More Cuts at ESPN

I'm sure if he were to read this thread, he'd be like "What a bunch of jealous nobodies."

He'd be right. I'm definitely a nobody. And I'm certainly jealous of his salary. Who wouldn't love having enough money to take care of their family for at least a couple generations to come?

But I'm not jealous of what he is or what he's done to get that money. Not in a million years.

 

He sure seems to have the Tom Brady gene. He'd be miserable at home with his wife and kids. And they'd probably be miserable at home with him.

 

The guy works his ass off and is by far the most successful person in a competitive field. Working 24/7 so you can break stories 10 minutes before they become public seems like a pretty soulless existence to me, though.

 

We once had a situation where a former star high school football player from an area school had some sort of mental breakdown, robbed a bank and took hostages. I think he shot and killed one of them before it was resolved. I hadn't talked to his high school coach in several years and the guy had moved on to a new job (maybe even two), but I still had his number in the rolodex on my desk. Called him and passed his number along to the news side and we were able to get some helpful information about the player, as well as some other contacts, that pieced together some of his post-high school life.
It was a national story for a day and our little local paper was out in front of it, largely because I'd kept that little piece of paper tucked away in my desk for five or six years.
You never know when those will come in handy, or for what. Never lose a phone number.

 

I had, years ago, a number for Joe Namath. A 212 area code number. I cannot remember where I got it.

One day I called the number. I figured if it was him I would see if he wanted to talk and wing it. A guy answered, I asked for Namath, and he said, "Who wants to know?" I laid it out and he said, "He's not talking to anyone."

Was it Joe Willie? Some bodega in SoHo? An agent? Bookie? Stranger with that number? I have no clue.

But I always kept the card and number because, real or not, I had Joe Namath's phone number.

 

That's a great story. Did it sound like Joe? He's got a pretty recognizable voice. My guess is a hanger-on picked up.

 

Gruff voice, no way to tell if it was him or Carmine at a social club.

At the time of this call he might have been in south Florida, or splitting time. It was many years ago.

I have a number and email for Phil Niekro, too. Got those from him, directly.

 

Did he say he wanted to kiss you?

 

I don't phone and tell.