Duck Call Room - This Duck-Hunting, Jesus-Loving Olympian Has the Most Relatable Diet Struggle

Episode Date: August 20, 2024

Uncle Si meets world champion and bronze medal-winning Olympic gymnast Brody Malone and his family. John-David immediately challenges him to a handstand contest and Martin wonders about the faith community among high level athletes. Godwin relates his own experiences competing in motocross and Brody’s father JD reveals the reason he wore a hat with the Gospel symbols during the televised gymnastics finals in Paris. Brody and the boys bond over their shared love of Jesus, duck hunting, and the outdoors. - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We ain't got no cookies or nothing. He's got coffee. He's got coffee, but no cookies, boy. I got a fancy ice cream maker. We need to run to crumble. Get you a cookie. Yeah. Uh-oh.

I got a fancy ice cream maker. Run that sugar. Uh-oh, he's got an ice cream maker. No sugar involved. Really? It's not the best ice cream I've ever had, but it's also not the worst. Well, ice cream kind of like pizza. You know, I have never turned my nose up at it.

Yeah, there aren't any bad ones. There's just some that aren't as good as it. Yeah, that is correct. Oh, Lordy. What's your boys been up to? I was over here banging on this table, but I got this new robot arm. He's got a robot on, Boris. We finally made it, boys.

We're getting movable by except for me and God, because we sit still and we don't bang on stuff. We don't have a lot of nervous energy over here. I do bang on. We're just chilling. Oh, I got the nervous energy. Yeah, we had to detach y'all. Hold on, the Canadians home. finger there's eagle my pigeon what oh no oh good grief what's he hey look at no

that's poaching again hunter what's the problem it's a ball-headed eagle pigeon you guys tap your microphones alive do we oh oh they were just blaming y'all y'all thought y'all were not noise makers but you're also noise makers absolutely but you're not noise makers compared to this side of the room yeah I'm a noise maker that's a pretty Well, we're just going to go into it. I was just looking over some emails. That is a pretty pigeon. And he's looking behind him.

Yeah. And as I say, Robbie from Louisville, Kentucky, this was at the Kentucky State Fair. They had a bald eagle pigeon. There you go. Ready to roll. There you go. The question is, is that one's next?

They'll move back to the other. Here's the thing. One thing is missing. His head is turning the wrong way. He's got to be looking back. Is that? that is what he's doing. It ain't all the way back like it's supposed to be.

Oh, okay. Like it's supposed to be. No, I don't think it's supposed to be. Well, the way it happened, hey, it turned it 180. You wasn't going to sneak up on an old eagle. Unless you come head on. This is the bald eagle episode right here. You know what else I did this weekend?

I joined a moth group on Facebook. A moth group? Yeah, I had an unidentified moth. I didn't know what it was. I couldn't figure it out. Oh, my word. But I had to know. Nerd.

Yeah. Thank you for saying it. Admitted. Oh, no. Self-admitted nerd. Oh, no. I didn't know what he was. You're in a moth group?

I am. What did the moth look like? Well, see, what was crazy is he was so fast that I thought he was some kind of little bitty tiny hummingbird at first. You couldn't get no pictures. I mean, I tried. But he's some kind of spinks moth that, yeah, I don't know. I ain't ever seen him.

before but I mean he fast my man is fast they can't you never say he catch him no I didn't catch him I got some pictures and video of them and slapped him in my moth group on Facebook and they were quick to provide an ID so now I know way more about moss than I should there's a group of people who just sit around and identify surprisingly there's a bunch of them oh yeah I joined the group that had like 40,000 members so do what oh no no no no no no no Hey, this is a cool thing because there's one. Cool. Hey, oh, he's camouflaged.

Oh, this one's brown. I mean, you wouldn't be able to see him if he wasn't flying around. He's lights on a certain tree. He's part of the tree. You can't find him. Oh, yeah. I don't even know. It's just like the bar.

Just that's what I wished I had the picture still. I was bow hunting last year with Miss Paul. Bug identity. And this worm. That's probably all bugs go to Kevin. I don't know what it. It looked kind of like a wall. walking stick.

Wasn't a walking stick. It was big. It was about big as my little finger. And it was brown. It looked just like that pine tree. He just walking up to, I said, I've been in a bunch of pine trees.

Never seen more. Man, bugs are awesome. You need really need to open. The moth and butterfly identification for them. Is that the one? No, I just like to think you posted a picture

and somebody goes, is that that guy from Duck Dynasty? Well, it's on my personal ones You know Well, personally, you're still that guy from Duck Dynasty Yeah, I know, but I don't think they'd ever find me up in there Hey, moths and butterfly No, I'm in the group mothing and moth watching

Is that him? Let me see We are old, you're in the moths I'm not into them But when I see things When I see things that I don't know what they are I do like to know more about them Like, I am a nerd You had to join the group

to put the video on there, didn't you? Yeah, they made me to prove you're not a spammer. I was like, who's going to come spam a bunch of moth people? This ain't like a bigfoot group. Like that. Where people come in there and make fun of people. It looks like he's got a rope. Now make him fun in the big wood.

When he's getting the nectar. Yeah. He's got like a coil rope and then he, oh yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. It looks like a coral rope when he pulls it all back. Put it up there.

It's in between me and Johnny D. I'm wearing the cloud. We're waiting on it. What in the world? I know. That's weird. But maybe we have some entomologists in our, I doubt it. If you got enough time to be in mothing and moth watching, you might be listening.

Hey, stay off my people, man. Hey, don't make up with my people. They better not sell a t-shirt. What they call. Then I'll be in. Look at that. That's pretty cool. That's look like eyes of an owl.

If they got a moth-watching t-shirt, I'm in. Yeah, you got to watch him. How on earth are we supposed to see? Look at him. I see him moving. See, that's a mom and bird. That's a bird, Martin. No, that's a mall.

It's not. It's a mall. Buddy, I can tell you. That's a bird. You would think it is, but it is not. You're in the wrong group. You should be in birding and bird watching. No.

He ain't a bird, boy. He ain't a bird, boy. Did the, I don't even know how to describe the other 38,000 people that are in this group. Did these individuals identify it? Oh, yeah. That's why I said. It's some kind of, uh, uh, Sphinx moth.

Here, hold on. They gave me the, oh, there it is. I got it right there. Still pulled up on my internet because I had to look him up. Hold on. You got to be kidding me. No, it's called the Mornful Sphinx Moth. I just tried to join so I could go make fun of morning about.

No, you got to fill out questions, big dog. Yeah, you ain't just. No, they don't let just anybody in there. I was literally just going to go comment and make fun of you on it. No. And it said, why do you want to participate in this group? If I'm going to be honest, they're going to decline me. Yeah, look, they ain't a duck call room.

They don't let anybody in there. No bumping. Right. No religion or politics. See? There you go. No self-promotion. This is mothing only.

You say, hey, no, you can't do. No, no, no, no, no. This is mothing only. And I hate to tell you just how long I spent in this group last night. No, I know you. Looking at the moths of the world. So, again, I now know way more about. moss than I ever thought possible.

We're going to need to pull up your screen. Oh, and there's more, look. There's more species of them things than you think. That one was a full on bird. Buddy, Indonesia got a bunch of there was a guy that just got back from a trip to Indonesia and he posted all of his.

All of his signs. He went all the way to Indonesia and spent his time taking pictures of moths. Buddy, good ones too. That man knows where he's doing. Hey. Yeah. The world is made up of amazing people.

I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. love that because that dude's like you know what i got a thing i like it we're going to indonesia to do it and he probably buys a duck stamp because he believes in conservation and awareness of species i'm for it anyway we've nerded out enough look we got a special guest

coming in yeah we got something way cooler coming down the tracks than moss see i bet he was made fun of like this though at one point of his life who a male gymnast no way in georgia no yeah he can do it flip it doesn't matter he was in south georgia He can do handstand. I'm just saying, I bet there was a mild bit of harassment from people that probably look like you and I that could never do a flip in our life. I can do a flip on a trampoline as long as it, I don't have to land on my feet. But anyway, we've got Olympic bronze medalist.

That's right, Olympic medalist. And his dad. And his father and his two brothers. They're here. All coming to the duck call room. We finally pulled off a, hey, you should come on the show. We have no idea how to get a halt of you. and it has happened.

We're going to get to know Brody, the guy. But we're also, because everybody always wants to see regular guy versus Olympic athlete, handstand competition, me versus him. It's going down. And if I win, I'm keeping his bronze medal. Yeah, well, don't worry about that. Brody's safest bet you ever made by man. So we've got J.D., John David Malone.

That was the best part of your email. It's a great, yeah. And Brody Olympic medalist Malone in the house, sir. I got two questions right quick. Here we go. Number one, how old are you? And then how long have you trained for this event? I'm 24 and I've been doing gymnastics since I was three.

And you're pretty much the best in the world. I wouldn't go that far. You're one of the top ten in the world. Sure. That's sure. That's unbelievable. So are you the top ten in the world at anything? No.

Storytelling, maybe. Well, maybe tough to tell us. stories since I wrote two books. But, you know, what's it like being in that spot in competition? What do you mean? We'll never know the pressure you felt in Paris. When you were upside down spinning in the air, we can't even jump over a piece of paper. Is that a lot of pressure?

I mean, yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Is that what you're asking? Yeah. Yeah, no, it's definitely a lot of pressure. But I mean, you've got to be able to put yourself like in the mindset of, I don't know, I try to treat it just like any other day in the gym. I mean, of course, it's the Olympics and it's the biggest competition you'll probably

ever compete in. Well, your biceps look like you've been to the gym some. You got that going for you. But your dad, so one of my favorite part of the Olympics, I'm a big Olympic watcher. People know that around here. But one of the best parts is the parent cam, while you're upside. down and he's all the parents are always freaking out and then there's this guy with the gospel symbols on his hat and he's just stoic he doesn't you didn't even like he'd stick the land and

you'd be like yeah and so i'm like we're gonna talk about this guy because of his hat on the podcast but i love it and now you're here did that hat bring any attention man i tell you what it was the purpose of me wearing it to begin with um but i can't remember if it was trials we were i had a bunch comments on social media. I had, neither one of them's got it on, but a friend of ours owns a company called Salt Lake Cattle Company. And so I got a bunch of just random people wanting to know what Salt Lick Cattle Company was. So I thought, well, if they're going to put me on TV and ask questions about a hat, I'm going to give them a message to ask questions about. So we, you know, I looked and, you know, I've been, we've been Duck Dynasty fans forever. The kids grew up watching. watching it. Cooper dressed up as as Willie for Halloween. Cooper, I'm, you don't have a microphone, but that's disappointing that that's, but Willie is the one you chose, but that's okay. But, uh, so, you know, Pastor Beal, I follow the story, you know, with, with the Robertsons and just their testimony, you know, the way you guys grew up and the way you all have chose to follow

God and just that simple message that he wrote out on that napkin at time. Um, it's just so, simple because it tells the gospel story. Yeah. And it's on a hat. So what better way, you know, I tried to find it. It was actually pretty hard to find anything at first, just searching on the internet. And then I found Brian's actually was listening to the Unashamed and Al had mentioned 611 Armory.

And so I looked it up and emailed Brian and he had, I think, like one or two left. And I said, look, I'm getting ready to leave. I need the hat. Yeah, get me the hat. Yeah, so I placed order online and he, I don't know if he expedited it or what, but I got it within a couple days before we left. So it's amazing how God works, you know, just a hat. Yeah, because we were sitting there watching it, me and my dad were,

and then I had to come here and film, and I took a picture. I didn't even notice my dad noticed. And then he's posting y'all hugging that night about being a proud dad in the hat. And it's just really cool. it's a real full circle moment. And then you reach out to us at Hello at Duck Call Room. And we were in the middle episode. Don't tell anybody I do work sometimes.

And I'm like, it's them. I watch you. I say you what you do it. I texted you and you were like, oh, I was just at Duck Commander buying a book a couple weeks ago. Yeah. It's like we've been needing to meet for a while is what we figured out. We just didn't know it.

I agree. I agree. Exactly. That's so cool. Yeah. So, and Brody, you're not shy about your faith either. been following you on Instagram now. Yes, sir.

And you're like, you know what? We throw a bunch of Bible verses out. So that's a big part of who y'all are. Yes, sir. Absolutely. We even got Mike Tariko talking about it for a minute there. So I've not watched anything. I don't know.

I've not went back and watched any of the Olympics or anything like that. We just, I mean, I got to see it live, you know. So there's not a real reason for me to go. You know, people, I just saw you. you on TV and stuff like that. So I don't really know who I was talking about except the people that kind of reached out, you know, talking about.

So NBC came and they spent two or three days with us doing a deal and just fell in love with them. And there's a little, I guess the producer, her name was Annie. She did a really good job of telling our story. It was beautiful. You know, I think they kind of limited because they shot for.

I mean they they took a shot a lot of film of us and our family but yeah so got to see a little bit of our faith and a little bit of our story you know we we've had some trials and it's just I was talking to Alan jace this morning doing it I don't know how people get through the trials in life without you know without God in their life and actually come out good on the other side you know so. So it's cool. Whoever, you know, talks about it or, you know, I definitely want to see God's story in our life because that's the only reason we've had the, you know, the relationship we've got with each other, the family relationship, the relationship we have. It's all based on our relationship with God, you know. All right, look, springtime is here. It's warming up.

You know what that means? That means more outside cooking. And y'all know we love to eat beef around here. And that's what because of our friends over at Triedells beef makes such a good product, baby. Ain't it good? It's so good. Our friend, Cy Robertson would say, buy on the grill! Look, before we got Triedells, getting ready for a cookout, man, somebody had to run the grocery store, do all the things,

grab whatever was left in case you were late in the day. And you never really know where that beef comes from. But with Triedales beef, we skip the grocery store and do it a different way. Tritails comes from a family ranch out in Texas. They're a fifth generation American ranch, so they've been at it for a while. Now, look, the beef comes straight from their ranch and other ranchers they work with who raise cattle the same way. Their steaks are properly aged and shipped straight from the ranch to your door. We threw a couple of ribbys on the grill.

Look, salt, pepper, garlic, hot fire, that's all you need. Look, because I'll tell you what, when the beef comes from people who raise cattle for a living, you can taste the difference. The tenderness and the flavor are fantastic. So if you're stocking the freezer for grilling season, go check out Tritails Beef. I know in size case Christine loves it, which is just a she doesn't eat meat.

She ain't a big meat easier, folks. Yeah. Just go to trybeef.com slash. That's trybeef.com slash support ranch families and eat some dang good steak. You know, how we got connected was through the TV show of filth. Yeah. And it's cool to just see other Christians say,

this is who we are and that's kind of how duck dynasty happened and blew up because phil sye willie jace they just said this is who we are you can put us on tv but you're going to see this part shining through and you do that and it's incredible it's also incredible that you can do a handstand wait whoa whoa whoa wait there was a handstand challenge i believe in that podcast so there was yes there was me versus you hearing a little bit big guy we need to get that on film though so here's the deal. If I win, I'm keeping your metal. I don't know if you got it on you. You can mail. He's got it in his pocket.

Well, of course he's got it in his pocket. That's a flex. I'll put the metal on the line. He will put the metal. So if I come back from Brett. Dedy, you have no change. Did you hear how heavy that was? I heard. It is heavy. But everybody always wants to see a regular

fat guy against an Olympian. Gymnist. And technically, you're like the world champion at the high bar. In 2020, yes, sir. So you were the greatest in the world at whole, I can do a chin up. I can do one. How many chin-ups can you do?

I don't know. I've never tried to do as many as I could. It would take like an hour, wouldn't it? I can do more than one. I'm bigger than you, man. This dude's ripped. Martin, did you see, Martin doesn't have a microphone. Did you see his biceps?

He's working out. Have you ever thought about riding a bull? I have when I was younger. I've said on this podcast that you might be the world's greatest bull rider if you want to switch professions. I mean, you're kind of at the top of this one right now, so it might not be the time for it. Later on, later on.

This is going to suck. This is going to be good. Hold on. May I look? Brody. Let me look at that, please. Good grief. I'm not going to get a bronze medal.

No, you're not. Okay, that was pretty good. Felt like. Hey, I'll live the athlete, you're saying very hard. Nice child there, loser. Yeah, give him his little. He said I'll take my middle back.

All right. You've proven regular guys. I'm super sweaty. That's actually the most embarrassing part. I know it's going to lose it. I didn't know I was going to sweat like that. Back of what you said, I'm like you. Those that don't have a relationship with Jesus Christ,

I don't see how they get to do with what they have to deal with. Yeah, I agree. I mean, you, life's not going to be easy. I mean, he even tells us in the Bible that, you know, you follow me. there will be trials, but I don't know how anybody comes out successfully on the other side. I mean, I've got friends. I've seen, you know, people go through some terrible, terrible things.

Cancer's one. Yeah, cancer. I mean, we lost, Brody lost Brody and the kids. I've got four. Brody, Cooper, and Tyler, and then my daughter's Briley, you know, we lost their mom to breast cancer. So that's the way, you know, leaning on him. and just kind of a zigzag trail of faith right through there. You know, we, you learn where your strengths at,

and it's not in your flesh. It's, you know. One of my best pieces of art is the footprints in the sand. Oh, yeah. Okay. And the guy saying, Lord, where was you at my worst moment? Yeah. He says, hey, dummy, them are not your footprints?

Yeah. In my mind, I got you in my arm. It's funny. I'm carrying you. You say that, Sa, because actually that's one of the best analogies, and I've used it before in a couple podcasts I've done. That is exactly what I thought about, you know. The whole time, you know, I think Trace was sick about four and a half years.

And that whole time, man, he was carrying us. I mean, it was, there's no other explanation how we got through it the way we did because we, you know, I believe, I can't even remember where I heard it, but once I thought about it, you don't know who you are until you're tested, right? I don't know. So that whole time being tested, you know, without that faith and without God carrying us through that, there's just, there's no way. I tell people all the time when I'm out speaking to them, I said, hey, y'all need to clear your mind and really open your eyes and engage your brain when you look at it.

this old crazy man known as Uncle Sy? Yeah. Because I'm living proof that the Father, Son, Holy Spirit are alive and well and doing the most remarkable things with the most unlikely people. Yeah. Yours truly.

Yeah. Yeah. So I really don't, that hit me a while ago when you said that. You know, I don't, I don't, with everything that the human being can, you know, with all the, Evil he can run into.

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay, I'm like you. I don't see how he comes out right on the other side. If he ain't got God on his side. Yeah, because, I mean, there's a difference between joy and happiness, right? Oh, yeah. And I think people, when they go through stuff, they're just searching for the happiness.

The joy for us, you know, the joy for me is knowing exactly where my wife is. Right. So, I mean, that's a peace. And for me, peace is joy. Because that's what I told people. Me and my mother was like this. And if you had asked me when I was younger, what's going to happen when she dies? I wouldn't have been able to answer. Yeah. Well, now I can't. Because I look at it this way. The only thing about death with me is change the address. Yeah. I like it. Okay. I don't fear it. Okay. And that's like what I, here's what I know. about my mother.

I know who she's with. I know she's surrounded by love, peace, joy, all the good things. Yep. Okay, and that I will see her again one day. I know that you've got some questions. No, you're good. Yeah, no.

Y'all, this is their day. Well, mine tie into that because, like, I'm always genuinely curious. Olympic athletes, you guys are at the top of your respective fields. You're like the Navy Seals. Because, okay, you're the best there is. Is faith forward amongst that group of athletes? I know that in the Olympic Village there was a chapel that a lot of athletes were going to,

and they had worship services and stuff. So that was really cool that they had that at that stage. But yeah, as far as on the team, not really. I mean, there was a couple of us on the team. I was always curious about that. Of course, I looked everything up about you after all the thing. and saw that you went to Stanford. So I'm sure that was another struggle of faith.

I mean, you know, because Palo Alto is not known for, it's known for a lot of things, but faith ain't necessarily one of them. Yes, sir. Yeah, that was quite the culture shock going over there for sure. Now, there was some Christian people over there. Oh, yeah. You had the FCA. Yeah, the FCA group at Stanford was really, really awesome.

And then a lot of the guys on our team there, I was really blessed with the team that we had there. Oh, that's awesome. I was there for five years, I guess. Well, all five years. Well, you did it quicker than Johnny D, which shouldn't come as a shock because you saw what you did to the handstand too. So he did Stanford quicker and you did ULM.

How does that make you feel? And he's an Olympic... I don't have a microphone. I got to go ice my arm. No, that's... I mean, when I see those kind of things, I'm always curious about that. because like how does a guy from south georgia end up in stanford you know which mean why would you end up there if you weren't you know uh an elite athlete or elite something in whatever field it is

but also tells me ain't no dummy either because i mean stamp would very hard get into right yeah it was i mean oh yeah it was hard yeah we uh they so they it's not like i don't know you know when you're an elite athlete in some of the schools the coaches can kind of earmarked you, you know, and say, look, push this one through. But he wasn't look like that at all. I mean, his coach, I'm coaching a baseball game and his coach or would-be coach is texting me. And I'm, you know, coaching third base over there looking down at a text message, tell him I'll text him back in a minute, minimum of baseball game.

And so as soon as I got done, I just called him. He's like, hey, you don't have any Pacific Islander in your family, do you? Oh, using everything. Oh, yeah. I was like, no, Tom, no, we're pretty much just straight white Irish people, I guess. But, you know, he still had to, you know, Stanford, they don't, they don't cut any corners on admission stuff. No, yeah. No, they ain't to SEC.

No, no. Not knocking SEC. So, I mean, you see all these steps of faith in your life without the hat, without. without it having to be shown like that. Like, I mean, that's a cool thing because that's actually living it out. And then obviously the whole world knows about tearing up your leg and then being able to come back from that. I mean, that you can't do that without faith. I mean, anybody else is like, you know, you're selling insurance or whatever.

Because you get down, I'm saying you get down on yourself. And next thing you know, you just forget all that and move on. So, I mean, it's a pretty cool story you got going. I mean, I'm glad that somebody like you has the platform, I guess, in the grand scheme of things is what I'm saying. I think there's more Christian athletes over there. Of course, you know, on

social media, what you follow is pretty much the algorithm that you're going to get. But that Christly they had a bunch of Christian athletes that they you know, was showcasing on their it's there. Yeah. You know,

God's there. And what's her name? Gabby? the track star so well spoken. The hurdles girl, I forget her name. Yeah, she's unreal. I mean, when I tell you, when she speaks about God, it is, man, it's so passionate and direct.

I can't think of her name. I feel kind of dumb right now. Yeah, yeah, she's awesome. Oh, that's cool, man. I mean, that's just cool to see because, I mean, again, you don't, most of us don't make news because we keep our mouth shut, right? I mean, we just kind of keep our mouth shut, do our thing, kind of squeaky wheel gets a grease.

Sure. So some kind of moniker there. But, you know, it also said you grew up hunting and fishing. So what's your favorite thing to do outdoors? So I was a big time turkey hunter. Okay. Until I found ducks. We can thank his brother over there for that.

Hey, over here. Well, turkey hunting is kind of a little slope. Yeah. A little slow. Well, it's faster than a nymph. Deer hunting. Yeah, you can get up moving. Yeah, we grew up, grew up deer hunting, got real big into turkey hunting, especially over COVID.

Yeah. When, I mean, Stanford sent us all home, and it was right before we started turkey season. And I think we hunted just about every day. Oh, getting me up at 3.30 in the morning looking at weather patterns to add. But you a duck guy? I'm a duck guy now. Okay. Yeah, well, I mean, I'm everything guy now, but.

I love it. I love duck hunting. So we're still trying to learn everything. Well, Gawin can give you a lead on what waiters are the best. I mean, y'all about the same height. Oh, yeah? I mean, maybe a little width difference. But Gawin's getting smaller, so that's a good thing.

He's the incredible shrinking man. But I just, yeah, Georgia's a weird place to fall in love with ducks because y'all ain't got a whole lot of them. Yeah, well, so I actually, first time I ever went duck hunt was out in California. Now, they got them. Yeah, they got them. Yeah, they got them. So my athletic trainer, her boyfriend. was big into duck hunting.

And so I think it was my junior, is he either my junior senior year. He took me after our NCAA championships. And we shot two ducks, two gadwals, and I was hooked. And he was in. I was hooked.

I may become a Stanford fan after all. Yeah. I mean, go cardinal, baby. Like, unbelievable. Fear the cardinal. Oh, yeah. He was, he used to hunt the bay. And he facetime.

Brody likes FaceTime, which is a dad. You like, so he's like, see that over there? That's Facebook. Yeah, so I found me a spot about, so during my fifth year, I lived off campus, and I finally had a vehicle up there. For four years, Stanford, most people don't have cars, but I finally had a vehicle out there because I lived off campus. And right beside Facebook's headquarters is, I don't know if it's a WMA, I don't know what it is.

Okay, so this is tight. Yeah, wild life management area. Okay, so my man, my man is hunting by Facebook. And it was literally, it's literally you drive past Facebook and it's right there, you pull in. And it's just, I mean, it's just like a levee and little salt ponds out there. I drove out there one morning and I shot two geese and some little old diver duck. You want to go back? Not there.

I'm just interested in saying I hunted by Facebook. Like I'm thinking of the YouTube video like zooming in on the Facebook sign and like stand there and hold duck in front of it. We'll go back but I face timed him. I had two big old geese and I was like, hey dad, there's Facebook right there. Yeah. Okay. I mean, I don't have a duck hunting story. That cool.

I'm sorry. I've never hunted by Facebook. It's pretty cool. I've killed a bunch of them but I've never. Okay. Yeah. That's interesting. I like that.

Yeah. Huh. Well, that's, yeah, I mean, I just, it is cool, man, and your brothers are here, and I know, y'all, I'm just looking around, y'all pretty athletic family now. Yeah, we've been blessed. Yeah, y'all want to, we got a rodeo star, we got a wrestler, so you got, you got personal security. Oh, yeah. And then if things, get out of, any things, huh, he might?

Well, I know that, but, like, I mean, you can't handstand your way through everything, man. They're a lot bigger than me So I'll keep them around I will say no offense to you They look meaner Is that true? I mean Yeah that's probably

Are you the oldest? Are you the oldest? I am the oldest I'm the oldest and the shortest And you started gymnastics at three you said? Yes sir That's cool Well I was just wondering

Because I got boys that are about to be two And I've told my wife Like the first thing that I want them to do Is gymnastics To develop like body awareness It's the best thing for kids Yeah See, I don't want them out there doing other stuff, like, you know, playing tee ball and all that.

Like, I want them doing like that kind of stuff. Them kids going to be six, six. That's what I'm talking about. All the-a-horse at six-six. All them NFL linemen man come from some kind of past like that. So that's, I mean, that's what I'm interested in. But really, just so they quit running into things. I mean, for crying out loud, Jackson got a constant bruise on his forehead from where he just don't look.

I mean, he just, you know, he just tears out. No, they're not going to be gymnasts. All of them actually took gymnastics. Brody probably would have been, like his growth plates, he would have been around six foot. I like to think that. But when I did, you know, but I took him to orthopedic specialists, two of them.

And the last one kind of chapped my butt a little bit. But he looked at me like, how many six, six two gymnasts have you ever seen? And I'm like, look, I just want to know, is he going to grow? He's like, no, his body is so tight. He will never grow. Okay. So. Here we are.

Yeah. Yeah, laughing at him. Go walk in there and show him that. Yeah. He said, look, I ain't got to. That's right. That's right. When was the first time you said, I want to do gymnastics as that you just loved it?

Yeah, I started when I was three. and then just kind of just stuck with it. I played baseball was my other big sport growing up and I played until I was about what was I 12? Well, after we finished

the Disney World Series, I made him decide what he was going to do. It was, I wasn't going to coach anymore. The parents are just ridiculously crazy. I mean,

we had to have a police escort off the field. It was that bad. That's what I was telling them today. If they put up high fence and razor wire and made the parents watch from a parking lot, it would be a much better game now.

I mean, it's just... That's what I try to tell people when I'm speaking is kids play, coach is coached and parents' children. Parents just stay out and... Oh, yeah. I said that, I said, and don't force my head because I raised motocross too when I was young. Yeah.

And I had a friend that his dad just pushed him, pushed him. And this boy had talent. He was good. and his dad just pushed it on him so hard that he just lost the love up yeah because and I tell them I I said look don't push them I said the reason they're good is because they love it yeah and then you're going to run that love out of them I said they might not be the superstar you wouldn't yeah yeah that's right that's what the problem is father or mother either one of them wants to live through know their son's

daughter. Yeah, you got to push them a little bit. You know, I guess all of mine they gets to a point to where you don't, like I'm real big on the reward

when it's good, you know, but when they don't do good, you got to be real with them. So, I mean, they know, you know, like, so what do? You know, you tell them. You don't tell them. Everything's not

great, you know, they're going to make mistakes. But the biggest thing is they're not trying to make mistakes. The only way they're going to know if mom and dad, if everybody gets a trophy, you know, and you're telling them they're doing great, well, you're giving them a false sense of hope right there. So all my kids, you don't even have to tell them anymore. They know when they suck and when they do great. So, I mean, it's just the way it is. Well, there's a point, and you're going to know exactly what I'm talking about.

and I'm not bragging. But there's a point where you're doing what you love, and it's just for you, you know it. And you come to a point where you say, and you realize that I'm better than most people at this. And that's when it goes to another level. Do you remember when that point was? I mean, it was probably when I got into college my freshman year.

I mean, I had been, I was on the junior national team throughout high school. There was like two years I was on it. There was like a year in between I was off on it. But, I mean, I was very motivated and I made sure that I was working hard. But when I got to college, it was like a whole different ballgame. It was a lot more structured training. The coaches were very serious about the team's success and also the individual goals that we had shared with them.

So, I mean, we always had individual meetings at the beginning of the year with all of the coaches. And I told them, I was like, listen, I want to go the USA, like Team USA route. I want to try to make the Olympics. And he was like very blunt. It's like, okay, this is what you. you have to do, laid it out for me, and here's what you have to do it, and I'd do it.

So it was a lot of, I mean, I would say I was talented, but it was a lot of learning how to actually work hard and work smart to be successful. And just actually buying into that was a big part of it because, I mean, a lot of guys who, I mean, anyone can say they want to go the Olympics, but no one really understands what it actually takes to get there, the amount of hours and the work that you've got to put in, the details, all of the stuff outside of the gym that you've got to put into it. So I really bought into it and it ended up working out for me. And here we are.

Yeah. Here's my question for you. You really don't have competition between the other people. Uh-huh. It's more your competition is with you. Absolutely. Absolutely. It's different than other sports and that it's,

gymnastics is very individual. It's, I would say it's like 90% mental, 10% physical. I mean, you've got to, I mean, you're there, you're competing against yourself. You don't have anyone that's going to come up and tackle you on the pommel horse, you know. I'm right when I said, you're, you're in the same league as our Navy Seals.

I don't know. I don't want to put no disrespect. You are. You are because you've got to go in your mind. Yes, sir. It has nothing to do with all the other teammates. Yes, sir. You've got to be mentally strong.

That's why our seals are. Yes, sir. There's no giving them. Yes, sir. They know what they want to do. Okay, and they're not going, they're not going to go left or right. Yes, sir. They're going to go where they've got in their head.

I've got to get here. Yes. sir it's a lot of that yeah just being mentally strong because I mean a lot of things I'll tell people or what I've been telling people is like what I was saying people don't really understand what it takes is I mean just the the physical stuff in the gym is is hard but it's the stuff it's everything else that goes on around it I mean I just to give you your level is out of sight you have you have to be or you're not going to be at the top level. Your discipline level is out off the chart. So yeah. So I mean, it's in your

sale. Yeah. Yeah, you've got to be willing to put in the extra work. And then especially with this last year with my knee injury and stuff that really, I mean, I had to really buckle down and be like, this is like this is what I'm going to do. There was so much extra work that went in, um, outside of gymnastics to, to help me get back to be able to compete. So it's, it's kind of crazy. I mean, I get to the gym, you know, between 45 minutes and an hour before practice starts every day just so that I can, you know, get my body ready to start warming up. And then it's, you know, four to six hours of practice. And then, I mean, three days a week, I have PT and I had to drive and go to an hour and a half of physical therapy.

And then a lot of it, the big thing for me, because I love food, the diet is the hardest part for me. Yeah. I love food. But so keeping on a strict diet has been the hardest part for me. But I finally figured it out. I would say this past year has been the best year as far as my diet goes. Just being consistent. It's a lot of eating the same things and it's very like not complicated food. I mean, my typical dinner is a salad with, you know, a bunch of different vegetables in it. and then white rice and baked chicken. I'll have that probably four knots a week, and then the other nights will be,

I'll throw in some kind of beef and then fish. And that it's, I mean, it's pretty bland. I ate a sandwich for lunch every day. I ate the same breakfast every day. That was the hardest part for me. And then, I mean, you've got, I mean, that's my meals for the day. And then, like, you can't really have that many snacks. I mean, I'll snack during practice, but that was the hardest thing for me to do, just because I love food so much.

So after you put the bronze medal on that night, did you have a reboard? Oh, yeah. I have been, since I've been home, I've been eating anything and everything I want. Oh, Jay Stone fed us on. Oh, yeah, we had some good tenderloin last night. Oh, my God. Yeah, I've been relaxed a little bit on the diet. Yeah, I have three more days just about every day.

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, I told him when I finally retired, and I don't know when that's going to be, but I said I'm moving home and I'm going to live right on your couch. Yeah, you think they're really, yeah, I'm just going to do nothing to eat. Yeah. I'm just going to be a bum. Gentlemen, it's been a pleasure.

Yes, sir. Thank you for that. No, no, it really has. It's been an honor having y'all here. Okay. And hey, I wish you the best and whatever you choose to do next. Thank you very much.

So it's, you know, you're to be looked up to. Well, thank you. Okay, yeah, you said a good role model. Thank you very much. Yeah. Yep. Thank you all. Thank you for having us so much.

It's been a pleasure. It's been fun. It's been real fun. I figured out what happened in the handsstand competition, by the way, while I was reflecting. Did you watch some video? None of y'all were cheering for me. Oh, I was rooting for you, but I knew what I...

Yeah, you look at the Olympics. He got his boy Asher and Freddie Phillips all over there, screaming and yelling. All my friends, silent, just laughing at me. Okay, so to wrap it up, though, we got a few questions left. What's next? What is next? You say retirement, you're going to just start eating like me. Yeah.

I don't know that sounds pretty good. I can attest. But I don't know yet. playing around with the idea of coming back. It probably won't be for L.A., but there's individual world championships next year. So that's an option. But my big thing right now is I'm getting married in May.

So that's number one on the priority list. Martin's giving you a hand clap from the... Are you terrified? No, I'm excited. Oh, I should be. No, you shouldn't be. Maybe I am. It is a big change coming forward.

Oh, yeah. Oh, I know. Can she go a lot of flips? You go from one to two. Yeah. And you got to get along, you know, figure out each other. Yes, sir. But it's a wonderful thing.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it. But, yeah, she was a gymnast up until, I think, her sophomore year of high school. So we're creating a super baby. We'll see. Yeah, she is athletic. No, no, we're going to keep that right around five. Yeah, skips a generation. Pommelho.

Horse, rings. Them ring, the rings freak me out. I can't, I don't even know. Okay, so that's what's, that's what's coming down. Marriage is all you got on your mind. For right now. That's a good thing to have on the mind. Yeah, yeah.

That's really cool. We already got your diet. I was going to ask about your diet because I was like, I might be better at one thing than him, and it would be eating. But you probably eat that horse, don't you? Well, when I'm not training. Eight hours a day. Oh, yeah.

What are you bad at? What am I bad at? Yeah, anything? Eating healthy. Okay. But yet, that's not true. You did it. I did it.

Well, yeah, because I had to. I didn't have a choice. I bet his brothers could tell you what he's bad at. Manual labor. Manual labor! Oh, brother from the cheap seats. Hey. Manual labor.

Hey, that's Ken. Yeah, that's Ken. Hey, I'm the same way. Yeah, you fit in. I'm like old manager G. Crem. Work, no. Manual labor.

is not for me either. That's it? Basketball? Can you dunk? No. I can almost touch rim. Well, I could before I broke my leg in half. I was about that close to touching rim.

The five, six man just said he almost touched the rim before he broke his leg in half. Martin, you're 6'4, I'm 6'2. I've never touched the net. I'll say this, what was cool, and I'm going to give you a chance to say something about this, we hear about the women's gymnastics all the time and the men we were in a bit of a rut hadn't won a medal in a while are you proud that you kind of you and your boys put put men's gymnastics back at the forefront yeah absolutely absolutely especially um i mean after Tokyo that was my first olympics um not coming home with any medals that never leaves a good taste in your mouth um but so i'm we i think we did a really good job as a

national team of as soon as Tokyo was over we put a plan in place to like how do we get on the podium in Paris and that kind of involved a bonus system structure to encourage guys to do more difficult skills because the reason we weren't really contend them for a medal is because those top three China, Russia, Japan, they were just so far ahead in difficulty. It all looked difficult to me. Yeah. To the to the regular. To the untrained eye, it all looks about the same.

But they were just so much farther ahead than us. So y'all up to Annie? Yeah, so we implemented that structure. And then over the three years, we, I mean, everyone on the national team got on board with it. And we all pushed our difficulty a lot. And, I mean, it ended up working out. I mean, we come home with a medal, yeah. That's awesome.

So any advice to parents out there who's got sons looking for the sports? that they want to play. He's gymnastics, right? Gymnastics. It blows my mind, though, because it's one of this few, like, I get what runners are doing. I get that I can't run with them. But, like, watching you do what you do, it doesn't even compute. Like, I can do a flip kind of off of a diving board.

I ain't even doing it on trampoline. I'm going to have to see that. No, we're not doing that today. Nope. Martin, stop it. But it is incredible. Like the gymnastics wins always is the one that just blows my mind because I'm like, that's got to take so much time and ever.

Like running people just go out there and run. And I know that's not all yet, but you're upside down and you got to flip three more times than land on your feet. Yeah. That's mind-boggling. It is pretty crazy. I will say it's the best sport to put little kids in because it teaches so much coordination. Yeah.

So I definitely put your kids. balance balance all that balance all that strength coordination you didn't see it when i did the handwalk uh-huh you didn't see it when i did the hand walk no you it was on the ground it wasn't it was the third jd i know i look everybody wants to see a regular guy compete against the three athletes i gave it to them that's why hey that's why god said okay i gave this this to this person, this to that person, this to that person. We all got different. Yeah, but winning medals is way cooler than cooking pizza.

Well, I'm just saying, hey. I'm pretty good at it. You got to do what you do best, JD. Sell worms and cook pizza, baby. So we end everyone with the Bible verse. Anybody got a favorite one? Yeah, mine is James 1, 2, through 4. James 1, 2, through 4.

You're going to quote it or do you need me to look it up? Pull it up. Pull it up. So I can do it, but I don't want to butcher. Consider it pure joy. This one makes a little sense for you, my friend. Pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

which you have been through, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance, which you clearly have, and let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything. I think if we learn anything from our time here this weekend, And you got it going on, man.

It's been awesome. You got to put the time in, boy. And you, well, you got a shiny object necklace over there that proves that you put the time in. But it is amazing. Thank you so much for coming. It's been incredible. And you're welcome back anytime in the Duck Call Room as far as I'm concerned. That was a lot of fun.

And we appreciate it. Yeah. Thank you for the invite so much. We'll have to come back. Thanks for responding to the email. Yeah. What? What?

Yeah. Oh, yeah. Martin just said come duck hunting. Yes. I'm going to give you advice. This is the best advice I can give because I am good at one thing and it's cherry picking who to go duck hunting with. Go with Martin.