FYW: A Story For The Heart

I spent a lot of time at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with my older daughter when she was little. Doctor consultations ahead of surgical procedures and the yearly checkups made for a day’s adventure. And for my daughter, an immersion into a world with kids of every race and nationality, all there to find some support for myriad conditions. I loved watching the kids become fast friends - watching the videos on the television, sharing coloring supplies or, as she aged, my daughter holding court and reading to the younger kids. It was a community of folks, all anxious about what that day’s news would be, but finding a moment of peace in the laughter of the little ones. 

So, on some small level, I feel the connection to the family of former NFL tight end and new FOX Sports NFL analyst Greg Olsen. His son TJ was born with a condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. The short of it is that the left side of the heart does not form correctly.

(You can Learn More About Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome here.)

According to Olsen, eight-year old TJ had undergone three open heart surgeries and lived with a modified heart. This past week, TJ received a heart transplant. The journey, and his family’s wave of emotions, was chronicled in short form for People Magazine. And, this sweet video post-surgery that brings you back to basics: 

TJ Says Thank You

I can’t wait to see the updates on TJ’s story. Tales of hope and positivity speak to our humanity and bond us all. I speak of the power of that communal energy found in concerts and sports and theater, and energy akin to that felt in prayer services. And like those moments in the waiting room at Children’s. 

EOD: June 7th

 There are some days when everything crashes around you. I’ve long had the ability, propensity and let’s face it, stupidity, to grind days until I had nothing left. You think you’re helping in the moment to get things done and, as I’ve always said, “to keep the line moving.” But, at some point, you hit the swing into negative returns and cause some frustration and pain to those around you. 

And, you find your own health compromised. The more elaborate tales of this ilk will arrive in book form sometime in the future. 

Suffice to say, the first win of Monday is simple ... nap. Nap for 15 minutes. Stretch it out to an hour if you can. Mine felt like a second half to a night’s sleep, leading to a rally for the day.

What else happened?

1. Nice long walks with the dog. Put on some tunes and just get the body moving. I carry a wide array of songs and artist in my playlist, a collection termed “The Devil’s Jukebox” long ago. So, Monday’s journeys included some Gutter Twins, Elton John deep cuts, Warren Zevon, Roger Waters and a block of Jethro Tull. 

One of the songs at the start of the walk was a Gutter Twins cover  of Jose Gonzalez’s “Down The Line.” 

I always forget the surroundings or, more likely, don’t much care and start singing along: 

“Don’t let the darkness eat you up!”

Check out the original here. 

Gonzalez’s “Down The Line”

2. I finally finished the draft for my Will. Psychologically damning and that recognition of age and how spread out your money can get. Diversification is a good thing. Just make sure you’ve got your spreadsheet of sites and logins handy. I do need to add one or two instructional lines — think Shawshank Redemption, and to produce the latest in the farewell playlist. Oh, and to procure a lot of mini-bottles of booze for the global toast. 

3. Finally, the FSR show on Monday had its twists and turns. The band “Jimmy Eat World” became part of the soundtrack because of the band’s appearance at halftime of the Suns-Nuggets game. We argued about the ongoing Aaron Rodgers saga, chronicled two blowouts in the NBA and celebrated Kevin Durant and the resurgent Blake Griffin. 

EOD May 26

Captain’s Log — or whatever the hell title I take on ...

Gotta keep up on the wins. They’re like Billy Mack sang in Love Actually —- they’re all around us. 

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1.     Watched some tremendous soccer action as I did show prep, read and got a workout in. Villarreal took down Manchester United in the UEFA Europa League Championship. The 1-1 game was decided by penalty kicks ... by the goalies. That’s right. The game went to the 11th penalty kicks, thereby goalie-on-goalie strikes ended the game. Geronimo Rulli drilled a shot to give Villarreal their 11th PK score, and then defended a shot by Man U goalie David De Gea to secure the victory.

2.    Made a nice chicken divan dish for dinner. Chicken with a broccoli sauce - cream of chicken soup and, yes, mayonnaise at its base. 

3.    NBA Playoff action. I’ll go deeper in video form on SwollenDome.com in the miserable activity of a couple fans that marred an otherwise fantastic night of NBA Playoffs action. The biggest event on Wednesday’s slate occurred at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks rallied from a 13-point deficit to upend the Hawks, and the crowd in the “Basketball Mecca” hit a level of raucousness not seen in quite some time. The Knicks last won a home playoff win in 2013. We’ve had big baseball and spring football crowds, a decent-sized crowd in Tampa for the Super Bowl. No, this registered differently. 

The Dodgers are calling a June home date - “ A Grand Reopening.” I think the Knicks beat them to the punch. 

EOD May 25

 I’m trying to be better about logging and acknowledging the good that comes on a daily basis. It’s easy to get caught up in the negatives - the (perceived) slights, lost sleep, schedule issues and so on. And sure, not every day contains some groundbreaking, life-altering greatness. 

But, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t little chunks of bliss during the day or that they’re even different events from the day(s) prior. Repetition and routine make up some of the positivity we experience. Right? Dependability and consistency are treasured ... until they become a rut. 

Without further ado, the reintroduction of the elemental “Find Your Wins” experience. 

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1. Creative space - blueprint for the evolution of this site, tied to pursuits in musings about sports, entertainment and the never ending search for the meaning of life (which may just be a good nap). 

2. Homemade gyros. Second iteration of a recipe turned out well. Perhaps needs a dash more salt in the mix. But, fresh ingredients made for a great flavor and aromatics. And that goes into #3 ...

3. I was able to smell the world around me a bit longer. No, not a Covid-19 thing. Since a cruise in the summer of ‘19, I’ve had some issues with my sense of smell. Doctor tied to Type-2. So, more weary miles and dietary adjustments to come (less gyros, more greens). 

4. BONUS - my Terra Core workout equipment came. Road to swoll intensifies. 

Giving Back: Barkley Dials Up For Education

Without a doubt, the pandemic provided its share of heart-wrenching stories. We know them all too well - job and business losses, racial divisiveness, sicknesses, deaths and isolation. 

But we also celebrated the best of humanity, with leaders stepping up to create food banks, fundraising to support those out of work and those displaced or affected by the aforementioned ills. And I’ll do it here. 

Charles Barkley has been the focal point of NBA coverage on TNT seemingly forever now. “Inside The NBA” has been one of the industry standards alongside FOX Sports’ “FOX NFL Sunday,” providing great content on coaching, strategy, game breakdowns and, let’s face it, grabass at its finest. The principals of the show don’t take themselves too seriously, and it oftentimes feels like you’re sitting around and listening to your buddies torment one another. 

I appreciate the brilliance of Charles Barkley & Shaquille O’Neal in building off of their on-court NBA careers (yes, they did play basketball, and Barkley’s abilities are criminally underrated) from merchandising and commercials and business pursuits. Seriously, do a Google search on the empire that O’Neal built. 

Both Barkley and O’Neal are also known for their generosity and using their platforms to address larger issues. Here, I spotlight a story of Barkley’s support to the Leeds City School District. Charity begins at home, they say. Barkley continued his efforts to support the educators and support staff of his hometown school district, providing $1,000 to each employee for their efforts in difficult times. AL.com reports that there are 226 individuals employed within the system. 

You can click on the link below to see the full detail of Barkley’s history in his hometown. 

Barkley Delivers

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The goal here at FYW is to highlight the good that we see in our respective spaces. You can drop us a line and let us know of the good in your community. And remember, just because the masks are coming off as we approach the summer months, there are still people around us that could use a call, text or invitation to just watch the world go by for a moment. You never can tell what’s going on behind the smile. 

Be well. Hold tight. And Find Your Wins. 

From The Edge: Drew Robinson Returns To The Diamond

Every day, I take to the airwaves on the grand FOX Sports Radio stage for four hours of laughs, information, insights and distractions from the real world. That doesn’t minimize the impacts of the highs and lows for the athletes, coaches and staff by any stretch. But for us, on-air or viewer/listener, we’re looking for levity, entertainment, debates and, as Billy Joel sang, “To forget about life for a while.”

And like our teams, we’re constantly scouring news across the sports landscape and our world at large to Find Our Wins.

With a nod to the efforts being made to seek help, understanding and empathy during this Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to highlight a baseball comeback story. 

Last year, Drew Robinson attempted suicide. 

The 29-year-old Robinson had been playing minor league baseball since 2010 (4th-round selection of the Rangers) with a couple of call-ups by the Rangers and the Cardinals. He’d battled suicidal thoughts and depression for years and had sought support. Those efforts didn’t quell those thoughts or provide relief. In April of 2020, the pandemic began to wreak havoc, decimating numerous lives and complete industries, including minor league baseball. Robinson wrote a note explaining everything to his family and attempted to take his life. He lost his right eye in the process. 

But he survived. And he called 911 before making a second attempt. 

Robinson Talked To 8 News Now

The long road back has begun, trying to heal both physically and mentally, and Robinson’s telling his story to try and support those harboring similar thoughts and impulses. 

And he’s gotten back on the diamond. Robinson signed with the Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. On Tuesday, May 11th, Robinson returned home to Las Vegas with the River Cats and launched his first home run of the season. That makes for quite a homecoming, and another step in his recovery. 

Check out Robinson’s First HR

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The long road back begins with the first step, and for Robinson, a trot around the bases helped to bring his story to a larger audience. As I’ve written for a long while here, and have certainly said it with great regularity from my seat on FOX Sports Radio, check in on your people. Let them vent. Let them know that they have a safe space. 

Be well, all. 

A Near-Perfect Storm: Rodon’s No-Hitter

 

I had a sweet, next morning account of the Rodon no-hitter scripted in this spot. Like a dope, I failed to save it and, well, we know what happens then.

So, I’ll shorten it up for this one. 

I’ve been blessed to occupy a seat at the national table with Jason Smith in prime time on FOX Sports Radio now for over seven years. We start our show as East Coast games wind down and the opening bell sounds for West Coast action. We prepare to debate the news of the day and extend storylines that are building ... like a good drama serial. But, the live action creates new stories, new arguments and the heart of the show. I argue that we build events and break down the developing drama better than anybody in the business. You can disagree with the assessments and post-game analysis, but there’s a power to that definitive, decisive way of storytelling. We don’t have the benefit of sound (we’re on the radio), nor do we get the overnight to watch replays and read accounts from myriad sources. 

Nope. LIVE and in living color. Championship celebrations, shocking deaths and scandals, legal quagmires, we’ve covered it all. 

Last week, we celebrated Kobe Bryant’s final game, the 60-point gem he offered as his goodbye to the game. We were on-air for that game, and we reveled in every made shot - and because we’re based in LA - the excitement of all our colleagues dancing and jumping around the halls. I cited it as my favorite on-air effort as we recounted that day and played some highlights.

It was displaced 24 hours later as Carlos Rodon pitched an absolute gem against the Cleveland Indians. He was dominant, resolute and reached back for gas in the 8th and 9th innings, throwing harder than he had the rest of the game. It took everything I had to not let the fanboy in me take over fully. 

Rodon’s road the past several years has been difficult, and that’s a gross understatement. Surgeries and rehab limited him to 11 appearances total between 2019 and 2020, and then he was non-tendered this offseason before re-signing with the team. My brothers and I celebrated his retention. And on April 14, they watched Rodon enter the ninth inning with a perfect game intact LIVE at Guaranteed Rate Field. I watched while screaming on-air to 600 affiliates nationwide. 

We texted throughout the game, talking atmosphere and just the overwhelming excitement to be in attendance for this game after the year away because of the pandemic ... and for Carlos. I did my best to convey all of that. 

Smith and I marveled at “The Stretch,” an absolutely ridiculous play made by first baseman Jose Abreu doing the splits. His effort to get the out will be celebrated as one of the finest plays in White Sox history. 

And Smith and I even got into a little bit of a fiery debate once the perfect game was lost to a hit batter. 

“Did he try to get out of the way?” “Should he have made more of an effort?” And the age-old argument about unwritten rules.  

Rodon would finish the no-hitter, and we stayed with this piece of history. The other stories and “hot take theater” could wait for another day. 

It made for great theater and a beautiful symphony on radio. Our editing team rolled in the highlights from that ninth inning, and we played a long post-game back and forth between Rodon and the White Sox broadcasters. He was funny, introspective and real while processing the emotions of the night and the journey.

And I was glad to be there for the ride. It’s a night that will rank first in my memory of this job ... until the Sox win the World Series, of course.