Howard Bryant, one of the most respected baseball writers alive, joins Matt in a special conversation on Jackie Robinson Day.

Howard breaks down why Black players disappeared from MLB , what it was really like covering the steroid era, and why he believes baseball is at a crossroads right now.

Plus, he breaks down his new book King of Pawns, the untold story of Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson.

Howard Bryant, one of the most respected baseball writers alive, joins Matt in a special conversation on Jackie Robinson Day. Howard breaks down why Black players disappeared from MLB , what it was really like covering the steroid era, and why he believes baseball is at a crossroads right now. Plus, he breaks down his new book King of Pawns, the untold story of Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson.

ALL THE SMOKE pairs two of the most outspoken and controversial players of their time. Known as fiery, intense competitors during their on-court careers, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson are now two of the most widely respected voices by today’s crop of NBA stars. Serving as mentors to numerous players throughout the league and with their hands firmly on the pulse of the game, they have first-hand insight into the minds, lives and pressing issues facing today’s players. Barnes and Jackson, who have played alongside two generations of All-Stars, will dish on the latest news and drama from on and off the court without boundaries.

All The Smoke

Jackie, Rickey, & the Death of the Black Baseball Player ft. Howard Bryant

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d952c0a9-d160-4e4a-9905-b42d00f650d8/transcript

Darren Waller pulls up to All The Smoke and holds nothing back. From the chair in Miami where Mike McDaniel got fired 90 minutes after their exit meeting, to the parking lot in Baltimore where a fentanyl-laced Percocet nearly ended his life, the All-Pro tight end walks Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson through the highs, lows, and the resurrection in between. Now 9 years sober and weighing his next NFL move, Waller is more open than he's ever been.

He breaks down the cold business of the league, the Toradol and painkiller culture that swallowed teammates like Lorenzo "Zoe" Taliaferro, the wild drug-test tricks players used to beat the system, and the John Harbaugh rookie-meeting moment that hit him in the heart. Waller also opens up on stocking shelves at Sprouts for $11 an hour before becoming one of the highest-paid tight ends in NFL history, his Harlem jazz bloodline tied to Fats Waller, and the brotherhood he's built with Max Crosby through recovery.

Plus: a live Baron Davis FaceTime cameo after Darren drops his new song named after the We Believe Warriors legend, his all-time offensive starting five, smartest defender he ever faced (Vontaze Burfict), the hardest hit he ever took, and what he wants out of free agency this offseason.

Darren Waller pulls up to All The Smoke and holds nothing back. From the chair in Miami where Mike McDaniel got fired 90 minutes after their exit meeting, to the parking lot in Baltimore where a fentanyl-laced Percocet nearly ended his life, the All-Pro tight end walks Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson through the highs, lows, and the resurrection in between. Now 9 years sober and weighing his next NFL move, Waller is more open than he's ever been.
He breaks down the cold business of the league, the Toradol and painkiller culture that swallowed teammates like Lorenzo "Zoe" Taliaferro, the wild drug-test tricks players used to beat the system, and the John Harbaugh rookie-meeting moment that hit him in the heart. Waller also opens up on stocking shelves at Sprouts for $11 an hour before becoming one of the highest-paid tight ends in NFL history, his Harlem jazz bloodline tied to Fats Waller, and the brotherhood he's built with Max Crosby through recovery.
Plus: a live Baron Davis FaceTime cameo after Darren drops his new song named after the We Believe Warriors legend, his all-time offensive starting five, smartest defender he ever faced (Vontaze Burfict), the hardest hit he ever took, and what he wants out of free agency this offseason.

Darren Waller Went From Addiction and Rehab to NFL Stardom… Then Walked Away

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/90bf7060-ef1d-4130-8852-b44a010aee03/transcript

Matt sits down with one of baseball's most remarkable figures — Dusty Baker. A 19-year career as a player, one of the greatest managerial runs in the sport's history, and a front-row seat to some of the most defining moments in baseball history.

Dusty opens up about breaking into professional baseball in the Deep South in 1968, navigating sundown laws as a young Black man in the minor leagues, and what it was really like to come of age during one of the most turbulent eras in American history. He shares what it meant to be taken under the wing of legends, like Hank Aaron and Satchel Paige, and how those early experiences shaped the way he led clubhouses for decades.

He also gets into managing Barry Bonds through one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history,, the infamous Bartman game in Chicago, inheriting the Houston Astros in the middle of a scandal, and finally winning it all at 73 years old — becoming the oldest manager in history to win a World Series.

Matt sits down with one of baseball's most remarkable figures &mdash; Dusty Baker. A 19-year career as a player, one of the greatest managerial runs in the sport's history, and a front-row seat to some of the most defining moments in baseball history.
Dusty opens up about breaking into professional baseball in the Deep South in 1968, navigating sundown laws as a young Black man in the minor leagues, and what it was really like to come of age during one of the most turbulent eras in American history. He shares what it meant to be taken under the wing of legends, like Hank Aaron and Satchel Paige, and how those early experiences shaped the way he led clubhouses for decades.
He also gets into managing Barry Bonds through one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history,, the infamous Bartman game in Chicago, inheriting the Houston Astros in the middle of a scandal, and finally winning it all at 73 years old &mdash; becoming the oldest manager in history to win a World Series.

Dusty Baker's 50-year Baseball Odyssey

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5a2c210b-b9c2-4839-9da5-b449010dbac3/transcript

The NBA Playoffs have been wild! To break it all down, you already know we had to bring back our guy Mad Max. Matt and Max discuss the Lakers' impending offseason, Wemby's ejection, and the criticism Jaylen Brown has been drawing. We also break down the Wizards winning the lottery, potential Giannis destinations, and why KD should stay in Houston.

The NBA Playoffs have been wild! To break it all down, you already know we had to bring back our guy Mad Max. Matt and Max discuss the Lakers' impending offseason, Wemby's ejection, and the criticism Jaylen Brown has been drawing. We also break down the Wizards winning the lottery, potential Giannis destinations, and why KD should stay in Houston.

Mad Max Predicts LeBron is OUT in LA & Defends Jaylen Brown

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/659b38f6-b4c5-4f8b-8d8e-b44900172434/transcript

Jackie, Rickey, & the Death of the Black Baseball Player ft. Howard Bryant

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