The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz - GBF- Super Week: Bonus Episode

Episode Date: February 9, 2025

Stugotz and Billy close out Super Week with a conversation with Bomani Jones. Bomani talks about getting older, how he found out his place compared to Stephen A. Smith at ESPN and why he loves New Orleans. Dianna Russini joins them to talk about schmoozing and Sarah Spain also stop by. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to Giraffe King's Network. When you sit on your aeroplan points, it's like you're sitting on your next trip, like a sunny getaway by the sea. But instead, you're sitting on your aeroplan points. So the only sea you get to sit in is a sea of traffic. Use your points and go from smelling your ocean breeze air freshener to smelling the ocean breeze. So stop sitting on your next trip and start enjoying your Aeroplan Points.

Clear your schedule for you time with a handcrafted espresso beverage from Starbucks. Savor the new small and mighty Cortado, cozy up with the familiar flavors of pistachio, or shake up your mood with an iced brown sugar oat shaken espresso. Whatever you choose, your espresso will be handcrafted with care at Starbucks. God bless football, Billy Gill. God bless football, Mikey A. God bless football, Stu Gots. Guys, yeah, it's Super Bowl Sunday.

Oh, it's here. It should be on a Saturday. I mean, it's ridiculous. Why are you shaking your head? It's sad. I'm happy it's here, but I'm sad because it's officially over. Because you love football. No one loves it more. Today's the day that it all comes to an end. Does it? For to an end.

Does it? For a few days. And then we get free agency. Yeah. The Saints still need to coach. The Saints still need to coach today. The Combine. They'll have one tomorrow. Will they?

Yeah. That's a Monday. That's a Monday announcement, you're saying? Well, maybe if there's a parade in there, maybe somebody will delay it a day, but they'll have one. Yeah. Did you enjoy the week, Billy, out in New Orleans? Yeah. Yeah.

It was a fun week. Doesn't seem like it was for you. I mean, it's work. That's what it is. It's work. Yeah. I mean, it's a business trip for me. That's why I came. Suit and tie. Right. Plus you love football. Yes. Yeah. I love football. Yeah. It's funny. You were walking football, yes. Yeah, I love football. Yeah, it's funny, you were walking around Radio Row and people, you know, they're asking you all week,

you know, I heard you say you love football, you love football more than anyone, and they were challenging you, saying, no, I love football more than you. People were saying that to me, you didn't hear it. Yeah, yeah. And I laughed at them. No one loves football more than you.

It's exactly right. That's exactly right. They thought they were gonna ruffle my feathers, but I was unruffled because it was a ridiculous claim that they love football more than me. Everybody knows it's not true. Yep. Stu, that's can we do something next year or by next year?

And by we, I mean you. Can we get Billy promoting something on radio row next year? Because I would love to see Billy going up and down, making the rounds. Yes. Pitching something. I think that would be awesome. What are you thinking now? Like football? Just football. You should promote football. Because he loves it so much. You should promote football next year.

I would love to promote football, but like I would also really love to just get a product. And any question, I'd be viewed as probably the worst guest ever. Here's the Austin Eklers over there. I'd be viewed as the worst guest ever, but I would just be promoting the product and I would not ever veer off of the message that we were trying to get across of the product.

I like the idea of you promoting football, Billy. Yeah, you do like the idea. Just walk around with a duke in your hand, and be like, hey, what are you on for? I'm up for football. That idea is great. That idea is great, but also, like. Free football.

What if also, like, I had to just talk about, like, baby wipes the entire time? You know what I mean? Well, that's your dream. That's what I'm saying. That's your dream, right. If you give me a product that I can just talk about, I would love that.

Would that be the number one product? Would it be baby wipes? What would be the number one product for Billy Gill to promote on Radio Row? We're gonna try to make this happen. Not baby wipes. Yes. Because like, I feel like, at least my current situation,

I'm on the way out on the baby wipes, the diapers game. You know what I mean? I feel like I've missed my diaper window. A diaper endorsement would do nothing for me right now. Two years ago would have been fantastic. Oh my god, Pampers. So now fast forward to the next stage of your children's life. Now, now, Pampers, if you're coming in with an endorsement

and we're going to get free diapers, then. Party training can wait. No, I was going to say, if I have to have another kid just to get a diapers endorsement, then maybe it makes sense. I have to look at the books. But if a diaper endorsement is coming, then I'll create a child. William. Should I need to?

Just to get a diaper endorsement? No, if I get the diaper endorsement first, I'll have a child. Should I need to? Just to get a diaper endorsement? No, if I get the diaper endorsement first I'll have a kid. I put the cart before the horse I think. Yeah, most people are like, you know what, should I have another kid? It's like, well I have a diaper endorsement, I need a kid. What am I going to do? Sure. I can't. Oh, you're killing me. All right. I'm going to make it happen. You're going to make what happen? You promoting diapers. Yeah. The same way that you made Shirley Schefter get a phone, whatever it is that you said, phone endorsement and Adam,

a phone. Or on the show. Yeah. Well, I did get her on the show. I mean, but the one the one time. I mean, you guys could feel free to reach out to old Shirley. I mean, she's a friend. to reach out to old Shirley. I mean, come on. She's a friend. I don't want to bother her. I know you had that moment on the cruise.

I know there's prime cruise season for her. I don't want to hold her up, you know? Promoting diapers. I'm trying to think of some sort of thing. Like, how would Sports Radio host ask you about the diapers? It'd be odd here at Radio Road. No one's ever promoted diapers ever.

It wouldn't be because there was someone walking around. I know of at least one person that was walking around promoting toilet paper. So, like it's not the, there's no weird things to promote at Radio Row. The obvious graduation from the diaper promotion. Toilet paper. Yeah.

Right, it's the next stage. You're right. Good point, Mikey. I wanted to have the person on just to see how we're gonna be talking about toilet paper the entire time, you know what I mean? Because he's a prominent person. Is there some sort of promotion that comes along

with the diaper promotion, like Super Bowl promotion? Who's gonna **** themselves? Dude. He's giving me that look. I'm sorry. So am I. But I can feel it. I'm not even looking at you.

But he's sitting right next to me and I deserve it. Belmonti Jones, Diana Racini, Sarah Spade. What? They're going to get you ready along with me and Billy. Individually. And then maybe a little bit together. All together. All together?

All together. Wow. What a Super Bowl Sunday, huh? They are going to help get you ready. The biggest game in the history of games. I don't think we talked about the Game 1s. We didn't. But it was a good hang. It's next.

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Sounds like you're at the top of your financial game. Rise to it with the BMO Eclipse Rise Visa Card. The credit card that rewards your good financial habits. Unpoints for paying your credit card bill in full and on time every month. Level up from bill payer to reward slayer. Terms and conditions apply. An old friend and a friend of the show. He's not old. I'm old. Belmont Jones is with us here. Nah, brother. I'm pretty old, too. I had a moment yesterday

where I met a young woman. She's an up-and-coming reporter and she went to my alma mater. And she asked me when I graduated and I said 2001 and I did a quick hit of math that indicated, I don't think she was born. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. And then she's like, you know,

so people know this is kind of a fun joke. Stu Gotts went to Clark University. Yes, I did. I went to Clark Atlanta University, which is like the difference between Somalia and Samoa. They sound very similar, but they are actually vastly different. It used to be Clark College, and then it was Clark College

and then university, and they merged. And she asked me if I went to school before they merged. They merged in 1988. Oh. Oh. So now? Yeah, and I'm just trying to figure out, how old do you think I am?

Yesterday, I went to the casino and it says the date. It's like you had to be born by XX date 2004. I saw that. I had that same moment yesterday. 2004. I had that same moment yesterday. Or how about this? I did an event in North Carolina last weekend.

And it was with Tyler Hansbrough and Marcus Ginyard, who played for the 2009 National Championship team. They came into school in 2005, which would be 20 years ago. Right. And all of that like this I have to stop doing math on years. Right. It's got to live. I gotta take people as they are hope they do the same. That's all that's that's what I need. Psycho T huh? Psycho T man, Psycho T was pretty cool. What an odd event for you to be. Well it's not really. know, it's like, you know, it's like Psycho T, huh? Psycho T, man. Psycho T was pretty cool. What an odd event for you to be.

Well, it's not really. If anyone who knows you, right? Yeah, I mean, I mean, it's back where I used to work. You know, it's the event and everything. Yes, it made perfect sense. But yeah, at the same time, it's like, oh, these are not all

these guys grownups. They damn near 40 years old. Well, Monty, you look good, though. I appreciate that. I mean, you don't look a day over 28. I'll take that. I'll take that. I totally. I'll take it. He doesn't. I'll take it. You'll take him wherever you can get him from me. Yeah. Even if I'm

lying to you. Yeah. Look, I don't mind people like leaning in on the fact of being a little bit older. What I want though that doesn't happen any more for older people is I want my god damn respect. Yeah. Right. That's all but they just

out here calling us and everything else. Now, once have they gotten up and given me a seat on the subway, right? Whatever happened to sir? When's the last time somebody said, sir? If someone stood up and said, take my seat on the subway, you'd be incredibly insulted. You would.

No, no, no. No, I'm far too bottom line oriented. Here, sir. Take my seat. Yes, sir. Let me help you, sir. Yeah. Feel free.

Because if they give it up, they seat. There ain't no seats. Right. And I would like a seat. Okay. You're, I'm taking the seat. Have you gotten emails yet for social security? Hasn't happened. Hasn't happened. Oh, it's the worst. Hasn't happened. I delete them as quickly as possible. Oh yeah, but that'd be- How about AARP? But the difference is, you're old. I, well, yes. I am actually old. Like you're there. Yeah, you're more than old. I don, yes, I am actually like you're there. You're you're you're you're you're more than I don't look at day under sixty. You shaved

today. You got I did shave. Yes. Why this is the last day you look good the whole I'm going to see my family after this. Yeah, but like like I'm looking at you though and I'm like did you save it like four in the morning? I did. They came right

back. I shaved it like midnight last night. You're like you're the Homer Simpson. We're like you do the shave and the next thing you know, it's just right back Billy do I look younger? No, really? No, you just like you look more like you tried today. Yeah, which is interesting because It's the last thing you're headed out exactly right. That's what I like to do Billy. It's the last impression that matters That's I was about to say that's some super con man right there. Just close with a flourish

Right. That's my move in u right there. Just close with a flourish. That's my move in Ubers every time. The last three minutes of the trip, I'm like, now is the time to start a conversation. You act interested? Yeah. You know what? You just made me realize that maybe I've

become a bit more of a bourgeois character than I wished it to be, because I definitely hit that don't talk to me button in the Uber. I had become New York. Oh. I was in North Carolina. People were talking to me in the hotel on the street, and I was like,

why are these people? That's right. In most places, civilized people speak to each other. They're nice about it. Yes. Yes. The Right Time with Bomani Jones. Check it out wherever you get your podcast.

You're a joy to that, man. How long ago did you start that podcast? I started the podcast seven years ago. As a radio show was started 10 years ago. We started that right when you guys went to the midday shift. So it's just wild to think that that was 10 years ago. Again, I gotta stop using numbers. It's not helping myself sustain.

But no, the pod, it's cool. It's still rolling. I gotta find me something else to do. But in the meantime, it's still rolling. What do you wanna do? Something else. Well. But in the meantime, it's still. What do you want to do? Something else. Well, no, the thing I tell people is that I got to do Game Theory on HBO for two seasons.

And it was literally the dream job. It was like, what happens when your culmination of life's work comes in your 42? I got to find something else that feels like something, kind of charges. That was the first time I else that feels like something. That was the first time I recall that I did something that I wasn't sure, oh, I got this. Now, granted, some of the things I was like, I got this.

That is odd for you, man. I didn't have. Yes. But it was like, you know what? I need to try something. I'm not going to do something that has the potential to go catastrophically bad. Nobody else had made the format work.

I appreciated the challenge of getting to do that, and now I got to find something else that's kind of challenging. Yeah, so what do you do after you've reached your dreams? That's a great question. It's like an NFL player. Right. Like, what do you do after you reach your dreams at the age of 30?

Well, you'll hate this comparison, but I don't know how much you saw of any of that Aaron Rogers thing. I have not seen it. That was like, it's really good. Well, I didn't finish it. Like, you know what? Well, I did, though.

Everyone I've spoken to is like, I got through two, and then like three, I was like, I got it. I got the point. But like, the first episode and a half was basically that. It was basically like, he worked hard. He thought he wanted to do this the whole time. Then he wins the Super Bowl, and he's like, now what? I don't feel anything.

You know what I mean? Like, I thought this would be the greatest feeling in the world. Now I don't feel anything. Now what do I do? No, that happens to a lot of people. And it has happened to somebody I know very well. And what happens when the thing you thought

would feel like that doesn't feel like that? Like the thing I do have to say for me on the game theory situation is it did feel like that. Like I had a, when we were in North Carolina. Can you describe that feeling though? It just felt what? It felt like, it just felt big. It felt...

It felt like an accomplishment of sorts. Okay. Like I remember the first episode we shot, we shot without a studio audience. Okay. So the only people there are like my, people who work on the show, my brother came, my agent came, like a couple of those people.

And you know, they do. And they do it big. One thing about working at ESPN that I realize is, ESPN really treats being on television like a job. You clock in, you clock out. There isn't that much of a feeling of grandeur around what you do typically. And so your first show. Kind of lonely, you're right.

Your first show on a TV show, for lack of a better term. And like the last episode of the season, they do the same thing. So you come out, and it's a cake, and it's champagne, and everybody's toasting it up. And I remember I stood there with my agent,

and so this is 2022. So we've been working together now for... Using years again, Bo. Yeah, but this is important here. We've been doing this for 11 or 12 years. And we just stood there. Right. And we were just next to each other.

I just remember everybody's had my hand on his shoulder. And we were just looking at it like, it happened. You know? Remembering what it was like to sit in the HBO offices 10 years before that. And the guy's like, hey, man, I'm looking for a sports bill Maher. And I'm like, baby, I'm right here.

I know you're not going to believe it, because I'm the one that's telling you. And it actually happened, you know? And then it was fun. And then it was okay, well, now we're going to find a different thing to do. And now we find within it, like they had me working with a coach to help with my presentation

and all of this stuff. So, you know, when he said all these things go, and so I felt like I got it done. And when it ended, I didn't feel bad at all. It was like, what are you talking about? Why would I look at this through the standpoint of an ending as opposed to what it really was, was I got two years of this.

I don't own this. Nobody took anything from me. Two years of your dream. Yeah, every year was an opportunity. And so for me, it was great. But then it becomes like, all right, man, I got to get something that comes close to that again, right? Like I got cool with Ta-Nehisi Coates over the years and what I admire about him is he's done comic books,

he's done novels, he has done things by his own admission that could have gone wrong, but he needs that. Right. He needs that feeling that this might not go because otherwise you're not pushing yourself to the place that you want to be. If you were given more time, do you think you would have made that show work in the way that you really wanted it to work? Yeah, well I- Or did you arrive there already? I think we could have gotten better. I think that we were largely in the places

that we wanted to be, but I would have gotten better. Right. I am not a comedian. Like when I first had the meetings with the people about it and I looked at their deck, the way I sold them on the show was I was like, look man, this deck is for a comedian. I am not a comedian, but I am the person for this show. And so it was a matter of learning how to bridge the gap.

And so I'm working with all these standups who write for the show. And I got a coach that comes in and helps me. And I was improving at what we were doing. Cause like we did 16 episodes of Game Theory. That means I had the opportunity to do that literally 17 times, a test shoot. And then you can't do an episode

without turning the clock on. So the only episodes are the ones you see. So that means there's no practice. So it was, we were getting better. We just did TV the year that they literally stopped making television. Rider Strike, merger of the company, everything else. They literally stopped making television. Right. Rider Strike, merger of the company, everything else. Yeah.

They just stopped making television. But no, man, it was great. I don't mean to stay on memory lane on that. No, no, I enjoyed it. But for me, it was a great time. I'm enjoying it. I'm just trying to think because I know you pretty well. And it doesn't need to be sports.

What is that thing that's going to replace that feeling that you had while doing that show? It doesn't have to be inside of sports. Yeah. Well, I need to write a book. Yeah. Like I got an idea. Like me. Yeah. Do you realize I'm not going to lie to you?

That was a moment that I said to myself, dude, come on, man. You know what I'm saying? No disrespect, but the gods beat you to the book. Right? I don't know how Dan comes to work every day with that knowledge, right? I'm one of the best sports writers of my generation. And here's the still, the author. Thank you. You know, that's when you start specifying this author. comes to work every day with that knowledge, right? I'm one of the best sports writers of my generation. And here's the author.

Thank you. There's, you know, that's when you start specifying this author, John Weiner. Thank you. Best selling author. Thank you. That's right. That's right.

Publisher. Yeah, it's publisher. Ed McCaffrey quickly corrected him. He's like, did you actually write? He's like, well, no. He's like, so you published the book. I admire you for telling him the truth. Thank you.

I appreciate it. Because you definitely did not just tell it to me. No, I did not. I'm not mad. I'm not mad. It's like that Emmy I got. I didn't win it. I got it. You probably wrote more for Sagaz's book than I did. Did you? They sent me. One of the things I love. I remember just if we're going to take a stroll down memory lane, okay? One of the things I loved is when we were at ESPN and somehow you would because you would do a weekly show with us. Yes. One of the things I loved is when we were

at ESPN and somehow you would because you would do a weekly show with us. Yes. And on the day that you were coming in, Dan announced that he wasn't coming in. Yes. And I remember how nervous everyone was that me and you were gonna do a show

together. Yes. And it turned out, I think, at least for, I think for both of us, it turned out to be as fun as anything we did at ESPN. Well, first of all, I have to say that both of us should be Deathly offended by the idea that they were afraid and I'm trying to remember who exactly was afraid right? Well started with Dan I think Like buddy, I don't know how to break this to you, but I do this

Yeah, number one. I do this number two, you've been doing this for quite a long time. Now, number three, I think the part that they were probably most afraid of, which did come to fruition to a certain degree, was like, are these guys going to be talking about weed? And the answer was, if it comes up. And it came up. It did. It did indeed. Often. It did. Hey man, you know? No, that was a, I do remember doing that show. That was a good one. one see the thing that people don't realize is that early on? I don't know if you guys I guess you probably talked about this in a roundabout but not specifically but early on when it came to

ESPN skipper had the bright idea that he was gonna switch me in for you to do that radio show and all Three of us were like no That is not a good idea At all we're not uh-uh But at the same time I I was kind of like, I better would have got a raise. Yeah, you would have. Yeah, I would have got a raise, but somebody would have died.

Yeah. I don't know which person would have died. Wait, so you're taking me out of the equation. It's just you and Dan. Me and Dan going from doing a TV show to doing a radio show. Totally different thing. Somebody would have died. But it'd just been all day.

Right. It had been all day of me being cold. Yeah. Like, y'all still keep the office deathly cold? It's not as bad, but the Clevelander was freezing. Yeah. Just checking. I remember the first day.

It's a bit warmer at the house. Well, the air's always broken. Yeah. But I had it. The alarm goes off. I had a day I came into the Gleamander, like when we first got there. And I was like, cool, I'll wear shorts to work.

And I was in pain by the end of the radio show that I was doing. My legs hurt. Like, I felt like the hair on my legs was going to fracture and break. What I loved about you as a guest co-host, we talked about this on The Oral History, is you didn't give a bleep what we wanted to talk about. We were talking about what you wanted to talk about.

And quite frankly, after one episode, I realized we better be talking about what Polanyi wants to talk about because it's more interesting. Well, the problem I had is I had this great misunderstanding about the dynamic of this show where I thought it was a show where everybody made jokes about everybody only to realize it was actually a show where Dan made jokes about everybody, only to realize it was actually a show where Dan made jokes about everybody

and everybody made jokes about you. And then I come in here trying to play along and people over there getting their feelings hurt. And I was just like, hey, you guys wanna talk about some other stuff? But no, you are correct. I come to shoot. Are you saying we're a sensitive group?

Cause I'm not, for sure. You are not. I am saying that're a sensitive group? Because I'm not, for sure. You are not. I am saying that. I just stuff it away somewhere inside. I mean. You honestly can. It's a little worrisome, to be honest.

It's healthy, Easter guys. Keep bottling it up. It's not healthy at all. Yeah, I'm just saying I showed up, and I realized some things landed with different people in ways that I did not feel I was getting the benefit of the doubt for having a little levity with the situation.

Maybe my hands are heavy, you know what I mean? But that was a time. Yeah. Did you enjoy it that time? I did. It was the fit. Like I always said, I took up a little bit too much space. Like I'm not a per...

For people who enjoy the notion of chaos, my time there made sense, but I was fully aware of the fact that the fit wasn't exactly the most perfect. And God bless Dan, because he was trying to work in my stuff, with y'all stuff, like having my guy Mike come in and stuff like that. And it was just like, we just- And you know I tried to back off a lot when you came in. No, you didn't. Yes, because I wanted to give you that space. Yeah, we were just dancing to a different beat. The irony of it all is my chemistry with you in a radio sense is much better than my chemistry with Dan

in a radio space. But that ain't how that dynamic y'all got works. Y'all got a with show. So we couldn't just slide it in there. That was, I think, the part that people realized when we did that show together. Oh, no, we actually have a little bit more of similar wave left.

Yes, well, I think it's like two al, like two alphas, you know, you and Dan, right? Yeah. Yeah. No, I just I come to shoot. I readily acknowledge. I've got your shots. Yeah. But if you tell me it's my team, I will distribute. If you do, it's kind of like Kyrie Irvin type basketball. Like if you tell Kyrie he's in charge, you'll get people to ball. Yeah. Somebody else is in charge. Like, hey, man, just let me know you're ready for me to shoot. Right. Like a higher gun. I put this thing up. Like, why did you bring? Why did you bring me people to ball. Yeah. Somebody else is in charge. Like, hey, man, just let me know you're ready for me to shoot. Right. Like a hired gun.

I put this thing up. Like, why did you bring me here to set picks? Yeah. Doesn't make a lot of sense. I always looked at it like, hey, Belmont is here. I don't have to do as much today. This is great. Yeah.

To be honest, that's what Dan realized about the television show when I got there. He was like, oh, wait a minute. There's somebody that doesn't mind doing responsible things? Sure. I'll go first on this topic if you think it's best. All right. I love you, Bo.

I love you too, man. Yeah, there we go. You love New Orleans. I love New Orleans. Is this your favorite Super Bowl city? I don't have that much Super Bowl experience. I've seen you out and about. You're walking down.

You're in the French Quarter. Billy ran into you last night. Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no. I felt so bad about that. They came like across town, I'm like, I need to go in five minutes. No, no, no, we were just walking anyway. My thing I always say about New Orleans is there's two ways to look at New Orleans. It would be awful if it wasn't so awesome, or it would be awesome if it wasn't so awful.

And I lean in on the awesome part. Yeah. I lean in, and of course, just, I want every black woman that lives here to talk to me as long as she wants. Drag out those vowels and those syllables. I don't, yeah, no, no, no. Read the terms and conditions to me.

I can't get enough of it. Good gracious. What have you been getting into, my buddy? You know, do a little Super Bowl partying here and there. Show up at a couple of spots. Yeah. Unannounced, of course, right? No invitation?

No. I had an invitation to a couple. My agent got me on a couple of lists. But, no, doing that, it's for me, and I think you guys probably feel a measure of this, too. Like, when you do radio or something like that, that like grounds you in a studio, you don't get that much time to actually be amongst

your peers and you don't have the greatest grasp. Not even on like who rocks with you, but like who even knows who you are. And so it's kind of affirming for me to have these moments where I'm walking past and see somebody who I feel is important or that I feel good about in that way. And and see somebody who I feel is important or that I feel good about in that way. And they see, and I haven't even met them, and they walk up to me with a familiarity

that speaks to like a measure of respect. And you kind of, you need to, I'm at a place in my life where I could be more honest about the need and the, not so much need, but at least their appreciation for that kind of affirmation. Yeah, but it means we're getting old because I get a lot of that when I'm here as well and it feels good especially from the younger, you know, point. It's no longer radio row by the way, it's digital row. Yes.

You know? That is a great point. Yes. Yeah, it's sad. Yes. Yeah, you know, like, I still, I don't do radio anymore because it's hard, but we're radio-ish, you know? Not even just radio, but like you were talking about your TV journey.

I don't think people realize that watch on TV that around the horn you're sitting in a closet. You're not in a nice TV studio. By yourself. There were many times I was sitting right next to the HQ desk, remember? No, at the Clevelander it was a pull-down screen. You're at school and they used to pull down the map.

That's what the background was for Around the Horn. So when I did it for Raleigh, because one of the things that was interesting was they booked it for me like I was going to be doing it for one day when I was there, and then I stuck around for like two and a half years. And so it started that I was in this room, and it was a real big deal for the folks at Raleigh,

because there was a picture behind me of the city. And so their city was getting put on. Like, you look at the cities that were around the horn, they were all very large, they were getting put on. But it was a picture that had the jail in it. And so then people kind of requested that maybe they could put a different picture back there. And then as things got better

and they got like a dedicated fiber-optic line or whatever, then they moved me into a bit of a closet, but it was my closet. So I would just keep like three sport coats and three shirts and just rotate them around and do that. And then when I got to Miami, yeah, it was closet game. And to Cleveland, when I went to Cleveland, it was the other side of the room.

Right. Right. And what is supposed to closet? It was the other side of the room. But you are right. There is nothing charming about doing it. Well, even in DC, where like Reali was doing the show, like if you're doing the show from DC,

it was actually in the tape closet. Oh, awesome. You had to go around the camera to go get like tape reels and stuff like that if you wanted to use archived footage. No, no, no. You're in the way. So try this. So before they moved into the Seaport,

it was at the Times Square Studio. And that was literally, that felt more like closet than anything and Reali was in a closet. So where reality used to do the paper toss He would throw a paper airplane from here to the edge of that table They had him in was that small, right? Yeah, then I got to the Seaport and everything kind of opened up a little bit It did open up a bit the thing that was so interesting about the seaport and I remember if anybody's really talked about this But it was like an office controversy because they didn't build a lot of offices clearly whoever they consulted to build the place

They missed out on some details. So everybody's just in like this open, you know, the like walls. Yeah, like open seating, right? Yeah, that's like that they were built to when I was like open concepts work right great, right Billy I was doing our show from there and like was speaking out and they were bothered by me. Because I'm screaming. Because they can hear you through there. But the thing about the open table setup is that works for a lot of offices. It's a little weird for a bunch of people on television. And then it's only a couple of offices.

So now one person gets an office and now another person is jealous of the office. And now an executive is giving up his office because you need to keep the ego straight nobody gave a good goddamn if I had an office just to be clear I was sitting there with my troops I don't know how much they liked it they might have wished I had an office yeah but there was like no office setup so it was like a lot of what went on there that radio studio you talk about but I used to do mine from the podcast room to call it the huddle room right it was just a little closet with a desk if I I had a guest, somebody would be sitting right there.

And then with Stephen A would be doing his radio show in there, especially when somebody did something that made him mad. He'd get charged up. Everybody was hearing that radio show. Yes, it was not the original plan. I think it was Greeny, Stephen A. I will never forget this. I guess it's fair to tell this story at this point It's been long enough All right the first take moved in the office after we had moved in because they didn't start doing that show until like September of

18 from the office and we started in June and I call myself like, you know trying to put Stephen Hay on game I'm like, hey man, you need to you know, make sure you get you a good desk, you know, cuz this stuff is going fast He's like me. no, I got an office. And to me, that was a moment that simply said, we are not the same. I have no, I had no problem with my place in that hierarchy, but I understood we are not the same. Just try to be a good friend.

Hey, you know what, if you want to come eat lunch with us. You're as ridiculous as I sound, right? Like that's the, that's the A man. you know what? I'm not trying to be a good friend. Hey, you know what? If you want to come eat lunch with us. You're ridiculous. I sound like that's the that's the man. You know, I got this 10% off coupon, right? Right. You know, go down to subway. They give you 10% off

and Stephen A is like, yeah, subway, subway, the subway, all things that Stephen A has no concept of in the year of our Lord 2018, let alone now. Oh, man. Uh Balmati, what do you make of the uh like the entire the . . .

. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . ..... and over time has a setup right over there. Yeah. Over the brown, the brown, the bounty paper towel. I have people just sticking phones in my face

and they're asking me to say stuff and I don't know where it's going and who I'm talking to. Yes, as if I do a fit check with me and it's my boy so I did it, but I'm like, do you see my clothes? Do I look like I'm like being fast? But no, but over time got a setup over there and I walk over there.

Travis Hunter is over there hosting his show. Yes. So Cam Newton as a guest and there hosting his show. Yes, so cool. Cam Newton as a guest and somebody else. On one hand, so cool. On the other hand, it's a little bananas. He hasn't even played a game. Right. Right?

Yes. God bless him. I'm not mad at him at all. But that's kind of a wild idea and concept. And I want to ask all of them, like I asked Cameron on Game Theory. He was the last guest that we had. And I was like, it's wild, man.

When I was in college, we was all trying to get like you. When did Game Theory, he was the last guest that we had, and I was like, it's wild, man, when I was in college, we was all trying to get like you, when did you decide you wanted to get like me? And that's when we need to actually start telling all these ballplayers, get like me. Right. They also, they all trying to get like me. They all trying to get like,

that doesn't mean you should tell them all, you the one trying to get like me now, what you think, and you think you better, this year hard, ain't it? You should've just walked over and taken Travis Hunter's seat, you know what I mean? Yeah, yes.

Hey, let me show you what a pro is. Excuse me, young man. Exactly. Come up off that seat. Yep. Yes. Yes. I am.

Call me sir. Yeah, you're doing a great job of sounding younger. Exactly. I ain't trying to sound younger. See, that's the thing that I got a problem with, with people of our age and ill. Yeah. Is I put in the work to get here.

Correct. Like, Black Thought, I've got the work to get here. Correct. Like Black Thought, I've got a lot. A growing ass man, I done paid my dues. Learn the rules, little homie. You can be one too. I got here. I'm ready. When does this start paying off?

Because I can't do young as well as they do young. I'm not going to get nothing out of that. He doesn't have a problem with being old, Stu Gots. He just wants all the benefits of being old. That's what I'm saying! Of course, yes! What happens, like, I'm supposed to get a measure of respect and of truly functioning society.

Right. Unc, that's just your excuse to act like that. You're not, I'm trying to think of the best way to describe this, but you're not putting anything in when you call me unc. You were just calling me old with no respect behind it. I ain't with that. I want to be clear though, because Travis Hunter has no broadcast experience.

Are you saying he should be ashamed of himself? Absolutely not. Took an easy path? No. They have it easier now. Get in where you fit in. I have no problem with him. That's the thing.

I have no reason to hate on these dudes. And most of the athletes that I come across who go into this space care about being good, want to be good, and especially football players. Football players are very coachable, right? And they ask for help and all of this stuff. And I have all the respect in the world for anybody that is truly working.

I did a Gerald McCoy show right over there for Yahoo the other day. And I was so impressed that he's doing a three camera shoot. And he's like, am I going to two? I'm going to one. I'm going here. And so yeah, go ahead and put in that grind. What I'm saying is, they're getting in this,

and it's going like everybody that's ever hosted a radio show, where you threw your whole first segment, two minutes later, your outline is gone. Everybody's ever taught a class. Everybody's ever hosted this. I think a lot of them are getting to learn that the job that we do is way harder than they thought it was and I do think what it will result in is a certain increased level of respect. Right. For the work that we have done and dedicated our lives to. I love that you're looking for that respect as you get older, Balmonte. What else do I get out of it? It's important to me as well. It really is. My back hurts. You know what I'm saying?

My knees ain't so great. Oh, my knees are terrible. Yeah, all of this stuff. The least I could do is get somebody to treat me nice. I know. Getting up has never been harder. It has never been more difficult. There's Diana Rusini.

Poopsity! Wow. Diana dressed like she on Bobby Jones gospel. That's a Sunday morning BET fit right there. Look at them shoes. They sparkling. Oh God. I've been thinking for like 20 minutes. Should I ask him about the game? There's no point in asking.

Hey man, here's I tell you about the game. It's the second time in three years. It's the same people, but the black man can't lose. We got to decide who to root for. We can't just all pick the same person. Right okay here comes Diana Rossini. Hey there. I think we got one right here. Did you hear what Balmonte said? No it's like BET Sunday morning gospel shoes. I can't tell which feline pattern that is. Is it peacock or leopard? I couldn't figure it out. I feel like it's got more gir in it than peacock. You look great.

Is this too much? I mean, did you shower? No, no, no. No, no, you're good. Did I shower? I showered and I shaved. How about that? Yes.

Wow, what a, I'm a little afraid that I didn't notice when we took me off that he didn't shower. Like, is he reeking? No, no, he actually smells great. I had three heaters walking in, I mean. You gotta cut that out of the way. What were you gonna say? Go ahead, I know I did. No, no, he actually smells great. I had three heaters walking in, I mean. What were you gonna say? Go ahead. I know I did. No, I was just trying to bring it. It's the last day of Radio Row, so I'm a little sad. This was one of my favorite weeks down here. This was great.

It was buzzing yesterday. It really was. I mean, it dies down every Friday at Super Bowl, you know, during Super Bowl week, but yesterday was a fantastic day down here. It was cracking yesterday. There were people everywhere. Who'd you get on? Everyone. Really? Yeah, I had a good day yesterday. Well, who's everyone?

Joe Burrow did you get? Yeah, of course I got Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow, you're... Joe Burrow didn't come to Scoop City. I wish he did. He walked right by that thing. I was like, Joe, Joe. He just got walked off. Did Miles Geary come to complain about his bosses with you?

He did not, and he blew me off on the red carpet last night. So I'm 0 for 2 at Miles. Wow, really? Oh, yeah. What'd you do to Miles? Oh, uh, I don't know. Put on a hit piece. Just make some stuff up about him.

Yeah, right? He's from Dallas. They're like that. No, he's cool. I just think he was worn out by all the, uh. Oh, he thought that he could make a trade request and then just have a leisurely day? Why would he do that the day before he was worn out by all the... Oh, he thought that he could make a trade request and then just have him leisurely take that. Like the day before he was coming to do media

and then expecting no one to ask him stuff. That's brilliant. I would not have cared really to talk to him as much as I was trying to talk to him if that didn't happen. He gave me a reason to go run after him. I know his handler's like, well, give me a heads up on the topics.

I go, you really think? What do you think? I'm gonna ask ask about his shoes? Like, what? I think what that whole thing teaches us is nobody wishes he was 6'8 more than Miles Garrett so he could actually be a basketball player. Like, he's really good at basketball.

His brother played in the NBA. And that was such an NBA move that he made. And I'm like, hey, we all have dreams, buddy. Right? You want to be traded? We all have dreams buddy, right? Like you wanna you wanna be traded. We all have dreams. Well, Max Crosby was down on

the floor yesterday too and I was I was wondering if he's thinking about the Miles Garrett move, maybe that's something he would do and I don't think he is but um I'm certain that he ball. Why would you wanna stay there where he is? No no state

income tax. Yeah. I mean, that's one reason but but that team is so far away from winning the way he is. There he is. No like you work out during Super Bowl week he's like I work out every day I bring my meals too he brings his meals here because he wants to stay in shape and just the way you do you pack a little lunch avoid all the fat. No one knows me better than you. Well Marty's feeling a little bit old today. OK, I don't know why. But you showed those back. Feel this. Come on and embrace it.

I'm old as hell. Yeah. But I'm older than you. I'm old as hell. My birthday's on Tuesday. Yeah. But I'm still. Who cares?

Like, two guys, the oldest person here. By far, yes. I'm number two in this case. I don't feel old, but my back feels old. Right. And your knees. And your knees. Try wearing heels around this city.

Couldn't do it. I've been stuck in potholes. Oh, yeah, I'm about to say. I look like a deer on ice walking around. Yeah, this city ain't maintained well enough for you to be stunting on them. I've got to tell you, she's everywhere. Because randomly, I just got a picture of me smoking a heater on her street quarter.

And she texted it to me. I'm like, where are you? I'm like, I'm just running. I look up, and there he is. I'm like, oh my goodness, of all people just out there. Me and Diana was hanging out at the Kelsey party the other night. Yeah, where were you?

At Man Flavor Flay. Oh, really? No, he was hanging out at the Kelsey Brothers party. It was a good time again. It was great to see you. Sometimes these parties can be stuffy with executives. And it has this vibe of media people trying to be great and get another job.

And it had that feel there. So when I saw Balmany, he was like, oh, fine. Just talk to someone. You needed him, yes. Let's just hang out. Is there a normal person here? You always need to be with me in a schmooze fest, because I have this thing where I don't

know what job anybody does. I stay saying wild shit in front of very powerful people. Like at ESPN, I never knew who did what job. I know names, you might be important. They say you work over here. I look down at titles. I'm like, you're a vice president or what? Like, I don't know what job anybody does.

So you get me in those parties, especially now. I ain't got to lose. I'm saying anything. I will say I was reflecting on some of the conversations I've been having. And man, I've lost my touch at schmoozing. Really? After about two questions in.

I don't think you've lost your touch. I think you're just tired of it. I am tired of it. But I black out. Like, I don't know where I go. I don't know how to take it to that next level where it's a good conversation. I've done a good job of avoiding the when did you

get in conversation, and then who do you got on Sunday Sunday but then I don't really know where to go. Billy are you any good-ish moosin cuz I know students are fairly excellent. I'm the greatest of all time. Someone last night just came out to me and was like hey it's good to see you. How's your marriage? Oh! I'm like at this moment not great. Yesterday it was spectacular.

How well does this person know you? Not that well. I went to a marriage. I would make the point. But I kept thinking, what was the right answer? What did he want to hear? What's the goal there? What is he hoping to hear?

What's the next question after that? This is what he was hoping to hear. How's your marriage going? Depends on who's asking. Yeah. It's done now? It's over? Right. What do you mean? That's what that means. I called Diana by mistake at like 1231. She thought I was making a booty call.

I see you the next time I go, Stu. Can't do that. We're not doing that. You can't be calling me like that. That's me. Yes. But here's the thing. You would think I'd go, Stu's calling me late. Maybe something's wrong. No, I looked at him. I was like, I was thinking about this. Yeah.

Yeah. Yo, yo, you can't. I used to work with some. Everything OK? I remember being like, did I tell him where my hotel was? I hope I didn't. No, I used to work with somebody who had that habit of calling at any hour.

And I'm like, look, man, it didn't get me in trouble. But I know some other people that'd be like, hey, you gots to chill. So I got this kind of nickname with my friends. I call it PPT. It's Parcells Power Text. So if you give the great Bill Parcells a call and he takes time out of his day to talk to you,

it's an honor and he's been so helpful in my career. But if Bill calls you, you better answer because he is going to blow your phone up. So he's, he's that booty call that is relentless. I once was on TV and I had like six missed calls and I'm like, Oh my God, Bill Parcells, he must be sick. So I'm like, coach, are you all right? He's like, yeah. Why didn't you pick up? I'm like, put your TV on. I'm not seeing you.

No, man. He don't care, man. I'm working. That's an old people thing. That is an old people thing. I had to tell my mom, like, hey, we can't do this back to this back to back thing. You know.

But this back to back call thing, you're too old to do that because I, worst case scenario-back call thing. Right. You're too old to do that because I, worst case scenario was on the board. Right. It is in my parents are in their 80s. Oh, wow, we did a switch out. Sarah Spade's here. No, I'm still Billy Gill.

Yeah, I know. Worst case scenario was on the table with your parents in their 80s. A better looking Billy Gill. That's very nice. I don't know about that. Billy's striking. What's going on?

Is he really? Well, he got party voice of Friday of Super Week and just hanging out by a thread. How about you guys? Same. Same. It's no Gronk vote. I'm doing better than that day. Oh, you did do the Gronk vote.

That was awesome. That was one of the strongest interviews I've ever done. You could hear about one of every eight words I tried to say. I've got Gronk today. It's the first time I've ever... Really? It's the first time I've interviewed him since he hasn't been playing. Now that he's a hardcore analyst?

Yes. Is he still going to be wearing it? I saw him and Drew Brees is over there wearing them. Drew too today. Bounty paper towel jackets. Yeah. And I'm just like, wow, you got to feel a little bit ridiculous, right?

Aren't you rich enough? I was going to say, if I got paid enough, I would feel great. I would want to see Gronk. We all would. I'll wear whatever. But if Gronk's I would feel great. I would want to see Rob. We all would. I'll wear whatever. But if Grog's doing bounty, don't go with the green theme. Get him into an Alda Toolman shirt, like the bounty paper towel man.

Not the jacket? Take it all away. I have Sean Stilado, the agent for Tommy DeVito. He's texting me like, I have influence over the people at bounty. He wants one of the jackets. He keeps asking me. I saw Spy versus Spy.

So odd. That tells you the type of agent he is. No, I'm not saying the Spy vs Spy dude, right? Yeah. Like I saw him over there, I'm like, we're still doing this? Yeah, I was listening to Amina Podcast from Radio Row and she's like, who's that? In the middle of her question, she's like, oh, Tommy DeVito's agent. It was like she couldn't focus on continuing to talk because whatever he wore... I couldn't believe it. You mean he wore the same thing he wore all the time?

Yeah. I was like, I did not know he was still doing this. Guess what? You. Whatever he wore. I couldn't believe it. You mean he wore the same thing he wore all the time? Yeah. I did not know he was still doing this. Guess what? You know who he is. I don't know his name. Now he's trying to pull a stew on Stew. Yeah. Whatever he's doing.

A bounty jacket. Otherwise, why would I know Tommy DeVito's agent or expect him to demand anything from Stew? Has it gotten him a client? Because I'm not getting a dude wearing that Dick Tracy hat. That's revving me. Bo, you know me so well How do you think I responded to stilados request for a jacket?

I got you My guy Give you posted I'll say this though. Anytime. I Don't know the Masters like I have no idea because all the people he's seen wearing it have been DJ Moore, Real Madunze, Drew Brees. Let me be part of the, it's like people, maybe they want that Duncan sweatsuit. It's just me, Affleck.

Or he gives it to Tommy DeVito and he tells everybody else in a rather gotsy move that I got Tommy DeVito. A bounty deal. So it's funny you say that. A friend of mine suggested that we do that. So let's say I take a picture of this water bottle, right? Post it, and then say, thanks, Aquafina. So everyone thinks that Aquafina is my sponsor.

It's like a way, you're being proactive about it. So then they say, oh, she must like our product. So maybe that's what he's trying to do. He's gonna be proactive about it. I need to start doing that. It worked for Mike Gundy. He should start doing this. He got on TV and talked about that one crazy people news channel and then they started sending them shots. I do a lot more Stu Gatzean where it's not setting up the sponsors. I just post about things I like until they send me stuff. Yes, that's the

way to do it. Alright, I love all three of you. I have to get out of here.