Present & Purpose: Finding Balance with Jason Heyward

Hey, I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. Jason Hayward is one of my Always been one of my favorite players, all the accolades and babies. This conversation is about the father he is, the presence that he has, what he's doing. community, lessons that he's learned and just hearing his story his way. We're gonna wrap it up at the end. But baseball is it. People and connect to your community. So without further ado, this is my guy, Jay Hay himself. Jay

Into Mick Unplugged, hosted by the one and only Mick Hunt. This is where purpose meets power and stories spark transformation. motivation and into meaning. and becoming unstoppable. I'm Rudy Rush, and trust me, you're in the right place. Let's get unplugged.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another exciting episode of Mick Umplug. And today I'm sitting here with one of my baseball goats. I'm talking about a man who is a multiple gold gold glove winner, a World Series champion, and just an overall great human being. His impact extends beyond the baseball field. He inspires millions. With this dedication and profound insights into teamwork and personal growth. Please join me in welcoming the exceptional, the influential, and the

Incomparable.J.Hate.Jason Hayward.Jason, how you doing today, bro? Great Nick. I appreciate you, man. I really appreciate that intro. You know, it's always humbling to hear what others feel about you the way they feel or your impact that you might have made on them and and their mentality. So man, I I appreciate you having me on today. Bro I'm the honored one. Like I said, I follow your career forever. I grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, just outside of Greenville, South Carolina, so

When we hear when we hear of superstars, man, and I know it wasn't just baseball, but I like to tell people you were a prodigy, man. Like you were a youngin'. doing big things and a lot of people don't realize how young you were when you actually got drafted, man, to be drafted at seventeen and to move up the ranks and I wanna talk through a lot of that, but I love asking my guests

What's their because their deep purpose into doing the things that you do? And I know you do a ton off the field. We were just talking about family uh before we press record, man. Like today, why does Jason Hayward continue to do what he does? Day. I I appreciate that question. Uh because to your point, getting drafted at seventeen years old out of high school

Um, getting into college, I mean, signing to go to school with UCLA. Baseball and education solved a lot of my intent and my why. No, shoot as high t shoot as high as possible, see where things fall, put my best foot forward. And today thirty six years old, uh sixteen years later.

major league career wise, now having three kids, being married, I'm Tata to my kids. So that's that's dad and Yugoslavian, m my wife being from Montenegro. So like for me it helps me to say my purpose to them be someone who is dedicated to his craft, whether that's baseball, whether that's baseball academy.

um in North Austin, just southside of Chicago. And then like being the best version of myself fitness wise, right? Like just maintaining a routine to be able to get home after workouts like I'm doing today and then jump on with them, whether that's get them in the pool, whether that's

work out with Messi if he wants to like kinda practice some baseball or golf before he goes into his lessons. So I just think it's um it's very important to be an influence. You know, I was one of the very fortunate people to grow up in a household with both parents

my brother Jake Renai and my parents being Ivan League grads. My dad going to engineering school, right, playing basketball at at Dartmouth, uh which is where my parents met. So I just wanna one day be that conversation that when someone asked my kids, like, hey, like, what were one of the bigger influences for you?

And that can be right there in the household as as their Tata, as their dad and V and I enjoy being their parents. Man, that that's amazing and to me that defines who you are. And I'm gonna say I'm gonna say a word that I think is gonna resonate because what you don't know, Jason, I didn't wanna tell you this before, but I've seen you play probably fifteen times because when I say you're one of my goats, one of my favorites, it

Obviously what you do on the field, but the first couple of times I got to go to a game that you played at I got to see how you interacted with your teammates, how they looked at you, uh the the managers, the coaches and the fans.

And then I got to learn more about your story. You talked about your parents, um and in and family and what they mean to you. There's one word that I would use to describe Jason Hayward and it is this presence. I think you work incredibly hard to be present for the people that matter to you, for the people that look up to you. And that's what drew me to to really calling you one of my favorites. Like again, what you do on the field is amazing.

That's second to none. Those stats can can speak for themselves. But when people watch Jason Hayward interact, when you go to an academy Or you go to an event, a venue, and you see Jason Hayward and just how he interacts with people and how you're present, man. Like I think that is your super

Bro. Really appreciate that. I really appreciate that. And for anyone watching, listening that doesn't know what I want to give them perspective. You've seen me play in person fifteen times. That's a lot. Even over a sixteen year career. Um for somebody to be able to see someone one time you get lucky, right? Growing up as a baseball fan. So the fact that you see me fifteen times, I appreciate you, you know, showing up and paying attention that way. But um

No, I think present is is a great way to put it and I think I've always done my best to do that. But winning on the baseball, on the playing side, has been a big part of that, right? I've been on winning teams my whole life. So just understanding the value of being present with my teammates.

all the people you mentioned, coaching staff, even fans as you get to the professional level, just not taking it for granted. And so just I've done my best to enjoy the ride, uh, enjoy the friendships, enjoy the camaraderies, the ups, downs, which are a part of life. So yeah, being being present is is what I've done my best to do, but I also wanna give like this insight on

From twenty years old making my debut to now thirty six years old. I was um introduced to this game into the business world and to the real world very quickly. And so I had to l continue to learn who I could be present for, right? Like how many things I can give away.

of my energy and in my space because you have to do the best to be the best version of yourself while also when it's most important, like give what you can give to to those who are most important to you. So that's that's been something fun and and very important to learn along with And that leads to the a question I want to ask you because again, I've got to see you in person many times and and just how you do that and and then knowing that.

you know, your children mean the world to you, your your wife and and all your family mean the world to you. How do you balance that? Because I know there are a lot of people that are watching And that are listening, that are like, yeah, I own businesses or I'm I'm a leader within my community. And I always have a lot of touch points, right? And you get that. You have a lot of touch points. How do you balance and prioritize your presence? Much like baseball, you have to be real with real about

imperfection, like that's a part of life. And so understanding every situation, especially stepping outside of baseball, into the business world, into the nonprofit world, into inner city communities, and really seeing like everyone operates differently. Yeah. The structure's not the same. And so that being said, just doing my best to put my best foot forward. Like take the small victories.

do my best at getting uncomfortable and realizing hey, I may need to reach out to this person more or I may need to go greet these people differently versus sometimes you need to sit back and let other people speak and and let other people grow. So I think just

the more situations that I can put myself into and that I put myself into over time where I'm like, okay, this this one I need to look at differently. This one I realize today what I did well, what I could probably improve on. And then also just Hey, this was just something new. And and the only way to get an understanding uh of and perspective on something is just keep showing up.

keep keep taking that different phone call, keep taking that different meeting. When someone asked, Hey, do you wanna do something? I remember like at twenty twenty five I would kinda say, No, I'm just gonna stick to like doing my best to get my foot down and

and go making a go go play in right field, right, which is great. Um I've been compensated compensated very well for that over time, but that's not the end all be all. And so when you ask about the balance, I think it's getting comfortable with the chaos. Which which light throws us. There's always gonna be something new, always gonna be something different. And lastly, just have your anchor. Like what are your like must-haves?

to start your day. What's your process that you wanna have, whether it's wake up and having that cup of coffee, whether it's having no that banana and vitamins, uh that stretch, that workout. Maybe you're reading something, like whatever it looks like to the individual, I think you have your anchor and your structure and then you're able able to deviate from there and just flow a life. Man, that last part we have so much in common because I teach

individuals and corporate leaders that is identifying your must-haves. Like I start every single morning with my list of three must-haves. What are the three things that are non-negotiable today? And it should be different every day, right? Like'cause I learned from the day before or what my priorities are gonna be for that day. But we have that in common, man. And I don't think people understand how important that really is, is having non negoti every day. Like I have three.

Because I can tolerate three. But I think everybody should at least have one non negotiable every day that they're working on. What do you think? I love that. And then for me, it's uh when you say they fluctuate, like they may change. The day before you might have taken something, ah. Tomorrow I wanna look at this and uh and get caught up to speed on this. Or if I don't know something, maybe I need to do some research. Or if I have a question, right? Or you may need to get back to someone.

I'm sorry, I really appreciate how uh having three non negotiables, at least picking one at a minimum. Just what can you do to get yourself better to start the day? Right. Like I think that that's a nice way to look at it and then to kinda give people uh I don't wanna say end result because life is, you know, it's not forever but You know, as long as we're living it, you keep living and it and it always changes.

just to give people like uh the result of it so to speak. It that's how you build your comfort. You know, people ask, Oh, how do you feel so comfortable doing this? Or how do you become so present? Well, there's a lot of stuff that I don't know and I will never know. But the more that we uh put in our basket as an individual, the more we say, Ah, today I wanna do this and I'm not gonna let anything stop me from

from learning this. So I'm not gonna let anything stop me from uh figuring this out. I think the more comfort we build in this one day at a time. One of the other things that I know you do really well off the field because it shows on the field is decision making.

Right? Like you don't win defensive player of the year, you don't win multiple gold gloves without decision making. Like a lot of people may just look and see Yeah, you're out in the field, you see the ball, you go run to the ball. But there's a lot that goes into that strategy. I I wanna go early on and talk about decision making because you had a big one at seventeen. Well I go to UCLA.

Or do I take this offer? And and talk us through that and how you learn decision making and then ultimately how you made the decision to to Uh, take the Braves offer. Well, just just being real, I feel like I was empowered by my parents. They allowed me to feel like I had support. And every day or not every day, but they would my my pops been a college athlete.

my mom being well educated, they would just make sure, hey, like, you wanna keep playing baseball? I'm like, yes. You wanna keep going to these workouts? Yes, you want to keep doing these showcases. Absolutely. Then I had a decision to make getting to high school. My pops was like, You can play basketball this winter or you can do showcases for baseball. You we're not gonna do both. That's gonna be a lot. Him being real on like what our means were.

It's like, but you choose. I go, I think I'm gonna do these baseball showcases. In my mind, basketball I could play and peach. Right. I'm like, I'll I'll get my fix there, but I wanna continue seeing what I can do to be the next Ken Griffey Junior, to be an Atlanta brave, uh to be a New York Yankee, Derek Jeter. That's what I was curious about. That was my non negotiable at the time growing up.

Um, and so then getting to my senior year, my pops asked me again, one more time as he's taking me to like a workout in east club but up from uh Henry County, he's like, Hey man, like you sure you wanna keep doing this? And I gave him a look. I was like, Bro, like

You have to stop asking me that. Cause I'm like, we're here now. If you thinking about turnaround, I said, let me out because I'm about to figure'em out figure out how I can get up there. He's like, No, I'm just asking, man. I'm just asking. But coming up to that decision with Atlanta with the draft. Again, education was a big driver for me. Baseball was a big reason why I wanted to get my education to be able to continue progress.

be able to continue moving forward. Getting into UCLA, my great uncle, Kenneth Washington, played for John Wooden there, played basketball for UCLA, came off the bench, all the things, beat Duke in a in a national title. That was my reason for being able to get over to UCLA and explore them out I mean out of the South. You know the South, Mick. Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, everything close by. For me to get west.

I had to have another reason and that was family. And and so that was a nice way for me to see the world see hey like This is not just the South. See Beverly Hills, see California, see Pasadena, see the Rose Bowl, get that experience, get those vibes. And so I had other things to factor in with my decision, which which helped me out a lot. Um

In fact, all American game was in San Diego. So I also got to see West Coast again. Um and and see baseball out there and see the presentation and and the way it was done progressing to that next level and what what I was hoping to be a high draft pick. And and that was always my mentality. See how high it can be drafted, see where things

fall, but you have one goal. See if you can be number one overall and then and work with that mentality and it'll fall where it's supposed to fall. And coming down to it, Atlanta being the fourteenth pick. on draft day, in my mind, I'm like, well, I hear them. They say they're gonna take me. There's also a few other teams that say they're gonna take me before them. There's some that are saying they're gonna take me after them, all in the first round. But I'm like, you know what?

I don't believe in until I see it. I get the phone call from Atlanta. They say they're gonna draft me. And I'm like, okay, we're here. Now is my time to make this decision. My parents again say, no, it's your choice. Even with my uncle, my great uncle in my ear, Kenny Washington saying, Hey, I think you should go to UCLA. I think it's a great network for you. I think it's a great way to grow. You'll have that after sports.

respectfully, I've driven up and down the highway. I've passed Turner Field, been to some baseball games, been to some playoff games in Atlanta, watched Braves and Yankees in the nineties.

Those are my two teams, my mom being from New York, Dad being from South Carolina, us growing up in Georgia. So I'm like, no, if I if I've come this far being drafted in the first round, um, with things as they are in the Atlanta Braves organization, I think I think I'm doing myself a disservice for all this time I put in to to go to college.

Right,'cause then what are we shooting for after that? After being drafted fourteen overall. So that went into my decision. The opportunity to get education after was also in my mind. Uh that was something I had to fall back on if I wanted to.

Um, but still to this day that mentality has been if I need to go back to school, I will. If there's something that's going to block me or be a be a variable that I that's n that's a non negotiable, I'll figure that out. But I put a lot of time into my parents put a lot of time into physically, mentally, losing sleep, financially.

for me to be in a position to be drafted in the first round and I said, No, let's let's go do this and and let's start this process and see where the tricks fall. I love it, man. I love it. And we have this in common too. I I was not a baseball first round draft pick, but UCLA was actually my first love and uh although I'm a Tar Hill and I'm a Tar Hill through and through. When it came time to select college.

I actually wanted to go to UCLA and I've been a Tar Hill and a Georgia Bulldog my whole life, but I wanted to go to U C L A. Anybody that's sixteen, seventeen that goes out to the campus, you know why I wanted to go to U C L A. But with my parents being from South Carolina, it was like they were never gonna see me. And so I was like, North Carolina it is, but yeah, that campus I'll just no be beautiful campus, like a mile long, right? You can see the whole thing from from both ends and then uh

then it's like a like to your point, it's a melting pot, right? Of of people who obviously wanna progress but also don't mind being in LA. So coming from the south, do you see that, you're like, All right, man, well If I can go to school here and and get better and and learn something on the way and then still have this as a network, that's great. But I feel like uh I mean, as you know, and as a lot of people know, our heels and and bulldogs, you you also have

some very strong alums and and and cultures there and in in both of those universities. Absolutely. Absolutely.

You know, I could talk about your career all day, Jason, but I I think your career speaks for itself. I wanna talk to you about the things that people don't see, man. The the academies, the things that you do in the community. the the passions that you have on the field but off the field. Talk to us about uh your your academies, the foundations that you have that that you're doing in the community first.

Well, this Hillary Baseball Academy um came about The idea in twenty twenty one name by the name of Donita Travis, who's the head of non the nonprofit by the hand club. We could say or whatever, free plug for them, this and that, but I just It's undeniable for me for the work they've done. in inner cities with education mm and when they say bye they can they literally from pre K elementary, middle, high school, college into their profession, they make sure that the individuals, uh families are

are loved and and given a lot of exposure and taken care of. So that being said, twenty twenty was the first time the world stopped. in unison, um, you know, in a long time. But the sports world, right? That was I feel like was one of the few times where We all said, We don't have anything to do, so what can we do with our time? And some Chicago athletes got together. Sam Ocho, Ms. Trubisky, two former Bears reached out and said, There you go.

See, it's a small world. It's a small world, especially in the South, man, especially in that South. Um but they reached out and said they were going over to the west side of Chicago, going to the neighborhood in Austin, and they were gonna be a part of healing circles addressing the

social injustices at the time, addressing the struggles that families were going through with COVID. Everyone was dealing with it, but then in neighborhoods like this, we all understand that people live it harder. Uh we talk about communities. Sam is from Nigeria. And we get on a bus with some of the kids that live in that neighborhood and we roll through and and Sam's like wow. This looks like back home as in Africa, Nigeria. It looked like his village.

with so many places being boarded up. And I and I just feel like I have to share and give it context for what I was shown and what I kind of live with them for a brief moment. You know, people come to our games, people come hang out with us, uh We sign autographs, we take pictures, we play our games, we go home to our families. This was real life for them. And so I wanted to be a part of this sport campus, this dream, this facility, fifty two thousand square foot.

in North Austin and I wanted to represent them as the baseball side. We have basketball, we have soccer, we have e gaming, course by the hand is there with the education side. There's nutrition. But in my mind, I for sure no baseball. I had been a part of some inner city endeavors, uh coming out of Atlanta, lead to legacy, they're there. CJ and Kelly Stewart, they they'd done an outstanding job starting in two thousand seven when I got drafted.

So I was able to like see that, see the time it took to to put into that, but also I was playing baseball. But I felt like this was my opportunity to get back in incentive through sport, get back in having a place to go as a community. Because when you ride through these c through these communities, Mick, it is uh they call'em food desert.

Right, where you see more liquor stores, twenty-two at the time, than you see grocery, then you see healthy foods, than you even see for like the community to come together. Like I grew up a Southern Baptist. that was kind of my community away from sport and and things like that, right? You don't see much of that here in these neighborhoods. So the Intentional Sports Facility, Jason Hayward Baseball Academy, after school program.

for about forty kids a week after school wise, just s just off of that, for them to be able to come and say, I have something to do, I have teammates I can look forward to. I have a name and Jason Hayward that is You know, taking in Chicago as It's his own and being a resident.

of course being a part of a a twenty sixteen team and and winning a world championship, but that was the beginning of my introduction to living in Chicago and and seeing what an impact what I see is I understand people will say it's a big impact, but what I see is is a very small impact in

in a city that is very hungry to put his best foot forward in that space. That's how I got started. That's how I got introduced to North Austin, the community we're in, where the baseball academy and facility is. And I have to say, being real, it's When you don't know the space of nonprofit world, when when sports are your endeavor, when that's that's how you gain your platform, it feels like a lot of risk.

taken, right? Where where you're not sure how to go about it. And and I think one of the phrases we use is like building the plane while it's in the air. You know, and that that's kind of a constant boat. Here we are three years in. We feel like we are now I don't wanna say starting over, but we're starting from a new beginning and we have our facility, uh, we have our programs, we have our events, we have our student athletes.

that that coming and and want to see us. We have our families, but now we have more. in a good way. We have more uh opportunities like Dead Rose has come through. Uh Angela Reese has come through. You talk about the colleges and universities that come through and want to have their softball practices, basketball practices, hosting events. And so now we are repositioning ourselves to take on what's next as we grow. And so that

That's where we are. That's kind of like why I wanted to get into it because I understood what it was to have education and sport as an incentive to give me somewhere to go. Other than making another tough decision. I was fortunate enough not to have to make very tough ones myself, but I had teammates, I had vet best friends.

I watch their families, these kids in in in Austin have I would say less like good decisions to make so to speak or less places to congregate that they can feel safe and trust and it's it's been really, really nice to uh to take and start this journey um with this community and and say I want you I wanna be an option. I wanna give you an option to go and and feel safe. So that's

Amazing brother. How can people that are watching or listening support the nonprofit? They can donate. Of course, I feel like people will always say, Oh, well, don't ask too much for for money or don't ask too much for for people to donate time. They can donate time. They can go to intentional sports. That that's that's the Instagram for the overall facility.

Jason Hayward Baseball Academy is is my Instagram for for J H B A. But There's a link in in both of those handles that will show you the events going on, the programs going on, um, showing where we're headed and where we'd like to go. showing what we've done, showing how crime rate has gone down in the surrounding area and and made an impact. And then of course, uh donating the time, donating money. There are also links to do that as well. And and when I say this, any little thing.

um, is is awesome. What whatever someone feels like they can give is awesome because it's going directly to kids. It's going directly to families. When I'm in there training in the off season, and lifting, hitting, seeing like mothers and aunts and and uh uncles come through some days just to walk the track. Um just to walk around the turf. For me that's amazing because they have somewhere to go.

Right. They have somewhere indoors. They have somewhere safe, somewhere reliable. And so lastly, seeing kids come through and have their uh field days. I remember field day. growing up, man, even my senior year in high school, we were supposed to have a senior trip in in Herring County and they're like, you know what, we're just gonna have a field day. And we're supposed to go to Disney World.

But they're like, No, we're just gonna walk across the street and we're gonna go to this uh go to our football stadium and you guys are gonna have a have a day of water balloons, this and that. Well, seeing this facility when I show up every every day to work out, seeing the people that come through the rows and and so on, it feels like United Center vibe.

It's not the United Center. Michael Jordan didn't play there, right? But but for this community, I think that's what's special about it. It's something to take pride in and it's also hope for a new level of of progress. So that's uh That's how people can get involved, but I just I have to share the story. I have to share the vibes. Cause every time I walk in and leave, I get chills o about being humble to one, be able to use this space to work out, two, my family can come and go.

Um and and see, hey, like this is what we're doing, this is our contribution. And then just just the kids and the families, man. Um just wanna continue to get better and and sharpen that for the I love it. I'm gonna make sure that we have link everywhere um to support th both the facility and your academy. If you're watching, if you're listening, I don't ask for a lot of favors, but I am gonna ask this time.

I if you can donate financially, please do. If you live locally, if you're if you're a leader, if you're a speaker and you're gonna be in the Chicago area, man, donate some time. All things matter. All things matter because you never know who you're gonna touch, who you're gonna inspire.

Um and I'm I'm proof of that just by going to to things when I was a kid of you never know the lesson that that you're gonna give someone or or a small thing that matters and for Jason and for everybody that's a part of the academy, that's a part of the facility.

It takes a village. And so all the support that you can give, I can promise you they're going to appreciate. And there's nothing that's too small. Like even if you can just be somewhere for 20 minutes, you never know what that 20 minutes means to Jason and the staff there. So Jason, I'm gonna do my part to help push and promote and um we'll talk offline, but when I'm in in the area, I'm gonna go

Donate financially and also some time too, man. Appreciate you, man. Man, that's that's huge. Thank you for thank you for bringing it up. Thank you for asking me about the facility, the academy, and also thank thanks for showing us love, man. We we appreciate anyone who wants to come by.

Come through and and we'll do our best to make you feel warm, welcome. Yes, sir. Yes sir. All right, Jason. I know your time is valuable. I'm gonna get you out of here with my my top five rapid fight. Let's go. All right. Who was your GOAT athlete growing up? My GOAT athlete. I had two favorite players. in baseball, my GOAT athlete Eric Jeter, after the Yankees, coming in his rookie year, his first, winning a World Series, even though it was against my Braves. But uh just the way he handled it.

The rest of the way. No, it's not gonna be perfect. It's not gonna always be pretty. He dealt with New York media and then the more over time I learned about the sport, the more I learned about the tradition in the Yankee the tradition in the Yankees and that expectation. It solidified it for me and and fortunately I've been able to meet Jeet and um, you know, play against him, compete against him, s follow his life a little bit after

um, after baseball. And so for me, rest in peace, he's kinda like the Kobe of of baseball for me,'cause I'm a Born in eighty nine. MJ started a little bit sooner than than when I was born. So I didn't get to follow it the same way I was able to follow Kobe. So Derek Jeter for me is is my GOAT athlete. All right. I love Jeter as a human being, but I'm a Red Sock and a brave. So if he'd have been a Red Sock, he would be my greatest of all time.

Uh when you gotta get motivated, when you gotta get pumped up, what song is in your ear? What's in your earbuds? I'm gonna say right now it is uh on one tonight by Gunnar. on Wanted Night by Gunner because uh this that album Um, I feel like it was uh him having to address a lot of the tough times that he's gone through. you know, legally, right? But I feel like especially from the south, I'm sure you you can uh testify on this, but I feel like you don't see as many uh artists

come out of it as well as he has. Even with dealing with the the young thug stuff, it's I know we're all torn and we wanna see great music be great music. Um we wanna see these guys fellowship and and grind together but for me on one tonight is a is a testament to he's like, Man, you know what? Like I've been politically correct. I've I've said my apologies. I've

you know, taking some things on the chin, but right now I'm on one at night and I gotta I gotta go do my thing and I gotta be I gotta be surgery. Yes sir. Sir, I love it. What has been your favorite ballpark? to play in either at home or away. There's gonna be more for me, more votes for Wrigley. we feel on the north side of Chicago, even before being a cub for

playing there for seven years as a visitor. For one, a lot a lot of first there, like first Grand Slam there, first two homer game there. I think like first like four hit game there, something like that, five hit game there. A lot of cool first, but then

just what Wrigley is in itself, being able to experience the old clubhouse on the visiting side, walking down the turns, as you get closer to the field, the more you smell the grass, the more you smell the history. The amount of former baseball players and and and people and politicians that have set foot in this cathedral.

While the north side of Chicago for me was super special to feel and then like once you zoom out, then you get Lake Michigan, then you get Lake Shore, then you get the Chicago vibes, you get Wrigleyville, you get the rest of downtown. Um, you get the fireworks from Wednesday, every Wednesday, Saturday from from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You get the air and water show. So for me as a whole, Wrigleyfield herself just

They do baseball. Right. That's that's what Rigley does. It does baseball. It does it in in the neighborhood. The neighborhood opens up. People go to their jobs. The players, the fans come in and operate, play the one twenty day game. The game ends. And then everyone goes back to enjoying Chicago as it was. So for me that's uh that that's my easy rigging field, is it? Easy enough. Easy enough. What is your favorite ballpark food?

So if it's French toasts. We're talking ballpark food. See I when I answered that I immediately obviously thought it was a player. Yeah. Gotcha. Yeah. Break breakfast food. It's uh French toast, bacon, scrambled eggs with spinach, pancakes, maybe maybe there's some like blueberries in them, bacon, scrambled eggs, spinach. Fruit before the game. That's that's my vibe on getting to the field and and having a good meal before we go tackle that day game. I love it.

I love it. I'm gonna get you out of here on this one. As the story of Jay Hay continues to to evolve. What's one word you want in that story? One word. That story as it continues to evolve. Man, I'm thinking about being a dad, I'm thinking about business, I'm thinking about non profit, I'm thinking

professional or just something to tie all this together. I don't wanna say surprising. I don't wanna say I think I will go with we'll go with uh dedicated. I wanna say dedicated. That's where I'll leave it because that's In order to be where I would like to continue to go, continue progressing. uh in in every aspect of my life uh it's it's dedicated and and I think that's that's what's gonna have to be the constant. That is you. I I can see that man. I can see that.

Jason, brother, you mean more than you'll ever know to me. I can't wait to see what happens in twenty six for you, no matter what you do, where you go, how you do it. I'm there with you, man. So like you're you know, everybody says they have a number one fan. Well That's me for you bro. So whatever you doing I'm I'm there with Yeah, I appreciate the love, man. I appreciate the uh hospitality. I appreciate you being genuine, right?

And shoot at me straight. I know you will. And if you ever see anything where you feel like, Oh, nah, Jay, you could've did this different now that we've performally met via the podcast, let me know. Let me know, man. Would would love to trade. Stories, ru love to trade ideas. So iron sharpening iron, man. I appreciate you. It's been an honor to be on. I appreciate you too. I appreciate you too. And for all the viewers and listeners, remember your because is your superpower. Go unleash it.

That's another powerful conversation on Mick Unplugged. If this episode moved you, and I'm sure it did, follow the show wherever you listen. Share it with someone who needs that spark, and leave a review so more people can find their because. I'm Rudy Rush and until next time. Stay focused and stay unplugged.