDC dc.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And then you've always. You did it, man. So. And I appreciate that.

[Anthony Rizzo]

The. The bus ride home, the plane ride, the pictures of the trophy on the

[Alec Baldwin]

plane,

[Anthony Rizzo]

all of it was special. We get to the parade and we have this amazing. It's the greatest parade ever. I was just watching some videos of it, but when I spoke, it was like, you know, there was a couple people that were so monumental to me. You and you. So I gave you a shout out. And then I give busy the shout out. He's like, you gave me a shout out in front of 5 million people. Yeah. You just made my life.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, you did. And I still hear about it.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's just. The bond that we had can never be broken. And the friendship has been incredible.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So. Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I love you to death. I want. I want to now fast forward a couple more years and tell the story about the check. The blank check.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah, I will.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I was. I got off to a terrible start one year, and Bus is being bussy, and he's doing his thing and trying to work my psyche, whatever, the way he does it. And I'm like, bussy, I go, if I fucking drive in 100 runs this year, I fucking write you a $10,000 fucking check on the spot. Because I was like. I had maybe, like, 12 RBI, tough start going into, like, the end of May. I'm like, there's no fucking way. And I had gone off and had to really end up having what was a good season, like, the very last, like, two games of the year. I drove in my 100th run, and sure enough, I wrote him that check. Tim. Tim Bus.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Tim.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I don't date it. I sign it and I put the subject 100 RBIs until this day. Where's that check?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Right here on my phone, dog.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He kept. He hasn't cashed the check because he always says if he's going to pinch.

[David Ross]

This is.

[Anthony Rizzo]

This is. We're going on almost eight, nine years of you having this check.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Real. It's still crisp.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Still crisp.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. I haven't. I. It's just sat here in my phone.

[David Ross]

Show the camera. Show the camera. Right there. Hold that thing up, Tim.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Boston 100 RBIs.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Let me see that.

[Anthony Rizzo]

10. Jeepers, that's.

[David Ross]

Hey. Oh, big old RBI.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

That's the freshest 10 year old check he'll ever.

[David Ross]

That's amazing.

[Anthony Rizzo]

That's who you meant to me, honestly, both of you guys and that doing this, doing this podcast, doing this reunion has been so great to. To get to reconnect with teammates. But you guys are more than that. Your friends and I love you the most. And you're a close second.

[David Ross]

You got. We're all family and we couldn't have done it without each other. And we've all impacted each other so much and it's like, bro, you're grinding every day. You're playing. You actually had to perform. I got to. I was a good cheerleader and we had our own little cheers in the dugout. We had the whole. We had such a great staff. But we're. I miss you. I know that. I miss being a dugout with you. That's for sure.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Both of you.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We have. We're going to end this. But we were in St. Louis. I got to tell these stories and we could just. Yeah, we got to end at some point.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You guys got shit to do or.

[David Ross]

We're in.

[Anthony Rizzo]

We were in St. Louis and me, Bussy and I stayed real late after the game because Zobrist took forever sometimes after games.

[David Ross]

Forever. So that's the worst. I was the last one out of the shower, Everett.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So we were like. I was hanging with Bussy and Zoe and we were like, the bus can go. The second bus leaves. So we, we walk out of Busch Stadium, right? Bush.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And there's a little love carriage, right? It was a. Was it a horse and carriage or

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

was it a horse carriage? And the thing was in a frame

[Anthony Rizzo]

of like hearts and it was all this romantic thing and I go, hey, boys, you want to jump on? And we're staying at the Four Seasons there in St. Louis. So it's a. It's a nice little 15 minute ride. And it was like just so calm and we're just in this horse carriage.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's all romantic delights. And we have a video of us just like talking like Here. Here we are. Me, Ben Zobris, Bussy, the. The memories from St. Louis. There's one more. We stunk so bad in St. Louis, and it was a day game, and it had to be August. And I don't know what you did the night before, but I could tell you were a little.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. Short, normal.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You were very short. Short tempered.

[David Ross]

Short.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Short.

[Anthony Rizzo]

So we. We end up losing, and Yadi Molina, who I have a ton of respect for, did something in the game. He was, like, chirping at us, and we ended up getting swept.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And all of a sudden, we're, like, in there. We're all down, and we're used to losing. So it wasn't like that. Down. All of a sudden, you just hear, boom.

[Alec Baldwin]

All right.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Seven, eight seconds later, boom. Three more times. I walk in, I go, what the fuck are you doing? Yes. I. Fucking sick of losing these fucking. He's taking, like, a weighted ball and just throwing it as hard as he could at the.

[David Ross]

He's.

[Anthony Rizzo]

These.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

And.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Because that's how much he cared.

[David Ross]

But that's about saying no. You had. You. But you had the competitiveness in you. That was like. You were. You couldn't impact the game physically, but you were all about the boys, and you were a competitor. And I think that's why it was so relatable how you have such good feel.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Because, like. Yeah, it doesn't matter. I. I love my job, but I want to win.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Right?

[David Ross]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Without being disrespectful, because you guys are out there with your balls.

[David Ross]

They're trying. Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

You can't. You know, no strength coach should snap. You know, I mean, at the end of the day, because of a win or a loss, really. That's what I would preach. Because you guys are trying your asses off. Unless you've got nine dudes that don't give a fuck, which doesn't happen and didn't happen, but it was, like, just so. And. And we were horseshit. It's not like that was 16. That was like, yeah, 2000.

[David Ross]

But there's something about the room that. When somebody is like, that is still mad, that holds everybody else accountable is like, it's still not okay. The fact that you snap sends a message. I remember. You know, we can tell stories all day in our stories, but I remember we got our ass kicked. I was in Atlanta. I was sitting the bench, and we were. We were out of this game. We were getting beat, like, eight to nothing in the third. Like, it's over.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Right.

[David Ross]

And I Think the final score was like 15 to 3. And the game ends, you start to walk back, and I happen to walk back behind Bobby Cox, one of the greatest manners ever been around. And he takes his.

[Alec Baldwin]

He.

[David Ross]

He takes his lineup card and he throws on the ground, walking down steps like. And I'm like. I'm like, damn. He was still locked in. I checked out of this game five innings ago, man. You know, like, bobby, relax, bro. Like, we'll get him tomorrow. We had a good team. But it just shows, like, that level of, like, wow, he was still locked in. When you have that in the room and you have that, it doesn't matter as a coach, a player, a clubhouse guy. Danny and those guys, Vijay, they grind. I watch as a manager, like, they're depressed sometimes when you're just going through one of those funks. So, like, that competitiveness is. Competitiveness is such a strength in a respectful way, you know?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. And that's, you know, hiring the right people.

[Alec Baldwin]

Right.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

That those are good dudes. And that's culture.

[David Ross]

That's right.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And that. And that's what you preach. And that's why the culture changed. Theo, Tom Ricketts brought you guys in.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

And Joe, Matt, Lester, Lackey, Joe Madden. Joe was just so. Aw, come on, man. So awesome even. You know, here's the deal. You can. You can do or be whoever you want to be, but at the end of the day, any time that you spend more than a couple minutes with Joe Madden, you feel better about life.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No doubt.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

True.

[Alec Baldwin]

100.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No doubt.

[David Ross]

And I'll say the same thing about you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Well, I appreciate that.

[David Ross]

I'll say the same thing about you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I would, I would. I. I've. I've got to say a couple stories before we finish.

[David Ross]

I'm probably a little drunker with you then with your Matt,

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

but the one thing I love about Rossi and it was even going back to 2000, San Bernardino stampede down, you know, three games to one and everything. We came back and beat Lancase, Lancaster, Jadhawks. But you would always be like, if the guy got a bunt down or got a base hit, if he was catching and in the game, and he comes sit next to you and you'd slap on Lego, great job. You go, don't touch me,

[Anthony Rizzo]

bro. I was the same way. I think I made bro. Because, bro, if you did something, if, like I heard David Ortiz say one year. The difference between my good years and bad years is whether the guys catch the ball or not, because I'm gonna hit the ball hard. The same amount every year. It's my good years or if they catch it or not. So when I would line out and hit a missile and it's an out, and everyone's in there saying, oh, good swing. I'm like, don't dap me up. Like, I just got out. I'd rather have blown up my bat and got a base hit than waste a bullet, I'm sure.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah.

[David Ross]

Yeah.

[Anthony Rizzo]

And I was just. As I got older, it was like, even guys still knew. But, you know, when you're really grinding and you do that and they give it to you, you can't get that mad.

[David Ross]

But you need a little red ass in the. In the. In the. In our game.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Oh, yeah. 100. You were. You know, I had a lot of that lackey. I think that teams need that nowadays. It's like, you know, people kick rocks, like, oh, he yelled at me. And it's like, you know, like, Darnell McDonald going around, like, trying to spray everyone with lavender. And. And. And Lackey's like, get that right out of my face or start. It was, like, so good. But I. I do remember, you know, Riz, with the. I remember the. The time that you were bitching about. I stink. I stink, and I'm not gonna get back. I'm like, come on, the baseball card, it's always gonna be the same. You have 100 RBs, 500 RBIs. He tells me, I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna give you $10,000. And I go, hey, you guys heard it. You heard it, right? And so. So we get close to the. He's, like, like, 99 RBIS with, like, two games to go. And so he's got a guy in second. He's up and, you know, takes an ass out, like, double down line and starts clapping the second base. And everyone's like, you know, pay the man hello. And so then he comes in after the game, slaps a check down on my desk, and goes, There's $10,000. And I go, that's awesome. You know, no big deal. At the time, I thought it was kind of a joke, but whatever.

[David Ross]

It's like, it's emergency slush fund.

[Alec Baldwin]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Yeah. So then just. I kind of got into a little bit of a grind just recently.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He called me two months ago.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

No, but not.

[Anthony Rizzo]

He called me two months ago.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I know, but not this grind. That grind. And so he. Luckily, I. I went to his bachelor party, and I'm like, oh, we've got photos. That's Cash's check. And I Didn't say it to anyone, but I was like, I'm gonna cash check at some point. And so he stands up and tells all his buddies and he goes, the only thing I have to say about this guy is. And he tells whole story about the RBI thing. He goes, and I got 100 RBIs. And I gave him ten thousand dollar check. And this dude's such a good dude, he's never cashed the check. And I went,

[David Ross]

shit, Shit.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Reverse psychology. That's so great.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So that was that.

[David Ross]

Well, look, this is. We're. We're family for life. And we couldn't. We can't thank you enough just for being who you are and how you've impacted our careers. This team, this special reunion that we're able to do now and tell all these stories and, and I'm just so thankful for you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So thank you. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate everything. And you invited me to Sea World and that was awesome.

[Alec Baldwin]

How about that?

[David Ross]

That was nice. Remember that? And we got flat for like. Peter was like, it's like, geez, I was trying to go to SeaWorld with my street guy on an off day in San Diego, have a little break.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Like, wouldn't go. Use the smart one.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Yeah.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

So we're saying like, don't move, don't move. The. The dolphins are coming by.

[Alec Baldwin]

Don't.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I was like, my God, really? And like these busload of fish come. Yeah.

[David Ross]

Remember that?

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

They took us back from PETA.

[David Ross]

Was everybody blowing me on my social media? So I'm like, yeah, it was really.

[Anthony Rizzo]

No, I go, I swear to you,

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I was with David Ross and like, no, you weren't. Like, I swear, I swear.

[David Ross]

I know David Ross. That's a good memory. I forgot about that.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

But no, thank you, guys.

[Anthony Rizzo]

You're welcome.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I mean, this is, I mean this is, this is like pinch me stuff.

[David Ross]

Yeah, it is.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Well, you deserve. You have grinded a long way to be where you're at with a hall of fame resume. So I thank you.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

I love you, Honor.

[Anthony Rizzo]

I love you.

[David Ross]

Ladies and gentlemen, Tim Bus Timothy.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Thank you.

[Anthony Rizzo]

Bus. Bus. That's a rap.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

Thanks. Thank you, boys.

[David Ross]

Give me a hug. We learned how to love dogs from

[Anthony Rizzo]

the dogs that loved us and waited

[David Ross]

for us to get home from school.

[Anthony Rizzo]

They were the dogs that raised us.

[David Ross]

We returned the love with Pedigree dog food. It was good then.

[Anthony Rizzo]

It's better now.

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

For 40 years, pedigree has been bringing out the goodness in dogs.

[David Ross]

Every bowl serves up 100% of the nutrition your dog needs. Supporting six health essentials that's the pedigree Goodness promise Pedigree Good then better now. T Mobile is reinventing Business Internet with Super Broadband Whether you run a small office or a factory of 500, connection is everything. Powered by America's fastest 5G Internet plus Starlink super broadband from T Mobile reaches every zip code in the US super broadband a new era of business Internet. Visit superbroadband.com to learn more. Fastest 5G network based on analysis by Ooklib speed test intelligence data 2H 2025 speeds vary due to local network characteristics and management. Satellite requires hardware installation Clear view of the sky with a 36 month commitment

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

this is Tab Ramos from Inside American Soccer and this summer topgolf is turning into the ultimate soccer destination. They've got a new soccer themed game you can play with your group, exclusive food and drink items. They've even installed full size soccer goals so you can try to hit golf balls right into the net. And every match all summer long will be on throughout the venue. And if you want to keep the

[Alec Baldwin]

fun going all summer, you can get

[Timothy Thomas (Tim Buss)]

the topgolf Summer Fun Pass which lets you play every single day and bring up to five guests every visit. Get yours [e-mail] FunPass Joy is essential

[Hoda Kotb]

and it's also elusive. But now there's a new and exciting way to start your journey toward a more joyful existence. Joy101 It's a new podcast hosted by me. How to Cop Me. If you're craving inspiration to maximize your joy, tune into these candid, uplifting and moving on air chats. Listen to Joy 101 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb is presented by CBS.

[Anthony Rizzo]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.