All right, since we don't really do intros anymore, we're just going to get into our conversations.
We just decided to just kill intros for this podcast.
And to preface it.
Yeah.
Our guest said it's going to be the highest rated episode of
a high history episode.
Okay.
We got a star with us.
We have a real star.
A real star.
I like YouTube.
We're like TikTok stars.
So, wow, this is episode 800,
which is fucking crazy.
You're really?
Yeah.
How many years have you been?
It's been six years in November.
Six in November.
Yeah.
Podcasts has been out for six years.
Yes, it is, dude.
Six years.
It's just like 2005.
Of course.
I mean, podcast in general.
Yeah.
Oh, like 2005.
I'm serious.
I mean, I get it.
I've listened to like, I listen to, uh,
Ramona Shellburn's, where she did.
Oh, yeah, the star like deal.
Yeah, starly.
Yeah, I listened to that.
That was an amazing one.
Now, you can hear me in, and I'm not lying.
If, if I'm lying, I'm dying.
That's the only one I've ever listened to.
Well, because I was, I was, I was too.
Yeah, number two.
But that's because I was interested in learning about the whole
times.
You say what?
I think Jake Paul a couple of times also know.
Who?
Jake Paul.
Is it number one?
I think in the world right now.
You know, Jake Paul.
The boxer dude or whatever.
Yeah.
Not a chance.
No interest.
Why would I want zero interest?
Zero interest.
See, here's why I would think you're my.
No, no, no, no, seriously, Terence.
Why would I be interested in watching a amateur boxer fight
to madele cans in boxing?
I would.
I'm not interested in that.
Is he amateur still?
He's professional.
Is he paid for your professional, right?
Did you watch your Netflix?
No, I got paid in college and I wasn't a professional.
So, you know,
it's not just a classic.
Can't look into it.
You should sound a black ass.
We're just talking.
So, this is a full USC episode.
Yeah.
You know, on and I went to USC.
And John Turgeon, who was a,
if you've listened to the part for a long time,
he's been on, he has, you know,
strong opinions about many things.
And also a fellow Trojan.
And John and two friends of his,
Keeshawn Johnson,
also Trojan, like a superstar at USC.
Number one traffic.
Yeah.
And and Avi Chesa, who also went to USC.
What years did you graduate, Avi?
2003.
Okay, so similar to us.
They have recently formed the Tommy group,
which is basically a money machine
to make sure USC wins national titles.
Is that fair?
I wouldn't classify it that way.
I mean, these two might,
I think we're starting to play together the machine.
I think it's not doing is what is the purp.
You all know what NIL stands for, right?
No.
Name image likeness.
Okay.
And the purpose was to actually,
you know, do justice by, you know,
athletes, all athletes in college and high school,
like everything, but really we're talking college here.
To have them be able to legally be paid
for people profiting off of their brand.
And so what we're really doing,
we all came together as alumni, as supporters of the,
not only the football team, all of them.
We're doing volleyball, basketball, all these deals,
but specifically for SC,
we came together to bring the right deals in.
Yeah.
So we're doing that.
But is it for the purpose of,
we know that these players are taking advantage of
and this is their chance to monetize their likeness?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
100%.
Yeah.
I mean, when you play, you, you,
your revenue sharing is zero.
What was zero?
Yeah.
Right?
Jersey's like you said, name like this image,
video games, jerseys, ticket sales,
interviews, whatever you want to call it.
Yeah.
Think about it.
When I was in school,
I remember vividly at a press conference.
And at the press conference,
it was the gatorade behind me.
Yeah.
I didn't get a nickel from that, right?
But gatorade paid our university to advertise.
I got zero.
Yeah.
So this is an opportunity now for our group
to assist in helping the student athlete take advantage
of the situation with their name,
image and likeness.
Yeah.
Something that should have been done many, many years ago.
Now in certain regions of the country,
it was being done,
but it was being done differently.
Yeah.
So certain regions of the country.
CC University.
Well, I mean,
there was a wink in there.
That was a, that was a,
there's a certain region,
you know, in the middle of the country,
what a kind of name.
When it gets the rules for many, many years.
Yeah.
And I come to those schools that ever got punished
and then like,
Reggie Bush got screwed.
Oh.
Well, Reggie Bush's situation was a little bit different.
Those schools have gotten hit before.
Yeah, I think it hit before.
Yeah.
But when you have the
leader of all coaches in the SEC,
and I'm not saying Nick Sabin and I'll say it,
I'm not saying Nick Sabin's cheating or cheating
or anything like that.
But when you have
group of coaches,
fraternity and a certain conference
that don't tell on each other or say anything,
it just goes underneath the roof.
Oh, that's nice.
Reggie's was an atrocity.
Yeah, Reggie's was,
Reggie's was a little bit different.
My theory and correct me if I'm wrong.
It was rolling in too.
Yeah.
So people were jealous.
Yeah, people were jealous.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Cause you guys are the experts.
I always thought the journalist who covers Alabama,
that's their only job.
So they can't bust the players.
So the incentives are aligned
that even if they caught the player,
I'm using Alabama.
I'm not picking on them.
But you know,
right name.
You're just feels right.
It just feels right.
It doesn't make sense.
I've never been to Alabama.
But it doesn't make sense that every kid in the country
would go.
So my coin is if you're the LA Times reporter,
you got to cover the Lakers.
You got to cover the Dodgers.
Yeah.
So you don't mind busting USC guy.
Well, they also historically are against SC.
Sure.
Pretty clear out there.
Yeah, the way the whole USC Reggie
bushing kind of went down.
You had the guy from the University of Miami.
It was a whole.
It was like a whole deal.
We were the hottest brand going at the time.
Winning in the hunt every single year.
Celebrities on the sidelines.
You bring a kid from Texas.
Or we bring a kid.
We can bring a kid from anywhere out of state.
And if we didn't want it,
that was the only way he was going back.
If we wanted him,
yeah, he was going to SC.
Yeah.
And so people start to point the finger.
And, you know,
and again,
Reggie situation was a little bit different than
most people's because of university
didn't have anything to do with Reggie situation.
Got it.
Got it.
It was a little bit different.
So let me ask you a question.
So like in the actual like business of what's happening.
So these universities make fortune on sports.
So in the NIL situation,
are universities sharing revenue with the players yet?
Or nothing?
Like Gatorade sponsors USC.
Do the kids get to nothing?
No, there's a separation.
Also universities cannot get involved in NIL.
Okay.
So Avi here is being very humble.
But how we all kind of came about is
Avi was really doing a lot of
supporting of the team.
Financially, let you speak on it.
But a lot more under the radar,
you know, real way for NIL.
And that's when I wasn't getting any credit.
And that's when we all came together.
We all have relationship.
There's a group of us.
There's Avi's.
Mike Alex Holmes was on the championship team.
Dave Stromberg, who's, you know,
big music manager.
Yeah.
Myself.
So and then we're a handful of kind of
alum that are with us as well.
And they were going about this all
under the radar, no credibility.
And we were hearing about all these other
collectives out there.
Great for them.
But they were all very like donor based.
Yeah.
And we came in and said,
we're going to do the real version,
which is the, you know,
to my knowledge,
we're the only ones doing it.
It's all good.
The other day, it's all to get the players compensated.
And so like, what is there's a lot of founders
who listen to this podcast?
So what is the benefit to a company?
Just pure math.
Like, how do they benefit?
How are kids working with the companies?
And then like, what are the prices like to work with athletes?
Like, if you, if you felt like,
hey, I sell supplements.
Yeah.
And obviously a collegiate athlete
would be a great partner for a supplement.
How do you engage with them?
Okay.
So there's a lot of a lot of tears to that question.
The, the answer is a little complicated.
What we're out to do is,
is to get players paid in the right way,
just like Tursed.
But right now, it's very much,
you know, how like the 80-20 rule is?
In college athletics, it's more like 99-1,
right?
There's like a 1% that are really getting paid,
anything, anything like a living wage.
And for us, it was more like, okay,
we want to look at more than just the,
Caleb Williams of the world.
You know, there's obviously the superstars
that even without us, they get paid hundreds of thousands
of millions of dollars.
And we wanted to figure out a way
to get the rest of them
in a kosher way paid and endorsed by brands
that didn't involve the,
let's say, call it money laundering
of the, of the boosters.
Because a lot of the other schools don't want to point fingers,
a lot of the other schools,
what they do is they just take money from boosters
and then they say, okay, you know, do a post
and then, you know, get $50,000.
But it doesn't really get the benefit.
I mean, that's not a, not a $50,000 benefit
to that booster in any way or to his company.
It's just a way to just get money to the kids.
It's a way to get money to the kids
and a way to get, get players wanting to come to the club.
Where was that open? I was playing.
How much did you get?
Nothing zero.
You just opened the putts and you got paid.
No, no, no, no.
I'm saying that's a joke.
That's a crash.
Although I do, I did live in a Wushie court door.
So, okay.
He was early on that.
There's just quickly, some are, it's
it's a way that, you know, we could get the balance of the players.
Like those that are, you know,
USC athletes that are, you know,
great athletes and great sportsman
in their own right and women
to kind of share in the Revenue as well.
So what we look for is like group deals and if it's like a clothing line
We're doing a deal now with with with a jeans company where we're gonna have, you know, 40 of the players
Run around on the field and actually practice wearing jeans just to show how comfortable it is
Yeah, you know, and these players are not gonna get you know $100,000 each
But if they can pay their rent for a couple of months, that's fantastic and we've kind of done our job
Yeah, so I think it's the greatest school. I'm obviously biased
I think we're the greatest city in the world that combo
Makes the ability for any of these kids whether they're a football basketball volleyball ability to be kind of rock stars and
Given what we all know especially my my day job with dealing with brands
Brands are always looking for stuff. And so this is a nice easier barrier of entry
Especially by the way going into like recession and stuff brands are looking for creative ways to get
Their stuff out there with not the million dollar price tag
So it's a it's a good way to get a hyper focused demo. Yeah, which is this especially going into let's talk about football season
Because that's key and so that's kind of you know, what's going on?
And so we we're actually we did a handful of deals and then we're also we launched the podcast
Which is a major part of it, you know, it's called almost pro and it's USC football and that's a way of and I LDL for these kids
Oh really so with that dollars. Oh, okay. That's amazing. And so so like
Like I think the interesting thing is is like everyone's looking to spend money to like obviously promote their business and
like I guess for your small business is there ways to work with these athletes because here's here's basically
I mean, I've been fortunate. I got to work with like incredible athletes in all the years in the apparel business and like
Because of personal relationships. I understood what the price you know would cost and I think like when you just listen to the
Fact like oh, I want to I would love to work with so and so on the volleyball team
Like people just think that's out of their reach like
How do how do you like quantum like given number much of people
In reach than people think it is because these are
You know look at the players that how that the plate this this last Saturday
There were a couple of players you've never heard of that breakouts that their lives change that day on here was early on one of them
Yeah, I got a right branch. I told everyone this guy. He called it. Yeah, Zach. I branch killed it
And he's gonna be yeah, and I can guarantee you that if you call Tommy group of you you message us an email
last and and you want Zach or I branch to do some kind of promotion for your restaurant or something or click
It's a lot more in line with what you are what your budget is then
Pat from homes would be right. Yeah, so we have a one sheet on it. We're it's all dialed in yeah
Whole with a whole situation going and I also think the interesting thing is at least just looking from the outside
It feels like the women and the NIO are actually again paid probably close to the most that girl from Miami
Making millions. Yeah, the women influencer right speaks to a different audience. Yeah, I mean it just does
And in my opinion it should be that way. Yeah, I mean really honestly should be yeah
And I think you know, you got girls that are they're in college and you have
Youngins that look up today. Yeah, one day they can be yeah in that position where years ago that wasn't the case
Yeah, which is a pretty awesome opportunity because I feel like women's sports generally are underfunded and don't like
I think I your guys's event. I talked to
The coach of the women's violence law. Yeah, and he was telling me he lost a player for like two grand or a thousand dollars to like
Texas A&M or something like that. I was like a thousand dollars, which is so crazy
There's a coach that she'll remain nameless that
Approach me about a year ago and was discussing how
With about a million dollars
He could basically guarantee ten wins a season and what's poor and football wow
And I'm like how is that possible a million dollars gets you nowhere and he's like well where my school is located
It's a it's a great area great demographic. They love the weather the kids love coming there
The problem is it's far for a lot of these parents to come see the games
So if we can just do nothing but pick up their flights. Yeah
This school would be a different program. I
Is funny said so when I was being recruited
I went all the way to the SEC from Los Angeles. Yeah, and I was being recruited. I really wanted to go to this particular school
and
You know, I get on the plane. I fly some always damn this shit's far
But I'm like, I have you know how my parents and my brother and people my mom and the other guy gonna come
So when I got into the final meeting the exit meeting with the head coach in position coach and office a coordinator
And I told him say hey, what's holding you back from committing? I say what's far. I can't
I
What am I gonna do true story got to be my witness you do reaches
Behind the desk opens up the briefcase. Yeah, it might have been at this time. I don't know what it was a three hundred three hundred
Thousand dollars all cash. Yeah, he said that that's not a problem at all
Seriously true story. Yeah, now the problem at all boom bam turned it, you know, I'm looking at it. I'm like oh good
You know so good, right?
I
So I
Committed to take the money I committed
But I flew home and that flight was still far for me, you know, and then I just was like now
But like he said
When you remove how are your parents gonna get there? Yeah, what's how's it gonna happen?
So when we now go and get a kid from Texas or get a kid from
Mississippi, Alabama, whatever they don't have to really worry about that with the NIL in place. Yeah as long as they
Are producing at a level in which they can earn a certain amount of money because of the NIL
Then they'll be able to have their families fly all over the country to every single game
Which is pretty awesome and and remember the average player
Does not I mean a thousand dollars is a lot of money for them. It really is. Yeah, the average player
Yeah, I was for a thousand others a lot
Because what are you getting? I don't even know the stipends are now two thousand dollars still two thousand five hundred
Yeah, yeah, so you add that like you know
So you pay that guy three thousand dollars. He's gonna do it. Yeah, as long as it's it's it's something he wants to do
Yeah, as long as it's aligned with what yeah, and it's exposure. Yeah, brand building for them. Yeah
um, and so
Do all uh Tommy groups?
Players just like how do they get access into all the H-Wood properties? How does it work? That's a big perk
We old enough
You know, it's pretty fascinating because like how I couldn't get in I had to buy a membership. Yeah
Trust me
I had to wait for much
Yeah, I'll be when what's up with the membership. Oh, let me call turns. I'll tell you a minute
Very strict that you know trust me. We know we're fully aware of their their their ridiculous process at this kind of
We're free and we're part and what everybody's got to go. I'm marking all of you part of the
Even Obama goes through this. Oh, okay, the president goes through
Well, what's interesting about these kids, you know, I'll you know a lot of the the superstars in college sports
Are getting paid and I'll use Caleb as example because I get to see him in an around LA
It's unbelievable that he's made already life-changing money and he's still so focused
Which is what like if you looked at like the old rules of the sport
They would tell you oh these kids are getting an education. I went to USC
I didn't even get a fucking education and I went there for education
Go there for school. Those are rare breed though. That's why he's very why he's there
He's a real real world. You don't think all those other kids and other schools are like him like where he seems so grounded
They're 18 years old. What what were you at 18? I was a
21 most of the kids though that are on the Caleb
money grabbing front
They're all gonna be focused because this money is no money. Yeah, this money is nothing. Yeah, compared to what they could earn
If they stay focused so yeah a lot of them when you're talking about seven figures in a short period of time
Because two years ago Caleb wasn't gonna be a seven figure guy. Yeah, but because of a year ago
In the Heisman and in all that it just takes them to another level. Yeah, he's so close to getting that
30 million 40 50 million dollar guarantee money. He's got to stay focused. Yeah, you can't stop at
Whatever he's making four or five million. I can't stop there because the prize is at the end of the dance
I know we know it's also just in him
Yeah, but most guys just in it. It's not even about like if you give a kid you know a million dollar record deal in LA
He's blowing it all in blue season
Yeah
That may be the case. He may blow it all at
Delilah's I mean, they've just made the case
Because
He's got to stay focused because the prize is in the end the prize isn't right now. Yeah, no one look at the end of the day
We want our kids our children with all kids
To have some financial literacy to understand
That you can put this money away you can do certain things with this money
But that's not going to be the case because they see the bigger picture. Yeah, so they're gonna spend it
There's no question about you got the money. I think the hope is that now that it's organized and you guys have
Leaders like you to educate the kids because I was at a student USC during the Matt Reg years
So there's the peak phenomenon like I was a junior senior when they were winning titles
And there were guys that off the books were clearly getting paid you can see what the cars they were driving
They don't need to name the names
Allegedly yeah, and they didn't make it
And these guys with book class athletes probably were not focused enough
Didn't deterred him because they was in the car. They probably wouldn't even good enough either by the way
Everybody's not gonna make it. Yeah, USC gets a lot of hits on that
But like everyone seems to forget the UCLA basketball team back in the day that we're all driving the craziest cars and doing whatever
And no one seems to talk about that or you're really paying out
You want to be basketball? Yeah, I don't know from the 90s. Yeah, yeah from the early 90s
I would venture to say just because I know Caleb so well
Caleb is a different breed
It's not about anything other than that's his love of the game and that's who he is
I've gotten to know a handful the kid under him that's gonna be a quarterback coming up Malachi same sort of drive
But I don't know archmaning never met him what I see. I feel like he has that same drive going
You can just see how they're carrying themselves, you know
But these kids the kids that are making it of a different thing. What's the kid? What's the kid? Uh
The
B. John Robinson from Texas
Yeah, the Lamborghini. Yeah, in a ton of money
He had a mustard too. What a mustard color one? No, he had a mustard that came out. I must a brand. Oh
Yeah, I thought you mean like a mustard color
But think about it. He did all that
In Austin, Texas and he still finished the deal
It was a number one pick and he's getting ready to get chipped off. Yeah
Yeah, it's just impressive these these kids are more impressive than
Previous generations because I'm not gonna say that
And the reason I'm not gonna say that yeah
Because he's part of the last generation because
How do I do it from a lawyer standpoint?
There are certain people
that have
We're able to take advantage of the system. Yeah, when I play yeah, and
Was taking care of with extra benefits. Yeah
And still became the number one overall pick
International football league. Yeah, so to be named not to be named
So when you think about it, okay, it's all about the individual like turns a sand. Yeah, the individual is focused in
It doesn't matter. You can get me a billion dollars. Yeah, if I want a fucking rental won't play football and stay focused on doing it
Yeah, I'm gonna do it. Hey Arthur Smith
Head coach of the Atlanta focus. You know his dad is no his dad started FedEx
Yeah, he's the
Why would I ever write tears my dad's FedEx?
Why in the hell would I ever want to coach right? But that's what he that was what he wanted to do
Yeah, so rather than lean on his dad
He said I want to coach a mistake focus. He knows at the end of the day got several billion sitting there for yeah
Yeah, yeah, I agree. It's I think it's all impressive. I think people still have that drive with all the
Yeah
So that's the avi FedEx shot you're actually a connection away from a FedEx and LL deal me. Yeah, I am we could talk about it off the puck
Yeah, okay, I like that. Yeah, I like that idea. Yeah, I like some of the receivers paid. Yeah, I already thought I thought of the campaign to
We worth it guys. I think the other thing
That's interesting because you know, John's been on the pod before and we've talked a lot about you know
You guys and your guys a story as a business the thing that I always find very interesting and I'm curious to see
How it impacts your players
Like, you know, you guys are all very connected. I know John better than both of you. John's extremely well connected like cream of the crop
I
You know, one of the things I wonder is is like how much time
Do you spend with with these people on like?
Like I know you do a lot for Caleb just because you do it
Because you want to friends with yeah, yeah friends with and you would just help yeah
Ha do they do do they understand like the gravity of those things like the the players like when you're like
Putting them in the room and introducing them to people like I know who you have them around. It's like it's insane human beings
Do they understand? I don't know I think so I mean for the most part someone like Caleb does
The family and it's they're in the same family. So I only do stuff based on relationships
These two are the same way so when I'm friends with someone I'm just friends with them
It's not about anything other than friendship in the regard. Um, I could I don't know about others how you know
I'm telling you Caleb's a rare breed. He's mature. Yeah, why is beyond years?
Most of them seem pretty great. Yeah, even just meeting a lot of the kids at the event
Like some of the kids are fantastic like
Being as a coach for these guys. Yeah, overall. They just have a great thing going right now. Yeah
I think to Kishon's point about the individual and that's why I was so bullish on Zachariah before he
had the first game he came by the office and
He was talking about building a foundation for homeless people right? I'm like you're 17 18 years old
Or are you thinking about that? Yeah, I did not give a fuck about it. I was like you are and have a maturity level
And he was talking about his workouts. He was like my oh my dad's workouts are harder than college football
It's like Ryan options. I'm telling you that yeah kids going far. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, it's a good example kid like that
So if if businesses want to reach out, how do they do it? Where should they go?
website, uh, we have uh, uh, Tommy group. Yeah, Twitter X Instagram. The Tommy group. What's the name of the website? Yeah, Tommy give yourself
Okay, you suppose to tell him the name of the site. That's how you do it. You guys have an Instagram handle, right? We yeah, so people can DM you and what's the handle?
Absolutely. Uh, it's just it's just the Tommy group was also the Tommy group dot
IG or something. Yeah, the website is the Tommy grp.com and then the podcast you guys just launched it. We just launched it and that is
Almost pro almost USC football available Spotify Apple everywhere. Yeah, everywhere. Yeah, and the title is fitting
We have some great guest name. We're gonna have some great guest people on it. Some great co-hosts. It'll be fun
So even if you're not into USC football, you'd still enjoy listening to it
That's the goal. Yeah, yeah, it's supposed to be a cat. It's supposed to be
This like we're having a player of the week who like break out play over the week and then mainstay, you know host
Yogi Roth is one of the hosts Caleb's co-hosting on some of um our guy Kishon's gonna host one or more if we get him to
Let's give him more on we're gonna have some he called it like a barbershop kind of chat. Yeah, just like pantern. Yeah, so yeah
That's not yeah, yeah, we just chill have fun. Yeah, not hey, how are you today?
Just want to be able to sit down and have some stories, you know, these are white man interviewers like always on points
I've enjoyed your FS1 clips the clips. Oh, yeah, new
Yeah
No, he said FS1 clips. I was like, huh, but no, it's fun. That's nowhere great. No, yeah brand new
Yeah, I'm what it's just a third day Wednesday
That's FS1 plug. I like it. Yeah, it was it was a uh, he's already made three people cry
No, nobody cry
It was uh, it's just been interesting. It's blockbuster content. Let me tell you. Well, we haven't fun. No, that's
It's really it's really all it's a boss having fun giving information and
You know, making people smile. That's good. Make it your background
Uh grew up in South Africa then Israel came here after the army went to USC
I was a rugby player in South Africa. Wow, and I was like I looked at football as like
You know, what are these whistle's doing right like yeah helmets and pads? What's up with that? Yeah
And then I realized that the only reason they have helmets and pads is because
Seven people would die every snap if they didn't have those on. Yeah, and I started following it
I realized it was more like a chess game than anything else and like the smarter coach would usually win
And I was like I became obsessed and at that exact time where you know, Carson Palmer was
Was caught back and then you know after I graduated lyandered and bush and I just became obsessed with that and you know
Waiting years of, uh, you know, FinTech couple exits under my belt
Kind of dedicating the rest of my life to you know, having fun with with the sports. Wow. That's a great place to be
Yeah, thank you. Awesome. That's amazing. Congratulations. Thank you, John. What else do you have some rich?
I think obviously he's not in this room with you
If the IRS is listening
You used my four gates
We're good. We're just we're for H. We're just focusing on Delilah Miami and
When's that exact on big tour drake? Yeah, where is that opening Delilah Miami is gonna open in November. Okay
But very right right before our basil, which is in like first week in December
Not a weekend doing the week right after the regular season. So be a nice time for
No, it's gonna open on a weekend or a group. It's gonna open on a weekend. You just don't know the day. It'll be a weekday
It'll be like a Thursday. We'll go to Friday
Work as I'm asking you know, you know, we get off. You're sick. COVID. We're gonna schedule around you
Friday is doable for you, right Friday is definitely a doable Friday is certainly a doable. Yeah, that's why I said you need to be at the Miami opening
Come on
What you said solo? No, I'm just you. Oh, I don't even come solo to Miami
Like
And then how's that doing we were watching all the that clips all over the world great a great trojan
Yeah, he's doing well. He's on a big he's on Drake's tour. Yeah, killing it. Yeah for people
Yeah, new album doing well and it's been good for him. Good ride
That's amazing. It's an insane look he has insane
He's had post-molone tour and Drake World Tour in the same year essentially
So the kid
Incredible incredible life
Oh, yeah, well, thank you. I mean you a Tommy group. It should be like there's a chance you could be Zach Bia
Exactly, I bet you on on or more kids want to be Zach Bia
And came up with yes
What I'm thinking is they're good friends a little combo for them after the season the little tour. Oh, wow
Yeah, we were looking at like celebrities to to invite to the pod and and someone mentioned
Destroying yeah, yeah, of course and and yeah, he and I look at each other going the hell is that and we just realized we're old
And they're more interested in destroying than Will Ferrell. Yeah, I have no idea who Zach anybody is. Yeah
That's the myth of Zach. Yeah, I have no idea like he can be right there. I'm like
The young legend DJ
I'm Eddie my age would I think yeah, right? Yeah, he's a lot. You managing or something. Yeah, that's what I thought
John has to make a movie about
Your Google Zach Bia John's is that
Introducing me, but I don't I don't know about DJs and follow them. Yeah, now you will
It's a very interesting magnificent it's insane
I just quite fascinating. Well, thank you guys. Appreciate it. Tommy grew perfect and I would be fans of the pod
So thank you. Thank you. I wanted to be here. Oh, thank you. All right guys. Well, thanks. Thanks for the Tommy group for coming on
If you like USC
You know where the money should go. That was a fun segment
It was fun especially for us because we went to the school and I know huge fans of USC and what's exciting to see is that like
You could potentially if you're a brand owner
You could potentially get
insane exposure
For pretty low dollar amount
like think about like like for example like I'm thinking beauty brands apparel
Basically anything that appeals to like Gen Z
There are like women and men at USC that have insane followings
Right from like maybe because of who their parents are or
For whatever reason they've built crazy followings and like you for for a reasonable amount of money
You could actually get like crazy reach and potentially find a new audience for your product
Yeah, I always think niche small followings are better than large followings of just a list superstars
So many like a list stars never can sell product like if you have a
Um, I don't know a tennis player at USC with 10,000 players 10,000 followers
Those 10,000 people follow them because they are a tennis player at USC
Or they follow
They they are just obsessed with this person. Yeah, if you're gonna follow a college tennis player
Yeah, you're not doing that because oh, it's the rock. I just want to see what the rock's doing
Yeah, you're all invested. Yeah, I love it. I actually think
There's like a great arb right now for brands to be like investing in things like this
For pretty reasonable amounts of money. Oh, yeah, 100% so if you if you're a brand a brand owner
I think collegiate sports is a really interesting especially because USC like
You might end up sponsoring someone whose friends with Kylie Jenner. I don't know. It's just like that's the USC
Like yeah, the kids who go to USC are insane and you can get an age with reservation
Yeah, and that's more important you get to get to be close to John for maybe five g's
Ha
Which you know given my access to John it's worth every penny. Yeah, I agree
Okay, we're gonna get into some business news. So I think the big news that I saw that I think was
Finally kind of coming to fruition. There's two big piece big pieces of news
There was only eight and a half million job openings even that sounds like a staggering number last the month
There was nine and a half million. Mm-hmm. So million less job openings that you were
Then then expected and so
You're seeing either job listings pulled or more people are going back to work
I think it's a combination of both and then you're seeing
Job growth slowed so they were expecting 200,000 jobs to be added in August
It's only a hundred and seventy seven thousand. Yeah, Jay pal must love those 23,000 people that couldn't get jobs. Yeah, fuck them
Good for interest rates
Right, that's probably what he's saying and I think the challenge now is
If this trajectory continues and that positive goes to negative which it won't happen in q4 because there's seasonal adjustments
Because of seasonal jobs or specifically at retail. Yeah
But q1 does seem like the moment that the job market does flip and goes negative
If you look at some of the big people in finance that have large twitter followings or large platforms
They're all signaling this and
It's obviously they're
Talking their own book. Yeah, because they're trying to get the feds attention like calm the fuck down. Yeah
Because the stock market pretty much is waiting for interest rates to cut for a sustained long rally. Yeah, and
They're trying to like
You know yell the warning signs that like hey the economy is way softer than you guys think
The fed meaning you guys as the federal reserve because the federal reserve thinks everything's on fire. Yeah
And just because unemployment isn't a high
We generally hear things are soft. Yeah, we're not in like a recession. No, we're not in like this downward economy where it's like doom and gloom
But spending has contracted spending is contracted. I think
I mean, I was telling you like I was looking for a New York ticket in December
And what do you think the price I told you it was 40% cheaper. Yeah, then it probably would have been a year ago. Yeah
There's definitely
You're definitely seeing prices drop across in like travel for sure. You're finally seeing prices drop
um
The thing is is like where
I'm not seeing like I'm starting to see some of the restaurants that we take the kids like
Happy hours come back like there was never a happy hour so because I want the deal. Yeah, like you know like
People are they have a happy hour menu and they're marketing it because they know they're slow during these hours and and maybe they are slower
Dinner so they're they're marketing because like they're not contracting the the regular prices yet
Like I haven't gone anywhere. I'm like, oh, that's a great deal
That's not happening yet, but like you are seeing like like to me the gauge for me is gas and
Restaurants gases through the roof. Yep. So like that is an inflationary problem that the economy still is facing and restaurants inflation is still
rampant like you're paying more for food everywhere and so
Those things haven't gone away. So that's one concern
The the the other thing that like a lot of people keep talking about is
So many of the wealthier side of Americans and I'm a saying that's the rich
But like anyone who has cash has our money in a money market
Right, and so that money market is now earning 5% more. I think yeah, it depends on where you think but let's say in the low end
It's earning 5% and some of these other places even higher. Yeah, they've seen the largest inflow of money market
Investing in decades. Yeah, it's like trillions of dollars that are now in so like there is kept more cash people have because of that
so
It's a pretty hard hard thing to figure out for the Fed because like
All this money and money market and then so there are people with a little bit more cash than they usually have
But we are seeing a certain cohort and then I read an article how blue collar jobs are on fire and the wages are on fire
You're seeing significant wage growth in blue collar wage in blue collar jobs
Like people that were earning 20 or $1 an hour and hour in 25 which is a 25% increase yep
Which is meaningful like can they complain that they're not earning enough money and they still are having struggling to pay their bills
Of course, I'm not saying that they're earning a wage. That's like livable, but they got a bump
Yeah, I think we've talked about how this is a white collar recession. Yeah for two years now that
Because people aren't filling a lot of these hourly jobs. Yeah
They have to keep raising the price like you
Work at a restaurant you probably make 20 25 an hour. Yeah, that probably was 50% lower in 10 years ago. Yeah
So so I think like
Yeah, I think the the the key will be like the wage growth and I think wage growth exists in the hourly jobs
It's not existing at the high end. No. Yeah, though that is tapered down dramatically
Like I mean you're hiring people are the cost
Yeah, it's definitely come down like what people were demanding and then if we countered
They just said no, but now they're at the table being okay, you know, where can where can I give you know
To make this happen and we've had several like very high paying you know in certain positions
Take a big pay cut to come work for us as well for the opportunity and so I think like
It all depends like I think the the good news is I actually think the fact that blue collar wages are growing
That actually might counterbalance like on on the on the economy side
Yeah, like where there's enough money on one segment of the market for discretionary spending to continue
on the other big news is
SEC allowed for a Bitcoin ETF finally
Well, so the two things happened grayscale which was one of the original
ETF filers and SEC was getting sued by the SEC saying that
You know, they don't have enough protections or went up what not and that lawsuit got overturned two days ago. Yeah, so in a matter of like
10 minutes. Yeah, Bitcoin shut up like 10 11 percent coin base was up 16 percent. Yeah, Ethereum was up 10 11 percent. Yeah, and
Everyone's expecting this week that black rock is gonna get their ETF approved black rock doesn't file unless they know it's
Buttoned up. Yeah, yeah, they're not
Know that they've already started accumulating their position. Yes, and I think the
cost basis like 23,000. Yeah something like that and
Yeah, I mean, it's just like staring you in the face if you're an investor. This is not financial advice. Yeah
If the U.S. government is
stamping Bitcoin as a real asset class. Yeah, what do you think's gonna happen? What do you think?
There will be
Higher number of buyers than sellers
What happens to the price when that and and economics when you have larger demand and supply?
I've told the things go up. Yes. I think the other interesting thing is is that
You know now that you know, this is happening. You're starting to see like who are the largest holders and wallets like
There was like a mystery wallet of three billion. It was Robin Hood. Yep
There's and like who are the other I think it was the third biggest wallet. Yeah on this whole company is betting on
It's because the market cap of Robin Hood is what now is it even 10 billion dollars?
It's probably right around there
But the thing just to know 10 billion when you think about wallets
There's a lot of Bitcoin held in cold storage for the biggest holders
You don't even know they own to you can't track that you can't track that and there's so many transactions that happen
Over the counter that don't so basically if you're a large if you're black rock
They're going to one of these massive
Over the counter organizations DWR is one of them based in Chicago. There's a handful of others and
They just want to accumulate you know 10 billion today because you can transact that much
And they don't want to do it on like on coinbase or any of these exchanges because
You'll move the market. Yeah, if you see that much
Demand so people have been quietly buying I mean dude five years ago six years ago
I remember just
Talking to one of these over the counter companies. I was like if you I just said theoretically
If you wanted to buy a billion dollars a Bitcoin this is five years ago. Yeah, could you do it in one day?
They said absolutely. Yeah, so what do you think the number is today? Yeah
Do you create this is like off market off market? Yeah
Yeah, I mean there's definitely more interest today than there was yeah
Five years ago. What's interesting? It feels like a lot of retail is not going to be as usual
This is when the sophisticated money makes the bag. Yeah, because most retail got smoked and they're not coming back in
They're too scarred. They're too scared. Yeah, you mean think about it. If you lost in Bitcoin
Dogecoin
NFTs stop AMC. Yeah, you have no money left. Yeah, you got cream
You got cream to like three months. Yeah
That's too bad
Retail Joe you need to bring them back. I'll bring them back. What's he doing?
Um, I'm at TGI Fridays. Happy hour. Whoa. No
Managing managing. Yeah, at least you're a manager managers make a hundred grand now. Yeah
Retail Joe save that money. I am telling you I think like
When you look at like entry-level jobs in corporate America
Then you look at like when you go to a restaurant you see, you know, they say we're we're hiring for these positions
Managers at these restaurants are making six figures. Yes. Waiters are making 60-70,000
Dude in LA way more. Yeah, they're making six figures like there's such a opportunity
Like it's the same thing like you sent that tick-tock of the UPS driver
He's wearing a Dior shirt Cartier bracelet
In 10k cash. A lot of his pocket. He pulled up with a Lamborghini truck
Yeah, but like think about it like how many people do we know that make I know their entire package is
170,000 like in the bay, you know, you get to like 125 pretty easily like if you don't live in LA or New York City
And you make that kind of money you live an incredible fucking life. Oh, yeah
I'm saying I'm saying like it's such an opportunity like I know everyone wants to work on AI and fucking cool companies
That like think about how many people like you remove like the top handful of schools. Yeah
If you're in like a mid-tier college and you're studying
I don't know the arts history. Yeah, you're maxing out of 40k out of college. Yeah, probably 50k
Max. Yeah, that's if you can get a job. Yeah, but you could
Pull up the tjf makes six six figures six figures of tjfs 170,000 EPS. Yeah
The managers at restaurants are making bank now because the wages have gone up so much
Obviously, it's a tough job. It's not easy by any stretch of imagination
But like if you want to make six figures anywhere if you're a personable person. That's a no-brainer
I mean, yeah, I mean like think about it. You're graduating high school
And you go be a waiter you could be a manager in two years
And you'll make way more than 90% of college college grads. Yeah, I mean like think about it all the top consulting firms
They've kicked everyone to it another year. They're not hiring anyone
No one's hiring. Yeah, the six figure out of college jobs. They aren't hiring. No
I mean
You were telling me a story at Harvard Business School that these kids can't even get jobs
No, and I've interviewed so many of them and they're fucking brilliant
And they're willing to take wins the first Harvard Business School UPS driver
You think we got one this year? I bet you this if they that person did a tech talk they'd be like the most popular
Here's why these are it would be so good someone should steal that idea you could get a Harvard Business School student for 125 grand a year
Yeah, and and
You'd be the most viral sensation if you post you walking across the stage at Harvard Business School and pulling up to UPS to get that form
Yeah, UPS would love you too. Yeah
Good idea someone should steal it. I'm sure someone at Harvard Business School or you just pretend you went to Harvard Business School
No one's gonna verify it anyways. Also true. Who how can you?
What do you know what I found? I was off put
When I think one of the things that you know we asked like opinions of like oh should be get rid of the intro
Whatever a lot of people said they didn't like the conspiracy talk and tin foil
I find that off putting
Because they prefer the fake news they rather have fake news than what's real
Yeah, rail this what and the reason why we bring that up just see I know it's funny joke
It's we're doing it because because no enough
It's I've told this a million times on this pocket the gelman amnesia effect
So basically you're an expert on something you read in the paper and you're like that's totally false
Yeah, and then you turn the page and read something about the Israel Palestine conflict and you believe it as fact
Yeah, so why is the page before completely false in the page after yeah
We're self-selecting what we want to believe and I choose to believe nothing
That's fair. I just think everyone's full of shit. Everyone has an agenda. Everyone has a narrative to spend
And I just like think about how much we talked about core weave last episode
Zero people every time I say anything. I got 50 DMs 100 DMs fucking zero people know what core weave is
Meaning no one asked you about it or even said oh you don't know what core weave is
I got a text okay saying from
Zach who was on the pod talking about Varda. Yeah, so I love core weave
Fuck out of here Zach
I know what do you even know what it does
You could say you I love it too because they got black rock. They got the whole thing. They got the whole thing good hustle. Yeah
They probably paying Zach to say tell everyone was screaming in his car when you were talking about Varda
episode after
So I don't know what Varda does either bro. You need to come on and explain it making shit in space
Maybe you can explain core weave data bricks. Let's do that data bricks. Data bricks. No flake core weave. What else Varda
Bart will hear you did Varda you just want to know I need to be here to question them you guys then you guys are fake news
Mainstream media. What's another good one? Those are good data dog
Yeah, no one knows it anyways. Yeah, if you can it clearly explain what those companies come into the den
And face the fire yeah face the fire and what benefit do they have for humanity or society? That's what I want to know too
He'll come prepared so I think it'll be good. Yeah, he's smart guy. I'll do his research
But I come in especially on Varda and core weave we know is
Did nonsense no one believes that could
Um, interesting article in the Wall Street Journal um
It was the headlines the most popular Australian Wall Street Journal today is how to play the property meltdown and
It's talking about that there's over 205 billion dollars on the sidelines on
Particularly in commercial real estate
Yep, and so I mean that is a large amount of money and and in reference in 2008
How many people made a killing on the real estate market?
residential at the time this time it looks like it's going to be
uh
Commercial real estate will be the play. I don't think anyone believes maybe multi-family homes also. There's an opportunity
but like
With the amount the staggering amount of money that's owed on these properties and the amount of money that's sitting on the sidelines and then all the players that are in it right like these mega mega real estate holding companies
I personally do not believe there'll be a commercial real estate meltdown because it just risk too much
Who's gonna bail out? So the only solution that I see is if you have all cash buyers so that's sovereigns. Yeah at Saudi
Dubai Abu Dhabi China China Norway. Yeah, these large sovereign funds that is trillions and trillions of dollars that are all cash buyers
Yeah, because none of these buildings pencil with the interest rate so you basically have to have all cash and wait until the rates
And then take your money out. Yes, I that's gonna happen. There's so much money. We're basically selling America to the rest of the world. We sold it years ago
What do we fucking care? Yeah, so I mean
It's a redistribution of who owns these buildings as we know
There I know there's a lot of sovereigns in New York, but largely it's American owners, right? Yeah
But I don't think New York is as big as a problem as like
San Francisco San Francisco is absolutely zero
Yeah, I'm sure LA is a challenging market LA office for sure
And then multi-family will be too because any multi-family building that was constructed in the last two years is under water
So but there's 205 billion in dry pattern the United States
Plus sovereign wealth money which seems endless. Yep, so and those people can't invest their money
Anyway, like if you had to pick between
investing in like
Equities in like Europe or India or the Middle East or own
Trans-America and San Francisco. I kind of roll the dice for the like trans-America get a little boulder and just put their flags
Put Saudi flags all over San Francisco. Yeah, that'd be good. Let's try to rob something from that store
Different outcome. Yeah, very different outcome and I think because those countries I think
If I'm a sovereign fund and I'm running an XYZ country
I go to the city of San Francisco
Look American clearly we have no impact on politics the way we wanted to right the citizens clearly do not have the power. Yep
Maybe Saudi Arabia pulls up to San Francisco and says look
Will invest
$10 billion in commercial real estate will save the fucking city
Well, let me tell you something when MBS comes to town you better clean these fucking streets up
So it's interesting and I don't know how this could work technically
So if you are the Saudi embassy and you're in the United States
You're under Saudi law. Yeah, when you walk into that embassy. Imagine a Saudi owned CVS
And that's a state call it an M and with big
The people try to come in boom get out of here
They grant them embassy protection to save real estate. Yeah, because the laws that they abide by are very different than what
The mayor of San Francisco, but like taking that shampoo
God
But I do think there's a play if you're a sovereign wealth fund like I
Like as much as I don't like like downtown San Francisco
It's a beautiful city. It once was a great power city like in the most recent future like near it was a few years ago
It was like the more one of those robust cities in the world and it fell apart because of bad political reign
It seems like a no-brainer because I know as much as you just like San Francisco
With the AI boom. It's all there. Yeah
Like every investor is coming back to San Francisco to meet founders. Yeah, like the young
Stanford 23 year olds working on summer and everyone only wants to invest in AI
Yeah, and there is a buzz around investing in San Francisco founders that hasn't been there in three years
Yeah, but it doesn't matter if you can't walk down this tree agree
So I'm saying you're gonna have all these kids that are gonna make a fortune. Yeah, that are gonna come to LA
They'll be they'll be going to play
Buying players to get into each wood. Yeah, I mean that's that's basically that's a circle of life
Yeah, build money in San Francisco and spend in LA. Yeah, why the LA is not struggling is because all those San Francisco people came here
It's spent all their money. I mean you go to a nightclub. What do you think the money's coming from? Yeah, that's true
And so I think I think unfortunately is
The whoever's in charge in San Francisco from the
Clearly the technology leaders do not have an impact on the city
The technology leaders do not like the fact that Apple and Microsoft cannot get
Laws changed sales force. They left the building. Yeah, their own building. Yeah
hot building and
It's just shocking to me that these very powerful companies who are like working with governments
Cannot change their city in their own backyard. That's how hard local politics is yeah
Because you have the richest like handful of richest thousand people in the world live in this
seven square mile
City which is the San Francisco that's the actual city and they can't do anything about I know but like they look a lot of these people
Can organize to have the resources. They have the time to the money
You play the long game. You can change things like Republicans play the long game great
They
They want to jerry mandor put who they want in the supreme court. They're playing. I mean, there's guys that have been trying
I they're vocal on Twitter like Gary tan. Yeah, that is yeah
um
He and a handful of folks. They're just like bad dream city of San Francisco to make it safer. Yeah
That's how store clerk got killed today. Yeah, downtown San Francisco. It's insane
Why why would you want to work in in that environment? It just does not make sense like yeah, you can't there's can't
And and city of San Francisco
There's basically like three areas that span like two miles that you can walk around walk around in yeah, it's sad. It's really sad
um
We'll see um what's interesting talking about commercial real estate. Why I'm actually kind of bullish on it
Um is I do think like
Work from home
So we've been wrong on this for three straight years. I'll continue to be wrong
I don't give a fuck this is your peloton. This is my peloton and guess what happened to peloton
Okay, that was right
Amazon see a reportedly told remote employees
It's probably not going to work out if that's what you want to do
I think the large companies are gonna be full back in office. I've met as made it clear
They want people these are technology companies by the way. This is not the law firm
This is not the insurance firm who traditionally have never been remote and never stood you know
This is like Amazon's the proper business the cloud
And they're telling their employees we get back in you meta. They're telling their employees
They know apple to apple right these are the technology companies of our
The ones that could potentially work for yes one. They're so goddamn profitable to they have the technology to actually figure out how to
Make this connectivity continue and they're mandating everyone come back in the office
I mean the real solution and unfortunate government doesn't work like this is
You take the top 500 employers
Bring them to DC the CEOs top 500 CEOs of the biggest employers and
Tell them you need to tell everyone to come to the office because we have this commercial real estate disaster. Yeah
It's it's patriotic to go to the work. Yeah
You're American if you go to the office and they should just do a wink wink deal
Give them some tax subsidies. Yeah, it's it's worth it. It's worth it
If everyone comes in hundreds of billions of dollars and real estate value loans that are gonna be delinquent on mall business small businesses
I get saved regional banks. Yeah
It's a trillion dollar problem like we saw for probably like 20 billion in subsidies by the way
Crime goes away too. Yeah, cuz people are there. Yeah
It's it's it's staggering to me that like we're the problem is there so many people are fighting going back to the office. It's insane
So many people I think I just came up with the solution on the spot. Yeah, well good luck talk to your boy sleepy
A lot of people are asleep. Yeah, maybe my guy Vivek
Can help you Vivek you can't even say his name right? Well, I could calm Vivek Vivek whatever
If he gets everyone back in the office. I'm happy
Um, but that's that's that's the that's the opportunity like there's that's like what we call Portboro legislation
Yeah, where you just you give the congressman to get your vote be like hey, we're gonna help your city
Just make sure you vote for the larger health care bill. Why aren't we doing that with their CEOs? So
Here the offices are the worst promote performer real estate
Lost 30% 31% of their value since the Fed first began raising interest rates
Not good. Yeah, so they're under water. Yeah as most of these buildings are levered like 80%
Yeah, so like you know the thing is is
To me like whenever everyone's running from the hills from something is probably the best time to go
Uh, and like I just don't believe all these buildings are good. We're just gonna let the fucking buildings crumble and fail
I just don't see it happening. They may get rezoned. They may get repurposed. They may or companies go back to work
Yeah, it's I think it's the new player that's gonna win nothing
I think this is all against smoke. Yeah, they're they're toast, but a new player with cash with cash if Warren Buffett starts buying buildings
You know where the business opportunities. Yeah, like you guys I mean, that's what he did in a way he went Goldman
on this like sweet heart deal convertible note because they needed liquidity short their balance sheet
Yeah, and when I saw that I didn't have any capital to profit off of it
Yeah, but I was like oh that means the banks are fine. Yeah
Because he's not giving any
All right, um, but yeah, it would be interesting to see what happened
So there's there's a hurricane hitting Florida. I didn't even know I'm so out of the loop. What's going on there?
Yeah, it's a category three as of now and this is kind of what we talked about when
We talked about the disaster in Maui these things are just gonna happen the frequencies just increasing
Yeah, and these are gonna hit cities and
all the tropical places and
Because of climate change and I know your boy Vivek is a climate change denier. Yeah
Uh, there's just me a lot of death a lot of destruction
I think the
The thing that the government can do
Better is just like we know these things are happening like we got to educate like I think in Florida people are hurricane prepare in general
Like they're more so prepared. They know it's a cost of living there. Yeah, but it's just happening
Uh exponentially higher rates. Yeah, and I think and I think they're pretty self-aware of that
I think the key is just like we got to do like more
Preparedness training on like how to handle it like what should you have stocked in your closet like I think people in Florida
Or like if you get the warning to leave leave. Yeah, don't stay. Yeah, there's no reason to be a hero
Um
But but yeah, it'll be pretty interesting
Um, all right last topic before we jump into winners. There's just content and shoutouts um
Mitch McConnell. Yeah, frozen
Second time said yeah, and like I'm not making light of it because I mean the video has gone viral, but
We can't have these people running the country there are there
I saw a picture of dime finestein
Game wheeled out the other day. Yeah, I'm like, what are you doing? Even
One of the leading Republican voices he obviously called out all the Democrats
But he said Mitch McConnell needs to go click Travis 100% this is not these people running our country. Yeah
I don't understand how there's no one under a hundred that's capable of leading politics
And I mean it is the voting basis that are to blame
The voters are voting these people in yeah, it's not like there wasn't a competitor to McConnell in the last election
What's crazy is
The question that was asked is if he's running again in 2026 I bet he froze
Because he's like now I'm I know I'm gonna run. I'm gonna win. I want him to be awake
If voters don't show up and vote for younger candidates
How does this get solved because the voters that vote are closer to Mitch McConnell's age and sleepy Joe's because Gen Z
Today's Gen Z we used to be that young no one ever votes if you're in 20s. I you don't really start voting till you're like 30
I think I think most you know if you can't probably older not like obviously we
I think once you have kids
Is it is usually a time a lot of people like oh, I actually give a shit
What's happening in my neighborhood or my community or the country like think about like generally speaking like I remember
I've seen this transition so many of my friends like ultra liberal people
Uh grew up in the city move to the suburb have kids now a little bit more conservative like that's like a pretty
Posit like a pretty probable case for a lot of people. They're more focused on crime
Yeah, and almost the safety just like they're general well-being of their children is like their top priority
And so you start caring about voting and who's who's like even like
You know casual friends of mine that I'll run into around town
They're like way more politically interested now than they worked 20 years ago like when I was like geeking out over politics as an 18 year old
No one fucking cared right like no one no one was paying attention and it's just
Unfortunately, like I don't think there'll ever be a time where young people are gonna vote
Yeah, I don't think so either
Especially in this new clipage of tiktok YouTube shorts and Instagram. No one has a attention span to go to a rally and here with a politician
Raleigh forget it like think about me like
There used to go. Yeah when we're like 16 like for like city council like forget not even president
I can't risk for a city council member on
Seasons campus Cal State and Orchard campus as a junior in high school. Yeah, walked around with this councilman trying to get people to vote
Yeah, he lost by a landslide. Oh, that's why you're not campaign manager exactly
Um, but yeah, I think the challenge is like
Uh, if you can't figure out it get younger people engaged and that they're an older person generally speaking is not gonna vote for a younger person
Right
You think so yeah, I broke a elected. He was he's like a once in a lifetime candidate that like he came in with like for his message
The way he spoke the way he looked it's just like a perfect package
So Bill Clinton was young. That was in the 90s. Yeah, he was in his 40s when he got elected
But he looked like gray hair. He's just like an old man to still even when he was 40s yet gray. I just think it does matter like
How you're presented and I think
uh, I think
Barack was a anomaly because of like he was just such a kind of eliminate the we need the gray hair in the room slogan
Yeah, taking it too far politics
We need the dinosaur in the room. I mean, it's anything is it's not like
Like these guys even know what's going on. They have no idea. No idea. No idea. If you're freezing in a press conference
What do you know about AI
You could freeze because there's AI now. Maybe that's just what he maybe he's pushing AI agenda. They don't even need to be alive now
Who knows pretty fascinating. All right, let's move on winners losers content winner uh the week
I'm rolling with USC. I was inspired from the first part of our podcast. Okay. I love what uh John
Avi and Kishon are doing at the Tommy group
USC fresh off and ask whooping against San Jose State Caleb Williams rock star
Yeah, one play like grab the ball and just launch the 70 yards off the ground. Yeah, Zach or I branch pump return touchdown
This team has so many stars the school
There's a buzz in the city in Los Angeles around USC football that we haven't seen since the Matt Regi years. Yeah, that's awesome. That's exciting
um
My winner of the week is Trump
um, you know
Everyone who was anti trump this entire time wanted him to get arrested wanted the mug shot
What and and felt like that was the end like people are gonna uh, you know close the book on him
The fucking mug shot was cool
It was a good picture. He raised a lot of money off the and and like my friend was telling me the other day
Because he was like oh, did you see trump got arrested look literally just happened
And then he texted me like three hours later, and he's like dude. It's like half my friend's
Pick in the chat like their profile and it became a meme thing
Yeah, and like in my fantasy football chat, they're like this is me at the fantasy draft. Yes, that's my point
Deep people underestimate what happens when you're part of the zeitgeist
You don't want your opponent to be a part of the zeitgeist and then then then they're like oh it's Gunna's lawyer
He's gonna walk. It's just like, you know, it's like came a pop culture moment, and so I think like
It's it's similar to I think the olin when they were talking about the republican debates
It's so much less about the substance. It's how that you frame the story and how you really yeah
It's the messenger not the message exactly and I think
Demo messenger Trump was saying the craziest shit, but he was charismatic. Yes, and engaging. Yes
And and the thing is is like that picture
I like I said you guys a tiktok clip of the like popular comedian. He's like a
um
On tiktok I follow him
And he was like man the dude looks kind of hard. He took it like a champ. He said be here Friday up here Thursday
And like that even though he's joking and saying it if you're a kid just listening to it
I mean, that's why the nuk boys are all in on Trump. Yeah, um all these guys eight and Ross. Yeah, they think he's cool
I think people are underestimating that piece and like you just keep playing instead
He might be the candidate to bring out the 20-year-olds. Yes, this time. I think he could bring out more young people
I agree with that because the biggest male young influencers are pro Trump. Yeah
So that's why he's my winner of the week. There you go loser
loser and content are the same thing
We've talked about it a handful of times on the podcast, but I finally have gotten super into painkiller the show on Netflix
oh my god so sad so sad and like
You lose faith now in the FDA you lose faith in the entire system of pharmaceuticals
This is my point when when people joke about the conspiracy thing
So we allow these things to happen here's what happened in the amount these aren't these are all facts that are published not
Spoiler alerts for the show. What Purdue farmer was basically
Had no outs unless they got oxy-counton oxy-counton approved. Yeah, so they've been trying to convince the
Geitha FDA that was put on their case to approve the drug
And they couldn't get it he actually started like saying no and questioning it
Then they took him to a hotel and partied for three days. Yeah, approved the next week and a year later
He started working at Purdue Farma. Hi
And this is killed hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people. Yep, and
Peter Berg who created the show
He was on Rogan and I just saw the clip on social. So I don't actually know when he was on like family that had
But the each episode opens with a family that in real life got affected by the opioid crisis. Yeah
So I saw this clip today that
So the settlement was six billion dollars that the sacklers had to pay
and they're probably worth 15 billion is what Peter Berg said and
The day painkiller came out the supreme court
Didn't ratify it and now it's back open that they could face legal charges that are higher fines and potentially criminal went and to say you can't go bankrupt. Yeah
Because I mean like this is like the most obvious
Thing of in our lifetime. It's like the evidence is plain and clear. There's no and and so like it also shows how poor the institutions are they use a letter from
Abossing university
Doctor that had no idea that he was being quoted in this oxy cotton
Approval process and he's like I didn't write this for this I write they just basically like finagled the whole thing
Yeah to get approved
Yeah, and they were given more money the more you prescribe it per milligram. Yeah
No, it's a joke and and I think like it is
You know
It's just these things that are happening in our society like why I question everything is just because
We know that this shady shit is happening like pharmaceutical companies and I know it's like you get your touch you about the vaccine
But like the fact that you don't question it is crazy not that I don't question
I just see death rates fell off a cliff once the vaccine rolled out
But I know but you are you willing to accept that there is a chance that there are some negative impacts of the vaccine a chance
Of course I don't think it's overwhelming or even statistically relevant
But it's there's a chance because someone could have had an issue
The thing about and since we live in LA
And this is like a blanket statement so
largely opioid opioids
affect the homeless crowd in LA
I don't think it says rampant as like just average kids just getting addicted maybe it is I can totally wrong
But I know when drama talks about Ohio he's like it's average person. Yeah
It's not the homeless person. It's the average person getting addicted to opioids. Yeah, and that's what's so
This show brings out because look we've been in our hero look how our whole life like
Shoulders addicts, but like it's not like as common as the show portrayed in the show
It looked like everyone and freaking the Midwest was on this shit. Yeah
Yeah, yeah, maybe
I don't know. Yeah, we don't know what's happening in the suburbs
And we don't we only know the people we know so I can't I don't want to speak on
You know, it's obviously a national crisis. No, it is
But I think it's primarily hitting the middle of the country. Yeah, that makes sense
Uh
My loser my loser are airlines
And the reason being is
Google flights just introduced a feature that's kind of badass
It basically
Tells you if you're booking a flight tells you and let's say you know
You want to go somewhere at a certain time
It tells you what are the best days to book the flight
To get it cheaper. Yes
It's pretty fascinating. I wonder if it'll be used against us also of course because if everyone
I think Kevin Stammer told me he listened two days and Wednesdays. Yeah, that's when you want to be on a flight
That's a be on a flight or book a flight
Departing on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Okay, I think that's what you said he'll
He'll text us if I'm yeah, yeah, but because I find it fascinating because like
Like you know, and the reason why I like it is that Google is
Probably has the most real-life AI applications already like
Pretty but like this most of my email responses are responses suggested by Gmail
Thanks. Thanks sounds great
I clicked that for 90% of my responses email stupid. I hate email now
It's so much easier to communicate with people via WhatsApp via text
You know, I don't like that because in in WhatsApp and text they don't have thanks sounds great. I have to fucking write it
Voice note it
Voice note is for losers
People there's now a serve. There's a app that you can it can I think WhatsApp transcribes all the voice notes now
I think I mean half the emails. I'm sure yours is like
A hundred a morning are stupid people that found you on LinkedIn pitching you like a line of credit solution
Yeah, but like, you know, I'm not even opening those so that's not a problem
But like you know if it's work, but you even like if you're just scanning email like spam spam spam you want to you
You're going to miss an email that is important. Yeah, I that I definitely do all the time
But even that it says you know
Gmail will see a thread and say it three days ago you got this email
You know that part is awesome. Yes, that part is great
And then if you use things like superhuman
In bed in your email like you do get like some pretty impressive leverage you little techie
I'm a big AI guy superhuman. So check this out. There's there's a service that transcribes like there's a lot of services like these AI
Transcribes of your zoom calls
Like it's in you know, you pay like a you know 10 bucks a month whatever
And so I was like how good is this service because I was on a call with the founder
So I've been on zoom. Yeah, so it because it summarizes it neatly gives you full transcript and summarized
so I said
Fuck this service with the name company name. They bleeped it out really
censored censorship. Oh wow
I didn't like that
It's not good
No good at all. All right
So that's my loser the airlines because I think I think
With AI like things like that like average consumer is gonna get alpha for a small period of time. Yeah, and then they'll go
They'll correct
What's yours uh that was my content loser loser was our country for the opioid crisis. Yeah, and the way we just let produce
Kill Americans. Yeah, I mean more people have died from Purdue farmer than 9-11 and on soil. Yeah, which is crazy
um
Content is
Uh, just football. I don't really care about anything else now. Yeah, now the football season's in fantasy football drafts
fantasy drafts every like a lot of the serious leagues
Draft two days before because you don't want your player start player to get injured. Yeah in training camp. Yeah
So a lot of people getting carted off like America
American males next week
Is that if you want to rob an American male that's the week to do it. They are checked out everyone's fantasy football draft
Yeah, I need to grind some fucking shit. Yeah, next week
Productivity of an American male workforce is in the toilet next week. Yeah
Do you know how many people I've talked to the I can't do that. I got draft. I can't do that to draft
I can't if I can't have meetings with anyone because it's fucking drafts
Yeah, it's important stuff
All right, uh, shoutouts
First shout out is from Adrian to Daniel Martinez shout out to Daniel congrats on the new job
Well, there's our good work Daniel. You're one of the 177,000 people
According to ADP they got a job this month. Okay
Uh, the next one is from Andrew
Sing a song to D on it and drama. I'd like to shout out D on it and drama for always helping to put my kids down when we have to give them a car nap
Wow, feel like that's a shot. I don't think that's a compliment to sleep. Yeah, Enzo
Eris and Hendrix have been falling asleep to their voices and drama short story long date
My wife Kim also wants to thank you guys keep up the great work ps. I'm still waiting
To uh for the gcp license plate hold her to drop so I can throw it on the minivan. Yeah, we got to release that yeah
And then happy early birthday since we'll be doing a Monday pod which is nine to you. Oh, yeah
These birthdays Sunday September 3rd uh, we're gonna be recording September 4th night because it's Labor Day weekend. Yeah
43
Oh, that's so fucking old. It is I just I always
When I think of 43 I think of like when we were growing up
Parents friends who were 43 and I like god damn their old
Yeah, I don't have anything else to yeah
Luckily, I don't feel I mean like I don't know if I feel 43 or not, but
Just the age is like
That's basically like a midlife
Yeah, it's maybe last maybe more we don't really know
I feel like people start having those mental
Discussions with themselves when they get to like 60 so I think it's more of when your body
They're breaking down. I mean Warren Buffett turned 93 today. Yeah, and it's McDonald's every morning the sausage and patty
That could all be fake too
Yeah, he might be the healthiest guy we remember vegan and the whole thing is a sham
Be good. Yeah, when when one day they're writing as a bitch raised like man
I've never had a McDonald's man. That'd be funny
All right, that's it another long episode
Sorry, Ari. This is is this your farewell episode or next Monday?
Monday's your farewell. Okay, we'll do a proper send-off proper fuck off
Um, hopefully this episode was recorded because I'm not doing it again. Yeah
Like I always say and people don't like saying this and I say this to my wife about people in our life
When they're gone. They're gone. Mm-hmm
We've never seen Tim ever again. I haven't seen Tim. I haven't seen Pete
Yeah, I see Pete I saw him at the office the other day, but like it's not in a negative way
It's just that people life goes on people have things to do they make new relationships. They their life goes on
Yeah, I mean even some of the people I was super close with erectus. I haven't seen him again
Yeah, you'll never see them again. And they live like a mile away, right. It's just how life goes
Take a look at Ari
I'll try my best to stay connected with you guys. I mean, that's what everyone says. It's not against you
I'm just saying that's how though it's the sad you're gonna be busy with school
Yeah, new group of friends chasing some girl that's gonna break your heart and then whine about it
And then you'll have to work for a public defender and you're gonna have to start spending time with them
Yeah
When you when you start running the billboards for your ambulance chasing business come back on the pod
That's where you need to be personal injury attorney. I
They have personal injury attorneys is the route the richest attorney in America that's practicing as a personal injury attorney
Yeah
Morgan and Morgan. Yeah, Florida. I'm gonna tell you something you called Jacob and Ronnie. I'm sure he's doing it
This is why it's quartzite. By the way, Jacob and Ronnie is the only lawyer name I know
Yeah, call Jacob. Yeah
Okay
All right, see you guys back here have a great long weekend. Uh, see you here Monday
Thanks