Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara - Rudy Gay joins the show, Rick Pitino’s Rise at St. John’s & Shooter McGavin: Legendary Villain

Episode Date: March 20, 2025

March Madness is upon us!  Matt Leinart and Jerry Ferrara are joined by former UConn star Rudy Gay who shares with us what it was like playing in the old Big East, what his Huskies all-time starting 5 would look like and who the most difficult players were to guard during his time in the NBA.  The guys also contemplate whether Shooter McGavin is the greatest sports movie villain of all time and if “One Shining Moment” is still as highly anticipated as it once was.  And finally, who exactly will be playing quarterback for the Giants this year?? Matt and Jerry share their thoughts.  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    Head to the Wendy’s App To Get a $1 JBC or $1 Double Stack with Offer and Additional Purchase. https://m-wendys.app.link/marchmadness25  ZipRecruiter  Try ZipRecruiter FOR FREE: https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Throwbacks   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You came to the Entourage movie premiere. Remember coming? Yeah, I do. I go through the red carpet. The first people I run into when I walk in is you and Wesley Matthews. You guys are talking about one of you dunked on the other and the other person swearing it wasn't on them. No, he didn't dunk on me. I mean, I love you too, Wes.

Stay out there, bro. Don't get into that thing. Welcome to another episode of throwbacks. However, you're taking them to show today. We appreciate it. Don't forget, subscribe on YouTube, follow us on Apple and Spotify, and don't forget to follow us too on all social platforms at Throwback Show.

Email us. Please email us. Yeah, we love the emails. We're gonna read some more. Feedback at throwbackshow.com. We're gonna start doing mail bags. Mattie Ice, how you doing today? I'm fired up, bro.

I'm fired up. I can tell, dude. There's nothing better than just multiple cups of coffee before 8am when you're just fucking rocking when you're ready to rock the day. I can see it in your face. I can see that. I can see just it in your skin. I can just feel you're ready to rock.

We need a coffee sponsor because also rarely these days do you time the caffeine out where you peak. It's like a performance. it's like a PED, where you're peaking right when you're about to go on a pod or do a live or go do a workout, whatever it is, I'm fucking peaking right now. People are gonna think I'm on Adderall or something. I can tell.

Well, listen, man, it's exciting. We had the week off last week, but a lot going on. I know you have a lot going on because you're in a different place right now. For those that are going to be watching this, you are in a different place. But I do want to say something really quick before we get going. Wife's birthday was this week. So shout out to Josie. Happy birthday. I'm not going to even name her her age. I was about to do that. I'm like, wow, she might get pissed for that even though you could look it up. But happy birthday to my wife. Also, my wife and my mom share the same birthday. Happy heavenly birthday to my mother. She's been asked for eight years now. Is that crazy? I was thinking like, my wife and my mom were born on the same day. They're very similar in a lot of ways as well. But and we're just we're in our own battle over here. I can get into that

later. But we're gonna get into what you got going on. Oh, dude, we're we've raged war over here in our house. There's war. It's a it's a fucking war zone over here. But I want to know where you're at. What have you been doing, man? Well, real quick before we jump into where I'm at, definitely in the place with a lot of sunshine coming up in a little bit. Joining us later today, we got Rudy Gay on the show. Obviously, we're going to talk about college basketball, his run with UConn, and then, you know, he wrote an amazing piece in the players' Tribune when he retired. And then we just go deep on the NFL, NBA. So I got NFL on the brain a little bit, which I did not expect to say. Rudy Gay is awesome, though, man. I was a big fan of his.

He just retired. As you mentioned, he kind of wrote that piece last year. Just retired, but played what? Like 17 years in the NBA. One of, had a great career. Yeah, he's awesome, man. And also a big part of UConn back in the day and some of those great teams.

But dude, first of all, shout out, hold on, shout out to Aviator Nation, the hoodie that you're rocking. Look at you just step up your game. No more black hoodie. This hoodie will come back if you're watching this on YouTube guys. If you're listening, I'm wearing a yellow and green and red Aviator Nation's hoodie. Let's just say Lionheart had a big part in me wearing this hoodie and there is a nice piece of content we have coming at some point this year. Father, it just made me think. So I'm such a, I'm such a West coast guy.

And so, and you're such an East coast guy. Like it's like not in just the way we both talk, but like I think in our clothes and just how you carry yourself, there's just very different personalities. The other day it was been raining almost every day, at least last week here. So look out and rains in LA. Get, get the rain. No, but this is typical me. I'm outside in pouring rain. I no joke in the morning, dropping my boys off at school. I'm in a sweatshirt, a shorts and sandals straight. And if one guy, one guy goes, no, one guy goes, hey, did you not, did you, I know him, he kind of gave me a smart ass.

He's like, did you not get the memo, man? It was going to rain? Sandals? That's aggressive. I just looked, I go, I don't even know. I said, I was like, yeah, dude, I got it, man. And I was just rocking it. So Aviator Nation, very West, very, very beach, right?

Very beach lifestyle, west coast. That color looks good on you, man. And they kind of blew up, not like during COVID, but I feel like something happened with Aviator Nation over COVID. I don't know if it timed out that way or it just happened to be during that time period. I don't know, they've been rocking for a while,

but I just feel like I became more aware of them in the last few years. Anyway, this was not a cheap hoodie. It was good on you, buddy. Shout out Sinclair. I think Sinclair bought this for me as a content piece. But I haven't worn it yet because I've been in a dreary gray Ohio. I feel like if I wear this, they're going to think I'm doing construction or something. But I came down, I'm down in Florida right now. Or as my wife calls it, Florida.

We're from New York. Florida. Florida Florida Florida. You probably say Florida, right? I just say Florida Yeah, Florida, right? I'm so bull and I'm down here doing a few days on this Indy and Bree has an amazing way where she she like does a scouting report if I have to to go somewhere on a work trip, whether it's to shoot something or throw back, not dumb, bro. Like this way, when we go to Green Bay to do a live show, she's not coming with the kids. Right.

If we go to Indianapolis for the WNBA All-Star game, she's not coming with the kids. But when I come to LA, or if I come down here to Florida to shoot something, oh, next thing you know, she's not dumb, bro. Kids are down here. We're renting a house with the pool and she's treating this like I'm doing a Marvel movie. I'm like, you realize I'm not getting paid tons of money for this movie, right? You know that this is not something they put you up for that, though, right? Yeah. But like, I can't be like, you know, my wife and kids are going to come for the two week shoot on this $3 million Indy that I'm doing, which who knows

if anyone's going to see it or not. Hopefully they do. Uh, which I could get cut out of very easily. Also you're going to have, you're going to have one, one viewer. I'll watch it for you, buddy. Well, it was, it was fun though, to be down here with the boys. We were down in like the Sarasota area. Great, it's a spring training town. The Orioles are here. Yankees are up in Tampa. I've been keeping track of the random jerseys I Saw walking around at this fish bar last night. I saw a Brady Anderson jersey I did not think I would see a Brady Anderson jersey who went from eight home runs to 52 the next year Some great ones. I saw I used to run in a little Brady Anderson circle back in Hollywood back in the day

Shout out to Brady Anderson. Stop you party. That's pretty random. Who? Yeah. Oh, yeah, Brady had a house up in the Hollywood Hills Most random Jersey you saw outside of Brady Anderson, which is sort of random. Brady was random. There was a Tony Gwynn. I'm like, the Padres aren't even, they're not even down here. I don't know why. Maybe the greatest hitter of all time. I think it was the Pirates jersey. I think was Doug Drebeck. Anybody remember that name?

I think there was a Doug Drebeck jersey. And I saw Ron Gant. You remember Ron Gant on the Braves? remember Ron Gantt on the Braves? Jack Ron Gantt. Ron Gantt, outfield, yeah, he stayed bombs. He played for the Reds too. It's been good. Yeah, he was.

What's that? Yeah, I think. I thought he played for the Reds as well. I remember him on the Braves. Him and was Andrew Jones in that same outfield? I don't know. Was Gantt on that team? Ron Gantt might have been before that.

Because they played the Yankees. No, I think it might have yank. No, I think it might have timed out that way. I think it might have timed out that way. And then while we're down here, of course, my older kid, Jacob, lost his first tooth, which was good for me because my younger son is three years old. I don't know if anyone on Instagram has ever seen pictures of him. He's missing his front tooth, which I was directly responsible. I essentially dropped him. Pull that shit out?

Accidentally. My younger kid, yeah. But so I don't know, you've had to handle the Tooth Fairy in your day. And if you're driving, any parents driving, listening to this, and if you have kids in the car, maybe pause for a minute. But obviously my five year old got super excited for the Tooth Fairy. But then he starts asking questions like, how, how did the tooth fairy know we were going to be in Florida? I'm like, tooth fairy is always watching. He goes, even when I'm in the shower, is the tooth fairy watching? Cause I don't want the tooth fairy to see me naked. I'm like, well, no, the tooth fairy knows to give you privacy.

He's going to be the kid. I think I got like two more years left with this kid before he's like Santa's bullshit. Let's just undo this, which means my younger son will probably. Did you care like when Cole stopped believing in that stuff? Did you even care? Or were you like, thank God. It's tough, man. It's a hit, right? It's a hit, dude. It's a gut punch. It's a, it's like the end of their adolescence. You know, it's like you just, the tooth fairy to me is just fucking whatever, dude. I don't understand it. I mean, the kids get excited, but like, even like the Easter bunny for a while

is when Santa's the one where it just- Innocence is lost. Yeah, it just, it hits different. It's like, damn, like, cause we, I mean, I had it with Cole. Obviously we have a long time, but my brother is going there. My nephew turns 10 this week and it's just, it's not, it's still there, but it's still kind of like, just how long can you keep playing it out?

Playing it before, by the way, before friends say something or someone else, you might have another family who doesn't believe in Santa and their kids are just out there. Yeah, so there's just a lot of stuff, but yeah, that one hits, man. Tooth Fairy, I think it's, I try to embrace the moments of that

because of Tooth Fairy, it's like that innocent conversation you'll remember. And then in about six years when your boys become assholes to you and breathe, you're going to be like, I wish you would just believe in the Tooth Fairy. I remember when you used to think the Tooth Fairy used to look at you naked. Yeah.

Yeah. So yeah, that's fine. I think it just softens the blow for the tooth. Like some kids are probably freaked out like, Oh, a tooth is about to fall out of my mouth. So I think someone created this tooth fairy with a gift or a dollar or whatever you leave. So it like makes the what is makes that very, what is the tooth fairy bring in the for our household? We they're super into monster trucks. So he got one of his favorite monster trucks.

But no, for the first one and after this, it's going to be like a buck. So how do you explain the tooth fairy putting a monster truck under their pillow? Telling you, I cannot match wits with this kid, so I'm not even going to try. Because if I go too far down an explanation, he's like an FBI agent when he interrogates me. Dude. My parents have had a lot of time on their hands lately. At first, it was nice. Hey mom, can you drive me to soccer practice? Sure can.

We're having slow cooked ribs for dinner. It was awesome. And then it became a lot. Some friends are coming over to watch a movie. Ooh, what are we watching? I'll make some popcorn. Thanks to Voila, they can order all our fresh favorites from Sobeez, Farmboy, and Longos online, which is super reliable. And now my parents are reliable. A little too reliable. Voila. Your groceries delivered. Just like that. When you get into an Escape Plugin Hybrid, you get the perfect mix.

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Number one, have you ever been to any March Madness games, women's or men's or anything or Final Four? Because I have and I got a little no unknown fact. So probably not as much as you I went to USC women's last year, sweet or not sweet 16 round of 32. They played Kansas. Yeah, that was a girl. I remember that game.

So we were there. I'm actually going to the women's game next week. I'm obviously they're gonna, they're gonna win their first game, but they'll play, I think the eight, nine, they'll play their Cal or Mississippi state, maybe I think is, is in the bracket. I'm going to go in a couple of days, um, to go see the girls. Cause when girls, they get to host, which is pretty cool. I always think that's the host coach was pretty fired up. We had, you know, Coach Gottlieb on. She was fired up that they were the lowest ranked one seed, right?

That pissed her off. And they're in the same bracket as UConn, which is crazy. I mean, that's going to be awesome. There's very few upsets in women's basketball. So those two teams are going to be on a collision course, which is going to be awesome. USC beat UConn earlier in the year, but that'll be a great game.

Shout out to the pump brothers. I went to a game with the pumps. Gosh. I don't know them, Google them. Google them if you don't know them. Probably a decade ago, more than a decade ago, over at the old Anaheim pond down in Anaheim. But that's it though, man.

That's it. I love March Madness. I never been to a final four though. I've never been to a Final Four though. I went two years in a row and then one year I saw Villanova, their championship run. But what you don't realize is I went to the games in San Antonio, did the Riverwalk and all that, but went to the Final Four games. I forget who Michigan was playing, and I forget who Villanova was playing,

it's how long ago it was. Remember they even played each other, but what I remember is we went for two games, okay? So you're there for six, seven hours. I'm not a big tailgate, let's get hammered at the game guy, but for two games, but it's dry, the final four. Are you in a suite? Are you in the, are you good seats down low I was like, upper end of the first bowl like

good seats wasn't too close wasn't too far middle dry dry. Because it's college it's dry. No alcohol. That doesn't make sense because college stadium football stadiums all serve alcohol most of it. Yeah, I was there and there was not a beer or a vodka soda to be found in the whole thing. You're there for like seven hours. You watch the first game break, watch the second game, sweat, just nothing dry. So that really stuck out. So go go accordingly. If that's what you're gonna be maybe

patting the color. See, I think the Coliseum went dry, like a handful of years, your handful of years ago, and then they brought back the beer and stuff. I think the Coliseum went dry like a handful of years, a handful of years ago, and then they brought back the beer and stuff. I'm like, what the like, what the fuck are you doing? You got 80,000 people in there and you're not going to serve alcohol. What a terrible business decision. Not to be total Homer. But have you paid any attention to St. John's basketball this year? No, it's okay if you haven't. It's

a lot to take in. They also haven't been good. What are you now? What are you now a St. John's fan? No, I'm not bandwagon. I am not bandwagon. Spike Lee's getting crushed because he went to the St. John's games. Probably the first St. John's game he's been to in 20 years. No, I am not claiming to be something. I love Johnny's fan. I love Patino. I've always loved Patino. Well, have you paid attention to Mike Rapoli from the Body Armor founder. This whole NIL world, right? Because basically what he came out and he's a billionaire and just came out and said he bashed the team three years ago or four years ago, called him a disgrace or

something like that. And then he put his money up and he, I think he was a big part. How long has Patino been there? How long has Patino been there? Do we know? Can we check that real quick? Is this year one? I think this is year one. Okay. So either one or two. Was it Mullen? Was Mullen the coach?

Mullen was the coach and I think Anderson or someone in between. I think it was a game four years, five years ago with Mullen there. It was fun to watch. I played Georgetown. So I can see that conversation. I can see that conversation. Basically Patino gets hired. He reaches out to him and And a couple years ago,

just said, let's fucking fix this. And says, I need 20 mil. Yeah, I need, I need Phil Knight, Oregon, some of these other, you know, Kevin Plank for Under Armour, Maryland, like some of these big dogs meet with these coaches and just say, give me this and we'll win. And Patino, I mean, Patino is a legend. Patino is one of the best college coaches of all time. So I'm gonna tell you what's gonna happen is- Tell me please, because you know a lot more about this than I do.

They are going to be, well, no, I mean, look, the guy just said, basically you have unlimited funds. Go out and get the players that you want. You can get NIL deals. That's what makes them now unique. You in the same probably boat as like a Duke or a Carolina or some of these traditional, Kentucky like-

He's on par with the big powerhouse. Where you have big time alumni that all they care about, like all Kentucky, Kentucky football has done a good job actually, but it's Kentucky basketball. That's like what that is. So it's very similar now to St. John's, is they're gonna get a lot of top players.

They're gonna get one and done, but they're gonna pay these guys millions of dollars and they're gonna try to build these little college super teams like we've seen Duke try to do a handful of years ago with Zion and Reddish and RJ Barrett, the Kentucky teams with Calipari. That's what's gonna happen in St. John's. I think it's awesome because again, it's like football.

There's more parity in the sport now of basketball with NIL. And now that you got a big dude like that, who by the way, we got to get him on. They got home games at MSG too. How cool, like, you know, I never won a big tournament in 25 years. So to see it happen again, I'm not home. There's something about St. John's too,

where like, I'm not a bandwagoner, but we've talked on the call this week, like Felipe Lopez, right? Felipe Lopez, I watched him in high school. There's something about St. John's hoops. It's like, it's kind of dope. It's kind of like back in the day, like, like Rhode Island, right?

Was Rhode Island, was Lamar Odom? Did Lamar go to Rhode Island? Yeah. And then Katina Mobley went to Rhode Island? Yeah. Is that right? So like, remember back in the day where they had a couple of years where like, oh, let's get in, like St. John's's is more traditional powerhouse, I guess than Rhode Island.

But like, like, I'm excited to get on the bad wagon St. John's like, that's awesome. Who? And that's all they got. That's the thing. That's all they got. Micropoli Queen's guy, you know, started body armor. Obviously he's got all the money in the world, but I feel like if I were a

billionaire, now I don't have a school affiliation, but I would behave the way he's behaving. Go Google him. Cause he's out there. Like if I were a billionaire, now I don't have a school affiliation, but I would behave the way he's behaving. Go Google him because he's out there. It's not even like he's quietly going about it or said like, I'll give us a, he's out there in the streets, doing interviews, talking about it publicly. It's almost like, again, not like ownership in the NBA or something because he's not going to make profits.

Although I do think this is good for his brand and his companies. Like just, I mean, there's not, I've had conversations with people close to billionaires and it's not just USC other schools and I won't name them that they've told me they're like, there's no, there's no ROI, right? Like, like, what am I good for the brand? Maybe helping the school. You're just, you're basically just, just, you're just pulling it out, you're flexing it,

and you're just saying, this is what I can do. I don't need $20 million because it's pennies to me. It really is. I get to help my school. I get to be the face of now this, and a pseudo, I mean, he owns, he's essentially gonna own the team if that's what they're gonna go and pay kids. Like, that's, I mean, that's his money.

He can give NIL deals to the whole fricking student athletes at St. John's and be totally fine. So I love it. I don't know. I mean, that's why billionaires stay billionaires cause they don't, they're cheap. That's how we saw the owners in the NFL. But I love this dude.

I mean, I love guys like that. It's like Bomber. It's like even Phil Knight. It's just guys that love their team. They love their, Cuban in a lot of ways was kind of like just a vocal person who loves their sport. Now, three years ago, he hated them. So right. He publicly called them out, but that's why I respect it. So last thing, I know you don't have any, I'm just hypothetically, there is no way, right? There's zero. Cause what I would have the hardest time doing if

I had that kind of money and say I went to St. John's or I went to UCLA, I'm like, all right, here's 15 million. But can I point you in the direction of a few players I like? Like zero say, zero. There's no rules against that, but just no coach or athletic director would tolerate that. But there's no rules in place. Just because you are a rec league all-star

doesn't mean you have credibility in building a basketball team. No, I just like to talk about sport. I'm not even saying like, here's what I think you should do. Can I be in on those talks? For sure. That happens.

I know guys, I know big money people that donate to an NIL collective that at the very least, they want to know a vision big money people that donate to an NIL collective that, at the very least, they want to know a vision of which the team is being built. How are we building this team? What's the model? How are we gonna win? Like, what is it gonna take?

Because a lot of people that are like this are just fans of their sport, they're fans of their school, they're fans, so they are watching, one, because their money's at play, but two, they're passionate about their program, whether it's football, basketball, whatever it is, women's basketball, like it doesn't matter. So I do know that there's,

but that's also why now like coaches are putting, are hiring general managers. Now there's GMs in college now. So now they take that, those GMs now can deal with the money people. The coach now can just work on, I mean, recruiting, you're still building, but like you have GMs now that basically are dealing with all of that. The money people, raising money, fundraising. But yeah, those people are in meetings. They're in meetings about

the vision. They want to know like, Hey, like, I I'm giving you millions of dollars a year. What were who are we going after? Like, and I'm sure that's whatever, but there's zero say from getting them on the pod, man. I already have put feelers out there. I already am reaching out through a network of people. I want them on the show because Queens guy doing it like a lot of questions too. I just it's such a fascinating world now, you know, and, and, and just, and it's just crazy. Like someone, I don't know if you'd say like someone either turned the

switch on or off, but it really was, cause even hearing like, you know, we have a fun episode coming up too, where we talked to a former college athlete who didn't go too deep on it, but now it's like all the guys even back in the day who you know are getting paid now could almost not come out and say everything. But yeah, I was good. We were fine. It's like an IELTS and I know what it just happened one day and now I don't even really remember life before even like NCAA 26 the video games already collecting money to pay out to get ready for so uh it's crazy man it's crazy um all right it's now time for our fresh moves of the week brought to you by Wendy's head to the Wendy's app to get a one dollar JBC or a one dollar double stack with offer and additional purchase so I know NFL is like free agency was, is kind of done.

And I'm not trying to just talk giants here. They legitimately still don't have, they only have to preface every giant talk by saying, I'm sorry, you can just do it, buddy. I, as Twitter will tell you, I have talked myself into some crazy shit. I've talked myself into Aaron Rodgers. I've talked myself into Joe Milton should door. I've done. I've talked myself into Aaron Rodgers. I've talked myself into Joe Milton, Chador. I've done, I've done it all and at the end of the day I still don't have any clue who's gonna be quarterbacking for this team next year. Well yeah, no one does. You have Aaron Rodgers. I think Kirk Cousins is staying.

Cousins, Jamis, and I love Jamis. We talked to Jamis at the red carpet. I love him but like I still feel like as fun as Jamis would be. By the way, dude. Seven win team, right? If we're lucky. Shout out to my guy, Jackson Dart. He's going top 10 in a lot of drafts. He, I mean, he's gonna, he'll be there for the Giants if they want. You're going to get one of the top three quarterbacks at number three. But you can't take Jackson Dart at three. If it goes, what if it goes Cam Ward, Shador,

and now we get to the Giants at three. I have no clue. I'll put money in right now that one of those two quarterbacks will fall to you. Fall, I mean, they'll be available at three. Well, and then also, I don't know why everyone's so, like if you go on Twitter. The question is, are you going to take those two at three? Well, I don't know why everyone's so like if you the question is are you gonna take are you gonna take right those two or three well I don't know why everyone's like so mad again

are like people say Aaron Rodgers is polarizing I think it's everybody else it won't shut the f up about it like when's he gonna make his decision who cares let him make it also make also or do you just sign Jameis or you, I mean, cause he, Rogers is the enigma. I think Rogers goes to Pittsburgh, but you sign Jameis for a year and you see how many games you win and then you, or you pseudo tank and you will get Archmanny next year, number one.

I don't understand necessarily, you know, I tried to detach from like, cause I'm in Cleveland from the Deshaun Watson stuff. And then I know he re-injured the Achilles all that, but then just kind of popped up on my feed, where he's showing workout video, inspirational stuff. And like, great, by the way, great. I hope he gets healthy. I got engaged, got engaged, like all that. I just, as a viewer from the outside, I would be in the witness protection program if I were the Shahan Waz.

You just wouldn't see any workout videos. I wouldn't post anything about my personal life. Not saying like in a shameful way, just in a like, I want all this attention off me. I wanna work on getting myself healthy again. So I will come back and resurface publicly when I'm ready to contribute on the field. So I just was, I was a little shocked to see, not shocked. I was like, well, I just would be, I would be quiet.

I'd be on the low. I'm always, I mean, and especially as a quarterback, you know, I'm always, I'm always rooting for these guys and of course, um, and really And really come back stories, second chances, all of that stuff. I'm just thinking about the last handful of years. And you go back to Deshaun when he was starting in Houston and he was like, I mean, he was unbelievable. Yeah.

And I don't know about three years ago was that, three years ago. And then you dealt with all the off field stuff obviously, which takes a toll and all that. And then the injuries and then just being in Cleveland where I mean gosh some of these games he's looked awful and we know he's super talented for any court yeah it's just like the I can't remember an athlete and by the way he's still he's making you know 50 million a year he's But like, I can't remember an athlete just having that type of career and then falling so fast.

And like, because man in sports, and you know this, like you're a sports fan, but like anything, like you start the minute stuff, like it's like an avalanche, right? Once it rains, it starts pouring. It just becomes this avalanche of just shit and negativity. And that's just kind of what's surrounding him, man. And I just, like, I hope he gets healthy.

I hope he gets a second, another chance somewhere to play. Cause we know he has it. We know he has it. You know, you don't just lose that, but man, like it's, it's wild. I look, I'm at the end of the day too, like, I would say this, the only thing I would combat to that is like at some point, like you do,

you just gotta live your life too. And you gotta, you know, like he got engaged. I understand what you're saying, but like it is what it is I mean you can't when you're Deshaun Watson. You can't hide from the media anyway He's not gonna lock himself in a in a training room and like that You just go live your life and go try and you know when you get another opportunity to make the most of it Yeah, I've been there. Oh, I've been there. I talked about those hot tub pictures that shit I wasn't hiding for three months in Palm Springs I was one day we're gonna have to have 50 mill a year though

An entire segment of the hot tub pictures one of these days. I just want to take a quick second Thank everyone who's listening or watching We've steady been in the top 10 on sports podcasts on Apple and Spotify We're doing great and that's all because of you, the listener. Something that does help us is when you rate and review us. I know like a lot of podcasts say that it genuinely does help. And also we read them and I'm going to read one right now. This one is Shay 631. She left a review on I think it was Apple podcast. She said not appearing I was expecting from a podcast, but it's incredible. Great chemistry, amazing stories, really fun. Listen, we'll

definitely have this rotation. And that's all we want. We want to be in the rotation because these days there's a lot to choose from. So I think listen, well, shout out. Yeah, I think I think the goal for us always was like man like the the stories we can tell the to the the two industries that we can combine Whether it's sports entertainment culture parenting husbands like you know I think that's something that we try and do and try and and try and relate I'll we always say this like how can we relate to the people that are listening because like we're everyday dudes and the shit That I'm about to say is is fucking pissing me off. Oh, whoa. No, but I'll get to that second

But again as you said early Listen, obviously go subscribe, please follow us at throwback show Email us at feedback at throwback show comm we check our emails. We like to do mailbags now So we listen if you guys questions, concerns, we are therapists. Yes, give us that rating and review. We love it. And we will read it. Give us give us the rating and review. I don't know, man. I'm clearing the decks here. What's going on? Our house is infested with fleas, bro. What our dogs brought

in fleas a couple weeks ago. We've been battling these little bastards every day. My wife literally yesterday says, and I quote my my, she goes, she goes, these little fuckers want to rage war, I'm raging war. That's literally what she said to me, dude. Also, it's a battle cry. Now it's a daily battle cry. I just got a text from our nannyanny Josie asked me to salt your mattress again So no bed lays for you until later It's my crying emoji She said she'll vacuum once she's home later since it needs to sit for a couple hours

We are salting our mattress now these apparently we went online and said oh you can salt your mattress that kills them Dude our dogs long story short our dogs had fleas, we forgot to get a medication. So anybody listening, you get it, dude. If you've had fleas, you know exactly where I'm coming from. We need help. Mailbag, send us help. Send us whatever you can. We can't, we, every couch is turned upside down. We've thrown away multiple rugs. We have a very expensive rug in the front of our house. That is the one that is probably that we just keep vacuum vacuum 9 trying to save your China's probably your number one dude we wake up we're in the war zone of trenches all day like we are just like

what do we got like question you feel like it's brought you and Josie closer together in the heat of battle or have you sometimes split a place man the other night the other night now the other night, no, the other night she goes, babe, I can't, I can't sleep in the bed. I'm like, I'm like, who gives a fuck, baby. If one fleas on you, you're going to be dead asleep. No one's going to care. She just can't. She doesn't have that. She doesn't have that. She doesn't have that foxhole mentality. Like I do where I'll sleep with a hundred fleas on me. I don't give a shit. As long as I'm going to bed and I can't feel them, I'll go to bed. So she's worse.

Yeah, I mean, goddamn, dude, I face worse. I feel like I'm camping right now in the hits. So she goes in the kids room. So she's sleeping in the trundle bed with the kids with the baby in the baby snooze. So in our little boys room, there's five people and I'm like, you know, whatever you need me to do. She's like, baby, I'm not sleeping in our bed. And I go, whatever. So two nights in a row, dude, I've been sleeping on our mattress with one time. Because every blanket that we use, we have to rewash. I'm sleeping on a little-ass blanket on the mattress, like I'm fucking in college, dude, with my pillow.

I don't care. I was like, I don't care. But that's the only difference between us is if they're on me at night, I really don't care, dude. I feel like that's a big I finally got like an advantage on you at five, six and your six. But I get a lot more out of a blanket than you do. You need like a blanket. I just need like a little covered up. Has it I mean, has anyone out there dealt with fleas in the house, bro? It is not fun, dude. It's just it's more annoying than anything because I said I told her I said, babe, like, listen, man, it's not like they're fucking tar fleas in the house, bro. It is not fun, dude. It's just, it's more annoying than anything. Cause I, I, I told her, I said,

babe, like, listen, man, it's not like they're fucking tarantulas, dude. It's not like they're, they're not going to hurt you. Like they're just little mental part of it. Now you're going to get through it. And who let's get to Rudy gay everybody. Now streaming. What do you know about the happy face killer? He's my father. So's so good to see you, Missy. Experience the thrilling new series... He said he killed another woman.

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ash mines in Canada. Essential resources responsibly produced. It's happening now at BHP, a future resources company. So I want to ask you if you remember this, if you don't, it's fine. You came to the Entourage movie premiere. You remember coming in LA? I, the first people I go through the red carpet, the first people I run into when I walk in is you and Wesley Matthews. And I feel like I caught you guys not arguing, but like, did you dunk on him or did he dunk?

You guys are talking about one of you dunked on the other and the other person swearing it wasn't on them. I mean, he, that's the thing. Wes is like, when we see each other, like the competitiveness comes out. Yeah, I love Wes. He like, he dunked around me. Okay.

Yeah, cause hard to think he dunked on you. I love Wes, but. He didn't, I mean, I love you too, Wes, but think he dunked on you. I love Wes, but- No, he didn't dunk on me. I mean, I love you too, Wes, but your thing is, you know, the- The hour. Yeah, yeah. Wes can shoot, yeah. Yeah, stay out there, bro. Don't get into that pain. Did anyone ever, ever dunk on you? Like posterize you? Yes. Yes. In this out there, bro. And this guy actually was my teammate afterwards. It was Travis Outlaw. And it was bad. Oh. Travis Outlaw. I remember him. Yes. And this out there, but, uh, and this guy actually was my teammate afterwards.

It was Travis outlaw and it was bad. Oh, I remember him. He was an athlete. Like he, yeah, it was bad. It was off a rebound. And, um, did you see it coming? Did you think it was a risk or do you know what happened? He jumped and caught the rebound and I didn't think he can jump again that quick. Granted, I didn't give him my all. I just thought I was going to be able to block the shot and he like, he's an athlete. In that moment, or what I was, I mean, maybe I've been dunked on in like a rec league or something.

You definitely been dunked on. For sure. I play some high level rec hoops over here, but- What's a dunk on? What is that like a blindside sack or something like that? What is that? Like, Well, I would say, I would say, yeah, I would say no, because a blindside sack, like I would say, I think it's like what Saquon did to that. I feel like, I feel like getting, getting posterized or at least like you might've got, maybe he jumped over you like a rebound, like

getting post actually trying to go up and block someone and then getting dunking on. I feel like has to be a real lonely place. Like when you're done, like you're've got, maybe he jumped over you like a rebound, like getting post, actually trying to go up and block someone and then getting dunking on, I feel like has to be a real lonely place like when you're done. Like you're just like, damn, that was shit. Cause everyone's, cause you know, everyone's gonna make fun of you. I always said this, like dropping, either dropping a snap from center

in front of a hundred thousand people, which you'd be surprised happens, or getting your foot stepped on and tripping before you hand off a ball. It's like, especially in college, because once you're down, you're down in the NFL, you can get back up, but you don't wanna get back up because those motherfuckers are coming after you.

I feel like that's probably the equivalent. It's just a shitty place, man. You're like, it's embarrassing. It's a bad place. The rule of thumb is get the ball out fast so you don't have a good picture. They can't get good pictures. But in that instant it was like we were jumping together and it's just like he just kept going. And I'm like, ah, in the middle of the air you

just got to protect yourself. So it was like, get the ball out quick. Let's forget about it. I feel like I've seen some players make life choices about not getting dunked on. Is that something like a coach will just chew you out for or is it like understood like, okay, maybe back in the day you should have tried to challenge and foul the guy, but, or is that like a coach has come back like, why didn't you challenge the play? It's like, because John Morant would have just dunked on my head. Yeah. I mean, I don't know. It depends on the coach. Like, like pop when I played with him, Yeah. I mean, I don't know. It depends on the coach. Like, Pop, when I played for him, he was like, that's not competitive. Like, you have to, he's dry.

It's a good Pop. He want me to do. But, you know, the older I get, the more it's like, I just foul him before they even get to the point where they're- Yeah. Give him a little bump or something. Don't try to hurt him. Just, you know, swipe at the ball or something. Just get out of the way. Did you ever play with RJ in San Antonio? Did you guys cross paths there? No, no, no.

I'm like four years after him, but I've heard a lot of stories. He might have been in Golden State. Yeah, well, he's my guy. We've been boys for a long time, played a little beach volleyball down here together and stuff. He's fucking hilarious, man. I'm just curious if you ever play with him.

He's an idiot, man. Cause he, when I was playing, I was playing my last couple of years. He's like, Oh, look at you, the old guy. I'm like, bro, you've been in my shoes. Why are you calling me old? He's seen you on the Cavs and you got a ring with the Cavs. He's like, he's like the little, he's like, like your step, like a little redheaded step

brother that just like needles you and just like talk shit. Like you love them, but you're like, get the fuck out of here, RJ here RJ like we're gonna get him on the pod too but he's that's my guy I was curious I know he played for like 19 teams so I figured maybe he he crossed past it yeah he still needles us Knicks fans too. Hey now he's calling NBA finals though he's doing he's doing his thing for sure. You were just recently back at UConn and I saw, first of all, it had to be a great experience and I think you were with your boys.

What was, I mean, like just UConn hoops is just like, I mean, that's the pinnacle obviously in college. I was fortunate, I played it for a football, like school that was like just USC football was USC football. What was it like to be back? And like, what was it like to have your boys now that you're kind of newly retired, have your boys back with you and experience that with them? It was unreal, man.

I was, I was talking to someone. I was like, man, it's kind of, it's kind of emotional. I don't want to sound like a punk, but it's, I was, it was kind of emotional. You know, to be with your kids, like the type, like place where it all started, like you work so hard to get noticed by those kinds of schools, right? Like the work that puts in and like the kids, obviously they live a different life, but that's one of those things where, and no, it's not even just them, like other family members, they don't understand the work that was put in to me to at least get into that point. And at that point, you know, I felt like I had a chance to be what now I did.

You know what I mean? At that point, being able to go to Connecticut and getting the scholarship and playing and becoming an All-American, I was like, OK, that was the hard part. Now, just keep working. I've set my foundation. Now, keep working and become a better pro. And to be able to walk those halls and walk around

the campus with my kids, it was like full circle. So when I was playing, my oldest is 18 now, but he was- Goodness gracious. I know. I know. He just had a baby too, like a month ago. I've got 18, five, three, and five weeks, dude. I'm just, oh man, I'm tired. Three boys, three boys, and I just got my baby girl. And my oldest was a Hooper too. And he has a question.

Congrats, by the way. I have a, no, I appreciate you. I have a question for you later on from him. But no, I just, I remember playing and I retired young. I retired at 30. I didn't play as long as I'd hoped, but he doesn't remember much. I think he was five or six when I was done.

And it's just, it's just funny because like, he doesn't really remember me as a football player, but your boys, how old are your boys? Cause your boys are old enough. Obviously they've been watching you play. Well, they, they don't remember me being me. They remember, they remember me how, you know, hobbling around. That's what they remember. My kids are 10 and 9. 10 and 9. Okay. So I'm just curious, like the relationship, do they, cause you had, we want to get into your players' Tribune article, which I thought was really well done

too, man. And like, do they understand at all? Are they able to grasp like you going back to Yukon and walking them through the halls and what you were able to grasp like you going back to UConn and walking them through the halls and what you were able to do to get there and then having the great NBA career and playing for a long time. Do they understand that or do they just, I always think it's fascinating. Like they view you as pops, like this is my dad,

he was a Hooper or do they, can they understand it at this age? No, I don't think so. And I think you can relate to this. It's like they don't get it. It's like they know what people say to them when I'm around them. Or like highlights. They can watch highlights.

I mean, they see highlights, but they're not. I'm going to be honest with you. They probably say like, yeah, you weren't that good, dad. You weren't that good. Funny story. I was playing 2K, which I never, well, I do. It's OK. As someone who ran the Knicks 2K, which I never, well, I do. It's OK. As someone who ran the Knicks 2K league team,

that's a friendly place. Don't worry about it. Yeah, OK. So anyway, so I was playing and they had like some, you know, the all time teams. And I was on one of them. And I was looking at the starting lineup and I wasn't in it.

One of the teams. I'm like, actually no, we were playing with a current team. This is a couple of years ago that I was playing with, we're in Utah. He didn't put me in the game. I was like, you're not gonna put your dad in the game? He's like, nah dad, you suck on this game.

So. You're overall like 80. I'm like, dad, that sucks. Isn't that crazy? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, everything is predicated on your, your, your ranking in 2k now. So like, you're not ranked high enough on that. I feel, I feel like I just started because again, I'm a little different. My boys are older and he committed to play college football and he still doesn't like I keep telling him I'm like dude like Like I did play man. I played at a high level I went through a lot of good a lot of bad like I got I went through it all like I

you know as a pro athlete you go through everything like good and bad and he says and he's just starting to kind of turn the corner of like Asking advice now at 18. I'm like, thank God, man, like, please, let's be a quarterback. He's a QB, man. He could slay. He was a, he was a, he was a big, a big Hooper too. But he finally gave a basketball this year because he's, you know, he's getting recruited pretty, pretty heavily in football. But that's why I want to ask the both of you every year kids play hoops, right? And my kids are five and four. So it's like, they will not listen to a word I say about anything. But if a coach says, Hey, so like, do you find that? I mean,

now I'm just some scrub, like five foot six actor, you guys played at the highest level. Do your kids still not even take coaching advice from you? Like little things? I would say taking it further. Like I have nephews that, nieces or nephews that play basketball too. And they're walking around like, yeah, this coach told me I can do this. I can do that. I have to tell my nephew every day, like, stop listening to people, bro. Like that does not matter. Like shut up, go to class and play basketball.

And my kids, like, it's like, I can have could have, I coached their team and therefore they had to listen to me, but I would have my assistant coach talk to my son because he does not listen to me at all. It doesn't listen to me at all. That's what I do. That's what I did. I coached my son's flag football. I didn't coach hoops. I coached baseball and flag football. And man, my coaches were like, dude, because I wasn't like a yeller or screamer. I definitely wasn I had, my coaches were like, dude, cause I wasn't like a yeller or screamer. I definitely wasn't that, but I was like, you know, I was trying to teach them and like, dude, you throw,

like why did you throw an interception, this and that. And God, he would just blow me off and I would, then I get pissed. Then I'd be like, what the fuck? So then I finally just said, all right, you think you know everything? But they do, they respond. They respond to other guys.

The only time, I don't even know why I just thought of this, but I have a sport court in the backyard and we were hooping and the only, and he's, and Rudy, you're gonna get this too, man, when your boys get big, cause I'm sure they're gonna be tall. They start to get, they start to get that age where they start to think they could take Pops.

And I was like, and I was like a pretty good basketball player. Like I was a good athlete. And we're playing in the backyard and we, and I almost, almost fought my kid. This was at fifth. This was right after he's 18 now. He's probably 16 or 16 and I'm like, we almost threw blows in the backyard because he got to the age where then he started to be like, no, you like you suck and you kind of call me names and I'm like, you better watch your fucking self dude.

See, that's where the competitive stuff. So you're So you're not there yet, but you'll get like, you play your boys in the, and you still got it and you'll still, and then there will be a point if they become like their dad that they might be able to take you. And that's a talk about another lonely feeling, man. I'm in the gym every day, man. Yeah, so they won't get you for a while.

I'm just going to foul. I'm just gonna, I'm a- Well, that's the thing, I can't guard my son. I can't guard him. I'll take him down low I'm going to, I'm going to. Well, that's the thing. I can't guard my son. I can't guard him. I'll take him down low and be physical, but he's big as shit now too. So yeah, it's tough, man. Jerry, you'll get there.

That's what it is. Just got to put that fear in my kids can beat me now. So I don't really try that. But you know, something fun that your kids not fun, but like I think about your path because I, you know, I grew up in Brooklyn, players I watched in high school at the high school levels like Marbury, Felipe Lopez, those were like the guys, right? But I always heard about Baltimore basketball in the high school level, right? What was it like for you? I mean, I just feel like it's one of the more competitive

places you could play high school basketball. Am I wrong when I think that? Or maybe it's because I remember hearing always Mello's name and your name coming out of Baltimore. Baltimore seemed crazy with high school basketball. Yeah. I mean, yeah. It was like, what made it crazy is the type of city it is. It's like, it's really, really, really, back then was a rubbish city. And you had to, had to, had to be competitive.

Everything was competitive. It was always no matter what you compared to the next person. Unfortunately, I came up after Mellow. So it was like, you had to be this guy. So like, shout out to Mellow, which our podcast, 7PM and Brooklyn. I love it, man. I love it. It was always so competitive and you couldn, you couldn't lack any day, cause you know, as soon as you have a bad day, you know, you'll hear about it the next day.

So it was always just competitive. And you know, I appreciate that now because I'm super competitive now. We talk about what our kids, Matt you talk about how you wanted to beat your son up and I could see myself wanting to do that. But- Don't do it, but yeah, you could think of it.

At least don't say it, but yeah, you could think of it. At least don't say it out loud. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it was always just like, you have to be show up and show out every time you step out there. And, you know, it's not too many cities like that. Actually, I was born in Brooklyn too. Funny you say that. You know, I caught that. I know like Mello's route was like born in Brooklyn, moved to Baltimore. How long was it? Born and you were out of Brooklyn quick or?

Yeah. So I was like a couple of years in, but my dad still worked in New York. So like we still lived like between Harlem and Brooklyn. Yeah. Like I would go back and forth. You had, look, I know you're from Baltimore, but you always did to me have like a New York vibe to you. I could just tell, man. I could just tell. There's just something about it, right? Well, I feel like the toughness you were talking about, and it's something even you mentioned

in the Players Tribune article where like, you know, showing out for your city on the biggest stage meant something to you. And Matt and I were talking about this off the air. It's like, before you came on, it's like, okay, let's just think about some of the players Rudy probably had to guard because you're physical, you're six nut, right? I just feel like every night for you is like, all right, you're guarding Kobe. Tonight you're guarding LeBron. Maybe he'll throw you on D Wade. Maybe they're going to throw you on Mello. Like you, before this like three and D, like you, I just feel like you always had those matchups, man. Yeah, we didn't have, I didn't like you always had those matchups, man.

Yeah, we didn't have, I didn't, especially in back in those days, it wasn't really too many days off. And it was hard for me as far as accolades. It was tough because, you know, when I got into league, it was, you know, Kevin Durant, Kevin Durant, T-Mac, Melo, T-Mac, Kobe, Ron Artest, which was a house man. Kobe. Ron Artest was just a house down there. It was like- You saw that next day, right? You saw that next day.

Yes, yes. I mean, even playing some fours, I had to play Dirk, KG sometimes. You know, it was tough. It was really tough. Luau Dang in the East. It was every night with somebody you had to match up with, especially in that position. How nasty was, I mean, you name pretty much every Hall of Famer, how nasty was Dirk? Know what? The crazy part about it, he was one of my favorite players growing up. And when you guard him, you see why.

I mean, it's like he's not fast. Especially when I first got into the league, he was mobile. So he can tell him, he would bring the ball up the court, knock down threes, he'd put you in the post and do everything, really control the game. It was just, that's one of the best, when it's prime, he's one of the best shows in the league for me. Yeah, I mean, when you look at basketball today,

obviously every team shooting so many threes. And I know so many people always jokingly like blame Steph for that, but dirt really was the first big to really get those three point attempts way up there. And it was like, he never missed. Right. And he's shooting from like nine feet up, man. I don't even know how you block that shit. Man, and he would never hit the rim, it seemed like. It would just be straight neck. Who was, I mean, who was the toughest player you ever had to guard? I mean, all of those guys were great, but who just gave you fits night in and night out? I'd say Mello was one of them because he just always attacks you. Him and Kobe in different ways,

always attached to you. Him and Kobe in different ways, Kobe was tactical with how he did things. Mello was just physical, right through your chest and whatever. And I kind of adapted both of them in my game a little bit as I got a little bit older, but those two guys were tough. And as I got, and later in the league, it was KD being seven foot, being able to do what he's doing is insane. I can't believe KD's legit seven. I thought that was one of those myths of guys just continually fluctuate. I feel like too, with Mello and even Kobe, it's gotta suck as a defender. Once they actually get the ball, you know they're putting it up. So it's like, okay, I'm on. You're not paying attention to any cut. You know they're putting it up. Right? So it's like, okay, I'm on. Like you're not paying attention to any cut.

Like you know they're putting it up. So it's like, where is the danger going to come from? Like are they going, where are they going to go? Yeah. That's the difference between like a LeBron or something like that. Because LeBron, he pretty much runs the whole show. Those two guys is like, I'm going to score on you and you have to stop me. You know? So, so that made it a little bit tougher.

I've asked some NBA players before because, you know, I'm just curious and you're so recently retired like when like the JJ Reddick stuff, like he is not as recent as you obviously, but and now he's coaching. I just feel like that's such an advantage. Like if you were to get a coaching job tomorrow, theoretically you've played against 98% of this current roster. Like do you feel like that would work for you as a coach? I feel like it works for, I mean, he's also a highly intelligent basketball mind, but I just feel like knowing the current league is such an attribute for a coach. Rob Markman Yeah, it is. It is. It's just, I think the outside, like that part is an advantage. I

think the disadvantage is the respect from your, your assistants because they've been doing that for years. So that's the, that's the other, that's the other side of it. Now Jay-Z's done a great job. He has a great basketball mind as we've, we've heard, you know, time and time again on his podcast or, or, you know, on, on ESPN or was it, I don't know what he was on, maybe ESPN, you know, he's, he's been doing great, man. I mean, and to also, it helps that you have LeBron and Luke on your team. Let's not, let's not. Yeah. Remember when they weren't going to be able to figure that out, Rudy was like,

Oh, I don't know how that fits going to be like. That is coaching though. Like he, he has found a way to make it work. And, and that's that you gotta take your hat off to him. I saw a video the other day and like, I think he has Scottie Skiles, who he played for in Orlando. And he's got obviously a bit, an NBA staff has a bunch of head coaching experience.

I think I saw a video of him, what he's been doing there to your point Rudy, is he's really allowed every other coach, like I think he takes all their input, which a great head coach takes input from all their coaches and then you kind of, you know, you figure it out. But I think he's been able to do that because of what you said,

that you guys got a lot of guys that have coached a lot of teams. You mentioned the podcast and you're on the pod with Mello and Jerry and I talk about this all the time. What's your thought on current players having podcasts? I mean, Draymond was active player. Like Draymond, which I personally love it because I'm a sports fan.

I love hoops. I love listening to like, you know, like from a player's perspective while they're actually in it. Micah Parsons has his in the NFL. What is your thought on just that? Like, would you have ever done that or nah? Rob Markman I mean, I love it though. Me personally, I don't know what, in my prime,

I don't know if I would have done it. But I love it though, because you get to hear from the source instead of somebody else's perception and Matt, you understand. Yep. Like in Jerry, you, you've been around enough sports to know like what they, what, you know, what, what is perceived outside of the sport is not always what happens. You never know. Um, but you know, Draymond is, uh, is, uh, he's, he's doing his way as a whole. He's crazy, man. Maybe I'll say he's nuts, way. He's crazy man.

Maybe I'll say he's nuts, but I always look at it like some of the things I've done over the years, whether it's an episode of Entourage or Power or a movie where it's like if things, sometimes things get criticized in a way in media and I always was taught like you gotta just accept it even if it's bullshit cause don't get engaged in all that. But there always was a part of me that's like, well, if you only knew that this dude like stormed off set and this other dude didn't know his lines that day cause he was out till six o'clock in the morning.

Like if you didn't know a little bit of that, you might understand why that episode sucked. And I do feel like there's so much more just behind the scene. I feel like production, movie, TV sets sets and sports franchises are aligned in that way, where you're for better or worse, you're a big family. And sometimes it's smooth sailing. And sometimes it's not even when all the talent is there.

There's so much of the other stuff that could just take away from the fact that we should be making the Eastern Conference finals or the NBA finals. You know? Well, see, people... See, that's the thing about... That's also a bad part about media and social media is the fact that people have an opinion and they can voice their opinion from their phones. Like you said, even about you being on set, I've heard of stories where you have a scene and it may be zero below two degrees outside and like no I'm not gonna be

Into this this yeah singing like I should it's cold as shit or you know, you're making it seem like you're in the summer but you're in like You know the Hudson River or something like that during the winter like like stuff like that I've heard that that's happened and like you never know, like inside the game, like you may be nursing a sprained ankle and you just don't want to say it or you might have a migraine or something like that. Like stuff happens, man. Like people don't expect us to be normal. When we were talking about like the getting posterized, you kind of, you showed yourself

for a minute there because you were saying like, you know inbound it quickly No one's catching it. You have one of those unique things where you know, you kind of probably vaguely remember playing your sport pre social media I remember being on the set of Entourage where I had a line where I said Vince you have 2 million Twitter followers and I had to ask what Twitter was like I remember having that line I feel like even with the posterization, a fan's gonna get it. Someone's gonna get that. It's gonna be instantly... While the game's going on, we will be discussing on Twitter that you got posterized while you're still playing.

It may be on someone's wall. It may be on Travis' wall. I don't know, but it's somewhere. It's somewhere. I'm about to YouTube that when we get off this though. Yeah. It don't know, but it's somewhere. It's somewhere. I'm about to YouTube that when we get off this though. Yeah, it was like a top play too, man. It made it worse. It was like, ah, that whole week I was like, I got to dunk on somebody now.

Well, I said all that to say too, it's like, as far as even current players having pause, it's like, yeah, well, they also do have to fight it. Yes, the media, but also social media, right? Where there's narratives that just spin out of control. So being able to have a little bit of control of your own story, I feel like in today's landscape is much different than, you know, early Facebook, Twitter years back in like 2011 where, you know, it wasn't just that it was only like one or two sources really where that shit came from. Yeah, I mean, it's a gift on the curse though,

because you're speaking from your perspective and everybody's not gonna like your perspective. So like you have to be prepared to deal with what people have to say about what you have to say. So, you know, it's just, you know, taking control of the narrative has a downside, you know. I wish I could have taken control of my narrative when I took a photo with the chicks on the

hot tub. That would have been good. I mean, Rudy, you probably don't remember. You probably don't know that, but that was that was messed up. I've probably seen where that photo come out though. Matt, like where did what what magazine did that appear in? Well, I'm not even going to give the website it's due. Don't say it.

Don't fuck them. I'll tell you the story. Actually, Rudy. Actually, this was 2006. So were you at UConn in 06? Got drafted in 06. Right there, yeah, so we were the same kind of thing. Yeah, same year.

So it's March Madness, I'll never forget. And I won't tell the whole story, it won't bore you all, but March Madness, had some of my teammates over, we didn't go out, we elected not to go out because of that very reason, that was pre, it was right when like camera phones hadn't existed yet, but it was like the sites, the websites, the gossip sites were there.

And I said, hey, let's just come to the house, we'll watch March Madness, we'll have a little party in the backyard. My boys were there, like eight of my teammates were there, I'll never forget, it was like the most low key thing ever. And then like my this dude I knew brought like a handful of girls and they were cool as whatever and I was in the jacuzzi my jacuzzi in my own yard With my teammates who you could see in some of the photos and they asked to take a picture with me

So I just took a picture. I was like cool Whatever it took a picture The only problem was the only thing where I screwed up was I did, I did hold a beer bong for one of them on accident. They had to get it. And I don't think she was 21 at the time. Like, again, I was like- Problematic. Yeah, I mean, they were like, oh, can you do this?

I was like, I was just, at that point, I was just, you know, I wasn't even fucking thinking. But that was, but talking about like controlling a narrative, I wish I would have been able to get on a shit, a pod the next day and be like, Hey, this is actually what really happened. My bad. But like, this is what happened. So welcome to another episode of Matt and Reggie. Me and Reggie had, I was telling Jared the other day, we had Matt and Reggie TV back at USC. I don't even remember what we talked about, but we had, we did some, I want to, I want to ask,

I want to ask, we mentioned the players Tribune article, and you just recently retired. I thought it was great, man. It was really well done. Yeah, it was awesome. Yeah, just enjoyed, enjoyed. And you had a hell of a career. I mean, I remember watching you a bunch. I know how hard it was for me for a brief time, I got lucky getting into TV right away. So I really didn't have like that year to be like, damn What do I want to do? And you know, as an athlete, it's hard because we're all we're like kind of put in this like Just like this tunnel of this is all we can do One just how has retirement I know it's just brief, but how has retirement been for you and You know, like when you look back is, you know, like the highlight of your career

you talked about kind of Yukon and just the work ethic that it took to get there and just kind of like highlighting your career man, because you had an unbelievable career. I, you know, when you're in it, you don't think about it, right? Yep. And then when you're done, it's kind of like, it's kind of like a death, like you like you killing your former self. And it's like, you're trying to figure out like, we're young, what do I do? Like, what is this? You said you got into TV early, but I bet you still had to get yourself in a new kind of rhythm of doing new things. And that takes time to do that

too. So it took me a little while. It took me maybe about five months to really figure out like, this isn't... No matter what I was before, I have to kill that. To the point where I just wasn't even thinking about basketball. People come up to me and I forget that I was a basketball player. That's why situations like going back to school and like hearing people like, I remember you here or this and that. This is during the time when I was so focused on trying to be a pro that I didn't appreciate that these people were fans of mine. So that was one of those things where I was like, okay, yeah, I'm done. I'm done. And this is like,

it's not about me trying to become a better basketball player anymore. It's about me just trying to become a better person and figure out a better businessman, a better father and stuff like that. Yeah. I think appreciation is huge. I retired, God, I retired like 10, 11 years ago. So I feel like, God, I don't even feel like I was a football player. It feels like a lifetime ago. But as you get older, you do appreciate Like you just learn to appreciate one like you can kind of like you can pat yourself on the back You're like man, like I was able to accomplish that I provided for my family Like I've been a role model for my boys, even though they don't fucking know it yet. They're gonna know it at some point

Like you do you do have a better? appreciation for The fans and just like what you were able to accomplish. I've learned that as I've gotten older. It's like, damn, like that was fucking a great run. Like it's passed, now you move on to the other stuff and you get to, and that's a cool thing too about post-traumatic, you get to try a lot of new shit. Like you're doing your pod, you're going to do,

like you've been doing some TV stuff. Like it's fun, man. And I just wanted to give you your shout out, man. Cause you were, yeah, you had a hell of a run. and I know, yeah, it was, it was fun to watch. I mean, we watched you too. You talk about 2006. I remember sitting in the... With Dan Orlowski, you guys were... No. At a different private school. I remember sitting in our training room just looking at watching you guys just dominate

and I fixed you guys to win it all and you did. So I don't want to say you won money, but. And now we have to blame Matt and Reggie for the tush push we have to watch in the Super Bowl because they kind of created that play. I told Jerry, we invented that shit against Notre Dame. Oh, and then, and then I told Jerry Reggie had texted me when he was up in Detroit with Stafford, he had the same type of play, he pushed Stafford in and like OT and they won

and I swear to God, he texted me right after, you see that shit? We just did the push push again in Detroit. I was like, yeah dude, I got you. I was such a New York kid, the Big East was everything. I feel like your run with UConn, that was sort of like the last of the heyday of the Big East, right? Cause then they changed and there's so many I don't even know

for sure who's in the Big East anymore but when you're up there at UConn like what was their fan base and who was you players back then was like the team you wanted it was it's Eric you like who's you wanna who was the biggest rival just in general that Big East was a was a behemoth back then. I mean, it's tough. It's like. Especially back then, like we had so many big games like, you know, like you got to think like the kind of guys like, you know, St. John's, the guys that came out of Syracuse, guys that came out of Villanova, guys from Georgetown, like all these games are like what makes a

rivalry is like you had big games against them, right? And we've had like in the Big East, everybody has been stacked at some point. So it was like hard to say who our real rival was. Maybe Syracuse, maybe Pitt, maybe St. John's, maybe Georgetown. I don't know. Like all of them, like it was just like- They were all big eights.

We didn't like any of them. Yeah. We didn't like any of them. We didn't like any of them. So it was like, you know, so. At least the big East still exists. The Pac, I mean, I played in the Pac-10, but the Pac-12-10 doesn't even exist anymore, which is crazy. It's wild.

I've seen some of the weirdest games I've ever seen, like Washington versus Maryland. Like why are they playing each other right now? Before we let you go, who, all to, I want to ask you this. Oh, well, actually real quick, I want to ask you, this is from my oldest. Who's got a better mid range, you or Damar? I taught him everything he knew, man. There you go. He knows.

He said, he said, dad, ask him who's because he just saw, he just saw, he went to a Clippers game the other night and Damar was there and Damar is SC kid, obviously. And he just saw, he just saw, he went to a Clippers game the other night and Demar was there and Demar is SC kid obviously. And he's like, God, Demar so cold. And then I told him you were coming on. He's asking, who's got a better midi? I said, all right, I'll ask. So you, so you, you're the godfather.

Yeah, we, we played, we played, but you can shoot though too. Yeah. He doesn't shoot through. Yeah. He don't shoot. All midi management was like, we got two guys just shoot mid range. Yeah. Well, that's my take on it.

It's like, I choose you as a fan because also like, it just you were probably not forced, but everyone was probably telling you take a few steps back, shoot the three, right? Like, I feel like the Rosen didn't and he does shoot threes, but like, I feel like he never took those few steps back because he's so, he just got so accustomed. I feel like, again, that was a part of like the six nine thing, like drop back, shoot a few threes. It was, I mean, it was, for me, it was more of like injuries that limited me from being able to move to get that, those.

Get the room. Yeah. Thank God, Demar has had the injuries I've had. And I wouldn't wish that on him. That's one of my best friends. So. Yeah, he's great, man. He's a great dude.

Last thing, Rudy, all time, UConn starting five. Who do you got? I'd say Kimba Walker. Nastiest step back in the history of the tournament, man. That's shit. He had the greatest run too, yeah. Two would definitely be Ray Allen. Three would be Rip Hamilton.

That's a squad. You put yourself a four. You'd be a small four. Yeah, you're there. I'm gonna get in trouble for this one. I'd say a Mecca Oakle four. Yeah. No Karam Butler.

You guys probably played the same position, right? He was a small four. Yeah, I mean, I'm biased. He killed me. I was going down a list. I'd like Khalid Al Amin was a dog back then. He is some guys. I still also too not to keep bringing up your players Tribune article and obviously I'm

not going to add but your story about getting dimed out by a teammate to coach Calhoun about not all I'll say is I just can't believe it came from someone. I was about to say someone you probably fought that. I'm horrified for you came from someone. I was about to say, someone, you probably fought that dude in the locker room. I'm horrified for you that, I know you're not going to mention the name and you never should, but I'm still, I'm traumatized just from reading that story that that, a teammate did that. It hurt my soul to read that. Man, it was crazy because like, back then it was like, they just, he was like, he'll

manipulate you to think that he didn't care about things that he really cared about. It's because I remember I got like 20 parking tickets and the guy, and the guy's like, I'm going to tell your coach. He's like... So I was like, I'll tell him. So what? And I knew he wouldn't care because he had like 20 parking tickets on his car too.

Right. So what and I knew he wouldn't care because he had like 20 parking tickets on his car, too, right? but You know, he'll act like he cares to the guy like I whatever just whatever but like going to class anything That'll keep you off the court. He didn't play. No. Yeah. Yeah, we had I was telling Jerry We had class. Did you guys have class checkers? We had class checkers come by they'd be good. They'd be peeking God T. What was his name? I couldn't function, you fucking narc. What do you do? Get out of here. They would come to the door, look, see if you were in there, and then they go report

to the coach. That's a rough gig. Who's taking that job these days? It'll be random people. Coach Calhoun would pay random students to tell him whether I was in class or not. Like it was it was crazy. Well listen man 7 p.m in Brooklyn is one of my faves. I'm always checking. Yeah you guys are great man. We need y'all on there man. I'm coming. I'm gonna be in New York in April. I know tell Mero I'm coming for him too with his Call of Duty playing. Mero Monday streaming Call of Duty all

day. And yeah honestly if you haven't read Rudy's Player Tribute, it was awesome, man. I just, I appreciate you for opening up like that and giving us the perspective. And yeah, man, I mean, I'll come see you over there. I'll come, I'll come give some bad takes out on 7pm. You wouldn't be the first. Thank so much appreciate your brother. Yeah, thanks for coming on man, man. I appreciate you guys All right, yeah big shout outs to Rudy gay go check out 7 p.m. In Brooklyn with him and mellow It's a lot of fun. I think we should go on there in New York Matt All right, we're gonna bust out the mailbag again Cuz I think we're gonna start having our guests

sit in on this mailbag too, because some of them have been really good. Do you wanna take one and I'll take one? Yeah, all right. Chris in Utah, okay, so I saw the trailer for Happy Gilmore 2 came out this week. Curious where you guys rank Shooter McGavin in terms of all time great sports movie villains.

In the first one when he threatened to burn down Happy's grandmother's house and piss on the ashes, I was ready to jump through the screen and fight him. Thanks, fellas. Shooter, I mean, Shooter's gotta be one of the all-time villains, right? I just like, anytime I think of Shooter McGavin, the first thing that comes to my head is,

I eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast, then sailors go, you eat pieces of shit for breakfast. It's great. He's up there for me because I love golf. It's rare that you get like the comedic sports villain, right? I think it's like you think sports villain. I have another good comedic sports villain. Ivan Drago, right? Clubber Lang, stuff like that. He's shooting McGavin's up there for me. He's a Hall of Famer. What about White Goodman? Yeah, 100%.

100%. White Goodman, Ben Stiller, Dodgeball reminds me of Shooter McGavin. The comedic aspect of it. Makes me bleed my own blood. By the way, Dodgeball, underrated movie, by the way. Dodgeball underrated. Never in the top 10 sports movies of all time. I wouldn't go that far because it's, but underrated, underrated movie.

I think Stiller's doing a pickleball movie in the same vein. I think like a slightly comedic pickleball movie, which if you didn't, you should have got a cameo in that. I should have. Is he a big pickleball guy? I guess or enough to make the movie. But yeah, so to answer the question for me, he's up there. I think Ivan Drago. Ivan Drago is probably one of the most iconic. Drago. I give shout outs to to you might not recognize the name. Let's see if you could get the name the movie from the name. It's

a fictional character. It's a tough one to get. You have to know the movie well. Klu Haywood. It's okay if you don't know it. I don't know. Major League. He's like the the guy on the slugger on the Yankees with the big chew spitting in slow motion. Oh, you said Klu. Klu is Klu. Klu? I think it is. Haywood the big the big for it. Yeah, we're Chris for Taylor's talking shit to him at home play Maybe it's I thought it was clue. Hey wood We'll find out. Uh, all right. I'm gonna read one Brad in dallas the one shining moment video that runs at the end of the n tournament. Something you stick around for or something

you don't get all that hype for? Listen, I don't get all that hype for just because I can't guarantee I'm going to be where I'm at watching the championship in the end of that. But I will say this, I am a sucker for highlights for highlight videos, highlight films. I think March Madness is one of the best sporting events every year by far. It's right up there. It's like right up there with the Super Bowl. It's just right up there for me.

So I'm all for it. I just don't necessarily watch it every year. But it's yeah, I mean, it's just one shiny moment that the buzzer beaters. It's why we love March Madness and Call of Duty. It used to be must see TV for me and it used to be, you know, with the music, it just, it's all perfect. I will say it is, I'll watch it if it times out. It's no longer must see stick around because I think of social media because by that point,

yeah, we'll, we'll have seen all the amazing moments so many times cause I'm on social media with sports all day long when I can be. So I think by the time it rolls around, maybe you can make the which made it and which didn't. But back in the day, I think the very last one that sticks out was like the Gordon Haywood missed buzzer beater

from half, almost went in. That's like the last, I remember being at Goal Sports Bar in LA. That's the last one I remember like, no, no, we have to wait for one shining moment. Villanova game winner, Jenkins, Chris Jenkins. That was a great one too. That one probably is the one I remember.

Before we go, are you glued to the TV this weekend for March Madness, or are you just kinda turning on? Well, I gotta shoot some more to finish up this movie the next two days, so I'll be checking in. Um, I just will say not, not as much for the first and second round like I used to be. Um, are you betting on these games? Yeah, probably. My big pick that I did for bet MGM was, uh, Colorado state was like my underdog.

Is there a 12 seed playing Memphis? Right. But now they're, they're the underdog 12 verse 5 but they're actually favored in the game now so I'm just yeah I'm a Joe now I made the most obvious underdog so now I like Kate the Colorado State pick I was gonna say that's dangerous and I tell you what so I don't do 400 brackets anymore like I used to oh I do fantasy I dialed it way down dude I'm in this big pool there There's like 1000 people. And it's, you know, whatever. It's not it's a you can do is unlimited brackets. I'm doing good. I got 20 brackets so far. But like, what's the one you

feel just give me. So I just go basically, I've never won. I go. I might I love I think Florida would be the odds on favorite. I don't know if they are. I think they are. I love Florida. I do like Duke and I do like Auburn. So those are obviously three number one seed guy. Those three I'm not Houston people. I love Houston. I just every year I'm like Houston. Then they always just find a way to lose final four lead eight. And then I don't I feel like this year is like kind of chalk. Like I just think there's like those five or six teams that are really good, can all win.

And then there's just like, I like Michigan State this year, they're really good. They always hang around too. I think Maryland could make a little run. Like they're legit. The Johnnys, the Johnnys, look out for the Johnnys. It'll be fun. A lot of SEC, this year it's been all about,

I think what 14 SEC schools made it wild. Are you, are you glued while you're like, like squashing termite or fleas? Are you, are you glued to the TV or again, not as much because you have three kids at the house. I mean, my weekends just started sports last week. I didn't even say, dude, I just coached my coach case in his first football game this past weekend. I saw, by the way, by the way,

I'm going to shut it's good athletes already compared to the kind of level that my oldest is older than your oldest. It, you could just see the genetic gene pool of athlete person. And he's playing, he's playing with all he's played all, he's playing like kids a year older than him. Um, yeah, he's like hunting and running and like making dudes miss. He's playing with all, he's playing all, he's playing like kids a year older than him. Yeah, he's like hunting and running and like making dudes miss, he's awesome. We'll put it, I wanna talk about it next week cause we have a game, we have football game this weekend too

but I'll say this, my oldest, Cole's my oldest but my oldest, my five year old is, I'm telling you what, this kid was born to be a fucking linebacker dude he all he wants to do is hit people he ran like he skilled and he and he and by the way he he was hitting bombs this weekend in baseball like I was like and I'm not bragging on him because it takes him a lot of work it takes him a lot of work to work he's not Josie and I taught he's a lot like Josie Josie's a hard hard, hard, hard worker. And once she gets it, she becomes elite in that, whether it's law, anything, like not necessarily sports, but just anything. That's true. Can't yet. Cannon is like a lot like me,

a little bit like very natural Cole, very natural. Cannon just natural. Three-year-old's just raking off the teeth, like doesn't even care. Kason just has to work, but he works, it pays off because he can flip it. Dude, doesn't even care. Kaysen just has to work, but he works, it pays off cause he can flip it. Dude, all that being said, this dude just wants to tackle and just crush people and run into people.

And he loves it, dude. He gets up and he just fucking laughs. I'm like, well, dude, he's psych. I don't know where that came from, dude. He's psychotic. So I think I'm gonna have a linebacker with one of my three boys for sure. Please insert the program film room scene where Alvin Mack is looking at his assignments

going, hit the quarterback, hit the running back. And the very end is like, kill everyone. My boy, my best friend, Brandon, he coaches me. He was telling, we kind of laugh about case and cause it's like, he doesn't necessarily know like, like he doesn't understand contain because we're trying to teach these kids, Hey, you need to contain like whatever, don't let him out this. What's contain me. But my boy bread is like, dude, all I said was case in go, go and just run after the guy who has ball. Just go, don't do anything.

And sure enough, he just charges dude. Like he just, he's like a, like it's just a picture of Patrick Willis. That's who I see. I see Patrick. He's, I'll have more. Patrick Willis. That's awesome. We can talk about that next week. But I'm in now. I'm in full coaching multiple sports a weekend

for my five-year-old. I was like that with Cole 12 years ago. I am right back in the saddle. It's cool that you get to do it again. It's fun, man. It's fun, yeah. All right, well, good luck to everybody. Brackets, hopefully you don't get busted too easily.

We'll be back next week.