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Jerry Ferrara
Did you ever have to pass on a mic'd up opportunity?
Anthony Rizzo
I did pass up a lot. I got most of my humor from watching you growing up. So there you go. Those Entourage days were the best.
Jerry Ferrara
All right, welcome in the throwbacks. Throwing it back this today we're what? We're throwing it back a little bit, but we're also looking forward, me and Maddie Liner. Don't forget to follow us all social platforms at throwback show. Give us the like and subscribe on YouTube. Barry Sanders episode last week. Lot of, lot of goat running back debate in the comments section I saw there was a little back and forth. There was some Emmett Smith people in there. Matt, like, sure, but come on, go listen to the episode Barry Sanders if you haven't already. And Matt, I mean, baseball's back. I can't. It doesn't feel like it should be back yet, but it's going to be back in our lives in no time.
Matt Liner
Yes, it is here, dude. Baseball is here. Shout out to what is 162 game season. We'll get baseball for the next nine months. I feel like they have the longest season and the shortest off season. Like it's not fair. But baseball's here and we have an incredible throwback man. Champion, champion Chicago Cub legend former New York Yankee Anthony Rizzo joins throwbacks today. Man, and what a career, dude. What a career. Now getting into TV for Netflix and doing some analyst work. I think he's going to be great at it.
Jerry Ferrara
And if you haven't, you know, obviously if you don't know tons about Anthony Rizzo off the field, we should just check out my vote and I'm going to. We talked to him about this. I think he's one of the best ever to be miked up and those. I can't wait to ask him about those first base conversations because what is
Matt Liner
talked about at first bas I want to know.
Jerry Ferrara
And like sometimes they're laughing, sometimes they're like there's bits going on galore. There's just bits everywhere. And I think Anthony Rizzo maybe was the best to ever do it. So we're going to talk to him about that. We're going to ask him about some of his favorite lefty hitters. And then after the Anthony Rizzo conversation, we thought it'd be very fitting now that baseball is about to come back into our lives to talk about our all time favorite MLB uniforms. It could be from modern day back in the day. Let me tell you, the more you go down the rabbit hole, toughest list I've ever done and, and open to a lot of interesting debates because there's a lot of way you can go hat in Jersey or just hat a lot of different ways you could go. So we hit that right after we talk to Anthony Rizzo and just. I'm locking in for 162.
Matt Liner
Let's go.
Jerry Ferrara
I'm locking in.
Matt Liner
Let's go, let's go.
Jerry Ferrara
All right, our guest, World Series champion, three time allstar, four time Golden Glove. I love, I love a good Golden Glove. And now a part of the Netflix MLB coverage, which I'm really fired up about cuz also they just announced recently Barry Bonds joining Anthony Rizzo on throwbacks today. How's it going, Anthony?
Anthony Rizzo
Great. Great. Yeah. Netflix is going to be fun because be a. I don't think I really deserve to be in that group with Pujols and Barry or Coolos and Barry Bonds, but I'll try to hold my own there.
Matt Liner
I think you do. I think, I think one of the things about your playing career, which you had a great career was obviously your personality just shine through. What, what are you now being on this side of it. Right. The media. I'm on this side for, for college football. What are you looking forward to most, you know, doing this show?
Anthony Rizzo
Just being myself. That's what everyone. I've asked the best advice they give me. Just be yourself. Everyone has all the information now. Everyone has all the stats, all the analytics. Whatever you need, you can get on the Internet. So what. But what they don't have is the inside information. They don't have what guys are thinking potentially inside access to the clubhouse or plane rides or the grind of 162. So that's hopefully what I could kind of share to fans that don't know the everyday grind of baseball.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah. In addition to, you know, an amazing career. My vote, you are by far a Hall of Fame mic'd up guy. I mean, you, they must have got almost to the point where did you ever have to pass on it? Like, guys, you can't mic me up for seven straight games. I know this is working well. Did you ever have to pass on a mic'd up opportunity?
Anthony Rizzo
I did pass up a lot. I got most of my humor from watching you growing up. So there you go. Yeah, those, the, those Entourage days were the best. But I mean, it's just having fun and being yourself and you know, for the most part, you know, if you say something out of hand, the networks will protect you, especially back. Yeah, the regional networks. But yeah, you don't really go overboard when you're on a bike.
Jerry Ferrara
Was there ever a runner, though? Gets the first and just wasn't in, like. It's like the first base conversation is. That's really what I would love to be a part of as a fly on the wall. But did you ever come across dudes that were just not like, no, I'm not. Not chatting today.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah. DJ lemayu, who I love and I play with and respect, he would always get on. He's like, what's up, Riz? And then he's so locked in. And then you have guys like Freddie Freeman. Him and I are talking about the night before, what we did, how he's feeling, how's everything? So the conversations expand and they are very random, but they. They literally go from talking baseball to talking family to talking current events.
Matt Liner
I wish. I wish I played. I played first base back in the day, dude. I was a big old lefty. That was my. That was my position. But you speak of the night before and I. I want to know. I. There's got to be a great story. Eric Carroll. So I'm sure you know who I've known forever at Fox, and he told me a story one time. I don't think he'd be mad at me telling the story because he's told it a million times. He was playing the Braves one time, and I think he was going up against Maddox. And Maddox and owned him his whole career. And so he told me. He's like, maddie, I was like, I'm facing Maddox tomorrow. I'm going out, man, with the boys. I'm not. I'm going to go over four against this guy anyway. So he goes, has a night out, whatever they did, and the next day he basically tells the story. He's like, I end up going 4 for 4 against Maddox, super hungover, almost throwing up at second base. And he's like, dude, it was the craziest thing. Not that you've had a story like that, but has there ever been a moment in your career where you're like, you know what? Screw it, man. We're going out. We're going out the night, and then the next day you're a little banged up and you have a big game. Did that ever happen for you?
Anthony Rizzo
Oh, many, many.
Jerry Ferrara
I love it. Give us a spot.
Anthony Rizzo
You can't dip to the well too much on that. Yeah, but with. With the 162 grind, you gotta get out. You have to feel normal. I would go on the road when we were on the Road I would go to just normal gyms and work out in the mornings just to feel like I'm a normal person. And there'd be. After the games, especially when I was younger, we'd go out all the time. I think when I would. Lester. One night we were in D.C. playing the Nationals. Lester just pitched. I think the 12 of us went out. We're in McDonald's at like 3 in the morning. Someone ends up building us. It gets on TMZ for a little bit. Oh yeah. Next day, Sunday night baseball. I hit a home run. So it's like, I feel like when you go out, you gotta be accountable to your teammates the next day to really show up. And you know they're in the same struggle bus with you. And it usually works out, but if you do it all the time, that's, that's when it becomes a little bit of an issue.
Matt Liner
I had a, I had a couple nights back in the day with Burns, Eric Burns and Chris Young and Connor Jackson. Those are the D backs players. When I was in Arizona, they used to go out all the time. I was like, oh yeah, you guys do this bad. They were. Burns, he was wild back in the day.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah, I mean, it's just such, it's such a stressful everyday grind that when you get done, you. You could sleep in. I mean, as long as you don't really burn the whip too hard. And some guys did and they. You'd be surprised how good they were. So part of the game.
Matt Liner
I love it. I love it.
Jerry Ferrara
So I'm, I'm, I'm a big Yankee fan. Matt's a big Dodgers guy. But I did marry a girl from Cleveland and I was just actually with a bunch of Clevelanders. We're still talking about. Well, I mean, they're still talking about the rain delay. They still talk about game seven and the rain delay. And I think I got the story right though, that you, you gave the ball to the owner of the Cubs. That. Is that, that right?
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah.
Jerry Ferrara
So I'm a big. I'm a thief in the sense like with Entourage or anything I've worked on. I always try to take something like from a season. It's weird. Shows have seasons, like sports have seasons. But did you, did you walk out with anything from that World Series, even if it was your own glove? Do you have anything like. I'm gonna hang on to this and just let it, let it sit.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah. The. I took every jersey. So after we won, all the jerseys were, were in the. Our showers at wrigley on hangers. And I go to Otis, Tom Hellman, who is our clubhouse manager. Rest in peace. He just passed away. He's been. He was there for 50 years. And I go, otis, what are we doing with these? Ah, they want him. I go, okay, can I have him? He goes, I didn't see nothing. Old school. Just got them all. My dad, I gave my dad the game seven jersey. I have one of my game five jersey. The only game we won at Wrigley framed. And my. The next year, my dad Wore the Game 7 jersey at opening. I think got mustard on it, so. But have all those. Have my glove and the ball. The ball was a good one. That was worth a lot of money. I got offered 2 million on the parade for that ball and. But it belongs to the Cubs.
Matt Liner
That was the ball you put in your back pocket, right?
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Matt Liner
I mean, the most incredible thing, you're literally, literally, you guys win the world series, you grab it, you just put in. I think it was Chris Bryant, right? Chris Bryant threw the ball to you. Oh, man, what a moment, man.
Anthony Rizzo
You, I mean, you're a good man. Every single ending to a world series, my whole life to that point.
Matt Liner
Yeah.
Anthony Rizzo
And I'm always like, oh, this is what I would do if I called. I would do this or, or that or how you celebrate. So I didn't, I wasn't really thinking of it, but it just naturally happened and yeah, it was, I guess, became an iconic moment there.
Jerry Ferrara
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Matt Liner
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Anthony Rizzo
It's. I was very lucky and blessed play for both. Chicago being there for nine, ten years was amazing. I grew up there, had so many good memories. Winning the World Series there, really turning a franchise around from, you know, oh, it's going to be next year to no, we're actually expecting to win every year. And then getting traded to the Yankees, it was, it was devastating at the moment because I thought it was gonna be a cup for life. But then getting to play alongside Aaron Judge, Jacarlo, Stan, DJ lmau, Garrett Cole, all these superstars, it was just a refreshing time. And getting to play in New York and living in the city, just loved everything. The two fan bases were incredible. So similar, but so different at the same time. They both are very passionate about their team and they show their passion in different ways and you just learn to love both of them.
Jerry Ferrara
Well, I want to see right now how unbiased you truly could be taking away the emotional connection to the Cubs. Of course you want to ring there and no one's going to question your loyalty to the Cubs, but just for a ballpark just ballpark. You get to go play a game. You are a lefty hitter, by the way. You get to go play a game. Yankee Stadium, Wrigley. You get one game. Where do you want to suit up to play? Fan base aside, this is just a
Anthony Rizzo
ballpark 120 rig league day game every day, all day. There's nothing better. Summertime, Ivy's perfect. Everyone's there just literally partying. So I, I loved Yankee Stadium. The energy there is, is really unmatched. I mean, Wrigley, Yankee Stadium and Fenway are my three favorites.
Matt Liner
Dude, we did a. We did. You weren't there. We did big noon kickoff. I know. You know you're tight with Urban, I think, right?
Anthony Rizzo
You guys, it.
Matt Liner
So we did a 12 o' clock Wrigley Field football game.
Anthony Rizzo
I was supposed to be there for that. I couldn't get that.
Jerry Ferrara
That's sweet.
Matt Liner
I know. I was like, so we got to hit. This is just like me fanning. I was a baseball player growing up. We got to hit batting practice at Wrigley the day before.
Anthony Rizzo
Wow.
Matt Liner
Off one of the machines, which was awesome. And then we did our whole show open in Cubs pinstripe uniform. So me and Brady were at home plate like holding the B and they did a drone and they did a. They had like bear coming out of the. The scoreboard. You know, you put your face through the scoreboard.
Anthony Rizzo
It was.
Matt Liner
There is nothing better. I'm a big baseball guy, Anthony. There's nothing better, I think, than Wrigley Field. Like you said, a day game. The bars are all right out there. It was pretty cool. We, we do do a Jerry's good. We have a throwback three segment. But before that, I want to ask you really quick. Who were the like, who are the worst fans you've ever played in front of? And in the NFL, it's almost consist as like it's the Philadelphia Eagles fans. They are just nasty. They're dirty, they're grimy, they hate you. But it's also fun. Is there. Is there a fan base in baseball that you were always just like, oh shit, man, we got to play in front of these guys.
Anthony Rizzo
Early on in my career, I think because I spent. I had a cup of coffee in San Diego when I was a rookie. They were. They're low key. Brutal, those fans. Really? Yeah, they're brutal. They're brutal their own players too. But it's different now because they're sellout all the time.
Matt Liner
That's a great ballpark too.
Anthony Rizzo
That's a great ballpark. I love. As I got older, I absolutely loved going there when the Pirates were good there. Those fans were ruthless. They were. And I would have fun with them, but, man, they were. They would get at you. And then the Philly fans weren't too bad because the Phillies teams weren't really that good when I was younger. They were better when I got to the Yankees, but we didn't really go there. So I probably say the Pirates fans were the worst. And when they were. When they were at their peak.
Jerry Ferrara
We're going to hit you with our throwback three. We're just going to easy throwback. Question to when you were younger, and it could even be while you were playing or even before you got to the bigs. Your three favorite lefty hitters. Because I feel like the lefties have such a connection that you watched either growing up or when you were coming up, your three favorite lefty hitters.
Anthony Rizzo
Ken Griffey Jr. Barry Bonds, and let's see. I really liked Cliff Floyd. Yeah, that.
Jerry Ferrara
That's my golf partner. Every year at Derek Jeter's event, I get paired with Clifford, and let me just tell you, he hits lefty bombs on the golf course. I love being in the scramble with Cliff Floyd. I don't have to hit driver. I just. I just drive him around till we get to our second shot. And I play from his ball every time.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah.
Jerry Ferrara
Quick jersey story. So years ago, obviously, my character in Entourage wore Yankee hats all the time. I did a shoot for MLB and I think Majestic for the jerseys. And I did, like, I was wearing Yankee stuff, but they said you have to pick a jersey of another player. You can't just do it yet. We have to have one. You and one other jersey. We shot this at Dodger Stadium. I picked an Anthony Rizzo jersey. I'm going to send you a picture after this.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah, please do.
Jerry Ferrara
I'm in Dodger Stadium all geared up.
Anthony Rizzo
That's sick.
Jerry Ferrara
Rizzo jersey, my fellow paisan. Yes, Yes.
Anthony Rizzo
I love that.
Matt Liner
Do you have a. Do you have a, like, favorite teammate of all time, Anthony? Someone that. I mean, I'm sure you had a ton, man.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah, let's see. The one that comes to my mind right away is Dexter Fowler. Him and I were two peas in a podcast. What? I feel like I had, like, four different careers as far as great teammates. Judge with the Yankees was. I mean, him and I were like this, so. And probably earlier on. John Lester, too. He's just David Ross. Damien Ross.
Matt Liner
David Ross. Yeah.
Anthony Rizzo
Brothers. So, I mean, there's a bunch but there's nothing better. I always say in baseball, you play 162, you're literally forced to be with these guys all the time. All the, all the time. Right. You're not going to like everyone, but you get. You have friends and teammates. I say that all the time. You have friends and teammates. When you could really make friends in the game. It's. It's special.
Jerry Ferrara
I love your John Lester stories, by the way. I've heard you speak, tell stories about Lester on game day, pitching in his camo shorts. Your stories about Lester are fantastic. All right, Andy, we're going to. We were going to do this later. So basically the question is unbreakable or breakable? Some MLB roll records and obviously there's some that we might not even ask because they're so unbreakable. I'm going to hit you with the first one. Do you think we will ever see Ricky Henderson 130 stolen bases in one season?
Anthony Rizzo
I. I do. I think that's breakable. Especially with the new rules. I think that's breakable. Joe.
Jerry Ferrara
I don't know how.
Matt Liner
Joe. Joe DiMaggio. 56 game hit streak breakable.
Anthony Rizzo
Unbreakable.
Matt Liner
Unbreakable.
Anthony Rizzo
No way. No. No way.
Jerry Ferrara
Okay. Nolan Ryan. 383 strikeout season.
Anthony Rizzo
I want to say that's breakable because the pitching is so good.
Jerry Ferrara
It's getting really good.
Anthony Rizzo
It is.
Jerry Ferrara
You're right.
Matt Liner
The greatest record in all the Sports. Cal Ripken Jr. Consecutive game slide will never be broken, right?
Anthony Rizzo
Never.
Matt Liner
There's no chance. I think it's like the one record in all sports that will never be broken.
Anthony Rizzo
Never.
Matt Liner
I think. Is it Matt olson who's got 700 something consecutive or I think I read something like that. He had it.
Anthony Rizzo
But didn't you take a day off?
Jerry Ferrara
I think he did.
Anthony Rizzo
Right?
Matt Liner
Yeah. He's like, screw this, man.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah. It's never be broken.
Jerry Ferrara
All right, last one before we let you go. This. Okay. This one is a recent one. Most home runs for a team in one season. Minnesota Twins 2019. 307.
Anthony Rizzo
That absolutely. Team H. Yeah, that'll be broken. Yeah. Especially
Jerry Ferrara
I, I wanted to get a few yeses because there's some of these I look at like we talked even off the air. Ichiro. 10 straight years of 200 hits. Yikes.
Matt Liner
Who's doing that but Pete Ro, Pete Rose career hits. I think someone has to have 200 plus hits in 21 straight seasons. Break that record.
Anthony Rizzo
Some of these records are just Barry Bonds. What he has seven, almost 800 home runs.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah. I didn't even ask about Bonds. I don't think.
Anthony Rizzo
Crazy. Yeah.
Jerry Ferrara
I didn't even. And, and Nolan Ryan has seven no hitters. I also didn't touch that one.
Anthony Rizzo
Right. Yes.
Jerry Ferrara
All right. On the way out the door. I mean we'll see.
Matt Liner
We'll see you on Netflix.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah, we'll see you. Matt's a Dodger guy. Just know, you know, we'll be watching.
Anthony Rizzo
The Dodgers have. Right. They have to have to hung over at some point.
Matt Liner
Please.
Jerry Ferrara
They're so close.
Matt Liner
I, I just, I, I don't want to. I was at the World Series game a couple years ago. A couple years ago in New York. I just had to say it. I watched.
Jerry Ferrara
Don't say game six. It wasn't game six, was it?
Matt Liner
It was game six.
Anthony Rizzo
Yeah.
Matt Liner
Yeah. We won't go there. You're the man, dude. Thanks for coming on, dude. We appreciate you. Good luck, dude. Have fun on tv, man. You're going to be great.
Anthony Rizzo
Thank you guys.
Jerry Ferrara
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Jerry Ferrara
All right. Anthony Rizzo, by the way, did not hold back with his three favorite lefty hitters he went Griffey, Bonds and then he did Floyd. I do think Cliff Floyd deserves love. He truly, truly great.
Matt Liner
Who else, who else would you have put in. Put in that list? I mean, Griffey, the greatest. Bonds, trying to think.
Jerry Ferrara
I mean, Look, I. Fred McGriff. Fred McGriff. I think like for a period of time, but a very small run. Giambi had like a really great five year, but there was a whole bunch of stuff that goes with that. But no, I think those are really the three. The three. I would put McGriff up there for sure. McGriff would deserve it.
Matt Liner
I mean, Shohei Otani.
Jerry Ferrara
Well, now it's. Yeah. Oh, I mean Ichiro for sure too.
Matt Liner
I mean some of the. Yeah, babru, Ted Williams, I mean these are some of the greatest. But Ton.
Jerry Ferrara
Tony, Tony Gwin's the great.
Matt Liner
I think maybe the greatest pure hitter of all time.
Anthony Rizzo
Right?
Jerry Ferrara
I mean he had one year where he like struck out like 20 times, I think only or something. Some absurd shout out to the lefties, baby. Yeah, give us your lefties out there, go to our YouTube page, go on social at throwback show and give us your favorite lefty hitters of all time. But right now we're going to do something that I think could actually lead to some big conversations. We are going to do some of our all time favorite MLB uniforms in honor of opening day coming soon. You can go modern, you can go way back, you can go, you know, homerism and just go homer out to some of your favorite teams. But there is a lot to pick from and MLB had some interesting times.
Matt Liner
Dude, this is, this is the hardest like list I've ever done. When we've done, we've done a lot because there's so many. Whether it's iconic or whether it's you like them based on the colors or based on the hat or based on the players that wore them. So I think this could be pretty interesting. I'm gonna go. I'll start with my third. Okay. And I'm gonna go. This one's pretty universal. Is one of the greatest iconic all time baseball uniforms of all time. And I love it's the Astros back in the 70s and 80s, the sunset jersey, the Tequila Sunrise orange, yellow and red jerseys. And just seeing Nolan Ryan flame balling, just strikeouts back in the day. And that was like one of those retro jerseys that you could still rock today, like out maybe. And people would be like, oh, that's a, that's a dope jersey. So not necessarily the hat and not their Astros of today, but the astros in the 70s and 80s. The Tequila Sunrise. I think it's sunrise. Is it sunrise or sunset? I believe it's sunrise.
Jerry Ferrara
I saw both online of what it's called, so.
Matt Liner
But it looks more like sunset is my number three.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah, that's the funny part because like there's jerseys that are great and then. But then the hat's a little off. Then there's hats that are phenomenal. And also I love the fact that they were like, they were like shirts back then. They weren't button up.
Matt Liner
So the pullover shirt is the best.
Jerry Ferrara
Fantastic. So Matt, I'm taking out what really is the most iconic of all time. You know, it's the Yankees. We just know the Pit. We know it. I'm not choosing it. That's not what we're here for. And I'm gonna, I'm gonna do something that's so wild and adverse to what my body wants to do. I'm gonna pick another team from New York. No, dude, go look.
Matt Liner
You're going Daryl. You're going Daryl Strawberry.
Jerry Ferrara
New York met Daryl Strawberry. Those jerseys and that colorway. As much as I hate to admit it because I hate the Mets, those jerseys again, pullover shirt were sweet.
Matt Liner
I think it was the pullover shirt, dude. Like, yeah, I remember growing up in little league and like pony and like we would have like, you know, you'd have the sick jerseys, we'd have the button downs, whatever. But every once in a while we'd have an alternate one like for all stars and it would be the pullover and we all loved wearing the pullover. So my number two is kind of, it's. It's in honor of, of just having Anthony Rizzo. It's the Chicago Cubs and I'm a big. Obviously Dodger. Whites and Yankees pinstripes and some of those iconic ones, but I think it's one. I, I had a Chicago Cubs hat pretty much my whole life. I think everyone just had the C, right? But it's like the, the blue, the white with the blue pinstripe. Something about Wrigley Field. Ryan Sandberg was one of my favorite players growing up. Rest in peace. Rest in peace. And then just the, the logo has not really changed over time. Like it's been tweaked, but it's like the simplicity in the logo that is. Has stood the test of time. I just think Chicago Cubs man, like Harry Carrie, like everything about that uniform and hat is just iconic.
Jerry Ferrara
It really is a shout outs to Rizzo. I was like, I Said I wore the Rizzo jersey and that jersey looks nice.
Matt Liner
Oh, it's sick, dude.
Jerry Ferrara
All right.
Matt Liner
I almost wore my Cubs jersey for this episode, but then I realized I can't be wearing grownups jerseys.
Jerry Ferrara
My number two. I'm just putting this up there to strictly piss you off and I'll give you a hint.
Matt Liner
You don't need to give me a hint, dude.
Jerry Ferrara
Well, here's the hint. I don't even think you'll get the hint. I must kill the queen. That is from the movie Naked Gun where Reggie Jackson gets rebooted to murder the. And who is Reggie Jackson playing for in the Naked Gun? The California Angels. Matt. There was something about the name, though. I did enjoy the. It being the California Angels. And I remember having my little sticker books where you could like stick. Get stickers of the players in the field. And I'm sorry, that Angels jersey before they became the Anaheim angel, that I'm not down with. This is the California Angels.
Matt Liner
There's nothing iconic or great about the California Angels logo.
Jerry Ferrara
That's my tilt Jerry pick. I wanted to put you on tilt there because I'm very happy.
Matt Liner
Wally. Wally Joyner.
Jerry Ferrara
Wally Joiner. Yes. I mean, Reggie Jackson with the glasses, with the, with the lenses on.
Matt Liner
Listen, man, I went, I went to angel games growing up. I went to a world. They did win the World Series in what I think 2000 or 2001. We had Troy Peral. Yeah, yeah, one of those World Series games. But yeah, we can move on. All right. Number one for me. This one was hard, man, because I, I'm gonna, I had, I had the Montreal Expos back in the day is one of my top ones. I had the Kansas City Royals all baby blue.
Jerry Ferrara
There was a powder blue in 70s, 80s.
Matt Liner
So sick. This one is solely based on the hat. It's the old school 70s. Atlanta Braves. Hank Aaron. It's the hat. That's all it is. It's the red, white, and blue. It had the blue bill with the white front. The blue on the side. It had the red A. And I remember probably all the way through college, I would rock that hat backwards. Even at usc. I almost think there's a photo of me rocking that hat. I don't know, but I'm going. I mean, Hank Aaron played on the team, but it wasn't about that. It was just about the colors. For whatever reason, that A was my all time one. So I'm going. The Atlanta Braves. I think it's 70 in the, in the mid-70s.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah, I do think it Needs to be studied for a little while. Because in the 70s and 80s, there really was a powder blue epidemic. It was like you said, the Royals, the Brewers, the Expos really had like, even like the Phillies had the. The Mike Schmidt Phillies had the powder blue with the like dark.
Matt Liner
Expos were. Expos were sick.
Anthony Rizzo
Sick.
Jerry Ferrara
Expos were sick. The Mariners were powder brew.
Matt Liner
All right.
Jerry Ferrara
Also, I'm giving my number one. But honorable.
Matt Liner
Where you going with this?
Jerry Ferrara
Well, honorable mention was the other Chicago team when they rebranded the white socks to the black and the gray, and that showed up in. In music videos. And that starter jam, that became a very, very popular. That's one of the more successful colorway changes. I think that worked. But my number one bro, and it's wild and it's iconic, is the late 70s, early 80s Pittsburgh Pirates with the square Pirates hat. Because it also goes story. The 70s pirates, they were like, literally known as like the cocaine Pirates. It was Dave Parker. That team is legendary. Go Google those Pirate teams. And there's some great stories. They were like buying drugs from the mascot of the team. That led to all these baseball hearings. And that. That represents an era of baseball that is eerily similar to any other kind of scandal you've ever seen.
Matt Liner
70s age dub Dr. Yeah, I like that. I like that. There's so many good ones, man. Shout out. Yeah. We want to hear all your greatest baseball uniforms of all time on throwbacks. There's too many to choose from. I was going, I the Cleveland Indians back in the day. Like, I used to have this again. I was a. I was a big hat guy, always wore a hat. So it was like.
Jerry Ferrara
I think I had blue Jays hats a lot for some reason. I don't know why.
Matt Liner
You're a New York. You're a New York guy. That's why it's kind of over there.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah.
Matt Liner
I don't know if there's anything better than an lady blue LA Dodger cap, though. Maybe your New York black hat, but an LA Dodger cap, man. Just repping Ice Cube. Yeah. Let's go.
Jerry Ferrara
All right. Well, the only other jersey I wanted to say, but there's only one player who looked good in it because it really isn't good looking. But Ricky Henderson in the Alt A's uniform with the yellow shirt.
Matt Liner
The yellow shirt was fire.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah. But he's the only one who really, like, rocked it. And it looked like, damn Ricky Henderson. Ricky Anderson looked awesome in any jersey he ever wore. But young Ricky Henderson in the yellow and green A's stuff is iconic. But no one that like if I walked in with that jersey, I'd look stupid. So shout outs. I love that. We mentioned Ricky Henderson four times on the show today. All right, so a lot happened too in the flag football world. A lot of conversations on Twitter, a lot of takes flying around. Now Matt, you didn't play in the fanatics game but you, you had a fun weekend part to charity event I think, right?
Matt Liner
Yeah, a little bit. Yeah. After the Rock, I'm still dude one week later. But RX3 Foundation. Yeah, RX3, Aaron Rodgers is involved. It's something they've done I think four or five years now, maybe longer, where they raise a lot of different, a lot of money for different charities. So every quarterback who gets to play. So basically it's 10 teams, 10 different NFL quarterbacks either retired or starting play. And you can you get an auction. Right, See so these teams basically buy a quarterback to play. So it's really fun, dude. And they do a really, really great job. Our Matt Liner flag football leagues. A lot of our guys who work for our are our volunteers for it as well. So it's a pretty cool thing down in Orange County. And you know, Josh Allen didn't come this year. I think they're, I think they've had a baby or they're having a baby but he's usually there. Aaron's obviously kind of represents the whole thing. We had Bryce Young this year, Mariota, Jared Stidham, me, Carson Vic was there which was pretty dope. Throwbacks was on Throwbacks legend. Anyway, long story short, the last time I played in this tournament, I won it. I won it three years ago and it was fricking. We beat who was your age. We beat Dorian Thompson Robinson in the championship. I have, I had my boy Darius had a couple kids who were at Njuko at the time, but studs, you saw USA flag football, they were just, they were unstoppable. Shout out to my boy Dylan harbor, who was on the Bachelor, who's actually my boy. Dylan was one of my receivers. He just won it with Aaron's team. All that being said, let me just give you one quick story. So I'm on a team with Amon Ross, St. Brown, my guy and Josh Norman. Josh Norman plays every year, the great db. So Josh was my go to receiver all day. He's playing both sides. Amon Ra picked it up as it got a little more competitive defense a lot. And then we get into the quarterfinals and we're playing Vic's team and we're Down. And we're making this comeback because if you get a turnover and downs, you get two points and interceptions, three points. So you have your way to kind of, kind of work back into a game. We're down 32, 24 with nine seconds left on the one yard line. Going in with a timeout. Right? So we actually had. We played two. Three plays.
Jerry Ferrara
Three plays.
Matt Liner
And long story short, I throw. I kind of throw a ball in a tight little window. It kind of gets. It kind of gets deflected a little bit, kind of off the chest, whatever. And Keenan Allen intercepts me for the, for the, for the. For the wind, dude. So I threw an interception to Keenan Allen to lose. I did throw a. A sweet little go ball to Amon Ra for a touchdown, though. It was fun, man. They do a great job. But. But yeah, dude, I mean, it gets you thinking about this bigger topic before we go.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah.
Matt Liner
Flag football in the Olympics and whether NFL players current retired, whatever, should be able to play now one you should be able to play or at least try out. Right? You go for it. But I think what this past weekend did was it showed how 1. How different Florida flag football is than real football. We all know that and the type of player and how much time those guys put into playing that and how freaking great they are. Right? Like. Like it is. It's a machine. It's a different world. So I, I'm happy for those guys because they had an. They had an opportunity for everybody to kind of watch them and see how they played and that. And they. And they deliver, man. I mean, they beat the living out of the NFL guys, right? And like, I, I thought it was awesome and it's awesome for the sport. I love the sport. And I was happy for those guys that represent our country, are absolute stars.
Jerry Ferrara
Yeah, it's. It's. You know, I saw the. The highlights and stuff and it's like. It's almost like the difference of like darts and pool. Right. Still billiard sports, but my God, like similar skill sets, but you just can't compare.
Matt Liner
It's. It's too hard to compare. It's an open game. You have to have a certain type of player. The rules are different. You know, it's just. It's just different. And you know, go ahead. We played in the girl. We played the girl. The.
Anthony Rizzo
The girls.
Matt Liner
The girls USA team in the RX3 thing. How sick and they are. I mean, I know a couple of them because they went camp scrum. They are unreal. I mean, they. We beat. We beat their team 28, 21. And it was a battle. I mean, but they, I mean, just shout out to, to flag football, the women's and the men's team. I'm so pumped.
Jerry Ferrara
20, 28.
Matt Liner
Yeah. I'm so, I'm so pumped to watch those teams in the Olympics.
Jerry Ferrara
I haven't done the research yet because it's, we're still two full years out from the Olympics. But who's, you know, basketball? I could tell you, it's like, all right, we got to worry about Australia, Spain, France.
Matt Liner
I have no idea, dude.
Jerry Ferrara
Who are we worrying about when it comes to flag football? I, I, I haven't really done a search yet.
Matt Liner
Maybe Canada, just because there's some. I, I, I mean, they could be awful. Maybe because there is football up there, you know, the CFL stuff.
Jerry Ferrara
Maybe just feel like we're gonna steamroll.
Matt Liner
Oh, we're gonna steamroll everybody by like,
Jerry Ferrara
this is gonna be like the dream team going into the Olympics in Barcelo, wherever that was.
Matt Liner
How cool is it that, that, that flag football players are gonna have a chance to win a gold medal for our country.
Jerry Ferrara
And it's gonna be cool because it's gonna be here. It' you going to go, you're going to be in la. You go support the flag football.
Matt Liner
Listen, man, I'm going to go to as many Olympic events as I can being in la. We'll see. Oh, yeah.
Jerry Ferrara
All right, we're getting out of here. How does the, so you're sore, but scale of like one. Okay, say your Heisman year, you were 10 out of 10. Arm strength, accuracy, like, how is the arm?
Matt Liner
Not good.
Jerry Ferrara
Not good.
Matt Liner
Not good. Dude, I walked away thinking, man, I don't know.
Jerry Ferrara
I saw you throw when we were at USA and I would know we were just having a catch.
Matt Liner
No, I could throw and I'm still winging it and I can, and I can be accurate and I can throw. But like, yeah, it was, it's, it's like my basketball game, man, it's just slowly deteriorating. Like, like I could play catch with my kids. Like, I mean, that was, it was pretty high. I mean, we're playing, we're competing pretty hard. I'm trying to throw balls in there, But I'm throwing 10 yards here, maybe a 30 yard throw, but like, I walked away, was like, man, I'm just, I'm getting old. It's getting old.
Jerry Ferrara
You got a lot ahead of you. I gotta come to one of these flag football thing, flag football games.
Matt Liner
Get you out there, bro.
Jerry Ferrara
Well, I am a beach ball. Mvp. All right, we will be back next week. Shout outs to Anthony Rizzo. Baseball. I. I just.
Matt Liner
You know, it's here.
Jerry Ferrara
It's here.
Matt Liner
And let the grind start.
Jerry Ferrara
I don't know if anyone's gonna beat the freaking Dodgers. I just can't take any more of this. All right, back next week.
Date: March 26, 2026
Guests: Anthony Rizzo
Hosts: Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara
This episode celebrates the return of Major League Baseball, diving into the sport’s best left-handed hitters, greatest uniforms, and legendary ballparks—culminating in a wide-ranging conversation with Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo shares candid stories about his Chicago Cubs World Series run, his time with the Yankees, clubhouse culture, and what it’s really like to be miked up at first base. The hosts finish with lively debates about throwback uniforms and a discussion on records that may never be broken.
Rizzo shares he’s excited for his analyst role on Netflix, joining icons like Pujols and Bonds:
"I don't think I really deserve to be in that group…but I'll try to hold my own." — Anthony Rizzo [03:10]
He wants to bring fans into “the everyday grind” of baseball, offering inside-the-clubhouse access.
On being a Hall of Fame miked-up guy:
"I got most of my humor from watching you [Jerry] growing up. Those Entourage days were the best...but, I mean, it's just having fun and being yourself." — Anthony Rizzo [04:26]
Insights into first base conversations: Some players are all-in for chatter, others locked in:
"DJ LeMahieu...he would always get on. He's like, 'What's up, Riz?' And then he's so locked in. And then you have guys like Freddie Freeman. Him and I are talking about...how he's feeling. They literally go from talking baseball to talking family to talking current events." — Anthony Rizzo [05:10]
The panel swaps stories about going out the night before games and surprising personal bests despite being tired:
"I feel like when you go out, you gotta be accountable to your teammates the next day to really show up...But if you do it all the time, that's, that's when it becomes a little bit of an issue." — Anthony Rizzo [06:45]
Rizzo’s memorabilia from the 2016 Cubs World Series (the ball, jerseys, glove):
"The ball was a good one. That was worth a lot of money. I got offered 2 million on the parade for that ball and. But it belongs to the Cubs." — Anthony Rizzo [09:50]
Rizzo recounts the cultural and fan-base contrasts between the Cubs and Yankees.
On the iconic ballpark question:
"120 rig league day game every day, all day. There's nothing better. Summertime, Ivy's perfect. Everyone's there just literally partying." — Anthony Rizzo on Wrigley Field [14:22]
Worst opposing fans:
"Early on in my career...San Diego. They're low key. Brutal, those fans. ... Pirates... those fans were ruthless...I would have fun with them, but, man, they would get at you." — Anthony Rizzo [16:03]
"Ken Griffey Jr. Barry Bonds, and let's see. I really liked Cliff Floyd." — Anthony Rizzo [17:10]
"You have friends and teammates. When you could really make friends in the game, it's special." — Anthony Rizzo [18:51]
Jerry and Matt trade their top 3 MLB uniforms:
"One of those retro jerseys you could still rock today." — Matt Leinart
They reminisce about the many powder blue uniforms of the era, giving honorable mentions to Expos, Royals, White Sox, Phillies, Mariners, and the iconic Ricky Henderson yellow A’s jersey.
On media authenticity:
"Everyone has all the information now...what they don't have is inside access to the clubhouse or plane rides or the grind of 162. So that's hopefully what I could kind of share." — Anthony Rizzo [03:38]
On the reality of baseball’s grind:
"With the 162 grind, you gotta get out. You have to feel normal." — Anthony Rizzo [06:45]
On being accountable after a night out:
"When you go out, you gotta be accountable to your teammates the next day to really show up. And you know they're in the same struggle bus with you." — Anthony Rizzo [06:45]
On the defining moment of the Cubs' World Series:
"The ball was a good one. That was worth a lot of money. I got offered 2 million on the parade for that ball and. But it belongs to the Cubs." — Anthony Rizzo [09:50]
On big stadiums:
"120 rig league [Wrigley] day game every day, all day. There's nothing better." — Anthony Rizzo [14:22]
On MLB's most passionate fans:
"Pirates fans were the worst. And when they were at their peak." — Anthony Rizzo [16:21]
Throughout the episode, the tone is energetic, nostalgic, and loaded with playful banter—mirroring the camaraderie of a clubhouse or a group of lifelong fans. Rizzo’s anecdotes are lighthearted and open, with Jerry and Matt contributing both as sports nuts and as people who lived the highs and lows of professional entertainment and athletics.
This episode is both a celebration and a deep dive: part MLB Opening Day party, part behind-the-scenes clubhouse confessional. Anchored by Anthony Rizzo’s stories, it zips through the best MLB uniforms, left-handed hitters, and signature ballparks with humor, nostalgia, and genuine sports insight—must-listen for baseball diehards and fans of sports legends’ storytelling.