Earlier in the year. I was like, you know, we went to a commercial or practices and like, hey, TV, Like I know you don't know me well yet, but like is that cool? Like can I tell you if something sucks or whatever? He's like, yes, Like please tell me, like coach me up. I was like, that's pretty cool. Like so he just he just wants to be great, he wants to be better, And I think that's been the really fun part.
Calm Down with Erin and Carissa is a production of iHeartRadio. All Right, Here we go with part two with our favorite Kevin Burkhart.
We talked to him about.
Working with Tom Brady and being his personal photographer. Whope he's getting paid for that, and why keV doesn't have a five year plan and apparently, Carissa, he has a database as a data no tea a database? What does all that mean? And is it dirty?
keV?
Is there I mean probably a game winning obviously played Touchdow. Is there a certain scenario you dream about calling you live for you love when that moment happens in a game? Is there a certain thing that you're.
Like, I I just love I love big plays, I just love I get so excited, like you know, and maybe sometimes too over the top excited, but I just I'm into it, like I'm into it. I mean, I just it's like the thrill that I had watched in the NFL as a kid, Like I still get like so juiced and jacked and my calls and it's not made up, it's not fake. So I just, you know, give me a good forty five year past deep deep
down the field. I'm all about it, and I go, probably go a little bit too nuts, but that's that's kind of my style. I mean, that's kind of that's that's the way I've always been.
You do, There's you know, so many like when you growing up, right, we all wanted to do our respective jobs from the time when were little kids, right, We all, I know have shared this sentiment of how grateful we feel because it came to fruition. Did you growing up though, did you have did you listen into certain guys in the way that you know, you've got your own style now, but growing up, who were guys that you listened to or idolized and thought I wish I could be them?
Yeah, I mean I think there was a lot. I mean, you know, we we love football in our house, so like you know, it was definitely Summer all on Madden. You know, we're so big and and there's a lot of different local guys in New York who I grew up by, like a lot of like the Mets guys like Bob Murphy and Gary Cohen is still there and does an amazing job. And so I wouldn't say there's
anybody that I copied. I just tried to listen, like there, I was so terrible at playing sports, but I loved it, and so I always like just took notice of the announcers and what their styles were and how they did it. And you know, when I got this job, I mean I talk way more than Pat Summer, all of those. But I always try to think, like, okay, like in a big moment, you know, what would Pat do, Like
how would he handle a moment like that? Just to try and like take a breath and you know, be regal and be big enough for the game, if that makes any sense. So I wouldn't say that I beat off anyone. I would say there's just like little bits and pieces that I have taken, Like you know, I think, like you know, just growing up listening to al Michael's like some of the cadence of how he kind of
smooths in an at of calls. I think subconsciously, I'll do that, and that's, you know, because he's obviously amazing. So just like little things like that of just looking up people, respecting people, obviously watching Joe for all these years and how amazing he is and still is obviously, so just yeah, but I'd like to think that I kind of crafted my own way from all those little tidbits.
I never was saying. You know, when I was growing up, everybody wanted to be Chris Berman, rightfully, so right, I mean, he was no one was bigger than Boomer, but like I always tried to be like, Okay, Boomer's awesome, but like maybe I could, maybe I could learn from this and try to piece it together. So I you know, I think it was probably a little bit of a lot of people in the way I do it too.
I think, what a lot of people don't understand about your job? And I've written seventeen questions for you? Is that lovely? Oh?
Yeah, so many, so much.
But we call her affectionately on this podcast Nosy Rosie with her legal pad and her pen. She's always Johnny notes down, Nosy, Rosie's on the case.
I am, but.
I just d did you get this one? I just got this in the mail because I feel good about it. I'm excited.
It gives me the shakes.
No, I got they got no cards off that. But I'm like, any of this current should probably.
It's from twenty nineteen.
Oops, crazy, we are a couple.
I'm like, this is a really great article.
It was the last Super Bowl Kevin called Charissa, not the new one. Updates for San Francisco this weekend. They're hurt and they canceled joint practices. We'll have more after the break with Chris and Julian. Great, that's all the time Julian and I will have for our pre game. So that's okay. Wait so you played? Wait?
Why?
Oh?
That is the best time ever. I'm sorry.
I'm going to derail Aaron's her questions for one second because one of the funniest things Aaron brought to my attention was me doing these fucking in game updates and my late night wait till.
We tell Brady about him? Where we go?
My late night voice that I didn't realize I was doing, but what she called attention to it. For anyone that doesn't know what I'm talking about. I do these in game updates of highlights. So they'll toss to me in the studio from wherever they're at, and keV who and Greg at the time, Tom doesn't know who I am.
It's fine, but they'll do it to me. They'll throw it.
To me, and they're always so generous whenever they throw it. And there was like fun banter back and forth. Okay, whatever, But I had a voice that Aaron pointed out that was like sensual. I didn't realize I was doing it, so then I tried to go the complete other end of it.
The next time I did a highlight and I.
Was like, oh my god, okay, some good like I tried to sound like I don't know, like a twelve year old girl that was like anything but sensual.
And threw it back to having like Kevin and then that became a joke. So anyways, the in game it was a highlight of my Sunday.
Oh it was like Taylor Heinek he hits Terry McLaurin and it's fourteen nothing commanders. Kevin take it away like I forgot where I was for a second, like hang on and then and then after of course that was brought to the attention on this podcast the next week. It was like, here's Taylor, how dick you find Sarah McLaurin, It's fourteen nothing Commanders. I was like, is there like a is there like a happy medium in there? For then? And of course, like the best part is like now
I give it right. The best part is I give it right back to you. And we just have so much. I'm so depressed, like when something happens where like you get it back and a blaze already in motion that I can't have a comment or like just a little subtle like inside joke back to you. I get so funned when I can't do that.
The best God Anyways, that just also shows what a professional you are to go back and forth between the two personalities. I have multiple personalities. It depends on which one's coming out that Sunday. Anyways, Aaron, back to the originally scheduled program, what question is you Okay?
Well, I just wanted to know.
I mean, you brought a couple of great guys in and out of the booth. Lynchy babes, John Lynch and Greg Olsen, you've literally had to be their bob o, their mentor their teacher up there. Give me something you've learned from both Lynchy and Greg.
Well, from John, I mean a lot from both of them, first of all, but I mean, you know, in terms of just learning, I think it's always about learning, like the style. So obviously I've learned a ton of football from both of them because they're both amazing and personal. But I think, like I think, okay, Like for from John, he gave me a good lesson early and that you know,
this is my first EV play by play job. I was a radio guy before that, and early he's like KB, He's like, do me a favorite, like when it's like a key spot, don't ask me a question to paint me into a corner because I might want to go in a different direction. And I was like, okay, great to know, Like I didn't. I didn't know that. So you're thinking John, like what does he call here? What play call does he call here? And it's like could be the worst possible thing because he's thinking about like
something else and now he can't say that. So it was a great lesson, Like I took that into everything like on TV, and I never do that anymore, but that particular thing. So like little things like that, just like on their style and with Greg, I think the biggest thing I could say about Greg is, well, I know I have to fix his tie at some point during the game before we go on camera. That's a fact.
You know. There was never a game where there's not like we're about Usually it's like halftime, I'll just kind of reach over and give you a little this and I'll just take a swipe of the.
Hair tamate.
Like we're like. The thing is, He's just what I love about him like doing games is we'll get in like those key moments and we'll let's say like two minute warning whatever, and it's a close game and I see him he's kind of like frothing at the mouth. He's like ready, he's got so much to say, and he's like, so grab me on the shoulder.
Like you know with his paws.
Yes, he's like we got to talk about like I got you, but I got you. I know, I know exactly what you want to do. And so like we get back and as soon as I can, I would just like set him up as quick as possible because he was so excited to break it down, and he broke those moments down so amazing. But it was cool. It was almost like like a little kid, like the
Christmas present is right there, but don't touch it. Don't touch it until, like Santa says, and it's like okay, you can open It's like and you go and open it, and like you'd say something brilliant about what's to come. So like those are like the two examples of how like different analysts can operate a little differently.
That explain if you can, because there's so many people, the majority in ninety nine point nine percent of people will never know what it's like to be in a booth during a game, calling a game, even just being there as a spectator, but let alone calling a game.
Describe if you can't, and it's maybe it's a big ass, but just when you're up in that booth a couple of minutes before game time, just sort of the sights and the sounds and what you're doing to sort of give people access behind that proverbial curtain that they probably won't ever get.
You know, I think, look at the biggest thing I'll give you two perspectives, so it's not just like a boring answer. The biggest thing is just it's such a team effort, like everybody working together, you know in the booth, got my spotter and my stack guy helping you just with stuff, and they know what I want and things that I need or maybe things that I'm not good at during the broadcast, Like you know, Mitch, my spotter knows,
like like we'll talk certain uniforms. I'm like, hey, I'm having a hard time seeing in the eighties on these uniforms, So can you help me, you know, with you know, like certain things like that. Or for example, if.
Explain what a spotter is, because I don't think a lot of people have been known what the play is keV like for people listening to this, Yeah, good call.
Spotter is someone who stands next to me and helps me identify things during a broadcast. So let's see, like if someone tips the ball at the line of scrimmage, or he's showing me who's making these tackles, or for example, a good one in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, when Nick Bolton picked up that fumble ran
in for touchdown. Now I knew it was Nick Bolton one hundred percent right off the bat, But just for a split second, I looked at him to make sure he had the same thing, because you don't want to mess up that call, right, Like, so it's like.
Holy people don't get that. They don't understand that, especially for the biggest game, right keV.
It's like insurance, like you know, you're trying to be right right, So you know, usually I see a lot, but you know, it's like it's the super Bowl, so like balls on the ground. I was like, that is one hundred percent Nick Bolton. So I, however, my call was you know, it's on the ground. And I looked at him and He's already pointing a Nick Bolt and I'm like, it's Nick Bolton And that all happen in a second. So it's like just having the extra set
of eyes to help you. But usually, like I give him stuff like I watched like pregame warm ups and like he'll help me. That's another one I give you. Okay, here's a good one, like again, like how this helps. Brandon Cooks and Cavante Turpin for the Cowboys looked exactly the same on the field, and their numbers were like they if they turned a certain way, it was really hard to see who who was catching the ball, so
I forget who it was. But one of them more like a blue sock, like one blue sock and the other one wore two white socks, so he like found that. And then every time they played, I watched and I was like, oh, he's got a blue sock on. So as soon as it's like the ball is in the ere, I knew who it was. So it's like little tricks
of the trade like that. And then the other thing is really it's just I think I don't think people realize, like with Aaron and with you, Chris, so when you did it, how much banner goes on the stuff that's not on the air, Like Aaron is talking to us all the time, and we're talking to her and she's listening to us, and like, guys like this, just so
you know, you were talking about this. This is going on like on the field, and we're like, oh wow, interesting, and then our camera guys will go get it and then I'm like, well, eron, you do it like I want you to describe it, and like so it's like there's oldest banter like kind of talking about storylines and things, but you can't see all of it by yourself. There's so much going on.
Well, you're such a generous crew, you guys.
People don't because I just, yeah, I just want anyone that's out there listening. It's not always the case to have someone like Kevin or Greg the last few years. When you get a very beautiful group like that, everyone works in harmony and in the same as said for the players on the field, I mean there's a lot. You know, when teams function as a team instead of as a bunch of individuals, it's an awesome thing to watch, and it's you know, to our benefit as viewers to
be able to hear from all of you guys. I was gonna say, Ken, would you say the craziest? Was that the craziest game you've ever had? I was thinking when all this shit was happening at once the NFC Championship, when Perty went down with his arm, because there was so much shit happening at once from him, is he coming back?
What is it?
And then you know his backup goes down with a head injury. Is McCaffrey the backup? What's Mcca? I mean, I just felt like I couldn't imagine for you and for Richie's I once our producer just keeping it all together and kept recapping.
It all, you know what er I think. I mean, Look, obviously the end result game wasn't competitive because of all that happened, and that sucked, But it was actually as far as like doing a broadcast, one of the most challenging but fun broadcastings I've ever done, because yeah, I mean, look, I thought we did a really good job, but there's so much going on and we're all like talking figuring out,
oh my god, what's next? Who's grabbing? Well, you're telling us, you know, Christian McCaffrey's got to gott a you know, bawl in the sand. Maybe he's gonna throw We're looking at it, like, so there's so much you're paying attention to, and it's like it was kind of cool and prideful following all that and being on top of it, like
what is going to possibly happen next? So yeah, that was definitely up there for like a different kind of crazy, but in a way it was it was challenging and fun to kind of be on top of that because like we're just like everybody else. We don't know what the hell is going on. We're just trying to figure out what these teams are doing. So the game, like the result wasn't wasn't great, but the actual all the stuff that happened was wild to Chase. So I agree with you there.
And as we walked out of that game, we thought Tom Brady's coming to San Francisco and he's going to play with them next year, and now he's our teammate, and I can't wait to see, like how that goes for you up there. I mean, you've been in some practice games. You guys were practicing this weekend. I'm going to get the all the info from you when we get off here.
But how's it going?
Can you give people an idea of it?
It's going really well, Like I mean, we've done a lot of work this year, you know, And I think the cool thing is is so much of this is just building chemistry, right. I Mean, you know, Aaron, you knew Tom and I knew him from a working relationship, but I didn't know him from a personal standpoint at all, And so getting to know who he is off the field and what makes him tick and things like that, is just as important to develop a chemistry in the
booth really, like that's how it works. And so to me, that's been a really cool or rewarding process. The other thing that's been really really cool is he's you know, it's amazing for you know what he is, which is the greatest to ever do it. And then he's been so receptive to just coaching. Like there's times I'm like, TB, this was awesome, but like I can't do that, and you know, and then I'm like, who am I like you.
To say, well, how long did it take you to jump in and be like that?
Because a lot of people you wouldn't be this because of your relationship, but a lot of people would have trepidation about critiquing someone you know, in that position. It's like, oh, I don't want to do that, but I guess it sounds like you're like, you have to if you guys want to be great together, you have to coach.
Yeah, And that's just the way I am. And then you know, this is a point he was so early, like I don't know whenever this was earlier in the year. I was like, you know, we went to a commercial one of our practices and like, hey, TV, Like I know you don't know me well yet, but like is that cool? Like can I tell you if something sucks or whatever. He's like, yes, like please tell me, like coach me up. I was like, that's pretty cool. Like so he just he just wants to be great, he
wants to be better. And I think that's been the really fun part. I'll tell you one other thing I learned Aaron. You'll see this this week. Going to the field. It's going to require an extra three hours. It is like a circus just going downly weirdly in LA doing a practice game. And it was like it took us forty minutes just to get down like the elevator to the corner of the end zone. And then it was like, I mean I had to take a selfie of he and Michaeh Porson's and Trayvon Diggs in the.
Middle of Wow, that is awesome. That what a selfie?
Oh my god, I mean not a selfie. I had to take a picture. Like Micah came over, Hey, can you take a picture?
That's cool?
Ye?
What are players reaction?
So, I mean, yeah, you were just at the Rams Cowboys, I mean, what are guys doing because I remember Dak had said to me when it was announced, he was like, this is going to be cool to be on a call with him.
What did you notice?
Yeah, we did, you know. I mean, honestly, it was so many people that just wanted to say hello and be a part of it. And you know, we spent a lot of time with the Jones family, which was cool, and just walking around different coaches and some people that Tom had been with on the Rams staff in New England. And we didn't actually get to talk to the quarterbacks because it was like one fifteen in the game was one thirty. It's like we got, we got, you know.
So that is definitely a learning experience. We're going to take a little more time to go down the field earlier and just you know, but he actually enjoyed. I was like, was that cool. He's like yeah, He's like it was really really cool. So I think that's going to be fun eron gamey walking around with him and players want to talk to him and give him some information. So I think that's going to be a cool experience.
That's so cool about my Travon. That's great.
Aaron, what's your favorite thing about working with Kevin my work husband. He is never in even if he's rattled about something. Like you mentioned before, you don't see it. A lot of people, you know, don't realize this, and this is about our relationship. He's so great in terms
of listening to everything I have. But I also, like Greg said when he on, I second guessed myself about maybe what the first thing I should focus on in a story, and and Kevin will listen to all of my ideas and then say, you.
Know what, that's great, but what do you think about doing it this way?
And you have this and and I'll just be like, oh my god, that's so yeah, yeah, yeah, that's great. And I'll text him in the middle of the night or ask him if I could go over it when we're doing our little walk around the field. Sounds like this year we won't have time with all the pictures we're going to be taking. Four Sorry, Tom, I'm done taking pictures. Kevin needs to listen to my first hit.
Okay.
But yeah, he's just such a caring teammate and he's just he has a big enough job in the booth that he is so worried about what the rest of us have to do and how he can help, and I'm so grateful for that. I'm grateful for his relationship and I'm really grateful he likes to have cocktails with me at TGI Fridays in that Dallas terminop because there's no one I like to have a Santa Margarita with by Thelita event.
So I'm in park. I think you haven't hold it on this podcast before having you.
Oh yeah, we showed up.
Was it?
It was Christmas time? Right?
Yeah?
Yeah, it was like was it Christmas Eve? I don't even know it was right around.
Well, I want your advantage point back from this story, so you know, you set up the story and then let's give get Kevin's uh interpretation of what happened.
Was this the rude guy? Was this the guy? Oh that was Christmas Eve?
Yeah?
This was just I think this was a round Christmas time. But listen, one really cool thing. We all hate traveling. It's a pain in the ass. But the cool thing about our group, our LA group, we are so tight. We know each other so well. We can do each other's orders. We can run and make a flight and get a burger and a drink, you know, without missing a beat. But yeah, we showed up at the TGI Fridays. We got a huge table and we were all ordering a cocktail and I said, I'll have the Santa Margarita.
keV goes and I'm like, I'm looking at the mini figure out I want. Was like, is that a Christmas one?
Drake? It was so good, so cute. Well I love it.
Oh yeah, keV.
You've done so much in your career, clearly, and it's really just getting started when you think about all the incredible stuff that you have in front of you. Looking back with baseball and football obviously so different. I've worked in both myself, and I would always go back and do baseball because it was the first sport that I got to cover. It was my first on air job, was working for the Rockies.
But it's so different. One hundred and.
Sixty to sixty three games and then it's like and then the postseason, it's like, that is such a different grind. The football is a grind, but condensed and much different. How would you describe your experience in baseball because you spent seven years right with the Mets. I did eight years.
There and it's it's exhausting, it's it's quite honestly, when you're when you're doing a team and you're doing every game, it's just it's fun. It's great that time, but it is exhausting, like it's just there's nowhere. Let's put it
this way. I and I know your time with Colorado when you were there, like you saw on firsthand too, right, But I am amazed, Like there were days I didn't even want to get out of bed, and I'm just talking for a living, Like I'm amazed at like getting back from a trip at four in the morning, and then you drive home and then you have a night game that night at home. I'm like, how are these
guys playing and functioning? Like It's amazing what they do and how they keep their bodies in shape, play that every day, Like I I'm floored, like going through that with them and seeing how they do it.
Such a good point.
I always said I wanted to be a starting pitcher because I know I'm working every five days. These guys that are every single day players, I'm all, hell no, Like to your point, like or or having to play double headers or things like that because of rescheduling and all that. I have the utmost respect for baseball players and for people that we know that work, you know,
still on that grind. Best piece of advice that or let me rephrase that, what's the best question that someone coming up in the business has asked you that You're like, Oh, that's very insightful to ask a question like that.
You know, I get a lot of them. I would say this, I this is me. Everybody is a little different. But I always tell you know, whether it's college kids or high school kids or whatever. I feel like, especially today, so many people are like, Okay, in five years, I got to be calling you know, the super Bowl, the World Series or the NBA Finals or whatever, and you know, in ten years, I got to be here. And I'm like,
why do you do that to yourself? Because to me, and I know some people do do it and it works for them, but to me, like that just sets you up for failure because then in five years, if you're not doing exactly that, are you a failure? Like? Did you fail yourself? I always feel like I always tell so people will ask what's my goal? Where should
I be in five years? I'm like, you should be hopefully enjoying what you're doing and hope getting better at your craft and hopefully climbing up the ladder like that's it. I because I just I just don't know, like how how you live up to that if you're not exactly where you think you're supposed to be in I mean, I have no idea where I'm going to be in five years. I mean, I hope I'm doing the same thing. I love what I'm doing right now, and I'm so happy and I'm fortunate to be doing on right now.
But I don't. I just never liked that you know, where do you want to be in five years or ten years? Question? I think it puts you into a box, and I think it's hard to get out of that. So when I get that question a lot, I say I would nix that thought and just work on being the best of you and get better. But again, I know people like that. I don't.
Yeah, how much anxiety do you get if you don't get through your articles by like noon or one? Same explain for people that don't know what that means. Like your packet of articles that you guys get so we.
Get, we get we get like a yeah, we get we get to think called sports scan. It's like a packet of articles, and you know we're obviously googling stuff and read articles all over the place anyway, And I have my own database that I staved stuff throughout the year. Database. Oh now they're talking, Oh yeah, you know, I mean listen, it's not like I started on like in television back in the day. You know, it's got a whole thing.
Rachel's like, where's Dad. He's downstairs in the basement with his database. Database.
Yeah.
Database.
There's like the giant idea, the big tape reels running behind me as I do it. No, I'm kidding the question.
Yeah, yeah, Margarita articles. How much anxiety you get if you don't get through your articles? But I want to make sure because we have a lot of different listeners, right.
And they're like, it's like, well, it's not, it's not. It's a scan and you know, it depends on the teams that we have. But like let's say we're doing Dallas Philly, it might be eighty pages of article, right, Like it's it's like an eighty pace thing to read through all the articles written about those two teams. And so usually I get my morning coffee and I try to get on that, like I feel like I have
an anxious thing if I don't finish it. And the other days, as you know, like stuff comes up, you're doing other stuff, maybe you got to run out, maybe like it's in the way. And then it's like I had dinner and I'm done with dinner and I'm like, I'm only on page forty. I gotta go back. What do I do? And I have to finish it like that night. Otherwise it's like it's dead to me. If I don't finish sports again that night, it's gone. It never existed. It's weird.
So funny.
Do you have the same thing?
Oh my gosh.
I usually start sweating out of all areas and then I text you and I'm like, how far along are you? Did you finish today? This is what I get on the voice note. She leaves me. She's rambling about other things, and she's like, I gotta go finish my articles. It's always like my articles, my articles. It's like I get I get a twitch if I don't. Hey, I have some great news besides. In fact, we're going to let Kevin go. We're all going to be together this weekend.
Oh my god, we are, Yes, yeah, we are. I forgot about that. It's already this weekend. Yeah, oh my, I've better read my articles. This is crazy. Find my articles.
We're gonna be together, but only one of us is going to be on the air, so there's.
Yeah, good point.
Yeah, then I better get my clip and extensions ready, keV in. In short and in closing, I just hope you know how much you are respected, not only by people that have never met you and listened to you, but first and foremost by two people that love you and consider you family and Aaron as she's affectionately referred to you multiple times in front of your wife as your work wife. We love you and thank you for being the absolute best.
Seriously, I love you both an honor to be on the pod as a loyal fan and listener, and you're the best.
You know, we're on our best behavior for you because we were. Yeah.
Go ahead, no, no.
Save save the non best for Saturday night. Anyway.
Oh yeah, did you go high angle with Mike? Interested worried? I'm worried about that photo you took. Was it high angle? Did you do multiple horizontal a You.
Know, I gotta be honest. I usually only think high angle when Rachel is involmbed because you otherwise you'll get on me. This was I'm looking right now. It was a straight on like show us a picture.
Yeah, wait, oh my god, wait, this is great. You took the picture with your what's Tom doing? Tom? Does he know he's taking a picture?
That particular post is not good? It's fine? Is that? Dion?
What's going on? Emitt Smith's doing that?
I'm not sure who that. I'm not sure who that man is. To be honest, I don't know. At that point. It was one sixteen when we were rehearsing in seven minutes, so I was trying to get him off the field.
It won't be a big deal at all when we do a Patriots game.
Huh, Tom, I'm not.
Do you imagine?
No, Well we're going to have to imagine.
You guys have to get there four in the morning.
Just set up your your cameo booths right there. One dollar ever one in ket I Love You, Kevin.
Byev Calm Down with Erin and Carissa is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.