Rex Chapman: I Did It For My Kids

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Here's the station you might like. This is The Rich Eisen Show. This is one of the most shocking turns of a career in the 20 plus years that I have been covering this league. From The Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Is Russell Wilson going to turn into a journeyman? Earlier on the show, co-host of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, Michael Wilbon, NFL network analyst Bucky Brooks.

Coming up, 12-year NBA veteran Rex Chapman. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Our number three of The Rich Eisen Show is on the air.

Proof is that I'm sitting here talking. That's an odd way to start an hour, don't you think? I liked it. You know, when you do this show every day, you're just gonna figure out, yeah, just new ways to say hello and welcome people in. Great chat last hour with Michael Wilbon.

Started the show with my power rankings of top free agents in the NFL. We talked about the Kelsey podcast and how Jason's retiring and what that means. It's been a really fascinating two hours of just talk and hanging out. And if you missed any of it, we re-air on the Roku channel, channel 210, as soon as we are done.

And the Roku experience is there for also for video on demand. And we're here from 12 to 3 Eastern every single day and love being here and appreciate your viewership there and listenership on this Rich Eisen Show terrestrial radio affiliate Sirius XM Odyssey, our podcast as well. We're thrilled to have one of my favorite humans.

And it's truly one of the best things about that hellscape called Twitter Now X is I got to meet this guy essentially through it and then be able to call him a friend. And I love looking down and seeing a text from him whenever he wants to reach out and thrilled to lend this platform like so many others to help this man sell books. It's hard for me to live with me. A new memoir available now wherever you get your books from the great Rex Chapman. How are you Rex? Rich, thanks for having me, buddy. I'm doing well. How about you? Recovered from the combine. I'm sitting on my ass for four straight days just saying, look at that guy run.

It's yeah. And you reached out during the combine. I love, I love seeing you man on my, on my phone and now on my screen right here on this show. Congrats on all the outpouring of support about your book, Rex. It's wild. It really is wild. And I'm going to try it. I was on Dan, your buddy, Dan Patrick's show earlier and you guys are my friend and I got a little too comfortable on Dan's show, ended up cussing a couple of times.

So I'll try to not do that today. We have a button here, Rex. Jason Feller is now on notice.

It's very rare to get a guest on notice to say, get ready and get ready to hit the button. So he's got, he's got it ready. But so let's, let's start with the why. Why did you write it, Rex? You know, I don't know that I would have Seth Davis called me about, it's been about four years ago now. And just out of nowhere asked me if, you know, I would keep, he had seen me on something talking about opioids and I think talking about, oh, I talking about George Floyd's murder. And I don't know, he called me and said, you ready to change the world? I didn't really know what he meant, but I said, sure. What do you, what do you think?

What do you mean? And he ran it by me and we started talking about it and it was right as the pandemic started. So we were talking a lot on the phone during the days and, you know, kind of hammered out a proposal and sent it out and Simon and Schuster loved it and wanted to do it. But then the hard part starts and you have to really dig in. And the hardest part, I did it for my kids. I did it for my kids and hopefully the, you know, they can see a different me. I was a drug addict for, you know, when, when I got arrested in 2014, my oldest, our oldest was 20 and our youngest was probably 11 or 12.

And you know, that's college age and middle school age. I'm all over the papers, all over the news for being arrested and a drug addict. I remember sitting in rehab and thinking, look, if I'm going to live, then I need to really try to figure out what's wrong with me and why I do the things that I do and, and really try. So I did, I buckled down and started really digging into to my life and the decisions and choices I've made and therapy, I think probably saved my life. Well, you know, and I think just starting here is that starting off point, Rex, I think you're kind of hitting right on the head.

What I'm sure you must hear from so many others who have family members who have gone through what you're describing or people who are the ones going through what you're describing is that the addiction is something you need to face and the choices that you may make for something that does feel like you're, you have no control over it, right? And realizing that you, that there is some control you can exert and that choices need to be made and there is some sort of sense of responsibility you have to take as opposed to saying all of these circumstances in my life have caused me to do this sort of thing and finding that moment without having to hit rock bottom might be the whole, you know, key to helping others. How, what, what, what do you say to those who are searching for that, Rex? Man, I, I swear and I, I hate to do this again, but I mentioned it in the book, a good friend of mine, Rick Pitino, came to see me.

Pride is a hell of a thing. And, and Rick came to see me in rehab and I was a balling mess. He and his assistant, Vinny Tatum, both lifelong friends of mine. And I was crying, toxic, telling them I'm toxic.

I was, they could probably barely understand me. Rick finally said, listen, look at me. And he said, you're going to eat a lot of crap for a while. He said, at first, it's going to be a big beach ball size ball of crap. And he said, if you do the next right thing slowly, but surely that beach ball will turn into a, a basketball and do the next right thing.

It will turn into a volleyball and then a softball tennis ball, golf ball, ping pong ball, marble pebble. And that won't be the first thing people think about you anymore, but it's going to take some time and you're going to eat some stuff. And this has come from a guy who's been through some stuff. So for whatever reason, I latched onto that. And when you're, when you're at rock bottom and my friend said, my, many of my close friends said, Rex, man, we didn't want to see you arrested. We didn't want this to happen to you, but something had to happen because you were going to die. You were going to die and they're right.

You know, you can't just eat 40, 50 pills a day with no water for years and, and think that you're going to be okay or take, you know, a medicine that's supposed to wean you off of opioids for 10 years and think that's going to be okay. Just a lot of crazy thinking and, you know, really feeling bad about myself as a person and, uh, digging into that and, you know, you know, realize slowly but surely started, you know, to see that what Rick was saying was true. And, uh, you know, it, here I am. The other thing about the book, I've gotten such an outpouring from people, you know, on Twitter, text messages, phone calls from so many people and it makes me feel, feel really good.

This is just on a bigger scale. I've been speaking and doing this stuff. You know, I have, I talk about freely and openly and if anybody, family member, friend has a problem, you know, anybody, you can put them in touch with me to call. This is just, this book has been on a bigger scale and I, I get stories from people all day long that I read and I try to respond to about my brother had an issue, my uncle, my dad died from alcoholism, uh, I've always had mental illness, the anxiety and people struggle, man, life is hard and, and I hope that this is hitting a chord.

Really, I just wanted to do it for my children and for anyone else, you know, struggling with addiction and if people get something out of it, great. Cause it's been kind of hell living it. Well, I mean, in terms of that, Rex Chapman here, it's hard for me to live with me is a book everyone should get available wherever you get your books right now. Um, you know, um, writing a book, the toughest thing anyone will ever tell you about writing a book, even though you had help of such a, a terrific writer in Seth Davis, uh, is selling it and getting out there. No, seriously, it's, it's, it's, that's, that's the tough, the tough part is, is, is when the book comes out and, and selling it. Um, you know, I have nothing, I have no idea what any of this is.

Thank you, Richard. Go ahead and finish that. No, but, but, but in selling it, you gotta, you gotta have this conversation. It seems over and over and over again.

And it comes across from me and I know differently though is you're so free it talking about it, but I'll see sometimes you tweet it out. Like that was tough. That was tough. That was tough that you had to go through that conversation. So, um, do you have to steal yourself up for even conversations like this? Yes, definitely. Yes, definitely.

And it's gotten better markedly better over the past week since I had to do it. Seth was a rock star is a rock star, you know, and he did all the heavy lifting. I'm barely literate. So, um, he, the best thing he did was right at the beginning. He said, listen, man, we're going to talk about some parts stuff. No shame ever.

I'm not judging you for anything. He said that he probably said it 50 times while we're doing it. Cause I had to tell him the worst parts about my life.

Some of it we didn't use. Um, but I will say this when I was in college and unrelated to basketball, I had a panic attack and it detailed in the book. I didn't know. I'd never heard the term panic attack and didn't know that's what it was. And probably until two years ago, uh, I felt like I needed to go to the hospital. I ended up getting out of getting over it in a couple of days and I forgot about it. Completely forgot about it until we were writing this book. And about six months ago when we were wrapping up the book, rich, I had another one. And fortunately my girlfriend was there and Whitney Lawson and she, man, she took great care of me for a couple of days and I snapped out of it, but I don't know how to explain it.

Except I remember as a kid hearing people say, well, she had a nervous breakdown, you know, that's what I felt like. I feel like nothing matters. I feel hot. I can't really move my arms and breathing is tight. My chest is tight.

It's happened only twice in my whole life. And it's due to, you know, some of the stuff that I had to, or I felt like I had to include in the book for it to be authentic and honest. And then of the people, the many people I saw this one and I saw your reaction to it too, you know, LeBron putting up a, you know, congratulating you on the book and now it's awesome for you to be able to overcome your shortcomings and obstacles life put in front of you, true leader and king, definitely supporting and ordering your book.

And then two days later, there he is holding up your book and pointing to it. I mean, come on. This is wild.

I don't even know what to think. I'm going to reveal this. I don't know LeBron that well. We know each other, obviously ever. And he only knows me from highlights.

And he's a basketball historian. Every time that dude sees me. And the first time I met him was fresh out of rehab and I think he knew it.

Fresh out of rehab. And I think he knew it. And he came up and said, sexy Rexy.

He says it every time and hugs me, gives me big love. I saw him in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago at the Suns Lakers game. And it's the first time I've seen him since, uh, Ronnie had his heart issue last year, his son.

And, uh, he gave me the same love came up to me and I just pulled him aside for a second. And I said, Hey man, I'm really, really excited about Ronnie getting back out there. And I let him know that I know people, people have their opinions on Ronnie.

I'm a Ronnie James fan. I've watched him grow up and I've watched him play against Reed Shepherd, Jeff Shepherd's son who plays at Kentucky. They've been playing against each other since they're 12.

My opinion, they're both long time pros in the NBA. And I passed that along to, to, uh, LeBron. And you know, that's, that's his baby, man. It's his oldest baby. He and his wife been through it. Their son's heart stopped in college.

I can't imagine anything more terrifying. So I told him that. And then here we are, I released the book a week later and he just does this on his own. What a guy, what a guy, man. I'm glad you told the backstory because I even thought, okay, you know, book comes out, you pull every string you can to help promote it or anything.

He did that on his own, own some lonesome on his own. Yes. You got the book. I've had everybody reach out. Stefan Curry, of course, Stefan's in the book.

He's my little buddy, but Kevin Durant, uh, you name it. Everybody that you can think of has just, and I, it was honestly said that our Seth, there I go, rich, I I've been preparing myself for people to just hate me and hate the book. And also the book is selling. And I feel like the, the first year trainer, first year owner of like a thoroughbred horse who goes to the Kentucky Derby, I have, and there's people been in the book business forever that, you know, they look to sell a book. And I just wrote this with Seth, hoping that a few people might, but mainly my, my, my parents, my kids, my ex wife, um, and my friends and their kids could feel proud of me again, at least in some small way.

So I'm re very heartened about the book. Well, I, I will just say this to anybody out there who's listening and watching right now. And I will say this, especially since this show is frequently on the air on a lot of news talk stations and people who might not have the same, um, well, what would you say? I guess, um, political cultural opinions as you, okay. But, and, and that's part of what's also, you know, upsetting about this country is you have a political discussion and it'll eventually turn personal for a lot of people demonizing one side instead of, and, and sometimes sports which should be the great connector that even gets, that even gets pulled into it. Right. Right.

Um, the bottom line is what you're talking about knows no political boundaries, 0.0 political boundaries. What you were talking about, everybody knows somebody who's gone through it. So I would, I would counsel to say, even if they think, Oh God, here's Rex, um, that they should listen that they should listen and listen to your story, brother said, uh, rich, I couldn't agree anymore. Uh, you know, earlier someone said to me or yesterday, I forget when it was, it's all running together.

Someone said, well, look, Rex, you know, you got to cut yourself a break. You know, you had all those surgeries your last few years and you came by this problem. Honestly, I, that doesn't matter. I understand what the person is saying. The issue is once you're there, you're there. It doesn't matter how you get there. I got there cause yeah, I had some injuries and, but also I may have come across that anyway, if I found out it could numb my feelings and all of that. Um, or it doesn't matter if you go out on a three weekend, three day bender on the weekend and you know, you, you party all weekend and now you you're addicted. What happens now?

What happens? You're, you're there and you got to get out. It doesn't matter how you got there. You just got to find a way to dig yourself out. And I can't recommend therapy anymore than I already have. And I can't recommend opening up to friends, close friends, uh, leaning into people, have somebody around you that goes, how are you doing, man?

No, really. How are you doing? I would never answer those questions. I'd deflect and make a joke and just get out of an awkward situation. I could never admit that I wasn't okay. And it's okay to admit that. Well, uh, before I let you go, um, tell me your favorite basketball story in the book that, because obviously, you know, this is a memoir, um, and you're filled with those, you know, and all the LeBron haters out there thinking maybe he bought your book and posted it. So you'd stop saying Jordan's the best player of all time, you know, but, uh, well, I have to say that because I was better than Michael one night. I was the best player in the world. So what's a good story because folks can get this book also, if they're interested in some of your, your hoops stories. Yeah.

Well, I don't know if it's my favorite story, but it is a story. Uh, I got in trouble a lot growing up. I pushed the boundaries and mainly cause I, I think I knew I could get away with things cause they couldn't afford to sit me out and, uh, on the basketball on the basketball floor.

Nice. One time as a junior, I was probably the most, I was probably the best player in the state. And we had been playing a team that really, uh, challenged us and, um, jump ball and side note, my future, it was my future father-in-law's team were playing against. So this kid on his team who he always put on me, really good athlete, white kid, Todd arms is his name. And I've apologized to Todd arms a million times over this Todd.

I'm sorry. So Todd, I went up to shoot a ball beginning first play the game. And he turned around and box me out before I came down and undercut me. And we, I landed on the ground, come down again. He did the same damn thing. And I pulled him down on top of me.

So the trends play could run, the referees would get up the court. We both got up and we're jogging back. And I look around and there's 6,000 people in the stands and I elbowed Todd arms in the nose, cracked him as we're running back down the court and his face exploded blood everywhere.

Like I've never seen so much blood. Their teammates started running at me. My teammates started getting in the way.

There was a big sort of melee. The referees didn't see what happened. I ended up getting a technical and had that video been on, had that game been on video.

There's a high probability. I had never played in college. It was bad. Like it was bad, bad. And you know, I had, I'm so stupid. They called me in the next day and said, you need to call their, their coach who was my became my father in law and apologize. You need to call Todd arms and apologize. And I said, what, did you see what he did to me like an idiot? So, but I did call, I did apologize. And I apologize so much so many times over the years. There are funny stories in the book.

There are funny basketball stories. I thought that one was, uh, I thought that I wasn't all I was cracked up to be. I had some real issues emotionally, uh, that always needed tackling. I'm glad I finally tackled him in a book again.

It's hard for me to live with me. Okay. Then, then let's finish up with the story. You just kind of alluded to for those who may not know the night you were better than Jordan, best player in the world. What was that? Which night, which night was that? Oh, you got one. Is it one night?

What do you got? No, no, no. Oh, what did you want? You want me to talk about that night? Sure. Yeah. Against the bulls.

Yeah. Um, they were, we had eight players because we'd just made a trade for Tim Hardaway. We were sending out Billy Owens and getting Timmy back and there were players in transit. And so we played the, we had to play the bulls who they only lost 10 games that whole year. We had to play the bulls and Miami came into town and they were out all night long on South beach at South beach. And I know that because I was there part of the night, but I went home early and, uh, they came out, it was, they, they really were on vacation.

I promise. And I got hot and as Jimmy Linum used to say, former teammate of mine, uh, coach of mine, when you let a player in this league get going, you got yourself an effing problem. So, um, I got going and there was nothing that them or anyone else could have done that night. Um, it was, uh, it was a great win for us.

Um, fantastic. And a couple of weeks later we played them and we went out for the jump ball and threw the referee, threw the ball up and Michael, he elbowed me right in the sternum. Michael did intentionally and we're friends. And I went, Oh, Oh man, it's going to be like that tonight. And it was, he got like 40 and three quarters and didn't play the fourth. He'd been thinking about that game for two weeks.

And he and I know each other, like we're friends, friends. He'd been thinking about that game for two weeks and thought I had embarrassed him or been embarrassed them, which yeah, but probably did. But we ended up playing them in the playoffs and they swept us in three games, like a, like we were a JV team. It was no match, but yeah. Uh, we got them that one night and they would have been 73 and nine.

You're a factor Rex. What was the line? What was the line that night? 39 for Rex, nine of 10 from three big boy.

There you go. Let me tell you this, you might not know this who, who scored the most points in a game against that 70, uh, two and 10 team. Who's that? Me. What was that? 39. That was it?

That's the most anybody scored that night was 30 about the all season on that team that season. Yes. So of course he elbowed you in the stomach two weeks later. I got everybody's attention after that. You did.

Uh, and you have our attention with this book, brother. Love you. Congratulations on all of this.

You are, you are truly awesome. And, and thank you for writing it and sharing it as freely as you have Rex. Thanks, Rich. Love you much. Right back at you at Rex Chapman, follow him, do all that good stuff at it's hard for me to live with me. Co-written with Seth Davis, Rex Chapman, right here on the Rich Eisen show. Take care, buddy. See you, bud.

You bet. That's Rex right there. You don't score 39 with Jordan and get away with it. Two weeks later, he hits him in the stomach. Also what he left out there is, you know, the story of the game is one point Phil Jackson had to pull Jordan off of Chapman because he just wasn't guarding him well enough. So he made them switch off of him. So you know that added to that. That just made it even more.

12 of 17. I didn't know that little twist. I will take a break. Interesting twist in college football. Some people don't want to be a head coach anymore. And wait till you hear the names of those people.

Somebody who said he retired because of one and somebody took a coordinator's job because of it. That's coming up. You say things are good and I check them out.

They are. Jump in now or catch up on any of the past seasons of Talkville on YouTube or wherever you listen. Named one of the best personal finance podcasts, The Stagging Benjamin Show with Joe and his friends makes financial literacy fun. I got an email today from the LenPenso.com HR department. I find it really interesting. I'm an employee of one at this company. So, but somebody from the HR department sent me an email telling me that I had a raise. I just opened the attachment.

I could see how much my raise was. Make sure you click on the links that are in there, too. Oh, absolutely. I can't wait. This is I'm excited.

Find out more by searching The Stacking Benjamins podcast wherever you listen. You're a type of guy that figures if it's not going the Yankees way, it's because the way you're sitting or what you're wearing. You literally believe that. Oh yeah. I literally believe that like somebody can walk in the room and I'll go like, who's this guy?

You got to be careful. And he's like, one time my brother-in-law was sitting in a chair against the Red Sox and the guy hit a bomb. And then he came the next night and I said, you sat there last night? And he goes, yeah. I go, no, just sit over here. He goes, I can't sit here. I said, sit over there. You were there last night.

You screwed everything up. So I don't care. I don't care if it's a brother-in-law, you know what I mean? I mean, I throw my hat sometimes when I get mad, that might turn it. And I go, all right, leave the hat, drop the baseball, leave the baseball. I'm telling you like last night, I brought out the broom and Chapman was starting to sweat me out. I go get that broom out of here. Get the broom out of here right now.

Don't fool around right now with the mojo. I can, you know, I can do that in my house when I'm at the stadium. At least I'm with people like me that I can relate to.

So I don't have to do that. It's harder to watch than not participate because you have no control. It's like on an airplane, your life, you could die. You're like, you know, you go like that when you land and whatever. So you're out of control, at least when you're acting or you're doing the scene, it's you.

But I feel like I could turn things sometimes. I just feel like if I'm there, like even though with the Astros, I feel like if I go to H-town, I could beat those Cowboys right in that stadium. Somehow my mojo, I almost did it once in 2001 in the Diamondbacks, game seven. It was working.

It was freaking working. People were calling me when Soriano hit a homer. I said, don't jinx it. They go, you're doing it.

You're doing it. I said, I know, I know. And then there was that stupid bunt where Mariano threw the ball a second. Never should have did that, changed the whole inning. I was almost in tears.

Imagine driving back in the desert five hours after a loss game seven like that. You're in tears, huh? Oh yeah. Some guy goes, wow, you're a real fan.

I said, yeah, I know. Can't wait to see him at Cage's We Ball games. Here on the Rich Eisen Show radio network, sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk, furnished by Grainger. With supplies and solutions for every industry, Grainger has the right product for you.

Call clickrainger.com or just stop by. Listen, we were having this conversation. I know Susie had it and Amy Trask had it with Lewis Riddick in the What the Football podcast that I suggest everybody go listen to, because most of the content is still evergreen, even though it was a scouting combine preview. Has NIL affected the way players are approaching the combine? You know, is the fact that Caleb Williams already has all those millions in the bank and the attention paid to him and by him, the others to him, changed the way that he approached the combine, right?

Or, hey, he's got a different mindset than I have to do it the way everyone else has done it. And Lewis Riddick's answer is interesting. And, you know, it's fascinating how much name, image and likeness caught everyone unprepared when it first hit and the transfer portal and all of those aspects of college football.

No preparation for it. And everyone's just reacting on the fly. And how that has led some coaches to not want to be in in college anymore. These two events occurring today, Nick Saban telling, I believe it's Chad Lowe of Chris Lowe, pardon me, of ESPN. He said that the way that Alabama acted after being bounced by Michigan shed light on his decision to retire, that it was the right time. I'm really disappointed in the way that the players acted after the game.

He said, I want to be real clear that this wasn't the reason, but some of those events certainly contributed to him thinking it's time to step away. You got to win with class. You got to lose with class. We had our opportunities to win the game. We didn't do it. And then showing your A after being frustrated and throwing helmets and doing that stuff, that's not who we are and what we promoted in our program.

He said in meeting with the players after the season, Saban estimated 70 to 80 percent wanted playing time and NIL assurances, furthering the idea that it was time for him to hang up his whistle. That's what this was written. Quote, so I'm saying to myself, maybe this doesn't work anymore.

That the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player. I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about. And it's not why we had success throughout the years.

Again, I'm sitting here and I agree with Jay Billis. Players deserve to be paid and the way it used to be is not the way it's going to be anymore. It's professionalizing the sport. I believe Dartmouth is attempting to unionize and Dartmouth basically said, not here you're not.

We're not paying you. I'm paraphrasing and I have no problem with it. The issue I have with it is there's no rules for it. There's no rules for it. And that's why I think a lot of coaches are knocking on the door of the NFL where there are rules for it. I mean, the new league year begins next week. Now, are there ways around talking to people before you're allowed to?

Of course. But you know when free agency is and you know when the contract is and you know that if somebody doesn't like their playing time, you sign a contract. You're being paid.

Right? The fact that you have to with the transfer portal as well have to make sure if somebody's being paid or they've been promised something and they don't like their playing time, they'll just say I'll leave to go somewhere else. Now again, coaches go ahead like Brian Kelly on a recruiting trip. Left the recruiting chip and deuced out on Notre Dame.

Going LSU. So why shouldn't a player be able to do that? I totally agree. I totally agree.

But shouldn't there be some rules around it other than the ones that seem to be non-enforceable or non-existent? What about the other way around? What about a kid that's promised I'll give you this money to come to the school and then all of a sudden the playing time's no longer there and suddenly the NIL money that he's been promised is full Magic Johnson. Ain't gonna be there. What about that?

What about how that works? And I guess keeping track of all this was too much for Chip Kelly. He just wants to be a ball coach. Just get back to the x's and o's. Back to the old school I'm worrying about the scheme and coaching kids up.

Not worrying about anything else that's outside of it. He was introduced to the media as the new Ohio State offensive coordinator after leaving. He gave up the head coaching job at UCLA as they're about to enter the Big 10 for a Big 10 offensive coordinator gig. That happened in 2024. This is what he had to say about his decision.

John Lennon when he was a little kid that had an assignment of what do you want to be when you grow up and he said I want to be happy and then his teacher said I don't think you understand the assignment and his mom said I don't think you understand life. So I just want to be happy and I'm really happy coaching a position. Really happy to be at this place. It would have taken a special place for me to leave UCLA because I love those players and I love that coaching staff but to be here with Ryan I had a great relationship. I've known Ryan since he was a little kid so I think a lot of things just fell into place that way. I think they're New Hampshire right? Isn't that their connection? Chip Kelly was the head coach at New Hampshire. He might have coached Ryan Day at New Hampshire.

So they when he says he knew him as a little kid right? And I you know in the collective and all of that stuff you know that was what I was hearing at the combine too. I heard the number is north of 13 million to put the the team together at Ohio State to get a lot of kids. I mean there was what those some of those kids from Alabama went transferred there. They look terrific right now roster wise on the Ohio State. They are loading for bear and I guess Chip look that's Ryan Day's gig and the collectives and all of that stuff and the NIL and that's his thing and all he's got to do is just scheme it up. And of course beat Michigan like those are the those are the those are his two coach up the kids and make sure you win that Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. Yeah in a way that the defense on Michigan can't handle but that's where we're at in college football. That's where we are at because and who's going to be who's going to get this thing handled. Now do you you Charlie Baker do you blame Sabin or Chip Kelly or what do you blame what my opinion yeah how can I blame well listen Nick has done it a certain way that certain way is over he's of a certain age where he's just like do I need this no and Chip Kelly you know Kelly you know doesn't doesn't want to do it listen I the only way I I could try and make an analogy is I was a staff writer for the Staten Island Advance on the news side of things and I realized and I don't know if this is the proper analogy here I realized when I was on a I was on a beat and um I was sitting in in in the newsroom and this was back in I guess the early 90s had to have been yeah after I graduated 90 and one of George Bush Sr's thousand points of light remember he had the thousand points of light to point out people who were who were leaders in their community and one of the thousand points of light lived in Staten Island and was a principal in a high school in Brooklyn who would be somebody who goes and knocks on the door of truants and say come on I'll take you to school I'll take you to school and he knocked on the door of I guess of a truant and was taking the kid to school and got caught in some sort of crossfire and was shot dead and the main reporter slash columnist who was the main writer for the newspaper she was out on assignment and this was before cell phones and her walkie-talkie was out of range and who was sitting there not on assignment but me and they walked up to me and say go to the house in Staten Island of this school principal and get comment from the family oh that was my reaction geez so I went in the have I never told you this okay I went into the back room of our newsroom and sharpened about 50 pencils and looked for the exact right new reporter's notebook that had the right number of pages and honestly I kept flipping them over to see was it one page catches on the on the the rings I need another one I need to I was beyond delaying and trying to procrastinate wow because I didn't want to do that and I procrastinated long enough and I'm like okay just this is a job I got to do it and just at that point the reporter who normally would have the assignment was out of range came back in the newsroom they explained to her what had happened she turned on a on a heel and went right on assignment and I got off the hook and I'm not sitting here thinking what she did is wrong or just mindset but that's her she was more experienced than me that's her mindset she knows that's what the job is and she did it expertly I might add I wasn't cut out for it and I realized on the spot I better find a different line of work and that's what I'm I better find a different line of work and I'm wondering if that's what Chip Kelly's talking about because I wasn't happy I wasn't cut out for it if the job is this I'm not cut out for it I'm just that's not that's not I don't I don't I don't have that you know gumption or drive or desire or I guess the lack of better phrase stomach for it I just didn't so I'm not sitting here saying chip you should you know suck it up man he sits there and he's just like this this other stuff that I got to figure out I gotta I gotta work on I gotta recruit my own players after I've recruited them I then gotta go find these kids I gotta fly around the country I gotta do all this stuff other coaches are like I'm in Sharon Moore my guy at Michigan is just like I'm in I got it Kaylin DeBoer I'm in I got it you're in Syracuse you got it you know what I mean yeah Ryan Day I mean keep going on the list goes on and on and on but some are just like that's not me and if Nick Saban after decades of all-time success says I'm out I hear it and the same thing with Chip I'm not going to sit here and criticize that you're weak because you can't figure it out you just figured out like that's the only analogy I can give that's good in that response I never heard that you can't put a price tag on happiness well that's what he's saying you know but but but I'm sure there are tons of UCLA fans who are just like Deshaun Foster's like I'm in and it's a different a different world people like Deon have figured it out well off the bat and so are the others other coach I think Harbaugh a lot of people say like he ran off to the pros to avoid the NCAA coming after him which I think is ridiculous but he had to figure it out last three years figured that thing out so some people are ready for it and up for the challenge and are into it because they know that's the job and they love it and others are not take a break finish up this show in a moment 844-204 rich you want to have a chat hi there sorry for the interruption but are you enjoying this show on google podcasts you should know that the google podcast app is going away this spring that's right going away gone as in no longer available you can still enjoy this show elsewhere though try out spotify or amazon music or maybe tune in is more your style whatever app you switch to be sure to follow so you never miss the next episode and thanks for listening wherever you listen we're back here boy I didn't expect to tell that story I was scared down to my socks I gotta say I've heard scared down to my socks I've heard pretty much all your stories at this point I feel like I'm boring you no absolutely not they're new absolutely not but I've never heard that one and I'm glad you told it because that just kind of gave me flashbacks to some of my early young newspaper days in Maine it's the same deal it's like oh man I don't want to do this you're cut out for it or you're not you want me to write about what yeah so yeah sometimes you just gotta go through it to find out if it's right for you or if it's not and but if it's right for others and it's not for you that's totally fine it doesn't mean that the other is the weirdo exactly exactly that's for them absolutely I had a job producing the show for MTV where I had to spend time with a contestant and the goal was for the contestant to pass off an actor as their real friend right right and if they could split last 48 hours passing this person off as a real friend to their actual friend they win money so I would get all this information out of them about all their friends all these deep secrets and pass it to the writers and after two episodes I just watched real friendships crumble and just anger between friends and I was just like man I don't want to I don't feel good doing this right now and I it's being deceptive yeah it's very deceptive and you and I'm literally we're ruining real friendships for a game and I was like ah this isn't for me man I don't want to do this is it is it absolutely and then you're and so when he's like you know just be happy yeah the problem is that this people he left behind is very unhappy well maybe he did him a favor when he said that I don't want to do it anymore if your heart's not into it you're not doing them any correct you're not doing them any service yeah so real talk real talk no doubt about that and uh we're back here on the rich eyes and show radio network on the air sitting at the rich eyes and show desk furnished by granger with supplies and solutions for every industry granger has the right product for you call click ranger.com or just stop by another friendly reminder that if you and your family or if your friends your girlfriend your spouse your boyfriend you want to go to any way shape or form any concert movie uh I mean any concert or music or sports event or theater event near you game time tickets is how you go about getting your good spot it's so easy to buy tickets just two taps you see where you want to go and sit in the arena sit in the theater and then you check out the prices you start shopping around you start figuring out where you want to go depending on the price what night you want to go depending on the seat and then you you make your move and then you find out exactly how much it costs before you hit the purchase button so everything is called all in prices there that's what I love the most so you can figure out where to sit how much it is zero guesswork it's totally removed when you buy tickets with game time so download the game time app create an account you can use my code rich and you get twenty dollars off your first purchase terms apply again create an account redeem the code rich you get twenty dollars off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed wild show and I just want to say here again what I just equated um with Chip Kelly's decision to not want to be a head coach anymore and go do something that makes him happier because of the the work that's required um he's not he realized he's not cut out for and I equated that to a time where I didn't want to cover uh essentially somebody being uh wiped off the planet and getting an immediate comment from a family back in my um staff writer days uh in my hometown newspaper I'm not equating the two things you know what I'm saying I'm just saying that they're they're just different endeavors where you realize what's required of you and um and you just realize I'm just not cut out for it I'm just wondering if that act is exactly what happened with Chip Kelly as today he showed up in Ohio State so as the offensive coordinator officially so there's all of that um good show Rex Chapman on today and um also our friend Michael Wilbon on today good times one week from today it's gonna be on and cracking literally at this moment in time yeah I'm excited for the rumors to start well the rumors are gonna start later this week and weekend and then Monday and Tuesday things are gonna actually happen yeah where players are gonna as you know the deals get announced and then Wednesday they become official and uh the Broncos have told Russ go talk to teams now they've already given permission that's cool doing them a solid I know that's great the problem is is who's the one that's going to say we're not gonna knock on other doors and free agency let's strike your deal right now I don't think there is one that's his issue yeah everybody that's interested any quarterback Minnesota is waiting to see what Kirk does with Atlanta and if they're in the mix they have by the way I saw um a story I believe it's Kevin Seifert of ESPN saying that if Kirk signs after the new league year begins it adds some sort of a dead cap mechanism that is not on the books if he signs before the new league year so Kevin O'Connell we'll discuss it again tomorrow Kevin O'Connor coming on the combine and saying to DJ and yours truly that he thinks that Kirk's going to go through the business of free agency and talking to other people that might take Minnesota out of the mix so you need to see what's happening there correct New England and everyone else needs to know what's happening with the Bears first and the Bears might not make a move at all because they haven't apparently seen Caleb Williams in their building yet after his pro day right right and so all of that stuff might is what's playing out into going into next week USC pro day March 20th I'm imagining the Buccaneers and Baker will make a deal before the new league year begins we'll find that out short order so who's going to basically tell Russ well we'll sign you right now I think they're all going to be saying we're interested depends on what happens stay by the phone Russell Wilson gets a new team before or after the draft wow if I had a guess right now I'd say after yeah everybody figures out what they're doing right and who are they getting the draft spots are what the holes are but as you know things change so damn fast in this league but I if I had a guess I'd figure that out even though the Broncos are like go and start talking to people right now the question is who's going to just fill up their dance card Russ you're the guy and also say you're the starter you're not going to compete that seems unlikely well that's the whole point because he needs to sign somewhere where all of a sudden it's not like yeah well we just where he gets where he's the Matt Flynn yeah and the kid they draft is the Russell Wilson wow right here's full circle man he doesn't want to he's seen it happen on the other side of it unbelievable craziness because two years ago at this time it's just like all right who's getting Russ and the Broncos are like we will and we're going to give up a ton of draft capital and sign him to a 254 million dollar contract extension that he won't play a single down on that's what that's so insane make it up that wraps up this edition of the Rich Eisen Show thanks again to great friends Rex Chapman and Michael Wilbon for being on this program for the rest of you we will chat on Thursday unless you're watching on Roku we'll wrap it up in a moment movies tv shows books podcasts and more it's what women binge with Melissa Joan Hart and her friend Amanda Lee we have Lauren Bosworth with us the hills so what is like your number one question from fans the primary question i still get asked was what is it real in 2024 to me is a surprising question to get because i feel like everybody has been through the reality tv gauntlet at this point what women binge wherever you listen