October 7, 2025 • 30 mins
What makes sports more than a game? Damon Bruce, a voice woven into two decades of Bay Area sports talk, shares how a broadcast can become a bond connecting families, generations, and communities.
đź’ˇ What you will learn:
- How sports reveal character, humility, and gratitude
- Lessons in leadership from Steve Kerr and championship culture
- Why real connection matters more than social media noise
🗝️ Key takeaways:
- Victory means little without humanity
- Gratitude grounds both athletes and fans
- True community lives in real conversations, not online debates
Listen now to Damon Bruce’s powerful take on sports, life, and connection. Watch on YouTube or subscribe to YoggNation’s Spirit of Gratitude podcast for more stories that remind us what really matters.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Welcome to the Yogis, I'm Hamas and the one
mission helpfulness.
I'm floating the self-winnessand the hammer in this.
I'm putting the cell and thefamous.
Join me every week as I amhyperfundus.
As we explore how adversityshapes us, how attitude lifts
(00:22):
us, and how we can all uncoverthe interesting that we all have
within ourselves.
Join the conversation.
I appreciate you listening in.
SPEAKER_02 (00:37):
What does it mean when a voice on the radio
becomes part of your familywithout ever stepping into the
living room?
For over 20 years, Damon Brucehas been one of the most
recognizable voices in SanFrancisco Bay Area Sports Talk,
having anchored shows on ESPNRadio, KBR, and now hosting his
flagship, the Damon Bruce Show,on YouTube.
(00:57):
What makes Damon stand out isn'tjust the headlines or the hot
takes.
It's the way his words havebonded fathers and sons together
and have bridged generations.
His greatest compliment whenlisteners tell him, You've been
a part of my family.
And that must be very humblingto hear those words.
Damon isn't just a sports talkshow host.
He's a storyteller who turnsgames into life lessons,
(01:17):
reminding us that sports aremore than just wins and losses,
they're about who we becomealong the way.
With gratitude, welcome to thepodcast, Damon.
SPEAKER_00 (01:26):
Thank you so much for having me.
What a lovely introduction.
And I tell you, I uh I want tojust thank you for having me.
And what you said is reallytrue.
When people tell you thatthey've been part of their
family conversations and theylisten to my show with their
(01:49):
dads and now listen or consumethings I do with their sons, I
think to myself, number one,wow, I'm getting old.
And number two, it's incredibleto be a part of someone's life
like that.
Because, you know, there's avery, very intimate connection
that radio used to have with anaudience.
(02:10):
And I don't know if thataudience even exists anymore or
if if that media existscurrently right now, like it
used to.
But I was the part, I was ableto be a part of a golden age of
radio where you really madethese incredible connections
with people and and the storiesthat they would tell and share,
and the way that I was included,in the way that they would bond
(02:32):
with their family.
It's it was so humbling and itmeant an awful lot.
SPEAKER_02 (02:35):
Why do you think sports is like that?
I mean, why do you think this,amongst anything else we do in
our lives, brings peopletogether?
SPEAKER_00 (02:44):
I think it definitely tickles the funny
bone of passion, right?
And just just being passionateabout something as we sort of
meander through life, it feelsgood.
You know, your serotonin levelsgo off when when you're excited
about a big game or gettingtogether with your friends to
watch.
I think it's a communal event.
(03:05):
It's one of the last and sadlyfew communal events that we
have.
Um, that's why it's a shame thatso many people have been priced
out of going to games because itis a very expensive proposition,
but it's a wonderful gatheringpoint.
It's a it's a town square wherewe really, you know, have all
sort of retreated into the palmof our own hands in social
(03:26):
media.
Uh it's a place to come togetherand feel emotional about
something.
And, you know, the beauty of itall is it doesn't matter where
you're from, doesn't matterwhere I'm from, doesn't matter
what our backgrounds are at all.
We're here together rooting forTeam X.
And that's what unites us rightnow.
(03:47):
And I'm gonna high-five totalstrangers when things go good,
and we're all gonna get angrytogether when things go bad.
And emotions with strangers aregood.
I mean, I think that's a bigpart of it.
And it just connects people, itconnects generations of family
members.
I mean, there's a lot of peoplewho don't know how to talk to
(04:08):
their older family members, butthrough the bond that sports
just provides.
It's it's a touch point formaybe generations that have
fewer touch points.
So it's I think just sportsremains uh a beautiful part of
our stories, our local stories.
Sports are provincial, it'sabout hometowns, it's about
(04:31):
families and grandfathers andgrandmas and moms and dads, and
it's it feels like family.
SPEAKER_02 (04:40):
Do you think it's also escaping reality too, with
the problems and challenges thateveryone has, you know, that we
all face?
Sports is that one thing wherewe can just say, ah, let me just
see if you know Carlos Alcarazcan uh can win against Yannick
Sinner.
SPEAKER_00 (04:56):
Yeah, I've always said I work in the toy
department.
And I love that I work in thetoy department because uh so
many other departments, whichare so much more serious and
certainly deserve our time andattention.
This is a place where you can goto escape.
And I feel like escaping, again,escaping to a place where we can
unite in one common interest.
(05:18):
That's a good common interest,as I think appealing to people,
and it always has been.
And right now, you you look atratings in the industry and the
way that people lean into NFLgames, it's the most consumed
mass media event we have in ourcountry right now.
Football games.
It's uh it's undeniable.
And I don't know if that's agood reflection or a bad
(05:40):
reflection.
I don't know, but it's it is whowe are.
SPEAKER_02 (05:43):
Well, I think there's also that element,
again, to the theme of thepodcast.
There's that sense of gratitude.
Again, as you mentioned, it'sit's a shared experience that
you're just grateful that you'reable to experience this with
another individual.
SPEAKER_00 (05:56):
It it's important.
I feel like we've, you know, inmany ways retreated, like I said
earlier, into the palm of ourown hands with social media and
computer screens, and we'resurrounded by screens.
And, you know, as I talk to youin my camera right now, I've got
five open screens just within mypurview.
I mean, it's and it's incrediblehow we insulate ourselves and in
(06:18):
a world where we can connectlike never before, we're as
disconnected maybe more thanever before from people.
So it's I just think it's it'sone of the few remaining town
halls that we have.
And we need more town halls.
SPEAKER_02 (06:35):
Yes, and it actually starts at the neighborhood
playground, in my opinion.
SPEAKER_00 (06:41):
Absolutely.
I've got two young boys rightnow watching them assimilate to
a new playground that they'reyou know new at, or or watching
playgrounds that they'refamiliar with, and other kids
now come on their turf.
It's it's a beautiful littlesocial experiment watching it
all happen.
And um I've always said, youknow, sports don't build
(07:02):
character, they reveal it.
It's how I end my show.
It's not my saying that is JohnWooden who came up with that,
but I've always used that quoteto end my show, like almost
every show I've ever hosted.
And people bring it up to me.
Um, and and I think it it peopleconnect with that.
Like, I don't know if if thisplayground activity that my
(07:28):
child is doing right now isgoing to instill character in
him, but maybe what hischaracter is is going to come
out of him in this moment.
And I see that in thedevelopment of my kids and when
they're good sports and whenthey're bad sports, and when
they get up and brush somethingbad off, or when they make a big
(07:51):
deal out of something thatreally shouldn't have affected
it.
It's amazing watching thedevelopment of my kids through
the prism of sports.
They're still so young, they'rereally not involved even in team
sports.
It's at the playground level,like you were saying.
Um, but it sports brings out whoI think you really are inside.
I've always said, you know, likemoney or winning the lottery.
(08:13):
Winning the lottery would revealan awful lot about who you
really are.
If you're a good person whowants to spread love and help,
you would use that money to doso.
Maybe if you are more of aselfish person, that would be
easily revealed in that processtoo.
So um, I think sports andreveals who you are.
SPEAKER_02 (08:37):
Well, I also think that sports is also a metaphor
in life, right?
You would face adversity, youface challenges, you pick
yourself up, dust yourself off,and then you move on.
It's so it's that resilientspirit that with that I think
sports maybe teaches, and it theword is teaches, you don't
necessarily internalize it.
You see it within others and yousee within yourself as you
(08:59):
develop and grow into thecharacter person that you are.
SPEAKER_00 (09:02):
I think it it really develops us a lot socially with
who we are, with like ininternal sports, like a sport
like golf, where you are yourown official at the same time,
and it's the honor system.
Individual sports bring out anddevelop a certain muscle in your
personality that team sportssort of work on a whole other
(09:24):
different muscle in yourpersonality and knowing how to,
you know, when to lead, whereto, you know, when to wear beige
and kind of blend in.
You know, you you you you have atotally different experience on
team sports as opposed toindividual sports.
And it's just, yeah, it's partof it's not just a metaphor,
it's really happening.
(09:45):
Like that's the thing.
There's a reality to sportswhere we're not just talking
about metaphorically threestrikes and you're out.
No, this is literally threestrikes and you're out.
Here it is.
This is your plate appearance.
This is happening right now, andthere's something beautiful
about that.
SPEAKER_02 (09:59):
Yeah, and I also think that sports also helps
teach you how to resolveconflict.
SPEAKER_00 (10:03):
Oh, yeah.
Absolutely.
How you react to winning andlosing, again, it's uh one of
those it won't build yourcharacter, but it will reveal
it.
Are you a good winner?
Are you a poor loser?
It's amazing how many peoplehandle winning as poorly as some
people handle losing.
SPEAKER_02 (10:22):
And sports how do you handle winning poorly?
Is it just spiking the footballin front of you?
SPEAKER_00 (10:28):
Oh, uh arrogance, cockiness, uh, you know,
becoming overly braggadocious ortoo confident, or you know, just
being a um a social media trollabout it.
You know, it's like it's it'snot enough for me to win and
feel good about it.
I gotta make you feel bad thatyou lost.
You know, there's there's anelement to it.
SPEAKER_02 (10:46):
But are the majority of professional athletes that
and coaches that you'veinterviewed, are they more
humble and cocky or humble andor excuse me, cocky and
arrogant, or cocky and humble?
SPEAKER_00 (10:59):
I find an awful lot of athletes definitely lean into
the humility level of of howthey they have approached their
career.
They know that it hangs in thebalance of a personal injury
could change anything at anytime.
So I think they're grateful forthe opportunity.
They're certainly grateful forthe reward, which can be
(11:19):
overwhelming, you know, at manylevels.
Um and I think they yeah,there's there is a humility to
the professional athlete becausethey understand how pardon me.
They understand how 1% theyreally are.
I mean, to become a to become aprofessional athlete, you have
(11:40):
so separated yourself from thevery, very, very, very good.
Like the very, very, very, verygood still ain't the pros.
The pros are at a level of we'llshow you how the single worst
major leaguer you can find isincredible at playing Major
League Baseball.
(12:00):
It's just rough out therebecause everybody's a pro.
SPEAKER_02 (12:02):
You know, I mean, it's I think that's raw talent,
or is it uh just years of of uhof professional craft?
SPEAKER_00 (12:11):
Well, I think at the ultimate professional level,
there is no faking a level oftalent.
You know, you you can't justguile your way to a professional
career.
You have to have a physicalstandard that you meet to reach
the level of competition in thisleague.
Um so there there is an elementof of certainly what you're born
(12:33):
with, but how hard do you work?
You know, it's not quite thesize of the dog in the fight,
it's the size of the fight inthe dog.
How determined are you to um I Itell my my six-year-old,
character is who you are when noone is looking.
Which means, are you gonna doyour homework without me asking
(12:54):
you to do it?
Do you just do your homework?
Are you going to pick up thecoloring book and the crayons
when you're done?
Am I gonna have to remind you todo that?
Do you, you know, do you just dothe right thing without having
to be told to do it?
And every single professionalathlete you've ever met has
spent more hours working ontheir craft than they do on the
(13:17):
stage under the big brightlights.
And, you know, it's it's it's anincredible endeavor to be a
professional athlete.
SPEAKER_02 (13:24):
Well, I'm curious to find out if you were if you are
allowed to share.
And that is what's the most TedLasso like athlete or coach
you've ever met?
Someone who leads with belief inkindness instead of ego.
Oh, it's Steve Kerr.
SPEAKER_00 (13:38):
I mean far and away, Steve Kerr.
SPEAKER_02 (13:42):
Steve Kerr is You know, he's idolized here at the
University of Arizona, where uhwhich is where I live in Tucson.
SPEAKER_00 (13:49):
Steve is genuinely one of the most thoughtful,
caring, like legitimately goodpeople I've ever had the
pleasure of talking to, not inany interview process, but just
in in my life.
Like Steve Kerr is good people.
SPEAKER_02 (14:06):
Steve Kerr, you if something doesn't he yell and
scream though, when when he whenhe needs to be?
SPEAKER_00 (14:10):
Oh, well, that's all part of it.
That's part of the deal.
SPEAKER_02 (14:14):
That that's you know, so how can you be kind?
Um, and I again I'm not I'm justwant to be able to understand,
right?
You can be kind, you can beselfless, yet you can still
light a fire in people's, youknow what.
SPEAKER_00 (14:31):
Uh uh emotions flare in an emotional environment like
sports.
And I think um you have to havesome thick skin.
Uh, just in the world.
I think I th I I thinkdeveloping a thicker skin as
we're talking about gratitude issomething that you know the
world needs to work on.
(14:52):
We need to start having a littleuh, you know, uh I'm I'm rubber,
you're glue, your bad wordsbounce off me and stick to you.
You know, I we we could use alittle thicker skin out there.
Um but Steve Kerr is a level ofkind that you get a lot more of
(15:13):
than any developing of thickskin.
You know, this is this this wasa guy who was such a competitor.
Michael Jordan punched him oneday in practice.
You know, if you if if if if youare that pesky where you're
gonna get Michael Jordan tothrow a punch at you, you're
you're a competitor.
And in that punch, a bond wasformed that only makes sense in
(15:37):
the world of sports.
We would not recommend this ishow you bond with someone in any
other world or realm ofbusiness.
But sports are their own littleworld that you know, people and
and the the alpha male existsin, and it's it's all part of
(15:57):
it.
And it so anyway, uh Steve Kerr.
Like, if if something terriblewere to happen to me, like I
would trust Steve Kerr to get itright with my family, much less
a basketball team.
SPEAKER_02 (16:10):
You know, is there anything in particular he said
to you that made you perhapschange a perspective?
SPEAKER_00 (16:16):
Well, I think you know what it really was more
than anything, it's the volumeof conversations I've had with
Steve Kerr.
He was a weekly guest on my showthrough the basketball season,
through the almost entirety ofthe Warriors, certainly at the
top of their dynasty.
So we're we're listening to aman having a level of success.
SPEAKER_02 (16:37):
I thought I'm sorry, I thought he also did that with
uh with with Tom Tolbert aswell.
SPEAKER_00 (16:40):
He did do that with Tom as well.
It's it's and the reason why isbecause they were both Arizona
guys.
I think one was another guy'sgroomsman in their wedding.
Like they're real friends.
SPEAKER_02 (16:51):
They're acting I'm sorry, just a little side note,
but please continue.
SPEAKER_00 (16:55):
Yeah, they're real world friends.
And so the advantage that I wassupposed to have as a talk show
host with having the Warriorsexclusively on my show was done
in by this incredibly uniquesituation that, you know, of
course would be happening to me,but uh it it didn't matter
because I think you got twototally different sorts of
(17:17):
interviews.
Um, one that was, you know, alittle bit more, you know,
matter-of-fact and businesslike, and a little which one and
one which was chummier andbrought out different elements.
And I I thought it was veryinteresting.
I thought it was yeah.
Um, anyway, back to Steve.
I I mean hundreds of20-minute-long conversations
(17:42):
I've had with this guy.
And who you really are while youare having hundreds of those
conversations at the pinnacle ofyour success, I think reveals a
lot who you are.
You know, like I said, somepeople handle success poorly.
Steve Kerr handled his successwith more humility and grace and
um and a plum than you couldever imagine.
(18:04):
He would even say, like, Damon,this is the imaginary NBA.
What we're doing right now,Kevin Durant is here.
Like, this isn't real.
This is enjoy this.
We are, this is Xanadu.
This is not real.
Even though it is real and it'shappening, this is not the real
NBA.
For us, we are at this moment intime where all the stars have
(18:24):
aligned and we are this monster.
SPEAKER_02 (18:28):
But there's a lot of pressure to perform.
And I'm, I guess, again, I'veprobably that's one of the
things that I always take awayfrom sports is with all of that
gravity on you, right?
Some it's self-directed, someit's by outside external
factors, you're still able toperform under pressure.
SPEAKER_00 (18:44):
It's incredible how the spotlight is so on these
guys.
24 hours, it's not even duringthe game or the post-game
interview anymore.
It's social media buzzing aboutyou 24 hours a day.
It's uh, you know, a kid inNebraska who's angry that you
dropped a pass in a game thatmade him lose his fantasy
(19:04):
football game that is justriding you.
You know, a kid let's talk aboutthat.
SPEAKER_02 (19:11):
I mean, that's an area that I want to explore as
well, because you know, assports talk show hosts like
yourself, you are often targetsyourselves of criticism.
And how do you cope with that?
Backlash, personal attacks, oreven maybe threats that come
from passion fan bases, andknowing that perhaps at times
you are an instigator of thesetypes of conversations,
(19:34):
respectfully speaking.
I humbly answer thick skin.
SPEAKER_00 (19:39):
Thick skin.
We're right back to the topic ofthick skin.
And I think if you you know,anyone who's got a public-facing
forward job, whether you lookinto a camera or speak into a
microphone, if you're puttingyourself out there, people will
come at you just for having thegoal, the audacity to be putting
yourself out there in the firstplace.
SPEAKER_02 (19:58):
You know, I'm sure this is something I think
there's a component here ofbullying as well, because you
know, again, if I happen to lookat a middle school teenager
who's trying to overcomesomething where they have been
bullied with or cyberbullied,or, you know, galotov's, let's
go meet in the park at threeo'clock.
There is that thick skin elementthat I think we all need to
(20:20):
have.
And again, a lot of this podcastfocuses on the themes of our
self-awareness and our innerspirit in order for you to be
the best version of yourself.
And that also means defendingyourself or sensing where things
are coming into harm's way.
SPEAKER_00 (20:35):
Well, and I think it's, and this is uh, I think a
hard message to deliver to agroup of a generation of kids
who've grown up online in a waythat I did not grow up online.
You know, I didn't receive myfirst email until I was in
college.
I there was no internet when Iwas a teenager.
SPEAKER_02 (20:52):
Was it Telnet?
Because that's what I used.
University of Washington.
SPEAKER_00 (20:55):
Oh no, my my first no, it was an uh an Indiana.edu
address.
It was my college email address,it was my first email address.
I'm like, what do you mean whenI press send, they get it?
How long does it take to getdelivered?
How long what do you what do youmean?
Like, I watched the internethappen when I was in college.
(21:18):
Like, I remember going to thelibrary to look at the internet.
What's that?
It was being invented.
So, you know, there's a worldthat your teenage daughter has
grown up in that I did notexperience as a teenager.
And I think my life might havebeen better off for it because I
was not exposed to a level ofbullying and cyber attention
(21:40):
that is overwhelming for adults,much less teenagers, much less
children.
Um, adults aren't wired to beoverwhelmed by social media and
constant messaging, much less adeveloping young mind.
So that's a that's a scarything.
And I think it's it's um it'ssomething that parents need to
(22:01):
be concerned with.
It's something that we all needto be concerned with.
Um, you know, we have ruined I Ithink we have ruined the way a
generation talks to each otheror assumes or presumes how
people talk to each otherbecause they've learned it on
the internet instead of the townhall gatherings that we were
(22:23):
talking about at the verybeginning of of this
conversation.
You know, you're not really inthe same person anymore.
You used to hurt someone'sfeelings.
You would see that you hurttheir feelings, and your empathy
would develop in that moment.
If you don't see the hurtfeelings, you don't develop the
empathy in the moment.
And this is where I think um,you know, a generation of kids
(22:47):
has been done wrong by onlinegrowing up online.
It it really, really stinks.
SPEAKER_02 (22:52):
Um boy, that's uh that's the billion-dollar
question, and that is how toimpart some of the things that
we grew up in and in today'sgeneration society to move
forward.
SPEAKER_00 (23:06):
It's it's hard.
Kids aren't allowed to be kidsanymore.
Kids aren't allowed to be kids.
There is a pressure to grow upand grow up fast and present
yourself as more grown up andmore sophisticated.
And um, you know, again,30-year-old adults fall into
these trappings.
Imagine if you still had a youngteenage mind and how addictive
it would be.
We have built the ultimate angermachine.
(23:29):
When I look at social media,that's what I think about it.
You know, what is Twitter?
It's the it's the world's mostexpertly designed anger machine.
And it just amplifies anger morethan we've used the internet to
share all the wealth andknowledge in our society.
SPEAKER_02 (23:46):
You know, well, Damon, don't say that because
that's what this podcast aims toserve.
And that is there's enough,there's not enough wisdom on
social media, right?
There isn't quality messaging tohelp young adults and
adolescents overcome a challengethat they may have in life,
whether it is bullying orfighting their own inner demons.
And that's why I hope that youknow this small sliver of
(24:06):
yognation, right, the spirit ofgratitude, hopefully can get its
message amplified to the rightaudience.
SPEAKER_00 (24:13):
Well, I I think what yoga nation is doing is
beautiful.
If putting something on theinternet to be genuinely kind
and warm, it's it's it's it howabout this?
In my in my line of work, Idon't get to do that very often.
I don't I don't get to be thekind, warm sports talk host very
(24:33):
often.
SPEAKER_02 (24:34):
So I wouldn't survive 10 seconds on sports
talk radio.
SPEAKER_00 (24:39):
To be here with you today is a whole different gear
than I'm normally having.
So it's it's it's nice to uhit's nice to to be able to know
that I still have this gear.
SPEAKER_02 (24:48):
Well, hopefully your fans and your family and those
around you can appreciate themessaging that you are sharing,
perhaps knowing a different sideof you that uh is different than
on screen or on mic.
SPEAKER_00 (25:02):
Well, I tell you, thank you.
Thank you.
I you know, one of the thingsthat's really changed, you know,
who I from who I was to who I amis we all get older and move on
with our lives.
I don't I don't think thatthere's any element of me
getting older that ever changedthe way I look and feel about
the world than having kids.
(25:23):
Like that is to me the ultimategame changer.
And that's what turned me intosomebody who said, yeah, okay,
let's do a uh a conversationabout being more grateful in the
world because I I want to raisegrateful children who are um
proud of where they are growingup.
(25:45):
And in I, you know, the mostdiverse city, I think, in the
world in San Francisco.
And I love that I'm raising themhere.
I I want my kids to grow up in aworld that it feels like an
awful lot of the world isfighting against that world.
And it's just a weird, weirdtime in the world to see how
much ingratitude there seems tobe all around us.
(26:05):
So thank you for having metoday.
Um, and uh I I came on herebecause I'm so grateful that I
have healthy, happy kids, and Iwould like them to stay that way
as long as possible.
SPEAKER_02 (26:18):
And I think it boils down to how you are raising them
to be good people.
SPEAKER_00 (26:21):
That's it.
That's it.
And and no baby shark.
We go right to Tom Petty and theHeartbreakers.
We go right to Led Zeppelin.
The other day, my kid, mysix-year-old, said, Dad, is that
Pink Floyd?
And I was like, Yes, I'm doingit right.
Dad, the Grateful Deads from SanFrancisco.
(26:43):
Yes, I am doing it right.
SPEAKER_02 (26:48):
So I've got uh two girls, ages 24 and 21, and uh I
brought them on Death RowRecords, you know, with uh
Shubnight, Dr.
Dre, Snoop Dogg, the dog pound.
And I always like to teasepeople that the extra G in Yoge
Nation can either stand forgratitude or gangsta.
SPEAKER_00 (27:08):
So well, if anyone asks me, I'll tell him what's
up, OG.
Thanks for having me, Yog.
I do appreciate it, and uh keepit real.
SPEAKER_02 (27:21):
Great way to end the segment.
And uh again, for the citizensof Yoge Nation who I like to
call the listeners, boy, what aninspiring episode this was.
I mean, I think what Damonreally revealed is kind of a
vulnerable side of him in termsof how uh there's certainly the
parental struggles, but more andless in general, what life
teaches you about yourself andhow you can do good by serving
(27:44):
others in the world of in theworld of sports, that bringing
that sense of community andbelonging together.
Uh Damon, I will give you thelast word.
Is there anything that I missedin this conversation?
Beautiful conversation, by theway, that uh you would like to
share uh to the audience.
Tweet less.
SPEAKER_00 (28:05):
Just stay away from the anger machine.
I think you'll be happier if youdo.
I try to stay away from it.
I think it's helped me.
I think I think being onlineless has definitely helped me.
I've gone out of my way to beit.
I'm still failing miserably ofmy goal of trying to be almost
online never, but it's um andwhen you are, then maybe put out
(28:27):
nice things, which is again whyI wanted to join you today.
Because Yog Nation, you aregetting something very nice put
into your world by someone whouh cares about the world enough
to do it.
So it was a pleasure to join youtoday.
Thank you.
Um anything you should be youshould you should be worried
about the Nick Bosa injury.
(28:48):
That could really, that couldreally hurt the 49ers season.
I'll leave you with that.
SPEAKER_02 (28:52):
Uh I'm more of a college football fan with uh
surprisingly the University ofWashington, which is where I
went to school, go Huskies.
SPEAKER_00 (29:00):
Then please let me tell you about my Indiana
Hoosiers.
SPEAKER_02 (29:03):
No, no, no, no, no, no.
We don't need to go there.
SPEAKER_00 (29:06):
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
Because you want to talk aboutgratitude?
I am so grateful for what ishappening.
Right now, Indiana football wasthe doormat that major college
football wiped its cleats offon.
We had become worse than Kansas,worse than Duke, worse than Wake
Forest.
We were worse than Northwestern.
(29:27):
We were the worst major collegefootball program in America.
We won 11 games last year.
We're a top 10 football teamright now.
The unbelievable has happened.
The unthinkable.
The basketball school thatfielded a football team has
(29:47):
happened.
And I'm as grateful for that asanything in the world right now.
So that's what I'm grateful for.
SPEAKER_02 (29:56):
And that's well, there is a Washington Husky
connection again.
Be plucked, Coach DeVore, andMichael Penix from Indiana to
you dumb.
SPEAKER_00 (30:05):
Tell me about it.
I mean, so it is from now on, itis the Michael Penix that bonds
us.
SPEAKER_02 (30:12):
I'll take that.
There you go.
Beautiful.
Thanks, Damon.
Take care.
Thank you, yo.
Welcome to the Yogis, I'm Hamas and the one
mission helpfulness.
I'm floating the self-winnessand the hammer in this.
I'm putting the cell and thefamous.
Join me every week as I amhyperfundus.
As we explore how adversityshapes us, how attitude lifts
(00:22):
us, and how we can all uncoverthe interesting that we all have
within ourselves.
Join the conversation.
I appreciate you listening in.
SPEAKER_02 (00:37):
What does it mean when a voice on the radio
becomes part of your familywithout ever stepping into the
living room?
For over 20 years, Damon Brucehas been one of the most
recognizable voices in SanFrancisco Bay Area Sports Talk,
having anchored shows on ESPNRadio, KBR, and now hosting his
flagship, the Damon Bruce Show,on YouTube.
(00:57):
What makes Damon stand out isn'tjust the headlines or the hot
takes.
It's the way his words havebonded fathers and sons together
and have bridged generations.
His greatest compliment whenlisteners tell him, You've been
a part of my family.
And that must be very humblingto hear those words.
Damon isn't just a sports talkshow host.
He's a storyteller who turnsgames into life lessons,
(01:17):
reminding us that sports aremore than just wins and losses,
they're about who we becomealong the way.
With gratitude, welcome to thepodcast, Damon.
SPEAKER_00 (01:26):
Thank you so much for having me.
What a lovely introduction.
And I tell you, I uh I want tojust thank you for having me.
And what you said is reallytrue.
When people tell you thatthey've been part of their
family conversations and theylisten to my show with their
(01:49):
dads and now listen or consumethings I do with their sons, I
think to myself, number one,wow, I'm getting old.
And number two, it's incredibleto be a part of someone's life
like that.
Because, you know, there's avery, very intimate connection
that radio used to have with anaudience.
(02:10):
And I don't know if thataudience even exists anymore or
if if that media existscurrently right now, like it
used to.
But I was the part, I was ableto be a part of a golden age of
radio where you really madethese incredible connections
with people and and the storiesthat they would tell and share,
and the way that I was included,in the way that they would bond
(02:32):
with their family.
It's it was so humbling and itmeant an awful lot.
SPEAKER_02 (02:35):
Why do you think sports is like that?
I mean, why do you think this,amongst anything else we do in
our lives, brings peopletogether?
SPEAKER_00 (02:44):
I think it definitely tickles the funny
bone of passion, right?
And just just being passionateabout something as we sort of
meander through life, it feelsgood.
You know, your serotonin levelsgo off when when you're excited
about a big game or gettingtogether with your friends to
watch.
I think it's a communal event.
(03:05):
It's one of the last and sadlyfew communal events that we
have.
Um, that's why it's a shame thatso many people have been priced
out of going to games because itis a very expensive proposition,
but it's a wonderful gatheringpoint.
It's a it's a town square wherewe really, you know, have all
sort of retreated into the palmof our own hands in social
(03:26):
media.
Uh it's a place to come togetherand feel emotional about
something.
And, you know, the beauty of itall is it doesn't matter where
you're from, doesn't matterwhere I'm from, doesn't matter
what our backgrounds are at all.
We're here together rooting forTeam X.
And that's what unites us rightnow.
(03:47):
And I'm gonna high-five totalstrangers when things go good,
and we're all gonna get angrytogether when things go bad.
And emotions with strangers aregood.
I mean, I think that's a bigpart of it.
And it just connects people, itconnects generations of family
members.
I mean, there's a lot of peoplewho don't know how to talk to
(04:08):
their older family members, butthrough the bond that sports
just provides.
It's it's a touch point formaybe generations that have
fewer touch points.
So it's I think just sportsremains uh a beautiful part of
our stories, our local stories.
Sports are provincial, it'sabout hometowns, it's about
(04:31):
families and grandfathers andgrandmas and moms and dads, and
it's it feels like family.
SPEAKER_02 (04:40):
Do you think it's also escaping reality too, with
the problems and challenges thateveryone has, you know, that we
all face?
Sports is that one thing wherewe can just say, ah, let me just
see if you know Carlos Alcarazcan uh can win against Yannick
Sinner.
SPEAKER_00 (04:56):
Yeah, I've always said I work in the toy
department.
And I love that I work in thetoy department because uh so
many other departments, whichare so much more serious and
certainly deserve our time andattention.
This is a place where you can goto escape.
And I feel like escaping, again,escaping to a place where we can
unite in one common interest.
(05:18):
That's a good common interest,as I think appealing to people,
and it always has been.
And right now, you you look atratings in the industry and the
way that people lean into NFLgames, it's the most consumed
mass media event we have in ourcountry right now.
Football games.
It's uh it's undeniable.
And I don't know if that's agood reflection or a bad
(05:40):
reflection.
I don't know, but it's it is whowe are.
SPEAKER_02 (05:43):
Well, I think there's also that element,
again, to the theme of thepodcast.
There's that sense of gratitude.
Again, as you mentioned, it'sit's a shared experience that
you're just grateful that you'reable to experience this with
another individual.
SPEAKER_00 (05:56):
It it's important.
I feel like we've, you know, inmany ways retreated, like I said
earlier, into the palm of ourown hands with social media and
computer screens, and we'resurrounded by screens.
And, you know, as I talk to youin my camera right now, I've got
five open screens just within mypurview.
I mean, it's and it's incrediblehow we insulate ourselves and in
(06:18):
a world where we can connectlike never before, we're as
disconnected maybe more thanever before from people.
So it's I just think it's it'sone of the few remaining town
halls that we have.
And we need more town halls.
SPEAKER_02 (06:35):
Yes, and it actually starts at the neighborhood
playground, in my opinion.
SPEAKER_00 (06:41):
Absolutely.
I've got two young boys rightnow watching them assimilate to
a new playground that they'reyou know new at, or or watching
playgrounds that they'refamiliar with, and other kids
now come on their turf.
It's it's a beautiful littlesocial experiment watching it
all happen.
And um I've always said, youknow, sports don't build
(07:02):
character, they reveal it.
It's how I end my show.
It's not my saying that is JohnWooden who came up with that,
but I've always used that quoteto end my show, like almost
every show I've ever hosted.
And people bring it up to me.
Um, and and I think it it peopleconnect with that.
Like, I don't know if if thisplayground activity that my
(07:28):
child is doing right now isgoing to instill character in
him, but maybe what hischaracter is is going to come
out of him in this moment.
And I see that in thedevelopment of my kids and when
they're good sports and whenthey're bad sports, and when
they get up and brush somethingbad off, or when they make a big
(07:51):
deal out of something thatreally shouldn't have affected
it.
It's amazing watching thedevelopment of my kids through
the prism of sports.
They're still so young, they'rereally not involved even in team
sports.
It's at the playground level,like you were saying.
Um, but it sports brings out whoI think you really are inside.
I've always said, you know, likemoney or winning the lottery.
(08:13):
Winning the lottery would revealan awful lot about who you
really are.
If you're a good person whowants to spread love and help,
you would use that money to doso.
Maybe if you are more of aselfish person, that would be
easily revealed in that processtoo.
So um, I think sports andreveals who you are.
SPEAKER_02 (08:37):
Well, I also think that sports is also a metaphor
in life, right?
You would face adversity, youface challenges, you pick
yourself up, dust yourself off,and then you move on.
It's so it's that resilientspirit that with that I think
sports maybe teaches, and it theword is teaches, you don't
necessarily internalize it.
You see it within others and yousee within yourself as you
(08:59):
develop and grow into thecharacter person that you are.
SPEAKER_00 (09:02):
I think it it really develops us a lot socially with
who we are, with like ininternal sports, like a sport
like golf, where you are yourown official at the same time,
and it's the honor system.
Individual sports bring out anddevelop a certain muscle in your
personality that team sportssort of work on a whole other
(09:24):
different muscle in yourpersonality and knowing how to,
you know, when to lead, whereto, you know, when to wear beige
and kind of blend in.
You know, you you you you have atotally different experience on
team sports as opposed toindividual sports.
And it's just, yeah, it's partof it's not just a metaphor,
it's really happening.
(09:45):
Like that's the thing.
There's a reality to sportswhere we're not just talking
about metaphorically threestrikes and you're out.
No, this is literally threestrikes and you're out.
Here it is.
This is your plate appearance.
This is happening right now, andthere's something beautiful
about that.
SPEAKER_02 (09:59):
Yeah, and I also think that sports also helps
teach you how to resolveconflict.
SPEAKER_00 (10:03):
Oh, yeah.
Absolutely.
How you react to winning andlosing, again, it's uh one of
those it won't build yourcharacter, but it will reveal
it.
Are you a good winner?
Are you a poor loser?
It's amazing how many peoplehandle winning as poorly as some
people handle losing.
SPEAKER_02 (10:22):
And sports how do you handle winning poorly?
Is it just spiking the footballin front of you?
SPEAKER_00 (10:28):
Oh, uh arrogance, cockiness, uh, you know,
becoming overly braggadocious ortoo confident, or you know, just
being a um a social media trollabout it.
You know, it's like it's it'snot enough for me to win and
feel good about it.
I gotta make you feel bad thatyou lost.
You know, there's there's anelement to it.
SPEAKER_02 (10:46):
But are the majority of professional athletes that
and coaches that you'veinterviewed, are they more
humble and cocky or humble andor excuse me, cocky and
arrogant, or cocky and humble?
SPEAKER_00 (10:59):
I find an awful lot of athletes definitely lean into
the humility level of of howthey they have approached their
career.
They know that it hangs in thebalance of a personal injury
could change anything at anytime.
So I think they're grateful forthe opportunity.
They're certainly grateful forthe reward, which can be
(11:19):
overwhelming, you know, at manylevels.
Um and I think they yeah,there's there is a humility to
the professional athlete becausethey understand how pardon me.
They understand how 1% theyreally are.
I mean, to become a to become aprofessional athlete, you have
(11:40):
so separated yourself from thevery, very, very, very good.
Like the very, very, very, verygood still ain't the pros.
The pros are at a level of we'llshow you how the single worst
major leaguer you can find isincredible at playing Major
League Baseball.
(12:00):
It's just rough out therebecause everybody's a pro.
SPEAKER_02 (12:02):
You know, I mean, it's I think that's raw talent,
or is it uh just years of of uhof professional craft?
SPEAKER_00 (12:11):
Well, I think at the ultimate professional level,
there is no faking a level oftalent.
You know, you you can't justguile your way to a professional
career.
You have to have a physicalstandard that you meet to reach
the level of competition in thisleague.
Um so there there is an elementof of certainly what you're born
(12:33):
with, but how hard do you work?
You know, it's not quite thesize of the dog in the fight,
it's the size of the fight inthe dog.
How determined are you to um I Itell my my six-year-old,
character is who you are when noone is looking.
Which means, are you gonna doyour homework without me asking
(12:54):
you to do it?
Do you just do your homework?
Are you going to pick up thecoloring book and the crayons
when you're done?
Am I gonna have to remind you todo that?
Do you, you know, do you just dothe right thing without having
to be told to do it?
And every single professionalathlete you've ever met has
spent more hours working ontheir craft than they do on the
(13:17):
stage under the big brightlights.
And, you know, it's it's it's anincredible endeavor to be a
professional athlete.
SPEAKER_02 (13:24):
Well, I'm curious to find out if you were if you are
allowed to share.
And that is what's the most TedLasso like athlete or coach
you've ever met?
Someone who leads with belief inkindness instead of ego.
Oh, it's Steve Kerr.
SPEAKER_00 (13:38):
I mean far and away, Steve Kerr.
SPEAKER_02 (13:42):
Steve Kerr is You know, he's idolized here at the
University of Arizona, where uhwhich is where I live in Tucson.
SPEAKER_00 (13:49):
Steve is genuinely one of the most thoughtful,
caring, like legitimately goodpeople I've ever had the
pleasure of talking to, not inany interview process, but just
in in my life.
Like Steve Kerr is good people.
SPEAKER_02 (14:06):
Steve Kerr, you if something doesn't he yell and
scream though, when when he whenhe needs to be?
SPEAKER_00 (14:10):
Oh, well, that's all part of it.
That's part of the deal.
SPEAKER_02 (14:14):
That that's you know, so how can you be kind?
Um, and I again I'm not I'm justwant to be able to understand,
right?
You can be kind, you can beselfless, yet you can still
light a fire in people's, youknow what.
SPEAKER_00 (14:31):
Uh uh emotions flare in an emotional environment like
sports.
And I think um you have to havesome thick skin.
Uh, just in the world.
I think I th I I thinkdeveloping a thicker skin as
we're talking about gratitude issomething that you know the
world needs to work on.
(14:52):
We need to start having a littleuh, you know, uh I'm I'm rubber,
you're glue, your bad wordsbounce off me and stick to you.
You know, I we we could use alittle thicker skin out there.
Um but Steve Kerr is a level ofkind that you get a lot more of
(15:13):
than any developing of thickskin.
You know, this is this this wasa guy who was such a competitor.
Michael Jordan punched him oneday in practice.
You know, if you if if if if youare that pesky where you're
gonna get Michael Jordan tothrow a punch at you, you're
you're a competitor.
And in that punch, a bond wasformed that only makes sense in
(15:37):
the world of sports.
We would not recommend this ishow you bond with someone in any
other world or realm ofbusiness.
But sports are their own littleworld that you know, people and
and the the alpha male existsin, and it's it's all part of
(15:57):
it.
And it so anyway, uh Steve Kerr.
Like, if if something terriblewere to happen to me, like I
would trust Steve Kerr to get itright with my family, much less
a basketball team.
SPEAKER_02 (16:10):
You know, is there anything in particular he said
to you that made you perhapschange a perspective?
SPEAKER_00 (16:16):
Well, I think you know what it really was more
than anything, it's the volumeof conversations I've had with
Steve Kerr.
He was a weekly guest on my showthrough the basketball season,
through the almost entirety ofthe Warriors, certainly at the
top of their dynasty.
So we're we're listening to aman having a level of success.
SPEAKER_02 (16:37):
I thought I'm sorry, I thought he also did that with
uh with with Tom Tolbert aswell.
SPEAKER_00 (16:40):
He did do that with Tom as well.
It's it's and the reason why isbecause they were both Arizona
guys.
I think one was another guy'sgroomsman in their wedding.
Like they're real friends.
SPEAKER_02 (16:51):
They're acting I'm sorry, just a little side note,
but please continue.
SPEAKER_00 (16:55):
Yeah, they're real world friends.
And so the advantage that I wassupposed to have as a talk show
host with having the Warriorsexclusively on my show was done
in by this incredibly uniquesituation that, you know, of
course would be happening to me,but uh it it didn't matter
because I think you got twototally different sorts of
(17:17):
interviews.
Um, one that was, you know, alittle bit more, you know,
matter-of-fact and businesslike, and a little which one and
one which was chummier andbrought out different elements.
And I I thought it was veryinteresting.
I thought it was yeah.
Um, anyway, back to Steve.
I I mean hundreds of20-minute-long conversations
(17:42):
I've had with this guy.
And who you really are while youare having hundreds of those
conversations at the pinnacle ofyour success, I think reveals a
lot who you are.
You know, like I said, somepeople handle success poorly.
Steve Kerr handled his successwith more humility and grace and
um and a plum than you couldever imagine.
(18:04):
He would even say, like, Damon,this is the imaginary NBA.
What we're doing right now,Kevin Durant is here.
Like, this isn't real.
This is enjoy this.
We are, this is Xanadu.
This is not real.
Even though it is real and it'shappening, this is not the real
NBA.
For us, we are at this moment intime where all the stars have
(18:24):
aligned and we are this monster.
SPEAKER_02 (18:28):
But there's a lot of pressure to perform.
And I'm, I guess, again, I'veprobably that's one of the
things that I always take awayfrom sports is with all of that
gravity on you, right?
Some it's self-directed, someit's by outside external
factors, you're still able toperform under pressure.
SPEAKER_00 (18:44):
It's incredible how the spotlight is so on these
guys.
24 hours, it's not even duringthe game or the post-game
interview anymore.
It's social media buzzing aboutyou 24 hours a day.
It's uh, you know, a kid inNebraska who's angry that you
dropped a pass in a game thatmade him lose his fantasy
(19:04):
football game that is justriding you.
You know, a kid let's talk aboutthat.
SPEAKER_02 (19:11):
I mean, that's an area that I want to explore as
well, because you know, assports talk show hosts like
yourself, you are often targetsyourselves of criticism.
And how do you cope with that?
Backlash, personal attacks, oreven maybe threats that come
from passion fan bases, andknowing that perhaps at times
you are an instigator of thesetypes of conversations,
(19:34):
respectfully speaking.
I humbly answer thick skin.
SPEAKER_00 (19:39):
Thick skin.
We're right back to the topic ofthick skin.
And I think if you you know,anyone who's got a public-facing
forward job, whether you lookinto a camera or speak into a
microphone, if you're puttingyourself out there, people will
come at you just for having thegoal, the audacity to be putting
yourself out there in the firstplace.
SPEAKER_02 (19:58):
You know, I'm sure this is something I think
there's a component here ofbullying as well, because you
know, again, if I happen to lookat a middle school teenager
who's trying to overcomesomething where they have been
bullied with or cyberbullied,or, you know, galotov's, let's
go meet in the park at threeo'clock.
There is that thick skin elementthat I think we all need to
(20:20):
have.
And again, a lot of this podcastfocuses on the themes of our
self-awareness and our innerspirit in order for you to be
the best version of yourself.
And that also means defendingyourself or sensing where things
are coming into harm's way.
SPEAKER_00 (20:35):
Well, and I think it's, and this is uh, I think a
hard message to deliver to agroup of a generation of kids
who've grown up online in a waythat I did not grow up online.
You know, I didn't receive myfirst email until I was in
college.
I there was no internet when Iwas a teenager.
SPEAKER_02 (20:52):
Was it Telnet?
Because that's what I used.
University of Washington.
SPEAKER_00 (20:55):
Oh no, my my first no, it was an uh an Indiana.edu
address.
It was my college email address,it was my first email address.
I'm like, what do you mean whenI press send, they get it?
How long does it take to getdelivered?
How long what do you what do youmean?
Like, I watched the internethappen when I was in college.
(21:18):
Like, I remember going to thelibrary to look at the internet.
What's that?
It was being invented.
So, you know, there's a worldthat your teenage daughter has
grown up in that I did notexperience as a teenager.
And I think my life might havebeen better off for it because I
was not exposed to a level ofbullying and cyber attention
(21:40):
that is overwhelming for adults,much less teenagers, much less
children.
Um, adults aren't wired to beoverwhelmed by social media and
constant messaging, much less adeveloping young mind.
So that's a that's a scarything.
And I think it's it's um it'ssomething that parents need to
(22:01):
be concerned with.
It's something that we all needto be concerned with.
Um, you know, we have ruined I Ithink we have ruined the way a
generation talks to each otheror assumes or presumes how
people talk to each otherbecause they've learned it on
the internet instead of the townhall gatherings that we were
(22:23):
talking about at the verybeginning of of this
conversation.
You know, you're not really inthe same person anymore.
You used to hurt someone'sfeelings.
You would see that you hurttheir feelings, and your empathy
would develop in that moment.
If you don't see the hurtfeelings, you don't develop the
empathy in the moment.
And this is where I think um,you know, a generation of kids
(22:47):
has been done wrong by onlinegrowing up online.
It it really, really stinks.
SPEAKER_02 (22:52):
Um boy, that's uh that's the billion-dollar
question, and that is how toimpart some of the things that
we grew up in and in today'sgeneration society to move
forward.
SPEAKER_00 (23:06):
It's it's hard.
Kids aren't allowed to be kidsanymore.
Kids aren't allowed to be kids.
There is a pressure to grow upand grow up fast and present
yourself as more grown up andmore sophisticated.
And um, you know, again,30-year-old adults fall into
these trappings.
Imagine if you still had a youngteenage mind and how addictive
it would be.
We have built the ultimate angermachine.
(23:29):
When I look at social media,that's what I think about it.
You know, what is Twitter?
It's the it's the world's mostexpertly designed anger machine.
And it just amplifies anger morethan we've used the internet to
share all the wealth andknowledge in our society.
SPEAKER_02 (23:46):
You know, well, Damon, don't say that because
that's what this podcast aims toserve.
And that is there's enough,there's not enough wisdom on
social media, right?
There isn't quality messaging tohelp young adults and
adolescents overcome a challengethat they may have in life,
whether it is bullying orfighting their own inner demons.
And that's why I hope that youknow this small sliver of
(24:06):
yognation, right, the spirit ofgratitude, hopefully can get its
message amplified to the rightaudience.
SPEAKER_00 (24:13):
Well, I I think what yoga nation is doing is
beautiful.
If putting something on theinternet to be genuinely kind
and warm, it's it's it's it howabout this?
In my in my line of work, Idon't get to do that very often.
I don't I don't get to be thekind, warm sports talk host very
(24:33):
often.
SPEAKER_02 (24:34):
So I wouldn't survive 10 seconds on sports
talk radio.
SPEAKER_00 (24:39):
To be here with you today is a whole different gear
than I'm normally having.
So it's it's it's nice to uhit's nice to to be able to know
that I still have this gear.
SPEAKER_02 (24:48):
Well, hopefully your fans and your family and those
around you can appreciate themessaging that you are sharing,
perhaps knowing a different sideof you that uh is different than
on screen or on mic.
SPEAKER_00 (25:02):
Well, I tell you, thank you.
Thank you.
I you know, one of the thingsthat's really changed, you know,
who I from who I was to who I amis we all get older and move on
with our lives.
I don't I don't think thatthere's any element of me
getting older that ever changedthe way I look and feel about
the world than having kids.
(25:23):
Like that is to me the ultimategame changer.
And that's what turned me intosomebody who said, yeah, okay,
let's do a uh a conversationabout being more grateful in the
world because I I want to raisegrateful children who are um
proud of where they are growingup.
(25:45):
And in I, you know, the mostdiverse city, I think, in the
world in San Francisco.
And I love that I'm raising themhere.
I I want my kids to grow up in aworld that it feels like an
awful lot of the world isfighting against that world.
And it's just a weird, weirdtime in the world to see how
much ingratitude there seems tobe all around us.
(26:05):
So thank you for having metoday.
Um, and uh I I came on herebecause I'm so grateful that I
have healthy, happy kids, and Iwould like them to stay that way
as long as possible.
SPEAKER_02 (26:18):
And I think it boils down to how you are raising them
to be good people.
SPEAKER_00 (26:21):
That's it.
That's it.
And and no baby shark.
We go right to Tom Petty and theHeartbreakers.
We go right to Led Zeppelin.
The other day, my kid, mysix-year-old, said, Dad, is that
Pink Floyd?
And I was like, Yes, I'm doingit right.
Dad, the Grateful Deads from SanFrancisco.
(26:43):
Yes, I am doing it right.
SPEAKER_02 (26:48):
So I've got uh two girls, ages 24 and 21, and uh I
brought them on Death RowRecords, you know, with uh
Shubnight, Dr.
Dre, Snoop Dogg, the dog pound.
And I always like to teasepeople that the extra G in Yoge
Nation can either stand forgratitude or gangsta.
SPEAKER_00 (27:08):
So well, if anyone asks me, I'll tell him what's
up, OG.
Thanks for having me, Yog.
I do appreciate it, and uh keepit real.
SPEAKER_02 (27:21):
Great way to end the segment.
And uh again, for the citizensof Yoge Nation who I like to
call the listeners, boy, what aninspiring episode this was.
I mean, I think what Damonreally revealed is kind of a
vulnerable side of him in termsof how uh there's certainly the
parental struggles, but more andless in general, what life
teaches you about yourself andhow you can do good by serving
(27:44):
others in the world of in theworld of sports, that bringing
that sense of community andbelonging together.
Uh Damon, I will give you thelast word.
Is there anything that I missedin this conversation?
Beautiful conversation, by theway, that uh you would like to
share uh to the audience.
Tweet less.
SPEAKER_00 (28:05):
Just stay away from the anger machine.
I think you'll be happier if youdo.
I try to stay away from it.
I think it's helped me.
I think I think being onlineless has definitely helped me.
I've gone out of my way to beit.
I'm still failing miserably ofmy goal of trying to be almost
online never, but it's um andwhen you are, then maybe put out
(28:27):
nice things, which is again whyI wanted to join you today.
Because Yog Nation, you aregetting something very nice put
into your world by someone whouh cares about the world enough
to do it.
So it was a pleasure to join youtoday.
Thank you.
Um anything you should be youshould you should be worried
about the Nick Bosa injury.
(28:48):
That could really, that couldreally hurt the 49ers season.
I'll leave you with that.
SPEAKER_02 (28:52):
Uh I'm more of a college football fan with uh
surprisingly the University ofWashington, which is where I
went to school, go Huskies.
SPEAKER_00 (29:00):
Then please let me tell you about my Indiana
Hoosiers.
SPEAKER_02 (29:03):
No, no, no, no, no, no.
We don't need to go there.
SPEAKER_00 (29:06):
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
Because you want to talk aboutgratitude?
I am so grateful for what ishappening.
Right now, Indiana football wasthe doormat that major college
football wiped its cleats offon.
We had become worse than Kansas,worse than Duke, worse than Wake
Forest.
We were worse than Northwestern.
(29:27):
We were the worst major collegefootball program in America.
We won 11 games last year.
We're a top 10 football teamright now.
The unbelievable has happened.
The unthinkable.
The basketball school thatfielded a football team has
(29:47):
happened.
And I'm as grateful for that asanything in the world right now.
So that's what I'm grateful for.
SPEAKER_02 (29:56):
And that's well, there is a Washington Husky
connection again.
Be plucked, Coach DeVore, andMichael Penix from Indiana to
you dumb.
SPEAKER_00 (30:05):
Tell me about it.
I mean, so it is from now on, itis the Michael Penix that bonds
us.
SPEAKER_02 (30:12):
I'll take that.
There you go.
Beautiful.
Thanks, Damon.
Take care.
Thank you, yo.
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