Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara - Nick Lachey’s Bengals Love, Chargers Ejection & USC tryout... Plus: Sports’ Unbreakable Records

Episode Date: April 10, 2025

You may think you know 98 Degrees frontman and Love is Blind co-host Nick Lachey, but do you really?  For example, did you know he once tried out to play running back for USC without ever having played organized football in his life?  Or that he once got kicked out of Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego during a Bengals-Chargers game?  Or that he was granted a meeting with the NFL to voice his frustration with the way the Bengals were being run?  Nick joins Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara to look back on all of these stories and so much more!    Plus, Alexander Ovechkin breaks a record that we thought was unbreakable and we debate whether it's ok to text a professional golfer who’s leading the Masters on the morning of the final round.    New episodes of Throwbacks drop every Thursday. Make sure you’re subscribed on YouTube and following on all podcast platforms. Also, make sure you’re locked in on social @ThrowbacksShow on all platforms for highlight moments, bonus content, and to engage with the guys & the Throwbacks community. (http://throwbacksshow.com/)      A big thank you to our sponsors:    Wendy’s    Go to Wendy's® and taste the difference in a hamburger. - https://m-wendys.app.link/hamburger25   ZipRecruiter   Try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Throwbacks    NHTSA  Put the Phone Away or Pay. Paid for by NHTSA  Nissan  Take adventure to new heights in the all-new 2025 Nissan Armada.  Go to https://NissanUSA.com/Armada to learn more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I actually went to the league office and met with the vice president of operations on behalf of Bengal fans and said, whoa, what's happening to the Bengals fan base is an absolute travesty. We've supported this team sell out year after year after year and the ownership's not doing anything. And that's when it kind of turned around. So you're the episode of Throwbacks, everyone. Thank you. How are you taking in the show? We appreciate it. We're in person.

In person. Different look. Throwing you a different look. Don't forget to subscribe on YouTube. Follow us on Apple, Spotify. Leave your comments on the show's YouTube page and follow us all on our social platforms at throwback show, email us feedback at throwback show. I could even remember that one.

Matt, it's good to be here, man. Welcome back to the best coast. You know what I love? Like in Ohio, the weather was just starting to break and we're starting to get some nice days. It snowed the day I left. Did it? Oh yeah. I was just I love like in Ohio, the weather was just starting to break and we're starting to get some nice days. It snowed the day I left. Did it? Oh yeah, I was just texting Bri like, ha ha ha.

It's beach season here in California already. It's like the whole week has been super nice. I forget and every time I get here, I'm just like, this really is the best weather. When you touch down in LA, don't you just miss it, right? It just gives you a little tingle. You know what? Now, since I'm gone for a few years, I miss it.

And I immediately get thrown back to the time when I moved here. I remember stepping off the plane in LAX, getting onto a super shuttle, and going to my first apartment in Burbank. And I get thrown into that. Was that with Max? That was your apartment?

No, no, no. Max came in the picture like a year in, a year. Well, it's good to have you out here, man Got a big week big week big guest. Yes, you have a very Eclectic group of friends. I must say I did and So when you propose this guest I was like, how do you know him? You know, that's one of my good buddies Nick Lachey everybody from 98 degrees from love is blind This is an absolute monster show. He stole all those ladies' hearts about 20 years ago.

And he never gave them back. And he never gave them back. And now he's stealing hearts on, as he's like the reality TV show host now, him and his wife, Vanessa, which has gotta be the greatest thing of all time. Well, that's why I can't wait to talk to him about, because it just does seem like a great gig.

I always look at stuff like that, like what's the work life? Obviously, we love the product. People love the show and watch Love is Blind and all those shows. But then I always try to see, like, what's the workflow, the production, are you enjoying it? And it does look pretty light.

Awesome location. Pretty light. Gets to work with his wife and they get along well. And it doesn't seem like they're not in the whole episode, like, for an hour. They pop in and they pop out. I actually wanna ask, love is blind. The big part of that for them is the reunion at the end,

which is just, you watch the whole season unfold and then you get to talk about these couple's gonna make it or not. But yeah, gosh man, we go way back. Definitely wanna tell the story of how we met, which is pretty funny. And then, yeah, I mean. And big sports guy.

Big, sexy guy. Big sports guy. Gosh, we've been to multiple Super Bowls together. We've, like, he was, he sang at my wedding, which is actually a really cool, like, that's how close we're, like, I used to get made fun of all the time. When, because we were boys

when I was at the tail end of college. So then when I went to the NFL, like, Nick was a big supporter, came out to Arizona all the time. But like all my boys were like, you know, the whole like they loved them when they met him, but like the whole boy band, like perception. I'm like, guys, like this dude is the coolest, the most guy guy you'll ever meet. Lots of lots of fun times together, man. Were you stressed when like you asked them to perform at your wedding?

That's not like a small favor. You're asking someone who sold millions of records. Ask him that. I wanted to ask him because the way, and I'll save it, but the way it was done was really, really emotional. And it was really special for, it was a surprise for Josie, essentially, is how I did it. OK. He did sing at our first dance,

but there was another part of the wedding that I surprised my wife with, with Nick singing, and we can get into it, but it was truly, like, it meant a lot to me, and he knew that, and when I asked him, I think it was just like, he's like, dude, of course, whatever you need me to do, I'd be honored, and like, it was cool.

I feel like him and I will get along well, because I do, from all things I've heard, whether from you, and I know get along well because I do all, from all things I've heard, whether from you and I've, I know other people who are friendly with Nick, that he is a pretty big psycho sports fan. He's a diehard, diehard since he. Like it's not surface. And anytime you see someone rocking

like a Cincinnati Reds hat, that's not for style purposes. Like you are. It's like being a Clipper fan out here. If you're rocking the Cincinnati Reds starter satin jacket, like you are a real fan. That is not a fashion choice, even though it is a dopeipper fan. If you're rocking the Cincinnati Red Starter satin jacket, you are a real fan. That is not a fashion choice, even though it is a dope jacket now in hindsight.

Big sports fan, USC fan, bangles. Yeah, he's awesome. And how I always knew, how I always separated boy bands, I always be like, oh, that's the Jack dude. Nick was a beast. I'm like, that's the Jack dude. And I feel like I was cool with them, because I'm like, oh, that's the dude. That's the jackdude

We can also ask him about his his really cool son tattoo that he has on his arm, too That was that that was the the butt of a lot of jokes. We're just a random son Yes, like 98 degrees 98 degrees, but do you have any you're not you're tatless right? I'm tatless I've been debating in the tat though. What would you get? That's a good question You could get like a highs is so many though. What would you get? That's a good question. Cause you could get like a high, there's so many ways you can go. You can get your kids. Here's the thing, if I had like a body to get a tat,

I would, or like muscles, but I don't. But you're such a beach guy. You can show them, get it on the leg. You got good legs, you got good sticks. I got skinny legs, bro. That's cause you're tall. That's cause you're tall. Anyway, well, Nick's coming up in a second.

So right now we are gonna get to, we're gonna get to- We're off the rails already. We're off the rails already. Fresh Moves of the Week brought to you by Wendy's. Go to Wendy's, taste the difference. I think this is a pretty easy fresh move for me. We saw a pretty big record get broken recently. One that I really didn't think would ever get touched.

Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky's goal record. Gretzky was there. I mean, I really, I still remember Ovechkin when he wasretzky's goal record. Gretzky was there. I mean, I still remember Ovechkin when he was like a young player. So now that I think he's come this far, it was pretty big record for him. Did you see, like, he's obviously one of the greatest to ever play.

Yeah. Did you see him after he's, so he had a beer after, his pads are off, he's so gray. Yes. He looked, I was like, he looks like a mechanic or like a construction worker. Like he just got off, he's sweating. A longshoreman.

And I'm like, this dude has literally just broke the Great Ones goal record. And gosh, I mean, top five of all time. Oh, he's definitely sure. Maybe the greatest. I mean, I was dying laughing because I'm like, this dude. And then afterward, he's just like, I think he went out and had a party.

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

There's a lot, man. All right. Yeah, what do you got? Let's throw a few that we think won't be broken. Won't be broken. All right, do you wanna go first? Do you want me to go? Well, I just pulled it out.

I mean, this one we didn't even talk about, Ricky Henderson's stolen basses. Never gonna be touched. Over 1,400 stolen basses. Never gonna be touched. Rest in peace, by the way, to Ricky Henderson's stolen bases. Never gonna be touched. Over 1400 stolen bases. Never gonna be touched. Rest in peace by the way to Ricky Henderson. I got a chance to meet him at a autograph signing for the Raiders, but he was there.

It was like Mark, it was a couple of Raiders. I played for the Raiders one year, but I was a Raider. But Ricky was there, he was awesome. And I actually got his rookie card signed by him. The Ricky Henderson stories were amazing. Anyway, yeah, Ricky Henderson. I got one for you that's never going to be touched. And it's baseball, too.

No one's ever touched in Joe DiMaggio's 56 game. Really? Who is the closest that he? Guys don't even bat 300 anymore. Your boy Aaron Judge batted like 340 last year. The whole Yankees 1996 roster batted 300. You don't need to bat 300 to go one for four. 300 implies more hits, so it'll be less walks,

strikeouts and home runs and more hits. Like you saw that thing, Rafael Devers in the first like three games of the season struck out 15 times. Tony Gwynne one year struck out 15 times the whole year. He's maybe the greatest hitter of all time. I mean, I think the one, I mean, Cal Ripken's most consecutive games. That's why I like LeBron playing 20 years,

like any longevity record. Will Chamberlain has some stats that, and records that you can't even quantify because who knows how they kept him. Here's one also too, Masters starting literally any minute, if you look right now while you're listening to this, the Masters probably underway.

Jack Nicholas, 18 majors, we thought for a minute there, Tiger would have had a shot years ago. He ain't gonna touch it most likely. I don't see any other player that gets to 18. Well, I got one for you. Ready? Yeah. Michael Phelps. Oh, yeah. I don't know. I think Simone Biles to Simone. No, Michael Phelps has that could be touched. You don't think so? Twenty eight Olympic medals.

You got to be in like four Olympics and then be in multiple events like a swing. We're saying you don't think anyone will ever do that in the history of the Olympics again. I must say the odds are good, but compared to like a cow rip can streak that you just they won't even allow a player to play in that man. I don't think anyone's going to win 28 Olympic or Olympic. I think Simone Biles had 24 gold medals. Either way, shout outs to Mr. Ovechkin. That's a great record.

Any other ones you want to name before we get to Mr. Lushev? I think Emmett Smith, career rushing yards, a little over 18,000. Again, because the game is now different. The running backs won. It's just different. There's more games, which obviously could be a detriment for injury. Three back situations, too. Three backs.

It's more of a passing sort of, you know, that one might not get, there's a ton. I mean, records are made to get broken, but that's why I'm in the Ovechkin. Gosh, that's crazy. That might be the last big one that we see. That is our Fresh Moves brought to you by Wendy, shout outs, and now let's bring in one of Matt's

most eclectic friend group members, Nick Lachey. Are you crushing your bills? Friend Group members, Nick Lachey. that rewards your good financial habits. Unpoints for paying your credit card bill in full and on time every month. Level up from bill payer to reward slayer. Terms and conditions apply. To support sustainable food production, BHP is building one of the world's largest hot ash mines in Canada. Essential resources responsibly produced. It's happening now at BHP, a future resources company.

How did you guys get connected? Did you always know each other? How did you guys get connected? Everyone says that. We speed dated on the phone. But yeah, that's kind of how like Matt and I, when we decide, like when we were talking about doing a show and we had this like phone call speed date thing, like hey do we want to do a show together? And that's why it sort of became throwback, because you go back to like, 03, 04, SC. I just got like, cast in Entourage, 23-year-old kid, I knew nothing about LA. We were running around in like, kind of like similar,

like we were at similar places. But we never met. But we never formally like, hey, I'm Matt, I'm Jerry, good to meet you, love you, SC. Never happened. I only met Connelly, Kevin Connelly. I used to run into him quite a bit. That means you went to some night clubs, probably.

We probably ran into him together. Well, back in those days, he was with Nicky, right? So we were all kind of like hanging together. And yeah, it was a small group back then. And then, so then when we were, Sinclair was talking to him about doing a show. I was kind of talking about doing his other show. And a couple of guys were like,

fuck, why don't you guys do this together? And we literally got on a phone last summer and we talked like we would when you talked to your first, you know, like on a first date for like an hour and a half. Does he FaceTime you all the time? He's the worst. I don't get this. And do you FaceTime your friend?

No, I don't. I can FaceTime anyone but my kids. You think he'd get the hint, I never pick up. I don't ever pick up either. Dude, so the other day I FaceTimed Jerry. I had something important to tell you though. I fade him all the time. And by the way, I did this, I was with Josie,

I go, you know what dude, I'm gonna FaceTime his wife. And Bree answered. FaceTime my wife. And then you were there, you were there. He went over my head. Went around to the boss. You know who, this is super random, you know who hates, who makes fun of me more than anybody?

Lane Kiffin. I will, random, I will randomly FaceTime him just because he pisses. No, well, he was my coach, but he gets so upset about it. And... Well, it's dangerous FaceTiming Lane. You never know where Lane's gonna be. He could be on a boat somewhere,

or something, I don't know what he's doing. Thanks for coming on, man. We appreciate you, dude. Yeah, but more importantly, how do you... I was joking with Matt when we did an intro for you. Matt has a really interesting group of friends. Like you said, it's like Lane Kiffin, it's Nick Lachey. How do you two become friends?

Well, no, we first met... I was back in those days, I was doing newlyweds. So I was on TV all the time. Huge SC fan. I went to SC. So I was always on TV and SC gear, always watching the game. And he obviously either seen it or heard about it. So we happened to be at the same bar one night and just got introduced. And these dudes are like the Beatles. Do you remember the name of the bar? What's that? Do you remember the name of the bar? It was guys. Guys, yeah.

Remember guys? Guys. I do remember guys. I feel like I got kicked out of guys for. Guys, Sunday night was like big jazz. Was it Sunday night? I don't think it was a Sunday night we were there, but yeah, it was a good little spot.

Shout out Braun as a mutual friend. And I remember we're sitting there and I was, gosh, I think I was 21, I might've been 20, 21. And he goes, dude, Lashay's over there. And I tell a story, I think I was 21. I might've been 20, 21. And he goes, dude, Lashay's over there. And I told the story, I've told him this. My high school girlfriend had a poster of them up in his room. That's a big flex.

I've since apologized over that. I swear to God. I was like, so like, obviously I knew who Nick was, but Bron's like, dude, he's a huge SE fan. You should go say what up. And that was literally how we met. I think I went up to him and said, dude, huge fan. And then I think we hung out,

like I think I came to your house back, like we hung out and then it was just like, we're boys ever since. And back in those days, man, it was just the best at SC. Cause you know, you get on the sideline and it was just, I mean, they were unstoppable. The whole atmosphere was just unstoppable. It was awesome.

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

You were like, this feels right. Yeah. I mean, growing up in Ohio, I'm one of the few that's not an Ohio State fan. Right. I everyone knows this. I just do not like Ohio State. I'm a Cincinnati Bearcat. Yeah. But anyone who's followed Bearcat football at all knows that they've been terrible for the majority of my life. So yeah, I was more of a Bearcat basketball fan, SC football fan. And then obviously when I went to school there, you then I really became a fan but I was always I was always kind of a closet you know SC fan even back in the you know I remember like the Rodney P days oh yeah and yeah it was it was I hook been Notre Dame and SC were one and two and he had those

battles going on and so yeah I was always kind of a closet SC fan but it didn't really kick fully in until I went there. All right. Let's do some all time adventures driven by Nissan. Take adventure to new heights in the all new 2025 Nissan Armada. Go to NissanUSA.com slash Armada to learn more. I don't think a lot of people know this, but you walked on. You attempted. Well. Tell us that story. He attempted to walk on. You tried to walk on at USC? That's a credit to you.

Walking on is a very loose term. Anyone can walk on to the field. Did you put pads on? No, because it was the involuntary, voluntary spring practice where you're not even allowed to throw footballs yet. You have to throw softballs. Like, you're not even supposed to throw footballs yet. You have to throw softballs like you're not even supposed to be practicing but right but they're everyone's out there. So I was a theater major right so every day on the way to my dance class I would pass

the football team coming out of Heritage Hall. Man that looks cool. And I'd go past them and then and so that was the year that Larry Smith got fired and John Robinson had just come. Yeah. So they brought John Robinson back. There's a lot of hype. So one day I'm passing the football team on the way to dance class. And I said, hey, coach, you think I could play for you? And he said, are you fast? It sounds like Rudy's opening of Rudy. Keep in mind, I never played a down of organized football in my life.

I went to a performing arts high school in a shout out to you. Actually, you need to be an athlete, though. I had no I've literally never put pads on. I've never played football. High School in Ohio. Shout out to you, actually. Well, you need to be an athlete, though. OK, have some athleticism. I've literally never put pads on. I've never played football. So I said, yeah, I'm pretty fast. He said, you can play in my backfield. So I said, Mom, you've got to send me the cleats.

I had one pair of cleats. They were stark white Joe Namath. Joe Namath, low cleats. She sends these to me, and I said, I cannot go out there on the field like this. But I took the physical. I did the whole thing and then I went out there and Charles White, you know, legendary, Heisman Trophy winner is the running back position coach. And I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm out there in basketball shoes. I look total, you can tell who the real guys are because they have team

issued stuff on. I'm out there like basketball shorts and a total scrub. And Charles is just screaming at me, you are pathetic. You just soaked. This is the greatest thing ever. He's not wrong either. He's not wrong. I'm out there just soaking it all. It was literally the only time I've ever played football. Did you have a, did you have like a dream to play football?

Like you didn't play growing up. So like what prompted you just like, oh shit, this could be pretty cool. Always wanted to play. And my mom, my mom said, you can't play till high school. So she said, and I went to, I started going to this performing arts school and then I just fell in love with that

and didn't want to leave to go play football. So yeah, I mean, clearly it was the right move for me. What like, you know all the what ifs, what if you actually ended up playing? Do you think that would have? I would have been killed. No, but like you played, you got the kind of the bug. Would that have changed your course of music?

You know, that's a good question, man. I think a lot of the reason I felt confident enough to move from Cincinnati to LA and start a band and do all this stuff is because I went to a performing arts school. Like they made you feel like, OK, you've got talent. You've got potential. So if I hadn't done that, I'm not

sure I would have had the balls really to come out and do that. Funny thing, I just thought I was, because Matt did mention that you might have, and Matt just tells people, oh, he tried to walk on at USC. Your story gives a lot more context away. Well, and by the way, I'm skipping dance class every day. The best part of that is I'm walking on my way to dance class, and I ask the coach, Hey, do you think I could play for you?

That one might get clipped for social. But then, so when I was just doing a little, you know, I know a lot about you obviously, but I'm kind of, it's funny like the shit Wikipedia says, but it does say about your bandmate Jeff who had like gave up his aspirations. It says on Wikipedia, hold on. He planned on a career playing football in the NFL But then in 95 he sang at a college party three friends and got a positive reaction So the way Matt's it's like so Nick's pursuing college football Jeff's wants to be like you guys just like, you know

Let's hang up this football thing and start a band It's like you know the context of the story know what we'd be in the Hall of Fame if we hadn't given it up for a boy band, you know? I'm confident. You know what I wanted to ask you too, growing up in Cincinnati, because for me with acting, growing up in Brooklyn, New York, no one I knew was in any performing arts, anything.

I'd go play pick up hoops in like the schoolyard and then I'd leave and lie and say, I got recruited by this other AAU team to play and I take the train to the city to take acting class. Were you like kind of black cat in Cincinnati doing that? Or was it, do you have people and peers around you where it wasn't like, oh, Nick wants to be a singer

or a performing arts major. What was that like? Well, the school that I went to is called the School for Creative and Performing Arts. So literally, it was the cool thing to do at that school, right? So we didn't have sports, but if you got the lead in the big fall musical,

that was the equivalent of being the starting quarterback. I mean, that was what was cool in our school. So it was a great place, if you were into the arts, it was a great place to go to school because every day you're just totally immersed in it. It is the cool thing to do. You're getting better and better at it. So yeah, it was not like in some schools,

it's like the nerdy glee club or what. Nah, that was like, we were, if you had the lead in the musical, or if you had a solo in the song or what, that was, that's what you aspired to do and to be. So it was cool. It was cool. So throwbacks to the thing,

and we always throw back to nostalgic times and obviously in 98 degrees in the boy band. How did you guys, because you guys all grew up in Ohio. You and your brother were there, obviously the other two. How did you guys meet? What was the first, because I don't know if I know the story,

hey, let's just do this out of our garage or? You know, it was a guy I went to school with, he was a year ahead of me, and he'd already moved out to LA, and he met Jeff. And I don't know where, and we weren't like especially close even, but I don't know where he just hit me up. He said, you should come out to LA and join this band.

And I had since transferred from USC to Miami, Ohio, I was taping ankles, I was an athletic trainer, like this blows. You know what I mean? I'm in on your athletic career, bro. I'm in on all of it. We can make a movie about this. Well, I got as close.

And I tell you this all the time, the four coaches, I was the trainer for men's basketball, right? And we won the tournament game that year. We had a good team. The four coaches were Herb Sendek, Sean Miller, who now just got hired to Texas, Thad Mata, who's at Butler. He used to be at Ohio State. And then Charlie Col Charlie Cole since passed.

So there were four D1 head coaches on that one staff. It was an awesome, like little Miami of Ohio had an awesome little thing going. But anyway, I wasn't super excited about taping ankles the rest of my life. I had a potential internship with the Bengals to like be on their athletic training, you know, staff or whatever.

But then this guy calls me, he's like, hey, there's this opportunity in LA, you know, you should think about it. And I was like, he's like, hey, there's this opportunity in LA, you know, you should think about it. And I was like, you know what? My girlfriend and I had just broken up, wasn't crazy about school. Everything just kind of lined up. So I took the chance and came out here and joined these guys.

So they were already formed? So Drew was already part of that? No, so it was this, it was Jeff. Just Jeff. This guy, John, Jeff's brother, Mike. And then I was the fourth. And within, I'd say three days of me being here, Mike quit. So then I was here and one guy's already out.

So yeah, he was, it literally took 48 hours, I think. And he was like, I'm done, I can't do this. And then, so I say, hey, I got this great bass singer that was, I was in a band and since at the time. So I said, let me call my boy Justin. So I brought Justin out. And then about four months later, this guy John, who initially called me,

got a bit part in Sweet Valley High. You guys remember Sweet Valley High? Sweet Valley High, yes. So he got a part in that. It was just a one time guest role. But he was convinced at that point that he needed to be an actor. And so we kind of said, hey man,

we're all out here to do this band. Like either you're in or you're out. I like if you get a gig, we're not just going to sit here. And I was delivering Chinese food at the time. I'm like, I'm not, you know, this is not my future. So we actually, you know, he said, oh, I need to act. And he left the group. And that's when I brought my brother in, Drew. So you were delivering Chinese food.

Yeah, man. Jesus, dude. How many jobs did you walk fast? Walk fast. I was fired from every restaurant in the San Fernando Valley. My first ever job was, I was parking cars at South Coast Plaza. My brother, it was valet. My brother ran the, he knows my brother.

Actually, he's got a sense of my brother recently. I've got, yeah. My brother's crazy. So I was parking valet. Long story short, it's Christmas morning, I kid you not. South Coast Plaza is open. I fucking crash a Benz in a pole in an open parking lot. I shit you not.

Open parking lot. I just was like going, it was like, you know an open parking lot and they had like little things coming out and you kind of go around. I just ran right in. It's Christmas morning? I swear, I can't make this up.

I get back there, I start crying, dude. And my buddy Mike Gazano, I don't even remember Mike Gazano. Like it was just us two there. And I'm like, Mike, my brother's gonna kill me. I was like remember Mike Gazano, it was just us two there, and I'm like, Mike, my brother's gonna kill me. I was literally bawling. He's like, go, I'll handle it. I get home, my brother comes home later in the day,

he's like, you fucking idiot. He fired me, my brother fired me from valet parking. Anyway. By the way, have you ridden with him? He hasn't gotten any better. Stop. You know, it tracks the FaceTimes, and then I would leave it you.

By the way, I stand by my FaceTime. Not a great driver though. But that's a great mailbag question. I always, I always say, is it, is it okay, one, for dudes to FaceTime other dudes? But in general, is it just okay to FaceTime? I think it's great. You FaceTime, I'm sure you FaceTime your kids all the time.

Wife of kids, sure. Yeah, I mean, families, you know, like your kids, obviously it's, it's different than your boys. I don't know, I just don't FaceTime the guys. How weird of that would you be if we like exchanged numbers? Hey, Jerry, go bangles with Texan in like two days. Do, do, do, do, do, do. I'm FaceTiming you.

It's less about Matt. It's like, who's Matt with? What's Matt doing right now? What time is it exactly? I'll go on a heater when I'm drunk or drinking. Exactly. That'll be like, I'll just start FaceTiming 20 people on my phone, like, let's see who's gonna pick up now. And then I'll just hang up before saying bye. All'll be like, I'll just start FaceTime and 20 people on my phone like,

let's see who's gonna pick up now. And then I'll just hang up before saying bye. All right, okay, real quick. When did you guys first know it was like, oh shit, we're like, like, cause that was, was Nsync formed a new kids? Were they all formed at that time?

No, Backstreet was. We actually, we actually drove. We had a gig to sing the national anthem at the Washington State Fair in Puyallup, Washington. We drove 24 hours up I-5 to sing the national anthem at this fair and we get there and we had a crazy story, man. We went through some gnarly and gnarly stuff. We sang backstage at a Boys 2 Men concert to try and meet them. Didn't meet them, but we met this girl. She's like, hey, I dad might you know be able to help you guys out he's got a record label coolest exchange numbers. They say I know we're pulling up in Compton and it's it's Mike Concepcion. I don't

know if you Mike Concepcion starts start of the Crips. Yeah. So all of a sudden we're like four white guys in Compton and we're singing he's like I'm gonna sign you boys fill out these forms social security numbers and I'm like yeah we got street cred let's like, I'm gonna sign you boys, fill out these forms, social security numbers. And I'm like, yeah, we got street cred, let's go, let's sign with this. And the guy who called me, John, the guy who initially called me for the group was like, I'm not signing it, I'm not doing it,

I'm not signing it. And thank God. Yeah, what happens if you all sign that deal? You know what, I have no clue. I mean, I don't know how our future would have been, but it would have been different. So where'd you sing at when they, so that was at a Boyz II Men concert.

So that was at a Boyz II Men concert. And you just, you know, you sing around LA, we'd sing at Taco Bell for free tacos. We'd sing at, you know, Fat Burger for, Sing it for your supper. We'd sing at City Walk. He really did start from the bottom. Yeah, I mean, like back in those days,

there was no YouTube. There wasn't even American Idol. If you wanted to get discovered, you just kind of pound the pavement. So we would just sing for anybody. And we'd sing acapella and they'd be like, oh, you guys got good harmonies. Here's the card. Maybe. So eventually somebody gives you a card that leads to something, leads to something.

And we finally got signed. But Backstreet was we met them at that fair is the reason I was saying that. And they were actually formed. That was 1995. And they tried to come out here, and it didn't really work. So they went to Germany and blew up in Europe. And then came back. And then they came back already with like the European crowd built. So yeah, but NSYNC wasn't, they weren't even formed until after that. And then how long from that Washington did you guys get signed and then you became like

this phenomenon? So that was, that was like September of 95. We got signed in May of 96 to Motown. And then they moved us to New York and we did our first record, which came out in 97. So, you know, like lived in New York, all those studios in the village, you know, Electric Lady and Hit Factory and all. I mean, we, we, we had a good time in New York. That was, and they wanted us to move there to give us a little bit more, you know, a Lady and Hit Factory and all. I mean, we had a good time in New York. That was, and they wanted us to move there to give us a little bit more, you know,

a little bit more grit. You know, we were four white guys from Ohio and we were on Motown. So like, hey, we need you to be in New York and get a little more, a little more street. Is that where the camouflage pants? Yes, we're all the fat farm. And yeah, we were, we were, it was a different time, man.

Isn't it crazy that like the baggy jeans, you guys were like Timberland boots, the wife beaters, the camo pants, I don't think you have the earrings. I know, I don't think I think I was wearing Timberland boots when I met you. I got it. I've never stopped wearing Tims. Nothing says New York like a pair of Tims. That's like people play pick up hoops in New York and Tims. The fresh Tims are, that's a look.

I've never owned a pair of Tims from Orange County. It's because you're, you don't even wear this. No, I respect Tims, but I never, yeah. But you wear open-toed that's a look. I've never owned a pair of Timbs from Orange County. It's because you don't even wear. No, I respect Timbs, but I never. But you wear open toe shoes on a plane. You're a whole different. Dude, I wore sandals. I wore sandals on a plane. I think that's like a fireable offense.

And board shorts. And board shorts. I wear sandals in Ohio right now, dude. That's all I got. At any point, so when things start to really blow up, because we were talking about you, you know, you played sports, you love sports, like, there's always like a competitive nature to it, right? Like when you love sports, it's just even if it's healthy competition, at any point as it's

all just coming to this massive wave between groups and stuff like that, or even within is never competitive, not even necessarily a bad way, like F those guys, but like, are you scoreboard watching at all? Is it like a natural thing? I mean, like it's the TRL era, right? Was like, yeah, we've said this. What a great time. I think we've all said this. I mean, like you watched to see where you were. TRL was great. It was legit. Like you knew how successful you were at that moment because of where your video was on the on the... MTV Spring Break and TRL. You guys performed at MTV Spring Break. Yeah, man. We were, we were at Spring Break the first year, You guys performed at MTV Spring Break. Yeah, man.

We were at Spring Break the first year like when Kid Rock came out and Eminem. I remember being at Cancun. Who is this kid? Eminem. Next thing you know he's freaking blowing. I mean like it was just a special time in music man and MTV was just the... Didn't Vanessa host MTV Spring Break? Later after. Later, yeah. Like more like early 2000s. I remember I used to get home from school because like so like yeah I was probably in high school when you guys were on your trajectory and I would come home and watch TRL was the thing it was TRL then when spring break came I was I don't think my parents would even let me watch it but I'd sneak it like then you had the beach house in the summer. It's so hard to hear now, obviously, does MTV get sold, but no one wants it. It's like, man, there's still gotta be amazing IP you could mine from that era. Cause we won't ever see that era again.

It was, I mean, it was, you know, the internet kind of killed all that. But back in those days, if you were into pop culture and you were into music, like you ran home from school and you put, that was your connection to what was happening in pop culture. It was and for the artists I mean the opportunity to go on there and like the crowds outside and Times Square and promote your stuff and we actually did a promotion with MTV called Fly 2K. I remember that. I mean like some really crazy cool shit that yeah to your

point it's just the brand is always the brand but it just doesn't it doesn't have any legs anymore. They can't make it work What's the what's one that you could tell? What's the craziest story? Just I don't know. Maybe he's one of your guys or you can be like, no, I can't tell that no I mean, it's like it's like I just like I was telling Jerry before he came I'm like dude I've been to your concerts now like a a couple of years ago where they're still torn and like that demographic now is all like the 30 to 50 year old ladies who loved you guys. And they're psycho still.

Oh yeah. So I can only imagine. My wife might be one of them. Well, now they're drinking too. You know what I'm saying? Now they're holding up the drink. Yelling. And it's a whole other.

Is there like just a crazy fandom story that sticks out between you guys? You guys like you guys like Maybe like a stalker or something anything the craziest fans we ever came across and it's interesting because we're going back there In late May is like Southeast Asia like the Philippines really absolutely I mean chased out of a mall down the street like you like picture the Beatles back in the day I mean that was as as manic as it ever got for us is over there. And they will follow you all day. They're incredibly loyal.

I don't know where they get the money from, but they literally, they just, no one has jobs. They just follow you around in taxis all day. Wherever you go, they go. You go to the airport, it's absolutely nuts. But they're, I mean, the most passionate, hardcore fans you can imagine. So we're psyched to go back.

You're going there in May? Yeah, we were supposed to go back great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team.

And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. And we're going to be a great team. I can only identify with like, you know, it's been now years since like entourage Whatever mean the guys will get together or go do something together or present an award somewhere It's like it just feels like it never ended You just slip right back into like you almost have to stop yourself and say wow I can't believe that we're doing this still do you get those feelings now? Cuz you guys are on tour you go on tour still. Yeah, we still we still get to do and by the way I mean, you know exactly how it feels because you guys were part of a pop cult. I mean, like it was literally that show was so

groundbreaking. I actually auditioned for that show. Did you? Yeah. Wait, let me see if I can get. Well, Vince or E? Yeah. Vince or E? You would have been a great Vince. No, it was totally would have been a totally different like take on the character. He was perfect. But yeah, I mean, it was like that show was so iconic in that moment. Like it was everyone loved it. And we we definitely had some crazy, like cool fan experiences. But even just talk, it's like we were never chased out of a mall, you know, like it would if anything, it would be blurred lines like, oh, like Johnny Depp

watches the show, but he actually thinks Adrian is Vince, which is so. Were you ever like in not in character, but like we talked about, like, like you went out to nightclubs. Did the group of you guys go out together? I know Connelly was out, but like. We would go out and it would be almost like people thinking it was an ad. We were shooting. I was going to say, like, do you play that up a little bit? I see Pooven out all the time. Oh, well, he was out. For sure. I mean, Thursday through Sunday, you could count on that.

Spider, back in the day. Teddys, of course. I just always remember people, maybe it's because it's a character. I just always felt like people get disappointed once they actually met me, because it would be a lot of like, we got to go smoke a joint, right? Turtle, my buddy, I'm not going to smoke.

You're strange. I don't even know you, man. Sorry. Really? Just the disappointment on their face when they would realize, oh, this is just a show. This isn't real. So I've disappointed a lot of people. But you know, it's hard. It's hard to do what you guys did so well is appeal to guys and girls dudes, but like to have a show that you can watch and your girl likes, you guys watch together. I mean, it was, it was a, yeah. You guys said you're touring and you have a new album coming out.

We do. Yeah. We have a new album called full circle comes out, uh, May 9th. So it's five new songs and then five re-records of the classic. Do you have a little I do a little Una Noche? We got a, let's see, little I do, a little Una Noche? We got, let's see, Invisible Man, I do, Una Noche, Hardest Thing, and Because of You, where the five re-records, and then five new songs. So. Freshy.

How does that, is that like, whose idea is that? Does someone come to you guys or do you guys get together and you're like, we got some inspiration, let's go lay some stuff down. and you're like, we got some inspiration, let's go lay some stuff down. Yeah, I mean, we've been touring and performing together. So, and honestly, we have more fun doing it now than we ever have, because it's just like. It's different now.

It's like, there's not stupid pressure back in the day. You just couldn't even enjoy it because you're so worried about losing your grip on it. So now it's just like, let's have some beers and have some fun and go out and do a show. And so yeah, we're like, let's make some new music. I wrote a song, my brother wrote a song. There's three other songs that were like submissions

from people and yeah, so we're super proud of it, man. It's, I think honestly, in some ways, I think we sound better now than we did back in the day. A little wiser. That's gotta be awesome, like 20 years later, just with your boys doing something you love. It hurts though, man. Does it?

I mean, you know, you got hip replacements. But you guys aren't moving a lot on stage, dude. I mean, we're no professional football players, but our bodies are taking a toll on us. I can imagine that it's not like it's popping out of it. What's the move? You guys are known to, yeah. How, I've never asked you this,

because now your kids are older, you have three, how do they see you when you're on stage? Because it's just like, I don't know, it's got to be pretty cool, right? Or they don't know? That's one of the coolest things about still being able to do it is that now your kids can appreciate, it's not just a story you tell. It's like, no, we actually can see dad up there doing it. But my kids, the only time my kids thought

I was even remotely cool was when I won Masked Singer. That was to them, to them, that was like, that was like the highlight of their young lives. They could care less about 98 degrees doing a show, but a pig gets on stage and sings, then they're all about it. Do any of them have the singing bug? Yeah, what's funny, cause my oldest two,

Camden and Brooklyn just did the school musical. And I said to Vanessa, I said, it's funny because my oldest two, Camden and Brooklyn, just did the school musical. And I said to Vanessa, I said, it's going to go one of two ways. They're going to either hate it, or they're going to get in front of that crowd. They're going to hear the applause. And it's going to strike something in them. And they definitely both loved it.

Oh, shit, dude. I think we're onto something. Future laches. My wife signed our five-year-old for like a summer play and I'm like let's wait a little. Well, dude, your wife acted too. Yeah, but maybe I'm too jay. I'm like, let's slow down here even though I don't think the local Cleveland theater is going to necessarily give them that same pop. But it is funny, man, like you as much as I would have loved to have been a football player, I mean just it's just not in my genetics, you know what I mean? Like you look at

Cole who's like, I mean, an absolute stud. It's just, and you see it all the time. Like my kids, yeah, I would love for Camden to play football, but he's much more likely to be a singer or an actor as you know, something else than it's just the way it is. I'm so jealous. Cause I retired when Cole was six. So like he, I think he vaguely remembers like, you know,

going to the games and like, but like I didn't really play that much. So it's just like, it's, and then he's 18 now, not really, just until recently, and you know, Cole's like, he just never really looked at me that way. And all his friends were like, dude, your dad, you'll see this and that. And like, I'm like, it's not a big deal,

but finally as now he's in this journey, I'm like, I'm like, dude, like I did play at the highest level. I went through a lot of shit. I had good and bad. Like I've seen it all. Like let me help you. But it's just funny. Like, well, I don't know if any of you deal with like my kids want nothing to do with me coaching them and anything like any advice or offerings I have. It's a coach they could get through.

But me not like they don't they tune it right. They know how to do it. I remember back in the day. We I was co-hosting best damn sports show. Oh, yeah. That's a lot of yeah, that was a fun show. And Joe Montana was on, right? And he was on there and talking about Nick, his son.

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

Remember when we were at your house? Remember when I think, was it when Cole fell and he did that perfect push-up? This was super huge. I used to have a- Which is funny, cause it was like, he ended up being a- How old was he here?

Like, eight, I don't know, maybe seven? Yeah, we were up by the pool and I had these steps that went down to the bar. And he and I were just sitting there shooting the shit and not really paying attention to Cole. What was he, one and a half, two? I don't know. No, he was probably four or five. Was he? I think he was even young. Anyway, we not really paying attention to Cole. I mean, what is he, one and a half, two? I don't know. No, he's probably like four or five.

Was he? I think he was even young. Anyway, we're not paying attention. He just goes off the steps and I'm thinking he's gonna rip his face. Teeth out. All he does is put out his hands and go. I mean, full on built superhuman.

He's like, dude, that's not fucking normal, dude. It wasn't. I was like, maybe I should have my eyes on him. Built different. Built way different. I was like, wow, that kid is strong. I had, it was, we had like, cause gosh, we, I mean, we, we were telling stories.

I mean, gosh, Cole damn near grew up. Like I used to take him back in those days to the house, like with him and Vanessa, like Cole kind of grew up in that old house, that house was awesome. That was right when you met Vanessa. That was your bachelor pad though. Yeah, I had the sick bachelor pad. Oh, dude, that was the sickest place.

It should have been on entourage. It was that level. It was unreal. We had some good times. I'd never been in a house where you walked through the front door and the pool is the very first thing you see. That's the welcome into the, I feel like I've been there.

You probably have. I just scribed my lab. You may have. Since I sold it, I think he throws some good parties is Because we're so I just obviously had my baby girl Camila. They're there. I'm under a lot of stress He needs some he needs some you have one to two. I have a almost six almost four Oh, I've talked about a little bit on the show Brie I she knows I could tie permission to talk about this but talk about a full court press for a baby number three. Yeah, I'm 45 years old and I'm just terrified. I'm just like, I'm like, we're not that we're on

easy street, but we're, we're the system is now in place. We have boys, girls, two boys. So she's the same age as KC and can say five and four. And then my, my new best friend who facetimes me all the time, baby number, beautiful baby girl. And I just, I don't know if I'm gonna be able to hold it off, but I just feel like that transition from two kids to three, especially now that mine are a little older, it's like, I'm just scared, man. It's 100% legit different two to three. I mean, you've spaced yours out enough that it's like,

I don't know if you ever felt it. Going back from the man to his own defense. It is, somebody told me once you, if you have three, you might as well have five. And there's definitely like some truth to that. Like once you, once you lose- Oh no, man, I a zone defense. Somebody told me if you have three, you might as well have five. And there's definitely some truth to that. Once you lose the man-to-man coverage, the zone is hard. But, dude, I mean, boys are awesome.

I love my boys. But man, having a little girl is, I'm sure, feel right now. I wanted to ask you, because Brooklyn's, how old is she now, 10? She's 10, yeah. 10. to ask you like, cause Brooklyn's, how does she now? 10? 10? Wow.

Great name by the way. Three boys and we didn't find out for this last one. And you know, I mean, I was like, when Canon came, Mike was a boy, I was like, super bomb dude. I just felt bad. But now he's like my favorite. I was like, tell my girl. And we didn't know if we're gonna have another kid.

And then this one we did, we did surprise. And when she came out, literally I I've told this to my boys, like I was bawling. It was just like the greatest moment that we had together that we shared because it was just like, there was a lot of pressure and kind of build up and everybody wanted us to have a girl and everybody taught. Like we have friends,

like every like one of our best friends has three girls. Like everyone's like, oh, it's different man. You ever get one? And I wanted to ask you, but like, I felt it instantly like, oh, it's different man. You ever get one? And I wanted to ask you, but I felt it instantly like the protector, the love, just everything different than all my boys. And it's just, it's a crazy feeling. Is that, I imagine that's it for you,

especially now Brooklyn is- It's just totally different. I mean, I love my boys, don't get me wrong. But your relationship with your boys is different than with your little girl. It's like she always will be, and I tell this, I say, you'll always be my little girl. I still to this day, she's 10 years old, I pick her up out of bed and carry her downstairs in the morning.

I'll do it until she tells me you can't do it anymore. Like I'm going to hold on to every moment. She literally just wrote a whole poem about dad at school and parent teacher conferences. And I'm just bawling and crying. Like my dad loves me so much. I mean it's just it's just way way different and you you talk about how like in the in the delivery room dude it was they had to give me the oxygen really that's how like the doctor said take it off your face it was on Vanessa said put it on him because I was about to I was so overwhelmed by having a little girl like it was just it's just different. Did you guys find out with her?

Oh yeah, we found out where. So I was, so it was when, cause so Josie got a C-section she's talked about. So like the baby came out and I, you know, immediately my eyes go straight down. Like am I having a boy or girl? And I was like, I doubled took cause I had never seen that before.

I was like, I looked at the doctor and I said, is that a girl? And she goes, yeah. And I, that's when it was like, I was like, wait, am I having a girl? Like it was just, it was a shock. And I'll never forget, dude. Like I started bawling, I looked down, she's and like, she's like, like I'm looking down at her

and I go, it's a girl. And she goes, like she started just bawling, crying. If it were to have been boy, we would have, it would just, I think it was different, man. It's like. And you know, I feel like your boys, you're always be closer to boys. But they're gonna get older and they're gonna leave

and they're gonna find their own girl and they're gonna go off and I feel like your little girl will always come home. Your little girl always stays close. And I tell Brooklyn all the time, I said, you're gonna have to change. I changed your diapers for years. At some point.

At some point you're gonna change dad's diapers. It's coming back. Well, I wanna thank you guys because if my wife is watching right now, you guys just put me in an even tougher spot. It depends. It's coming back. Well, I wanna thank you guys because if my wife is watching right now, you guys just put me in an even tougher spot. It's only a matter of time. It's only a matter of time. Yeah, to me, I always knew we'd have a third.

Yeah, I always knew we'd have like the oops baby. I just didn't think it would come, right in line with the other two. I always thought it'd be like 10 years down. But I'm so glad we did because I got three in all together. And plus you got the boys to protect your little girl and look out for.

One of them definitely for sure. Well, one's always getting a little tougher. How's Cam as a big brother to her? Because he's what, 13, 12? He's 12, yeah. So like, I remember the middle school, like when Cole, like that was when they started, the attitude starts. It just changes.

Oh yeah, it's coming. They're kind of like, they're kind of little dicks and like, they don't want daddy anymore. He's already pushing the, you see how much he can get away with. It's like, it's coming. They're kind of like, they're kind of little dicks and like, they don't want daddy anymore. He's already pushing the, you see how much he can get away with. It's a slippery slope, dude. It happens really fast. Like I grabbed him the other day and he grabbed back,

I was like, oh, we're here now, okay. Who's gonna, you gotta put the, kick the dad's strength into gear and show him who's boss a little bit. Unfortunately, my son is bigger than me and I can't, the dad's strength, like I always tell him, I said, dude, cause he always, he, he,

you could still take cold. Nobody says he, this is what he says. He goes, he goes, bruh, bruh, bruh, bruh. I'm six four two 15. Like you got two new hips. I will kick your ass. I'm like, I'm like, you're gonna have to kill me to kick my ass then.

Cause once you switch, but still, but he's, but he's just so big and strong now. It's like, he is a big boy, man. Yeah, I've got friends too. They're like, yep, it's it does. It's it's it's the batons been passed. I know I can't take him anymore. I gave up on one like one on one. I can't basketball. I can't. I just I've given up on a lot of things like I'm like, what are you saying? He's like, he's like, yeah, let's go have a donkey contest.

I'm like, buddy, like I can't I can't fucking dunk anymore, dude. Like you're like windmilling. I can't do it. Conversations I've never. How's it going to be? How's it going to be covering a game on Saturday that Cole's playing in? I can't fucking dunk anymore, dude. Like windmilling, I can't do it. Conversations I've never heard will never happen. How's it gonna be covering a game on Saturday that Cole's playing in? Dude, that's gonna be trippy, man. Well, I hope we do.

I hope we get. I mean, it could have been. I can already, yeah, it's gonna be crazy to talk about, especially if he ends up starting, I don't know, his path is gonna be, who knows what's gonna happen. To be on our show and maybe him playing later, and we do a topic, actually the craziest thing was like,

we had Prime on last year, we had Dion, and we're doing a live interview with them, and this was right when Cole committed to SMU. And Dion just puts me on the spot, he's like, hey man, why don't you let me start recruiting your kid? I'm like, what? It was the funniest thing, and I'm thinking like, holy shit, this is gonna be my life like the next,

four or five years, three years, whatever it is. It's pretty surreal. Like it doesn't, it's just dad mode. Like it's just like, I just, I can't wait. I don't get a chance to see his high school games cause I'm on the road, which is it just kills me every Friday night. So I stream it.

Typically I'm in Ohio or Michigan and I'm just like up till 2 a.m. watching, but it'll be really cool. It's been really, it's funny Nick because like the middle school is tough and even with girls I've heard it's harder. And then it like goes back and then they kind of hate you again.

And now I'm seeing kind of the 18 phase work. They come back and it's like your buddy again. Like they just appreciate you a little more. They start to, they mature and they start to realize, oh, maybe you do have some advice and wisdom on life. So it's pretty cool. But I mean, it's gotta be, think about it. It's crazy.

You're Matt Liner's kid and you play the same position. I mean, that's daunting. He's handled it really well. He's handled it really well. He's had tough times for sure. I don't wanna do this. I just always try, this is your own journey. You just try and like, I've never forced him,

I've never forced him to play football growing up ever. He played flag football, but it's just like, I kept telling him, I said, dude, something tells me that it's like, you're just, your God given abilities. This is what you're gonna do. From his house, from the steps, from that moment, I think everybody saw he has a different athleticism when he did a pushup at three and a half years old.

And even though he never got the chance to see you play, I mean, the fact that he gets to see you every Saturday, Right. You know, on an incredibly cool show talking about, you know, the sport he loves. I mean, it's still, I did, I did, uh, throw, we were at El Camino College like last month and it was like, he was training and it was like 10 receivers. So a lot of the Juco kids and a couple kids came out and like we needed another arm and I had shoes on. And my arm feels great. It's just, and actually my hips feel great.

So I was like, I was taking full drops, throwing some dimes, dude. And honestly, part of me was like, I was kind of like proud of myself because like Cole saw me, Cole see me throw, did we play catch? But like, I was really throwing routes and like the receivers were like,

you know, like I'm just on that like Era of like who are you? Oh, Reggie Bush is quarterback Yeah, like that I get a lot but it was like some of them were SC fans get grew up in LA So it's like it was kind of cool. It's like singing in front of your kids like hey, I still got it Like, you know, like daddy can do this is pretty freaking awesome That's a good I was so shit out lots me throw these dimes on these routes. Let's step in I don't have much left. Dude, one of my favorite memories is obviously at the Orange Bowl.

Oh, yeah. Beat Oklahoma National Championship. And Matt's got to go. Was it Kimmel, I think? Or yeah, it was Kimmel. And he's like, come on the show with me. I don't want to go on by myself. Come on with me. So I was like, so I rode the team charter back.

And by the way, I always thought the team charter was like these incredibly luxurious. Was it not? We were just like, coach. It was commercial planes, but we were all coach. Yeah, like these gigantic, gigantic beings just sitting out like this. I don't know what happened in my mind.

If you were a, at least at USC, like I remember seniority, maybe captain, whatever, starter, like you were in the back and it was, cause I was, I think I was in the row with Reggie, you had a middle seat that was open. Even by way even in NFL that's how it was too in Houston like we had yeah yeah I thought the same thing as you you thought it was like this like luxurious yeah like he had nice space in it I sat human beings slammed in the I sat in front of Sebastian Jannet Kowski and Shane Leckler on planes in Oakland still afraid of him but that

was awesome, man. I mean, coming off the high, I went in the national championship and then flying with the team. I probably was. We were probably still drunk that next day. Oh my gosh, easily. So you literally had a front row seat to that run. Thanks to this guy.

Yeah. Like, I remember a couple games I remember, man, that cow game. You were on the field. I was on the field. And Rodgers went for and out. They were on the goal line. Like, there were so many times that season,

it almost slipped away. Did you go to the Texas game? Yeah. You were probably there too. Oh yeah. That's right. Yeah, that was a whole different. By the way, my MJ story, Nick was there.

Cabana club. I was headbutting everybody. I probably headbutted Nick. Included, I took one to the base. This was after the game that when you were. I think it was two nights I took one to the face. This was after the game? I think it was two nights after. We all went out. The night of the game, it was crickets.

It was so, it was like somebody had died. It was really, really depressing. But a couple nights later, this guy needed to let off some steam for obvious reasons and we went to the band club. I was sad. It was me, you, it was a bunch of the crew. And then that's when I said, Oakley and MJ were like three tables down

and Oakley called me over. Hey, MJ, and I took my brother and me and my brother sat with MJ and Oakley for five, 10 minutes, whatever. Had a shot, MJ was at the game. It was awesome and I left it. I was like, I got so drunk, I started headbutting people. I actually, no, by the way,

so I got a concussion in that game. Like I got banged up decent, like I still played. And then, so it wasn't that bad, but then I was an idiot. I had a concussion, all of my draft prep, dude. I was concussed. No, I didn't, I told Steve Clarkson, my quarterback coach, I'm like, dude, I'm like, this is not good. And I dealt with that for six weeks.

So it was like, no, I mean, it was, I was still lifting, but I was like concussed for a long time from a night out. I woke up at the Peninsula Hotel. No clue how I got there. Any idea how we got there? I don't think I made it to the Peninsula. Shout out to my boy, JJ. I know JJ, I'll send him this clip.

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

I think he came back in and he goes, bro. He just started laughing. And I remember the cab ride home, I went back with my brother to Newport, threw up in the whole cab home on the back. It was a van. I'll never forget. I was like, Oh my God. It was what you have to deal with all these guys was always good for a little little vomit in the shower the next day. My guess my guess my guess bathroom took took some hits over the course of it. Oh, Vanessa was not happy with me on that one. Well, I feel like we opened the door for sports a little bit here now that we're segueing in. Obviously, I forgot about that one, by the way. You know, I got to get your initial gut reaction made. Your bangles made some signings.

The offense is coming back. Yeah. How are you feeling going into the next season? Knowing that you got the offense intact and defensively, maybe just figure it out. Defense is in trouble. Yeah, I mean, I'm going to stay at the obvious. We're going to have to score a gazillion points. I mean. Which you can. Which we can and we'll have to because, yeah, the Ds.

I mean, hopefully we have enough to sign Hendrickson. You know, I don't know how that's going to play itself out, but you know, that's the problem, right? You go, you can't let these guys go. Then you look like you're not trying. You're not trying to stay competitive. But obviously all our eggs are in one basket. And so the defense is going to be... And people forget, man, I always remind people this. Like when we made our Super Bowl run that

year, the D stepped up. We almost lost in the wild card game to the Raiders. We had a goal line interception. I mean, we almost didn't make it out of the wild card round. So the D, while they didn't have the, you know, many of the marquee players, they definitely made plays. And like, and I think, in my opinion, Lou got a little bit of a bad rap this year. I mean, the guy was head coaching finalists two years ago, you know, and now he didn't forget how to coach. We didn't have any talent on defense.

So, you know, I think as a Bengals fan, I'm excited they're making the efforts to keep talented players together. So I think as a fan, that's all you can ask for, is that the ownership's trying. And there's just such a slow start, Lash. I really didn't get that. If they win the Patriots game. If you win the game, you're in the play,

and no one wanted to play the Bengals in the playoff. It was like, you don't want to play a team like that. It's football though. It's just bad situational football. My opinion, a lot of times last year with the game, it was like there were just bad calls at the end of the like coaching calls in my opinion at the end of games that we left. We left some wins out there that we should have had and we should have been definitely in the playoffs. We were hitting our stride. But yeah, why we start so slow is, you know, it's beyond me. I guess we gotta play more in the pre-season.

I don't even know better than me. Did you go to the Super Bowl when they went? Were you there for it? I was there, yeah. How'd you, I mean, I know how you took it, but I feel like you and I are similar. Like I get disgusted with loss. Like I can't even listen to like sports radio the next day.

I think Nick's a lot more emotionally louder than you. Oh, in the game? I watched Nick's, I more emotionally louder than you. Oh, in the game? I've watched the Knicks. I mean, this is the only time I watched a Knicks playoff. He's sitting in the corner. He's like, he's just like this, like just like fucking laser focus. Don't talk to me, but he's like super invested.

I feel like you're throwing shit at this. He's a little more emotional. Cause I've been with you. In that game, I was, I was, it was, you know, in a normal game, had a few getting a little mouthy. But Super Bowl, you're probably freaking out. But Super game, I was, I was, it was, you know, in a normal game, had a few, getting a little mouthy. But Super Bowl, I was like locked in, man. And I just, the fact that Chase was so open on that last play, he just had one more second to get.

Oh my God. And I never. And it was in LA too. And I've never, why didn't P. Ryan lay out for the ball? It's fourth and two, like he just watched it fall. Like at least dive, at least make me feel like you, you care about winning this damn game. I'm so upset. But you know what, man? Hey, I'm not just saying this. The Rams have always been my other team. For as long as I can remember since ED was with the Rams and I was a little kid. So any other year I'd have been

ecstatic and I love Whitworth, you know? Good Bengal guy. So I was, you know, happy for him. Walter Payne, man of the year. He goes out beating his old team. I'm like, I can't script this stuff, man. And then the next year you guys went to, lost in the playoffs, right? That was tough because our mayor was mouthing off. I remember that.

That was like, I don't like when the mayor's getting involved. Yeah. Come on now, what are we doing? Mike Hilton, some of my burro head. No, I'm just playing the game. You freaking insult. Their trash talk is so bad. It's bad at all, so you don't trash talk my home.

So you just don't do that. That's right. Yeah, there's some guys you don't want to even just like, don't even make eye contact with them. Oh, and didn't Kelsey call him out on the stage too, right, or whatever? Yeah, not a good look. What do you call him?

Jabroni. That's right. You fucking Jabroni. There's only one person who could call someone a Jabroni. It's The Rock. After that, you should be. It was actually really funny. I don't know, man.

All respect. Travis Kelsey's a bearcat. Can you talk any trash on on the Kelsey brothers? Bangles. They rubbed the bearcats. I like I like I root for the Bangles. I love Joe Burrow. So you a Giants guy too?

I'm a big Giants fan like and I remember like different than you when they played the Patriots that first year in Arizona I got and I was invited to go I had a bunch of friends going and I I just I guess deep down I didn't think they were really gonna win I wasn't quite sure and then I just didn't I couldn't go I didn't think I could handle it yeah that's why I asked you if you went I did not like Connelly Connelly went Kevin Dillon went so many of my friends went was just like, guys, I have to watch this at home for so many reasons. Well, that was the undefeated Patriots team too. So it was like a foregone conclusion,

they're gonna finish this thing off. And then I'm superstitious, so then they get back two years later in Indy versus Patz, and I'm like, well, I stayed home last time and they won, so now I can't go again, because I'm a superstitious motherfucker, and I stayed home again, I skipped both of them. Well, hey, maybe I should start skipping start skipping start skipping I took I took my oldest Camden to the Super Bowl because he was there. Oh, he was in shambles and tears

Oh, because he was there it forced me to actually try and set a good example And not have had a hand and not lose my shit when we lost So I actually kept it together just to try and be a good example. You're a poor guy. You've made him a Bengals fan. He's going to be just... No, but look at me.

He's got good, he's got, but it's so hard to win. He's got good teams. So years ago when the Bengals were like literally terrible and not spending, they weren't spending their money. It's like a killing smith territory. They never spent money. Yeah, they just didn't spend. And it was before you had to spend a certain percentage

of your cap. Like you had to, now they've changed it. But I actually went to the league office and met with the vice president of operations on behalf of Bengal fans and said, what's happening to the Bengals fan base is an absolute travesty. We've supported this team, sell out year after year year after year and the ownership's not doing anything.

So he said, hey, in full disclosure, this new rules coming in where they're going to have by by rule have to spend a certain percentage of it. And that's when it kind of turned around. They started actually having to spend more than a reason. When you went to the league office on behalf of Bengals fans, was that on your own idea or was this like was there like a consortium of Bengals fans? I were like, no, someone needs to speak for us. You know who? Nick Lashay. So I so 90 degrees had performed. I had a relationship with the with the head of entertainment for the NFL because we performed

at like the Pro Bowl halftime and done all this stuff with the NFL. So you knew the right you knew the people. So I hit her up. I said, hey, I this is right when Roger Goodell was hired. He was hadn't been in office but two, three years. And I said, hey, I'd love to meet knew the people. So I hit her up I said hey I this is right when Roger Goodell was hired he was hadn't been in office but two three years and I said hey I'd love to meet with the commissioner and she said you're not gonna meet with the commissioner but I will but I will set up a meeting for you and I was like hey I'll take it so I literally walked in there try to you know put on my my best professional. So what do they say to you like yeah Mr.

They have to hear you out. They hear you out. But they're like, he said, he said first in full disclosure I I represent Marvin Lewis. He was the coach. I said, no, no, I got no problem with Marvin. It's not right He's he's turned. He's not the he's turned the bangles around to to an extent. It's not his fault I'm not here to bash him. But what because it's really I mean you have these diehard bangle fans You know hard earned money man And they're spending it at bangle games and the ownership's not doing anything to put a winning product on the field. That makes sense.

So somebody had to fight the good fight. I once went to the, like a year ago, went to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, right? Short drive for me now. And I was let into this vault of archive stuff that no one's ever seen. It's not really ever on display and walking around, so much cool stuff.

But then I get to this one section that just says Cleveland Browns. I'm like, okay, this is interesting. And then they basically, they say the NFL pro football thing has every letter, not every, most letters that every fan of the Browns wrote after the team got moved to Baltimore. And I was like, can I read some of these? Yeah, I opened them up. I'm re and the it were like heartbreaking stuff like 80 year old men, like, I can't believe you fucking did this to a yelling at hard road. They're spending their heart like these letters should be published into a book. Some of them were like heartbreaking. Some were like optimists. Some made you angry

as a fan. Like, yeah, what would I do if like all of a sudden I woke up and it's like, yeah, the Giants are leaving. They're going to San Francisco, something like that. So. I mean, aside from the Cavs winning that one finals when LeBron came back, look at Ohio professional sports. Like loyal fans beyond belief, but like no champ, I think the Reds in 1990 were like the- 90, I love that team. Were like the last- It's one of my favorite teams. I mean, it was an 1990 were like the last,

I mean it was an incredible year, but like Cleveland hadn't won anything forever. Heartbreak, I mean the fumble, the drive, L.E. got them twice. We talk about this the most, what is it, the heartbreaking Minnesota, like just tortured fan base. Like Buffalo.

And for a long time Ohio State was the same thing, like good but never quite lived up to expectations until Irving came back and got a couple forms. So like Ohio sports fans are tortured, man. I feel like that's how I knew you were a big sports fan over the years. At some point I saw you publicly rocking a Reds hat, I want to say. And I'm like, no one rocks a Reds hat unless they love that team. And that 90s Reds team is one of my favorite. I like a weird obsession with Barry Larkin. Is that Eric Davis too? Eric Davis, Paul O'Neill, Chris Sabo. Mariano Duncan. Mariano Duncan. That

is a great, great team. Was Larry Walker on that team? No. He was after. But they had the nasty boys. It was Rob Dibble, Randy Meyers, Norm Charlton. Like they're once you got to like the seventh inning, forget it. You were. It was very large. One of my favorite teams of all time. And that's what I really got into baseball. Wire to wire, man. They first place the entire year. Yeah. It's like my Dodgers now. Before we let you go, we have to talk. Love is blind. I just have to. Um, cause I'm obsessed like with, I look at things like, man, that just looks like a great job. And I hate to call it a job, right? I I look at things like, man, that just looks like a great job. And I hate to call it a job, right?

I just look at it like, that looks like just a great, especially you got a family, so it's not something like you're gone for like 11 months. It just looks like, not only is the show great and people love the show, and I'm sure you get amazing fan interactions with the show, it just looks like a great time. I mean, look, it's probably the greatest gig

in Hollywood, honestly, because. That's what he said, he's like, Nick's got the greatest job in the world. If you ever wanna take a year off, I will happily sub it. One year, one and done. If you ever wanna just say, hey, I wanna take one year off, Jerry,

please think of me. No, we're very lucky. We always think about how lucky we are to be hosting that show. And the first season, we were a lot more involved. It was like, you don't have shows that are going to work in your first year. So we shot the whole thing in Atlanta.

We were interviewing them when they came out of the pods, on their dates. We were really like, we go to their apartments. And then I think they realized, Kinetic realized, hey, this is really about their journeys. It's not so much about. They got the caliber and the formula. Yeah, so it's great to still be involved in the show, but obviously it's like we kind

of feel like we want to be more involved, honestly. And then the reunion comes around and that's when we have to really. That's like your Super Bowl, right? The reunion is. Which no one's ever happy with. It's always like, if you go in too hard on people, you're like, why are you being so mean? Why are you going on?

Oh, you don't push hard enough. If you don't go in on that. You let them off the hook. They got a free pass. You took some slack for that, right? Or something? Every single year. Are you, that you're too firm or you're not, you don't push hard enough?

It depends on the year. Why are you, all the men are getting passed. You're not passionate enough. You know, you can't make everybody happy. And I always say, it's kind of a, you know what I always think about? I remember this poll back in the day on SportsCenter, who the most, the favorite anchor

and the least favorite anchor, it was Stuart Scott. On both of them. So that's how you know you're like, you're doing something right. If people either love you or hate you. They can't turn away. So love is blind, man. It's like, you feel like you can't keep everybody happy,

but that's kind of like, I think a byproduct of just having a successful show, right? I mean, it's like, well, I know you weren't happy with that, but that's kind of like I think a byproduct of just having a successful show, right? I mean, it's like well, I know you weren't happy with that, but you were and what are you gonna do? What is what is like because this is what eight seasons now or nine we just aired it. Yeah, that's awesome. We've had 14 14 marriages in eight seasons. Well one I was gonna ask what's the success rate and That's a good rate twelve 12 of those are still married. So we had two divorces. Damn, that's pretty good.

I feel like with those shows, it's like either hit or miss. And obviously there's like, what is the secret sauce of love as well? Like you probably can't even say, honestly, I don't know. But like, why do people, why are people so enamored with it? I think man, it's just like, you know, thank God.

I don't have to know about this, but like the dating world now and all the apps and swiping and all these things. I think this is like a throwback to old school like dating, like getting to actually know somebody. So I think there's, you know, I think these are people for the most part who haven't found what they're looking for and this is a different way to go about doing it and the chance to get to know somebody. Like we've had multiple people say I never would have dated that person in the real world. Never would have even talked to them. But once you've fallen in love with him emotionally,

and then you see him, it's like, wow, my eyes are open to something I never saw coming. So I think it's authentic, and that's why people are drawn to it. There's an authentic heart to it. It's an authentic love story to it that still resonates with people. What were the odds of you and Vanessa

making it on that show? Of finding each other? I honestly think we would have. I mean, I'm not just saying that like as lip service. I think like we, cause that's kind of how, I mean, obviously we knew what each other looked like and that was, she was hot as hell and still is. So I was, I'm not going to pretend like Goose Love is blind. But you had her in your music video too. But we did a lot. She was in New York, I was in LA. We did a lot of like four hour phone conversations. Just like getting into like all the roots of it, man.

Like asking the questions that people, I think, in today's dating world, you don't get to anymore. So there's some similarities. I think we would have found each other. I think we're enough alike that we would have connected and found each other in the pods. I stand by it. I got a few quick hitting stuff and then we'll let you go. Number one, wait, you sang at his wedding, right? Did. Is this true? Now, what's Matt's approach like? I feel like he's not asking you like, hey, Nick, cut up and say a few words. Like, hey, could you sing at the wedding? That's a pretty solid favorite. I'll be honest. It's one of the most nervous moments of, you know, I get it. I saw on national television. I've sung. I sang the anthem at the world series once. That was really intimidating. Which series was that?

Who? Uh, Yankees. Yankee. Yankee's Marlins. Oh, that one didn't end well for me. But, uh. So yeah, no. So I was sitting there and I had a little pitch pipe and I'm like, got the first note in my head because you don't want to start the anthem wrong or then you're screwed. And I'm sitting there and I knew Aaron Boone from when he was with the Reds. And so he and I go way back. And so he started it comes up to me, starts talking to me.

I'm like, hmm. I get the fuck out of here. I'm so nervous about the national anthem. I'm like, I'm scared to away from me. I'm so nervous about to sing the national anthem. I'm scared I'm gonna lose the pitch because I'm talking to Aaron Boone. Anyway, but no, that was one of the most nervous moments of my singing life. Because it's, you know, it's people you care about.

It's like, and I've been like hired to do weddings and stuff when you're like emotionally invested in your, you know. Well, that was, so the first, so our first dance. So actually Josie's best friend wrote the song and he sang it. So that's actually a little more challenging. Oh, so even to learn a new.

So it was like, it was like two of our closest friends were intimately involved in that. And then the one that just obviously means the world to me still is like, my mom had just passed away like a year and a half earlier. So she got to see like Josie's wedding dress in a picture when she was in the hospital and then she was gone.

And so, and Josie's dad had passed the year we met which he had been passed for maybe five or six years at that point, but like, so we, so she didn't get the father daughter dance. I didn't get the mother son dance. So I had an idea of like, I asked Nick, I was like, hey, like my mom loved Billy Joel. So we did Billy Joel, like a little mashup

of Billy Joel and Frank Sinatra was her dad. So Nick, so I kind of told Nick and Nick it was perfect. So like we danced together. I danced with her mom. She danced with my dad to this little mashup. And it was a surprise to Josie, actually it was a surprise to everybody but me and Nick. She made it a little hit.

I know, so it was like, it was that, that was just an incredible moment. We had the video, I should actually send you the video. We have the video, it was just, it was just an amazing moment. And I just, I was like, dude, thank you, you know. And then, and then the, well, not to switch from emotional, but then the best part was we were all getting hammered up

and he was dancing, remember you were singing? Nick just took the mic, started singing like karaoke with- You just went rogue, you just went rogue. Oh, you're singing superstition. No, you're saying, nuh, superstition. I have no pitch, but like, writing's on the wall. And then we had Josie's mom come up and they were on, and they were, it was so, it was so,

that was a great after party. It was so much fun. Yeah, it was a great, great weekend. That's when, that's when, I mean, we were that's when I mean now true false for you rookie hazing You had a sing. I told him I had to sing. What did you sing? Well, I had to sing two songs. I Had to sing Paris Hilton song. Oh, okay, and then I had to sing I sang one of Nick's probably what's left to me at the time was it right 2006? So I had to say I had to sit I had to stand on top. We were in Flagstaff. I had to stand. It's pretty easy.

I mean, it's like now they do like the whole like you see on Hard Knocks. I was in the cafeteria. Liner, you got to sing and you got to sing your boy Lachey song. And I was like, all right. So I just sang it for like a minute and that was it. Last one. And you know what? You could just say True or False if you don't want to get into it.

You got kicked out of a Chargers game? This is coming from your boy, Maddie Ice, right here. You could just say True or False if you don't want to get into the story. Well, the Chargers no longer play at Qualcomm. So I'm off the hook. It's the San Diego Chargers. You're out of the Blackbook.

You're not in the Blackbook anymore. We were sitting there. This big group of us went down for the game, Bengals, Chargers game. And this guy sitting in front of us, like literally we just sat down. Chargers get a first down. He turns around and goes, first down.

Right in my face I'm like, oh man, it's gonna be one of these days. So, you know, it just escalated from there. A Knicks is shit talker too. So then the whole, you know, and there's a group of like 10 of us. I'm like, dude, you don't wanna do this. And he just escalated and escalated.

Did he have a jersey on? Was he rocking a jersey? So the best part of it is we called the Olshansky game because he had an Olshansky jersey. I'm like, what the hell is Olshansky? So we started going in on him about Olshansky. Was that Igor Olshansky, right? The D lineman?

I think that's what his name was. So yeah, it was a, and everybody in that section is like, he does this all the time. He's so obnoxious. They were on my side, but it didn't. I think you section is like, he does this all the time, he's so obnoxious. They were on my side, but it didn't. I think you got, well, you got banned from the stadium, right, all of you? I did not, a couple of the guys in the group

were referred to anger management in terms of getting let back in the stadium. The officer who came, she was super nice. She was like, I actually dated your cousin in Oxford, Ohio. I'm like, oh, so as I'm getting kicked out of the stadium, we end up with this connection. And you're like, getting us out of this?

Can you help me here? No, but we won the game. It's all that matters. I was gonna say, Bangles won? Bangles won. It's all that matters. Pulled it out. We'll do it.

Thank you so much, man. Thank you, guys. Your friendship is real. I've now gotten the full, I see it. The history, you guys. I always say this, it's years, 20 years, since 03 or 04 we met. There's just like, everyone used to always say this, like it's years, 20 years since oh three or four we met. And like the way, like there's just like, everyone used to always say like, oh, like, you know,

like a boy band member gets a narrative perception. I had obviously a perception of the way I played, but like we were like, we're genuinely close, close friends. So, and I've always told people, it's like, dude, when you meet Nick, you're gonna love the dude. Like he's just one of us. What could have happened if Nick Lachey walked onto USC? The greatest line I've ever heard Nick say.

Might be talking highs, but it might be a whole different conversation. On my way to dance class. That's gonna get clipped. I wanna go play football for you. Just so you know, that's gonna get clipped. That's gonna be on Instagram. And that same week, I remember I was in Heritage Hall

and Rob Johnson was like, hey man, do you know where the key is to the weight room I was like he thinks I belong here this is great he thinks I'm on the team they shattered your dreams so fast awesome thanks buddy thanks Nick appreciate you guys now streaming on Paramount plus names Conrad Harrigan family man and if you cross my family well you'd better pray. From the underworld of gyrogyny, we shake the right hands, break the wrong ones,

comes the next great crime series. And when someone forgets their place, I've got a man for that. For himself. Starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren. We've got everyone where we want them. Mobland, new series now streaming on Paramount+. Okay, Martin, let's try one.

Remember, big. You got it. The Ford It's a Big Deal event is on. How's that? A little bigger. The Ford It's a Big Deal event. Nice. Now the offer?

Lease a 2025 Escape Active All-Wheel Drive from 198 bi-weekly at 1.99% APR for 36 months with 27.55 down. Wow, that's like $99 a week. Yeah, it's a big deal. The Ford, it's a big deal event. Visit your Toronto area Ford store or for dot CA today. All right, it's time for a full focus presented by NHTSA using your phone while you're driving, could kill someone, put the phone away, or pay, paid for by NHTSA. This is something where we are gonna spotlight someone or something that we think is fully focused.

The Masters, as we air this, is on right now. We had the pleasure of talking to Justin Thomas. Yes, we did. Last week. I'm going with Justin Thomas fully focused because I love what he said in the interview when talking about Augusta. He said Basically, you know guys get there Sunday Monday. They play all these practice rounds all this intensity by the time they get to Wednesday They're like pumped and ready to go and then Thursday morning. They're exhausted and he said this year

He's trying something a little different where he's just gonna be a little more casual, get there a little later, play a little less. So to me, that's a different kind of focus. Well, I mean, it's the old thing, when I was in, we played a national championship games or a Super Bowl, it's like, you just kind of treat it like it's a normal game. Because if you try and study a little bit more,

you over prepare or, hey, I'm gonna lift weights a little harder, it's just, you get out of your routine. And I think for him, like he's played it so many times, like you can't control the weather, the elements of this course. You just go out there and you give your best. He's playing great golf right now. But yeah, I like that.

I like the mindset. I think I might throw him a text this weekend. Wait a second. Well, what he said to that got me was like, he said no one's ever lost the master cause they didn't know Augusta. They didn't know the course. Like you know the course. You know the course.

You played it 1,000 times. Wait, did you say you're going to throw him a text? I'm going to throw him a text this weekend. Why not? One of the best thing that's come from doing throwbacks since Matt helped facilitate getting Justin Thomas on the show was that we are now in a group text with Justin Thomas, which for me is a big treat.

You cannot text Justin Thomas on Masters. Are you fucking nuts? Did you answer a text when you were shooting a big treat. You cannot text Justin Thomas on Masters. Jerry, did you answer a text when you're shooting a big scene on Entourage when you're done, when you're in your trailer eating Kraft services? Yes, bro. Yeah, but it's just different. What if he's leading? So you're telling me if he's in the lead

or in the final pairing after Saturday's round, going into Sunday, what do you text him? Do you think that- It's some athlete stuff I don't get. Do you think if he's leading Sunday morning- Right, so you're the final group. You don't think he's got a text from his boys saying, let's fucking go. Are we his boys now? Hell yeah, we're his boys.

I don't feel like we're there yet. Maybe that's why I don't feel like me and Justin Thomas are there yet. By the way, do you want to know what I did on a game day one time? Monday Night Football, the Bears game. Do you remember that? Yeah, of course. Okay, so that was a night game. Do you want to know what I did that Monday morning? True story. Oh no. The Monday morning before your Monday night game against the Bears.

I played... Where you were starting. And I actually played well that game. I played 18 holes on my golf simulator at Kapalua Bay in Hawaii with two other my teammates, the game on Monday Night Football, because we didn't. Now, is that like a stress reliever? You know, I was just like, let's just play 18. We don't have to be at the stadium until like one o'clock or 12.

I literally got up. I went upstairs. I had a golf simulator, which was pretty bad ass at the time. And I played 18. I used to play. I think it's Kapalua Bay. Yeah, it's in Hawaii. Because it just was pretty on the simulator. And it was like the, you play, I think it's Kapaluo Bay. Yeah, yeah. It's in Hawaii because it just was pretty on the simulator and it was like the, you know, the palm trees in the ocean right there. And I played 18. I don't know how long that took me. You had your own golf simulator. How are you still

like not even into golf and you shoot in the 90s? I made some dumb purchases when I was younger. That was probably, it wasn't a dumb purchase, but I actually watched TV on it. Are you superstitious when it came to your career at all, sports-wise? Because I am, with acting and everything, I'm just a superstitious person by nature. I can only imagine golfers definitely have

their superstitious quirks. Were you? Game day, yeah. I had game day superstitions, kind of during the week, like you'd eat this, I think the little stuff that you hear, you just, again, it's just, you kept the whole point is you kept the same routine kind of no matter what the game was, you know, like obviously, like for masters,

like with JT, we talked about it. It's like, of course it's bigger. It's huge. It's the masters. But if you let yourself kind of let it consume you, the emotions and what it means and hey, if I win this, like I'm going to be down as one of the greatest, like if you do that, that's when I think your game

kind of falls apart. He's just not as present. I think he's just like, listen man, like I know the course, I'm gonna go play. I'm playing pretty good golf right now. And we'll see, and then you just wanna make the cut and you wanna position yourself on Sunday to be in the running.

I'm telling you right now, this dude is gonna be in the running. I'm with you. And he is gonna pump the pod and he's gonna pump Matt and Jerry. He's going to he's going to win this shit, dude. Let's go. If we're talking full focus, which we are, Matt, I need you to focus. Do not text Justin Thomas this week.

Because if he loses, then it'll just don't do it. Just don't do it. Just don't do it. Don't do it. I may do it. It's part of golf etiquette. If he makes the if he makes the cut, he's gonna make What is that upset you so much I want nothing to do it Justin I want nothing to do with this So don't do it in our group chat text them on the side because I'm gonna get associated to you Then you're gonna get excited. You're gonna get trigger fingers and be like, I gotta text him. I gots gonna happen I'll start sending memes and happy Gilmore stuff to him.

I can't wait to watch him. All right, good luck, Justin. All right, another one in the books. Thank you, Nick Lachey, another good friend. You have an eclectic group of friends, man. I really do. You have an interesting group of friends. I never thought in a million years

that one of my best buddies would be an all-time boy band member. I just think if you ever go solo, if you do like the Matt liner pot, it should be Matt and friends. Matt and friends. Just bring on all your, maybe I'll just be your friend still.

Listen, my journey through sport is connecting me to a lot of cool people, bro. Just like you. See you next time.