From Thirty for Thirty Podcasts. Brian Patter, senior defensive lineman from Miami. Gun down. The key to this case, it's Brian. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with Tabaki.
This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. Being placed under arrest. We had to kill our monsters.
Murderer. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck.
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Now, on with the show. From a clean pockets, this is the Rich Eisen Show. Deeply freeze the quarterback so fast. Has it hit you that you're now part of this group? The further away you get from it, the cooler it gets.
Today's guests: Emmy-winning NBC sports broadcaster Mike Tarico, two-time Super Bowl champion, Kyle Van Noy, five-time Pro Bowl tackle Teron Armstead, comedian Earthquake, and now Rich Eisen.
Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show back on ESPN today, which we're always excited about. I'm going to be back on ESPN in 20 minutes' time with Mike Tarico. That's happening. Wow. He's going to be zooming in from Italy.
These are words that I didn't say to him when we worked together back in Bristol, Connecticut, in the late 90s. He's going to be joining. He's basically. He's doing everything for NBC right now, including almost playing dog catcher during a cross-country skiing competition. He's joining us in this first hour.
Kyle Van Neuy in hour number two, hour number three, when we switch over to ESPN 2. Our friend Teron Armstead is going to be back on this program talking about what the Miami Dolphins are up to, kind of under the radar screen. Gonna start releasing players once that time hits. And that's a team that intrigues me. We're gonna spend some time with him.
Also, he had a lot to say about Will Campbell's performance in Super Bowl 60 just a week ago. And then the comedian Earthquake is going to join us in studio. Then there's you at 844-204-RICH, number 2. All three hours, as always, on Disney Plus and the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, SiriusXM Channel 80, all three hours available through our podcast. And as I mentioned, the phone lines are there for you at 844-204-Rich, number 8.
Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? Good morning, friend. How are you? DJ Mikey D is in D's number.
Morning, Richard. Good to see you, Mike Del Tufo. There's an empty chair, and very rarely does TJ Jefferson not appear on one of these pros. He is.
Well, and his streak of working is still continuing. He is at the home of WWE today in Connecticut with OSHA Jackson Jr. No contest wrestling is, if you will, Butter because they're on a roll. Their latest episode is up there for you to check out with John Cena, two plus hours of no contest wrestling. They're at the headquarters of WWE.
They're recording some other stuff today, right? Is that what's coming up? They're not going to the principal's office, right? No, this is good thing. I don't think Triple H has to see them with no hall pass.
So TJ's not here today. Which means it's just us three. Us three and chicken. I miss him. Let's go.
Okay. I do. I miss him. Oh, candle's not lit. Yeah, there is a there is an odor in here now with no candles.
Is that what it is? Yeah, maybe we should just go light. Do you want to go in a little bit during the break? Yeah, yeah.
Well, again, speaking of the candle being let the NBA's second half of their season. Uh begins tonight. Um and then uh we also have the Olympics in full swing, college basketball, uh, red hot to the touch. But again, you know, uh it's pretty cool that uh Mike's going to be joining us shortly here. Um, you got the photograph, if you don't mind, uh, Mike Hoskins.
This is a photograph. that uh I get sent to me quite a bit.
Now that certainly over the last week with this show being back on ESPN, for those listening on ESPN Radio, I have no idea when this photograph was taken. I don't recall taking it either. Oh, okay. I honestly don't recall being in this. Other than the fact that I'm Just glad that I'm in it.
It's a photograph of the ESPN anchors of the time of the day. Um and Front row, there's Charlie Steiner and Linda Cohn and Larry Beale, who I did my first sports center with. One would say, I guess, second row, there's Stu. Leaning on the table, cool as the other side of the pillow right there on the left side. Robin Roberts, great anchor lean right there.
Yeah. Look who's everyone's anchor leaning in a way. Like Leaves is the only one sitting straight up. Same thing with Berman in the chair. Robin and Berman are the ones seated.
Yeah, so that must have been a day where they were hosting, and you guys all just happened to be there. No, I have no idea. Look at Rhys Davis leaning in there. And then in the back, Mike Tarico, Bob Stevens, who had a brief run. Uh in the day.
Big bag of leaves smiling right there in the middle. There's Dan Patrick, DP, leaning in. Gary Miller, nicknamed Meat, because his uh In part, his call on Sports Center when everybody was thrown out at the plate, he's meat. Um, and then there's How the hell did I look at that?
So good. You know, wearing my tie that I think Susie gave me back in the day because she was just like, just friends' tie? It was at the time just a, I don't appreciate the ties you're wearing. You're on Sports Center. You should try these Zenya ties.
Why are you buying me gifts? Like, what are we doing?
Okay, let's not go down this road because that's what I was thinking about. Yeah, well, I mean, the right way. We have three beautiful children, and we're it sure did. Um and I I I just look at um You know. Where um Where we went from this photograph, I see this quite a lot back in the day.
And there's the Schwamm sitting right there in the middle. And then Mike Terico, it's funny. I think I'm going to say this as well. I mentioned during dinner. last night who's on the show today sometimes that'll be brought up Certainly, when it's somebody, because Susie did sideline reporting for Terico's college football team on ABC Sports, so she goes back with Terico as far back as I do.
And I'm like, hey, Mike's going to be on the show. Um Tomorrow And Taylor says How come he does everything? He does. Fair question. Is what she said to me.
And I'm like, you know, NBC just kind of right now has a lot. And he's the guy who does it all. But, you know, doing The play-by-play for Super Bowl 60, and then the opening ceremonies from the same stadium before hopping a flight. to then host the rest of the Milan Cortona Games, and then there's the NBA as well. It's going to be fun catching up with Mike coming up.
in just a few minutes' time here. uh on the program. You know, and it's another way, a great way to go down memory lane on a day where, what, day 10 of waiting for football to start again? Should we start that clock? And then, you know, things to bring up with Mike is the fact that I don't know about you, I'm watching way more Coraline than I used to.
Oh, wait, oh, yeah, you know. Yeah, that sounds like the godfather drinking more wine than I used to.
Well, you know. And so I'm watching way more curling than I used to. How about the dog that hopped out on the cross-country? Crazy. I mean, and I thought this looks like a wolf that came out of the mountains of Cortona.
Yeah, definitely. But it is not. It is wearing a collar. Mike and I did a NBC it, the zoom in inspection of the photo. Does have a collar, does have a tag.
That is someone's personal. I have the story in case you're not. Oh, you know. Oh, yeah, I got to hear this. Indeed, according to NPR.
Um Yeah. It's a two-year-old dog named Nazgul, N-A-Z-G-U-L. I hope I'm not offending the dog here. That was good. He was broke out of his kennel at a nearby bed and breakfast.
Oh. There you go. Made it to the track, hopped out there, and the owners. Were found by NPR for an interview. Quote, he was crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing us leaving, and I think he wanted to follow us.
He always looks for people. The dog is apparently stubborn but sweet. And then uh Damn near chased down a Croat in the middle of this Olympic race. Chased down a Croat. Yeah, chased down a Croat.
So that's what's going down in the Olympics, along with Eileen Gu being asked a very stupid question. Not to go all McCroner on you.
Okay. Don't raise your voice. I'm not raising. Don't raise your voice. Not to go full.
So, um, You know, Eileen Gu is discussed quite a bit because she was born in San Francisco. She went to Stanford, raised by a single mom who is Chinese. Um so she went to the competes for China. Be that as it may, we're removing all nationalistic Fox News conversations from what we're having here. But she won a couple of silvers.
And despite having More metals in the case than anybody else in her line of work. Was asked by what sounded like a Brit reporter. I don't know if it's the same one from. Ted Lasso, doubt it. Because he asks a few better questions.
Um If the She considers Her two silver medals as two gold medals lost. Do you see these as two silvers gained or two goals lost? I'm the most decorated female free skier in history. I think that's an answer in and of itself. How do I say this?
Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder. Because every metal is equally hard for me, but everybody else's expectations rise, right? And so the two metals lost situation To be quite frank with you, I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I'm showcasing my best skiing, I'm doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough.
But thank you. Way to stick the landing. Right? Yeah, perfect 10 across the board. Perfect way.
Yeah. But thank you at the end. I don't understand what some of these reporters are thinking. Because. What a perfect also answer to Let everyone understand as we're watching these Olympic Games.
I get gutted. When I see an Olympic athlete. Tumble, stumble, fall. Right. Where or in the case of the combine in scheme, Where the first skier tumbles and falls, and the second skier is now out of the competition.
The second skier, who has yet to lace them up, if you will, or strap on the boots. They are done. And their entire four-year wait, they don't even They don't even have a shop, you know.
So, the teamwork aspect of it, the pressure. The pressure. And I understand some of these athletes as well. You know, Eileen Gu apparently is the most well-compensated of all the Olympic athletes. I did just see.
Okay. And but be that as it may, that that. To me, I remove because This is all about The Olympics and winning that medal. And I don't care if it's bronze or silver or gold. As she points out, the expectation for somebody like her gets raised with each possible moment.
I was thinking that when. I watched, you know, on Tape Delay, Michaela Schifrin. Um Okay. Go uh down the mountain last night. I'm like.
Even her, like, this is a... This is every moment matters.
So, it doesn't matter what your metal is. You have meddled. You've got something in the case. You know what I mean? And and I'll go down this road here.
It does. I'd like to see him ask a man the same question. Does he ask the men the same question? I don't know if he does. I don't care if anybody's rolling their eyes at the TV screen or rolling their eyes at the radio right now, but one of the definitions of misogyny is to just sort of.
Look down upon somebody's accomplishments. Or Insinuate that. Through a form of a question like that. What a great answer that was. Yeah, it's a lot of pressure going on.
So, see you on the ball. And by the way, Yeah, look. Look at the trophy case. I got a lot of them.
So it doesn't matter. That sort of stuff just drives me nuts because I go, honestly, even for these. Hockey players, right? Quinn Hughes. Oh, what a hockey player!
Pretty damn goodstate. Pretty damn good at what he does professionally. Yeah, buddy. Probably very well compensated. But lights the lamp in overtime, US versus Sweden here.
You know, U.S. needs to advance. Like, this is it. Right? We're all expecting U.S.
versus Canada in the finals. And if we don't get that, we're like, what the hell happened to one of the two of you? Yeah. This reminds me of the. 2000 baseball playoffs when the Yankees and the Mets were getting there.
And it's like, hey, if the Mets make the World Series and the Yankees have a chance to make the Subway Series and they don't make it happen, you're like, Your fault. Buddy. Like it was time to get this thing happening. And we're all expecting this matchup. Anyway, we're expecting it.
The pressure's on for these Athletes. And I don't, you know. when it comes down to it. Obviously, you want to win the gold. I understand that.
And certainly in hockey, you want to win the gold. Certainly, if Canada wins. And not you. But at the end of the day, To ask a question like that I thought was out of bounds. Agreed.
They should send a dog after him. Yes. To clean up his mess. Uh all right. Wow, I didn't ma mi I didn't think I was gonna go down that lane.
But I did. 844-204 Rich is the number to down. Mike Torico is going to join us next from. From Milan, from Italy. And I get to ask him the question that Taylor asked me: Why are you doing everything?
How come you get to do everything? Oh, NBC asks. By the way. And there's a lot of zeros.
Well, if NBC asks, do you want to do, do you want to be the lead voice for the NBA? Yes. Would you like to call the Super Bowl? Yes. Would you like to host the Olympics?
Yes. Okay. You're not asking me that, but you're not being off.
Okay, good. This is all this is what happens when TJ's not here to light the candle. 844-204-Rich, number to doll here, off and running on ESPN. Later on, we're on ESPN too. We're also on Disney Plus and ESPN.
Monterico back on ESPN in a matter of moments. As many of you know, supporting pediatric cancer research is something I care deeply about. That's why I'm proud to share what Hyundai is doing through Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 27 years, with every Hyundai sold, they've helped fund pediatric cancer research. Alongside over 850 dealers, they've raised more than $277 million, helping over 25,000 kids and supporting more than 1,400 research grants at 175 institutions nationwide.
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Stop by your local O'Reilly Auto Parts store or shop online at O'ReillyAuto.com. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Because you would always point to the person with you, and I was on the other side of your point. I remember doing that.
So, Berman, I'll tell you, tell you a quick sports chair story, please.
So, we had. Let's see, the 11:30 and the 2:30 a.m. sports center, there were half-hour shows at that time. And when ESPN had a Wednesday Night Baseball double header, You'd get to do the 1:30 a.m. And sometimes it would be the 11 o'clock guys, Danny Keith.
Sometimes it would be the 2:30 a.m. guys, and sometimes it would be a split.
So I got to work with Dan early on. It was maybe one of my first sports centers. And Boomer's doing the Hotel California baseball game. Probably in Seattle with Jerry Royce and he reads the pro play coming up next. He sports center, Dan Patrick, and Mike Tariqo.
Dan, you're breaking in another one, huh? Then he just read the bullet points that were coming up on their show. And I shared that story with Boomer. Because I remember I'm sitting there, you know, because like when you did the 230, yeah, then you got bumped up to the one or the 130. Actually, you know what?
It was Bob Lee. It wasn't Dan, it was Bob. Yes. Because it was Boomer and Bob who broke in like a thousand Sports Center actors in their time. And Bob, you're breaking in another one.
You know, gosh, it was fun to relive that with Boomer. I saw him out in San Francisco. No doubt. Because I remember Stuart and I, one of the times where we realized we were had made it as a team, is when Dick Vital was reading a promo that we were doing the Sports Center next, like Rich and Stu, and it's going to be great. Stu and I looked at each other like, this is the greatest thing of all time.
I'll never forget that. It's what we grew up on, you know, and that's it's like doing this job.
Okay. You're hosting the Olympics. Like, that's, I grew up on Jim McKay hosting the Olympics, and my early days were Acostas was the Olympic primetime host. And now to be in that role for five of these is just crazy. It still doesn't feel real, but it's so much fun because that's how we grew up aspiring to be in these positions.
So, how quickly did you turn the page from? Victory formation, right, for the Seahawks. To okay, um, I've got to now um conduct uh an Olympic gig from the stadium, Mike. Yeah, what was that one? We did one segment.
So I did not see Bad Bunny at halftime. People have asked, what was the halftime show? Like I said, I saw a bunch of grass on the right field. And then I turned, went to the back of our booth in the area at the level we were on, and I hopped on with our Olympic folks and went through. Has the rundown changed for the primetime show that's coming out right after the Super Bowl?
Okay, what are the scripts? What's our plan? What are our logistics?
Okay, great. Anything else I need to know? And we did like a 10 or 12 minute production meeting. And then I went back in the booth, woofed down something to eat real quick and then got back to position, started talking to Chris. About the second half, and our producer, Rob Highland.
But that was it. And then, as soon as the game ended, we did one segment and I walked down to the field and got down an elevator down to the field level. And Maria finished with the trophy presentation. We picked up right off of that. kept going.
And then as soon as we got done back to the hotel, quick shower. uh grab a meal and then we were flying by about 1 a.m Got here and like four hours after we landed, was in the studio and doing the primetime show the next night.
So it was a whirlwind, but it's been cool. There's, I haven't hit the wall. This is, I think, day. 13 of the Olympics, so day 14, 15 in a row, or whatever. I feel really good.
This has been an energizing, energizing three-week run for us. Oh, unbelievable.
So, two things. First of all, in the halftime show, there were almost as many flags. In the bad bunny halftime, as there were in an opening ceremony that you've seen. That's number one. And then, and then, and then, and plus, I mean, the presentation is similar to an opening ceremony because the grass were people, as you know, I'm sure you've learned since then.
Moving, I was sitting there in the stands. I'm like, wait a minute, those that's people in there. And then, and then, number two question: do you sleep on planes? I do. I especially that night because I mean, oh, you can't?
No. Oh, so Marv. Marv, early on, Marv Albert, who's one of those people who I was looking up to, and that's part of the inspiration for doing this and going to Syracuse, was Marv Albert, Bob Costas, Len Berman, who was an exceptional sportscaster at NBC and WNBC, Dick Stockton. They were all Syracuse alums, and that was a little bit of why I wanted to go there. As I read either Marv's second book or a subsequent conversation or both, Marv said, You must be able to sleep anywhere at any time.
And it's true. Like, you need to shut it down. And there, you know, the hour 15 power nap. After NBA shootarounds before a game is Life-saving.
So, yeah. And especially that day after the Super Bowl. I mean, you know, it's the first time I've done it.
So. The adrenaline's going. You don't. Sleep as much. You get up early that day, get to the stadium early.
And by the time we got done with the Super Bowl and the Olympics, I was the tank was mostly empty.
So when we got on the plane, complete shutdown for about five hours and then Got right back going for uh, let's get into preparation for Monday night at the Olympics. Mike Tarico here on the Rich Eisen Show from the studio. Uh, I can see that this in the International Broadcast Center. Here we are.
Okay, this is the whole set: the IBC, if you will.
So, um, I'll be honest, I'm watching way more curling than I ever have in my entire life. I mean, I'm learning about the hammer, I'm learning about the brooms, and learning about the stones. I mean, as we pointed out, the controversial Canadian forefingers. My goodness gracious. I mean, that is something, Mike.
This has been amazing. Can I just tell you?
So, we've got like a production meeting room area where all of us are working on the product. Primetime show, and we all get in around this time.
So, you know, whatever time it is now, it's 7:30 here in the night. And we, we work from, you know, four, five in the afternoon until five in the morning.
So we're just kind of on a flipped schedule.
So we're all in here. We're watching the end of the U.S. curling against Switzerland. They blow a lead, and now they're in an extra end. And we're all like, come on, like, how does this happen?
Like, they should have closed them out. And now they're doing all the strategy. And then you've got like five people when they are now crowded around the TV, like, no, they've got to go here. No, they've got to go there. And like, we're just yelling at the rockets going down.
Like, no, don't sweep. It has the right pace. Like, we don't know what we're talking about. It's like you should call in, right? Call in.
You're a long-time listener, first-time curler. You know what I mean? But that's the beauty of the Winter Olympics. It's. Everything's on snow and ice.
Usually, for those who live somewhere where there's snow and ice, you do everything you can to get off of snow and ice quickly and safely as possible. These people not only need the snow and ice, they strap metal things to go even faster or razor thin things to jump in the air and then land on said ice. When you really boil down every sport. in the winter olympics safe for curling It's insane. It's crazy what they do at these speeds.
And then curling. Is just the coolest thing. If you've ever been to a, have you curled before, Rich? I have not, Mike. We've had people every single time we talk about it saying you should try it.
We, because there are places here in LA that can actually do this. Are there? Yes. Rich, you have to take, you have to take your show group for a curling, curling night.
Okay. It's awesome. Like, get, get some grown-up drinks, make some brats. And, like, it is so much fun and so cool to do. And once you do it, you'll watch it totally differently.
And it's fun. Anyway, it's a cool sport, it's one of those things. Like, you're not going to stop and watch speed skating over the next two years, but Jordan Stoles goes tonight. He just skated. You're going to want to watch that.
You don't regularly watch a Grand Prix figure skating show in all likelihood, but when it's the Olympics and that pressure, that gold medal's on the line, you stop and watch.
So that's the fun of it. No doubt, Mike. Of that, there is no doubt. And I mentioned it's, you know, Susie and the kids, all five of us watching it. To get all five of us to watch the same thing?
It's impossible. It's impossible. It really is. And I will say this, Mike. My daughter, I told her I was going to ask her this question.
She says, because I told Suze that you're coming on the show today, and she goes, How come Mike Chirico does everything? That's what she said. How do I respond to that, Mike? How do I respond to that? You've got to tell her that I'm lucky that I work with both her dad and her mom.
I'm one of the few people who've been on the air with both dad and mom. Yes, indeed. And they define the good people who do this. Tell her that I'm insanely curious about sports and I'm still a sports fan. I love it.
And I loved it. Like, I still love. Watching anything where they're keeping score and the people stories matter. And I'm just lucky. I've chased my dream.
This is the dream job for me when I was a kid, a little kid, her age or younger. And here I am in my late 50s and still doing it. And like you, loving every single second of it.
So tell her I'm just a kid living a dream. I love it. Perfect. I will show this to her. What story are we not talking about?
I mean, you must come across so many narratives, stories. If it already hasn't happened, it's something that you're looking forward to seeing over the rest of these Olympic Games, Mike. What is it? Yeah, a couple of the one that's an international that I think is off the charts good is. The cross-country skier, Johannes Klabo from Norway.
He's the only guy with Michael Phelps who's won more than 10 gold medals in their life. It's nuts. This guy is talented. He's got one more ski. He has a chance to just have one of those great of all time Olympic performances this year if he closes it out.
I think the women's figure skating tonight, there's significance in that because it's been 20 years since America has won a medal, not a gold medal, a medal. In figure skating, and Alyssa Liu from Oakland, who's in third, going to the shore program, and she's got what it takes to handle Olympic pressure. And I hope she has a great night. And, you know, some is a sport where you can't play defense, right? You don't have the Seahawks defense to come out and shut down these three Japanese skaters.
So I hope Alyssa has a great night on her own and has success. And Man, the hockey was good yesterday, Rich. The hockey was so good yesterday. Obviously, a Wolverine sending the Americans on to the semifinal. Uh, and also uh starting the scoring for uh USA, I'm well aware, as you know.
Dylan Larkin and Jack Hughes, both Michigan-born, both Michigan Wolverines, and they beat a team that was wearing a Lighter version of maize, but a team that wears maize in blue.
So they feel comfortable looking at the Swedes. Semifinals will be great tomorrow. USA plays in the afternoon, just after three o'clock, and that'll be live on NBC.
So we're excited about that. And we're on ESP, and you guys know what the Four Nations tournament was like last year. It was great. Imagine Sunday morning, it would be 8 a.m. Eastern, 5 a.m.
on the West Coast. Imagine if we get USA Canada for the gold. In ice hockey, the last event of the Olympic Games. people across the country will set their alarm and wake up. That's one of those wake up for it type of things.
So we've had a really fun, enjoyable Olympics, and it's kind of building to a good crescendo with those couple of events coming this weekend. When do you turn your page to the NBA? When's that happening? I will be at courtside next Sunday night in Boston for the Sixers and the Celtics.
So I'm very glad that we've had this week of. No NBA games other than all-star, and everybody's taking the break. And that reality sets in on the flight home that, okay, we've got the better-than-we thought sixers against the Celtics, who've been incredible. Post-tatum, and now that buzz is starting again as we get to the semi for the season. Yeah, a fellow Syracuse Orange Chris Brockman, ask him what you want to ask him because you've been talking about the fact that NBC says, let's put that game on the air.
Why would we flex into that, Mike, if JT is not coming back? I've seen people say that. That is not the case. If that happened, that would be 30 out of 10, not 10 out of 10. But no, you know, I think the game we had in that window was not as competitive.
And the NBA is pretty good about the flex scheduling idea from the NFL. And we've seen it on Sunday nights. The NBA is really good about that.
So this gets a competitive game. The Sixers are better than I think folks thought.
So you get a good game in that Sunday night window.
Now, and you know, if Tatum, even if he's on the periphery of coming back, the conversation alone, what's your appetite for what's going to be a great last seven weeks of the NBA regular season? And Steamroll into the playoffs. Here we go. All right, Mike, before I let you go, I want to stroll down memory lane one last time with you here. Because as you know, when I saw you on the turf before Super Bowl 60.
uh doing a um a sports center uh v video A podcast series called This Was Sports Center, and I want to go down a bunch of memory lane with you at some point when you have time out of this part of your schedule, obviously. But this photograph, I don't recall why, but I don't recall why we did it. I just remember like now I'm looking back, I'm like, I'm so excited that I'm in this photograph. Same, same. But do you remember why?
Do you remember the circumstances behind all this or what? I don't know. I don't know if it was like one of those. Pictures for the corporate brochure that goes out to the shareholders. I got you.
One of those things. I forget. I don't know the why of it, right? But man, how cool is that? And how cool is it to look and just see the Hall of Fame careers there and the people who are still friends?
And like after the Super Bowl, I got a text from Charlie Steiner, like, you know, just checking in and just watching. And I talked to Reese a whole bunch and see Larry Beal when we're out in San Francisco off and we just talked about Boomer and big show Bob Stevens back there next to Chris McKendra. But like, But, like, texting Chris, texting Chris when she started calling the Australian Open. She had been the studio host of the tennis and just texting back and forth with her and working with her on that. It just, it was, um, you kind of pinch yourself and you go, how lucky were we?
Yep. And I would say, Rich, that. Everybody in that group. I learned something from. And I think we all took something from each other.
Like, I couldn't be as funny and quick-witted, and just with a dual dry-wit, one-line jab as you or Kilbourne, but you know that every once in a while, that's a good club to have in your bag, right? And, you know, and just the class that Robin Roberts brought to everything she did and how to do a highlight. Like, if you've got a great highlight, a good music theme behind you, like, you can definitely think about how Boomer used to deliver a good highlight. I think pieces of everyone. Oberman goes sitting right the hell out of a story.
Nobody could sit there like Keith and go, well, use one hand. Didn't you use one hand sometimes? And just write like the whole show in 40 minutes. And you're like grinding on a lead for the Mavericks, the Mavericks taking on the Bucs on a Wednesday night in Milwaukee. You're like.
What fact do I have? How can I set this game up? And Oakman's just gone, and he's just written this brilliant lead. Like, we all, I think, collectively learned from each other on how to make good TV. It's a blessing to be in that picture and call most of the people, everybody in that picture, really, a friend and somebody who I respect the heck out of them.
Well, I'll pay it back to you, Mike. What I remember from our sports center that we did do together. Um is I picked up from you that When you do a highlight and the information's all there on this shot sheet, as they say, we're going deep in the leads here. But when the information's all there, and you would just sometimes read it, like, you know, I'll go back in the day, Vince Carter gets the dunk, and it's now, you know, so-and-so gets the rebound. And you would not.
Say what we were seeing, you would start telling a narrative, a storyline. Vince Carter started taking over this game, is what you would start to say. You wouldn't read verbally, word for word, or even close to word for word on the shot sheet. You would start using the highlight to tell a story. And I picked up that from you.
Doing highlights. That is a fact. That's cool. I never knew that. That's the truth.
I didn't even know that that's what I was doing.
So you were. Thank you for getting in my head. No, it's all good. It's all good. And, you know, and Larry Beale, you mentioned him, he was my first, by the way.
He was your first. He was indeed. And who was yours? Who is yours? Jim Bergamo.
Okay. There you go. Did you and Jim cross over? I don't think so. No, we did not.
I got there in 96. You know, wonderful, wonderful man. He was my early sports centers were with Jim Bergamo and Ann Montgomery the first couple of weeks. They were sports center late-night anchors. And the greatest thing about Jim Bergamo in the newsroom, because we were all in cubicles in the newsroom, Jim had that like.
It wasn't even Sam's Club then, like that Sam's Club-size ketchup bottle. And, like, if you had food that you warmed up at 11 o'clock, you could go to Jim's. Cube and get his ketchup bottle. And that, that was like, that's the guy I did my first sports center with. It was awesome.
Yeah. Yeah. My mine was. Was Larry, and I did an entire Knicks highlight in Marv Albert's voice because I'm the same as you. Like, I'm sitting here today, I rip off from Marv.
Every day, whether it's cadence, whether it's a cracking wise, whatever. All of us. And I did notice that you can't do Marv's voice, or you can't say anything about Marv without doing his voice. I picked up on that from you earlier in this conversation. It's in your head for life.
I told somebody the other day, now I'm back doing the NBA, Mike Breen. Iron Eagle. myself. No eagle, and just a few. I know there's so many other good people who do the MBA at ESPN, Dave Pash, and Mark Jones, and everybody else.
I'm not. Just picking out anyone, but just the guys who we're familiar with and to be back in the group of lead guys with Mike and Ian, like we are all disciples of Marv. And there are pieces of the style of how Marv called the game in our own personality that in all three of us you can hear. And it's really cool to. Know that the guy who was the voice of the NBA for an entire generation, it's almost like that Bill Walsh coaching tree, right?
We all learn from the same place and kind of bring the same. Big picture 30,000-foot approach to a broadcast where there's time for a little fun, time for stats, make a big moment, a big moment, stamp it in your own way. All of that came from all of us. For years growing up in about a 50-mile radius and listening to Marv, just like people who are sportscasters who grew up on the West Coast. Are in the style some way of Chick Hearn, yeah, like chicks chicks' voices in their head and how to make it flamboyant in Hollywood.
That's what I always love to share with young sportscasters or even people who are going to news or writing. Steal what you think is great, but do it in your personality. You can't be a clone of someone because there's only one Chris Berman, there's only one Dan Patrick. But The things they like to do in your personality and voice. Can be successful because that's what you like to hear.
And that's a little bit of the. The amalgamation of the people who I've loved covering and watching hopefully bring to the set every day, every night that we do this. Yeah, Dan taught me to call it sampling. That's what he told me. Sampling.
Yeah, that's it. It's such a dam term. He said, don't call it stealing, call it sampling. Sampling is the best. Love him.
Love him. Hey, Mike. We'll be out there watching you tonight. Keep doing your thing, man. Thank you.
Look forward to seeing you again. It was great to run into you on the field before the game. Same, right back at you. See you in primetime the next few nights and Santa Susan the kids. You got it.
That's Mike Tarico right here from Milan Cortina from the International Broadcast Center, where he's dominating. Uh the The host seat or standing in his shoes. That was awesome. My gosh, do I have a lot of stories off of what he just said? 844-204-Rich being the number to dial right here on the Rich Eyes and Show.
Don't go anywhere. Yeah. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. We're back on our radio feed here as well on ESPN Radio and Sirius XM Channel 80, along with our ESPN audience. That was great being back on ESPN with Mike Tarico.
Again, the last time that happened was. And I I think it was the early aughts. How to be when he was leaving the Sports Center chair for good. off to do other things. And um and I was just you know grinding it out every night doing sports centers and he was just sitting there.
And that Again, we'll just show that photograph one more time. Uh to wrap up our first hour here. Um to tell the stories, Keith and Kilbourne were probably gone. That's why they're not in this picture. Keith and Kilbourne, I think, left in 96.
Okay. Um. And so they're probably gone. As a matter yeah, Keith was gone because the reason why. Mike Tarika referred to Bob Stevens, who's there between Chris McKendree and Steve Levy.
He referred to him as Big Show Bob. Yeah. Um it's not a um It's not a a um A Simpsons reference. It's not like side show Bob. We would call him big show Bob.
It wasn't a Simpsons reference at all. It's when um Keith Went, and I believe he covered Jackie Robinson night in Shea Stadium. One night And Dan was doing the the big show. And they put Bob Stevens in Keith's chair. Out of all of everybody available, it kind of surprised.
All of us. They're like, oh. We're like, oh, okay.
So you choose. Bob for that. Spot. And there were some people, as you could see on the screen there, who were there a lot longer than Bob. But maybe he was the oldest.
And then, if you, but if you could choose somebody who was. Uh as far afield from Keith's Uh broadcasting. style You know, or somebody who would have an edge that Dan could play off of, Bob would have been, with all due respect, the last one. On the screen. And um So Um When Keith left and there was A um In-house competition, if you will, for who would get the chair next to Dan?
Bob Stevens would show up there a lot. Hmm. And so we started nicknaming him Big Show Bob. Did he know this? I don't know if he's you know, I don't know where Bob is today, if he's learning it now.
But um yeah. And as we know, Kenny Main got the seat. I was eager to get that seat. much to the dismay Chagrin. Which means there was a sense of Embarrassment.
Um of Stuart Scott. He was not happy. Because he's like We're the team. Right. Not.
Dan and whoever's sitting in that chair, we are. Like, what's your malfunction? Why would you want to? not do this. And I'm, you know.
basically said to him Hey, yeah. Um They're on earlier. Yeah. You know, I mean, I can get to sleep three hours, you know, instead of. That's the truth.
One time, I forget what year there was the World Cup. That was across it was in Asia, I think. World. I don't know. Look up where the World Cup was in either 98 or 2002 or 2000.
My right eye is twitching, even talking about staying up late right now. World Cup 98 was in France.
Okay. Where was it in 2000 or in 2022 then? 2022, South Korea and that would have been it.
So the U.S., look where, look how far the United States went in that one. I want to get my P's and Q's right.
So this was in 2022. Stuart Scott and I are doing the 2 a.m. Sports Center on the night the United States was playing. Did we make the round of 16 that year? We were good.
We were good for run. I know. It's a high-register Thursday right there. We were good. I think Landon Donovan was taking the team to different heights there.
And if I'm not mistaken, it was US versus maybe Mexico. Or something. Yeah, best finish ever reached the quarterfinals.
Okay, and who did we play in that quarterfinal match? Losing to Germany in the quarterfinal.
So it was us against Germany. Mexico was the round of 16. Round of 16.
Okay, so then this was it. Beat Mexico. We did.
Okay. And so We were told One of you two have to stay until this thing is over. And it was being played from 4 to 6 a.m. Oh. One of you two guys needs to stay and do the highlight until it's over.
I mean, that would have been June 17th, 2012. We drew straws. I got the short straw, and Stewart had the biggest S-eating grin on his face. Like, I mean, see ya. I stayed.
I saw the sunrise going home. And I was thinking to myself, yeah, man. I wanted that seat at 11 o'clock. Yeah, Kenny Main is already six hours into his sleep, probably. Yeah, that's a true story, man.
That's why I wanted the seat instead of big show Bob. For moments like that. Other than that, Stuart and I had a great run. Yeah. You know, all right.
Fun first hour. That was great. Fun first hour. Kyle Van Noy is going to be joining us in hour number two. Talk some ball with him.
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