July 9, 2024 • 53 mins
As hundreds of athletes, actors, musicians, and more descend upon South Lake Tahoe to compete in the American Century Championship this week, Brian revisits some of his favorite moments at and about the tournament. Along with Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis, Jimmy Roberts, The Miz, and Vince Carter, they talk strokes, wedges, holes-in-one, and bump-and-runs… oh and golf, too.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
I can't cream made that song incredible?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Who knew? You know what it means?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
No, I've listened to his uh his podcast with you
a bunch of times.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I think he's done three times. Yeah, Bubble and squeak.
It's English from England. It's what you make for dinner
and then you have leftovers and they throw it in
a pan with eggs and mix it back up the
next day. There you go, that's what That's what I am. Hi,
(00:40):
it's Brian Baumgartner here, and I am a professional golfer. Hello, Hello,
my favorite listeners. It is a wonderful time of the week.
Time for another episode of All Off the Beat with
(01:00):
me your host, Brian Bomgartner. It's also a wonderful time
of the year. Can you feel the energy in the air,
or at least in my voice. The sun is shining,
the scent of pine trees is in the air, the
gentle breeze is flowing off the lake, and the Edgewood
(01:23):
Tahoe Resort is a buzz. Of course. I'm talking about
the American Century Championships held in South Lake Tahoe, where
I get to play the most glorious week of golf
every summer. The forecast for this week is hot. And
I don't just mean that birdies will be made. It
(01:44):
is actually going to be one of the hottest weeks
ever for the ACC. I believe that gives me an advantage.
Why because I decided so. If you know me or
if you know this podcast, you've certainly heard me talk
about this event. It is a celebrity golf event at
the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, one of my favorite courses in
(02:05):
all of the land. I look forward to this event
every summer. This will, believe it or not, be my
seventeenth consecutive year here, which means simply I'm getting old.
A couple of years ago I even recorded an episode
of the podcast right there on the course. I've talked
about it numerous times with many of my other guests
(02:27):
as well, golfers, actors, athletes, everyone converges here. And today
I wanted to look back on some of those conversations
with the amazing folks that I have gotten to know
at the American Century Championship, like Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis,
Jimmy Roberts, the Miz, Vince Carter, Aaron Rodgers. The list
(02:48):
goes on and on. So come with me on this
little journey, this little trip down memory lane, as we
revisit some of the highlights from and about the ACC
over the years. We're gonna be talking wedges, bumping runs,
dog legs, hole in one, and yeah, we might even
(03:09):
talk about a little golf two. Here. It is the
best of the American Century Championship.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Bubble and squeak. I love it, Bubble and squeak, Bubble
and squeak.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I cooking every moleft over from the ninety four.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
All right, everybody, I am so happy to be joined
by an amazing guy who I met for the first
time last night his first year here. Adam Napier joins us. Adam,
tell me a little bit about well, why are you here?
Why are you here playing in the American Century Championship.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
So I'm a part of Team forty three, which is
President Bush's group. He does a bike ride and a
golf tournament every year for wounded veterans post nine to
eleven wounded veterans, And once you become a part of
one of those events, become of a part of a
team Team forty three, and we go across the country
and do different things. So how I ended up here though,
(04:25):
was I won his tournament this past Veterans Day at
Los Cleenas Country Club in Dallas, and the winner of
that gets once in a lifetime opportunity to take part
in this event.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
It's so incredible, you know, for the last I would
say about ten years, there's always a veteran who is
here and it means so much to all the guys.
I was talking about the players only meeting that happened
last night. And it's hard to explain, as you you
(04:58):
not being an athlete in a room and you know,
you would think about like when you're in school and
you're like an assembly or something, except this assembly is
some of the greatest athletes that have ever played the game.
As a sports fan myself, it's kind of an incredible
thing to be just be in the room, right.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
It's incredible just to be in the room. And that
doesn't even start into how the atmosphere in the room
is in you know, being recognized in the room. I mean,
it's just an incredible experience, like some I'll remember till
the day I die and tell lies about it until
I die.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, you know, it's it really feels like a brotherhood.
You were immediately embraced and brought into that as all
the veterans are who come in. And the moment Adam
is talking about is that he was introduced by John Miller.
All the first time players are always introduced by John
Miller and they're recognized. And when Adam was was introduced
(05:59):
last night, everyone in the room stood. And I find
it a really emotional moment just being in the room
with you, a person who has done so much for
our country and really what this is about. You know,
I'm a actor on a television show and Jerry Rice
(06:22):
catches footballs for a living, and you know, the idiot
pitchers just throw a ball, which seems really easy. But
you know, what you, what you have done and what
you've endured is truly incredible and is worthy of being
recognized in that way. And it's just a really powerful,
powerful moment in that room, everybody acknowledging you and your service.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
It absolutely gave me chills last night.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
I mean it, yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (06:48):
Was glad they didn't find a baby picture of me,
but uh, just unbelievable. And you know, and I want
to take a moment to thank all of you guys
and you know, the football players and baseball players, because
you can be in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan and Iraq,
you know, and you have an hour, a couple of
(07:09):
hours where you get to watch a football game, a
baseball game, have a movie night, and it doesn't matter
where you are. When you get together with the group
of guys and gals and have a minute, it's like
being home for a little bit, you know, Just little
things like that. You know, there's no telling how many
times that we would binge watch The Office when we'd
(07:30):
have time, you know, the Super Bowl games and just
you know, it's anything that's a little bit of a
break and makes it seem like you're back home. I
mean it it helps you get.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Through, right. So well, that's that's very emotional for me,
I tell you. You know, I've said many times the greatest
gift that this show, really The Office gave me was
knowing that the show brings comfort and a sense of
(08:01):
normalcy to people in their most difficult times. Talk about
The Office being a show that brings comfort, and when
I talked to either active military or veterans or more
people going through a difficult medical situation or family issue,
that that show, you know, has brought them something is amazing.
And to hear from you that in Afghanistan and that's
(08:25):
bringing you just a little bit closer to home. It's
an awesome, awesomely powerful thing. So thank you. So this
is no lie.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
I'm not making this up for this, but okay, we
have watched episodes of the Office in Afghanistan on our
projector that we'd use for meeting right up against a rock,
you know, we had a clear flat rock and you
know we would get back in and you know we'd
see stuff that you needed to laugh. You know, laugh
(08:55):
is true. Laughter is the best medicine. And so you
know we may not have time to watch a movie
and like, hey, you know, let's watch The Office or hey,
you know whatever, anything to make us laugh.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Stepbrothers was another one that we watched a telling how
many times in Afghanistan. But uh, it just it helps
your soul, you know, it lightens the move, It helps
you remember it's not all bad, and you know, gives
you something to look forward to getting.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Back to too. That's awesome. All right, Well, first off,
are you gonna be nervous this week? You're obviously an
excellent golfer.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
I'll be I'll be a little nervous since seventeen I
don't want to hit anybody. Yeah, I think I'll be okay. Well,
I'll give you one one exception. If I if I
somehow I played with honest warnstem, that's that's gonna that's
gonna get to me a little bit because I followed
her since I was a little kid, right, you know,
and being a golf fan, you know that would be
that would be nervous. Yeah, ten time major winner, Uh,
(09:59):
that's different. But but I think I would have been nervous.
But you know, you guys have been so accepting to us,
and I was lucky Caddy in twenty nineteen for the
Warrior yep, and y'all have just opened y'all's arms to
us and made it such a relaxing experience and made
(10:19):
it feel like, you know, this is once in a
lifetime chance that you know, I want to play good,
but if I don't, it's not gonna matter, you know,
And that mentality helps you play better too. But you know,
I'm glad to be here, and you know I want
to do my best.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
But I've already won for the week. Well that's that's amazing.
What what gives you the confidence to go out there
and make a run at winning this thuff? So I
put a lot of work in get ready for it.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Luckily, the Warrior Open moved a little bit this year
because of COVID and stuff, so I've had more time. Normally,
it's in you know, the May time frame, so it's
a pretty quick turnaround coming here. So we played it
in November, so it gave me time to prepare, okay,
and that helps. I got out here early, a little
bit before it started getting crowded, right, And then I
(11:11):
was lucky the first date that I thought I was
playing in a program, and I show up and I'm
playing with Justin Timberlake and Adam Feeling, and I'm just like, well,
you know, if I can play with these guys and
not get nerves, I can handle this weekend.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
That's awesome. Thank you so much for being here, Thanks
for coming and talking to me, but mostly thank you
for your service and your dedication and what you've given
not just me but all of us listening. So thank
you so much. Glad to be here. Thanks all right, cheers,
What is up, Jerome man?
Speaker 6 (11:47):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I'm good? The bus where you're joined here by Jerome Bettis.
Thirteen years in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh
Steelers Super Bowl champion, played in Detroit, which is where
you're from. That was a special special thing for you.
Hall of Famer from No. Tre Dame. I think it's
(12:11):
how we say it. It's so good to see you.
Always great to see you. We've known each other now
I think it's been a long time. Tell me why
do you come to this event?
Speaker 7 (12:26):
You know what, It's great because as an as an
amateur golfer, it gives us an opportunity to actually feel
as though we're professionals, right right, we're all.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Terribles offers, by the way, I will say that.
Speaker 7 (12:42):
But you have one weekend in which your competitive juices
come out. You say to yourself, this is my opportunity, right, yes,
And you go out and you have an opportunity to compete,
and you compete with guys that you know, Guys that
you were fans of, guys that you friends of, and
so it's just a great mix of people that you
(13:03):
get an opportunity to play with and get a chance
to know fellowship with them all. But at the end
of the day you're competing, You're looking at that score.
You're like, man, I gotta get that. I gotta make
a bow again, no double, I just gotta get a point.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
I gotta get a point. Are you So you're very
competitive with that? Yes?
Speaker 6 (13:22):
I think I think we all are.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I don't.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
I don't.
Speaker 7 (13:25):
I don't think it's competitive in the stance where I'm
coming here, Man I gotta win, right, it's competitive saying
I want to beat my.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Score from last year.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
I want to I want to go out and play
a stress free, mistake free round. Uh, you know, I
want to be the best version of myself I can
be right. And so that's that's kind of the competitive
nature that you that you put on yourself. And then
when I obviously you get paired up with some guys,
you're like, oh, crap, here we go, here we go.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Right, guys, get me the talking crap.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
You're all right.
Speaker 7 (13:58):
So so you know, it's one of those opportunities that
you get very very rare to come out compete with
yourself and with with guys that you you know, and like, yeah,
it's it's a crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You know, thinking about last night and that meaning that
had you know that we had and just the collection
of people that are in that room and you know
you've got Adam Napier who gets introduced, wounded warrior who's
playing in the thing. It's like a powerful, powerful moment.
And then you hear the amount of money.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Like that, It's yes, right, it made a difference, made
it different, made a significant difference in this community that
we're playing in. And it's one of those that's it's commendable.
It's to be commended and to know that that you're
part of that, right, that you're using your collective celebrity
(14:50):
to benefit others, right, So that makes it a win win.
Obviously you come out here, get a chance to play
golf in a beautiful setting, beautiful course, but also so
you're doing a lot of good and that makes it
even that much more special to get on a plane
to come out here and know it's benefiting a lot
more than just you playing golf.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Yeah, do you go into shame spirals of self hatred?
For sure?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Yeah, for sure, because what happens, It always happens.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
You hit that bad shot, shank or something, you're like,
you go right in the tank. You could have been
playing well as soon as you Yeah, you're like, oh man,
here come.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
And everybody's watching.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
No.
Speaker 7 (15:29):
Yeah, and then don't hit a second one because now
you want to quit. You want to throw the clubs
and just absolutely walk off the course if you could.
The problem is you got the shame walk. You got
to walk over there, you got to drop it from
the water, you gotta do all the stuff. And then
you say to yourself, I don't believe this.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I do have to tell you though, I played in
the event in Greenville, South Carolina, BMW, and I'm playing
with a professional on the corn Ferry Tour. These guys
are really good, really good. And one of them on
our second hole that my partner made a nine on
a part five. Wow. Now this is a professional, which,
(16:10):
as you discussed, we are not. Let's be clear, no,
so what happens, it happens. But he had a two
hundred and fifty yard walk of shame back to his ball,
which I was like, my heart was breaking for him,
knowing how it feels. Who's the guy that you're looking at?
Because right it's online live streaming. Who's the guy when
(16:32):
you're done with the round? Who are you looking at? First? Guy?
Who's the first guy besides yourself.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
First guy. Look at Larry Fischer.
Speaker 7 (16:39):
He talked so much smack to me, okay, and we're
really good friends. I've known him since he was back
in college at pitt because I was playing with the
Steelers and you know, we were right right there. So
if there is one guy who who you know, we
always are looking at the score, so soon sweet, soon
as we see each other.
Speaker 6 (16:57):
Uh huh yeah, rough day of day.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
You know, he's so he's the first guy I look
at every single time.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Okay, who has helped you the most to give you
the confidence to be able to do this that's brought
you out here?
Speaker 6 (17:11):
That's a good question.
Speaker 8 (17:13):
Hmm.
Speaker 7 (17:14):
You know what, it hasn't.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
Really been, you know. I tell you who's really helped me.
Speaker 7 (17:21):
I brought in a caddy from Shadow Creek in Las
Vegas golf course, amazing course, played many times, and and
he was always the young caddy was always a sense
of comfort for me right when I was playing there.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
He could kind of talk me off the ledge, so
to speak.
Speaker 7 (17:39):
Right, And so I said to myself, you know what
I need to see if I can get him here,
because I can get that same calmness, that same conversation
that same attitude, I can get him on the bag
and it'll really it, and it has. He's come to the
last couple of years and I felt much better in
terms of my game, how I'm going out there with
(18:01):
a strategy and idea. So he's been He's been very
beneficial to my confidence because I know I've got a guy.
He's a really good player in his own right. So
I got a guy who understands and knows kind of
what I'm capable of and what I'm not capable of.
And that's the one thing you because the majority of
the times we want to try to hit the hero shot. No,
(18:26):
it is five percent, that's right, And you take up
that five percent, you can take it in half because
now your body is tense and it's tight, and got
these people look at and you're like man, and and
now all of a sudden, you got no chance, absolutely
no chance.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
To hit it.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I'm just gonna hit this cut three wood over the
crowds to come back.
Speaker 6 (18:47):
And it's water on the left, and I got it.
I get it in there and let it drop right
in of course.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Not yeah, how how many points? What are you looking at?
How many points this week? What's your best. What's your
best finish? Here? My best finish I think was T fifteen.
Speaker 7 (19:04):
That was a a couple of years ago, the COVID year,
because I was tuned up, you know, that was all
I was doing was to do much else. So I
was in great form. And so that was that was.
That was number fifty one.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
That was.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
That was pretty good. How many points is that? That's
probably was in the forty, Yeah, forty, that's probably fifteen
a day. Yeah, I was. That's very play.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
I played very well. Now, I will say this, I regressed.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Last year.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
I think I was.
Speaker 7 (19:35):
I only finished with about almost fifty or maybe twenty.
I think I was right right in the fifteen to
twenty something, right, and it was not very good.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
All right, Well, listen, I hope that it goes great
for you this week. But more than that, it's great
to see you. How fun. We always have fun. Let's
let's have fun and score up. Let's put a score
up there. Any kick kick Larry's ass, I'm going for
all right, let's get out, all right, Thanks Bud, Thanks appreciate,
thanks dude, thank you. I am joined here on off
(20:24):
the beat by my old friend, good friend like legendary.
Is that the right phrase? Come on, legend legendary sportscaster
Jimmy Roberts joins us here, how many years have you
been coming here?
Speaker 8 (20:39):
This is twenty two for me, twenty You know I
almost died here one year.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Literally, yes, wait tell me, yes, I remember this.
Speaker 8 (20:47):
So this is about ten years ago, ten twelve years ago,
just doing the tournament and I didn't feel well. And
you know, those of us who travel for a living,
you're used to being on the road and not feeling well.
You deal with it. Somehow, just felt different. So I
ended up taking myself to the hospital. My appendix that exploded.
(21:08):
My appendix that exploded, and then they did the surgery,
took it out, and I was recovering, and there was
a complication and they had to do another surgery. I
was in the hospital here for two weeks here. Yeah,
And I was lucky because the surgeon. It's a small
regional hospital. The surgeon was a guy who had spent
his entire professional career as a combat surgeon. He's from
(21:34):
in the Air Force, so he'd seen everything. He'd seen
every kind of trauma, and he took such good care
of me. But I mean it was in my family.
When you say like Tahoe, it has the best of
connotations and the worst.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
So wow, that's that is amazing. What it makes this
event special people like you.
Speaker 8 (21:52):
I mean, listen, when would I stop, No, seriously, when
would I get to meet and hang out and make
friends with people like you? When would our paths cross?
They wouldn't, you know? I mean they might and I'd
be curious to know what you think about this. But
the thing that I think makes this event so special
(22:15):
is that you guys, people who compete in it, get
to cross paths with people that you would.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Never cross paths with. That's right.
Speaker 8 (22:22):
And everybody lets their hair down. There's no pretense. Everybody's
just you know, not necessarily thinking that they have to
worry about very much. Everybody just hangs out together. It's
a very casual vibe. I mean, I've always felt that way.
It's the most relaxed broadcasting experience I will do all year,
(22:44):
and I get to just you know, a lot of
it is for many million years. I was out on seventeen,
you know, doing the interviews and that was fun. And
now I'm going to booth calling golf and it's a
totally different narrative. I just get to be up there
and talk about golf, you know, you know, like I
found out yesterday I was talking to Justin Timberlake. And
when do I get to say that? Just yesterday I
(23:05):
was talking to Justin Timberlake. Anyway, I was talking to
I was talking to Justin, and he was there's a
commonality about it, like for all of us, what do
we talk about. What's the first thing I said to you?
How's your golf?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
How's your golf?
Speaker 8 (23:16):
K okay, right, yeah, we're all golfers, you know, for
better for worse. And so Justin launches into her in
there having a sandwich and hey, hey, doing, what's happening?
What you been up to as your family?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
This?
Speaker 9 (23:26):
That?
Speaker 8 (23:27):
And he said, and I said, how's your golf? And
he says, well, yeah, you know, I'm I got this
thing going on with my with my left side. And
he starts telling me about how he his shoulder.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
I guess it's his left shoulder.
Speaker 8 (23:40):
He's double jointed, so it kind of pops in and out.
Oh Jesus, and he says, here, check this out. And
he puts my hand on his shoulder and it's clicking.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
In and out.
Speaker 8 (23:50):
Yeah, but anyway, and it's like, so that's I said, Okay,
well that'll end up on the air this weekend. But
it's just it's listen, this is it's just fun. Yeah,
you know, I enjoy coming here because I just get
to talk.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Can I curse on? Yeah? Of course I get to
talk shit. Yeah, you know, so yeah, you know, I listen.
I think you've actually touched on something that I haven't
thought about quite in this way. I mean, I would
like to think and I do think it is true
that there's just an amazing collection of really good guys
and gals or together. But that commonality that you just
(24:28):
talked about, like there's also we're all working on the
same thing, and there's no pretense, there's no there's no
I'm better than you. I'm gonna you know, well, because
we all suck, that's right.
Speaker 8 (24:41):
We're all just doing the best we can outside of
Mark Mulder and Marty Fish and that's you know, Jack Wagner,
we all suck. Yeah, it's just a degree to which
we suck, you know, and that you know, we're all
equally is consumed by the game, befuddled by it. But
you know, I also think there's a feels like a
sense of community here, you know, like you come here
(25:03):
and whether you're a broadcaster or a participant, or you're
justin Timberlake, or you're somebody that could walk through the
crowd and nobody would know, it doesn't matter. We're all
here just part of this community and it's fun, and
it just it just feels so good.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
You know, it really feels good. I could not agree more.
I have said already today it's my favorite week of
the year. It's also the most difficult week. It's the
difficult thing that I do every year. Dude, listen, I
don't know how you guys do this.
Speaker 8 (25:35):
I I this morning I was doing I'm doing a
story for the weekend on the seventh hole. Okay, you know,
the seventeenth gets all the attention, but the seventh hole
is becoming a little bit of you know, a shit
show out there. Yeah, and so we're going to do
a story about the seventh hole. And so I'm out
there and I go out there with the camera cooon
and this is golf, you know, so these people know
who It's not like I'm a celebrity or anything, but these.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
People know who I am.
Speaker 8 (25:56):
It's Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, you got to hit a shot.
Now it's eight thirty in the morning. You know, I'm
not ready. I haven't loosened up, I haven't done anything.
They shamed me into hitting a shot. Fortunately it wasn't awful,
But then they shamed me into I'm like subject to
such peer pressure. They shame me into shotgunning a a corona. No,
(26:19):
it's worse smear novel.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, you know. Yeah, they tossed me one yesterday. It
hit the ground and they just immediately got sprayed by me.
That's that's how I that's how I roll.
Speaker 8 (26:30):
Can I ask you a question? Sure, let me turn
this around because I figured you would. Well, I'm you know,
it's what I do for a living. My wife says,
I don't have conversations with people I interviewed them.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Do you ever get.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
Tired of talking about the office?
Speaker 2 (26:42):
You know? Because I could see how you could, I
I will answer the question this way. I am so fascinated,
and I know you are an author and life fascinates
you as well. I truly became fascinated with what happened
to our show afterward like that that it became more
popular after five six years when we had not filmed anything,
(27:07):
and that the show exploded. That is a truly fascinating
question with me that I think the even smarter people
than me should try to explore why that is. But
the journey that I've been on in trying to answer
that question of why has truly brought me a joy.
I think. I think it's I think it's fascinating and
that and that young people a show that wasn't being
(27:27):
made for young people, you know, not just survives, but
thrives this year later. And you know, we were a
big show. You know, we were on NBC. And but
you know, for me and for all of us, we
weren't friends at the time we went Seinfeld even you know,
we were we were we were like NBC's number one show, right,
(27:48):
but we weren't that and now became that. Plus that's
that's the crazy thing. Yeah, And I've told you.
Speaker 8 (27:54):
This before, I you know, many many times. I mean,
I have my youngest son is eighteen years old, and
at one point he became this probably five years ago,
became so fascinated with the show that every day he
binge the whole thing three times through. Yeah, and when
he found out that I knew you, you know, I know, listen,
(28:15):
I've met Muhammad al Lee, Michael Jordan. I mean, I
could not have been elevated to a higher status in
his life. I've been to the White House for dinner
and listen.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
None of that matters. Okay.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
What matters is that I you know Kevin.
Speaker 8 (28:33):
Okay, so wait, can I I'm sorry to turn this
around on you, but I have always been fascinated with
the acting that you were able to do. When I
first met you, I could not get it out of
my head that you weren't that character because that character, yes,
probably was so challenging to become, right, and it's so
(28:56):
different from who you are.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
He's different from who I am. But that's what I say.
That's the thing that's crazy, is that you know, it's
like me trying to be a golfer, like I mean,
I did go to school for.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
It, you know, I was, you know, professional.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
But yes, thank you, thank you for what I will
consider it to be a compliment. It is.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
I hijacked your podcast long enough five file no.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Please, uh, Jimmy, thank you so much. I'm yeah, I'm
excited to spend some time and just do me a favor.
That just don't because Dan Hicks, be one, be kind
to obviously give me some screen time, Dan Hicks. There
a lot of people don't know this the most famous
wrestler in the history of the US. Actually I believe
(29:44):
name is Bruce Bombgartner. And Bruce he calls me Bruce.
Let's go to Bruce Bombgartner five or whatever. Yes, he did,
and I've given him hell about that before. So just
just just remember my name, Just remember my name, remember
my name, member, mine number, my name. Thanks Jimmy, always
great to see you.
Speaker 8 (30:03):
All right, cheers Steel, Brian, thank you, thanks Blood Sure.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Cream made that song. It's incredible, all right, ladies and gentlemen,
A very very special guest. He's promised me to come
back for another episode and and really talk about his
life and his career. But I am joined here. Bye. Well,
you're like Beyonce, Right, it's just one word. I guess
(30:37):
it's two the mizz that's right, professional wrestler with the
w W E and and personality.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
I guess.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Superstar, specifically superstar. I remember the first time I met you,
which was a long time I was wondering.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
So yesterday, Uh, for those that were there was? I
got players meeting at the ACC and I saw Brian.
I wasn't sure if you remembered me. Oh, I wanted
you to know how much I love your podcast, how
much I love Off the Beat. I loved all the
office stuff. I think your tremendous interviewer. Your voice and
your transitions are absolutely incredible. The dialogue. I love hearing
(31:20):
acting and how people do their process. I just didn't
really enjoy that. And so what you do and what
you dissect, you do such a phenomenal job.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
But I didn't. I didn't know if you nowhere?
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Where do you? Where is your first recollection of where
we met? My recollection, which I think is accurate, is
we were playing in a celebrity poker event and you
had the wrestling belt over your shoulder and you may
really made me laugh and we hung out there. I
think it was a couple of days, or it was
at least a really long day. Yeah, it was a
(31:50):
long day. That was it? Right? Was no? Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Now, I don't know if you'll remember this, Okay, they do.
Do you remember a club named Laid Yes? I do
remember we met there. I don't remember. It's okay, you don't, okay,
because there were so many people and I was a
huge office fan and I was like, oh my god,
Brian's here. Oh so I came up, introduced myself. It
(32:16):
was very quick, okay, And so you wouldn't. It's not
something memorable, and I wasn't really I was off the
real world. Maybe it challenges and I think I was
just starting in w W eight, okay, and so that's
probably why.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Well let me tell let me tell you something that
this should make you feel better. I was. I was
at I think it was a reconstructing it. I was
at a bar in Los Angeles to watch Sunday football
and occasionally people come up and I take pictures. So
years later there's a photo that surfaces of of myself
(32:52):
Brian Baumgardner, but Kevin Malone with me and post malone
and this this this, this picture starts surfacing around and
I see it if you tie out pay any mine.
And then my niece sends it to me and says,
oh my god, is this real? And I had on
a black shirt and I think he had on a
white shirt. As my recollection, I'll post the picture again,
(33:15):
but there's kind of a line it looks photoshopped, right,
so it's like post Malone, Kevin post Malone thing. I
thought it was photoshopped, and then it just keeps coming up.
And it had been like a long time before, you know,
since this picture had allegedly happened. So I finally do
the easiest thing in the world and google Kevin Malone,
(33:36):
post Malone. The first thing that pops up is post
Malone's Twitter page. Now I've not ever met him or
talked to him, and he posted the photo, so it
clearly was him and I at this place in Los
Angeles that took a photo and I didn't remember that
that's and his name is post Malone.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Well it's also, by the way, like before iPhones were
really popular, camera phones were really popular. So we didn't
we never got the picture. We didn't we didn't have
a picture to remember it by. But yes we did
do uh, we did gambled. I'm not I think you
beat me by the way day because you were did
you were really good.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I want to see that the World Series of Poker
you did. Have you played this week at all Poker? Yeah?
Maybe a little blackjack, made a little black jack, maybe
a little all right, Okay, okay, maybe just a little.
It's legal here way. Do you know what happened to
me yesterday? No?
Speaker 3 (34:22):
So I was walking out of my elevator, okay, and
me I looked, no, no, I did difference.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
That did happen? Yes, that happened.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
But I walked down on my learn because I was
really tired after yesterday, I mean, eighteen holes, uh, doing
all the media that is here at ACC And then
I get out of the elevator and there's a chip.
What do you how much you think that chip was worth?
Five thousand dollars? Said it was fair to you, and
I thought it was a joke. I looked down and
I looked around and I was like, oh my god,
(34:51):
there's a five thousand dollars ship here. And I was like, hello, hello,
is anyone here? I thought someone was like pranking me.
So I pick it up and it's a real five thousand.
There's no one in the hall.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
What do you do?
Speaker 5 (35:03):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (35:03):
So I'm trying to think what do you do?
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Like, so if I would call down to the lobby
and say, hey, I found a five thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Chip, someone is gonna someone's gonna be like, yeah, that's me.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
But I was also thinking, man, if I lost five
thousand dollars, I would be so upset. But also I
feel like, if you have a five thousand dollar chip,
there's probably.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
A bunch of other chips to it, and you don't
even know how much you really have.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
So it's the one or two ways. But I feel
so bad and I don't know what to do with it.
And today someone was messing with me. I told one
of my buddies and then he told someone. I was
telling the person the story. He goes, yeah, I lost
five thousand OD chip. I was like, I felt a
sense of relief. I was like, oh, I have it.
I have it, and he's like, I'm joking. I knew
that you found one, And I was like, what do
you do with that? Here's what I think you should do.
(35:47):
I think you should give me the chip.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
And I'm gonna I'm gonna go, no seriously, and I'll
go I'll take care of it for you, one way
or the other. I'll take care You're the guy, I'm
the guy. I'm the guy. All I do is fix
problems for people. That's all I do. Here at the
American Century Chain Bean Chip we're here, this is your
first year. Yes, that's why I really wanted to talk
to you today about this. This is your first year.
Talk to me about the experience thus far. We haven't
even teed off on Friday yet, but tell me, tell
(36:11):
me about your experience.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
It's incredible so far. I mean, everyone has been above
and beyond nice.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
And usually when you have and this is not saying anything,
but when you have a group of celebrities, there's usually
one that's kind of like, hey, how you doing it,
and they look at you and roll their eyes and
walk away or try to find someone that's more important
than you to talk to. I have not had that
at all, And if anything, more, people are like, hey, Hi,
nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Hey, let me introduce you to this person and this
person this, And.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
I'm like, wow, this is unlike any other celebrity event
I've ever been to. And not only that, I get
to golf. The weather is beautiful here. I've been begetting
lessons from like just some of the top people at
Golf Channel and NBC Sports, and it's really, honestly, it's
made my game horrible because whenever you get take a lesson,
you don't take a lesson that I don't have an
(36:59):
opportunity to get these type of these teachers, these these
legendary teachers to come and say hey, you know so
I'm like, yeah, I'll do a lesson and I'm like,
oh my god, my swing's going bad right now. I
heard someone tell you yesterday. It's like, we're gonna take
your game to the next level. What is the next
level for you?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
I think I think the next level for me is
is would be to be a four. That would be
the that would be your handicaps of four. No, that
would be it. That would be it. You're good. No,
I'm like a seven, eight, seven or an eight, depending
on how I'm playing, And you know, whatever I enter
my scores, it's not pretty good it is. It turns
into a Tahoe twelve dreens Man, very difficult, can read them.
(37:41):
I'm it's gonna get more difficult, That's all I can say.
It's gonna get faster.
Speaker 9 (37:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
I was talking to Charles, and Charles like, I was like,
I think I'm gonna do pretty good here, and he's like, yeah,
wait till you hit your first patron and I go,
wait what he goes, Yeah, when you hit your first person,
it'll ruin your entire game, and you'll you'll have no idea.
And I go, wait, you think I can actually hit someone?
He goes, do you hit the ball straight? I go
not all the time, but he goes exactly, and I go,
oh my gosh. And so that's when I first realized
how Charles got that swing that is so legendary. To
(38:07):
look at where he stops and because you get in
your head. Yeah, and I found myself getting in my
head yesterday. And the only time I wasn't in my
head was when I got the audience to actually cheer
for me. You know, I want people chanting bab bab
booie you know behind my swing?
Speaker 2 (38:22):
You know what? What what?
Speaker 3 (38:24):
What gives you the confidence this week to play honestly,
you know, just having fun.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I am here to compete.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
I have a competitive juices, but in all honesty, it's
it's here to just enjoy myself, enjoy the fresh cut grass,
the beautiful setting, the audience giving them a show, entertaining
and just having fun and just meeting a ton of
cool people who I've watched, you know, I've watched the Office,
and I listened to every one of your podcasts. Listen
to the deep dives and just hearing the stories behind
(38:54):
the stories, like I love the insights of different shows
and how they started, how they got their process. Like
you know, sometimes with my show, Miss and Missus, you know,
I feel like every season we're.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Like, man, are we gonna get reupped? Are we gonna reupt?
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Even though the ratings are great?
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Right, but you never know.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
And to hear a legendary show like The Office one
of the biggest shows now that you look at and
you go, how can this show even be like looked
at as not brought up again and again and again
for new seasons.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Right, It's crazy. I Well, I'm so happy you're here.
It's great to see you again. If you need help
dealing with that five thousand dollars chip, let me know.
I Like, I might.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
See you in the high rollers and be like, hey, hey,
you're better than me at this. Let's split this half
in half, you know, and we'll see where we go
with it.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Miss the miss is here just a such an amazingly
gentle kind, positive spirit. Well, thank you, congratulations on your
success and good luck this weekend. If there's one guy,
last question, one guy or gal that you want to beat.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
Pat McAfee on the dude came here in sleeveless shirt
on a golf course, like with no muscles, you know. So,
I mean, honestly, me and him, Me and him been
talking a lot of smack because he's a SmackDown commentator
for w w A, and he's just a really good, positive,
fun guy to be around. Like, honestly, if you want
(40:22):
to have a good time hanging around Pat McAfee. But
I want to beat him so badly because we have
a bet that we we rip each other a lot.
One person has to say three days of just compliments NonStop,
on like social on like his radio show, like in
w w A, whatever it is. You just have to
(40:43):
compliment that person for three straight And that's the hardest
thing for either of us to do.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
That's so good. What what?
Speaker 9 (40:49):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (40:49):
What's your what's your handicap? Again?
Speaker 1 (40:51):
I don't keep one because I lose so many balls.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
And now in my head, the guy has the ugly
he's a cross between Charles Barr being John Ram. I
say this because he has an ugly swing. The swing
looks terrible, but he hits it three hundred yards and straight.
Oh wow, I'm nervous because my game. I thought I
was coming in here, I felt pretty confident, and then
I started getting in my head and now I'm just
I don't know what's gonna happen on Friday.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Wow, are you lefty? Yeah? Okay, because I say he
has on a right glove, a glove on his right hand.
That was how I that was my investigative journalism right there.
That's how I knew. Good luck.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
And yes, I'm wearing a golf glove while doing a podcast.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
Yes, I guy stole from the race. We're about to
tee off. Thanks so much for being here. Thank you.
We're going to have you back on the show talk
about your your your life and career. Thanks so much, dude,
Thank you guys. I'm so happy to be joined here
(42:01):
by the legendary running back from the National Football League,
the LA Raiders, et cetera, et cetera, Marcus Allen, Hall
of Famer, My good friend, Marcus. Thank you so much
for joining me briefly. We're here on the lakes. About
time you ask me? Yeah and listen, wait, actually, I'm
(42:22):
I'm gonna I'm gonna call you and we're gonna sit
down and we're gonna really talk about your career, but
I wanted to take a couple of minutes today. I
know this event means so much to you as it
does to me. You and I have known each other now,
which is a crazy thing. I'm such a huge fan
of yours and for me to be able to play
and get to know guys like you, this is what
brings me the greatest chance. And I'm a big admirer
of you. Thank you well, and you as a person
(42:45):
as well. Why do you keep coming back here every year?
It's the best, man, this is the best.
Speaker 9 (42:51):
I mean you talk about the golf course, Yes, we
can begin there that we can talk about the scenery,
and then we can talk about the actual you know,
the event sponsors American Century and what they've done. It's
just and then the guys that are here, I mean,
we've all become blank family, you know. Man, we see
each other every year. We're looking forward to seeing each
other and stuff. And then the competition, right, I mean,
(43:13):
and the fans. You can't as all the elements, and
this is why it's the best celebrity bent around.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
It is you talk about the camaraderie, the event last
night exemplified that all of these Hall of Famers and
idiots like me and a room together, the brotherhood that's
there and the support that we have for each other.
It truly, it touches me, and it makes me sort
of emotional to even talk about the Wounded Warrior and
(43:42):
Jack and Jim McMahon and it was just awesome. Well, yeah,
we've listened here.
Speaker 9 (43:49):
Guys are great, and we've had some guys that have
gone through some challenges and I'm really thankful that they're
here so we can support them, right, And that's one
of the big things. Jack obviously, and what he's going through.
I mean, I'm doing Jack forever man, and he's been
a big support of mine and he's just been a
solid individual, right, Yeah. And you know Jim obviously, those
(44:10):
are the two guys that have you know, thirty three
years yeah, playing in the this event. Yeah, right, thirty
three years and and Jim has been sort of you know,
obviously not able to walk, but he's going somehow.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah, you know what he told me. He told me,
he said, I wasn't gonna let Jack be the last one.
Speaker 9 (44:31):
That's why you see ye make it. He's one of
the kind man and he is pulling for him and
hopefully he'll get through with flying colors.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yeah what what what what do you what's going to
give you confidence this week to play?
Speaker 9 (44:47):
Well, I'm just letting it Go're gonna let it, just
gonna let it go. Yeah, and don't don't worry about anything.
Just play all right, and and that's it. I mean,
just get out of your head each other a lot
and murray thing. Yeah, and most of them is you know,
we get we hit one bat shot and it sticks
with us down four holes and stuff, and then we.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Go out here.
Speaker 9 (45:08):
We practice for an hour and a half afterwards, and
then we're worn down, right, we have no more energy
for the next day. So hey, I practiced thirty minutes yesterday. Yeah,
I did a little short game and that was it.
I didn't do anything else. And I'm taking my time.
I'm going to go out here and just let it
go and have some fun.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
Yeah, thank you so much for coming by, Thank you
for being here. And uh yeah, we'll see. Oh, who's
the guy that you look at when you finish? Who's
the guy that you look at beside yourself? The score
of who you want to be the most? What is
there a score that you look at on the little
computer for yeah, set up?
Speaker 9 (45:44):
Yeah, well I want I can't mention my name. There's
always a couple of running banks here that you know.
I can never let beat me.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
So you know, you know, you know who I'm coming
for this year.
Speaker 7 (45:53):
You.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
Oh, hey, be careful what you asked for. I'm coming
for you. Thanks, Marcus. Here we go. I could not
be happier than to be joined briefly here at the
American Century Championship by Vince Carter. Now I have to
start by saying, you know, like a lot of the guys,
(46:14):
you and I have gotten to know each other over
the years. I don't know if we've ever had this conversation.
You know, my dad went to Duke. No, I didn't.
My dad went to do So let's just say there
were there were years that I did not root for you.
Of course, specifically specifically did not root for you.
Speaker 4 (46:33):
Those are good years too. My college years were one
and two, always going all fourth.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
Back and forth. I know, no, I remember, why why
do you keep coming here every year? I mean it's
just so.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Now that I've retired, golf is my competition, okay, And
like all of us here we want to be good
at it, and golf gets the best of us. But
it's like coming here and making new friends. But the
celebrity types of athletes, the people coming from whatever the
profession here for friendly competition, but yet you know it's
real competition. There's always somebody here you want to beat,
(47:07):
where you want to play well in front of or
so so. So the first year was I like probably
everyone else was a little nerve wracking, and by the
second by the end of the second day, but the
third day I felt good. I'm like, man, I hope
they bring me back. And now you know, you get
that email, Hey, where we would like to invite you.
I'm like, yes, every year. Every year I plan everything
(47:27):
around here.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Now that's right. This week, What's who's the guy or
gal that you look at when you're done to see
where they are. Who's the guy you most want to
beat and you've got in your sights. Everyone gets a
similar smile on their face when I asked this question.
Speaker 4 (47:41):
There's a few. I mean obviously the basketball guys. You know,
Iggy's here, Kyle and I we play golf a lot,
so it's like we root for each other, but we
want to do better than each other.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
You know how to go.
Speaker 4 (47:54):
I leave Venne Delle Nigga alone. You know he won
it last year, so that's that's a different strategy. Yeah,
you need that guy alone, Marcus, I know who's on here,
and Jerome Bettis are here. We all come out of
the same golf club, Golf Club of Georgia in Atlanta. Okay,
so of course I'll be watching those guys and like
there again, we root for each other, but we want
to do a little better.
Speaker 2 (48:13):
Than what what what brings you? Well, let me say this.
Speaker 4 (48:17):
Everybody I'm sure will say just as long as you
do better than Barkley as well know Chuck. So of course,
and I had to play with in the group last year.
I was like, what does that say about my game
right now? But yeah, but I trust me.
Speaker 2 (48:31):
I have played a number of years in his group, yes,
and it's but I tell you what he taught me something, honest,
honest to God. When I started coming here, I think
I was paired with him. The first year, it was
fifteen years ago now, and he and I were playing together,
and you know his swing at that point, I hope
it's a little better. Last year it was it was
(48:52):
it was. It was starting to look look good. Yeah,
it look good. You know he can't hit the ball.
He's Hank. Hanny is walking with us. One point puts
on sunglasses and I'm like, like, right before he swung,
I'm like, what is he doing? Why does he keep
putting these on? Right before? And I realized they were
blacked out. He was blacked out. So was it just
close your eyes? It was like black out this and
(49:13):
just swing to try to get over this mental this
mental thing all. I mean, he's crazy and not very
successful to me, but I will tell you walking around
here with him, I've said this many times. He knows
everybody's name, He asks about their family. Believable. The volunteers
that are here have been here in some cases for many, many,
(49:34):
many years, and he cares about everybody. He looks everybody
in the eye, he says hello and asks about them.
It truly, and I honestly, God, I tried to model
that behavior now because you know what, it takes just
as much energy to be nice as it does to
be an asshole. And I promise you that came from
(49:57):
from this event, me getting to know him and his
generosity of spirit.
Speaker 4 (50:01):
It's so incredible, and it's just it's amazing to see
because you know, like you said, the effort, but he
just it's this second nature to him. And to see
how people respond to him, it's like it's a great feeling.
You sit back and smile and it's not even you,
it's not you know, and this is amazing. And like
you said, he's just he's he's just a great person.
I mean, you can say what you say about him
and he says he speaks his mind. You appreciate that.
(50:22):
But when you're around him, you're like, man, he's like
I tell people all the time, what you see on
TV is that, But when you're around him, he's like
the life of the party and one of the friendliest,
nicest people.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
He really is. It's you know. And I get asked
about him, you know, and making fun of his swing
or whatever, but like I just I always want to say,
you just need to get to know him because this
is like you will be rooting so hard for him,
and I'm rooting so hard for him to play better.
What what gives the confidence for you? Like, what what
gives you confidence out here in the face of all
(50:54):
the fans.
Speaker 4 (50:55):
And get once you get past the first hole, you know,
that first shot for I mean, like, I don't care
how many years my first year was, Like, it's a
few times that I can recall being terrified, and I
was pretty close to that first shot. The second day
we better got better. But the next year and year
after that, you still have the nerves. Yeah, but over
the balls is a lot different than that first year.
(51:17):
So I'm better and I can say I feel good now,
but you know, it's still gonna be some gonna be
some nerves. I just like to see the ball go
forward and then we can figure it out.
Speaker 2 (51:25):
We can figure it out from there. Events. Thank you
so much, thanks for coming by, Thank you for being
here and being so great. And you know it it
We've talked about it a lot with a lot of
the guys. This it really has become like a brotherhood,
this this event and the people here, and it is
it is so truly my pleasure and my privilege to
(51:46):
have gotten to you and and the other guys.
Speaker 4 (51:48):
Yeah, and I will say this and like you say,
it's a brotherhood. And you know, seeing you guys playing
other events and catch it on TV and you root
for them's like, hey, man, I hope you're playing well,
you know, because because of this, and it's funny. It's
just it's golf. It's it's the it's the common denominate it,
which is golf that brings everybody here, and you have
appreciated you get to meet somebody that you see admire
but never really get a chance to sit face to
face over the game of golf. Golf has been great
(52:10):
to a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
Sure has Fnce. Thank you so much, Thanks dude. Hearing
all of that has just gotten me even more excited
about this week than I already was. I have a
(52:31):
really good feeling about this year. Even though my buddy
Alfonso Ribera has won the past two years in a row,
I have my sights set on dethroning him this week.
I'll let you know how it goes. I hope that
all of you get to do something that you love
this week. I know that I will. So until next time,
(52:52):
have a great one. Oh and get ready because next
week we have a new girl on the podcast. See
you that Off The Beat is hosted and executive produced
(53:13):
by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Lang Lee.
Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Emily
Carr and seth Olanski, and our talent producer is Ryan
Papa Zachary. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by
the one and only Creed Bretton
I can't cream made that song incredible?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Who knew? You know what it means?
Speaker 3 (00:13):
No, I've listened to his uh his podcast with you
a bunch of times.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
I think he's done three times. Yeah, Bubble and squeak.
It's English from England. It's what you make for dinner
and then you have leftovers and they throw it in
a pan with eggs and mix it back up the
next day. There you go, that's what That's what I am. Hi,
(00:40):
it's Brian Baumgartner here, and I am a professional golfer. Hello, Hello,
my favorite listeners. It is a wonderful time of the week.
Time for another episode of All Off the Beat with
(01:00):
me your host, Brian Bomgartner. It's also a wonderful time
of the year. Can you feel the energy in the air,
or at least in my voice. The sun is shining,
the scent of pine trees is in the air, the
gentle breeze is flowing off the lake, and the Edgewood
(01:23):
Tahoe Resort is a buzz. Of course. I'm talking about
the American Century Championships held in South Lake Tahoe, where
I get to play the most glorious week of golf
every summer. The forecast for this week is hot. And
I don't just mean that birdies will be made. It
(01:44):
is actually going to be one of the hottest weeks
ever for the ACC. I believe that gives me an advantage.
Why because I decided so. If you know me or
if you know this podcast, you've certainly heard me talk
about this event. It is a celebrity golf event at
the Edgewood Tahoe Resort, one of my favorite courses in
(02:05):
all of the land. I look forward to this event
every summer. This will, believe it or not, be my
seventeenth consecutive year here, which means simply I'm getting old.
A couple of years ago I even recorded an episode
of the podcast right there on the course. I've talked
about it numerous times with many of my other guests
(02:27):
as well, golfers, actors, athletes, everyone converges here. And today
I wanted to look back on some of those conversations
with the amazing folks that I have gotten to know
at the American Century Championship, like Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis,
Jimmy Roberts, the Miz, Vince Carter, Aaron Rodgers. The list
(02:48):
goes on and on. So come with me on this
little journey, this little trip down memory lane, as we
revisit some of the highlights from and about the ACC
over the years. We're gonna be talking wedges, bumping runs,
dog legs, hole in one, and yeah, we might even
(03:09):
talk about a little golf two. Here. It is the
best of the American Century Championship.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Bubble and squeak. I love it, Bubble and squeak, Bubble
and squeak.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I cooking every moleft over from the ninety four.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
All right, everybody, I am so happy to be joined
by an amazing guy who I met for the first
time last night his first year here. Adam Napier joins us. Adam,
tell me a little bit about well, why are you here?
Why are you here playing in the American Century Championship.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
So I'm a part of Team forty three, which is
President Bush's group. He does a bike ride and a
golf tournament every year for wounded veterans post nine to
eleven wounded veterans, And once you become a part of
one of those events, become of a part of a
team Team forty three, and we go across the country
and do different things. So how I ended up here though,
(04:25):
was I won his tournament this past Veterans Day at
Los Cleenas Country Club in Dallas, and the winner of
that gets once in a lifetime opportunity to take part
in this event.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
It's so incredible, you know, for the last I would
say about ten years, there's always a veteran who is
here and it means so much to all the guys.
I was talking about the players only meeting that happened
last night. And it's hard to explain, as you you
(04:58):
not being an athlete in a room and you know,
you would think about like when you're in school and
you're like an assembly or something, except this assembly is
some of the greatest athletes that have ever played the game.
As a sports fan myself, it's kind of an incredible
thing to be just be in the room, right.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
It's incredible just to be in the room. And that
doesn't even start into how the atmosphere in the room
is in you know, being recognized in the room. I mean,
it's just an incredible experience, like some I'll remember till
the day I die and tell lies about it until
I die.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Yeah, you know, it's it really feels like a brotherhood.
You were immediately embraced and brought into that as all
the veterans are who come in. And the moment Adam
is talking about is that he was introduced by John Miller.
All the first time players are always introduced by John
Miller and they're recognized. And when Adam was was introduced
(05:59):
last night, everyone in the room stood. And I find
it a really emotional moment just being in the room
with you, a person who has done so much for
our country and really what this is about. You know,
I'm a actor on a television show and Jerry Rice
(06:22):
catches footballs for a living, and you know, the idiot
pitchers just throw a ball, which seems really easy. But
you know, what you, what you have done and what
you've endured is truly incredible and is worthy of being
recognized in that way. And it's just a really powerful,
powerful moment in that room, everybody acknowledging you and your service.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
It absolutely gave me chills last night.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
I mean it, yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (06:48):
Was glad they didn't find a baby picture of me,
but uh, just unbelievable. And you know, and I want
to take a moment to thank all of you guys
and you know, the football players and baseball players, because
you can be in the middle of nowhere Afghanistan and Iraq,
you know, and you have an hour, a couple of
(07:09):
hours where you get to watch a football game, a
baseball game, have a movie night, and it doesn't matter
where you are. When you get together with the group
of guys and gals and have a minute, it's like
being home for a little bit, you know, Just little
things like that. You know, there's no telling how many
times that we would binge watch The Office when we'd
(07:30):
have time, you know, the Super Bowl games and just
you know, it's anything that's a little bit of a
break and makes it seem like you're back home. I
mean it it helps you get.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Through, right. So well, that's that's very emotional for me,
I tell you. You know, I've said many times the greatest
gift that this show, really The Office gave me was
knowing that the show brings comfort and a sense of
(08:01):
normalcy to people in their most difficult times. Talk about
The Office being a show that brings comfort, and when
I talked to either active military or veterans or more
people going through a difficult medical situation or family issue,
that that show, you know, has brought them something is amazing.
And to hear from you that in Afghanistan and that's
(08:25):
bringing you just a little bit closer to home. It's
an awesome, awesomely powerful thing. So thank you. So this
is no lie.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
I'm not making this up for this, but okay, we
have watched episodes of the Office in Afghanistan on our
projector that we'd use for meeting right up against a rock,
you know, we had a clear flat rock and you
know we would get back in and you know we'd
see stuff that you needed to laugh. You know, laugh
(08:55):
is true. Laughter is the best medicine. And so you
know we may not have time to watch a movie
and like, hey, you know, let's watch The Office or hey,
you know whatever, anything to make us laugh.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:08):
Stepbrothers was another one that we watched a telling how
many times in Afghanistan. But uh, it just it helps
your soul, you know, it lightens the move, It helps
you remember it's not all bad, and you know, gives
you something to look forward to getting.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Back to too. That's awesome. All right, Well, first off,
are you gonna be nervous this week? You're obviously an
excellent golfer.
Speaker 5 (09:35):
I'll be I'll be a little nervous since seventeen I
don't want to hit anybody. Yeah, I think I'll be okay. Well,
I'll give you one one exception. If I if I
somehow I played with honest warnstem, that's that's gonna that's
gonna get to me a little bit because I followed
her since I was a little kid, right, you know,
and being a golf fan, you know that would be
that would be nervous. Yeah, ten time major winner, Uh,
(09:59):
that's different. But but I think I would have been nervous.
But you know, you guys have been so accepting to us,
and I was lucky Caddy in twenty nineteen for the
Warrior yep, and y'all have just opened y'all's arms to
us and made it such a relaxing experience and made
(10:19):
it feel like, you know, this is once in a
lifetime chance that you know, I want to play good,
but if I don't, it's not gonna matter, you know,
And that mentality helps you play better too. But you know,
I'm glad to be here, and you know I want
to do my best.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
But I've already won for the week. Well that's that's amazing.
What what gives you the confidence to go out there
and make a run at winning this thuff? So I
put a lot of work in get ready for it.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Luckily, the Warrior Open moved a little bit this year
because of COVID and stuff, so I've had more time. Normally,
it's in you know, the May time frame, so it's
a pretty quick turnaround coming here. So we played it
in November, so it gave me time to prepare, okay,
and that helps. I got out here early, a little
bit before it started getting crowded, right, And then I
(11:11):
was lucky the first date that I thought I was
playing in a program, and I show up and I'm
playing with Justin Timberlake and Adam Feeling, and I'm just like, well,
you know, if I can play with these guys and
not get nerves, I can handle this weekend.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
That's awesome. Thank you so much for being here, Thanks
for coming and talking to me, but mostly thank you
for your service and your dedication and what you've given
not just me but all of us listening. So thank
you so much. Glad to be here. Thanks all right, cheers,
What is up, Jerome man?
Speaker 6 (11:47):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (11:48):
I'm good? The bus where you're joined here by Jerome Bettis.
Thirteen years in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh
Steelers Super Bowl champion, played in Detroit, which is where
you're from. That was a special special thing for you.
Hall of Famer from No. Tre Dame. I think it's
(12:11):
how we say it. It's so good to see you.
Always great to see you. We've known each other now
I think it's been a long time. Tell me why
do you come to this event?
Speaker 7 (12:26):
You know what, It's great because as an as an
amateur golfer, it gives us an opportunity to actually feel
as though we're professionals, right right, we're all.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Terribles offers, by the way, I will say that.
Speaker 7 (12:42):
But you have one weekend in which your competitive juices
come out. You say to yourself, this is my opportunity, right, yes,
And you go out and you have an opportunity to compete,
and you compete with guys that you know, Guys that
you were fans of, guys that you friends of, and
so it's just a great mix of people that you
(13:03):
get an opportunity to play with and get a chance
to know fellowship with them all. But at the end
of the day you're competing, You're looking at that score.
You're like, man, I gotta get that. I gotta make
a bow again, no double, I just gotta get a point.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
I gotta get a point. Are you So you're very
competitive with that? Yes?
Speaker 6 (13:22):
I think I think we all are.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I don't.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
I don't.
Speaker 7 (13:25):
I don't think it's competitive in the stance where I'm
coming here, Man I gotta win, right, it's competitive saying
I want to beat my.
Speaker 6 (13:33):
Score from last year.
Speaker 7 (13:34):
I want to I want to go out and play
a stress free, mistake free round. Uh, you know, I
want to be the best version of myself I can
be right. And so that's that's kind of the competitive
nature that you that you put on yourself. And then
when I obviously you get paired up with some guys,
you're like, oh, crap, here we go, here we go.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Right, guys, get me the talking crap.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
You're all right.
Speaker 7 (13:58):
So so you know, it's one of those opportunities that
you get very very rare to come out compete with
yourself and with with guys that you you know, and like, yeah,
it's it's a crazy.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You know, thinking about last night and that meaning that
had you know that we had and just the collection
of people that are in that room and you know
you've got Adam Napier who gets introduced, wounded warrior who's
playing in the thing. It's like a powerful, powerful moment.
And then you hear the amount of money.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Like that, It's yes, right, it made a difference, made
it different, made a significant difference in this community that
we're playing in. And it's one of those that's it's commendable.
It's to be commended and to know that that you're
part of that, right, that you're using your collective celebrity
(14:50):
to benefit others, right, So that makes it a win win.
Obviously you come out here, get a chance to play
golf in a beautiful setting, beautiful course, but also so
you're doing a lot of good and that makes it
even that much more special to get on a plane
to come out here and know it's benefiting a lot
more than just you playing golf.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
Yeah, do you go into shame spirals of self hatred?
For sure?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Yeah, for sure, because what happens, It always happens.
Speaker 7 (15:18):
You hit that bad shot, shank or something, you're like,
you go right in the tank. You could have been
playing well as soon as you Yeah, you're like, oh man,
here come.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
And everybody's watching.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
No.
Speaker 7 (15:29):
Yeah, and then don't hit a second one because now
you want to quit. You want to throw the clubs
and just absolutely walk off the course if you could.
The problem is you got the shame walk. You got
to walk over there, you got to drop it from
the water, you gotta do all the stuff. And then
you say to yourself, I don't believe this.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I do have to tell you though, I played in
the event in Greenville, South Carolina, BMW, and I'm playing
with a professional on the corn Ferry Tour. These guys
are really good, really good. And one of them on
our second hole that my partner made a nine on
a part five. Wow. Now this is a professional, which,
(16:10):
as you discussed, we are not. Let's be clear, no,
so what happens, it happens. But he had a two
hundred and fifty yard walk of shame back to his ball,
which I was like, my heart was breaking for him,
knowing how it feels. Who's the guy that you're looking at?
Because right it's online live streaming. Who's the guy when
(16:32):
you're done with the round? Who are you looking at? First? Guy?
Who's the first guy besides yourself.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
First guy. Look at Larry Fischer.
Speaker 7 (16:39):
He talked so much smack to me, okay, and we're
really good friends. I've known him since he was back
in college at pitt because I was playing with the
Steelers and you know, we were right right there. So
if there is one guy who who you know, we
always are looking at the score, so soon sweet, soon
as we see each other.
Speaker 6 (16:57):
Uh huh yeah, rough day of day.
Speaker 7 (17:00):
You know, he's so he's the first guy I look
at every single time.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Okay, who has helped you the most to give you
the confidence to be able to do this that's brought
you out here?
Speaker 6 (17:11):
That's a good question.
Speaker 8 (17:13):
Hmm.
Speaker 7 (17:14):
You know what, it hasn't.
Speaker 6 (17:17):
Really been, you know. I tell you who's really helped me.
Speaker 7 (17:21):
I brought in a caddy from Shadow Creek in Las
Vegas golf course, amazing course, played many times, and and
he was always the young caddy was always a sense
of comfort for me right when I was playing there.
Speaker 6 (17:36):
He could kind of talk me off the ledge, so
to speak.
Speaker 7 (17:39):
Right, And so I said to myself, you know what
I need to see if I can get him here,
because I can get that same calmness, that same conversation
that same attitude, I can get him on the bag
and it'll really it, and it has. He's come to the
last couple of years and I felt much better in
terms of my game, how I'm going out there with
(18:01):
a strategy and idea. So he's been He's been very
beneficial to my confidence because I know I've got a guy.
He's a really good player in his own right. So
I got a guy who understands and knows kind of
what I'm capable of and what I'm not capable of.
And that's the one thing you because the majority of
the times we want to try to hit the hero shot. No,
(18:26):
it is five percent, that's right, And you take up
that five percent, you can take it in half because
now your body is tense and it's tight, and got
these people look at and you're like man, and and
now all of a sudden, you got no chance, absolutely
no chance.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
To hit it.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
I'm just gonna hit this cut three wood over the
crowds to come back.
Speaker 6 (18:47):
And it's water on the left, and I got it.
I get it in there and let it drop right
in of course.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Not yeah, how how many points? What are you looking at?
How many points this week? What's your best. What's your
best finish? Here? My best finish I think was T fifteen.
Speaker 7 (19:04):
That was a a couple of years ago, the COVID year,
because I was tuned up, you know, that was all
I was doing was to do much else. So I
was in great form. And so that was that was.
That was number fifty one.
Speaker 6 (19:18):
That was.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
That was pretty good. How many points is that? That's
probably was in the forty, Yeah, forty, that's probably fifteen
a day. Yeah, I was. That's very play.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
I played very well. Now, I will say this, I regressed.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Last year.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
I think I was.
Speaker 7 (19:35):
I only finished with about almost fifty or maybe twenty.
I think I was right right in the fifteen to
twenty something, right, and it was not very good.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
All right, Well, listen, I hope that it goes great
for you this week. But more than that, it's great
to see you. How fun. We always have fun. Let's
let's have fun and score up. Let's put a score
up there. Any kick kick Larry's ass, I'm going for
all right, let's get out, all right, Thanks Bud, Thanks appreciate,
thanks dude, thank you. I am joined here on off
(20:24):
the beat by my old friend, good friend like legendary.
Is that the right phrase? Come on, legend legendary sportscaster
Jimmy Roberts joins us here, how many years have you
been coming here?
Speaker 8 (20:39):
This is twenty two for me, twenty You know I
almost died here one year.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Literally, yes, wait tell me, yes, I remember this.
Speaker 8 (20:47):
So this is about ten years ago, ten twelve years ago,
just doing the tournament and I didn't feel well. And
you know, those of us who travel for a living,
you're used to being on the road and not feeling well.
You deal with it. Somehow, just felt different. So I
ended up taking myself to the hospital. My appendix that exploded.
(21:08):
My appendix that exploded, and then they did the surgery,
took it out, and I was recovering, and there was
a complication and they had to do another surgery. I
was in the hospital here for two weeks here. Yeah,
And I was lucky because the surgeon. It's a small
regional hospital. The surgeon was a guy who had spent
his entire professional career as a combat surgeon. He's from
(21:34):
in the Air Force, so he'd seen everything. He'd seen
every kind of trauma, and he took such good care
of me. But I mean it was in my family.
When you say like Tahoe, it has the best of
connotations and the worst.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
So wow, that's that is amazing. What it makes this
event special people like you.
Speaker 8 (21:52):
I mean, listen, when would I stop, No, seriously, when
would I get to meet and hang out and make
friends with people like you? When would our paths cross?
They wouldn't, you know? I mean they might and I'd
be curious to know what you think about this. But
the thing that I think makes this event so special
(22:15):
is that you guys, people who compete in it, get
to cross paths with people that you would.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Never cross paths with. That's right.
Speaker 8 (22:22):
And everybody lets their hair down. There's no pretense. Everybody's
just you know, not necessarily thinking that they have to
worry about very much. Everybody just hangs out together. It's
a very casual vibe. I mean, I've always felt that way.
It's the most relaxed broadcasting experience I will do all year,
(22:44):
and I get to just you know, a lot of
it is for many million years. I was out on seventeen,
you know, doing the interviews and that was fun. And
now I'm going to booth calling golf and it's a
totally different narrative. I just get to be up there
and talk about golf, you know, you know, like I
found out yesterday I was talking to Justin Timberlake. And
when do I get to say that? Just yesterday I
(23:05):
was talking to Justin Timberlake. Anyway, I was talking to
I was talking to Justin, and he was there's a
commonality about it, like for all of us, what do
we talk about. What's the first thing I said to you?
How's your golf?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
How's your golf?
Speaker 8 (23:16):
K okay, right, yeah, we're all golfers, you know, for
better for worse. And so Justin launches into her in
there having a sandwich and hey, hey, doing, what's happening?
What you been up to as your family?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
This?
Speaker 9 (23:26):
That?
Speaker 8 (23:27):
And he said, and I said, how's your golf? And
he says, well, yeah, you know, I'm I got this
thing going on with my with my left side. And
he starts telling me about how he his shoulder.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
I guess it's his left shoulder.
Speaker 8 (23:40):
He's double jointed, so it kind of pops in and out.
Oh Jesus, and he says, here, check this out. And
he puts my hand on his shoulder and it's clicking.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
In and out.
Speaker 8 (23:50):
Yeah, but anyway, and it's like, so that's I said, Okay,
well that'll end up on the air this weekend. But
it's just it's listen, this is it's just fun. Yeah,
you know, I enjoy coming here because I just get
to talk.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Can I curse on? Yeah? Of course I get to
talk shit. Yeah, you know, so yeah, you know, I listen.
I think you've actually touched on something that I haven't
thought about quite in this way. I mean, I would
like to think and I do think it is true
that there's just an amazing collection of really good guys
and gals or together. But that commonality that you just
(24:28):
talked about, like there's also we're all working on the
same thing, and there's no pretense, there's no there's no
I'm better than you. I'm gonna you know, well, because
we all suck, that's right.
Speaker 8 (24:41):
We're all just doing the best we can outside of
Mark Mulder and Marty Fish and that's you know, Jack Wagner,
we all suck. Yeah, it's just a degree to which
we suck, you know, and that you know, we're all
equally is consumed by the game, befuddled by it. But
you know, I also think there's a feels like a
sense of community here, you know, like you come here
(25:03):
and whether you're a broadcaster or a participant, or you're
justin Timberlake, or you're somebody that could walk through the
crowd and nobody would know, it doesn't matter. We're all
here just part of this community and it's fun, and
it just it just feels so good.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
You know, it really feels good. I could not agree more.
I have said already today it's my favorite week of
the year. It's also the most difficult week. It's the
difficult thing that I do every year. Dude, listen, I
don't know how you guys do this.
Speaker 8 (25:35):
I I this morning I was doing I'm doing a
story for the weekend on the seventh hole. Okay, you know,
the seventeenth gets all the attention, but the seventh hole
is becoming a little bit of you know, a shit
show out there. Yeah, and so we're going to do
a story about the seventh hole. And so I'm out
there and I go out there with the camera cooon
and this is golf, you know, so these people know
who It's not like I'm a celebrity or anything, but these.
Speaker 2 (25:55):
People know who I am.
Speaker 8 (25:56):
It's Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, you got to hit a shot.
Now it's eight thirty in the morning. You know, I'm
not ready. I haven't loosened up, I haven't done anything.
They shamed me into hitting a shot. Fortunately it wasn't awful,
But then they shamed me into I'm like subject to
such peer pressure. They shame me into shotgunning a a corona. No,
(26:19):
it's worse smear novel.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yeah, you know. Yeah, they tossed me one yesterday. It
hit the ground and they just immediately got sprayed by me.
That's that's how I that's how I roll.
Speaker 8 (26:30):
Can I ask you a question? Sure, let me turn
this around because I figured you would. Well, I'm you know,
it's what I do for a living. My wife says,
I don't have conversations with people I interviewed them.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Do you ever get.
Speaker 8 (26:40):
Tired of talking about the office?
Speaker 2 (26:42):
You know? Because I could see how you could, I
I will answer the question this way. I am so fascinated,
and I know you are an author and life fascinates
you as well. I truly became fascinated with what happened
to our show afterward like that that it became more
popular after five six years when we had not filmed anything,
(27:07):
and that the show exploded. That is a truly fascinating
question with me that I think the even smarter people
than me should try to explore why that is. But
the journey that I've been on in trying to answer
that question of why has truly brought me a joy.
I think. I think it's I think it's fascinating and
that and that young people a show that wasn't being
(27:27):
made for young people, you know, not just survives, but
thrives this year later. And you know, we were a
big show. You know, we were on NBC. And but
you know, for me and for all of us, we
weren't friends at the time we went Seinfeld even you know,
we were we were we were like NBC's number one show, right,
(27:48):
but we weren't that and now became that. Plus that's
that's the crazy thing. Yeah, And I've told you.
Speaker 8 (27:54):
This before, I you know, many many times. I mean,
I have my youngest son is eighteen years old, and
at one point he became this probably five years ago,
became so fascinated with the show that every day he
binge the whole thing three times through. Yeah, and when
he found out that I knew you, you know, I know, listen,
(28:15):
I've met Muhammad al Lee, Michael Jordan. I mean, I
could not have been elevated to a higher status in
his life. I've been to the White House for dinner
and listen.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
None of that matters. Okay.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
What matters is that I you know Kevin.
Speaker 8 (28:33):
Okay, so wait, can I I'm sorry to turn this
around on you, but I have always been fascinated with
the acting that you were able to do. When I
first met you, I could not get it out of
my head that you weren't that character because that character, yes,
probably was so challenging to become, right, and it's so
(28:56):
different from who you are.
Speaker 2 (28:58):
He's different from who I am. But that's what I say.
That's the thing that's crazy, is that you know, it's
like me trying to be a golfer, like I mean,
I did go to school for.
Speaker 6 (29:07):
It, you know, I was, you know, professional.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
But yes, thank you, thank you for what I will
consider it to be a compliment. It is.
Speaker 6 (29:19):
I hijacked your podcast long enough five file no.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Please, uh, Jimmy, thank you so much. I'm yeah, I'm
excited to spend some time and just do me a favor.
That just don't because Dan Hicks, be one, be kind
to obviously give me some screen time, Dan Hicks. There
a lot of people don't know this the most famous
wrestler in the history of the US. Actually I believe
(29:44):
name is Bruce Bombgartner. And Bruce he calls me Bruce.
Let's go to Bruce Bombgartner five or whatever. Yes, he did,
and I've given him hell about that before. So just
just just remember my name, Just remember my name, remember
my name, member, mine number, my name. Thanks Jimmy, always
great to see you.
Speaker 8 (30:03):
All right, cheers Steel, Brian, thank you, thanks Blood Sure.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Cream made that song. It's incredible, all right, ladies and gentlemen,
A very very special guest. He's promised me to come
back for another episode and and really talk about his
life and his career. But I am joined here. Bye. Well,
you're like Beyonce, Right, it's just one word. I guess
(30:37):
it's two the mizz that's right, professional wrestler with the
w W E and and personality.
Speaker 6 (30:45):
I guess.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Superstar, specifically superstar. I remember the first time I met you,
which was a long time I was wondering.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
So yesterday, Uh, for those that were there was? I
got players meeting at the ACC and I saw Brian.
I wasn't sure if you remembered me. Oh, I wanted
you to know how much I love your podcast, how
much I love Off the Beat. I loved all the
office stuff. I think your tremendous interviewer. Your voice and
your transitions are absolutely incredible. The dialogue. I love hearing
(31:20):
acting and how people do their process. I just didn't
really enjoy that. And so what you do and what
you dissect, you do such a phenomenal job.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
But I didn't. I didn't know if you nowhere?
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Where do you? Where is your first recollection of where
we met? My recollection, which I think is accurate, is
we were playing in a celebrity poker event and you
had the wrestling belt over your shoulder and you may
really made me laugh and we hung out there. I
think it was a couple of days, or it was
at least a really long day. Yeah, it was a
(31:50):
long day. That was it? Right? Was no? Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:54):
Now, I don't know if you'll remember this, Okay, they do.
Do you remember a club named Laid Yes? I do
remember we met there. I don't remember. It's okay, you don't, okay,
because there were so many people and I was a
huge office fan and I was like, oh my god,
Brian's here. Oh so I came up, introduced myself. It
(32:16):
was very quick, okay, And so you wouldn't. It's not
something memorable, and I wasn't really I was off the
real world. Maybe it challenges and I think I was
just starting in w W eight, okay, and so that's
probably why.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
Well let me tell let me tell you something that
this should make you feel better. I was. I was
at I think it was a reconstructing it. I was
at a bar in Los Angeles to watch Sunday football
and occasionally people come up and I take pictures. So
years later there's a photo that surfaces of of myself
(32:52):
Brian Baumgardner, but Kevin Malone with me and post malone
and this this this, this picture starts surfacing around and
I see it if you tie out pay any mine.
And then my niece sends it to me and says,
oh my god, is this real? And I had on
a black shirt and I think he had on a
white shirt. As my recollection, I'll post the picture again,
(33:15):
but there's kind of a line it looks photoshopped, right,
so it's like post Malone, Kevin post Malone thing. I
thought it was photoshopped, and then it just keeps coming up.
And it had been like a long time before, you know,
since this picture had allegedly happened. So I finally do
the easiest thing in the world and google Kevin Malone,
(33:36):
post Malone. The first thing that pops up is post
Malone's Twitter page. Now I've not ever met him or
talked to him, and he posted the photo, so it
clearly was him and I at this place in Los
Angeles that took a photo and I didn't remember that
that's and his name is post Malone.
Speaker 3 (33:51):
Well it's also, by the way, like before iPhones were
really popular, camera phones were really popular. So we didn't
we never got the picture. We didn't we didn't have
a picture to remember it by. But yes we did
do uh, we did gambled. I'm not I think you
beat me by the way day because you were did
you were really good.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
I want to see that the World Series of Poker
you did. Have you played this week at all Poker? Yeah?
Maybe a little blackjack, made a little black jack, maybe
a little all right, Okay, okay, maybe just a little.
It's legal here way. Do you know what happened to
me yesterday? No?
Speaker 3 (34:22):
So I was walking out of my elevator, okay, and
me I looked, no, no, I did difference.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
That did happen? Yes, that happened.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
But I walked down on my learn because I was
really tired after yesterday, I mean, eighteen holes, uh, doing
all the media that is here at ACC And then
I get out of the elevator and there's a chip.
What do you how much you think that chip was worth?
Five thousand dollars? Said it was fair to you, and
I thought it was a joke. I looked down and
I looked around and I was like, oh my god,
(34:51):
there's a five thousand dollars ship here. And I was like, hello, hello,
is anyone here? I thought someone was like pranking me.
So I pick it up and it's a real five thousand.
There's no one in the hall.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
What do you do?
Speaker 5 (35:03):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (35:03):
So I'm trying to think what do you do?
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Like, so if I would call down to the lobby
and say, hey, I found a five thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Chip, someone is gonna someone's gonna be like, yeah, that's me.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
But I was also thinking, man, if I lost five
thousand dollars, I would be so upset. But also I
feel like, if you have a five thousand dollar chip,
there's probably.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
A bunch of other chips to it, and you don't
even know how much you really have.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
So it's the one or two ways. But I feel
so bad and I don't know what to do with it.
And today someone was messing with me. I told one
of my buddies and then he told someone. I was
telling the person the story. He goes, yeah, I lost
five thousand OD chip. I was like, I felt a
sense of relief. I was like, oh, I have it.
I have it, and he's like, I'm joking. I knew
that you found one, And I was like, what do
you do with that? Here's what I think you should do.
(35:47):
I think you should give me the chip.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
And I'm gonna I'm gonna go, no seriously, and I'll
go I'll take care of it for you, one way
or the other. I'll take care You're the guy, I'm
the guy. I'm the guy. All I do is fix
problems for people. That's all I do. Here at the
American Century Chain Bean Chip we're here, this is your
first year. Yes, that's why I really wanted to talk
to you today about this. This is your first year.
Talk to me about the experience thus far. We haven't
even teed off on Friday yet, but tell me, tell
(36:11):
me about your experience.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
It's incredible so far. I mean, everyone has been above
and beyond nice.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
And usually when you have and this is not saying anything,
but when you have a group of celebrities, there's usually
one that's kind of like, hey, how you doing it,
and they look at you and roll their eyes and
walk away or try to find someone that's more important
than you to talk to. I have not had that
at all, And if anything, more, people are like, hey, Hi,
nice to meet you.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Hey, let me introduce you to this person and this
person this, And.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
I'm like, wow, this is unlike any other celebrity event
I've ever been to. And not only that, I get
to golf. The weather is beautiful here. I've been begetting
lessons from like just some of the top people at
Golf Channel and NBC Sports, and it's really, honestly, it's
made my game horrible because whenever you get take a lesson,
you don't take a lesson that I don't have an
(36:59):
opportunity to get these type of these teachers, these these
legendary teachers to come and say hey, you know so
I'm like, yeah, I'll do a lesson and I'm like,
oh my god, my swing's going bad right now. I
heard someone tell you yesterday. It's like, we're gonna take
your game to the next level. What is the next
level for you?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
I think I think the next level for me is
is would be to be a four. That would be
the that would be your handicaps of four. No, that
would be it. That would be it. You're good. No,
I'm like a seven, eight, seven or an eight, depending
on how I'm playing, And you know, whatever I enter
my scores, it's not pretty good it is. It turns
into a Tahoe twelve dreens Man, very difficult, can read them.
(37:41):
I'm it's gonna get more difficult, That's all I can say.
It's gonna get faster.
Speaker 9 (37:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
I was talking to Charles, and Charles like, I was like,
I think I'm gonna do pretty good here, and he's like, yeah,
wait till you hit your first patron and I go,
wait what he goes, Yeah, when you hit your first person,
it'll ruin your entire game, and you'll you'll have no idea.
And I go, wait, you think I can actually hit someone?
He goes, do you hit the ball straight? I go
not all the time, but he goes exactly, and I go,
oh my gosh. And so that's when I first realized
how Charles got that swing that is so legendary. To
(38:07):
look at where he stops and because you get in
your head. Yeah, and I found myself getting in my
head yesterday. And the only time I wasn't in my
head was when I got the audience to actually cheer
for me. You know, I want people chanting bab bab
booie you know behind my swing?
Speaker 2 (38:22):
You know what? What what?
Speaker 3 (38:24):
What gives you the confidence this week to play honestly,
you know, just having fun.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
I am here to compete.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
I have a competitive juices, but in all honesty, it's
it's here to just enjoy myself, enjoy the fresh cut grass,
the beautiful setting, the audience giving them a show, entertaining
and just having fun and just meeting a ton of
cool people who I've watched, you know, I've watched the Office,
and I listened to every one of your podcasts. Listen
to the deep dives and just hearing the stories behind
(38:54):
the stories, like I love the insights of different shows
and how they started, how they got their process. Like
you know, sometimes with my show, Miss and Missus, you know,
I feel like every season we're.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Like, man, are we gonna get reupped? Are we gonna reupt?
Speaker 1 (39:06):
Even though the ratings are great?
Speaker 2 (39:08):
Right, but you never know.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
And to hear a legendary show like The Office one
of the biggest shows now that you look at and
you go, how can this show even be like looked
at as not brought up again and again and again
for new seasons.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Right, It's crazy. I Well, I'm so happy you're here.
It's great to see you again. If you need help
dealing with that five thousand dollars chip, let me know.
I Like, I might.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
See you in the high rollers and be like, hey, hey,
you're better than me at this. Let's split this half
in half, you know, and we'll see where we go
with it.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
Miss the miss is here just a such an amazingly
gentle kind, positive spirit. Well, thank you, congratulations on your
success and good luck this weekend. If there's one guy,
last question, one guy or gal that you want to beat.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
Pat McAfee on the dude came here in sleeveless shirt
on a golf course, like with no muscles, you know. So,
I mean, honestly, me and him, Me and him been
talking a lot of smack because he's a SmackDown commentator
for w w A, and he's just a really good, positive,
fun guy to be around. Like, honestly, if you want
(40:22):
to have a good time hanging around Pat McAfee. But
I want to beat him so badly because we have
a bet that we we rip each other a lot.
One person has to say three days of just compliments NonStop,
on like social on like his radio show, like in
w w A, whatever it is. You just have to
(40:43):
compliment that person for three straight And that's the hardest
thing for either of us to do.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
That's so good. What what?
Speaker 9 (40:49):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (40:49):
What's your what's your handicap? Again?
Speaker 1 (40:51):
I don't keep one because I lose so many balls.
Speaker 3 (40:55):
And now in my head, the guy has the ugly
he's a cross between Charles Barr being John Ram. I
say this because he has an ugly swing. The swing
looks terrible, but he hits it three hundred yards and straight.
Oh wow, I'm nervous because my game. I thought I
was coming in here, I felt pretty confident, and then
I started getting in my head and now I'm just
I don't know what's gonna happen on Friday.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Wow, are you lefty? Yeah? Okay, because I say he
has on a right glove, a glove on his right hand.
That was how I that was my investigative journalism right there.
That's how I knew. Good luck.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
And yes, I'm wearing a golf glove while doing a podcast.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
Yes, I guy stole from the race. We're about to
tee off. Thanks so much for being here. Thank you.
We're going to have you back on the show talk
about your your your life and career. Thanks so much, dude,
Thank you guys. I'm so happy to be joined here
(42:01):
by the legendary running back from the National Football League,
the LA Raiders, et cetera, et cetera, Marcus Allen, Hall
of Famer, My good friend, Marcus. Thank you so much
for joining me briefly. We're here on the lakes. About
time you ask me? Yeah and listen, wait, actually, I'm
(42:22):
I'm gonna I'm gonna call you and we're gonna sit
down and we're gonna really talk about your career, but
I wanted to take a couple of minutes today. I
know this event means so much to you as it
does to me. You and I have known each other now,
which is a crazy thing. I'm such a huge fan
of yours and for me to be able to play
and get to know guys like you, this is what
brings me the greatest chance. And I'm a big admirer
of you. Thank you well, and you as a person
(42:45):
as well. Why do you keep coming back here every year?
It's the best, man, this is the best.
Speaker 9 (42:51):
I mean you talk about the golf course, Yes, we
can begin there that we can talk about the scenery,
and then we can talk about the actual you know,
the event sponsors American Century and what they've done. It's
just and then the guys that are here, I mean,
we've all become blank family, you know. Man, we see
each other every year. We're looking forward to seeing each
other and stuff. And then the competition, right, I mean,
(43:13):
and the fans. You can't as all the elements, and
this is why it's the best celebrity bent around.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
It is you talk about the camaraderie, the event last
night exemplified that all of these Hall of Famers and
idiots like me and a room together, the brotherhood that's
there and the support that we have for each other.
It truly, it touches me, and it makes me sort
of emotional to even talk about the Wounded Warrior and
(43:42):
Jack and Jim McMahon and it was just awesome. Well, yeah,
we've listened here.
Speaker 9 (43:49):
Guys are great, and we've had some guys that have
gone through some challenges and I'm really thankful that they're
here so we can support them, right, And that's one
of the big things. Jack obviously, and what he's going through.
I mean, I'm doing Jack forever man, and he's been
a big support of mine and he's just been a
solid individual, right, Yeah. And you know Jim obviously, those
(44:10):
are the two guys that have you know, thirty three
years yeah, playing in the this event. Yeah, right, thirty
three years and and Jim has been sort of you know,
obviously not able to walk, but he's going somehow.
Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah, you know what he told me. He told me,
he said, I wasn't gonna let Jack be the last one.
Speaker 9 (44:31):
That's why you see ye make it. He's one of
the kind man and he is pulling for him and
hopefully he'll get through with flying colors.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yeah what what what what do you what's going to
give you confidence this week to play?
Speaker 9 (44:47):
Well, I'm just letting it Go're gonna let it, just
gonna let it go. Yeah, and don't don't worry about anything.
Just play all right, and and that's it. I mean,
just get out of your head each other a lot
and murray thing. Yeah, and most of them is you know,
we get we hit one bat shot and it sticks
with us down four holes and stuff, and then we.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
Go out here.
Speaker 9 (45:08):
We practice for an hour and a half afterwards, and
then we're worn down, right, we have no more energy
for the next day. So hey, I practiced thirty minutes yesterday. Yeah,
I did a little short game and that was it.
I didn't do anything else. And I'm taking my time.
I'm going to go out here and just let it
go and have some fun.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
Yeah, thank you so much for coming by, Thank you
for being here. And uh yeah, we'll see. Oh, who's
the guy that you look at when you finish? Who's
the guy that you look at beside yourself? The score
of who you want to be the most? What is
there a score that you look at on the little
computer for yeah, set up?
Speaker 9 (45:44):
Yeah, well I want I can't mention my name. There's
always a couple of running banks here that you know.
I can never let beat me.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
So you know, you know, you know who I'm coming
for this year.
Speaker 7 (45:53):
You.
Speaker 2 (45:53):
Oh, hey, be careful what you asked for. I'm coming
for you. Thanks, Marcus. Here we go. I could not
be happier than to be joined briefly here at the
American Century Championship by Vince Carter. Now I have to
start by saying, you know, like a lot of the guys,
(46:14):
you and I have gotten to know each other over
the years. I don't know if we've ever had this conversation.
You know, my dad went to Duke. No, I didn't.
My dad went to do So let's just say there
were there were years that I did not root for you.
Of course, specifically specifically did not root for you.
Speaker 4 (46:33):
Those are good years too. My college years were one
and two, always going all fourth.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
Back and forth. I know, no, I remember, why why
do you keep coming here every year? I mean it's
just so.
Speaker 4 (46:44):
Now that I've retired, golf is my competition, okay, And
like all of us here we want to be good
at it, and golf gets the best of us. But
it's like coming here and making new friends. But the
celebrity types of athletes, the people coming from whatever the
profession here for friendly competition, but yet you know it's
real competition. There's always somebody here you want to beat,
(47:07):
where you want to play well in front of or
so so. So the first year was I like probably
everyone else was a little nerve wracking, and by the
second by the end of the second day, but the
third day I felt good. I'm like, man, I hope
they bring me back. And now you know, you get
that email, Hey, where we would like to invite you.
I'm like, yes, every year. Every year I plan everything
(47:27):
around here.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Now that's right. This week, What's who's the guy or
gal that you look at when you're done to see
where they are. Who's the guy you most want to
beat and you've got in your sights. Everyone gets a
similar smile on their face when I asked this question.
Speaker 4 (47:41):
There's a few. I mean obviously the basketball guys. You know,
Iggy's here, Kyle and I we play golf a lot,
so it's like we root for each other, but we
want to do better than each other.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
You know how to go.
Speaker 4 (47:54):
I leave Venne Delle Nigga alone. You know he won
it last year, so that's that's a different strategy. Yeah,
you need that guy alone, Marcus, I know who's on here,
and Jerome Bettis are here. We all come out of
the same golf club, Golf Club of Georgia in Atlanta. Okay,
so of course I'll be watching those guys and like
there again, we root for each other, but we want
to do a little better.
Speaker 2 (48:13):
Than what what what brings you? Well, let me say this.
Speaker 4 (48:17):
Everybody I'm sure will say just as long as you
do better than Barkley as well know Chuck. So of course,
and I had to play with in the group last year.
I was like, what does that say about my game
right now? But yeah, but I trust me.
Speaker 2 (48:31):
I have played a number of years in his group, yes,
and it's but I tell you what he taught me something, honest,
honest to God. When I started coming here, I think
I was paired with him. The first year, it was
fifteen years ago now, and he and I were playing together,
and you know his swing at that point, I hope
it's a little better. Last year it was it was
(48:52):
it was. It was starting to look look good. Yeah,
it look good. You know he can't hit the ball.
He's Hank. Hanny is walking with us. One point puts
on sunglasses and I'm like, like, right before he swung,
I'm like, what is he doing? Why does he keep
putting these on? Right before? And I realized they were
blacked out. He was blacked out. So was it just
close your eyes? It was like black out this and
(49:13):
just swing to try to get over this mental this
mental thing all. I mean, he's crazy and not very
successful to me, but I will tell you walking around
here with him, I've said this many times. He knows
everybody's name, He asks about their family. Believable. The volunteers
that are here have been here in some cases for many, many,
(49:34):
many years, and he cares about everybody. He looks everybody
in the eye, he says hello and asks about them.
It truly, and I honestly, God, I tried to model
that behavior now because you know what, it takes just
as much energy to be nice as it does to
be an asshole. And I promise you that came from
(49:57):
from this event, me getting to know him and his
generosity of spirit.
Speaker 4 (50:01):
It's so incredible, and it's just it's amazing to see
because you know, like you said, the effort, but he
just it's this second nature to him. And to see
how people respond to him, it's like it's a great feeling.
You sit back and smile and it's not even you,
it's not you know, and this is amazing. And like
you said, he's just he's he's just a great person.
I mean, you can say what you say about him
and he says he speaks his mind. You appreciate that.
(50:22):
But when you're around him, you're like, man, he's like
I tell people all the time, what you see on
TV is that, But when you're around him, he's like
the life of the party and one of the friendliest,
nicest people.
Speaker 2 (50:32):
He really is. It's you know. And I get asked
about him, you know, and making fun of his swing
or whatever, but like I just I always want to say,
you just need to get to know him because this
is like you will be rooting so hard for him,
and I'm rooting so hard for him to play better.
What what gives the confidence for you? Like, what what
gives you confidence out here in the face of all
(50:54):
the fans.
Speaker 4 (50:55):
And get once you get past the first hole, you know,
that first shot for I mean, like, I don't care
how many years my first year was, Like, it's a
few times that I can recall being terrified, and I
was pretty close to that first shot. The second day
we better got better. But the next year and year
after that, you still have the nerves. Yeah, but over
the balls is a lot different than that first year.
(51:17):
So I'm better and I can say I feel good now,
but you know, it's still gonna be some gonna be
some nerves. I just like to see the ball go
forward and then we can figure it out.
Speaker 2 (51:25):
We can figure it out from there. Events. Thank you
so much, thanks for coming by, Thank you for being
here and being so great. And you know it it
We've talked about it a lot with a lot of
the guys. This it really has become like a brotherhood,
this this event and the people here, and it is
it is so truly my pleasure and my privilege to
(51:46):
have gotten to you and and the other guys.
Speaker 4 (51:48):
Yeah, and I will say this and like you say,
it's a brotherhood. And you know, seeing you guys playing
other events and catch it on TV and you root
for them's like, hey, man, I hope you're playing well,
you know, because because of this, and it's funny. It's
just it's golf. It's it's the it's the common denominate it,
which is golf that brings everybody here, and you have
appreciated you get to meet somebody that you see admire
but never really get a chance to sit face to
face over the game of golf. Golf has been great
(52:10):
to a lot of people.
Speaker 2 (52:11):
Sure has Fnce. Thank you so much, Thanks dude. Hearing
all of that has just gotten me even more excited
about this week than I already was. I have a
(52:31):
really good feeling about this year. Even though my buddy
Alfonso Ribera has won the past two years in a row,
I have my sights set on dethroning him this week.
I'll let you know how it goes. I hope that
all of you get to do something that you love
this week. I know that I will. So until next time,
(52:52):
have a great one. Oh and get ready because next
week we have a new girl on the podcast. See
you that Off The Beat is hosted and executive produced
(53:13):
by me Brian Baumgartner, alongside our executive producer Lang Lee.
Our senior producer is Diego Tapia. Our producers are Emily
Carr and seth Olanski, and our talent producer is Ryan
Papa Zachary. Our theme song Bubble and Squeak, performed by
the one and only Creed Bretton
Host
Brian Baumgartner
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