On what he misses (and doesn't miss) from life in sports television. On Chris Berman and Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen. On how media has changed and what he thinks of 2025 journalism. On the highs of the World Cup and lows of a terrifying flight.

On the rise of Houston as a hip-hop powerhouse. On the impact of a rapper writing about his home turf. On whether students in 2025 feel the music they listen to. On teaching ... folklore.

On being based in Dublin and digging into American hip-hop. On how Tupac's world view was impacted by the Black Panthers. On the value of "Juice" and "Poetic Justice." On the greatness of Tupac's music.

On the glory days of Sports Illustrated. On the rise and legacy of Grant Wahl. On when he began to see the magazine business change for the worse. On running a college media program and giving students hope.

On fighting back even after the heartbreak of 2024. On why local politicians fear him. On the highs and lows of being confrontational. On running a long-shot campaign for congress.

On enduring a full season of unfathomably bad basketball played by an organization aspiring to lose. On the nightmarish hell of covering Ben Simmons, the sadness of watching a young Markelle Fultz and the joy of speaking with Lauri Markkanen. On never cowering from confrontation.

On how to know what works on stage vs. what might bomb. On writing a full stand-up routine and having it flow. On the process of creating material and feeling confident in the content. On bombing.

On discovering his voice via the beauty of poetry. On how the end of a football career brought him to a splendid turning point. On how the words enter his mind, then land on paper. On looking back at the sports machine.

On hanging out far, far away with Rick Pitino; on coming up as a print guy and watching the paper and ink fade away; on life at a union-antagonistic The Ringer and a not-what-was-promised Sports Illustrated; on being part of a two-sports-journalist marriage.

On trying to make it in the music biz in 2025. On driving 2 1/2 hours to play a gig in front of 10 people. On how a song goes from idea to reality. On the difference between good songwriting and epic songwriting.