The Nateland Podcast – Episode 270: “Youth Sports” feat. Jay Flake (Sept 17, 2025)

Host(s): Dusty Slay (hosting for the day), Brian Bates, Aaron Weber
Special Guest: Jay Flake
Main Theme: Youth sports—from the perspective of comics who grew up playing, have kids participating, and, in Jay’s case, referee multiple sports.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the world of youth sports: the culture, cost, pressure, parental intensity, and how the systems are shifting—often not for the better. Special guest Jay Flake, a Nashville comedian and active referee in multiple youth sports, shares behind-the-scenes insight on officiating, sports parents, and his own kids. The hosts also give updates on their comedy careers, peppered with signature banter and memorable tangents.

Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Welcoming Jay Flake & Nateland Showcase News

• Dusty introduces Jay Flake as an up-and-coming Nashville comedian and road mate with Aaron.
• Jay’s Nateland Presents Showcase premieres Friday night (Sept 19th) on the Nateland YouTube channel [02:45].
• Aaron explains why Jay’s a regular on the road: “Very funny, comic fun. Hang off stage... You're going to see how funny he is this episode.” [03:22]
• Jay reveals his favorite team is Notre Dame, not out of Catholic pride, but “I just got NBC. That was all that was into it. It was like every Saturday they was on TV.” [04:04]

2. Comic Banter About Sports Fandom

• Discussion over Jay's Cubs fandom due to their frequent TV coverage, plus reminiscing about Harry Caray and 7th inning stretch traditions [04:14–04:31].
• The crew gently roast each other on team gear (Vanderbilt, big logos, fan-gifted hats) [05:02–05:39].
• Brian: “Vandy had a big win over South Carolina... Vandy's 3-0 and they're 20th.” [06:13]

3. Waning Interest in Sports

• Dusty admits he watches less sports these days: “I just feel like, I don't know, maybe as the season goes on I'll get more into it.” [06:23]
• Parental responsibilities cited as a reason for less time and shifting priorities. Brian adds, “Now, just those days of old—squeezing in if I'm home...” [08:55]

4. The Dark Side of Youth Sports & Parental Mania

• Jay discusses being a referee for basketball, baseball, and football (ages 5–high school/college level).
• Basketball is hardest—“instant call” pressure. Football's easiest but wild: “Saturday morning, a parent told me I was fat...and my wife really doesn't love me, so I take it out on children...” [68:21]
• Increasing parental hostility and the epidemic of travel sports stress. “Parents are kids in youth sports,” says Jay [68:47].
• Jay can and has ejected parents: “If I tell you to leave, just get away from everybody and I'm fine. But if you yelling...it's like, all right, just, just leave.” [85:59]
• Insults don't usually land: “We laugh at it. The good ones, man, we really could care less.” [93:16]

5. The Cost & Lifestyle of Youth Sports

• Gear, equipment, and “travel ball” are overwhelming—Jay details essentials and rising costs: “Cleats, turf shoes, backpack, two bats, infield mitt, outfield mitt...for a good one, it's $300.” [106:53]
• The financial burden and its effect on family time: “There's nothing like going on vacation...but it is stressful...a money game as well.” [69:13]
• Brian reflects on farm work and moral dilemmas (“Did you ever have a moral dilemma growing tobacco knowing what it can do to people?”) [56:43]

6. Officiating: The Inside Scoop

• “The perfect game is nobody even notices that I was there.” [71:13]
• Tech is pushing refs/umps out: “Fifty years from now, maybe there won’t even be umps and refs in sports… It’s possible.” [84:41]
• On partisan crowd pressure: “If they think they're on you, the rest of the day they're on you.” [80:23]
• Notable fun fact: In Tennessee, “If I got my shirt on and you put hands on me, it's a felony.” [74:07]

7. Hilarious Tangents: Travel, Airports, Niagara Falls & More

• Travel gripes (rental cars, TSA at Jackson, MS): “She said, 'have a seat. It’s gonna be a while.'” [13:29]
• Niagara Falls plans and why it's “romantic” or maybe just “extremely loud” — “There's a lot of water out here...I don't think, oh, I'd like to really kiss my wife out here.” [29:01]
• Fast-food theft confessions: “I stole from Winn-Dixie once...I never even chewed it. I just kept it in my pocket.” [46:10]

8. Comics on Stage—Long Sets

• Dusty brags: “I did an hour and a half both shows...I’m breaking my own record almost every time.” [20:33]
  His philosophy: “I want to do all my jokes...everybody paid money to be here. Let's give them a show.” [21:12]
• Aaron jokes: “Call your babysitter...Hour 15. Still going.” [22:57]

9. Movies & Youth Sports Media

• Ranking top “youth sports” movies:
  • Baseball: Sandlot, Bad News Bears, Rookie of the Year [111:51]
  • Basketball: Hoosiers, Coach Carter, Teen Wolf [112:53]
  • Football: Remember the Titans, Friday Night Lights, Little Giants [116:48]
  • Hockey: Mighty Ducks
  • Other: Karate Kid
• Debate over which movies feel real as adults vs. kids. Aaron: “Now I go, God, this is such an over-the-top, cheesy moment.” [117:18]
• Bad movie physics: Watching a Disney basketball scene where “five seconds” lasts a minute [86:57].

10. Comments from Listeners (Key Moments)

• Many welcome Dusty back, “the fun, eccentric uncle everyone loves…” [31:11]
• Health/morality debate: “As a doctor, it is wild to me that Dusty...so pro tobacco.” [33:05]
• Parental nostalgia: “I remember when I started working in a hospital in 1987—they let patients smoke in their rooms.” [43:23]
• Workplace ethics: “I struggled serving a lady fried catfish every Friday, knowing we were probably contributing to her early death.” [56:43]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jay Flake, on outlandish parent insults:
  “I was just told Saturday morning that I was fat...A parent told me that I’m taking it out on the kids... and my wife really doesn’t love me.” [68:21]
• Dusty Slay, on waning sports fandom:
  “I just feel like...as the season goes on, I’ll get more into it." [06:23]
• Aaron Weber, on long comedy sets:
  “Call your babysitter—hour 15. Still going!” [22:57]
• Jay Flake, describing ref mentality:
  "The perfect game is nobody even notices that I was there." [71:13]
• Dusty, about romanticizing Niagara Falls:
  "Honestly, I don’t know why it would be romantic. I just think there’s a lot of water out here. I don’t think, 'oh, I’d like to really kiss my wife out here.'" [29:01]
• On sports films:
  “The Sandlot is the one that gets me romantic about baseball in a way no other movie does for kids.” — Aaron [111:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jay Flake intro & showcase plug: 02:12–03:45
• Sports banter (Notre Dame, Cubs): 03:44–04:31
• Waning sports fandom: 06:23–08:17
• Rent-a-car airport drama: 11:46–14:36
• Longest shows/Dusty’s comedy philosophy: 20:59–22:37
• Youth sports culture, abusive parents: 65:16–75:48
• Exorbitant costs of youth sports: 106:11–108:06
• Automatic umpire/ref, future tech: 84:34–85:21
• Best youth sports movies (debate): 111:44–118:12
• Listener comments (various): 31:05–64:59

Tone & Style

• Laid-back, irreverent, observational, often self-deprecating.
• Jay brings dry, lived-in humor from his “other life” as a referee.
• Hosts riff and banter, often gently roasting one another, but always supportive.

Final Notes & Upcoming Shows

• Jay’s “Nateland Presents” showcase premieres Friday, Sept 19 on YouTube.
• Aaron and Jay head to Phoenix, AZ and Denver, CO (“Black and Mild” tour).
• Brian is in Parigul, Arkansas (competing with Nate, who’s in Little Rock).
• Dusty plays Reading, PA, and Wilkes-Barre, PA; also at Zanies, Nashville Sep 30.

[Suggested for new listeners or anyone who missed: This episode is a funny, revealing, and sometimes surprisingly raw look at both youth sports and the wild characters orbiting the games from childhood onwards—on comedy stages and in the bleachers alike.]