July 2, 2021 • 29 mins
Bleacher Report and Turner Sports NBA reporter and broadcaster, Taylor Rooks, joins the boys on Episode 93 of ATS. Rooks discusses her Hawks fandom and the teams crazy playoff run. Plus, she opens up about her media career and the power of social media.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black
Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime M
(00:20):
we'll go back to another edition to All the Smoke.
Nice watch. I appreciate it bro iced for no reason.
We got a special guest today. MS. Taylor. Yeah, no
watch though, well, Taylor, thank you for your time. We
appreciate when you're busy. Tell you a lot going on
right now with the playoffs, But let's jump right into it.
Being a Georgia girl, what is it like? Um? Seeing
(00:41):
this Atlanta Hawks team kind of come into their own
led by Trey Young. Coach Natick Millon came in during
the season completely kind of gave this team a new identity.
How's it been one being someone from here but then
also someone working in the space to see this Atlanta
Hawk team do what they're doing. Yeah, I mean, one
thing about our Southern is we like to talk our ship.
So it's been really nice for the Hawks to be
(01:02):
good so we can just throw it in everybody's faces,
and not just to be good, but to have been
the underdogs so often and continue to come out on top.
I mean I live in New York, so Knicks fans
were all in my ear during that series smacked him
six is just like, yeah, there's no way. In feeds back,
we go, yeah, it's gonna we're gonna win. No, no, no no,
and we came out on top. So it's just been
(01:23):
really nice to continue to prove people wrong, so many
young guys continuing to get it done. So it's nice.
And I was just telling Sack, I just I just
feel like Trey Young is the exact star for Atlanta,
like he just fits in the moon. The fans love him.
So it's really nice that I'm proud to be a
Hawks fan because we haven't really been in this position
(01:46):
very often. So it's been nice you speaking to Young,
how special is he? And how do you see this
series playing playing out with the books? So you know
the fan and me is like, we're gonna win. But
I actually do think we're gonna win. I think we
might win, and say, but the thing about Trey, So
I interviewed Trey two seasons ago, and I distinctly remember
(02:06):
we're sitting there in the Hawks locker room and he
said it's gone to change, like it won't be like
this for long. Because the question I asked him is
like you know, y'all have so much talent on this team,
but you're young. But how often can being young be
an excuse for losing? And he's like, not long, He's
but I promise you it is about to turn around.
And you're kind of like good Dre, like I hope
(02:26):
you're right, but you don't know. And he was right.
I mean, there's so many factors that play into that.
I think Nate McMillan is a really big one, but
Traders has continued to get smarter. And you know, the
teams that do well, it's when their leader they kind
of take the identity of that leader. I think the
Hawks have started to do that. So definitely tell us
a little bit about your journey as an Atlanta sports
(02:47):
fan and the ups and downs and obviously where they
are today. Well, you know, my rule is I don't
talk about the faccons because they broke my heart Atlanta
that I mean, I think about that day. It was
so bad. I mean I had already booked my ticket
at half time for the Super Bowl parade. I still
came to Atlanta. Obviously no parade, but as a Hawks fan,
(03:10):
I just think it's been up and down. We enjoyed
the Al Horford years. You know that it was a
good time, but there's been nothing that has felt like this.
I might get killed for saying this, but I think
Trey Young will go down it's like the greatest Hawk
of all time. So it's really nice to be living
in this moment where I think the culture of basketball
in Atlanta is changing. But really I think basketball just
(03:32):
in the NBA is changing. This is kind of like
a watershed moment. The fact that there's so many new contenders,
new stars were guaranteed to see a star get a
ring that has never gotten a ring before. So it's
just it's a nice moment and I'm glad that Atlanta
is in. That conversation is absolutely what made you become
a sports journalist. So yeah, no, I love people, uh
(03:55):
and I love sports. I have a sports family. My
dad played football, My uncle was a Hall of Fame
and for the Cardinals. So it's just I grew up. Yeah,
don't don't just run over that name. He was the greatest.
So I miss him every single day. He just taught
me so much. But I just grew up around it
and it has been such a big part of me.
But one thing about me. I only like to do
(04:15):
things I'm good at. And I knew I wasn't going
to be some great like bastub player a tennis layer,
but I knew I could talk. So just growing up,
that's what I was doing. I would like set up
our family's camcorder in my room and do like fake newscasts.
I'll show you all the videos and it's funny. I
was awful, but so then I just started, you know,
trying to get better. I went to college, majored in it,
(04:36):
and yeah, now I'm doing this. But my joy, my
favorite thing is just sitting down and interviewing more than
like reporting or hosting in the studio. I like to
really have conversations like what we did when we were
talking about you know, when you realized you were black,
Like that type of stuff is really important. I think
we have to have more in depth conversations and humanize
(04:57):
people and show that they're Literally is no difference between
this person you're watching on TV dunk in the basketball
and you're sitting on the couch. The only difference is
that they're good at the sport, like we all are, sad, mad, happy, frustrated,
like we all Yeah, we all literally live the exact
same life, we just do different things. And I think
that the more media that's out there that shows that,
(05:19):
the better I think the world will be in the
sport space will be. And what has your been Your
evolution and journey in this particular journalism space been like, yeah, good,
definitely ups and downs. Yeah, that's definitely anything. I think
sometimes with this it is a bit of an uphill battle,
not just being a woman, but being a black woman,
(05:41):
always constantly feeling like you have to prove yourself a
bit more so that you're more than just you know
this girl. Everybody wants to comment about how they look
or how they dress or whatever. Like there's so much
substance that goes into being a journalist, and y'all know,
like you cannot fake this, right, you're either good at
this and you wouldn't be in the space. But everybody
(06:01):
always wants to try to think of some reason why
you're there, why you're doing it, which is really a
reflection of why they're not doing it, and you know
they're just projecting that and I will I will say
that forever. So that's probably you know, the biggest thing
is just always having to to prove, to prove yourself.
And this isn't even just for women and black women,
(06:23):
this is for black people in general. I always say like,
if there's a black person in a certain position, I
know they're good at the job because you don't have
any other choice but to be right, Like, we don't
have the luxury of mediocrity. So whenever I see, you know,
a black host, like a black woman doing anything, I'm like,
I know you're good, and I know what you had
(06:44):
to go through to be in this position and thriving it.
So yeah, there's ups and downs, but there's ups and
downs but with everything, and you know you're built for
the fire. So it is what it is. How did
you manimate? Report? So I had a podcast when I
was working at station in New York and it just
like started to do really well. And Bleacher saw and it
it was like, we think that you can sustain like
(07:06):
a show doing this, So went to Bleacher and then
started doing it. So I will say this because I
think it's important any person who talks about their journey.
Hard work is a major major part of it that
any person who has done anything, luck plays a role
in and I, yeah, I don't think it's fair to
attribute everything that has happened in your life to the
(07:28):
fact that you worked hard and you just got done right.
Everyone works hard and everyone is talented, but things have
to go your way, and situations have to be placed
in front of you, and you have to just be
ready for those situations and those opportunities, and that's where
the hard work and the skill comes in. So I
think everyone who has ever done anything has to talk
about the luck that also came and play. So I've
(07:52):
worked hard, but I've also been really fortunate to be
lucky and have advocates and people that were on my side,
and so I'm really thankful. That's what we say. I mean,
to win a championship obviously good coach, good team, but
so much luck. And we could see in these particular
playoffs how stars have been kind of dropping like flies,
you know what I mean. It's like again, it takes
so much luck to get there and stay healthy through
(08:13):
the duration to actually give yourself a chance to win.
And I think that's no different in life. Like you said,
you can put it all the preparation, but just not
catch a break. Yeah, absolutely, And like that's still you know,
that doesn't detract from your skill right because it's like,
were you ready when that moment called for you to
be ready? A lot of people don't know how to
be ready when they have to be. So I think
(08:34):
it's it's just important to know what you're good at.
I think more importantly is knowing what you're bad at.
A lot of people don't know what they're back or
don't want to admit it exactly. So I think being
self aware is a bit of a lost art. And
more importantly, a lot of people don't just know themselves.
So I just kind of encourage everyone to really sit
back and get to know you, not what everyone says
(08:56):
you are now you think you can be who are
you right now? On the steps you have to take
to be that person that you know in your head
you know you're meant to be. So all of that
plays a role. In all of that's really important. Share
your thoughts on the power of social media and sports
(09:16):
and in particular NBA Twitter. That's a whole little universe
out of my man Josiah Johnson, U C l A.
Bruin running the space. But how powerful is social media
to today's common athlete? Yeah, it's important. I mean in
so many ways. First off, I can't watch a basketball
game without checking Josiah's Twitter, like I need to see
the gifts, I need to see the memes. I know
who catching the jokes today. It's what are gonna come
(09:39):
for everybody? Okay, it does not disagriminate, which is a
great part about it. But no, it's nice because when
you're watching the games, you feel like you're watching with
a family. You know, it's everyone's watching the same thing.
Adding in their comments also such a great you know,
dispersal information. I really realized that when I was in
the NBA bubble, there was so few of us there
(09:59):
that social media is really the only way that fans
could see what was happening and could really feel what
it was like in that Orlando bubble. So it's important.
There's so many prominent personalities that are different. You know,
you have your analytics guys and girls, you have more
like the commentary of people, more personalities, more people that
are just for the jokes, and it adds to the experience.
(10:21):
And I think we all know what makes us feel
like we know our favorite athletes more as well. Because
they're posting, they're tweeting, we see what they like and
what they don't like. So Twitter, I think is really important.
It brings out the best and the worst of people.
But it's a it's an important place for sure. What's
the wildest thing that's ever been said to you or
or you've seen on social media? Oh my gosh, so many,
(10:43):
so many. I mean, in general, I'm next to any guy,
that's just the guy I'm with. I mean, that's why
any I'm like day, I'm busy, right, But so that's
always wild. It's like people just don't know how to
see a guy and a girl next to each other
because people aren't very mature. So that that's wild. I
got some some wild things in the bubble, absolutely, but
(11:04):
that's really it. Like I don't really get people being
mean as much as I just get people being disrespectful, right,
And I think there's a bit of a difference to
those two things. But that's that's what I think. But
I always say, like, I think everything in life is
about volume and how much volume you give something right,
how loud or how quiet you want it to be.
(11:26):
And humans will have a billion really nice comments about us,
but we'll see one that's mean, and for whatever reason,
we turn up the mean one louder than we turn
up the nice ones. So just trying to program myself
to say, like, it's the nice one that you need
to give the most volume too, and that that has
certainly helped me as well, because why does this one matter?
(11:48):
In this ocean of goodness? Right? Sounds good? It's hard
to do, though, very hard to be very hard. You
can comments to find the two negative ones and be like,
why what what they even? Yeah? And from the truth? Yeah,
and they're probably following you too, which is the crazy
point why you follow? Like it's if you're not trying
to see on this, you can leave. You know, how
(12:13):
important is it to highlight females in the sports across
the board, whether we're playing, coaching, broadcasting, front office. Obviously
the anniversary the w n b A shout out those
those amazing women. But how important for someone like you
and who women trying to follow in young girl trying
to fall on your footsteps. It's the representation. Yeah, it's
really important, you know, really just giving you know, as
much attention as one as you give to the other.
(12:34):
And that's something I know everyone is really trying to
get better at, including myself. Like I bought these. You
can see it's like a NBA next list, But I
was like, I need to give the w n B
A and you know you have to. You have to
really try and support both if what you're preaching is
women's empowerment and supporting women across the board. I'm a
season ticket holder for the Liberty. I don't really get
to go to games, but it's important to give them
(12:55):
your money, um, and you know, give them your time
as well when you can. But women, I think it's
not just that, you know, we add things to the space.
It's I think we're a very necessary part of sports.
You know, our ideas, the athletes, how great they are.
It has to be talked about, you know, as included in,
(13:18):
as opposed to in addition to and I think sometimes
all of us we talk about it like it's a
very nice addition. And the way that I think we
talk about female athletes definitely, the way we talk about
women's basketball just has to change so that we're putting
it on the same playing field as means and so
I encourage everyone to do that. And then female journalists
(13:39):
we definitely need in the space more. I love how
many black women are in the space now. Growing up,
there was like one growing by at Pam Oliver and
then eventually I had my dear friend carry you have, Jamal.
But if I had never seen someone like Pam, I
don't think I would have thought I could have done
what I wanted to do. So it's just important to
(13:59):
always have that that vision there um and mentorship. I
believe in each one teach one. I try to talk
to anyoneman who wants to get into the space, because
you need to know there's people in your corner and
people that have been there before. So women like y'all
can do and I know it gets hard, but it
can definitely happen. And it's on the men too, right
to try and change this kind of climate and culture. Yeah,
(14:22):
like it's important. It's a it's an effort for every
single person. But I do believe there's been so many
changes um in the right direction. So that makes me
feel really good. What is it like becoming a role
model for the next generation that they want to break
into the industry, Yeah, it's nice. I went to North
Carolina and t with Chris Paul. We were doing some
stulf with HBCUs and bringing like a Harvard professor. They
(14:44):
had to teach them to class and at the end,
you know, everyone's going up to Chris wants to take
a picture at Chris. But then there was like a
line for me and this this there was really nice.
I was like, this is so sweet. There was a
really really sweet girl, her name is Jade, and she
had at a shirt that said like Rooks Champion, Golden
Boudet Taylor, like all the black female journalists on a shirt,
(15:07):
and she was like, I'm selling me. Is that people
are buying them. I would have never thought that the
impact would be like that. The black women see it
and they're like, I can be this because she did this.
And I always say one thing I really like is
I think I'm a black woman that looks black right,
Like I got my hair, I got a big nose,
I got high cheek, phones on brown skin. Like I
(15:28):
think people look at me and they see themselves, you know,
more than they might feel like there's this like an
unattainable look, something they think they might not ever be.
That's really really important to me. I never want to
feel unattainable to my own people. And that comes not
just in the way I look, but I think the
way I talk, and the fact that I want to
be friends with anyone who wants to be here, and
you know, I want to carry myself with grace and
(15:50):
elegance and class and intelligence because I don't want women
to feel like they have to throw one of those
things away to do what they want to do. And
I understand and why you see things where you feel
like you might have to do that, and that's a
whole another conversation. But just because it feels like the
popular thing might not be the right thing for you,
(16:12):
it doesn't mean you've got to decide to do the
wrong thing. So that's really what I want. I want
women to know, especially Black women, because they're always going
to try to look for something to say you did this,
you shouldn't be here. It's important to be smart and
know that, like your power is in you and you're
not going to get that from anywhere else or by
trying to be something else. It's really nice. I enjoy it.
(16:34):
Piggyback and off of that, what is the message you
try to drive home to the youth that are trying
to come up in this space? Mm hmmm. A couple
of things I'd say and It sounds cliche, but you
have to just be who you are. I think that
when you're starting, you think that you have to play
the role of a journalist, and when you're doing that,
(16:57):
you're not really unlocking your true power and the thing
that makes you differ front, which is what you're going
to bring to sports media. You know, like, don't act
like what you think you should act like. Just act
like you, so be you is number one. Don't limit yourself.
I think it's number two. When I first started, I'm like, Okay,
I can just be in the studio and talk about
the news of the day. That was what I thought.
(17:17):
But the more I did this, and like I can
do a bunch of things and I don't just have
to talk about football. I can talk about basketball. I
can also go and hose the celebrity basketball game. Like
I can go into all these different spaces and still thrive.
But you create the box and you stay in the box.
You've got to really be the space that you take
up as opposed to just being in this in this
(17:38):
you know, this tiny space for yourself. So those are
those are the two things I would say. And also listen, um,
so many people will send me like their resume reels
with types of interviews that they did, and you go
into that interview and you're not listening to the person
because you're so focused on just like asking whatever is next,
And so you missed a good follow up, You missed
(17:59):
the real conver station because you're like, Okay, I just
gotta get my ship off, you know. So listening to
people you know with the with the intent to understand
and not just to reply, I think as a lost
kind of art um and interviewing and journalism. So those
are probably the three. There's so many more, but I
think that's what's most important. You touched on this earlier.
How important is that sisterhood for you women in that space?
(18:21):
Halve Carry has been on the program, Jamal has been
on the program to people who are doing really well.
You mentioned Pam all over before. But how important is
that to being able to have some big sisters to
lean on and teach you to rope, similar to have
an e vet in the league, Like when we first
came in the league. I was just gonna say that
it's the exact same as having a vet. You need
somebody to tell you do this. But girl stopped doing this,
(18:42):
you know. And that's one thing I love so much
about Carrie is I mean I've had carry comedy and
be like we gotta stop, you know what I mean,
Like and we will have these real conversations about what's
going on, and you know, what is the right thing
and the wrong thing. Like I love Carrie for I
know I can always call her and ask her advice,
(19:02):
and it goes beyond just work, Like we talk about life. Right.
She has gotten me through breakups, you know what I mean.
Like she is just she's great and the only people
that will really understand what it is like to be
a black woman to media or other black women in media.
So you need that relatability and that true sisterhood somebody
that they can really guide you. So, you know, shout
(19:24):
out to Carrie and Maria and Roz and Jamal and
I mean even people like Bamani Jones. Like it's important
to have those that understand that you can just bounce
ideas off of and and just keep you right. That's
what the Vets do. They keep you right. Quick hitters.
First thing that comes to mind, I ask you these
top five Atlanta athletes of all time? Oh okay, Michael Vick.
(19:51):
That's my number one. Easy. I'm gonna say Julio even
though he broke my heart and left. I know, I
gotta say Trey Young. The got to say Dominique Wilkins.
You bet not missed this last one. I'm missing a
big one, right, yes you are. Let me think the
Falcons to the Hawks? What sport? Two sports? But these
(20:17):
are just my favorites right at the best. Okay, she
might be a little too young to to really catch
what he was one. I know you're talking about I'm
trying to think. Yeah. I mean, I'm thinking about the
people that I have an emotional tie so that I
grew up watching Thick m I don't know where you
gotta say Roddy White. Oh my god, Dean Sanders is
(20:41):
my phone background, and I know Dean gonna see this.
I love Diane. I wasn't thinking about it, Okay by
time I got you know, I love Yeah, I love
Dion and he knows it too. I mean I talked
about Diane all the time, every every time there's NFL draft.
I posted NFL Draft it was like the most iconic
(21:02):
with the curl and everything. Thank you for saying that,
because he would be like dang, No, yeah, you gotta
put Dan in there. I was trying to more. I
was thinking, is they're like a U G A guy
I'm forgetting about. But I'll go with those sound track
(21:26):
to Your Life give me three songs in rotation. Oh
my goodness, that is such a tough one. Who This
is gonna sound weird, but I heard it so much
in high school. Nuck if you buck? That was like
(21:46):
that was it? Someone where you're from? Without saying where
you When I think of high school, I think of
that song, right, So I say, nugg if you buck.
Lauren Hale is my absolutely favorite singer. So I go
X factor a song. Yeah, I go X Factor by
Lauren Hill, and I'm gonna go no wait, I'm gonna
(22:08):
get rid of X Faction. I'm gonna do prototype Outcast
what about Cast? Love that song? And I don't know,
I feel like my generation like you have to feel
like a Drake song in there. Mm hmmm. I think
I will go. I'll do a new one. I'll do
laugh now car later. Yeah, sorry too. I probably should
(22:32):
have put Amigo a dream interview male and female female
Serena Williams. Male was Barack Obama, but I got that
um male. I will say this is a weird answer,
(22:52):
but I want to interview this person because no one
has interviewed him Kauai. One it's really sat down with Kauai,
and I just feel like that's missing. Like one day
he has to do a real in depth, like hour
long talk. So I would love to to really talk
to her. I played with him, we had some some
(23:14):
nights in my carib some talk, so I know, I
know when it does happen, it's gonna be that one
because I've been talking to his cousin for like two years.
But like, I don't be tun in like I just
more so I'm so interested in him as a human
period right Like and now it's like anytime he does anything,
(23:34):
we just think it's the best thing ever. He laughed.
We're like, oh my god, that's quiet, like and he
says something. I want to hear him really really say something.
I kept on thinking in the bubble i'd have like
a moment to talk to him, but he really is
just like reserved. He would he'd go eat and go
back and then talk to nobody. So one day I'd
like to interview Kauai for he did reach out with
(23:55):
some all the smoke gifts, so I signed it to himself.
Five best games You've ever been to? Oh, that's a
good one. I've been in some good games. A lot
of the ones. I think about our college though Big
Ten championship when Ohio SA b Wisconsin and then they
(24:18):
went on to win the college football playoffs first year.
That's like my number one game. When Illinois b Indiana
when Indiana was number one. It was like Victor Ladipo's
team loved Brandon Paul. They did that old Phoenix Sun
play before Phoenix Suns did. Honestly, like all the games
in the bubble, that game Jazz Nuggets. Yeah, but I
(24:41):
mean that last one Mitchell was on the floor. I
mean that game was so good when I think Luca
was playing the Clippers and that dagger. Yep, that was
a great game. And so we were doing the Twitter show,
so I was in the building, but not at the
(25:01):
actual games. I could here. But when the Rafters beat
the Celtics on that O Gana nob shot, that was
a crazy game. I ran over there to see the end.
So those are those the five I'd say, like bubble
basketball was some of the most exciting basketball for me
and just really my favorite journalistic thing I've ever done.
(25:21):
So those are those the five. I mean, we didn't
really touch on that, but we'll take a break from
our quicker talk on that. That bubble experience. How was
that for you as a journalist. How was it for
you being isolated, why the world was going crazy, and
how was it being able to see, like you said,
some of the best basketball you've ever seen. Yeah, I
mean it was definitely like a mix of emotions at
different times. You know, you get there for seven days,
(25:42):
you can't leave the room, so you're lonely, you're side,
you're like, dang, like I want to like go out
and you know, be out and about people that have
already finished their quarantine. Then you know, we're also in
there when Jacob Blake happens. That's why I thought it
was really important that there were so many black media
members there because the players really wanted to discuss us
it and they wanted to feel comfortable discussing it. You know,
(26:02):
we were there when they were all in that big
ballroom having to talk about whether they were going to
leave the bubble or not, and it was important there
are people there that understood and knew that. The question
shouldn't all have been like are you all going to play?
The question should be like are you okay? Right? Like
what is it like for you seeing this? How are
you doing? Mentally? Was really really important. But I think
(26:25):
I will not ever do anything I liked more than
that experience. If tomorrow they were like, go to the bubble,
would you have to be there? I was there for
two months. I would have been there a little longer,
but I left early for my uncle Lew's funeral. Yes, absolutely,
rest in peace. So it was. It was great. It
was like summer camp. And one thing I don't think
(26:45):
it's talked about enough about the bubble. I know there
were guys there that loved it so much because you
almost had no responsibility, Like you got to escape from
whatever your life was outside, just just for a bit.
And I think people eatd that that refresher. All you
had to do was worried about basketball. I think the
cool thing was to say how much you didn't like
(27:06):
the bubble. But they liked that bubble. If anyone, I
always say it, but they they enjoy being that bubble.
You could play a game, you got to go drink
at the ball, you go to the pool. It was
a really nice time and I think I did some
of my most important work when I was top three
celebrity basketball players. Okay, this is easy Cevo, Chris Brown,
(27:29):
little Dirk Like they're actually good, right, I mean, you
know it's good for someone that's not a Yeah. Last question,
who do you want to see on All the Smoke?
And before you answer us, you have to help us
get your answer on the show. Mmm, who would I
like to see on Hon the Smoke? Not Ka because
(27:50):
I want no J Cole. I'd love to see J
Cole and All the Smoke because that would be really nice.
And I feel like y'all can get J Cole. Yeah,
keep me talking and he wants to talk hoops. I
love to get on here. Well, Taylor Rooks, thank you
very much. Thank you for having me giving us some
(28:11):
of your time. I am an avid All of Smoke watcher,
so when I was asked to come on, I said,
tell me when, tell me where, let me get cute.
I'm there. You did that, Thank you, thank you. And
before we end, I do want to say shout out
to you guys, because you guys have done something that
is really hard to do in media, which is create
an environment like people come on here. They know they
(28:32):
can be themselves, they can talk freely there with their peers.
If they have anything they want to get off their
chest in a way that will work, they come here.
So just shout out to y'all from making a transition
that people underestimate how difficult it is to make. So
I I love this show. I love what you guys
meant sports and a culture. So thank you for having
appreciate it. Well, that's a wrap, Taylor Rooks. You can
(28:55):
catch us on Showtime Basketball, YouTube and the I Heart
platform Black Effects. We'll see you all next week. A
piece of eight down Bound. This is all a smoke,
a production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio
in partnership with Showtime
Welcome to All the Smoke, a production of The Black
Effect and our Heart Radio and partnership with Showtime M
(00:20):
we'll go back to another edition to All the Smoke.
Nice watch. I appreciate it bro iced for no reason.
We got a special guest today. MS. Taylor. Yeah, no
watch though, well, Taylor, thank you for your time. We
appreciate when you're busy. Tell you a lot going on
right now with the playoffs, But let's jump right into it.
Being a Georgia girl, what is it like? Um? Seeing
(00:41):
this Atlanta Hawks team kind of come into their own
led by Trey Young. Coach Natick Millon came in during
the season completely kind of gave this team a new identity.
How's it been one being someone from here but then
also someone working in the space to see this Atlanta
Hawk team do what they're doing. Yeah, I mean, one
thing about our Southern is we like to talk our ship.
So it's been really nice for the Hawks to be
(01:02):
good so we can just throw it in everybody's faces,
and not just to be good, but to have been
the underdogs so often and continue to come out on top.
I mean I live in New York, so Knicks fans
were all in my ear during that series smacked him
six is just like, yeah, there's no way. In feeds back,
we go, yeah, it's gonna we're gonna win. No, no, no no,
and we came out on top. So it's just been
(01:23):
really nice to continue to prove people wrong, so many
young guys continuing to get it done. So it's nice.
And I was just telling Sack, I just I just
feel like Trey Young is the exact star for Atlanta,
like he just fits in the moon. The fans love him.
So it's really nice that I'm proud to be a
Hawks fan because we haven't really been in this position
(01:46):
very often. So it's been nice you speaking to Young,
how special is he? And how do you see this
series playing playing out with the books? So you know
the fan and me is like, we're gonna win. But
I actually do think we're gonna win. I think we
might win, and say, but the thing about Trey, So
I interviewed Trey two seasons ago, and I distinctly remember
(02:06):
we're sitting there in the Hawks locker room and he
said it's gone to change, like it won't be like
this for long. Because the question I asked him is
like you know, y'all have so much talent on this team,
but you're young. But how often can being young be
an excuse for losing? And he's like, not long, He's
but I promise you it is about to turn around.
And you're kind of like good Dre, like I hope
(02:26):
you're right, but you don't know. And he was right.
I mean, there's so many factors that play into that.
I think Nate McMillan is a really big one, but
Traders has continued to get smarter. And you know, the
teams that do well, it's when their leader they kind
of take the identity of that leader. I think the
Hawks have started to do that. So definitely tell us
a little bit about your journey as an Atlanta sports
(02:47):
fan and the ups and downs and obviously where they
are today. Well, you know, my rule is I don't
talk about the faccons because they broke my heart Atlanta
that I mean, I think about that day. It was
so bad. I mean I had already booked my ticket
at half time for the Super Bowl parade. I still
came to Atlanta. Obviously no parade, but as a Hawks fan,
(03:10):
I just think it's been up and down. We enjoyed
the Al Horford years. You know that it was a
good time, but there's been nothing that has felt like this.
I might get killed for saying this, but I think
Trey Young will go down it's like the greatest Hawk
of all time. So it's really nice to be living
in this moment where I think the culture of basketball
in Atlanta is changing. But really I think basketball just
(03:32):
in the NBA is changing. This is kind of like
a watershed moment. The fact that there's so many new contenders,
new stars were guaranteed to see a star get a
ring that has never gotten a ring before. So it's
just it's a nice moment and I'm glad that Atlanta
is in. That conversation is absolutely what made you become
a sports journalist. So yeah, no, I love people, uh
(03:55):
and I love sports. I have a sports family. My
dad played football, My uncle was a Hall of Fame
and for the Cardinals. So it's just I grew up. Yeah,
don't don't just run over that name. He was the greatest.
So I miss him every single day. He just taught
me so much. But I just grew up around it
and it has been such a big part of me.
But one thing about me. I only like to do
(04:15):
things I'm good at. And I knew I wasn't going
to be some great like bastub player a tennis layer,
but I knew I could talk. So just growing up,
that's what I was doing. I would like set up
our family's camcorder in my room and do like fake newscasts.
I'll show you all the videos and it's funny. I
was awful, but so then I just started, you know,
trying to get better. I went to college, majored in it,
(04:36):
and yeah, now I'm doing this. But my joy, my
favorite thing is just sitting down and interviewing more than
like reporting or hosting in the studio. I like to
really have conversations like what we did when we were
talking about you know, when you realized you were black,
Like that type of stuff is really important. I think
we have to have more in depth conversations and humanize
(04:57):
people and show that they're Literally is no difference between
this person you're watching on TV dunk in the basketball
and you're sitting on the couch. The only difference is
that they're good at the sport, like we all are, sad, mad, happy, frustrated,
like we all Yeah, we all literally live the exact
same life, we just do different things. And I think
that the more media that's out there that shows that,
(05:19):
the better I think the world will be in the
sport space will be. And what has your been Your
evolution and journey in this particular journalism space been like, yeah, good,
definitely ups and downs. Yeah, that's definitely anything. I think
sometimes with this it is a bit of an uphill battle,
not just being a woman, but being a black woman,
(05:41):
always constantly feeling like you have to prove yourself a
bit more so that you're more than just you know
this girl. Everybody wants to comment about how they look
or how they dress or whatever. Like there's so much
substance that goes into being a journalist, and y'all know,
like you cannot fake this, right, you're either good at
this and you wouldn't be in the space. But everybody
(06:01):
always wants to try to think of some reason why
you're there, why you're doing it, which is really a
reflection of why they're not doing it, and you know
they're just projecting that and I will I will say
that forever. So that's probably you know, the biggest thing
is just always having to to prove, to prove yourself.
And this isn't even just for women and black women,
(06:23):
this is for black people in general. I always say like,
if there's a black person in a certain position, I
know they're good at the job because you don't have
any other choice but to be right, Like, we don't
have the luxury of mediocrity. So whenever I see, you know,
a black host, like a black woman doing anything, I'm like,
I know you're good, and I know what you had
(06:44):
to go through to be in this position and thriving it.
So yeah, there's ups and downs, but there's ups and
downs but with everything, and you know you're built for
the fire. So it is what it is. How did
you manimate? Report? So I had a podcast when I
was working at station in New York and it just
like started to do really well. And Bleacher saw and it
it was like, we think that you can sustain like
(07:06):
a show doing this, So went to Bleacher and then
started doing it. So I will say this because I
think it's important any person who talks about their journey.
Hard work is a major major part of it that
any person who has done anything, luck plays a role
in and I, yeah, I don't think it's fair to
attribute everything that has happened in your life to the
(07:28):
fact that you worked hard and you just got done right.
Everyone works hard and everyone is talented, but things have
to go your way, and situations have to be placed
in front of you, and you have to just be
ready for those situations and those opportunities, and that's where
the hard work and the skill comes in. So I
think everyone who has ever done anything has to talk
about the luck that also came and play. So I've
(07:52):
worked hard, but I've also been really fortunate to be
lucky and have advocates and people that were on my side,
and so I'm really thankful. That's what we say. I mean,
to win a championship obviously good coach, good team, but
so much luck. And we could see in these particular
playoffs how stars have been kind of dropping like flies,
you know what I mean. It's like again, it takes
so much luck to get there and stay healthy through
(08:13):
the duration to actually give yourself a chance to win.
And I think that's no different in life. Like you said,
you can put it all the preparation, but just not
catch a break. Yeah, absolutely, And like that's still you know,
that doesn't detract from your skill right because it's like,
were you ready when that moment called for you to
be ready? A lot of people don't know how to
be ready when they have to be. So I think
(08:34):
it's it's just important to know what you're good at.
I think more importantly is knowing what you're bad at.
A lot of people don't know what they're back or
don't want to admit it exactly. So I think being
self aware is a bit of a lost art. And
more importantly, a lot of people don't just know themselves.
So I just kind of encourage everyone to really sit
back and get to know you, not what everyone says
(08:56):
you are now you think you can be who are
you right now? On the steps you have to take
to be that person that you know in your head
you know you're meant to be. So all of that
plays a role. In all of that's really important. Share
your thoughts on the power of social media and sports
(09:16):
and in particular NBA Twitter. That's a whole little universe
out of my man Josiah Johnson, U C l A.
Bruin running the space. But how powerful is social media
to today's common athlete? Yeah, it's important. I mean in
so many ways. First off, I can't watch a basketball
game without checking Josiah's Twitter, like I need to see
the gifts, I need to see the memes. I know
who catching the jokes today. It's what are gonna come
(09:39):
for everybody? Okay, it does not disagriminate, which is a
great part about it. But no, it's nice because when
you're watching the games, you feel like you're watching with
a family. You know, it's everyone's watching the same thing.
Adding in their comments also such a great you know,
dispersal information. I really realized that when I was in
the NBA bubble, there was so few of us there
(09:59):
that social media is really the only way that fans
could see what was happening and could really feel what
it was like in that Orlando bubble. So it's important.
There's so many prominent personalities that are different. You know,
you have your analytics guys and girls, you have more
like the commentary of people, more personalities, more people that
are just for the jokes, and it adds to the experience.
(10:21):
And I think we all know what makes us feel
like we know our favorite athletes more as well. Because
they're posting, they're tweeting, we see what they like and
what they don't like. So Twitter, I think is really important.
It brings out the best and the worst of people.
But it's a it's an important place for sure. What's
the wildest thing that's ever been said to you or
or you've seen on social media? Oh my gosh, so many,
(10:43):
so many. I mean, in general, I'm next to any guy,
that's just the guy I'm with. I mean, that's why
any I'm like day, I'm busy, right, But so that's
always wild. It's like people just don't know how to
see a guy and a girl next to each other
because people aren't very mature. So that that's wild. I
got some some wild things in the bubble, absolutely, but
(11:04):
that's really it. Like I don't really get people being
mean as much as I just get people being disrespectful, right,
And I think there's a bit of a difference to
those two things. But that's that's what I think. But
I always say, like, I think everything in life is
about volume and how much volume you give something right,
how loud or how quiet you want it to be.
(11:26):
And humans will have a billion really nice comments about us,
but we'll see one that's mean, and for whatever reason,
we turn up the mean one louder than we turn
up the nice ones. So just trying to program myself
to say, like, it's the nice one that you need
to give the most volume too, and that that has
certainly helped me as well, because why does this one matter?
(11:48):
In this ocean of goodness? Right? Sounds good? It's hard
to do, though, very hard to be very hard. You
can comments to find the two negative ones and be like,
why what what they even? Yeah? And from the truth? Yeah,
and they're probably following you too, which is the crazy
point why you follow? Like it's if you're not trying
to see on this, you can leave. You know, how
(12:13):
important is it to highlight females in the sports across
the board, whether we're playing, coaching, broadcasting, front office. Obviously
the anniversary the w n b A shout out those
those amazing women. But how important for someone like you
and who women trying to follow in young girl trying
to fall on your footsteps. It's the representation. Yeah, it's
really important, you know, really just giving you know, as
much attention as one as you give to the other.
(12:34):
And that's something I know everyone is really trying to
get better at, including myself. Like I bought these. You
can see it's like a NBA next list, But I
was like, I need to give the w n B
A and you know you have to. You have to
really try and support both if what you're preaching is
women's empowerment and supporting women across the board. I'm a
season ticket holder for the Liberty. I don't really get
to go to games, but it's important to give them
(12:55):
your money, um, and you know, give them your time
as well when you can. But women, I think it's
not just that, you know, we add things to the space.
It's I think we're a very necessary part of sports.
You know, our ideas, the athletes, how great they are.
It has to be talked about, you know, as included in,
(13:18):
as opposed to in addition to and I think sometimes
all of us we talk about it like it's a
very nice addition. And the way that I think we
talk about female athletes definitely, the way we talk about
women's basketball just has to change so that we're putting
it on the same playing field as means and so
I encourage everyone to do that. And then female journalists
(13:39):
we definitely need in the space more. I love how
many black women are in the space now. Growing up,
there was like one growing by at Pam Oliver and
then eventually I had my dear friend carry you have, Jamal.
But if I had never seen someone like Pam, I
don't think I would have thought I could have done
what I wanted to do. So it's just important to
(13:59):
always have that that vision there um and mentorship. I
believe in each one teach one. I try to talk
to anyoneman who wants to get into the space, because
you need to know there's people in your corner and
people that have been there before. So women like y'all
can do and I know it gets hard, but it
can definitely happen. And it's on the men too, right
to try and change this kind of climate and culture. Yeah,
(14:22):
like it's important. It's a it's an effort for every
single person. But I do believe there's been so many
changes um in the right direction. So that makes me
feel really good. What is it like becoming a role
model for the next generation that they want to break
into the industry, Yeah, it's nice. I went to North
Carolina and t with Chris Paul. We were doing some
stulf with HBCUs and bringing like a Harvard professor. They
(14:44):
had to teach them to class and at the end,
you know, everyone's going up to Chris wants to take
a picture at Chris. But then there was like a
line for me and this this there was really nice.
I was like, this is so sweet. There was a
really really sweet girl, her name is Jade, and she
had at a shirt that said like Rooks Champion, Golden
Boudet Taylor, like all the black female journalists on a shirt,
(15:07):
and she was like, I'm selling me. Is that people
are buying them. I would have never thought that the
impact would be like that. The black women see it
and they're like, I can be this because she did this.
And I always say one thing I really like is
I think I'm a black woman that looks black right,
Like I got my hair, I got a big nose,
I got high cheek, phones on brown skin. Like I
(15:28):
think people look at me and they see themselves, you know,
more than they might feel like there's this like an
unattainable look, something they think they might not ever be.
That's really really important to me. I never want to
feel unattainable to my own people. And that comes not
just in the way I look, but I think the
way I talk, and the fact that I want to
be friends with anyone who wants to be here, and
you know, I want to carry myself with grace and
(15:50):
elegance and class and intelligence because I don't want women
to feel like they have to throw one of those
things away to do what they want to do. And
I understand and why you see things where you feel
like you might have to do that, and that's a
whole another conversation. But just because it feels like the
popular thing might not be the right thing for you,
(16:12):
it doesn't mean you've got to decide to do the
wrong thing. So that's really what I want. I want
women to know, especially Black women, because they're always going
to try to look for something to say you did this,
you shouldn't be here. It's important to be smart and
know that, like your power is in you and you're
not going to get that from anywhere else or by
trying to be something else. It's really nice. I enjoy it.
(16:34):
Piggyback and off of that, what is the message you
try to drive home to the youth that are trying
to come up in this space? Mm hmmm. A couple
of things I'd say and It sounds cliche, but you
have to just be who you are. I think that
when you're starting, you think that you have to play
the role of a journalist, and when you're doing that,
(16:57):
you're not really unlocking your true power and the thing
that makes you differ front, which is what you're going
to bring to sports media. You know, like, don't act
like what you think you should act like. Just act
like you, so be you is number one. Don't limit yourself.
I think it's number two. When I first started, I'm like, Okay,
I can just be in the studio and talk about
the news of the day. That was what I thought.
(17:17):
But the more I did this, and like I can
do a bunch of things and I don't just have
to talk about football. I can talk about basketball. I
can also go and hose the celebrity basketball game. Like
I can go into all these different spaces and still thrive.
But you create the box and you stay in the box.
You've got to really be the space that you take
up as opposed to just being in this in this
(17:38):
you know, this tiny space for yourself. So those are
those are the two things I would say. And also listen, um,
so many people will send me like their resume reels
with types of interviews that they did, and you go
into that interview and you're not listening to the person
because you're so focused on just like asking whatever is next,
And so you missed a good follow up, You missed
(17:59):
the real conver station because you're like, Okay, I just
gotta get my ship off, you know. So listening to
people you know with the with the intent to understand
and not just to reply, I think as a lost
kind of art um and interviewing and journalism. So those
are probably the three. There's so many more, but I
think that's what's most important. You touched on this earlier.
How important is that sisterhood for you women in that space?
(18:21):
Halve Carry has been on the program, Jamal has been
on the program to people who are doing really well.
You mentioned Pam all over before. But how important is
that to being able to have some big sisters to
lean on and teach you to rope, similar to have
an e vet in the league, Like when we first
came in the league. I was just gonna say that
it's the exact same as having a vet. You need
somebody to tell you do this. But girl stopped doing this,
(18:42):
you know. And that's one thing I love so much
about Carrie is I mean I've had carry comedy and
be like we gotta stop, you know what I mean,
Like and we will have these real conversations about what's
going on, and you know, what is the right thing
and the wrong thing. Like I love Carrie for I
know I can always call her and ask her advice,
(19:02):
and it goes beyond just work, Like we talk about life. Right.
She has gotten me through breakups, you know what I mean.
Like she is just she's great and the only people
that will really understand what it is like to be
a black woman to media or other black women in media.
So you need that relatability and that true sisterhood somebody
that they can really guide you. So, you know, shout
(19:24):
out to Carrie and Maria and Roz and Jamal and
I mean even people like Bamani Jones. Like it's important
to have those that understand that you can just bounce
ideas off of and and just keep you right. That's
what the Vets do. They keep you right. Quick hitters.
First thing that comes to mind, I ask you these
top five Atlanta athletes of all time? Oh okay, Michael Vick.
(19:51):
That's my number one. Easy. I'm gonna say Julio even
though he broke my heart and left. I know, I
gotta say Trey Young. The got to say Dominique Wilkins.
You bet not missed this last one. I'm missing a
big one, right, yes you are. Let me think the
Falcons to the Hawks? What sport? Two sports? But these
(20:17):
are just my favorites right at the best. Okay, she
might be a little too young to to really catch
what he was one. I know you're talking about I'm
trying to think. Yeah. I mean, I'm thinking about the
people that I have an emotional tie so that I
grew up watching Thick m I don't know where you
gotta say Roddy White. Oh my god, Dean Sanders is
(20:41):
my phone background, and I know Dean gonna see this.
I love Diane. I wasn't thinking about it, Okay by
time I got you know, I love Yeah, I love
Dion and he knows it too. I mean I talked
about Diane all the time, every every time there's NFL draft.
I posted NFL Draft it was like the most iconic
(21:02):
with the curl and everything. Thank you for saying that,
because he would be like dang, No, yeah, you gotta
put Dan in there. I was trying to more. I
was thinking, is they're like a U G A guy
I'm forgetting about. But I'll go with those sound track
(21:26):
to Your Life give me three songs in rotation. Oh
my goodness, that is such a tough one. Who This
is gonna sound weird, but I heard it so much
in high school. Nuck if you buck? That was like
(21:46):
that was it? Someone where you're from? Without saying where
you When I think of high school, I think of
that song, right, So I say, nugg if you buck.
Lauren Hale is my absolutely favorite singer. So I go
X factor a song. Yeah, I go X Factor by
Lauren Hill, and I'm gonna go no wait, I'm gonna
(22:08):
get rid of X Faction. I'm gonna do prototype Outcast
what about Cast? Love that song? And I don't know,
I feel like my generation like you have to feel
like a Drake song in there. Mm hmmm. I think
I will go. I'll do a new one. I'll do
laugh now car later. Yeah, sorry too. I probably should
(22:32):
have put Amigo a dream interview male and female female
Serena Williams. Male was Barack Obama, but I got that
um male. I will say this is a weird answer,
(22:52):
but I want to interview this person because no one
has interviewed him Kauai. One it's really sat down with Kauai,
and I just feel like that's missing. Like one day
he has to do a real in depth, like hour
long talk. So I would love to to really talk
to her. I played with him, we had some some
(23:14):
nights in my carib some talk, so I know, I
know when it does happen, it's gonna be that one
because I've been talking to his cousin for like two years.
But like, I don't be tun in like I just
more so I'm so interested in him as a human
period right Like and now it's like anytime he does anything,
(23:34):
we just think it's the best thing ever. He laughed.
We're like, oh my god, that's quiet, like and he
says something. I want to hear him really really say something.
I kept on thinking in the bubble i'd have like
a moment to talk to him, but he really is
just like reserved. He would he'd go eat and go
back and then talk to nobody. So one day I'd
like to interview Kauai for he did reach out with
(23:55):
some all the smoke gifts, so I signed it to himself.
Five best games You've ever been to? Oh, that's a
good one. I've been in some good games. A lot
of the ones. I think about our college though Big
Ten championship when Ohio SA b Wisconsin and then they
(24:18):
went on to win the college football playoffs first year.
That's like my number one game. When Illinois b Indiana
when Indiana was number one. It was like Victor Ladipo's
team loved Brandon Paul. They did that old Phoenix Sun
play before Phoenix Suns did. Honestly, like all the games
in the bubble, that game Jazz Nuggets. Yeah, but I
(24:41):
mean that last one Mitchell was on the floor. I
mean that game was so good when I think Luca
was playing the Clippers and that dagger. Yep, that was
a great game. And so we were doing the Twitter show,
so I was in the building, but not at the
(25:01):
actual games. I could here. But when the Rafters beat
the Celtics on that O Gana nob shot, that was
a crazy game. I ran over there to see the end.
So those are those the five I'd say, like bubble
basketball was some of the most exciting basketball for me
and just really my favorite journalistic thing I've ever done.
(25:21):
So those are those the five. I mean, we didn't
really touch on that, but we'll take a break from
our quicker talk on that. That bubble experience. How was
that for you as a journalist. How was it for
you being isolated, why the world was going crazy, and
how was it being able to see, like you said,
some of the best basketball you've ever seen. Yeah, I
mean it was definitely like a mix of emotions at
different times. You know, you get there for seven days,
(25:42):
you can't leave the room, so you're lonely, you're side,
you're like, dang, like I want to like go out
and you know, be out and about people that have
already finished their quarantine. Then you know, we're also in
there when Jacob Blake happens. That's why I thought it
was really important that there were so many black media
members there because the players really wanted to discuss us
it and they wanted to feel comfortable discussing it. You know,
(26:02):
we were there when they were all in that big
ballroom having to talk about whether they were going to
leave the bubble or not, and it was important there
are people there that understood and knew that. The question
shouldn't all have been like are you all going to play?
The question should be like are you okay? Right? Like
what is it like for you seeing this? How are
you doing? Mentally? Was really really important. But I think
(26:25):
I will not ever do anything I liked more than
that experience. If tomorrow they were like, go to the bubble,
would you have to be there? I was there for
two months. I would have been there a little longer,
but I left early for my uncle Lew's funeral. Yes, absolutely,
rest in peace. So it was. It was great. It
was like summer camp. And one thing I don't think
(26:45):
it's talked about enough about the bubble. I know there
were guys there that loved it so much because you
almost had no responsibility, Like you got to escape from
whatever your life was outside, just just for a bit.
And I think people eatd that that refresher. All you
had to do was worried about basketball. I think the
cool thing was to say how much you didn't like
(27:06):
the bubble. But they liked that bubble. If anyone, I
always say it, but they they enjoy being that bubble.
You could play a game, you got to go drink
at the ball, you go to the pool. It was
a really nice time and I think I did some
of my most important work when I was top three
celebrity basketball players. Okay, this is easy Cevo, Chris Brown,
(27:29):
little Dirk Like they're actually good, right, I mean, you
know it's good for someone that's not a Yeah. Last question,
who do you want to see on All the Smoke?
And before you answer us, you have to help us
get your answer on the show. Mmm, who would I
like to see on Hon the Smoke? Not Ka because
(27:50):
I want no J Cole. I'd love to see J
Cole and All the Smoke because that would be really nice.
And I feel like y'all can get J Cole. Yeah,
keep me talking and he wants to talk hoops. I
love to get on here. Well, Taylor Rooks, thank you
very much. Thank you for having me giving us some
(28:11):
of your time. I am an avid All of Smoke watcher,
so when I was asked to come on, I said,
tell me when, tell me where, let me get cute.
I'm there. You did that, Thank you, thank you. And
before we end, I do want to say shout out
to you guys, because you guys have done something that
is really hard to do in media, which is create
an environment like people come on here. They know they
(28:32):
can be themselves, they can talk freely there with their peers.
If they have anything they want to get off their
chest in a way that will work, they come here.
So just shout out to y'all from making a transition
that people underestimate how difficult it is to make. So
I I love this show. I love what you guys
meant sports and a culture. So thank you for having
appreciate it. Well, that's a wrap, Taylor Rooks. You can
(28:55):
catch us on Showtime Basketball, YouTube and the I Heart
platform Black Effects. We'll see you all next week. A
piece of eight down Bound. This is all a smoke,
a production of The Black Effect and Our Heart Radio
in partnership with Showtime
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