JR Sport Brief- Bernie Williams

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Visit StayArlington.com. It's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you on CBS Sports Radio. We know we're heading into Labor Day weekend. It's a big baseball weekend. So we decided to bring in a baseball legend. We're talking about a four-time World Series champion. We're talking about a five-time All-Star.

We're just talking about a legend, period. His name is Bernie Williams. Bernie, good to have you back, man. How you doing?

I'm doing great. Thank you so much for having me back, man. It's always a pleasure to be here. Always great to be chatting it up with you.

And I feel like we were in person only a few weeks ago at your celebrity softball game. Thank you so much for the invite. I had a good time.

Of course, man. That was great. That was great. That was such a great time. I think my left knee is still paying for it, but I'm looking forward to it, man. And then the concert and everything that you had afterwards was absolutely amazing. Oh, thank you so much. It was for a great cause.

And it's always great to have the opportunity to interact with the fans and have that great rapport that kind of follows me everywhere I go, from the years that I was playing up until now. Next year, instead of a single, I'm going to go for a home run. I got some work to do, OK? There you go. There you go.

That's the spirit. Now, listen, Bernie, we're going to talk about an event that you have coming up at Yankee Stadium, what you're going to be doing on Tuesday, September 5th. And it's always for a good cause with Tune In for Lung Health. And then we're going to get into some of the baseball stuff. Phyllis, what are you doing at Yankee Stadium on the 5th? And for people who are not aware, yeah, Bernie Williams was good with the stick. Bernie Williams is awesome with the guitar. What are you getting ready to do on the 5th? Well, I have the opportunity, the pleasure and the honor to play the national anthem at Yankee Stadium, which is kind of a rare thing.

It doesn't happen very often to me, but it's a very welcome opportunity. And we are utilizing that platform to promote and raise awareness about interstitial lung disease. And to that cause, we have created a program called Tune In to Lung Health, which is designed to utilize the power of music to raise awareness about interstitial lung disease, which my father, Bernabe Williams Sr. died in 2001 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is one of the most common forms of interstitial lung disease. Bernie Williams is here with us, Yankees legend, MLB legend, the JR Sport Brief Show on CBS Sports Radio. What are your expectations from doing this on the 5th? Yeah, you're going to play the national anthem. I understand you're also going to have a guest with you, Cheryl, there as well, right? Yes, we're going to have two guests, two people, two lovely ladies that are actually going through a lot of the things that my father went through in 2001, dealing with this condition and had an opportunity to talk to them and meet them in L.A. And I am so happy to have the opportunity to speak to them and share some times with them at Yankee Stadium.

They're going to be part of the presentation. We're going to raise awareness and talk to people about Tuning to Lung Health. We're going to try to drive them to the website, which is Tuning to Lung Health dot com and raise awareness about this great cause.

You know, not a lot of people know about it, which is, you know, we we should have a lot of people knowing about this because the numbers are kind of growing. And it is a condition that is happening a lot in our communities that we're trying to give back to them. Bernie, we got a lot of knuckleheads that I got to talk about here on CBS Sports Radio athletes who are doing crazy and wild things. And I just always admire and appreciate what you've been able to do, not just through the course of your baseball career, but after still being able to go ahead and give back. Who and what instilled that in you for just who you are as a person to be able to use your platform to do good for others?

I think my parents were a huge influence in that, especially my dad. He was the one that always told me at a very, very young age when I started getting into even in the minor leagues, he always was aware of the fact that we don't play in a bubble. We play in front of people and we owe the fans our respect and our consideration and just be who we are and do the best that we can always play 100 percent for them. And he always said, you know, on the field, you know, play your best and off the field. Be nice to the fans because those are the ones that bring you up and they can tear you down, too.

So I had a good influence, you know, and a good, good advice from my dad. And I'm hoping that he is looking down on and feeling proud of what I'm doing, you know, promoting and raising awareness to, you know, about the disease that I ultimately took his life away. Yankees legend Bernie Williams is here with us, the J.R. Sportbrief show. Now, on the baseball side of things, you talk about your career and being nice to the fans. You have no idea.

You probably do. How many callers I have to take, whether it be on CBS or WFA in New York, who have not been too, too thrilled with the New York Yankees, even Brian Cashman calling the team a disaster. But we finally see some of the young guys coming up, whether it's Dominguez or Pereira or Wells. Can you find a silver lining for the New York Yankees this season, Bernie? Is there one out there?

Well, I think there is. I think, you know, there's always a good learning opportunity, you know, even when you go through adversity. You know, I remember that the teams that we that I sort of play with my teammates in the 90s, I came, you know, out of, you know, the lean years and as they call it in the 80s and the early 90s, where, you know, in 91, 92, we were still trying to figure out of what kind of organization we wanted to be in those years. And they gave a lot of opportunity to the farm system and the farmhands that were coming up and started with, you know, guys like, you know, Oscar Azucar and Hensley Bam Bam Mullins, you know, Kevin Moss. And, you know, then Jim Larratt, you know, myself came up and then that sort of paved the way to guys like Pettit and Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter and Mariano to come in and be part of that core players that were in the organization. So I think the silver lining that I see right now is that it's a great opportunity for these minor leaguers to come in and say, hey, you know what, there's not a Derek Jeter in shortstop now that I have to wait for 10 or 20 years to have an opportunity to play in shortstop.

This is up for the taking now. There is no center fielder, you know, right now that is, you know, a mainstay, you know, that's a position that I can get in and try to establish myself. So I think there's a great opportunity for these young players to take the bull by the horns and and try to establish themselves and be noticeable for them to, you know, give them an opportunity to play in the big leagues of this at this point. Bernie Williams is here with us.

The JR Sport Brief Show on CBS Sports Radio. There's a generation of Yankee fans who don't remember those those lean and early years that you remember. They've only seen the New York Yankees win, even if the last title was in 2009. Do you think this is one of the reasons why just is there's so much angst? And I want to say to some fans that they're angry. It's like they don't remember the last time things weren't all so good, you know?

Yeah, yeah, I think I think you're right. There's no question about the fact that, you know, it just actually gives more of the situation on a remarkable fashion to just kind of like go in hindsight to see how great those teams were. From a team standpoint, to have that level of excellence consistently through more than 10, 12 years, you know, going into the playoffs, being having winning seasons and having an opportunity to play in the postseason year in and year out.

I think that a little bit of a spoiling situation for the fans. You know, a lot of these guys grew up, you know, only seeing the Yankees being successful as they were, you know, in decades past, you know, in the 60s and the 50s and the 40s. So when you have a situation like now that the team is not doing as well, you know, they kind of see it as as an exception to the norm. But it is just to, you know, to say how how difficult it is in this day and age, have a team that are that is consistently good for a long period of time.

And there's a different, you know, different number of factors that contribute to that. But I know that the Yankees and the players, you know, from an individual basis, are trying to do the best that they can because they want to be part of the tradition of excellence of this team. They want to have that World Series. They want to be part of that. The history of of excellence that the team has, you know, had over the last hundred years. So I know that they're trying hard and they're trying their best. You know, it's just it does not seem to be happening this year.

But it's just like I said before, it gives a great opportunity to reorganize, reset and figure out what kind of team they're going to be for the next 10 or 20 years from now. Well, Bernie, you were certainly a member of those exceptional New York Yankees teams and ALCS MVPs and all of the rings that you have. If you talk about exceptional in baseball right now, Shohei Ohtani is just he makes no sense.

Like it shocks me at times when I go, wait a minute. He's at like the top of the league when it comes down to triples, like he's blasting more home runs than everybody. He's striking or was striking folks out at a ridiculous rate.

And yeah, we know he has some decisions to make. But what are your overall thoughts on Shohei Ohtani? And if like, what would you do if you saw a dude like that playing when you were out there?

Man, I would have no idea what to do. I mean, this is one of those situations that I my advice for the fans, you know, fans of the game is to enjoy. Every minute of this, you know, this great player playing, because I think it's going to be probably another 100 years until we see somebody like him. You know, the fact that he is hitting the ball at that rate, you know, in the league leaders, you know, in in in a lot of major offensive categories and then pitching the way he is pitching. You know, the only guy that I kind of recall having any kind of situation like that was Babe Ruth. And that was in the 20s. And you're talking about 100 years ago. So it is something that is great to see.

Remarkable, very rare. And I am I'm enjoying every minute of it because I think at some point he's going to have to decide whether he wants to. I mean, I don't think he can he can do both at that level for a long, long period of time. I think that would probably be the greatest baseball player that ever lived. If he's able to do that for the next 10 years. But I think at some point that pressure is going to take a toll on his arm and and his body. And he's going to have to decide whether or not he wants to be the best pitcher ever or the best hitter ever.

You're going to have to choose one at some point. Bernie Williams is here with CBS Sports Radio, the J.R. Sport Reshow. Yeah, it doesn't seem to be sustainable. I mean, he now has this tear in his elbow. It's the second time if he has the surgery, it knocks him out. He's going to be a free agent.

This is almost like a ridiculous, perfect storm. If you were Shohei, what would your decision be right now? Obviously, if he says he still wants to pitch, there's a good chance he gets the money. But then there's so many complexities. What would you do if you were Shohei right now? Well, I would really make 100 percent sure that I am healthy. I think first and foremost, that's the most important thing, because you're not going to be judged by your performance. If you're hurt, they're not going to give you any breaks.

Your numbers are going to be the ones that are going to dictate your future contract and your future negotiations. So you've got to make sure that you're 100 percent. You've got to start at a good position. I know that there's things that, for instance, you talk about your willingness to play, your willingness to be a team player and all that. I totally admire and I'm all for that. But at the same time, you know, he is in a very unique position to be one of the best players that ever played this game in this era.

That is so rare. So I think if I was him, I would just try to make sure that I am 100 percent healthy so I can have that as a starting point to then play to the best of my ability. And then be in a really strong position to have a good contract that will set me up for the rest of my career and hopefully a couple of generations after me. Now, Shohei Ohtani's one arm could fall off right now. I still think he's going to get one of those those big old contracts.

I don't think he has to worry about that there. Bernie Williams is here with CBS Sports Radio. Bernie, to wrap things up, man, you're a legend in New York.

You're beloved by Yankee fans and sport fans and appreciated. Aaron Rodgers just got to New York. He hasn't played his first regular season game.

It's coming. He's been all around the town. He's at Taylor Swift concerts. He's going to Broadway shows.

He's he's enjoying New York. What advice or what words would you share with Aaron Rodgers about what is probably still a honeymoon phase? I would say just perform, man. Just perform. I think you're going to be judged by your performance. You know, it's great that you're showing some leadership qualities, that you are enjoying the city, that you're the toast of town. But this town is built upon performances.

And it's about what have you done for me lately? I think it's kind of operated on borrowed time right now, you know, kind of like saying, OK, I'm going to enjoy this. But I think with that said, you know, he has proven to be a consummate professional. And the Jets, there is some reason to the expectation and the excitement and the anticipation, because he is definitely one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

It has been for the last, you know, for his career. So the fact that he's coming to New York and bringing that great level of, you know, excitement to the team and to the city is great to see. And I cannot wait to see what's going to happen this year. I mean, this is it's going to make me a fan of, you know, trying to see what you know, how how the whole thing is going to unfold. But he's going to be great for the team.

You know, I've been watching some of the reports and the hard knocks and this and that, and it seems like it's a great marriage, you know, so far. If hard knocks was around when you played for Major League Baseball, who would be the guy that would get followed around in the clubhouse? Who would be that guy?

Oh, you know, the obvious answer will probably probably be Derek Jeter. He wouldn't hide. He would hide away. But but I think he would probably be the most boring guy to follow because he'll be, you know, not very flashy.

Just just going about his business on a daily basis and doing, you know, what everybody does. I think probably the most interesting guy to follow would be David Wells in my team, because I think he was a lot more polarizing, a lot more colorful, a lot more entertaining as a fan. But yeah, we had a whole bunch of characters in that team. And it would have been it would have been great to be part of that to some extent. Yeah, we would have we'd have hung out with David Wells the night before the perfect game.

So we would have saw how that how that would have ran. Bernie, I appreciate it. You talk about the New York Jets. Yeah. Yankee fans. A lot of them can remember 2009. I don't know how many Jet fans can remember 1968 or 1969 is not a whole lot of them, not a whole lot. I was one year old. I was totally removed from that.

Bernie, always doing great things for the community. Tell everybody one more time, whether they're in the Bronx, New York, going to the stadium or whether they're listening to us all across the country. Where can people find out how they can support Tune In for Lung Health? TuneIntoLungHealth.com. That is the website that we're trying to direct people to go see. We have vocal exercises with a great vocalist named Eric Vethrow. We have a playlist of some of my favorite tunes and just accounts from people that are either taking care of patients, patients themselves and doctors and and people of that line trying to make sure that everybody that goes into that website feels that they're not alone.

We have a support system that is trying to educate about interstitial lung disease. And hopefully it'll be do a lot of great things for the community. Bernie Williams here with us, a legend of baseball, the Yankees, an even better human being. Thank you, Bernie. I'll talk to you soon and catch you. Thank you so much, man. It's always a pleasure to talk to you.

And thank you so much for having me on the show. It's the J.R. Sport re-show here on CBS Sports Radio. You just heard from Bernie Williams. It's time for News Flash.

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