June 12, 2025 • 30 mins
Cherean Williams, NFL reporter for NBC Sports joins the show to talk about what has suprised her most about Aaron Rodgers as he is now a Steeler, how is she viewing the Seahawks offseason, will Sam Darnold be a one hit wonder? American semi-retired professional wrestler with AEW, Bryan Danielson joins the show live in studio.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Is Charene Williams, one of the best senior NFL reporters
on the planet, been doing this for over thirty years
from NBC Sports. Charene, I want to tell you it
is an honor and a privilege to have you on
MG in the midday for the first but not the
last time, I hope.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, I appreciate that, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
I'm sorry that it hasn't happened before now, but this again.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yeah, well, I'm new here, Charene, so we can you know,
we we could do that, we could hopefully do this
in some regularity. I've only been here four months, so
I'm new to Seattle, but you're certainly not new to
the business. And and you know, our favorite sport is
the National Football League. So, Charene, did you have on
your bingo card? What was more surprising to you that
(00:48):
that Aaron Rodgers finally decided to, you know, come and
become a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, or he just
so cavalierly, Charene came out with this wedding ring, said,
I've been married for two months to a girl.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I think I think the wedding ring was actually more surprising.
I think we all had to sign with the Steelers.
That was really his only option. Then he wanted to
play or he felt like he wanted to continue to play,
and he kept giving here and so, you know, I
don't think that was a surprise that that he skipped
most of the off season program aside from the mandatory
minicamp uh to come in and play.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
For the Steelers. But yeah, I noticed the.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Wedding ring when he signed, and I put it on
our Pro Football Talk text ring and I said, did
I miss that Aaron Rodgers was married? And they're like, nope,
you know, he somebody said something that he had it on.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
When he was doing uh some interview or something.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
They had seen it, but nobody knew anything about it.
And then obviously that the story kind of comes out.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
But we don't know, you know, he said, of for
a few months, we don't know any of the details.
So interested in some of those details.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Actually, yeah, it is interesting. What do you think that?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I mean?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
You know, when a lot of athletes sharene say that
it's not about the money, we all know it's all
about the money. For Aaron Rodgers, he literally did not
put money where his mouth is. He only signed for
thirteen and a half million dollars. You talked about getting
someone on a bargain basement Ross dress for less discount deal,
I mean for Pittsburgh. I guess good things do come
(02:22):
to those who wait, but you know, sharene. I want
to get your thoughts on this because a lot of
people are down Aan Rodgers and if you look statistically,
his numbers last year with the Jets were actually better
than his numbers his final season in Green Bay. I
think he's motivated. I think he's pissed off, and I
think he's gonna come in with something to prove. And
(02:43):
I want just to get you where you think his
mindset is going to be going in to this season
at you know, forty one, forty two years old.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I think the mindset's going to be there.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I worry about the age obviously another year older, and
you know, there's different levels of falling off the cliff.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You know, you look back at.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Peyton Manning's final year, he wasn't good. They still won
a Super Bowl, but he wasn't good that season, but
they did it because you know what Peyton did offensively,
didn't turn the ball over. He got him in good situations.
They ran the ball well, they played good defense. I mean,
they did all those things that were necessary for an
(03:26):
aging quarterback to win one.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
And then you know, Brady could probably still be playing frankly,
I mean, just the way he.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Keeps himself in shape and all that. So you know,
that's what.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
You worry about, is when is it going.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
To fall off the cliff, because at some point it
does for all of them, and.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Is at the time. But you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Go back and look at his numbers from last season,
and they're stunning based on what the Jets record was
and how.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Bad they were as a team.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
That he was able to play at the level he
played and they didn't win more games.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
That was the most stunning thing. So we'll see what
he does.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
You know, it's it's obviously a bridge quarterback situation for them.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
They tried to draft a quarterback, can you pick.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
It didn't work out, and the bridge quarterbacks last year
didn't work out. I know, they were hoping that Justin
Fields could be the guy long term, you know, a
young guy that you sign and and they did want
to re sign him and and that.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Didn't work out.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
He said, I'm out of here after after the one
year of being benched in favor of Russell Wilson. So,
and that's another one. Russell Wilson's arm is shot. I
mean you could see that last year. People in Pittsburgh
are talking about it. His his arm is shot.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Like he's he's close to being done.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Russell Wilson.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, Russell Wilson's arm is pretty shot right now.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Wow wow.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
But it could be.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
He could still be like Peyton Manning if you put
a good team around him in Peyton's last year, if
you have a great not just a good, but a
great defense, a good running game for the quarterbacks. Those
veteran quarterbacks aren't gonna turn the ball over. They aren't
gonna force things. They're gonna, you know, check it down
and take what they get.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
So he can still win.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that he's not
the quarterback he once was. We've seen a big decline
for him, and you see it with all of them
when they get to be that age. So we'll see
on Aaron Rodgers back Aaron Rodgers, we'll see if we're
gonna see that decline with him this year. I don't
think we saw it last year. I'm really statistically, statistically
(05:37):
he was still good.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
He was and Sharene look where he would look, where
his coaches he had. You know, it went from Salid
to Old Bri. I mean it was a mess. It
was a comp it's the Jets. You can't judge. So
I mean, look at since the Jets. Look at Sam
Darnold and Gino Smith. Now look at the money they
just got after leaving the Jets, right Charen.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, oh absolutely, And it depends on the team. You
go to Ben young is now I'm gonna so I'll just.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Oh hey, hey, by the way, hey Serene, I want
you to know one thing, Charene. Just I want to
know that you and I a common enemy creates a
mutual friendship. I went to the U. I went to
the U, and for me, it will always be horns
down on this show.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Charene. Okay, So you can never. You can never.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Now, I gotta ask you, speaking of Miami and A
and M because this guy who's from Dade County, what's
up with your boy Shamar Stewart right now?
Speaker 4 (06:30):
What he just left camp? Like, what's going on there?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Well, you know, I think he didn't want to be
a distraction at camp okay, and he was We was
a distraction. I mean everybody was talking about it yesterday.
They were asking other players about it. So we left
to not be a distraction for the Bengals. The Bengals
are trying to do something unprecedented. They're trying to put
language into the contract, language that Jamar Chase doesn't have.
(06:57):
Who just signed language that T Higgins doesn't have. Who
just signed language that memes from last year, who was
drafted lower last year than Schamar Stuart was this year.
Put this language in there that will avoid all future guarantees.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And it's not the standard language.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
They're trying to change the language so that if something
happens off the field whatever UH and he's a great kid.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
There's no fear of that.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
This isn't a bad kid, great kid, And and so
they're trying to change standard language to to for future
UH guarantees that they can easily get back if something happens.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And and Shimart Stewart's.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Agent is holding strong in this as they should. And
what's gonna happen. I don't know where they're.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Gonna come to.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Some I would expect that he would sign some point
before training him.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
If you would expect that he would have.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Been signed at this point by now and would have
been practicing in the off season program.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
So, you know, everyone in this situation. I've talked to agents.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And players and uh, you know, front office people. Everyone
is in Schmart Stuart's corner on this one. He is
doing what he should be doing at this point. The
Bengals are doing what they always do, which is being
cheap and stubborn. Yeah, and if they're gonna be cheap
and stubborn, he's not gonna show up and guess what
they're They're not gonna have any sort of pass rush.
(08:28):
With Nkson also holding out, It's gonna get interesting if
they can't get those two guys in the in the
camp in.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Camp when camp starts.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Cherene Williams is showing us here from NBC Sports saren,
I gotta ask you this, so you kinda and this
kind of perked up my ears when you talk about
Russell Wilson's arm and a lot of people here, I mean,
you know, he's Russell's sort of a mixed bag here
in Seattle. People love what he did, but they're not
exactly shedding tears or losing sleep and when you talk
about his arms. So I'm gonna put an over under
(08:59):
here or sharene we're gonna play, like, give me, what
do you think week four? Before week four or.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
After week four Jackson Dart takes over.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I'm gonna go after week four, okay, but it's not
gonna be too long after.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
In front of me. I look at their bye week
and it seems like it was like week eight or
week nine somewhere in there. Yeah, which is always a
good time to change quarterbacks.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
But I think they're gonna be bad enough if they do.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
It sooner rather than later. Yeah, he's gonna be the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Before the end of season.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I don't think there's any doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
And if if Russell's you know, not very good early,
then it certainly could be sooner than sooner than week four.
But I would I would take the over just to
give Jackson Dart a little bit more time.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
To be ready.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
But you can't go too far pass if you're terrible
and you're thinking about it anywhere. You can't go too
far past week four if you want to stay in
contention and win some games.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
And those guys are trying to keep their jobs. Bryan
Dave Ball and that.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Entire front office and coaching staff. They're trying to keep
their jobs. So you can't wait too long if if
Russell Wilson is playing bad and you're not winning any games.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Sharen Williams WC Sports NFL Senior Report here on MJ
in the Midday Sports Radio ninety three to three kg
RFM at Washington at Dallas, the Chiefs and the Chargers. Yeah,
I would probably venture say you don't want you don't
want baptism by fire for your rookie. But then the
following week sharene on the road in New Orleans. Perfect,
(10:34):
they don't have a QB Spencer, Ratler Wright, Tyler Shuck.
I mean, so that would probably be a nice time
to maybe ease mister Dart into that starting position there.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Yeah, you don't want to
start them out with some of those teams that you
mentioned at the beginning.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
That's just a hard road to hope for any quarterback,
much less of Richie Aback who's never made a start
in his career or so. Yeah, easy and gets a
really bad team who could be the worst team in
the NFL. By the way, I don't think arch Maning
is gonna come out. I don't think there's any possible
way he comes out. Wow, But had a really good
chance to get that number one overall pick.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I mean, I think they're going to be that bad.
I think they're gonna be the worst team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
So if they get that number one overall pick, does
arch Manning actually come out and leave Texas after one
season and.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Go and and go to the Saints, you know, to.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Follow his dad and what his dad right had.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Despite all the losses.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
If again is another guy, if you look at his stats,
he had a really good career right with. So they
just couldn't win, They couldn't put anybody around it. But
would that be something a chance for him to go
home that he could consider more than if it was
you know, a different team in need of a quarterback
with the number one overall pick. So just something to throw.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
In there and up, Sharen, I got to ask you
about obviously, the new look Seahawks is a goodbye Geno,
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Hello, Sam Darnold, Cooper cup and
Marquez Valdez Scantling. What do you think about all the
moves including the draft class that John Schneider, what he's
done this season here, Well, I.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Think they have a rebuilding project in front of them.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Wow, you said that, You've said the word they don't
like to say, rebuild. Wow.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
I don't like to say it.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
But I just don't see any possible look that the
NFC is going to be good, we know, really good
with three teams up there potentially to make the playoffs.
And I'm just talking about wildcards and whatever, but we know
the NFC North is solid. Man the NFC South, okay,
you know, maybe maybe not maybe the Bucks, maybe the Falcons.
(12:50):
You know, I think the Panthers would be better, but
you're not totally concerned about them. But that's a lot
of wildcard teams we're already talking about.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
So you got to win your division. Now, who's gonna.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I like the Rams again.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Stafford's another guy you look at.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
At some point, he's gonna he's gonna fall off the
cliff and it's gonna go away. Father the time, you know, coming,
and and when is father time gonna come for him?
And they don't really have any good options behind him.
So if he has another good season, I think the
Rams are the best team in that division, But I
certainly wasn't wouldn't rule out any of the teams in
that division to win the division. I mean, you know,
(13:28):
it's not a great division. But my point is they're
gonna have to win the division to make the postseason,
and I don't know if that's possible with the roster
they have.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
I don't know, maybe it is.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
You know, let me ask you this else, let me
ask you this. Do you think, uh, would you believe
in in Sam Darnold or do you think it was
a one hit wonder just because of the Kevin O'Connell system.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Yeah, you know, I think Kevin O'Connell is great and
uh you know, he's he's done that with a fair
share of quarterback even when he wasn't a head coach. So,
you know, I do believe a lot that it was
Kevin O'Connell and it caught up with them at the
end of the season into the postseason, and we saw that,
(14:11):
you know, his coaching just couldn't get it done. At
some point he had done all he could do with
a roster in that cornerback. So, yeah, I'm not very
huge believer in Sam Darnolds.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
You better have these one of them.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
You better have a good defense, You better have a
really good running game. You know, you better have some
good receivers. And I love Cooper Cup, love what he
can do.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
If you can stay on the field, you know, they've
got to go to receiver for sure.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Scharen Williams, Senior NFL reporter, NBC Sports. Charen, unlike the Mariners,
you absolutely nailed it out of the park. Thank you
very much for your time.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
We look forward to having you on again.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And you know what I appreciate too, Scharen, You did
not pull any punches, especially on the Seahawks. And I
always like to get what I call because I'm new
to the to the market objective perspective, and you brought
that and I appreciate it. And we'll talk again sooner
than later, because it seems like a football season might
be starting sooner than later here in Seattle after the
Mariners woes.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, there you go, all right.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Thanks, Serene. All right, there she is Seren Williams, NBC Sports.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
She probably she's not. She is selling, selling, selling that
Seahawks stock not believe in it. Hey, listen. You know
it is what it is. I believe in it.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
I like the moves, it's good.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
I want to see exactly how Sam Donell performs in
a Clint Kubiak offense for the first time. That to
me is gonna be it. If that can happen. I'm
confident in the defense to be top ten, perhaps Sportline
top five. All right, Brian Danielson's here now he'll be
coming up next. Yes, yes, yes, MJ in the Miday
(15:56):
Sports Radio ninety three three KJRFM. What was it like
when you came back here and you did the Seattle
takeover Because people were there and they did they all
like one night, like you know, another company. They wanted
to know what was that like for you?
Speaker 5 (16:08):
Oh, it was super cool for me and actually one
of the favorite moments of my career because that was
the last time. So I wrestled earlier in that night
in a semi short match, but that was the last
time my dad got to see me wrestle. He had
passed away. So that was December of twenty thirteen. My
dad passed away the Sunday after WrestleMania thirty in April
(16:31):
twenty fourteen. So yeah, it was the last time he
got to see me wrestle. It was really incredible. My
dad didn't say this to me, but he said it
to my sister because he went with his boss. My
dad was a log scaler, right, and.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
So he worked hard.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Yeah, so he went with his boss and it was
the first time he ever went to a show where
he was like, oh, my gosh, my son made it right,
Like this whole arena is chanting for him. And I remember,
I still have the visual etched in my mind. My
dad was probably ten or twelve rows back. And after
(17:10):
you know, that was the show ending segment where people
are chanting for me over John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple
H's and the Ring all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
They're all chanting for me.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
And then as I'm walking around at the end kind
of high fiving fans or whatever, I see my dad
running up and just giving him a big hug. And
he told my sister he said, he said, yeah, I
guess I just didn't realize Brian was that good.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
That's awesome, man, Oh that is amazing and man, And
then that was the WrestleMania New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Yep, right where you were.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
You took it all and you wrestled like five times
that day, just twice twice. But but they put you
through the rigor and what and the thing that was
great about you think in your whole career. But going
back to that moment, is it it happened organically and
your former boss, and by the name of vincick Man,
he would always say, this thing, we don't dictate to
(18:08):
the fans what we want them to see.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
We let them dictate to us.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
And the fans spoke and they wanted Brian Danielson at
the time, Daniel, Brian. They wanted you to be the
guy with the straps and to be the face of
the company. So for you, a guy who paid your dues,
went to the De Malenco School in Tampa, my former town,
it closes, so you're like, what do I do? You
go to San Antonio, right, and you Sean Michael, And so.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
For you, you.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Did the ring of honor when it started in all
these things, and you what was it like to finally
reach that apex.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
So it's interesting because everybody else sees it as something
different than you see it as yourself. To me, that
moment is so mired in all these other things, right,
I was really hurt going into it. I ended up
having to have neck surgery. Six weeks after that. I
was getting married the following Friday. My dad passed away
shortly after that. Connor, who was like a huge wrestling
(19:08):
fan who's they did the Connor's Cure, so he was
there that night. It was the last wrestling show that
he got to see, and then he passed away on
the following Wednesday. So it's this weird moment that's clouded
with huge highs and huge lows. So I have like,
as far as emotional resonance for that night, for me,
it's it's very mixed, you know what I mean. And
(19:31):
and so yeah, so there was that, and I was
I've never been somebody who is obsessed with the idea
of success how we define it culturally, right in the
sense of like, Okay, you've main evented WrestleMania, now you're
a success. I've never viewed it as that I was
successful the moment I was able to quit my job
(19:53):
and wrestling.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Paid the bills paid the bills, and by the way,
then some too because you really made it.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Well yeah, but that's well after I mean, my last
my last real job was in two thousand and one
and I worked at a video store slash Tanning salon
in Aberdeen, Washington.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
What's the name of the give it a plug? Still there?
I mean, the video stores don't exist anymore.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
So there's a video only there's a video only store
that there's a few locations kids, No, you know what there?
Speaker 4 (20:21):
I saw one over in Federal Way. Oh really, like
I don't I didn't.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Walk in there, but it's you know, I don't know
that that is that adult entertab.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
I believe they just I don't know.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
I want to say so at video tonight today the
place we did not sell adult entertainment.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
No, very clear right, No, No, that's good Brian freaking
Danielson in studio right now. And uh, I mean that
to me is just that's what it is. Can't like no,
growing up. There's so many things I want to talk
to you, and you've got some time. By the way,
I don't want to Let's not bury the lead here.
There's a reason why you're here because AW is coming
(21:04):
to the show Wave Center in Kent for two nights,
starting with AW Collision on Saturday, June twenty first, and
then again for Dynamite and Collision on Wednesday, June twenty fifth.
Collision air Saturday nights on TNT. Dynamite airs live Wednesday
nights on TBS. So that's why you're here, but growing
up in Aberdeen because listen, Brian, I the first time
(21:28):
I ever came to Seattle, I was here for the
Final Four at the Kingdome in nineteen ninety five. But
one of the things that not only to come here
and hopefully which unfortunately didn't happen see the Arkansas Razorbacks
go back to back. It didn't happen, but I wanted
to come here because that, to me was the height
of the alternative grunge music era. And I just growing
up in New England. New England wasn't cool when it
(21:50):
came to music like Seattle had. Seattle had Nirvana, Sound Garden,
Allison Shane's Pearl Jam. New England had marky Mark and
New Kids on the Block.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Well marky Mark also came with him the Funky Bunch.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
That's well, there's that too, But I just thought Seattle,
Seattle must everybody from Seattle's cool, and like, I love
the fact that you're you know, and I have flannels
you know, I thought like, oh my god, I want
to go come there so bad.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
You're younger than Kirk Cobain.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Oh, By the way, we're gonna we have a we're
gonna get a quick time out right now with Dick
fi Ta would say, we're gonna bring back Brian Danielson
On the other side, and I want we're gonna get
to so much more of your career ae wwwe and
just I want to hear what was it like growing
up in the town where Kirk Cobain came from. I
want to get that from you on the other side,
(22:42):
and did he have a big impact in your life,
because I just visited the Kirk Cobain house and I
will tell you it was unbelievable on the bench. If
you have a family, you probably don't want them to
bring them to Denny Blaine Park down the hill because
it's a complete nudist area.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
So that's not for.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Family entertainment there. But that's a whole nother what The
video only sells TVs Oh oh, I love it. There
are a huge advertiser. I told you there's a video
only and they're a sponsor of the station.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
I know.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
I saw one in federal way, So we appreciate their
obviously our partnership with video only. Brian Danielson obviously one
of the greatest wrestlers of all time. We will talk
to him next. Don't go anywhere, MJ in the midday
on Sports Radio ninety three three kJ R FM kid last.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Hour, we had a winner. Yeah, they did not call
so oh we didn't.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Call oh like dude, like the what the hell man like?
So it rolls over to two hundred dollars at the
top of the hour, and so text in now four
nine four five one four nine four five one, we
call your name out at the top of the hour.
You could win one hundred dollars when we give you
the number two oh six two eight six ninety five
ninety five courtesy of all the fine folks at Emerald
(23:56):
Queen Casino, the entertainment capital of the Northwest. Come down
to the beautiful EQC Sportsbook to bet, watch and win
on all the games. Brian Danielson, a E W former
w W E a K A Daniel Brian Aberdeen's finest.
I want to read one text from the text line, Brian,
this gentleman, and I believe this is legit, he says.
(24:18):
My name is Warren Warner Danielson. I am Brian's father's cousin.
My father, Warner Warner, and his grandfather, Bud, had a
number of business ventures together. We have never met, but
I would like him to know. I'm proud of him
his career certainly, but more importantly the human being that
he is.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
That's great. I mean, yeah, man, I'd be interested to
know what business ventures my grandfather and his did together, because,
uh so, my grandfather helped so he had a hotel
in Lake Quinault, Okay, and then helped build the Quinault
Lodge that's out there and the you know out there
in the rainforest.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
So that's that's amazing. I want to pay off the
teas as they call it here in radio. You grew
up in Aberdeen, was you know, after Nirvana blew up
and basically started this revolution?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
They didn't.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
It wasn't just oh Nirvana was a great band. They're
from Aberdeen, like whatever.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
They started an entire movement and had Kurt Unfortunately, you know,
if he never passed, I believe that, you know, if
Kurt was still here today. Alternative grunge music it might have,
you know, because music, like wrestling, goes in cycles. But
I believe there would have been this zest to bring
it back. But what was it like growing up in
that hometown and how much do they honor his memory?
Speaker 4 (25:37):
So it's really weird.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
It's a complicated situation because of the suicide and all
that kind of stuff. So you know, you have people
who want to, like, hey, bring in because people to
go to get to the beaches, you have to drive
through Aberdeen, right, so you want to do stuff to
memorialize him and to get people to come in and
(25:59):
stay in aber and all that kind of stuff. But
then you also do have like I went to school
with several people who committed suicide, and so so you
don't want the you don't because that's something that spreads.
That's one of the things Malcolm Gladwell wrote about it
in The Tipping Point. He talked about suicide I think
in Madagascar, and like in the late nineteen fifties there
(26:22):
wasn't ever a single suicide in Madagascar. Then all of
a sudden a British person had killed themselves, and then
all of a sudden, the next year there were two
suicides and then all of a sudden, within ten years
they had an epidemic. So it's like, Okay, at what
point do you want to glorify this person or you know,
it's a complicated situation, as most things are. There's no
cut in dry answers. But as a kid not knowing
(26:44):
all that kind of stuff and like having somebody who's
like this megastar from your hometown, it really is this
eye opening thing of what are the possibilities for my life?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Right?
Speaker 5 (26:57):
And so, you know, because you didn't necessarily see or
know anybody that was like that, and then all of
a sudden, here's Nirvana just really breaking through on a
national stage and you're like, oh my gosh, that guy's
from here, from here.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
Right, and so yeah, you know, it was it was
super cool. That's awesome. Would you grow up a big
fan of that music? Yeah? Oh yeah, yeah yeah, so yeah,
I was.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I was.
Speaker 5 (27:19):
I was big into that, you know, for for a
long time. And I'm I mean, most of us who
grew up in that era are still listening to Nervaian
albums now, yeah, you know, and pro damn and like,
you know.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Less so on the sound Garden. You know, I haven't
listened to a sound garden in a while.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Yeah, I think Pearl you know, you know one of
the things that I Pearl Jam is great, and they're
they're certainly one of the greatest American bands of all time.
But I vividly remember and I saw a documentary where
Kurt didn't respect them too much. He thought they were
very commercialized, and I guessed I and they're still around
Eddie Vedder and and those guys, and but I think
when I saw that Kirk didn't respect them, it made
(27:57):
me not well.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
I mean, yeah, you have to take every you have
to take all those things with a grain of salt,
because it's like, you know, how much of that is
him actually not respecting them versus you know, whatever other
little competition, competition, whatever it.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
Is, you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
And there is there is something to say like, uh,
you know, I have known bands that are on the
independent scene who are like, oh, you you signed, you know,
you signed with a commercial label or whatever it is,
You've sold out. It's like, well, also, they do have
to make money and earn a living, and you.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Know that's by the way, it sounds like some chance
you used to hear at the ECW arena. Yeah, you
sold out. You sold out. We're going to bring you
back on either side. But I got to ask you
this in less than forty seconds. What was it like
for you? So you come out of Aberdeen and you
see him make it and you're like, wow, maybe I
(28:55):
can make it. Why wrestling for you?
Speaker 5 (28:58):
Oh, it's just something I was passionate about it.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
I wasn't even concerned about making it. I just wanted
to try it.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
I have a really fun story that we can get
to on the other side about how influential my high
school English teacher was actually in the decision of me
becoming a professional wrestler.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
So shout out to doctor Carter. Oh, very nice, Aberdeen's finest.
That's awesome, that's great. And listen, I mean you know
that you come out of this area, they claim you
and they stick by you. And I found out in
the four months I've been here that once this area,
you know, kind of attaches themselves and claims you you're
good forever. Like they claim you, like whether it's Ken
(29:33):
Griffey Junior, a Rod each Row, they claim you.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Not so much Russell Wilson right now, not so much him.
It'll come back in time. It'll come back in time
a lot of time. But Marshawn Lynch holy like beast Mode.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I mean, they could build ten statues here and there
wouldn't be enough of him, which has been justifiably so.
Brian Danielson, a e W former WWE World Champion and
ae W WORL champion in town promoting their events coming
up in Ken Oh. Don't forget text in first name,
last name in city four nine four five one. We
(30:08):
call your name out at the top of the hour.
You have a chance to win two hundred dollars on
EQUC no Thursday on MJ and the Midday Sports Radio
ninety three to three KJR FM
Is Charene Williams, one of the best senior NFL reporters
on the planet, been doing this for over thirty years
from NBC Sports. Charene, I want to tell you it
is an honor and a privilege to have you on
MG in the midday for the first but not the
last time, I hope.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Well, I appreciate that, thanks for having me on.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
I'm sorry that it hasn't happened before now, but this again.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yeah, well, I'm new here, Charene, so we can you know,
we we could do that, we could hopefully do this
in some regularity. I've only been here four months, so
I'm new to Seattle, but you're certainly not new to
the business. And and you know, our favorite sport is
the National Football League. So, Charene, did you have on
your bingo card? What was more surprising to you that
(00:48):
that Aaron Rodgers finally decided to, you know, come and
become a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, or he just
so cavalierly, Charene came out with this wedding ring, said,
I've been married for two months to a girl.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I think I think the wedding ring was actually more surprising.
I think we all had to sign with the Steelers.
That was really his only option. Then he wanted to
play or he felt like he wanted to continue to play,
and he kept giving here and so, you know, I
don't think that was a surprise that that he skipped
most of the off season program aside from the mandatory
minicamp uh to come in and play.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
For the Steelers. But yeah, I noticed the.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Wedding ring when he signed, and I put it on
our Pro Football Talk text ring and I said, did
I miss that Aaron Rodgers was married? And they're like, nope,
you know, he somebody said something that he had it on.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
When he was doing uh some interview or something.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
They had seen it, but nobody knew anything about it.
And then obviously that the story kind of comes out.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
But we don't know, you know, he said, of for
a few months, we don't know any of the details.
So interested in some of those details.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Actually, yeah, it is interesting. What do you think that?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I mean?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
You know, when a lot of athletes sharene say that
it's not about the money, we all know it's all
about the money. For Aaron Rodgers, he literally did not
put money where his mouth is. He only signed for
thirteen and a half million dollars. You talked about getting
someone on a bargain basement Ross dress for less discount deal,
I mean for Pittsburgh. I guess good things do come
(02:22):
to those who wait, but you know, sharene. I want
to get your thoughts on this because a lot of
people are down Aan Rodgers and if you look statistically,
his numbers last year with the Jets were actually better
than his numbers his final season in Green Bay. I
think he's motivated. I think he's pissed off, and I
think he's gonna come in with something to prove. And
(02:43):
I want just to get you where you think his
mindset is going to be going in to this season
at you know, forty one, forty two years old.
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Yeah, I'm with you.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I think the mindset's going to be there.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
I worry about the age obviously another year older, and
you know, there's different levels of falling off the cliff.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
You know, you look back at.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Peyton Manning's final year, he wasn't good. They still won
a Super Bowl, but he wasn't good that season, but
they did it because you know what Peyton did offensively,
didn't turn the ball over. He got him in good situations.
They ran the ball well, they played good defense. I mean,
they did all those things that were necessary for an
(03:26):
aging quarterback to win one.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
And then you know, Brady could probably still be playing frankly,
I mean, just the way he.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Keeps himself in shape and all that. So you know,
that's what.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
You worry about, is when is it going.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
To fall off the cliff, because at some point it
does for all of them, and.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Is at the time. But you're absolutely right.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Go back and look at his numbers from last season,
and they're stunning based on what the Jets record was
and how.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Bad they were as a team.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
That he was able to play at the level he
played and they didn't win more games.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
That was the most stunning thing. So we'll see what
he does.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
You know, it's it's obviously a bridge quarterback situation for them.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
They tried to draft a quarterback, can you pick.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
It didn't work out, and the bridge quarterbacks last year
didn't work out. I know, they were hoping that Justin
Fields could be the guy long term, you know, a
young guy that you sign and and they did want
to re sign him and and that.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Didn't work out.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
He said, I'm out of here after after the one
year of being benched in favor of Russell Wilson. So,
and that's another one. Russell Wilson's arm is shot. I
mean you could see that last year. People in Pittsburgh
are talking about it. His his arm is shot.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Like he's he's close to being done.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Russell Wilson.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, Russell Wilson's arm is pretty shot right now.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Wow wow.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
But it could be.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
He could still be like Peyton Manning if you put
a good team around him in Peyton's last year, if
you have a great not just a good, but a
great defense, a good running game for the quarterbacks. Those
veteran quarterbacks aren't gonna turn the ball over. They aren't
gonna force things. They're gonna, you know, check it down
and take what they get.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
So he can still win.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that he's not
the quarterback he once was. We've seen a big decline
for him, and you see it with all of them
when they get to be that age. So we'll see
on Aaron Rodgers back Aaron Rodgers, we'll see if we're
gonna see that decline with him this year. I don't
think we saw it last year. I'm really statistically, statistically
(05:37):
he was still good.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
He was and Sharene look where he would look, where
his coaches he had. You know, it went from Salid
to Old Bri. I mean it was a mess. It
was a comp it's the Jets. You can't judge. So
I mean, look at since the Jets. Look at Sam
Darnold and Gino Smith. Now look at the money they
just got after leaving the Jets, right Charen.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Yeah, oh absolutely, And it depends on the team. You
go to Ben young is now I'm gonna so I'll just.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Oh hey, hey, by the way, hey Serene, I want
you to know one thing, Charene. Just I want to
know that you and I a common enemy creates a
mutual friendship. I went to the U. I went to
the U, and for me, it will always be horns
down on this show.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Charene. Okay, So you can never. You can never.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Now, I gotta ask you, speaking of Miami and A
and M because this guy who's from Dade County, what's
up with your boy Shamar Stewart right now?
Speaker 4 (06:30):
What he just left camp? Like, what's going on there?
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Well, you know, I think he didn't want to be
a distraction at camp okay, and he was We was
a distraction. I mean everybody was talking about it yesterday.
They were asking other players about it. So we left
to not be a distraction for the Bengals. The Bengals
are trying to do something unprecedented. They're trying to put
language into the contract, language that Jamar Chase doesn't have.
(06:57):
Who just signed language that T Higgins doesn't have. Who
just signed language that memes from last year, who was
drafted lower last year than Schamar Stuart was this year.
Put this language in there that will avoid all future guarantees.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
And it's not the standard language.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
They're trying to change the language so that if something
happens off the field whatever UH and he's a great kid.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
There's no fear of that.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
This isn't a bad kid, great kid, And and so
they're trying to change standard language to to for future
UH guarantees that they can easily get back if something happens.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And and Shimart Stewart's.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Agent is holding strong in this as they should. And
what's gonna happen. I don't know where they're.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Gonna come to.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Some I would expect that he would sign some point
before training him.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
If you would expect that he would have.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Been signed at this point by now and would have
been practicing in the off season program.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
So, you know, everyone in this situation. I've talked to agents.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
And players and uh, you know, front office people. Everyone
is in Schmart Stuart's corner on this one. He is
doing what he should be doing at this point. The
Bengals are doing what they always do, which is being
cheap and stubborn. Yeah, and if they're gonna be cheap
and stubborn, he's not gonna show up and guess what
they're They're not gonna have any sort of pass rush.
(08:28):
With Nkson also holding out, It's gonna get interesting if
they can't get those two guys in the in the
camp in.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Camp when camp starts.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Cherene Williams is showing us here from NBC Sports saren,
I gotta ask you this, so you kinda and this
kind of perked up my ears when you talk about
Russell Wilson's arm and a lot of people here, I mean,
you know, he's Russell's sort of a mixed bag here
in Seattle. People love what he did, but they're not
exactly shedding tears or losing sleep and when you talk
about his arms. So I'm gonna put an over under
(08:59):
here or sharene we're gonna play, like, give me, what
do you think week four? Before week four or.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
After week four Jackson Dart takes over.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
I'm gonna go after week four, okay, but it's not
gonna be too long after.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
In front of me. I look at their bye week
and it seems like it was like week eight or
week nine somewhere in there. Yeah, which is always a
good time to change quarterbacks.
Speaker 3 (09:30):
But I think they're gonna be bad enough if they do.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
It sooner rather than later. Yeah, he's gonna be the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
Before the end of season.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
I don't think there's any doubt about that.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
And if if Russell's you know, not very good early,
then it certainly could be sooner than sooner than week four.
But I would I would take the over just to
give Jackson Dart a little bit more time.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
To be ready.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
But you can't go too far pass if you're terrible
and you're thinking about it anywhere. You can't go too
far past week four if you want to stay in
contention and win some games.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
And those guys are trying to keep their jobs. Bryan
Dave Ball and that.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Entire front office and coaching staff. They're trying to keep
their jobs. So you can't wait too long if if
Russell Wilson is playing bad and you're not winning any games.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Sharen Williams WC Sports NFL Senior Report here on MJ
in the Midday Sports Radio ninety three to three kg
RFM at Washington at Dallas, the Chiefs and the Chargers. Yeah,
I would probably venture say you don't want you don't
want baptism by fire for your rookie. But then the
following week sharene on the road in New Orleans. Perfect,
(10:34):
they don't have a QB Spencer, Ratler Wright, Tyler Shuck.
I mean, so that would probably be a nice time
to maybe ease mister Dart into that starting position there.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Yeah, you don't want to
start them out with some of those teams that you
mentioned at the beginning.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
That's just a hard road to hope for any quarterback,
much less of Richie Aback who's never made a start
in his career or so. Yeah, easy and gets a
really bad team who could be the worst team in
the NFL. By the way, I don't think arch Maning
is gonna come out. I don't think there's any possible
way he comes out. Wow, But had a really good
chance to get that number one overall pick.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
I mean, I think they're going to be that bad.
I think they're gonna be the worst team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
So if they get that number one overall pick, does
arch Manning actually come out and leave Texas after one
season and.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Go and and go to the Saints, you know, to.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Follow his dad and what his dad right had.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Despite all the losses.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
If again is another guy, if you look at his stats,
he had a really good career right with. So they
just couldn't win, They couldn't put anybody around it. But
would that be something a chance for him to go
home that he could consider more than if it was
you know, a different team in need of a quarterback
with the number one overall pick. So just something to throw.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
In there and up, Sharen, I got to ask you
about obviously, the new look Seahawks is a goodbye Geno,
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Hello, Sam Darnold, Cooper cup and
Marquez Valdez Scantling. What do you think about all the
moves including the draft class that John Schneider, what he's
done this season here, Well, I.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Think they have a rebuilding project in front of them.
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Wow, you said that, You've said the word they don't
like to say, rebuild. Wow.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
I don't like to say it.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
But I just don't see any possible look that the
NFC is going to be good, we know, really good
with three teams up there potentially to make the playoffs.
And I'm just talking about wildcards and whatever, but we know
the NFC North is solid. Man the NFC South, okay,
you know, maybe maybe not maybe the Bucks, maybe the Falcons.
(12:50):
You know, I think the Panthers would be better, but
you're not totally concerned about them. But that's a lot
of wildcard teams we're already talking about.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
So you got to win your division. Now, who's gonna.
Speaker 3 (13:01):
I like the Rams again.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Stafford's another guy you look at.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
At some point, he's gonna he's gonna fall off the
cliff and it's gonna go away. Father the time, you know, coming,
and and when is father time gonna come for him?
And they don't really have any good options behind him.
So if he has another good season, I think the
Rams are the best team in that division, But I
certainly wasn't wouldn't rule out any of the teams in
that division to win the division. I mean, you know,
(13:28):
it's not a great division. But my point is they're
gonna have to win the division to make the postseason,
and I don't know if that's possible with the roster
they have.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
I don't know, maybe it is.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
You know, let me ask you this else, let me
ask you this. Do you think, uh, would you believe
in in Sam Darnold or do you think it was
a one hit wonder just because of the Kevin O'Connell system.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Yeah, you know, I think Kevin O'Connell is great and
uh you know, he's he's done that with a fair
share of quarterback even when he wasn't a head coach. So,
you know, I do believe a lot that it was
Kevin O'Connell and it caught up with them at the
end of the season into the postseason, and we saw that,
(14:11):
you know, his coaching just couldn't get it done. At
some point he had done all he could do with
a roster in that cornerback. So, yeah, I'm not very
huge believer in Sam Darnolds.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
You better have these one of them.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
You better have a good defense, You better have a
really good running game. You know, you better have some
good receivers. And I love Cooper Cup, love what he
can do.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
If you can stay on the field, you know, they've
got to go to receiver for sure.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
Scharen Williams, Senior NFL reporter, NBC Sports. Charen, unlike the Mariners,
you absolutely nailed it out of the park. Thank you
very much for your time.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Hey.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
We look forward to having you on again.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
And you know what I appreciate too, Scharen, You did
not pull any punches, especially on the Seahawks. And I
always like to get what I call because I'm new
to the to the market objective perspective, and you brought
that and I appreciate it. And we'll talk again sooner
than later, because it seems like a football season might
be starting sooner than later here in Seattle after the
Mariners woes.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
Yeah, there you go, all right.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Thanks, Serene. All right, there she is Seren Williams, NBC Sports.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
She probably she's not. She is selling, selling, selling that
Seahawks stock not believe in it. Hey, listen. You know
it is what it is. I believe in it.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
I like the moves, it's good.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
I want to see exactly how Sam Donell performs in
a Clint Kubiak offense for the first time. That to
me is gonna be it. If that can happen. I'm
confident in the defense to be top ten, perhaps Sportline
top five. All right, Brian Danielson's here now he'll be
coming up next. Yes, yes, yes, MJ in the Miday
(15:56):
Sports Radio ninety three three KJRFM. What was it like
when you came back here and you did the Seattle
takeover Because people were there and they did they all
like one night, like you know, another company. They wanted
to know what was that like for you?
Speaker 5 (16:08):
Oh, it was super cool for me and actually one
of the favorite moments of my career because that was
the last time. So I wrestled earlier in that night
in a semi short match, but that was the last
time my dad got to see me wrestle. He had
passed away. So that was December of twenty thirteen. My
dad passed away the Sunday after WrestleMania thirty in April
(16:31):
twenty fourteen. So yeah, it was the last time he
got to see me wrestle. It was really incredible. My
dad didn't say this to me, but he said it
to my sister because he went with his boss. My
dad was a log scaler, right, and.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
So he worked hard.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Yeah, so he went with his boss and it was
the first time he ever went to a show where
he was like, oh, my gosh, my son made it right,
Like this whole arena is chanting for him. And I remember,
I still have the visual etched in my mind. My
dad was probably ten or twelve rows back. And after
(17:10):
you know, that was the show ending segment where people
are chanting for me over John Cena, Randy Orton, Triple
H's and the Ring all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
They're all chanting for me.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
And then as I'm walking around at the end kind
of high fiving fans or whatever, I see my dad
running up and just giving him a big hug. And
he told my sister he said, he said, yeah, I
guess I just didn't realize Brian was that good.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
That's awesome, man, Oh that is amazing and man, And
then that was the WrestleMania New Orleans.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Yep, right where you were.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
You took it all and you wrestled like five times
that day, just twice twice. But but they put you
through the rigor and what and the thing that was
great about you think in your whole career. But going
back to that moment, is it it happened organically and
your former boss, and by the name of vincick Man,
he would always say, this thing, we don't dictate to
(18:08):
the fans what we want them to see.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
We let them dictate to us.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
And the fans spoke and they wanted Brian Danielson at
the time, Daniel, Brian. They wanted you to be the
guy with the straps and to be the face of
the company. So for you, a guy who paid your dues,
went to the De Malenco School in Tampa, my former town,
it closes, so you're like, what do I do? You
go to San Antonio, right, and you Sean Michael, And so.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
For you, you.
Speaker 1 (18:37):
Did the ring of honor when it started in all
these things, and you what was it like to finally
reach that apex.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
So it's interesting because everybody else sees it as something
different than you see it as yourself. To me, that
moment is so mired in all these other things, right,
I was really hurt going into it. I ended up
having to have neck surgery. Six weeks after that. I
was getting married the following Friday. My dad passed away
shortly after that. Connor, who was like a huge wrestling
(19:08):
fan who's they did the Connor's Cure, so he was
there that night. It was the last wrestling show that
he got to see, and then he passed away on
the following Wednesday. So it's this weird moment that's clouded
with huge highs and huge lows. So I have like,
as far as emotional resonance for that night, for me,
it's it's very mixed, you know what I mean. And
(19:31):
and so yeah, so there was that, and I was
I've never been somebody who is obsessed with the idea
of success how we define it culturally, right in the
sense of like, Okay, you've main evented WrestleMania, now you're
a success. I've never viewed it as that I was
successful the moment I was able to quit my job
(19:53):
and wrestling.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Paid the bills paid the bills, and by the way,
then some too because you really made it.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
Well yeah, but that's well after I mean, my last
my last real job was in two thousand and one
and I worked at a video store slash Tanning salon
in Aberdeen, Washington.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
What's the name of the give it a plug? Still there?
I mean, the video stores don't exist anymore.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
So there's a video only there's a video only store
that there's a few locations kids, No, you know what there?
Speaker 4 (20:21):
I saw one over in Federal Way. Oh really, like
I don't I didn't.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Walk in there, but it's you know, I don't know
that that is that adult entertab.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
I believe they just I don't know.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
I want to say so at video tonight today the
place we did not sell adult entertainment.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
No, very clear right, No, No, that's good Brian freaking
Danielson in studio right now. And uh, I mean that
to me is just that's what it is. Can't like no,
growing up. There's so many things I want to talk
to you, and you've got some time. By the way,
I don't want to Let's not bury the lead here.
There's a reason why you're here because AW is coming
(21:04):
to the show Wave Center in Kent for two nights,
starting with AW Collision on Saturday, June twenty first, and
then again for Dynamite and Collision on Wednesday, June twenty fifth.
Collision air Saturday nights on TNT. Dynamite airs live Wednesday
nights on TBS. So that's why you're here, but growing
up in Aberdeen because listen, Brian, I the first time
(21:28):
I ever came to Seattle, I was here for the
Final Four at the Kingdome in nineteen ninety five. But
one of the things that not only to come here
and hopefully which unfortunately didn't happen see the Arkansas Razorbacks
go back to back. It didn't happen, but I wanted
to come here because that, to me was the height
of the alternative grunge music era. And I just growing
up in New England. New England wasn't cool when it
(21:50):
came to music like Seattle had. Seattle had Nirvana, Sound Garden,
Allison Shane's Pearl Jam. New England had marky Mark and
New Kids on the Block.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
Well marky Mark also came with him the Funky Bunch.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
That's well, there's that too, But I just thought Seattle,
Seattle must everybody from Seattle's cool, and like, I love
the fact that you're you know, and I have flannels
you know, I thought like, oh my god, I want
to go come there so bad.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
You're younger than Kirk Cobain.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
Oh, By the way, we're gonna we have a we're
gonna get a quick time out right now with Dick
fi Ta would say, we're gonna bring back Brian Danielson
On the other side, and I want we're gonna get
to so much more of your career ae wwwe and
just I want to hear what was it like growing
up in the town where Kirk Cobain came from. I
want to get that from you on the other side,
(22:42):
and did he have a big impact in your life,
because I just visited the Kirk Cobain house and I
will tell you it was unbelievable on the bench. If
you have a family, you probably don't want them to
bring them to Denny Blaine Park down the hill because
it's a complete nudist area.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
So that's not for.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Family entertainment there. But that's a whole nother what The
video only sells TVs Oh oh, I love it. There
are a huge advertiser. I told you there's a video
only and they're a sponsor of the station.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
I know.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
I saw one in federal way, So we appreciate their
obviously our partnership with video only. Brian Danielson obviously one
of the greatest wrestlers of all time. We will talk
to him next. Don't go anywhere, MJ in the midday
on Sports Radio ninety three three kJ R FM kid last.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Hour, we had a winner. Yeah, they did not call
so oh we didn't.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Call oh like dude, like the what the hell man like?
So it rolls over to two hundred dollars at the
top of the hour, and so text in now four
nine four five one four nine four five one, we
call your name out at the top of the hour.
You could win one hundred dollars when we give you
the number two oh six two eight six ninety five
ninety five courtesy of all the fine folks at Emerald
(23:56):
Queen Casino, the entertainment capital of the Northwest. Come down
to the beautiful EQC Sportsbook to bet, watch and win
on all the games. Brian Danielson, a E W former
w W E a K A Daniel Brian Aberdeen's finest.
I want to read one text from the text line, Brian,
this gentleman, and I believe this is legit, he says.
(24:18):
My name is Warren Warner Danielson. I am Brian's father's cousin.
My father, Warner Warner, and his grandfather, Bud, had a
number of business ventures together. We have never met, but
I would like him to know. I'm proud of him
his career certainly, but more importantly the human being that
he is.
Speaker 5 (24:36):
That's great. I mean, yeah, man, I'd be interested to
know what business ventures my grandfather and his did together, because,
uh so, my grandfather helped so he had a hotel
in Lake Quinault, Okay, and then helped build the Quinault
Lodge that's out there and the you know out there
in the rainforest.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
So that's that's amazing. I want to pay off the
teas as they call it here in radio. You grew
up in Aberdeen, was you know, after Nirvana blew up
and basically started this revolution?
Speaker 4 (25:09):
They didn't.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
It wasn't just oh Nirvana was a great band. They're
from Aberdeen, like whatever.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
No, no, no, no.
Speaker 1 (25:14):
They started an entire movement and had Kurt Unfortunately, you know,
if he never passed, I believe that, you know, if
Kurt was still here today. Alternative grunge music it might have,
you know, because music, like wrestling, goes in cycles. But
I believe there would have been this zest to bring
it back. But what was it like growing up in
that hometown and how much do they honor his memory?
Speaker 4 (25:37):
So it's really weird.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
It's a complicated situation because of the suicide and all
that kind of stuff. So you know, you have people
who want to, like, hey, bring in because people to
go to get to the beaches, you have to drive
through Aberdeen, right, so you want to do stuff to
memorialize him and to get people to come in and
(25:59):
stay in aber and all that kind of stuff. But
then you also do have like I went to school
with several people who committed suicide, and so so you
don't want the you don't because that's something that spreads.
That's one of the things Malcolm Gladwell wrote about it
in The Tipping Point. He talked about suicide I think
in Madagascar, and like in the late nineteen fifties there
(26:22):
wasn't ever a single suicide in Madagascar. Then all of
a sudden a British person had killed themselves, and then
all of a sudden, the next year there were two
suicides and then all of a sudden, within ten years
they had an epidemic. So it's like, Okay, at what
point do you want to glorify this person or you know,
it's a complicated situation, as most things are. There's no
cut in dry answers. But as a kid not knowing
(26:44):
all that kind of stuff and like having somebody who's
like this megastar from your hometown, it really is this
eye opening thing of what are the possibilities for my life?
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Right?
Speaker 5 (26:57):
And so, you know, because you didn't necessarily see or
know anybody that was like that, and then all of
a sudden, here's Nirvana just really breaking through on a
national stage and you're like, oh my gosh, that guy's
from here, from here.
Speaker 4 (27:10):
Right, and so yeah, you know, it was it was
super cool. That's awesome. Would you grow up a big
fan of that music? Yeah? Oh yeah, yeah yeah, so yeah,
I was.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
I was.
Speaker 5 (27:19):
I was big into that, you know, for for a
long time. And I'm I mean, most of us who
grew up in that era are still listening to Nervaian
albums now, yeah, you know, and pro damn and like,
you know.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Less so on the sound Garden. You know, I haven't
listened to a sound garden in a while.
Speaker 1 (27:34):
Yeah, I think Pearl you know, you know one of
the things that I Pearl Jam is great, and they're
they're certainly one of the greatest American bands of all time.
But I vividly remember and I saw a documentary where
Kurt didn't respect them too much. He thought they were
very commercialized, and I guessed I and they're still around
Eddie Vedder and and those guys, and but I think
when I saw that Kirk didn't respect them, it made
(27:57):
me not well.
Speaker 5 (27:58):
I mean, yeah, you have to take every you have
to take all those things with a grain of salt,
because it's like, you know, how much of that is
him actually not respecting them versus you know, whatever other
little competition, competition, whatever it.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
Is, you know what I mean.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
And there is there is something to say like, uh,
you know, I have known bands that are on the
independent scene who are like, oh, you you signed, you know,
you signed with a commercial label or whatever it is,
You've sold out. It's like, well, also, they do have
to make money and earn a living, and you.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Know that's by the way, it sounds like some chance
you used to hear at the ECW arena. Yeah, you
sold out. You sold out. We're going to bring you
back on either side. But I got to ask you
this in less than forty seconds. What was it like
for you? So you come out of Aberdeen and you
see him make it and you're like, wow, maybe I
(28:55):
can make it. Why wrestling for you?
Speaker 5 (28:58):
Oh, it's just something I was passionate about it.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
I wasn't even concerned about making it. I just wanted
to try it.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:03):
I have a really fun story that we can get
to on the other side about how influential my high
school English teacher was actually in the decision of me
becoming a professional wrestler.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
So shout out to doctor Carter. Oh, very nice, Aberdeen's finest.
That's awesome, that's great. And listen, I mean you know
that you come out of this area, they claim you
and they stick by you. And I found out in
the four months I've been here that once this area,
you know, kind of attaches themselves and claims you you're
good forever. Like they claim you, like whether it's Ken
(29:33):
Griffey Junior, a Rod each Row, they claim you.
Speaker 4 (29:37):
Not so much Russell Wilson right now, not so much him.
It'll come back in time. It'll come back in time
a lot of time. But Marshawn Lynch holy like beast Mode.
Speaker 1 (29:47):
I mean, they could build ten statues here and there
wouldn't be enough of him, which has been justifiably so.
Brian Danielson, a e W former WWE World Champion and
ae W WORL champion in town promoting their events coming
up in Ken Oh. Don't forget text in first name,
last name in city four nine four five one. We
(30:08):
call your name out at the top of the hour.
You have a chance to win two hundred dollars on
EQUC no Thursday on MJ and the Midday Sports Radio
ninety three to three KJR FM
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.