AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP TELECONFERENCE CALL
Tim Brown, John Smoltz & Mike Vrabel
June 23, 2020

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the American Century Championship call.
Tim Brown, John Smoltz and Coach Vrabel have joined us.

I’ll start with a question for Tim. Tim, you’ve been playing in this event since the 1990s. Now you’re coming to Edgewood Tahoe, there will be no fans on the golf course. And you remember when there were not 50,000 fans out there.

How different do you think this experience will be?

TIM BROWN: You know, it’s going to be very different, no doubt about it. Of course, that’s what makes this tournament. In the past it’s been the fans and all the craziness you get with having the fans. And God knows, I can’t imagine the 17th hole without having fans there. It’s going to be a unique experience for the players.

But I believe for the really good players it may be a little more relaxing. Those guys will be able to really concentrate and play the type of golf they’re used to playing when they’re at home without having 50,000 people yelling in their backswing.

But I’m certainly going to look forward to being there. The circumstances are unfortunate with the fans not being able to be there. But at the same time, I think continuing the tournament and having the opportunity to raise money for charity is a beautiful thing. So I’m certainly looking forward to being there and playing my part.

Q Mike, I know last year you said you wanted to have a good time, you had expectations. You went 92, 86, 82. Looks like you’re currently going in the 70s this year. How much time have you had to work with your golf game or what do you expect this year?

MIKE VRABEL: I would say that looked like our football season last year kept getting better as the season went along. I was nervous as hell. Tim’s talking about having no spectators out there. I don’t even think I could pull the club back. I’ve teed off in front of Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village and I don’t think I was that nervous, but when I teed off in front of Jack Nicklaus. But I relaxed and I’m going to miss the families.

The thing I was so shocked about was how many parents were there with their children, and it started to dawn on me that that was a much more financially sound decision for their family to go and see these athletes and the celebrities than it would be to go to a game and take them to a game.

So I think those are the people that I’m going to miss the most that those kids go out there and get autographs and get their jerseys signed and their hats signed.

Q Do you get a chance to play much golf? And what’s your offseason like before training camp starts? Did you get the RV out again, or

MIKE VRABEL: I do not. We are in Atlanta as we speak. The game starts in 23 minutes. No RV this year, we decided against it. It will be watching baseball and getting as much baseball in for Carter as I can before I go off to camp and he goes off to college. And Tyler left on Friday.

So this is a good time for all the coaches that put a lot into the offseason and the Zoom meetings to unwind, and try to get recharged before this season that we hope and are positive that’s going to happen. We’re confident and we want it to happen. We wanted it to happen as healthy as we possibly can.

Q Tim, I have a question for you. Going back to your Raider days and considering what’s been going on in our country the last month, the protests, can you define how important racial diversity was to Al Davis?

TIM BROWN: I think a lot of people don’t know because it was never promoted or advertised. Just Al did an incredible job of making sure guys were well taken care of well after their careers were over. I was once present, I sort of snuck in on a conversation that I probably wasn’t supposed to be in on, but I heard what was going on. It was really unbelievable the amount of money that he would spend, almost up to a million dollars a month, to make sure certain guys were taken care of. And the majority of those guys were in the minority.

I think he’s always done an incredible job obviously when you look Art Shell, Art Shell was the first modern day African American head coach in the NFL. And we felt pressure about that. We really felt as if Art didn’t perform well, or if the team didn’t perform well and he didn’t win games, then no other African American would get a chance.

So it was pressure on us to go out and play well and to make him look good. And thankfully we made a couple of playoffs and he had a very good record. And we really believe that opened the doors for more African American coaches to be hired in the NFL.

So Al was big on being the first, no doubt about it. I think he did a lot of things that people don’t know about. But certainly if you know him, and if you were privy to many of the things he was doing behind the scenes, I think everybody would be super impressed with his charge to make sure that minorities were well respected.

Q John, as you look at the baseball negotiations, in your mind how do you apportion blame among association and MLB? And how do you view it differently as a former player? And as an outsider do you think Rob, Tony or Bruce are in danger of getting bounced out before collective bargaining?

JOHN SMOLTZ: I can only tell you from my experiences before. The players, the one thing that I learned as a player is that what gets out in the news doesn’t always accurately describe what’s going on.

So therefore you can derive some conclusions that aren’t accurate and therefore you can create pressure in PR in the wrong department. So a lot of it is posturing at the time we were going through what we were. A lot of it is misinformation as well.

In any negotiations there’s going to be the side of each person that believes what they believe and sometimes the information that gets out gets out on purpose to create pressure on the other side.

And, look, this is unprecedented times. This is not a normal situation to just have a labor dispute. This is trying to figure out how do we have a baseball season in one of the most confusing, fear paralyzing times of our life. And I think that’s difficult in and of itself.

So I don’t think it would be fair for me to I just don’t know enough of what’s going on to levy that kind of teeter totter blame on either side. I just know that the country has anxiously and hopefully waited to see sports again and hopefully we can. I still remain optimistic even though it’s not gone well up to this point.

And if it gets to playing again look, as athletes it’s hard for us to have two sides equally as important in our life. That’s, one, we’re athletes, and that’s what we train, know and do. The other side is the big business part that’s very difficult for everyone to try to soak in and understand. So it’s a long winded answer to say until you’re in that room, you really it’s hard to speak to what’s going on unless you’re in that room caring and sharing information that a lot of other people won’t get.

Q Do you think this public dispute between the sides for both of them will hurt baseball’s popularity with either the regular fans or fans in general?

JOHN SMOLTZ: I think other than the pandemic shutting the game down, the answer would be yes. If the game is played, to what level and the amount of games will become irrelevant to the viewers. It might be more relevant to the owners and the players, that’s why they haven’t been able to get to that common ground.

But I think the sport, as long as it gets to play this year, that won’t affect what you asked.

Now, down the road there’s obviously some stumbling blocks that have to be dealt with down the road. But I think playing the sport at least 60 games, if that’s what it ends up being the end is always what makes our sport great, the World Series and the postseason. So, that’s just as equally as important as the actual season that’s played.

Q John, with the short season this year, 60 games, what do you anticipate, absolutely crazy?

JOHN SMOLTZ: I think it’s going to be awesome from a standpoint of a lot of things that you never could predict and we’ve never seen. So the older player’s going to be refreshed. The younger player’s going to be super anxious to get out there. It’s going to be a strategy so much different on the strategy and the roster and how you manipulate the roster.

But the obvious thing is the great teams that were great before this happened are still going to be great. But there’s a lot more pressure on them, because in a 60 game schedule, I think that you have 25 percent more teams that can compete that had no idea they were going to compete for 162 games.

So you’re going to see more teams have a chance in a 60 game schedule. That’s why in a first half, second half scenario, it’s a totally different philosophy than it is in 162.

I would say this like any other sport, but once you have 162 games and you know your roster is good the first two months don’t bother you, whether you’re 10 games down or eight games down you know you’re better over 162 games. Now leads and pressure of trying to get into the pressure of getting in the playoffs is going to be pressure. It’s really got a chance to be unique.

Q And every game is going to be worth more than two and a half times than a normal regular season game?

JOHN SMOLTZ: Yeah, I think so. I can see scenarios where teams who have the big three in their rotation might get creative with that. You’ll use the pitching is going to be there’s going to be a ton of pitchers anyways. But you just have the resources that you would never have over 162. So there could be some scenarios where the pitching staffs that wouldn’t be able to do what they can do for 162 might be able to do something different for 60.

So I think you’re going to see some creativity that allows a team to justify their ability to play in the playoffs. There are going to be some surprises. That I can guarantee you, and those surprises might be refreshing in the sense that you didn’t see that coming three months ago.

Q John, let me ask you, how surprised are you that it came together for the tournament this year and it’s actually taking place?

JOHN SMOLTZ: Say that again, how surprised am I that it came together?

Q That everything came together for the tournament to actually take place this year?

JOHN SMOLTZ: Like Tim Brown, I’m super excited, if nothing else, look, we love what we do. We did it all in a different form. But to give a diversion, to give somebody something to watch the fan experience is second to none, but we can’t have that for obvious reasons. So, getting out there to compete and being able play, it’s a challenger must for me. And I try to mark it down every year.

And the fact that we’re doing it is exciting, because it’s getting us closer and closer, hopefully, to just being more normal if that’s even possible with the unprecedented times we’re living in.

I’m excited that NBC is going to cover it. And I’m excited at whatever we can bring to the charities that end up becoming a beneficiary from this is exciting as well. But personally for me I miss structure. I miss I’m usually in the middle of a baseball season. And I’m trying to cram in Tahoe in the last second, try to get in and get out and go back to my job.

So I’m starving for something, as I’m sure a lot of people are starving to get back to structure, which, you know, for a lot of us has been nonexistent for a long time.

Q You mentioned competing. Let me just ask, you’ve been an apex competitor in celebrity golf for many years. And I just read in Forbes, they mentioned golf is your other sport. You defended at Diamond. What do you think, how do you think about this year? Is this your year at the American Century Championship? How do you feel about winning?

JOHN SMOLTZ: I have no excuses of my game not being ready. There hasn’t been a whole lot to do other than be able to play some golf. As I mentioned earlier, I’m counting the days and getting out in an unbelievable part of the country, even though, again, it will be without fans. I’m excited. I’ve learned a lot in the last three years of golf.

I had the opportunity to play or was going to play in four Champion Tour events this year, but those got canceled three of them got canceled or postponed. So this is I love tournaments. I love competing.

I think this year I’ll probably be less hard on myself because what I’ve learned is when I go to these things, I’m too hard on myself. The expectation’s through the roof and I end up beating myself up mentally over things that I shouldn’t be doing. And this time off has really made me realize that component won’t be there this year.

Q My question is regarding ’94. Do you see parallels, John, between ’94 stoppage and today’s disputes?

JOHN SMOLTZ: That’s a great question. I don’t think so. We’re talking about really two different eras of older generations that were teaching us younger guys of what was the past and what they’re trying to do for the future. I think it’s a really different era of generational players where it’s a young game, and rightfully so. The athletes in this game are prepared to do things that we probably weren’t prepared to do back then. And it’s a different reward system that exists today that didn’t exist back then.

I think it’s two totally different desires, if that makes sense, from the group of people that are playing today versus the group of people that were playing back in those eras. And it was an older game, it was a more older influence, it was more experience. And there was a lot of value in that back then that really helped form us at an information basis even without the technology that exists today that you got access to all kinds of information.

So I wouldn’t say it from the outside looking in that it’s the same.

Q You guys are not just superstars, but you’re also sports fans. Other than getting ready to compete in this tournament, how are you kind of feeding your sports fan Jones?

TIM BROWN: It’s been tough. So many repeat games watching Notre Dame football games, repeat games. And everything that’s on TV right now, I think the “Last Dance” was even though it’s not my sport, but it got you back into that era of basketball that I miss so much for sure.

But it’s been tough. One good thing that’s come out of my 17 year old son decided to play golf, so we’ve been playing a lot of golf together. So I guess that’s one of the ways I’ve been quenching my thirst for sports. It’s tough when there’s no live sports on, it’s really difficult when you’re a sports family anyway it’s difficult. So that part of it has been a little rough. But at the same time this has been a good time for me.

And I try to get better in every sense of the word. That’s what I’ve been focusing on better husband, better father, the whole deal. And hopefully we can come out of this and be a better person.

MIKE VRABEL: Well, obviously just got a lot of access to the Titans film and NFL film. And that’s really what it was. We had a big house full of people. My son was home from college, Boston College, and had another one and we had three two 19 year olds and an 18 year old and me in the house. So it got busy and got crowded. It looked like a fraternity house.

So we spent a lot of time together. And then when they finally let me back in the office, I think I slept outside my office waiting for them to let me back in. But as far as the sports go, it’s been a huge part of our family. It’s important to our family.

My dad raised me to love and be a great teammate, love being part of a team and the atmosphere and the bond that’s built in the locker room. So I think that’s really what we’ve missed as a family and we try to make our own locker room out of it. So that’s really what we did and we’re hoping for some normalcy, the best we can have.

JOHN SMOLTZ: For me it’s kind of funny, because I didn’t really I’ve been retired going on 11 years, and I never really watched a lot of my games. But as Tim mentioned, there’s a lot of historic games that fortunately I was part of that have been rerun. I’ve got a chance to watch them, was kind of digging it. We’re empty nesters, so my college kids were coming back home, and they obviously weren’t born when I pitched a lot of these. They were enamored that I was locked into this game that happened 30 years ago. And they asked me questions like do you remember that pitch and that batter. And, of course, I could have recited the whole game.

At one point they had to tell me I had to stop watching those. That’s what I was filling my time with was a lot of memorable games. And then the Braves had a reunion for the ’95 World Series on Zoom, and that was really cool.

It’s funny because when you retire and you get into what I’ve been into in broadcasting, you’re locked into baseball, but I never really got a chance to watch a lot of those games. So that part was pretty cool until the kids told me to move on.

Q Tim, now that Vegas has happened, what are your emotions? Because you went through this (indiscernible) local in LA, and now it’s happening again. And what are you expecting the team on the field this season?

TIM BROWN: You know, I think I got over the emotional part of the Raiders moving a couple years ago. I can remember having conversations with the head brass, trying to figure out why they were doing what they were doing. They didn’t want to do it, but they felt like they had to do it because the City of Oakland wasn’t responding the way they wanted to. So once you realize that, the question I asked is how do you expect these rich guys to perform in Las Vegas and stay out of trouble?

And their response was, hey, look, Tim, when we were in LA we had trouble. We had trouble in Oakland. We’re going to have trouble in Vegas. There’s always gonna be a couple of knuckleheads, a couple of guys, it’s never the whole team that are going to be the troublemakers.

I think from that standpoint, the one thing I wanted to see was this organization finally have their own stadium and not have to share a baseball stadium no offense, John not have to share a baseball stadium with the Oakland A’s. It’s tough to do. It’s tough to play on that, four or five games every year. So I think them getting their own stadium now.

Unfortunately, it’s in Vegas, but at the same time it’s great that it’s in Vegas because if there’s any team that can pull this off, I think it’s the Raiders. And so I think from that standpoint, it’s going to be an incredible run.

When you look at the team and where they are right now, obviously I’m a big Jon Gruden fan. If not for him I don’t have HoF by my name. I think this guy is capable of getting things done. I think he’s finally got the speed he’s been looking for; probably had it last year going into training camp but the AB blew up on everybody. He has a guy now in Henry Ruggs who can really stretch the field. And we had a guy like that back in the day, James Jett. And he didn’t catch a whole bunch of balls but he garnered a whole bunch of attention because he was a 4.1, 4.2 40 guy. So now you have a guy who’s not only fast but has the ability to make plays with the ball in his hand. It’s going to be very interesting to see what he can bring to the table.

I’m never going to count Gruden out. I think he has amazing abilities to get the best out of players. And if that being the case, I think if the team, if they hone in on what he’s trying to teach them, they can be right there at the end fighting for a playoff spot and even going deeper into the playoffs.

Q Tim, I wanted to follow up with Al Davis, who had wanted this stadium all along, and the vision for it to finally come together and seeing the Raiders with this state of the art stadium out here in Vegas.

TIM BROWN: I know a lot of people may not know, I should say, that Al Davis kept a home, a place in Vegas. So, I think he would be smiling from ear to ear right now being that the team is in Vegas.

I think you look back I got to the LA Raiders in ’88. We moved to Oakland in ’95. And when we got there, they talked about building a stadium, and Al and the city got into it. No surprise there, I guess. But then 22 years later finally the team finds a situation not in Oakland to make their home in.

So I bring that up to say only that the city had 22 years to make Oakland a permanent home, make the Raiders a permanent home in Oakland. They decided not to, for whatever reason.

But now it’s time for us to move forward and to embrace this situation with Vegas. I know the city has embraced the Raiders. Now it’s time for the Raider fans to embrace it and let’s move on and go make some great things happen.

Q I wanted to ask your take on how the Raiders have handled social awareness, especially the Black Lives Matter and making Juneteenth an official holiday for the organization.

TIM BROWN: I think if it comes from your heart then it’s a beautiful thing. But if it comes from your mind because you feel like, oh, we gotta do this because of XYZ, then it’s something totally different. And I know those guys well enough in that organization to know that this is coming from their heart. So it’s a beautiful thing.

And this is what the Raiders have always been about. I mean, I think the Raiders have always been the last act for a whole bunch of veteran players in the league because Al Davis have always given those guys the last opportunity to do something great.

I think this is sort of keeping in line with what Al was all about. And now you have an organization that understands where society is right now and for them to get out front and make this a holiday, it’s what it’s all about.

Again, to do it under pressure is one thing but to do it because it’s what you want to do and what you feel like is the right thing is what it’s all about.

Q Tim, what do you think the real chances are for having NFL football this fall? And a lot of people have asked you also about the move to Vegas. Do you think the Raiders and Las Vegas will be a good fit?

TIM BROWN: Yeah, well this question is tailor made for Mike Vrabel because I’m sure he had more information than I do. I certainly am starting to believe there will be football this year; but that’s just my thoughts and my hopes really. I don’t know about the fans.

Q I said it was all of our hopes.

TIM BROWN: Right. I don’t know if there are going to be fans in the stadium initially. But at the same time I’m hoping that the season does get started. And maybe, you know, in October things are going well, slip a couple of fans into the stadium.

But I think that’s the only thing we can hope right now is that the season can get going. If the season can get going, then I think there will be an end to the season, and I think that’s what it’s all about.

Q Do you think that Las Vegas and the Raiders will be a good fit?

TIM BROWN: I think it’s going to be a perfect fit. Like I said sort of jokingly a second ago, I don’t know if there’s another team in the league that could put (indiscernible) other than the Raiders. But I think people sort of look at the Raiders being the bad boys and all this kind of stuff.

But at the same time, now it’s time to get out and play great football. I think they’re going to have an incredible fan base, not only the original fan base, but I know the Vegas folks are clamoring for a football team. And now that they have it I think they’re going to show up and be ready to support.

Q Mike, the COVID 19 disruption and everything that’s going on with it, do you think it affects the top tier teams like the Titans more than the teams that are trying to get to that next level and make the playoffs?

MIKE VRABEL: Well, I think every year is a new year. That’s what I learned in the National Football League as a player and a coach. Everybody starts back over. There’s free agency. You add players. You lose players. There’s the draft. Player acquisition.

I would say we had as good a virtual offseason that I could have expected. I am somewhat happy that we aren’t a new staff. This staff has been together, the players; the nucleus has been with us now going on three years. I’m hopeful that when it’s safe to go back out there, we’ll be able to resume and pick up where we left off and start back over and continue to try to build a football team.

Q Certainly had a great season last year. Are you personally, yourself, worried about catching the virus?

TIM BROWN: You know, there’s nothing more important than the health and safety of our football team and our players. And I know that whatever the protocols are, we will follow; and we’re always putting our players first. Their best interest is always forefront in my mind.

I don’t worry or concern myself with things that haven’t happened to me yet. So I will continue to try to follow the protocols. When the NFL tells us what that is and it’s as safe as possible time to go back to work, then we’ll go back to work under the guidelines.

Q Seems like it’s impossible to play football with social distancing.

MIKE VRABEL: I think those two things, not the type of football we want to play. Again, when the NFL tells us it’s safe and we follow the guidelines, we’re going to trust in the process and follow the game plan. And if we have to make adjustments to it, we will.

It’s an honor to be invited out there and honor to be on with two Hall of Famers. And I know Tim and what type of person he is, first and foremost, and what type of player he was and obviously the career that John has and the person he is. I appreciate them allowing me to be on with them.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP
Teleconference with Charles Barkley, Dell Curry and Jerome Bettis
July 1, 2020

THE MODERATOR: We’re joined by Dell Curry, Charles Barkley and Jerome Bettis.

Charles, you’ve played in the event for a long time. This is your 25th year. And there are no fans, which is one of the great delights out there. How do you think this experience will be different for you and the celebrities?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, I think for me personally I won’t hit anybody, so that’s always a welcome relief. That’s first and foremost.

First, I just want to give a shoutout to American Century for holding the event. Obviously it’s under some unique and different circumstances. Shoutout to American Century, but also NBC.

You know, I can always count on those guys at NBC. A few years ago we had those major fires, and I asked Jon Miller and those guys if I could take a camera up to where the houses burned down. He gave me his blessing, because I didn’t think it was fair that we came to Lake Tahoe and just have shits and giggles on the course and have a great time and gamble and do karaoke.

So he gave me a camera, and I walked around for four, five hours and met with people who just lost their house.

I know I can always count on NBC. And this year some of the stuff we’ll be doing number one, for justice, equal justice, but also for COVID 19, I think, is really cool what they’re doing for Notah. And you look at the COVID 19 thing, it’s had a devastating effect. I don’t know a lot about the American Indian situation, but I know it’s had a detrimental effect on the black community. And I’m glad we’re doing something like that.

And obviously we have a lot of work to do with equality and police reforms and things like that. But hopefully everybody will come up and also I want to give a shoutout to Lake Tahoe. I know they’ve had a difficult time. And even though fans can’t come to the golf course, I really hope they come up and put some money into the city.

A lot of people out there are going to lose their livelihood and the casinos are obviously at the mercy of all that also. So I’m just glad to be going to Lake Tahoe and thank NBC and American Century.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Charles. The Angora fire that Charles referenced earlier was 18 years ago this week. And NBC did a fundraising campaign around that. And Charles donated $100,000 to the local fire department initiatives in the area. So a memorable year for sure.

Dell, you played in the tournament in 1998. And so you remember it from back in that first decade. What’s your recollection from how the tournament’s grown and what you expect this year.

DELL CURRY: I want to go with what Charles said. It’s a privilege to go to Tahoe every year for that week and just hang out and be with a lot of guys you don’t normally get to see on a day to day basis, and have a lot of fun raising money.

It’s something that I know Steph and I are really looking forward to. Steph (indiscernible) as well, but they made the playoffs, and the NBA season is about to resume. So he’s going to be back at work.

But the thing that I remember the most is that it was stroke play back then. I’m so thankful we went to the scoring point system because I shot a lot of stroke play. I’m sure Charles can remember that as well.

But just the overall growth of the tournament, how exciting it is every year. It will be different this year, obviously, as Charles alluded to, no fans.

But the support and the charity and everything will still feel the benefit that the tournament brings, American Century, everybody involving they do a fabulous job. Obviously it’s a first class event from top to bottom, from the people running it to the players. We’re just so happy to be involved and a chance to have some fun, but most importantly to give back to those in need.

Q Dell, curious, as a parent, is there any part of you that, I don’t know, believes that Steph won’t be playing in Orlando? How do you feel about Steph will be playing in Dallas? How do you feel about the whole NBA setup starting up again and COVID 19?

DELL CURRY: I don’t think relief is the word. I’d love to have my guys playing, to be able to support them. But the time off, I think, Steph and this Warriors team will get will be greatly beneficial to them heading into next year. A lot has been written about their injuries and what they went through this year. So having extended time will really help them.

I had a chance to visit Steph last week for about 10 days and he feels very comfortable about how the NBA and the protocol and setting up the bubble. The players are very informed from the testing to what’s going to go on to the bubble to keep them safe but also keep them entertained.

He’s excited to get back on the floor. He was having a great year before he hurt his ankle before the season was suspended. He’s healthy and ready to go. And he’s looking forward to making the playoffs they have a young team; see how far they can go.

Yes, he’s going to miss his family for the first four, six weeks, but hopefully they can get to the second round and have some family come down and join them.

So I feel comfortable that everything is they’re going to be safe. The league is doing everything they can in setting things up and making sure the players are as safe as they can be. I think it’s a great situation.

Again, people are starving for sports on TV. So to be able to get that fan base back and involved and give people something to do, something to look forward to in this tough time that we’re going through right now, that’s what it’s all about.

Q I don’t know how much film you watch, but how would you describe Charles’ golf game? And if you could offer one critique, what would it be?

DELL CURRY: You know, I’m too busy trying to describe my golf game, critique myself. I can’t worry about other players. Golf is a fun game. It’s extremely difficult. And if you start thinking about other guys’ swings and scores, you know your game’s going to falter.

Again, it’s fun to go and catch up and hang out with the guys and shoot the shit on the range, and like Charles said, hang out, have dinner, have drinks. That’s the part we look forward to after golf. We’re on the golf course it’s competitive. I’m not worried about the other guys. I want to beat them but to do that I’ve got to concentrate on my game.

JEROME BETTIS: I have had the chance to play with Charles a couple weeks ago. And his game is in really good shape. He’s gotten away from the hitch. He’s swinging really good and he hit some bombs out there. So, I expect to see him play markedly better than he has in the past because his game is looking really good. And he’s always been pretty good on the greens. So I expect him to go out and play well.

Q Did you have a song picked out for this year, Dell, for karaoke?

DELL CURRY: I did not. Steph the loser the winner gets to pick the song and the outfit that the loser is going to wear. And I have no idea where Seth is going there. But I’m sure he’ll still make me follow through with that. I think I’m getting a pass that there are no fans and we’re not in the casino with karaoke set up. I got a pass there. He may wait until we get fans back the following year to pick it up. I’m not sure. But it’s his call because I did lose last year.

Q I hope he comes up with something creative this year. What about this year, do you think you’ll be double or nothing this year?

DELL CURRY: I’ll fly to the Bay early next week. And then we always drive up to the tournament. It’s a great drive guys’ trip, me, Steph and the two caddies. And we’ll hash out what the bet will be then.

So I’ve got some thoughts in mind. But again being the loser last year, the winner kind of sets the stakes.

Q Steph’s got game. He’s been playing a lot since he’s been not on the court. Do you think he might actually have a chance to win the tournament this year?

DELL CURRY: I know that’s his mindset. He’s not playing a whole lot. He does have a simulator at his house; he’s able to hit some balls. But coming off a hand injury and not getting to play, because they shut the courses down in the Bay Area. They just opened them up recently.

He’s played a little bit, and he’s played well. But I know he’s really looking forward to this year because he’s had a chance to play and practice and really concentrate and kind of unwind as opposed to finishing the Finals and a week later he’s in Tahoe, really haven’t had a chance to unwind and rest up.

His game is sharp. Like Jerome said about Charles’ game, he has a really good around the green, short game. So he’s definitely thinking that maybe this is his year.

Q Charles, I was following up on that earlier, on Jerome talking about your game. Last year you promised you were not going to finish in last place and you fulfilled that promise. What have you been doing in the last year that’s helped you continue to improve your game?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, let me just say, if I don’t play I played great the first day last year, then I got tired, because I’m not used to walking four days in a row. I’m not going to get tired this year. I’m going to play well.

I’m really excited. I started working with a new coach about two years ago, and the last year things have gotten a lot better for me. Stan Utley’s been great. And I’m really looking forward to play well.

I’ll be devastated if I don’t play well. Like I said, I had a couple of good days last year and then I ran out of gas. This is the only time I can’t speak for Bus and Dell, this is the only time I walk on the golf course. And after I played 36 Thursday and Friday, I played pretty well Thursday and Friday. And then Saturday and Sunday my tank was on empty.

So I’ve worked out a lot more. I hit a lot more balls. And listen, I think I’m going to play well. I really do. I’m excited for the tournament. Listen, obviously I don’t feel like I’m going to win the thing, but I’ll be very surprised and disappointed if I don’t play good.

Q Given all that’s happened over the past month with the social movement and Black Lives Matter, how does this 4th of July feel different to you guys? And on the larger picture, sports in general, how has the pandemic in particular changed your attitude for what sports means in the big picture?

JEROME BETTIS: First, in terms of the 4th of July, it still has meaning obviously, but it’s the question of can our country grow, can we become a better country on this 4th of July and the issues in front of us? And believe we can work towards a better country. And I think that’s going to happen.

We’re starting to see some of the residual effects of the movement. So that’s good to see.

And in terms of the pandemic and sports, I think not having sports we see how important sports are to the fabric of our country, and not only actual things but the conversation about the games; the residuals, we’re not seeing that. And to now know that it’s starting to happen, you’re starting to see a little golf on television. And you’re starting to see some UFC, starting to see NASCAR.

So, although it’s not the core sports, if you will, of the United States, it’s still sports and it’s starting to happen. And we’re starting to see that sports are a very important part of our daily lives.

And although it is a game, it does serve as a great kind of change of pace from everything that’s happened. Obviously, COVID 19 it’s real, it’s scary, and it’s in everybody’s home in terms of the information. But the sports, it takes you out of that realm and gives you something really to look forward to.

CHARLES BARKLEY: Well, listen, this pandemic, I want to give my blessing to everybody out there who has got the disease and their family, if they passed away. This thing, it’s one of the craziest things, by far the craziest thing that’s happened in my lifetime. I can’t speak for Bus and Dell, but we’ve never seen anything like this in our lifetime. We’ve got businesses ruined forever. We’ve got so many people who are going to be out of work forever. It’s changed their life.
As far as the socialism stuff, listen, America is the greatest country in the world. We have dropped the ball on equality, economically, and that’s the biggest difference. We need to give black people and poor white people economic opportunity. We put them in the worst neighborhoods. We put them in the worst school and we said good luck.

And I think this thing exploded because, No. 1, we need police reform. I’m never going to bash the cops. I think we need the cops. I think they’re important and significant.

You know, it’s interesting, you talk to all these fools on television talking about defunding the cops. First of all, let’s get one thing straight: Good neighborhoods and white neighborhoods are not going to defund the cops. They’re only going to defund the cops in poor black neighborhoods and poor white neighborhoods.

And who are black people supposed to call, Ghostbusters? Are you kidding me? We need cops. But we need police reform because the bad cops are giving the good cops a bad name.
But anybody who thinks we can have a civilized society without cops, they’re being disingenuous and they’re not being honest and fair. But we do need police reform. And that’s something we really need.

Like I say, I don’t want any unarmed black man killed. I don’t want any unarmed white man killed. But we do need police reform, but we need to work with the cops. And, like I said, I get disappointed when all these fools and jackasses get on TV saying we don’t need cops. We’d be in the wild, wild west if it wasn’t for the cops.

I don’t want anything to happen like happened to Mr. Floyd. That was awful and that was terrible. I think as a black man you see another black man die at the hands of cops it’s, like, putting his knee on his neck for nine minutes and got his hands in his pockets; clearly he doesn’t feel threatened you got your hands in your pocket. You don’t feel threatened at all.

So, that was a really awful situation. That cop has to pay the consequences for that. But this can also be a learning experience. And we need to have a learning experience. Like I say, we need the cops.

DELL CURRY: There’s not a lot you can add to what Jerome and Charles said. I agree with everything there. But I’ve been just driving people for their voices to be heard through the voting. You have to get out and vote. The protests are great. I love that peaceful protesting, voices heard. But individually you need to get out and register and vote and make sure your voice is heard that way. That’s how you’re going to get a lot of change.

So that’s something I’ve really been pushing here locally on a local, state market in North Carolina is to get people registered and get out and vote and let your voice be heard and make a difference that way.

Q Jerome, five years ago you were inducted into The Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. This year The Hall of Fame Game and induction ceremony have been postponed until 2021. Were you planning to head back this year to join the ceremony as an alum? And how has this postponement been a reflection of the new world you’re living in?

JEROME BETTIS: I definitely planned to be there. There’s quite a few guys that were going into the Hall. You had my former coach, Coach Bill Cowher was supposed to go in Troy Polamalu, my teammate, he was going in.

There was definitely a reason for me to be there. I’m was looking forward to it. Obviously with the change and the postponement to next year, I feel sorry for those guys who don’t really get that moment that they’ve been waiting they have to wait another year; they’ve already waited five and they’ve got to wait another year to get to be recognized and have that moment where they’re being received in The Hall of Fame with their teammates and the class and all the pageantry that goes along with this.

It’s disappointing that they’re not going to be able to have that moment this year and they’ve got to share it with the next class next year. But that is the times that we’re living in right now, and we have to make that adjustment.

This pandemic isn’t going anywhere, as we’ve seen. The numbers are telling us that we’re going to be in this for the long haul. So we have to expect that things are going to be postponed.

We’re going to have changes in schedules.

So I think that’s the one part that we all understand it’s for everyone’s best interests that it is postponed because at the end of the day it’s about everyone being safe and being conscious about what’s happening right now, so we are safe and give ourselves the best chance to get through it.

Q Charles, you’ve played golf with all these guys in the past few years and watched them play and checked their scores. Can Steph or perhaps Mulder or Derek Lowe, who came in third last year, can any of these guys beat Tony Romo this year?

CHARLES BARKLEY: I think all those guys are good golfers. If you get hot of course you can. But listen, there’s some guys, they’re head and shoulders like Tony Steph actually has a real job. So he’s always at a disadvantage. He might have a great chance this year because like Del said his game is probably sharp and he’s probably healthy.

This will probably be the most he’s ever been prepared. Think about it. He’s been busy the last three years winning MVP and championships. I think if he’s going to win it this will be the year.

We’ve all been locked up for the last four months, so if he’s going to win I think this will be a great opportunity.

But Tony is a great player. Mark Mulder is a great player, and Derek Lowe is a great player.

Let’s be realistic. There’s probably 10 guys, maybe 15, that can actually win this thing. I mean the notion that everybody is going to win, that’s just bogus. But there’s probably 10 to 15 guys, or there’s probably five guys who will probably go off as the betting favorites. And listen they deserve it.

They’ve won the tournament, I think some of the guys won it two out of the last four years, some of the same names.

Listen, what’s going to be very interesting about this tournament this year, everybody’s probably coming in playing, probably have played more golf than they’ve ever played. I think that’s going to be really important and significant.

Nobody’s been busy for the last four months. I’m not saying they played golf the entire four months, but they probably could have worked on their game in some capacity. So, you know, that to me was going to be the most interesting thing because nobody’s been busy. Everybody’s been working on their game.

So, I think clearly it sucks without fans, because they’re one of the highlights of the week. But as far as golf, man, I think this has the chance of being the best one ever. And I’m not just saying that just for the hell of it. I’m saying everybody’s been working on their game so those top 10 to 15 guys, you know, you only win this thing by I think there’s probably only four or five holes different that you make birdie. So, if you have a guy who has been working on his game get on a hot streak, I think anybody can win in the top 10.

THE MODERATOR: Speaking of the betting lines, Tony Romo is the favorite at 5 to 6. Mulder is 5 to 2. Derek Lowe is 12 to 1. Mardy Fish is 12 to 1. Steph Curry, 18 to 1. John Smoltz, 30 to 1. Dell Curry 100 to 1. Jerome, 500 to 1. And Charles 7500 to 1.

CHARLES BARKLEY: I’ll tell you this. If the players are really smart, they’d all bet some money on me and let me win this thing, and we would break every casino in the world. That would be my suggestion to all the players, put a couple hundred dollars on me and find a way for me to win this thing. That would be a nice little check for them.

Q Last year you birdied a hole. I guess that was the first day when you still had your stamina. DeMarcus Ware finished beneath you. So did Dylan Dryer. I see DeMarcus on the list; Dylan isn’t there. I don’t think you’re going to finish last?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Let me tell you something. I guarantee you I’m not going to finish last. How many players are playing this year?

THE MODERATOR: 75.

CHARLES BARKLEY: I’m going to finish in the top 60. I’m going to finish in the top 60.

Q Charles, Dell alluded to it a little bit, with the new NBA season not starting, next season not starting until September. How do you think that will help the Warriors? And do you think they can get back to title contentions with Steph and Klay now fully healthy?

CHARLES BARKLEY: I think, number one, I’ve always been a proponent that we don’t start the season until December. You go back look at the NBA, the year we had our best ratings we started at Christmas. And I think it was because we’re not competing with college football and pro football which are King Kong and King Kong Jr.

I think if we started in December at Christmas, like, we have five games on Christmas Day, I think that would be a perfect way to start the NBA season. And we could go a couple extra weeks because there’s no competition in the middle of the summer.

I’ve always believed that we should do that. Listen, the Warriors, it depends on what they do going forward. I mean obviously going to have a lot of [inaudible]. They’re going to have a good team.

Anytime you’ve got Klay and Steph you’re going to have a good team. They’re probably the two greatest shooters that ever lived. But they’re not the same they’re not going to be the same team they used to be because other teams have gotten a lot better. The Lakers and Clippers are not going anywhere.

The Nuggets got a good solid team. I’m probably missing somebody. But clearly the Lakers and the Clippers are the two teams to beat, not just this year going forward. Milwaukee is terrific.

It’s going to be interesting. My number one thing I’m not even really worried about next year; my only goal go is to get through this. I just hope none of the players get sick, because I think it will be catastrophic for the NBA to get started and then have to stop.

I think it also will be bad if we have a bunch of star players who get the virus and we don’t have a legitimate champion. But if everybody is healthy, this will be a great accomplishment. With all the crap that we’ve been through this year, to go down to Orlando and play without fans and motivate yourself, man like I say, if everybody is healthy it will be a great accomplishment. My only concern is stopping this thing if a bunch of people get sick or a bunch of great players are not able to play. And then, like I said, I told somebody the worst case scenario will be the New York Knicks against the Sacramento Kings playing for the championship.

Like, if all the players in the league got sick and those two organizations play for the championship, that wouldn’t be a good look. So I’m hoping that everybody’s healthy and we have a great championship between (indiscernible) the Clippers, the Lakers and the Bucks and Toronto, that guy from Toronto, Masai and Nick, are doing a fantastic job.

But as far as the Warriors, they might be competitive because of Klay and Steph. Draymond is a good little player. But the rest of the stuff is out. I mean, the rest of the jury is out on the rest of that team.

DELL CURRY: I would agree with that, Charles. I’m looking forward to Orlando. I think the AAU played in Orlando; I’m thinking like the NBA is going to be a glorified AAU tournament. Everybody is going to be right there. You’ll be rubbing elbows with those guys, in the same gym. It’s going to be an A type setting tournament.

It’s really going to be intense. And like Charles, if everybody stays healthy, and every team has their top players, it’s going to be a shoot out until the end. I think it’s a bona fide winner. Shouldn’t be an asterisk beside that.

I think everybody is playing on an equal table, equal floor, equal rules. The winner should be celebrated just like every other world championship is.

And as far as the Warriors, talking to Steph, he’s excited for next. Talked about how everybody is going to be healthy and rested. And even the eight teams that did not make it, they’re trying to find a way to play. And anticipate the Warriors are not going to do that; they’re going to focus on practice. And Klay’s healthy now. I think they’re going to work him in slowly. They’re thinking they can be contenders. But the west is going to be really tough. 13 teams in this bubble in the West and only nine in the Eastern Conference.

So Draymond is already fired up; he’s already on Instagram talking about he’s going to remind people who he was when he made the All Star team. So he’s already thinking about next year and it doesn’t start until next December.

So I think if they can pull this off, get good momentum in Orlando and then, a couple months later, come back with great momentum next year, with everybody being fresh and healthy, the NBA is in a very good position right now.

Q (Indiscernible) with the Suns, with Monty in place and games in place, are you seeing signs of things getting better here in Phoenix, and what do you think the franchise needs to do there to get back to what they once were?

CHARLES BARKLEY: Obviously I’m a Phoenix Suns fan. I root for Philadelphia and Phoenix. When I was living in Phoenix I wanted to see the Suns do well.

I think Monty is going to be a terrific coach. You know, the problem we have in sports now, you guys are never patient. We have two young kids who are they’re building their future around Deandre and obviously Booker.

Listen, I think just making this playoff bubble, I think it’s going to be a great experience for these guys. It’s probably going to be the most meaningful games they’ve ever played.

So I think that’s going to be a positive going forward. Listen, even though this is our legitimate playoff scenario, it is like the playoffs. So I really think it’s going to be good for those young guys going forward; they can learn what pressure is like. Like I say, this is not like anything I’ve ever seen in my life.

I want to get on here say, yeah, I would bust my ass in an empty gym, but I can’t speak for Dell, and I definitely can’t speak for Jerome because I don’t know how you would play football without the crowds, because those are some real men out there who play football. I played football one day and I said hey this shit is not for me.

They’re some real men out there. I can’t imagine trying to play a football game without 70, 80,000 people pumping me up. And I can’t speak for Dell on the other side. Playing in front of an empty gym, that’s going to be so weird and crazy. So this whole thing is going to be fascinating to watch. And the Suns are such a young team, they’ll have to find some mental toughness, and Monty is going to have his hands full trying to get them, hey, there’s no crowd, there’s no looking up in the crowd at your wife or girlfriend and people cheering you on. You’ve just got to bring it yourself. I think that’s going to be the best thing that happens to the Suns, pressure situation.

Like I said, this thing is so crazy. In a sense it’s going to be fascinating to watch.

Q Two weeks ago I had Kevin Nealon on my show. Coming up for this. He said, look, I want to give Charles a shot, so I think I’m going to pass this time?

But I just want to say we really miss the small things. You would fly into the South Lake Tahoe Airport, FliteDeck. And buy you a round of drinks. You’re like a real local up here. I want to say thank you for all you’ve done for the Angora Fire and the folks at NBC. We’re not going to recognize you if you cover your face with a face mask; is that Charles? I was curious to know, because we’re not going to be out there, the fans and whatnot, that maybe because I’ve heard sometimes you play really well when there’s not a lot of crowds there. So I’m wondering if the oddsmakers will have to readjust their minds and give you more of a favorite to win this sucker, because there’s going to be no people out there. Do you think that’s going to affect the game for you and your chances of maybe winning this thing for once?

CHARLES BARKLEY: No, I’m not going to win this thing. But like I say, definitely not going to win this thing. But let me say something: I put a lot of time and effort into my game the last two years, with my new coach, Stan. Like I said, I played decent last year. I played great the first day, as a matter of fact, but I really got tired. I’m really. Looking forward to playing again. It won’t have anything to do with the crowd. It doesn’t have anything to do with the crowd. But I’m going to play well. I’m really looking forward to it.

Listen, I’m not going to win the thing, but I’m going to play well. I’m excited to get to Lake Tahoe. It’s such a wonderful place. And the people are fantastic up there. And hopefully, like I say, even though we won’t have crowds on the golf course, I hope the people in this area come to Lake Tahoe and support the casinos, because it’s been a really difficult time for casinos. There’s a lot of people that work in these places, in the bars and restaurants and waitresses and on the floors. I hope people still come and support Lake Tahoe.

Q Just having this event and you guys up here, I got to see that as an eventual business, if anything, for morale. So just coming up here is a real gift. So thank you.

CHARLES BARKLEY: I can’t wait to get there.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

July 2, 2020 (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE Calif./Nev.) – For the first time in his career, Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes will join superstar athletes and entertainers at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe in July. The Kansas City Chiefs standout quarterback will join Tony Romo, Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers and Steph Curry among more than 70 sports and entertainment stars at the annual competition July 10-12 on the networks of NBC.

In accordance with governmental and health guidelines — and similar to major sporting events throughout the country — the American Century Championship will be contested without spectators and under social distancing guidelines at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on the shores of the famous lake. The 31st annual event will return as a live television event airing on NBCSN, NBC and GOLF Channel.

All prize monies will be donated to social justice, COVID-19 relief and regional Lake Tahoe non-profits as the tournament continues its longstanding commitment to charity fundraising efforts that have totaled more than $5 million over the years.

The Texas Tech star quarterback was drafted 10th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017 and has emerged as one of top players in the NFL. This past February, Mahomes fashioned a dynamic fourth quarter comeback, leading the Chiefs to a 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers for Kansas City’s first Super Bowl championship in nearly 50 years.

“As a company that’s been headquartered in Kansas City since 1958, American Century Investments is excited and proud to welcome KC Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes to this year’s tournament,” said Jonathan Thomas, American Century president and chief executive officer. “While this year will be a different experience for the players and fans alike due to the pandemic, what hasn’t changed is our continued focus on having a positive impact on the world by supporting incredible charities.”
Friday’s round will air live on NBCSN with Saturday and Sunday televised live on NBC. Encore presentations will be televised Friday, Saturday and Sunday on GOLF Channel for a total of 18 hours of coverage.

NBC and tournament partners at Edgewood Tahoe and host hotels have developed a comprehensive safety plan that includes enhanced cleaning protocols at both the course and hotels, on-course sanitation stations, restrictions on large organized dinners and evening events. Only the celebrities and essential tournament staff will be allowed on the course and all will be required to follow health and safety guidelines.

The competition is a 54-hole modified Stableford format tournament often referred to as the Super Bowl of celebrity golf. Curry, Rodgers, Romo and Barkley will be joined by a contingent of Hall of Famers led by Jerry Rice and entertainment personalities Ray Romano, Alfonso Ribeiro and Larry the Cable Guy, among others. A total of 13 Hall of Famers and 19 active NFL, NBA and NHL players are expected.

For the latest details, photos, celebrity tweets and fan contests go to @ACChampionship on Twitter and Instagram and facebook.com/ACChampionship. For tournament information: http://www.AmericanCenturyChampionship.com.

For real time updates on conditions and events in South Lake Tahoe, visit The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TahoeSouth, Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SouthShoreTahoe and YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LTVA. For information about Lake Tahoe South Shore, call 1-800-AT-TAHOE
(1-800-288-2463) or visit http://www.TahoeSouth.com.