The Herd with Colin Cowherd - The Lovable Reunion - Kris Bryant on his MAGICAL 2016 MLB MVP year & Cubs World Series + Ross & Rizzo's HILARIOUS hazing

Episode Date: April 16, 2026

This week on The Lovable Reunion podcast, David Ross and Anthony Rizzo are joined by former Chicago Cubs teammate and NL MVP Kris Bryant to look back at their magical 2016 title run and Bryant’s baseball career. The trio breaks down the epic World Series Game 5 at Wrigley Field, Joe Maddon’s leadership, hilarious clubhouse stories, what it felt like to beat the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 to become MLB champions, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Anthony Rizzo, David Ross, Chris Bryant. Welcome back to another episode of Loveable Reunion. I'm Anthony Rizzo, my partner, David Ross, joined by 2016 MVP, Chris Bryant. Welcome to the show. Can you believe it's been 10 years?

Yeah. Been on quite a journey since then. Yeah, I can. Yeah. But, no, it's been cool to see everybody get together and it seems like everybody hasn't changed too much. It feels like literally yesterday. Yeah, it does.

The stories come out and you're going to hear all the characters kind of talk and how we get all the stories out for this. But we're taking it back from the beginning, right? Like drafted, number two overall, homegrown talent. Who was number one that year? Mark Apell was. Wow. From Stanford.

Wow. Pitcher to Houston, right? Houston, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was kind of weird. Like, I guess during that, time I knew I knew I wasn't going to be the first pick it was like it was the definitely two or

three and I was like Cubs in the Rockies which is so weird that I'm I've got the chance to be on the Rockies but yeah that was that 13 years ago now wow I remember when you got drafted Chris and I didn't get off to the best start in our relationship according to your lens right yeah for sure I was yeah when you get drafted you'd come come in usually as a high draft pick, KB comes in and he takes batting practice with us. And, you know, you bring them in, you ask them what they signed for and what did you sign for? Slot. Slot money.

But his slot, we made him say the exact number. And it was a high amount. Yeah. And he said it to the decimal. Yeah. Right. And I was giving him a little bit of crap. And later on in our relationship, he told me, like, you're so mean to me when you first came out.

Yeah. Yeah, you, I think you were the hot shot. I mean, didn't you just sign your extension too? You were feeling yourself a little bit. Everybody was rich. That's nice. But it wasn't just like, you weren't just like right next to me. It was like you were across the whole clubhouse.

You made sure everybody heard. God, I was loud talking in the locker room. And then now playing with you for seven years is like, and you still would do that. But in a good way. In a good way. I learned that from the best, though. Well, you got one of the best compliments I've ever gotten is Garrett Cole goes, I don't understand why everyone loves you so much.

You can literally yell at someone, tell them to basically go fuck themselves, and they walk away smiling. And I'm like, yeah, I learned that from the best, David Ross. Well, we didn't get off to, I remember the first start. I'm in spring training in 15, and I had just gotten there,

and I'm calling him CB for Chris Bryant for like, oh, first week. And finally, he calls me over, and he's like, hey, Rossi, my name Chris is spelled with a K. I was like, You waited a week to tell me, you? You son of a gun.

You, like, you were probably the first guy I played with, like, with a full beard that was gray. I just came out of college. That is funny. I was literally thinking about this the other day. I was like, so I'm just used to playing with 21-year-old, like, in college, and then you get drafted and then you get thrown right into Big League Spring Training. And then there's a bunch of old guys. Like me. Not old, but it's 38.

Dude, I was like, I didn't know how to talk to you. Like, I obviously could relate to you more because you were younger, but then, like, you and then Lester was there. And I'm like, I don't know what to say to these guys. Yeah. First Big League. Yeah, right? In the Big League.

No, actually, no, it wasn't. 14 was my first Big League camp. 14 was? Yeah. Yeah, because Scotty got that in the contract. Scotty B got them in the contract. Got to get the first round. I guess if you're the second pick, you should be in.

You should be. You should be. You should be. Then remember the training room? This is one of my favorite stories. Yeah. He was, I hear about this Chris Bryant guys, got all these minor league homers and stuff.

and I think we were in the train together, getting all our physicals and stuff. And you were landing on the table when I walked in and I'm just like, how many homers you hit last year? No, no, it was in spring. In spring, that's what I was, it was 2015, I was doing great.

How many homers you have? How many homes do you have in my league's year before? Like 43 or something. You want the minor league player? No, I was hitting all the homers in spring and like, I was like, I'm trying to try and keep my head down and not like, and I'm just,

I think I was like taping my wrist before game and I had like eight or eight home runs at the time in the spring and you're like hey CB how many home runs you got and I was like uh eight and you're and you loud laughed across the whole training room you're like ha ha no you don't you got zero you haven't hit any of the show yet and then you walked out you walked out into the weight room and I'm like yeah I don't I remember I don't think we ever did this but when you finally when you passed him on home runs I I noted I wanted to call you and be like, hey, motherfucker. You're in the rearview mirror.

Yeah, I wrote that for a while. That was hard. It's hard for a backup catcher to rip the superstars and the team. So I had to find my little angle. It was not hard for you. I got to find my little. That's one of my favorite, like, baseball stories, though. Just like you doing that.

Like, not like you didn't do it in like a malicious way. You felt good about it after. Yeah, I was like, you like put me in, you're like, yeah, I don't. I haven't done anything yet. this game, you know? Yeah. And it was like, yeah. That's my job.

Yeah. But then you lightened up on me a little bit. Because you're fucking MVP. You got to, you know, the one thing I learned, well, the one thing I learned as a veteran and you guys can relate to this being in the game for as long as you have. Like, I came in getting ripped in a, sometimes a negative way by certain guys. You end up hating those guys. And then it made me go into a shell rather than, like, you go get the best out of your

teammates when you lift them. You know, you got to give them a hard time and do some, you know, rookie hazing. But if you make everybody comfortable, like, hey, we're all in this together. You know, it makes it where you guys can perform and relax. It's going to be the best burner. Yeah. You never really, I mean, the only stuff you got was like playful banter, but it was never like. No.

Also, too, I mean, I think, I guess I don't know how you guys viewed me, but I feel like I had a different personality than some of the other guys. Like, I was more reserved. Like, I'm never been the loud, loud type of guy. And, like, I was always really hard. on myself and I think I think that kind of shown through like you guys been around me and when I'm struggling you're like yeah that guy like you're always hard on yourself it wasn't like it wasn't like he was just I was just going out and there being like oh whatever I went over for like I wanted to do

good every game and you talked about the five for five thing oh yeah five so am I getting in five for five three home runs two doubles first time in like history of the game or something and we were talking afterwards and he's like hey he's like I expect to do that every night yeah and I'm like, oh, fuck. I know my competitive mentality, but knowing you, and it wasn't in like an arrogant or cocky way, it was just like, you know, every night you show up to the park, you could hit five home runs in a game if you play, right? Yeah.

And that's the mentality you always took, and that's why you were. But also, too, like, I think there's a fine line there, right? Like, also, too, I think that's a little bit of my downwall, too, is like being that hard on myself. Like, it doesn't let you. you enjoy the moment as much as you should, right? Like, so after that game, like, I just, I had a historic game and I'm like, well, that was our job.

That was our job. Yeah, you guys help me. But then I'm like, I'm already looking forward to the next game. But, like, how, but I mean, there is a balance. There is a balance. And I think this goes over to life, right? The balance of, like, working really hard, high expectations. And as much as we want perfection and knowing it's unattainable, but striving for that.

And being also forgive yourself when it's like, you know, find the positive in an 0 for 5 game when you play great defense. Yeah, yeah. It's enough stress playing behind Johnny Lester and John Lackey. I mean, we could get to those stories, but man. But it's like something, remember we had always thought like I was hitting second and you're hitting third. We're in like the ninth inning.

Like we see ourselves like like five and six and we're like we want that fifth at bat. Like we're psyching ourselves out like because like you're 0 for 4 or 3Ks, no baseball player wants that fifth at bat. Like, but we're, me and you are constantly going back like we need we want this at bat. we want to get that hit it seems goes over to the next day yeah and that's a mental thing about being at the top of the lineup that the eight hold here that gets pinch hit for when you're down oh you start

playing that game in the third like oh shit I hit him up already like yeah I'm like at six today yeah right and but that's the respect for the lead off hitters is like in the top of the lineup guys like there's five at bats every day where you're hitting seventh or eighth you can kind of hide and maybe sneak in three if you go one for three it's a great day right one for three with a walks because yeah yeah I don't shoot one for three of the walk You're all at a W at a W. So 15 years. When you came up, spring training, you go off.

They hold you back. Yeah. For whatever reason, that's a great. Wild. The whole service time thing, manipulated your service time, 100% collusion, whatever that you want to call it. But when you came up, we needed you. So a lot of times you see these guys get called up to bad teams,

and it's like they kind of get exiled, the prospect. like they're like on their own island where when you got called up we needed you and like we were excited because you were making our team better yeah and for you i always wondered well i kind of know but how was that for you because first overall or second overall pick golden spikes award winner minor league player of the year billboards outside of wrigley billboards outside of rigley dexter foul and i are texting him after a game like there's a big sign saying worth the weight the big adidas sign and he's in triple-e he's in Des Moines.

And he's like, oh, hey guys, thanks. That was crazy. What was that like that? You put pressure on yourself, but coming into the clubhouse.

Yeah. Well, so, like, I guess it goes back to, like, my mentality is like, like,

I expected that pressure. Like, any team that I was on from club ball through college, like, I was in a position where they needed me.

Like, it was just normal baseball to me. Like, I, I would, like, I think we all were the best players on our high school.

school and college teams and like they need you there so we were it's not about you guys okay it's not rose frosty day we already got the gray beard old man and ice that was a crazy look here with hey listen listen smoke and mirrors boys get 15 in the show and have rich friends that's what we're looking for but like just for me like i don't know it was just kind of normal for me and just how like i played the game like i i expected to be the best ever every game. So it was like, I get called up and I'm hitting fourth, James Shields. And then I proceeded to go for four or three strikeouts because I've never faced the... And it took you a while to hit your first Homer, right? It took you like a month.

Yeah. I remember that. You remember? Yeah. Well, I remember people starting to like mount some pressure on you. Like, yeah, this guy. Yeah. When are you going to hit Homer? Yeah. You still got zero. Guys, don't tell me about what an asshole was. They don't know yet. How long did it take you, think, to settle? Because you made the All-Star game that year. Yeah, and the home run derby, right? That was fun, dude.

I mean, right on the scene and production and going. And, yeah, I mean, honestly, there was just, I think I really settled in spring training because I had a great spring, and I got to know a lot of the guys on the team. I got to know you guys, and it was kind of like, okay, I'm going down for a couple weeks, tune up. Yeah.

And I'll see you guys soon. So, like, you guys did a great job in spring, and I was there the whole, I was, like, up until two days before camp broke. And I don't know, I just felt like the people around me did a good job with, like, getting to know me. Sending you down. Made it easier. Yeah.

And it happened. Well, we hung and went to dinners and, like, we did all the things. Yeah. Yeah, we were bringing Chris to the big, because we knew. But it happened unfortunate, but fortunate, like, Michael at the perfect day broke his arm, right? or his hand. Something like that. I'm like the exact day Chris was able to get called up.

He broke his arm. So it was like unfortunate for Michael, who I love. And he was a great teammate. So you coming up was like, it was almost even easier that like he wasn't just there and like sending him down because he was doing pretty well too. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, the whole like grievance thing too with the team. Like it's so funny that how like has players, you see things in the media. And you're like, wow, that is way blown out of proportion. Like people say, oh, like, I hate the team and this and that. I was like, dude, I got nothing real respect for Theo and Jed. And everybody involved, like, if I was in their situation, I would have done the same thing.

I have my service time was immaculated twice. Yeah, mine was just more like blatant. Right. Yeah, yeah. And like, I had to go through that process of going through the grievance and sitting through, like, it was like I was in court. I'm like, how to wear a suit and go out to New York and sit in it, which is, it helped the players a lot, right? Obviously, you're supporting the guys that come after you. But in the moment, you're like, dude, I just, like, I don't want them to hate me.

Like, I love how they treated me and everything that my whole time there. So I was just like, dude. It's crazy how high profile you were then. Yeah. And then you go on to win the rookie of the year. Then you go on to win the MVP, right? World Series. And then you continue to just keep having.

17 was arguably better than 16, right? Yeah. It's like crazy, like how high profile that was, and then it panned out because of that. You're right. But it usually doesn't pan out that way. When the mix of how we brought on all the young guys, I thought we had such a good, you know, you and Schwab's kind of the last piece, and I guess Wilson and 16, but like some of the young guys that were coming up that had either broke in the year before like Hobby or that

were coming that were paired with the veterans that brought in like me, Lester, Lacking, the next year, hey, we're the next year's over, some of those stuff. It was just such a good mix of young talent. Yeah. And personalities, they all just fit, and everybody felt comfortable and took off. When did you know we were good in 15?

What did you think we were really good in 50? Can you think back on that? A moment you're like, man. I don't, I don't, that's a good question because, like, I guess, like, going into that year, no one expected us to win, what, even, 97 games? Yeah, yeah, yeah, 95 games, something like that? Went to the CS.

Yeah, and it was like, I don't really know a point where I thought we were good. And that was my first year. Like, I didn't know how like the playoffs were. Like I watched it on TV. I didn't know what like a playoff share was. And I'm like going through all these new experiences. But it was cool because I had you guys as the older guys to lean on. And then a bunch of the younger guys coming up too.

So it wasn't like I had a ton of pressure on myself. I mean, I did put a lot of it on myself. But there was other young guys that took it on. And, yeah, I mean. You know what I remember. distinctly we talked about this a lot. In the game, it's all about perspective. And when you got called up, you took pressure off me.

Now the pressure was on you. And I was, you know, the guy. So, but I wanted you to do well because the better you did, the better I did. And the better I did, the better we did. Right. So it's like, but then when if I was scuffling and I would see like someone else scuffling, like around the league or something, remember we always talk about this? And it's just like, all right, well, I mean, that guy scuffles too, you know?

or the other way too, where you see like this guy's 10 for his last 12 and you're like, oh for your last fucker, I got to start my head. I got to catch Goldschmidt. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right? So it's like on our team, especially being so young,

we had this group of superstars that came up and it was like easier for us to all go through our like ebbs and flows. Well, you guys would pick out, remember y'all's conversations, which is y'all's relationship is so unique from a guy that, came from other teams and bounced around, but like two superstars pretty young in their careers and how y'all worked off each other's like,

I just need to get through August with two more home runs. You know what I mean? You would pick your little battles of things you were looking at to have this overall big picture when it ends, and you impacting some of these young guys like, hey, just grind through April and May, the wind's blowing in. When it gets the all-star break, wind starts blowing out, and we're going to go off,

we're going to hit this. Like those little battles that you guys mentored each other, the Brizzo Corporation stuff, right? Let me get into one little, let me get my readers. Chris can't believe I've got readers. But the Brizzo core. I can't even look at you. Chris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo might have taken the Brissau thing a bit too far.

Both wound up with a batting average of 292. 2016. 2016. On base percentage of 385 each. 39 home runs for KB with 102 RBIs. Rizzo had 32 pumps with 109 RBIs, swapping the last digits as BF. I didn't know that.

Tell me, I want to know, as a young guy, is what I'm getting to is like, tell me how he impacted you. Oh, my God. Like, like, I think the best, like, some of the best compliments you can get as a teammate is not like, not like what you say to me or like, or like, oh, your hands are here, you're swinging at this pitch.

It's just kind of like how you make someone feel when they're around you. Like when you're struggling and you need to come to someone. right and like our lockers were right next to each other and it was like i could i couldn't tell you anything that you told me specifically that made me feel a certain way it was more just like how you made me feel after we spoke about like oh i'm doing great or i'm doing terrible i'd always walk away from those conversations like dang like yeah those are i'm good i feel like we were so relatable yeah yeah like there was so much pressure and you put so much pressure on myself and i did too

And like I wore it more on my sleeve where you were a little quieter about it. I wore my sleeve. I feel like in a good way. Not like slamming stuff. No, no, no. But it's just so relatable where like you expect like greatness, right? And like that's what we expect every single day. Yeah.

And when you're going through it, like you got to enjoy it. But when you're not going through it, I've learned I learned early. Like you have to enjoy that too. Because those, those sunny days make you appreciate the sunny days. And, like, I live my career by that. 100%. But when we would talk, it was like, if he was struggling or I was trying, we'd be right next to each other, or good or bad.

It's just, like, therapeutic. Like, I'm able to talk to someone that I can relate to. Yeah. That at this level of, like, heightening pressure. Mill the older bats, big market. Every day players. Everyday players. You guys are carrying a performance.

Like, I've always said, like, you're not going to be very good. If your horses aren't horses that year, right? If, you know, horses out here, like our whole team. You guys have been horses your entire careers, like when y'all posts. And I'm able to sit back, but we're talking about clubbite house dynamics and interacting with each other. Like, that's all funny games, getting to know your teammates and being a good teammate and all stuff.

But also, like, you guys carry a different, like, no, I have to perform a day. I play once every five days and caught lesser in Chicago. So, like, it's a lot easier for a guy like me to be that fun, energy guy or a day I'm not playing. You guys got to bring it every single day, day game after night game, all that stuff. Like you guys' relationship, I thought, was, like you said, very relatable, and you guys talked each other, a lot of good conversations. In between a bad, it was everything.

Yeah, for sure. But for me, I think looking back now, like years later, is I signed my deal early. I had the confidence. Like, I had the guarantee. I had the security. So, like, I remember, like, in at bat's big situations for me, I'm like, like, I would literally say to myself, and this probably sounds super cocky and arrogant, I'm Anthony fucking Rizzo.

And if I don't get this done, I'll get it done next time. And that helped me like relax and totally come down in the box. So when KB gets called up, like, all I need to do is I want just him to be the best because I already have my fortune for the next six, seven years, right? I signed my deal. And like, there's no more pressure on me to make money. It's just about winning. And like playing with you, I was able to do. that playing with Judge and

like learn so much from playing with you and your status. He had to go play with Judge and like I know his status. You hit behind two MVP's. Right? I never thought of it. It's not about me. Yeah. Who did you ever hit every show? It's not about it. Did you ever hit behind Goldsmith in New York?

No, he took my job. They got fired. They got fired. Yeah, yeah, he got fired. Yeah, yeah, they got fired. But it's like these superstars are like they're in such a level that no one could relate to. And for me, I felt like I was close enough to be at that level, which I wasn't, to relate to.

Come on. And help just, like, with all the extracurricular bullshit that you have to go through. Oh, yeah. Yeah. That was one thing, like, for me, the extracurricular stuff. Did I say that? Extracurricular? Yeah, yeah.

Just the, like, like, the billboard outside. Like, I had no clue that was going up. Yeah, you just want to play baseball. Well, like, that's not my personality to, like, be that way. And it's like, I had so much, like, extra pressure. Like, and then I was, like, doing, like, I did a Red Bull video, like, walking a goat onto a bus. Oh, yeah.

I remember that. Before I even got called up. Yeah. And I'm like, at the time, maybe I didn't know the history of, like, the Chicago Cubs. And, like, no, you're a foreshadow on what you're about to do. Yeah. But, like, did you imagine if, like, I slipped in the ball? went over and like we never won and then like I did some then I had all that other pressure like like dude I was just

unneed like I look back on it I'm like no way I would ever agree to do that you know what though like okay I love that because you're like okay we got all these things before I've even done anything but the fact that you won the rookie of the year and you run the fucking MVP when we won the world series like yeah you you you follow through with you there you go there you and that's harder to do it's harder I made harder. Right. Harder to do and you did it. So that's like you can be proud of that now and speak highly of that.

But like one thing for me that I wish I might have done differently during those times is talk to you guys about that stuff more rather than just like the day to day of like, oh, I didn't get here. I didn't come through. I didn't get the runner in third or less than two in this situation. It was like more of like everything that encompasses. Well, that's the difference like looking back. You're talking about how the pressure you put yourself. You were a head down, one performance. had high expectations.

I want to play baseball. I love playing baseball. And then all this other stuff is coming with it, which is great, but not if, like, I'm just trying, I have to make a career for myself. Yeah.

Right. Yeah. You're trying to get there and stay there. Exactly. And then, which is hard to do. I don't care of who you are. It was a lot,

but like, now I look back. It's cool stories to tell my kids and stuff like that. And we go all that. Fast forward to 15. Wisdom. 16. Well,

15, the homerun Derby. You're going to Homerun Derby. You're going to Homerun Derby and your dad throws to you. Yeah. for me, even looking back now, I wish I can go back and have my dad there. Yeah, that's really cool.

That was, right. And that was something that, like, because me and him, like, I grew up, we were talking about that. Like, he was always like, hey, when you make it, you're going to do the Home Run Derby, I'm going to pitch to you one day.

That's awesome. And like, we talked about it. In the backyard, at my home right around the corner, in the 110 degree heat, like, he's throwing to me and we always talked about doing that. And it was like, I never really had a desire to do the homerger. Like, I don't know.

I just didn't really want to do it. But I was, I told my dad, I was like, I'll do this. And I want you to pitch to me. And I'm never going to do it again. And it was just a cool. It was a cool experience. Because, like, we were in the clubhouse together. He's has his own locker.

He's, yeah. Yeah, you know, talking it up with all the big leaguers. And your dad, too, like, Chris's dad was, like, he played. If I ever went to, when I was really bad in ruts, I would go. to my dad, my mom, and whenever they would tell me, it would usually throw me in a rage, but it would always work.

So, like, I didn't, when I went to him, it was, like, strategic because I knew it would work because they always had, like, the good advice, but I didn't like it. But I remember talking to your dad,

and he'd be like, oh, someone's got a hit 40 this year. Why isn't, why I want to be you guys? Like, he was always so positive for someone who was also a little kooky, like, you told me,

like, he'd get thrown out of games and Little League and stuff. And, like, he, was the he was the never once did he yell at me when I played baseball not one time ever that's amazing ever and that's like that's how I'm gonna that's right I miss my girl I yell at my kid all the time yeah he plays football right yeah yeah but like he never like said we need to go out and practice

we need to do this it was always like I wanted to do that and like it's it's like that's how I want to teach my kids too I don't want to yell at them about the game of baseball like because then they're never going to come back and play enjoyable that's right right it's got to be fun that's So it was like, he was always that guy for me. And it was like, you were talking about like when you're struggling, he would talk to you, you talk to your dad. I have so many, my dad knew when it was really bad to just write me an email. Yeah, I remember that.

And I read, I would read some too. Your dad wrote you emails. I have probably at least 50 emails. They were four perspective too. Like he would like go around guys in the league. I want to read one of those. I'll let you read them all. This guy, Mookie Betts went four for his last 50 and now look where his numbers are.

at or like kind of just put you back in like a realm like everyone is do like goes through this like you're good it's a hard game in like like i saved those i like i like i made sure and never delete those i start them all like they're all in like a that's cool holder that says like dad that's awesome you know it's like like i'll have that to basically copy and paste their mic i know i know what i know what to say now but like he just knew like because if i'm talking on the phone like i'm not going to like i said i'm never going to remember everything you say to me, but I'm going to remember how you made me feel. And when it was bad, I needed it in writing so that I can go back to it and read it again when I'm bad. That's amazing.

You know, so I have so many, you'd be like, Pooleholds is two for his last 27. That's a future Hall of Famer. And he's like, you got nine homers over this span. He's got three. Like, you're better than a Hall of Famer like that. That's not for Poole's. That's great. That's great.

And I remember before the five-for-five game, the three-homer, two-double game, like, I was like, since he? Cincinnati? Yeah. I was, like, hitting like two. I was at three hits that game with a homer, but. Not about you.

No one. Again. Again. I was in like 257. I had like, I don't know, like 13 homers. And I'm like, dad, that's not good enough. You know, this isn't good enough. He's like, I remember talking before the game.

Like, I need a big game. He's like, you're due. I was like, all right. And then I was due. I had the best game in my life. And then he's just like text me. He's like, told you. Yeah.

It's a good. It's like, he's just, and it's just like, I don't know, he, he didn't make it all the way like we have, but like the wisdom that he gained from his time playing, like he's, he's helped a lot of people, especially me in baseball. That's amazing. It's just coaching too in general. Like, it's really, we've had probably over, easily over 100, 200 coaches in our career. And there's like a handful that you can really take out of all those coaches that helped you about. I'm like, wow, this one is like, all of them have helped some part along the way, but there's only a handful where you're just like, he made a huge difference.

Well, and who knows you more better than your parents? They've watched every pitch. They've watched that. You know what I mean? Like, your dad's been in the cage and watch you evolve and go on your journey. And like to go back to those perspectives and him keeping it real is that's just a power. That's a great resource to have. I think a lot of people have that's a blessing for sure.

Our parents, too. Mike Bryant and John Rizzo were two peas in a pod. Like the Riggly. field, I don't know if really feel ushers or security hate to see them coming or love to see them coming because they would just bounce all over the walls. They had no credentials. They just walked in like they own the place every time. They might have more fun our time together than we did. Yeah, as they should. Like your dad down there playing the harmonica on the corner. Like they were talking about like getting like renting out a bar. Like someone higher than perform

a gig at a bar. I'm like, dad, you're not doing, you're not performing. on the corner at Ridley Field saying, I'm I know with our parents. Riz's dad. They're going to be putting their their guitar thing out for begging for money and all that. Like, Dad, you can't do that. Like, you're just, but

I don't. It's just it was a fun time for them. You look back on 15 rookie of the year and you're like all right. It's a good start. Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news? Huge news.

We've created our own podcast. called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special.

So how did we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Oh, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it. going down? Yes.

I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. There's the worst singer in the group. The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation.

The group. The yarn herds, right? That's the name. The Harvard Yard. They're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged,

uh, one erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Human me! I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Highlights are trending. Opinions are flying. nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters, to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody

wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis. And I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs. And on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jen she won. I mean, she went down to three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.

She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Yeah, for sure. We get swept in NLCS. You win the rookie year. Where are you at? Well, so I guess the two of those, for sure, are separate. Like, being in the playoffs, like my first time, I'm just, like, had no clue what to expect. The crowds are a little bit different.

There's just a different feel, you know what I mean? Like, it feels like the grass is cut a little better. the dirt's a little more and you know it's right am I no the lights are brighter the energy is better no doubt the paint is fresh the lines are straighter yeah got new hoodies yeah like whole swag

it was like yeah like this is fun baseball like I just was going along for the ride there like I and none of us expected just to go that far so that was a good experience for me but for and then during the season winning rookie of the year it was like I remember

when I got called up I was like there's only one award you can win in this game, and you can only do it in one year. And that's the rookie of the year. And I was like, that's a good goal, you know? So that was a goal you said when you got caught? Absolutely, bro. I always told every single rookie that ever gets called up,

you only have one first pitch to hit a home run in the big league's on. I'm like, it's up to you if you can try to do it. We'll see. Yeah, we'll see. I probably 100% said that to you. You probably did. And yeah, and back to James Shield. like, oh, for four, three strikeouts.

And I think I struck out on the right-jury. I remember, too, and everyone was like, what, this is who he called up? Yeah. James Shields had a nasty change. I never faced the right-on-right change-up in the minors. It's like a screwball. Yeah.

You had a home run later in your career off and didn't either or no. Was the All-Star game? No, that was Chris Sale on the All-Star game. I know what I wanted to ask. And this is like for young kids watching and about approach. I remember your first spring training, I'm hitting on the fields with you. and you're hitting homers over the batters eye, like nobody's business.

I'm like, oh, my God, this kid's ball just doesn't come down. And I asked you about what you're trying to do in BP. You said, I just want to hit high fly balls to center field. And in my mind, I'm like, he had no duh, because you hit them further and they never come down. I was like, great approach, but I had never heard that. Like, how did you get to that kind of routine in BP? Well, it goes back to just working with my dad and just angles.

And the game has changed a lot since then, right? Sure. A lot of people are throwing heaters at the top. And I had to adjust to that, which we could talk to later. But, like, it was like everybody, the pitcher's releasing it from here, and it's coming down an angle. So you want your bat to come up with it. It hit it on the plane. Get on plane.

So it wasn't necessarily, like, hitting fly balls, just getting on plane with it, and it produced the fly ball. Gotcha, got you. Okay, cool. You hit balls. He hit balls. Backside, that first spring trainer in 15. far than I could pull the ball. And that's where my power was, like, all through college,

and the minors was to right field. But then you get to Wrigley, and the winds, there's no homers for right east to right field there. No, right center. Death. And I had to adjust, and everybody was throwing me sinkers inside, they're trying to get in on my hands because I have a long lever. So I was like, I need to figure out how to pull the ball

without the top spin. You know, I need to get it. You didn't have a top spin, a lot of toss pin when you pulled the ball early. I remember that. Right. And I'd be so frustrated when I was, hitting top spin line dries and this and that. And then my dad, I would always go to my dad.

And I'm like, Dad, why am I top spinning every ball? He's like, did you get a hit on it? I'm like, yeah. He's like, why are you complaining? You know, like that's how I think. I'm just trying to be perfect in everything. Like I just like a pitch inside that I think I should have done more within a top spin line and single.

Like I just beat myself up over it, you know. That's what that's what that's right. That's what that perfection can be positive and negative. For sure. about yeah I will when you're I remember I don't want to forget this the quote but your dad with like comparing everyone and stuff and like perspective I remember you told me this quote and I still used this day comparison is the thief of all joy yep yep because when you compare try to compare yourself to be like someone else or you know something else you're literally losing the joy of why you're here

of being a kid and like that's everything in life right like everything no doubt it's speaking of joy 2016 spring training we started the Grandpa Rossi account at dinner we're like steak 44 yeah yeah stake 44 and I'm giving you guys well

because you guys were young and hip and I'm like the old guy with three kids we knew it was your last year right yeah and you were so monumental to me where I was at my career and instantly for him so coming in it was like

we wanted to celebrate you right and we're coming in to 16 like the brisos souvenir co we're doing commercials like i felt like we were like player one and two in the big leagues at the time right like it was we were like rock star honestly yeah so we're doing these commercials we're celebrating you it's just like the overall vibes but the grandpa rossi account i go you get there elevated your career it's made me some money so that's i've definitely done that well and then i got we had that conversation at dinner where we kind of making fun of you're like

I remember KB going, you know what, I'm going to start to an Instagram account. And then, sure enough, the next morning he shows it to me. He's like, hey, you've got 30,000 followers. It's like in however many, it's not even been 24 hours. And then we started making, big gym, started making all those things and it's still fun. Now I've got half a million.

Like, Grandpa Ross. You're crazy. Those are the things that help you get through the grind. People call, they know me when I walk through around really, it's like, hey, grandpa, hey, grandpa. Yeah. Like, it's like hilarious that people, I've got you. I've got, like, In the moment, I was like, I'm calling this guy a grandpa, and he's like 36.

Like, some of you were. Yeah, yeah. No, that's just like, but it's like, it was an endearing thing because it reminds me of going back to that. And I was the, I was like the dad of the team. You know, I played once a week. I was like doing the Lester thing and just trying to be along for the ride with the boys, you know, like. You were the ultimate mentor. Yeah, for sure.

That's not. 100%. You were, you were the ultimate perspective, like. Well, winning in Boston helped me have like this perspective of like, man, That's just about bringing your lunch pail to work every single day with the boys and going to work, right? Like there's no glamour in, like, the glamour comes after the performance of winning and all that stuff. Like, you just got to get in there and, like, believe in yourself. Because when I remember, when I would be frustrated with the team and stuff, I would talk to you and you'd be like, no, we're fine.

We just like, look, they just missed a couple spots or the pitchers aren't like or the hitters, like, we got to get back to grinding at bats and see it. And every time you said that, I was like, all right, you made me feel so much better about, like, the whole team grinding. Yeah. Because you learn the small victories, I think, like success is like, just stay to the pitch to pitch and those little, like, you know,

yeah, we start slumping, everybody's up there swinging the first pitch. Like, yeah, we're not going to get out of it because you're, you know, like you got to have your bats and let this thing evolve. And, you know, we all have these philosophies on winning and stuff.

But, like, the stuff I've learned was, like, it's really the small, fundamental details every single day and trying to get everybody to buy them. Just stack that concentration. having some fun, not beating yourself. You know what? The other guy gave us, like, only gave up two hits today,

and we got beat by a great pitching performance. Like, move on. You know what I mean? Like, we didn't beat ourselves. I was a big one. Like, if we don't beat ourselves, like, the other team beats us, then just come back the next day. Like, we start beating yourselves.

Those are bad teams, you know, losing games that you should win. And, too, what I loved about us is, like, I wanted to be better than you. And you wanted to be better than me. But it wasn't like rooting for anyone's down. No. It was like this healthy like competition. And I remember distinctively going to the All-Star game, right?

And we're in a rut going into the All-Stars game. 16. And I went like, I'm not kidding. I went like 10 from my last 12 going to the break. I went from like 280 to 299 at the break, right? And we're all in the outfield. And we're all talking like all the Cubs guys. And Harold Reynolds comes up to me.

Hey, Riz, how you doing, man? Like, good to see you. And he goes, right to KB. And, like, at our time, our numbers were, like, nearly identical. Like, I don't know whose was better, honestly. He goes, man, what you're doing this year, KB? It's fucking, like, holy shit. It's so good to see you.

And I'm, I'll never forget. I'm just sitting there, like, okay, okay, okay. All right. Yeah, give a little handy to the young guy. Yeah, I'm like, God damn, bro. Like, I'm on. Like, God day, bro. I got some time to lead, too.

But, like, that's another beauty of, like, the whole Brizzo thing. It was like it was never hostile. It was just like, you made me better. Yeah. Like every day. So you probably hated when I first got called up and we were at Gibson's. You remember this? Oh my God.

We were with Lundy, right? I think so. It was either just me and you or when you went to dinner on like the first off day or lunch. It was lunch. And someone comes up to me and it's like, hey Chris, like congrats. Like, you know, welcome to Chicago. Like, can I get a picture with you? And I'm like, sure.

Yeah. And he hands the phone to Riz. Like, can you take some picture? You didn't want him. Well, that's like us walking around Las Vegas yesterday. It's like 15 selfies for this guy and some guy gets to the elevator.

He was like, oh my God, Anthony Rizzo. Oh, my God. And they're like in there for 15 minutes. We get up to our floor and I walk out. He's like, oh, hey, Rossi. I was like, dang it. But that's like what also made our team so good was like that like we all wanted to like perform.

Yeah, because like any given day someone's going on. And you were going with the best. of them. Sure, like, yeah, it was obviously the best year of my career, but it wasn't, you know, it wasn't just me and you. Was it the best year? I don't know. 17 was, I think. You can say it by war it wasn't, or whatever. Stupid stats. Well, let's talk about that.

Like, that reminds me, like, you played great third base, but we moved Javi in there, and you moved, like, with Schwerver going down, like, we had all that stuff happen. You were like the ultimate. You're the greatest utility player of all time. Ah, that's Ben, though. Yeah, I got me. I would say, Ben set the standard. You were the best

version of that. Yeah, yeah, for The fact that you can go play left You played center that year, didn't you? Yeah. You played right. Fourth or fifth game in the big? And you were elite at every position. Sneaky, sneaky inside job.

When I got the manager your job, I wanted to move you to center and just play center all the time and Theo wouldn't let me. Really? Sneaky, yeah, yeah. I was like... Dude, I just...

You take like five steps and cover the hole. It's like a... It's like a slow twitch version of like decks. You know what I mean? Like, you got that long gliding. Yeah.

Like you're saying, you cover a shit ton of ground. so big. Yeah. That for me, like, I don't know. Joe came up to me in my, like, my fifth game. I think we were in Pittsburgh. He's like, hey, can you play center field? I'm like, I wasn't going to say no.

You know? Yeah, of course. He asked you to do something. Like, sure. So I was like, I went out there and played center field. I might have got a couple of fly balls. And then it just kind of took off. And Joe was like, all right, all right.

And you, you love that, though. I did. Yeah. It kept me, it kept me like, you know. Some guys don't like it. No. But you, I remember, you, like, it kept me more engaged, you know, like, I never, like, if you're just batting second and playing third every day, you're kind of, in its 162 game season, you're kind of getting a lull, you're like, all right, I'm just going through the oceans, but like, Joe would have me start in the game in the left, and then I had to come in to play third, and then, you know, it's moving me all. I mean, I played first a couple of times when you had a day off, which was it many times. But, yeah, I just, I don't know. I embraced it, and it was fun while that last. 161 and 16?

161. 161. That's the league. You had a day. Okay. Yeah. I just make sure we get. In the day you had off, wasn't, or you had a day off when Lester was pitching.

I had a few days off. I think I got in a couple of games. He was so mad at you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Remember that? Lester's good pissed.

Lester's, like, funny, like, as much as I love those guys and got two rings because of them and you guys, but, like, they saw playing behind them. They were intimidating. Like, they, it's like, you better bring it their day. I think that's where I got my anger from on my day where I played. Like, we're not losing on my day. John, I don't know if it was John or Joe,

but was basically demanding hobby play third because John always got ground balls at third. Yeah, the cutter in. Right? Yeah. If when KB played third with Lester, you, it was like, you knew John was already on edge because. John hated me.

I know he didn't. No, John loved. No, but no, there's something. I was, I wasn't scared, but it was like, I didn't want to let them down. Yeah, right. Yeah, that's the thing. You don't want to let it get you nice down.

John's throwing cutters in a lot of the time. in a lot of, you don't know if he leaves one out over, they're smoking at you, or they jam you, like, you never out, it's going to be a slow roller, it's going to be a hot shot, it's like, just throw me in the outfield, Joe. Part of the product of it. It's like, I wanted hobby at second base field

and every ball I threw down because he was a freaking wizard down there. And like, he'd get in there, you know, those one guys give the alligator arm I've played with on other teams. You're like, you know, come on, guy, risk your life for my one put out. It's just how it used your competitive nature coming out. Yeah. You know what I love to when. we did bump defenses, like with the pitcher bunting,

it got to a point literally where Chris and I would just look at each other and just be like, had nod. We knew exactly like if the ball was super hard at him or like he knew what I was doing. And it wasn't like I had to tell him he just knew. Yeah. And it was like. It was a cheat code. Yeah.

That play? It was a cheat code. We, they like. It was like the push. How good he was at first base coming in. Like, yeah, it kind of negated a lot of that. I want to go. we brought this up, but like Rizzo's

3-0 statue when you're in the end field. I don't remember that. 3-0. He's the only one who would give us a little bit of a fit about it. Yeah, because the one time they hit the ball or swing three-o. We never got burned on it.

I don't care. Not one time. We've done it over a hundred times. We were talking about that with Addy, who's like, who's just like, yeah, man. We just like, it was our little game that Riz's like looking at everybody just, just on it, yeah. Hands on the knees. On three-oh counts, when we're playing defense,

I would whistle over to everyone, right? And I would just widen my stance and anchor down. And no matter what happened on that pitch, I was not moving. I wasn't getting ready for the pitch because you knew the battle was taking. And the whole infield started doing it. It was a unity thing.

And you did it, I would say, 90% of the time. Did I? Yeah. But I wasn't good enough of an infielder. 10% of the time he didn't do it. We'd all be looking at a lot. But these guys are golf lovers. Yeah.

We'd be like, what the fuck? You do? And then what he did do, we'd get in like little golf clap. We'd all give the little golf clap. I hate it. But again, those are things within the game that no one did. That's his personality coming out. Totally.

I'm a perfectionist. I wanted to be, which sucks. But that's what that was another thing too, though. Like, you've got to try to have that. Enjoy the moment. Yeah. Take it. We got burned.

And even if I didn't do it in my head, I'm like, this is fun. I did that a playoff. Like, I still did that. down the playoffs. You know when a guy's swinging it or not, right? Like, probably, I never got burned on it. So I guess I could talk about it. If I did get burned on it, it would be a different story. Probably when you're telling it. But it was different when you're playing first. You just have to field the ball and touch the bag. I have to feel it and throw it for you. That's a good point. We got to get to, uh, get to clenching. Clenching in 16, going to the postseason.

You've had a great year. Both you guys had great years. What was that? When we can't, we when we finally clenched, did you ever picture us winning the World Series? Well, I think the thing that year that was so unique about that was that I think we kind of

expected to, in a way. Like we would always talk about it. Remember the conversations we had? We'd be like, dude, when we win it this year, they're going to have to helicopter us off the field. You remember that? Oh, yeah. They didn't have to.

They almost asked to. When we went to the World Series, the party at Wrigley NLCS, it's like we won the World Series when we advanced at Riggily. Dude, we talk about that all the time. Or like never, like, I just, for me, personally, like, Travis would always be on me like,

dude, you got to drink if we win the World Series. Yeah, I remember too. You got to do it. And we, like, throughout the whole year. That's what we talked to. He's a team bartender. Throughout the whole year, like, we, going on winning streets and he's just like,

I care of it. He said he would drink. You did say it. I did say that. And we would take. shots after sweeps, we sometimes take some shots before the games or whatnot. KB would always have to be there like with his little water shot. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news?

Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember I think it was on a call about what we should call it And we were thinking I'm originally calling it

One of the early names of our band Before Jonas Brothers This is how you guys remember it going down Yes I have a very different memory of this We were talking about a thing A bit for the podcast For people could call in and say hey Jonas And then I wrote down on my little

Notepad Hey Jonas And offered it up as a potential title For the podcast But thanks for remembering that Guys, listen to Hey Jonas on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman,

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. There's the worst singer in the group. The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation.

The group. The yard birds, right? That's the name. The Harvard yard, but they're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle aged. One erection.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcast. Cuba me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying,

and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions,

the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaders to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action

with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay.

Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world. right now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving well good luck consider this your court side seat to the French Open listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the iHeart radio app Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts presented by capital one

founding partner of iHeart women's sports yep I was I was you got a favorite game from 16 well favorite moment what's it like you look back or the games you tell your buddies about I mean The first of the five-for-five game, obviously, sticks out. But, like, in the playoffs, like, there's, it, it's kind of weird, right? Because, like, you forget a lot over 10 years, right? Like, it's been a while. That's why we're doing this. It was just fantastic that you guys.

And a lot of stuff is coming back to me. But, like, I don't know. I think my favorite one in the playoffs, for me, probably would have been the game five, like the Homer time in the game. Just because I told you guys last night, too, what I was going through before. that might like sure well that's why i was i was gonna bring that up like your mom you're able your mom in the hospital all night yeah she i don't know what it was yeah she had some type of like upper respiratory thing and i'm sure a lot of people's families were because they were with us the grind

they were a two-year defender yeah so it's like dude they're screaming in the stands like it's cold like yeah so my mom was sick and she's just like i need to i need to i need to i need to go get something so we went to like the er urgent care at northwestern at like five in the morning and I was there till like seven in the morning with my mom. And we had, that was before game five. Before game five, we're down three one. Yeah. But we're about to lose the world.

And like, in my mind, I'm like, like, you want to say you believe that you're going to, we're down three one. Like, it's going to be really hard. You know what I mean? Yeah, totally. It's, you had to win. And I was like, I'm going to be there from my mom. Like, she's not feeling good.

So I stayed there until seven, I think six in the morning maybe. It was like right around Halloween. I think it was a Saturday. Everybody's in the ER urgent care with their like, costumes on. There's so many parties. And I'm like, I could have fit right in if I just came in my uniform too. But I just had my hood on my hat down and I'm just sitting there. And I'm like, and I was huge.

Like it goes back to my personality being like perfect. And I was like, I need my nine hours of sleep. Yeah, KB was not hooting with the owls. No. I'm like, I want to go to sleep. I probably got seven hours of sleep, six hours of sleep that night. But I slept to like 233, went to the field and tied up. The biggest home run of my life probably.

I feel like there's a couple of moments. one of the biggest home runs of like one of the most underrated home runs of the whole world series because we were losing in the fourth inning Trevor Bowers shoving shoving right and we're down three one when's howling in howling in everyone is starting to get tight like we only there's only a certain amount of house left and we're down right on elimination yeah you hit that homer and it was like everyone was like that the whole stadium we lost the first two games there the whole stadium erupted right and like that inning we right the very next pitch i hit a ball off the wall in right center freaking wind dated but i thought i clipped them too like back to back

yeah but we ended up scoring three runs and you started that and it's like we won that game and i got the last rbi i get the second rbi i they walked hobby and i got we scored three runs in the fourth inning that we won that game three to two yeah and you're out till yeah in the longest I've ever stayed out before game. I think you have this like, your World Series home runs were some of the biggest home runs that don't get talked about. They're like some of the, like, there's some big ones.

And obviously, like, when you recap and your watches, they're all big. Yeah, I don't know. I feel like you don't play the game for that type of recognition. No, no, no, I just mean as a teammate. Like, yeah, but like. It's like, Miggies hit to give us the extra run. For sure.

Nobody talks about that. It's like, you know, they talk about all these other things just because of narrative and how it goes. Yeah. Yeah. I guess the homework's real. Like, for me personally in the World Series, like, I was more proud of the base running. Bro, you're the best, by far, hands down, the best base run I've ever played with. And arguably the best part of your, his base running was elite.

But we talked when I managed, you were talking about, I want to score. Like, I never heard, yeah, 100 runs. I want to score 100 runs. Yeah. He taught you that, right, Hinsky? or who said that? I want to score 100 runs. I don't really know.

I think for me it was just always a goal in mine because I felt like I had more control of that than the RBI's. RBI's is obviously the more sexy stat. Of course 100, it's amazing. But like I just, like when I got on base for you, like on first base, I was like, I just want to give the best effort for you

to get that run. It was so nice having him. Oh, man. You probably scored 20, 30% of my RBI. eyes when we play. And the thing about your games, I love that comes out in the World Series is like you're fun and your passion on the, when you're running like that and you're running hard and then you slide and you're safe. There's a couple where it's like play at the play and you're saying, you come up and you're pumping it. And I'm like, fucking gaybie's pumped. I'm pumped. You know,

like that. That's it. Yeah, I mean, I was off with the pitch on that. Obviously, I think it was three two count. I was running on the pitch. But score me first on a single. Off Andrew Miller and game seven. Yeah. Yeah. I was. That's bullshit though. It should have been a double because I was going no matter what. Yeah. You would give it a single. You're slow. I got to hit off Andrew Miller, too. But then the sacked fly, the Addy hit, right? The Roger Davis in center field, like, no way I should have been running.

No. Like that was a deep fly to shortstop. And Jones, he's at third. He's like, he wasn't saying anything. And I'm like, okay, what am I doing? Like, all right, am I going? I'm going. And he's like, last second, he's like, go, go, go, go.

I was like, all right, I'm off. And like, that was just me. When I was on the base path, like, I just wanted to run as fast I came at all moments. even to this day, like, I can safely say that any time I've hit a ground ball in my big league career, like I've never taken it off. I just tried to run as hard as you can't

because one, I'm pissed that I just hit a ground ball. And two, like, that would be something too. Like him and Jay Hay are my two favorite base runners. I saw Jay had a young age too in Atlanta. I said so much. This is just me being jealous, but being a righty and like rolling over a ball in the hole, he could beat it out.

I roll over a ball on the hole. I'm out. And I would say for years, like this is a right-hand-to-hitter's game, bro. Like, you would until they ban the shift. Because a lefty rolls a ball. I had a missile, one hopper to the, the, short right-field. You're out.

The nickel back and right field, right? Because they're playing prevent defense. And the righties do that and they get hits. And he was so fast. He would get those hits. I was like, damn, man, like, I was just a little faster. Yeah. I wouldn't say I was fast. I'm not a fast guy. I just, you had, I took big strides. You had speed.

You were like game speed. You were, I would say, you're quick. Let's talk batting practice. We got some good, a good story, batting practice for the World Series. Yeah. Well, we didn't take BP in the World Series. Me and KB. I did one day.

He did one day. One day. And the one day he goes out there. The reason we didn't take BP is because it was a soap opera out there. Cameras are everywhere. People are trying to talk to you. It's just like, we're at game one, basically like almost 90. Like, we don't need BP.

ready. Yeah, like you just don't want to talk to people. And we just don't want, yeah, we just don't want, yeah, we just don't want, yeah, we just don't want, yeah, what game was six? I don't see. It might have been six, yeah. It was in Cleveland. Yeah. Yeah, definitely was, oh, no. I think it was game seven. It might have been game seven because like, you're like, oh, I got to go take BP's game seven of the World Series. Yeah, I did not take well, we had that whole bussy round thing that was like fun. So yeah, I think a lot of people out there for game seven. Let's talk about Buzzy being the MVP of the team. Sorry, he's the best. fast.

But yeah. He goes out to BP. Taking BP. Font. Font, our BP pitcher. Like, one of the best, right? Great guy. One of the best.

He had him for a lot of time. Six, seven years. He got the thing. He, I mean, he was grooving. I mean, he'd groove a couple, and then he'd throw, like, two, like, down the way. Throw, like, cutters, batting craters.

I'm like, a little alligator arm. And we were not. He's a little nervous. I'm like, yeah, I'm a little nervous, too. It's normal. and then zings want to write up and in. It's me and my shoulder. That's it.

I'm done. And then I'm like, all right. I'm going to walk out of it. That's when you're in the big leagues. You're livid. Like, we were telling a story about Buzzy trying to do rehab stuff in the middle of my batting practice. I'm like, get out of here.

I'm trying to lock here. When we were taking BP, we're such divas. Like, if that ball isn't center, center, I'm literally eyeing him saying, what the fuck are you doing? Like, you get to be a diva in certain. stuff when you're getting ready for sure he hits me and then short story story he can he can throw me BP ever again yeah yeah he go you know what I look back at and like love to think about is a 108 year curse all this pressure right like you have so much history of Chicago we're game

seven of the world series really every game in Cleveland and like the main guys are just sitting there playing Mario Kart before the game. Like that was our pregame. You were looking at film. You two decks and then like Addie. It was like a rotating. And like I just look back like you and me are just literally just yeah, all right. Oh shit, it's 45 minutes before the game. I'm going to go get rest. Yeah. I was the old guy

that was like stressed out like these kids aren't focused. Yeah. This is my last game ever. You guys better be ready for this game. This guy's doing seven. This is my last game. He's doing the Rocky naked day. I've seen way too many of your crevices. Yeah. We'll never do that again. But that's what made our team good is that we could be in the most important game of our lives.

And you bring us together. Let's play Mario Kart. That's your leader. His leadership gift is so much. And it's like if you go to dinner with him, if you go to a charity function, if you go out with him, we're playing. Like, your gift, you. make everybody have a good time.

I've always said that. Like, everybody has fun. You're having a good time, too. But Dexter's got some of that, right? Like, you're going to make sure everybody else is good, even though you may internally be stressed. You relax with others. You relax.

Yeah. You relax when others relax. Yeah, like, you guys letting me be that. Like, I would hit naked from time to time. So you're saying with the crevices. And, like, for me, it would be like, I feel, I would always sound so free. I'm so free, right?

But then literally, naked batting practice. Naked batting practice. He would be flipping in the cages. And he'd be like, see the difference. Yeah, see the difference. And like, it would be a funny thing where, like, the guys would come and just start dying, laughing.

And for me, it would relax me. So I'd get into the game. I'd be like, oh, I'm so free, right? And then before game seven, I'm dancing there to the Rocky song. Yeah, so funny. But it's just like, look, we're prepared. We're ready to go. We have our routines, like,

this is what we believed worked. And us playing Mario, if we didn't play Mario Card before Game 7, we're not winning Game 7. Like, it kind of locked us in, like, competitively, because those were intense games. Yeah. We got to get sponsored by the Nintendo.

Nintendo. Nintendo. Yeah, those games. Those games were. I think back, I was playing third base in the World Series, like, so many, like, I remember Napoli hit me a line drive

that I didn't even see off bat. No clue. Like, it was almost a short hop I caught in the air. I remember catching that ball and I'm like, I did not see that ball. I had no clue how I caught that ball. Like he smoked it. Like, game one or two. It was just like your body like

over, like took over. Like that game remember game one how cold it was? Yeah. Crazy. Like there's so many things now that we're talking that are coming back to me. Now that. Game six you hit at the another, again, game five you start the rally. Game six you start the

rally. We end up boat racing in game six, but like, these are, we don't win those games, obviously we can't get to game seven and all that what happens we're about to talk about. But like, again, that's why I go back to like those. He would give us a breathing room, like breaking the seal. When you did that, it was like, oh, here we go. Yeah, because like, that's our

best player. That's our best player. And like, when our best player does the best thing, then everyone else can be like, all right, all right, guys. We got the lead. Here we go. Yeah. And that was so nice, doing it. Game six, Homer in the first, then Dex, game seven in the first. Like, that 1-0 early lead is like, Huge. And our record, too, when we got the lead,

I remember, like, I don't know what the stat is right off the bat, but, like, we get the lead, and it's rare that people came back on us, but they did. They did. What did you think about in that Ragee moment? Oh, my God. The home run, how loud was that placed?

I mean, obviously, I can look back on it more fondly now that we won the game, but, like, in the moment, the biggest letdown of, like, obviously, my entire career. And, like, he hit the, He hit it so hard out. Chappi was thrown 102.

Like, he just had a hit. Well, that went right over his head. It was right over my head. It was right over my head. And I'm like, I didn't think it was going over the fence, but I knew. And he choked up like a foot on the back. I remember that. Yeah, I should have called a slider or something.

Like, I felt like I should have jumped for the ball. Like that's, and it was smoke. And I just, I remember looking at you, too, across the diamond. We didn't make eye contact, but I was just, like, I just was like, super defeated. Everybody remembers LeBron on the thing, flexing. What was going to your head? I was just like, do you remember any of those thoughts? I was just like, dude, we came, like, we were on the verge of coming back three to one,

and like that's how this is going to play out. Isn't that crazy? Like, isn't it so crazy we could talk to talk 10 years later, and we ask anyone about Rajay, and it's like we lost the game. Like, that's how. Like, we literally didn't win. And we ended up winning the World Series, and we still talk. talk about Rajay. I still see him to this day and I'm just like, I don't want to talk to it.

No, I actually love you. You made it like the best series ever. Yeah. Well, it's like he, it's like he carries bad energy when I see him. You know what I mean? You're like, I like you, Rajay. You always got a smell on your face, but like I've got, I've got bad memories in my, in my gut from you. When we went into the rain delay, right? What were you? Like, what do you remember about that? I remember going in, well, so Cleveland you've got to walk up the stairs. It's kind of a little, not a little bit of a trek

to get to the clubhouse, right? So you're walking up there's two stairs that go up. And I'm walking in and everything's tarped off. The beer buckets are out. Thank God I didn't see that with a snap. Lester did. Lester did that. Lester made him take it all down. Yeah. I saw it and I'm like, I

couldn't, I saw it for five seconds and I turned right around. And then we all gathered in the wait room, but I was I was like, dude, like, I kind of understand, like, yeah, you kind of have to set up for the party or whatever and have enough time for it. But I'm like, that could have a bad look. Yeah. We were going to be on the field. Whoever one was going to be on the field for 45 minutes and then they were going to make their way in.

But I just remember in that moment, like being like, just felt like everything was just taken from us. And then we went to the wait room. And then I saw Chapie in the corner crying. And I was like, dude, I feel so bad. Yeah. Everybody like that guy like put it all on the line the whole playoffs being traded over and like pitching two and a third. He had an eight out save in game five. Yeah.

Like then pitched in game six. That's what we were talking. I almost brought that up earlier. Like he came in so early in game five. So early. And yeah, I just felt so bad for him in that moment. We all did. Yeah.

Like this is a Raldus Chapman. This dude is a like he's from Cuba. Nothing phases in. He's yoked. He's like the scariest human being... Dinner half the year. Half the year. Don't even traded over new people.

We've both been traded. Like it's like it's kind of, you never really get to know the group. You need to be there in spring. Sure. Do the dinners. Yeah. The fact that he was so like vulnerable there. And then we talk and like what do you remember from all that?

So that I don't remember too much. I just like a lot of people like saying their piece. Obviously Jay Hey. But like for me in the moment I was just more like focused on Chappie. like I just like balling his eyes off just so bad for the guy I don't like I said I don't remember anything anybody said

I have a hard time too I remember him saying like I remember saying like we how we got here this is how we got here it's about us yeah and all that but I don't same thing I'm the one that went and got chaffy off the bench he was in his hands

crying off the bench because he was the only one missing so he went and got him and then we walked in and everybody was like bro we wouldn't be here without you and all that oh yeah yeah a lot of that but then like I picture him in that state and then I picture him like when

Zobrist and Montero get the big knocks and he's on the top rail like showing that type of emotion and it was like a complete 180. Like I didn't see him in the moment showing that emotion but in the replays and you see him and then you see you, I don't even know what you were saying but you're like, I told you. I told you.

I wonder how much though like for Chapi right? Like he's he's Cuban. There's a definite language barrier. It's not easy being a foreign player like playing and not knowing the language. Sure. You're new. And I wonder how much. And you're a free agent at the end of the year.

Yeah. And I wonder how much for him that meant like that his whole team had his back there. Right. Like how much we actually cared. We're going to ask him. We're going to ask him. Going back to your point, some of my favorite pictures, like there's photos of my home run and Hyder, but I see the bench and it's you and you and call, like all these guys.

Like my favorite thing is like when you see your teammates, Joyce, for you. Yeah. Like, there is not a better feeling in the world when you're like, look at my, my dudes have in my back, right?

Like, so pumped for every little bit. Almost let in, almost gave up the game, almost getting him killed on throwing the ball in and getting his scoring on the wild pitch and shit's going crazy. And I'm like, get that whole run back and everybody's like top step fist pumping.

And your, I just, your face is like so aggressively like happy. Yeah. And I never, I was never at that type. I know. But like,

there's something like in the playoffs. where it's... You turn to a kid. You turn... It's like what you do individually does not matter at all. You know, there's a certain point of the regular season where you're like,

you're trying to put up your numbers and like you're trying to win games but in the playoffs, none of it matters. And it's just win the game. And then move to the next game. That's my favorite part about the play. How did you feel it was what?

The 10th, right? When you came up, you hit that ball to the right center. It's a home run. Earlier in the game. gone right yeah and you hit it off the bat we're so like messed up for because of wind and coming up playing at rigby like we know all wind the elements everywhere oh my good did you know right away like nah yeah i would i did it good um it was i knew right away it wasn't going out

okay it was more like you like how you spin the ball when you hit when you get one of those that you kind of like hit like you a parachute yeah like when you kind of hit high to stand but they kind of like fade to left center. Like you don't truly back spoon at the center. That was like one of those. I just knew the spin. It had that more of the side spin. So it was going to like just die at the track.

But I mean, Albert tagging up on that ball. Like, I feel like that's not, that's not how you teach that play. Exactly. You go halfway. And for him to have the instincts to be like. As a rookie, bro, he just came in the game. He wasn't supposed to be in the game. Because he said if Shorebert hits a double you're going in.

And then Shorebert let off with a single. and Joe Audubold real quick. So Albert had to audible real quick. Yeah. Yeah. Everybody doing their job. It's like we were talking about how many pieces connect.

We don't win that without every single person. Without taking a risk like that. Yeah. Like you don't teach you like that. Having the, honestly having the Cajonas to tag up there in Game 7 of the World Series. And that's like I talk about Joe

and how much Joe meant to our group, especially our young group of like he let us go play. He let us be kids. And by being kids, that's how I feel like we shine most. Yeah. Joe,

I feel like, I think when you talk about the team, I feel like Joe gets credit, but he doesn't get enough credit for what he meant to us. No, no, that's just like how easy it was playing for him. Talking to him.

Talking to him. And just, I have, like, I talk about my dad a lot, how I have emails from him. I have a lot of screenshots from Joe. Really?

Just text messaging. like back and forth that I keep too. Like just like and I never told him that but like just like it's just like how I want to live my life too after baseball like just with anything in life

like teaching my kids like how to get through school or whatever like what type of attitude you want to have and how you want to approach it and like are you going to be like down on yourself all the time or are you going to like just you know push through it you know knock the wall down and like for me Joe

was that guy but he said it in such a great way that like it wasn't like he was never demeaning like he never yelled at us like you i don't i have nothing but amazing memories of how joe coached us if we don't win without joe no he kept us in this bubble and everybody criticizes a lot of things and he he actually was very very accountable and walked us through all his stuff was was great but the fact of like how he kept us with all those distractions in 108 years and like i never felt to you that in our world. We were on our own little world. Prisoners run this high on the whole thing.

And he was so chill and fun. I learned a lot about having a life outside of baseball, right, and making that fun and being able to not just enjoy on the backside of my career. And he, man, he was he's one of the best managers of him and Bobby Cox I put probably, probably at the top.

Joe was just so unconventional on how he went about it that like, I feel like coaches nowadays just can't do it. He was one of the kind. Yeah. One of one. He's literally one of one. Yeah.

Swinging Bunt. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.

We just contributed to our first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about, what we should call it.

Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast,

where people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen.

We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guide. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. There's that worst singer in the group. The worst?

Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the... The idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation. The group. The yard herds, right? That's the name. The Harvard Yardt.

They're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged. One erection. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. You know me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies,

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Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Yeah. We're up one at this point. They scored a run. Rajé's on base.

Where was he first? He was at first. Yeah. If that ball goes over. Mike Montgomery comes in. You're running down the line, you're sliding. That's a big foul territory. Nobody's picking Mike Montgomery's

on the bingo card to close out game seven. No. When he's coming in, they take CJ out where like, I remember staying on the mound, like we looked, I feel like we looked over like, what?

I mean, who else would have came in, right? Yeah, well, we had ridden, like Stropi and Rodon. All those guys,

like, we had ridden those guys too, but like we were talking Joe's like it kind of flipped a little bit these young guys. CJ was pitching well. Yeah. Montgomery and that curb ball.

Monty pitched like six of a seven. Was Martinez? supposed to take there? Or was he pinch hitting for someone? He's pinch hitting. He brought him in for defense against for um, he pitch hit for, uh, co-christ. He had taken him out, uh, the inning at bat before, right? For, for a guyer. Yeah.

And then he came up when his spot came up. And he went in for defense. Okay. Yeah. Dude. Take us through. Cause I, we've never really talked about this either. Like, because we just celebrated and then. Yeah. And then we're warped. Yeah. And nobody cares. I had fucking pine. pine tar globed in my glove. Like before that ninth or tenth inning,

I literally took the rag and just, I'm like, I'm not dropping a ball. Because when it gets cold, like the glove gets a little crispy and like if I don't catch it right and it pops out. Nothing came out of your glove. I'm terrified. You didn't know. It came out of your glove though.

Yeah. I was very comfortable throwing the ball to you. Yeah. But it just goes back to like, like hitting in the World Series, you're like, you're, you're heightened, your heart rates elevate a little bit. You're feeling it, but like, playing defense in big games is way tougher, in my opinion.

Like, you obviously don't want to be the guy. Sure. That screws it up for the team. And like... There's a couple guys names, and we're not going to say any, that, like, you know forever in baseball history for the wrong reason. You're right for sure. You know what I mean?

And, like, there's a massive Cubs person that forever, like, unrightfully so, has been, like, tormented. Yeah. And like other guys. So it's like, yeah, you're on defense. You're like, yeah. When you guys have more time to think, like the catching, the defense was my comfort zone. So like after the first pitch, I was just like normal.

Yeah. Except for hitting. Hitting was like my nervous touch. Yeah. God damn, Ross. You let two balls in on a past ball. Mm-hmm. Okay.

Well, that's Lester's fault. We're playing that Lester. I think that was the one moment in my whole career playing with you where you tried to block a Lester curve ball and like you were seeing Tweety Bird. And like, I was like, I was like, This dude is old. I woke up the next day. It was wondering why my ankle hurt.

And I went back and watched it. I played. I rolled my ankle when I went to get up and fell back down. But you were moving in slow motion. Oh, man. Good time to go out. He's going. He's going to kill him tonight.

He's actually going to die. But you get that ground ball. Yeah. I think leading up to that two outs, like, it's every person's dream to be the one to make the life. last out. Feel the last out. Catch it. Get the last strike out. But you don't want it to come to you. Right? I mean... I don't know. I was terrified. I was terrified. I was terrible. I was like, fuck, that's a hit. And I put my head down to go to first and I look up and I see him like, oh, fuck.

Yeah, I took like two like big strides. Like off the bat, I'm like, okay, this is either Monty's going to get it. He didn't. Like, oh, no. I was like, I'm going to have to throw this on the run. which wet grass like yeah i got to it so quick i was so it maybe what took two bounces and it was like a nice it was a nice easy like and then i'm throwing the ball on my foot slipping and you're smiling it wasn't a smile it was like a it was like it was it was a it was a it was just a it was just a concentration face i guess but yes um out of the hand i thought that was sale you did i was in the That's how nervous I was. I was, I might have, like, I didn't embellish it, but, like, I kind of, like, leaned into, like,

because if I just, like, planted hard and then let it slip, that thing was for sure going over your head. But, like, I kind of, like, moved with. Nice. But, yeah, I mean, the rain delay, was it, like, 15 minutes long? 17 minutes long. Good number. Good number. And then we just kind of just went out and played.

And won right away. But there wasn't like a, like, you know, with the rain delay, they're fixing the field. They're striping it again. Like, we didn't do any of that. No, it was quick. But when you threw it to me, we were talking about your dad and we'll bring it full circle. Like, when I was a kid with my dad, I would always, like, practice, like, winning and, like, being the champion of the world. And, like, we would always, like, raise both hands and big, oh, the world!

So, like, you perfectly threw it, like, high. And I was, like, that's why, like, you raised your hand. That was for my dad. That's the sixth century. That's what I did with my dad. I was standing high. Yeah, like, oh, I'm fucking champion of the world. And like, put the ball in the pocket.

I ran right to you. And we just like jump on each other. Yeah. Dude, that was. Yeah. Like, I don't know for me personally. Like, you know, I feel like we won a lot over a short period of time that you try to think how you're going to celebrate.

Right? Yeah. Like, we're going right to each other. Yeah. Like Adi and Javie are going together. You're. If you're on the field, you're going to do your pitcher. And it's like, I feel like we had conversations about that stuff too.

Oh, yeah. What are we going to do? We're going to do. We talked about the two best teams I've been at the World Series teams I've won with. The teams I've been on, they talk about winning the World Series. And I think that's so important for a mindset of players. Like the ultimate goal was like don't sell yourself short of like we want to make the playoffs or we want to, you know, like all that bullshit. It's like there's definitely steps to it.

but like when you talk about winning the World Series, that's when you get there and you're expected to be there. And like we've already talked about how we're going to celebrate this win. You know, like here we go. Yeah. As much as we talked about it too, it's like what the Cubs fans, like how they celebrated it was like the most like crazy sentimental thing.

Right. Like seeing all the flags on the graves and people at the graveyards and like. Flying the W. I'm going to write W everywhere. And it was like, we knew it was going to be like that, but like, it was 10 times more than what we even talked about. And we talked about this all the time. Like, our imaginations are crazy. And not too many things in the game outlives your imagination and winning.

Yeah. And it was like. It was so cool to see like, because obviously the Cubs had not won in so long, but like so much tradition just kind of came out like at once. Like seeing so many flags and people just talking about how like, like, oh my mom would love to see this day and like oh my grandpa saw it and he passed away shortly after it's like people waiting around to see this that's my favorite thing that i still carry is like the ring's great that's obviously like winning is but hearing people's like stories of generational like how they became fans and where they were at game seven and all that stuff it's amazing yeah

amazing like our families are on the field afterwards they're all in it yeah they're on the end now like what i say a two-year bender of just like celebrating and the party the parties at Lester's, the parties at Country Club and Brigleyville, all this stuff. And, like, everyone's so ecstatic. You get to, like, do all this love. But, like, at the end, it's just, like, we fucking did this. We did. And, like, we're only, there's only 25 of us.

Yeah, yeah. Right? And it's, like, coaches and everyone evolve. Well, then we're on that pedestal. Like, we went to S&L, me, you, Dax. We'll talk about that. But me and you went to, and we were on Ellen, who was, like, giant at the time, right? flew,

Disney flew us out to like, all the way to this sick jet. Yeah. Alan, you guys did the S&L. I did Jimmy Kimmel too. You did Kimmel. What was like the biggest thing from winning that like that,

from winning the World Series, what's the biggest thing that's changed your life now, 10 years later? From winning? Yeah, like what have you learned most about that? Like as a player, as a person,

as a dad. What have I learned most from, oh my gosh. well, it's just like, like if you speak it and you put it out there and you have a group of people that all buy in and speak the same language as you, it's like it almost made it easier

to accomplish it. You know, and it's like, not saying the team's after, like the 2017 all over through 21 when we were there, like we didn't have that, you know? And like in the moment, like, we weren't able to like see it but now looking back on it you could totally see like it was just a special time like we had a whole group that bought in and just all we did was talk about winning the world series and what it would mean for a city and the fan base and we're like and it was like nothing was going to stop us so it's like yeah you like a lot of it for me now is like I try to instill in my kids it's like like my son just did ski lessons And I'm sitting there on the side of the mountain watching him.

And he's struggling just to get back on this little magic carpet thing because he's just sliding back on the snow. And I'm just sitting there. I'm like, I'm not going to say anything to him. Like, I sure, I can go out there and push him. And I'm like, no, you're going to figure it out. Like, you're going to have the drive to get up the mountain and do it again. And for us, I was like, that's kind of what we did. Like, we went through all of our peaks and valleys.

And it was like, we talked to each other. We leaned on each other. and some led by example, some were more vocal, and we all were able to pull ourselves out from our crappy times, and we were at the mountain top at the end of this thing. I was like, yeah, it's the peak of the game, the peak of the sport. For the 2016 Chicago Cubs being the MVP of the greatest Cubs team in the history of the organization,

and what you meant to the organization, what we all meant, but the fact that we get to sit down and talk about it, 10 years later, has been one of the biggest joys of my career so far. This is the highlight. I'm jealous that you guys get to do this. Without, well, without you two, like, you and me and the whole Brissot stuff and playing together and like our relationship, Jess and Emily are so close and you coming in and mentoring me, it's like, I'm full of joy because of it looking back of like, I got to do

this with great. people and like lifelong friends that's what's all about right trying we're sitting here at the summit here in Las Vegas I'm telling Chris I'm a really good guest for a member of guys I'm playing with Dex yeah well but I think

I think the cool like just for our relationship personally and I might not have the best relationship with some of the other guys on the team nowadays which is it's hard to do we grow apart yeah but like I know that and like we might talk might not talk for months but like I know that like when you call me or something it's like and you

get a new number all the time. Like this one's Anthony's new number. I was like, oh, Anthony's calling. Dush. Like, what does he want now? But no, it's like when you call me, it's like, it's like we've been talking like yesterday, you know? Like yesterday.

Yeah. It's like, you know, certain players you play with and then you see him like two years down the road and you're like, I don't know what to say to you. Like, I don't know how to talk to you right now. But it's like, I think we all built such a good bond. When you do what we did, we're your brothers for life, right? Like, and how close our team was and the amount of, you know, guys that we had that were good people, right? And also good baseball players. Like it was a very

unique group, obviously, to go through what we went through and come out champions. But to that, to that respects, like, I, I love everybody on that team. You know what I mean? It's like you, you see them and it just joy, brings back all the memories. We carried you off the field. It's not about me, Rizze. But I'm saying, though, like, that's how much you meant to us. Yeah. Like, you were 40 years old. Change my life, man. You can say you're a backup catcher. Change my life. You are our, you were our guy. Yeah. And close us out, Ross. Hunter.

Give us some. Well, thank you to 2016 MVP, World Series champion and still active. Chris Bryant. That was a lot of fun, man. We're really thankful for you. Obviously, I'm thankful for my ring, your friendship, and the round of golf. We're about to play. Go out, buddy.

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