Try That in a Small Town Podcast
In 2023, Jason Aldean's groundbreaking song and video "Try That In A Small Town" resonated with a resurgence of conservative values in America. The writers of the song, Kurt, Neil, Tully, and Kelley, took the opportunity to launch the Try That In A Small Town Podcast. This platform allows them to reveal the true inspiration behind the song and discuss the importance of common-sense values. With a lineup of influential guests, the hosts will entertain you with the stories behind their music, while also addressing challenging topics affecting our communities and country.
Try That in a Small Town Podcast
Beyond the Scoreboard: The Real Value in Athletics and Life :: Ep 64 Try That in a Small Town Podcast
Kirk Herbstreet takes us from the broadcast booth into the heart of what makes sports truly meaningful in this candid, compelling conversation. The voice of college football doesn't just break down X's and O's – he reveals the human stories behind the games we love.
With remarkable vulnerability, Herbstreet shares how going through "hell" as a struggling quarterback at Ohio State transformed him into the broadcaster, father, and man he is today. "I went through the depths," he reflects, describing how perseverance through adversity shaped everything that followed. His perspective offers a refreshing counterpoint to today's transfer portal culture where players often leave at the first sign of difficulty.
The conversation takes an unexpected turn as Herbstreet addresses what he calls an "epidemic in youth sports." Drawing from his experience raising four sons, he delivers a passionate wake-up call to parents and coaches: "You're eight years old playing 55 games and the coach carries around rings because he's won three years in a row... they're eight!" His honest admission about catching himself being too competitive as a coach—seeing fear in his own sons' eyes—resonates with any parent who's struggled to maintain perspective from the sidelines.
Between discussions about the changing landscape of college football, working alongside Nick Saban, and debating the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Herbstreet consistently returns to what matters most: relationships, growth, and the lessons that transcend the scoreboard. His powerful advice for the ride home after games—"Hey, want to go to Sonic?" instead of "What happened on that ground ball?"—reminds us that how we handle wins and losses shapes our children far more than the outcomes themselves.
Whether you're a die-hard football fan or simply navigating the complex world of youth sports as a parent, this conversation offers wisdom that extends far beyond the playing field. Join us for an hour that might just change how you view the games we play and watch.
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Anybody that steps into those shoes, anyone, anybody that steps into Nick Saban's shoes while he's still there and still, like you said, going to games around the program. Kaelin DeBoer is an awesome coach I mean you can't argue that but it's just like Brian Harsin's a great coach. But you know you go into that culture and you're not from there. Nick went from Michigan State, more from the Midwest, down to LSU. I think there were a lot of LSU fans like who the heck is this guy? I think we have an epidemic in youth sports. I think it's a huge problem and it's the system. It's not just social media and it's the system. It's not just social media, it's the system of you're eight years old and you're going to play 55 games and the coach carries around rings because he's won three rings in the last three years and it's just like they're eight. Let's teach them the fundamentals.
Speaker 2:I want to see if you can help settle a heated debate that Tully and I had.
Speaker 3:I don't know if I remember this?
Speaker 4:No, but I want to know the Try that in a Small Town podcast begins now.
Speaker 5:We're excited aren't we?
Speaker 4:Yes, we are. It's going to be fun today.
Speaker 3:One step closer to.
Speaker 5:September, the Voice Hold on. Let me set this up. This is to try that on the Small Town Podcast We've got everybody here, right. But yeah, the Voice, we've got a pretty good guy coming on today.
Speaker 6:I'm ready to hear it. Get me fired up.
Speaker 4:Who is it?
Speaker 6:It's like that first breath of fall.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're under 90 days now, right. Yeah, when he speaks, it's a football season.
Speaker 5:We're burying the lead guys. Who is it? Kirk Herbstreet? Come on, man, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:We're going to throw it to telly. We're waiting, you know, for the big build Fondue Bring it to us.
Speaker 5:Let's start over.
Speaker 2:We waited too long Because we had to make sure we had to do it. Yeah, do it quick. We got to do it quick. That was good. I thought it was good.
Speaker 4:We're nervous because we're in a hurry for the meal.
Speaker 6:I'm overrated.
Speaker 2:Nobody's overrated, not even Peyton Manning. Take two.
Speaker 5:All right, welcome back. This is the Try that in a small town podcast coming to you from the patriot mobile studio.
Speaker 6:Dudes, I am pumped, we got a good one coming on today we got kirk herb street coming on. I know you guys know who he is right, he's as neil just said this he's the voice most of us who watch college football know you guys have got to be pumped. Oh, you're jacked.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, every time I hear that voice.
Speaker 6:I'm like a load comes off because I know it's getting close yeah, yeah, I researched him for six hours.
Speaker 2:I've got all kinds of stuff and I know he won't be here with us long enough, but if we can hold him for four or five hours, no, you know what I love about him.
Speaker 5:I mean, he's really good at what he does. You do honestly trust what he's saying, his broadcasting stuff. But he's just from what I've read and I know you guys know a little background on him too he's a really good dude, he's a man of faith, he's a great father, husband. Uh, hopefully we have a chance to get into all of that because, man, I just think we're all pumped. We're fans.
Speaker 2:Yeah, just beyond what we already know. He's a huge fundraiser like Make-A-Wish and things like that. I got to thinking about that too. When we have St Jude events and things like that, we'll get like a hey, it's another signed guitar. I imagine his charities, the stuff, the swag that he could get the auction items right fantastic, that's interesting we gotta hit him up for some right, for some uh, auction items for saint jude and things like that that's awesome.
Speaker 5:We hope you guys are excited as we are. Let's not waste any more time. Here we go. Welcome kirk, herb street.
Speaker 5:Thank, you thank you so much. Yeah, man, it's great to be with you guys. Oh, man, so you know it's funny, we, if we don't, we've never met, which is always fun. You get on the google. You find all the things that are true and not true. But one thing I couldn't find is what kind of musical preference you have. Do you listen to music? Do you listen to any kind of what's on the Kirk? I kind of like it all.
Speaker 1:I honestly, I grew up more with, probably, r&b and hip hop and then moving to Nashville and I think probably got me. Well, actually I met, I met Kenny Chesney back in like 01, went to one of his shows. I wasn't a guy that went to a lot of concerts. 01 went to one of his shows. I wasn't a guy that went to a lot of concerts, I was, you know, busy with sports, uh. But I went to one of his shows, had an absolute blast and my version of of country before I met kenny was kind of more of old school and more like, you know, banjo and more of that type of thing and I I just never really listened to it. And then, when I listened to Kenny, and then I moved to Nashville, then I started to listen to Jason, I listened to Luke, I listened to Luke Combs, everybody. So I've probably become more of a country fan than I am of anything else, but I like it all. I listen to everything Nice, not hard rock I never got into what would you consider hard rock, though?
Speaker 5:what falls in that like metal or classic rock metal, see I grew up in the 80s, the hair bands yeah and it was never.
Speaker 1:Van Halen was probably about the only one that I would hear okay, we're good. Yeah, maybe more like REO Speedwagon, maybe because they had the hair I can listen to some acdc now, but but back then it was just like when it gets like, um, they're taking the guitar and they just want to hit it against something, yeah, I just never really. Now my buddy, a guy I work with, chris Fowler, he'll go to the metal where they actually jump and hit each other.
Speaker 4:You are kidding me, mosh pits. He goes to that.
Speaker 3:I'm too old for that See, I'm just serious.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3:I'm serious he does that. That would hurt your back. Yeah, I'm going to aggravate the hurt back in a mosh pit, tell me what that is.
Speaker 6:I can't even picture Chris Fowler in a mosh pit.
Speaker 1:Yes, he loves it. He loves the heavier the metal the better. That's amazing. Hold on, he's not down in the pit right.
Speaker 5:He's up in a suite watching right.
Speaker 1:No, he's out there, he's throwing shots. No, I swear to you, I'm too much of a germaphobe, for that I couldn't do that.
Speaker 3:I'm with you. I couldn't do that. The Navash pit Kalo is your worst nightmare.
Speaker 2:All the germs down there. Buddy, what if you were playing on the stage and you're looking?
Speaker 1:down at that. Is that just?
Speaker 5:You imagine at a show you're like oh what the hell is going exactly right.
Speaker 6:That's their fan base. They can't kick them out, right that's what they expect more blood, the better yeah yeah gosh I would not be part of that, so okay, so this is that.
Speaker 5:For me is this technically, the off season for you like off season for us, actually is an off season. People think when we're not touring, we're not working, we're actually probably busier oh yeah creating and getting ready, but you, uh, what's that like for you?
Speaker 1:the quote unquote off season well, when I had, I had four kids and they were younger, I was, I I went from football season to uber driver. You know, I just drove them to school. I drove them doing them. You know, my wife, we have four sons, so it's like you take him to football, I'll take this one back to school. You know, it was just constant and I loved it and I loved I was, you know, in the trenches, uh, as far as being a dad and and just wanting to be around them and I love that uh part of my life. And then they started to drive and then they moved out. My youngest just moved out. We just put him uh up in school, up in Ann Arbor about just a month ago.
Speaker 1:So now it's a very different offseason. You know, empty nesters and my wife and I are kind of figuring out that stage in life. But yeah, when I get to the national championship let's say it's January 20th from January 21 to about March, I just try to go away, just try to unplug. You guys probably can relate to that. But you're right, I mean the offseason, there's still things to do. You're always keeping up with the NFL and college football. You're always having an appearance or you have something that's going on. So you consider it the offseason, because it's not the grind that you have from August to January, but there's still stuff going on for sure.
Speaker 6:I, I gotta admit, when you started calling nfl games I just kind of went let's see neil. Neil, I love the nfl, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 3:You don't like the nfl, you hate the nfl no, I don't, yes, you do.
Speaker 1:No, I don't, yes, you do. I don't, yes, you do. He. I don't hate the NFL at all, he just watches college movies. Who's your NFL team? You didn't have one.
Speaker 6:I mean, I'm always going to be a Titans supporter, always but if they lose, I was a Dolphin fan.
Speaker 3:There you go. Okay, you bounce around.
Speaker 6:He bounces around.
Speaker 1:There were some Bama guys that played for bunch of guys, right, but if the titans lose to the texans verse, if alabama loses to lsu, what's the difference in your I could give two shits.
Speaker 6:But now about the titans. You know football's in this. Yeah, I'm with you, man.
Speaker 2:I hear you when we went to more games though, like, like, when we had titans, we had psls me and my brother and it was really fun, you know, and it was back in the bench, young days and they're oh yeah, winning a little bit here and there, but they started getting really progressively worse.
Speaker 7:And you're paying all that money yeah, every year, and you're paying it in february when there's no football, right it's like hey, send in seven grand for next season I said next season.
Speaker 2:I don't know if I want to do that yeah, so how? Long did you do it? And we did it for like three years, okay, and now it's crazy expensive with the new stadium, so hopefully, I know I haven't looked into that.
Speaker 1:Now that I moved back to town I got to inquire. I can't imagine the tickets and what that's going to be for.
Speaker 2:PSL. I think you'll be a lot more discounted than we might be.
Speaker 1:How about the fact that they're putting that new stadium in? How badly has this town needed and deserved a new stadium? It's going to be fantastic, I'm guessing. And uh, you know, the super bowl, national championship, final four, not to mention all the other events that'll be going on.
Speaker 5:Yeah, that place is going to be awesome, national. Such a great destination. I guess primarily for bachelorettes.
Speaker 6:But now it's becoming more of a when they had the draft here, though it was, oh, it was, they should do the draft here every year.
Speaker 1:That was actually really fun, don't you think that was?
Speaker 3:actually great. We went down to Aldine's bar that night, we all went down and it was down there Wall to wall. I'm not really a.
Speaker 1:I could really care less who gets drafted, because at the end of the day, good or not, I'm a pro football guy and until you get to the pros and you, you do well. So the patriots make their pick.
Speaker 3:You, you're not, I mean you're excited about that pick. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited when he's still in mourning he's still in mourning.
Speaker 1:No, I'm I'm in, I'm in you guys are yeah, you guys got a whole new beginning. You hit bottom and now you're starting.
Speaker 3:You're gonna yeah, I mean we got a bunch of free agents, we got got a QB.
Speaker 6:I mean I feel pretty good about things I got to know. Do you have a favorite NFL team?
Speaker 1:I was kind of like you.
Speaker 1:I grew up in Ohio in Ohio State and college football was everything to me you had the Browns and I grew up in southwest Ohio, so you had the Browns in northeast and Cincinnati in southwest. But I grew up again 70s, 80s, and I was in that era. You were either a Steelers fan or a Cowboys fan, and I was a Cowboys fan. I loved Roger Staubach and Tony Dorsett and all those teams, yeah. And then I I became, as I got older, I became more of a Bengals fan, but not if they lose. It's kind of like, you know you move on to the next thing, whereas if, when I was a kid of ohio state lost, you know you're crying, it's devastation, right? Um, so I I've always loved the nfl, not. But college is just different. It like runs through my veins, you know, I just, I just love every aspect of of college, even though it's changing uh, so fast and so much.
Speaker 5:But the college energy around those stadiums you just can't beat that well, so you mentioned sorry, kayla, I just didn't want to gloss over this because he mentions, uh, ohio state. Your dad played at ohio state, from what I read, and you did, uh, your one son is that ohio state, but now you have a son in ann arbor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean my wife cheered at ohio state. Yeah, my dad was a captain. He coached after he played with Woody Hayes, coached with Bo Schembechler as well. My dad taught me in a very different way than most of your Ohio State fans today. My dad taught me to respect Michigan. Like the one day you play them, it's all hands on deck, destroy them. But if they played Notre Dame in a non-conference game or they played USC in a Rose Bowl, my house, we, we respected Michigan and and cheered, not cheered, but you, you were okay with them winning. Yeah, really yeah.
Speaker 1:That's how my dad raised me amazing yeah, but it was a very different era man for that rivalry, but you have to understand, like today, it's more like everything else.
Speaker 1:you know, it's chat rooms and hate and it's just insanity. In the in the in the seventies and eighties, when Bo and Woody, who are best friends, were competing against each other, it was, it was a again, it was a kill you that day mentality, but it was a respect, because all those recruits that went to Ohio state of Michigan it came down to, you're either going to Ohio state or you're going to Michigan in that era, and so they mirrored one another. They hated each other, but in a kind of a respectful way. Today, it's more, they don't, in my opinion, understand the rivalry, the history of the rivalry. It's more just hate. It's hate, hate, hate. It really is.
Speaker 1:And I think Tennessee would be up there. I think Alabama is up there. You know people that just live it. To me that's a good thing. They live it, breathe it. It's 12 months out of the year, but I think those are. Florida maybe is up there. You know most of the SEC schools.
Speaker 2:I think are up there Tennessee, he's involved. Florida is actually the only team and family that I really just really tough to like. Yeah, it team and family that really just really tough to like. Yeah, it's like, it's like it's hard to pull for them, but but it's like, uh, you know, like you said, fan bases hate each other nowadays, when sometimes you'd pull for them, like like hey, florida wins, that kind of helps tennessee, I feel like the sec cheer.
Speaker 1:Like I've been to so many bowl games where the fan base of the team they love their team, but the other sec fans they're right there going sec sec if if someone they're supposed to hate beats a big 10 school, they usually get the sec chant going, which is amazing to me, because you would never see that in any other conference where they chant big 10 or big 12.
Speaker 2:you don't ever hear that that SEC pride is different. If your team's out, then you want to put. The next closest thing is I'm pulling for Georgia or Alabama, whoever's?
Speaker 3:going to do the SEC.
Speaker 1:I would do that. If Alabama's out, do you pull for the SEC team to win? Not really.
Speaker 2:If we're out. Where are you? I think the majority of people do yeah and Neil is not the majority type of guy at all.
Speaker 6:I mean, we had nothing else growing up. It was Alabama or Auburn and we didn't have pro sports.
Speaker 5:I don't like it Like as a baseball fan. We love the Red Sox. I am never going. Oh, the Yankees got in, they won it, I'm happy.
Speaker 1:I want to say this I think it's a brotherhood in the SEC.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I really do If Tennessee's playing Ohio State, I'm probably pulling for Tennessee yeah.
Speaker 2:Probably Really. You should have pulled harder that last game I would.
Speaker 6:I mean, I would, how about Auburn's playing Michigan? Auburn's not even a factor to us anymore. Until he brings them back. I mean it's just it's kind of been it's been ownership. It's kind of been boring yeah.
Speaker 1:It's been boring, it really has. They almost got you two years ago, I know. Remember the Hail Mary there at the end.
Speaker 6:When Saban left, it was just kind of like how are you doing without Saban there? How are you doing? He's not good. He's actually not doing well. No, I am, because he's helping with recruiting and everything, so he hadn't left. He still has a spot down there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but what about Coach DeBoer?
Speaker 6:I was going to ask you that question.
Speaker 1:I like him. You know, I think anyone, anybody that steps into nick's saving shoes while he's still there and still, like you said, going to games around the program caitlin devore is an awesome coach. I mean you can't argue that. But it's just like um brian harson's a great coach. But you know you go into that culture and you're not from there like nick went, from from Michigan State, kind of more from the Midwest down to LSU. I think there were a lot of LSU fans like who the heck is this guy? And then he won and he won them over and that's what Alabama's going to have to do with Kalen Moore. He's going to have to. He's not going to do it the way Coach Saban did. It Very, very different, but I very, very different.
Speaker 1:But I hope people respect who he is as a coach. He's a really good coach.
Speaker 2:He's just not nick savin. You know, is it kind of different for you? I mean being at the top of your game as as leading sports analysts and, uh, media guy. When savin's on set, like do you ever? Just as I know you're a player with one of the biggest levels and um, but when he's on there, like as as a newbie in that world, yeah and uh, is it different? Like do you think about things you're saying, when you're analyzing things, thinking I wonder what coach?
Speaker 1:that's a great question, you know I tell you, man, it it's been amazing. He and I've been friendly for a long. You're either kind of in the circle or you're out and I, for whatever reason. I've been in the circle with him since like 1997 when he was at Michigan State, and I've I I mean, we've had conversations when he's been a coach off the record and and I've known him in a very different way. So when he comes on our set, the thing that blew me away was he's coming to me and asking me questions like he's a freshman in college.
Speaker 1:He didn't come in like I'm Nick Saban. Look at the credentials, google me, you know who I am. He was the opposite. He was more like we would do a segment and then he would look at because he's sitting right here. He'd look over at me. He's like, was that all right? He wants feedback, he wants you and he don't want you to pat him on the back and say, oh, that was great. Like if it's not good, he wants you to tell him how can I be better? Like he's incredibly invested. So what I've found is I've never tried to be a know-it-all Like. I've never tried to like talk down to an audience. I try to talk with the audience and so with Coach there. Of course he could school anybody and everybody when it came to like, let's get on a blackboard and talk football. But he, if desmond howard makes a comment about something, analytically, coach saban looks at it and respects what he's saying. If I make a comment, pat mcafee, anybody coach never looks at anybody like. How about this dumbass?
Speaker 1:like he is just he respects anybody that's put time and effort and work into their craft and, if anything, he's he's the one trying to learn tv and he's the one that's trying to like like kind of stay on board with broadcasting, like he's a great coach but he's new to broadcasting, and instead of acting like no at all, complete oppositeall complete opposite, he's been more of teach me, like help me which I think has a lot to do with his success because he really has done well.
Speaker 1:I think you know, when you have a show like College Game Day, it's probably like being in a band. You have a built-in chemistry. That is very natural. And when you bring a David Pollack in or you bring some, you know Rhys Davis had to become that new guy. You know it's tough to fit in with that and what we've always tried to do proactively go to dinners, hang out, make that person feel they're part of it and not be intimidated by your. It's us and you.
Speaker 1:You have to earn your way to get in here because tv, when you're doing live tv, there's no safety net, you know. You know you have to protect each other, you have to be a team and I don't know if you ever watch college game day, hopefully you can feel there's like if coach is talking, I'm listening to him. I'm not like looking at my notes and you know I'm. If desmond's talking, I'm listening to him. So there's like if coach is talking, I'm listening to him. I'm not like looking at my notes and you know I'm. If desmond's talking, I'm listening to him.
Speaker 1:So there's a serious bond there and it's hard to become that new guy and fit in. But I think coach fit in because of how he kind of came in with his hat in his hand and we reached out to try to make him feel same with pat mcafee, make these guys feel part of it. And uh, because that camera man it catches when you're natural and it's organic versus phony. You know, if you think about shows you watch, you can tell right right away if it's forced or if it's real and hopefully we come across is real, like we're talking right now that's kind of how we talk.
Speaker 5:That's why that show is so unique, because you can feel that it's just a conversation between guys that know the game yeah, it's just love it.
Speaker 3:You know, just love the game every time we play a college stadium or arena or something blows my mind. Like I said, I'm not the biggest college football fan, but you know my wife went to georgia and now dean georgia, so it's you know yeah I'm kind of follow the bulldogs and it's fun yeah and I enjoy the new playoff system fun.
Speaker 3:I actually like that, but every time we played uh tuscaloosa a couple two years ago you guys came out and we're, and so I always always blown away, though, by the facilities at these big schools it's amazing. No, I I'm serious, we've been around the NFL guys too, and it's great yeah. We go down to.
Speaker 6:Alabama and we're walking through.
Speaker 3:We're like hey, can we go?
Speaker 6:work out at the facility.
Speaker 3:Save your last for later. You look good. So we go over to the gym and we're walking through the hall with the trophies.
Speaker 6:I'm like this is amazing, it's called crystal. Yes. I mean it's amazing.
Speaker 3:When we get to the gym. I'm not kidding you, I need a stepstool to even get up on the machines.
Speaker 5:Stepstool to use a urinal. Oh yeah, we're short. I mean, wait a minute.
Speaker 3:It's impressive.
Speaker 1:Can we get more weights off?
Speaker 6:of this, we're the small plates, but I mean, it's almost turned into a competition now yeah, I mean oregon.
Speaker 3:I saw oregon's amazing in alabama it's so cool, you're, you're working out and you're looking at the practice field and it's like, wow, this is, this is way better than like that was the same.
Speaker 6:That's the samean of the.
Speaker 3:NFL.
Speaker 1:Dallas is pretty cool. Dallas is about the only one that would probably be up in Frisco.
Speaker 3:The ACMs are there now, and so that's always pretty impressive. But it's Dallas, so you expect that. But the SEC schools especially seem like they're just like this is college football, yeah, anyway, lots of money, the Big Ten, lots of money, especially seem like they're just like this, this is, this is college football, yeah anyway, yeah, the big 10, lots of money, really, almost all the big, the big schools big 10, the sec, the big 12, yeah packed.
Speaker 1:What used to be the pack 12 is now kind of all over there in the big 10 and the big 12 in the sec. But yeah, they're all I mean. You walk in and it's like holy cow.
Speaker 3:It's amazing.
Speaker 5:Yeah, it is. It is beautiful. I assume that's part of the recruiting tool.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and also it's not just recruiting. I think it's a big part of making the players you know enjoy what they have and want them to come over to the facility. You know you'll have a golf simulator, you have a bowling alley, a golf simulator, you have a bowling alley. They're doing everything they can to get the guys off of these and over to the facility. Instead of sitting around watching a movie, they want them over at the facility. So they make it that way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for recruiting, of course, but also to let the players enjoy their time when they're there, and the fan experience too, which is huge because it's so easy to stay at home and watch it. Stadiums are just putting a lot of cool stuff in for the fans, so you can enjoy game day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. I want to ask you have you been to a college football game? No, I'm serious.
Speaker 5:Like in person? No, actually, I've never been to one either. What? No, I haven't.
Speaker 3:No, she used to go to all the georgia games and my son, my son likes to go, he'll, he'll go up to like uh, he went to a couple tennessee games and he, he, I mean. So I've never seen or being where I'm from. It's like college football, just wasn't totally.
Speaker 1:I, most of my friends from the east coast. They're all giants fans and yankees fans and red socks. So I get it. And when I tell people and hopefully we can do this a year, we'll do another show a year from now, and I, what I would ask you guys to do, seriously, go to a, a georgia game, go to a tennessee game.
Speaker 6:Go to a go to a.
Speaker 1:Go to a. Go to a real college football game, a good experience, rival game, and and then we'll circle back next year and you'll be like, okay, I get it, like I'm telling you, go, go three or four hours early, go to the tailgate around the stadium, because I do both nfl and college, yeah, and it's almost like two different sports. Like, if you go and see it in person, go with your wife to athens, you will die, like you you will.
Speaker 3:You will not believe the fan experience from a college, big college game versus an nfl game so when I moved, I moved here in 96 and I I couldn't I mean right away, I think, the first fall I was here that later, that fall 96, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, like it was, I mean the vols yeah, the vols won it in 98, you know.
Speaker 3:So it's, it's uh, for some reason I'm not growing up with it yeah, I get it man yeah, I remember watching, like, watch a lot of like notre dame games on television on the dc, um, you know.
Speaker 1:But yeah, but it's red side, it's red socks, it's, it's it's brewing.
Speaker 3:This is yeah for sure that's you know so, but I do enjoy watching college football, I mean if you.
Speaker 1:I'm just telling you it's not just a game, it's the, it's the, the sense of community, the, the alumni, right, they're, they're, they're kids, and then their kids become the parents and then they have kids, and it's just the, the tents that are up, the smokers that are going. When I go to an nfl tailgate, they're tailgating, they're going crazy, but it doesn't feel. You know, everyone's got a jersey on um, but it feels a little more aggressive in an nfl scene. College is more of a. It feels more traditional. It feels more of a. It feels more traditional, it feels more of a community. When you go to a college game, the game is fun, the game is insane. But I'm just talking about the entire experience. I think you would find really interesting, if you've never been, in comparison to what you know, which is Red Sox, pats. You know Bruins, celtics. I'd love to hear what you think.
Speaker 3:Well, I'll come to your game and I'll come on game day.
Speaker 6:Yeah, that'd be great. That'd be great. Do you think, though, that you?
Speaker 5:know I understand what you're saying with college football and all that. Do you think and you started to mention it with the way the business of college football is changing NIL, transfer portal, portal, realignment of the conferences, like? I find this interesting you were at ohio state for three years and you didn't play. You played your senior year. It was great, but would young kirk herb street have entered the transfer portal right if it was in today's rules.
Speaker 1:So a couple things. Number one, the sport, because I think a lot of us that are diehard college football fans are worried about all this change. Realignment portal nil is is this game we all love changing right before our eyes and going to be like kind of a mini nfl? Yeah, my, my thing on this is, instead of just saying I'm a traditionalist and this is the way it should be, and I have to in my job, I have to be willing to change with the times and what I've found is, as long as that Alabama jersey runs out onto the field in Bryant-Denny, those fans on that Saturday I'll tell you this the energy in these stadiums over the last couple years and the interest in the sport, believe it or not, has never been higher. So, with all this madness and chaos and all the arguments around the sport in the offseason, when you get to September it's the same energy.
Speaker 1:It still feels the same yeah yeah Now your point about me going through. I was a five-star, could have gone to any school in the country, picked Ohio State, obviously my dad was a captain there. I was going to go there all along and then I fell flat on my face and what I learned was I was an option quarterback learning how to do a seven-step drop. Why am I here is what I thought. Why did I pick this school, this offense? It doesn't fit who I am. So I, but I didn't look through it a lens like where do I fit? I looked at it through a lens like since I was two years old, growing like if you grew up in Alabama, you're gonna you have an opportunity to play at Alabama, you're gonna go play at Alabama. That's how I was at Ohio State and so I did want to quit. I did. I was 18, 19, 20. My dad was not a hands-on F you your plan. He was more of encouragement give it another spring. You know things are going to get better and eventually I ended up becoming a captain of the team, mvp, most inspirational player, and what I like about that is man. What I learned going through that? I went through the depths of just and maybe you guys understand it in your guys' careers. I went through hell and instead of quitting because of my dad's encouragement, and I went to a psychologist sports psychologist which back then when I went to his office, I was like making sure no one was looking when I went in because I didn't want my boys to like make fun of me because no one went to a sports psychologist in 1990. Meanwhile I was going in there every week and this guy was helping me rebuild me and my dad, kind of like whoever your circle is, uh, in your faith, you know, whatever that is got me through to that point where I ended up being a captain and so and it changed me and it made me, hopefully, a better man and a better father and a better employee at espn and, and I think, going through adversity, I, you know, as a dad myself with my four boys, you know they go to okil and maybe they don't get to do what they wanted to do, but you know what I had to learn. It's OK, they're playing Little League baseball, they're not the starting shortstop, you know, they're in the outfield, and it's like they had to go through a lot of shit and I at first, as a dad struggled with that and then, as time has gone on, I like, I really like the adversity and I stay away and I want them to figure it out because it's going to help them grow, to become the people that they need to become. So yeah, looking back at it, it's easy to say, well, if NIL were there I would have left. But, man, it changed my life. Going through what I went through and hopefully my kids going through you know what they go through it's it's helping them. So I encourage people to go through adversity, have your support group to help you get through it. But, man, it it really shapes you. I think we all grow and develop and and really become better people when we go through that, that crap that we want to avoid.
Speaker 1:And my fear is these kids. Today they go in as a five-star to alabama or tennessee and they're going to be a stud and they're on the bench and the coach just told them to come in at 6 am because they didn't go to class and they're like manf, this, I'm out, and it's like what do we? The value of football isn't just saturdays and sundays. The value of football isn't just Saturdays and Sundays. The value of football is, you get knocked down and you learn to get back up. You know, you learn about team. You learn it's not about you, it's about us and what we do. That's the value, and my fear is we lose that in this process of the change of portal and NIL.
Speaker 1:So don't get me wrong. I mean Joe Burrow left Ohio State, went to LSU and it worked out great. I mean you could go down the list. Cam Ward bounced around a couple of different places, first pick. So I'm not saying don't transfer, I'm just saying for me, I'm so thankful that I went through what I went through because of how, yeah, would? I would love to start for three years and go to three Rose Bowls. Absolutely, that would have my. That was my dream, um, but it didn't happen and I had to accept that and I had to learn from it and grow. And so I hope, I hope kids still go through those tough times and don't just abandon ship and and leave, because I think there's real value in going through that.
Speaker 2:So well said it. And the parallel that you said, like as far as somebody moving to town, uh, like no singer or songwriter moves to Nashville as a five-star, like we're all walk-ons yeah.
Speaker 1:Oh sure.
Speaker 2:And so that is interesting, just to prove. So we come here and we're, we're nothing, nobody, nobody knows your name.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And it's crucial as a young person to go through disappointments.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you imagine not doing that, I don't know, I mean that's life.
Speaker 3:Every day life is hard.
Speaker 2:It seems like the victories would be shallower if you didn't have the adversity For sure, for sure.
Speaker 5:We had Gary LaVox on and he said something along those lines. He's like these kids or people, whatever you know, whatever field you're in, they don't know how to fail right and get yourself out of it and go through the adversity. And you know you started talking about you sports and I know that you have a big platform and I I applaud what you're doing because, like I'm a, I'm a dad of a kid. That's in sports and you get caught up in, yeah, keeping up with the joneses.
Speaker 1:Yes, you know, amen, and it's, it's really hard and you get caught up in, yeah, keeping up with the Joneses.
Speaker 5:Yes, you know, and it's it's really hard and it's like, oh well, you got to make this team and you got to do this. And it's like, no, you actually don't let them be kids Like my kid. He's a shy kid, these guys know him. He's a shy kid. He good athlete, but in sports he shines right. That's where he like is himself and it's like so I want to push that on him, but at his pace as well. It's like I want him to have fun and not get caught up and saying you got to make the travel team here because that's how you get to the next level yeah, that's a challenge, you think it is that I I'm glad you mentioned that.
Speaker 3:As parents too, I think you know social media is kind of a negative sometimes with that too, because you know parents and they only post the positive things right. So you know the kids don't see other kids struggling like you're like you know I mean so. They only see kids succeeding. So they feel like maybe they're not succeeding enough, because on instagram this kid's going four for four yeah, three doubles, but they're not seeing the celebration zone here when he goes over two or over three and striking out.
Speaker 3:So it's like that way and everything like everybody sees everybody succeeding, not realizing that everybody's also going through the struggles. Yeah, so at least that's what it looks like, you, you know to me sometimes.
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Speaker 1:I think we have an epidemic in youth sports. I think it's a huge problem and it's the system. It's not just social media, it's the system of you're eight years old and you're going to play 55 games and the coach carries around rings because he's won three rings in the last three years and it's just like they're eight. You know, like let's teach them the fundamentals of ground balls hit to the shortstop man on first. Where do we go with the ball? Like let's figure that out. You know not, not launch, angle and exit velocity and all that.
Speaker 1:That's the truth, though you know, and and you got to make this travel team and you got seven uniforms and when I played and I'm not saying this is the way it should, but I'm just saying you had a green jersey and white pants, you, you had a blue one, you had red and you had a. It was just like, and it was a after the game it was a race to the concession stand to get your, your, your treat and whatever it was, and then you hung out at the park and you might go in the Creek and might go over to the pool, and it was summer, it was it was fun.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:And it's just like we're stealing that from kids and from families. Because what you're saying is cause I've lived this, I want to go down to 30 a I want to go down to Rosemary with my kids when they're six, seven, eight, nine, 10. And it's like, well, we got a tournament in Indiana and we got to do that one. Then we're going to go to Atlanta. I'm like they're nine, like why are we taking away family experiences to go to an effing tournament in Indiana for our nine-year-old? Like stupid. I just think I don't know what the answer is other than go back to playing rec ball. But I just think it's ridiculous that they do travel ball. It's a moneymaker. They're putting the parents in really tough positions because if Johnny doesn't make the team certain team, he feels like a failure. He may quit the sport. He may just be like you know what? All my buddies are on that team. I didn't make it and it's devastating to face that at 11 or 12 years old. And so I don't know what all my buddies are on that team. I didn't make it and it's devastating to face that at 11 or 12 years old. And so I don't know what the answer is other than don't feel that pressure after going through it with four boys.
Speaker 1:What matters is high school, like all the bullshit that happens before you get to high school and all the pressure you feel as a dad to oh my God, we better do this, we better get that bat. It's as a dad to oh my god, we better do this, we better get to get that bat. We gotta, it's all bullshit. Until they get to about eighth grade, ninth grade, that's when the cream starts to rise and that's when you realize does my kid have a chance to to play high school ball or not? In about eighth or ninth grade. And then it becomes more serious and then it becomes tournaments, and but not when they're in elementary school and early part of middle school. But that's, that's the way it is in baseball, that's the way it's becoming football now, with summer league camps, and basketball has been doing that forever with aau it's just hockey.
Speaker 5:It's insane, is it? On the parents? Is that where the problem starts? Because you know everybody, you think your kid is the next tiger woods and if I have him playing golf, since he's two and specialize which, by the way, we're lucky enough to know a lot of athletes they say, don't specialize that's the worst thing you can do that but like the parents are like oh man, he could be the next tiger woods.
Speaker 1:If I just make him funny, you bring that up every day, I know, as you were googling, if you heard me say this, I call. I call our era of parenting the the earl woods syndrome. Oh, I didn't hear that, but that's interesting. I call it the earl woods syndrome because we all saw all the video of tiger woods when he was about four years old on the whatever johnny carson show or whatever it was, and he hits the golf ball. And then earl woods is talking about he just he golfs, he golfs. And we were all like that's what.
Speaker 1:That's what you need to do yeah, yeah, and my thing with my kids was listen, if you play guitar or you play piano or you're in acting or you play, you're going to play sports, you're either all in or or we're going to find something else to do. That was all I cared about was you. You got to work at whatever your craft is, you know, and, and if you're going to participate, then you got to try at whatever your craft is, you know. And if you're going to participate, then you got to try to be good at it. You got to try your best to practice and be the best you can be.
Speaker 1:And it wasn't like I was forcing sports on him, it was just my hobbies eventually kind of became their hobbies, but I was very much a stickler on. You have to create a work ethic for whatever it is you're participating in. Like I said, if he would have, if my kids would have been in acting, then I would have been like we're going to work hard at acting and that's that's. If you can do that, if you can create a work ethic and an appreciation. You guys all know what it takes to be good at whatever it is you do. That's all you. If they're not doing that. Forget all theoneses you're trying to keep up with.
Speaker 1:If, in your house, your kid's not investing in in whatever it is he's participating in, he's got to find something else to do. Um, because that that that has to be learned at a young age how much you need to work to become good at something. So that that's that's what I. I kind of came to grips with, as opposed to because I was like you, I was shit. They're making that team and, oh my God, my heart would be going to tryouts. I'd be like, oh God, oh God, I hope they do good.
Speaker 6:I'd be so nervous.
Speaker 1:I'm just like why am I doing this? This is insane.
Speaker 2:So hey, good luck. It's a tough world.
Speaker 4:It sounds like he loves it and it's a tough world no no no, it sounds like he loves it and it's cool.
Speaker 1:It sounds like he's shy and then he goes to the field and he's maybe in his world.
Speaker 5:I think we try to concentrate on that. Hey, if you're having fun, that's what matters. We try not to put pressure on them in anything. So hopefully we're doing okay, but it is hard, it's a struggle every day, yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm we're doing okay, but it is hard, it's a struggle every day. Yeah, I'm not even gonna lie. Well, my last recommendation is no matter what your, your kid does, son or daughter, you go to the event. They did good, they didn't do good, whatever happened. They get back in the car and to me it's hey, you want to go to sonic, hey, you want to. Where do you want to go? Grab something to eat? Like it's not man, what happened on that one ground ball? Yeah, I, you know that you guys would have won the game. You know it's. Don't even the parents relive it relentlessly. Don't talk about whatever good or bad. Yeah, you know, maybe if they did good it's, they walk up to you, just quick high five or a quick hug and then, and then it's like hey, you know you're going over the pool or you know it. Just make them feel like they're safe when they get in the car.
Speaker 1:Because where I had to have a come to Jesus with myself was when my kids were young. We still lived in Ohio, they were about in third grade and I was coaching and my competitive spirit was getting the best of me and I started to. One time I caught myself seeing my kids eyes and how they were looking at me like almost like scared, because I I was man, I'm a competitor. You know, like I cannot take that out of me. And I caught myself and I thought I want to be friends with my sons when they're in their 20s. I want them to want to come to my house and I want to have a relationship with them way more than I want them to be third in the batting order and hit 500 and whatever. So I stopped coaching, I went into the stands and I became just like good job. You know, like I don't.
Speaker 1:I'm thankful that I caught myself because I was on that conveyor belt of just charge, hard charging, because of the competitive spirit that you have as a dad. And I put that to the side early and I'm thankful because you know you still have moments. You can't help that, but I, you know, if you ask my sons, I think they would tell you there was a difference from early to. I learned through trial and error because there was. That's the best way to learn is going through it. But there's a lot there, as a dad, when you get in that car and you want to say something, especially if you know something that could help them. You want to tell them can't do it you know, in my opinion it's best to maybe talk to them later about it, but not in the.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't do it. That's a great point.
Speaker 2:Well, kurt, I know we only got you for a couple more hours, but before you go I want to see if you can help settle a, let's say, a heated debate that Tully and I had on the last episode. It hadn't came out yet, but it will probably soon.
Speaker 3:I don't know if I remember this.
Speaker 2:No, but I want to know because Tully studies, quarterbacks and stuff like that and he considers himself an analyst.
Speaker 4:And so I don't.
Speaker 2:That's not a that's not a bust because you do follow quarterbacks to go a lot much more than I do, so I can't wait to speak Well. So the Pats came up and Tom Brady and he really went on a rant about Tom Brady. I wasn't saying anything. Tom Brady's great, but then all of a sudden out of nowhere, after we had already disagreed on a couple of the things he said. Oh, and Peyton Manning? He's overrated. I'm like where did that come from? Why, all of a sudden, are we busting on Peyton Manning? This is perfect.
Speaker 4:Do you think?
Speaker 2:like Tully, that Peyton Manning is overrated.
Speaker 1:I don't think Peyton Manning's overrated.
Speaker 2:He's overrated.
Speaker 1:Thank you and thank you, but I also think Tom Brady's the best to ever do it.
Speaker 6:We all agreed on that.
Speaker 2:See how is Peyton overrated.
Speaker 3:He's overrated this way. If you ask a football fan, if you ask a K-Lo football fan, you mention Peyton Manning and for some reason he's at the top of everyone's list. I think he's good, I think. I think he left a couple on the table. I didn't throw the greatest ball.
Speaker 6:You don't know college football, obviously no, he was overrated in college.
Speaker 5:Wait, wait, wait. He was overrated in college when I moved here in the years, I can say 96.
Speaker 3:So I was here during the Peyton Manning years.
Speaker 5:Yeah, you were right there. For two years they were winning, that's great, but they didn't win a championship until he left. It was the next year with Team Martin.
Speaker 4:Yeah, but he got things rolling Same team except different quarterback.
Speaker 2:He got things rolling. It's a bounce of a ball. It's different calls.
Speaker 3:Let me say that football, football here, uh, my favorite Peyton Manning spiral. Not that that means everything for the accurate?
Speaker 1:is all that now I?
Speaker 3:do miss the the Peyton Brady matchups. I miss those but I think I think everybody's all Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning, I don't know. I think he's great quarterback, but not as great as everyone automatically thinks he is I think what the reason why most people appreciated him was.
Speaker 1:He was really a guy that at the line of scrimmage was doing things that not a lot of quarterbacks were doing, like there'd be a play that was called and he had like really he was the offensive coordinator I mean he would go, he look at the defense.
Speaker 1:You know everyone does the omaha, but he, he was doing everything. He'd look at the defense. You know everyone does the Omaha, but he was doing everything. He's checking the front and Tom was doing it. All these guys do it, but to the level that Peyton was doing it it was basically like who has the chalk last? The defense is moving around, he's seeing it. A lot of guys. They get the call, the defense moves around and they just kind of go with the call. With Peyton you could never do that because he would always get oh safety's coming down late, check, check, check. Like he would always get into the right play, um, and, and I mean his leadership, his, what a great teammate he was. I mean, when you say he's overrated, I'm trying to say you, you don't think what? What is overrated is he looked at as one of the top five best of all time what I was saying was I think he's, I think he's a great quarterback.
Speaker 3:But when you it feels like when I ask people, okay, who's the best quarterback, they just automatically say peyton manning. Oh, okay, which? He's down there. He's down on the list for me who you got above him. Uh, brady's the goat. We know that, we all agree on that sure yeah, montana joe montana. Yeah, yeah, I mean I you know, there's, I like the brett farves, the gamers yeah, you know I don't know if he's better, but I mean payton's up there. He's in the top 10. Is he five kirk?
Speaker 1:I don't know, I don't know, I'm just trying to. I'm trying to think who I mean? Mean Dan Marino, john Elway, I love Elway, I love Marino, marino never won. I mean, even though he's still in his career, Mahomes is doing some crazy things.
Speaker 3:I mean Mahomes is pretty crazy.
Speaker 1:Think about what we have right now with Josh Allen and Joe Burrow Josh Allen, lamar Jackson, and he does it in a very different way and he's Mahomes. I mean we're really fortunate. You think Lamar will win one, I think he will. I I'm a huge fan of that franchise. The way they do it, they just can't quite get over the hump.
Speaker 5:So what is it then in the playoffs? Why do they?
Speaker 4:I couldn't tell you? Is it just because?
Speaker 5:Mahomes were.
Speaker 1:You know the competition yeah, I think it's the era that he's in. Yeah, um, I don't think it's a knock on him. I think it's it really about, you know, maybe, who they play. I'm a huge. I'm not a Ravens fan, but I'm a fan of how they go about their business, like if I, when I watch their draft, how they find pieces that fit the personality of their team. I think they're as good as anybody currently in the NFL.
Speaker 5:The Ravens are they don't have they need.
Speaker 1:They've had some good ones, but I think now what they have on their roster, I think this could maybe get them over the hump. They're always going to be a factor, but it's just a matter of that day. Do they get it done against Burrow or against Mahomes? I mean Josh Allen.
Speaker 3:I love watching Josh Allen. I mean, those are, I love watching. That's tough. I love watching Josh Allen play. Like with the Pats the last couple years, you know struggling. I actually found myself pulling, which is crazy to say For Buffalo, just because I really like Josh Allen Well, he's going back to that Brett Favre kind of. Thing. Like he's just a but I, but, I pull for burrow. I pull for burrow too. Yeah, I like burrow for the same reason. Yeah, you know I love this.
Speaker 1:I love the nfl yeah, yes, I just love the burrow's never had an offensive line and he still has been outstanding, you know and they have a defense. I mean, he had to outscore everybody last year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, it's a great time in the nfl man, there's so many great teams and, like the vikings and the, the NFC are coming along with all the players that they have. I think JJ McCarthy this year could be a real story. I think he'll step in if he's healthy. I think he could do really good 49ers kind of rebuilding the Rams. Both conferences have a million storylines, which I think makes every Thursday, every Sunday, a lot of fun.
Speaker 3:I just can't wait. I can't wait for football.
Speaker 1:I know that's just what it is. It's 105. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And we're in the dead zone now too.
Speaker 6:I know I was getting ready to say that's what's wrong with the world today, right now, today. Oh, what you got, it's football. No, we don't have any football.
Speaker 1:I don't watch the spring leagues because I'm so excited. I love to suffer. And then August 23 hits, that's week zero for college football. Even NFL preseason, there's just such a oh my God, here we go. Energy All the way to February. It's so amazing.
Speaker 6:I've got to give you props, though it's like until I hear your voice.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 6:I'm serious, I'm like the day the first until I hear your voice. Yeah, I'm serious, until I'm like the day the first time we hear your voice.
Speaker 5:Here we go I'm like it's like let's go question man, because just talking about that makes me think about this. For our whole lives we've been inundated with music. We're songwriters, we're players, we play on music, we're producers. So like I don't listen to music, I don't I, and when I do I have a hard time where I don't listen objectively, I know you feel?
Speaker 5:the same way it's you can't. I got into the business because I love music, but I don't love music like that anymore. It's just a different brain, right, we're programmed different. We love football. We can't wait to watch football. Can you watch football and turn off? No, you can't turn off my no yeah.
Speaker 1:So I watch a game and I I, you know, I'm always amazed, if I go to a super bowl party, how much talking is going on in the room. I can't stand it because I'm, I'm, I'm the guy. You don't want to watch a game with me unless you're in it with with me, right? But I'm, I'm like in the game, like I'm watching the graphics, I'm listening to the crowd, I'm listening to the call, I'm digesting every ounce of the broadcast, and I think I always did that even before I got into the business. But now especially, a weird graphic will come up or the director will cut a certain way and I'm just like I don't know why he, why didn't he stay on that shot?
Speaker 2:like in my head it's probably like you with music, you know.
Speaker 1:So I'm I'm, I'm constantly, um, probably in my own way, learning and and and watching, and that I really like that. Or wow, that camera angle was that was. And I'll, I'll, I'll uh text my producer, like, are you watching the game right now? Rewind that and check that camera angle was that was. And I'll, I'll uh text my producer like, are you watching the game right now? Rewind that and check that. Like. So I'm constantly kind of uh enjoying the game, but watching it through a kind of an industry's eye, I guess. Like, like you guys with music, for sure, I told you one time, but I enjoy it.
Speaker 3:I would love.
Speaker 1:Just for an hour to be able to go back and listen to music, like I did when I was eight or nine.
Speaker 3:I would love, just for an hour, to be able to go back and listen to music, like I did when I was eight or nine, I know just for like an hour just to hear what tell me the difference.
Speaker 3:like what? Because I'll sorry. No, no, all I hear from you know I started playing bass when I was 11, 12 years old, young, and now my whole life, just that's all I've ever done. So when I listen to music now, I can't listen to it purely for just music. I hear the writing, I hear the bass part I hear the guitar parts. I hear something wrong in the track. Ooh, that was you know and you're not listening. You're evaluating and the records I grew up on, like the old U2 albums and Police albums.
Speaker 6:That's the producer coming out in you, yeah.
Speaker 3:I would just love to be able to listen to it. You can't do that at all.
Speaker 6:huh, you can't Innocently.
Speaker 3:No, I can't. It's interesting, I only hear intricate things.
Speaker 6:We do, we pick it apart, I pick them. We're always listening to the lyrics and melody.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can't podcast Nico from Tennessee quarterback. Do you think he made a good decision for his career and do you think Joey Aguilar would be kind of a somewhat good trade for Tennessee this season?
Speaker 1:I'm going to wait to see he's going into a great system. I mean, josh puts the quarterback and Josh Heupel puts the quarterback in a spot to be successful with the system that they run. So I wouldn't be shocked to see him do well. And also he's going in with I don't want to say nothing to lose, but the expectations are always high at Tennessee. But they're going to be in his corner. That fan base is going to be in his corner after Nico kind of left him the way he did.
Speaker 1:I don't know the true story. I've heard different stories. Some people thought it was about money. I've heard from close sources it was more about Nico's dad going to Josh back in December before they played Ohio State, like hey, listen, you got to get better at offensive line and better at receiver. You got to get better around him if you want us to stick around which blows my mind that a college quarterback's dad would do that to a head coach and I think at the end of the day, when they got into spring ball, it was still more of you haven't brought people in to make him and this offense better Again.
Speaker 1:I don't know if that's true, but that's what I was hearing, so I don't think it was necessarily about the money. I think it was more about is nico going to be able to play well enough to eventually be a first pick in the draft with the players that they had around him? That that's disgusting to me. If that's true, um, I wouldn't expect uh drake may to go to mike vrabel or drake may's dad to go to mike vrabel in the nfl and say, hey, listen, you guys are doing a shitty job. Jake would never do that, but think about that in the nfl. Yeah, you wouldn't do that, and a college parent is doing that.
Speaker 1:If that's true, it's mind-boggling. That that's where we are right now. Uh, that a josh hypo has to actually listen to a parent and feel threatened that his starting freshman quarterback might leave because he hasn't done what the dad asked blows my mind if that's in fact true. So he ended up leaving. I think a lot of people thought he'd go to oregon all these big places and he ends up at ucla uh, more closer to home for him. So wish him the best, see if it works out there at ucla.
Speaker 1:Um, but I think that story was incredibly strange and speaks volumes about kind of the times that we're in right now in this sport, but I I'm fired up to see what tennessee does this year because they're kind of in an underdog role after you lose your, your franchise quarterback, like that overnight yeah so I think we're all excited to kind of see who they are and what josh does, because he's a great coach what he does to kind of come up with answers to to win games this year is college football gonna get a handle on it, on the nil and well, when I hear they're waiting on congress to to help them, I I have no hope.
Speaker 1:Yeah when they say that absolutely you know, um, you know I talk to Coach Saban all the time because he's in these conversations with the power brokers and I talk with the conference commissioners who basically are the power brokers. I think right now what's on the forefront of their minds, the leadership's minds, is not getting a handle on the sport, even though they're meeting. I think it's figuring out the postseason. You know, because right now they're, they have one more year of the current 12-year contract and then they start a new one in 26. And I think they're what the Big Ten wants to do and what the SEC, who are the real two Goliaths here. They're not seeing it the same way.
Speaker 1:You know there's a disagreement. The SEC basically wants, you know, you can have five automatics and then let's do 11 that are just the next best ranked in order, because that would give the SEC probably a lot of teams, and the Big Ten wants a little bit more of security four for the SEC, four for the Big Ten and then two for the SEC, four for the Big Ten and then two for the ACC, two for the Big 12, and whatever's left, two or three at large. So there's that. Is it going to be 16? Is it going to be 14?. They all are debating on how they evaluate teams. You know you have a committee that right now ranks the teams. The SEC doesn't feel the committee is doing a good job, so they want another way of analytics to be involved in evaluating the team. So I think all of that what I'm saying is a big, big discussion and NIL and transfer portal and all that is kind of unfortunately on the back burner for now. And.
Speaker 1:I think the the revenue share that you now see where these athletic departments now get $20.5 million to give not just a football but to give to all their sports. So I guessing 75%, 80% of that will go to football. And then you then you have to figure out okay, you have 105 players. You know you're starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at LSU. How much are you going to give him? What a challenge versus the left guard, versus the backup quarterback, versus the punter. Like how do you decide who gets what?
Speaker 3:And that feels like, again, you know the cost for all thing is a conundrum to me, to how you navigate all that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:But is that at that stage of football, you know it's got to change the dynamic completely. You know you got you know. Now, all of a sudden, it's not just NFL Like somebody's making more of the team.
Speaker 4:It was never like that. It was a challenge. Locker room, locker room and these just anophelic.
Speaker 6:Somebody's making more. Yeah, team it was never like that locker room, locker room.
Speaker 3:And these are. These are young kids.
Speaker 1:Yeah, these are young kids, these you know the difference in college and pro, though, is the pro there is a collective bargaining agreement, and the players and the players union, they negotiate with the uh, the commissioner, and with the nfl, and and they come to an agreement. And we would love, in college football, to get to a point where the players, somebody reps the players and the players, and then the schools negotiate on NIL okay, do we agree on this? On NIL okay. Transfer portal do we agree? You come to an agreement on all this and then you hire an enforcement staff and you hold people accountable. That would be the perfect world, because right now, the NFL you have rules, here are the rules, here are the guidelines, end of story.
Speaker 1:You can't leave the Patriots because you're 3-10, and you're tired of playing and you're like I'm transferring, anyway, I'm going to be a free agent, I'm out. It's like you have a contract, you, you're like I'm transferring, anyway, I'm going to be a free agent, I'm out. It's like you have a contract, like you're staying here and you're playing these college guys, they're like bailing, they just leave. There's nothing holding them accountable. So right now, when I played, the players had zero say. It was like you know, sir. Yes, sir, may I have another? Like that was your mentality as a player. Other like that was your mentality as a player right, and now the players have all the cards. They went from having no cards to now they have all the cards, and that's ridiculous. How you dig yourself out of that yeah, I, I well, they're gonna have to.
Speaker 1:They're gonna have to find a way and hopefully they find a way to get a collective bargaining, because I think that, eventually, is going to be the only way that the two sides can get on the same page and create some guidelines and some rules, because it's okay that players are making money, but let's have some rules on on how we do that. Um, so hopefully that'll come in the next few years.
Speaker 6:Yeah, absolutely and it does absolutely.
Speaker 4:It needs just madness right now it really is yeah kirk.
Speaker 5:Uh, we're so appreciative of you man, thank you so much, your time is valuable. Uh, we're all fans of yours, not only at the top of your game. You're a devoted husband. You're a great father to your kids. Man, you stand up for your beliefs and your faith and we appreciate you being here spending this time with us.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, man, looking forward to hearing your voice, yeah yeah, it's coming up and let's get through the summer.
Speaker 1:What are you guys, guys all traveling? When do you guys get going? Are you in the middle of it? Yeah, we just kind of started.
Speaker 3:We started back in it Last month, did about three, four shows, and so we pick back up mid-July, okay, and you go till End of.
Speaker 1:October, october Okay.
Speaker 3:Come on out. It's pretty easy. You got to come out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'd love to Come on out. I'd love to. I just went to the Sphere and saw Kenny.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, how was that?
Speaker 1:It's interesting. And Kenny, in the Vibe Room he was talking about how you know, when he does a show, he likes to like feel the audience and look in their eye and it's like an interactive moment throughout the show and he's like everyone's doing this and I said, wow, that's good and I've never seen this fear. So I went to the show. He put us in a really good spot to watch it and it was. It was almost like if you've ever been to disney world, it was almost like being on one of those those virtual reality rides. Um, I, I found myself, I mean, because this thing goes up 30 stories. Yeah, it goes up above your head and all of us. We love kenny, but like you're just, you're watching sean silva's stuff like right, it's like wow, look at that over there, you know, and kenny's music.
Speaker 1:It was almost like it's great, but it's almost like background music to the to the show that was going on.
Speaker 5:So different experience I wonder that as an artist playing there because, yeah, you, you, typically, you know we get so much feedback from the audience yeah, not there, I bet, I don't think you would. Yeah, it's the same.
Speaker 3:It's the same reasoning why you know, if we're doing a stadium show, people think, oh, stadium, that's amazing, it's amazing, so far away right you feel so on stadium shows, we end up finding that we're playing more for each other yeah, I could see that versus like an arena in denver right where you can feel the people and feel the energy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, you know and you probably.
Speaker 3:I mean I could see that being an issue out there for that, for that show.
Speaker 1:Like you, it's so much to take in yeah that you forget that others I've shown that amazing how much because we we always talk about this on our show. We're're almost like doing Broadway because our crowd is really involved in our show. And it's amazing, when you go to a show and the crowd is a 10 out of 10, how it impacts you and your performance Versus if a crowd's like, oh, we've been in Alabama or Ohio State a hundred times, they're good, but it's not like going to a place that we've never been, and I think it really impacts the performance of what we do and we do start to really, you know, challenge each other more because we're not getting the juice from the crowd. I don't know if you guys experienced that in oh yeah, your guys world or not.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, we talk about this a lot like, like you know, we we played a couple of festivals this last week and it's always different because it's not a tour show, yeah, and the venue's different, you know, and when the crowd and they may be the best crowd ever, but if you're not connecting with it on some level, it's hard to really feel like you get it going. Yeah, you know where some nights you just can, you can't miss because it's like you said you're on top of you and you're feeling it.
Speaker 3:Oh, it's so good, it's amazing, it's like adrenaline rush. It's what I love about the old days playing the clubs. Oh, yeah. Building the career. You know playing the clubs and they're on top of you. Then you arenas and smaller venues, theaters, and you're still there and all of a sudden you're playing stadiums. I remember playing. What stadium was it? I think it was denver, the football stadium with kenny, I think. Um, I remember playing and it's beautiful and it's. I'm looking at the people and I'm like there's no way they're into this show.
Speaker 1:You can't, there's no way you can feel it up there have you ever played and people are like talking to each other, like while you're playing? Have you ever experienced that? Because it's so big.
Speaker 2:I don't think neil and I do.
Speaker 1:I mean they're enjoying the music, but they're kind of caught up and just like other stuff. What tolly?
Speaker 5:was saying if you're playing a stadium, you are just so, and this, believe me, we're not trying, it's awesome, it's. However, it's just different. You're very disconnected and there's no way to feel connected because, yes, at the person, if we played the rose bowl, if you know a hundred thousand people, it's you try to.
Speaker 3:You try your best. We to always like play towards the back of the room, yeah, and sometimes it's so big that would even it's like wow. Are they feeling this? Versus like when we play the arena in nashville? It's so big that it even it's like wow. Are they feeling this Versus like when we play the arena in Nashville? It's a great place to play. It's a small, it's not a super big arena, so you feel like they're always on you and it's great.
Speaker 3:But it's a different how you prepare for a stadium versus preparing for arena or even an amphitheater. Like. It's a different mindset, like what's that one? In Chicago, we play Finley Park. Yeah, I don't know if you've been up there. It's an amphitheater outside of Chicago, yeah, and it's huge. It's huge, but it's one of the best places to play because they have this little balcony thing above and you feel like you're almost like they're on top of you. Wow, that's cool. So they give so much back to you when it feels like that, you know yeah, and we talk about this stuff after every show have you ever played the what's the amphitheater in nashville?
Speaker 1:have you guys ever done that one, that outdoor?
Speaker 5:one. No, we haven't done it oh yeah, the first bank.
Speaker 2:Is that the first time? No, no, ascend, ascend. I mean it's a cool venue.
Speaker 3:I just wondered if you're up there.
Speaker 1:Um, if you feel, I saw eric Church do acoustic there and it was as a fan, I mean it's, it's awesome. You know, because you're right there. I just didn't know if you guys had ever played that we haven't played that one to feel that, no, we haven't.
Speaker 5:Yeah, matter of fact, we're playing. We are playing Nashville this year, but it'll be at the arena again oh, okay dude we know you're busy.
Speaker 3:We know you got things to do man.
Speaker 5:But we're so appreciative of you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're going to get you guys to two college games. Okay, we'll take you up on that. That'd be great.
Speaker 2:And then a year later.
Speaker 5:I got some questions for saving. We'll have an assessment on that, absolutely.
Speaker 3:I didn't get you down to Baton Rouge at night.
Speaker 6:You need to get you some of that. Hey, we played that football stadium.
Speaker 3:We've played it and I got to tell you even playing it wasn't a football, but it was awesome. That's a massive building.
Speaker 6:There's nothing like a LSU-Bama game at night. Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 2:I guess we'll find out. People get stabbed and it's crazy. I don't know if I'd be wearing colors.
Speaker 3:I think, Ray, you know just a great jumpsuit.
Speaker 6:Thank you, brother, All right guys Thanks to Kirk Herbstreit.
Speaker 5:Thanks for listening. This is the Try that in a Small Town podcast.
Speaker 4:Make sure to follow along, subscribe, share rate the show and check out our merch at trythatinasmalltowncom.