Keone Kela / Taran Killam

universal d H rumors. It appears that Major League Baseball would be implementing the designated hitter into the National League when this quote unquote season starts, as if we need another gimmick besides playing during a pandemic. Listen, I don't even like the d H in the a L call me a purist or whatever, but it's not like we need more home runs. But if this does bring in more dudes too big to play infield, some real David Ortiz move on and cecil fielder types, I could be persuaded.

Until then, I'm talking to athletes and sports industry professionals about what they're doing in quarantine, hoping to figure out if famous compete as much as I miss watching it. This is the No Sports Report. Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Keone.

Kella knows some baseball fans think he has a chip on his shoulder based on locker room whispers and some on field squabbles from when he was growing up, and now was supposed to be his opportunity to show off the emotional growth he's worked hard to implement, not only

into his game, but his personal life as well. Ki One is coming off an impressive season where in middle relief he posted a two and oh record and a two point one to e r A, and now with a new Pirates front office and pitching coach, he's said to be the squad's opening day closer, a position he's lobbied for and now is impatient to take over. And with the season in limbo and free agency looming for him next year, he's keeping a close eye and when he could take them on once again and prove himself.

On this episode, Kona and I talked about maturity, how he probably had coronavirus and I get to suggest some new walkout songs for the ninth inning and after Key One will hear from Taran kill him of SNL and single parents fame about how he'll be sitting in the new ram Stadium next season whenever that is. It's a new installment of Pandemic and much more. On a new episode of The No Sports Report, how from he on Echell to Except Press one. Hey man, how's it going.

I'm doing well in yourself, trying to do as well as I can. I feel like we're we're we're month after month. Now do you are you going crazy? No? Yeah, no, I'm stay pret active for the most by every day I try to get out and do something productive every day. So I'm doing all right? Tell me what is what is productive? Because today today I walked a little, so I understand productive to an extent, but that's like an hour of my day. And then I'll walk again later

for an hour. But other than that, I'm staring at a wall. I have an eight month both daughters, so she keeps me up. I get a like seven am in the morning with her and then um my wife and I both pretty active, so we both work out. My wife has a trainer that she goes and works out with, and I have a couple of buddies out here in Dallas that he plays in the league as well, so you know, we still get our baseball activities in and stuff like that, conditioning instruction, throwing bull pens and

stuff like that. But I mean, you know, I mean we've done everything inpland fishing, playing spike ball. What's that spikeball? So it's pretty much like the concept is similar to volleyball, except you hit a ball into like the trampoline looking type of thing and the same rules as a volleyball, but you have to look it up. You'd have to look It's pretty cool that they have an Instagram that you follow their instagram just some pretty instant spike ball games.

But you can get after it with that game and it tires you out. Well, you had me a trampoline. Where have you been quarantining? Where? What city you? And I know you're originally from the West Coast like me. Yeah, I'm from l A. But I live in a Dallas now pretty much downtown Dallas. Yeah, and you are now hold up with your wife and your kid. You said

eight months old. I have a ten month old. So you've made me feel like I'm a deadbeat dad in the sense that I told you I stare at a wall and that you're good but at least you're still essential, right, That's true? People are starting here in your voice and just tell you able to do your job. So it's all good, that is true. Uh, tell me what it's like raising uh an eight month old in the middle of a pandemic. What I mean, is it they don't know? Right? Yeah,

it's actually pretty easy, you know. I mean, just like your two month old eight my eight month old, they don't have any college of what's going on, which is really cool. You know if like all my outdoor activities, I can take my daughter names Cary, so I can take her out for a ball. She's very observant, so she likes watch them, like the tree swinging through the breeds and hearing the birch chirp, you know, selling the grass. She's all She's at that stage right now. So it's

been pretty easy. The only thing that I guess I've lacked is just un interaction with just like a huge group of people, you know what I mean. That's that's probably the only thing that I missed. But I've been fortunate to have good friends in my family around every day, so I've lucked out, you know, absolutely. Yeah. I feel like I've said it a couple of friends already. I'm like I would trade having the life of a ten on th old right now, because you're just sort of

like are the gardeners coming? You know, like that's all they care about, is like can they watch just from the window. My my son loves watching leafblowers. It's like his whole thing, Like literally, it's his entire existence right now, is leafblowing. Yeah, I mean, otis are different. Definitely gonna be different for you indeed, because I mean I think that you guys have a you guys have a different standard of how you guys are going about your business

in California rather than Dallas. Like you know, for the most part, the Texas governor it too called mandating staying staying at home and stuff like that. You know, he took that away. So and like I think all restaurants, neighboring restaurants are only old capacity. So you know, you're seeing people kind of get back into the groom of I guess what we used to call normal. It's a It's been pretty good man. You know, I haven't really had any complaints. By for the second, I've just you know,

big chunk of my season so far. Yeah, have you went to one of those restaurants yet no, no, I refused to Man, I'm gonna wait to see if there's a second thing ais or the number such a spike after everyone starts to come out and stuff like that. My daughter was born premature, so I don't want to take any risks. What's my wife? She cooks a lot at home, my cook, so we're not really tripping off that. As long as we can get to Central marketing and get some get some good food and cook at home,

we're fine. I did hear that you were into cooking. I am a terrible cook. I've just sounds like a joke, but I've only made ramen during quarantine for the family. My wife has done some great stuff. What have you gotten into during quarantine? As far as in the kitchen, we've done lost your pots. We've done steaks, We've been brisket, I mean, smoked salmon, all types of different stuff. The people will be coming to your place at it sounds like you were running a whole restaurant. I mean, I've

told my life that we need get down in the kitchen. Man, she really does. But that's a lot of work right there. Absolutely. So I read that you're a big fan of movies. You love Denzel and Leo movies. I want to see if you picked up anything, watched anything new during this time. I started picking up a little bit on the West World. Okay, I literally feel like I spent more time on Netflix trying to find a movie and then actually watching one, so I haven't really had an opportunity to see you.

The last thing that I watched through through was Tiger teen on Netflix. Tiger King and Ozark and West World. They all seem to be having quite quite a run in the pandemic. Everyone has gravitated towards them, which I think is pretty good. I mean, West World especially has has picked up at the end. I think it's kind of cool because I think you're interesting. Just to think about what our patre is gonna look like with AI, it's pretty interesting. But yeah, I'm not I'm not the

hugest TV guy. I mean because I just think that movies nowadays they're not the same as when I was growing up. But not a lot of shows that really, you know, draw me in like that, or movies that really drawn me in. So I would say most of the stuff I've been watching are like Disney Titch films, you know, like old school West Coast movies. You went to Carson High School here on the West Coast. You've played in both Texas and Pittsburgh. You're now living in Texas.

Both those places have decent food, including right there in your kitchen. But what do you miss eating the most in Los Angeles? No, she's probably in Japanese restaurant in l A. I missed this quality sushi. Man. Like, I'm ham Hawaiian and black, so I mean I love seafood. I love sushi specifically. I love really Japanese cuisine is probably one of my favorites to eat. So the place that I love that the restaurants called it's in l A. All right, I'm looking it up. That's probably that's what

I missed. And I miss the child little burger two man, Yeah, you hit our two biggies between burgers and and sushi. I think those are the ones we can't You can't replicate those anywhere else. No, uh, And I mean like out here in Dallas, it's just not the same. Man Like, the food is decent, but it's not you know, it's not what I grew up to. You know, a lot of the food is text mix compared to just being true autentick Mexican food, so it just tastes different. Now.

I ask every athlete who comes on to the No Sports Report that I know is a sneaker head, which I know you are, what have you been wearing with your quarantine kicks? And then I'll tell you something that I think together we have to work on as an intervention. Um. And I've been wearing I mean, I've been wearing flip flops pretty much every day since I don't you know what I mean. Yeah, I mean because there's nowhere really

to go out. I guess my training. Shoot, when I lift, I lift in like easy three fifties that are just absolutely beat. But you know, I haven't been really wearing too much sheet Man because there's nowhere to go and I don't want to. I don't want to get anything dirty. You're right, I've been putting them on just for walks with my dog and stuff, just to make myself feel

like I have some sort of style. But but we did talk to Gavin Lux, who clearly is this, you know, high end prospect on the Dodger as he's supposed to be Rookie of the Year. But he told me that he's been wearing crocs. Yeah, I don't. I don't want to pull across good Good. I knew I liked KI. I've heard people tell me that they're very, very comfortable. I just haven't. That's not really my style. So I've never really uh never got into them. But like I

have my little brother, he wears like berking Stocks. My sister wears birkin Stocks, and you know, has crocs and stuff. But I've never got into that that wave. But it's not knocking in you know what I mean? Whatever flows people's boat, man, if you feel fresh in it? Do you think I don't know Gavin Lucks, I don't. I feel like he could be hitting harder than CrOx. But you are a rare breed in professional sports where you have no social media? Have you have? You almost broke

down during quarantine and opened one up. I actually just started one. This is the fact that, you know, for my whole career, you know, six seven months out of a year, I'm a blongst thousands of people pretty much every day depending on what city I'm in, and everyone can look at the calendar and see where I'm gonna be. Not that I'm like a I'm not like a superstar anything like that, but you know, I still I don't

want to. I don't make myself accessible anymore than I already am, you know, And so that's why I've always kind of kept the low pro on social media and stuff like that. But I mean, I'm trying to get into it because I'm understanding the benefit of having a

social media now these days. So I've tried to engage myself into it, and I would say I was kind of failed at it because I don't post daily, and that's the thing too, And I also don't like posting things of like monetary value or stuff like that for the most part, because it just send the wrong It was sens the wrong message. And it also allows people to kind of have insight on what what you're doing

and what you have. And you know, growing up in Cali, growing up in l A, you know, the values that I was raised on, and just from growing up in the environment I grew up in, you know, those were no nose, sweet flashy, I totally get it now. Back in February in spring training, you missed a few days with a viral infection. You had gotten sick. Are you looking back at that now and wondering what that virus was. Man, I think I had COVID. Man, I'm not playing. I

think I had corona. Really yeah, So what did you what were what were you feeling? Man? I was like, I was just really lethargic. I had a hard time breathing. I would have I was having like cold sweats and stuff like that. Was like I would get the shakes, um had a loss of breath. But I mean I snapped out of it in two days, you know what I mean. So I mean that's just me saying I think I had it, you know, but I don't really know. I never went and got to the test so they

can see if I had that anybody. So I didn't see if I hadn't anything like that, So I don't really know. I was in a similar situation. I didn't have it, but I had a coworker who back in the end of January was coughing and wheezing and couldn't catch her breath. And at the time we were like, oh, man, you're having a terrible cold or a flu or something, and we all stayed away from her. But then when you look back, you're like, oh, these people definitely a coronavirus.

Oh yeah, I think December January and you had anything close to what they described as having COVID and you probably had it. Yeah, probably, you know, of course, it just hits people differently. Did your wife or your family have to get tested? No, No, not at all. I've been fortunate, man. Everyone's had really didn't help and haven't had to worry about anything like that. So we've all

been good, which you know, was a blessing. During the offseason, you've been really vocal about feeling like you've matured a lot in the last year, and coming into you had a new slate with the Pirates, with a new front office, a new pitching coach, and this new one year deal, which was kind of great for you. It seemed like you were starting to find your place Pittsburgh. Does it bump you out to sort of postpone showing to the

fans that personal growth? Yeah, it does, just because I just think that I've kind of generated a specific narrative about who I am one because of the moxie that

I have. I'm on the mound, and you know, that's the only thing that creates any relatability is what people see on the field, and it m demeanor and how I go about my business when I'm pitching, and I have nothing else to kind of back up my character, you know, So me not having a social media doesn't get the or any you know, social platforms, where as an outlet where I can show my character, you know, the type of father that I am, the things that

I take interest in it. So I really wanted to change the narrative, not only in Pittsburgh, but as well as across the league. You know, I would say in the game, people have kind of pinned me as a guy that has is aggressive or has this bad boy I guess mentality or whatever they I don't know, whatever people want to call it, you know what I mean. So, I mean, I was really excited to kind of change the narrative and rewrite the story moving forward with my

free agency or coming up and yeah, everything else included. Yeah, and I was going to talk to you about that, like you're a free agent at the end of this year. Obviously the Pittsburgh option is up. Does the concept of a shorter season or changing the variance once or if the season comes back, like no fans or shorter you know where you'll be playing. Does that scare or affect

you kind of in business? No, not, not really. I mean I know that it could definitely have the trickle down effects like a free agency in terms of like contracts and stuff like that. But I'm not really too concerned about it because you know, I'm not the only one that's going through this, you know, so there's other people that get that are going through this strange situation, and I just want to get out there and play. I don't really care too much if they are fans

or not. I think if you get you know the world's greatest players around in one area to play games with no fans, you'll really see who has you know what I mean, day and day out, rather than you know, when you show at the other state and you have fifty fans dreaming. It gives you a little bit different types of energy, you know what I mean. You don't really have to dig deep because you have that that

electricity and the atmosphere. But if you're showing up and in Arizona, you know, and you're playing with no fans, you know, you really have to dive deep every single day you step into that mount on that mount or in that box and really figure out what you're made of. So I don't mind it either way. You know, I just want to get out of playball and you know,

do what I've been practicing my whole life. You know, I mean to go show to the world what I've been doing and continue to pursue, you know, all the things that I wanted to do in my life. In this game. Yeah, well, speaking of that, you were set to be the opening day closer for the team, which is something you were definitely building on. You wanted to to get back to that position. How are you trying to stay warm and get in pitches for that opportunity?

Like this is sort of what you've been asking for since the trade, I mean, other than working out, Like mentally, what what is it that you're sticking with, especially as a closer, which is its own mentality. I mean, I did it before in Texas, then I did it in the minor leagues, So I've had like the same intra for the most part, his first pitch strikes and three outs, And that's always been something that I've always told myself

that's been repetitive in my mindset. So since this quarantine has happened, I've kind of just I've just throwing to bowlpends of meique and trying to stay on point with throwing game, like a density and trying to stay locked in. I mean even bringing up like mock statters and stuff like that and pitching to them how I would pitch them if we were in season, you know, with sequences and certain pitches and stuff like that. Sure. Have you

been in contact with coaches during the quarantine as well? Yeah, we have coaching staff, medical staff and given our GM it has reached out, which has been, uh, has been really nice. You know, they've been really consistent on reaching out to us, giving us information as soon as they get information, as well as spreadsheets on you know, throwing programs,

are weight training and conditioning. Coaches also sent out you know, spreadsheet on how to continuously stay engage with your your workouts and stuff like that all the way up until the end of this month. So they've done a really good job facilitating, you know, gain all the guys to

be collective. You know, we were just on a zoom call last Thursday where we had the whole bull been together, so you know, everyone's a gage, everyone's on point, you know, it was pretty cool to get guys from r guys at Rhode Island, California, Texas, San Diego, all over the world. You know who who managed to be able to show up one guys zoom call at the same time. So it's awesome. That was really good. Well, you can teach

some spike ball when you're back in season. I think that's something that we should we should keep around as well. But speaking of that, is there anything that you think that we've picked up during quarantine as a society that you think we should continue to do once the vaccine appears or we're all allowed outside. Yeah. I think the biggest thing that we can type in the situation is

to realize what is immediately important. I think that a lot of people have actually engaged more than ever been prior before, you know, because when our world was running, you just kept going keet and kept going. People lost a sense of like really who we were just as human beings. People have just really sit down and enjoy

their families, go for walks. I mean the block that I live on, it felt like I was a kid, you know, like where everyone was outside and saying just simple gestures of hello while you're walking on the street. I just think the biggest thing that people can take from it is is understanding what's truly important, you know, and that like a lot of the things that we felt we're the most important, like monetary things really hold no hold no true value in a in a global pandemic.

And there's no better time to make that kind of revelation than having a newborn. I feel the same way as you as being a dad. It's like no better

time for me to readjust my thoughts. Yeah, and I mean I've definitely had to reassess just a lot of things on you know, I would say too, like I already loved the game of baseball, but I think they reignited a fire for me just to kind of realize a lot of different things that I may have taken for granted, including even a baseball because I think that when you do something repetitively or are you get into the constistency of something, it becomes the norm and it

doesn't you don't have that same smart for us at certain point. I mean, even I'm sure with what you do, you're probably a bit certain gigs like man, I don't I don't want to show to the studio today. But it's just it is what it is. Yeah, No, I I had a podcast for ten years, trust me. I was figuring out how I could break my computer to make it stop. I'm gonna get into some suggestions for you,

things that that I came up with during quarantine. Doesn't sound like you need a lot of help between fishing and spike ball and such, but here are some suggestions of things that I think you can get into. Things you could pick up if you find yourself board at anytime you into these. Is this cool? Yeah for sure? Alright. One, you are a hip hop head like myself. It's what I like most in life. I figured I could give you one suggestion. Are you listening to Denzel Curry? Yeah?

I listen. List Okay, Okay, So people who don't know don't know, we'll we'll clue them. In a little out of Florida, he came up in the Space Ghost perp camp. Originally he lived with Xxx Tentato, who people know unfortunately from Infamous Things. But he released a few albums that really hit his stride recently in two thousand eighteen, Taboo, which is spelled weird because that's what rap kids do. These days, t A one, three oh oh, and then zoo Zuu in two thousand nineteen, and then he just

put out an album I love in Quarantine. It's so good with Kenny beats called Unlocked. All of it great, sounds a bit like dm X at times, but he completely changes styles song to songs. So I'm happy you are into Denzel. Yeah, yeah, I liked it all. The reason I think I appreciate if the Boss as all lyricis because sometimes I really clear his content. But just for his uh, it's the fact that he can switch up its flow. It's very impressive to me. I agree.

That's one of my favorite things about him is that he can switch up his flow. And I think his visuals are really really cool. It's weird, like they're very dark, but they're very deep. Is there anyone that you got into during Quarantine that you want to put people up on? The guy that's really big kind of just getting me through. I would say it's like old school Cole, J Cole, Old school J Cole and a little bit of UM.

I've been listening a lot of soft walking. I'm out here in Dallas, so I've been listening a lot of Southern rap. But I mean, my go to dudes are always gonna be like Draco the Ruler. You know, I'm a Caliking, so you know I love all the underground l A scene and all that stuff. That's that's just for my vibe that I upon. I'm into it. I'm into it. Okay. So second suggestion, I know we've seen some people get under your skin in the past, most

specifically maybe some in Red's jerseys. But I have a perfect way to relax during the pandemic and release some stress. Intention Have you ever tried or a gami or a gamy? Yes, never, I've never tried. Very easy for the pandemic. All you need are scissors and paper. There are tons of great resources online about how to create these. Dude, I thought you were talking about artists. I'm tripping, yeah, or going I know how to make a paper Okay, alright, good?

Do you just little paper sculptures? I learned I learned in fourth grade and Mr Plows class because uh when we did uh so you know, nine and Livin happened, and um, I think they said there's like three thousand people that passed away during that time of that event,

and so our entire class at our elementary. We made three thousands paper crane great and like hung them up and like put like little a little string through all of them and hung in like you know, color no with crayon color pols and stuff like that, Crayola marketers or whatever, hung them up. So yeah, it's good for times of tragedy. I'm telling you see. Okay, all right, I'm throwing that in the mix. And lastly, as I said, you were announced as the opening day closer for the

Pirates last season. You were in set up, so you have a big decision to make for when the season starts. What will your walkout song be? This is a very big deal. Uh. Someone like Mariano Rivera made a whole career out of enter Sandman. I think you have the same opportunity. So I want to give you three suggestions for what I think can signal that you're about to end the game. Okay, I already have it, but i'll

tell you. All right, I'll give you three suggestions and you can you can reveal what it is because maybe I nailed it, maybe I got it. Okay. The first one, it's by the doors. It's called this is the End and it's just it just goes this is the end. No, no, no no, And it's just it basically is it's just telling people that this is the end. That's a good one. Okay, that's a good one. I got his vital at home,

all right, good suggestion. Then second one public enemy shut him down, and that just goes shut him down, shut him shut him down, shut him down. It's just it's just bas Okay, all right, I'll take that. And then lastly, this one is a little little not traditional. This one's a little off kilter. It's Daughters by John Mayer. Okay for me, I like John Bart but it makes you a little depressed. All right, okay, that makes sense. You know. It was just it was a good it was a

good song about women. But sure I agree with you. Okay, what is your what is your closing song? Yeah, but ambition as a writer. Just an intro by two great song, great intro dare and then I think you have which is a fuss it yep? Or wasn't that guy who hits the let's getting ready to Michael Buffer? Yeah, Michael Buffer, Michael Buffer. Yeah. So all right, that's that's that's been my walkout I had catch up fire yep by rookie year. But I've been doing to vicious as a writer for

the last four years, five years. I love it. Well, I'll be I'll be watching as soon as baseball starts. I'm excited for for you to take the mound and start closing out that ninth And thanks for talking to me, man, and stay healthy with the with the eight month old and your wife and keep cooking. Yeah you as well man. You know, blessing says to you and your family. And I hope very big caused to progress out there in Cali. And hopefully when I come by the Dodgers, you know,

we can meet up or something like that. Get some sushi. Yeah, that was good at me. Have a good one, brother. After this my pandemic chat with the very funny Terren kill him right now. Feeding America is working tirelessly to ensure our most vulnerable populations, like students who were out of school, the elderly individuals whose jobs are in acted, and low income families continue to have access to food

and other needed resources during the COVID nineteen pandemic. The Feeding America Food Bank Network is committed to serving communities and people facing hunger in America, and their greatest need is donations and support of local food banks. This podcast is committed to donating a portion of the proceeds from the show to Feeding America, and we hope that you can join us in this effort to find out how

you can help Feeding America dot org. Backslash covid nineteen now Here's My Pandemic Chat with comedy star in l a Ram season ticket holder tar and kill Him from to accept Press one. Hey buddy, Hey, how's it going, dude? I'm good. Well, first I wanted to ask where you're quarantined and how it's going. I am in Pacific Palisades in my home. Sure, sure, And I would say in terms of, you know, the scale of quarantine, it's going fine.

It's going fine. We have a fifth grader who, unfortunately, you know, for sort of last third of her school year was sort of you know, not canceled because she's still doing it online, but she was doing a production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and that got canceled. And because she's a fifth grader, they do a whole big culmination thing, like a moving up ceremony, and so that's going to be done virtually and obviously doesn't have the same bum or or a feeling of achievement, I

think for for the kids. So that those are that's our darkness. But otherwise we're doing all right and where we are being pretty strict about the stand at home part of it. So are we? I mean, you know, we have an eleven month old. So I've said it a million times on this podcast, but we can hand him like an envelope and he's he's thrilled. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Criles, Yeah,

just this works. I guess like you guys went from both being your wife and you both actors and you know, sort of living a client kind of fast life in Hollywood, working a lot, and then next thing, you know, your teachers. I mean, has that been so weird? I would argue that that is kind of to us been a benefit for a few reasons. Both Kobe and I kind of finished our our regular gigs a couple of weeks before the lockdown officially began, so this would have been downtime

for us anyway. There was there was another job that I was to have started, which has been delayed, but almost immediately both Kobe and I were saying to each other, we know that some part of us will really like always be grateful and kind of missed this time for the intimacy with with our family, the family time and doing you know, the fifth grade. There's only so much

we can help with. And then we have a five year old and goes to this wonderful preschool and they've been doing a good job of kind of trying to facilitate like meetings, morning meetings and then story time, but it's really hard to get a five year old like zoom, yeah or sit down. So Kobe actually ordered a bunch of highlights magazine like workbooks. Yeah, like spot the difference in the pictures and trace the letters and really like

in a very impressive way, became teacher mom. And yeah, it's this valuable experience that under the quote unquote normal circumstances would not have been made available to us. So I we we will definitely look back at at this time and go, oh, my gosh, just how crazy that the world shut down like that, that everything came to a halt, and I anticipated being a fascinating struggle to get back to normalcy. But I do know, just just for us and our family will go. Thank goodness, we

had all that time together. Yeah. Well, let's get into sports. You are the biggest Los Angeles Rams fan. I know, possibly anyone knows if they follow you on Instagram. The season is not yet been touched because we're looking at end of the year stuff. But I want, I want to hear your your thoughts if if your sport come September was taken away from you. Is this something you're concerned about. Yeah, not in a way that I would

be up an arm. I feel like I've had a pretty healthy perspective on the reasons for for these lockdowns and tempolations of large prop apendance. You know, people dying is very low on my list of warrant sure, but I'm all also say, I'm a human, and I would and they would certainly be disappointment more than, like, more than the disappointment of not having football in my life, which I do love. It is such a comforting, exciting,

fun thing. The biggest disappointment would be, and it's kind of already been confirmed, is the delay or lockout of Sofi Stadium. You know, we bought our Taylor Swift tickets. We're going to be going in July. That was the first big event that was going to happen that's now been pushed. So so if the curve is truly flattened and we figured things about that, people are responsible and

if by you know, maybe maybe we skip preseason. But you know, if the first kind of gathering event and so far as a ramp game, that's very exciting to me. It'll be like, oh my gosh, I've been waiting for that stadium to open for so long. I've like quote unquote owned my seats for two and a half years now or something, um, and for that to be pushed would stink. But they'll still be there, Yeah, I guess too.

Like the question is, and you and I probably have similar thoughts on this because we're somewhat grounded about sports and understand, you know, its place in life. But like, it is so odd to see how much of society has really pushed for sports to come back, Like it's the thing we all need to feel regular. And I'm not sure when that when that started, how that happened, but it is super odd. Yes, my long held theory is that life is just like a bigger microcosm of

high school. Right, So I feel it's traditional nostalgia comfort. It's it's hero worship that starts at your most pubescent in pre pubescent age of like value in high school. Within you know, shades of disagreement is being the star athletes at school. That is that that's the person who you aspire to be, Like, that's the person you aspire to know. And I think like somehow that is related. I don't, you know, I clearly haven't to find it precisely,

but but it's something to do with that. It's also like it's it's so leisurely, it's so people are so okay to gather or spend money or talk about that it's something that you don't have to put into really, and I think that that that that I'm noticing more and more is a very American thing. I want my saying that I don't have to put into the makes me feel good. Yeah, And that definitely has been sports displace,

it seems. And and at the beginning of the pandemic, RAMS fans like yourself saw what I thought was at one point unthinkable, which is the Rams releasing Todd Gurley in March at the beginning of this whole thing, only twenty five years old. He now seems to have no place in the NFL, which is never a good feeling if you really think about it. What was your thoughts on Gurley going into did you did you assume there's

no way? Yeah? I I certainly was shocked by that and just sat because whatever the behind the scenes health issue is and and they try to sort of make it seem in the release that that possibly personalities played into it as well or as much as health. But

it's got to be health. It's got to be health, um, which is horrible and awful and like truly the worst part of football is that it's almost a given that somehow your body will not be in you know, the same it was before playing the sport for in only a bad way. I do love that our talks have been pandemic and the problems with playing in the NFL. We are really on an uplifting tip here. This is

such a feel good podcast right now. Uh. They did they also, I mean not to keep the Tones sad, but they lost a bunch of players in the off season. They did not focus on any sort of signing, struggling under the financial weight of Golf and Cooks. Uh, They've been silent this offseason. Are you super bummed? Even if even if you know something to focus on. I feel like there's gotta be somebody in the admin building who's

kind of grateful for this pandemic and the delay. Um. I think the business side of it is, hey, listen, this is the year we've been building towards. I think we probably made some financial and business strategy misses, but we've still got a new stadium. It's going to be the hip is coolest, most state of the art gathering place. That's enough energy, and the rest will kind of we need to just sort of, you know, take our licks and sleep in the bed we made. Basically. Uh, Corey

Littleton is probably like the biggest loss strategically. I think I don't think he got enough credit when he was on the team. And even though he got credit, I think I think he really like made or broke games for us. Girly leaving is so sad just because he did such incredible things for the team. But I do

think we still have a chance of being competitive. Um, But a lot of pressure as a fan, A lot of pressure seems to fall on on mcveigh's shoulders now, which is like Okay, you've made these big moves, you made these strategies, and you've kind of you kind of now have the staff that you wanted. In losing Wade Phillips and stuff like that, there's a lot of young hires that seemed to be his call. It's like, you know, all right, let's let's see if you truly are the

wonder Kins. You know, yeah, well you know if if, if the this is going to be on the coach's shoulders. The off season has purely been a stare at the graphic designers. Uh. The Rams jerseys took up ESPNS front page for I don't know four or five days. They had Eric Dickerson's comments. They I mean they went into the well with no information out there for sports. They were like, we got to talk about this. What are your thoughts on on the jerseys that include a color

called bone white? Yes? So I like the sand I like the bone white. Like those those jerseys I kind of dig and I bought one of those. I bought a Cooper Cup bone white. There was like, you know, the Reddit release which shook the hat with the sort of like the three sections horn, yes, which just like cutting it up into those three sections like that. I know you're trying to give it dimension, but it just looks so similar to a Charger's lightning bolt to me.

So it's just like that just feels like a very big that in particular, that new Rams horn just feels like you're now playing in a stadium with the team whose helmet looks most identical to yours. It seems like a very early meeting. Note Yeah, I mean like first draft stuff. Now the the Rams head, the new Rams head, I do dig like. I think that's one of the things that Diggerson said was like, I'm okay with this one.

But my favorite part of the whole thing was that the new look was released with a video was like a lead up video, and the person who designed it is like a Nike employee because they have, you know, all these business deals in place, and he's like, I just love turning in the final version because I just knew we got it right. Like that's his actual direct quote. He definitely set himself up. Speaking of changes for the Rams,

they drafted a guy named cam Ackers. Now they have a bit of a crowded backfield with Henderson and Brown and stuff fighting for that girly spot. Is there someone you hope kind of out of those three pops up. I really really like c J A lot um I don't know, and like college football overwhelms me. Um. I was really hoping for a higher draft wide receiver actually, just to just to get somebody tall, because you know,

we have really great, kind of scrappy slot receivers. But like DK Metcalf, what he did for Seattle last year was so fun to watch and I just I just like he caught my eye right at the combine. So I was hoping for somebody like that. I think we really started struggling with a key to lead got hurt. That's kind of where things I felt the biggest shift

because he was such a great leader, such a great player. Um. So you know, I'm looking for that secondary to kind of step up and fill in those missing gaps, particularly with Littleton gone. Now well, speaking of gaps and filling in, are you at all in favor of signing Jameis Winston. It's been talked about, it has been rumored about. You know, Cam Newton's names thrown around a little bit, but not so much for the Rams, but Jameis Winston for some reason,

lingering around the rams to compete with golf? Is that what you're kind of hoping for? No, I'm not, I'm out like Anti. I had Jamie's last year for Final Fantasy, and he was like just as inconsistent as god, you know what I mean, Like some weeks extraordinary and then other weeks full dog, just a big old goose egge.

So you know, I think I think we goffs our guy like I'm I'm in with golf, and I hope that he can kind of like step up in a major way this next season, just with sort of like route reading and reading the field and moving in the pocket. Because when when the play goes according to plan, he's

exceptionally good. But I think the second that there's any sort of unforeseen pressure and you have to improvise, that seemingly seems to be where where you know, he maybe struggles a little bit, And I hope that you know that that complaint goes away with just a little more experience. Well, I do know that we are, you know, very rare in the comedy world, because you you mentioned Jamison said that you had him in Final Fantasy, which shows this Zen diagram where we meet in middle of video games

and sports. So I appreciate that. I appreciate the mistake. I appreciate the mistake, but it does show that we are cut from the same cloth. I will take. I've been playing the remake. I've out all sorts of disappointments with the remakes. People like it though, it's beautiful, it's fun. I just like I was too far gone into it before I realized, like, oh, this isn't the whole game.

This isn't the full game that I remember and love, and too much of that experience from the original was like going to the Golden Circle and breeding Choka Booze and flying in the airship and you know what I mean? Like that that to just stay in Midguar for you know, forty fifty hours. It's beautiful and it's great, but but I don't know, and I think I'm ultimately left with a little disappointment. What as we wrap up, what are your video game what is your quarantine looks? What have

you been playing outside of Final Fantasy. I've been doing a lot of Fortnite because it's just a great social game. You're good at it. I'm decent. I wouldn't say that I'm good but I am decent. I can. I'm a top ten finisher every round. Good for you. Yeah, I've tried it and I've been okay, but I'm like, oh boy, this is not for me. You've got to do the

building drills. You've got to set the controller to build a preference so that you can just hit the triggers and you know, build your tower once you're in in a close close quarters dog by you. Yet already too much for me, already already above my skill set, understood, understood. Breath of the Wild was with the game in the last two years. That just took away my life. It's just it, just a month of my life was gone. Yeah. Well animal crossing. Did you get an animal crossing? I'm

afraid of it for the same reason. Yeah, they'll eat you alive. Well, Taren, thank you for talking to me, and I'm looking forward to seeing you on Instagram wearing the new jerseys and really look into the fields, buddy. All right, but take care. The No Sports Report is

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