David Pollack | Sage Steele Show | EP 102

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Sage Steele Show — Episode 102: David Pollock
Published: April 22, 2026
Host: Sage Steele | Guest: David Pollock

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Episode Overview

In this rich, heartfelt episode, Sage Steele is joined by former NFL player and ESPN analyst David Pollock for a deep-dive conversation that moves seamlessly from faith and family to career highs and life-altering lows. They discuss parenting philosophies, the pain and growth of career transitions, personal health, mental fitness, and surviving family tragedy. The original, candid tones and humor of both Sage and David shine throughout, offering both inspiration and emotional resonance.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Faith, Family, and Parenting

[00:58–15:49, 53:25–62:53, 90:08–106:27]

• Church and Parenting Priorities: Pollock emphasizes non-negotiable family values, keeping Sundays for church and modeling faith and resilience for his kids—even if it means missing basketball tournaments.
  • “There’s nothing more powerful that I can give my daughter than saying basketball can wait because this is way more important.” (08:32, DP)
• Marriage First Principle: Both discuss putting marriage above children as a foundation for the family, referencing their own upbringings and experiences.
  • “We love you with all our hearts...and your mom comes first. Your dad comes first. We were here before you...So if we don’t prioritize us, we’re not doing our jobs.” (15:16, SS)
• Parenting with Intentionality: David shares candidly about the struggles—and necessity—of “being weird” with rules and standards (the ‘1/3 rule’ for his son’s relationships, no phones until a certain age, and boundaries).
  • “You always gotta be careful what you pray for. But we’re trying to prioritize—what do the Pollocks stand for?” (10:32, DP)

2. Career Transitions & Professional Lessons

[23:02–47:08, 55:43–62:53]

• ESPN & TV Career: David reflects honestly on his journey from college football star to being unexpectedly laid off from ESPN. He highlights gratitude over bitterness, focusing on new possibilities.
  • “I didn’t feel disappointment, really...I felt gratitude. I just was like, dude, I got to do that. And that’s really cool.” (36:57, DP)
  • “What a ride...I got to go travel the world. I got to bring my son to like 29 campuses. This wasn’t a job. This was amazing.” (32:27–33:33, DP)
• Behind the Scenes at Game Day: Pollock recounts being honest on air, not being “coached up” to deliver soundbites, and being deliberate in keeping a conversational, authentic style—even if it made him stand out.
  • “I give you the best version of me when it’s very conversational, when I’m answering questions.” (50:50, DP)

3. Faith Through Adversity: Injury and Cancer

[55:43–106:27]

• NFL Career-Ending Injury: David shares the story of breaking his neck as a young NFL player—the loss of a lifetime dream, surviving, and what kept him moving forward after being forced to retire.
  • “To get it and then for it to be gone...to be 20s in your early 20s and to have a lifelong mission and dream, that’s a challenge.” (59:19, DP)
  • “I remember getting in the ambulance, and I remember tears...Like, this might be it.” (58:03, DP)
• Wife’s Brain Cancer Battle: The Pollocks’ resilience is tested again with Lindsay’s brain cancer diagnosis, surgery, and recovery—narrated with raw detail. The viral video of Lindsay praising God post-surgery becomes a powerful discussion about true character and faith.
  • “How often do you get to see inside someone’s soul with everything stripped down and removed? That’s what her soul did was praise.” (95:49–97:06, DP)
• Letting Go: David discusses surrendering control and letting God lead, especially when he couldn’t fix or shield his family from pain.
  • “She’s God’s before she’s mine...And that was a hard part for me.” (102:08, DP)

4. Philosophy on Character, Discipline, and Authenticity

[17:18–22:06, 40:08–44:32, 75:14–114:46]

• Making Decisions Before Choices: David explains the value of deciding on boundaries (virginity, alcohol, gambling) before temptation arises, and how this shaped his college and family life.
  • “Make decisions before you make choices.” (75:14, DP)
• Being Liked vs. Being Respected: He distinguishes between seeking to be liked and to be respected—choosing authenticity even if it’s uncomfortable.
  • “I don’t need to be liked. I’m not doing things to be liked. I want to be respected.” (43:00, DP)
• Body Image and Discipline: Pollock is candid about his “fat kid mentality” and routines with food, exercise, and even not using soaps or chemicals as part of biohacking for health.
  • “I don’t like to look in the mirror that much...If you don’t look, you don’t really know what you look like that much.” (115:22, DP)

5. Speaking Truth & Controversial Issues

[120:01–127:09]

• Men’s & Women’s Sports: Both discuss the controversy over biological males competing in women’s sports, advocating for “speaking facts with kindness” and why more men—especially fathers—need to step up.
  • “There’s just no justifying that. I’ll walk away if we’re presented with the opportunity. We’re not going to compete. We’re not going to give someone the satisfaction of doing that. I’m going to protect my daughter and girls I coach.” (122:46, DP)
• Platform Responsibility: Sage and David agree that using their platforms for truth, especially faith and family values, is critical—even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular.

6. Memorable, Lighthearted Moments

[22:16–23:58, 86:03–89:01, 107:08–114:46]

• Socks and Suits: Bantering about David’s extra-large socks and refusal to wear suits post-ESPN.
• Grandparent Names: A playful exchange about grandparent names (“Big Daddy,” “Colonel,” “No Meemaw for me!”).
• Food, Hygiene, and Fart Jokes: Jokes and truth bombs about showering (or not), cold plunges, and food routines—always in David’s “authentic, country boy” style.

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Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• On Faith and Adversity:
  • “Every day counts...What are you going to do today? I had to create a scoreboard. Men need a scoreboard...when I slowed down and I couldn’t do what I wanted to do, what I was used to doing, it was like, okay, how are you going to rewire this?” (61:11–61:50, DP)
• On ESPN Layoff:
  • “They told me not to come back. We can phrase this however you want, mama. Like, they said, your key don’t work no more. You’re not here.” (24:10, DP)
  • “I’m way less concerned about what happens to me. I’m way more concerned about my response.” (33:44, DP)
• On Being Real in Broadcasting:
  • “We are not curing cancer. Like we are not doing something that’s so serious...I always made it a point to listen. And we’re talking about football.” (51:32, DP)
• Daughter’s Cancer and Praise Video:
  • “Her song is Goodness of God...How often do you get to see inside someone’s soul with everything stripped down and removed? That’s what her soul did, was praise.” (95:49, DP)

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Important Timestamps

• [00:58] David's life-changing neck injury and NFL exit
• [08:32] David on prioritizing church and faith over sports for his children
• [15:16] Sage on the importance of marriage before kids, quoting her friend’s parents
• [36:57] David’s reaction to being laid off from ESPN
• [59:19–62:53] The details and aftermath of David’s neck injury, spiritual shifts
• [95:50–97:06] Lindsay’s viral post-surgery praise video
• [120:01–122:46] Speaking up on men in women’s sports, why many men remain silent

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Closing & Final Reflections

This episode stands out for its rare vulnerability and mix of profound, sometimes heavy, but often joyous subject matter. David Pollock’s candor about failure, faith, health, and hard family moments offers a model for resilience. Sage and David’s comfort together creates a safe space, making the episode both lively and cathartic for listeners seeking encouragement, connection, and honesty about life’s hardest and most beautiful turns.

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Check out David’s new book, his football podcast C Ball, Get Ball, and catch more personal, unfiltered conversations each week on The Sage Steele Show.

Transcript

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[David Pollock]

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[Sage Steele]

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[Sage Steele]

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[David Pollock]

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[Sage Steele]

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[David Pollock]

They told me, like, you fractured your C6, C7. That's cool. What am I got for a couple weeks? And they're like, that means you broke your neck. I was like, ooh, to be 20s in your early 20s and to have a lifelong mission and dream and to have, like, to get it and then for it to be gone. Like. Second Bengals select David Paula. Here's a name we heard a lot. Mel. What an athlete by David Paula.

[Sage Steele]

You rewrote those record books and then you got to the league as a first round thing.

[David Pollock]

I didn't feel disappointment. I didn't feel fatigued. I felt gratitude.

[Sage Steele]

They were another extended family for you.

[David Pollock]

I will never put a suit on another day in my life. You know, NFL gone. And then new goal, new dream gone.

[Sage Steele]

You're gonna make me cry.

[David Pollock]

I'm gonna cry, too. Don't worry.

[Sage Steele]

You hear the words brain cancer.

[David Pollock]

She calls me and she was like, that's cancer. Excuse me. I thought they said we were good. How often do you get to see inside someone's soul with everything stripped down and removed? I've never been to Italy.

[Sage Steele]

It was. They had. They had been. Sam and Christian had been there. They'd also been to Florence. But, yeah, it was like. It was a religious experience. It was like. It was incredible. And then we ended up going to church on Easter Sunday in this tiny. The tiniest village you've ever seen. And like, the church, I think every Person in the village fit in this little church, and you walk in, and they're Catholic, and they're. You know, the priest was late, and it was. It was like, no big deal. He walks in, and he's, like, putting his stuff on, and they're still trying to light the candles, and then, like, setting up the church for lighting the candles. It was beautiful. It was, like, so simple. And the music. I actually took a video. I was like, I don't care. I need to remember this. And so I was just like. Because the music was spectacular, and you could tell. It was like, grandma.

[David Pollock]

It's my favorite part of. Of church is the music.

[Sage Steele]

The music. I am.

[David Pollock]

Praise and worship makes me cry almost every Sunday. I mean, I just. That's my. That's my thing. That's art. That's our anthem in our house. Like, and then you have those songs that hit you that, like, those. Like, Lindsay's Goodness of God video that I posted, like, with her. Like, that song's our anthem for our house with Cece.

[Sage Steele]

I don't care, because I feel like she.

[David Pollock]

Rhett Walker sings that thing, too.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, really?

[David Pollock]

Walker's really good. But then we have. We have. We have. I can name three or four more of people that we've gone through stuff with that. That's the anthem of their. But it's just. There's something about praise and worship.

[Sage Steele]

There is. And as Catholics, we didn't really typically kind of boring. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't like it. And I feel like there's got to be for. For me, I think for us, something in between. By the way, these are so ghetto. And I didn't have time to get them off. So just ignore. Do not look. Do not judge me. Don't say. Don't say. Don't say.

[David Pollock]

No judgment.

[Sage Steele]

I look down and I'm like, oh, my hands. There's something between. In between, like, the boring Catholic music where it looks like they're falling asleep as they sing. And to me, a rock band and smoke going everywhere. That's too much.

[David Pollock]

Well, you can't fall asleep when you get up and down so much.

[Sage Steele]

This is true.

[David Pollock]

Blood flow. Blood flow. This is true. No.

[Sage Steele]

And in Italian. We had no idea, but you could feel it. And we knew. We're getting ready to kneel. And then. Peace be with you. I'm like, how do you say peace be with you in Italian? And they all shook hands there. After Covid, so many Catholics just go, ah, come on.

[David Pollock]

My favorite story, my roommate at Georgia, his dad. So he's from Wrightsville, Georgia. That's where Herschel's from. Wrightsville, Georgia.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, right.

[David Pollock]

Wrightsville. W R I G H T Veal.

[Sage Steele]

I was like, R A T RH Veal.

[David Pollock]

So his dad is Ed Tanner and they are country bumpkins. I mean, country bumpkins. They go on a trip to Notre Dame. Me and Russ become friends in high school and we said, we're going to go to the same college. But he went to the Catholic church. He went to. He, he visited Notre Dame. And so he's in church. And he said his dad's in church. And his dad's just like. People keep coming up to him. He was like, I keep missing their name. He was like, they keep. I keep shaking their hands and I keep missing their name. And he's like, the next one, he said, the next one, by God I come to. He said, I'm gonna get him. He said. I walked right up to him, this last one, he's like. And I locked eyes across the room. I came up and he was like this. And he goes like this. And he goes, he says, peace be with you. And he said, I'm Ed Tanner. He thought they were introducing themselves, but it was peace be with you. But he was like, I'm Ed Tanner.

[Sage Steele]

And then they don't say who they are.

[David Pollock]

And he's like, he's like, what? He was like, but he was like, I ain't gonna miss another one.

[Sage Steele]

Like, it's so sweet. And you know what?

[David Pollock]

Hilarious.

[Sage Steele]

You're Catholic too. Like, I get it. If I were not and then went to Catholic church, I'd be like, what is this? You guys make up your mind. Kneel, sit, stand, kneel, sit, stand. Chanting I cannot stand complicated skincare routines. I don't have the patience for five different products and steps and a shelf full of stuff. But lately I've been doing something really simple that's actually made a difference. I've been using beef tallow on my skin. And the brand I going back to is Amalo. They make a really clean product. It's 100% grass fed and finished tallow with just a handful of high quality ingredients. No junk, no fillers, no long list of things that you can't even pronounce. They're also a family run business. Everything is made in small batches here in the US Which I really respect. You can tell there's intention behind it and the product, it actually works. I've genuinely noticed a difference. My skin feels more hydrated, it feels smoother and just overall healthier I do use it on my face, all over my body, basically anywhere. I get dry spots as well. There is a reason over 500,000 people have already tried it. So if you're looking for something simple that actually works, this is absolutely worth trying. Go to amalo.com sage and use code sage for my special discount. That's amalo a m a l l o w.com sage we took our kids on Christmas Eve to a different. It was. Wasn't Baptist, was it? It was First Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale.

[David Pollock]

That's the first church I went to, was a Baptist church.

[Sage Steele]

It was a lot, but it's so modern. It's almost like to me. And then to me it feels disingenuous and that's judgmental. Maybe it was just that preacher and it's Christmas Eve.

[David Pollock]

But I think anybody you go to, that's not what you're used to.

[Sage Steele]

Can I come here? We don't need fuzzies. Your wife will kill me.

[David Pollock]

I think anybody you go to, any church you go to that's different than you grew up. It just feels weird. Like, it feels different and you're going to feel some kind of way because worship can be. It can look so different.

[Sage Steele]

It can. And that's the thing. There's no right or wrong. It's comfort. But I'm like, it's good to get a little bit uncomfortable to see that it isn't just your way.

[David Pollock]

Yes, Correct. Who knows? You might. I tell my wife this all the time. I'm like, we might not have met our best friends. And if we don't open, if you don't keep yourself open all the time, like, are you going to shut yourself off and not meet new people? Like, we could. God could put the most amazing people in our lives that were meant to be our best friends and you didn't give them a chance. So it's kind of the same thing to me, like, and that's why church, like, I love with baby girl. Like, with AAU basketball, we went on the road a lot last year, so we went to church. We go to church every Sunday. And I told the coach, I'm like, hey, bro, we'll be late. Like, we'll be. It was. It was the elitist basketball. You can get, like, high level. But I'm like, he's like, we need to be here at this time. I was like, we'll be at church and then we'll come, like. Because I don't think there's anything more powerful I can give my daughter there's nothing more powerful that I can give my daughter than saying basketball can wait because this is way more important.

[Sage Steele]

Yes. And what did the coach say?

[David Pollock]

He said, fine, if you're good enough, you'll play. They need you regardless. Like, but this year, this year we've had two tournaments. She's missed twice on Sundays because we've got church. It's a non negotiable. So like it's not going to happen.

[Sage Steele]

Did, did. So she knew, right? Leah knew.

[David Pollock]

Oh, okay.

[Sage Steele]

Leah was fine with it.

[David Pollock]

No, she was pissed.

[Sage Steele]

Was she?

[David Pollock]

I don't give a crap.

[Sage Steele]

She's his daughter.

[David Pollock]

She's a 15 year old girl. She's. Boy, you talk about needing prayer. Good Lord. Like, that's the hardest thing we've ever done. It ain't even close, bro. It's tough. She is, she is very difficult, like, incredibly selfish. She, she's got a tender heart. She's got a lot of great qualities. But like, she's definitely, we're definitely going through things just like everybody else, but she can be extremely difficult. No, she doesn't love it. Just like when we sat down this year and we talked about we're not traveling for basketball because her team went all over the place last year. But wife was in a different position. We were in a different position. We weren't there a lot. And then when we were, it was the later in the season so we could do things together. But I was like, baby, this ain't about you. Like, Nicholas, our son's getting recruited so we're going on recruiting trips. So this our last year with him.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

I said, you're way down the list, baby. Like, you're way down here. Like, and when it comes to priorities in your basketball. Well, I want to play college basketball. You're a sophomore. There's plenty of time to play college basketball. Like, go work on your craft. Like you can go work on your craft in the backyard, you can go work on your craft wherever you want to go work on your craft. Like, we're setting the standard for our family. We're studying what's important, not everybody else. And you don't have to do all this stuff.

[Sage Steele]

So where does that come from? Where there's just no wavering with your priorities and making sure your kids, because kids these days are a lot of kids aren't used to hearing no, no

[David Pollock]

and they're running households. Well, you want, like, my job for my kids is to show them that they're not the most important thing in this universe. And I think you always got to be careful what you pray for. But we're trying to prioritize. Like, what are the Pollux, what do we stand for? What's the most important thing? Church is more important than anything in our house that we do. So sport. If I'm saying that I've got to show them, and if I skip basketball games or if I skip church to go to basketball games, I might be telling them that God's more important. I'm showing them that church is more important. Or I'm showing them the sports more important.

[Sage Steele]

Exactly.

[David Pollock]

So like, I think what we've prayed for for a long time in the last. And listen, be careful what you pray for. Because we've prayed for, like, how do we do God? Can we get more hard with our kids? Because I've never once prayed for my kids protection. I don't pray for that. I pray for their resilience. Like, I want them when they face something to be like, they turn right to God. They're lockstep, like, bring it on, not, oh my gosh, shell shocked, you know. So I think you have to provide those opportunities. So we have to provide those opportunities to trip, to stumble, to mess up. Like, to realize that you're not high on the pecking order. Like, these come before you. Like, baby girl, when she was growing up, I'll never forget, she was like, I'm your favorite and a daddy. I was like. And I point to my wife, I'd be like, hold on, that's my girl. She was here before you and she gonna be here after you. So yes, you're my favorite. After her. Like, and it depends on the week with your brother, in the day with your brother. But, but like, just showing them those things are important. But a lot of households I see are very driven by kids. Centric. Yeah, kids don't come first. Like here on this earth, the kids come after the wife, after the marriage. And so prioritizing that and showing them that is a big thing that we can. Because then guess what they're going to do? They're going to do that Exactly. When they have a marriage. Right?

[Sage Steele]

Exactly.

[David Pollock]

Because more is caught than taught. Like, they're what they see better than they hear. Like, they don't listen to us half the time, but they're going to see

[Sage Steele]

what we're doing and not doing.

[David Pollock]

Yes. Which is more. More important.

[Sage Steele]

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[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

And your mom comes first. Your dad comes first. We were here before you. We created you. And once you leave our buts, we're going to be here without you. So if we don't prioritize us, we're not doing our jobs. And he said, I mean, it was healthy. He knew where he stood. And I just. I thought it was beautiful and so simple. But you're probably only, like, the third or fourth person I've ever heard say that they are currently. Like, that is the priority. That is how you are choosing to raise your kids.

[David Pollock]

And it's got to be intentional.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

I mean, it's got to be, because there's so much busyness and schedules and stuff that you got to work together. But that's like, you know, prioritizing her, communicating with her. Like, so much of your relationship is about communication, right? Like, so much of it. And, you know, I love to do this instead of asking, how are you? How are you? I'm good. Like, that. That is such a vague thing that most of the most women and most men are just, I'm good. I'm good. Like, try this with your spouse. What are you out of ten? Because when my baby doll says four, I got to be there for today. I got to step up. I got to make sure that I'm checking in. I got to make sure that I'm doing the things that she needs done around the house. I got to plug in. Like, it immediately puts some urgency on you. When she says a nine, I'm like, all right. She's good, right? Like, so I think it's important we got. We got to stay in tune with them and keep communicating and, you know, set rules with that, with the household. Always back each other. Right. Like, even if you're horribly wrong. And we've had a lot of that over the last year. Like, because we've had a lot going on in different things. Like, a lot of. Like, we'd say. She'd say something. I'd be like, I, like, tick a little bit. Like, I do not agree with that whatsoever, but I just shut my mouth. And then afterwards, I'm like, bad. We might want to revisit that. Like, I don't necessarily agree with that, but raising kids, it's the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, it is extremely difficult. But, man, you want it to be different. You want it to look different, and you Want it to feel different. You want your kids to be different. Like, one of my favorite accounts in the Bible. Not stories. Stories can be fake. Stories can be made up. One of my favorite accounts in the Bible is David and Goliath. And everybody's heard David and Goliath. But like, when David comes back down the hill, King Saul's there with one of his advisors, and David's still holding Goliath's head. And Saul comes up to him, he's like, hey, who raised. He said, who raised you? Who's your dad? He said, who's your dad? And what he was saying was, who raised that giant killer? That's what he's saying. And that's what I want to do. I want to raise giant killers. I want to raise my kids to be different, to be unique and to look different. And it's going to take you being different. It's going to be being okay with being the weirdos. Like, my son's dating now, and that's an interesting, interesting dynamic. Because his friends are allowed to do X, he's not allowed to do X.

[Sage Steele]

Like. Like what? Like what?

[David Pollock]

We got all these rules, bro. And so we have the 1/3 rule. So on the weekend, you have one third family, one third friends, one third girlfriend. Like, we don't do. We don't abandon our friends because we have a girlfriend. Like, we're going to spend time together as a family, so we don't just go all buck wild and do whatever the heck we want to do. So, like, just helping him place guardrails on his relationship. Like, the rules at the house. Like, we're not going to go in the bedroom. Like, you know what can go on in that bedroom. Like, buddy, I've lived it. I promise you. I know you got strong convictions, and he does. He's got great strong convictions. And I love what he is and who he is. But, like, let's not, let's not put ourself in a bad situation where something bad could happen. But you know, when he's coming home, like, I'm. We're big on like, hey, like, buddy, leave by this time, not be home. Because then I don't want you rushing and speeding, but leave the house by this time. Well, golly, that's early. My friends get to stay out till X. Okay, well, the law says to be home by midnight. Midnight. You're not allowed to be on the road. So that's the law. Like, but. But one thing that's been really good for us is we now sit down with him when we start to feel a little bit of friction, and we're just like, hey, man, what do you want more of? And I me, I have to do a better job of coming to that with a good attitude because I'm always intense. You know me, like, you've worked with me. Like, this is me. I'm always intense. So they think I'm intense. And I'm like, I woke up like this. Like. And I'm going to bed like this. Like, just be. Bear with me. So I sat down with. The last time we sat down about the girlfriend conversation. I did this the whole time. I was like. I go, hey, buddy. I go, hey, we want to talk about some things. And I just smiled like an idiot the whole time, and it created some brevity. But I was just like, you know, what do you want more of? And we talked through, and he was like, I would just like to know when I need to get off the phone. I was like, okay, so weeknights, what time do you think you should get off the phone? He was like, well, you know, if I get off at 10, I can still get eight hours of sleep. I'm like, okay, done, buddy. He was like, I'd like to know what time I need to be home. What time do you want to be home on weekends when you get to see her? How's 11:30? I was like, done. But there's so much, like, you don't know. We don't know what they're thinking. They don't know what we're thinking. So when you sit down and you just ask questions, man, I get into his life, and now I get to understand what he wants. And it's not as complex as you think sometimes. I'll never forget, you know, this was a year and a half ago. He was like, you know, y' all are just strict. I was like, what are we strict on? He was like, my friends can play video games whenever they want. I was like, okay. I said, buddy. He's like, I have to ask to play video games. I said, buddy, we've never told you have to ask to play video games. It's like, it's what you've always done. I was like, if you want to play video games, play video games. He was like, oh. I was like, all you gotta do is ask, buddy. The worst they can say is no, Which I love now because he's getting a little bit more. He's getting. He's growing and getting a little bit more. I mean, he's getting more balls, like, He's.

[Sage Steele]

He's getting.

[David Pollock]

I'm just. I can say it. He's getting more. He's getting more balls. And so, like, he's like. He asked me the other day, he was like, hey, can I see. Can I see my girlfriend? And I was like, buddy, you know the 1/3 rule. He goes, yeah, but you tell me all the time to ask. He's like, the worst thing you can say is no. And I was like, that's what I'm talking about. I was like, I love that, buddy.

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

But I tell you what, the. What I'm the most proud of and what I'm the most proud of, watching him with a girlfriend is the way he treats her, man. It makes me feel proud. Like, out of all the things as a parent, like, I'm like, all right, I've done something right. Because he's really, really thoughtful and considerate and loving and kind. And I was like. I'm like, man, that's so. I did something right. I didn't do everything right. I promise you that.

[Sage Steele]

But that goes directly to not what you're saying, but what they witnessed you doing with their mother.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, and that's my girl, so.

[Sage Steele]

I know, I know. And this is the best story for those people. Haven't heard it. But wait, wait. Like, no one has actually seen what's on your feet. Can we just show off these beauties?

[David Pollock]

I mean, because we. We tried to. We tried to do these socks. You know, she does these beautiful socks, but, like, I don't know who these are for, but Frodo didn't come today. But, you know, 14s or 15s, I guess, just fit a little bit different than some of the other folks here.

[Sage Steele]

Here's. Here's the good thing.

[David Pollock]

You've seen Tommy boy, right?

[Sage Steele]

Oh, with

[David Pollock]

Carly or Chris. Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

That's what my feet feel like right now.

[Sage Steele]

Are they size 14?

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

Listen, I'm never gonna have socks that fit that. Okay, we will special order once I get my merch deal going, which someday

[David Pollock]

somebody needs to get.

[Sage Steele]

Throwing it out there. Come on, guys, help me. But there's very few men that I have interviewed that have had this conversation with that would have been willing to do this. Thank you, Davey, Paula.

[David Pollock]

Oh, you're welcome. You're my homegirl. Listen, we've been doing this for a while.

[Sage Steele]

We have. And I was trying to think about that the other day in preparation for this, because this man wrote a book. And we'll talk about that.

[David Pollock]

It's proof that anybody can write a book.

[Sage Steele]

This is actually true.

[David Pollock]

Yes, 100% fact.

[Sage Steele]

Still long enough to do it. But when did you start doing like SportsCenter, Hit City, ESPN? Because that's for those of you who don't know. Shame on you. That this is where I met David 100 years ago. But approximately, I want to say, because. Well. Or was it just game day?

[David Pollock]

Let's see. Game day. I mean, I was like two years into TV when I got on game day.

[Sage Steele]

I know.

[David Pollock]

Which is crazy.

[Sage Steele]

It is crazy. People like us would look at people like you like, really, I didn't deserve it.

[David Pollock]

I agreed. I 100% agreed. I didn't feel worthy to do it by any stretch, but I would say 28 ish.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, really?

[David Pollock]

I did it for 15 years.

[Sage Steele]

Oh my gosh.

[David Pollock]

Yes, for 20. 23 was my last year.

[Sage Steele]

Oh my gosh. Yeah, it was 23. Because you left right before. Right before I did.

[David Pollock]

But such a nice way to say she. I left right before she did. I got canned.

[Sage Steele]

That's true.

[David Pollock]

But you know my mama, hey, my mama gets so mad, she's like, stop saying you got fired, you got laid off. I go, mom, they told me not to come back. We can phrase this however you want, mama. Like they said, your key don't work no more. You're not here. I'm like, so. But yeah, I mean, that's. You try to put that.

[Sage Steele]

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[David Pollock]

Well, I don't get to make those decisions.

[Sage Steele]

I know, and I don't either.

[David Pollock]

But it was awesome. Like, what a ride. And speaking of starting off like I didn't deserve that. So year two, I think I'm on the first part of it With Aaron Andrews, like, doing the first hour, and then it grows, and I got Maria Taylor and Sam Ponder. I mean, the list goes on. I mean, I didn't deserve to be there. So then you get there and you continue to work and grow. And I'm just saying.

[Sage Steele]

And I'm not expecting you to actually agree with me about it being stupid. I wanted to share that because at the end of the day, I think everybody's goal, no matter where you work, by the way, news, weather, sports, is how do you put the best television on for the viewers? Because that's why we do it for those people who will never be in an NFL huddle like you were. You know what I mean?

[David Pollock]

Well, that's why you're good at your job.

[Sage Steele]

Well, that. Thank you.

[David Pollock]

But that's what I'm doing. You always do it with a smile. You always did it. You always brought joy. That's why you did it.

[Sage Steele]

I loved it.

[David Pollock]

I remember when you came back for the first day and I did a

[Sage Steele]

hit with you after my teeth got knocked out.

[David Pollock]

No, I think after a brief. What do you want to call it? Suspension, or. It was a little. A reprieve. A reprieve, yes.

[Sage Steele]

Well, it was. It was a. It was a suspension. It was a paid suspension, but it was a suspension.

[David Pollock]

I mean, at least you got paid.

[Sage Steele]

I was nervous. I was so nervous.

[David Pollock]

Were you? I think I was on with you that day because I just remember when I did the hit, I was like, welcome back.

[Sage Steele]

You. You're gonna make me cry.

[David Pollock]

See, I'm gonna cry, too. Don't worry.

[Sage Steele]

Honestly. Because there had been. I haven't thought about this because there had been such hatred and vitriol and threats based on that decision by them to suspend me. And that was their right. Their decision. I mean, I was.

[David Pollock]

Wrong decision. But they're right.

[Sage Steele]

I think so, too. But it's okay. Like, again, you don't change. It's all for a reason. I wouldn't change a thing. But, I mean, they made it very clear. Your teammates, your colleagues are embarrassed by you. They hate. Like, this is what bosses told me. So when. When you came on. In the commercial break before, when we're like, hey, can you hear me? Audio check. And then when the. When it was live, you made a point to say that. And I know that was not an accident.

[David Pollock]

No, I mean, but it was. It was true, though. Like, it was because you do those hits, and then when. When you get you, obviously it's a different animal. So it was just. And it is. It's just. You don't have to. You don't have to explain that to anybody. But, like, there's a difference. There's. There's some people that have a glow and a joy and they just bring it with them wherever they're at. And you're one of those people. So, like, I was like, heck, yeah, welcome back. And yet the fact that they told you that, like, that your teammates and stuff, because that couldn't be any more opposite. And that's. No, no, no.

[Sage Steele]

There were some for sure.

[David Pollock]

Well, no, no. There were some, but not all.

[Sage Steele]

No, but they make it. They make you feel that way. They could try to keep you and put you.

[David Pollock]

There's a bunch of idiots in the world. Yeah, they're right. It's their right to be an idiot. There's a bunch of people that don't have to agree and. But no, I remember.

[Sage Steele]

These are the human parts of it, right?

[David Pollock]

Yes, we are human.

[Sage Steele]

Thank you. And then, okay, let's talk about football, whatever game that was. But, like, I remember having to, like, okay, blink, blink. I was doing this. When you inflict pain so you don't get choked up.

[David Pollock]

I've never done that.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, I have bled before where it's like, really? Oh, yeah.

[David Pollock]

I ain't getting around you with them nails, girl.

[Sage Steele]

Good Lord, no. But when you're nervous, whatever it is. And I was like, David just made me feel welcome. And I know there's people right now who are probably cussing him out because that means he might actually like me as a friend. Like, what is this? If you've been feeling more tired than usual or dealing with bloating after meals, or if no matter how much water you drink, you still don't feel hydrated. Those could be signs of a dehydrated liver. Not dehydrated, like, just drink more water. But dehydrated at the cellular level. Here's what most people don't realize. Hydration isn't just about how much water you drink. If your liver cells aren't absorbing the water at the cellular level, it'll just pass right through you. And when your liver is dehydrated, everything suffers. Your energy tanks, your digestion slows down, you hold on to stubborn weight, and you feel decades older than you actually are. Plain water can't fix this on its own. And most electrolyte drinks are full of sugar and salt. That's where LTV from Up Wellness comes in. LTV is a daily hydration drink designed to support your body at the cellular level. It Combines marine electrolytes with taurine to help your cells retain water. Plus ingredients like milk thistle and dandelion root to support your liver's natural detox function. Many people notice a real difference after just a few weeks. Better energy, less bloating, smoother digestion, and finally feeling properly hydrated all over again. So if you're ready to hydrate your liver at the cellular level, go to drinkltv.com sage to get your hands on LTV today. They're offering up to 64% off right now, but only through my link. Again, go to drinkltv.com sage or click the link in this description. So, point being, you got that news. I think it was July of 23, July when. I mean, was it a phone call?

[David Pollock]

It was a phone call. Yeah. In total me fashion. Like, no clue. So I pick it up and it's Lee fitting. And I'm like, what's up, dude? It's June. I'm like, we're about to go on a trip to Boston and Maine and stuff. And he's like, hey. I was like, what's up, dude? How's. How's Drew? How's. I was asking his kids and stuff and then, and then it was like 45 seconds in and I was like, oh. I was like, I don't think this is going to go well. Like, I read it. I was like, oh, I read in the room. I was like, man, I don't know that this is going to go well. And then he said, he was like, hey man, you know, we're having some let gos and you're going to hear about some stuff over the next couple of days and, And I was like, yeah. I was like, sweet, okay. I was like, dude. And I. And I said it right there on the phone. I was like, man, thank you so much. Like, what an opportunity. Like, I just, I got to go travel the world. I got to bring my son to like 29 campuses. I'm like, dude, this was, this wasn't a job. This was amazing. And so, yeah, it was a. But it was out of the blue for sure. And then it was, you know, how do you handle the next steps and what's going to come and, and all the stuff that comes with.

[Sage Steele]

They give you a reason?

[David Pollock]

They said layoffs. I mean, I just said layoffs.

[Sage Steele]

Nothing. You performance wise? Nothing.

[David Pollock]

No, I mean, I think there was. They were making changes at the network and.

[Sage Steele]

Sure.

[David Pollock]

You know, I think that there's a lot of people that speculate and see different things and stuff. But I mean, I don't know, I tried not to think about it too much because I found, man, that, like, there's very little difference between success and failure. Like, it's really just how you handle it and how you handle, like, how you. How you address it. So I'm way less concerned about what happens to me. I'm way more concerned about my response. And so, you know, I told my wife and she was like, what? And then the hardest, the weirdest part. There was two weird parts. One, I was like, babe, let's tell the kids before the trip. Because I said, just, let's just get out of the way. And she was like, okay. And then my baby girl was like, are we going to be okay?

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

And I was like, oh. I was like, yeah, we're fine, babe. Like, we're going to. God will provide. Like, we're going to have money. We're going to be fine. But the hardest call was Reese. Like, because I don't. I know Reese didn't know. There's a good chance the decisions that were being made there, they were made by people on. People knew what was going on. Like, there's a large part of that show. There's a part of that show that's connect. Very well connected to so. To so and so and people and so called Reese. And that. And that. That made me cry. I was crying. Like, I was crying in the airport. I remember going through. And I was just like, because that's my dude. Like, I just love that dude.

[Sage Steele]

Davis is an incredible human and so talented.

[David Pollock]

So good.

[Sage Steele]

So everybody knows he's great and he's still underrated. Like, I love him and I. And I feel like he had your back. I feel like you had his back, obviously, but it was. It was a team.

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

He always does what you said. You don't think he knew, was he.

[David Pollock]

No, no, he didn't know. He absolutely didn't know. And he wouldn't have been a part of that decision making process, I can promise you that. Um, but no, telling Reese was hard because you, you know, circumstances affects friendship.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

Like, that's just the way it works. Like, if you're not around somebody all the time, it's hard to be friends with him. And I knew it would change our relationship, which really bummed me out. But he was like, dude, I'll be in Athens. I'll be around. I still want to support your. Your stuff you're doing with your foundation. Like, he immediately, you know, made it better and stuff. But no, it was good. To talk. But he always says all the time, he's like, you're the little brother I never wanted. That's what.

[Sage Steele]

Reese always said that about you.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, that's valid. There's a lot. I mean, listen, I ain't for everybody. I get that. I understand that. Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

Have you kept in touch with anybody else?

[David Pollock]

Yeah, I mean, somewhat. Not like, you know, I Probably more behind the scenes, like, with Jimmy G, who's the producer of Game Day. And then I'll get notes from some folks, but I don't keep up with too many of them. When Lindsay's hell stuff happened, I heard from a bunch of folks, which was cool. That was very sweet of people, but it's just circumstances.

[Sage Steele]

You're such a positive person, and, yes, you're grateful, and you said, I never deserved it in the first place. Fine. But it's gotta be disappointing to get that kind of a call when you feel like you've given it your all, you've tried, you've listened, you're a good teammate. I mean, there's that human element, even if it's not your fault. Right. Like, how did you handle that disappointment after 15 years of, like, that was life and that was part of. They were another extended family for you,

[David Pollock]

I think I didn't feel disappointment, really. And I didn't feel shame. I didn't feel failure. I felt gratitude. Like, I don't think it was. It wasn't smile or wasn't cry because it's over. It was smile because it happened, and you couldn't tell me otherwise. Like, I just was like, dude, I got to do that. And that's really cool. And the fun thing that happens, man, is and for all of us, we get on our bike or the hamster wheel, and we pedal and we go and we look up. It's five years, and then it's 10 years, and then it's 15 years. So you got 15, you know, 16 years that have gone by. And honestly, like, it kind of made you. It kind of stopped me in my tracks and was like, all right, what do you want to be? What do you want to do? So it was a really good time in my life, like, about 40 years old. It's like, what do you want the next 10 to look like? What do you want the next 20 to look like? And it was a great. It was a great litmus test, and it was a great. Like, what's the art of the possible? That doesn't happen. I'm pointing to the book. There's no way I Write a book.

[Sage Steele]

There's no way.

[David Pollock]

No way.

[Sage Steele]

Not without schedule.

[David Pollock]

No. And so I think it's, you know, it was like, that was a good check. It was a good. Like, to not travel was awesome. Like, to go from traveling. I mean, I'm about to hit a million miles on Delta. Literally a million miles in the air. Like, some people look at that as really cool. It's not cool because that means I was gone a lot, right? So, like, I missed out on a lot. Nicholas was starting ninth grade, year of football, got to coach it ninth grade, 10th grade, 11th grade. He's going into his senior year. Not going to miss one. I coach baby girl and varsity girls basketball. Get to go to all of them. Don't miss anything. So I think, like, the timing was perfect, and I just think it was another step in the learning and another step in, you know, where do you want to be? What do you want to do? And it's been really fun the last couple years, like, exploring that and figuring it out, like, what do I want to be when I grow up? I know I'm not there yet.

[Sage Steele]

How old are you now?

[David Pollock]

But, like, 43.

[Sage Steele]

43, yeah. Don't grow up. You can't.

[David Pollock]

I mean, at this point, I'm not going to.

[Sage Steele]

It's not. It's definitely not.

[David Pollock]

No. But definitely taking steps in that direction, for sure.

[Sage Steele]

What is the biggest lesson you learned during all those years at espn?

[David Pollock]

I think it was kind of cool because it was like, you know, NFL gone. And then new goal, new dream. Okay, let's go get it. And then gone. I think you just. I think I'm firmly believe that, like, I think God gave me another chance to do something really special and cool because I think he wanted me to do this, and he wanted me to influence and inspire and do a better job than I did the first time. And when I say that when I was in college and I got the status or celebrity, man, it was overwhelming. Like, it was a lot. And there's not a lot of places to go in Athens, and you're not getting away from camera phones and you're not getting away from people. And so as a 18, 19, 21, 21 year old, the 20, 21 year old, like, it's a lot. It's a lot to ingest. And so, like, I really wanted this. This opportunity. The next opportunity for me was like, all right, let's go maximize this. Like, you got five minutes with somebody. Make it count.

[Sage Steele]

Like.

[David Pollock]

And so I think I learned that, like, when you're. When you're trying to pursue something new, you're going to start at the bottom again. And that was okay. Like, I literally remember doing FOX SEC Gridiron Live. My mama didn't watch. I know nobody was watching, but, like, what an awesome opportunity to now take that craft and grow. And you know what? It takes some. It takes some grimy years. It takes some freshman years, some sophomore years. Like, I literally was like, dude, you're a freshman in college. You're a freshman in college. Go earn it. Don't complain about it. You know what else?

[Sage Steele]

I'm sorry to interrupt you. I feel like that was the attitude that I felt when you came onto the scene, when you really started doing Game Day. And it was like, hey, I don't know. I'm the new kid here, but I'm just gonna tell it like it is.

[David Pollock]

Well, that. That. That's the only way I know how to do it. And that's not always good for everybody around you. And that. That caused plenty of problems because I remember. And this is pre ESPN craziness, right? Like, where it's gone now. I remember being told to dial it back. Like, literally, like, hey, you're a little bit much. Like, don't be too crazy. And I'm like, okay. I mean, and I just like this. I remember vividly talking to certain people on our set about this is. We do things different at game day. We're not like every other show. And because. Because I'm always all over the place. And so I learned to kind of tame it a little bit and to kind of, you know, fit in a box a little bit more than. Than was me. But. But, yes, like, always take pride. You're going to get a straight answer. You're going to know where I stand. Georgia fans get so mad at me because I'm Benedict Arnold. I'm a traitor if I pick against Georgia. And I'm like, dude, did you hear the 16 good things I said about him? And I'm for Georgia. But, like, I'm also. You know why I'm like that, by the way? When I started tv, I watched Lou Holtz, Arkansas, South Carolina, Notre Dame. Every time. He picked all of them. Every time I tuned him out. So I literally was like, I'm not gonna do that as a broadcaster because I'm not gonna be like him, because half the country's gonna tune me out and think about that.

[Sage Steele]

But then they also say, well, he's only picking against them to make sure people don't think that he's biased. The Point is, is you're always going. You. This was my experience. We're always going to be honest. Give your honest opinion, because at the end of the day, you didn't really care what people thought. You did write in your book about. Yeah. People on set. Like, I get you wrote about Kirk in particular, who's like, okay, you got the suit on, and then you're wearing these ugly tennis shoes. Like, there's places to find decent, cheap shoes. Paul. Like, what are we doing?

[David Pollock]

I remember how he said it. He's always like, kid, like, don't wear sneakers. Like, he was like, I'm like, bro, I'm a defensive lineman. Like, I'm not a pretty boy. I'm a sl. I put my hand in the dirt. Like, I've been fat my whole life. Like, I'm like. I said, I'm already in a suit, and I hate this suit. I hate every second of it. And by the way, I told my wife when I got canned, I will never put a suit on another day in my life. I went to Reese's daughter's wedding. I did not wear a suit.

[Sage Steele]

Stop.

[David Pollock]

Wore a T shirt underneath a coat. Like, that's it. Not putting a suit. Not doing suit and tie. Nope. But, like, I told him. I was like, man, I can't do that. Like, I'm already uncomfortable as it gets. And. But, yeah, he was like, dude, this is your brand. This is who you are and how people think of you. And I'm the worst brand builder on the planet. And when I meet with people now, too, and they're like, hey, what's your. Let's build your brand. I'm like, I'm not a brand. I'm me. And you like it or you don't like it, and. And that's okay. Like, And I. And I talk about this in the book, too. Like, and this is where I'd say, you know, you're. You've grown so much personally. There's it. Liked versus respected. I don't need to be liked. I'm not doing things to be liked. I want to be respected now. God gave that. That to me. Like, he definitely gave me that gift. I remember going on the campus of Georgia, like, I was there to take somebody's job, and I did not care if anybody liked me. Most people hated me. Like, but I wanted to prove, like, I don't care if you care about my. If you care who I am and my personality. I want you to respect who I am, respect how I treat people, respect to. But. But you Can't. You're not going to lie, because guess what? If you're always doing to be doing something to be liked, you'll never be happy. Because some people don't like rich people, some people like poor people, some people don't like fat people, some people don't like skinny people, and some people don't like people. And y' all know who those people are. If you don't, I'm sorry, it might be you, but that's just like, some people don't. So, like, if you're going to define yourself or let that take a hold of your life, like, you will always be miserable.

[Sage Steele]

Always. It's always so freeing. And, you know, I think you felt my growth with that without even asking about it. And sometimes it's just what you type and what you post. Other times it's the way you say it and do it and toward, I'd say those last several years at espn, even after I, you know, returned from the suspension, it was like, then you go, wow, all those people that you thought would like. No. So if you aren't okay with yourself, then of course you're going to be worried about everybody else. The respect word is so important, and I think sometimes it can be overused, which. Respect. Respect. Fine. Do you feel like you were respected by your teammates on game day?

[David Pollock]

Yeah, I do. I feel like they respected the work I did and the job I did. I'm not sure that they always. Yeah, I mean, I feel like they respected me as a person, too.

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

And I got so many text and especially behind the scene guys, which I love.

[Sage Steele]

They're the ones that matter. Not that the others don't.

[David Pollock]

I love. I love all of those guys. And we could literally go down the list of those guys. But, yeah, I think so, because I got so many texts from the crew and so many people over those next, you know, week that it was just like, holy cow, I can't believe this happened. I'll never forget. I got a text from Aaron Murray and he was like, hey, man, like, so glad we didn't get fired, because he did Easy espn and it hadn't been released yet. And I was like, you didn't?

[Sage Steele]

No, no. Poor Aaron.

[David Pollock]

I literally said. I said, you didn't, bro. I didn't make the cut. But no, it was. No, I do. I feel.

[Sage Steele]

What did he say?

[David Pollock]

He's like, nothing you can do. Ain't no backtracking that. But, like. But no, I do. I feel like. And I take pride in that because. Because I want to do a great job. And I want to put everything into it. And my goal was always to teach the audience and to, to do it having fun. But to do. And here was my, my thing. I did not have relationships with coaches. I don't have coaches. I didn't have coaches numbers. So I didn't reach out. Like, it's amazing how much stuff that some of these, some folks get, like in detail of what play calls they're going to call and like how much they know about what's going on. I knew nothing because I wanted separation of church and state. I wanted to say what I felt. And so that means I might say something that that coach doesn't like. Now I'm going to do it with respect. I'm not going to be a turd about it.

[Sage Steele]

Sure.

[David Pollock]

But I'm also going to disagree.

[Sage Steele]

Well, and sometimes they were sitting right next to you on the set 100%

[David Pollock]

and you would say, go ahead, Nick Saban. Oh my gosh. That was, that was. I didn't know. I didn't know. I didn't know it was a big deal.

[Sage Steele]

Okay, explain.

[David Pollock]

Okay, so we're sitting on the national championship desk. Halftime, Georgia's just open hand, biatch slap to tcu. Sorry, TCU just smacking them around at halftime. And so DEZ comes on and he talks about Stetson Bennett story. And then Nick talks about. Saban talks about, you know, something else. And I'm like, the natural progression. Like they've taken the stuff. And I'm like, okay, this is back to back titles for Georgia. Like they're the king of college football. Like they've taken the mantle away from. Oh yeah, Nick. I mean like, but, but I, but he's there as an analyst. I mean, so doing a job. Yeah, he's not there as Alabama coach Nick Saban. So I wasn't thinking like that. I don't think he was either. And literally. And I don't think a thing about it. And nothing is made of this to my attention because I'm not even on social media half the time and not paying attention. The next morning I got a get up hit and I'm doing with Greeny and they replay it over and over and over again. I'm like, oh crap. Like I didn't realize I might have. This might be a thing. And then it's everywhere, all over the place. And it's like people are putting memes on it because.

[Sage Steele]

What did Saban say?

[David Pollock]

I don't think he said anything. I think it was like he had an expression. It was an expression. His face said something. I don't think we could say it here, but we couldn't say it on television.

[Sage Steele]

No, but at the end of the day, like, you were doing your job and it was a fact that Bama had been unseated and it just happened to be by the school that, I mean, you helped make even more famous.

[David Pollock]

Right, But I wouldn't say that about. I just said that about any school.

[Sage Steele]

That's my point. It was a coincidence. When you're telling the truth and it happened to be your school and his school. And then it was like, oh.

[David Pollock]

And then it was. The social media went nuts and I was just like, oh, dang. I called Nick. I called Nick that night, that next night. And I was just. I was like, hey, man. Like, I was not doing this to, like, be intentional and be harmful. He was like, no problem. He was like, don't. Don't think twice.

[Sage Steele]

So as usual, the Internet made a much bigger deal of it.

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

Including espn, who's like, greenie, here, play it and then react. David, what were you thinking?

[David Pollock]

And it was. And it was replayed in slow mode. It was awesome. It was outstanding.

[Sage Steele]

It was phenomenal. Okay. Something I always wanted to tell you. Maybe I have before.

[David Pollock]

Oh, this is fun.

[Sage Steele]

Fuck collab. No, there's so many people that I don't think fully understand the behind the scenes, which I love. I love the behind the scenes stuff. And again, the crews, I've never talked

[David Pollock]

about behind the scenes much. So this is good. I like this.

[Sage Steele]

I'm talking specifically about you. And for most analysts, and this is across the board, I think, at cnn, at Fox News, Fox Sports, whatever it is, if you're coming on into a sports center segment for most analysts, you're telling them exactly what you're going to ask or which direction you're going. And you have to like most of them, many of them, the top ones, require it. This one didn't want to know. You're like, I remember because it was happening. I was like, hey, I'm going to ask you. You're like, girlfriend, I don't care. Whatever you want to talk about. Let's go, let's go, let's go. And I remember being like, this is so foreign to us because everyone else, I mean, it's stressful for many people and they want to make sure that they have the exact perfect answer and reaction and tone and you didn't care. And to me, it says a lot of, of course, everything about your awesome personality. But it's also because. And maybe most importantly, because you are so prepared that you could go in any direction. If I wanted to throw an NBA question at you on college game day, you could have done it. And I think that. I hope that you know that it was noticed by those of us who look for those things and appreciated, because that means you did.

[David Pollock]

You appreciated it. I did a poor job in the beginning with that. If I could go back, it's not that I didn't think the rundown was necessary, but, like, I think people took it that way. So they would give me a rundown and. And I would throw it away. Like, I wouldn't have it. I wouldn't use it. And here's what I know about me. I give you the best version of me when it's very conversational, when I'm answering questions. And the number one thing I hated was when Reese or somebody threw it to you, and you didn't hear when they insulted you or, like, said some kind of joke because you're so in your head, like, I need to say this, or I want to say this, or these are my three nuggets. And so, like, I always made it a point to listen. And we're talking about football.

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

We are not curing cancer. Like, we are not doing something that's, like, so serious. Like, and that's one thing that Coach Corso, I think, did a really good job. I remember he'd be like, hey, football guy. But when I started game day, like, hey, football guy. It's entertainment, sweetheart. And that's a good lesson for me because I can get serious and, like, get in the weeds with football. But I was like, all right, just listen. Answer the question. But that's. You know, that was. That was the number one way for me to help me be me. It's just like, speeches now. I do a lot of speaking, and I love it. I love to speak. It's fun. I don't bring notes. Yeah, I don't. It's just not my thing. Like, and so if it's. If I do, it tends to make me a little bit more rigid and a little bit less conversational. So I think it's just a part of, like, knowing yourself 100% well.

[Sage Steele]

And that's. You know, with SportsCenter, you had to always have everything. You had to have notes because I needed to know the exact role cue to roll the video, to set up the graphic to get to you. And it's like, that's why I love this. I'm like, oh, we just get to have a conversation. And I know what I kind of want to about, but it depends where it goes, because it's the conversation.

[David Pollock]

You should have seen me, though. And you're reacting, girlfriend. You should have seen me when I had to do coke commercials.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, no. And they needed you to actually stick to space.

[David Pollock]

Put it in the. In the teleprompter. You like. It was go, I'm like this David Pollock. Hey, coke good. And I literally, I. I said this, by the way you talk about something you should never say. I was like, man, I'm sorry. I go, I don't speak all white. That's exactly what I said. I don't speak all white people. Like, I don't know how to speak like that. I said, can you do me a favor? Can you just put a bullet point, like, hey, like, introduct. Introduce yourself, Talk about this X. And so that's how we did it in the television.

[Sage Steele]

They let you do that?

[David Pollock]

Yes, they let me do it. And I was like, coca Cola. I was like. I was like, what's up, dudes? David Pollock here. Like, I don't. Like, I. I don't say, hey, this is David Pollock. I'm like, what's up, man? Like, hey, dude. Like, how you doing?

[Sage Steele]

I know.

[David Pollock]

Like, I don't. I don't have that. So it was an absolute train wreck. Like, you talk about. It was like a monkey humping a football. It was terrible.

[Sage Steele]

Where did that analogy come from? A monkey. When's the last time you saw a monkey humping?

[David Pollock]

Exactly. They don't happen. So you. You would never see it happen?

[Sage Steele]

I'm thinking in Georgia. Some in the backwoods of Georgia, you must have witnessed it. They have monkeys in Georgia?

[David Pollock]

I don't know.

[Sage Steele]

This is all.

[David Pollock]

Yes, of course they have monkeys in Georgia.

[Sage Steele]

In the zoo. Okay. The one thing you want people to know about Lee Corso,

[David Pollock]

oh, my gosh. He was a lesson in humility. Every time I. Every time we went on the road, first thing he did was go to church. But the way he treated people was unique. It was different. It was awesome. Like, everybody mattered. He spoke, took time to speak to everyone. He was a nervous wreck until. Until the headgear came, and then he would sit down and chill. But, like, he just. He was so kind and so good to people, and it stood out. It very much stood out. And that's why you could see the adoration and love for him. But just every week, man, the way he treated the runners and the people behind the scenes and it was just, with just respect and dignity. It was awesome.

[Sage Steele]

Have you stayed in touch with him at all?

[David Pollock]

A little bit. You know, coach ain't got no cell phone. Like coaches, coaches a landline. So you go and get him every so often. When he retired, I called him and every so often. But man, just one of one. Very rarely do you get to retire and you be one of one and contribute so much to the sport. Like, everybody will tell you like that game day exists because of him. Like, and that's humbling. When you're up there with him, you're like, dude, this dude started this. This is the reason this is watched and so special.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah, he is a special, incredible man and God bless him and his strength and I mean we need him to stick around with that pencil forever and ever. David, this is the 20 year anniversary in September of the day that your life really changed your. Your injury when you were playing for the Bengals.

[David Pollock]

God, I'm old.

[Sage Steele]

Was careful. You say that on purpose because you know I'm old. Makes me so mad every time you do that.

[David Pollock]

Ah, Sage was in college.

[Sage Steele]

But anyway, in 2006. Yeah, yeah, we'll go with college. Plus about 12 years after graduating 11. I think it was September 17th.

[David Pollock]

Yes, ma'. Am.

[Sage Steele]

2006.

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

For those who don't know, I'm sure you're tired of telling this story. I think I have many viewers who aren't sports fans right now and don't know how you even got to ESPN after this first half of the show, but a day that I've tried through listening to you a little bit, but reading in your book, like, what goes through your mind when you know your life is on the line.

[David Pollock]

Well, from the time since I was 4 years old, if you to ask anybody, I would have told them I was going to play in the NFL. And so like I did nothing but prepare for that. Now, I'm not saying I didn't have setback and stuff like that, but I was watching the World cup when I was in eighth grade and I remember they talked about carbonation and the girls. This is when Brandy Chastain ripped her shirt off for the. They. And. And they said the girls stopped drinking carbonation during that time during the World cup because it hurt their conditioning. That's the last time I touched a carbonated beverage in my life.

[Sage Steele]

99.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. Something around there.

[Sage Steele]

No, that World Cup.

[David Pollock]

No, it was before that. I think it was 96.

[Sage Steele]

The World Cup.

[David Pollock]

96.

[Sage Steele]

99.

[David Pollock]

99. You sure? Well, I mean you were 30, so I mean, I get it, but, like, that's the last time I touched it because. Because I knew, like, and I've always been driven, like, to get there, I had to give up something, and I had to find edges and so in margins. And so, like, that was something that I was willing to give up because I wanted to get to a great spot. So when I say, like, that's all I wanted to do. Like, school was ancillary. I hated school with a passion. Like, my kids are watching. Sorry, but they know school sucks. But, like, so. So that was something that I worked towards. So, you know that hit that play. And I'll never forget going underneath the stadium strapped to the gurney. My upper body's not moving real well.

[Sage Steele]

This is. You're playing for the Bengals.

[David Pollock]

I'm playing for the Bengals, yeah. I was against the Browns. I hit the. Hit the running back really hard. I went down. And when you. When you have. When you break. I broke. I ended up breaking my neck. And by the way, when they told me, like, you fractured your C6, C7. I'm such a big, dumb animal. I was like, that's cool. What am I got for a couple weeks? And they're like, that means you broke your neck. I was like, oh. I remember saying, hey, can we stick to the fractured C6, C7? It sounds a lot better. It sounds like I can actually come back. But, like, you have these. The tops of the vertebrae, and then you have the middle. And usually when you break your neck, you break the top or the bottom, like one of those two. Well, mine was a burst fracture, so I broke the whole vertebrae. But when I did, it went down, and here's your spinal cord, and it nicked it. So it's a totally different conversation if it severed it. And so I can't move my arms real well. And it's like when you fall asleep on your arms, if you've ever done it, and you wake up and you're like, I can't move. Like, you're crazy. But I remember getting in the ambulance with baby doll, and I remember tears, and I was just like, holy cow. Like, this might be it. And it's a weird feeling, but, you know, to go to the neck brace and the neck brace, to go to the halo and see, the halo is perfect because I've always been an angel.

[Sage Steele]

Yes, it's very fitting.

[David Pollock]

I thought it was very fitting. But then my baby dog, my wife, she was my nurse for. For three months, which was amazing. The sponge basks were great.

[Sage Steele]

Okay, that's the last time you really bathed is when Lindsay was bathing you.

[David Pollock]

Actually, we'll get to that, I'm sure. But. But that was. But that was like, you know, to be 20s in your early 20s and to have a lifelong mission and dream and to have, like, to get it and then it. For it to be gone, like, second year playing. It was. It was. It was. It was a challenge, right? Like, it was a. It was a holy cow. Like, this is what you've always. What you wanted to do. Now what are you going to do? And I think that's why it parlays to the game day. And. But you're. But you're. You're so thankful. Like, I realized what it could have been, and you're like, no, thank you. I don't want any part of that. That's why going back, I was like, listen, if I'm at more risk than anybody else to get hurt, I'm out. And I could have gone back and pushed the envelope a hundred times if I wanted to, but, man, I was so appreciative to be out. It was a struggle. It was weird, like, for your body to be big and strong. And then all of a sudden, like, I'll never Forget, I benched 455 in college. I benched 135 twice when I got cleared to lift, and it was like this. And you're like, holy cow. But that's when my mindset of this started with, every day counts. Because I'm like, okay, you can't do what you used to do, so let's make some goals today. What are you going to do today? I'll never forget, I was in my neck brace and I biked. I would bike in my neck brace to the five miles to the local community center in Ohio. And I was like, because it was a goal. Like, I got to get up, I got to move. I got to go. I got to do. Like, just because I'm in this neck brace doesn't mean I'm going to stop. And, you know, that's when I started to goal set. They look different. My goals looked a lot different, and they were small. But I had to make those goals. I had to create a scoreboard. Men need a scoreboard. Like, I need a scoreboard of. Because when I have a scoreboard, I'm winning or I'm losing. And I think we all need that in life. And I think the older we get, the less we do of that. Like, I need to have those in a day. Like, I'm Going to pursue this. I'm going to chase this. And we talk about in the book and, like, how ways to create a scoreboard. Like, so you're not. Because I think so many people, you know, how do you climb a mountain one step at a time, right? You're going to the mountain one step at a time. I think so many people get to the top and they're like, dang, bro, I meant to climb that one, right? Like, so we've got to make sure that we intentionally take those steps. And I think when I slowed down and I couldn't do what I wanted to do, what I was used to doing, it was like, okay, how are you going to rewire this? How are you going to be different? How are you going to take these?

[Sage Steele]

You are forced to slow down.

[David Pollock]

Correct.

[Sage Steele]

Forced to stop for the first time

[David Pollock]

in your life, first time ever. And, you know, look, this is me now. So I was way worse then. Like, I was all over the place. Add and, you know, that was. That was the coolest part about my faith because I had a very transactional relationship with God. When I had time, I'd pray, which meant in the morning and before a meal, I might holler at him, like, occasionally. And then when you're still and there's nothing going on, like, people talk about all the time, I have so many friends, like, hey, I don't hear from God. And I was like, well, are you getting still? I was like, in any relationship, it requires. I was like, if you have a girlfriend and you talk to them when you want, when you. Only when you feel like it, you won't have a girlfriend very long. Like God. God wants your. God wants you to communicate with him, and he wants to have a relationship with you. And if you'll initiate that and you'll set some rhythms in your life and some cadences, you'll hear from God more. And I started to hear from God more, and he started to direct my steps more and gave me a piece and gave me some next steps that I never thought I would take.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

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[Sage Steele]

that you would never walk again?

[David Pollock]

No. No, there wasn't a chance with that. Thank goodness we never, we didn't know all the function in my arms would be. Would be there. But no, thank goodness my legs were good.

[Sage Steele]

What prayers did you say when you had that halo on? And every. Those screws in your head,

[David Pollock]

they really weren't, they weren't different than normal, you know, too much than normal, you know, I think you, I. It's amazing because. And that's what I love about hard. That's what I love about adversity. That's what I love about fighting. Something that's really difficult to do is when you're in it now, you're like, okay, how do I do this? How do I get out? And I think that's fun. As you get older, if you'll look at it as fun and you'll look at it as, like, these are the next steps, like, God is for us. And all of your stuff that you've dealt with, like, God is for me. He's not against me. God wants me to prosper and be successful. So if we'll look at things like, okay, this is a step. It ain't fun, but, like, this is a necessary step to get me to where I need to go. And so I think you're always like, okay, God, what are the. What are the steps you want me to be? Where do you want me to go? What do you want me to do? And a lot of my prayers now is like, God, anytime, anywhere, any place. And I say that boldly, like, but where do you want me? Where do you need me? Like, where can I plug in to go make a difference? But it was. I had a lot more time to. The Bible says, be still and know that I am God. I had a lot more time to be still, and I made a lot more space for God. And it was, man, it was so good. Like, it was so good. And those are.

[Sage Steele]

Was it good in that moment when you, when you got the news about the seriousness that if you continued to play, the risk for you was extremely high of next time. It isn't quite as good, I think.

[David Pollock]

I think I immediately, when anything happens, good or bad, I immediately shut my brain off. Like, I don't, I don't overreact to the good. I don't overreact to the bad. I don't even view them differently. Like, I really don't. So it's not an option. It's just. It's not there. So I don't, I guess you, I just don't. You don't, you don't think about. I don't think about, like, what could have been. I mean, I talk, I'll talk about it and I'll say it, but like, I don't, I don't ever waste energy going, man, it could have been this or, man.

[Sage Steele]

So there was no morning process when football ended so abruptly. Coming out of being a four year old kid and proving everybody wrong at every level when they're like, yeah, right, kid. And then my dream is NFL. And they laughed at you then. And then you end up being a first round draft pick. You're all, everything. Wait, what was the stat? Second only to Herschel Walker.

[David Pollock]

Three time all American, Georgia.

[Sage Steele]

Three time all American at Georgia, Herschel Walker and David Pollock. Like, you rewrote those record books and then you got to the league as a first round pick and you're. And then it's just gone.

[David Pollock]

But how cool was it that I did it?

[Sage Steele]

So did it take you a minute to get to that?

[David Pollock]

No, I mean, that just doesn't.

[Sage Steele]

That, that seems crazy and it's awesome.

[David Pollock]

I know what you're saying. Like, I. Yeah, I mean, I think it was, I mean, I was just like, man, that was cool. I got to do that. I remember saying this and I said this at every turn. I remember, like, I remember telling my baby. I was like, baby, like, I can't imagine what God has next. Like, we got to go to the NFL, first 17th pick in the draft. Like, and it's got. If God's taking this, I can't believe, I can't even fathom what's going to be next.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

And I think that's the same thing with firing. I'm like, dude, if this is over, like, what's next? I bet I know. I don't know what it's going to be, but I know it's going to be awesome. Like, so, you know, it's. I think we can, we can get stuck and we can look at outcomes and we can look at, oh, man, if I lose this. But like, but I'm losing this for a reason.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

And there's always something that good that comes out of it. It's not always the most fun to struggle through sometimes. But I think we don't know best.

[Sage Steele]

We don't.

[David Pollock]

And so if we don't, if we trust that and we understand that, I think it helps just like think about what if we took divorce off the table in this country, not an option. Like, not an option. There. There are reasons for divorce. You know that. Like, there are. There are reasons. But, like, what if marriages said, we're just gonna fight?

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

Like, we're gonna make this work. What if. What if people did that across the country? Like, I'm gonna make this job work. I'm not gonna quit. Like, I'm gonna make this friendship work. I'm not gonna quit. Like, what we could get accomplished would be amazing, but I think that we get caught up in what we're supposed to have or what we deserve. And I remember my wife saying that. My wife said, I can't believe Odell, who was our second round pick for the Bengals, he throws it away, like, smoking weed and doing drugs. And he was like, and you got it taken away. And I was like, it's kind of. It's kind of the same thing with me is like, people say all the time, why do bad things happen to good people? And I'm like, there's not good people. Like, I'm just as flawed as Odell.

[Sage Steele]

Absolutely.

[David Pollock]

Like, I'm just as messed up. And I'm doing.

[Sage Steele]

Who are we to judge who's good and who's not?

[David Pollock]

Like, the degrees of good? Like, we're all jacked up. Like, we were born jacked up with all of our things. And so I think we just, you know, you just take them in stride, whatever that is.

[Sage Steele]

I know how important it is to you and has been from day one, it feels like to be a man, to be a husband, to take care of Lindsay, and all of a sudden you couldn't. She had to take care of you.

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

In every way.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. That's not fun.

[Sage Steele]

What was that like?

[David Pollock]

You know, you're in a halo. And she's having to clean my sights, you know, like, and she's having to do everything for me. It's. It's. It's kind of emasculating. Right? Like, you're. I can do this, I can do that. I don't need help. Lindsey's a natural nurturer, and she always has been since we started dating when she was seven, because we've known each other. She's the only girlfriend I've ever had. Like, literally. So it's. We've been together for so long, it's crazy. So it definitely was. It definitely was interesting. It was probably more interesting for her because you're like, you know, I married a big, strong first round draft pick linebacker, NFL player that. Nope. Like, now he's none of that. And so, you know, that's kind of strange, but it was, it was very. It was very humbling because you're like, man, boy, did I pick a good one. Like, to watch her. You know, it's not about me, it's about you. And to come in and serve and be my nurse and do all the things that was like, man, this is pretty dang dope. Like, I picked it up. I did a good job of picking that one, that's for sure.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah. Do you think that changed your relationship at all, that kind of role reversal?

[David Pollock]

100%. I think having. Having something hard young, the first year of our marriage, like, it was. It was very, very good for our marriage. Like, we probably wouldn't have survived some of the other stuff we survived later on if we didn't have a challenge at a young. And we were completely oblivious. Like, youth is beautiful, isn't it? Like, when you're naive and you have no clue what's going on and you just like, all right, this is the normal. Like, let's just rock and roll. Let's just go with it. Yeah. And so I think it was, you know, it definitely, you know, we. We got away in Ohio too, which I think was good. Like, to leave and cleave and get. And get away from family for like, a good distance away where they can't just pop in. And then we kind of built our own identity and then it changed and morphed. And that's. That's one thing about a marriage that I'll say people, People tell people all the time, go read the five love languages now. Go now. Go be a good spouse. Completely agree. I'd say read it again in five years. I married a 19 year old. Like, she's a woman now. Like, after babies. She's a totally different woman now. So the fact, if I'm still pouring into her love language that she was when she was 15, 16, 17, 18, like, I'm. I'm missing the mark here. Like, I need to figure out and grow with her. And so we definitely have grown together and doing that at a young age, really, it set our marriage out on the right path, I think, to be able to handle whatever was coming next.

[Sage Steele]

19, and you were like 22. You were babies. Oh, my goodness.

[David Pollock]

But we had it figured out. I mean, at least we had it all figured out. Sage, just ask us.

[Sage Steele]

You wait. I mean, at least you wait till she was legal.

[David Pollock]

Yes.

[Sage Steele]

Barely.

[David Pollock]

Barely.

[Sage Steele]

But is it true that you went to Georgia and did not go to Florida or Ohio State to be close to Lindsay.

[David Pollock]

100%.

[Sage Steele]

Like, that was the deciding factor.

[David Pollock]

Yes. I tell Georgia fans all the time it was Lindsay Pollock. You need to think. Like, it was proximity. I drove to Florida, where they had it cooking with Steve Spurrier, and I went on my official visit. I'm like, this is five and a half hours away from my baby doll. Like, absolutely not. Like, I flew to Ohio, and I was like, mama, what's the white stuff on the ground? And she was like, that's snow. I'm like, we can leave now. Like, I'm out. And God has a sense of humor. Get drafted by the Bengals, by the way. Back to that white snow.

[Sage Steele]

Right back to Holy cow.

[David Pollock]

But I was literally like, now I'm out. Oh, yeah. Like, she. I knew I wanted to be close to her, and she was. She had two more years of high school, so. Because she was so much younger. So I went to two proms, like, as a Georgia football player. I came back to go to prom. So, yeah, that was the number one recruiting tool Georgia had.

[Sage Steele]

How did you know at such a young age that she was the one?

[David Pollock]

Man? It's kind of like with my salvation. Like, I met her before I got saved, and I just didn't know what it was like to love, you know, I didn't know. I didn't know what it felt like to watch someone or be around someone that you could care so much about. And then, you know, she was just perfect for me because of. She's chilling. She's so organized. Like, she's so detailed, so driven. In school, not in sports.

[Sage Steele]

This is just like you.

[David Pollock]

Just like me in every way, shape, or form. She was skinny. I was fat. And if you look at some of those pictures. I need to get you some of those pictures.

[Sage Steele]

You were chunky, bro.

[David Pollock]

I was holding weight for the winner, and she was tiny. When we got married, my. My quad we measured was bigger than her waist.

[Sage Steele]

Shut up.

[David Pollock]

My quad, like, that's how small she was. But, like, I don't.

[Sage Steele]

All muscle. Of course.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. All muscle. But, like, she. I mean, she just. She just had a presence about her that was different and a field about her that was different and an attitude that was different. And I'll credit her a lot of times, too, with. I don't know that I would have been ready to accept my faith when I did if I didn't have someone who softened my heart, like, because I was just the person that I didn't care about girls that much. I wasn't gay. I'm just saying. I Didn't care about girls. Like, I carried a football around tucked like this everywhere I went. Like, that was my love. And then Lindsey came in the picture and was like, oof. What is that warm, chewy center feeling like? Right. What is that warm feeling in here? So it just kind of. It changed everything about, like, the way I operated. And it was like, oh, this is. This is awesome. Like, this is cool. This is unique. Why do I feel this way? And I knew. I mean, I 100% knew at 17. I knew it. I gave her a promise ring when she was 15.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, my gosh. So you go to college and your boys, I imagine, are giving you a little bit of a hard time. Like, what? There's a high school girl back home. You are the stud player at the University of Georgia. Go Dogs. And you could. I mean, they're lined up. What was it? I mean, that's just unique. We all know guys are guys, especially at that age.

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

That made you say, oh, no, I am not even going to pay attention to any of these options.

[David Pollock]

None of them.

[Sage Steele]

It's just, it's rare.

[David Pollock]

They weren't, baby doll. I mean, it was easy. But I tell people this all the time. And this is. It's a weird saying, but make decisions before you make choices. I made the decision I was going to be a virgin until I was married. I made the decision I was going to not drink alcohol. So when the moment comes when it's kind of difficult and something weird comes up, that choice is easy because the decision's been made. This is who I am. This is what I am. But. But here's the thing that was cool. When I got to Georgia, I was a weirdo. Like, what's this, like 15 year old girlfriend back home like? You're alcohol. Hey, drink. Every time I went out, it was like, hey, drink, drink. Because everybody drinks, right?

[Sage Steele]

Sure.

[David Pollock]

And the cool evolution of it, like, versus respected later on, the cool evolution of that was like, I remember girls would come up when I did become an all American and all that stuff, and my buddies would be like, he has a girlfriend. And as in the past, it had been like, hey, you know, jump on this or alcohol. Somebody would try to buy me a drink and they're like, no, no, he doesn't drink. I'll take it, but he doesn't drink. You know, but like, it was fun to watch them because they started to take pride in who I was.

[Sage Steele]

That is cool.

[David Pollock]

It is all I tell people all the time. It's really hard to say no. The first time. But once you say no, it gets easier. The next time is a little bit easier. The next time's a little bit easier. And. But if you really say, like, this is who I am. This is what I stand for, and I tell my kids that all the time. Like, what are your non negotiables, man? Like, what are those things that, you know, that you really want to do? Talked to my son about now that he has a relationship and he wants to do the same thing? He's like, I want to be. And I'll never forget, I'm talking about kissing. And I probably shouldn't talk about this because he was 17 years old when we're having this conversation. This was like six months ago. Shouldn't share this. Don't care. My wife says I'm an oversharer. I was like, buddy, like, have you ever kissed a girl? He's like, no. He was like. He goes, this French kiss thing's weird. And I was like, it's not. It's fantastic. And he was like, well, it just seems. I said. I said, I get it. I said, but I said, and that's good. He goes. He goes, why would I start that if I don't want to have sex? Like, why would I even start something? I'm like, well, you're 17, bro. Like, that's great way to think about it. Like, but. But I was like, you can't score from first base. Like, so stay. Stay on first base. But having those conversations with him has been awesome. You know, just talking about, like, how do we stay pure? If that's a goal, if that's a decision you've made, like, let's take out the temptation. Let's take out the opportunities. Like, back to the bedroom with keeping the door open or not being in a bedroom. Yeah, but. But I. I had. I had firm convictions. And, you know, just like, with the alcohol, like, I. I still to this day, I ain't seen one person that gets better with alcohol.

[Sage Steele]

It's true.

[David Pollock]

Like, I just don't. I. I watch it. And I have buddies that I've talked to many times, and I'll tell them, I'll be like, hey, man, like, I just. I don't enjoy being around you that much. Like, because something else has a hold of you and it ain't you. And it kind of. It kind of bothers me, but it's, you know, if you can. If you can do that, who am I? What do I want to be? And then those are. Those are standard and those are cut Out. And those are in stone. Like, those are in stone. So then when I get to some of these temptations, like, I kind of got my answers.

[Sage Steele]

What about that conversation with your daughter? From a dad's perspective, I think it's.

[David Pollock]

My daughter hasn't had any opportunities yet. It's not by lack of effort on her end. She definitely wants a boyfriend, but it's the same thing. It's. It's. It's showing her and telling her, like, it's okay to be different, right? Like, because we want to be in this world, but we don't want to be of this world. And I love talking to her about it because she's like, hey, you know, I was like, what are we looking for? And I think with your kids, if you'll ask questions, it does a good job. But, like, just like with my daughter and my son always growing up, I'm like, hey, instead of telling them who to hang out with, I'd be like, who's your wisest friend? Who's that friend? Like, you know that they're going to give you good advice no matter what. Who's your happiest friend? Who's your grumpiest friend? Right? And I'm not telling them what they are, but they're seeing it. Like, they're going to think about it now and be like, all right, so what do you want to be? You know, how do you want to be as a friend? Like, do you want to be a friend that does this, that, and the other? But my daughter's like, yeah, I'm not dating anybody that's not a Christian. They're not a believer. And I'm like, because. Because we've told them. We told them a lot. Like, listen, marriages are hard. It's the hardest thing you'll ever do. Regardless, if you don't have faith, it's going to be next to impossible. Like, if you both don't have your own faith and your own things and. But that's that. I love that part of parenting. Like, that part of parenting is really, really fun. And I bet as you get old, I bet yours are even more fun. Like, because you're friends now, right? Like, you're just. We ain't friends all the time.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah, we're getting there. Because Quinn will be. Hopefully she'll come over. Actually, you should text her. You should have her. 06. I want her to meet me.

[David Pollock]

He's already way ahead of you.

[Sage Steele]

He always is. Trust me, I know that.

[David Pollock]

Does the hubby's sitting over there? Yeah, he's way ahead.

[Sage Steele]

I love him. Yeah, well, Quinn likes him more than me, so it's all good. But she's almost 24. She'll be 24 in May. And yes, we are friends. And it is the most beautiful thing. Now, are there still moments where I'm like, what? I'll slap you. And she knows. She actually said it recently. Dave heard it. She's like, I was always, you know, a healthy fear of dad. She's like, but I was scared of you. And I'm like, good, good, good. And listen, there needs to be one. And there were a couple of times.

[David Pollock]

I think that's important, what you just said.

[Sage Steele]

Absolutely. And yeah, you balance each other out. But at the end of the day, there is such thing as healthy fear. I actually had that with both my parents. And there are a couple times where that shirt. Yes, absolutely. And you know what she said to me recently? She's like, actually, same conversation how she was scared of me, but we were all. Always had a good relationship. She goes, and you know what? You were so tough on me. It made me so mad. She's like, and I'm going to be even tougher. So when we as parents, like, oh, my gosh. And am I being mean? Because the other kids are doing this and you're the mean parent and then you're not. They're not going to have friends if you don't give them this or a phone. And you didn't give your kids a phone. You gave Nicholas that flip phone when he was going to practice. Right. I mean, go with your gut. Because they want the structure.

[David Pollock]

They do.

[Sage Steele]

They're not going to admit here, please, you know, give me an earlier curfew. They're not going to say that. But to hear this later, I'm like, let me just share this with the world. Yeah. And there's a lot of things I failed at to and still do. So 24. Nicholas just turned 22. My Nicholas, we used to. She has her Nicholas. And he's 6, 4, about 210.

[David Pollock]

Ooh, mine's 6, 3, 2, 25.

[Sage Steele]

Well, Nicholas is graduating from High Point in a couple of weeks.

[David Pollock]

How about that?

[Sage Steele]

And just like that, it's done. And that kid. Oh, he's got my heart. Anyway. And then Evan, my daughter, my youngest daughter, just turned 20 yesterday. This is. We're taping this on April 14th. Yesterday she turned 20. And then about two hours ago, she called me crying from the side of the road because she got pulled over for speeding. So how fast was she going only 10 over. I'm like, she's at Ole Miss. Like, back roads. It was like, listen, I'm going with.

[David Pollock]

He knocked it down to 10 over. D. I don't think. I don't think he got. I don't think she got a ticket for going 10 over. Did you ask that question? No, I will. I will bet whatever you want to bet.

[Sage Steele]

Flowers for our show.

[David Pollock]

I will. I will bet whatever you want to bet. And they knock that down. Let me tell you something. I'm not judging. I'm the world's worst driver.

[Sage Steele]

I believe it.

[David Pollock]

Oh, I love driving fast. It is. You know. You want to know where I failed as a parent the most? That.

[Sage Steele]

Because your actions behind the wheel did not support.

[David Pollock]

Correct what you were saying. And then my son drives like a bat out of heck, and you're like, fudge sickle. That's me. And. And then you know what I told. Yeah. I told him the other day. I said, buddy, I said, leah's starting to drive now. She's 15, and he takes her to school every day. I said, I need you to do me a favor. He said, what? I said, I need you to make up a wrong that I made. He's like, what do you mean? I said, buddy, I did not teach you how to drive correctly. I've done a lot of things right, but you drive way too fast. And I said, for her sake, when she gets in a car so she doesn't die and she drives safely, I said, I need you to slow down. He was like, I got you. And so that was a good way.

[Sage Steele]

That was a great way. Instead of just don't do it.

[David Pollock]

Well, I mean, because he's a protective big brother. Oh, he's. Yeah, that's. That's the coolest thing about my daughter. She said. She was like, is it weird? But I want a boy like Nicholas. And I'm like, that's a great thing. I said, don't say it to other people.

[Sage Steele]

My daughter say that, too.

[David Pollock]

I said, don't say it to other people out loud because it sounds kind of weird. We got like, move to Alabama.

[Sage Steele]

I want to date my brother.

[David Pollock]

Wow.

[Sage Steele]

Roll Tide.

[David Pollock]

But like, yeah, that's. That's. That's. That's a cool part. But that. I love that. That's cool that your kids are saying that.

[Sage Steele]

It gets there. But it is definitely the hardest thing and to understand that each kid, even though they come from the same two parents, the same morals and values and respect and all those things. Oh, my gosh. Especially boys Versus girls. But even if you got. I have a girl. You mean aliens versus true. It is true. Girls are aliens.

[David Pollock]

Yes, girls.

[Sage Steele]

100%.

[David Pollock]

What's wrong with y'? All?

[Sage Steele]

I wasn't. But everybody else. No, I. You couldn't. Stop with your eyes. Stop being dramatic. Honestly, I was. So my parents have said this to Dave. I. And my younger brother's in the house. Bring him over. I was so annoyed. Okay, just don't. Just let me finish my sentence before you interrupt me. I can feel it.

[David Pollock]

No judgment.

[Sage Steele]

I can feel it. I was so annoyingly good. Yeah. Goody two shoes. Like, the goal of being perfect. So annoying. Like, so annoying. So my brother's 4.0.

[David Pollock]

No.

[Sage Steele]

A little bit of a struggle there. But I tried. I showed up every day.

[David Pollock]

So you were just stupid.

[Sage Steele]

I was there. I thought I was. I still do sometimes. Thanks a lot. I realized my strengths, and it was.

[David Pollock]

It wasn't school.

[Sage Steele]

I was good. I had two. I had a three. Three would ever go into college? It was fine.

[David Pollock]

Well, where does your dad go to school?

[Sage Steele]

Why are you doing this?

[David Pollock]

Because there's a reason.

[Sage Steele]

Thank goodness he. I had smart parents. He went to West Point.

[David Pollock]

West Point. So I bet he put. I bet he pointed a couple times. And you did what you were supposed to do and straightened up. I mean, anytime.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, there was saluting. There were push ups. Every time I speak, I tell the story because it always ties into the point, which is the harder. Right? Et cetera. Every Saturday morning, we had a room inspection, just like when he was at west point. And at 0900 hours, he would knock on the door twice, just like when he was at West Point. And of course, you open the door and you're at attention, and. And he looks.

[David Pollock]

Wait a minute. Like, saluted or not.

[Sage Steele]

Okay, pop it up. You got to do it the right way. We're not in the Navy.

[David Pollock]

So what? Age?

[Sage Steele]

Yeah, I do. Oh, since I can remember. Probably starting at six. I was six. Chad was four. Courtney wasn't alive yet.

[David Pollock]

So what did you have to get done? Like, what did you have to.

[Sage Steele]

The room had to be spick and span. Perfection. And so when he. When you open the door, you have to salute him, and he says, are you prepared for inspection? And we said, yes, sir. Because you can't say, no, sir. It's yes, sir, even if you were not ready. And then, papa down. He walks through, and he marched through, and he would open your drawers. How's that? Underwear folded. Obviously. The corners of the bed had to look a certain way if you tried to shove something under the bed or in the closet. Infraction. Every infraction was 10 pushups.

[David Pollock]

What's the most you ever had to do?

[Sage Steele]

A lot. Okay, Paul, like, but I always say this, too.

[David Pollock]

That's crazy.

[Sage Steele]

My arms have always been, I've always had good definition because I had to do a lot of push ups when I was a kid. And it was the right push up.

[David Pollock]

You're not on your full range of motion. Full.

[Sage Steele]

And your head has to be in the, like, all of it. Listen, as a girl, it gets easier after a while. Unless you're me. And it never gets easier. But for some girls. Listen, hey, it hit Dad. I can't go down any further. For me, it was.

[David Pollock]

You were good.

[Sage Steele]

Sadly, this I.

[David Pollock]

Did you do that with your kiddos when they were younger?

[Sage Steele]

I did. It wasn't quite as effective, but it

[David Pollock]

wasn't dad walking in there like this.

[Sage Steele]

No, but whenever my. And you met my dad, whenever, Whenever my dad and mom would visit, he would do it. The cool thing was, it wasn't like it was serious, but it wasn't. It was about teaching your kids to respect what they have. And we didn't have much. For army kids, there's no. But respect what you have and respect the fact that they were working hard to provide those things and that roof over your head. And then it was a competition because I'm going to beat my brother and he's going to beat me. So who did fewer push ups? That's who wins. So I, I, I wish I had implemented it more, you know, and, you know, a lot of that depends on a lot of things in the household.

[David Pollock]

Correct. Being on board with it.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah, everybody being on board. But it was really. And it is, it's still the hardest job ever, David. Oh, my God. Even though they're 24, 22, 20. And then, you know, I'm like, wait a minute. You know, I'm not that far away from being a grandma. And I'm like, oh, no, no, no, not yet.

[David Pollock]

What's your grandma name going to be? I know you thought about it.

[Sage Steele]

I stayed laughing.

[David Pollock]

Her husband's absolutely cackling in the background.

[Sage Steele]

I actually haven't thought about that.

[David Pollock]

No Meemaw.

[Sage Steele]

There will be no Meemaw.

[David Pollock]

No Meemaw.

[Sage Steele]

There will be. I am not from Georgia. There's no Meemaw.

[David Pollock]

Meemaw is kind of dope, though.

[Sage Steele]

No, it's not.

[David Pollock]

I mean, see, I'm closer to grandbabies than I am babies 15 and 17. Like, I'm closer.

[Sage Steele]

Yes, I'm right there. Wait, why are you laughing about the name? I can't imagine what it's going to be. What are you going to be called?

[David Pollock]

Pops or something? I'm going with Big Daddy.

[Sage Steele]

For you or for him?

[David Pollock]

I want to be Big Daddy. I mean, you go Big Daddy, too. He's a big sucker.

[Sage Steele]

You want to be you. I could see you being Big Dad. So my dad, as a grandpa to my kids. Colonel. Colonel and grandmother. Now, it was because they're. I know. Grandmother. Because my.

[David Pollock]

I know you ain't gonna be no grandmother. No, no.

[Sage Steele]

I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be something cool. Let me think about that and get back to you. It needs to be cool.

[David Pollock]

I just like to point out that she got stumped.

[Sage Steele]

I did. That doesn't happen often.

[David Pollock]

I haven't got stumped. Just saying.

[Sage Steele]

Not happen very often. Okay. What Big Daddy is this? Are you just coming to this right now? Have you talked to Lindsay about this?

[David Pollock]

Do I need to clear that with her, too?

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

Clear everything else.

[Sage Steele]

Yes. Big Daddy.

[David Pollock]

I like Big Daddy.

[Sage Steele]

What would she be?

[David Pollock]

I don't know. She's lp. She's Lindsay. So I don't know if she wants to incorporate that. Like, Lolly. I don't know.

[Sage Steele]

And you know what?

[David Pollock]

It ain't gonna be Big Mama. It ain't gonna be that. Well, it would be Big Mama.

[Sage Steele]

It would. Don't ever. I don't care.

[David Pollock]

Go, Big Mama. What you gonna do?

[Sage Steele]

You're such a country boy. Okay, serious. This is not about me. I'm thinking about Lindsay, like, nursing you back to health. I'm thinking about that time 20 years ago. And then you talk about how all that prepares you for what's to come. And your baby girl was diagnosed with cancer and what year?

[David Pollock]

A year and a half ago. So.

[Sage Steele]

So 20. 20. Late 24.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, right. I'm not math. I'm not good at math.

[Sage Steele]

I know this. Let me help you.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, yeah. It was. It's interesting because the way it happened. So we had a biopsy so that we had our first surgery, and they go in, they take it out, and they. They, like, literally eight weeks went by, and they go in and just biopsy, not take it out.

[Sage Steele]

And this is. This is brain.

[David Pollock]

Six months before. Yeah, yeah, brain. And so they go in, and then they say, hey, nothing yet. Nothing yet. And then the more time that went by, they're like, well, the more time that goes by, they're eliminating things. Things. And so I remember, like, she finally said, like, eight weeks later, we're going to the doctor. And I was busy doing something, and she was like, don't even worry about it. She's like, don't even come. Like, we're. We're good.

[Sage Steele]

Are you serious?

[David Pollock]

She was like, we're. We're already past all the stuff. Like, we've already made it past the stuff. And then she calls me, and she wasn't crying because she ain't cried once. She has not shed a tear once or been upset. But she calls me, and she was like, hey, I got some news. And I was like, okay. I was like, well, you know, let's do what we thought it was, right? And she was like, no, it's cancer. And I was like, excuse me. I was like, I thought we said. I thought they said we were good. And she's like, no, she said, it's cancerous. And so then we set the appointment and kind of you start down the road, like, what's the next steps? But how about this? Like, we're not even a week in the diagnosis. We're driving down the road. And she goes. She goes, I think God gave me this for a reason. And I was like, what do you mean? She's like, I know this would crush a lot of my friends. And she was like, I can handle this. And I was like, okay. I mean, that's a good start, like, if you start from that place. But, yeah, we didn't think. We didn't think cancer. We thought we were going to be okay. We thought, we're going to be good. And the way we found it was cool, too, because she had. She had these ear pains, and she went to her chiropractor. So usually you find. You find tumors when it's seizures and headaches. And so we found it in, like, 2020 when she had ear pain, but it was. They just called it a mass. And so she got the checkups every couple months, and then it went out to six months, and then it went out to a year. And the last one on the. On the last one where we did the year, they said, oh, wait a minute. It grew a little bit. And so that's when we got the biopsy and found out about that.

[Narrator/Advertiser]

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[Sage Steele]

You hear the words brain cancer. I mean, you can have a lot of different cancers, but brain cancer. Like, when I found out, I mean, I. I lost my breath. I thought, what did you think?

[David Pollock]

I didn't know what to think. So, like, I don't jump to worst case scenario, but I was like, crap. And I. And I almost. Now I'm like, what does that mean? You know, like, what's our next step? And it was almost like, okay, what's the next step? What do you need to find out? Like, because there's so many types of cancer and there's so many people that have had it in different areas. And so I'm like, how do we diagnose this? And what do we find out? And you know what? A. By the grace of God. I became friends with Rhys Davis, who knew Jay, who got us to Duke, Jay Bilis, who got us to Duke. And then it kind of just. You kind of just go into marching. Marching orders, right? Like, it's. It's kind of like, let's clean the room, right? Let's do what we can. Let's do what we can do. Let's control what we can control. We don't know anything yet, so there's no need to flip out. And we just took it kind of step by step in that capacity.

[Sage Steele]

And then was surgery imminent from the beginning?

[David Pollock]

No. She wanted. She wanted not to have surgery so bad. I mean, we. We. So we talked to the oncologist, and we talked to them, and they're like, all right, you need to get this out. And the guy from Duke, and he said, I'll never forget, I was on the phone with him. He was like, hey, man, if you don't get this out, she's going to die a lot faster than you want her to. And I was like, okay. And that immediately he was like, you need to get out of Georgia. You need to come here, and you need to get this out. And then she was trying to find every way you could. She could not to have the surgery. I mean, she had a craniotomy. Like, she got cut from here to here, like, ear to ear. And so she didn't want to do it. But, like, everything that. All everybody said was like, listen, you got to get it out. You got to start from ground zero, you know, you got to get the tumor out. So we can. We can start way back, way before it grows back or whatever could happen. So, no, we didn't want to have surgery. And baby doll did everything she could to fight it. Like, she was like, wait a minute, can I just take the pill? And they're like, yeah, after you do this. And. And I get it. I 100 get why she didn't want

[Sage Steele]

to, but that's scary.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, it was. It was imminent, though.

[Sage Steele]

You posted the most incredible video. I don't know how long after surgery it was, but her head is of course, all bandaged and she's praising God. She's. It's her song.

[David Pollock]

Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

Right.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. I'm gonna cry at some point anyways, but this kind of does. Like, how often do you really get to. So this is 30 minutes, within 30 minutes of her being back in the room. And she said she was like. So it was a seven hour surgery. And for context, she didn't open her eyes for another 12 hours or so. She couldn't use her left arm for a solid couple days. But her song is Goodness of God. And that's. That's the whole song in our whole anthem we played. And she told me to play it when she got a surgery. And so I play it and the videos on socials and it was. I don't post personal things. I don't post pictures of my family. I just don't do it. And literally she's laying in the bed with the bandage and. And her left arm goes up somehow and her right arm goes up. But how often do you get to see inside someone's soul with everything stripped down and removed? Because that's what it was. Like, there was no. There was nothing going on. But, like, that's what her soul did was praise. And that was. I'm like, dude, I have to share that. Like, I have to put that on social media. And it wasn't to look at her. It was like, look at the praise. Like, this is where her heart is and like, this is why she's gonna be okay. Yeah, it was. I love that video so much. Like, I just. Every time I watch it.

[Sage Steele]

Have you read the comments?

[David Pollock]

I read some of them. I'm not a. I know you don't. I don't always think about it to read it, but I did read a lot of them underneath it just because I. Because I wanted them to see God.

[Sage Steele]

That's my point.

[David Pollock]

That's what I wanted them to see.

[Sage Steele]

People saw God. People played that over and over and it was so like, you're not Human. If you're not moved by that video. So I hope you did go back, read some of those comments, because that is one of the few beauties of social media is when you share things like that, it can change lives. It can bring someone to God potentially.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. Oh, no doubt.

[Sage Steele]

So I thank you for doing that.

[David Pollock]

It was awesome. It was cool. I didn't do it. He did it. But thank you.

[Sage Steele]

And her attitude through rehabilitation seems to have been great. Like, every time I checked in with you, you're like, oh, she's making progress. Yeah, she's rolling.

[David Pollock]

She did great. We had some scary moments. I mean, we had some moments that I haven't shared that we, like, we haven't talked about, like, and didn't even talk about in the book. But, like, you know, you go from, we had surgery, and then we're at Duke in a house and Duke for about five days, which, by the way, they gave her to me, like, two days after surgery, and they gave me all these medications and stuff, and they're like, here you go. I'm like, bro, I'm not trusted. You what? Like, and I. I was going to wake her up every two minutes, like, to give her pills and stuff. I finally got some help from some of my friends, like, put her on a schedule every six hours, like, to do the medicine and stuff. But we were walking in the house, and she was. She was so drugged because she doesn't drink alcohol. She's got so many things she doesn't do, like, so she was hammered for weeks. And, like, we're walking in the house. I'm like, no, no, no. I just picked her up and carried her in. I'm like, we ain't doing that crap. Like, and then she. She was nauseous for months and threw up everything she ate. You know, one. One night we. One night we took a bath. This was probably three or four weeks after surgery. And I go. And I sat on the floor right Now, I didn't give her much freedom. There wasn't a lot of freedom. And so she took a bath in the middle night because she couldn't sleep. So it was like 12 in the morning. 12 or 1. And then I, you know, I come over and get her out, and she stands up and she passes out.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, my gosh.

[David Pollock]

In the bathtub. And I catch her. Well, I'm holding her, but I'm squeezing her. And I can hear. She can't. You know, she can't breathe because I'm squeezing it, but she's passed out. So I Can't let her down. I ain't letting her hit her head on porcelain side. After we just had brain surgery. So I kind of turn and I'm holding her, and I get my phone and I call 91 1. The paramedics come, and, like, that was. That was a night that was scary. And then she starts working her way back to doing stuff, and then she's in the kitchen and destined on spring break, you know, a couple of months later, and, you know, she passes out and hits her head on the cabinet. And thank God it was a cabinet, not like the cornerstone. So. Countertop. Yeah, that's what I meant to say. So, like, we had some. We had some hard. We had some difficult. But, like, it's. It's amazing to watch. You know, the neck was me. The job was me. And it's amazing because your first response is, you just want to take it. And that was hard. That was probably the hardest part, because I'm like, I can't fix it. I can't make it go away. I can't even make it better. And so I wrestled with God a little bit. And I remember what happens. Like, you dislocate a hip, you break a back. Like, it's not going to help, but you start. You start finding ways to. You know, I had scripture everywhere. I have quotes everywhere. Like, the sticky notes on the mirror. And. But, man, she. She's fought like a champ. The kids have had to help, which is awesome. They've had to. They've had to really, you know, jump in and swing and help and. But I think the coolest part about it, my kids have always looked at me as a superhero. Like, played football, does tv. Nothing he can't do. And I think the cool part is now they look at their mom as a superhero, because mom got to handle something that was really hard. And never complained, never said boo. Like, never cried, never said, why me? Like, she hadn't said. She has not shed one tear. Like, she just keeps moving forward. And I think to give them that example at 17 and 15, 16 and 14, you know, it's been. It's been powerful. And she's. She's motivated a lot of people, and her ministry started now, and she's walked three people through craniotomies that she's met through random people, and nothing wasted. Nothing wasted. Like, God doesn't say, whoops, he didn't go. And that one really caught me off guard, like, right, Like. But I think the. The letting go and letting God and realizing, like, hey, she's God's before she's mine.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

And that's. That was a hard part for me because you just immediately.

[Sage Steele]

You want to fix it.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. And want to take it. Yeah. Like, she's mine. Right. Like she's mine. Like, nobody gets to do this. And then, you know, wrong. And. And how do you deal with it?

[Sage Steele]

What's the prognosis?

[David Pollock]

Well, now it's kind of cool. And I don't say this, like, to brag, but this is kind of how baby doll is. Like, one year, we go back, and she goes. The lady goes, what do you do for good scans, for clean scans? And she said, like, really quickly, not again, not to brag. She was like, we expect clean scans. And so we had a clean scan at one year. And I tell you what, it's. The first thing you want to do is share because you're so excited and you're so happy, but, like, it's also so humbling because we don't deserve it. Like, it's not something we earned. Like, it's not something that we don't deserve healing. Like, so we're super thankful and super appreciative. And it just. I tell people all the time, I'm like, what do you argue about? Like, is it money? Who cares? Like, the small things. I was like, don't sweat it. Like, really, it's kind of cool because, you know, I've definitely learned, like, men's groups are my thing that I love to go speak to and challenge them. And I'm like, what's holding you back from having a great marriage? Like, don't let those things get in the way. And so you just feel. You feel unworthy to be where you're at. And, you know, it could be different. And, you know. And, you know, with cancer, it's. It's brutal, and it can come back at any point, but I think it helps you. It helps you really walk in the moments and be so grateful, like, to be here. We're very happy. We don't know what tomorrow holds. Tomorrow holds. But, like, to be a year removed and to see good progress and clean scans, it's really. It's really. It's a great, great thing. Now, the coolest part, the craziest part is she's a different person. That's what's nuts. Like, I'm married. I'm married to a different woman. Her hair is curly.

[Sage Steele]

What? Somebody talk to her.

[David Pollock]

Her hair is thick. Like, her hair is growing back. Thick and curly. Okay. When we went places, like, Bevidal doesn't do, like, hey, let's just go chill and hang. Like, it's scripted and scheduled. I'll never forget. She looked at me like a couple weeks after surgery and she was like, hey, I'm not really planning anything. I'm done with this for now. Like. And I'm like, excuse me. I was like, we've never done this. I was like, are you gonna get mad at me? She was like, no. I was like, we've never done this. Like, we went to Key west two months ago and she had. We got. We were there for three days, me and her, no plans. And I'm like, whoa.

[Sage Steele]

Wow.

[David Pollock]

I'll never forget. Less than two weeks after surgery, we're in church. Less than two weeks, and I lean over, I'm like, I'm just making sure the band's not hurting her head because we do go to those churches that play music and they got drums. It's amazing. And she's. I lean over, I'm like, hey, baby doll. I was like, how's your head? And she's like, your breast stinks.

[Sage Steele]

Oh, my gosh.

[David Pollock]

I was just. And I died laughing.

[Sage Steele]

Have you said that before?

[David Pollock]

No.

[Sage Steele]

Really?

[David Pollock]

Oh, gosh, no. Oh. And baby girl, who's 15, who I tell you is a pain in the butt, she'll be like, she'll be doing something. She'll be like, my skin, my skin. And my wife will be like, you want brain cancer? And it's like, mic drop.

[Sage Steele]

Oh.

[David Pollock]

She just says, oh, yeah, it's awesome. The biggest beneficiary has been my 15 year old daughter. I love it because she's put her in check. So many. It's like, it's hockey checks against the wall. I'm like, yes, eat that. You like that?

[Sage Steele]

Wow.

[David Pollock]

But that's, that's been the. That's been a cool blessing of it. I'm like, I'm married to a different woman. Like, it's totally different. Like her personality and some of the features and listen, there's fatigue that comes with taking, you know, a pill every day that drains your energy and. But there's goodness, like, and there's fun and there's so many laugh. So much laughter. Like, with her new personality and the way she handles things and stuff. It's just, it's the. I think it's the newness. Like, I think God protects children with their attitudes and stuff. When they go through hard things, they don't even know what's going on.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

And I think God gave us, like, some of those things. Too, where you're just like, man, this is so fun. This is so cool. Like, forget about the other stuff.

[Sage Steele]

Blessings within. Brutal. I mean, a brutal time that your. Your family went through. But look what is coming of it.

[David Pollock]

Yeah,

[Sage Steele]

you should shower more then. If she's telling you now when you smell. Because I want everybody to know. Every person that worked with him was like, oh, yes, that little brother I never wanted, or a big brother I never wanted. If only he would shower. If only he would not pass gas when he was sitting next to me in a meeting. Like, that was you. Do you. I mean, have you stopped since your wife is shutting you down now?

[David Pollock]

No, if she shut me down to the other area.

[Sage Steele]

Okay. That's. When.

[David Pollock]

Is that inappropriate? Yeah, that would.

[Sage Steele]

Those are facts.

[David Pollock]

Okay? Those are facts.

[Sage Steele]

It's the truth.

[David Pollock]

Okay, so some context. I don't put chemicals on my skin, so I don't use shampoo. I don't use deodorant. I don't use soap. I get in the cold tub every day. So, I mean, that's a shower, correct? It's a bath. Okay. I take a bath every day. There. Why are you killing my bath?

[Sage Steele]

Why? Like, I just don't want to use a washcloth in the cold tub.

[David Pollock]

No. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever smelled. Do I ever smell like bo?

[Sage Steele]

I fortunately, have not been around you that often.

[David Pollock]

I don't. I don't have the.

[Sage Steele]

I've seen tv, so I'm like, oh, he looks great.

[David Pollock]

Yes. Smell great. No. I don't have bo, so, like, you don't know. I do not. My wife would tell you especially.

[Sage Steele]

I'm sure she would. Yes, but where does that. Where does that come from? No chemicals, no soap, no shampoo. Because it's one thing to eat clean, it's another thing to not use shampoo.

[David Pollock]

I don't know, man. I stopped, like, 12 years ago probably because what's the point of putting all the stuff on your skin or your face, you know? My daughter's 15, by the way, and she gets these zits, and I'm like, just do what I do. She's like, what do you do? I said, I don't do anything. I don't put any. I don't wash my face. I don't put cream on my face.

[Sage Steele]

You're zits. You're not a teenager with zits.

[David Pollock]

And she. That's what she said. That's what she said.

[Sage Steele]

That's what she said.

[David Pollock]

But, like. Yeah, but I don't know. I've just Never. I just don't. I just stopped wanting to put chemicals or anything on my skin and I haven't since. And it's, it's a running joke for sure and everybody makes fun of me.

[Sage Steele]

But I mean, listen, you made a fart joke within four minutes of coming up here. So, I mean, you, you started it. Like, I don't go there.

[David Pollock]

You go there, sure, whatever. Somebody went there.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah. And I would be sad if you didn't. Food eating. Tell me like your, your typical day, because I, I honestly, I think it's so impressive, the discipline that you have.

[David Pollock]

I eat the same food every day because I don't have to count calories, so I don't have to worry about it because I know what I'm going to eat. I have a, A scale next to my air fryer so like I can just put my plate on top and then I can do 6 ounces of ground turkey. I know exactly what that is. Like, I know the fat, I know the protein, I know the calories. But yeah, I mean, I go grocery shopping, I have, I get shrimp, I get Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, ground turkey, one pound of ground beef. And I eat that throughout the week. And so that like. And I boil and I boil eggs. I boil, I boil dozens of eggs. And my family, bogarts, they steal my eggs. It really ticks me off, especially my daughter. But like, so that's my, that's what I eat. And then I'll have fruits and veggies with it and salad with it and stuff like that. But it's just.

[Sage Steele]

And why did you start that?

[David Pollock]

I.

[Sage Steele]

After football?

[David Pollock]

Oh God, yes. You saw the pictures. It's funny, my wife got pregnant and it says, you know, in the book it says mommy gained, you know, 30 pounds and it says daddy gained. And my wife put minus 30 because I stopped playing. So I literally, once I stopped playing, oh yeah, she was pissed cuz she was getting fat and I was getting thinner and she was like, yeah, this is not, this is not going to work. But yeah, I started, I started when I was a senior in college. But like, I'm like, listen, this directly affects the way I feel. And I don't want to be big and I want to be happy, I want to be lean and I want to take care of my body. And so the more I read, the less I eat. I mean, the more you read about

[Sage Steele]

food and chemicals and there's so much more information out there now you're like, I don't want to eat anything and

[David Pollock]

I'm on all of it. And that's why I watch all. I watch the Huberman and yeah. Rhonda and like, I know all the stuff.

[Sage Steele]

That's great.

[David Pollock]

The more I read them. That's why I sauna every day. I sauna every day to start my day for 20 minutes. Like I did. Sauna, cold tubs, sauna and cold tub.

[Sage Steele]

Cold tub workout.

[David Pollock]

20 minutes of sauna, six minutes of cold tub.

[Sage Steele]

Six. That's long.

[David Pollock]

Yes. And then right to the gym. And then I work out the house every morning. Yep.

[Sage Steele]

That's amazing. When's the last time you had a cheeseburger?

[David Pollock]

I eat cheeseburger. I ate my cheeseburger.

[Sage Steele]

That's. You're okay, yours. But bread. No, no bread.

[David Pollock]

No bread.

[Sage Steele]

When's the last time you had a dessert?

[David Pollock]

25 years.

[Sage Steele]

Seriously? Like, no, no.

[David Pollock]

I had a bet with Maria Taylor about something that I lost, and I had to take a bite out of a donut for a bet on television. I had to do that. That's. That's the only bite that killed you. Yeah, it sucked. I wanted to go to. Oh, it was heavenly. Oh, my gosh. Are you kidding me? Oh, it was so good. Here's the thing I'll say about that. Like, you never leave a suite and go, man, I feel so good. Like, I'm so glad I did that. That doesn't happen, does it?

[Sage Steele]

I do it every day. And you look like that every day. Oh, you pissed me off. No willpower. No, I have no willpower, but it's an addiction. I'm always like, hey, it could be crack. Everybody be nice to me. This is much better than the alternative.

[David Pollock]

But no, it could be crack. Wow. Talk about jumping off a cliff and making sure there's rocks at the bottom.

[Sage Steele]

Anything to rationalize.

[David Pollock]

Oh, yes, it could be crack.

[Sage Steele]

Heroin. I mean, come on, guys. Like, there are so many worse things. But I like, I.

[David Pollock]

Okay, what do you mean by eat? What do you mean? He's sweet. Like, what does that mean?

[Sage Steele]

I have dessert every night.

[David Pollock]

Like, what. What is a dessert? What. What does that look like?

[Sage Steele]

Sometimes it's. It's a very small cup of ice cream. I was just in Italy with Samantha and Christian Ponder, and we had a lot of really good gelato, but it's Italian, so it's much healthier than here. Of course.

[David Pollock]

Okay, so you'll have like a piece of.

[Sage Steele]

Of cheesecake, like a quarter or a half of cheesecake.

[David Pollock]

So it's not.

[Sage Steele]

I have some bit of dark chocolate every day. Every day.

[David Pollock]

And I'm I'm assuming you're under the camp that oh, the dark chocolate's good for you, obviously. Which is bull crap.

[Sage Steele]

Red wine. And yes, cuz it's red wine.

[David Pollock]

I, I love the people. It's like I eat dark chocolate. I'm like, I mean I was like, you do realize if you. It has antioxidants.

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

And I'm like, so does grapes that are a lot better for you without the sugar and without the other properties.

[Sage Steele]

Well, no, nowadays I'm like, I tell him, I go, you have to have milk chocolate because you know, you like the mocha. You need to have a little bit of latte. So I, I listen, it is a problem.

[David Pollock]

I don't. But I don't like you people because I look at you people. Yeah, you people. I look at that and I get fat.

[Sage Steele]

That's not true.

[David Pollock]

That's 100% fat. If I ate something like that, I would be fat. If I ate like a normal human being, I, I'd gained 20 pounds in four weeks.

[Sage Steele]

Well, you don't have to have it every day.

[David Pollock]

You have it every day. But, but yeah, you butt you to

[Sage Steele]

have it once a week cuz you have discipline and self control.

[David Pollock]

No, no, no. See that's the, that's, that's. You think I do but the reason that I don't do sweets, it's all.

[Sage Steele]

Or not.

[David Pollock]

The reason I don't do gambling, the reason I don't do alcohol is because I don't have an off switch. So we going to go hard in the paint. And that's exactly why I stopped like

[Sage Steele]

love yourself sports analogy.

[David Pollock]

Because I'm literally going to be like, I'm not going to eat a bite of cheesecake, fat boy's going to eat the whole cheesecake.

[Sage Steele]

Like because you all, you always have this fat boy mentality from when you were young.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, right. Yeah.

[Sage Steele]

I mean honestly, are you like. Yeah. Do you have body just more 100 million.

[David Pollock]

I don't take my shirt off of the beach. Like, oh no, no. I keep long sleeve shirt on.

[Sage Steele]

I thought it was to protect yourself from the sun.

[David Pollock]

Well, it is because I don't want to get sun. But like I don't take my shirt off because why? I don't like, I don't like that. I don't like what's underneath there. That's 100. I mean if I'm being honest, that's what we're supposed to do on this show, right?

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. I mean I could lie, but no, I've always had that, like, I was always fat growing up. My dad. My nickname was Chunk, and he didn't do it maliciously. But I can promise you, it taught me not to say a word about, like, my kids and the way they look, because my kid. My son growing up, everybody called him skinny. I'm like, you're not skinny. You're healthy.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

You're not skinny. You're healthy. You're not skinny.

[Sage Steele]

You're healthy.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. But no, I definitely have the. The fat kid's always in there, and that's why. That's why I'm very cautious of what I eat.

[Sage Steele]

Is it.

[David Pollock]

It is.

[Sage Steele]

Is it healthy? Your mentality at this point?

[David Pollock]

Like, probably not.

[Sage Steele]

This is. If this is Nicholas in a couple of years, and he is not taking his. Shut up, bro.

[David Pollock]

He's a fatty. He eats. He ate five steaks last night.

[Sage Steele]

How about you say healthy, not fatty?

[David Pollock]

Well, I wouldn't say. I wouldn't say it to him. We're in the realm of truth.

[Sage Steele]

We're allowed to do socks on socks with ribbons. But honestly, like, I. You. You're 43. You honestly physically look like you could still go play, and you look yourself in the mirror and you. You don't like what you see.

[David Pollock]

I. I try to do a good job of not looking. I think that's my philosophy. Like, I don't. I don't. I don't like to look in the mirror that much. I mean, I prefer not to. That's why I don't, like, do my face and my hair and, you know, listen, if you don't look, you don't really know what you look like that much.

[Sage Steele]

Much. Does it bother Lindsay at all?

[David Pollock]

What?

[Sage Steele]

Well, because you. I mean, usually it's us who have body just more together. We're all jacked up.

[David Pollock]

No, I. Well, the good thing is we're unhealthily. Unhealthily healthy together. Like, she. She refuses to let me get within £100 of her. Like, she's like, you're not getting with. So. So when I stopped playing, I lost all this weight.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

And I got to, like, 218. And she looked at me. She was like, I didn't marry a skinny guy. I don't like skinny guys. Guys. And I was like, jeez, how old

[Sage Steele]

or how much was your. Your Highest playing weight?

[David Pollock]

292.

[Sage Steele]

And you're 63.

[David Pollock]

Yeah. So that was a. That was. But that was like. That was before COVID That was right before COVID And then we got a workout group during company, and we went nuts. Like, we've. We've lifted, and I haven't stopped lifting since then. But no, I will say that because. Because of my. Because I'm all or nothing. It does hurt it. But no, I definitely think if I'm being truthful and honest, like, I've definitely never. I've never, like, loved looking in the mirror about that stuff, I think. And that's why it's a horrible way to build identity. Like, you can build identity three ways. You can build it from the outside in. And we already talked about that. Some people not liking people, rich people. You'll always be up and down. You can build it from inside out. Sometimes you love the way you look. Sometimes you love who you are. Sometimes you hate who you are. Sometimes you hate the way you look. So, like, it's a. It's a horrible way. Or you can go top down. Like, what does God say about me? Like, I'm loved. I'm chosen. I'm made on purpose for only my purpose, not someone else's. And I think that's when it's really powerful, is like. Like God made you. When you complain about your hair, God made that hair. Are you telling God he made a mistake? Like, when you talk about your eye color, your skin color, like, you can't tell God he made a mistake. So I try to remind myself that's my biggest step. Like, I'm made exactly like I am on purpose for a purpose that only I can perform and only I can do. So I'm not miserable by any stretch. I just avoid taking my shirt off. And, I mean, I just don't. I've just never liked it. Like, I've never. I was the kid. I was the fat kid in the pool at 15 that swam with his shirt on.

[Sage Steele]

So, no, it makes sense. And then I hope that you can get to the point, you know, honestly. And we all have a long list of things to work on, some lists longer than others. But, like, there are. And I'm sure you hear it all the time. There's a million men who would pay a million bucks to look like you at this age or at any age. But I think quite often we don't hear that. We only hear this part. But I know for the sake of your kids, like, you don't want them.

[David Pollock]

No, like. But they know I'm a psycho, so that's good.

[Sage Steele]

That's true. Listen, one of the things I love, first of all, he's inspiring me to do this, too, because I've been trying for four or five years and keep running away from it.

[David Pollock]

She's gonna do it, though.

[Sage Steele]

I. Yes, she is. She has to. And if only for, like, her, my kids, my parents. I want to do it while my parents are here, you know? And this is beautiful year. Like, no matter what happens, your kids are learning something about their dad if they read it. Unlike your wife. You gave Lindsay one job.

[David Pollock]

One job, baby. Yeah, I know. Mine haven't read it yet, but maybe they will one day.

[Sage Steele]

Well, wait, but real quick. So he asked Lindsay to read it, to, like, proofread it. Just, you know, make sure.

[David Pollock]

I got tired of hearing about me. Like, that's the most nauseating thing about writing a book is, like, you write your story and you're. And again, I'm not trying to write about my good stuff, but it's still my story. And you write it down, and then you go over it and you fix it, and you go over and you fix it. All you do is read about you.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah, it's nice.

[David Pollock]

It's nauseating. So I'm like, hey, Baby$, will you please read about this? Like, will you please read this and make sure it's factually accurate? And she's like, yeah, sure. And then kind of didn't and didn't. Didn't. And we got the book, like, three weeks ago, and if you open to the next page right there, it says, for Lindsay. And she started crying. This was, like, two months ago. I'm like, there's proof. You never read the book. You never read the book. And that now she's very proud. I'll give her credit. She broke the book out in the airport the other day. We were sitting with all the delays and stuff, and this lady was talking back and forth, and she was like, what are y' all going to do? And she was like, we're going for a book thing. She was, oh, you wrote a book? And she's like, yeah. She's like, here it is. It's this. And she's like, it's really good. And I'm like, wow, honey, I've never heard you talk positively about something like that. That's really good.

[Sage Steele]

That's so sweet. She's proud of you. I will say as we wrap this up, because I could talk to you all day, but I think that's your fancy driver out there. Wait, I think I saw him.

[David Pollock]

Fancy? Like, Applebee's pretty much on date night?

[Sage Steele]

Pretty much, yes. You finally just said what you wanted on social media. But listen, about the. About men and women's Sports and things like that. Where, listen, everybody at ESPN and many other places, they have opinions, but they keep them to themselves. I think that's one of the blessings of cancellation, firing, call it. What we want is that you're like, okay, I'm not going to hold back. I'm going to be honest. And you could do it with kindness.

[David Pollock]

Yes.

[Sage Steele]

I feel like you have really done a good job. You've always been kind. But to talk about some tough topics factually with kindness.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, I think. I love the way you put that because you can. I think we can all disagree. I think some sides more than other might attack. And listen, you get that with your faith. I get attacked all the time with faith stuff and, you know, stop doing this, stop doing that. But, man, the truth is the truth. And like the girls in guys sports or guys in girls sports, I. I'll never understand. I'll never get it. I got a daughter like me and my coach at my school that I coach high school basketball with. Like, we have said if we ever run into that we're not playing. Yeah, like, we'll get. We'll walk off the floor. It's a. It's a very easy decision for us. Like, I'm not putting my daughter in that situation.

[Sage Steele]

Why do you think so few men. Fathers have done just that?

[David Pollock]

I don't know. I can't. I haven't been able to wrap my brain around that. Like, I can't fathom that. Like, I think it's a default for some is like, just, this is. This is. This is the line that I am on and this is the side that I am on. Like, I'm just not gonna listen to that. But, like, there's. There's just no, there's no justifying that. Like, I can't. I can't wrap my brain around it. Like, and listen, what I do. What I think we did a poor job of too, is I think when you allow women into men's sports and the kicker that we publicized at Vanderbilt, like, you opened up. You opened a side now for one side. Now you kind of open the other side. Well, you did it over here. Why can't we do it over here? You know what I'm saying?

[Sage Steele]

The difference is that she wasn't pretending to be a boy.

[David Pollock]

Correct. She wasn't. But it's very simple. There's no. You look at puberty, you look at testosterone like it's a knife to a gunfight. It's not a fair fight in a million years. Like, I know you've done. You've done a lot with that, and Riley's done a lot with that, and it's just awesome. But I. I don't understand the men. I don't understand why it's faux pas not to step up and say that. It is very clear. There is no place like, no place. And I will walk away if we're presented with the opportunity. We're going to. We're going to leave. We're not going to compete. We're not going to give someone the satisfaction of doing that. And I'm going to protect my daughter and my girls. That coach.

[Sage Steele]

Yeah. I've been blown away by, you know, a lot of our friends who. They'll. They'll reach out quietly, separately. And I'm like, guys, if you just said it with kindness and speaking facts, like, we wouldn't be in the situation. There wouldn't be girls getting hurt or getting their spots taken or having to share a locker room with a boy. And, I mean, I'm like all you football players who've got $100 million in your pocket. Like, everyone knows this, and they're choosing silence. And I think that that is. That is our responsibility. When you have a platform is to speak the truth. Sometimes it's just your truth about your thought, your. Your thoughts, your experiences with your faith, your family, whatever. This is indisputable, and I think we owe it to our kids, but mainly, maybe it's just as much to our young men. So you are teaching Nicholas, and I'm teaching my Nicholas about standing up for others and the truth. And if we say it but don't practice, it is the same thing. We're selling out and not being an example to our kids.

[David Pollock]

Why do you think it's so hard? Because of paychecks attached to it?

[Sage Steele]

Yeah.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, I think that's what it is.

[Sage Steele]

I think it is, too. Even though, again, it's all relative. And I'm like, wait, but you played in the NFL for a dozen years, and now you're in tv, and I know about what you're making. You can look online what the contracts were. You should. You. You have not as much literally, to risk, but it's also the fear of being disliked, the fear of someone saying, look at you. You're anti this, this, this, this. Then you just go like this. I think I'm just shocked that it's that. That. That the vast majority of people, men and women, but if we're talking about men, have chosen to stay silent for something that they know is innately like, it's just. It's just wrong. And because there's people getting hurt.

[David Pollock]

I worked out, I worked with people on that game day's desk and I was blown away by the sensitivities, like, just of how much the criticism matters.

[Sage Steele]

Yes.

[David Pollock]

Like, and how much that we read it. And I'm like, you're literally letting someone's in your parents basement define your day.

[Sage Steele]

Correct. Like Twitter fights. And I'm like, you are so much better than that person. What are we doing and why? But I think that that is. That's on me and you and others to. Just because someone has the wealth, has the fame, has the platform, doesn't mean that they have it inside to do the right thing. And I just want to encourage people to do it. And again, you don't have to.

[David Pollock]

That's actually the wrong way to do it. The wrong way to do it is like, you know, like, you're going to hell. You need to do like, I'm like, whoa. Like, we don't. It's no different than me than sharing my faith. Like, I'm going to share my faith. And I believe in one truth and I believe in one whole truth. And so to me, there aren't other truths. And that you can believe, that you can wrap around it. But that also. I also understand that we are all human on a journey trying to figure out what the heck's going on. And it's going to come at different times. But I can tell you one thing. The more you try to beat people upside the head and the more you do it with disrespect, the less likely you are to turn somebody on.

[Sage Steele]

Human nature, they're not going to turn.

[David Pollock]

They're going to go the other direction. Yeah, you're going to forge them against you.

[Sage Steele]

But exactly.

[David Pollock]

It's. I think people get more comfortable with it as they get older a lot of times. But I definitely. It's strange. It's strange in that particular realm how we can even justify or find a right side to that like that. I mean, when Dawn Staley said what she said, I was like, and the

[Sage Steele]

thing is, she doesn't believe it. These people don't believe it.

[David Pollock]

The people in the sport. When the. Megan Rapinoe. What's her name?

[Sage Steele]

Megan Rapinoe.

[David Pollock]

I don't want to say her name because it didn't help.

[Sage Steele]

Don't give her any.

[David Pollock]

But like, but like that when you're, when you.

[Sage Steele]

Are we allowed to call her. Is she a she. Is she a day? Like, like. But she's not. She's attacked me. She attacked me. Just saying that we are a threat and a danger to the trans community. And I'm like, amazing how you waited till your multimillion dollar career was over to all of a sudden say you're fine with.

[David Pollock]

You wouldn't have a career.

[Sage Steele]

You would be nobody.

[David Pollock]

You would have no career. Because every year the 14 year old teams beat the girls.

[Sage Steele]

It's true. Beat her.

[David Pollock]

The 14 year old boys beat them. And I'm not being disrespectful, that is true. Like they go against the 14 year olds because once you start to get to 15 to 16, like the boys win. The 15 and 16 year youth league teams beat the women's gold medal teams.

[Sage Steele]

Exactly. This happened her team, one of her teams.

[David Pollock]

Yes. There's a reason.

[Sage Steele]

So it's real. And so I just want people to keep speaking the truth. And it doesn't mean you're anti. It means that you are actually for. You're for women.

[David Pollock]

I'm for my daughter.

[Sage Steele]

And you're for the truth. And you must be. What's your podcast? Where else can people find Davey Pollock right now?

[David Pollock]

C Ball. Get Ball is my football podcast. Doesn't that make total sense? Dumb defensive lineman. Ball move like. Ball move. You move like. You don't have to think. No plays like offense, you got to know where you're going and stuff. Defense is like go get it. And I think what people would like about that is no gambling, no cursing, no alcohol. Like we're going to. I'm going to do it. We're going to do it our way. Like we're definitely going to do it our way. I Love it. My 17 year old son listens to every show and he'll, he'll text me all the time and I just love that. I know he's listening and we're not doing things that are. By the way, that was a you talk about a come to Jesus moment. We got offered a lot of money to do to. For our title sponsor to be gambling.

[Sage Steele]

Really?

[David Pollock]

And. And what? You know how crazy.

[Sage Steele]

You know how fast they're a sports podcast and that's. Yeah.

[David Pollock]

Do you know how fast my brain tried to justify like, and you like. I'm like, well, you're a sellout. That's what you are. I quickly tried to justify, what if we did this? What if we did? I got five of my buddies and we went and sat down and I was like, Christian brothers that I love dearly. And I was like, hey, what do you think? About gambling. What do you think about this? I don't do it, like, because I know that not a lot of good comes out of it. And then honestly, it was kind of cool because you go back and forth, and people have different beliefs and different beliefs. And what I settled on was like, all right, in order for me to win, someone else has to lose. So that's not the faith that I support. It's not suffering. You suffering, me winning. That's not what I support. And so. But it was hard to say. It was hard to say, no. But, yeah, it's just talk ball. Like, have a bunch of my buddies on, like, Reese and all those guys to come talk football and family goals with my pastor, who Sage Steele's been a guest. It was fantastic.

[Sage Steele]

It was so funny. I left espn. I cried, of course.

[David Pollock]

It was awesome. Like, it was awesome because you. I could tell you were coming into your own.

[Sage Steele]

Like, this is what we need to talk about offline again, because you got to get out of here. But I. I. Years ago, I don't remember the. The full way you were doing it, but it was on Twitter and you were having people share their faith stories, I think.

[David Pollock]

Do a daily. Do a devotional with my everyday. Everyday counts challenge.

[Sage Steele]

That's what it was. And I was not ready. I didn't know if I'd ever be ready. And it's amazing. What, like, you think you believe. I mean, I believe, but it's like, am I really living it and do I understand it? And am I spending that true time? And I remember being embarrassed that I wasn't able to do it at that time or wasn't ready.

[David Pollock]

And I asked her to do, like, a daily devotional for the. For the challenge.

[Sage Steele]

I started, too.

[David Pollock]

You could kill it now, though.

[Sage Steele]

I could.

[David Pollock]

That's growth. See?

[Sage Steele]

It is. And it took going down to the bottom and not bottom bottom. It's not brain cancer. It's not. And you have to have that perspective. And then you go, oh, wait, it doesn't matter if it sounds silly to somebody else, but it is. And I am. I wouldn't have met Dave. I mean, my whole life would be completely different if not for the darkness that led to the light. So cheesy. But it's really, really true. And now I have so much work to do. Of course, I know we all do, but, like, to continue to talk about my faith, I've done it so much more. But Catholics are different. It's really more quiet and private, and I'm like, okay, I can still. You Know, practice that and be more vocal elsewhere. I believe now that's one of the reasons why I have maintained a platform or actually started from nothing and built it back up. But I remember feeling embarrassed because you were always so open about your faith and confident with it is what it seemed like. And so thank you, because that really planted the seed that I had to go deeper. And then, of course, I didn't until I had to.

[David Pollock]

But that's all of us.

[Sage Steele]

It's been.

[David Pollock]

Yeah, that's all of us. That's every single one of us.

[Sage Steele]

Awesome. And you share a lot of that in this. And listen, I have a lot of people on who've written books. Whatever. I usually forget it and don't bring it because. Okay. I love the book, but I'm excited to talk to the human being. You guys need to buy this or can they do the audiobook? Can they?

[David Pollock]

Yeah, you can do all that stuff.

[Sage Steele]

Is it your voice?

[David Pollock]

No.

[Sage Steele]

It's not your draw.

[David Pollock]

I was gonna do it, and my schedule got crazy with all the stuff that I was doing with.

[Sage Steele]

Needs to be your voice.

[David Pollock]

Oh, my gosh.

[Sage Steele]

When I was reading it, you already said, when I'm reading it, I'm like, oh, I can totally hear him saying that.

[David Pollock]

Yes.

[Sage Steele]

Like, your voice comes through in the writing. I love that. It is very. It is Georgia in here.

[David Pollock]

I promise you, whoever you are out there, you can read this book because a defensive lineman wrote it. Like, I. I promise you like it. It will be done in a couple days. It's very quick. It's very easy.

[Sage Steele]

Like, listen, I don't do books. I listen because I can't sit still and processing. I was all in on this.

[David Pollock]

That's crazy.

[Sage Steele]

Thank you. But most of all, for all those years of just kindness and teaching me more about football and I thought I knew a lot, but you broke it down, as it should be done. You were such a joy for all those years, and it was awesome to get to work with you and for supporting me those times when I was like, thank you.

[David Pollock]

Absolutely. That's what friends do.

[Sage Steele]

Congrats. Thank God that your wife is doing how she's doing, and that's testament to you as well and those babies.

[David Pollock]

So very thankful. Thanks for having me on.

[Sage Steele]

Awesome.

[David Pollock]

Thanks for giving me these rad socks. Look at these socks.

[Sage Steele]

Please take them with you.