Johnny Manziel Talks Heisman, NIL + Juan Soto's MEGADEAL w/ Mets & it's Almost Christmas!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Johnny Manziel Talks Heisman, NIL + Juan Soto's MEGADEAL w/ Mets & it's Almost Christmas!

Podcast Information:

• Title: Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara
• Host/Authors: Matt Leinart, Jerry Ferrara
• Episode: Johnny Manziel Talks Heisman, NIL + Juan Soto's MEGADEAL w/ Mets & it's Almost Christmas!
• Release Date: December 12, 2024

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1. Introduction and Holiday Preparations

The episode kicks off with Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara engaging in light-hearted banter about their personal holiday traditions, particularly focusing on "Elf on the Shelf." They share amusing anecdotes about their families' playful antics during the Christmas season.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt (00:50): "Kids are happy. I'm just ready now. I'm ready. Like let's, let's go, but let's play the game."
• Jerry (01:25): "I saw the opportunity and I took it. We have a really good show for you today."

2. Feature Interview: Johnny Manziel

The centerpiece of the episode is an in-depth interview with Johnny Manziel, the polarizing Heisman Trophy winner. Matt and Jerry delve into Johnny's journey, exploring his collegiate success, challenges with NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) regulations, and his experiences in the NFL.

Key Discussions:

• Heisman Legacy: Johnny discusses the enduring impact of winning the Heisman Trophy and how it shaped his identity both on and off the field.

  Quote (03:11):

  • Jerry: "Johnny Manziel was a comet, just out of nowhere, lit up the sky, shot past us quickly, but, man, were we all watching."

• NIL Challenges: The conversation touches on the complexities athletes face with NIL deals, reflecting on Johnny's navigation through endorsements and personal branding.

  Quote (38:26):

  • Matt: "I could have stayed two more years in college and probably made what I made throughout the four years of your NFL deal for the most part."

• Injuries and Career Impact: Johnny shares firsthand accounts of his injuries, such as tearing his shoulder, and how these setbacks influenced his professional trajectory.

  Quote (10:19):

  • Johnny: "I got a torn labrum and my rotator cuff. All that being said, I ended up playing football. Baseball lives in my DNA."

• Relationships with Coaches and Teammates: He reflects on the mentorship from coaches like Kevin O'Connell and the supportive dynamics within his teams, highlighting the importance of a strong support system.

  Quote (55:10):

  • Johnny: "I felt really lucky to be able to sit by with him for that process and then get a chance to go and learn from Shanahan."

3. Juan Soto's Mega Contract with the Mets

Matt and Jerry analyze Juan Soto's unprecedented contract with the New York Mets, scrutinizing its financial implications and its potential impact on the team's performance and future.

Key Points:

• Contract Details: Juan Soto secured a contract reportedly worth $770 million, making him one of the highest-paid athletes in baseball.

  Quote (13:11):

  • Jerry: "Juan Soto got wanted the more money, and I think he thinks the Mets have a better chance of winning for a longer period of time."

• Comparison with the Yankees: The hosts compare the Mets' investment in Soto to the Yankees' management decisions, debating which team made a more strategic move.

  Quote (14:20):

  • Matt: "It's a long laundry list of things that can go wrong now that the laundry is aired."

• Fan Reception and Future Expectations: They discuss how Mets fans perceive the massive investment and what it means for the team's aspirations to win championships.

  Quote (16:53):

  • Jerry: "I think they're just like, get us there, get us there. We don't care."

4. Defining Moments Segment

In this segment, Matt reflects on his own defining moment—winning the Heisman Trophy—and acknowledges other notable finalists who have made significant impacts in college football.

Highlights:

• Personal Reflection: Matt shares how winning the Heisman has been a cornerstone of his legacy and continues to influence how he's recognized today.

  Quote (24:45):

  • Matt: "That was a defining moment. And obviously, we have Johnny coming up, who is incredible."

• Heisman Finalists Spotlight: The discussion includes shout-outs to standout players like Travis Hunter, Genty, Cam Ward, and Dylan Gabriel, emphasizing their contributions to the sport.

  Quote (25:07):

  • Matt: "Congratulations to those four for being finalists and really just a fun, unique year."

5. Wendy's Saucy Moment: Brandon Graham's Bold Comments

A humorous yet insightful segment where Matt and Jerry dissect Brandon Graham's recent controversial remarks about teammates AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts, analyzing the repercussions within the Eagles' locker room.

Key Insights:

• Team Dynamics: They explore how public comments can disrupt team chemistry and the importance of handling conflicts internally rather than airing grievances publicly.

  Quote (21:53):

  • Matt: "Media Training 101. Do not throw your teammates under the bus, especially your two star players, dude."

• Potential Fallout: The hosts speculate on the possible negative outcomes of such statements, including distractions leading up to the playoffs.

  Quote (22:35):

  • Jerry: "There's a long laundry list of things that can go wrong now that the laundry is aired."

6. Money Moments: Timothée Chalamet Takes the Spotlight

In a light-hearted segment, Matt and Jerry highlight Timothée Chalamet's unexpected engagement with the sports world, sharing amusing stories about their playful interactions and Chalamet's hidden athletic talents.

Notable Anecdotes:

• Pickup Basketball: Jerry recounts inviting a young Timothée to their pickup games, marveling at his surprising basketball skills despite his acting career.

  Quote (75:45):

  • Jerry: "He could ball. He could ball."

• Surprise Recognition: The hosts share a funny incident where Timothée won a Knicks trivia contest he didn't realize he entered, showcasing his popularity and unexpected sports knowledge.

  Quote (75:57):

  • Jerry: "The winner is Tim Chalamet. And he won the contest. There's a picture of him that post."

7. Throwback Three: Top Childhood Christmas Gifts

Matt and Jerry reminisce about their favorite Christmas presents from their childhood, sharing nostalgic memories and the sentimental value of these gifts.

Highlights:

• Matt's Favorites:

  • Original Nintendo System: The foundation of his love for video games, reminiscing about classic titles like Zelda and Mario Kart.

    Quote (77:29):

    • Matt: "The original NES system came out in 1983. One of my favorite Christmas gifts of all time."

  • Reebok Pumps: A prized athletic shoe that symbolized status and style during his youth.

    Quote (85:50):

    • Matt: "Reebok pumps. Like those two."

• Jerry's Favorites:

  • Sega Genesis: Enhanced his gaming experience with sports titles like Madden and NHL Hockey.

    Quote (78:25):

    • Jerry: "Sega Genesis for me was like the one that just hits me the most because of the games that were part of that console."

  • Starter Jacket: A coveted piece of athletic apparel that represented both desire and financial limitations during his upbringing.

    Quote (84:44):

    • Jerry: "My number two is an article of clothing. The thing that most kids hate to get on Christmas. An article of clothing."

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Conclusion:

In this episode of "Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara," the hosts offer a rich blend of sports analysis, personal stories, and nostalgic reflections. From Johnny Manziel's candid insights into his Heisman-winning journey and the intricacies of NIL, to a deep dive into Juan Soto's monumental contract with the Mets, Matt and Jerry provide listeners with comprehensive coverage of current sports narratives. Additionally, their engaging segments like "Wendy's Saucy Moment," "Money Moments," and "Throwback Three" add layers of humor and relatability, making the episode both informative and entertaining for fans who missed the live recording.

Notable Quotes Recap:

• Matt (00:50): "Kids are happy. I'm just ready now. I'm ready. Like let's, let's go, but let's play the game."
• Jerry (03:11): "Johnny Manziel was a comet, just out of nowhere, lit up the sky, shot past us quickly, but, man, were we all watching."
• Matt (24:45): "That was a defining moment. And obviously, we have Johnny coming up, who is incredible."
• Jerry (21:53): "Media Training 101. Do not throw your teammates under the bus, especially your two star players, dude."
• Matt (77:29): "The original NES system came out in 1983. One of my favorite Christmas gifts of all time."
• Jerry (84:44): "My number two is an article of clothing. The thing that most kids hate to get on Christmas. An article of clothing."

Listeners are encouraged to tune in to "Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara" for more engaging conversations and behind-the-scenes insights into the world of sports and entertainment.

Transcript

[A]

There is more backyard football that goes on a little bit than people realize.

[B]

I know when I got in for my first time in an NFL game, we were playing in Buffalo and we get under and I call the receivers routes one way, but I rolled the wrong way pretty much. So I rolled to nobody. So as I fake to the right and Kyle Shanahan just mother me to the moon.

[C]

All right, welcome to the show, everybody. Another episode of Throwbacks presented by Cash App. Sending, spending, saving, splitting, tipping, donating, gifting. We're just typing numbers all with the number one finance app in the App Store. That's money. That's Cash App. That's all the wonderful things I'm going to be doing this Christmas, which I've been doing, which is just.

[A]

How's money going, by the way?

[C]

Money going out, not much coming in. It's going good, it's going good. I mean, you know, full commit to Elf on the Shelf. We're winding down there. Kids are happy. I'm just ready now. I'm ready. Like let's, let's go, but let's play the game.

[A]

You, by the way, you're. You're winning the award for Elf on the Shelf. There's no doubt about that.

[C]

I saw Elaine.

[A]

I feel like I've been sending you just every time I see Elf on the Shelf, I just send it to you. Great idea.

[C]

It's kind of my thing now. I've been walking in the streets, people shouting at me. Love the Elf on the Shelf stuff. So. Look, Matt, when I see a lane, I take it I saw a lane. No one was killing it in that.

[A]

Lane, by the way. Absolutely. I. Josie stepped up her game. Josie stepped up her game. That. I just. I still think it's funny that you have been tasked with Elf in the Shelf in your house. I just. I don't know. I don't know why.

[C]

Mind trick. It was starting it early and then just. I gotta go to bed and disappearing on me.

[A]

I'm. I'm gearing up for a hundred and thirty person Christmas party this weekend at my house. How does that sound? Does that sound fantastic? Yeah.

[C]

Listen, you're talking to a guy who intentionally had his wedding in the most least desirable place to discourage people from coming. That's exactly what I did. Where'd you get in? Ohio? Near the hall of Fame. Hey, come to the wedding. You could stop at the hall of Fame.

[A]

What time of the year did you get married?

[C]

It was summer. But still, I was trying so hard. Like the people. My friends in LA won't come. And they all came.

[A]

Wait, you got married in Canton, Ohio?

[C]

Married in Canton. I'm a hall. I'm in. I'm in the hall.

[A]

How far is Canton from Cleveland?

[C]

It's like 30 minute, 35.

[A]

Okay, that makes sense. Yeah. So you're so by for Breeze family.

[C]

I saw an opportunity and I took it. We have a really good show for you today.

[A]

Yeah, we do.

[C]

We are going to give you our interview. We sat down not long ago with former Heisman Trophy winner. So there's been two now with Matt and now Johnny. Johnny Manzel.

[A]

He might be the most. He might be the most. He was so much fun to watch. But, I mean, name a more polarizing Heisman Trophy winner or football player than Johnny Manziel. And again, we get. Yeah, he talks about the path and journey and all that, and obviously that's, that's, it's. He has such a. Such a unique story. But is there more of a Polaroid, Polarizing athlete?

[C]

No. As we go into this weekend, and we'll talk more about it in a bit, what that weekend is like. And we talk about in the interview, too. You know, you realize Johnny Manziel was a comet, you know, just out of nowhere, lit up the sky, shot past us quickly, but, man, were we all watching.

[A]

Dude, he was incredible. The band. I remember watching the Bama game and I was like, who is this kid?

[C]

Who is this guy?

[A]

The money. The money sign he did. He was just. He was special, man. He was special. And yeah, I think the conversation is great because as we've talked about so much on this, on this show, just quarterbacks and situations and all that. And again, he, He's. He, you know, he's. He talks about all of the stuff, his regrets, the stuff he, you know, that he didn't do. But, you know, talking about different offensive systems with them and what works and all that, it's like, I just. I just think maybe him in another place or something, maybe it would have been different. And again, I think about that with myself all the time as well, too. But Johnny's the best, man. He's a great dude. He's. He's. He's doing well. And his pod's awesome. His podcast, I was on his pod earlier. He. It's great. He's. He's a great dude, man. I'm excited for people to hear.

[C]

And that's when I realized, too, that you two will now. And I don't know if you've had this with other Heisman winners, but wherever you guys Go. You guys have this bond, you know, you guys won this prestigious award, one of not many. And I think I saw it firsthand, the two of you could speak a language that only a handful of people could speak. So that's pretty cool.

[A]

So that was the third time I've ever met Johnny, when he came on our pod. If you think about that. The first time I ever met him because our. Because our paths didn't cross in the league, because I was out when he came in. The first time I met him was the year Caleb won the Heisman three. What, three years ago.

[C]

Three years ago. Yeah.

[A]

And I went back because obviously SC and Johnny was there and we. And in that time, you, like all the Heismans get on a bus and you go to these events and all that. And I sat right behind him or right in front of him, one or the other. And that was like the first real time I met him again. But to your point, it's like, what's up, bro? Like, like it doesn't. Like it's. It's such a bond that you don't even need to know each other to know each other. And. Yeah, and we were talking and that was it. And that was the first time. And I'm like, you know, I was like, hey, big fan. Love watching you play. And then you just shoot the. And. And then obviously I did his podcast earlier this year and then he came on ours. But great guy, man, great guy, great deal.

[C]

Well, that will roll that in a minute. And again, that was in our LA studio when we were in LA weekend. And also Throwback three. We were debating a few. We'll do it later in the show. We were going to maybe do Christmas movies, but then it hit me, like everyone, we've done the cri. We. We know essentially what there's really only like 5, 6, right?

[A]

All time Christmas.

[C]

And I believe I've been watching them.

[A]

Give me a, give me a quick 22nd Christmas movie list.

[C]

Well, Christmas vacation's number one. That's not even close. I do go pretty hard for Home Alone. Although we try to watch it with our five year old the first 20 minutes. You cannot show to a five year old. They're so mean to Kevin. And then Kevin is so mean.

[A]

Our voices.

[C]

The other day, Kevin tells his mom, I hope I never see you again for the rest of my life. I hate all of you.

[A]

Sure, it goes up for me, five.

[C]

Year old, to hear another kid tell his mother, like, I hate all of you. I can't wait to never see you. Again, my 5 year old looked at me like, that's not cool, right? I'm like, no, buddy, that's not cool.

[A]

So. So I was. So we were originally going to do movies. I looked up Christmas Vacation because I haven't seen.

[C]

It's the.

[A]

I haven't seen it in so long, but it's so good. And the only thing that sticks out in my mind is the pool scene where Chevy Chase is visualizing the girl in the. That was like my first, like, initiation to be like. Like, why am I feeling this way? This is probably interesting.

[C]

That was your first. Wow. I don't know, dude.

[A]

It was like.

[C]

I was like, tis the season.

[A]

Yeah. Like, think about it. That movie came out, what, in the 80s? Like, oh, yeah, you were. Yeah, so I was. I mean, I was. When I was allowed to watch it, I was probably 10, 11, I don't even know. But I actually re. I YouTubed it and I rewatched it and I was die laughing because then a little girl comes in and he's like, Santa Claus. So home Alone, by the way, my kids loved it. It was a little bit hard, but they loved it when they started doing all the fun.

[C]

Yeah. Once you get to the third act and all that stuff's happened and then anyways, we don't.

[A]

Yeah, I think. I think everyone has kind of the same.

[C]

Top, last thing. I'm going to piss people off right here. I was always a big proponent of Die Hard as a Christmas movie, but it occurred to me the other day, you know what? I never watch over Christmas break? Fucking Die Hard. So maybe it's not a Christmas movie. I never reached to be like, all right, well, there's the big debate. Is always as Die Hard a Christmas movie.

[A]

But why is it. Why is it because it came out during.

[C]

Well, in the movie, when Bruce Willis is flying, it's. It's Christmas. It's a Christmas party in the off in Nakatomi Plaza right now. I have a machine gun. Ho, ho, ho.

[A]

One of the greatest debates in the history of our country is. Is whether Die Hard. Die Hard gets a lot of love.

[C]

I will say, the first time ever, I used to ride Harper Die. Now I'm like, I don't ever watch Die Hard on Christmas ever.

[A]

I haven't seen die hard in 30 years.

[C]

Well, watch it over the break. You know who else Christmas came for? You know who else Christmas came for? Juan Soto is having a very strong holiday season.

[A]

I already told my kids that they're playing baseball.

[C]

Now, seeing all this. Matt, would you if you could go, if you could be the ghost of Christmas past and go back and whisper to whatever 8, 9, 10 year old Matt say buddy Jerry, I was the football down.

[A]

I was pitching in the bigs, dude. I was pitching in the bigs until I tore my shoulder up. It was my first. It was my first.

[C]

Is that true? Were you on a path?

[A]

Sure. Oh yeah. I was a dude. I was 6, 4, 220 pounds and just throwing gas before.

[C]

What year is like high school?

[A]

You want to hear a great story real quick? So I'm pitching. I'm. I was baseball number one, football was three, basketball was two. So I'm very lucky. You know, as we've talked a lot, I consider myself a good athlete. Kevin, you're a great athlete. Baseball was my number one. I was a big pitcher. I threw hard. I was clocked at like 86 going into high school summer. Yeah, because I'm telling you. And then I, that summer I was pitching on varsity at modern day high school. And my la, one of my last games, I'm going up against La Quinta at this time. They were the number one team in the country. Going in, they had Gerald Laird and they had Bobby Crosby. Bobby Crosby was the shortstop for the A's. Rookie of the year. Gerald Laird was a catcher caught for like the tiger caught for a long time in the, in the bigs. I was pitching without our best catcher. So I had like the backup catcher, like the, you know, the best catcher always. That made me feel good. Whatever. I got shell for eight runs in the first inning. Dude.

[C]

Yeah, I was welcome to this. Welcome to high school.

[A]

I was 14. No, no, I was good. But, but they just rocked. That whole lineup was like. They, yeah, they, they rocked me. So that was one of the last times that I've ever pitched. And then I hurt my shoulder that summer. Just baseball related.

[C]

How'd you hurt the shoulder bas baseball?

[A]

I just tore my labrum and my rotator cuff. All that being said, I ended up playing. Football is fine. Baseball lives. Is in my DNA. It was not in my older son's DNA, but I swear to God it's in my.

[C]

It's going to be in your younger kids.

[A]

By the way. I got, I got half Cubans, dude, that I'm raising now. So there's a lot of, there's a lot of, there's a lot of, a lot of baseball in that DNA. Now are they worth $770 million, right?

[C]

I don't know. But if I can invest in your kids baseball careers Like a stock. I would go big and like a liner. Boys get in early. They're going to the dance.

[A]

They're half Cuban. They got. So they got something. So, hey, listen, you might be raising some little Jose Altuve's.

[C]

I love that they're my kids. Ceiling is Jose Altuve.

[A]

And yours is probably Jose Altuve is a dog. No, my, My son needs to work on his swing if he wants to be Soto. Yeah, that's pretty wild though.

[C]

What did you think when you. First of all the numbers with Juan Soto? We don't have to recap it. We all know what they are and I get lost in it. Let's just call it a shit ton of money. I had a feeling in the back of my mind that it was going this way and the Mets were going to be heard. And I think something that allows this to happen was the Mets, great run. They went on that great run. They even took the Dodgers further than the Yankees did. Right. They went six games with the Dodgers, I believe. So that opens up the, hey, we're closer than maybe we all even thought we were. And let's go all in on this guy. Some of the stories that are coming out about, oh, Yankee security wouldn't let Soto's father and driver and they wouldn't give him a suite. All that, I don't know. That's fun to hear, like, as backstory. Bottom line, I think Juan Soto got wanted the more money, and I think he thinks the Mets have a better chance of winning for a longer period of time. What are your thoughts?

[A]

Do you, do you think that, do you really think that? I know, man. Well, I was reading some art. I was reading just some behind the scenes stuff and, and apparently some of the, some managers who sat with Soto basically said, this kid is super dialed in. Like, he's very smart. So. So to your point, like, I think he understands the landscape. Obviously these guys want to get paid, but like, what, the Yankees offered him 5 million less a year or something like that. It was some crazy. He still would have been $700 million, whatever. But yeah, I think, I think, like, look, I think when you're, when you're, when you're that young, like, you want to go win, you want to go. I don't know, but I just feel like the Yankees, like, is the Yankees run over? Like, if he resigned, I mean, that team is still absolutely loaded. Now, obviously you went and you got Max Freed. Now, you probably wouldn't have got Max Freed if you would have retained Juan Soto. Right? I mean, So I don't know, man. But the Mets, I mean Alonzo, you got what Lindor, I mean the obvious.

[C]

That'S the real thing is the Lindor Soto. I don't know, Batman, who's Robin, whatever. They can alternate, but. And also you gotta think once the National League gets the dh, if that doesn't happen, a deal like this probably doesn't happen. Cause you gotta think that as much as we love Juan Soto offensively, defensively, he's on the fast track to being a dh.

[A]

You would think this made me. This. So this made me think of. Well, what I read this quote from the Padres. One of the guys on the. I don't know if you saw this quote. Mike Schilt, he's on the Padre staff. He coached Juan Soto there. We were. He was, he was talking about the amount of money, right? He goes to her credit. Judge Judy was making $47 million a year. Judge Judy and I think so it was some quote basically saying like how much money he's making a year and who else in this country I actually looked at like who makes 50 plus million dollars a year. There's 205 people in this country that make over 50 million a year. That's it. He's one of them. Think about that. What, what, what sp.

[C]

What.

[A]

To me, I just, I can't. I don't know, man. Just like all of this money being thrown around, it's ridiculous. It made me think of like which position deserves to make the most money. And it's definitely in all of sports. I came up with two.

[C]

It has to be quarterback, obviously, right?

[A]

One is quarterback, by far and away.

[C]

What's your number two? Because that's what I'm curious about. Everybody would say quarterback. What would you put number two? Cause I, I have an, I have a, I have a pitch for one.

[A]

My, my number two. And, and I went for. What is most important. Every day impacts a game. Every day. I put a hockey goalie. Why do you laugh? Think about it.

[C]

I laugh. You're right.

[A]

What's a more important position in hockey? Not goalie. Right?

[C]

You have a good point. That's a good point. I. This is.

[A]

Used to be maybe point guard in the NBA, which is not anymore.

[C]

Well, that's why I'm going to cheat with mine. Because it's not necessarily. It's, it's not a position. But I, I just think that when you know you have your NBA super max player, that justifies it. Whether it was LeBron in his prime, Curry in his prime. Like, because not only are you getting a guy who will keep you competitive for all those years, it's just box office, if you think about the business side of things, which is what I thought was so fricking smart of Cohen and the Mets to drop their season tickets right around this time.

[A]

He was the Ohtani. He's. He's. He's worth every penny. He was. He's getting.

[C]

But, yeah, I think to. I think the smart thing, too, if you just look at it, oh, that's so much money. What if he. Because the other things I want to quickly touch on is I talked to a lot of Met fans, and I had this conversation while Andrew Claudio does a lot of stuff with Nick's film. School is great. He produces a lot of podcasts. Great dude. I. He's a lifelong Mets fan. I said, okay, what in. What for the Met fans will ever make this contract something he could live up to. And he said, look, I think he's younger than me. I think he's in his 30s. I'm not quite sure. He said, All I could say is, to this point, the Mets have two World Series appearances. One World Series win when he was probably a baby. If you could better, just what I've witnessed for the last 30 years, then it's a win. Meaning if you win this World Series and maybe make one or two more, contract is great.

[A]

That's all. That's. That's all they care.

[C]

That's all it took for him.

[A]

Right.

[C]

I'm trying to think there's no real way, I. I guess to live up to that contract. It's got to be multiple World Series. But I don't know if the Met fans are thinking that way.

[A]

I don't.

[C]

I think they're just like, get us there, get us there. We don't care.

[A]

I. I mean, do the Mets fans really care how much money was spent? They just got the top. They got a top five player in the league. Like, well, that's great. Is a great player. Yeah, it's like they just. They. I think they just want to. They just want to win or have a shot. Like this year, obviously, I think they overachieved, but, you know, now they get a superstar in Juan Soto, who. He is box office man. He is like, he is. He's for sure. He's got a little. He's got that personality. He's got that juice. He's. He's got a little bit of swag. And he. Dude, he's like, you pay. You pay a ticket to go See him play.

[C]

So there's a lot of Yankee fans this week who are going to be talking themselves into, that's a bad contract. And yes, he's a great hitter. Defense is poor. I was even doing it. But make no mistake about it. Go back to that Guardian series. That home run he hit. That's what you're paying top dollar for in the biggest moment. Because not only was it the home run in that moment, but it was the way he slammed the bat down. He looked at his bench. The bench was galvanized. He galvanized that whole Yankees team. So Yankee fans like myself, we could talk ourselves into what a bad contract that is, or maybe it will be a bad contract. They don't care. And second thing, Matt, if we were going to do a draft of sports owners who were the best sports owner, Steve Cohen might have just jumped to the top. I mean, Palmer's pretty great. Bombers will spend whatever, and he's got the new building. You could have said Bob Kraft at one point, one point years ago, you could have said Jerry Jones. That's no longer the case.

[A]

But Bomber. Bomber by far is the he. Because he's like. He's just. He's all in, you think, you know, like.

[C]

Right. But I think Cohen is now, too.

[A]

They.

[C]

They kind of laid patiently waiting to strike. And they. This was their. This was their big thing. So that's a little. It's the other part of this that I think is fantastic. And again, Yankee fans can't maybe get themselves there. We talk a lot on this show, especially over the last few weeks, about pro sports. Rivalries are dying on the vine and college might be the only thing we have left, particularly that Ohio State Michigan rivalry. This breeds new life into that. It was always a little bit of a rival. Yankee fans never viewed it. Like you hear Jeter in the documentary says, I mean, it's the Mets. You no longer can say it's the Mets.

[A]

It's that. And also, like, even Dodgers. Padres is now becoming an incredible, like, postseason, which, by the way, it used to be Dodgers, Giants. Giants have fallen off. Padres now like Dodgers. Like, that is a real rivalry. Like, like that's. And that's like a competitive respect. Like, shit. They're like, that's a really good team that can knock us off. Rivalry. Yeah, it's.

[C]

It's. Could you imagine at. In some series in July when we're all watching baseball, but we're all waiting for the. If it's Yankees, Mets out in Citi Field or the Bronx and Max Freed Throws at Juan Soto or something. Right. A little bow tie like Roger Clemens used to say. And maybe the benches start chirping at each. I think that's so good.

[A]

I mean, I was gonna say. Do these pictures have that, though, now? I don't know. It's a little different.

[C]

That's my baseball. Lean into this. Go heal.

[A]

Bum Gardner bomb. Gardener. Had that.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

I hated the Giants. Love that dude.

[C]

And I'm sorry. It would have been way worse if Juan Soto went to the Red Sox. It's such an obvious thing. I never had nearly as much Mets hatred as I do for the Red Sox. And also, they're in your division, so there's a chance that Juan Soto could knock you out of the playoffs before you even get there if he's with the Red Sox. And luckily, I don't even think they were really contenders, so.

[A]

Well, I think the moralist. The moral of the story is we raise our kids to be baseball players. Nothing else.

[C]

Well, for sure.

[A]

Or a baseball player.

[C]

Yeah, you definitely me not. So we'll. We'll see how it goes. So now it's time for our Wendy's. Let me. You know, I was thirsty after that rant. Our Wendy's can't get enough sauce. Moment of the week brought to you by Wendy's. Thank you very much, Matt. I have an interesting one for us this week. Okay. It's. It's. It is a saucy moment because you just don't see it all the time. It's Brandon Graham. Okay. Do you know what Brandon Graham did this week?

[A]

Honestly, when I first heard what he did, when I first heard it, I was like, this can't be real. Like, he spilled a little quote. Is this.

[C]

He spilled a little sauce. He basically commenting on AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts. He said, the person that's complaining needs to be accountable. Graham said, I don't know the whole story, but I know that her. I think he was using players numbers. Hertz is trying. And Brown could be a little better with how he responds to things. They were friends before this, but things have changed. And I understand that because life happens on the business side. What is Brandon Graham doing? I love it because we get to talk about it. But, Matt, isn't that like. Dude, that's like training one on one. You don't say something like that.

[A]

Media Training 101. Do not throw your teammates under the bus, especially your. Your two star players, dude. Like, when I heard this, I was like. And I. And I. Brandon Graham's a great dude. Like, and like this isn't like that's why like he's very buttoned up. He's like respected. Like he just, this isn't something that he would normally say or ever. And I think he actually walked it back. Like he kind of backtracked in a quote later like oh no, like obviously because he knew what he did. The, the problem, it's just like this is just one. There's already enough pressure on Eagles having a great year, but there's already enough pressure on the Eagles to win in the expectation, right? They're having a tremendous year. They're not throwing the football well. Jalen hurts isn't having a great year with that. They have Saquon who's kind of taken like there's a lot of good happening, right? They're not throwing the football well. But this is what happens when you have a diva esque receiver who wants the ball. It just is who wants the ball, who's a little upset that they're not getting the ball. You got a quarterback who's been, who's, who's very talented but been up and down really when the passing game ever since he entered the NFL. And now you're just, you're putting more. You're just stoking the fire. And what this does, it just brings like, like I've been in locker rooms where you got a problem with someone, right? You just handle it in the locker room. Anything you've been on a set, you handle it. You're or you're professional, you go about doing your job. When you start to say this out in the public and people like us talk and all that, it's like this is all they're going to answer now. There's going to be so many damn distractions around this football team between their star player, their quarterback and their star wide receiver with what, three or four weeks left before the playoffs and now it's like we got a force fee. I'm just telling you, like there's a long laundry list of things that can go wrong now that this, that the laundry is aired.

[C]

Any chance that he's parent trapping them and this was intentional to sort of get them talking like, like because of. It's a vet move. You can only do this if you're a vet. And he is a vet. He's a great vet. He's an awesome Eagle. I think the fact that it is him is.

[A]

I'm not sure. I don't know.

[C]

Well, I'm making it saucy because he actually said the Thing when we get only trained answers that don't ever say much and nothing to go off of. He actually gave a quote in the moment that's happening in real time that we will now watch play out. So, Brandon Graham, you are our saucy moment of the week, brought to you by Wendy's. Thank you, sir, we appreciate it.

[A]

Ballsy.

[C]

All right, now it's time for something new that we're going to do, which I'm very excited about. It's our defining moments brought to you by the National Highway Traffic association, nhtsa. And this is going to be something where, look, it's going to be defining moments, sometimes from our careers, sometimes from life. This is a big weekend coming up, as we know. So I ask you, Matt Leiner, what is your defining moment?

[A]

Yeah, I think, I think because of the Heisman coming up this weekend and just what that meant, that that's probably a defining moment for me in my career.

[C]

Sure.

[A]

And when this was the first thing that was said to me and I might have told you this in the past, the minute you win the Heisman Trophy, everyone there says your life is going to change. No matter what you do or accomplish in sport life after this moment, you will always be known as Matt Leiner at Heisman Trophy winner everywhere you go. And when you're in the moment, you're like, yeah, cool, Great. I was 22. Like you're a kid, you're just, you know, you're trying to soak it up but like it's a, it's a really cool feeling. And I'm 41, so 19 years later, it is still the number one thing that people say when they meet me or introduce me to something or introduce me for something, all that and it just, it just, it's such a unique, exclusive, just like elite club of really special football players. Some of the best to ever play the game at any level. Some obviously the best to play at the collegiate level. Great people. So that, that was a defining moment. And obviously, you know, we have, you know, Johnny coming up, who, who is incredible and then the guys you know this weekend, the four Travis Hunter, Genty, Cam Ward and Dylan Gabriel. Just congratulations to those four for, for being finalists and, and really just a fun, unique year. Like if you watch college football this year to have a two way star, most likely, most likely win. We haven't seen, Yeah, I mean Charles Wooden, Woodson was on a two way star. He was a one way star that participated in special teams and he would tell you that obviously a top tier running Back at a lower level conference that was absolutely a stud and going to be a top 10 to 15 draft pick and then two incredible quarterbacks. So it's always, it's a defining moment in all of these guys career to be a finalist, but to win it, man, it just changes your life forever.

[C]

Well, I want to thank you to the National Highway Traffic Association. I don't know if my defining moment is going to be nearly as good. Next week we'll do mine. I don't know if mine's going to be nearly as good as yours. Last thing before we go to the Johnny Manziel. The other cool thing about winning the Heisman is you get a vote. I'm not going to ask you who you voted for. I know what. But you must put a lot of thought you because you're covering the game so well.

[A]

Actually, I want to, I want to say two things. One, yes, getting a vote.

[C]

Cool.

[A]

I get a couple of different votes for a couple different wards and they all are equally as important because I take a lot of pride into really at least my opinion and putting my opinion and be like, this is why I think he wins. Not just like, oh, he's got the best numbers, best stats. But the second thing I want to say is I was looking at. Every year there's always like a Heisman snub, right? And this year, two in particular. So I want to give these two dudes some love. Shador Sanders, and again, probably overshadowed by his teammate Travis Hunter and the full marketing push and promotion of Travis Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy. Shador kind of took a backseat. I'm telling you right now, this dude is the real deal. And whether you like him or not, and you like the Flash or not, or you're tired of him or not, whatever, whatever your reason is, this dude is going to be a really good pro. He might be on your Giants, not sure. He might be a Raider. He might be a Raider.

[C]

I think it's going to be the Raiders.

[A]

But he's tremendous. And I want to give Tyler Warren some love. And I was looking at this, you might not even know who Tyler Warren is. Okay? He's the tight end. Okay, He's a tight end for Penn state. He had 88 catches this year for over a thousand yards. He had 23 carries for 200 yards and seven touchdowns. He was 3 for 5 passing with a touchdown. He blocks his ass off. He run. He, he lined up at center and caught a touchdown pass against my Trojans. This dude is going to be a top 10 pick. He's, he's, I, I said this on the show this year. Outside of Travis Hunter, he's the most versatile player in all of college football. He is a freaking star. And I don't know if we've ever had a tight end be a Heisman finalist. He should have been a Heisman finalist. So shout out to Tyler Warren.

[C]

I don't know if Jeremy Shockey ever got there, but you know what Giants started. Start him a quarterback for at this.

[A]

Point, Andrew, find out if there's ever there's ever been a tight end that was a Heisman finalist. I don't think there's been. Anyway, we can move on after.

[C]

Well, without further ado, we give you the Johnny Manziel interview. What if I told you there was a way for your favorite team to keep scoring points even during timeouts and commercial breaks? You'd probably be all over that, right? Well, we want to help you do the same thing with your money.

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[C]

All right, Johnny, thank you for coming in. Yeah, I was talking to some of my boys back home telling them that we were gonna, like, talk to you, and they're like, you know what they wanted me to tell you? Like, we watched the doc and they reminded me of this too. You completely. We all thought that you grew up like a rich kid from, like, what was going on in college. Like, it wasn't until your doc that when it came out, I'm like, oh, my God, he didn't grow up with like some Texas oil money stuff. Like, you completely had us back in Brooklyn. Completely.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I think it was something that, you know, around that time just made the most sense to kind of go with something like that.

[C]

It worked. It worked.

[B]

It definitely did. You know, I think the doc did a good job of kind of showing how it really was, but no, it came from a pretty normal family for the most part.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Was, was. I love it when, when you were doing that and you were like, shit, we're just going to go along with this. Was there ever a time where you were like, did you ever worry about the consequences or you were just like, it, I'm going to keep going.

[B]

I mean, I always thought like, you know, I thought about it a little bit, but at that point in time, I mean, as you're a broke kid in college just trying to make some money, like, there was probably no stopping it. And then, you know, getting around the compliance stuff and being able to talk to compliance guys and just pay for everything in cash type of thing and just, you know, it was, it was, it was, wasn't all that. It wasn't all that difficult, I guess.

[A]

Well, you're paying the compliance guys.

[B]

No, you just, they would ask you doing all this, you know, how are you going to this game? Like, do you have a receipt? You have nothing. You know, we paid. Paid in cash.

[C]

Baller at his baller man. And it worked. When you did the doc, was that something that you were, I don't want to say, like, stressed out about? You were, like, ready to kind of talk a little bit more about stuff and kind of do it in a way that you felt you wanted?

[B]

Yeah, I think for me just to get a chance to just, like, kind of tell the story and just kind of like, get that chapter and, like, that side of it over with a little bit. You know, I think there'd have been a lot that I've been holding onto that for a long time and not really able to say much about it. And it's kind of got to a point where, you know, I felt like I had good partners at Untold, felt like it was a great platform with Netflix and, like, had an amazing director who was. Made it really easy for me just to sit down and go through everything. So it just. It just made a lot of sense. It had been, you know, what, pretty much 10 years since I'd been in college, so I felt like a lot of time had passed, too.

[A]

I thought it was great. We talked about that. I just. I thought it, you know, had a chance to tell your story. What was, like, the feedback, like, after it was out?

[B]

Yeah, that's the, like, biggest thing, I think, for me, whenever people, you know, really saw what it was and kind of, you know, watched the doc, I think I got a lot more of a positive reaction for the next. It's been out a couple years, you know, since then. You know, I think just my interactions with people in the streets, going around being different places. I think it's been a lot more positive interaction than it was in the past.

[A]

I think it's also too, like, you, like, as football players, especially, like, kind of like this fishbowl thing, and you were obviously living that life, and I understand what that life kind of feels like. It's like kind of like just a relief of, like, this is who I was, this is what I was going. And it really opened up another layer to you, I think, that we all appreciate. I appreciate that because I never really knew you up until, like, obviously knew who you were, the Heisman and all that. And I know what it's like to just have those ups and downs in the NFL, but no one really knew what you were going through off the field and all the stuff that you were dealing with. And for you to be able to tell that story was awesome. Like, it really was cool, man.

[B]

I appreciate it. Yeah, it was. It was good. It was definitely a good Feeling to get that off my chest as well and just be able to kind of, you know, close the chapter, be able to move on and be able to kind of have that story told and just out there.

[C]

Yeah, I remember. Do you remember meeting me in Cleveland, or. No, it was a long time ago.

[B]

It's been a long time ago.

[C]

It was. I got invited. Yeah, I got invited to come check out practice, right. And I took a couple of my wife's Cleveland dudes who were super psyched. You weren't even the starter yet. But I remember, like, walking around, we met quickly, and then, like, there was just like, beat reporter dudes waiting to just like, we gotta talk to Johnny. I'm like, the dude's not even starting yet. And I just remember. And I feel like with Cleveland, I've spent a lot of time there. I even talked, like, Stefanski about it. It is a little bit of a fishbowl in Cleveland because, like, the Browns are such a. A thing over there. And I know you could say, like, while you play in a big city or a bigger city, it must be hard. I almost feel like Cleveland, like, you're under almost like a. Not like a microscope, but football is such a. The Browns are such a thing there. I remember walking out of that practice facility being like, dude's not even the starter yet, and they're just, like, waiting to talk to him.

[B]

Yeah. I think obviously came in there with a lot of hype and a lot of, you know, after. Especially right out of the college, couple college seasons that I had. But, I mean, it definitely was a fishbowl city. There's every single person that's in that town as a Browns fan, has been for, you know, generations and generations, for the most part. So, you know, it's definitely, as, you know, Cleveland's. It's. It's all about the Browns.

[C]

There really is.

[A]

How were. I remember, like, I had a Hollywood perception, and even going into Arizona, I was, like, liked by my teammates, but I couldn't. I couldn't just get rid of that, like, stigma. And that was always attached. And again, I take some responsibility to that was there. How were I. I don't like, how were you received by your teammates?

[B]

I think I was received great by my teammates, you know, especially coming in. You know, I made a lot of great friends that I still have to this day that were on those teams. You know, a guy that really took me under his wing, Joe Hayden, is a guy that always be super, super thankful for. I think he, you know, really came in and Kind of showed me what the league was like, you know, showed me around the town, you know, didn't hesitate to kind of introduce me to a lot of people and be able to really be a big support system for me there. And I think, you know, the teammates that I had there during the time, you know, I'll always, you know, remember and have a good relationship.

[A]

You had Shanahan and McDaniels. Did you have all those guys? They always show that clip where they do the fake play where you caught the ball. I think Shanahan's right there. And McDaniels.

[B]

Daniels. Yeah. So McDaniels was our receiver, receivers coach, and Shanahan was our OC.

[A]

Was McDaniels as cool, I guess the word is, like, as he is now, or was he. Were you like, who is this kid?

[B]

No, he's kind of exactly the same way that he's got so much fun. He is now. But he was. He was our run game coordinator, so he was like, so dialed in to our receivers coach, which is weird. He's our receivers coach, but he's our run game, like, pretty much coordinator for the week. Yeah.

[A]

He was like, dude, I drew up a play for. I drew up.

[C]

This is such bullshit.

[A]

I drew up a play for him. Yeah, I drew up literally like 62 smack Z drive. Like a drive concept. And I try to. I try to say. I went to what I say F mode a bunch, right? 62 smack Z drive and put X on a comeback. Pretty basic. This dude could not draw. I was trying to explain to him.

[C]

My experience comes from Madden, so we don't. And I let coach suggestions, especially he.

[B]

Put emotion in there on YouTube.

[A]

I did, but I did motu bunch, right? And he was like, what the hell does that mean? I. I want. I want to ask you about Nil, because I get asked this all the time and not necessarily, like, how much money you would have made because you were. You were making money, but we would. Made a lot more money. Would you have stayed longer in college, do you think? Like, if you put yourself back in there, like, shit, I can make a couple million, would you have stayed an extra year?

[B]

Yeah, I think so. Just because, I mean, you know, you get into your rookie contract if you're not taking high enough. I mean, you know, I could have stayed two more years in college and probably made what I made throughout the four years of your NFL deal for the most part. So I think it would have given me the opportunity to still be at a place at A and M. Like, that be able to make money and be able to, you know, still continue to go play the college football life, you know, I think there was. It's tough for me looking back having left two years of eligibility on the table.

[C]

When you, like watch NFL now, I mean, so many QBs are improvisational. I think that that was like the most fun watching you in, in your career and how you just improv. Go back a little bit. Like, I really am curious, like what high school Johnny was like, like, especially like the improvisational style. Is that something that's just in you? Obviously, I don't think you get coached up to be like, just, you know, play breaks down, do what you gotta do. Like, where does that come from? Is it a young age or.

[B]

When we, when I got to high school, we would play a game like a rugby type game where you would pretty much just like toss it around the field for the most part. And it would be one of those things where you're, you know, running to the left, full speed, and you have a guy all the way to the right and you're throwing, you're just chunking the ball around the backyard. And then ninth grade, when I got to high school, we ran, you know, pretty much a Texas Tech air raid type of offense. And you were in high school, like just 5, 4, 5 wide every single time. We'd never had a tight end once in four years of offense that must have never went under center one time. So, I mean, I think it just set me up well playing in that kind of offense in that kind of style. And then luckily, you know, I go to A and M and I get there my first year and I'm playing for Mike Sherman and it's all under center. All pretty much your basic, you know, pro style as it gets. And I really, really struggled that first year being there and then got lucky to have Kingsbury and that same kind of offense come in the next year.

[A]

Dude. So I was so at USC when I was there. I had Norm Chow, who was a great quarterback. West coast fit my style. He didn't believe in shotgun at the time, so didn't believe.

[C]

Like, it doesn't work. You can't win this way. It's like a guy doesn't believe in freezing.

[A]

He always believed I need to be under center with my eyes up, getting the ball right. Because in shotgun sometimes you put your eyes down. We, we had great teams. I had a great old line, so I didn't get hit a ton, but I just remember like third downs, I'm like Third and seven, double A gap blitz. I'm literally under center. Like, it was, it was crazy. I was in shotgun maybe four plays in college, and it was when I sprained my knee, I was like. Because I couldn't. I couldn't move.

[C]

You couldn't get out of.

[A]

I couldn't get out of the snap to like, hand off, whatever. But it was so opposite.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

But I didn't see the thing. I felt fairly comfortable in shotgun, but like, under center was my whole thing.

[B]

For me, when I got to the league, obviously, it was like learning how to take a snap. Under center for the most part.

[A]

Isn't that crazy?

[B]

It was. We probably only ran, you know, 12, 15 plays in both my years of college where we ever went under center.

[A]

It's like a real thing. Like.

[C]

So wait, was your high school team just putting up numbers?

[B]

We.

[C]

Because not every defense in high school is ready for that.

[A]

We kind of.

[B]

Look, we had a special, like, high school where we would go pretty much play like some really good teams in San Antonio. So we like sought out. Our coaches were psychopaths. They would go and look at the top 10 of, of our area every year and pretty much go into it and try and schedule anybody that would play us. And a lot of teams would. I think we're just some crazy, crazy white boys from outside of San Antonio. And we would schedule these games. So, you know, the thing that, that did for us, we would go play these really hard teams from San Antonio and then we would get into our district and get a chance to really kind of, you know, let our team flow a little bit, and it got us a lot better. So, you know, as this offense, they installed it pretty much, you know, my freshman year. And as it kept going on and getting through the seasons, we. We had a, you know, we had a pretty, pretty firepower offense for sure. We really didn't have a lot of talent though, for the most part. Like, you know, we had guys who were good fit for the system, but I think I was maybe the only person that really ever played, you know, maybe one other guy that ever played college football was.

[A]

Is. Is Texas high school football as crazy as it sounds?

[B]

Yeah, it is. It's as crazy as it's. I mean, they have stadiums. They have stadiums now that are, you know, 20, 30,000 seat stadiums. You know, they. Friday Night Lights to the max. It really is, you know, as crazy as you've kind of, kind of heard about.

[A]

I. We've. We did a Texas game, Texas Tech game this year. I got diverted because of weather. To Odessa or Midland.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And immediately I went to Friday Night Lights. I'm like, where's permanent? Yeah. I was like this. And it was in the middle of nowhere. Like, I was like. I felt like I was in a different world, but it was. I literally immediately thought of like, this is what high school football, like Texas high school football is.

[C]

That makes me sad because growing up in New York, my high school, we didn't even have our own field.

[A]

Did you?

[C]

Every game, football. So what Matt likes to do, he likes to draw me into these athletic.

[A]

He actually asked me questions. He's like, if I was a football. If I was a football player, which position? Like, if I was a 45 year old, which position?

[C]

If every football team had to have one 45 year old player on their team, It's a rule. New league rule. I'm on your team. All right, we got. And you have to run one play. I have to be on the field like a. Like, literally, like every kid has to have an at bat. I have to be on for one play. What position and what are you having me do? And then we'll tell you what Matt told me he's gonna make me do.

[B]

I think you have to put. I think you have to put your slot.

[C]

See, Johnny's got. He put me as a holder. He's like, you're gonna kick. And then we ran.

[B]

I didn't even think about special teams.

[C]

I love it. No, Johnny has the faith.

[B]

You're like, you're the slot and like, have a zone coverage and just make him run a stick route and just put it on him.

[A]

He asked me, he asked me. He's like. I go, we were running a hitch earlier today, and I was like, he's like, how far is the hitch? It's five yards, right? I said, yeah.

[C]

Confirming firms with you. Larry Fitz didn't come up to you. Just so you know, you want this five or you want this seven?

[A]

He used to come up to me and say, hey, what do I got on the backside of that again? I tell everybody, like, do you ever have guys in the huddle that were like, what do I got? Yeah, sometimes I was like.

[C]

I was like, shit, dude.

[A]

I don't know, what, are we just trying to go route or something?

[C]

Too much term.

[A]

I always say sometimes there's like, there is more backyard football that goes on a little bit than people realize.

[B]

Yeah, I didn't. I didn't have a lot. A lot of that go on throughout my time. But I know when I got in for my first time in an NFL game. We were playing in Buffalo. And how you get into your play calls and your boots or, you know, I sent. We get under and I called the receivers routes one way, but I rolled the wrong way pretty much. So I rolled to nobody. So as I think to the right and you're like, where's everybody? I see my two backside guys are running and I'm just running to nobody. And I just. Kyle Shanahan, just me to the moon.

[A]

Wait, so you rolled like I did.

[B]

Like, but they were like a play 18, like, you know, naked the other way. And then my. Both my ex and slot receiver taken off on the overs. It was. It was brutal. I just had to run like, as fast as I could and just throw it into the stands. Was it.

[C]

Was it always football for you? In high school? Did you play basketball, baseball, play baseball? I feel, yeah.

[B]

I thought growing up it was always going to be a baseball route for me. I started playing from a really young age, probably, you know, six, seven years old, and then did that travel baseball, you know, thing all the way.

[C]

What was your position?

[B]

I played middle, infield. I played shortstop mostly.

[C]

I feel like he'd be a good shooter.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I kind of just got burnt out on it though. I think once you play, even do that travel circuit from the time you're like eight until you get to high school, you know, you do it for six, seven years. I think for me, I just started playing football and it was just something new, something fun. I think it's just a chance to get on, get a little bit more on the aggressive side of, you know, running around, getting hit and being able to do that in baseball, like, slowly started to kind of, you know, slide.

[C]

Slide into the back seat, going back to the baseball. Did Cole play a lot of baseball too? So.

[A]

But he didn't. He never really.

[C]

I hear as like now parent with kids like that travel baseball is the one like, oh, you're gonna be on the baseball field, dude, for 12 hours in the summer. It's a grind traveling all. I'm sure in Texas too. Like, you know, just games all over the place. So I'm a little worried about the travel baseball with the kids.

[B]

It's fun though.

[A]

It's fun.

[B]

I had a great. I had a great time being able to do it. My. Me and my mom went all around the state of Texas, into Louisiana. We played all over the South Texas.

[A]

High school, high school, legit too. I want to. I want to ask about the Heisman. I Don't think I've ever asked you this, because when. When I was able to win in 04, like, it was like, kind of pre everything. And, you know, we've talked about this. Like, I got dinged a little bit by cameras and all that kind of stuff. But, like, we were like, here's a key to the city that night. Like, go rage. Go do your thing so far. And everybody used to go out. Like, everybody from all the guys that were doing the show, the Heisman guy. It was just a party. Like, my night was a party. I know it changed at some point. I don't. Like, what was that night like for you?

[B]

The first year that I. When I. When I won and went. The first year, I was maybe just turned 19 12.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I wasn't even really able to, like, go out and do anything. I'm sure at that time I was, like, really trying to find somewhere in New York. I couldn't even drink legally for the most part. But, you know, I did have, you know, my dad there and stuff. They brought up a huge bucket of, like, Budweisers or something. Just got to sit in one of the big suites. They upgrade you to a nice, newer suite once you win it. So I got to sit up there just with, like, three or four of my boys from. From high school that came up with me for the trip and just, you know, sat in Times Square and just sat in between the trophy and all of us and just slammed beers until. That's crazy. As late as we possibly could. And then the next morning, it's 6:30am you got to go get on the.

[C]

ESPN that you got. I can't even give you one more day, dude.

[A]

I was up till. So we. Did you take the trophy and go.

[B]

Everywhere for the most part. The next day, like, you go.

[A]

You did, like, cold pizza. Was that that, Gosh, I want eight. I was just telling him, like, dude, you win it, the next morning, you're hungover, and you got to do the whole media circuit. And then, like, I think when I. With those years, we had to go speak to the Tri State all star football, like, banquet that night. And then the next night was the big night. But I was telling Jerry, my. My night was. I was 22. I was older, so I was like, let's go.

[C]

You brought, like, the. Not losers, but the guys you beat, you brought with you for the night.

[A]

Like, a couple my boys were there, like, the quarterback group. The room was there. And then we had, like, a big limo, and it was like, all the guys that were like, Herbie was there, like all the guys, like, they were all Fowler, all those guys.

[C]

So even those guys come out like, we're all you, Matt.

[A]

Well, your funny was Urban. Urban was there with Alex Smith. So now I work with Urban. And somehow Urban got like, put. He tells a great story. He got pushed into the. To the limo. It was me, my brother Adrian Peterson, I think his brother Jason White, I don't think went out. But then like, Reggie was there and then Alex Smith and Urban and her. It was like 20 of us and we were just like, let's go. Like, we're going. And everybody was happy. Urban, like, ducked out. We stopped right in front of the club and he just ducked out and left. But we. It was. It was a rough, long night. It was the best night ever.

[C]

It's such a unique award because, you know, my. I've been lucky enough to go to a few of the, like, Golden Globe Emmy type award shows and 50 people win awards and you go out to all the parties and everyone has little trophies or whatever, but it's one winner, there's one person, and then you get to go into the city. I remember early in Entourage when we went to the Golden Globes. Our first day of shooting, season two was the next day. It was just a bummer the way it worked out. And we went out and hit all the parties and I remember coming home, son. Coming up, we had a 6am call time the next day, day one of work, season two, and I hit my head, hits the pillow. I go, this. I'm about to fall asleep and the alarm clock goes off. I didn't even get the chance to fall asleep. And let's just say the hair and makeup trailer, we were like, hey, use all your powers. You got whatever you could do to get me to look. I just think the Heisman, though, is such a unique trope because just it's one person. They're not doing a bunch of different awards for the night. It's just one. One guy.

[A]

What did you. What did you think when Reggie got his back?

[B]

I thought it was awesome.

[A]

Because you were pretty vocal.

[B]

Yeah, I thought it was awesome. I know when you go there and you. You get a chance to like, go back now. Just never sat right with like, anybody that he wasn't.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, able to be a part of it for things that guys are getting paid for right now to be able to do. Obviously it's different times and different.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Rules back then. But in the reality of it, you know, I'M glad that they did what they did, and I'm glad that it worked out the way that way.

[A]

Yeah, he deserves his bullshit, as we all know.

[C]

That's just gotta feel weird, right? When you're watching something that you know is happening in front of your eyes and it's such a big penalty and becomes such a story. And did you think that he. Did you guys, but you particularly. Do you think he would one day get it back? Did you ever.

[A]

Yeah, I did. I. Yeah, I think just because of the shift in college athletics, I just. You kind of just felt like it. It should have never happened, but you just felt like it was. It was going to happen. And Reggie had to do some stuff too, that he was a little like, just like, hey, at some point you got to just let this go and, like, everyone's got to come together and like, you know, like, kind of. He just. You know, he felt like he just got so slighted, which he did, but it was like, just let it go and move on. These people want it back, and let's. Let's like, hey, shake hands and move on.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So he. He finally did and they did. And they did the right thing, obviously. But it was a good. It was a good day for his family, man. It was like he got to show his kid. I remember I was talking to him. He's like, dude, I got to show my kids the Heisman Trophy. Which is all they. They're old enough to know that. Like, how. Yeah, what just kind of happened, you know, like, he was. That's not like, you know, so.

[C]

It was.

[A]

It was good, man.

[C]

Well, listen, I'm a big nickname guy. Do you even remember who. Who dubbed you Johnny Football? Do you have.

[B]

No, I have no idea.

[C]

I was trying to think of that the other day.

[B]

I'm like, I have no idea.

[C]

Was it someone on, like, was it an esp? I can't remember, but it just happened.

[B]

I think it was somebody through the Texas A and M, so I feel like that fan base a little bit.

[C]

But happened in college. It wasn't like a high school thing or nothing?

[B]

Not that I can remember, no. It didn't start until I got to A and M. And you don't get.

[C]

To choose your nickname. Were you always like, that's kind of cool one, or you're like, better? I think it's one of the best ones. We do nicknames a lot.

[B]

I thought it was a great one.

[C]

Great one.

[B]

No one that still sticks around a little bit. I have people come up and call me Johnny Football. Probably more than they.

[A]

Would you rather be called Johnny Football or Turtle? Turtles. The greatest turtles. Right?

[B]

Unbelievable.

[A]

I would say Turtle is like an iconic. Well, Johnny. If you. If you say Johnny Football, you mean Johnny Football's. Let's clear Johnny Football. Anyone that's watched any TV and you just say, dude, that was Turtle. Like you. You're an icon. You got an iconic character, bro.

[C]

And I still don't know why the character is nicknamed.

[A]

What's the.

[C]

We know why you're called Johnny Football. It's pretty self explanatory.

[A]

Johnny Football is just.

[C]

Why on earth is it he. Does he walk slow? I mean, did he like Ninja Turtle? I thought in my mind maybe he was just a big Ninja Turtle.

[A]

You were a little. You were a little heavy rounder.

[C]

Yeah. I'm not ashamed.

[A]

No, I'm just saying you were a little.

[C]

I was a big boy.

[A]

Yeah. But you. You. You looked good that.

[C]

Well. I always love when people. So people come up to you like Johnny Football. I get dudes come up to me and like, I'm the Turtle in my group. I'm like, yeah, I could see that. And then every now and then someone comes up and says, I'm the Vince. I'm like, really? You all right, Vince? Sure. I'll see you around. And I'm like, you think very highly of yourself.

[A]

That's amazing. There's a big like young quarterbacks in the NFL now and you've been through this. And we had Kurt Warner on who's someone that I played with. I learned a lot early on. It was more competitive, but I learned a lot from him. And especially as I look back, I was like. He was. He was just great. You know, he's a hall of Famer. He. He had told us that he's like reaches out to young quarterbacks and just trying to help them and guide them and stuff. Did you have. And they never really kind of fade him.

[C]

He gets faded.

[A]

I think it's a different generation. I think a lot of these young guys, for the most part like kind of think they already know what they know and they really don't know what they don't know. That makes sense. It was there. I mean, there was a mentor you had or like, do you wish going back, like there was a guy because who did you have in Cleveland? You had Hoyer. Is there. Is there someone that you're like, man, that would have been cool to reach out and maybe learn something from or.

[B]

I got to learn a lot. I felt lucky when I was doing My pre draft stuff, you know, I got a chance to learn from Kevin O'Connell.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

He was obviously with the Vikings now and doing an unbelievable job, but he was living in San Diego and had a ton of knowledge, obviously having been at the Patriots and you know, came and sat down with us every day pretty much through pre draft stuff and did a lot of my film work, a lot of my board work. So I felt really lucky to be able to sit be with him for that process and then get a chance to go and learn from Shanahan. And then funny thing, that staff kind of turned over and then next year he ended up being our quarterback coaching.

[A]

Oh, he did?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Also you had him.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How great. How I always try to explain like Shanahan's offense how great it is.

[B]

Sick.

[C]

It sounds like a lot of terminology.

[A]

I feel like you have to be.

[C]

Motion bunch, whatever the hell you were saying before.

[A]

It's just so like, like the ski and they're just. He's a brilliant play caller and scheming and getting guys and then playing to your strengths. Like, it's just unbelievable. I try to explain it in like simple terms of why. Because everyone's like, why did. Why is Jimmy Garoppolo having these. Why are these quarterbacks playing a certain way?

[B]

But it's just interesting how like, just like Kirk Cousins can run the exact same offense as what RG3 was doing and they're completely different players. Like the same offense they do from the pistol and from you know, side by side in shotgun as they do under center. It's all just kind of tailor made and timed out the exact same way. And it's all just so, you know, predicated on the run game and like so technically sound. So it really was, you know, getting a chance to learn from a guy like that and learn an offense, like that was, was something it does seem.

[C]

Like, you know, because I, I watch all sports and I do believe that situation. Matt's talked a lot about this too. Like the situation is really so important. You know, sometimes players don't work out in whatever sport and it's not just. It's definitely not a lack of talent, it's just the situation. And I think with basketball you, you certainly see it and. But with football, especially with the quarter and maybe that's the sort of, not the secret, but the thing with the qb, it really does seem so situational where you end up. I just couldn't imagine like you're talking about. You lit up when you just talked about Shanahan. System. You had like a look that I haven't seen. Like. Like, you just lit up when you talked about it.

[B]

Yeah, it was definitely one of those things that, like, once you see it and like, look back at it now, thinking about the football aspect and football side of things, you're just kind of like, whoa, yeah, that was to watch one guy be able to coach all 11 positions, you know, no problem. Was just, you know, it was interesting. Definitely, like, having some time in that offense and more years would have been something that, like, I could have really, really enjoyed. But yeah, it really is. All situation depends on where you go. And more than anything, I think you need, you know, a coaching staff and organization and you really need pieces that believe in you. I mean, you look around the league now, you got guys who have their guy and like, we were talking about Garoppolo for sure. Like, yeah, you got with Shanahan, they loved him. And it just kind of can be your story a little bit. So just, you know, it takes one or two guys really, really believing in you and helping you develop. I mean, you still have to develop these. You'll see a lot of these, you know, young guys now you just need time to be able to have somebody to trust you, give you the time to be able to develop into something great.

[A]

Who was your favorite quarterback growing up?

[B]

I loved watching Michael Vick play. Just the mobile aspect of it. There was really nobody else that was moving like that, that was running, doing that, but throw into the football. Brett Favre was. Was just a crazy, crazy gunslinger and just unbelievable arm strength.

[A]

I played him actually my. The week my oldest, Cole, was born. I was a rookie. He was born on Tuesday on our off day. I flew home, was there, and then flew back, and we played at Green Bay that week. Got our ass kicked. We were terrible. But I got to start against Barb. It was my favorite quarterback growing up. I was like, you know how you find. Sometimes I don't know if it's out. You find yourself, like, young and you're playing against, like, Tom Brady and you're like, I gotta watch him play like this. I was like a kid in a candy store and they beat our ass. But I was, like, watching them before in Green Bay play, it was like. It was so awesome, man.

[B]

We would play the. We would have a game, obviously against the Steelers every year, and just to watch, like, Big Ben, you know, you would see him be kind of like up and down at times a little bit through the season. But when he played the Browns was like the Most him and Antonio Brown were just like, is it fucking those AFC north games?

[A]

It's crazy. Like how, because we played against Ben a bunch and like how one how big he was. He was one of the biggest dudes I've ever seen. And he was like just kind of like frumpy a little bit, you know, but he was a dog. Like it was crazy in person and he could move and he was like, not fast but like fast enough. He had a little shake to him.

[C]

It was just wild, like wiggle.

[A]

He's an old, like, we'll never get another big band dude. He was like 6 6, 265 and like would run and like I was just, it was just. He was great, man.

[B]

He was, it was fun to watch in person. For sure.

[A]

He was.

[C]

You ever think about like this coaching interest you 1% or is it not something that.

[B]

I don't know, man, the college, like college aspect I think would be fun. But then the recruiting trail and hitting that and doing that, it is like, yeah, you know, I talked to Cliff Kingsbury a lot and I've brought it up to him like a couple times. He's like, bro, enjoy your, enjoy your life, man.

[A]

I don't know how they do.

[B]

I could play golf. When he was at Texas Tech, he was just like, man, this is, this is a real grind, dude.

[A]

And by the way, now they're making some are making millions of dollars now. You're dealing with that shit like you're recruiting, you're recruiting kids who are already making a ton of money and you're like, what am I doing, man? Yeah, it's a different world.

[B]

It is a different world. You got to have, you know, either really strong program that like doesn't put up with the, and is willing to like let guys, you know, walk and let them go or, you know, I think that's the thing that you see about really good programs right now. It's a very like buy in and like get all the way in and all that other that the money and everything else.

[A]

Like it would have been nice to make a lot of money though back then. I ain't gonna lie, dude.

[C]

As an outsider, you know, nil.

[B]

Money in, in, you know, LA probably doesn't, probably wouldn't have gone.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, you would have been strapped a little bit.

[A]

But yeah, cash man. All cash.

[B]

Under the tick.

[C]

As a, as a complete outsider looking at that like I, I, and I'm an old head now, so I definitely, because I get frustrated with even like actors today in the way things Are. You didn't have to do this. You didn't have to drive all over town submitting these tits. Like, I would definitely be a little. Like, this shit's crazy that it's happening now. Like, I'm not saying bitter, but I. I would have some feelings about it. I just. I'm petty like that, too. I would have.

[A]

I don't know. I get like, are you ever, like, are there, like. Because you always get like, oh, what would you would have made or making.

[C]

How much do you guys get asked. How much money would you guys.

[A]

Probably a lot. I don't. I'm not really bitter for these kids, make them. I don't feel. No, I know what you're saying, but, like, it would be cool to be in that era or in this era to make that. But, like, I kind of feel like we paved the way for. I don't know, like, for sure.

[B]

There had to be. There had to be a lot to happen to be able to even get to that point, to be able to be where it is today, you know? So I think, you know, I look at it now, and I think it's. It's great.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, it's got to be great for your son to be able to be going to SMU and be able to go to a place like that. That's.

[A]

It's. It's. It's. What? Advice. I need advice, man. I'm like, the. I'm like, I live it, but now I'm the dad of, like, shielding him from nil because I'm like, I want you to earn it. I also don't want him to get the feeling of what it's like to, like. Like, it's weird, man, because it's like, I want him to make the money. It's an opportunity, but he's also not smart enough to understand how all this works.

[C]

Kids still, I mean, I understand, but it's like.

[A]

So, like, I just had this conversation the other day, and he's asking me, and it's good, but I'm like, let me handle this. Like, I want him to, you know, like, it's weird. It's a weird thing, man, with these kids, because I don't want that to affect his overall goal or what he wants to accomplish, you know, like, you. And it's. It's easy to do that. You know, he's a good kid and all that stuff, but it's just like. That's a challenge that I'm going through right now.

[B]

Yeah, it definitely is very easy to get, you know, focused on the money and you could go in with nothing, just your scholarship and everything else and just.

[A]

Dude. And you're living. You're living a great life, you know, free tuition, you're playing ball in Texas and damn, that's.

[C]

Do I have permission to nerd out with some golf stuff with Johnny for a minute? Because I know Johnny. First of all, how is the golf game these days?

[B]

The golf game's all right. I think I'm hovering probably around of, I don't know, four handicap. I haven't played that much this year, though. This has been my least. This has been the least amount of golf I've played in a year. When I first went to Scottsdale, I probably played, you know, 150 plus rounds.

[C]

So good to go Scottsdale. So I played a little bit.

[A]

That was good.

[B]

I bet I've only got in like 10 or 15, 10 rounds this year. 15 rounds.

[C]

So I remember watching you did Bob Does Sports, right? Do you have. Do you have plan. You must get approached all the time to start a golf YouTube channel. I think you would crush.

[B]

Thought about it a little bit. It's been fun to do the Bob Does Sports and get on a couple of those guys and just be able to go and have a day, right?

[C]

Would you want to do your own. You just want to pop in on other guys for here and I can see my.

[B]

I can see myself doing that for sure. That's something that definitely fits my. Fits my lifestyle.

[C]

You want to co host if you want someone.

[A]

Jerry is like hardcore selling golf to you. To me, what is. What do they do? They just ride around the car.

[C]

What is this by. See, I'm the old head. I'm telling you about Bob does sports and YouTube golf and I'm the oldest.

[A]

Listen, dude, I'm not watching Bob does sports on YouTube at the house. Okay.

[B]

Pretty good.

[C]

It's. With those guys, it's more about the hang, right? So they're just like, this is good. Good. One good golfer and the rest of them. Joey Cold Cuts gets a little hot. He can get hot sometimes. But they're just.

[A]

They're just boys talking. Hanging during a. Yeah.

[C]

What's wrong with that?

[A]

Nothing.

[C]

You would cry. You would. I mean, your channel, I think would be. Be a really, really good.

[A]

We. We were talking about this. I'm just going to throw this out there right now. Dream foursome golf. Anybody you could golf with?

[C]

I love this question because you can go so many different. And I got. I actually got a different one for you after this living.

[A]

We'll do living. We do live.

[C]

All right.

[B]

I think you have to play with Tiger.

[C]

God, play with Tiger.

[B]

I think you have to play with Tiger just to. To see it.

[C]

Tiger now is starting to do YouTube stuff. Like, he'll do a lot of stuff with Scheffler, and he'll watch Sheffield hit a shot, and he gets so giddy. No, no, he actually is like. He, like, marvels at. But you almost know he's like, in his mind, he's probably saying, like, I was doing that when I was 14. But good for you, Tiger. I'm with you on that. You can't overlook our goat.

[B]

I think you have to have maybe John Daly.

[A]

That's what I was gonna say.

[C]

I got to hang with Daley a few. A few months ago when he's doing the champions thing at Firestone and his cat, he was like, you need any golf clubs, Dwight? What do you mean? He's like, what do you need? I'm like, I always need a three wood. He went in the house and came out with the three wood head not on the shaft. Like, this is what John hit today. Take it. And he handed me this stealth bomber of a three wood that I can. I brought to the golf shop to get a shaft put in there. Like, we haven't seen. We don't have the adapters. We haven't seen this yet. How'd you get this? They were interrogating me.

[B]

Love it.

[C]

All right, so Tiger daily. You now round it out?

[B]

Probably Jordan. All right, Jordan. Big, big, big golf guy. Obviously likes to gamble.

[A]

I was gonna say there'd be a lot of money. One.

[C]

All right, my. My variation on. On that question is me and Scotty Scheffler challenge you and a PGA Tour player of your choice to a 2v2 money match, all right? So you could pick any PGA golfer. I got Scotty, though. I take the world number one trying.

[A]

To sell this right now because I'm.

[C]

Like, a 12 handicap, so I'm the scrub. I get to pick. I pick Scotty Scheffler. Who you going into battle with, versus the two of us?

[B]

You know, it would be. It would be an uphill climb for us, but I would go with one of my boys. I would take Max home.

[C]

Max home.

[A]

Max is a beast.

[B]

Max is the. Max is the man. We've become good friends. And Scott Stale, he's, you know, turned into a, you know, hell of a guy. A real force on the tour. Scotty, you know, weekend and week out, not a lot. Not a Lot of guys beat him, but I think that'd be a hell of a day.

[C]

Max. What I love about Max, first of all, he was awesome in the Ryder cup too. Even though they got USA got their ass kicked. Max talks to people on Twitter all the time.

[A]

Does he?

[C]

Yeah, like some dude posted a video of him hitting his three wood and saying like, I hit my three with 10 yards past and he's like, that's really cool that you do that. If you need discount tickets to any of the PGA Tour events, let me know. I'll make sure I invite you as my guest. It's great. You can hit your three wood 295 yards. No, he goes at people.

[B]

He does, he does.

[C]

See me and John, we're starting a YouTube channel.

[A]

Have you ever hit with like a gal, like, with like a real gallery with people on the side?

[C]

It's single handedly.

[A]

I literally think I literally will my house. Have you done that?

[B]

Yeah, we did. I did a. The good, good guys did a tournament at this part three course and.

[C]

Yes. And it was probably clippings, right?

[B]

Clippings. There was probably, I don't know, a couple thousand people out there and I, I got up on the first tee and I absolutely shanked it over the top of everybody.

[C]

That was, it was par three course, right. So would you have like a eight.

[B]

Iron, like a probably a 50 degree wedge and found a way to shank it and luckily didn't kill anybody.

[C]

I, I've done it a couple of times. I played years ago, the Pro Am. It used to be called the Mercedes Benz. It's the first tour event of the year. It's only 30 pros and I get paired with Jeff Ogilvy, who at the time had won two US Opens, by the way. Jeff Ogle didn't talk to me for the first four holes. And then this caddy finally comes up. He's like, he's not going to talk to you till he makes a birdie. And he made a birdie and he was the coolest dude ever. I'm like, oh, wish you would have told me that hours ago that first tee shot, because I had driver. To me, driver is the scariest club to have in your hand on a, on a tee shot with all those people. My hands were trembling.

[B]

At least it's got the biggest like, radius. Yeah, yeah, it's got the biggest.

[C]

But if you snap, hook one into the gallery. Like it didn't. Who on. Good, good did that?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Was it Garrett? Garrett Clark, like snap, hooked the driver into A dude's elbow and just blew up. Matt, we gotta get you. You know you're not invited on Johnny and I's YouTube channel. You're not. He's at Matt's out.

[A]

Okay. Before we let you go. So we do. I don't put you on the spots easy that we do a throwback three segment every pot and we just anything from movies to whatever. Top three Texas high school football legends. I think I've heard stories about some.

[C]

Of these guys, but can only imagine.

[B]

I think you probably have to put Kyler on that list.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Never. I don't think he lost a game. Stafford is a guy that's still very much. Still talked about from Highland park and Baker's school. Baker School, Lake Travis was, you know, one of the most dominant runs in Texas high school football history. Really. They were unbelievable.

[A]

Baker, Stafford and Kyler was like, I think he's all time like high school play. Like he's looked at like that, right?

[B]

He's like, yeah, I really don't think he lost the game. That's wild for a big, big 5A school in Dallas. And where'd he go? They ran it. He went to Allen.

[A]

Oh, Alan. That's right.

[B]

Yeah, he went to Allen.

[C]

Before we let you go, I know you got glory days now. I listened to. Obviously I listened to Matt's episode because I, you know, this is my guy and I listened to the Odin episode. The Odin episode was awesome. Did you know Odin lot much before you?

[B]

I had met him one time before but was always.

[C]

You guys had a lot of chemistry.

[B]

Like really interested in his story. I think just. Just two similar guys who had been like, you know, we obviously didn't get a chance to play in the league very long. His were because of injuries. I mean, I think just getting to deal with certain things in life and you run into people like that, you're able to have a little bit of chemistry about, you know, getting back and being in a good place and. And you know, the. The ups and downs of life.

[C]

The show's great. It's in the rotation for me.

[B]

The show is great.

[C]

I was listening to him on the flight to la and I look forward to now. I'm already like, I'm all caught up kind of. So I'm like, when's the next batch of glory days coming? So I'm waiting on it. I appreciate that's a really good one and thank you for doing this, man. That's a good football. Johnny Football. What a great nickname. Way better than Turtle, by the way. Don't even dare make that comparison.

[A]

Turtles. Pretty good.

[C]

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[B]

We have one more act for you this evening.

[C]

I don't even need to say his name. Mr. Bob Dylan.

[B]

From the director of Walk the Line.

[C]

And Ford versus Ferrari. If anyone is going to hold your attention on stage, you have to kind of be a freak.

[A]

And starring Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan.

[C]

Are you a freak? Hope so.

[A]

Inspired by the true story. I want to know which side he's on this Christmas.

[C]

They just want me saying I'm blowing in the wind for the rest of my life.

[A]

Bobby, what do you want to be?

[C]

Whatever it is they don't want me to be. He defied everyone.

[A]

Turn it down.

[C]

Pay loud.

[A]

To change everything.

[C]

These are Elvis with no direction.

[A]

Timothy Chalamet Edward Norton EL Fanning Monica.

[B]

Barbaro make some noise BD Track Some mud on a carpet.

[A]

A complete unknown.

[C]

Only in theaters Christmas Day.

[A]

Rated R under 17. 90 minute without parrot.

[C]

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[C]

All right. Welcome back to Throwbacks, presented by Cash App. It's now time for our money moments presented by our good friends over at Cash App. Sending, spending, saving, splitting, tipping, donating, gifting. We're just typing numbers, all with the number one finance app in the app Store. That's money. That's cash app. So, Matt, here's someone I think is money. Now, I know a lot of people think this person is money, but for other reasons. I'm gonna highlight the reasons why I think he's money. All right, Timothy, you're not ready for this one. You're not ready for this one.

[A]

I'm definitely not. You're gonna have to educate me.

[C]

Timothy Chalamet. We all know his wonderful performances in Dune and all. Just bunch of movies, right? Kid's a star. He's a superstar. He's. He's Juan Soto in the acting world. He ain't gonna get paid that much. But do you know what's really cool? Now, we learned last weekend that Tim knows a little bit about college football. We learned that that was cool. And then this thing that's been floating around on Twitter from 2010, okay, Landry Fields of the New York Knicks back then, now he's the GM of the Hawks and he's done a good job. Landry Fields tweeted back In November, almost 14 years to the day. Me and Andy Rottens will be in the city tonight starting at 5pm the first person to find us and answer our trivia question wins two tickets to the Knicks game. Who do you think wins?

[A]

Your boy. Your boy.

[C]

And then he posts.

[A]

I didn't know this.

[C]

He goes, landry Shaman. The winner is Tim Chalamet. And he won the contest. There's a picture of him that post.

[A]

Up looking at the tweet you sent me.

[C]

He must be 12 years old. 11 years old. He's putting up the peace signs. He looks cool. Tim, we did not. You didn't know. I didn't know.

[A]

You didn't you say you used to play pickup with him a little bit too?

[C]

So he is my money moment for the week. But yes, I started a pickup basketball game in. In Hollywood years ago. It's still going on to this day even though I don't live there. A lot of actors, producers, writers, whatever. And one time my good buddy Sherm, who I think produced the indie that Tim. Tim was in, and he was like 15 or 16 years old, brought him to our game. And I was like, who is this little kid? And by the way, could ball. He could ball.

[A]

Some of these, some of these posts. Wtf? The lore. Timmy had this to add this to the lore as well. He's getting an auto By Amari Stoudemire. And you know what?

[C]

Legend stud.

[A]

I didn't. I didn't know he had that in him.

[C]

And he's got some games. Come to the pickup game, and he would put in some good work. Again, he was a kid. But then years later, at a Knicks game, Brie and I are at a Knicks game, and I hear 8,000 young girls screaming. So I'm like, what? Who just walked in? What is it? In sync. Who is it? It was Timothee Chalamet walks in, walks past us to his seats, and in turns, like, I. I didn't even realize it was him. I didn't realize it was the same kid from pick. And he goes, hey, Jerry, what's up, man? How you been? And he daps me up, and it's all hitting me. I'm like, oh, my God. That's little Timo from the basketball game. So that's what they were calling him. So our money moment.

[A]

Oh, that's good.

[C]

Presented by Cash app Timothy Chalamet. Keep. Keep doing your thing, man. The movies are great, but I want to have a sport. I want to get you on this pod to strictly talk sports.

[A]

I want to talk about. I think he gained a lot of. A lot more fans over the past week just because. Just with the sports knowledge. Because if you look at him, you kind of think, like, this kid doesn't know a lot about sports.

[C]

But, oh, no, he's about that. He's about that life. So thank you to Cash app for that. And now it's time for the throwback three.

[A]

All right, so throwback three, Top toys we received as kids for top Christmas gifts.

[C]

Toys. Presents we got as kids. This will probably be one of our last things we do for Christmas, because I'm ready to be done now at this point. So, Matt. And again, we encourage all of you at throwback show, tell us your top three Christmas presents you received as a kid. What did Matt Liner get as a kid that he loved?

[A]

So, okay, so the number three, the original Nintendo system. Okay. I could have went every year with every new. Every new game, you know, game console that came out. That was the OG Original that introduced my brother. My brother was five years older than me, so I don't. It came out in 83, the year I was born. I'm pretty sure I started playing video games when I was 4 or 5.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But I remember, like, we didn't really have those until I think I was five. So that was the very first one. And obviously, we've talked about it, like some of the. Like RC Pro and Mike Tyson's Punch Out Excite bike. Like. Like some of the greatest games that I. Baseball, hockey, baseball. Like, I could name a hundred different games, but the original NES system came out in 1983. One of my favorite Christmas gifts of all time.

[C]

You probably went right for Duck Hunt, because that came, by the way.

[A]

No, by the way. Zelda. My brother Zelda. My brother beat Zelda with his friend, which took him weeks to build or weeks to.

[C]

That's something we gotta ask. I know we're gonna have Justin Kroll on the show in a few weeks or so. I know there's a lot of rumblings about a Zelda mov or a series, so we gotta also check with Kroll on that stuff. Okay, I hear you on that. My number three is in the same ballpark, but different game. I went Sega Genesis because for me, I loved. I got Nintendo 2 for Christmas 1 year. I was lucky kid. And when I got the Genesis, that opened up the sports video games for me in a much bigger way. That's Madden, you know, that's NHL hockey.

[A]

Genesis was fire.

[C]

So as much as I loved getting Nintendo and Mike Tyson's Punch Out. 0077-373-5963. That's the code. Sega Genesis meant more to me when I was like, tenure, whatever age I was on Christmas, like, my mom really came through. So Sega Genesis for me.

[A]

All right, number two, you're gonna die. I actually was gonna put this number one, but I'm not gonna put number two. The Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. By the way, the original toy came out in 1979. Yeah, I got it. We were big, big, big Star wars fans as kids. So the Millennium Falcon, I remember it sat in the bottom of our. My dad's office again. We had a tiny house growing up. It was so big. It just sat on the bottom there with like, we had he man figurines. We had all our GI Joes. We had all sorts of. But the Millennium Falcon was like this big thing and we had all our start Chewbacca. We had all this. All the toys stuffed in there by far. By the way, people are gonna love that. Because the Millennium Falcon was so fire when we were kids. Kids.

[C]

So fire. I did not get that as a kid. Friends of mine, if you walked into someone's house and they had the Millennium Falcon, you're like, this kid is cool. But also the. The OG that I never got was the GI Joe aircraft carrier, which I think was like 400. If you got that? You were just straight up.

[A]

Did we still light our GI Joe's on fire? My brother and I don't know. Yes.

[C]

So you might be. You might be too young for. And I'm only four years older than you, but you might have missed the window on this. My number two. Do you remember anything called Photon? Does that ring a bell to you?

[A]

Of course it does.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

The laser. Laser tag.

[C]

Yes. So there was some really cool at home laser tag games back in the day. There was one called Laser Tag, and then there was one called Photon. You get a helmet, a chest protector, and a weapon, and you could hit either of the targets. The chest protector, the weapon, or the helmet. And with Photon, you were either red or green. Red was always the more popular one. I got Photon for Christmas and I walked my streets like a stormtrooper. I wore it everywhere I went. And the only other kid, I had a bunch of red teams on my side of the street. There was one kid who was a green team across the street. You guys beat his ass of just hunting this green team.

[A]

We had Photon. We had a. We had a place called. Called. We had a Photon place. I remember I had a brother five years older. So.

[C]

Right, right.

[A]

46. Yeah. So photo. Yeah, I remember.

[C]

That's a great one, Photon. And they even made. And I can't find it anywhere. Even on YouTube, it's hard to find. They made a supportive Photon TV show, which I don't think was any good, but that's how they did things back then. So that's my number two. I wanted to think your number one was, hey, I got this. Got this football when I was a kid. And when I just put it in my hand, it just felt right. And I knew I was gonna. I hope it's something like that.

[A]

It's probably what the. The Nerf football that. The vortex. Remember the voice?

[C]

Yeah. I. I don't think you're gonna put a split.

[A]

I had to go again. I had to go with a game console. And again I. I wanted to try and be original of three different things, but it's just like Nintendo 64. So. So Sega Genesis for you was like 64 for.

[C]

For you.

[A]

Y. Mario Kart still. Still to this day. My. Probably my favorite. Like my. I still play. I played on a Nintendo Switch like that. I'm still a child and most kids.

[C]

That'S their first game today.

[A]

So for GoldenEye, arguably the greatest game, Wave Race, I was thinking about this. I was looking like Wave Race. I used to play Wave Race for hours. Dude. So that, like, original Nintendo was great. We never really had Super Nintendo. It was weird. We switched because I think Super Nintendo came out around the same time as Sega Genesis. It was like, yeah, Sega. Or you went, we had Genesis. We didn't have Super Nintendo. And then Nintendo 64 came out. And that was like the one that I remember my brother and I were like, saving up. And like, you had to wait in line outside of like, Best Buy for like, or whatever. Where Target, wherever my dad would sit, like 6 in the morning and you wait two hours to get the line then because you couldn't order anything online back then. So 64 was the one that just hits me the most because of the games that were part of that console.

[C]

I loved the. All the WWE wrestling games on there. They were fantastic. And look, do you ever miss any of this stuff? It's so convenient. What I mean is, like, it's so convenient now, Matt. You want a game, you just go click on, you download it, right? And I know there's some novelty, not even Best Buy GameStop stuff. Like you can go to a brick and mortar store. But that feeling as a kid of going to the store and getting that thing that you wanted and bringing it home and fight. Like, to me, there was no better feeling. The same goes for Blockbuster. Now. I know it's easier. It's better today because we saved the time. But that hype, it's hard to build that hype anymore.

[A]

Hype and opening up the.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And also, like these kids now. And like, we just, like. Like, you know, they just. They get almost whatever they want. Like, it's like you just. You have access to everything. It was like, Nintendo's coming out in nine months. I can't wait to get it in 12. Like, that's all you look forward to. It's all you look. When you got it, it was like the greatest. That's why Christmas is fun with our kids age now, because they get so excited. But yeah, I mean, it's.

[C]

Well, I'm gonna throw you a curveball right now, Matt. Liner. Because my number one is not a toy. It's not a gaming system. It's an article of clothing. The thing that most kids hate to get on Christmas. An article of clothing.

[A]

Socks.

[C]

No. I wanted more than anything a starter jacket when I was a kid. They were expensive, you know, single mother, not gonna lie. We did not have it like that. Cannot go spend a buck fifty on a starter jacket. My. And I remember looking at it in the store and just the first. That was like, the moment I realized, like, wow, we really don't have money like that. Because my mom was like, we can't afford this, Jerry. It's not happening. And to my mom's credit, she went back to the store. I don't know if she put it on the credit card or did layaway, which was the thing back then. It was my Christmas gift. She hid it at my aunt's house in the closet in the basement. We used to always play over there. And to this day, it was a Ranger starter jacket. And to this day, I still have it back. It's like, it's packed in my mom's house. And that was the coolest thing I ever got. Cause I wanted that.

[A]

So starter jackets were so far. One of my consolation was Reebok pumps. Yeah, Reebok pumps. Like those two.

[C]

I remember I had. I. I just bought the Michael Chang tennis Reebok pumps where the ball is actually, like, the tennis material. I just bought them on stockx. Just bought them last week. Yeah, I'll wear them on the show next week.

[A]

Good, because we can see them on the video.

[C]

I'll put them right here next to my Reebok pumps.

[A]

Man, that. Yeah, dude, Toys were the best growing up.

[C]

Well, everybody, please let us know your top throwback. Three Christmas presents as a kid that you received. It doesn't matter. The year you were born. Hit us at throwback show. We will be watching for that. And Matt, we're gonna get up out of here. Thank you to Johnny Manziel. Go listen to his podcast. And yeah, just the man and way more to come. We got a lot coming down the pipe for the rest of the year.