Nick Lachey’s Bengals Love, Chargers Ejection & USC tryout... Plus: Sports’ Unbreakable Records

Summary

Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara Episode: Nick Lachey’s Bengals Love, Chargers Ejection & USC Tryout... Plus: Sports’ Unbreakable Records
Release Date: April 10, 2025

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Introduction & Guest Spotlight: Nick Lachey

The episode kicks off with a heartfelt discussion featuring Nick Lachey, who shares his proactive efforts to revive the Cincinnati Bengals' fan base. At [00:00], Nick recounts his meeting with the NFL's Vice President of Operations, passionately stating, "What’s happening to the Bengals fan base is an absolute travesty. We've supported this team sell out year after year after year, and the ownership's not doing anything" ([00:00]).

Friendship Chronicles: Matt, Jerry, & Nick

Matt and Jerry delve into their longstanding friendship with Nick Lachey, highlighting memorable moments and mutual support. Matt reminisces about Nick singing at his wedding, emphasizing the deep bond they share: "Nick was a big supporter. Came out to Arizona all the time" ([03:40]). This camaraderie is further illustrated through their shared experiences attending Super Bowls and celebrating victories together.

Sports’ Unbreakable Records

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing legendary sports records deemed "unbreakable." Jerry highlights Alex Ovechkin's monumental achievement in breaking Wayne Gretzky's goal record: "Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's goal record. Gretzky was there" ([05:45]). Other records discussed include:

• Ricky Henderson’s Stolen Bases: Matt asserts, "Stolen bases never going to be over 1400" ([07:15]).
• Joe DiMaggio’s Consecutive Games: The duo debates the improbability of surpassing DiMaggio's streak ([07:57]).
• Michael Phelps’s Olympic Medals: Both agree that Phelps’s 28 medals are likely untouchable ([08:53]).
• Emmitt Smith’s Rushing Yards: With over 18,000 yards, Emmitt's record stands strong in their eyes ([09:21]).

Nick Lachey’s Unique Journey: From USC Walk-On to Boy Band Star

Nick shares his unconventional path from attempting to walk on to the USC football team to becoming a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. At [18:17], he humorously details his first football experience: "I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm out there in basketball shoes. I look total" ([19:50]). This transition underscores Nick's versatility and willingness to embrace new challenges, ultimately leading to his successful music career.

Formation & Challenges of 98 Degrees

The conversation transitions to the formation of 98 Degrees, where Nick recounts the band's early struggles and eventual success:

• Initial Line-Up Changes: Nick describes swiftly reshuffling the band’s members within days of moving to LA ([25:07]).
• Clash with Acting Aspirations: Highlighting the tension between acting and music, Nick explains how bandmate John Robinson chose acting over the group ([25:59]).
• Signing with Motown: The band’s signing journey took them from Cincinnati to New York, navigating the competitive music scene ([25:56]).

Fan Experiences & Memorable Anecdotes

Matt and Jerry share amusing and sometimes intense fan interactions:

• Super Bowl Memories: Nick recalls hanging out with Justin Timberlake and enduring wild celebrations, including Matt’s concussion from an exuberant night out ([54:50]).
• Chargers Game Incident: A humorous recount of getting banned from a Chargers game for confronting an obnoxious fan, which Matt lovingly refers to as the "Olshansky game" ([73:25]).

Family Life & Parenting Insights

The hosts discuss the joys and challenges of parenting, particularly balancing professional lives with family commitments:

• Nick’s Children: Nick talks about his children’s involvement in the arts and sports, highlighting their unique personalities and interests ([39:21]).
• Matt’s Son, Cole: Matt shares his experiences supporting his son Cole’s football journey, emphasizing understanding and encouragement without pressure ([50:04]).
• Jerry’s Growing Family: Jerry opens up about the anticipation and anxiety of expanding his family, reflecting on the emotional transitions from two to three children ([43:04]).

Love is Blind & Reality TV Reflections

Nick provides an insider’s perspective on the hit reality show Love is Blind, discussing its authenticity and impact on participants:

• Authentic Connections: Nick believes the show offers a genuine way to find love, contrasting it with modern dating apps ([65:28]).
• Behind-the-Scenes Dynamics: He reveals the complexities of hosting the show's reunions, balancing criticism, and celebrating successes ([67:08]).

Bengals Season Preview & Fan Advocacy

Concluding the episode, Nick passionately discusses the upcoming Bengals season, addressing both offensive and defensive strategies:

• Offensive Stability: Nick expresses optimism about the Bengals maintaining a strong offense, hoping to see key players like Joe Burrow flourish ([55:07]).
• Defensive Concerns: He voices concerns about the defense's performance, emphasizing the importance of scoring to compensate ([55:24]).
• Advocacy for Team Improvements: Sharing his advocacy efforts, Nick explains his successful meeting with NFL officials to push for better team investments, contributing to the Bengals' turnaround ([60:33]).

Closing Thoughts & Reflections

As the episode wraps up, Matt, Jerry, and Nick reflect on their enduring friendships, shared histories, and the intertwining of their personal and professional lives. They celebrate their diverse experiences, from sports and music to family and television, showcasing the multifaceted nature of their relationships.

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Notable Quotes:

• Nick Lachey on Bengals Fan Base: "What's happening to the Bengals fan base is an absolute travesty. We've supported this team sell out year after year after year, and the ownership's not doing anything." ([00:00])
• Matt on Nick's Boy Band Perception: "The whole boy band perception. I'm like, guys, this dude is the coolest. The most guy guy you'll ever meet." ([02:04])
• Nick on Unbreakable Records: "Michael Phelps has 28 Olympic medals. You got to be in like four Olympics and then be in multiple events like a swim." ([08:55])
• Nick on Love is Blind’s Authenticity: "It's authentic and that's why people are drawn to it. There's an authentic heart to it. It's an authentic love story that still resonates with people." ([67:36])
• Nick on Parenting a Girl: "Brooklyn just wrote a whole poem about dad at school and parent-teacher conferences, and I'm just balding, crying. My dad loves me so much." ([44:58])

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This episode of Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara offers a rich tapestry of sports lore, entertainment industry insights, and heartfelt personal stories, all woven together through the genuine friendships and diverse experiences of its hosts and guest, Nick Lachey. Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a fan of boy band nostalgia, or intrigued by reality TV dynamics, this episode delivers engaging content that celebrates the past while looking forward to the future.

Transcript

[Nick Lachey]

I actually went to the league office and met with the vice president of operations on behalf of Bengal fans and said, whoa, what's happening to the Bengals fan base is an absolute travesty. We've supported this team sell out year after year after year, and the ownership's not doing anything. And that's when it kind of turned around.

[Matt Leinart]

So you're the reason, you know, I.

[Nick Lachey]

Don'T want to take credit for it, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

All right, welcome to another episode of Throwbacks, everyone. Thank you. How are you taking in the show? We appreciate it. We're in person, in person. Different look, throwing you a different look. Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube, follow us on Apple, Spotify, Leave your comments on the show's YouTube page and follow us all on our social platforms at Throwback Show. Email us feedback at Throwback Show. I could even remember that one, Matt. It's good to be here, man.

[Matt Leinart]

Welcome back to the best coast, bro.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You know what I love? Like, in Ohio, the weather was just starting to break and we're starting to get some nice days. It snowed the day I left.

[Matt Leinart]

Did it?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh, yeah. I was just texting Brie like, hahaha. It's.

[Matt Leinart]

By the way, it's beach season here in California already. It's like, yeah, it's been the. The whole week has been super nice.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I forget. And every time I get here, I'm just like, this really is the best weather. When you.

[Matt Leinart]

When you touch down in la, don't you just miss it? Right? It just gives you a little tingle.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You know what? Now since I'm gone for a few years, I miss it and I immediately get thrown back to the time when I moved here. I remember stepping off the plane in lax, getting onto a. A sh. A super shuttle and going to my first apartment in Burbank, and I get thrown into. Into that.

[Matt Leinart]

Was that with Max? That was your apartment?

[Jerry Ferrara]

No, no, no. Max came in the picture like a year in a year.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, it's good to have you out here, man. Got a big week.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Big week. Big guest today.

[Matt Leinart]

Big guest.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You have a very eclectic group of friends, I must say.

[Matt Leinart]

I do.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And when you proposed this guest, I was like, how do you know him? That's one of my good buddies. Nick Lachey, everybody from 98 Degrees from Love is Blind, which is an absolute monster show.

[Matt Leinart]

He stole all those ladies hearts about 20 years ago and he never gave him back. Now he's stealing hearts on as he's like the. The it reality TV show host. Now him and his wife Vanessa, which is, like, got to be the greatest thing of all time.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I can't wait to talk to him about, because it just does seem like a great g. I. I always look at stuff like that. Like, what's the work life? Obviously, we love the product. People love the show and watch Love is Blind and all those shows. But then I always try to see, like, what's the workflow, the production? Are you enjoying it? And it does look pretty.

[Matt Leinart]

Pretty light.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Awesome location.

[Matt Leinart]

Pretty light.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Gets to work with his wife, and they get along well. And it doesn't seem like they're not in the whole episode, like, for an hour. They. They pop in.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, love is. I actually want to ask him. Is love is blind? Is like, they're big. The big part of that for them is the reunion at the end, which is just. You watch the whole season unfold, and then you get to talk about, are these couples gonna make it or not? But he's. Yeah, he. We. Gosh, man, we go way back. Definitely want to tell the story of how we met, which is pretty funny. And then. Yeah. I mean, a big sports guy. Big sports guy. Gosh, we've been to multiple Super Bowls together. We've, like, he was. He sang in my wedding, which is actually a really cool story. Like, that's how close we're. Like, I used to get made fun of all the time when. Because we were boys when I was at the tail end of college. So then when I went to the NFL, like, Nick was a big supporter. Came out to Arizona all the time. But, like, all my boys were like, you know, the whole, like, they. They. They loved him when they met him, but, like, the whole boy band, like, perception. I'm like, guys, like, this dude is the coolest. The most guy guy you'll ever meet. Lots of. Lots of fun times together, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Were you stressed when, like, you asked him to perform at your wedding? That's not, like, a small favor you're asking, like, someone who sold.

[Matt Leinart]

You know what I want? I want to tell him. I want to ask him, because the way. And I'll save it, but the way it was done was really, really emotional. And it was. It was a. It was really special for. It was a surprise for Josie, essentially, is how I did it. Okay. He did. He did sing at our first dance. But there was another part of the wedding that I surprised my wife with, with Nick singing. And I. We can get into it, but it was. It was truly, like, it meant a lot to me, and he knew that, and he and I When I asked him, I think it was just like, he's like, dude, of course. Whatever you need me to do, I'd be honored. And like, it was cool.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I feel like him and I will get along well because I do. All from all things I've heard, whether from you and I've. I know other people who are friendly with Nick, that he is a pretty big psycho sports fan.

[Matt Leinart]

He's a diehard.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Like, it's not surface. And anytime you see someone rocking, like a Cincinnati Reds hat, that's not for style purposes.

[Matt Leinart]

Like, you are like, being a clipper fan.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That's like, if you're rocking the Cincinnati Red starter satin jacket, like, you are a real fan. That is not a fashion choice, even though it is a dope jacket.

[Matt Leinart]

Now he's a big, big sports fan. He was USC fan, Bengals. Yeah. He's. He's awesome. And he's.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And how. I always knew, like, how I always separated boy bands. I always be like, oh, that's the Jack dude. Nick was.

[Matt Leinart]

Nick was a. Nick was.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I'm like, that's the Jack dude. And I feel like I was cool with them because I'm like, oh, that's the dude. That's the Jack dude.

[Matt Leinart]

We can also ask him about his. His really cool son tattoo that he has on his arm, too. That was really cool. That. That was the. The butt of a lot of jokes.

[Jerry Ferrara]

We're just a random sun.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah, it's like 98.

[Jerry Ferrara]

98 degrees, bro.

[Matt Leinart]

It's good.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Do you have any. You're not. You're tat list, right?

[Matt Leinart]

I'm tatless. I've been debating getting a tat, though.

[Jerry Ferrara]

What would you get?

[Matt Leinart]

That's a good question.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Because you could get like a highs. There's so many ways you can go. You get your kids.

[Matt Leinart]

Here's the thing. If I had. If I had like, a body to get a tat, I would. Or like, muscles, but I don't.

[Jerry Ferrara]

But you're such a beach guy. You show them to get it on the leg. You got good legs. Got good.

[Matt Leinart]

I got skinny legs, bro.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That's because you're tall. That's because you're tall. Anyway, well, Nick's coming up in a second, so right now we are going to get to.

[Matt Leinart]

We're going to get off the rails already.

[Jerry Ferrara]

We're off the rails already. Fresh moves of the week, brought to you by Wendy's. Go to Wendy's. Taste the difference. I think this is a pretty easy, fresh move for me. We saw a pretty big record get broken recently, one that I really didn't think would ever get touched. Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's goal record. Gretzky was there. I mean, I really. I still remember Ovechkin when he was like a young player. So now that I think he's come this far, it was pretty.

[Matt Leinart]

By the way, did you see, like, he's obviously one of the greatest to ever play. Did you see him after he's so. He had a beer after his pads are off. His.

[Jerry Ferrara]

He.

[Matt Leinart]

He's so gray.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yes, he looked.

[Matt Leinart]

He looked. I was like, he looks like, like a mechanic or like a construction worker. Like, he just got off. He's sweating.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Longshoreman.

[Matt Leinart]

And I'm like, this dude is literally just broke the great ones goal record. And gosh, I mean, top five of all time, maybe the greatest. I mean, like, I was dying laughing because I'm like, this dude. And then like afterward he's just like, I think he went out, had a party. Like, it's just kind of cool, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Well, brought up some interesting topics and thoughts in my head. That was one of the records that I even remember being younger saying that one will probably never get touched. And then you start thinking about some of these records because obviously the games have changed so much. We saw Lebron broke Kareem's record. So a lot of these records that we thought, like, our childhood's kind of getting shattered a little bit. It was always Kareem, it was always Gretzky, it was always these records. But there's got to be some.

[Matt Leinart]

There's a lot, man. All right.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, let's throw a few that we think won't be broken.

[Matt Leinart]

Won't be broken.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Do you want to go first? Do you want me to go?

[Matt Leinart]

Well, I just pull it up. I mean, this one we didn't talk about Ricky Henderson. Stolen bases never going to be over 1400 stolen bases never rest in peace. By the way, to. To Ricky Anderson. I got a chance to meet him at a autograph signing at. For the Raiders, but he was there. It was a. It was like, Mark. It was a couple. I was like, I played for the Raiders one year, but like, I was a Raider. But Ricky was there. He was awesome. And I actually got it. I got his rookie card signed by him.

[Jerry Ferrara]

The Ricky Henderson stories were.

[Matt Leinart]

Anyway, yeah, Ricky Henderson, I got one.

[Jerry Ferrara]

For you that's never going to be touched. And it's baseball too. No one's ever touching Joe Daggio's 56 games. Really? Who was the guys don't even bat 300 anymore like no your boy Aaron.

[Matt Leinart]

Judge B like 340 last year. The whole Yankees 1990 bat 300 to have to go one for four.

[Jerry Ferrara]

300 implies more hits. So it'll be less walks, strikeouts and home runs and more hits. Like you saw that thing. Raphael Devers in the first like three games of the season struck out 15 times. Tony Gwynn one year struck out 15 times the whole year.

[Matt Leinart]

He's maybe the greatest of all time. I mean I think the one I mean Kyle Ripken's most consecutive games. That's why like LeBron playing 20 years like any longevity record.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Will Chamberlain has some stats that and records that you can't even quantify because who knows how they they kept him. Here's one also too Masters starting literally any minute. If you look right now while you're listening to this the master is probably underway. Jack Nicholas 18 majors we thought for a minute there Tiger would have had a shot years ago. He ain't gonna touch it most likely. I I don't see any other player that gets to 18.

[Matt Leinart]

Well I got one for you. Ready?

[Nick Lachey]

Yep.

[Matt Leinart]

Michael Phelps.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh yeah. I don't know.

[Matt Leinart]

I think Simone Biles too. Simone. No Michael Phelps has that could be touched. You don't think so 28 Olympic medals. You got to be in like four Olympics and then be in multiple events like a swim.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You don't think anyone will ever do that in the history of the Olympics again. I I'm not saying the odds are good but compared to like a Cal Ripken streak that you just. They won't even allow a player to play in that many.

[Matt Leinart]

I don't think anyone's going to win 28 Olympic gold or Olympic. I think Simone B had 24 gold medals.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Either way shout outs to Mr. Oveskin. That's a great record. Any other ones you want to name.

[Matt Leinart]

Before we get to I think Emmett Smith career rushing yards 18 a little over 18,000 again because the game is.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Now different to running different there's more.

[Matt Leinart]

Games but there which obviously could but there's be a detriment for three back situations three backs. It's more of a passing sort of you know that one might not get There's a ton I mean records are made to get broken but that's why I mean the Ovechkin Gosh that's crazy.

[Jerry Ferrara]

One that might be the last big that we see. That is our fresh moves brought to you by Wendy shout outs. And now let's bring in one of Matt's most Eclectic friend group members Nick Lachey okay, it's March Madness and Wendy's is hyped. The courts are polished, the jerseys are on. There's a junior bacon cheeseburger or double stack for $1 with in app offer and purchase. The lights are lit again. There's a JVC or double stack just for $1 with in app offer and purchase. The shoes are shy. All right, all right. Sorry.

[Matt Leinart]

All right. Wendy's is the official hamburger of March Madness, which means more deals for you and more burgers for your face. It also means that, well, you know this. We've got a JBC or a double stack for $1 with an in app offer and purchase. Sorry. It's just hard not to get excited when there's an offer on two of the freshest hot off the grillest burgers that Wendy's makes.

[Jerry Ferrara]

The JBC with fresh beef, applewood, smoked bacon, cheese, crisp lettuce, tomato and mayo. And the hot and juicy double stack, two patties of fresh never frozen beef with cheese, ketchup, mustard, pickle and onion. The real champions of March Madness head.

[Matt Leinart]

To the Wendy's app to grab the $1 JBC or the $1 double stack with in app offer and purchase for.

[Jerry Ferrara]

The freshest deals in fast food. Gotta be Wendy's. Limited time only at participating Wendy's account registration required it's one of the best times of year for sports fans around the country. Tournament time. You got the games on all throughout the day. You're keeping track of your office pools. All the close finishes have you on the edge of your seat. It's the best.

[Matt Leinart]

But regardless of who makes it to the final game in the tourney, one thing's for certain. It takes the most talented people working together to help these teams play at this level. If you're hiring, you want the most talented people on your team to help your business go to the next level. How do you find them? ZipRecruiter. And right now you can try ZipRecruiter for free at ZipRecruiter.com throwbacks.

[Jerry Ferrara]

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[Matt Leinart]

Pick ZipRecruiter to help you build a winning team. See why 4 out of 5 employers who post on ZipRecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. Just go to this exclusive web address right now to try ZipRecruiter for free. ZipRecruiter.com throwbacks again that ZipRecruiter.com T H R O W B A C K S ZipRecruiter the smartest way to hire Every day when we're on the road, people around us endanger themselves and others by using their phones while driving.

[Jerry Ferrara]

They think they're hiding it, but we've all seen them and know exactly who they are. For instance, there's the sneak a peeker who darts their eyes between the road and their texts.

[Matt Leinart]

There's also the got a ticketer looking upset because they just got a ticket for using their phone while driving.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And what about the fast scroller who can't drive five minutes without updating their social feeds?

[Matt Leinart]

Or the nightlighter who has that mysterious glow illuminating the inside of their car after dark.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Do any of these sound familiar? If they remind you of yourself or someone you know, Rethink your behavior before you find yourself becoming the fender bender or the veering off the rotor or worst of all, the driver who killed.

[Matt Leinart]

Someone put the phone away or pay paid for by nitsa.

[Nick Lachey]

How did you guys get. Did you all know each other? How did you guys get connected?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Everyone says that we speed dated on the phone but yeah, that's kind of how like Matt and I when we decide like when we're talking about doing a show and we had this like phone call speed date thing like hey, do we want to do a show together? And that's why it sort of became throwbacks because like you go Back to like oh 304 SC. I just got like cast an entourage, 23 year old kid. I knew nothing about LA. We were running around in like kind of like similar sir. Like we're at similar places. We never met but we never left formally. Like hey, I'm Matt. I'm Jerry, good to meet you, love us. Never happened.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah, I only met Connolly. Kevin Connolly. Yeah, I used to run into him quite a bit.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Some nightclubs probably.

[Matt Leinart]

We probably ran into him together.

[Nick Lachey]

Well back in those days he was with Nikki. Right. So we were all kind of like, yes, hanging together and yeah, it was.

[Matt Leinart]

Small group back then. And then. So then when we were Sinclair was talking to him about doing a show, I was kind of talking about doing this other show and a couple of guys were like why don't you guys do this together? And we literally got on a phone Last summer. And we talk like we would when you talk to your first. You know, like on a first date for like an hour and a half.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Does he FaceTime you all the time?

[Nick Lachey]

He's. He's the worst.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I don't get this. Do you FaceTime your friend?

[Nick Lachey]

No, I don't. You think he get them? You know, get the hint? I never pick up. He continues to do it either.

[Matt Leinart]

Dude. So the other day, I FaceTime Jerry. I had something important to tell you, though.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I fade him all.

[Matt Leinart]

And by the way, I did this. I used to say I was with Josie. I go, you know what, dude? I'm gonna FaceTime his wife. And Bri answered. And then you were there. You were there.

[Jerry Ferrara]

He went over my.

[Nick Lachey]

Went around you.

[Matt Leinart]

You know who this is super random. You know who hates. Who makes fun of me more than anybody? Lane Kiffin. I will random. I will randomly facetime him just because he pisses. No. Well, here's my coach. But he. He gets so upset about it and, well, it's dangerous.

[Nick Lachey]

FaceTime and Lane. Yeah, you never know where Lane's gonna be.

[Matt Leinart]

He could be on a boat somewhere. So I don't know what he's doing. Thanks for coming on, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

We.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah. But more importantly, how do. I was, like, joking with Matt when we did, like, an intro for you. Like, Matt has a really interesting group of friends. Like I said, it's like, Lane Kiffin. It's Nick Lachey.

[Nick Lachey]

How did.

[Jerry Ferrara]

How do you two kind of become friends?

[Nick Lachey]

Well, no, we. We first met. I mean, I was. Back in those days, I was doing. I was doing Newlyweds, so I was on TV all the time. Huge SC fan. I went to sc, so I was always on tv and SC gear always, you know, watching the game. And he'd obviously either seen it or heard about it. So we happened to be at the same bar one night and. And, you know, just got introduced.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And these dudes are like, do you remember.

[Matt Leinart]

Do you remember the name of the bar?

[Nick Lachey]

What's that?

[Matt Leinart]

Do you remember the name of the bar?

[Nick Lachey]

It was Guys.

[Matt Leinart]

Guys.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

Remember guys.

[Nick Lachey]

Guys.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I do remember guys. I feel like I got kicked out.

[Nick Lachey]

Of Guys for guys, Sunday night was like, big jazz.

[Matt Leinart]

Was it Sunday night?

[Nick Lachey]

I don't think it was a Sunday night. We were there.

[Matt Leinart]

But yeah, I was with the spot Shout out. Braun is a mutual friend. And I remember we're sitting there and I. I was. Gosh, I think I was 21. I might have been 20, 21. And he goes, dude, Lachey's over There. And I tell a story. I've told him this. I, my, my high school girlfriend had a poster of them up in his room.

[Nick Lachey]

I know I since apologized.

[Matt Leinart]

I swear to God. I was like, I was like. So, like, obviously I knew who Nick was, but Bron's like, dude, he's a huge SC fan. You should go say what up. And that was literally how we met. I think I went up to him, said, dude, huge fan. And then I think we hung out. Like, I think I came to your house back. Like, we hung out and then it was just like, we're boys ever since.

[Nick Lachey]

And back in those days, man, it was just the best at SC because, you know, you get on the sideline and it was just, I mean, they were unstoppable. The whole atmosphere was just unstoppable. It was awesome.

[Matt Leinart]

So it was so good.

[Jerry Ferrara]

So you, you went to sc. So then growing up though, you didn't have any? Because I always go through this. I don't have any college football affiliations. Like, I grew up in New York City. I didn't really go to college. So I love college sports. I just don't have a team. I'm like a guy without a country. So did you have any, like college fandom before or once you got to sc? You were like, this feels right.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. I mean, growing up in Ohio, I'm one of the few that's not an Ohio State fan.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right.

[Nick Lachey]

I. Everyone knows this. I just do not like Ohio State. I'm a Cincinnati Bearcat fan. Yeah. But anyone who's followed Bearcat football at all knows that they've been terrible for the majority of my life. So, yeah, I was more of a Bearcat basketball fan, SC football fan. And then obviously when I went to school there, you know, then I really became a fan. But I was always, I was always kind of a closet, you know, SC fan. Even back in the, you know, I remember like the Rodney Pete days.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh, yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

And yeah, it was, it was when Notre Dame and SC were 1 and 2 and he had those battles going on. And so, yeah, I was always kind of a, a closet SC fan. But it didn't really kick fully in until I went there, you know.

[Jerry Ferrara]

All right, let's do some all time adventures driven by Nissan. Take adventure to new heights in the all new 2025 Nissan Armada. Go to nissanusa.com armada to learn more.

[Matt Leinart]

I don't think a lot of people know this, but you, you walked on. You attempted.

[Nick Lachey]

Well, tell us that story you tried.

[Jerry Ferrara]

To walk on at usc. That's a credit to you.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. Walking on is a very loose term. Like anyone can walk on to the field.

[Matt Leinart]

Did you put pads on, like.

[Nick Lachey]

No, because it was, you know how it was. The, it was the involuntary voluntary spring practice where you're not even allowed to throw footballs yet. You have to throw softballs. Like they. You're not even supposed to be practicing, but.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right.

[Nick Lachey]

But everyone's out there. So I was a theater major, right. So every day on the way to my to dance class, I would pass the football team coming out of Heritage Hall.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Man, that looks cool.

[Nick Lachey]

And I. Then I'd go past them and. And then. And so that was the year that Larry Smith got fired and John Robinson had just come in. So they brought John Robinson back. There's a lot of hype. So one day I'm passing the football team on the way to dance class, and I said, hey, coach, you think I could play for you? And he said, are you fast?

[Jerry Ferrara]

It sounds like Rudy.

[Nick Lachey]

Sounds like the opening of Rudy. Keep in mind, I never played a down of organized football in my life. I went to a performing arts high school.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You need to be an athlete, though.

[Nick Lachey]

I've literally never put pads on. I've never played football. So I said, yeah, pretty fast. He said, you can play in my backfield. So I said, mom, you gotta send me the cleats. I had one pair of cleats. They were stark white, Joe Namath. Send me the Joe Namus low cleats. She sends these to me. And I said, I cannot go out there on the field like this. But I took the physical, I did the whole thing. And then I went out there and Charles White, you know, legendary.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

Heisman trophy winner is the running back position coach. And I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm out there in basketball shoes. I look total. You tell who the real guys are because they have team issued stuff on. I'm out there like basketball shorts and a total scrub. And Charles is just screaming at me, you're pathetic. I was like, this is the greatest thing ever.

[Jerry Ferrara]

He's not wrong either.

[Nick Lachey]

He's not wrong smoking it all. It was, it was literally the only time I've ever played football.

[Matt Leinart]

Did you have a. Did you have like a dream to play football? Like, you didn't play growing up. So like, what prompted you just like, oh, this could be pretty.

[Nick Lachey]

Always wanted to play. And my mom, my mom said, you can't play till high school. So she said. And I went to, I started going to this performing arts school. And then I just fell in love with that and didn't want to leave to go play football. So, yeah, I mean, clearly it was the right move for me.

[Matt Leinart]

But what, like, you know, the what ifs. What if you actually ended up playing? Do you think that would have.

[Nick Lachey]

I would have been killed.

[Matt Leinart]

No, but, like, you played. You got the kind of. The bug. Would that have changed your course of. You know.

[Nick Lachey]

It's a good question, man. I. I think a lot of the. A lot of the reason I felt. A lot of the reason I felt confident enough to move from Cincinnati to LA and start a band and do all this stuff is because I went to a performing arts school. Like, they made you feel like, okay, you're. You know, you've got talent, you've got potential. So if I hadn't done that, I'm not sure I ever would have, like, had the. The balls really to come out and do that.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Funny thing. I just thought I was. Because Matt did mention that you might have, and Matt just tells people, oh, he tried to walk on at usc. Your story gives a lot more context away.

[Nick Lachey]

And by the way, I'm saying I'm skipping dance class every day.

[Matt Leinart]

The best part of that, football, walking on my way to dance class. And I asked the coach, hey, do you think I could play for you?

[Jerry Ferrara]

That one might get clipped for social. But then. So when I was just doing a little. You know, I know a lot about you, obviously, but I'm kind of. It's funny, like the shit Wikipedia says, but it does say about your bandmate Jeff, who had, like, gave up his aspirations, it says on Wikipedia. Hold on. He planned on a career playing football in the NFL, but then in 95, he sang at a college party. Three friends. And got a positive reaction. So the way Matt's. It's like, so Nick's pursuing college football. Jeff's wants to be. You see, like, you guys just were like, you know, let's hang up this football thing and start a band. If, like, you didn't know the context.

[Nick Lachey]

Of the story, you know, we'd be in the hall of Fame if we hadn't given it up for a boy band. You know, I'm confident.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You know what? I want to ask you too, growing up in Cincinnati, because for me, with acting, growing up in Brooklyn, New York, no one I knew was in any performing arts anything. I'd go pick. I go play pickup hoops in, like, the schoolyard, and then I'd leave and lie and say, I got recruited by this other aau. Team to play, and I take the train to the city to take acting class. Were you like, kind of black cat in Cincinnati doing that, or was it. Do you have people and peers around you where it wasn't like, oh, you know, wants to be a singer or performing arts major? What was that like?

[Nick Lachey]

Well, the school that I went to is called the School for Creative and Performing Arts. So literally, it was the cool thing to do at that school. Right. So we didn't have sports, but, like, if you got the lead in the big fall musical, that was the equivalent of being like the starting quarterback.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, it was. That was what was cool in our school. So it was a great place. If you were into the arts. It was a great place to go to school because every day you're just totally immersed in it. Yeah, it is the cool thing to do. You're getting, you know, you know, better and better at it. So. Yeah, it was. It was not like in some schools, you know, it's like the nerdy Glee Club or what. No, that was like. We were, you know, if you were. Had the lead in the. In the big deal in the. In the musical, or if you had a solo in the song or what, you know, that was. That's what you aspired to. To do and to be. So it was cool. It was cool.

[Matt Leinart]

Our. So throwbacks to the thing, and we always throw back to, like, nostalgic times and obviously 98 degrees in the boy band. How did you guys. Because you guys all grew up in Ohio. You and your brother were there, obviously. The other two, how did you guys meet? What was the first? Because I don't know if I know the story. Like, hey, let's just do this out of our garage.

[Nick Lachey]

Or, you know, it was a guy. It was a guy I went to school with. He was a year ahead of me, and he'd already moved out to la. He met Jeff and. And I don't know where, just. And we weren't, like, especially close even, but I don't know where. He just hit me up. He said, you should come out to LA and join this. This. This band. And I had since transferred from USC to Miami, Ohio. I was taping ankles. I was an athletic trainer. I'm like, this blows, you know, I.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Mean, I'm in on your athletic career, bro. I'm in.

[Matt Leinart]

We can make a movie about it.

[Nick Lachey]

I got as close. I got as close. And I tell you, I tell this all the time, that the four coaches. I was the trainer for men's basketball, right? And We. We won a tournament game that year. We had a good team. The four coaches were Herb Sendek, Sean Miller, who now just got hired to Texas. Thad Mata, who's at Butler, used to be at Ohio State, and then Charlie Coles has since passed. So there were four D1 head coaches on that, on that one staff. It was an awesome, like, little Miami of Ohio, had an awesome little thing going. But anyway, I wasn't super excited about taping ankles the rest of my life. I. I had a potential internship with the Bengals to like, be on their athletic training, you know, staff or whatever. But then this guy calls me, he's like, hey, there's this opportunity in la, you know, you should think about it. And I was like, you know what? My girlfriend and I had just broken up, wasn't crazy about school, just everything just kind of lined up. So I took the chance and came out here and joined these guys.

[Matt Leinart]

So they were already formed. So Drew was already part of that.

[Nick Lachey]

No. So it was this. It was Jeff, just Jeff, this guy John, Jeff's brother, Mike. And then I was the fourth. And within, I'd say, three days of me being here, Mike quit.

[Jerry Ferrara]

So then I'm here and one guy's already.

[Nick Lachey]

So, yeah, he was. It literally took 48 hours, I think. And he was like, I'm done. I can't do this. And then. So I said, it's never going to work. I got this great bass singer that I was. I was in a band in Cincy at the time, so. So let me call my boy Justin. So I brought Justin out, and then about four months later, this guy John, who initially called me, got a. A, A bit part in Sweet Valley High. You guys remember Sweet Valley High?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Valley High.

[Nick Lachey]

So he got a part in that. Just a one, one time guest, guest role. But he was convinced at that point that, that he needed to be an actor. And so we kind of say, hey, man, we're all out here to do this band. Like, either you're in or you're out. We're not, like, if you get a gig, we're not just gonna sit here. And I was delivering Chinese food at the time. I'm like, I'm not, you know, this is not my future. So we actually, you know, he said, oh, I need to act. And he left the group. And that's when I brought my brother in. Drew.

[Matt Leinart]

So you were delivering Chinese food?

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, man.

[Matt Leinart]

Jesus, dude, how many jobs did you have?

[Nick Lachey]

Walk fast. Walk fast, dude.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I was fired from every restaurant in the San Francisco.

[Matt Leinart]

My first Ever job was, I was parking cars at South Coast Plaza. My brother. I was valet. My brother ran the. He knows my brother, actually. He's got a sense of my brother. Yeah, my brother's crazy. So I was parking valet. Long story short, it's Christmas morning. I kid you not. South Coast Plaza is open. I. I crash a bends in a pole in an open parking lot. I. You not open park. I don't. I just was like going. It was like, you know, an open parking lot. They had like little things coming out. You kind of go around. I just ran.

[Nick Lachey]

Right.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Christmas morning.

[Matt Leinart]

Swear I can't make this up. I get back there, I start crying, dude. And my buddy Mike Gazano, I remember Mike Gazano. Like, it was just us two there. And I'm like, mike, my brother's gonna kill me. I was like. I was literally bawling. He's like, go, I'll handle it. I get home, my brother comes home later in the day. He's like, you idiot.

[Nick Lachey]

You're.

[Matt Leinart]

He fired me. My brother fired me from Valley Parking.

[Nick Lachey]

Anyway, by the way, have you ridden with me? It hasn't gotten any better.

[Matt Leinart]

Stop.

[Nick Lachey]

I.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You know, it tracks like the face times and then, like, you know, I would. I would.

[Matt Leinart]

By the way, I stand by my.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Not a great driver, though.

[Matt Leinart]

That's a great mailbag question. I always. I always say, is it. Is it okay one for dudes to FaceTime other dudes. But in general, is it just okay to FaceTime? I think it's great. You FaceTime. I'm sure you FaceTime your kids, wife and kids.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Sure, yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, families, you know, your kids. Obviously, it's. It's different than your boys. I don't know. I just don't FaceTime the guy.

[Jerry Ferrara]

How weird of that. Would you be if we, like, exchanged number. Hey, Jerry, go bangles with text and then like just two days.

[Nick Lachey]

It's less about Matt. It's like, who's Matt with? What's Matt doing right now? What at what time?

[Matt Leinart]

I'll go on a heater when I'm drunk or drinking. Yeah, that'll be like, I'll just start FaceTime and 20 people on my phone. Like, let's see who's going to pick up now. And then I'll just hang up before saying bye. All right. Okay, real quick. When did you guys first know was like, oh, we're like, like. Because that was in sync. Formed a new kid. Were they all formed at that time?

[Nick Lachey]

No, Backstreet was. We actually kind of. We had a gig to Sing the national anthem at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, Washington. So we drove 24 hours up i5 to sing the national anthem at this fair. And we get there, and we had a crate. We have a crazy story, man. Like, we. We went through some gnarly, gnarly stuff. Like, we sang backstage at a Boys to Men concert to, like, try and meet them. Didn't meet them, but we met this girl. She's like, hey, I think my. My dad might, you know, be able to help you guys out. He's got a record label. Oh, coolest exchange numbers. Next thing I know, we're pulling up in Compton, and it's. It's Mike Concepcion. I don't know if you. Mike Concepcion starts. Started the Crips.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

So all of a sudden, we're like four white guys in Compton and we're singing. He's like, I want to sign you boys. Fill out these forms. Social Security numbers. And I'm like, yeah, we got street cred. Let's go. Let's. Let's sign with this. And the guy who called John, the guy who initially called me for the group's like, I'm not signing it. I'm not doing it. I'm not signing it. And thank God.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah. What happens if God sign that deal?

[Nick Lachey]

You know what? I have no clue. I mean, I don't know how our. Our future would. But it would have been. It would have been.

[Matt Leinart]

So where'd you sing at when they. So that was at a Boys to Men.

[Nick Lachey]

So. Yeah, so. So that was at a Boys Men concert. And when you just, you know, you sing around LA, we'd sing @ Taco Bell for free tacos. We'd sing it, you know, Fat Burger.

[Jerry Ferrara]

For singing for yourself.

[Nick Lachey]

We'd sing it City Walls.

[Matt Leinart]

You know, just like, he really did start from the bottom.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, like, back in those days, there was no, like, YouTube. There wasn't. There wasn't even American Idol. Like, if you wanted to get discovered, you just kind of pound the pavement.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

So we would just sing for anybody and we'd sing a cappella, and they'd be, oh, you guys got good harmonies. Here's the card. Maybe, you know, so eventually somebody gives you a card that leads to something. Leads to something. And. And we finally got signed. But Back street was. We met them at that fair is the reason I was saying that. And they. They were actually formed that was 1995, and they tried to come out here, and it didn't really work. So they went to Germany and Blew up in Europe and then came back.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And then it came back already with, like, the European crowd built, so.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, but NSYNC wasn't. They weren't even formed until after that.

[Matt Leinart]

And then how long from that Washington did you guys get signed? And then you became, like, this phenomenon, obviously.

[Nick Lachey]

So that was. That was like September of 95. We got signed May of 96 to Motown, and then they moved us to New York, and we did our first record, which came out in 97. So, you know, like, lived in New York. All those studios in the Village, you know, Electric lady and Hit Factory and all. I mean, we. We. We had a good time in New York. That was. And they wanted us to move there to give us a little bit more, you know, a little bit more grit, you know, we were four white guys from Ohio, and we were on Motown, so, like, hey, we need you to be in New York and. And get a little more. A little more street.

[Matt Leinart]

Is that where the camouflage pants.

[Nick Lachey]

Yes, that's where all the fat farm and. Yeah, we were. We were. It was a different time, man.

[Matt Leinart]

Isn't it crazy that, like, the baggy jean, you guys were like Timberland boots? The wife beaters, the. The camo pants. You had, the earrings.

[Nick Lachey]

I know. I don't think. I think I was wearing Timberland boots when I met you. I got. I've never stopped wearing Timberlands.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Nothing says New York like a pair of Tim. That's a. Like, people play pickup hoops in New York in Tims.

[Nick Lachey]

The fresh Tims are. That's a look.

[Matt Leinart]

I've never owned a pair of Tims from Orange County.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You don't even wear this.

[Matt Leinart]

No, I respect Tims, but I never.

[Jerry Ferrara]

But you wear shoes on the plane. You're.

[Matt Leinart]

Dude, I wore sandals.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I wear sandals on a plane. I think that's like a fireable offense and.

[Nick Lachey]

And board shorts.

[Matt Leinart]

I'd wear sandals in Ohio right now, dude. That's all I. I got at any point.

[Jerry Ferrara]

So when things start to really blow up, you know, because we were talking about, like, you know, you played sports, you love sports. Like, there's always, like, a competitive nature to it, right? Like, when you love sports, it's just. Even if it's healthy competition at any point, as it's all just coming to this massive wave between groups and stuff like that or even within is never competitive. Not even necessarily a bad way, like, f those guys, but, like, are you scoreboard watching at all? Is it, like a natural thing?

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, like, it's the TRL era, right? Was like, yeah, we've said this.

[Jerry Ferrara]

What a great time.

[Nick Lachey]

I think we've all said this. I mean, like, you watch to see where you were. It was legit. Like, you knew how successful you were at that moment because it was of where your video was on the. On the tv.

[Matt Leinart]

Spring break and trl. You guys performed at MTV Spring?

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, man. We were. We were at spring break the first year, like, when Kid Rock came out. Eminem. I remember being at Cancun. Like, who is this kid? Eminem? Next thing you know, he's freaking blowing. I mean, like, it was just a special time in music, man. And MTV was just the.

[Matt Leinart]

Didn't Vanessa host MTV Spring break?

[Nick Lachey]

Later after later, right? Like, more like early 2000s.

[Matt Leinart]

I remember I used to get home from school because, like, so, like, yeah, I was probably in high school when you guys were on your trajectory, and I would come home and watch. Like, TRL was the thing. It was trl. Then when spring break came, I would. I don't think my parents would even let me watch it, but I'd sneak it.

[Nick Lachey]

Like, then you had the beach house in the summer. It was.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, it's so hard to, like, hear now. Like, obviously, like, does MTV get sold? But no one wants. It's like, man, you still got to be amazing ip you could mine from that era, because that era. We won't ever see that era again.

[Nick Lachey]

It was. I mean, it was. You know, the Internet kind of killed all that. But, you know, back in those days, if you were into pop culture and you were into music, like, you ran home from school and you put. That was your. That was your connection to what was happening in. In pop culture. It was. And. And for the artists, I mean, the opportunity to go on there and, like, the crowds outside in Times Square and promote your stuff. And we actually did a promotion with MTV called Fly2K. Like, we went.

[Matt Leinart]

I remember.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I remember we went overseas.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, like, some really cool, crazy cool that. Yeah, to your point. It's just. The brand is always the brand, but it just doesn't. It doesn't have any legs anymore. They can't make it work.

[Matt Leinart]

What's the. What's one that you could tell? What's the craziest story? Just. I don't know. Maybe he's one of your guys, or you can be like, no, I can't tell that. No, I mean, it's like fans. Like, I just. Like, I. I was telling Jerry before he came, I'm like, dude, I. I've been to your concerts now, like, a couple Years ago where they're still torn and like that. That demographic now is all like the 30 to 50 year old ladies who loved you guys. And they're psycho still.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

So I can only be one of them.

[Nick Lachey]

Well, they're now they're. Now they're drinking too. You know, it's like they're old enough to drink.

[Matt Leinart]

Yelling and it's a whole other. Is there. Is there like just a crazy fandom story that sticks out between you guys that you guys like maybe like a stalker or something?

[Nick Lachey]

The craziest fans we ever came across. And it's interesting because we're going back there in. In late May is like Southeast Asia. Like the Philippines.

[Matt Leinart]

Really?

[Nick Lachey]

Absolutely. I mean, chased out of a mall down the street. Like you like picture the Beatles back in the day. I mean that was as. As manic as it ever got for us. Is over there. And they will follow you all day. They're incredibly loyal. I don't know where they get the money from, but they literally. They just. No one has jobs. They just follow you around in taxis all day. Wherever you go, they go. You go to the airport. It's absolutely nuts. But they're, I mean the most passionate hardcore fans you can imagine. So we're psyched.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And you got. You're going there in May.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, we were supposed to go back in 2020 and then obviously Covid happen and. And it canceled that trip for obvious reasons. But yeah, we're finally going back in May. We haven't been there since 2001.

[Jerry Ferrara]

It's got to be a good feeling because I only identify with like, you know, it's been now years since like Entourage. Whenever me and the guys will get together or go do something together or present an award somewhere. It's like it just feels like it never ended. You just slip right back into it. Like you almost have to stop yourself and say, wow, I can't believe that we're doing this still. Do you get those feelings now? Cuz you guys are on tour. You go on tour still?

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, we still. We still get to do. And by the way, I mean, you know exactly how it feels. Cuz you guys were a part of. Of pop culture. I mean like it was literally. That show was so groundbreaking. I actually auditioned for that show.

[Matt Leinart]

Did you?

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Wait, let me see if I can get. Well, Vince or the Vince or you got to be. You would have been a great Vince.

[Nick Lachey]

N. It was. It would have been a totally different like take on the character. He was perfect. But yeah, I mean it was like that. That show was so iconic in. In that moment. Like, everyone loved it.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And we. We definitely had some crazy, like, cool fan experiences. But even just talking, it's like we were never chased out of them all, you know? Like, it would. If anything, it would be blurred lines, like, oh, like Johnny Depp watches the show, but he actually thinks Adrian is Vince, which is.

[Matt Leinart]

So. Did you. Were you ever, like, in. Not in character, but like, we talked about, like. Like, you went out to nightclubs. Did the group of you guys go out together too? I know Connelly was out, but, like.

[Jerry Ferrara]

We would go out and it would be almost like people thinking it was an ad we were shooting.

[Matt Leinart]

I was gonna say, like, do you play that up a little?

[Nick Lachey]

Out all the time. Oh, well, he was out for sure.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I mean, Thursday through Sunday. You could count on Spider Teddy's. Of course. I just always remember people. Maybe it's because as a character, I just always felt like people get disappointed once they actually met me. Because it would be a lot of like, you, we gotta go smoke a joint. Right, Turtle, I'm like, buddy, I'm not gonna smoke your strange. I don't even know you, man. I'm sorry. Really, like, just a dis their face when they would realize, oh, this is just a show. This isn't real. So I've disappointed a lot of people.

[Nick Lachey]

But, you know, it's hard to. It's hard to do what. What you guys did so well is appeal to guys and girls, right? Like, it was a show that you could watch. Like, you know, we get drug into watching stuff all the time as dudes, but, like, to have a show that you can watch and your girl likes and you guys watch together, I mean, it was. It was. Yeah. Hit a home run, man.

[Matt Leinart]

You guys said you're touring and you have a new album coming out.

[Nick Lachey]

We do, yeah. We have a new album called Full circle. Comes out May 9th. So it's five new songs and then five re records.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yes.

[Nick Lachey]

Of the.

[Matt Leinart]

Can we get a classic? Are we allowed? Do we have a little. I do a little Una Noche.

[Nick Lachey]

We got. Let's see. Invisible Man. I do Unanoche Hardest thing. And what am I because of you? Or the five re records and then five new songs. So freshy.

[Jerry Ferrara]

How does that. Is that. Like, whose idea is that? Does someone come to you guys or do you guys get together and you're like, we got some inspiration. Let's go, Lace.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, I mean, we. You know, we've been. We've been touring and performing together, so. And Honestly, we have more fun doing it now than we ever have, because it's just like.

[Jerry Ferrara]

It's different now.

[Nick Lachey]

It's like, there's not stupid pressure. You know, back in the day, you just couldn't even enjoy it because you're so worried about losing your grip on it. Right. So now it's just like, let's have some beers and have some fun and go out and do a show. And so, yeah, we're like, let's. You know, let's make some new music. I. I wrote a song. My brother wrote a song. There's three other songs that were, like, submissions from people and. Yeah, so we're super proud of it, man. It's. It's. I think. I think, honestly, in some ways, I think we sound better now than we did really, you know, back in the day. A little.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

A little wise.

[Matt Leinart]

Awesome. Like, 20 years later, just with your boys doing something you love.

[Nick Lachey]

It hurts, though, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Does it?

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, you know, you got hip replacement, but you got.

[Matt Leinart]

But you guys aren't moving a lot on stage, dude.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, we're no. We're no professional football players, but our bodies have taken it. Yeah. It's taking a toll on us.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I. I could imagine that. It's not like you guys.

[Matt Leinart]

You guys are known. Yeah. How I was. I've actually. I've never asked you this. I. Because now your kids are older, you have three. Like, how do they. How do they see you, like, when you're on stage? Because, like, it's just like, I don't know. It's got to be pretty cool, right? Or they don't know or.

[Nick Lachey]

That's one of the coolest things about still being able to do it, is that now your kids can appreciate, you know, it's not just a story you tell. It's like, no, we actually can see dad up there doing it. But my kids. The only time my kids thought I was even remotely cool was when I won Masked Singer. That was to them. To them. That was like.

[Matt Leinart]

That was like, crazy.

[Nick Lachey]

The highlight of their. Of their young lives, you know, they could, you know, care less about 90 degrees doing a show, but a pig gets on stage and. And sings, then they. They're all about it.

[Matt Leinart]

Do any of them have the singing bug?

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. What's funny? Because my. My oldest two, Camden, in Brooklyn, just did the school musical, and I said to Vanessa, I said, it's gonna go one of two ways. Like, they're gonna either hate it or they're gonna get right. Like, they're gonna get in front of that crowd, it's gonna.

[Matt Leinart]

I got a goosebumps.

[Nick Lachey]

Just gonna strike something in them. And. And they definitely both. Both of them both loved it. Oh, dude, I think we're on to future laches.

[Jerry Ferrara]

My. My wife signed our 5 year old for like a summer play and I'm like, let's wait a little.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, dude, your wife acted too. You're gonna have.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, maybe I'm too Jade. I'm like, let's slow down. Even though I don't think the local Cleveland theater is gonna necessarily give them that same pop.

[Nick Lachey]

It is funny man. Like you, as much as I would have loved to been a football player, I mean, just, just. It's just not in my genetics, you know what I mean? Like, you look at Cole, who's like, I mean, an absolute stud. It's just. And you see it all the time. Like my kids. Yeah, I would love for Camden to play football, but he's much more likely to be a singer or an actor. You know, it's something else than. It's just the way it is.

[Matt Leinart]

You know, I'm so jealous because I retired when Cole was six. So like he. I think he vaguely remembers like, you know, going to the games and like. But like, I didn't really play that much, so it's just like, it's so. And then he's 18 now. Not really. Just until recently. And you know, Cole's like, he just never really looked at me that way. And all his friends were like, did your dad USC this and that? And like, I'm like, it's not a big deal. But finally, as now he's in this journey. I'm like, I'm like, dude, like, I did play at the highest level. I went through a lot of. I had good and bad. Like, I've seen it all. Like, let me help you. But it's just funny. Like.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Well, I don't know if any of you deal. Like, my kids want nothing to do with me coaching them on anything. Like, any advice or offerings I give, it's. That's a coach they could get through. But me, not like they don't. They tune it, right? They know how to do it.

[Nick Lachey]

I remember back in the day we. I was co hosting best damn sports show.

[Matt Leinart]

Oh yeah, that's a lot of.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, that was a fun show.

[Nick Lachey]

And I think Joe Montana was on, right? And he was on there and talking about Nick, his son.

[Matt Leinart]

He's like, oh, yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

He doesn't want to listen to a thing because to him, I'm just Dad. Like, I'm. I'm dad, which is great. He doesn't want to listen to dad, and he's like, to him, I'm not the greatest, you know, quarterback that's ever played the game. Are, you know, arguably, it's. He's just. Dad didn't want to listen to him.

[Matt Leinart]

Remember when we were at your house? I remember when. I think was it when Cole fell and he, like, did that perfect push up?

[Nick Lachey]

This was, like, super huge. I used to have a.

[Matt Leinart]

Which is funny because it was like, he ended up being a girl, like, eight. I don't know, maybe seven.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. We're up on the pool, and I had these steps that went down to, like, the bar. And, you know, he and I are just sitting there shooting and not really paying attention to Cole. I mean, was he one and a half, two?

[Matt Leinart]

I don't know. He's probably four or five.

[Nick Lachey]

Was he. I think he's even.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Anyway, we're not paying attention.

[Nick Lachey]

He just goes off the steps, and I'm thinking he's gonna rip his fake teeth out. All he does is put out his hands and go push. I mean, full human.

[Matt Leinart]

He's like, dude, that's not normal. I was like, maybe I should have my eyes on him.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Built different.

[Nick Lachey]

Built way different. I was like, wow, that kid is strong.

[Matt Leinart]

I had. It was. We had, like. Because, gosh, we. I mean, we. We were telling stories. I mean, gosh, Cole damn near grew up. Like, I used to take him back in those days to the house, like, with him. Vanessa, like, Cole kind of grew up in that old. That house was. Was awesome.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

That was right when you met Vanessa. That was your bachelor pad.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, I had a sick, sick bachelor.

[Matt Leinart]

That was the sickest place.

[Nick Lachey]

It should have been on Entourage. It was that. It was, it was.

[Matt Leinart]

It was unreal.

[Nick Lachey]

We had some good times.

[Matt Leinart]

I've never been in a house where you walk through the front door and the pool is the very first thing you see.

[Jerry Ferrara]

The pool is right into the. I feel like I've been there before. Like, what happen.

[Nick Lachey]

You may have since I, Since I sold it. I think he throws some good parties.

[Matt Leinart]

Up is because we're so. I just obviously had my baby girl, Camila. They're. They're.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I'm under a lot of stress.

[Matt Leinart]

He needs some. He needs some advice.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I have a. Almost six, almost four. I've talked about a little bit on the show. Brie. I, I, she knows I could. I have permission to talk about this, but talk about a full court press for baby number three.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I'm 45 years old and I'm just terrified. I'm just like. I'm like, we're not that we're on easy street, but we're. We're. The system is now in place.

[Nick Lachey]

We have boys, girls, Two boys. Two boys. So she's.

[Matt Leinart]

They're the same age as Casey and can. It's like 5 and 4. 5.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And then my best friend who facetimes me all the time, baby number beautiful baby girl. And I just. I don't know if I'm going to be able to hold it off, but I just feel like that transition from two kids to three, especially now mine are a little older. It's like I. I'm just scared, man.

[Nick Lachey]

It's 100 legit different two to three. I mean you. You've spaced yours out enough that it's.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Like I don't back from the man.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean it is. Somebody told me once if you have three, you might as well have five. And there's definitely like some truth to that. Like once you. Once you lose.

[Matt Leinart]

I'm trying to stop once you lose.

[Nick Lachey]

The man on man to man. Yeah, you're. But dude, I mean there's nothing. Boys are awesome. I love my boys. But man, having a little girl as you I'm sure feel right now.

[Matt Leinart]

I wanted to ask you like because Brooklyn's.

[Jerry Ferrara]

What.

[Matt Leinart]

How old is she now? 10.

[Nick Lachey]

She's 10.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Wow. Great name by the way.

[Matt Leinart]

Three boys and we didn't find out for this last one. And you know, I. I mean I was like when cannon came, Mike was a boy, I was like, like super bumped it. I just felt bad. But now he's like my favorite. I was like, I want my girl. And we didn't know if we're gonna have another kid. And then this one we did, we did surprise. And when she came out, literally I've told us my boys, like I was bawling. It was just like the greatest moment that we had together that we shared because it was just like there was a lot of pressure and kind of build up and everybody wanted us to have a girl and everybody taught like we have friend. Like every like one of our best friends has three girls. Everyone's like, oh, it's different. And I wanted to ask you but like I felt it. It instantly like the protector, the love. Just everything different than all my boys and. And it's just, it's. It's a crazy feeling is that. I imagine that's it for you especially now Brooklyn.

[Nick Lachey]

It's just totally different. I mean, I love my boys, don't get me wrong, of course, but your relationship with your boys is different than with your little girl. She always will be. And I tell this, I said, you'll always be my little girl. I, I still, to this day, she's 10 years old. I pick her up out of bed and carry her downstairs in the morning. I'll do it until she tells me, yeah, you can't do it anymore. Like, I'm gonna hold on to every moment. She literally just wrote a whole poem about dad at school and parent teacher conferences, and I'm just bald, crying. Like, my dad loves me so much. I mean, it's just. It's just way, way different. And you, you talk about how, like, in the, in the delivery room, dude, it was. They had to give me the oxygen.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Really?

[Nick Lachey]

That's how I. Like, the doctor said, take it off your face. It was on Vanessa. I said, put it on him, because I was about to. I was so overwhelmed by every. Having a little girl. Like, it was just. It's just.

[Matt Leinart]

Did you guys find out with her?

[Nick Lachey]

Oh, yeah, we found out where.

[Matt Leinart]

So I was. So it was when. When? Because. So Josie got a C section. She's talked about it. So, like, the baby came out, and I, you know, immediately my eyes go straight down, like, am I having a boy or girl? And I was like, I double took because I had never seen that before. I was like, I looked at. Doctor said, is that a good. She goes, yeah. And I. That's when it was like, I was like, wait, if I have a girl. Like, it was just. It was a shock. And I. I'll never forget, dude. Like, I started bawling. I looked down.

[Nick Lachey]

She's.

[Matt Leinart]

And, like, she's like. Like I'm looking down at her, and I go, it's a girl. And she goes. Like, she started just bawling, crying. If it were to have been boy, we would. It would just. I think it was different, man. It's like.

[Nick Lachey]

And, you know, I feel like your boys, you'll always be close to your boys. They're gonna get older and they're gonna leave and they're gonna find their own girl and they're gonna go off and. And I feel like your little girl will always come home, always stays close. You know what I mean? And I. I tell Brooklyn all the time, I said, you're gonna have to change. I change your dia at some point. You're gonna change Dad's dad.

[Matt Leinart]

It depends.

[Nick Lachey]

It's coming back.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Well, I want to thank you Guys, because if. If my wife is watching right now, I. You guys just put me in an even tougher spot.

[Matt Leinart]

It's only a matter of time. It's only a matter of time.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, it's. I mean, two. I always knew we'd have a third. Yeah, I always knew we'd have, like, the oops, baby. I just didn't think it would come, you know, right in line with the other two.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right.

[Nick Lachey]

I just thought it'd be, like 10 years down. But I'm so glad we did, because I got three, you know, all together, and. And plus, you got the boys to protect your little girl and look out.

[Jerry Ferrara]

For one of them. Definitely. For sure. We'll do one zone.

[Matt Leinart]

How's Cam him as a big brother to her? Because He's. He's what, 13? 12.

[Nick Lachey]

He's 12. Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

So, like, I remember the middle school, like, when Cole. Like, that was. When they start. The attitude starts. It just changes.

[Nick Lachey]

Oh, yeah, it's coming.

[Matt Leinart]

They're kind of like. They're kind of little dicks. And like, these guys, they don't want daddy anymore.

[Nick Lachey]

He's already pushing the.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

See how much he can get away with.

[Matt Leinart]

It's a slippery slope, dude. It happens. Really.

[Nick Lachey]

Like, I grabbed him the other day, and he grabbed back. I was like, oh, we're here now. Okay, who's gonna. He had to put the kick. The dad's strength into. Into gear and show him who's boss.

[Matt Leinart]

Unfortunately, my son is bigger than me, and I can't. The dad straight. Like, I. I always tell him. I said, dude, because he. He always. He.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You could still, you know, cold.

[Matt Leinart]

Nobody says he. This is what he says. He goes. He goes, bruh, dad.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Bruh, bruh.

[Matt Leinart]

I'm 6, 4, 2, 15. Like, you got two new hips. I will kick your ass. I'm like. I'm like, you're gonna have to kill me to kick my ass then, because once you switch. But still. But he's. But he's just so big and strong now.

[Jerry Ferrara]

It's like he is a big boy, man.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, I've got friends, too. They're like, yep, it's.

[Matt Leinart]

It does.

[Nick Lachey]

It's. It's. The baton's been passed. I know I can him anymore.

[Matt Leinart]

I gave up on one. Like, one on one. I can't basketball. I can't guard. I just. I've given up on a lot of things. Like, I'm like, what? He's like. He's like, dad, let's go have a dunking contest. I'm like, buddy, like, I'm. I can't. I can't dunk anymore, dude. Like, you're, like, windmilling. I can't do conversations.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I've never.

[Nick Lachey]

Dude, how's it going? How's it going to be covering a game on Saturday that Cole's playing in? Dude, that's trippy, man.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, I. I hope we do, like, I hope we get.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I mean, it's. It could happen.

[Matt Leinart]

I can already. Yeah. It's gonna be crazy, like, to talk about. Especially if you, like, ends up starting, like, his path is gonna be right. Who knows what's gonna happen to be on our show and maybe him playing later and, like, we do a topic. Actually, the craziest thing was, like, we had prime on last year. We had Dion, and we're doing a live interview with them. And this was right when Cole committed smu. And Dion just puts me on the spot. He's like, hey, man, why don't you.

[Nick Lachey]

Let me start recruiting your kid?

[Matt Leinart]

Like, I'm like, what? It was the funniest thing. And I'm thinking, like, holy, this is going to be my life. Like, the next. The next, you know, four or five years, three years, whatever it is, it's pretty surreal. Like, it doesn't. It's. It's just dad mode. Like, it's just like, I just. I can't wait, you know, I don't get a chance to see his high school games because I'm on the road, which is. It just kills me every Friday night. So I stream it. Typically, I'm in Ohio or Michigan, and I'm just like, up till 2am watching. But it'll be really cool. It's been really. It's funny, Nick, because, like, the middle school is tough, and even with girls, I've heard it's harder. And then it, like, it goes back, and then they kind of hate you again. And now I'm seeing kind of the 18 phase where they come back and it's like. It's like your. Your buddy again. Like, they just appreciate you a little more. They start to. They mature and they start to realize, like, oh, maybe you do have some advice and wisdom on life, you know? So it's pretty cool. But.

[Nick Lachey]

But I mean, it's got to be. Think about it, man.

[Matt Leinart]

It's crazy.

[Nick Lachey]

You're Matt Leinert's kid and you play the same position. I mean, that's. You know, he's handled it really well.

[Matt Leinart]

He's handled it really well. He's had tough times, for sure. Like. Like, I don't want to do this, like, I just always try. Like this is your own journey. Like you just try and like.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right.

[Matt Leinart]

I've never forced. I've never forced him to play football growing up, ever. He played flag football, but it's just like I kept telling him, I said, dude, something tells me this, like, you're just your God given abilities. This is what you're gonna do. From.

[Jerry Ferrara]

From his exact place, from the steps, from that moment, I think everybody saw he has a different athleticism when he did a push up at three and a half.

[Nick Lachey]

And even though he never got the chance to see you play, I mean the fact that he gets to see you every Saturday, right? You know, on an incredibly cool show, talking about, you know, the sport he loves. I mean, it's still.

[Matt Leinart]

I did throw. We were at El Camino College like last month and it was like he was training and it was like 10 receivers. So a lot of the juco kids and a couple kids came out and like we needed another arm and I had shoes on and my arm feels great. It's just. And actually my hips feel great. So I was like, I was taking full drops, throwing some dimes, dude. And I. And. And honestly, part of me was like, like I was kind of like proud of myself because like Cole saw me. Cole see me throw. Dude, we play catch. But like, I was really throwing routes and like the receivers were like, you know, like, I'm just on that like, era of like, who are you?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right?

[Matt Leinart]

Oh, Reggie Bush's quarterback. Yeah, like that I get a lot. But it was like some of them were SC fans, they grew up in la, so it's like, it was kind of cool. It's like singing in front of your kids like, hey, I still got it. Like, you know, like, daddy can do this. It's pretty freaking awesome. That's a good party.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Watch me throw these dimes on these routes. Like, just step in.

[Matt Leinart]

I don't have much left, dude.

[Nick Lachey]

One of my favorite memories is obviously at the Orange Bowl.

[Matt Leinart]

Oh, yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

Beat Oklahoma national championship. And. And Matt's got to go. Was it Kimmel, I think or. Yeah, it was Kimmel. And he's like, I. Come on the show with me. I don't want to go on by myself. Come on with me. So I was like. So I rode the team charter back. And by the way, I always thought the team chart was like these incredibly luxurious.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Was it not?

[Matt Leinart]

We were just like coach. It was commercial planes, but we were all coach.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. Like these gigantic, gigantic beings just sitting like this.

[Matt Leinart]

I don't know what happened if you were a. At least at usc. Like, I remember seniority, maybe captain, whatever starter. Like you were in the back. And it was because I was. I think I was in the row with Reggie. You had a middle seat that was open even, by the way, even in NFL. That's how it was too, in Houston. Like we had.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, I thought the same thing as you. You thought it was like this, like luxurious.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, like he had nice space.

[Matt Leinart]

Dude, I sat.

[Nick Lachey]

Human beings slammed in the.

[Matt Leinart]

I sat in front of. Have Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler on planes in Oakland, still afraid of him.

[Nick Lachey]

But that was awesome, man. I mean, coming off the high, winning the national championship and then flying with the team, I probably was.

[Matt Leinart]

We were probably still drunk easily.

[Nick Lachey]

So you were.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You literally had a front row seat to the.

[Nick Lachey]

To that run, thanks to this guy.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

Like, I remember on a couple games. I remember, man, that cow game.

[Matt Leinart]

You were on the field.

[Nick Lachey]

When I was on the field. Rogers went four and out at the. They were on the goal line. Like, there were so many times that season, it almost. Almost slipped away.

[Matt Leinart]

Did you go to the Texas game?

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

You're probably there too. Oh, yeah, that's right.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. That was a whole different.

[Matt Leinart]

By the way, my MJ story. Nick was there, Cabana Club. I was headbutting everybody. I probably had.

[Nick Lachey]

But included. Included.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I took one after the game that. When you.

[Matt Leinart]

I think it was two nights after we all went out the night of the game.

[Nick Lachey]

It was crickets. Like. No, it was so. It was like somebody had died. It was really, really depressing. But a couple nights later, this guy needed to let off some steam for obvious reasons.

[Matt Leinart]

It was. I was sad. We were. It was me, you. It was a bunch. It was a bunch of the crew. And then that's what I said. Like, Oakley and MJ were like three tables down. And Oakley called me over. Hey, mj, I've never. And I took my brother and me and my brother sat with MJ and Oakley for five, 10 minutes, whatever, had a shot. MJ was at the game. It was awesome. And I left and I was like. I got so drunk, I started headbutting people. I actually. No, by the way. So I got a concussion in that game. Like, I got. I got banged up decent. Like, I still played. And then. So it wasn't that bad. But then I was an idiot. I had a concussion all of my draft prep. Dude, I was concussed. No, I didn't. I told Steve Clarkson, my quarterback coach, I'm like, dude, I'm like, this is not good. And I dealt with that for. For six weeks. So it was like, no, I mean, it wasn't. I was still lifting, but I was, like, concussed for a long time. Time from a night out. I woke up at the Peninsula Hotel. No clue how I got there.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Any idea how we got.

[Nick Lachey]

I. I don't think I made it to the Peninsula.

[Matt Leinart]

Shout out to my boy J.J. i know J.J. i'm gonna. I'll send him this clip.

[Jerry Ferrara]

He.

[Matt Leinart]

He says he carried me from the club and got me in a taxi at the time, because we were. I don't know how far Cabana and Peninsula were, but it's probably right there. I think it's like the Renaissance Hotel now or whatever, but it's right there. And he put me in my room, put me in bed. I woke up the next day like, holy shit, where am I?

[Jerry Ferrara]

What happened?

[Matt Leinart]

I think he came back in. He goes, bro. He just started laughing. And I remember the cab ride home. I went back with my brother to Newport, threw up in the whole cab home on the back, it was a van. I'll never forget. I was like, oh, my God.

[Jerry Ferrara]

It was what you have to deal with all these years.

[Nick Lachey]

This guy was always good for a little. Little vomit in the shower. The next day, my guest. My guest. My guest bathroom took. Took some hits over the.

[Matt Leinart]

Vanessa was not happy with me on that one.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Well, I feel like we opened the door for sports a little bit here now that we're segueing in. Obviously.

[Matt Leinart]

I forgot about that one, by the way.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You know, I gotta get your initial gut reaction, made some. Your Bengals made some signings. The offense is coming back.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

How are you feeling going into the next season knowing that you got the offense intact and defensively, maybe just figure.

[Matt Leinart]

It, defense is in trouble.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, I mean, I. I'm gonna state the obvious. We're gonna have to score a gazillion points. I mean, which you can. Which. Which we can. And we'll have to, because, yeah, the D's. I mean, I. Hopefully we have enough to. To sign Henderson. You know, I don't. I don't know how that's going to play itself out, but, you know, that's the problem, right? You go, you can't let these guys go. Then you look like you're not trying. You're not trying to stay competitive, but obviously all our eggs are in one basket. And. And so the defense is going to be. And people forget, man. I always remind people this. Like when we made our super bowl run that year, the D stepped up. We almost lost in the wild card game to the Raiders. We had a goal line interception. I mean, we almost didn't make it out of the. Out of the wild card round. So the D, while they didn't have the, you know, many of the marquee players, they. They definitely made plays and, like. And I think, in my opinion, Lou got a little bit of a bad rap this year. I mean, the guy was.

[Jerry Ferrara]

He.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah. Head coaching finalist two years ago, you know, now he. He didn't forget how to coach. Right. We didn't have any talent on personality. So, you know, I think as a Bengals fan, I'm excited they're. They're making the efforts to keep talented players together.

[Matt Leinart]

Right.

[Nick Lachey]

So I think that's, you know, as a fan, that's all you can ask for is that. Is that the ownership's trying. You know, it was just such a slow start.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Lash.

[Matt Leinart]

I really win that to the Patriots game.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

If you win the game, you're in the play. And no one wanted to play the Bengals in the playoff. It was like, you don't want to play. Play a team like that. That's football, though.

[Nick Lachey]

It's just bad situational football, in my opinion. A lot of times last year, yeah, like, there were just bad calls at the end of the, like, coaching calls, in my opinion, at the end of games that we. We left. We left some wins out there that we should have had. And it. We should have been definitely in the playoffs. We were hitting. Hitting our stride. But. Yeah, why we start so slow is. You know, it's beyond me. I guess you gotta play more in the preseason. I don't even.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Did you go to the super bowl when they went. Were you there for it?

[Nick Lachey]

I was there, yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah. I mean, I know how you took it, but are you. I feel like you're. You and I are similar. Like, I get disgusted with loss. Like, I can't even listen to, like, sports radio.

[Matt Leinart]

I think makes a lot more emotionally louder than you. Oh, in the game, I watched the Knicks. I mean, the. This is the only time I watch a Knicks playoff. He's sitting in the corner. He's like. He's just like this, like, just, like, laser focused. Don't talk to me. But he's, like, super invested.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

I feel like you're throwing at this. He's a little more emotional because I've been with you in that game.

[Nick Lachey]

I was. I was.

[Matt Leinart]

Oh, you were.

[Nick Lachey]

It was, you know, in a normal game, had a few. Getting a Little mouthy Super Bowl.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You're Super Bowl.

[Nick Lachey]

I was like, locked in, man. And I just. The fact that Chase was so open on that last play. He just had one more second.

[Matt Leinart]

Oh, my God. God.

[Nick Lachey]

And I.

[Matt Leinart]

And it was in la too.

[Nick Lachey]

And I've never. Why, why didn't P. Ryan lay out for the ball?

[Matt Leinart]

It's fourth and two.

[Nick Lachey]

Like, he just watched it fall. Like, at least dive. At least make me feel like you. You care about winning this damn game. This is exactly him. But you know what, man? Hey, I. I'm not just saying this. The Rams have always been my other team for as long as I can remember, since Ed was with the Rams and I was a little kid. So any other year, I'd have been ecstatic. And I love Whitworth, you know, yeah, good Bengal guy. So I was, you know, happy for him. Walter Payton, man of the year, he goes out beating his old team. I'm like, we can't script this stuff, man.

[Matt Leinart]

And then the next year, you guys went to lost in the playoffs, right?

[Nick Lachey]

That was tough because our mayor was mouthing off. I remember that.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That was like. I don't like when the mayors get involved. Yeah, come on now, guy. What are we doing?

[Nick Lachey]

Mike Hilton's talking about Burrowhead. No, I'm just. Just play the game.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Their trash talk is so bad.

[Matt Leinart]

It's bad. And also, you don't. You don't trash talk Mahomes. Like, you just don't. Don't do that. Let that.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, there's some guys you don't want to even. Just like, don't even.

[Matt Leinart]

Oh, Kelsey, call them out on the stage too, right? Or whatever. Yeah, not a good look.

[Nick Lachey]

We call him a jabroni.

[Matt Leinart]

That's right, you jabroni.

[Jerry Ferrara]

There's only one person who could call someone a jabroni is the Rock. After that, like, it was actually really fun. I don't know, man.

[Nick Lachey]

All respect, Travis Kelsey. He's a Bearcat. We can't talk any trash on. On the Kelsey Brothers Bengals. They rep the Bear.

[Matt Leinart]

I like. I root for the Bengal. I love Joe Burrow.

[Nick Lachey]

So you a Giants guy, too?

[Jerry Ferrara]

I'm a big Giants fan. Like, and I remember, like, different than you when they played the Patriots that first year in Arizona, I got. And I was invited to go. I had a bunch of friends going and I. I just. I guess deep down I didn't think they were really going to win. I wasn't quite sure. And then I just didn't. I couldn't go. I didn't think I could handle it.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That's why I asked you if you went. I did not like Connolly. Connolly went. Kevin Dillon went. So many of my friends went. And I was just like, guys, I have to watch this at home for so many reasons.

[Nick Lachey]

Well, that was the. That was the undefeated Patriots team, too. So it was like a foregone conclusion. They're going to finish this thing off, and.

[Jerry Ferrara]

And then I'm superstitious. So then they get back two years later in. In Indie vs. The Pats, and I'm like, well, I stayed home last time and they won, so now I can't go again because I'm a superstitious. And I stayed home again. I skipped both of them.

[Nick Lachey]

Well, hey, maybe I should start skipping. Start skipping, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Start skipping.

[Nick Lachey]

No, I took. I took my oldest Camden to the. To the super bowl. And because he was there. Oh, he was in shambles and tears.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh, really?

[Nick Lachey]

Because he was there, it forced me to actually try and set a good.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Example and not of how to handle.

[Nick Lachey]

And not lose my. When we lost. So I actually kept it together just to try and be a good.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

Example.

[Matt Leinart]

Poor guy. You've made him a Bengals fan. He's going to be just, look, he's got good. He's got. But it's so hard to win. He's got good teams.

[Nick Lachey]

So years ago, when the Bengals were, like, literally terrible and not spending. They weren't spending their, you know, their money.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Smith territory.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, they just didn't.

[Matt Leinart]

And.

[Nick Lachey]

And it was before you had to spend a certain, you know, percentage of your cap, like you had to. Now they've changed it. But I actually went. I actually went to the league office and met with the vice president of operations on behalf of Bengal fans and said, whoa, what's happening to the Bengals fan base is an absolute travesty. We've supported this team sell out year after year after year, and the ownership's not doing anything. So he said, hey, in full disclosure, this new rule's coming in where they're. They're gonna by. By rule, have to spend a certain percentage of it. And that's when it kind of turned around. They started actually having to spend.

[Matt Leinart]

So you're the reason.

[Jerry Ferrara]

When you went to the league office on behalf of Bengals fans, was that on your own idea or was this, like. Was there, like, a consortium of Bengals fans that were like, no, someone needs to speak for us, you know, who. Nick Lachey.

[Nick Lachey]

So I. So 90 degrees had performed. I had a relationship with the. With the head of entertainment for the NFL because we performed at like the Pro bowl halftime and done all this stuff with the NFL.

[Jerry Ferrara]

So you knew the right, you knew the people.

[Nick Lachey]

So I, I hit her up. I said, hey, I, I, this is right when Roger Goodell was hired. He was, hadn't been in office but two, three years. And I said, hey, I'd love to meet with the commissioner. And she said, you're not gonna meet with the commissioner, but I will, but I will set up a meeting for you. And I was like, hey, I'll take it. So I literally walked in there, tried to, you know, put on my, my best professional.

[Matt Leinart]

So what do they say to you? You're like, yeah, mister, they have to hear you out. They hear you out. But they're like.

[Nick Lachey]

He said first in full disclosure, I, I represent Marvin Lewis. He was coach them. I said, no, no, I got no problem with Marvin. It's not right. He's, he's turned, he's not the, he's turned the Bengals around, dude, to an extent, it's not his fault. I'm not here to bash him. But what, because it's really, I mean, you have these die hard Bengal fans, you know, hard earned money, man, and they're spending at Bengal games and the ownership's not doing anything to put a winning product that makes sense. So somebody had, somebody had to fight the good fight.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I once went to the, like a year ago, went to the Pro Football hall of Fame in Canton, right. Short drive from me now. And I was let into this vault of archive stuff that no one's ever seen. It's not really ever on display and walking around so much cool stuff. But then I get to this one section that just says Cleveland Browns. I'm like, okay, this is interesting. And then they basically, they say, the NFL Pro Football hall of Fame has every letter, not every, most letters that every fan of the Browns wrote after the team got moved to Baltimore anymore. And I was like, can I read some of these? They're like, sure. I opened them up. I'm re. And the stu. It was like heartbreaking stuff. Like 80 year old men. Like, I can't believe you did this too. Like yelling at like hard work.

[Matt Leinart]

They're spending their hard.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Like these letters should be published into a book. Some of them were like heartbreaking. Some were like optimistic. Some made you angry as a fan, like, yeah, what would I do if like all of a sudden I woke up and like, yeah, the Giants are leaving, they're going, they're going to San Francisco. Something like that.

[Nick Lachey]

So I mean, aside from aside from the cavs winning that one finals when LeBron came back. Look at Ohio professional sports. Like loyal fans beyond belief. But like no champ. I think The Reds in 1990 were like 90.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I love that Reds were like the last favorite teams.

[Nick Lachey]

I mean, it was an incredible year, but like, you know, Cleveland hadn't won anything forever. Heartbreak. I mean, the Fumble, the drive, you know, we got him twice.

[Matt Leinart]

We talk about this the most like, like, what was it? The heartbreaking. Like Minnesota, like just torture. Tortured fan base like Buffalo.

[Nick Lachey]

And for a long time Ohio State was the same thing. Like good. But never quite live up to expectations until Urban came back and. And got a couple forms. So like Ohio sports fans are tortured, man.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I feel like that's how I knew you were a big sports fan over the. So at some point I saw you publicly rocking a Reds hat. I want to say, oh, yeah. And I'm like, no one rocks a Reds hat unless they love of that team. And that 90s Reds team is one of my favorite. Oh, I have like a weird obsession with Barry Larkin.

[Matt Leinart]

Is that Eric Davis?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Eric Davis. Paul O'Neill. Chris Mariano. Duncan Mariano, Doug. That is a great.

[Matt Leinart]

Was Larry Walker on that team? No, he was after.

[Nick Lachey]

But they had the Nasty Boys. It was Rob Dibble. Rob Dibble, Randy Myers, Norm Charlton. Like they're. Once you got to like the seven. They didn't forget it. You were.

[Matt Leinart]

It was very large.

[Jerry Ferrara]

One of my favorite teams of all time. And that's what I really got into baseball.

[Nick Lachey]

Wire to wire, man. They first place the entire.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah, it's like my Dodgers.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Now, before we let you go, we have to talk Love is blind. Just have to. Because I'm obsessed, like, with. I look at things like, man, that just looks like a great job. And I hate to call it a job. Right? I just look at it like that looks like just a great. Especially you got a family. So it's not something like you're gone for like 11 months. Like, it just looks like not only is the show great and people love the show and I'm sure you get amazing fan interactions with the show. It just looks like a great time.

[Nick Lachey]

It we. I mean, look, it's. It's probably the greatest gig in Hollywood, honestly.

[Matt Leinart]

Because that's what he said. He's like, nick's got the greatest job in the world.

[Jerry Ferrara]

If you ever want to take a year off, I will happily sub it. Just one year. One and done out. If you ever want to say, I want to take one year off, Jerry, please think of me We're.

[Nick Lachey]

We're. We're. No, we're very lucky. We always. We always think about how. How lucky we are to be hosting that show. In the first season, we were a lot more involved. You know, it was like, you know, you don't know how these shows are going to work in your first year. So we shot the whole thing in Atlanta. We were interviewing them when they came out of the pods on their dates. Like, we were really, like, we go to their apartments. And then I think they realized, you know, Kinetic realized, hey, this is really about their journey, not so much about formula. Yeah. So, you know, it's. It's great to still be involved in the show, but. But obviously it's. It's like we kind of feel like we want to be more involved, honestly. Right. And then the reunion comes around, and that's when we have to really.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That's like. That's like your super bowl.

[Nick Lachey]

Right?

[Jerry Ferrara]

The reunion is.

[Nick Lachey]

Which no one's ever happy with. It's always like, you could. If you go in too hard on people, like, why you're being so mean, why are you going.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You don't push hard enough.

[Nick Lachey]

You don't go in on them, let.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Them off the hook.

[Nick Lachey]

They got a free pass.

[Matt Leinart]

You took some slack for that, right. Or something. The other reason, every.

[Nick Lachey]

Every single year, it's like, are you.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That you're too firm or you're not. You don't push hard enough.

[Nick Lachey]

It depends on. It depends on the year. Why are you. All the men are getting passed. You're not passionate enough. You know, you can't make everybody happy. And I always say that's like. It's a. It's kind of a. You know what I always think about? I remember this poll back in the day on SportsCenter. Who the. The most. The favorite anchor and the least favorite anchor. It was Stuart Scott.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

On both of them. So that's how you know you're like you're doing something right. If people either love you or hate you, hate you.

[Jerry Ferrara]

They can't turn away.

[Nick Lachey]

It's so. Love is blind, man. It's like you feel like you can't. You can't keep everybody happy. But that's kind of like, I think, a byproduct of just having a successful show. Right. I mean, it's like. Well, I know you weren't happy with that, but you were. And what are you gonna do? Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

What is. What is like. Because this is what, eight seasons now or nine?

[Nick Lachey]

We just aired eight. Yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

That's awesome.

[Nick Lachey]

We've had 14. 14 marriages in eight seasons.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, one, I was gonna ask, what's the success rate? And.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Pretty high. That's a good rate.

[Nick Lachey]

12. 12 of those are still married, so.

[Matt Leinart]

We had two divorces, but damn, that's pretty good. I feel like with those shows, it's like either hit or miss. And obviously there's like, what is the secret sauce of love is like, you probably can't even say, honestly, I don't know. But like, why do people. Why are people so enamored with it?

[Nick Lachey]

I think, man, it's just like, you know, thank God I don't have to know about this, but, like, the dating world now and all the apps and swiping and all these things, I think this is like a throwback to old school, like dating, like, getting to actually know somebody. So I think there's, you know, I think these are people, for the most part, who, who haven't found what they're looking for. And this is a different way to go about doing it. And the chance to get to know somebody. Like, we've had multiple people say, I never would have dated that person in the real world, never would even talk to them. But once you've fallen in love with them emotionally, you know, and then you see them, it's like, wow, my eyes are open to something I never saw coming. It's. It's so. I think it's authentic and that's why people are drawn to it. It's like there's an authentic heart to it. It's an authentic, you know, love story to it that it still, you know, resonates with people.

[Matt Leinart]

What are the. What were the odds of you and Vanessa making it on that show?

[Nick Lachey]

Finding each other? Yeah, I honestly think we would have really. I'm. I'm not just saying that like, like as lip service. I think, like, we. Because that's kind of how. I mean, obviously we knew what each other looked like and that was. Yeah, but you guys, she was hot as hell and still is, so I was. I'm not gonna pretend like it's Love is Black that helped.

[Matt Leinart]

But you had her in your music video too.

[Nick Lachey]

But we did a lot. She was in New York, I was in la. We did a lot of, like, four hour phone conversations just, like, getting into, like, all the. All the roots of it, man. Like, like asking the questions that people, I think in today's dating world just don't. That you don't get to anymore. Like, so there's some similarities. I think we would have found each other. I Think we're enough alike that we would have, you know, we would have connected and found each other in the pods. I stand by it.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I got a few quick hitting stuff, and then we'll let you go number one. Wait, you sang at his wedding, right?

[Nick Lachey]

Did.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Is this true now? What's Matt's approach like? I feel like he's not asking you, like, hey, Nick, cut up and say a few words like, hey, could you sing at the wedding? That's a pretty solid favorite.

[Nick Lachey]

I'll be honest. It's one of the most nervous moments of, you know, I get it. I sung on national television. I've sung. I sang the anthem at the World Series once. That was really intimidating.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Which series was that? Who?

[Nick Lachey]

Yankees?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yankee?

[Nick Lachey]

Yankees? Marlins.

[Matt Leinart]

Oh.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh, that one didn't end well for me.

[Nick Lachey]

But so. Yeah. No, so I was sitting there and I had a little pitch pipe, and I'm like. Got the first note in my head because you don't want to start the anthem wrong or then you're screwed. And I'm sitting there, and I knew Aaron Boone from when he was with the Reds. So he and I go way back. And so he starts. He comes up to me, starts talking to me. I'm like, aaron, get the out of here. I'm so nervous about to sing the national anthem, and I'm like, I'm scared to lose the pitch because I'm talking to Aaron Boone anyway. But no, that was one of the. One of the most nervous moments of my. Of my singing life because it's, you.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Know, someone's biggest moment in their life. Yeah.

[Nick Lachey]

It's like. And I've been, like, hired to do weddings and stuff, but when you're, like, emotionally invested, you're, you know.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, that. That was so the first. So our first dance. So actually, Josie's best friend wrote the song and he sang it. So that's actually a little more challenging.

[Nick Lachey]

Oh.

[Jerry Ferrara]

So even to learn a new.

[Matt Leinart]

So it was like, that's. It was like two of our closest friends were. Were intimately involved in that. And then the. The one that just obviously means the world to me still is. Like, my mom had just passed away, like, a year and a half earlier. So she got to see, like, Josie's wedding dress in a picture when she was in the hospital, and then she was gone. And so. And Josie's dad had passed the year we met, which he had been passed for maybe five or six years at that point. But, like, so we. So she didn't. She didn't get the father daughter dance I didn't get the mother son dance. So I had an idea of, like, I asked Nick. I was like, hey, I, like, my mom loved Billy Joel, so we did Billy Joel. Like, a little mashup of Billy Joel. And Frank Sinatra was her dad. So Nick. So I kind of told Nick and Nick it was perfect. So, like, we danced together. I danced with her mom. She danced with my dad to this little mashup. And it was a surprise to Josie. Actually, it was a surprise to everybody but me and Nick.

[Jerry Ferrara]

She made the little hair.

[Matt Leinart]

I know. So I was like. It was that. That was just an incredible moment. We had the video. I should actually send you the video. We have the video. It was just. It was just an amazing moment. And I just. I was like, dude, thank you. You know, and then. And then. Well, not to switch from motion, but then the best part was we were all getting hammered and he was dancing. Remember, you were singing. Nick just took the mic, started singing, like, karaoke with Rogue.

[Nick Lachey]

You just went rogue singing Superstition.

[Matt Leinart]

No, you said superstition. I have no pitch, but, like, rattling's on the wall. And then we had Josie's mom come up, and they were on and they were. It was so. It was so. That was a great after party. It was so much fun.

[Nick Lachey]

Yeah, it was a great, great weekend.

[Matt Leinart]

That's when. That's when. I mean, true or false for you.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Rookie hazing. Sing. You had to sing.

[Matt Leinart]

I told him I had to sing.

[Jerry Ferrara]

What did you sing?

[Matt Leinart]

Well, I had to sing two songs. I had to sing Paris Hilton song.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh, okay.

[Matt Leinart]

And then I had to sing. I sang one of Nick's. Probably what's left of me at the time. Was it right?

[Nick Lachey]

2006.

[Matt Leinart]

So I had to stand on top. We were in Flagstaff. I had to stand. It's pretty easy. I mean, it's like now they do, like, the whole, like you see on Hard Knocks and, like, I was just in the cafeteria liner. You gotta sing, and you gotta sing your boy Lachey song. And I was like, all right. So I just sang it for, like, a minute. And that was it.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Last one. And you know what? You could just say true or false if you don't want to get into it. You got kicked out of a Chargers game. This is coming from your boy Maddie Ice right here. You could just say true or false.

[Nick Lachey]

Well, you know, the Chargers no longer play at Qualcomm, so.

[Jerry Ferrara]

San Diego, you're out of the black. The blackboard.

[Nick Lachey]

No, it was. We were sitting. There was a big group of us Went down for the game. Bengals, Chargers game. And. And this guy sitting in front of us, like, literally, we just sat down. Chargers get a first down. He turns around and goes first down, right in my face. I'm like, oh, man, it's gonna be one of these days. So, you know, it just escalated.

[Matt Leinart]

Talker, too.

[Nick Lachey]

So then the whole, you know, and there's a group of, like, 10 of us. I'm like, dude, you don't want to do this. And. And he just escalated and escalated jersey on was.

[Jerry Ferrara]

He went rocking a jersey.

[Nick Lachey]

So the best part of it is we. We call it the Olshansky game because he had an Olansky jersey. I'm like, who the hell is Oansky? So we. We. So we started going in on him about Oansky, and.

[Matt Leinart]

Was that Igor Oshansky, Right? The D lineman? I think that's what his name was.

[Nick Lachey]

So, yeah, it was. And. And. And everybody in that section is like, he does this all the time. He's so obnoxious. They were on my side, but it didn't.

[Matt Leinart]

I think you got k. Well, you got banned from the stadium, right? All of you.

[Nick Lachey]

And then I did not. A couple of the guys in the group were referred to anger management in terms of getting let back in the stadium. The. The officer who came, she was super nice. She's like, I actually dated your cousin in Oxford, Ohio. So as I'm getting kicked out of the stadium and you love getting us.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Out of this, could you help me?

[Nick Lachey]

No. But we won the game.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Matters Pulled it out. We'll do it. Thank you so much.

[Nick Lachey]

Oh, thank you, guys.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Your friendship is real. Like, I've Now I've gotten the full. I see it, like, the history.

[Matt Leinart]

You got it. I always say this, like. Like, it's years. Twenty years since, oh, three or four we met and, like, the wet. Like, there's just, like, everyone used to always say, like, oh, like, you know, you. Like, a boy band member gets a narrative perception. I had obviously, a perception the way I play. But, like, we were like, we're genuinely.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah.

[Matt Leinart]

Close, close friends. So. And I've always told people, like, dude, when you meet Nick, you're gonna love the dude. Like, he's just one of us.

[Jerry Ferrara]

What could have happened if Nick Lachey walked on to usc?

[Matt Leinart]

The greatest line I've ever heard Nick.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Say might be talking highs, but it might be a whole different conversation.

[Matt Leinart]

I mean, on my way to dance class, I want to go play football.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Just so you know, that's going to get clipped. It's going to be on. That's going to be on Instagram.

[Nick Lachey]

And that same. That same week, I remember I was in Heritage hall and Rob Johnson was like, hey, man, do you know where the key is to the weight room? I was like, he thinks I belong here.

[Jerry Ferrara]

This is great.

[Nick Lachey]

He thinks I'm on the team.

[Matt Leinart]

They shattered your dreams so fast.

[Nick Lachey]

It was awesome.

[Matt Leinart]

That's amazing. Thanks, buddy.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Thanks, Nick.

[Nick Lachey]

Appreciate you guys.

[Jerry Ferrara]

All right, everyone, listen up. If you're ready to take on the off road, there is only one ride built for it. The 2025 Nissan Armada.

[Matt Leinart]

Jerry, this car is an absolute beast. Whether I'm going to the mountains on a ski trip or whether I'm going to the lake. The towing capacity holds up to 8, 500 pounds, but probably more importantly, all the sports gear, the kids, all the stuff that I can fit in my car. There's nothing out of reach with a Nissan Armada.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, and some of that sports stuff will weigh 8,500 pounds by the time you're done with it. For me. You know, my wife loves the beach, so we're always kind of throwing the boys in the back of the car with a lot of beach stuff. But my little secret with the Armada too is I love it. For the golf trips. I. I like to drive. So get my buddies in there, throw a few different clubs in the back, bunch of shoes. That's where I really like my off roading. My off roading is also going to the golf course, to the parking lot, and then just opening up that trunk and getting ready for a great day. So the other thing is, it's also got twin turbo V6 engine, so it is good for basically all these things we just said and whatever you throw at it.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah, the power, the performance, and just overall rugged toughness. It's like being behind the wheel of your own offensive line. Jerry.

[Jerry Ferrara]

It's the closest I'll ever get to being behind an offensive line, but either way, I'm telling you, this is the one. Get ready to adventure bigger in the all new Nissan Armada.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah. Let's go.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Let's go.

[Matt Leinart]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying Big Wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month.

[Nick Lachey]

Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment.

[Matt Leinart]

Anyway, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Payment of $45 for 3 month plan.

[Nick Lachey]

Equivalent to $15 per month required intro.

[Matt Leinart]

Rate first 3 months only then full.

[Nick Lachey]

Price plan options of available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] Lowe's is the destination for EGO outdoor power equipment this spring. See what's new and exclusive like the 17 inch string trimmer with line IQ technology that auto feeds to save you time and the 22 inch select cut self propelled mowers with a multi blade system for precise cutting. Shop EGO days happening now during spring fest at lows we help you save. Selection varies by location while supplies last.

[Jerry Ferrara]

All right, it's time for a full focus presented by nhtsa. Using your phone while you're driving could kill someone. Put the phone away or pay. Paid for by nhtsa. This is something where we are going to spotlight someone or something that we think is fully focused. The Masters as we air. This is on right now. We had the pleasure of talking to Justin Thomas.

[Matt Leinart]

Yes, we did.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Last week. Week I'm going with Justin Thomas, fully focused because I love what he said in the interview when talking about Augusta. He said basically, you know, guys get there Sunday, Monday they play all these practice rounds, all this intensity. By the time they get to Wednesday, they're like pumped and ready to go. And then Thursday morning they're exhausted. And he said this year he's trying something a little different where he's just going to be a little more casual, get there a little later, play a little less. So to me, that's a different kind of focus.

[Matt Leinart]

Well, I mean it's the old thing. Like when I was in, we played in national championship games or a Super Bowl. It's like you just kind of treat it like it's a normal game because if you, you know, try and study a little bit more, you over prepare or hey, I'm gonna, I'm gonna lift weights a little harder. It's just like you get out of your routine. And I think for him, like he's played it so many times, like you can't control the weather, the elements of this course. You just go out there and you give your best. He's playing great golf right now. But yeah, I like that. I like the mindset. I think I might throw him a text this weekend.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Wait a second. Well, what he said too, that got me was like he said, no one's ever lost the Masters because they didn't know Augusta. They didn't know the course. Like you know the course. You played it a thousand times. Wait, did you say you're gonna throw him a tax?

[Matt Leinart]

I'm throwing a text this weekend. Why not?

[Jerry Ferrara]

One of the best thing that's come from doing throwbacks since Matt helped facilitate getting Justin Thomas on the show was that we are now in a group text with Justin Thomas, which for me is a big treat. You cannot text Justin Thomas on Masters. We. Are you, Jerry, nuts?

[Matt Leinart]

Did you answer text when you're shooting a big scene on the Entra on Entourage? When you're done, when you're in your trailer eating craft services? Yes, bro.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, but it's just different. Like, if. What if he's leading? So you're telling me if he's like in the lead or in the final pairing after Sunday's round, After Saturday's round, going into Sunday, what are you texting? You think that some athlete stuff? I don't. You think if he.

[Matt Leinart]

If he's leading Sunday morning.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Right.

[Matt Leinart]

So you don't think he's got a text from his boy saying, let's go, boys now? Hell yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I don't feel like we're there yet. Maybe that's why I don't feel like me and Justin Thomas are there.

[Matt Leinart]

By the way, do you want to know what I did on a game day one time? Monday Night Football, the Bears game? Do you remember that?

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, of course.

[Matt Leinart]

Okay, so that was a. That was a night game. Do you want to know what I did that Monday morning? True story.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Oh, no. The Monday morning before your Monday night game against the Bears, I played and.

[Matt Leinart]

I actually played well, that game game. I played 18 holes on my golf simulator at Kapalua Bay in Hawaii with two other. My other teammates. The game on Monday Night Football, because we didn't.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Now, is that like a stress reliever? Are you.

[Matt Leinart]

No, I was just like, let's just play 18. We don't have to be at the stadium till like 1:00 or 12. I literally got up, I went upstairs, I had a golf simulator, which was pretty badass at the time. And I played 18. I used to play. I think it's Kapalua Bay.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Yeah, yeah, it's in Hawaii.

[Matt Leinart]

Because it just was pretty. On the simulator and it was like the, you know, the palm trees in the ocean right there. And I played 18. I don't know how long that took me.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You had your own golf simulator? How are you still, like, not even into golf? And you shoot in the 90s, I.

[Matt Leinart]

Made some dumb purchases when I was younger. That was probably. It wasn't a dumb purchase, but I actually watched TV on it. It was actually.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Are you superstitious when it came to your career at all, sports wise? Because I am with acting and everything. I'm just a superstitious person by nature. I can only imagine golfers definitely have their superstitious quirks.

[Matt Leinart]

Were you game day? Yeah, I had game day superstitions kind of during the week. Like, you'd eat this. I think the little stuff that you hear, you just. Again, it's just you kept. The whole point is you kept the same routine kind of no matter what the game was. You know, like, obviously, like. Like for. For Masters, like, with JT we talked about. It's like, of course it's bigger. It's huge. It's the Masters. But if you let yourself kind of let it consume you, the emotions and what it means, and, hey, if I win this, like, I'm gonna be dad as one of the greatest. Like, if you do that, that's when I think your game kind of falls. He's just not as present. I think he's just like, listen, man, like, I know the course. I'm gonna go play. I'm. I'm playing pretty good golf right now. And we'll see. And then you just want to make the cut. You want to position yourself on Sunday to be in the running. I'm telling you right now, this dude is going to be in the running.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I'm with you.

[Matt Leinart]

And he is going to pump the pod, and he's going to pump Matt and Jerry, and he's gonna. He's gonna win this shit. Dude, let's go.

[Jerry Ferrara]

If we're talking full focus, which we are. Matt, I need you to focus. Do not text Justin Thomas this week.

[Matt Leinart]

Because if he loses, then it'll be.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Just don't do it. Just don't do it. Just don't do it. Don't do it.

[Matt Leinart]

I may do it.

[Jerry Ferrara]

Part of golf etiquette.

[Matt Leinart]

If he makes the. If he makes the cut, he's going to make. Why does that upset you so much?

[Jerry Ferrara]

I want nothing to do with Justin. I want nothing to do with this. So don't do it. In our group chat. Text them on the side, because then I'm going to get associated to you.

[Matt Leinart]

Then you're going to get excited. You're going to get trigger fingers and be like, I got to text them.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I got to happen. I'll start sending memes and Happy Gilmore stuff to him.

[Matt Leinart]

I can't wait to watch them.

[Jerry Ferrara]

All right. Good luck, Justin.

[Matt Leinart]

Yeah.

[Jerry Ferrara]

All right. Another one in the books. Thank you. Nick Lachey, another good friend. You have an eclectic group of friends, man.

[Matt Leinart]

I really do.

[Jerry Ferrara]

You have an interesting group of friends.

[Matt Leinart]

I never thought in a million years that one of my best buddies would be an all time boy band member.

[Jerry Ferrara]

I just think if you ever go solo, if you do like the matte liner pot, it should be Matt and friends. Bring on all your. Maybe I'll just be a friend.

[Matt Leinart]

Listen, my journey through sport has is connected me to a lot of cool people, bro. Just like you.

[Jerry Ferrara]

See you next time.