Grim Drive

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Mental Health + Culture.

We have covered the overlap between Sports + Mental Health quite a bit on this podcast, as that is the main mission behind the show.  In this episode, we venture out to broader territory to discuss the overlap between Mental Health + Culture, which cultures may be a bit behind on the topic of Mental Health and why, as well as how Sports can be a subculture within a larger culture that drives the continued discussion about the importance of Mental Health.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

The post Episode 41: Mental Health + Culture first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Dopamine + Culture.

There has been more and more talk about “web3” recently, talk which will only continue to grow louder.  We haven’t quite delved into how web3 will potentially dovetail with collective mental health, but in this episode we cover how the internet (web1) and social media (web2) continue to impact collective mental health through our over-reliance on dopamine release.  Amongst other hormones discussed in this episode, dopamine is often referred to as “the molecule of more” and for good reason.  No other hormone seems to create addictive tendencies quite like dopamine, and our current culture isn’t short on sources of this risky hormone. We reflect on an article written by Anna Lembke called “Digital Addictions are Drowning us in Dopamine” as well as a twitter thread by Zain Kahn (@heykahn) which shines a light on how life in the present day is so much different than life in the 50’s.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

Helpful Links:

• https://www.wsj.com/articles/digital-addictions-are-drowning-us-in-dopamine-11628861572
• https://www.everydayhealth.com/hormones/guide/ 
• Zain Kahn on Twitter:  @heykahn

The post Episode 40: Dopamine + Culture first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss The Chicago Blackhawks + Trauma.

In 2010, Kyle Beach was a 20 year old player on the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL, brought up for the playoff run towards the end of the season. During that playoff stretch, Brad Aldrich, a video coach within the organization psychologically and sexually abused Kyle.  Despite reporting this to the entire leadership group on the team, including the General Manager and Head Coach, Kyle Beach’s trauma was ignored because it would have made for bad PR.  In this episode, we discuss how this is allowed to happen within an organization and within the sports world, the staggering frequency with which abuse and associated trauma happen in our society, how fear plays such a central role in abuse, and how male coaches, particularly in the older generations, are drastically behind on the education and learning required to handle these situations appropriately and in a manner that protects the safety of each person. We also discuss a video of former NFL player and current analyst Marcellus Wiley discussing physical/mental injury and weakness amongst football players in the NFL, offering our thoughts on which aspects of his opinions we agree with, which we disagree with, and why.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

Helpful Links:

• https://www.npr.org/2021/10/28/1049910345/kyle-beach-reveals-chicago-blackhawks-coach-assaulted-him

• Marcellus Wiley video: https://mobile.twitter.com/marcelluswiley/status/1455344746293985283?s=11

The post Episode 39: Chicago Blackhawks + Trauma first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we interview Nathan Baugh of Sideline Sprint.

While we focus on looking at Mental Health through the lens of Sports on this podcast, mental health is a concept that exists on a spectrum.  Most people fluctuate along the spectrum depending on many factors, particularly stress and life events that take place along the way.  A huge part of what we emphasize throughout various episodes is the importance of prehab, or proactive strategies that contribute to positive mental health and wellbeing.  There are many, but several key strategies include identifying areas of interest or passion, purpose development, confidence cultivation, financial literacy, and the drive to create or take part in something bigger than ourselves which can help and/or deliver joy to others.  And this is where Nathan comes in.  As someone who is currently building a sports media startup called The Sideline Sprint, Nathan has a unique knowledge of several key topics like the intersection of sports and psychology, the fan experience, financial freedom, the challenges of starting a business, social media, and the changing role of media in sports overall.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

Helpful Links:

Nathan’s company Sideline Sprint: ​​“Sideline Sprint” (sidelinesprint.com)

*Click the link and sign up for their sports newsletter, it is one of the bright spots in my email inbox, something I look forward to reading 

Nathan Baugh on Twitter: @nathanbaugh27

Nathan’s Twitter thread on “99.8% of athletes never playing professionally”:

99.8% of athletes never play professionally.

I’ve spent hours studying the .2% who do.

Here’s what I learned:

The post Episode 38: Interview with Nathan Baugh of Sideline Sprint first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss athlete salaries.

Whether it is the twitter-verse filled with fans opining about athletes being overpaid or important discussions at the national level about male v. female National Soccer Team player compensation, the salaries paid to professional athletes makes for a polarizing subject for sure. Overlapping topics like discrimination, capitalism, greed, worth, and relative value, all get thrown in the mix when trying to determine the impossible task of weighing what is fair v. unfair.  In this episode, we examine why athletes salaries are how they are, specific examples that have driven polarized discussions, and Title IX and the role this law has played in reducing discrimination and access to opportunity.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

The post Episode 37: Athlete Salaries first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and relationships.

Dynasties don’t happen very often, and aside from a few select haters out there, everyone can acknowledge that the 20 years and six championships won by the head coach and quarterback combo of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady qualifies as a dynasty.  But 20 years together in any relationship is difficult and has ups and downs, particularly when the pair has to spend a lot of time together AND is attempting to achieve greatness.  Belichick and Brady are no different, and in this episode we discuss the many challenges that relationships pose, both personal and professional, as well as some of our guesses as to what may have helped this duo ride off into the sunset together instead of parting ways (yes, we break our speculation rule here, please no jokes about rule breaking).

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

The post Episode 36: Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Relationships first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Ben Simmons.

We always admit our Boston sports team allegiance with full transparency, so it goes with that territory to be biased against certain teams.  The Philadelphia 76ers are without a doubt one of those teams.  All biases aside however, we wanted to discuss Ben Simmons because his situation fascinates us and brings up some really interesting questions regarding communication, comfort, drive, priorities, and confidence, among other things.  In this episode, we examine the current situation between Ben Simmons as a player and the Philadelphia 76ers as an organization, and possible personal/organizational causes for this impending sports divorce.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss.

The post Episode 35: Ben Simmons first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Gamesmanship.

In the most recent Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, a runner in the marathon race reached out to grab a cup of water while running.  The second in a line of 7+ runners, he knocked over every single cup in a line of 20+ cups, grabbing the final cup for himself. Is this Gamesmanship? Grounds for disqualification? Federal offense? All jokes aside, we examine gamesmanship in sports, when it is above board and an acceptable aspect of competition, and when it goes too far. We also discuss a great twitter thread by Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) who is a must-follow, posts lots of great content, covers the intersection of sports+psychology, and runs a platform called “Sideline Sprint” (https://www.sidelinesprint.com)

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

Links:

• https://www.newsweek.com/olympic-marathon-runner-knocking-over-water-bottles-1617295
• https://www.newsweek.com/olympic-marathon-runner-knocking-over-water-bottles-1617295
• https://www.sidelinesprint.com
• (Twitter: @nathanbaugh27)

The post Episode 34: Gamesmanship first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Ime Udoka + New Jobs.

Transitions are difficult in any aspect of life.  Starting a new job is one of the most common types of transitions people go through, involving adjustment to a new place, new people, new systems, and often new stress.  In this episode we talk about how to navigate that process, some common aspects that can be challenging, as well as the new head coach of the Boston Celtics, Ime Udoka.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss.

The post Episode 33: Ime Udoka + New Jobs first appeared on Grim Drive.

During this episode of the Grim Drive Podcast, where we explore mental health through the lens of professional sports and athletes, we discuss Jackie Mac + Alex Caruso .

We already did a previous episode covering Jackie Mac, but when a legend retires it’s important to show some respect and recognition.  In this episode, we discuss Jackie MacMullan retiring from ESPN and her career overall.  We also discuss Alex Caruso and his take on what so many NBA players in the G league never make it up to the main team.

*The Grim Drive Podcast is a way for people to learn about mental fitness, mental health, and mental illness, through the lens of sports. We want to do our part to further reduce the stigma associated with mental health by highlighting the athletes who have shown strength through vulnerability, spoken up, and spoken out.  We want to provide listeners with mental health education, to raise awareness and reduce risk, maximizing the path to mental fitness.

As a reminder to listeners/viewers, please leave us a review on apple podcasts, or comment on one of our youtube videos with any thoughts.  We guarantee we will respond to all comments and would love the chance to have a dialogue about some of these topics with anyone who is interested to discuss. 

The post Episode 32: Jackie Mac + Alex Caruso first appeared on Grim Drive.