Professional Athlete Parents and Pressure

Welcome back to Football with Ben Rothesburg, a podcast where I sit in my basement with my good friend Spence and we talk about whatever. Yeah, that's that's the actual description on iTunes, I think that's football season is not in right now. So we don't have much to talk about. There the draft is coming up soon, so we can we'll be excited about that 'cause we'll finally have something to talk about outside of just like family and life and things, which we'd like to talking about that. But the fans I mean I always want to talk about that but without the yeah it's footballing footballing and then without the football we're just balling which we this is balling which is where this show how this show originated for any of you newbies, yeah. Is you and I would just sit down here, have a couple drinks and hang out and talk life, whatever. And like we should film this maybe. Do we actually have we should bring millions of people around the world that are watching this to sit down here with us? Yeah. That's what we're doing. Well, yeah, I think like like you said, we've show has grown substantially since we started as I don't want to say we started it as a joke, because that seems like we didn't care what we were doing. We do care that like what we provide for people is entertaining for them. But it did start as a joke in that the word football is not a real word. You created it. Kind of. So there's a yeah yeah. Go ahead. That was a joke. And the co and I I think it's funny now that like ESPN has to write the word football in when they talk about what you said. Uh that's more of the the inside joke for us. But the football in the it's spelled people thought it was spelled because of like Pittsburgh, like Pittsburgh Ease. Name either. That was a happy accident. They're like ball like footballing like bowling. Bill Car. Dan Tan. But it's not Anderson Valley Brewing Company, which is a it's a brewery. We would come down here and sample. I mean, we would just watch games, we'd watch we'd watch the Grammys one night like it's whatever. And we would sample beers and then one of them was Anderson Valley Brewing Company. That is from Anderson Valley in California. That little valley has its own language. And on the cans, they have a phrase called ball horn and B-A-H-L Hornet. And it just means good drinking. We died laughing because that's sounds hilarious. It's awesome. And then that's when the ball we called those little beer tastings ball hey you're in a ball. Yeah, yeah. And uh that's where it came from. And I don't know that we've explained that in a while. Yeah. So either like what in the world? People are like, what is it? Very clever. But Spence Spence Spence put the football well foot foot and football. He put the foot and football in. Um but no, uh put it together because he's creative like that. Uh and that's that's where the podcast came from. And what episode is this? Do you know? Off top of your head? One twenty one hundred and twenty something later. Yeah. And an award. Hey, look at that. Look at us. But that's because of you. You fans the family. We have fans and we have family. That's right. That's right. And speaking of that, uh, it's twofold. One is part of the the genesis of football and was we would have uh we would sample beers. And obviously the family, you guys know we do that. We haven't done it in a while. Yeah. Because Evan's been Evan's been MIA. Well, our shows have been a little unusual recently be just because the simple fact of we don't have a lot of like football to talk about. Right. Because it's off season. We always know this is tough, which is also why we come to you guys every other week now. And um so yeah we we're just like okay we're gonna have Evan come cook for us and just yeah not make not Evan Evan segment. I mean Evan's got a cookbook and he's doing big things big time. So it's hard to keep Evan here all the time. So yeah, so we we kind of dialed back on the food. We will pick that back up, obviously, when we get a when we get guests coming in or if we get when the season starts, things like that. And so we've also taken a break from sampling beers a little bit. Yeah, a little bit. But sometimes happy accidents happen and one one gets dropped in your lap. And that's exactly what just happened here. So this is a this is a beer, as you guys know, the family knows this is a family show. Yes. All right. That kind of rhymed. The family knows that this is a family show . See? Look at this. This is what he does. So a family member. Yes. A family member. A family member. I'm not a fan. No. Drop this in . And the the thing is, the problem with this, first of all, Flying Dog Brewing Company, this is where this comes from. Great beers. Artwork's awesome. I think it's like Hunter S. Thompson artwork. I'm don't don't know who that's quote me on that. That's like a I think it's a fear and loathing. I I'll do some research and not sound as dumb as I might be sounding right now. But it's the family show is what I was was my point in saying all that stuff. And the title of this beer is um the title, the name of it is I'm not gonna say it. But if you are a fan of flying dog brewing company, this is an IPA, you know the name of this beer. Uh if you've had it , maybe you like it. It's a heavy boy. It's a it's a it's a big one today. It's a big sample one beer. It's a big boy. It's a big guy. It's eight point three. How would you describe the name of this beer? I would call it a raging female dog. Oh, that's right. You like this? How do you do this? This is a good idea. You gotta know this is that's a way you gotta know how you do it. Yeah, you can anchor it in. You can anchor it in in case it's hard. I made that. I'm still gonna spill. Maybe. Dude, this actually it fits in there nice, doesn't it? Did you do that on purpose? I mean, just saying. I'm left handed, so does it work for the right? The right. See, you're free over here. You did it for you guys. This is a chance to do it. So while Spence trying to last the north. Attempts to open this beer with this. Is that how you got this beer railer? You straight on our hands. Yeah. Oh, this is gonna he's gonna have to go up real high. He's gonna poke himself. That was easier than I wanted to. So this beer, as we were as we're talking, we just gave you guys a big intro. Yeah. To um I also have one of those so you guys can't see, but I have an antler as one of my beer taps back there. That's right. Pretty cool. Hey, he's out here just making making stuff out of the woods. Um this beer got I I had a delivery uh not long ago. I will not um say the company or anything because I don't know get in trouble because I don't know what's allowed to happen during deliveries. But this was delivered to me and it was a a six pack of this was handed to me by a gentleman um and basically said, Well, I can smell from right here. Yeah, it smells great. It does smell good, but I mean I can smell the I can smell the Basically said, Hey, um , want to say thank you for the football. But he goes, I know you're a fan of the phabir . And I said right away, the family member. Because a fan of this show, which we love the fans, there's no doubt we have millions of them around the world. The fan has come on here. The fan has seen the coach cower episode, has seen the coach Tom and the TJ Watt. They're checking it out every once in a while. Football season. Let me peek in, see what happens. Love listening to these guys talk about things. Oh, love, love Chef Evan. Da da da, right? That's a fan. We love you guys. We appreciate you guys being here every week or every other week, whenever you come. Family has seen every episode. That's right. Family knows the five F's of footballing. And they know them in order. Yep. Faith, family, food, football, for beer. That's right. That's right. And this guy knew Fabir. And so this one is to you you know who you are um i'm excited to to try this i think yeah so anyway no way this is bad this one is to the family there you go. Cheers, family. And he's got the technique down, folks. This is a trained professional . Whoa. It's really good. Like whoa, good. Like whoa, good, dangerous, woe. Oh, like you can eight eight point three, but it's talking to you like a five point seven, huh? Boy, when you let it breathe, you can face that eight point three. Yeah, it's in there. Yeah. Not gonna do many more of that. I might just do one more actually. Just so you know I like to this how you gotta you gotta let the first couple through go through. That's the end of the nighter. You know what I mean? That's uh hey, we're at the fire. Feel that back there. Hey , strong. Yes. Okay. So I was not completely off on the artwork. All right. So the Flying Dog Brewery is renowned for its iconic edgy beer label artwork created by British illustrator Ralph Steadman since the mid-1990s, known for a gonzo style featuring ink splatter, surreal, and often controversial imagery. Stedman's art is central to the brand's identity. Uh, and he was famous for illustrating Hunter S. Thompson's works, has design labels for the brewery in the mid nineties. Yeah. So it yeah, the I mean obviously outside the name, which it is what it is, we just don't we don't say that word in this house. Um it's just a like a like that's the kind of it could give you nightmares. Yeah. I mean Hunter Thompson's not a fails. Yeah. So his movies . Yeah, his movies aren't getting adapted by Pixar anytime soon. So um yeah, that's uh that's a anyway. Thank you for that. Uh what's a flying dog? I I I would highly recommend that I'd like that beer. I'm sure they have other really good beers. Um I I'm not gonna drink that whole one right now . Or you know something you made me think of too when you're talking about Evan and food. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because I'm kinda hung I do kinda miss Evan. I'm kinda hungry. What's that ? And I don't know why. Sometimes it just sounds good, but sushi sounds pretty good to me. Always it sounds good to me. And I do I love we we love us some sushi. Bro, talk about that. We we we'll we'll put some rolls down, Nagi ri down, some shimi down. Um and I so I wanna it just makes me think I just want to give a quick shout out to Reese down Slippery Mermaid. Hey, that's the guy. Um Reese is my dude. He always takes care of us when we put that order in the food. So thank you, Reese. Anybody's in the area, head down to Swickley, pick up some slippery mermaid sushi 'cause Reese will take care of you. So hey anyway. This is that was not even planned and I'm literally texting in right now for an order tonight. There you go. That's there it is. We're not sponsored by this. We don't yeah, no. We pay for all that sushi gladly. Reese is it's funny 'cause I've I've texted him before, like, hey, cooking an order for um you know, because my my wife or daughter will like crave it. And when they crave it, it's like it's 5 30. Yeah. Sushi sounds good. And I'm like, yeah, it's like dinner time right now. It's Friday night. And I'll be like, Reese, I'm so sorry. He goes, No, it's all good. And he chants. He goes, I'm in Florida, but let me put let me call like oh no don't do that but anyway so thank you Reese I will say dude my so my wife and daughter does they don't eat sushi yeah um I'm hoping that shame I'm so I'm hoping that Ollie as she gets older will love it. I don't know what she's like her dad. Yeah, I know. She'll hope she eats like her dad. But um Key all started eating the the rice around it and then we'll just leave the center. I'm like, I have to start. Um but my my favorite is any Yeah. I know if I can get Ash on board, like we're good. Like, yeah, why don't we order sushi? I'll never say no to sushi, but she'll definitely lock it in. But you know what it might grow because Bailey has really grown to like sushi. Yeah. Um not I mean like shrimp temporar rolls. Like anything that's like got to that and then Bodhi start eating it too. Really? So usually I'll get them two rolls, but eat half of one and bathe eats one and a half. So she has to go to training. Yeah, she's working hard. Lots of sports. Do you remember that? Do you remember that time where we were at that poke bar ? And which one? When we were down we were down uh Albany and they had the poke ball. Oh, yeah, yeah. And the guy was like we were in line and he's like, Do you guys uh you want some more poke? And we looked at each other like Yeah. Who who asked that question? We'll tell you when it's a little more. Keep it going. Keep it going. Don't stop there, sir. Sir, don't stop there. I felt bad, but at the same time. I didn't know I wasn't . I can fill this bowl up like decently and and come back once. Yes. Or you can put a little bit and I'll be up here three, four times. Or would you rather have it? Well you see, you can do that because like you're six five. Like people are like, oh, he probably he's gonna eat. Right? Big guy. That's big, that's big Ben . I'm a normal sized person, but I eat like a fat kid. Yeah, well. Right. It's and I blame the Polynesian genes. Yes. You don't look like the typical Polynesian. No, no, no. I'm the smallest one we got. I think if you go through Tonga and Samoa, I think I'm ranked as the t the smallest one. But I'll eat but I eat. it's so funny. I'll I'll I'll again I'll get a portion y that you're getting and it's like uh What's going on? Yeah you you're gonna be okay you wanna box their little guy? That's going to that leg and that leg. You wanna fuck So yeah, that's that's so the I'm glad you tuned in to figure out our eating habits. And now that we got that out of the way, maybe we talk about um uh a little bit something a little bit more important. And like as you said in the intro, we've been coming to you guys what every other week in the offseason. And a lot has happened in this past week. And I feel like we haven't even catched up. I've gotten maybe like the cliff notes of it. Um you you've been quite busy with with uh family sporting events. Oh, it's every night. Every night some whether it's a practice or a game. Um but yes, we've been running around like crazy and my wife has been so busy writing her paper. She got thirty page paper due um for a seminary. She's finished up one more month, thank you, Lord. Uh I know she's saying the same thing, so it's not like uh but so she's been very busy, so it's been a lot of running around. She's been such an amazing mother that she this is obviously really important for her, but she still takes time to go to the games and support the kids and and whatnot. So yeah, um Bodie had a basketball tournament this last weekend and uh it was it was fun to be there. They're their their little team is a it's a good little team. Um they play some really good teams. And so it's it's a challenge for them because they don't have a lot of big players on their team. And so and Bodhi's not a big player and he's obviously on the team. Uh not obviously he's on the team with uh our good friend Justin Bryan's son Rowan, uh which I'll tell you a funny story about that, about him this weekend. But they uh yeah, they played in a tournament like the pool play, they went one and one and then got into like the bracket play and then they got in as like the four seed. They beat the five seed and then beat the like one, beat the two seed or however it worked, you know, and it's like wow, they're going to the championship game. And it's kind of crazy. But the game before the championship game, probably should have lost. They actually had Bodhi do the jump ball, which is hilarious because he and I have a I can show you the video of it. That's awesome. Which I could show it on here, you guys would be thinking it's hilarious. But he's he's a probably foot shorter than the kid doing the jump ball. So it's kind of like almost like a joke type thing yeah and so he he's just kind of laughing i guess the boat he said the ref was like our little fella go get it or something silly you know and the kid the other big kids just kind of looking at like what are we gonna do here yeah and the the ref I was I was told Bodie like hey listen like because he had they had some jump ball the day before against the tall kid because the Bodies like a is kinda can be tough and plays pretty good defense. So they put him on the big guy for some reason, which I don't understand, but I mean I I do, but I don't. Sure, sure. Um it's almost like the big kid thinks like, okay, this little guy's on, I'm not gonna try as hard and they end up maybe not trying as hard but you got to with Bodhi he's aggressive he is and he's tough I told him I said Bo you remember when you're like anywhere in that little gnat is just and you're like keep swiping it but it never goes away that needs to be you on the basketball court just be that little annoying little nap. But anyway, so I think the jump ball's happening. And I think the big kid is like, okay, whatever. The ball gets thrown up and the big kid goes up and kind of whiffs at it. And then Bodies is right behind him and it wins the tip. So is the greatest thing. It's amazing. But they get into this game, and the game is incredibly intense. Okay . Like it's back and forth. And like, you know, I and I'm not going to the refs were it wasn't okay the refs were calling it back. It was like foul. It was a good game. It was it was equal both ways, but it was it was crazy. We have like a five-point lead, and all of a sudden they take a one-point lead and just back and forth, back and forth. And at these games, usually I'm very quiet and stoic. Every once in a while, I'll give Bodhi something or I'll holler, hustle, or just something a little. But I try to be really quiet. My wife and Benjamin are Harlan's. They take a little different approach. They have a different approach. They're very aggressive. Sometimes to the point where I have to like grab like sweetie. Like should be yes, maybe y'all the raps. What is that? Like just all the people in this gym I think yeah I was like um what like so there's times that she always wonders why I choose to sit away from everybody else sometimes but anyway I love her love love him but but Benjamin's doing the same thing like you can see the similarities with those two and Bailey she's unbelievable because during this game she's doing her homework because she knows the week like she's like the type that like we're going to be at basketball tournaments like all weekend or these games and so I need to get my homework done. So you don't want to be a little bit so she's doing her homework, but watching the game. It gets to the end of this game the last like two minutes to go. She's like, I can't do my homework anymore. I'm too nervous. And so we're like, okay, you can put it down, right? So she puts it down and and now she's just she's just sitting there nervous, like you know, not saying much. My wife is is like going nuts, and Benjamin's like freaking out, and you know, it's like make a play here, make and and so i was like just very curious because they're going nuts i like looked at my watch my apple watch and i was like wonder what my heart rate is right now just because i'm like oh you playing it cool though you're just you're still yeah i'm not doing i'm just watching i mean i'm i'm like excited i'm excited. O cofurse it's my son and like it's a good game and you love sport. Anytime you love sport, I don't care be any sport. If it's if you got a good game, you should always be like as a competitor, you're like , right. I looked at my pulp my heart rate and it was like sixty-two, sixty-three and I was like looking at Nashville, she goes, What is wrong with you? I'm like, what? She goes, I'm like like 95. And Benjamin was like a 130 and something. And I'm like, well, that's probably why I did what I did. Exactly. Um, you know, but anyway, uh it was just it was funny. We had a good laugh at it because she was just like, How are you so calm right now? And like, well you've got enough going for all of us. Right, for real. Yeah. Um but it was it was great. They ended up winning it. Bodhi um he was in the game at the end with like five seconds left. We were up by one. And there was like a we're on defense. And so they have him on like their big, their biggest player. And I'm like, oh man, please don't. As a dad, you're like, okay, I I walk this line of like , okay , almost everything in like in life and a sports or whatever can be a lesson. Good, bad, and different, right? So if you make the game winning shot., great I I always think that sometimes the negative can can do more for you. Sure. Right? Because it can you could build character now, it can also make you go in the tank, and so it can hurt you in a way too. But I'm like, okay, this big kid, he's guarding this big kid. If this big kid scores the game-winning bucket, I'm gonna feel awful for him. He's gonna learn, but as a dad, it breaks my heart because I know he's gonna be torn up. Yeah. So I'm like, please don't let this kid score. And this kid's a foot taller than him. Like, please don't let, don't let him score this bucket on Bodhi. Because he and he's he carries so much heart and passion in his sports for his teammates. Yeah. Like he would feel like he let everybody down. Sure. And so the ball gets entered, the ball gets in play, and the kids dribble and they go to make a pass, and Bodie gets his hand, just gets it, just tips the ball. And it and it it tips the ball away from the hoop enough that their player gets it with like no time, like one second left. Or yeah a, couple seconds left. And then Bodhi tips it. Their player kind of gets it, but bobbles it. Our player gets it. Bodhisattva throw it down, Bodhi, like and he just dribbles out the clock. And it's like, thank God. And so it was a but it was a great win because they beat this really good scene they probably shouldn't have beat. Um and it was it was it was it was pretty fun. So anyway, I was I just thought it was funny that like the the heart rate and everything. Oh my gosh, dude, that's hilarious. You don't see the whole video, but look at the height, look at the difference. Yeah. Just so you can show people. He's at the kid's shoulders. Yeah, that's that's a foot that's a clear foot. I mean the the height difference is not. That's a clear foot over. I would say send it to me, we put it on there, but there's other people's kids on there. So I'm not gonna do that. So um anyway, and and so then the the the story goes on. I'll I'll finish this last part of the story. They get to the championship game, and they're playing this team that they had already played earlier. And this time, and the first time they played was a very close game. This time this team just they couldn't miss. Sure. The other team was much bigger and much more physical than us. And it was like, holy cow. What do you want us to do? Yeah, there's not only so much we can do here. And so but the the the moral of the story is the kids, our kids fought the whole game and and kept it within probably 10. I mean it was fine. But the best part of it was um our good friend, a good f um family member of the show, Justin Bryan, who who if you watch the show, you know Justin, uh the guy that can't make the black and tans. Yeah. That's how I know him. Um most that's how most people know him. The Irishman that can't make the black and tents. Um it's like a skinny Samoan. It's his son Rowan is on the team. Great little athlete. Him and bo um Bodhi are like Dick is thieves, best friends. They're both like pretty close to like they're just the gnats. They're the the Nats on team. So anyway, Rowan is at a baseball tournament the m uh in the morning, so he can't make any of the games. But because we make the championship game, they can drive like 40 minutes to try and get there to support, maybe play. Rowan shows up with like five minutes to go in the game. And basically he's he still has like the eye black kind of on his eyes. It's been rubbed off. And I'm the gym is very small. And so we're sitting um kind of close to the court. There's not a lot of people there, obviously. And Rowan gets in the game with like a minute to go or something. They sub him in. And he gets the ball and they're right in front of us at the hoop. And he gets the ball and he passes it, you know, with 30 seconds left or something. And he's still standing 10 feet from me. And I'm sitting next to Justin. And I'm like, Rowan, if you get that ball, you better shoot it right away. Like while ball game's playing, you know? And he kind of looks at me. And so the ball comes back to him with like 10 seconds left. And he's got a little bit of space . And I and as soon as it came, I'm like, shoot that. Like doing everything that parents shouldn't do. But I was like, who cares? Like, we're losing. He just got there. And he fires a three right in front of us and makes it. Yeah, my God. And it was the most it was just it was amazing. You can see I mean i and he was so excited and I was like we were all excited for him. You know it was like we lost but it was cool that he he didn't take one shot all day. Came right from baseball, pitched, did all the stuff in nine inning baseball probably and did all the stuff and it showed like his smile and the excitement that he had. It was it was perfect. I mean it showed truly that like he is like an athlete like his mom. I mean he gets the athleticism from his mom. So but it was it was just really cool to see him make that shot and at the last minute. So it was fun. So it was a great a great tournament. Yeah man you've been you've been uh I feel like it's every it's every day you guys got something going on. Oh, yeah. We got a golf tournament this weekend. Baylor's got a volleyball tournament. Bodhi has no basketball, thank goodness. So as a as a competitor, as a former professional athlete, but an athlete your entire life. Is that something that when you're in the rhythm of the family now, like developing their own love for certain sports? You know, obviously jamming with golf. It's like it went from like, oh, we we got him into golf to like, oh, he's he's a golfer and he is now progressing in his craft, not trying stuff out so much. So much so that you guys have actually probably taken him out of other sports. I'm like, let's focus on this thing. Like during basketball season, all he wanted to do was golf. And now it's golf season and he's like sh I mean he's still playing a lot of golf. But he's like shooting baskets all the time. So funny dude now he has to like has lowered our like figured out how to lower the hoop and dunks on all the time. Yeah who I still do that. I'm a grown man. Uh yeah, so it it is. It's kind of at that point where we we always say, like, okay, do you want to be the he's thirteen and he's playing in golf tournaments and he's you know finishing right around 10, somewhere in there. Yeah. That's like great. And I know people are like, wouldn't you want to finish first? I'm like, no, it's okay. You don't want to be the b I I tell him, uh you don't want to be the best 13-year-old in the world. You wanna be the best nineteen, twenty, twenty-one year old in the world. You know, you want to be a going to college and then maybe trying to you know, this is the ninetieth playing of the masters and Benjamin's thirteen. And his goal now is to play in the one hundredth, maybe twenty three. Yeah. Like just potentially out of college. It'd be a it's a big stretch, but it's it's a cool goal. Yeah. And so, you know, we just we just let them we try not to be too serious with sports because I think people can get really serious and then they parents end up living through their kids. Sure. I think I was lucky because I made it and I didn't have to be able to live through. But we just want to give them the best opportunity so they can enjoy and have fun. Like Bailey's finishing up volleyball, which she really, really loves and we had a talk with her last night you know she had worked so hard she's playing on a um she just turned 12 and she's on a um 12 or 13 volleyball I forgot what the volleyball team is but she was a young one and she's wanted to be this this starting setter And so she worked her butt off. I mean, she was every day annoyingly so that there were volleyballs flying around her house and she was constantly doing stuff and getting up in the morning working out, just she she busted her butt to make it happen. And then she ended up being, you know, I her and the other setter they they rotate a lot, but she's kind of the one of the main setters. Yeah. And playing a lot and when crunch time, playing a lot and being one of the uh best servers on the team. And so recently, I just haven't seen her doing quite as much. And I said, Hey, remember when you when you got it, we said, Don't let this don't don't settle now. And so we just had it, but she again she's 12. Sure. And so it just you just gotta remind them and refresh. And so I think um she has a big drive to do it. And you just have to know as a parent, I think the proper push. Yeah, yeah. You know, I think we talked, I don't know if on the show, but I know we talked about it, it was last year that my son was like I kept telling him like I don't want to push you I want you to do it I don't want to seem like that dad that is like push and he's you know cried in his bed one night he's like dad I want you to push me I want you to make me do it on days I don't want to do it and may in in you know give me more. It's like all right. And so but he had to make that decision on his own. Sure. And so that's what we did and that's what he's doing. And all of them are kinda doing that. Now Bodhi's you know bouncing around different sports and Bailey's finishing volleyball and getting into softball. Uh so it's it's it's fun. We just try and be there for them and and give them every opportunity we can. How because both you and Ash are athletes. Ash was a college athlete. Um obviously you've had the create you've had at the pro level. How big a like how big of an impact do you think you having the career you've had has made on the perspective that you have in parenting and or even coaching because you've done some coaching of like um I don't know what double A you know the kids yeah the little software yeah yeah like because you're sitting there like okay talking about parents living through their kids I think you see that a lot especially in youth sports nowadays now it was it was it was there when I was playing, like I did baseball for nine years or whatever. Um, but I I would never got into like the travel to any of that kind of stuff. I think my my parents found out quick and like he's built like a reader, maybe not. Um but it I think it's an interesting conversation about um professional athlete parents doing it, people who've kind of had not only knows what it takes, but also have had a run to where like you're cut probably freed up a little bit more than maybe a parent who like got cut short because of injury or didn't make the league of what was serious in college. Like how big of an impact do you think that like having the career you've had has had you to free up in in how you raise your kids in sports? Yeah, I think it's good and bad, honestly, because I mean I think about um like a lot of these sports now require um not require beneficial to do AAU travel. Right. And when I was growing up, I didn't that stuff. Like we just played in-house, they had me on a little bit of stuff, but it wasn't we weren't traveling around the doing these big teams and stuff like that. And nowadays it feels like you're only getting looks if you do that. Like no one's coming to high schools to watch anymore. Like it's all about these tournaments and AAU leagues and things like that. And so part of me is like, well, if you're good enough, you don't need that. But I know the exposure is a big deal. And so that is necessary sometimes. Um so I I don't know, and I think sometimes too having a professional athlete as a parent is tricky because then the kids feel the pressure. Sure. Or it's pressures put on them. You know, when kids see their last name on the back of a jerseyim.es Somet the opponent, the other kids are like, oh, that's like, oh, there's your dad. But then the other one's like, Well, I'm gonna beat you because of who you are. Sure. And we tell them all the time, like, listen, you're gonna run into fame Fans, you're gonna run into other players that are going to be potentially dirty, potentially nasty to you, talking trash, like th just all kinds of stuff. And that's just it's just the unfortunate name of having a not having a last name of Smith. Yeah. You know? And so not there's anything wrong with Smith's, but that's just much more common than Robinson. Blend in a little bit more. Yeah. Um so anyway, I you know, I think there's pros and cons to it. I think it the genes will help, I think, at some point. And I think having the ability to to get them in with you know, I Bodie and Rowan went and worked with Neil Walker this offseason, you know, for a couple sessions of baseball. Probably. Thank you, Neil. That probably helps. Yeah, to have those connections. Maybe they went and did some set or you stuff down in Texas. I mean, to have those connections and be able to do things is definitely a benefit as well. Yeah, and I think too, it's always interesting because I feel like as par as a parent now, and I'm thinking back on when my parents were getting into my brother got kind of more serious with baseball than I did. It's you know, they they weren't, you know, my stepdad did some stuff, but they didn't know like, hey, what do you need to develop to get to the next level? And I think having that experience, even as in college, you know, like when you're at a collegiate level, like you're you've you've you're doing, you're on the right track. And I think by that time you know what to be looking for at 13. Well, I'll say this too, Spence. Where I try and and and help the kids is, my kids specifically, is up here. This to me, what's between the ears will separate someone going to the next level or or by next level I say to to college, being a good high school, going to college. And then the more it's here, the m better chance you have going there. Obviously being a physical, having the physical tools always a big deal too. Sure. But I have I've I've told my kids many times, I guarantee you there was a better armed quarterback out there. There is probably a better basketball player than Michael Jordan. Pickick a p a player at every sport. There's probably someone out there that was a better all-around athlete at their sport than them that didn't either make it for that didn't make it, that no one knew about for whatever reason, right? Didn't have it between the ears, got in trouble, didn't have the great whatever it is, right? There there's a chance. Now maybe that's a stretch. Maybe not Michael Michael Jordan, but maybe, but there's there's there's someone out there that didn't have it here. Maybe couldn't handle the pressure. Maybe couldn't control their emotions. Sure. Something that we're working with benching right now when controlling emotions like you can't ride a roller coaster when you're playing. You need to be here. And have that rate, bro. That's right. You have to keep that that that more level. So I think to me, that's the part that I'm trying to instill in them is the emotional side of it, the um being a good leader, being a good encourager, things like that, way more than hey, let's go work on the technique of your now we still work on that stuff. Sure, sure. But I think there's so much more to um to being a great athlete in and great at sports than just the physical tools. Yeah. And I think at for youth sports, that's probably more significant. You know what I mean? Because I I would imagine that at every level you as your as bodies are developing, you're growing strength at in youth sports, every level in youth sports. Like you you're we're all kind of doing the training and whatnot. Now you might be born with parents who are, you know, six five and you know naturally athletic for sure. The genes are there. But I think about the things that can translate off the field or off the court. It's like, dude, if you can if you can learn how to control your emotions and pressure, that's gonna work in a boardroom. That's gonna work in a classroom. That's gonna work. Like and so and and so when it shows up on the field, you're like, oh I,'ve been getting reps and, that's a character thing, man. Right. Well, and and how many times, and and the other thing that I always say, you can't you can't coach heart. Right. How many times have I said on this show, I'll take a guy with more heart and less talent than more talent and less heart? Yeah. Right. And that's that's not it's like, hey, you gotta have heart, you have a passion for this. And and I think it's hard too because our kids are watching sports a lot, right? We're watching even golf, where it's supposed to be a gentleman's sport, and it's everyone behav people are slamming clubs, they're hitting, they're throwing, they're doing things. Yeah. And Benjamin watches it. And then you you see him emulate that on the course of it. And I'm like, no, but now you're not doing that. Right. Let alone that I'm talking about golf, a sport that you're not supposed to even, you know, it's so straight lace. But um you know, let alone football, basketball, all the other stuff where guys are what was it, Bo Jackson took a bat like over his head or his knee. I mean, you know, whatever. But there there's there's like those are the things that that I think the kids see and they they are like, oh, well, that guy did it. And I'm not saying I'll I probably did it too. But those are the things I'm trying to work on with the kids is like just because you see the pros do it doesn't mean you need to do it. Yeah. You know? Yeah, man. It's and I think the the whole internet um oh what's the word what's the the just the explosion of Gulf specifically with uh I feel like you you know the the influence is no longer just the people in the PGA. You saw that would live. But then all the all the stuff that's happening on it's it's changed the culture of the game, a lot of culture of the sports. You've seen that in college with NIL and all that kind of stuff. So I think to get people at that level um instilling that especially with your credibility you know what I mean because like I had my my stinging kids today were no stinging kids my my boys my boys were shooting bastards before school today and they're like I'm you know three and they would do like some sort of all these like three and three and all these different guys and Bodhi's like, Dad if I hit a three and I do if I do is it Jalen Brunson does something I don't know, does something. Yeah. Or he said, if I do the Steph Curry, yeah, he goes, What will you do? I said, I'll come on the court and rip you off the court. He goes, Really? I'm like, yes. And you're like, you but that you know Steph. What's it like doesn't I know I was with Steph when we talked about doing that thing, but no, we're not doing that. Don't you do it? But so it just all goes back to that. I mean the same sort of stuff. Like just keep it here, keep it here. It's if you make it to the pros when you're the when you're the greatest three point shooter of all time, you can do whatever you want. No doubt. No doubt. When you got when you uh have three air balls before you made that one. But you're not night night anybody. Yeah, right. So anyway, okay. That's hilarious. All right, well let's do this, man. Let's talk a uh let's dive into uh a little bit of football here. And now there's not much that we have to talk about. Uh but the draft is coming um which is going to be fun it is gonna be fun yeah and so crazy yeah i i want to just touch on um you know any any draft plans okay just you know, I I know we've talked about doing something for the draft. Uh um I don't wanna I don't wanna show your hand here a little too much, but well I'm I mean I I'm kind of excited. I'm excited because there's gonna be a bunch of old teammates coming into town. So it'll be fun to to maybe see some of them, hang out with them. I have been in contacts with a few guys, so I'm excited. Uh won't name any names here today, but I'm excited for next week. I think we may be able to have a few guest uh on the show. So maybe we'll try and film a few of them next week with some guys that are coming in town. I think there'll be a I've have at least two confirmed, but I still will not name them here. I'm gonna reach out to one or two other guys and see if they want to come join us. Nice. So it could be fun to get some guests on here. And now the interesting thing is because we'll do that, we'll have to space them out. So um it's like they're gonna be like pre-draft and then we talk about the draft or post-draft. But we're we'll I'm hoping that the next uh few episodes that we release will have some guests on them. Yeah, yeah. So that'll be fun. Uh obviously for the draft, do everything we can to stay as far away from that place as possible. I heard that they're like no cars a lot, golf carts only. Like when you get down, they have I mean it makes sense. Yeah. For those of you guys visiting Pittsburgh for the draft, if you don't know where it's at, um it's it's all separated by rivers. Yeah. So like when you're yeah, I I had somebody reach out to me from the organization like, hey, you're gonna be down here. I'm like, no, I'm not going to be. I think if you are going down, good for you, you probably have a a plan. I don't have a plan. I don't do I look like a guy that came up with a plan. I don't have a plan. I'm not going in there, you know, shooting from the hip and I don't want to get stuck down there. Yeah. I may be going down there, but not because I necessarily like w want you know, I don't know how to best you're not gonna be like hanging out. No. You know what I mean? You're going to go with go it. If I, I'm in. Yeah. You're you're going to do do what you need to do and then write out. I do think though when I think about fan experience , awesome fan experience I would imagine that they're doing. It's going to be it will be unique to have fans of every other team there. Yeah. Because I'm thinking like Pittsburgh, I mean, football city. Yeah. And they are . And it's been with this long drought, bro. Show up. Yeah, we've been saying on this show, like we we have been waiting for some football and this is gonna be the biggest you know event at this time of year to in in football so to to be able to give the fans that and just kind of go down there and see you know, just kind of feel like you're starting the year again and not have to watch it on TV if they if you don't want to is awesome. But yeah, I just I get nervous around big crowds, which is ironic because I've worked in performance. But you're kind of separate yourself when you're up on stage is different than being in the middle of a lights a little bit. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll see. I think it'll be interesting. I'm obviously we'll there's a lot of mock drafts out there. A lot of people are I mean, I've seen everything from quarterback to edge rusher , receiver, lineman. I mean it's been a lot going on. And so yeah. Again, who knows? We'll we'll see. We'll we'll definitely like I said do a couple we'll do a show next week. Hopefully have a guest on for the for that one and then we'll obviously then we'll do a show . Uh we'll figure out what our next release, but our next release probably after that would be post-draft talking about our draft picks. Yeah. Uh and go from there. So we're we're excited about the next few episodes to bring you guys something. I I do because we don't have much to talk about, we don't have any Aaron Rodgers news, we don't have any you know not much is going on. I would like what's that? OTAs happened. No, I think I think so. See, there we go. See, man. You've been out, you've been out of it too long. Kids sports. Uh I will I do want to end the show with a an I I do have a new thought. Um a new prediction for For what the Steelers should do. In the drafts . In the draft specifically. Oh geez. Breaking news. Yes. And so again, just a thought, but it if it if it happens, you heard it here first. Okay . Um, I think the Steelers are going to make a trade with their first overall pick. Is that right? I do. The 21st pick will go to the Oakland Raiders. Nope, they're not Oakland anymore. The Las Vegas. It's old I am. The Las Vegas Raiders. They're gonna okay. They're gonna trade with with the Raiders. Okay. They're gonna swap 21 and one. Yeah, that uh what uh that's we're gonna go up to the number one pick. Okay, so how are you doing that? That's expensive. It is expensive. We are going to give them all of our picks. All 12 picks. Okay. We're gonna go number one. So we're gonna go 12 for one trade. Okay. We're gonna give Fernando. Because again, we don't know what Aaron's gonna do. And even if he Aaron comes, even if Aaron comes back, one year of mentoring. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great. Got a future quarterback. Uh we're gonna give all 12 picks. We may hold one back. Like just for fun. Is that still worth it? Can give all 12 picks. We are going to give them okay. Uh them. We're going to give Tom Brady a round of golf at Oakmont with Chuck Medals. Oh, that's that's worth it. He gets to play in um Jeff Dyer's Valley Brook member guest. Okay. They get three cases a month for three years of Icy Light. Oh I mean, this is a sweet deal. Three pierogi sandwiches. I mean three uh permanis three permani sandwiches no pierogi on it cases of pierogies cases Mrs. T's cases of pierogies okay Brendan Conley's getting to do the CPA work for the Raiders for a year. You know that's gonna be clean books over there. Tony Radio . And last but not least, probably the most valuable thing are gonna be three glass vials. Okay. Two, three. Each one dipped in one of our rivers. Whoa. Just saying. You heard it here first. Whoa. You can get 10 This is I mean there it is. Book it. I don't. I mean, we should get the first for a couple of years with that, bro. Book it . You can't I mean you can't just get you can't let the Allegheny water leave the city. Tom. I think like legally it's that's that's that's Valley Brooke and Oakmont with Chuck and Jeff. Just saying. I mean, that's Brendan doing your CPA work. For the first overall, yeah. I think that national championship MVP. Yeah, I mean everything. Heis man. Not at all. Jeez, man. I don't have the Steelers ever had a Heisman Canada here. I don't know. Family will let us know. Steelers ever had a Heisman. I think that's a good trade, ma'am. All twelve picks. Maybe eleven. Let's keep one. Okay. Yeah. See if we can't get a I don't even know what you would get. I don't even know what we need. What what do we let's just whatever. Get a safety in the fourth round. Um anyway, um yeah, okay. That'll make break breaking news. ESPN run with it. Couple of perm permannies, couple of pierogies, couple icy lights, and then the maybe even a free ride, maybe even a free ride for Tom Brady on the incline . Just saying. Anyway. Football and family. Thank you for joining us. Uh, we appreciate you guys as always being here. Hopefully, next week we have some football. Well, we will have football to talk about. It will be pre-draft, but we will have a plan on having a guest in here for you guys. Uh so thank you again for your time. Thank you for your loyalty. Thank you for um your hearts, man. You give it to us and we would try and give it back to you. We don't do this for our own good. We don't do this for any production companies, for any networks, for any companies. We do this for y'all. And we're sorry we don't have football to talk about and you gotta hear us ramble about different things, but hopefully you enjoy the show. We love doing it for you guys because that's really why we do it. So um appreciate y'all. We'll see you guys uh next week. See ya