March 7, 2023 • 45 mins
The Book of Joe Podcast begins with hosts Tom Verducci and Joe Maddon discussing Joe playing in the Valpar Pro-Am in Tampa and why he's so nervous, eager, and excited. Shawn Purdy, father of 49ers QB Brock Purdy, joins us to discuss the amazing run of San Fran this season. Shawn had an 8 year career in baseball's minor leagues and explains how that perseverance was passed along to his son. Shawn walks us through the season of watching Brock from the stands and how he felt seeing his son succeed. Once in the Super Bowl, Shawn describes the moment he saw his son returning to play in the game despite being hurt. We wrap up with 'A Reading from the Book of Joe' with Shawn picking page 13 for Brock's jersey number.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
The Book of Joe podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.
Hello again and welcome back to the Book of Joe Podcasts,
The Most Interesting Baseball and then some podcasts on your
Internet and Joe. Before we get to our special guests,
(00:26):
of course, I'm Tom Verducci. This is Joe Madden, my
buddy and Joe. Before we get to our special guest,
I gotta ask you about your golf game, because basically
you're hitting the PGA Tour soon. You've got a big
event coming up. Tell me about it. Yeah, I'm very
nervous actually heading down to Tampact later today. I'm going
to be there for almost ten days and yes, the
(00:47):
valves bar. I was invited to participate in the pro
am component of this, So yeah, I was out hitting
a bucket yesterday, played all week in Long Beach, played
into Sleep last week at Skylinks. So I'm trying to
really perfect the turn, which totally maximizes distance and accuracy.
So I'm into all of this. I'm looking forward to
(01:08):
getting a couple of tips, but dude, I got that one.
I got Whisper Rock the next week with my neighbor
John Davidson. Then I go to California for Walley Joiners
tournament out there, and then eventually Joe names in Florida.
So a little, a little, that's not really nerve wrack.
I'm really eager and excited about it. It's it's kind
of cool. It's something I'm really looking forward to. I
hope they have very large galleries there at the Vallast Bar.
(01:30):
Joe put some more pressure on you. I'm okay with that,
just so they have to. They're not a duck, you know,
they said. Although you know it's it's I'm looking forward
to that. I think it forces you to focus or
concentrate more. Let's we'll see. Yeah. Now, our special guests welcome.
Sean Purdy. Now you probably don't know him from his
days in the Angels, Giants, Braves organizations eight minor league
(01:53):
seasons as as a pitcher with a really good record
we'll get to, but more recently in a lot of
TV time as well. Sean really kind of famous for
being Brock's dad. Of course, Brock had a tremendous run
with the San Francisco Giants, brought them all the way
to the NFC Championship Game. Sean, welcome. First of all,
I gotta tell us how your son is doing, because
(02:14):
the last we saw of him, he took a pretty
bad hit against the Eagles, and I know he was
heading for surgery. Yeah, thanks for having me. Um. He's
doing good. He's just been rehabbing prior to surgery. You know.
I just wanted things to calm down. And doctor Meister
is who we're using, and he's he's just very cautious.
(02:35):
So that'll be happening this Friday. And got a great
rehab therapist that we're going to and after Friday we'll
get things rolling and get them healthy. Hey Joe, please
tell me, please tell me you didn't release Sean Purdy
because we've already had one guest show, Kenny Grant Well
let go out of the Angels organization, So please tell
(02:57):
me your fingerprints were not on this one too. No person,
I was already in the big leagues. I went to
the big leagues as an excuse me bullpen coach with
Marcel Lashman, and Sean would still turn it up with
the Angels. Actually, his career really took off once he
did leave the Angels. Although I do want to mention
something I didn't even wasn't even aware of this because
(03:18):
I was looking up your numbers today. Do you realize
how many innings you pitched in rookie ball with Cotch
in Boise? Yeah? Right, that was awesome. I mean, this
never happens. He had where was it ninety five innings
pitched in a half season in Boise coming out of Miami.
That would never zero possibility of that happening today. And
(03:38):
then it goes right and follows that up in the
next year with one sixty eight in Palm Springs again,
thirteen and eight record in Palm Springs, eight and four
in Boise. And the thing that really stands up pers
is like your overall record fifty eight and thirty seven
equals winner. You're You're a winner, You're a winning player.
And there's such a strong correlation to with your son
(04:02):
has been doing because being drafted last, there was a
lot of people that had passed on it. But it's
really hard to understand or evaluate heart desire and those
guys that are just winners. So talk about that a
little bit, because absolutely Rock has received that gene chip
from you. Well, first, I'll go back to Boise with Kachman.
(04:26):
Several times he came to take me out and I
wouldn't come out. So he's like, give me the ball,
and I'm like, no, I got this. So that's how
I bought a few extra annings there. Yeah, it's just
you know, both Brock and I, you know, we weren't
blessed with six foot four height or whatever, so you
(04:48):
just had to get the most out of your body.
So you know, you gotta be technically sound and so on,
and you know your preparation has to be at a
whole other level because you know, a lot of people
get away with just raw talent and um so you know,
the both of us also, you know, you just you know,
(05:10):
I didn't. I didn't. I got drafted in the sixteenth round.
Um back then, I don't know there was sixty and uh,
you know, he just he had something you wanted to
prove and mostly to yourself, you know, and I just
felt like, I'm I'm I'm gonna leave on my terms.
I'm proud to say I never got released. Um so
(05:33):
I just, uh, every game was a big game and
you felt like it was your last and um, you know,
you just always wanted to play with no regrets. Did
you actually have this kind of conversation with Brock talking
about your career and your your personal philosophy on how
to get this done because there had been I guess
not maybe disappointment, but being drafted last, he might have
(05:56):
been expecting to go sooner than that. Was there any
kind of like little sit down talk you had with
him to really reassure him and draw the parallels between
how you got to the point that you did and
where it was going to take him in his football career.
Um no, I never really talked too much about my career.
I just talked about working hard and preparing yourself. You know,
(06:20):
we would throw bullpens when we were younger, and if
you could remember Howie Gershberg, of course I lived and
died off of his mechanics. And you know long bullpens
with both boys where they're like you gotta be kidding me,
aren't we done? And I'm like nope. And so I
(06:40):
think that carried over into everything that both boys do.
And um, you know, Brock won't do something. He's not
done until he feels it's right, and so that's just uh,
you know where his work ethics started and his determination.
He's had it ever since he was little, and he
(07:02):
doesn't like to lose, and so on his end of things,
he's going to do everything he can to um, you know,
give his team what he can to win. UM. I
was the same way. You know, if I lost, if
we lost, I felt like it was my fault. I
shouldn't have gave up that hit or even that ground ball.
I felt like I should just get everybody out. And UM.
(07:25):
You know with that mindset, UM, you know, it just
produces I think, a winning a winning attitude. Hey, Sean,
Joe mentioned that, you know, once he left the Angels
signed out with the Giants, he got a really nice
run for them, pitching his back end the bullpens, putting
up good numbers, getting the Triple A. I mean, overall,
your My League career was outstanding. As Joe mentioned, career
(07:47):
three ERA under four. Did you think at one point there,
especially with the Giants, you were on the doorstep of
getting a call to get to the big leagues. Uh,
there was one time I was I started off rough,
you know, UM in that season. Now I was in
Triple A and we were in pomp we were in
(08:10):
Colorado Springs, and I had a real good long stretch
of scoreless innings and I had learned to finally just
let it go and quit hanging on. And the Dick
Tiedro was in town and we're down on the bullpen
and and I had just thrown the night prior, and
(08:31):
the guys I heard, you're out of here, man, you
know the way you're pitching, and this and that, and um,
I remember getting goose bumps and I'm like, hey, man,
you know what, they might be right and m boom,
we get a big blockbuster trade, Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin. Um,
there was somebody else in on it that came over
(08:52):
from the White Sox. And then we sent a bunch
of prospects over and I was like, man, so um,
I felt like I was close to that time. I
could have been wrong. And then when I was with
the Braves, I was doing really well and a lot
of guys were getting hurt. You know. John Rocker went up,
(09:14):
Rudy Cnez went up, and I think Carry Lettenberg went down,
and and I was pitching against the Brewers they were
in Louisville, had a good game, but I dropped down
on a pitch and I felt something kept pitching and
h you know, the next day I was. I just
left it alone and and my agent called me and said,
(09:37):
hey man, there's rumblings of you going up. And as
I was walking by my pitching coach, he was talking
to another pitcher and he says, yeah, I've heard he's
out of here in a couple of days. And so
I go down. I mean, I was like dizzy when
I heard it, because I was like, wow, man, this
is the Braves. This Maddox and Glad and Glavin and
(09:58):
Schmoltz were you know, up there. And so as I'm
at EP, I'm tossing balls in and I'm like, man,
it doesn't feel right. So the next night they asked
me to get up in the pen, and luckily I
didn't go in, and I went and told the trainer.
I said, hey man, my elbow's not right. And they
(10:18):
flew me to Atlanta, got you know, the needle and
the elbow, and tried rehabbing for a bit and didn't
take and went in had surgery and had some bone
spurs removed and so on, and and that was it.
I was, my elbow was fine. I just chose my
(10:38):
business started taking off. I just chose to uh, you know,
be a big league dad, and you know, start my business. Yeah,
you said something there that's really fascinating, interesting, something I've
actually been pondering more recently. Your career kind of took
off almost when you said I'm just gonna let it go.
(10:59):
You almost relinquished control. Like in other words, all those
different thoughts, mechanical thoughts that you had in your head
before you throw the pitch, all that that grinding, tension
filled kind of delivery of the ball. You finally and
I agree with this. It takes time, and there's well,
I'll have our epiphanies at different moments, but when you
almost like say screw it, I'm giving up control because
(11:23):
we always want to be in control. But sometimes weirdly
by by relinquishing control that you become even more in control.
Is that kind of what you experienced? Absolutely? Um, you
know your white knuckle on that ball. Yeah, and so
now it can't do what it needs to do. And
when I m who's the Ken Revisa? My boy? He
(11:45):
comes to spring training. Yeah, he's telling all this stuff.
I'm like, yeah, get this long haired guy out of here.
I don't need it with the big nose. And I
hit a bad streak and I'm like, all right, man,
what was that dude talking about it? Spring training? And
I really started using that stuff more so when I
was with the Giant and I remember the game I
(12:06):
was playing against the Rangers and it's almost I look
behind me, I'm like, who's throwing these pitches? Because they're
going where I want them to almost every every time.
And that's what I bought into inhale, exhale, let it go.
Um you know, me being a man of faith as well,
I'm spiritually, I just let that thing go too, and um,
(12:30):
I started becoming the pitcher um that that my mind
wanted to be where the body was ready. It's just
you know, it was time to let the mind, you know,
make its play. Everybody wants to do that. Everybody wants
to be that guy, that tension free player. Some do
it naturally. We could talk about all the great players
(12:51):
that we've been around, whether it's baseball, you've witnessed in football,
there's there's a natural ability about these guys that there's
the best way to describe it as a tension free
approach to doing everything. And then there's that group that
always looks like they're trying really hard. You know I
was one of that arsty. I used to have this
conversation with dar Nurstead. We always are accused of being
(13:12):
hustlers and playing hard and trying hard because we're always
grinding things out and we just don't have that ability
to be the tension free player where things just happen naturally.
It's almost like your arms a whip as opposed to
a chain of events. And I cannot agree with more man.
It's like I'm saying all this because of kids are
listening or coaches are listening. It's so important to be
(13:34):
able to ride at that point, and everybody wants to
be mister Goodrich and arrivee at a mechanical solution or conclusion,
but it really comes to mentally. It's it's what you
do with the mind, which is pretty much as the
seasons in progress, the mental component of the game at
least takes seventy five to eighty percent of your success
over as the season continues to get longer. So I
(13:54):
really appreciate you bringing that up. I know would just happened,
but you almost have to relinquish control to gain control.
That's that's what I believe. If you prepare yourself you know,
to the highest level, and then the mental part is
ready to trust what you've done. Then you're gonna do
amazing things right on it's well done. It reminds me
(14:18):
of the most famous story I heard along those lines, guys.
Involved a pitcher in the sixties for the Dodgers who
was really wild and one day he was pitching in
a B game in Orlando where the major league's staff
remained in Bureau Beach for the main game, so he
didn't have the major league staff there, and he was
talking with this catcher about taking a different approach, and
as he put it, I took the grunt out of
(14:40):
it in terms of his fastball. And that was Sandy Kovax.
And if you ask Sandy Kovax, he will blot out
tell you there was that one day where it just
flipped for him, and taking the grunt out of the
fastball is something that man that the way he described it, Sean,
it brought me back to what you were just saying
about your ease on the mounds. As George Brett says,
(15:02):
don't try it harder, right, easier, yep. And I didn't
figure it out till the end, unfortunately, you know, you know,
I have my elbow issue there, and but I had it,
you know, and then I was really studying Greg maddox
man and I'm just like, that's the way I should
be doing it. And so I did take the grunt
(15:26):
out and just started, you know, moving stuff around and
changing speeds and you know, just letting the ball go
where it needed to. And um, yeah, you take the
grunt out, you know, things change. Well, pitching is hard,
we know that. I want to ask Sean what it's
like being an NFL dad sitting in the stands watching
your son play in the NFL. We will explore that
(15:47):
topic when we get back on the Fucking Joe Podcast. So,
Sean being an NFL dad, I mean, we're all NFL
fans love watching the game, but when your heart is
(16:07):
entrenched in what's going on in that field, tell me
what it's like, especially that first game when Brock Finding
had a chance to play after starting the years a
third string quarterback. Understanding, of course, not only you love
your son, but you know better than anybody all the
work it took to get there. Yeah. Well, first of all,
there are no words. Everybody wants an answer, and I
can't give it to him. Because even I'm like, I
(16:30):
don't know what to tell you, you know, but the
gut wrench compared to pitching and playing and all that
is just you can't even compare it. Man, because of
seeing your son works so hard his whole life. I mean,
this kid has been business. You know, we would have
Super Bowl parties and while the other kids are outside playing,
(16:54):
Brock's sitting on the coffee table watching the game and
we're talking five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, whatever, just
watching and seeing what he would do and so on
and and um, so just seeing how hard and how
much he loves the game. See see he loves the game.
(17:14):
Um and uh so um as a dad, you see
all that hard work that's been put in and then
to see it unfold is uh. Man, the euphoria of
it is just unbelievable. And I'm just you know, happy
for him. Has nothing to do with mom and dad
and and it's just um, you know, happy for him
(17:37):
and knowing uh, the uphill climb. You know, you're not
big enough, if you're not this or that or whatever,
and m to see him never doubt himself and um
and stay faithful. Um, just so exciting. I mean that's
that's kind of uh, he'd say, obvious to me because
I know you, but I watch it. First of all,
(17:58):
I didn't know even know it was your son. I mean,
I'm golfing with Darl Scott and Brett Crane at Whrolwin.
All of a sudden they said Karnin. Karnin didn't even
know that, uh he was, but he was Purdy's son
or Purse's son. I said, wait a second, who I
didn't either who were talking about it? And And then he
said a brock and he got to be kidding me.
And that's where this all started up, because I didn't know.
(18:19):
I didn't know as your kid. Um. But then but
then I'm watching him play and remembering you, and it's
it's it is a chip off the old block. It's
a different game. Um. Obviously he's been able to get
it rolling a little bit, a little bit sooner than
you did, but watching it again, overachieving in a sense,
if that's even an accurate word. It's just that you
you wanted it more badly or more than some other
(18:42):
people have or had, and he appears to be the
same way. And uh so, once I got that context,
I'm watching him with a different set of eyeballs because
again you as a competitor, as a pitcher, we're not
going to be denied you eventually with the giants kind
of get to your all of your abilities, just based
by not about a physical adjustment, but a mental adjustment.
(19:03):
With him, does he really talk to mental game of football?
Or is he more mechanically incliners at a combination as
he balanced it out? Well, how does that work with him? Um?
The mechanical the mental part, No, because he's more advanced
than I've ever been or will be. And m so
(19:26):
just more of if anything, you know, things didn't go
his way or whatever, sharing with him that I understand
how you're feeling right now, and um and as far
as his play, you know, just some decisions or whatever.
But as far as the mental thing, um goes, there's
(19:50):
a point where I was able to let go and
of him and you know all that stuff is. You know,
he does a better job that I ever did of
put it in in the trash and move forward. I'll tell
you what the game itself creates, that football creates that
(20:12):
I did play a little bit. I did play when
you're in college. But the beauty about football is the
moment you get hit, you absolutely jump into the present tense.
There is no pastors, no future, It's present, and that's
the beauty of that particular game. You could be like
throw up sick before the game is ready to begin.
You could be like confused, and I can remember all
the stuff, my plays, my calls, my reads, whatever, But
(20:33):
the moment, the moment you get smoked or just bumped
or hit or whatever, that goes away, and all of
a sudden you get back to like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday at practice, your trainee takes over. So that's that
is the beauty of the game. That's a once a
week game. And I think the fact that the game
itself really creates or causes you to remain in the
present tense is the beauty of that game too. Yeah,
(20:56):
and the beauty of football is when it's on. It's on. Yeah,
you know, there's there's no in between innings or or whatever.
So yeah, he's always done a great job of just
moving forward, and I've always been impressed with that. You know, Um,
it's so funny. We're watching some his old we had
(21:16):
some old videos. You know, he's home and we're watching
some old flag football videos and and and after that year,
after that season of you know, kid, he's crying because
the kid dropped it or this and that, and we're
telling man, you can't cry. Man, you got to pick
these guys up and so on and so forth, and
(21:37):
you just got to tell him once and boom that
was it. He never showed emotion playing there forward, in
youth or high school or college professional. And I just
admire him from that for that, because I was very
emotional up until probably my junior year in college when
(21:59):
I had a great game and my coach comes and
puts his arm around and says, dude, when are you
gonna quit doing this? And that I'm thinking he's gonna
pump me, you know, because of a good game I
just had, and he knocked me down. And from that
day forward, man, I showed no emotion. But once again,
I developed later than my son, you know, where he
(22:21):
was doing it a long time ago. Well, Sean, a
lot of fans now are watching the NFL combine, and
as you know, everything gets measured there. But clearly they
missed something on brock Right, a guy who's at Iowa
State started forty six games. I mean that experience alone
tells you something was a winner there. What do you
(22:43):
think they missed on Brock? Um, it's just you can't
get wrapped up in the numbers. You know, it's so tempting.
You know, in baseball, six foot four throws gas. But
you know how many strikes does this guy throw? You know,
does it give your team a chance? And you know
(23:03):
it applies, I guess in all sports when bullets are flying,
I just know that, Um, it's okay, It's okay. How
Brock's thing worked out because it's it's been the norm
for him, you know college, you know, the recruiting came
late and so on and so forth. And I always
(23:24):
felt that the NFL was going to unfold the same way.
And UM, you know, for me, UM, I wasn't surprised.
All I wanted was him to get his foot in
the door. And that's all he wanted. Everyone else that
loves him and knows him, you know, they were wanting more. Um,
But UM, it's okay. And so what did they miss? Um?
(23:48):
I don't know. I know his test scores, cognitive test
scores were really high, and and those guys were all
very aware of it, and so M I just whoever
was that was going to take a chance on him
for that would be the team that was was best
for Brock. And um. You know, there's a lot of
(24:09):
organizations in baseball that I really respected, and usually they're
the ones that are you know in it all the time.
Is they leave no stone unturned and um, you know,
they look at different things, these organizations. And then in football,
I really feel the Niners are one of those organizations,
and you know, they're always on the brink of making
(24:31):
it and they always come up with these guys man,
and um, you know back in the day when they
were winning Super Bowls, you know, every year they'd still
get you know, even though they're picking last, they're still
picking up an amazing running back and receiver and and
so on. So um, I was just hoping for somebody
like that, and when it was the Niners, I was like, wow, man,
(24:53):
this is a great place to learn, you know, even
if he doesn't stay there. And then it unfolded like
it did, and it's just just a just a blessing.
I mean again, you're talking about makeup, you're talking about character,
that kind of things that they're very hard to measure
when you can't really put a math equation on something
that kind of uh, it could kind of throw some
people for a loop. Um. That's where the old experienced scouts.
(25:14):
I don't even know how the NFL scout. I don't
even know, um, you know, to what extent it's just
all data and numbers. There's actually dudes out there. I
guess coaches really play big part in that, right with
the with the way the scott is today A well, man,
I don't know. All I know is, you know there's
coaches that know what they want and what they're looking for. Yeah,
and um, and then you know some guys are forced
(25:37):
um at the higher ups above them that you know,
they really get wrapped up in numbers and so on. Yeah,
and so you know you're just you know, lucky enough
to get guys that you know, dig a little deeper. Well. Yeah,
and that's and I think that's a cultural thing. It's
just depends on who your boss is and the culture
that's been established. And I would almost believe, like with
the Niners, they've been kind of steady over the years
(25:58):
and the way they're set up right now, they have
to have like a method that that goes deeper or
beyond just the typical stuff that everybody else is using,
and you are looking for, you know, the purties of
the world, guys that are under flying under the radar
a little bit. I would almost bet with Brock having
been a scout in the Pastor it's like the cool
guys table, you know, the scouts like like the certain
(26:21):
group of guys that are sitting at this one table.
And even though you might say, God, I like that
purty kid, but he's not sitting at the table, so
I can't really put my stamp of approval on him.
That's always bothered me as a baseball scout back in
the day because I would sit with all the scouts
behind home plate and they would always talk about certain guys,
but nobody was talking about Timmy Salmon in the first round,
(26:42):
which I could not believe. I thought Fish was definitely
a top fifteen pick the year that we got him
in the third round. That's just an example. So again
it's it's sometimes it creates a life form of its
own where scouts started to talk. And again I'm not
sure about the NFL, but I could talk about baseball
back in the day if you weren't at the cool
guys table. You're gonna you might get drafted. You will
(27:03):
get drafted, but it's not going to be in the
position that your talents really probably deserved, based on the
fact that not everybody's doing enough talking about you. Yeah,
and Brock never wanted to be talked about, to be
honest with you, and I've always respected that. And he's like,
(27:23):
he likes the challenge, you know. He the high school
he went to was sort of an upstar three four
or five years or whatever. And and you know, we
went to school out of Boundary and the place we
were at they just won state one or two times,
I think, and I'm like, man, are you sure you
want to do this? And he was like, you know,
(27:45):
very humbly, He's like, Nowadavil, go there and turn it around.
I'm like, all right, man, And sure enough, you know,
his junior year he took him to the semis and
then his senior year took him to the championship, you know,
fell short by a touchdown, and you know, hey, why
is he going to Iowa State? And he's like, you know,
(28:07):
I want to. I want to see what we can
do there, you know, And so he likes those challenges,
and um, he doesn't mind not being talked about and
m he likes to look back at that body of
work and go, wow, man, look look what we did.
And so it's just makes for I think, a more
satisfying story, you know, coming under the radar and then
(28:33):
looking back and say, hey, look what we did. It's
a great story. Mister irrelevant to the NSC Championship game.
I can't wait for the Netflix movie that eventually he's
gonna come out. If we're gonna take a quick break
when we come back, we'll finish up with our guest,
Sean Purdy. Welcome back in the Book of Joe podcast.
(29:00):
Our guest is Sean Purdy. We've talked a lot about
your minor league career, Sean, and one of the things
I looked at and like, like Brock as you mentioned,
not a big guy, didn't throw particularly hard. But I'm
sure you notice guys get by you who made the
major leagues by taking shortcuts. And that was the day,
back in the day when peeds were not regulated and
(29:24):
it became almost an accepted practice. I mean, I gotta
ask you, as a guy who got two triple A
and you had the numbers to be a major leaguer.
What did you make of what was going on around
professional baseball at that time? As far as peeds Man,
that didn't register with me until now I'm like, oh man,
that guy and it just didn't even come across my radar. Manum,
(29:52):
I didn't get wrapped up in it. I would, I would,
just you know, there's a lot of politics in baseball,
you know, and this guy knows that guy, and that
guy had that guy drafted or whatever, and it just
works out the way it does. And you know, I
just kept grinding and hope I would, uh, you know,
finally poke through and um, you know, just it didn't happen.
(30:13):
But in the end, you know, is when it dawned,
who was on it? Who wasn't. Yeah, I gotta ask
you too. We talked about you watching your son play.
What about when your son not only gets hurt in
the NFC Championship game, but then he goes back into
the game and he literally cannot throw the football because
(30:35):
there's no emergency quarterback available. There's not a rule for
the NFL in that situation. He goes back into the game. Yeah,
and you know, as a dad, he's hurt. What was
that like watching that. Well, when he threw a pass,
you know, that's because so I tore my ligament and
so I know what it feels like. I know what
(30:56):
it feels like to try to keep throwing where you
know his was torn way more than that. And so
when he went out and threw a short pass, man, Wow,
But I knew that we were going to see him again,
because I know that's him. He's going to try to
figure some way, somehow to get out and grind it
(31:19):
out with his guys. I mean, Brock is the most
loyal player. It's just very admirable. And so when I
saw him get back out there, I was hoping he
wasn't going to throw, but you know, he threw that
one pass, man, and so I could feel it with
(31:39):
him because I know what that injury feels like. And
so you know, it was just unfortunate how it went,
because you know, I know how much he wanted those
older players to man to take them to the Super Bowl. Man. Well,
they were on their way, man, and who knows. I
mean that that's that's just an awful injury inopportune time,
(32:00):
because he definitely had them on the right path. And
I was looking forward to the whole thing too. Um,
and like you all were, I mean that that's really
as a parent to sit up there and watch how
that has to be extremely difficult. Yeah, yeah, it's Uh,
it's gut ranching. Um. You know we all say we
know it's part of the game or whatever, but you know,
that was that was a tough pill to swallow. And
(32:23):
then in the end, knowing how how much he wanted
it for that staff and for that for those players
that have just almost been there before, and he wanted
to be the guy to help give him that, you know. So, Um,
that's what you know. I hurt with him on that.
And Sean, tell us about what you're up to these
(32:44):
days besides watching your son play for the forty nine ers.
I know you have another son who's up and coming
in the college ranks. Uh, tell me a little bit
about your business and then what keeps you busy these days? Well,
this is my favorite time of year when football because
I get to relax. Um. But you know, then Colledge
(33:04):
does fire up, you know, spring ball and so on,
and and you know Chubb has been unfortunate with a
few surgeries and so just getting him healthy, which he
appears to be and um, you know, so now it's well,
actually we're we're not having any time off because we're
focusing on Brock getting him right. Chubb is getting healthy
(33:27):
and you know they're they're taking turns. Um. And then
you know, I have my hot tub business of twenty
five years, so it's our busy season. So um, we're
always busy. You know. Summertime is usually when things cool
off for us and we get the unplug a little bit. Yeah, um,
but yeah, will things will be. You know, we're gonna
(33:50):
be meeting h Chubb on about a week in Florida
and um, he's got a QB coach there that um,
you know, Brock uses, and he'll be training with him,
and we'll we've always molded work uh and turn them
into vacations as well. So I'm from Florida, so we'll
get to see a lot of family and stuff and
(34:12):
be with Chubba and get some work in and then um,
you know Brock will be here. Uh. And and Joe
he's rehabbing with Keith Coker so oh he is okay awesome.
So and it's funny how um doctor meister recommended Keith
and um, you know because I had told Brock that
(34:33):
and he was like, well, you know, I got my guy,
and I said okay, and then mister Meister's like, I
highly recommend this guy and Tempe and I was like,
he's the best, is the best man. Absolutely, he's an Io.
He's an Eyla boy too. I'm pretty sure right, yeah, yeah, yeah,
he'll be he'll be doing that. So we're we're all
over the place as usual. So it's it's what we
(34:56):
signed up for. Awesome, Okay, Sean, you ready to play
a game here? Sure? We did this with all of
our guests here. We call a reading from the Book
of Joe because we feel like you could pick up
our book and flip to any page and you're going
to going to find something really interesting. So all you
have to do is pick a number between one and
(35:18):
three hundred and sixty eight and Joe will read a
passage out of that page. Let me have it. Okay,
what number you got me? I'm will pick thirteen. Brock
number number thirteen, getting right too, I'm here, Okay, yeah,
this is this is pretty much Famously, when I was
going to Midland, Texas and I was not in a
(35:38):
very good mood because I'd been passed over. Yeah, I
mean it works perfectly for it's no pitcher was to
pitch in Midland, Texas, although although you did say how
well you pitched in Colorado Springs, which is really great too.
This was I was on this plane. I was really upset.
I got passed over. Jeter got the job his first
space coach, and I was passed over. I was really upset.
(35:58):
I was ready to quit. Bobolo grabbed me. But that's
before this, when Babolo grabbed me. And how great was Babbaalu?
The best ever? You're bust Okay, I'll just go with
this first paragraph right here. One day, Madden arrived in
this dark mood at the Phoenix Airport for a flight
to Midland, Texas, home to the Angels, double a team
in the Texas League. His mood only worse than when
(36:19):
he found out he had been assigned to a middle
seat right. He woted the flight immediately effect that the
international do not disturb posture, putting on the foamed foam
air headphones of his portable cassette player, pressing play on
the Wild The Innocent in the EA Street Shuffle from
Springsteen crossing his arms and closing his eyes. A large
man I took the seat next to one the aile,
(36:40):
then a woman took the window seat on the other side,
completing an unhappy sandwich, and then just paraphrasing. After that,
this lady just wanted to keep talking, and I didn't
want to talk. I just wanted to be moody and
not talk to anybody. Let's you know me, I never was.
But finally we're flying somewhere over near Passo, I guess
on the way to Middleland, and she leans over to
me and she says, remember one thing, whenever you put
(37:02):
out there comes back to you. So I did this.
I did this with like the headphone. Would you mind
repeating that? And she said it one more time? And
then I swear to God, from that moment on, my
whole attitude changed, because I had never been like that.
So I got off the plan, I go to the
ballpark in Midland. I started my work, and all of
a sudden, I'm back to what who I had been.
So it's just a serendipitous moment. I was sitting on
(37:24):
an airplane and this lady who just wanted to be
talkative and I did not drops that one line on
me that I still think about today whenever I'm having
a bad day, remember one thing whenever you put out
there comes back to you. And again, you're the kind
of guy that really could would take something like that,
a thought like that, and absolutely run with it. And
I'm sure Brock is the same kind of cat also absolutely. Yeah.
(37:46):
Not some heavy stuff right there, man. And you know
that's why Brock is very calculated. I am too, because
you want to be a good example, and you know
that's it's very important that what goes out that's coming back. Man. So, yeah,
(38:08):
she gave you some good advice. That's nineteen ninety whatever,
two or three whatever, that was ninety I don't even know,
but it sticks till today. Yeah, that that little that
little simple phrase. How great is it that Sean picked
the passage out of the Texas League. Sean, you probably
saw more of the Texas League than you wanted to see,
especially Midland. Man. Wow, but that just shows who you are,
(38:32):
that you're humble enough to take that advice and to
listen and for the party family. You know, in your journey,
I'm always like you know, you know, I know him
and Joe and players love playing for him. He's a
player's coach. And you know, you're just different in the
sense that, uh, you know, you do dig deep and
(38:53):
u and with that, you know, that proves that you're
humble enough to take some advice from a lady on
an airplane. And that goes with anything in life. Is
you know, when I used to coach girls softball, you know,
and I tell these dads, hey, tell me what you
see or whatever. They're like, what you know, I don't know,
I go, but you know, you know you've learned. You know,
(39:13):
I trust you, and so if you're willing to, you know,
you feel thro out the good and the bad. It
doesn't mean I have to take everybody's advice, but be
humble enough to listen because something might stick and change
your life. Man, right on, buddy, right on, this whole explanation,
this whole I don't know. Forty minutes almost just bouncing
(39:33):
all over the place talking to Sean about a variety
of things, including his son. Brock explains why Brock is
who he is and why he's overachieved in a sense,
why he's gone to the level that he has, why
he's earned every step of the way. The characteristics the personality,
the person being able to be drafted last out, leaning
(39:55):
that bother him and getting all the way to the
championship game this last year. It's just it's all here.
Everything you're talking about, it's all here. These are the
kind of things that are hard to evaluate, and I
think are the most important things to evaluate when you're
attempting to if you really want to build a strong
organization and get winning type guys in there, Guys that
really care, ultruistic kind of players that are more about
(40:16):
you than they're about themselves. So anyway, this as we're
just talking right now, I just wrote that little note
explaining why he went from last to first, just this
whole conversation. And I appreciate Sean how you've described everything.
You've done a great job with that. Thank you. Yeah,
we just you know, you want people to not give up,
(40:39):
you know when you see it. And you know, Brock,
when Tim Tebow won the highs his dad, that's what
I want to do, and that's how I want to
do it. And um, you know, with class, and you
know he always admired how Timmy was a warrior with
his teammates and and you know he's just always wanted
(41:01):
to inspire, you know, people, and and I have too.
You know, it's just like you just want to let
people know, hey, look I understand, and hey, man, don't
give up. And boy, if this thing does work out, man,
it's gonna be awesome, you know, encouraging people. So we're
just grateful for the opportunity to have conversations with people
(41:24):
like yourself and so on, to just encourage people. Man,
just go be your best, give it you're all. If
it works out, man, it's gonna be awesome. If it doesn't,
you're gonna sleep well. So it all comes through, buddy,
It all comes through great stories of perseverance, father and
son and Sean. We really thank you for your time
(41:44):
and we wish the best of luck and Brock making
his way back and getting healthy and looking forward to
seeing him again with the forty nine ers. Thanks so much, absolutely,
thank you. God bless you guys too well. Joe, I
really enjoyed our time with Sean Party. I mean, I mean,
what's great about it, as I said, a story of
perseverance on both father and son, and for fans, they
(42:08):
probably looked in the NFL season last year and we're like, wow,
who's this brock Purty dude, the guy fell out of
the sky, came from nowhere, and then you hear what
it takes to get there and everything that he's persevered
to even get an opportunity, know us, to get them
in the NFC Championship game. So but I just I
just love hearing those stories. Yeah, I mean, it's it's
(42:29):
so obvious. Over the course of almost an hour just
just talking, just having a conversation, it's revealed easily why
Sean was as as successful as he was. And then
his son definitely is a chip off the old block,
did it the right way, great teammate is there for
everybody else. First, his son is a leader already at
(42:51):
an early age with a world class football organization. And
then you could just see her Sean. The humility in
Shawn's voice, but also the strength in Shawn's voice. I mean,
he provides great direction and leadership for his kids. And
that's pretty obvious. He was he was like he was
that kind of competitor. That's what I really remember most
about him back in the day because he would not
(43:14):
be denied. Did not have the best stuff like you've
talked about, but once he learned to relinquish control, he
gained more control. I love that part about the conversation
because I really when it comes down to teaching this game, baseball, football,
any game we all wanted, like he said, white knucklet
and control it. And it's exactly the opposite. That's really
(43:34):
gonna going to benefit your success. Great stuff. I love
the way he explained that it took him a long time.
Something happens early took him a long time, but he
kept at it. Jerry, have something to take us out here. Yeah,
this is almost the dovetails, which is our boy anyway,
And I was another Twain, one more Twain, I'll stop
(43:55):
doing it, but mister Twain said, and it's really it
just it pertains to everything that we've talked about. When
in doubt tell the truth, and we just we just
spoke with the truth teller. I mean, Sean Purdy is
absolutely straightforward. There's no dissembling whatsoever. This is who I am,
this is what I think, this is what I believe,
(44:16):
and after you get when he describes his son brocka,
I'm really looking forward to meeting so mister Twain, When
in doubt tell the truth, it's pretty easy you can't
go wrong with that great advice in any side of life.
And Joe, look forward to next time we meet and
hearing about your efforts on the golf course. I promised too,
I'll be able to take a picture too. Whatever. I'm
(44:38):
looking forward to it. It's exciting. Got my new pings
to go with me, just boughts of new clothes yesterday
to dress up a little bit. It's gonna be cool.
See you next time, all right, buddy, Thanks you too.
The Book of Joe podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.
(44:58):
For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app,
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Book of Joe podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.
Hello again and welcome back to the Book of Joe Podcasts,
The Most Interesting Baseball and then some podcasts on your
Internet and Joe. Before we get to our special guests,
(00:26):
of course, I'm Tom Verducci. This is Joe Madden, my
buddy and Joe. Before we get to our special guest,
I gotta ask you about your golf game, because basically
you're hitting the PGA Tour soon. You've got a big
event coming up. Tell me about it. Yeah, I'm very
nervous actually heading down to Tampact later today. I'm going
to be there for almost ten days and yes, the
(00:47):
valves bar. I was invited to participate in the pro
am component of this, So yeah, I was out hitting
a bucket yesterday, played all week in Long Beach, played
into Sleep last week at Skylinks. So I'm trying to
really perfect the turn, which totally maximizes distance and accuracy.
So I'm into all of this. I'm looking forward to
(01:08):
getting a couple of tips, but dude, I got that one.
I got Whisper Rock the next week with my neighbor
John Davidson. Then I go to California for Walley Joiners
tournament out there, and then eventually Joe names in Florida.
So a little, a little, that's not really nerve wrack.
I'm really eager and excited about it. It's it's kind
of cool. It's something I'm really looking forward to. I
hope they have very large galleries there at the Vallast Bar.
(01:30):
Joe put some more pressure on you. I'm okay with that,
just so they have to. They're not a duck, you know,
they said. Although you know it's it's I'm looking forward
to that. I think it forces you to focus or
concentrate more. Let's we'll see. Yeah. Now, our special guests welcome.
Sean Purdy. Now you probably don't know him from his
days in the Angels, Giants, Braves organizations eight minor league
(01:53):
seasons as as a pitcher with a really good record
we'll get to, but more recently in a lot of
TV time as well. Sean really kind of famous for
being Brock's dad. Of course, Brock had a tremendous run
with the San Francisco Giants, brought them all the way
to the NFC Championship Game. Sean, welcome. First of all,
I gotta tell us how your son is doing, because
(02:14):
the last we saw of him, he took a pretty
bad hit against the Eagles, and I know he was
heading for surgery. Yeah, thanks for having me. Um. He's
doing good. He's just been rehabbing prior to surgery. You know.
I just wanted things to calm down. And doctor Meister
is who we're using, and he's he's just very cautious.
(02:35):
So that'll be happening this Friday. And got a great
rehab therapist that we're going to and after Friday we'll
get things rolling and get them healthy. Hey Joe, please
tell me, please tell me you didn't release Sean Purdy
because we've already had one guest show, Kenny Grant Well
let go out of the Angels organization, So please tell
(02:57):
me your fingerprints were not on this one too. No person,
I was already in the big leagues. I went to
the big leagues as an excuse me bullpen coach with
Marcel Lashman, and Sean would still turn it up with
the Angels. Actually, his career really took off once he
did leave the Angels. Although I do want to mention
something I didn't even wasn't even aware of this because
(03:18):
I was looking up your numbers today. Do you realize
how many innings you pitched in rookie ball with Cotch
in Boise? Yeah? Right, that was awesome. I mean, this
never happens. He had where was it ninety five innings
pitched in a half season in Boise coming out of Miami.
That would never zero possibility of that happening today. And
(03:38):
then it goes right and follows that up in the
next year with one sixty eight in Palm Springs again,
thirteen and eight record in Palm Springs, eight and four
in Boise. And the thing that really stands up pers
is like your overall record fifty eight and thirty seven
equals winner. You're You're a winner, You're a winning player.
And there's such a strong correlation to with your son
(04:02):
has been doing because being drafted last, there was a
lot of people that had passed on it. But it's
really hard to understand or evaluate heart desire and those
guys that are just winners. So talk about that a
little bit, because absolutely Rock has received that gene chip
from you. Well, first, I'll go back to Boise with Kachman.
(04:26):
Several times he came to take me out and I
wouldn't come out. So he's like, give me the ball,
and I'm like, no, I got this. So that's how
I bought a few extra annings there. Yeah, it's just
you know, both Brock and I, you know, we weren't
blessed with six foot four height or whatever, so you
(04:48):
just had to get the most out of your body.
So you know, you gotta be technically sound and so on,
and you know your preparation has to be at a
whole other level because you know, a lot of people
get away with just raw talent and um so you know,
the both of us also, you know, you just you know,
(05:10):
I didn't. I didn't. I got drafted in the sixteenth round.
Um back then, I don't know there was sixty and uh,
you know, he just he had something you wanted to
prove and mostly to yourself, you know, and I just
felt like, I'm I'm I'm gonna leave on my terms.
I'm proud to say I never got released. Um so
(05:33):
I just, uh, every game was a big game and
you felt like it was your last and um, you know,
you just always wanted to play with no regrets. Did
you actually have this kind of conversation with Brock talking
about your career and your your personal philosophy on how
to get this done because there had been I guess
not maybe disappointment, but being drafted last, he might have
(05:56):
been expecting to go sooner than that. Was there any
kind of like little sit down talk you had with
him to really reassure him and draw the parallels between
how you got to the point that you did and
where it was going to take him in his football career.
Um no, I never really talked too much about my career.
I just talked about working hard and preparing yourself. You know,
(06:20):
we would throw bullpens when we were younger, and if
you could remember Howie Gershberg, of course I lived and
died off of his mechanics. And you know long bullpens
with both boys where they're like you gotta be kidding me,
aren't we done? And I'm like nope. And so I
(06:40):
think that carried over into everything that both boys do.
And um, you know, Brock won't do something. He's not
done until he feels it's right, and so that's just uh,
you know where his work ethics started and his determination.
He's had it ever since he was little, and he
(07:02):
doesn't like to lose, and so on his end of things,
he's going to do everything he can to um, you know,
give his team what he can to win. UM. I
was the same way. You know, if I lost, if
we lost, I felt like it was my fault. I
shouldn't have gave up that hit or even that ground ball.
I felt like I should just get everybody out. And UM.
(07:25):
You know with that mindset, UM, you know, it just
produces I think, a winning a winning attitude. Hey, Sean,
Joe mentioned that, you know, once he left the Angels
signed out with the Giants, he got a really nice
run for them, pitching his back end the bullpens, putting
up good numbers, getting the Triple A. I mean, overall,
your My League career was outstanding. As Joe mentioned, career
(07:47):
three ERA under four. Did you think at one point there,
especially with the Giants, you were on the doorstep of
getting a call to get to the big leagues. Uh,
there was one time I was I started off rough,
you know, UM in that season. Now I was in
Triple A and we were in pomp we were in
(08:10):
Colorado Springs, and I had a real good long stretch
of scoreless innings and I had learned to finally just
let it go and quit hanging on. And the Dick
Tiedro was in town and we're down on the bullpen
and and I had just thrown the night prior, and
(08:31):
the guys I heard, you're out of here, man, you
know the way you're pitching, and this and that, and um,
I remember getting goose bumps and I'm like, hey, man,
you know what, they might be right and m boom,
we get a big blockbuster trade, Wilson Alvarez, Danny Darwin. Um,
there was somebody else in on it that came over
(08:52):
from the White Sox. And then we sent a bunch
of prospects over and I was like, man, so um,
I felt like I was close to that time. I
could have been wrong. And then when I was with
the Braves, I was doing really well and a lot
of guys were getting hurt. You know. John Rocker went up,
(09:14):
Rudy Cnez went up, and I think Carry Lettenberg went down,
and and I was pitching against the Brewers they were
in Louisville, had a good game, but I dropped down
on a pitch and I felt something kept pitching and
h you know, the next day I was. I just
left it alone and and my agent called me and said,
(09:37):
hey man, there's rumblings of you going up. And as
I was walking by my pitching coach, he was talking
to another pitcher and he says, yeah, I've heard he's
out of here in a couple of days. And so
I go down. I mean, I was like dizzy when
I heard it, because I was like, wow, man, this
is the Braves. This Maddox and Glad and Glavin and
(09:58):
Schmoltz were you know, up there. And so as I'm
at EP, I'm tossing balls in and I'm like, man,
it doesn't feel right. So the next night they asked
me to get up in the pen, and luckily I
didn't go in, and I went and told the trainer.
I said, hey man, my elbow's not right. And they
(10:18):
flew me to Atlanta, got you know, the needle and
the elbow, and tried rehabbing for a bit and didn't
take and went in had surgery and had some bone
spurs removed and so on, and and that was it.
I was, my elbow was fine. I just chose my
(10:38):
business started taking off. I just chose to uh, you know,
be a big league dad, and you know, start my business. Yeah,
you said something there that's really fascinating, interesting, something I've
actually been pondering more recently. Your career kind of took
off almost when you said I'm just gonna let it go.
(10:59):
You almost relinquished control. Like in other words, all those
different thoughts, mechanical thoughts that you had in your head
before you throw the pitch, all that that grinding, tension
filled kind of delivery of the ball. You finally and
I agree with this. It takes time, and there's well,
I'll have our epiphanies at different moments, but when you
almost like say screw it, I'm giving up control because
(11:23):
we always want to be in control. But sometimes weirdly
by by relinquishing control that you become even more in control.
Is that kind of what you experienced? Absolutely? Um, you
know your white knuckle on that ball. Yeah, and so
now it can't do what it needs to do. And
when I m who's the Ken Revisa? My boy? He
(11:45):
comes to spring training. Yeah, he's telling all this stuff.
I'm like, yeah, get this long haired guy out of here.
I don't need it with the big nose. And I
hit a bad streak and I'm like, all right, man,
what was that dude talking about it? Spring training? And
I really started using that stuff more so when I
was with the Giant and I remember the game I
(12:06):
was playing against the Rangers and it's almost I look
behind me, I'm like, who's throwing these pitches? Because they're
going where I want them to almost every every time.
And that's what I bought into inhale, exhale, let it go.
Um you know, me being a man of faith as well,
I'm spiritually, I just let that thing go too, and um,
(12:30):
I started becoming the pitcher um that that my mind
wanted to be where the body was ready. It's just
you know, it was time to let the mind, you know,
make its play. Everybody wants to do that. Everybody wants
to be that guy, that tension free player. Some do
it naturally. We could talk about all the great players
(12:51):
that we've been around, whether it's baseball, you've witnessed in football,
there's there's a natural ability about these guys that there's
the best way to describe it as a tension free
approach to doing everything. And then there's that group that
always looks like they're trying really hard. You know I
was one of that arsty. I used to have this
conversation with dar Nurstead. We always are accused of being
(13:12):
hustlers and playing hard and trying hard because we're always
grinding things out and we just don't have that ability
to be the tension free player where things just happen naturally.
It's almost like your arms a whip as opposed to
a chain of events. And I cannot agree with more man.
It's like I'm saying all this because of kids are
listening or coaches are listening. It's so important to be
(13:34):
able to ride at that point, and everybody wants to
be mister Goodrich and arrivee at a mechanical solution or conclusion,
but it really comes to mentally. It's it's what you
do with the mind, which is pretty much as the
seasons in progress, the mental component of the game at
least takes seventy five to eighty percent of your success
over as the season continues to get longer. So I
(13:54):
really appreciate you bringing that up. I know would just happened,
but you almost have to relinquish control to gain control.
That's that's what I believe. If you prepare yourself you know,
to the highest level, and then the mental part is
ready to trust what you've done. Then you're gonna do
amazing things right on it's well done. It reminds me
(14:18):
of the most famous story I heard along those lines, guys.
Involved a pitcher in the sixties for the Dodgers who
was really wild and one day he was pitching in
a B game in Orlando where the major league's staff
remained in Bureau Beach for the main game, so he
didn't have the major league staff there, and he was
talking with this catcher about taking a different approach, and
as he put it, I took the grunt out of
(14:40):
it in terms of his fastball. And that was Sandy Kovax.
And if you ask Sandy Kovax, he will blot out
tell you there was that one day where it just
flipped for him, and taking the grunt out of the
fastball is something that man that the way he described it, Sean,
it brought me back to what you were just saying
about your ease on the mounds. As George Brett says,
(15:02):
don't try it harder, right, easier, yep. And I didn't
figure it out till the end, unfortunately, you know, you know,
I have my elbow issue there, and but I had it,
you know, and then I was really studying Greg maddox
man and I'm just like, that's the way I should
be doing it. And so I did take the grunt
(15:26):
out and just started, you know, moving stuff around and
changing speeds and you know, just letting the ball go
where it needed to. And um, yeah, you take the
grunt out, you know, things change. Well, pitching is hard,
we know that. I want to ask Sean what it's
like being an NFL dad sitting in the stands watching
your son play in the NFL. We will explore that
(15:47):
topic when we get back on the Fucking Joe Podcast. So,
Sean being an NFL dad, I mean, we're all NFL
fans love watching the game, but when your heart is
(16:07):
entrenched in what's going on in that field, tell me
what it's like, especially that first game when Brock Finding
had a chance to play after starting the years a
third string quarterback. Understanding, of course, not only you love
your son, but you know better than anybody all the
work it took to get there. Yeah. Well, first of all,
there are no words. Everybody wants an answer, and I
can't give it to him. Because even I'm like, I
(16:30):
don't know what to tell you, you know, but the
gut wrench compared to pitching and playing and all that
is just you can't even compare it. Man, because of
seeing your son works so hard his whole life. I mean,
this kid has been business. You know, we would have
Super Bowl parties and while the other kids are outside playing,
(16:54):
Brock's sitting on the coffee table watching the game and
we're talking five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, whatever, just
watching and seeing what he would do and so on
and and um, so just seeing how hard and how
much he loves the game. See see he loves the game.
(17:14):
Um and uh so um as a dad, you see
all that hard work that's been put in and then
to see it unfold is uh. Man, the euphoria of
it is just unbelievable. And I'm just you know, happy
for him. Has nothing to do with mom and dad
and and it's just um, you know, happy for him
(17:37):
and knowing uh, the uphill climb. You know, you're not
big enough, if you're not this or that or whatever,
and m to see him never doubt himself and um
and stay faithful. Um, just so exciting. I mean that's
that's kind of uh, he'd say, obvious to me because
I know you, but I watch it. First of all,
(17:58):
I didn't know even know it was your son. I mean,
I'm golfing with Darl Scott and Brett Crane at Whrolwin.
All of a sudden they said Karnin. Karnin didn't even
know that, uh he was, but he was Purdy's son
or Purse's son. I said, wait a second, who I
didn't either who were talking about it? And And then he
said a brock and he got to be kidding me.
And that's where this all started up, because I didn't know.
(18:19):
I didn't know as your kid. Um. But then but
then I'm watching him play and remembering you, and it's
it's it is a chip off the old block. It's
a different game. Um. Obviously he's been able to get
it rolling a little bit, a little bit sooner than
you did, but watching it again, overachieving in a sense,
if that's even an accurate word. It's just that you
you wanted it more badly or more than some other
(18:42):
people have or had, and he appears to be the
same way. And uh so, once I got that context,
I'm watching him with a different set of eyeballs because
again you as a competitor, as a pitcher, we're not
going to be denied you eventually with the giants kind
of get to your all of your abilities, just based
by not about a physical adjustment, but a mental adjustment.
(19:03):
With him, does he really talk to mental game of football?
Or is he more mechanically incliners at a combination as
he balanced it out? Well, how does that work with him? Um?
The mechanical the mental part, No, because he's more advanced
than I've ever been or will be. And m so
(19:26):
just more of if anything, you know, things didn't go
his way or whatever, sharing with him that I understand
how you're feeling right now, and um and as far
as his play, you know, just some decisions or whatever.
But as far as the mental thing, um goes, there's
(19:50):
a point where I was able to let go and
of him and you know all that stuff is. You know,
he does a better job that I ever did of
put it in in the trash and move forward. I'll tell
you what the game itself creates, that football creates that
(20:12):
I did play a little bit. I did play when
you're in college. But the beauty about football is the
moment you get hit, you absolutely jump into the present tense.
There is no pastors, no future, It's present, and that's
the beauty of that particular game. You could be like
throw up sick before the game is ready to begin.
You could be like confused, and I can remember all
the stuff, my plays, my calls, my reads, whatever, But
(20:33):
the moment, the moment you get smoked or just bumped
or hit or whatever, that goes away, and all of
a sudden you get back to like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday at practice, your trainee takes over. So that's that
is the beauty of the game. That's a once a
week game. And I think the fact that the game
itself really creates or causes you to remain in the
present tense is the beauty of that game too. Yeah,
(20:56):
and the beauty of football is when it's on. It's on. Yeah,
you know, there's there's no in between innings or or whatever.
So yeah, he's always done a great job of just
moving forward, and I've always been impressed with that. You know, Um,
it's so funny. We're watching some his old we had
(21:16):
some old videos. You know, he's home and we're watching
some old flag football videos and and and after that year,
after that season of you know, kid, he's crying because
the kid dropped it or this and that, and we're
telling man, you can't cry. Man, you got to pick
these guys up and so on and so forth, and
(21:37):
you just got to tell him once and boom that
was it. He never showed emotion playing there forward, in
youth or high school or college professional. And I just
admire him from that for that, because I was very
emotional up until probably my junior year in college when
(21:59):
I had a great game and my coach comes and
puts his arm around and says, dude, when are you
gonna quit doing this? And that I'm thinking he's gonna
pump me, you know, because of a good game I
just had, and he knocked me down. And from that
day forward, man, I showed no emotion. But once again,
I developed later than my son, you know, where he
(22:21):
was doing it a long time ago. Well, Sean, a
lot of fans now are watching the NFL combine, and
as you know, everything gets measured there. But clearly they
missed something on brock Right, a guy who's at Iowa
State started forty six games. I mean that experience alone
tells you something was a winner there. What do you
(22:43):
think they missed on Brock? Um, it's just you can't
get wrapped up in the numbers. You know, it's so tempting.
You know, in baseball, six foot four throws gas. But
you know how many strikes does this guy throw? You know,
does it give your team a chance? And you know
(23:03):
it applies, I guess in all sports when bullets are flying,
I just know that, Um, it's okay, It's okay. How
Brock's thing worked out because it's it's been the norm
for him, you know college, you know, the recruiting came
late and so on and so forth. And I always
(23:24):
felt that the NFL was going to unfold the same way.
And UM, you know, for me, UM, I wasn't surprised.
All I wanted was him to get his foot in
the door. And that's all he wanted. Everyone else that
loves him and knows him, you know, they were wanting more. Um,
But UM, it's okay. And so what did they miss? Um?
(23:48):
I don't know. I know his test scores, cognitive test
scores were really high, and and those guys were all
very aware of it, and so M I just whoever
was that was going to take a chance on him
for that would be the team that was was best
for Brock. And um. You know, there's a lot of
(24:09):
organizations in baseball that I really respected, and usually they're
the ones that are you know in it all the time.
Is they leave no stone unturned and um, you know,
they look at different things, these organizations. And then in football,
I really feel the Niners are one of those organizations,
and you know, they're always on the brink of making
(24:31):
it and they always come up with these guys man,
and um, you know back in the day when they
were winning Super Bowls, you know, every year they'd still
get you know, even though they're picking last, they're still
picking up an amazing running back and receiver and and
so on. So um, I was just hoping for somebody
like that, and when it was the Niners, I was like, wow, man,
(24:53):
this is a great place to learn, you know, even
if he doesn't stay there. And then it unfolded like
it did, and it's just just a just a blessing.
I mean again, you're talking about makeup, you're talking about character,
that kind of things that they're very hard to measure
when you can't really put a math equation on something
that kind of uh, it could kind of throw some
people for a loop. Um. That's where the old experienced scouts.
(25:14):
I don't even know how the NFL scout. I don't
even know, um, you know, to what extent it's just
all data and numbers. There's actually dudes out there. I
guess coaches really play big part in that, right with
the with the way the scott is today A well, man,
I don't know. All I know is, you know there's
coaches that know what they want and what they're looking for. Yeah,
and um, and then you know some guys are forced
(25:37):
um at the higher ups above them that you know,
they really get wrapped up in numbers and so on. Yeah,
and so you know you're just you know, lucky enough
to get guys that you know, dig a little deeper. Well. Yeah,
and that's and I think that's a cultural thing. It's
just depends on who your boss is and the culture
that's been established. And I would almost believe, like with
the Niners, they've been kind of steady over the years
(25:58):
and the way they're set up right now, they have
to have like a method that that goes deeper or
beyond just the typical stuff that everybody else is using,
and you are looking for, you know, the purties of
the world, guys that are under flying under the radar
a little bit. I would almost bet with Brock having
been a scout in the Pastor it's like the cool
guys table, you know, the scouts like like the certain
(26:21):
group of guys that are sitting at this one table.
And even though you might say, God, I like that
purty kid, but he's not sitting at the table, so
I can't really put my stamp of approval on him.
That's always bothered me as a baseball scout back in
the day because I would sit with all the scouts
behind home plate and they would always talk about certain guys,
but nobody was talking about Timmy Salmon in the first round,
(26:42):
which I could not believe. I thought Fish was definitely
a top fifteen pick the year that we got him
in the third round. That's just an example. So again
it's it's sometimes it creates a life form of its
own where scouts started to talk. And again I'm not
sure about the NFL, but I could talk about baseball
back in the day if you weren't at the cool
guys table. You're gonna you might get drafted. You will
(27:03):
get drafted, but it's not going to be in the
position that your talents really probably deserved, based on the
fact that not everybody's doing enough talking about you. Yeah,
and Brock never wanted to be talked about, to be
honest with you, and I've always respected that. And he's like,
(27:23):
he likes the challenge, you know. He the high school
he went to was sort of an upstar three four
or five years or whatever. And and you know, we
went to school out of Boundary and the place we
were at they just won state one or two times,
I think, and I'm like, man, are you sure you
want to do this? And he was like, you know,
(27:45):
very humbly, He's like, Nowadavil, go there and turn it around.
I'm like, all right, man, And sure enough, you know,
his junior year he took him to the semis and
then his senior year took him to the championship, you know,
fell short by a touchdown, and you know, hey, why
is he going to Iowa State? And he's like, you know,
(28:07):
I want to. I want to see what we can
do there, you know, And so he likes those challenges,
and um, he doesn't mind not being talked about and
m he likes to look back at that body of
work and go, wow, man, look look what we did.
And so it's just makes for I think, a more
satisfying story, you know, coming under the radar and then
(28:33):
looking back and say, hey, look what we did. It's
a great story. Mister irrelevant to the NSC Championship game.
I can't wait for the Netflix movie that eventually he's
gonna come out. If we're gonna take a quick break
when we come back, we'll finish up with our guest,
Sean Purdy. Welcome back in the Book of Joe podcast.
(29:00):
Our guest is Sean Purdy. We've talked a lot about
your minor league career, Sean, and one of the things
I looked at and like, like Brock as you mentioned,
not a big guy, didn't throw particularly hard. But I'm
sure you notice guys get by you who made the
major leagues by taking shortcuts. And that was the day,
back in the day when peeds were not regulated and
(29:24):
it became almost an accepted practice. I mean, I gotta
ask you, as a guy who got two triple A
and you had the numbers to be a major leaguer.
What did you make of what was going on around
professional baseball at that time? As far as peeds Man,
that didn't register with me until now I'm like, oh man,
that guy and it just didn't even come across my radar. Manum,
(29:52):
I didn't get wrapped up in it. I would, I would,
just you know, there's a lot of politics in baseball,
you know, and this guy knows that guy, and that
guy had that guy drafted or whatever, and it just
works out the way it does. And you know, I
just kept grinding and hope I would, uh, you know,
finally poke through and um, you know, just it didn't happen.
(30:13):
But in the end, you know, is when it dawned,
who was on it? Who wasn't. Yeah, I gotta ask
you too. We talked about you watching your son play.
What about when your son not only gets hurt in
the NFC Championship game, but then he goes back into
the game and he literally cannot throw the football because
(30:35):
there's no emergency quarterback available. There's not a rule for
the NFL in that situation. He goes back into the game. Yeah,
and you know, as a dad, he's hurt. What was
that like watching that. Well, when he threw a pass,
you know, that's because so I tore my ligament and
so I know what it feels like. I know what
(30:56):
it feels like to try to keep throwing where you
know his was torn way more than that. And so
when he went out and threw a short pass, man, Wow,
But I knew that we were going to see him again,
because I know that's him. He's going to try to
figure some way, somehow to get out and grind it
(31:19):
out with his guys. I mean, Brock is the most
loyal player. It's just very admirable. And so when I
saw him get back out there, I was hoping he
wasn't going to throw, but you know, he threw that
one pass, man, and so I could feel it with
(31:39):
him because I know what that injury feels like. And
so you know, it was just unfortunate how it went,
because you know, I know how much he wanted those
older players to man to take them to the Super Bowl. Man. Well,
they were on their way, man, and who knows. I
mean that that's that's just an awful injury inopportune time,
(32:00):
because he definitely had them on the right path. And
I was looking forward to the whole thing too. Um,
and like you all were, I mean that that's really
as a parent to sit up there and watch how
that has to be extremely difficult. Yeah, yeah, it's Uh,
it's gut ranching. Um. You know we all say we
know it's part of the game or whatever, but you know,
that was that was a tough pill to swallow. And
(32:23):
then in the end, knowing how how much he wanted
it for that staff and for that for those players
that have just almost been there before, and he wanted
to be the guy to help give him that, you know. So, Um,
that's what you know. I hurt with him on that.
And Sean, tell us about what you're up to these
(32:44):
days besides watching your son play for the forty nine ers.
I know you have another son who's up and coming
in the college ranks. Uh, tell me a little bit
about your business and then what keeps you busy these days? Well,
this is my favorite time of year when football because
I get to relax. Um. But you know, then Colledge
(33:04):
does fire up, you know, spring ball and so on,
and and you know Chubb has been unfortunate with a
few surgeries and so just getting him healthy, which he
appears to be and um, you know, so now it's well,
actually we're we're not having any time off because we're
focusing on Brock getting him right. Chubb is getting healthy
(33:27):
and you know they're they're taking turns. Um. And then
you know, I have my hot tub business of twenty
five years, so it's our busy season. So um, we're
always busy. You know. Summertime is usually when things cool
off for us and we get the unplug a little bit. Yeah, um,
but yeah, will things will be. You know, we're gonna
(33:50):
be meeting h Chubb on about a week in Florida
and um, he's got a QB coach there that um,
you know, Brock uses, and he'll be training with him,
and we'll we've always molded work uh and turn them
into vacations as well. So I'm from Florida, so we'll
get to see a lot of family and stuff and
(34:12):
be with Chubba and get some work in and then um,
you know Brock will be here. Uh. And and Joe
he's rehabbing with Keith Coker so oh he is okay awesome.
So and it's funny how um doctor meister recommended Keith
and um, you know because I had told Brock that
(34:33):
and he was like, well, you know, I got my guy,
and I said okay, and then mister Meister's like, I
highly recommend this guy and Tempe and I was like,
he's the best, is the best man. Absolutely, he's an Io.
He's an Eyla boy too. I'm pretty sure right, yeah, yeah, yeah,
he'll be he'll be doing that. So we're we're all
over the place as usual. So it's it's what we
(34:56):
signed up for. Awesome, Okay, Sean, you ready to play
a game here? Sure? We did this with all of
our guests here. We call a reading from the Book
of Joe because we feel like you could pick up
our book and flip to any page and you're going
to going to find something really interesting. So all you
have to do is pick a number between one and
(35:18):
three hundred and sixty eight and Joe will read a
passage out of that page. Let me have it. Okay,
what number you got me? I'm will pick thirteen. Brock
number number thirteen, getting right too, I'm here, Okay, yeah,
this is this is pretty much Famously, when I was
going to Midland, Texas and I was not in a
(35:38):
very good mood because I'd been passed over. Yeah, I
mean it works perfectly for it's no pitcher was to
pitch in Midland, Texas, although although you did say how
well you pitched in Colorado Springs, which is really great too.
This was I was on this plane. I was really upset.
I got passed over. Jeter got the job his first
space coach, and I was passed over. I was really upset.
(35:58):
I was ready to quit. Bobolo grabbed me. But that's
before this, when Babolo grabbed me. And how great was Babbaalu?
The best ever? You're bust Okay, I'll just go with
this first paragraph right here. One day, Madden arrived in
this dark mood at the Phoenix Airport for a flight
to Midland, Texas, home to the Angels, double a team
in the Texas League. His mood only worse than when
(36:19):
he found out he had been assigned to a middle
seat right. He woted the flight immediately effect that the
international do not disturb posture, putting on the foamed foam
air headphones of his portable cassette player, pressing play on
the Wild The Innocent in the EA Street Shuffle from
Springsteen crossing his arms and closing his eyes. A large
man I took the seat next to one the aile,
(36:40):
then a woman took the window seat on the other side,
completing an unhappy sandwich, and then just paraphrasing. After that,
this lady just wanted to keep talking, and I didn't
want to talk. I just wanted to be moody and
not talk to anybody. Let's you know me, I never was.
But finally we're flying somewhere over near Passo, I guess
on the way to Middleland, and she leans over to
me and she says, remember one thing, whenever you put
(37:02):
out there comes back to you. So I did this.
I did this with like the headphone. Would you mind
repeating that? And she said it one more time? And
then I swear to God, from that moment on, my
whole attitude changed, because I had never been like that.
So I got off the plan, I go to the
ballpark in Midland. I started my work, and all of
a sudden, I'm back to what who I had been.
So it's just a serendipitous moment. I was sitting on
(37:24):
an airplane and this lady who just wanted to be
talkative and I did not drops that one line on
me that I still think about today whenever I'm having
a bad day, remember one thing whenever you put out
there comes back to you. And again, you're the kind
of guy that really could would take something like that,
a thought like that, and absolutely run with it. And
I'm sure Brock is the same kind of cat also absolutely. Yeah.
(37:46):
Not some heavy stuff right there, man. And you know
that's why Brock is very calculated. I am too, because
you want to be a good example, and you know
that's it's very important that what goes out that's coming back. Man. So, yeah,
(38:08):
she gave you some good advice. That's nineteen ninety whatever,
two or three whatever, that was ninety I don't even know,
but it sticks till today. Yeah, that that little that
little simple phrase. How great is it that Sean picked
the passage out of the Texas League. Sean, you probably
saw more of the Texas League than you wanted to see,
especially Midland. Man. Wow, but that just shows who you are,
(38:32):
that you're humble enough to take that advice and to
listen and for the party family. You know, in your journey,
I'm always like you know, you know, I know him
and Joe and players love playing for him. He's a
player's coach. And you know, you're just different in the
sense that, uh, you know, you do dig deep and
(38:53):
u and with that, you know, that proves that you're
humble enough to take some advice from a lady on
an airplane. And that goes with anything in life. Is
you know, when I used to coach girls softball, you know,
and I tell these dads, hey, tell me what you
see or whatever. They're like, what you know, I don't know,
I go, but you know, you know you've learned. You know,
(39:13):
I trust you, and so if you're willing to, you know,
you feel thro out the good and the bad. It
doesn't mean I have to take everybody's advice, but be
humble enough to listen because something might stick and change
your life. Man, right on, buddy, right on, this whole explanation,
this whole I don't know. Forty minutes almost just bouncing
(39:33):
all over the place talking to Sean about a variety
of things, including his son. Brock explains why Brock is
who he is and why he's overachieved in a sense,
why he's gone to the level that he has, why
he's earned every step of the way. The characteristics the personality,
the person being able to be drafted last out, leaning
(39:55):
that bother him and getting all the way to the
championship game this last year. It's just it's all here.
Everything you're talking about, it's all here. These are the
kind of things that are hard to evaluate, and I
think are the most important things to evaluate when you're
attempting to if you really want to build a strong
organization and get winning type guys in there, Guys that
really care, ultruistic kind of players that are more about
(40:16):
you than they're about themselves. So anyway, this as we're
just talking right now, I just wrote that little note
explaining why he went from last to first, just this
whole conversation. And I appreciate Sean how you've described everything.
You've done a great job with that. Thank you. Yeah,
we just you know, you want people to not give up,
(40:39):
you know when you see it. And you know, Brock,
when Tim Tebow won the highs his dad, that's what
I want to do, and that's how I want to
do it. And um, you know, with class, and you
know he always admired how Timmy was a warrior with
his teammates and and you know he's just always wanted
(41:01):
to inspire, you know, people, and and I have too.
You know, it's just like you just want to let
people know, hey, look I understand, and hey, man, don't
give up. And boy, if this thing does work out, man,
it's gonna be awesome, you know, encouraging people. So we're
just grateful for the opportunity to have conversations with people
(41:24):
like yourself and so on, to just encourage people. Man,
just go be your best, give it you're all. If
it works out, man, it's gonna be awesome. If it doesn't,
you're gonna sleep well. So it all comes through, buddy,
It all comes through great stories of perseverance, father and
son and Sean. We really thank you for your time
(41:44):
and we wish the best of luck and Brock making
his way back and getting healthy and looking forward to
seeing him again with the forty nine ers. Thanks so much, absolutely,
thank you. God bless you guys too well. Joe, I
really enjoyed our time with Sean Party. I mean, I mean,
what's great about it, as I said, a story of
perseverance on both father and son, and for fans, they
(42:08):
probably looked in the NFL season last year and we're like, wow,
who's this brock Purty dude, the guy fell out of
the sky, came from nowhere, and then you hear what
it takes to get there and everything that he's persevered
to even get an opportunity, know us, to get them
in the NFC Championship game. So but I just I
just love hearing those stories. Yeah, I mean, it's it's
(42:29):
so obvious. Over the course of almost an hour just
just talking, just having a conversation, it's revealed easily why
Sean was as as successful as he was. And then
his son definitely is a chip off the old block,
did it the right way, great teammate is there for
everybody else. First, his son is a leader already at
(42:51):
an early age with a world class football organization. And
then you could just see her Sean. The humility in
Shawn's voice, but also the strength in Shawn's voice. I mean,
he provides great direction and leadership for his kids. And
that's pretty obvious. He was he was like he was
that kind of competitor. That's what I really remember most
about him back in the day because he would not
(43:14):
be denied. Did not have the best stuff like you've
talked about, but once he learned to relinquish control, he
gained more control. I love that part about the conversation
because I really when it comes down to teaching this game, baseball, football,
any game we all wanted, like he said, white knucklet
and control it. And it's exactly the opposite. That's really
(43:34):
gonna going to benefit your success. Great stuff. I love
the way he explained that it took him a long time.
Something happens early took him a long time, but he
kept at it. Jerry, have something to take us out here. Yeah,
this is almost the dovetails, which is our boy anyway,
And I was another Twain, one more Twain, I'll stop
(43:55):
doing it, but mister Twain said, and it's really it
just it pertains to everything that we've talked about. When
in doubt tell the truth, and we just we just
spoke with the truth teller. I mean, Sean Purdy is
absolutely straightforward. There's no dissembling whatsoever. This is who I am,
this is what I think, this is what I believe,
(44:16):
and after you get when he describes his son brocka,
I'm really looking forward to meeting so mister Twain, When
in doubt tell the truth, it's pretty easy you can't
go wrong with that great advice in any side of life.
And Joe, look forward to next time we meet and
hearing about your efforts on the golf course. I promised too,
I'll be able to take a picture too. Whatever. I'm
(44:38):
looking forward to it. It's exciting. Got my new pings
to go with me, just boughts of new clothes yesterday
to dress up a little bit. It's gonna be cool.
See you next time, all right, buddy, Thanks you too.
The Book of Joe podcast is a production of iHeartRadio.
(44:58):
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