In short
The Rich Eisen Show - Episode Summary: Hour 3: Rich Eisen Anniversary, Derrick Stroup In-Studio, Bam Adebayo
Episode Overview In this episode of *The Rich Eisen Show*, Rich Eisen celebrates the 30th anniversary of his first SportsCenter telecast with ESPN. He is joined by comedian Derrick Stroup, who talks about his new Netflix comedy special titled *Nostalgic*. Additionally, the show discusses Bam Adebayo's remarkable performance in a recent basketball game.
---
Key Segments
- Rich Eisen's 30-Year Anniversary
- Rich reflects on his journey at ESPN, marking the 30-year anniversary of his first SportsCenter broadcast.
- He shared a personal anecdote about being nervous during his first live broadcast.
- Discussed highlights from his first telecast including notable games involving UMass and Kentucky.
- Eisen humorously connects his past experiences with current events, such as the success of coaches he had previously highlighted.
- Derrick Stroup's In-Studio Appearance
- Introduction of Derrick Stroup:
- Comedian Derrick Stroup discusses his comedy special *Nostalgic*, which is currently available on Netflix.
- Stroup shares his comedic take on various subjects, including the etiquette of middle seat armrests during flights.
- Comic Reflections on Nostalgia:
- Stroup discusses childhood experiences, such as the lack of phone privacy and the carefree nature of growing up without constant communication.
- He humorously depicts the differences in parenting and childhood between generations.
- Sports Interests:
- Stroup reveals his passion for the Denver Nuggets and his background as a Washington Commanders fan.
- He shares amusing stories related to being a sports fan, including his interactions with fellow fans during games.
- Bam Adebayo's Performance Discussion
- Rich and his team analyze Bam Adebayo's recent game, where he scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards.
- The conversation addresses the controversial nature of how Adebayo achieved this record, including fouls that were called to facilitate his scoring.
- Eisen emphasizes that, despite the controversy surrounding the officiating and game management, Adebayo’s performance should be celebrated.
- The discussion culminates in a debate about the fairness of Adebayo's complaints regarding officiating in light of his historic game.
---
Key Takeaways
- Rich Eisen's Legacy: Eisen's reflections on his career highlight the evolution of sports broadcasting and his personal growth over the last three decades.
- Derrick Stroup's Humor: Stroup's comedic insights blend nostalgia with relatable anecdotes, making his appearance both entertaining and thought-provoking.
- Bam Adebayo's Achievement: The conversation around Adebayo's game serves as a reminder of the complexities of sports, including the impact of officiating and the narratives that accompany standout performances.
---
Quotes
- Rich Eisen on his first broadcast: "I was a total basket case... I could either pee down my leg or suck it up and do it."
- Derrick Stroup on childhood: "I didn't even know what the word privacy was until I got to college."
- Eisen on Adebayo's performance: "At the end of the day, he got 83, and that’s the end of it."
---
Conclusion The episode combines humor, nostalgia, and sports analysis, demonstrating the multi-faceted nature of Rich Eisen's approach to broadcasting. Derrick Stroup’s comedic talent adds a fresh perspective, while the discussion around Bam Adebayo brings the focus back to current sports narratives.
---
Listen to the Episode For full access to this episode and more, tune into *The Rich Eisen Show*, available live weekdays and on-demand across various platforms including ESPN Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VOTGL Playoffs Preview
0:00 to 0:50
Preview of the TGL playoffs and matchups.
“Shot clocks, big shots, upsets, aces, TGL playoffs are here.”
Comedian Derrick Stroup Joins
1:50 to 3:30
Introduction of comedian Derrick Stroup and his new Netflix special.
“Hour number three of the Rich Eisen show is on the air here on Disney Plus here on the ESPN app.”
Rich Eisen's 30-Year Anniversary Reflection
3:30 to 4:50
Rich reflects on his 30-year anniversary at ESPN and his first SportsCenter.
“I was a 26-year-old man sitting there in Bristol, Connecticut with my new sports jacket from a local warehouse, I'm sure.”
Memorable Moments from SportsCenter
4:50 to 6:30
Rich shares highlights and stories from his early days at SportsCenter.
“I could either pee down my leg or I could just suck it up and do it, and I probably did both.”
Coaching Legends and Their Impact
6:30 to 8:10
Discussion about coaches like John Calipari and Rick Pitino over the years.
“They did, and UMass made the Final Four.”
Changes in Broadcasting and Technology
8:10 to 9:50
Rich discusses the evolution of sports broadcasting and technology.
“Arkansas Razorbacks are the four seed in the West.”
Caller Interaction: Memories and Compliments
9:50 to 11:30
Listener Andre recalls Rich's first SportsCenter and shares compliments.
“I was trying to find it, find the date, because that whole episode, I think, is on YouTube somewhere.”
Rivalries in Sports Broadcasting
11:30 to 13:10
Rich talks about the rivalries between SportsCenter and CNN Sports.
“Because I remember how moved and relaxed you've seen doing the highlights.”
Nostalgia and Sports Center Memories
14:00 to 16:38
Explore Rich Eisen's nostalgic reflections on his early journalism days and the evolution of sports journalism.
“They could have photoshopped him right between.”
Derek Stroop's Nostalgic Comedy
19:06 to 23:34
Derek Stroop shares humorous insights on childhood phone calls and societal changes.
“I mean, you remember back in the day, they could just hop on and you kind of hear some.”
Show all 23 chapters
Air Travel Etiquette: The Middle Seat Debate
23:34 to 27:09
A humorous discussion on the unwritten rules of flying, focusing on middle seat etiquette.
“I'll give you the floor on your opinions on this front.”
Derek Stroop's Comedy Origins
27:09 to 28:00
Derek discusses his journey into comedy starting from college experiences.
“And I did a, cause I did standup in college.”
The Art of Comedy: Derrick Stroup's Journey
28:00 to 28:39
Learn about Derrick Stroup's comedic beginnings and his unique style.
Comedy Scene Evolution: From Alabama to Denver
28:39 to 30:13
Derrick shares how moving to Denver transformed his comedy career.
“I went to Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Alabama.”
Nuggets Fan Perspective: Jokic's Growth
30:13 to 31:50
Derrick discusses his love for the Nuggets and Jokic's leadership changes.
“Now I'm putting two and two together because you and I were talking in the back in between the second and third hours.”
Commanders and Rockies: Derrick's Favorite Teams
31:50 to 32:36
Derrick talks about his sports fandom and tough team loyalties.
“Just six, nine goons just standing there.”
Collaborating with Nate Bargatze
32:36 to 34:20
Derrick reveals his connection with comedian Nate Bargatze and their similarities.
“And in baseball, grew up a Braves fan, made the worst decision you could possibly.”
Upcoming Film: The Breadwinner
34:20 to 36:00
Derrick discusses his role in the film 'The Breadwinner' and its themes.
“No, no, because my journey to the whole is a little different than other people's.”
New York Life: Gastronomic Adventures
36:00 to 36:58
Derrick shares his culinary experiences since moving to New York.
“Okay, have you picked up anything from the New York experience?”
Nostalgia and Sports Memories
36:58 to 38:14
Derrick reflects on his sports memories and the impact of Rich's career.
“jets growing up did you really yeah yeah i mean brian cox with the board behind his head middle linebacker when i was growing up he was just eating people yeah and i felt like you know He was like a heavyset athlete.”
Listener Call: Defending Bam Adebayo
39:58 to 42:00
Listener Adam defends Bam Adebayo's performance and the Wizards' potential.
“That was a lot of fun with Derek Stroop right there.”
Bam Adebayo's 83-Point Game Reactions
42:00 to 45:56
Discussion on Bam Adebayo's remarkable performance and the surrounding controversies.
“when they're on their respective broadcasts, they've all said, back off, bam, back off.”
Lakers' Current Status and Upcoming Matchups
45:56 to 47:06
Analysis of the Lakers' performance and anticipation for future games.
“going to be coming in here later this week, and he already doesn't want to hear it.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Shot clocks, big shots, upsets, aces, TGL playoffs are here. First, Atlanta Drive starts their repeat run against Los Angeles Golf Club. Then, Rory's Boston Common Golf and Tiger's Jupiter Lynx face off in their playoff debuts. Who will advance? Keep up. It's playoffs. Tune in Tuesday, March 17th at 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. only on ESPN and the ESPN app. So good, so good, so good. Spring Styles are at Nordstrom Rack stores now, and they're up to 60 % off. Stock up and save on Rag & Bone, Madewell, Vince, All Saints, and more of your favorites. How did I not know Rack has Adidas? Why do we Rack? For the hottest deals.
0:36Just so many good brands. Join the Nordic Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite Rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you Rack. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment.
1:17Now, on with the show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. This kid has been on fire today. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Lawyers step back three, right wing. Yes! Payne pulls the upset. The Rich Eisen Show. Earlier on the show. ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg. Coming up. Comedian Derek Stroop. Plus, latest news and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen. it.
1:51Rich Eisen:Hour number three of the Rich Eisen show is on the air here on Disney Plus here on the ESPN app. Shortly, the comedian Derek Stroop, who's in our green room, is going to come on out. He's got a new comedy special called Nostalgic available now on Netflix. Funny guy, he's going to be joining us here. We'll have some good laughs in the middle of hour number three on the program. Seth Greenberg already joined us. You can join us as well at 844-204-RICH being the number to dial. The brackets are out. The men's and women's brackets. Do us a favor and join the Rich Eisen Show Bracket Challenge page.
2:26Rich Eisen:And whoever wins the men's and women's brackets gets a Rich Eisen Show swag bag. Do it. Load it up. Maybe we'll put a mug in there for you. Maybe. Hey. Why not? A great mug. By the way, that's not a great promise. We're going to put a mug in there for you. Do you know? What else could we put in there for you? Oh, gosh. Got one of these ESPN I tumble for you. We'll throw some of the other knickknacks in there. No, no, no, no, no. We got just two bags, and apparently that's all we got left. Oh, just two? No, no, we got more than that. I tried to tell you, man. It's pretty cool, though, that I've got this Rich Eisen show tumbler that has the letters ESPN on the back of it, and I never thought I would ever see my name associated with ESPN ever again after, you know, we parted ways in 2003.
3:18Rich Eisen:And I bring that up now because today is, in fact, the 30-year anniversary of my first ever sports center. Wow. 30 years ago today. Congrats, bro. I was a 26-year-old man sitting there in Bristol, Connecticut with my new sports jacket from a local warehouse, I'm sure. And Burlington Goat factor, probably. And I went out there, my first sports center with Larry Beal, on a March Madness round of 32 Saturday. Saturday. And I will never forget it. Your first day was a Saturday? A Saturday sports center. That's a little weird. Why is that weird? Because most people have the weekend off. Dude, sports casting and weekends are on, man.
4:11Rich Eisen:You know how it works. That's when sports mostly goes down. Look at that. I don't remember how far after this was. I think 97. It was a year later. And there I am with the rest of the SportsCenter crew, most of us. There's Larry Beal up front. He survived his first SportsCenter with me because I was a total basket case. Because I remember it was a sweet 16 round of 32. And there were a bunch of highlights of games that had yet to finish. You're right. It was a Saturday. The story I like to tell is I remember thinking to myself, I've got 11 or 12 highlights in this show. I've only seen one going into the show, and I could do two things.
4:52Rich Eisen:I could either pee down my leg or I could just suck it up and do it, and I probably did both. And I got down to that SportsCenter set, and I got through it. And it's entirely possible that on that day, I looked it up, that I did a highlight. I haven't seen that show in a while, but it's entirely possible. I did a highlight of that day of the Eastern Region's one seed UMass dismantled Stanford on that day or beat them 79-74 with Marcus Camby. And I remember my SportsCenter highlights was always, I'm Camby, damn it, because that was, you know, not too far from the Eddie Murphy days of Gumby. John Calipari was the head coach of that.
5:41Rich Eisen:You look at that youngster of the UMass, one-seeded UMass team. He took them to the final four. And yesterday, that man won the SEC championship with Arkansas. Right. Look at him there. Look at him there 30 years later. Looks pretty good still. Coach Cal, man, still doing it and still winning games. And now he's in the middle of the country in Arkansas. After doing it up there in Amherst, right, Massachusetts? UMass Amherst. Good Lord. And it's entirely possible that on that day, 30 years ago, my first sports center, I also had the highlight. Here's a dismantling. Kentucky the one seed in the Midwest dismantled Virginia Tech 84-60 behind Rick Pitino the head coach look at him there that day doing his Rick Pitino things the youngster there in Kentucky after what he did in Providence and then this is post Knicks right isn't it I think so post Larry Bird's not walking through that door right pre okay pre pre yeah well at any rate dismantled Virginia Tech on that day I might have done the highlight this is 30 years ago 30 years ago on this day and now over the weekend Rick Pitino just won the Big East with St.
7:23Rich Eisen:John's i see the same person the empire stone age hey it's crazy man 30 years apart wow think about everything in this world that's changed just not even sports just the amount of stuff that's going on since that day yeah i know right i got a cell phone eventually was that your first oh okay i don't think i don't even know if i had a self my cell phone was i don't know when i got my cell phone for the first time. Probably late 90s. Probably could have been then. I think Kentucky won it all that year. They did, and UMass made the Final Four. And now look, they're doing their thing for Arkansas and St.
8:04Rich Eisen:John's. St. John's is the five seed in the East, and the Arkansas Razorbacks are the four seed in the West. The Calipari and Patino and me. 30 years apart. Man. I cannot believe it. And you're all still here kicking it, man. Dude, I can't believe it. Again, that there's ESPN on the back of this Tumblr. Now we're all here sitting here on Disney+. We're streaming. Streaming. We're streaming right now on ESPN platforms, Disney platforms right now. And St. John's and Arkansas, they got players, man. They do. They got players and they got the ability to go and go on a run. You know, they're only, well, Arkansas is two games away from potentially playing the top seed Arizona Wildcats in the West.
9:08Rich Eisen:And St. John's could face, this would be insane in the Sweet 16 as well in the East. Could you imagine if Rick Pitino takes on Duke again? You think we're going to be seeing that Christian Laettner play? Oh, yeah. Over and over. Over and over again. But we see it over and over and over again. I know, but this particular moment, Pitino versus Duke again. As we should. Right? You know? Good Lord. I feel old. Do you guys feel old? 30 years ago. I was a SportsCenter anchor at age 26 wondering what the hell was going on with my life. I was trying to find it, find the date, because that whole episode, I think, is on YouTube somewhere.
9:57But we talked to Larry Beal 10 years ago today on the 20th anniversary.
10:03Rich Eisen:No kidding. On this show. Should have gotten him back for today. I honestly didn't think of it until the first hour of the show. I'm like, let's look it up. Oh, my God. It is today. It is today. And on this day, UMass and Kentucky won their round of 32 games. I might have done the highlights of Calipari and Patino on that day. And we're talking about these guys and their new spots 30 years later. You're right. Coach Cali, he's like a Paul Rudd-type character. Not much. Him and Patino. Well, you keep talking about Patino sleeping upside down. There's different reasons. I don't understand that. Well, you're a Celtic fan.
10:47Rich Eisen:You can't stand him. Can't stand that guy. He did get his start in New England, though. There's a lot of people that fall under that. Mama says, can't say something nice to say, don't say it. You remember who his star player in Providence was? The current head coach at Chicago for the Bulls. Yeah. Billy Donovan. That's right. He was unstoppable. Remember Billy had that, wait, 30 assists that one? Dude, he was really good. Didn't they beat Georgetown? Yeah, Providence beat Georgetown in the 20, I think. No, you would know that. 1989? 1987? 1989, something like that. Let's go to Andre in Texas. You're here on the Rich Eisen Show.
11:25Rich Eisen:What's up, Andre?
11:29Rich Eisen:You there, Andre? Yep, I'm here. What's up? How are you doing today, sir? How are you? Hey, tip top, man. Thank you. Uh-oh. We just lost him again. Hello? Yep, you're there. He's gone from my phone to my car. But I remember your first show. Because I remember how moved and relaxed you've seen doing the highlights. I was like, hey, this guy might be as good as Dan Patrick. Oh. Yeah, to this day, I still think Dan and Keith are number one. And then you and Stuart Scott, y 'all are the second best duo ever. I appreciate that. Yes, Dan. But just want to show you some love on that. I appreciate that.
12:11Rich Eisen:I can assure you I was nothing but a ball of nerves on that day. You did very well that day. I appreciate you saying that, Andre, and I appreciate you saying what you said. Dan and Keith are clearly the big show guys who I was trying to emulate every single day. Still do, to be honest with you, every day. So I appreciate you saying that. Last question. Was that a real thing? Did they really get in trouble for saying the big show every night? No, I don't think they got in trouble for that. They got in trouble for a lot. You know what I mean? Thanks for the call, Andre. They got in trouble for a lot.
12:49Rich Eisen:Welcome to the big show. But they were the big show. And it wasn't in trouble. There was, when I got there to ESPN in 96, there was a, I think, friendly rivalry between the 6 o 'clock SportsCenter, the 11 o 'clock SportsCenter. and not so friendly rivalry with CNN. You know, the Nick Charles, Fred Hickman, CNN sports program that was their version of SportsCenter. I remember when I would get there, there would be daily accounting on a bulletin board in the newsroom of the ratings for the six o 'clock SportsCenter, the 11 o 'clock SportsCenter, and that CNN one, and then the 2 a.m., which was barely rating a blip.
13:38Rich Eisen:But the 2 a.m. show eventually was 2.30 when I got there. And then it eventually became an hour-long show. And then it would be re-aired all throughout the next morning. Could you imagine if ESPN Now was airing a seven-hour-old edition of a sports highlight program? Like it would never happen today. Right. It would never, ever happen today. but it was a different time where you know it was understandable that i'm watching something eight nine hours old because it is in the mind's eye of everyone's still fresh because there's nothing in the palm of your hand or on your home computer to update you in real time like you have now am i sounding old or am i not really really sounding old right now sounding nostalgic that's the truth though it's cnn sports tonight you remember that i do i used to watch that i remember that was a that was considered at least in my mind's eye when i got their competition i don't know if dan and keith would view them as such well dan came to espn from cnn i know yeah i know but that was it when i got there and it was robin roberts and charlie steiner and bob lee how is bob lee not in that photograph that's on that's from the 97 he's not in there right i don't know he He might have been OFF that day to use the Bill Pito phrase.
15:02Rich Eisen:But Bob's not there. But Bob was the general. General Lee. They could have photoshopped him right between. They could still do that. Right over Chris McKendry and Tariqo. So much hair. Oh, what do you mean? For me or for everyone? Everyone, not a Bob. Look at Reese. Reese. Now, Reese is the Paul Rudd. He looks exactly the same. He does. He is not aged. He is not aged. Reese a vampire? look that up you want to google that yeah okay 30 years ago today my 30 year anniversary of hosting my first sports center today and i have no doubt i would love to see if i did a umass or kentucky highlight i'll try to find it because coach kyle and rick patino are now champions of their respective conference tournaments in arkansas andst john's the fact that patino as the head coach of St.
15:53Rich Eisen:John's is wild. You know, in the succession of Louis Carneseca in Madison Square Garden cutting down a net for St. John's. It would be only right if Patino wore a sweater for the tournament. Right? That's funny. I remember those. You remember when John Thompson came out and won? Yeah, his fake sweater. Those were the days, man. Those are some of my earliest memories. All right, speaking of nostalgia, Nostalgic is Derek Stroop's new comedy special on Netflix. Let's have some fun when he comes out next right here on The Rich Eisen Show.
16:31The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
16:38Rich Eisen:In my line of work, I'm fortunate enough to travel quite a bit covering the biggest moments through the football season. While I'm on the road, I sometimes miss the comforts of home, which is why when I travel with my family, we always check Airbnb for places to stay. It's our home away from home, providing the comfort and safety that allows us to wind down and relax. Families like mine are looking for homes that fit their needs to make new memories in, and your home may be exactly what they're looking for. If you're looking to save up for a new addition to your house or a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see your favorite band in another country, for instance, hosting your house on Airbnb could help you reach those goals.
17:18Rich Eisen:It's easy to list your home for short trips or extended periods of time, allowing your house to earn you some extra money. Make your home work for you while you're away and enjoy the benefits of hosting on Airbnb. Your home may be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. Get into the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event and get away with a deal so right it almost feels wrong. Because right now you can get great deals on our most popular models, including our adventure-ready SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe or Santa Fe Hybrid and the Tucson or Tucson Hybrid. Plus, there's our bold and stylish Elantra loaded with the latest tech or go all electric with the Ioniq 5 or Ioniq 9.
18:00Rich Eisen:So get down to your local Hyundai dealer and get away with a deal you'll love during the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event. Visit HyundaiUSA.com for details. Want to earn extra income for your business? Amazon Hub Delivery is looking for ambitious business owners to assist with local deliveries. When you become a partner, you and your staff will deliver packages to customers in your area on a schedule that works for you. With each package delivered, you'll gain extra income and exposure for your business. Plus, Amazon Hub Delivery makes it easy to get started. There's no upfront costs, delivery experience, or long-term contracts required.
18:31Sign up to learn more at Amazon.com slash Hub Delivery. That's Amazon.com slash H-U-B Delivery.
18:41Rich Eisen:our radio audience has returned uh derek stroop these new comedy special nostalgic available right now on netflix it debuted in the top 10 it's still in the top 10 it's awesome and we're talking about back in the day people would call the house and the parent would answer the phone my dad got really angry if somebody would just go is rich there yeah that would be it yeah like is rich there and he would go well who is this yeah you know that's right he'd turn the burner up absolutely yeah you're not going to blow by the head of the household we're going to talk for we're going to talk for a second here yeah he's not an operator yeah 100 let me just like let me go get him yeah he would say who is this and they'd say who it is and he goes well how are you doing he's like oh yeah and i'd be standing right next to him oh just give me the phone just give me the phone brutal and the phone calls we made back then were in front of our family i mean i'd be standing there in the living room and she'd be like you're acting you know kind of weird and I'm like, no, my dad just turned down the TV so he could hear us talk.
19:39That's not me breathing on the phone. My mother's on here, too. I mean, you remember back in the day, they could just hop on and you kind of hear some. And your mother would never, my mother, at least, she would just be like five more minutes and hop off. It was never like she was never engaging. You know, it's a different time. Yeah. If you had multiple phones in the house, someone could just pick it up at any time. Start listening. Yeah. On the extension. Yeah. On the extension. Or you'd be on the phone, honey, I need you to go through the trash out. I'm like, mom, I'm talking. You're on the phone.
20:08Yeah, like click. No privacy. No privacy. Let's wrap this up. No privacy. Kids these days have some privacy. I didn't even know what that word was until I got to college. I mean, what are you talking about?
20:21Rich Eisen:Well, we're talking nostalgic, too. I'd have to get off the phone because there was no call waiting yet. No. Because I was tying up the phone. Absolutely. I'm tying up. Like my my my nonsense with my friends. This is preventing potential emergency phone calls from reaching the house. Your grandmother's supposed to call in three minutes. Yeah, that exact sentence. And you go, OK, and you'd have to wrap it up and then you'd have to make plans that you couldn't even follow up on. Let's meet at the park in four hours. Could you imagine? You know what I mean? You can't touch base in 1988. You're just going to have to believe they'll be there.
20:54True. I mean, really show up. Something came up. Yeah, that's exactly right. I waited around. That's exactly right. Just circling your bike in the parking lot. Yeah. Oh, circling your bike in the parking lot's real. Yeah. Just killing some time. You don't know what happened. And that goes into dating back in the day. There was no sorry, I can't make it. You just sat there and you were like, well, I guess this is another strikeout, you know?
21:18Rich Eisen:Yes. My dad also, my parents also said a no phone calls after 10 o 'clock. Oh, for sure. If my friend would call it 10.05. That's late. 10.05, like 10.01, and then have the double whammy of calling too late and then addressing my father as an operator saying, is Rich there? No, no, no, no. It would be, my dad, as soon as I got off the phone, would be like, this is not happening again. Yeah. You know, and you better, like, you talk to your friends about this or I will. Gosh. He did that. I mean, I can feel that in my chest, Rich. I mean, really. I can feel, then you get on the phone with your buddy and it's like, no, good to hear from you, Tyler.
21:58my night's ruined yeah you just called my dad bro so it's all over for me yeah see we have similar up oh man it's crazy how it travels through so many you know i started off when i was working on this hour thinking i was talking from a 90s perspective sure and i was way off there was so many decades before me in generation we all have so many more similarities than i ever imagined that great you know it is in the games they've you know i thought games that 90s kids had created and they're like no no we're doing this in 74 big boy that's right you know and it was fun to learn
22:31Rich Eisen:that yeah no and my kids they're they're 17 15 and 12 they can't imagine you know what it was like to just like go out on the street hang out oh yeah and then come home like seven hours later and my wife and i look at each other go how the hell did our parents just let us walk out of the house yes and not have us on a find my iphone situation or a life 360 or something like that That's it. We'll see it. We'll see in like five hours. That's it. And there was no like warning shot back then. You didn't get a message like, hey, you need to. You knew that when it got dark, at least for me, I had to be home.
23:06And the consequences for me not being home were heavy. I mean, you know, being grounded, which, you know, was a nightmare back then. But, you know, just sitting looking out my window trying to make friends with a cardinal. We got really grounded back then. But, yeah, they didn't have the leash on us that they do kids these days. And I think there's probably good and bad in that.
23:26Rich Eisen:I agree. Derek Stroop is here on the Rich Eisen Show. Again, Nostalgic is available right now on Netflix. You also have a really funny exchange in this special about something that we are very passionate about, and that's middle seat armrests. Yes. On the program. I'll give you the floor on your opinions on this front. Yeah. I mean, this is avid flyers. The more you fly, the more you notice these type of things. Yes. But for me, I just started to notice that middle seat people, I mean, they really camp, camp out on the armrests. And I started to figure out that once I had some conversations, they kind of treat it like it's a rule, like it's a thing that it's concrete.
24:03It's something. And then it's a made up situation. And for a frequent flyer, a middle seat person is barely on the flight. I mean, they're the only seat. This is the line. They're the only seat. You cannot lie that if they don't show up, we celebrate. I've made good friends with another person. Five in the morning. You both look. The middle seat's empty. You don't want to talk. You don't want to look, and you'll just fist bump. You'll go, how about it? That happened my last flight. We've got a big Wednesday ahead of us. Big win. My last flight that happened. Yeah. How about it? You don't want to bring it up either, right?
24:34Because you don't want to jinx it. You don't want that person. You don't want to say it. No, and that's right, too. Because you'll learn there'll be somebody, you know, that'll sneak on in boarding group 110, and they'll, you know, they'll sneak on. but when they announce the door's been closed when you hear the thump you're just like that's when the fist bump oh that's right it's the it's the best it's the best feeling so on the opposite
24:55Rich Eisen:side like you're the middle seat person and you're boarding last and yeah and then you look at the two people that thought that was going to be empty and now you're occupying it and then now you're sitting down and i've been this guy before you're like okay how do i get at least one of these yeah Yeah, you're right. You're right. And the thing is, you want the back of the armrest. You want the front. That's right. You need the back. You need to sit back. And be able to tuck your elbows in. And this is now a fight. It's a fight. It is. And here's the thing. We've all been in the middle seat situation.
Read the full transcript
25:27Now, what you don't want to come into in the middle seat is when the guys on the edges go, oh, man, we thought that we were yada, yada, yada. It's like, I know. I know I'm a disappointment. You don't have to tell me. I can see it on your face. All your face lost color when I put my bag over your head. So it is an awkward situation for everybody. But just owning the armrest regardless without any type of courtesy, it drives me crazy because usually most of the time middle seat people, I mean, they're not like frequent flyers. You know, they won their seat in a raffle. And now and now I'm dealing with them on their second trip in the air.
26:03So that's kind of my feelings on it.
26:07Rich Eisen:It's true. Pardon me. It's the truth because we even said that they don't have a right to the armrest. Right. Didn't we say that one year? And it kind of, I mean, we're into those, you know, middle seat people are barely human. We're kind of in that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh man. Then y 'all must have loved that bit. Cause I really dig in. I go, I go, I saw a middle seat guy pull out a laptop and I didn't know how to tell him that nobody's in an office waiting on a middle seat email. If anybody cared about your email, you'd be in the aisle, big dog. and i've gotten emails already like i guess i shouldn't bring a laptop if i'm in the middle seat and i'm like it feels good to be heard you know uh yeah i stand by that you tell them the you say you don't it's like wearing a tuxedo to a diner you know what i mean you're in the middle seat man you got to eat the pretzels tighten up you know get your fly miles together you'll be in the aisle we all earned our positions you know status is real yeah so That's how I feel about it.
27:07Rich Eisen:I was correct. Oh, my God. It's funny because I saw Conan O 'Brien on the Kelsey Brothers pod recently, the New Heights pod, in advance of him doing the Oscars, and he talked about how when he first got to Hollywood, he and his writing partner from the Boston area flew out to L.A., and they took People's Express. Yeah, yeah. You remember that airline? People's Express. Sounds more like a magazine. Dude, no doubt about it. And I did a, cause I did standup in college. So I could not respect what you do for a living more. And I kind of did a bit about, cause you, you'd have to pay as you go. Like they used to on people's express have a cart for the drinks and a cart for food and then a cart for payment where they had one of those things where they, you know, they used to put your credit card in one of these things and then, you know, and give you the, the copy.
28:01Rich Eisen:Yeah, that's right. That's right. the sheet that rip off the copy and i thought to myself what if somebody didn't have a credit card yeah what i'm like would they hand you a parachute i mean was that the joke that was the joke that's not that's great yeah and you and the way you and it's what i do for a living i should have stuck with it and you formed it in such like in conversation form that it landed even harder there you go because i didn't see it coming maybe on stage it plays different but in this conversation and i go does he need a parachute what a zinger there you go yeah like db cooper out the back no now people don't even understand who the hell that is but you lost me i know but i appreciate the courtesy laugh yeah yeah i really really do how'd you get started um i started uh right out right when i got out of college i kind of hung around the college town for a little bit and i would go up at the the local bar i worked at uh right out of college and there was Which college?
28:56I went to Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Alabama. Okay. Now they're Conference USA. When I was there, I mean, they all had on different colored jerseys. It was like Division IX, and we still loved it. But at the local bar, there was like a lot of country music. Riley Green and Sam Hunt, some guys that have really made it now, were coming up through there. And, I mean, it was exciting, but I was like, if I hear Wagon Wheel one more time, I'm going to walk in front of a bus. So I got up, and I just started to do comedy. Not like chasing a dream, just like for my friends. Yeah. Just having some fun.
29:27And one thing led to another over the years, and I eventually moved to Denver in 2014, and we were off to the races. So that was a break for yourself? Yeah, yeah. Moving to Denver changed everything. Because in Alabama, I wasn't part of a comedy scene, and there was no open mics, per se. I was just getting up in front of a bunch of the patrons that came to the bar that I worked at. I would make pictures a dollar and I would do, you know, 40 minutes of terrible comedy. But when you're somewhere where nobody's doing anything like that, it was just fun for everybody to see me on stage telling stories and trying to be relatable.
30:03But I mean, that was that was long before the dream. When I moved to Denver, I really hit the ground running, you know, met met a community and comedy works my home club there.
30:13Rich Eisen:Now I'm putting two and two together because you and I were talking in the back in between the second and third hours. You say you're a Nuggets fan. That's where that comes from. That's where that came from. Yeah. I mean, I got there about the time Jokic did. And it was I lived I lived downtown. I lived there for about 10 years and I was just like a 20 minute walk to Ball Arena back then. And it was the best. So you're you're feeling good. Oh, yeah. Yeah, I feel good. OK. Yeah. Yeah. I feel good. I mean, I mean, Jokic. I mean, he's showing he's showing some emotion right now, which is nice. A lot of leadership from the band.
30:47And she's been a lot more emotional than I've seen him in the past years. So, yeah, I mean, I'll ride with the nuggets to the wheels fall off.
30:54Rich Eisen:Yeah, because Jokic in the past, it seems like he's a stoic. Yeah. Just wants to go home and watch his harness racing. That's you know what I mean? Like that's and this time around now, he seems like that that fate. Who did he give that face to who got in his face where it looked like, you know, you know, door tripped him. That's right. Yeah, that's right. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I want to be on the business end of that. Yeah, I was watching that live. I mean, that look on his face. But, I mean, you know, it's good to see that because there's no way he can be who he is and not have that type of emotion boiling right under his skin.
31:27Well, all you got to do is just see his brothers. Oh, my goodness. I mean, those look like the guys that you see if you owe money. You know what I mean? You open the door and you go, oh, no. You know? If that parlay don't hit, not a good Wednesday. Not a good Wednesday. I didn't think they'd ever find me. And now here are the Monstars at my front door.
31:48Rich Eisen:Monstars. Yeah. That is funny. Yeah. That's what they look like. Just six, nine goons just standing there. And it's like, my goodness. With Marvin the Martian suddenly showing up, right? That's right. Oh, my gosh. Oh, that is funny. And so you're a Commander's fan as well. Where did that come from? Well, I was born in Charleston, West Virginia. Okay. Free agent state. And so you got a few places you can pull from Bengals Steelers. I was born into a commander's family back then. It was a lot more fun. I was born in 84. So I got here about the time they gave up. I mean, we had one we had Doug Williams 92, which was great.
32:27But besides that, it's been it's been tough. But I am a lifelong commander's fan. I do love him. So you're still there. Still. You're a Nuggets fan. Nuggets fan. OK. And in baseball, grew up a Braves fan, made the worst decision you could possibly. picked up the Rockies when I moved to Denver. And what a blessing. They haven't won a game since I started rooting for them. The stadium's unbelievable. I just love Coors Field. I was there when Nolan Arenado was there. Got to watch him be a Rocky. Root for the Rockies, but that is a tough ride. I know right now.
33:01Rich Eisen:Yeah, yeah, it is. You don't know. So you said you're heading to Vegas next? Headed to Vegas next. Okay. You got some appearances there? Yeah, yeah. I'll be with Nate Bargetsy for a few days there in Vegas. So we'll be hanging out, a little bit of golf, a little bit of sunshine. When did you get connected with Nate? How did that work? You know, a lot of people think it's been a long journey. It was just two years ago. That's it. But we're pretty kindred souls. Honestly, I think you guys have a similar sense of humor. You've got similar cadence. You know what I mean? Like I can see why the two of you would, you know, get along and let alone work together.
33:34Yeah, I mean, we hit it off immediately. you know we're like you said we're both very similar guys I'm you know clearly a lot more emotional than he is on and off stage yeah but our sense of humors are the same we grew up 90 miles from each other no kidding so yeah the tone and the cadence is is pretty similar I remember one time I worked with Jim Gaffigan I kind of told him how people compare me to Nate and when I was on stage he was like that's two different worlds and then when I got off stage Jim was like I'm not trying to be rude but it feels like you're doing an impression of Nate right now that's what he said yeah yeah because we were off stage our voices were so similar when i when i kind of dial it down and i'm just hanging out right uh but you know there's a lot worse people to be compared to i can tell you that nate's the best yeah he's been here a couple
34:19Rich Eisen:times and i've gotten to hang with him every now and then certainly at the uh the american century championship last year he's good at golf yeah no he's gonna very good at that are you not nearly is good no he's gonna stick it to me okay i mean i can tell you the difference in me and nate is that he would never let me be in his cart okay we're not taking those detours derrick we're not we're we're at a nice course we're not driving through this pine through these pines to get your yeah i get my own every time they go derrick you go do your own thing i'm like a 17 18 handicap you and i could be in the same cart oh yeah we'd have a blast rich i know i i would agree So you're not cart friendly.
34:58No, no, because my journey to the whole is a little different than other people's. It's not as direct.
35:06Rich Eisen:It is not as direct. You're running a hot tour. Tickets on sale now. Dates and information at Derek Stroop dot com. And you're set to appear in an upcoming movie, The Breadwinner, in theaters coming up at the end of the day. Yeah, so exciting. That's Nate's movie. He's got Mandy Moore co-starring with him. They set me up in a great little role. I'm an overbearing car dealer. Car salesman, excuse me. And it was perfect. They gave me just four or five lines and a decent amount of caffeine. Right. And they were just kind of like, you know, run with it. So it's a fun movie. I think everybody should check it out.
35:44Yeah, it's kind of like a Mr.
35:44Rich Eisen:Mom sort of reboot in a way. It is. It's kind of the comedy that has disappeared for the past decade. Yeah. Yeah, and it's coming back, and I think it's refreshing and light and fun. Nostalgic. Yeah. It's nostalgic. It's full circle. That's right. Nostalgic, again, top 10 right now on Netflix. And you live in Queens, right? I do. I live in Astoria. So you live in Astoria, Queens. I do, yeah. Okay, have you picked up anything from the New York experience? I do like halal bacon, for sure. I'd never had it until I moved there. The texture's different. The taste is really similar. Okay. Um, and also, uh, there's so much Greek food around me.
36:24It's unreal. Okay. Uh, I mean, I, I'm in Mediterranean heaven. It's the best. Okay. So there's a few things, uh, there's a few things that I've picked up. I mean, my accent, uh, gets some attention as you know, you're from that area, rich. He's already laughing. He already knows. I am. They probably want to see your passport. I mean, I walk into a bodega. I go, what's going on? I mean, they all stop. Like, what's that? You know? it's great though that's mets country right there you live it is you live in mets jets country i do i do not much didn't grow up caring much about the mets but i did have a little love for the jets growing up did you really yeah yeah i mean brian cox with the board behind his head middle linebacker when i was growing up he was just eating people yeah and i felt like you know He was like a heavyset athlete.
37:13It was pretty inspiring. Inspired you. Yeah, it did. I go, look how chubby his face is, and he looks like he's moving.
37:22Rich Eisen:Derek, this has been a blast, man. Let me know whenever you're back here in LA. Yeah, of course. I appreciate you coming on here and sharing your very funny thoughts. Thank you, man. Thanks for having me, Rich. I heard you say 32 years today. 30 years ago today is my first sports interview. Yeah, I grew up watching you, 41 years old, man. And you're right in, I'm right in that demographic. We're like a high school, college all the way up. Yeah. Really loved watching you. So thanks for having me. Oh my God. I appreciate that. So, wow. So you were 11 when I did my first sports first. Yeah. Yeah.
37:53Rich Eisen:I meet folks who are of your age and I'll either have Stuart and I will have either put them on a school bus or kept them up at night, procrastinating in college. Yeah. And when you're at my age range, you did both for me. Okay. That's right. You did both for me. I bridge both. Yeah. It's my pleasure to see you and be of service. Thank you, buddy. Thank you. Derek Stroop right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Check out his special Nostalgic right now on Netflix. We're back to wrap this show up in a moment. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
38:34Get in the game with the college-branded Venmo debit card. Wreck your team with every tap and earn up to 5 % cash back with Venmo Stash, a new rewards program from Venmo. No monthly fee, no minimum balance. Just school pride and spending power. Get in the game and sign up for the Venmo debit card at Venmo.com slash college card. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp Bank N.A. Select schools available. Venmo Stash terms and exclusions apply at Venmo.me slash Stash terms. Max$100 cash back per month. Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra. That's the OG. It kicked off this whole zero sugar energy drink thing.
39:13But Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian, Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the monster energy punch. So if you've been living in the white can, branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe. And every single one is zero sugar. Tap the banner to learn more.
39:36Rich Eisen:For small businesses, every hire counts, and so does your time. Hiring can quickly become overwhelming, folks, from sorting applications to figuring out who's truly qualified. That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro helps. It streamlines the process so you can focus on connecting with the right candidates, not managing the noise. Hire right the first time. That's so crucial. Post your first job and get$100 off towards your job post at LinkedIn.com slash eisen. That's LinkedIn.com slash Eisen. Terms and conditions apply. That was a lot of fun with Derek Stroop right there. Let's take Adam and Marilyn's call.
40:13Rich Eisen:What's up, Adam?
40:17Hey, Ray. Good to talk to you again. What's up, bud? What's on your mind? I just had to call in and step up to bat to defend Bam Adebayo and my Washington Wizards for last week's game.
40:30Rich Eisen:Okay. A lot of people who watch the box score had a lot to say, but what they didn't do was click the Wizards section of that box score and see that despite Bam going off in the first quarter, Alex Starr gave him 28 points in 20 minutes, even though he's on a minutes restriction. So he had his own little historic night last night. And a funny question, who has scored over 30 points against the Wizards since Bam went off? The answer, no one. Not even Brockman Celtics could do that. so what's your point that the wizards are better than how terrible they looked is that what it is yeah like you know we we got a lot of a lot of young kids and like you know they're getting time we're waiting for ad and trey to like fully step in next season and for people to go oh well it's the wizards it's like you all play the wizards and you're not doing what band did so just accept that band had a historic here and we're actually not that bad you'll do a lot better He went so high.
41:29Rich Eisen:He did go high register. The Wizards are not that bad. I was with him. Up until that point. No, not that bad. Adam, thanks for the call. Really appreciate it. There he goes. Everyone's playing their G-leaguers when they put the Wizards. Listen, it's not about the Wizards. It's really, again, about the way that the last three minutes went down, that the Heat kept on fouling so they could get the ball back for Adebayo to take his free throws to get into the position to have a record night. And since that's happened, pretty much to an all-time great, when they're on their respective broadcasts, they've all said, back off, bam, back off.
42:10Rich Eisen:And because, again, he's such a likable guy. He is set to be a Hall of Famer one day. He is a winner. And he had a magical night. And a lot of folks just had a problem the way that he got from 70 to 83, essentially and um he he is just back in the mode of playing games every single night and keeping it within the box of that night's game which makes sense in the world of professional sports you just need to keep it a game to game situation for yourself even if that means that you go to the microphone after a game like the one that he played for the heat in a loss to your milando magic where he complained about the lack of whistles roll it that's what's frustrating about it because we get fined if we say something about it but like that altered the game and when you alter the game, you should have to, like, stand on that because when we mess up, when we make mistakes, when we miss stuff, like, all hell breaks loose on us.
43:31You know, we got people blaming us for everything. And then on the other side, I felt like they had a five-second call that wasn't called. altered the game. So you see what I'm getting at when it's like they affect the game in a way where sometimes it does have an effect and, you know, they get to go home and sleep peacefully. And we're up here talking about a call that you feel like should have been called or not called.
44:12Rich Eisen:so uh for those who feel that bam's 83 point night uh was aided by his teammates altering the game by fouling to get the ball back for him to get free throws every single time the wizards would foul him it's difficult to hear him complain about referees whistles altering the game shouldn't be everybody has the same complaint i will just say this like now he cares about i think no but we we've got to just get past it we do yeah because guess what the guy at 83 he had 83 you've never seen that in your life before he's gotten 83 and the way he got it i understand folks have a problem with it but his teammates were like we're gonna help you get it the coach was like we're gonna to keep you in the game so you can get it and he got it and at the end of the day that's one game he needs to do what he's doing which is living in the box of game to game he's not gonna see he's he no longer has the right to complain about officiating is that it it shouldn't be the very next game.
45:29Rich Eisen:I think it was two games. But I understand the same week that it's still echoing. Come on, dude. I think it's still echoing. But you know. No one wants to hear it. It's going to be, you're going to be hearing about it, his 83-point game for the rest of his days. And when he goes in the Hall of Fame, there'll be, you know, discussions of it. And he got it. And that's the end of it. I think we all just need to move on. Dot com. I know we got O'Shea Jackson Jr. going to be coming in here later this week, and he already doesn't want to hear it. Well, he already did that last week. Well, no, no. No, he's doubled down.
46:08Rich Eisen:I did not know about this soundbite until he texted it to all of us. Yeah, me neither. He's an unhinged Kobe fan. He's a Kobe fan. What's he going to think? But, like, come on, man. But, again, let's move on from that. Meanwhile, his Lakers are third in the Western Conference now after, you know, Luka and Austin Reeves are going off. And that's with LeBron playing with them. Okay. So it's gelling. That Lakers win over the Nuggets this past week was a wild game and a fun game. And one that, by the way, looks to be a first round matchup if the season ended today. sign me up for that Lakers Rockets tonight and that's going to be fun stuff between now and the end of the season but can we just drop the whole Autobio thing now and he's allowed to bitch about the refs because it's a game to game situation chat again on Tuesday thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen show podcast you can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio Disney Plus and on the ESPN app the Rich Eisen show The Podcast.
47:49Might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction. Being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now.
From the publisher
Rich Eisen reacts to Monday being the day 30-year anniversary of him doing his first Sportscenter telecast for ESPN.
Comedian Derrick Stroup joins the show and discusses his Netflix comedy show Nostalgic, gives a funny take on the middle seat arm rest, how he got his start in comedy, his love for the Denver Nuggets, and why he is a Washington Commanders fan.
Rich and the guys still discussing Bay Adebayo’s magical night and how calls are not going his way after his 83-point performance against the Washington Wizards.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices