The Ariel Helwani Show - Rich Eisen

Episode Date: August 25, 2022

The host of "The Rich Eisen Show," the face of NFL Network, and former ESPN personality joins Ariel for a conversation about his long run as one of the top faces and voices in American sports media. The guys discuss: Leaving ESPN in 2003 at the height of his popularity, and if he harbors any resentment toward the company (10:05) Some crazy stories from his time at ESPN, including a memorable interaction with Charlie Sheen (17:25) If he's ever considered returning to ESPN (22:44) The origins of "The Rich Eisen Show" (24:30) Trolling Ohio St. fans at Hall of Fame weekend (43:40) Plus, Eisen tells Ariel why this is the Buffalo Bills' year to win the Super Bowl!"The Rich Eisen Show" airs Monday-Friday from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Beginning in September, the show will stream for free on Roku.If you want to support our show, simply give "The Ariel Helwani Show" a 5-star rating on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.We are presented by NordVPN.  Grab the NordVPN deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/ariel Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

Hey everyone, I hope you're doing well. Welcome back to a brand new edition of The Helwani Show. I, of course, am Ariel Helwani. It is Thursday, August 25th, 2022. Thank you very much to my good friends, the Lovely Feathers, for this great intro song. It's called Frantic. I love them very much. And I love today's guest. He's one of my favorites of all time in the world of sportscasting. He's the one and only Rich Eisen. He's the face of the NFL network. He also hosts his own weekday daily show called The Rich Eisen Show. They're going through some changes, exciting changes. And I grew up watching this guy. As I tell him in the conversation,

I mean, I was watching SportsCenter with him and Stuart Scott. Back in the day, we're on vacation. I'm living in Montreal, growing up in Montreal. Of course, we didn't get ESPN. We got TSN. And so we'd go on vacation to these places that had ESPN in the hotel. I would watch SportsCenter on a loop, just in awe of how talented these individuals were. And Rich was at the very top of that list. And I've been able to know him a little bit over

the years, be on his show, text with him, and it's all kind of very surreal. He's a wonderful man, a wonderful broadcaster, and someone who has had an incredible run and keeps on growing and evolving and succeeding. And it's a beautiful thing to see. So he's actually been at the NFL Network for 19 years. He actually just re-signed with them as well a couple months ago. He's got his own show Monday through Friday, 12 to 3 Eastern, called The Rich Eisen Show. It's a studio show, has a bit of a late night talk show feel. And come September, they're moving to the Roku channel. They're going from Peacock to Roku. Of course, you can watch them on YouTube for now. Also get their podcast, wherever you get your podcast.

Does a great job, of course, of covering the NFL, but all sports, NBA, baseball, everything. Everything under the sun, college football. And they've had me on multiple times to talk a little MMA as well. So great to pick the brains of one of the all-time best, in my opinion, in North American sports broadcasting history. And someone who continues to do great things, tells a bunch of great stories, and even talks about his love of

stand-up comedy and whether or not he was going to go down that path early on in his life and career. A really fun conversation. I think you will enjoy it. I loved it, and I can't wait to share it with you. Before I get to it, i can't wait to share it with you before i get to it really quickly i do want to tell you about my good friends over at nordvpn once again they are great people they support us so i want you to support them as well nordvpn is an amazing service basically when you're overseas and you want to watch your streaming platforms that you're used to watching espn plus disney plus hulu netflix whatever how do you do it? If you're in, say, Cardiff, Wales, which I'll be in next week,

you use NordVPN, it connects you, and voila, couple of clicks, and you're there. So when I'm in Cardiff, and there's a UFC event going on in Paris at the exact same time, how am I gonna watch it? Via NordVPN. It's amazing. You're in a coffee shop, public place, airport,

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It's completely risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee. Support them because they support us, nordvpn.com slash Ariel. They are the best, as is Rich Eisen, our guest today. Enjoy. It's always great to talk to you. I appreciate the time very much.

A lot of big things happening in your life. And could I ask, you know, it's the dog days of summer. August is wrapping up, which means football is coming. For some people like myself, you know, I get a little sad at the end of summer, August, kids going back to school, leaves changing, et cetera. For you, do you get that type of like, you know, weird anxiety feeling or do you get the feeling of work is like the big time work is coming. My weekends are about the big time work is coming. My weekends are about to change. Football is coming.

Is it a mix of both? I'm always curious about the guys who like all of a sudden football starts and your life dramatically changes. Is it a sense of dread, anxiety, anticipation? How would you describe it? Well, if I had a sense of dread, I'd be, I'm in the wrong spot, man. Seriously. I mean, I'm so lucky to do what I do. This is going to be year 19 for me with NFL Network season 20. I mean, I'm so lucky to do what I do. This is going to be year 19 for me with NFL Network season 20.

I mean, what a blessing, you know, being the guy who helped turn the lights on there and, and, and talk about the NFL every single Sunday and be the host of a show with people who I love and Mariucci and Irv and Kurt, we genuinely love each other. This is going to be year, I think 11 or 12 for me doing that show. Um, and so, yeah, I mean, it's early wake ups on a Sunday morning and, you know, and, and cutting short things on a Saturday night.

So I don't show up like a zombie for work and, um, but I have zero complaints, man. It's it's great. It's the NFL is the greatest narrative generating machine ever created. And so all 32 teams are alive and everybody has a feeling about this or that, the other thing or a fantasy team or a certain level of interest that it's my job to peak and inform and entertain. And so I love it. I can't get enough of it. And you actually recently re-signed with the NFL Network. And a funny thing that you revealed on your show, a story came out saying that you were about to hit the free agent market. And at that point, you had already been one month into your new deal or had already agreed to a new deal a month prior, right? Isn't that weird? Have you found out how exactly this happened?

No, I don't, but people talk and if anything that I do professionally is of interest to them, I mean, so be it. And so it was something that I felt the need to address because it kept showing up on my Twitter timeline and I kept getting texts from people, hey, if you're going to be a free agent, good luck, hope everything's going to go well and all of that stuff. So I just felt the need to address it on the show. And I got a lot of comments that now you know what it feels like when you're talking about an athlete's contract and things like that. And sure, I understand that, but it didn't affect my family or anything like that. It didn't reach that level, but it just got to be on my Twitter timeline enough

for me to just say something about it. And that's another reason why I love having the show that I have here is it affords me the platform to say something and utilize the space. And again, I'm thrilled that there's people who are interested in it and companies that are keen to be in partnership with me to provide me the platform. Just curious, did you consider seeing what's out there? You know what? I've done this long enough and I've gotten to the part of my career where I can't believe that I'm saying it, but I am 53. And I kind of like being where I'm at and having a legacy play.

And when I first started with NFL Network, you know, I, I, I was 20, I was 33 years old and, um, and I I'll never forget what, um, one of the old war horse producers that Steve Bornstein, the, uh, president and CEO of NFL network had brought on from his days with ESPN. And prior to that, you know, Jeff Mason was the producer in question with ABC Sports. And he came up to me, he said, you know what, you have an opportunity in this business. Because my head was reeling having left ESPN at age 33, where I started at age 26. And my head was kind of spinning that my identity as a professional was so intertwined with the SPN. I never thought I would ever want to leave there or depart and part ways with them. He could see that.

He came up to me and he gave me a little bit of a pep talk. He said, you've got a remarkable opportunity here because nothing in this business is more rewarding than starting something from scratch and building it up and being part of something from day one. And not only have I had that with NFL Network, I've had that with this show. And it is true. It's been incredibly rewarding. So to be honest, I didn't even reach the part of my negotiation where a window would open up for me to talk to anybody else. I like where I'm at. I like living where I live. the draft and the combine and the schedule release and free agency and showing up at

hosting all these tent poles, if you will, of the NFL calendar that has been part of the NFL Network's beginning and now, I guess, maturing. If I could still be that person, I love it. I really, really do. Do you find it at all funny that you said 19 years, right, at NFL Network? Yeah, I started in 2003. We came on in week 10 of the 03 season. So this is going to be our 20th season, but 19th full one that we're covering. Which is incredible.

I mean, what a feat. But you were at ESPN for six and a half, seven years or so, right? Six and a half years, yeah. Yeah. And for some reason, it still feels like you will always be associated with ESPN. You, you know, like I was just talking to a friend. Oh, who are you talking to today? Rich Eisen. Oh, the guy from ESPN. Yeah. And also the face of NFL Network, who's been there for almost two decades. Does it bother you that people still associate you perhaps even more so with ESPN than NFL Network? No. No, man. I mean, again, I guess I shortchanged myself.

I was there for seven years. I got there in February of 96, and I left in late May of 2003. So a little over seven years there. And I loved it. I had the time of my life. It was my dream job. I, just like everybody else in college, watched SportsCenter and watched Berman do the draft and watched ESPN. And of course, if you want to be in sportscasting and

in your, it's the mid eighties, late eighties, you're pointing at ESPN, which was in year 10 at the time, I guess. And, you know, starting in 79, you point that and say, that's where I want to be. And certainly out of background in standup comedy in college, you mix comedy, mixed entertainment, you mix sports together. And if you wanted to be a sportscaster, SportsCenter is the place to be. And I wound up getting there at age 26, and it was a dream come true. I met my wife in the newsroom. My children are ESPN babies.

Stuart Scott is, you know, another love of my life, right? I mean, he always called me his TV wife. And I got to be there at a golden age of SportsCenter before, you know, these existed. And you were tuning into a sports highlight show to find out what happened. I mean, who does that anymore, right? I mean, so because people might tune into those shows, and I hope they do, because I still think they serve an incredible service and entertainment as well as informative purpose highlight shows. But people are tuning in most likely 99% of the time, having already known what the result is. And probably about 90% of the time, having seen the key highlight already within five minutes of it happening, because that's what happens with phones. So now, you know, in the nineties and the early aughts, people were still tuning into

sports center for informational purposes, as well as entertainment purposes. And, and the show that I did with Stuart from two in the morning, and then it got started at one in the morning. Uh, they, they, they pushed up the time of the start time of the last SportsCenter of the night at the time was re-aired every single hour from 5 a.m. all the way till noon. And it started at 5 in the morning and aired all the way to 1. So whenever I got home at 4 in the morning, 4.30 in the morning, I got the most exposure of my career while I was sleeping, which is, by the way, the key to life, and certainly in this business. So when I hear the SportsCenter theme hummed to me in the airport, as happened about a month ago, or people call me, that they watch me on ESPN, and I inform them it's been 19 years since my last SportsCenter, they'll'll apologize thinking they've offended me,

but it doesn't offend me at all. I just love the fact that I have a connection to a whole different generation than my age. That's a treasure. It really is. Like I'll get people calling into my show saying, I watched you growing up. And, you know,

they watched me before going to school in the fourth grade. And I'm like, damn, man, how old are you? And they're like, well, I'm 36. I'm like, oh, my God, I'm getting older. But that also means I've been around long enough. And the fact that I still have the gigs that I have is just a blessing. So I do not at all. And just in that front, I'll tell you another funny story. When I moved out here for the first time in 03, my wife was already out here because she was working the Fox Sports World as an on-air anchor and reporter. So she, God bless her. the Kobe Shaq Phil Lakers, during the Tim Salmon, Mike Socha Angels, during the Pete Carroll, Reggie Bush, USC teams. I mean, she covered some championship teams out here

in a golden age of some Southern California sports. So when I moved out here to start NFL Network, she was the one who got the passes and the tickets for the NBA All-star game that was at Staples made that name rest in peace, uh, in, in 2004. So it's the spring of, or the, I guess the winter of February of 20, 2004. And we're at, uh, a party for the all-star game. And some guy comes up to me and says, he watches me every day. And I'm like, that's pretty cool. Cause NFL network launched on direct TV and a handful of very small cable operators. So we were in about damn 15 million homes when NFL network started, which was

almost a hundred million fewer homes than my, uh, my, my exposure on ESPN at the Zenith of, of cable television, about a hundred some odd million homes had ESPN. And so I said to him, wow, that's great. So how are you watching NFL network? I was curious to know how he was actually consuming what I was doing. And he goes, what's NFL network. And I'm like, that's the network I'm on. He goes, you're not on ESPN anymore. I'm like, no, you know, I left in may. And I was one of my last sports center was I not on ESPN anymore. I'm like, no. I left in May, and that was when my last sports interview was. I'm on NFL Network now. And he pauses, and he looks at me and goes, are you all right?

That's what he said. And I'm like, well, I could fog up a mirror if you'd like. I can do that old Abe Vigoda trick on lettering if you'd like. But that was the general sense that people had. And I didn't take offense to that then, nor would I now, is my long-winded answer to your question. I love it. I have like a thousand follow-up questions here to all these stories. Go for it. And by the way, I grew up in Montreal. I think I may have told you this, when my family would go

on vacation, especially during Christmas time, we'd go to like one of these resorts, it'd be like the Bahamas or whatever, and they would have ESPN. And that was very exciting, because I had TSN, which wasn't as cool, because they didn't cover the NBA and NFL, which is what I love. That was more of an American sports fan. So I would be one of those kids, 7, 8, 9am, everyone's out to breakfast, and I'm just watching the same sports center over and over with you and Stu. And my parents are like, okay, you've seen this already. Like I can now come to third viewing, recite what you guys are about to say. So I'm one of those kids. I'm a product of that.

Well, I'm now mandated to follow that story up, Ariel, with this one. So lost amongst all the NFL stuff is the fact that, and it's also lost amongst the fact that people are like, so you're a radio guy now? I was the first studio host of ESPN radio's coverage of major league baseball. I was there when, when ESPN radio first got the gig and the contract with baseball to put baseball on ESPN radio. So I was the first ever studio host for that. So I got to cover all the world series, uh, for ESPN radio, not sports center from, you know,

96 to Oh three, which was, you know, as a Yankee fan, exactly the time where you'd want to be there. Right. So, uh, this was the 98 world series in San Diego, california yankees that was the year they went 125 and 50. and um so as part of the world series broadcasts which were broadcast by john miller and joe morgan which is another you know highlight of my career is i got to be around those guys and watch them work uh in the middle of the fifth inning esp ESPN Radio would take one minute fewer commercial break to come back early and have me interview somebody at the game. And it was my choice. It was omnibus. Go find somebody that you'd want to interview for about a minute, ask them two or three questions, and that would be it. So game one, I saw Billy Crystal roaming around, I think, Steinbrenner's box. And I asked him, hey, would you like to do it?

So he did. So I brought my equipment, you know, with my radio microphone and the antenna on the headset. And I asked him some questions and so on and so forth. Game four, I spotted in San Diego, in the old Jack Murphy Stadium, whatever the hell they called it, I spotted Charlie Sheen. And I walked up to him. And I introduced myself to him and asked him if he would do it. And he knew exactly who I was.

And that made it easier. And he said he would do it, but I should meet him up at the owner's suite. He was sitting out in the stands and he had like a splint on his hand, like he'd broken his finger on his right hand. And he said, meet me up at the owner's suite on fifth inning. That's where I'll be. So I went there and there he was. And I had about a half an inning just to chit chat him up before it was his time for the hit of the interview. And I asked him at one point, did you break your hand? He goes, no, I just have this on. So I don't have to sign all these autographs.

I just tell people I can't sign. And so he told me that he was a big fan of the sports center I was doing with me and Stuart. And he turned to me and he goes, you know, I don't know if you know this, but recently I've had some problems with drugs. And I'm like, yeah, Charlie, I've kind of heard that. And he said, so I was up all night sometimes recently.

And I was up all night. And I would watch you and Stuart over and over and over again. So by 6 in the morning, I would know what you were going to say before you said it. Just like you. Two different stories. You as an impressionable young, what, Quebecer, right? Okay. And him as a tiger blood, Charlie Sheen.

So that is amazing. Those are dead. And I love that, man. I just love having that in my history and the proverbial, no one can ever take it away from me. So that is, I'm sorry to interrupt your follow-up. No, that was an amazing story. Oh, I could listen to these stories forever. By the way, one thing I always wondered, why did they launch the NFL Network in week 10? Like usually you'd

launch something like this week one. Why did they choose? No idea. No idea. I guess they weren't ready. Okay. I don't think we were ready. The first thing we did, like I was hired again in June. My last sports center was in May. I signed my contract on my honeymoon looking at the Grand Canal in Venice as my wife took a nap in our room. So that's where I signed my contract. Were you nervous? About what?

Getting married or signing a contract? The career change at the same time. Of course, man. Are you kidding me? about what? Uh, being, getting married or signing a contract. The, the, the career change at the same time. Of course, man. Are you kidding me? There was a whole ESPN table of executives that was empty at my wedding. Ariel.

No way. Oh yeah. They didn't come. Why? Cause I was no longer theirs. And I think, I don't know, deep down.

I thought that they thought they were going to get me back. I don't know. I have so many questions. Did that hurt? Of course it did. Did you ever ask them about it later? No, no. That's rude. No, never did. But look, man, who knows? Long story short, I was on my honeymoon.

Why was I telling the story now? Now that's a 53-year-old thing. I've lost my place. Week 10. Oh, yeah, week 10. So, yeah, I was hired in the middle of June, right? I remember the first assignment I did was to go to the Hall of Fame that year in August. And we recorded interviews that we kept in the can

for an entire year. We use them because we were still such a small operation. The next year we use them to fill up, uh, that night's edition of NFL total access while we all flew to Canton for the event the next year. So, cause we didn't have a, a, a backup crew, you know, um, yet. So, um, yeah, I mean, it was late, I guess it was late and, and they got me late and they got a bunch of people together and they just said, what's the big deal. It just started when we're ready. And I guess that's when they decided to be ready. Oh, one last thing on this chapter, were you ever close to going back to ESPN at any time in the last 19 or so years? Was there ever a phone call, a conversation, something?

Yeah. Yeah. There have been. For this show, actually. Really? Yeah. Really. When was that?

That's as far as I'll go, Ariel. Okay. For the moment. But yeah. I don't know why it didn't happen. I was ready to go you were ready oh yeah sure for this show absolutely so it would have been the rich eisen show on espn television or radio both potentially both yeah wow uh morning slot afternoon slot same same time

same time same channel and you were into it oh yeah, yeah, of course. And how far along? I have no animosity at all. I love that place. I love the people there. Like I said, I met my wife there. My children exist because I met my wife there. I watch it all the time. The number of guests that I have on this show who i used to work with and still work there uh chris fowler is one of my favorite people on planet earth jeremy shapp i mean i could keep

going on and on and on and on but yeah so if this were a football field how close to the ends you know what we're we're at the two minute warning of this interview. Okay. Wow. Jeez. Okay. This is just me being investigative. relationship with ESPN. If there's an executive there that does, I don't understand why, but it is what it is, as they say in the NFL coaching cliche community. I love what you have with the, as you said, you have the studio job, the NFL network job, that's kind of like the suit and tie job. But then you have this show, which is your baby, which I give you a lot of credit. I don't know if people know this. You own this show, right? This is your show. You're not working for someone. You have deals with people like you're going now to Roku, but this is your baby, which is tremendous. Great, you know, business sense

on your part. Why was it important for you to do this other thing, this, you know, five day a week thing, multiple hours a day, staying, you know, current on everything going on, the Rich Eisen show. It has a very sort of late night talk show feel to it. The set is beautiful. I had the honor of being there once. Why was that an important thing as opposed to just having the network job and you're good? Well, a couple of reasons. One is my dream jobs were to be either a sportscaster or a late night tv show host and i get to combine both here and it is another way that i am blessed so this allows me to stretch my legs and interview people for an extended period of time as opposed to uh host a show where I'm setting up my analysts and then three minutes into a terrific conversation,

I'm like, here in my ear, move on. Right. Because we have a rundown to get to, and the show has other things to do other than scratch my itch to talk to people. So that allows me that. The other thing I love about this program is when I do what I do for a living on

NFL Network or what I did at ESPN, as rewarding and incredible as it is, the one thing you don't get to do on a show like that is talk to fans, talk to people. I take phone calls and i meet people and i talk with them and i mix it up and i hear that opinion and i mix it up with them and that's the thing that that so many um shows studio shows try to do is break that fourth wall to connect with who's sitting at home and um the construct of a studio show just doesn't afford it. But a talk show that's on radio and simulcast on TV sure does. And that's why I'm always knocking on NFL Network's door to say, hey, for the scheduled release show, let me sit on my set. Let me do it from here because you want to get the fan reaction to seeing their schedule and who plays who. How about my hotline?

We've done that on occasion. That's happened a couple of times. But that's why I love doing that. And the partners that I have, I adore. Certainly on the radio side, Westwood One was there for me when I needed them most and they they're the ones who are um are uh syndicating my show coast to coast or helping me with with my radio stations and getting them together and helping sell this show they're terrific um and also putting

out the podcast version of this show terrific i love. I love them. And I had a great run with Peacock for two years, but the Roku channel knocked on my door with the proverbial offer. I could not refuse. And I'm looking forward to that next chapter as well. And I never thought in a million years that in my career, I would be the owner and proprietor and management, but circumstances were created to bring that about and have me start looking around and casting around to see what I could do for this show and keep it alive.

And as I told you a while ago, I was kicking over every rock possible, no stone unturned, whether they were old friends or partners or bosses or new friends like uh westwood one um and also uh now the roku channel and roku um i'm i'm having a blast it's a lot of work but i love it and and the new era so to speak now that you're going to roku is it the same type of show now is it still five days a week so like not changing it's the same studio no same guys that i'm doing it with it's just a different a different spot and um and and a different partner and there will be a significant video on demand portion of this that i uh i haven't had before afforded to me there'll be a significant partnership uh on this channel that they're thinking of building out that I'm planting a flag for. It's a hell of an opportunity with a company

that is, what do you want to call it, an aggregator as well as now a distributor and so many different methods in which to get it for free, which is always important for me because the Roku channel is free. It's available through their app on a mobile device. It's available through the roku-channel.com on a desktop. It's available through all Roku devices, Fire TV, Samsung Smart TVs. I mean, there are so many different ways

in which people will be able to consume the show for free. That is just, it's amazing. It's great. I love the fact that I have this new opportunity with the Roku channel. You mentioned something right before I asked you that last question. It's a lot of work at times, right? Did it ever get to the point where you're like, this is just maybe a little too much work? You know, I can imagine your Sunday's season packed and you got to go Monday through Friday.

It's a lot. I mean, when do you get the time to relax? I mean, how many, but how many people have, you know, a show with their name on it? Right.

I mean, again, I'm lucky and it started as a podcast. I remember walking into Steve Bornstein's office in 2011 and I'm like, I'd like to do a podcast for us there was no nfl network or nfl media who hasn't formed yet it was still nfl network and and uh there was no podcasts for the nfl and bornstein even said to me and this is like a legend this is a hall of famer

he even says to me how much is it going to cost i'm like nothing, do it. So I did it and I started doing it and nobody there really knew how to, you know, build off it. Now, obviously multiple podcasts, very successful ones are being done out of there. The around the NFL podcast is fantastic. Just to name one. And Rachel Bonetta is doing one and others NFL network are doing podcasts there. And it's amazing.

There's now a podcast studio named after the brilliant late Chris Wessling. And that's an amazing aspect of the new NFL media studios there. And I loved doing it and building it into something that DirecTV knocked on my door in 2014 to say, how about doing it every day, radio TV? And I'm like, okay. And then after Dan Patrick's show, you know, Dan and I have known him since 1996. It was an incredible opportunity. And yes, a lot of work. Certainly when you get a call from DirecTV in late 2019 to say the network that we've built,

that your show's been on, audience is being shuttered very short order. We don't know when, but probably in February. You get that call and you're off the air on March 1st, 2020. And then the community shuts down, the world shuts down two weeks later for a pandemic it was one of those moments where you're like is it worth it like am i gonna what like knowing what it will take to find a new home and to try and get that new home for radio and television because Fox Sports Radio did the same to me as well. And so it was tough, but I made sure to keep at it.

I had an incredible group of co-workers who wanted to do the same we didn't want this to be the last word that was said uh on the show and for the show and on behalf of this show and ever i got a a group of friends and colleagues um about 10 of us here who all banded together and stuck with it and um the fact again that we have a new deal with Roku is an incredible moment for all of us. So I'm glad I just decided to just put the nose to the grindstone and I want to keep this thing going. How long it lasts, I don't know, but it's still going strong. You mentioned a stand-up comedy, which I think is fascinating. How close were you to actually really going down that path? Well, I did it every single month at the University of Michigan at the Student Union,

and it was incredible. This was when stand-up comedy in the late 80s was red hot, like so much so that Tom Hanks and Sally Field made a movie out of it. And so it was everywhere. People were lined up around the block. The student union was lit. 500 members of the student community. So I was talking to them. I knew my audience. It was simple on that respect that I knew my audience every week going in, every month going in, which is not the case when you actually go on the road and do it. And I tried doing that once. I went to, I forget the name of the establishment, in Livonia, Michigan, which is about a 30, 40-minute ride.

I took a trip with fellow student comedians who were doing this on the regular. And I went out and I tried it myself, professional, in a room with just 20 people with no pulse to it. And you didn't know your audience and your jokes weren't working. It didn't land. And I realized how tough it was. And, man, I just knew journalism might have been a better course for me. But it has made everything that i do that much easier nothing's been tougher than doing stand-up comedy ever and uh it has conditioned me though

to uh expect the feedback when i crack wise in studio i do not mind it when people laugh behind the camera i like hearing that immediate feedback uh that's the standup comedy or standup comedian in me. I tried it once when I was on sports center. That didn't work out very well. I did that in New York city at an open mic night. My future wife, then just friend at the time, Susie likes to tell a story about how terrible I was. I don't think I was that bad at it. But honestly, it's made everything that I've ever done that much easier because

nothing is harder than that endeavor. Nothing. Like favorite back then, like inspiration back then when you were coming up, someone that you tried to emulate and who would be one of your favorites? Just curious, like what your stuff right now, is there someone that you really like? Well, I mean, I don't think I emulated anybody, to be honest with you. Now, who do I like now as a comedian? I love Sebastian Maniscalco. I love him. I've had him in the show. I saw him, you know, that was one of the amazing parts about having a draft in Las Vegas this year, as you do a Friday night of the draft, it's over by seven o'clock. You can go and, or eight o'clock at night, you can go to a show. I mean, that was amazing. I mean, every NFL event should be in Las Vegas.

I love him. Obviously, you know, Chris Rock is great. Chappelle, somebody I just saw was Susie and I went to the, the one at the Hollywood Bowl where he was attacked at the end. But we did the L.A. thing, which is try to beat the traffic. I missed that. Wow. That part. I know. Jon Stewart is truly one of my favorites ever.

Letterman is the guy, I guess, who I would emulate more than anybody else. We were kind of ripping off a Letterman gag or a concept every so often here on the show, we're having the Bill Belichick press conference moment where I throw to it. It's like we take like a 30 second or a 45 second clip for Belichick having an awkward exchange or a typical Belichickian exchange with the media. Sometimes it'll be 10 seconds long and we'll, we'll just have a big presentation. I'll throw to it. We'll say, now it's time for the bill Belichick press conference moment of the day.

And we'll just have a little bit. And then we'll play it. And then like that at the end. So we'll front and back it with some, some music, you know, like that's a total Letterman gag that I'm ripping off for a show like this.

Trying to bring that late night feel to here, but I don't think I'm ripping off for a show like this, trying to bring that late night feel to here. But I don't think I was ripping anybody off particularly. My big finale was reading the Penthouse Forum letters in Howard Cosell's voice. That was big. It always started with, I never thought this could happen to me now obviously that that that doesn't work now uh unfortunately there's a whole generation of people will be howard who but back in 1988 it killed i bet by the way your howard impersonation is fantastic well i mean he marv albert and a guy named jerry gerard who worked at wpix channel 11 in in New York city with the guys who made me want to be a sportscaster. Did you ever meet Howard? Never did. Marv? Never did. Marv is, oh yes, he's been on

this show and I, I, uh, I, uh, I, I do not hold back. I, I tell him what he means to me to the point where I almost break out in tears. And i think i've embarrassed him on multiple times on that front oh yeah and i rip him off all the time with just his cadence yes and the way that he uses language and the way that he does all of his work i mean he is i i watched him at wnbc in new york listened to him call nixon rangers games then obviously him on the mic at NBC during the Jordan years. The great, the greatest. I love him. You know, it's funny that you mentioned Howard because I just showed you before we recorded this photo that someone got me of a signed Howard Cosell picture and I tweeted it. I said, Hey, you know, this means a lot to me.

And I actually got some replies saying like, who's that? Or jokes. And I'm like, man, it's this, you know, I wasn't around for Howard, but like, golly, you don't know who that man is. You don't respect him. It blows my mind. And it leads me to a question. I just have a couple more and I'll let you go. And thank you so much for the time. How do you feel about the state of sports journalism, sports media? Things are changing, streaming, you know, the insider role is an interesting one right now. You don't know if you're carrying water for the agents over there, if you're doing like, well, there's always been a give and take for information. It's, it's, I mean, that's,

that's the test of time. You know, I mean, that, that, that's as old as time is what I'm saying, I guess, is that, you know, that you trade information for access and things of that nature. I mean, that's, that's nothing new. What is new is just the coarseness of the conversation sometimes, you know, but that's just the way, where you see it. And I, you know, I'm in a very deep pool in my time slot from 12 to three Eastern time. And, and then you could see, you know, you've got streamers, you've got radio, you've, if it stands out, that's great. I'm not putting on any airs, not saying other people are, but I just have to always found out the people who are the most genuine are the most successful. I think that's why McAfee is so successful. Like if you ever meet Pat, like that's him, right? I mean, so,

and people now want to meet him in a, in a significant way. Dan Patrick's the same way. If you've ever met Dan, what you get on the Dan Patrick show is him. Same thing with Chris Berman. Same thing with Stuart Scott. The most successful people are the people who aren't putting on any any airs or any any any act. And so I'm and also who own their their takes and and and would be disappointed if they're wrong. Not not unshameable for being wrong. Just, you know, if you're competing against people who are who in our business just care that their name is spelled right and that their terrible opinion that has been since proven wrong is retweeted or out there, if that's all they care about, then it's very difficult to compete with them, to be very honest.

But I don't focus on that, the competition aspect of it, at least as long as I'm afforded the opportunity by distributors who like what I'm doing and want to buy in on it. But and, and, and, and then I, I'm not also, I don't want it to be characterized that I don't appreciate the opinion shows that you see. I love pardon the interruption. I think Stephen A. Smith is one of the best at it. I love him. I, I, he, he cracks me up. I mean, he is funny and he's also thought provoking and he's, he's really, really, um, intense. And then when he gets on, when he gets into one of his Stephen A, uh, moments, I love watching it. Um, so, you know, I'm, I'm, I, I, I, the split

screen, you know, uh, bottom ticker shows. Um, I don't know if that's for me. I don't know if I would, um, really, um, succeed at that sort of thing. I'd like to think that I could succeed at whatever I try, but I like what I do here. I like having the three hour opportunity to be more nuanced, to have an opinion, to be able to say, I don't know. Or in the case of this past week where I just watched the cave on Thibodeau hit to below his knee by Thaddeus Moss and looked at it.

I'm like, that's awful. And then just tweet it out, you know, penalty, hefty, fine suspension, nothing less is acceptable. And then get lit up by offensive and defensive line Twitter for not knowing that that is a legal hit that happens multiple times in a game, despite me having been around the NFL for 20 years. I will come on this show and not only say my bad, but show the tweets of the offensive linemen calling me out. I don't mind being wrong.

Being wrong is part of this business as long as you own up to it. And I don't mind doing that at all. So I can be shamed into being wrong. Um, or I can be wrong and be ashamed by it. Um, and, um, that might not be the case for a lot of people I'm competing against. I appreciate that about you. I also appreciate the fact as a pro wrestling guy, you could play a good heel. I saw you talking to those Ohio State fans. That was top-notch heel work right there.

Thank you, sir. You were just showering in the booze. It takes a lot of chutzpah to stand up there and say what you were saying about, of course, you being a proud Michigan guy. That was grade A pro wrestling stuff. I hope you know that. That was my Wolverine promo.

That's what it was. That's what it was. That's what I was doing. And you're referring to the Pro Football Hall of Fame jacket dinner. Okay. Yeah. It's, by the way, one of the best events on the sports calendar because the day before, the hall of famer gets three tangible items to celebrate their induction the ring that is presented to them usually at the

stadium of the team that they're most closely associated with their halftime during the season the jacket um and i mean the bust that is revealed in the day of their induction and the day the night before they get the jacket which is the first tangible item that they receive. It's sort of like when you get married and you get your wedding ring for the first time and you're looking at it like, oh shit, like this is actually happening. The jacket is that for the Hall of Famers and they get them. The jacket slipped on by their presenter. It's usually their spouse or their child or their coach or their former player. And it's so meaningful. It's unbelievable. And all the returning Hall of Famers are there clapping for them.

And it's a very moving moment. And I've been asked to host that for damn near 10 years now. And this is the first time, unfortunately, Ariel, that I have hosted this event coming off a Michigan win over Ohio State. And when I go to Ohio for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that I have hosted this event coming off a Michigan win over Ohio State. And when I go to Ohio for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the people of Stark County, Ohio could not be nicer, warmer, roll out the red carpet except for when they find out I'm a Michigan fan.

And, you know, I'd say about a fifth of the time, I'll get somebody commiserating with me because they're, you know, a Michigan fan too in Ohio. Or they just find Ohio State fans, or pardon me, the Ohio State fans so incredibly arrogant that they appreciate me attempting to knock them down a peg. So I even said this on my show the day before I flew to Ohio, just giving everyone a heads up. I was coming with an arson this time around that I had something to say. And I would say it to the crowd that always would boo me. Oh, H O H. And just, you know, so I got there and, um, I, I just said, okay, I'm just

going to say one thing. I got to just say one thing. Cause again, I'm still the host. It's still an arena full of, uh, of Ohioans and Buckeye fans and whatever. So, um, I looked at the script and I'm like, where can I, where can I get this line? And I saw in the first paragraph of what I was asked to deliver in opening remarks was to have everybody look for the nearest exit for their own safety. And I'm like, that's the one. That's it. That's the one. And I'm going to start out firing, and we'll see what happens. And sure enough, as I get to the microphone, they introduce me.

And as the polite applause dies down, somebody screams, a bunch of people scream, OH, I heard it from that part of the arena and that part of the arena. I'm like, okay. Now you caught me not only prepared, but on a good day, on an unprecedented day. And I just said that line about the exits. If you need help looking for an exit, just imagine you're a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes in Michigan Stadium around the fourth quarter last November.

Ooh, and then she started coming in. And that's when I got the tie work in and I just went for it a couple more lines. And I even got one more in, uh, that wasn't on that video. Cause it was later on. I just figured there's a guy to my right, uh, on the dais who was part of the hall of fame. And he had like a go blue sticker with him. And, you know, cause he knew what he was sitting next to me. And he also said that he married into a Michigan family. So I'm saying that they exist in Ohio. So I turned to him and I'm like, you know, because he knew he was sitting next to me. And he also said that he married into a Michigan family. So I'm saying that they exist in Ohio. So I turned to him and I'm like, you know what?

This is right before the jackets were going to be handed out. And I knew I had one last shot where it could be a moment for me before I had to do the right thing and make it a moment for the Hall of Famers. That's what I'm there for. That's what everyone's there for. So I turn to the guy and I'm like, you know, I got one more line here. Should I, should I use it? And he looks at me, he goes, I would suggest you go for it. And I'm like, okay. And so sure enough, the line was, you know, it was just 59 years ago when the hall of fame opens at doors and, and had 17 inductees. And I just said, what's the math?

59 minus 17, 42. The number of points Michigan scored against Ohio State last November. Oh, my God. They almost like came with me with a cane and yanked me off the stage. But it was, you know, outside of being married and having three children and this show being born and then remade, the most proud of myself I've ever been, Ariel. And I had no idea that the Hall of Fame was going to tweet it out, nor did I know that the next day somebody started telling me,

hey, they took a screen grab of their phone, an ESPN app alert. The alert was like a badge on people's phone. They sent out the video on an alert. So I guess ESPN can't quit me after all, Ariel, when it's all said and done. I love that. One last thing, if I may, very quickly. I know you spoke about this on the show recently. Since 1990, I have been a diehard fan of the Buffalo Bills.

You know about my love of the New York Knicks. They are nowhere near a championship. I'm Blue Jays fan now because the Expos are no longer around, but the Bills to me is something special. And you guys were talking about what would the parade look like and the time is now. I know you're a great journalist, you're unbiased, but what could you tell me? Is this the year? Rich, I was sitting there in January. I was frozen on my couch after they lost that game to the Chiefs. I turned to my son, who was eight years old, wearing his Stephon Diggs jersey, and I started crying after the Gabe Davis last touchdown. I said, they are going to do it. They are winning. I get chills just telling you the story, and then I couldn't

move. It was heartbreaking. I felt sick. Is this the year they finally do it? Well, I'll just give you the, the comments that I said here about it is that it's tough not to think otherwise, you know what I mean? Like it's tough. That makes me nervous. I know. Uh, but what do you need to win a super bowl? You need, uh, obviously game changing MVP quarterback. Check that box. You need continuity in the coaching staff. Check that box. You need continuity in the coaching staff. Check that box. You need a chip on your shoulder along with some playoff experience.

Check that box. You need game-changing wide receivers. I think you've got multiple ones. I think Gabriel Davis is a one and two clothing. You also need youth at some skilled positions. As a Michigan fan, I can personally attest James Cook can do business to the defense and you better circle him. I think Devin Singletary's got a little chip on his shoulder as well. They improve the offensive line. So you need to protect your quarterback. Check that box. You need a pass rush. They already

had it. They added Von Miller. Check that box. You need a pass rush. They already had it. They added Von Miller. Check that box. You need a shutdown secondary. They've got pro bowlers all over there too. You also need a great home field advantage. You got that. You got to be able to compete in cold weather too. You got that. You also need special teams. And we paid attention to Matt Ariza at San Diego State last year. So just imagine you finally, finally get, you don't just get Josh Allen off the field. You somehow get him off the field within their own 15 yard line, right? Or their backs are up against their own goal line. Here comes Matt Ariza to flip the field around, not only take them away from their own goal line, but put you on yours, which he can do. And that's why he just recently won the punt job.

I could have told you he was going to win it anyway. But they've got a good kicker. They've got it. Honestly, you just need a little bit of luck, which clearly the Bills have been putting in the favor bank for a while. Honestly, that's what you need, and they've got it all. And that's why it's tough not to think this is their year. Gosh, you're giving me chills. I just want one, Rich, just one.

I've never seen my team win. I hear you. So would I. I was barely just a non-embryo when the Jets won it. So, you know, I'd love it too. But my Jets are not nearly as far along as the Bills clearly are. They're the class of the division. They may be the class of the conference,

and it looks like they could be class of the league. Well, as a New York guy, you know, there's only one team in the state of New York, as you know. I know that. On to the bandwagon. And I made the mistake for an early part of my NFL network years to say what I always said, growing up in Staten Island, calling Buffalo upstate New York. Ah, yes.

I learned a long time ago. It's Western New York. Yes. Yes. So I, I, I get it. I understand it. I know the pride and I, I know a ton of bills fans like yourself. My, uh, CP of my show is a diehard bills fans.

Mike Hoskins. He like every single time i talk up the bills like i just gave you the soliloquy i gave a few weeks ago he gets in my ear he goes from your mouth to god's ears you know amen if i was a different type of broadcaster and say what do you mean i was the voice of god right there what are you talking about but that's not me what a delight this was congratulations on on everything. A big couple months for you. Thank you. I appreciate it. Congrats on re-signing with NFL Network. Congrats on the big move to Roku in September. Do we have a specific date or not yet? No, we're still working on that. We're hoping for early, but we don't want to peg it. You know what I mean? It's kind of like

what I just said earlier about the start of NFL Network. It's just, let's do it when it's ready. And we're working on it. Again, we struck the deal just a couple of weeks ago. So we're all getting to know each other and they have been just amazing, just interfacing with my crew and us with them. They're into it and I'm so psyched about that. I mean, what a lucky guy I am to have a show like this one and a platform like Roku and the Roku channel that's willing to put me on for free to the consumer in front of their monster platform audience.

They're into it. They want to promote it. They want to have this do for them what they want to do on the sports front. I'm happy to plant a flag. I'm kind of a professional flag planter from NFL Network to this show. Happy to do it with them. Happy. For now, Monday through Friday, 12 to 3 Eastern on our YouTube channel.

That's right. And then we move to Roku in September. Huge honor for me. Thank you so much for the time, Rich. I really appreciate the time. And I can't thank you enough for all that you have done for me over the years, the advice, even responding to my text messages, for God's sakes. Of course. I'm not saying who's this. It really means a lot.

Thank you so much. And I have a new phone, so I didn't even give you that line. It's all good. Thank you. Thank you, Rich. You got it. All right. That was awesome stuff. Again, one of those guests who I feel like I could talk to for hours. Great stories about the business, broadcasting, his career, everything that he's doing, and inspiration, dare I say.

I really appreciate his time. So please support the Rich Eisen Show. Check him out on the NFL Network. Congratulations to him for everything going on in his life. Congrats on the amazing career, and I can't wait to see what he does next. And by the way, cuts a mean heel promo. Check out the video of him cutting a promo on the OSU fans. Very good. Very good. Stood there, stoic, didn't get rattled, unflappable, tremendous stuff. Thank you to Rich Eisen. Thank you to NordVPN for

their support, nordvpn.com. Thanks to all of you. If you want to watch this interview or any of our recent interviews, they're all up on my YouTube channel, youtube.com slash Ariel Hawani is where you can catch them. Last week, Billy Corgan. Two weeks ago, Brian Gowartz. We've had a ton over the past few months. Go check them out.

I appreciate your support. Give us the old five star. Give us the download. Give us the rate, the review, the comment. All that stuff helps. I can promise you of that. We're going to take a couple of weeks off. We were actually weren't supposed to do any shows in August, but all these things popped up. So we're

going to return after Labor Day. Have no fear. I probably will return before then because I say I'm going to go away and then I don't because I'm just a crazy person. But for now, though, I hope you enjoyed it. Again, thanks to Rich. Thanks to the Lovely Feathers. Thanks to NordVPN. Thanks to the production team. Thanks to all of you. Enjoy your weekend, my friends. I'll talk to you soon. Thank you.