“These things have been going on for decades stacked on centuries and it’s got to a point where I’ve never seen the group more determined…We know it’s a very long battle, but we’ve got the stomach for it and we’re into it.” – Rick Carlisle on fighting racial injustice

“We have to make sure, for the legacy of (George Floyd) and his family, that this movement now continues the energy, continues the inertia, and we take some big — maybe uncomfortable — but some big steps forward.” – Robbie Earle

 “I support Bubba (Wallace) and I support NASCAR that the Confederate flag should not be at our sites and in our sport…It has been motivating for me to listen and learn.” – Jimmie Johnson

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 10, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle
  • Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba
  • PGA TOUR golfer and 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge winner Kevin Na
  • GOLF Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Steve Letarte

 

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

• • Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle
  • NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson
  • Director Judd Apatow of The King of Staten Island
  • Co-Founder of Thirty Five Ventures & Kevin Durant’s Business Partner Rich Kleiman

 

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Rick Carlisle on the NBA coaching community coming together to discuss racial injustice: “A couple of weeks ago when the George Floyd incident happened, we got our entire 30 head coaches together within a six-hour period. There was a real feeling of anger and the need to get together and talk about what was going on in the world, to try and use the platform we have to try and do something to make it better. So, within six hours, we got a Zoom call, founded a committee, the NBCA committee on racial injustice and reform, led by Lloyd Pierce of the Atlanta Hawks. The committee is composed of some of our outspoken people on this topic over the years — Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, J.B. Bickerstaff, Stan Van Gundy, David Fizdale, Brett Brown, Doc Rivers, and Quin Snyder. As President of the Coaches Association, I’m not on the committee, but I’m on all the calls. We’ve had four calls with the committee and we’re going to mobilize as a coaching group, partner with a local organization or two in our local markets, learn the lay of the world around all of the different problems we are having today, and likely partner with the Obama Foundation. We’re planning to be in this fight for the long haul. We’re interested in making a difference, educating people on racial injustice. These things have been going on for decades stacked on centuries and it’s got to a point where I’ve never seen the group more determined. We’re excited to get started. We know it’s a very long battle, but we’ve got the stomach for it and we’re into it.”

Carlisle on George Floyd’s death: “That image frozen in time will live in perpetuity. It’s got to be a major reminder that these things have to stop. Stephen Jackson, not only was he a tremendous basketball player, he’s a passionate guy, and a guy with a great heart. He had a couple great years with Indiana as a player and this has been tragic to see this happen and see his reaction to this, but he has handled it with a tremendous amount of grace and fortitude.”

Carlisle on the NBA’s plan to resume play: “I know there is an asterisk next to everything in terms of the level of fluidity we are dealing with here, but we are excited to get back playing…We’re all going to have a laser-like focus on everything we are doing…We are dealing with a far different set of circumstances, we have a lot of smart people in this league, on all these teams and we will work through it meticulously.”

Jimmie Johnson on conversations he has had with Bubba Wallace: “Bubba is a great friend of mine, I’m really proud of how courageous he has been throughout all of this. His voice, his friendship and relationships in the garage area has really garnered a ton of support and has helped educate those within our industry on a deeper level. The unity to create a common voice is so needed and impressive.”

Johnson on social injustice: “We need to soften people’s minds and help motivate people to have a deeper understanding of the injustices and inequalities that are out there. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and a right, and I have an opinion and a right to have the stance that I do…I support Bubba and I support NASCAR that the Confederate flag should not be at our sites and in our sport…It has been motivating for me to listen and learn.”

Johnson on racing without fans at tracks: “Pre-race, post-race, there’s so many parts of my experience now that without a doubt I notice the fans aren’t there. Going to these huge venues with only essential personnel and actually racing — not being a practice or testing session — is really bizarre. When you’re in the car and at work, and the eyeline is focused on competition and you’re caught up battling your competitors and the car itself, you kind of lose sight of that. I am thankful I am not in a sport where you feed off the energy of the fans, that would be a huge adjustment to get used to.”

Johnson on his bucket-list following his NASCAR retirement after this season: “I have a bucket-list of cars and tracks that I still want to experience. Ultimately, I am in a sport and have had enough success, that hopefully I can call my shots (and say) here’s the top four or five races I want to experience…I’ve always wanted to race and drive in INDYCAR. I’m not interested in oval (tracks), so the INDY 500 would be out, but to experience one of their cars on a road course would be really amazing to me … I’ve always had a big interest in dirt sports car racing and there’s a longer runway for that kind of racing for me…so sports car racing is something I want to look really hard at.”

Rich Kleiman on the NBA resuming play: “I feel like it is likely. The NBA is as diligent and prepared a league as there is. Adam (Silver) has been able to lead the NBA through ups and downs and always does it with grace. You don’t think he will make any decision without covering any angle and seeing everything twice. I don’t think you announce that unless you’re fully intent on going ahead with it…Like anything else in the world right now, always with a qualifier because everyone wants to make sure it is safe.”

Kleiman on the NBA players’ potential protests once play begins: “Historically, the NBA players have been on the forefront of speaking out, about being on the side of right, advocating and some of the astute minds. I’ve always felt this way, I see it in business, philanthropy, social activism and I expect nothing different. We are living in a scary, yet exciting time in that it feels like for the first time ever that the line between right and wrong has been truly drawn and people can’t hide from that.”

Judd Apatow on directing LeBron James in Trainwreck: “He showed up so prepared, his acting was great, and he is genuinely funny. It’s not a performance where I had to try and squeeze it out of him. He was riffing like a guy who had been doing comedy and improv for the last ten years.”

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Robbie Earle on the level of competition during next week’s Premier League return: “I think for the first game or two we might not see quite the intensity we used to see…I think over a very short space of time we will see good levels of football, good intensity, and teams really going for it.”

Earle on protests in London and Europe: “Many times I think we felt that racism is happening in our streets, in our city, maybe in our state. But what we have seen over the last two weeks is people have responded to the George Floyd incident with a movement that has gone global. In Europe or other countries — we have seen it in China, in all parts of Asia, in Africa, South Africa — we have seen a movement where people are saying this injustice is enough and we have to do something about it. What is really going to be interesting is we have seen some very high, high profile, prominent young black players making a stance, having a say, amplifying their voice and their celebrity to join this movement. I am talking about the Raheem Sterlings, and the Marcus Rashfords, and Tyrone Mings, the big center back for Aston Villa who is an England international. It will be interesting to see how maybe some of those players, and a number of the teams who have supported the Black Lives movement, maybe celebrate or have something that they do during the course of the games because the eyes of the world will be watching the start of the Premier League. It’s the best league in the world, it’s the richest league in the world, it’s the most-watched league in the world, and starting from next Wednesday, June the 17th, there’s going to be a huge focus and magnifying glass on that league. I just wonder, and I will be quite interested to see, if some of the players use that position, use that platform, and amplify the voice that they are trying to do, and say enough is enough. We have to get to the stage in this fight where — talking is important — but we have to see change, we have to see the action. George Floyd was buried yesterday…and we have to make sure, for the legacy of him and his family, that this movement now continues the energy, continues the inertia, and we take some big — maybe uncomfortable — but some big steps forward.”

Earle on England’s Football Association’s stance on allowing players to support social causes: “That is huge for the FA to do that. To give license to players to express themselves, how they feel, how clubs are feeling, to make an expression that will go over the world, it is huge for the FA. It is interesting over here in New York, we have seen the NFL retract on the position they took with Colin Kaepernick. It will be interesting to see when other sports come back what their stance is on it. But for English football to do this is a real step forward. It is a move forward and I am pleased to say many corporations, broadcasters over in the U.K., are getting behind the players and the movement themselves and saying that they want to play their part in equality for Black and Asian and ethnic minorities in the U.K.”

Earle on if it is any better for black players playing now than it was when he was playing: “We had a former international player, who played in the Premier League on The 2 Robbies podcast with me and Robbie Mustoe last week, Jan Age Fjortoft. We were talking about the situation and I said from the time I started in early ‘80s to the ‘90s, to be honest…in those situations, you had to keep your head down. You couldn’t put your head above the parapet. You would be often seen as somebody with a chip on their shoulder or difficult to deal with and that would be a characteristic that would stay with you through your career. So, because of that, as a player in those times, you used to just bite your tongue, sort of smile, get on with things and not make too much noise about it. What has been really pleasing with these young players, and some of them are in their early 20s and still maturing into men and who they are going to be, but they have taken the stance, they have taken the platform — we now have social media, we are now in a different world, a different generation, where people are prepared to listen. What has been encouraging when we have seen demonstrations, not only in the U.S. but all over the world, is it’s  been every denomination of people from different classes, different backgrounds, different cultures and because of that diversity, because the messages are being heard and discussed at a different level than we have in the past, that gives me hope that we can start to move forward and make some serious changes that, not only this country, but the world needs to do for society.”

Matt Dumba on the formation of the Hockey Diversity Alliance: “It started coming together in November actually. Just a group of guys talking, kind of expressing to each other that there is probably a need for this in the league. As of the last two weeks, I think I have talked to these guys every day for over an hour. There has been some really good talks and I think we have an opportunity to do big things in our sport and help a lot of kids. I think that is one of the main focuses, is eradicating racism and making sure our game is for everyone.”

Dumba on his path to the NHL and the racism he experienced: “Being a minority in the prairies in Saskatchewan and then in Calgary, it wasn’t easy growing up. Kids, with my darker skin tone, really kind of threw the book at me to see what would stick as far as racial slurs. Knowing all that, everything my family went through, seeming my mom come away from the rink, seeing my dad, my family leaving in tears. Just talking to these guys rekindled those feelings, and when I think about it more and when I lay my head down to sleep at night feeling this, it was such strong feelings and such passionate feelings that I don’t believe any kid should to go through that or bottle that up or hide that from their parents trying to be strong. As all of us in our group did, and I am sure so many kids, minority kids, across the countries do all the time, try to take the high road but that is not a conversation white parents have with their kids. I don’t think it is a conversation any parents should have with their kids because racism shouldn’t be tolerated in our sport.”

Dumba on the Hockey Diversity Alliance speaking with Colin Kaepernick and the best advice he gave: “I think the biggest one for me was just the unity we will have to have moving forward. Bringing people in, having the right advancers, including everyone — that is what this is about. Just eradicating racism can’t be on the shoulder of seven guys. Everyone’s going to have a part in this. We are just on this committee as the seven board members, but there are so many people who are going to be behind the scenes, people who are going to want to join this and make some moves. It is limitless. We don’t want to box ourselves into anything because I think we all see it, that there can be a real change in our sport, and we can be the pioneers for this, and I hope this is just one step. This is day two of the announcement of the HDA, and hopefully a year from now we have done some big things. Two years, three years, four years…we can just watch this thing grow because it is time.”

Dumba on playing in Minnesota and watching the protests there: “It is a city that has really taken me in with open arms. I work with a group called ACES, Athletes Committed to Educating Students, and a lot of those students are from the neighborhoods and communities that are being burned down and the riots and the protests. So, I was really scared for those kids. I feel like I am a part of those communities…I want to be on those front lines, I want to be helping out just like some of my friends are…I am proud of how the community has come together now and really picking each other up.”

Steve Letarte on NASCAR’s new protocols restricting practice time: “I am hoping desperately what we have learned as a sport is, we do not need three hours of practice. It only allows the heavily funded teams to get better. The lack of practice has actually given a little bit of a challenge to the teams to try and figure it out on the fly.”

Letarte on Bubba Wallace and the NASCAR community discussing the Black Lives Matter movement: “First, speaking of Bubba specifically, I couldn’t be more proud. I call him a friend and he has really become a leader and a spokesperson in a sport that is predominately white. He is the only black driver in the sport, and he has taken a position of conversation. It is really giving me specifically a great opportunity to be quiet, to listen, to try and understand, to try and educate myself. What he has done by taking the burden of communication and conversation on for the entire sport when it comes to the stars is really commendable. The paint scheme he will run at Martinsville I think is a great opportunity and it is something that needs to be done. It will be great to see that car on the race track tonight, primetime, under the lights, at NASCAR’s oldest track at Martinsville Speedway. And the sport, in general, there was a moment before the last race during the pace laps where the cars stopped silent on pit road and the president of NASCAR, Steve Phelps, addressed the drivers and the fans over the teams radios and told us all we can do better and I was proud to be a part of NASCAR. This is a sport I have grown up in and I have encouraged everyone to be a part of and I want to make sure that encouragement is for everyone. I am learning that perhaps over time, the things that have happened in the world — it is not inclusive, and it needs to be. Everyone should be able to be a part of this sport as in everything in this country, and I am so proud of Bubba and the sport for, as you said, having the conversation. I think this is nowhere near the time people should be silent and hide from these awkward conversations, and I applaud NASCAR and (am) proud to be part of a sport that took that time, that took that moment, and said, ‘You know what? We all need to listen,’ and I listened and I will continue to listen.”

Kevin Na on his first practice round before returning to competition at tomorrow’s Charles Schwab Challenge: “It was a little bit weird, having three months off and coming back. I haven’t been able to practice a whole lot, but it was nice to be back and see my fellow competitors.”

Na on his comfort level coming back: “I feel really comfortable. It feels like everything feels normal besides the no fans part…I don’t know what to expect, but that first round is going to be really important for me for me to able to get a good start so everything will be able to go smoothly for the rest of the week.”

Na on playing without spectators in attendance: “Fans are what make the atmosphere of a sporting event. When you make a key putt or a putt to win and you hear that roar and that cheer, you remember that for a long time.”

Brandel Chamblee on what to expect in the first round of tomorrow’s Charles Schwab Challenge: “Probably a lot of enthusiasm from the players perspective…So, huge enthusiasm from the players and PGA TOUR executives I think just to get back to some semblance of normalcy.”

Chamblee on the players returning to competition after a three-month break: “Physically, they are going to be in great shape. Technically, they might be a little rusty.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include PGA TOUR Golfer Kevin Na, Minnesota Wild D Matt Dumba, GOLF Channel Analyst Brandel Chamblee, NBC Sports Premier League Analyst Robbie Earle and NBC Sports Motorsports Commentator Steve Letarte

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include NASCAR Driver Jimmie Johnson, Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Rick Carlisle, Director Judd Apatow and Co-Founder of Thirty Five Ventures & Kevin Durant’s Business Partner Rich Kleiman

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Nos. 23 and 24 on Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 10, 2020 – Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, PGA Tour golfer and defending Charles Schwab Challenge champion Kevin Na, Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba — who is among the founders of the Hockey Diversity Alliance — and director Judd Apatow highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Today’s Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Na, Dumba, GOLF Channel’s Brandel Chamblee, NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle and NBC Sports motorsports commentator Steve Letarte joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • PGA TOUR golfer and 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge winner Kevin Na
  • Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba
  • GOLF Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee
  • NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Steve Letarte

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson
  • Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle
  • Director Judd Apatow of The King of Staten Island
  • Co-Founder of Thirty Five Ventures & Kevin Durant’s Business Partner Rich Kleiman

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Nos. 23 and 24 on Chris Simms’ list of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks.

“Talking about it is the first step, but it can’t be the last step. We have to have actionable things that we can put in front of our players and give them the opportunity,” Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly told Tirico yesterday about conversations with his players surrounding race.

Click here for more quotes from yesterday’s shows.

–NBC SPORTS–

“Talking about it is the first step, but it can’t be the last step. We have to have actionable things that we can put in front of our players and give them the opportunity.” – Brian Kelly on conversations with his players surrounding race

“Because of how I live at home, because of who I recruit, and because of what I believe in, it is very important to me. I think that the day and age should come where we’re all in this together.” – Tom Izzo on speaking out against racism

 “I think our locker room can very much be a model to the rest of the country of how we heal from our past.” – Demario Davis on learning from the Drew Brees situation

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 9, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly
  • Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo
  • MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal
  • NBC Sports golf analyst & host of “Feherty” on GOLF Channel David Feherty

 

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

• • New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis
  • NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills
  • ESPN MLB Studio Host Karl Ravech

 

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Brian Kelly on training for the upcoming season: “It is going to be different. We’re going to have to crank this thing up because we had virtually three months of inactivity with our football team…Safety and health are at the forefront of what we do, but we’re going to have to gradually get this football team back to a conditioning level that is really effective for playing this game of football. It’s going to take us a lot of time and that means that we have to be with this football team in July and in August to get them ready for September.”

Kelly on question marks surrounding Notre Dame’s 2020 schedule: “We play in a lot of NFL stadiums right now, so what is…the NCAA and what is the NFL doing relative to stadium capacity, because those are large stadiums and you’re sharing gates there. So, do those go back on campus?”

Kelly on conversations surrounding George Floyd within his team: “You look at, first of all, getting the pulse of your football team. Our team was at first angry, they were confused, there were a lot of raw emotions, and you want to get those out and give your football team a platform where they can speak, they can talk, and, most importantly, where they can be heard and then have actionable things take place. We’ve started a Unity Council on our football team so we could begin to look at things within our own program that we can get better at, where I can be a better leader for our football team, and we can take on this systemic racism that exists in our country today. What we could do on campus as a football team and as a university. Look, we failed, and we have to come to grips with that, so giving our players a voice — which we have through social media — giving them opportunities to understand where they can make a difference. Whether it’s in voter registration locally, whether it’s being involved in more national events as well…talking about it is the first step, but it can’t be the last step. We have to have actionable things that we can put in front of our players and give them the opportunity.”

Kelly on his football team as leaders on campus: “Our football team is 68% African American and in a university that is 80-20, and so they can make a huge difference because they are the leaders of our football team. So, when they become leaders of our football team and are respected by everybody on our campus, that is a strong platform to come from. So, we’re encouraging them for their voice to be heard and that resonates with them because they come to Notre Dame wanting their voice to be heard, so we’re just providing them their opportunity for that to happen and then giving them different platforms…I think dealing with these very, very important issues of safety and health, and systemic issues in our society, these life issues, are much more important and that’s what I’m hired for, these much more important issues.”

Tom Izzo on issues facing the future of college basketball: “I think we’ve got three or four of them with the G-League coming out now and changing things a little bit. Are they going to start paying players? Are they going to try to get them earlier? Is it a year or so? Are kids going to come right out of high school and be able to go? The transfer rule has been a big thing for me, I think it’s creating some issues. Then you’ve got the NIL and how is that going to work and keep some equity in what we’re doing? It’s going to be very difficult…Everybody wants to try to help the student-athletes, and yet — even with your own kids — what is helping them, what is hurting them? How much do you give them one way and how much do you not give them the other way?”

Izzo on his relationship with black players: “I probably wouldn’t be sitting in the house I’m in, I probably wouldn’t be in the job I’m in because I’m in a sport where there’s a lot of time 75, 80% of my players are black. So, because of that, coming from the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan) where I came from, where I played against one black player in high school and then I’m in a sport where it’s just the opposite, and yet I believe that the first African American that I met was a guy named Mike Garland, who’s now been my assistant for 20 years. He’s my second-best friend. (Steve) Mariucci is my best friend…That’s where my education started and then my first recruit was a guy named Steve Smith…His mother and father were so good to me and so I have an appreciation. To take it to another step, I married a Hispanic woman, so I got to see it from a little different sides of things. So, I, like many, have not done as good a job as I should do in my job as far as that goes because sometimes you’re afraid to speak up and speak out, but I’ve learned a lot. I think I’ve got a lot to give in the next five years that I plan on doing even a better job of.”

Izzo on how he can use his platform to help others listen and understand more: “What I’ve been really excited about is when I watch the protests — I’ve done nothing but watch TV, called former players…I’ve tried to take different eras of Spartans that I know that I think can help me do a better job of, ‘What can we do?’ When you watch what’s happening, for the first time in all the years that I’ve watched different things go on, there seems to be a lot more white people involved, and my guess, because of the platform I have, I’m one of those. Do we ever do enough? I don’t think we ever do enough, but we’ve got to do more than we’ve done. That’s what I want to be part of. Everyone wants to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. It’s very cliché to say, but because of how I live at home, because of who I recruit, and because of what I believe in, it is very important to me. I think that the day and age should come where we’re all in this together…I think maybe our country can learn from sports a little bit and maybe from a locker room because I think that’s very, very important in us making progress ahead. I don’t go into a locker room and say that player is white and that player is black. I say that player can help me win this way, that player can help me win this way, that player can do his job and then we put it all together and boy, because of it, we’ve won a lot of Big Ten championships and we’ve been to Final Fours. So maybe we can all learn from sports…The way systemic problems have been, maybe sports can help a lot and I think maybe you’re starting to see some of that, but I give the credit to people, people out there that have helped a lot. There’s getting to be so many people joining in on this, it’s almost great to see it.”

Ken Rosenthal on the 2020 MLB season and negotiations: “I do expect that there’s going to be a season. Now the question is, what kind of season is it going to be?…The better option for baseball, for the union, for fans, is for the two sides to agree and not have a unilateral position…The owners made a proposal yesterday, the union is expected to make a counter-proposal by tomorrow. At some point, they have to get going here, because time is wasting.”

Rosenthal on financial issues of a shortened season for players: “One way around this would to be to play a longer season at perhaps some kind of cut…All I know is the players want their full, prorated salary. Where this goes? I’m not sure. Basically, to this point, they’ve been talking almost different languages, not really making proposals that the other side considers realistic. It’s a problem and at some point, they either get a deal or (MLB Commissioner Rob) Manfred imposes a short season…and that is really not in the best interest of anyone.”

Rosenthal on tomorrow’s MLB Draft being cut down to five rounds: “I believe it’s significant and I believe you’re chasing players from your sport…I don’t know that’s a healthy message to send when your sport is fighting for every athlete.”

David Feherty on the weather at this weekend’s Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club: “It’s going to be tortuous out there and very, very tricky…It’s going to be a challenge.”

Feherty on the difficulty for players returning to competitive play this weekend: “This is almost twice as long as they would normally get on a winter break. There’s an itch here that a lot of these players are going to feel and they’re going to want to scratch it, that’s for sure. They’re dying to go…Players are dying to go and spectators are dying to see it, but it’s going to be very strange out there. It’ll be a different experience for these players playing without a crowd, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we have a surprise winner this week. Maybe somebody from the Korn Ferry Tour.”

Feherty on playing without spectators in attendance: “The last time most of these players played under these conditions was in college…It’s an unknown quantity. Whether it will be more suspenseful for the players or less, there’s certainly a possibility there will be less adrenaline…This is such an experimental thing.”

Feherty on grouping top players together this weekend: “I think that’s a terrific idea having all of these top players in groups together. It’ll provide a little bit of atmosphere…that might be missing otherwise, and they’re so competitive that they really want to beat each other and they’re good friends…It’ll be really interesting to see how they get on out there in these marquee groups.”

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Demario Davis on the Saints team meeting after Drew Brees’ comments: “I never share what goes on in team meetings. I don’t think anybody should talk about something that is private. As it pertains to Drew (Brees), as it pertains to kneeling, as it pertains to (Colin) Kaepernick, it is like we are making the same mistake we made in 2017 when we took the conversation to something it should have never been about. I think the world outcry happening around the world right now and black people and, more specifically, around police brutality and making sure we change the way we do policing in black communities especially. We need to spend more time talking about that and how we find solutions to that. All these people speaking out, these are conversations we should be having. First, talking about should players be kneeling, what is somebody’s stance on this, what is somebody’s stance on that? Let’s just talk about the issue at hand and find solutions. Let’s not let the conversations be dominated by anything except that.”

Davis on potential player protests during the season: “We have a lot of time until fall. Let’s just talk about the protests going on right now. There are much more extreme protests happening in the streets right now. You have millions of people protesting and marching in the streets, not just in America — millions of people of all ethnic groups, millions and millions of people all around the world from different countries taking to the streets and marching, specifically on behalf of black people and bringing justice to the cops that are responsible for the death of George Floyd, the cops that are responsible for the death of Ahmaud Arbery, the cops responsible for the death of Breonna Taylor and that is what the conversations should be around. Why are we talking about a form of protest that may or may not take place in the fall when there is a much greater protest? There are more people in the streets than there are in the entire NFL. Why aren’t we talking about this global outcry that is going on that players are actually participating in? Why are the players in the street? Let’s talk about that. Let’s talk about the form of protest they are taking now. Why are players speaking out now? Why are players being engaged in their community, and meeting with legislators and meeting with activists right now? Let’s just talk about that.”

Davis on possible next steps: “I think we should look for justice for these families and understand we can’t really bring justice to these families because we can’t bring them back — that would be real justice. We can honor these families in first convicting these cops that are responsible for these murders, and I think that would go a long way towards being symbolic that change is on the way. After we convict these cops that are responsible, we change the way we do policing in America. We in America know how to respond to crisis. After 9/11, we changed the way that we go through airports. You will never go through an airport the same, we changed up the entire process, changed the way that the TSA workers check you. So, we certainly change the way we do policing in our country. I think there are a ton, a ton of good police officers. We need to find a way to empower those good police officers to help eradicate the police departments of bad cops. I think we need to find a way to empower prosecutors to be able to prosecute bad cops when they do wrong things and there will be a greater sense of accountability. There is a bill on the floor right now that is about to be passed — that we are hoping to get passed — that puts an end to qualified immunity that pretty much lets police officers move untouched. So, things of that nature that help us change the way we do policing in our country. I think that is first, then we need to attack — racism is in the heart, but we can attack the racial injustice structures that exist in our country. All the people that are moving and want to help the black community, this is how. Let’s begin with justice and let’s put an end to black people being brutally murdered in the streets, and then let’s work to end all these racial injustice structures that exist in our country.”

Davis on his relationship with Brees: “I think for any growth to happen there has to be bridges, so that is two sides coming together. I think there has to be sides that admit to wrongdoing and say you are going to prove with action that your words and your desire for reconciliation is there, and on the other side there has to be grace. From there you have to move on and focus on the bigger mission, which is all of us working together for that end goal. So, I think our locker room can very much be a model to the rest of the country of how we heal from our past. There has been wrong that has been done against a specific people group, and there has to be action first to say you want to reconcile and their actions showing there is a desire for reconciliation, and then there has to be a grace that allows that reconciliation to happen. And then once that bridge has been formed and working together, then we can work together towards a solution and live peacefully in a house together.”

Davis on Brees’ statement to the President: “I would encourage all of America and Drew to follow up on those words. Drew made a statement where he is pretty much saying he has overlooked the black community and wants to start looking to help it. I would encourage everybody in America to follow, and if Drew does that, that is leadership and then America has a model to follow of what that should look like. This problem that exists in America is going to take all of us to fix it and that is when we have peace. That is what I meant by Drew, when I said it is leadership for him to say what he is going to do, but leadership is most importantly marked by action and I think that he has an opportunity to lead America in what action should look like and in assisting in helping alleviate the burdens of the black community.”

Davis on if he thinks Colin Kaepernick should get signed: “I would go as far to say that — though it does take away from the ultimate conversation — I would go as far to say as it pertains to having a problem with Colin Kaepernick taking a stance against police brutality, that he is definitely owed an apology by the NFL and everybody else who said that they were on the wrong side of it and said he shouldn’t have taken that stance. I definitely think he is owed an apology. So, what that looks like after that I don’t know, but I definitely do believe he is owed an apology.”

Dr. Allen Sills on the NFL’s protocols for returning to facilities: “A tremendous (amount) of research, review, discussion and collaboration went into that. We had a number of join task forces that were set up between the NFL and the NFLPA bringing together medical experts, infectious disease experts, team doctors, athletic trainers, players, all those voices putting together…with one simple goal in mind, which is how we can mitigate risk and try to keep players, coaches and staff and everyone as safe as possible?”

Dr. Sills on the NFL considering hosting all teams in one location: “We all did not feel we could take a six-month season…and ask everyone to stay isolated at one location away from family, away from social network support structure. That just felt like an impractical request.”

Dr. Sills on the possibility of putting a medical mask on the facemask of a helmet: “We are exploring a number of different options…All ideas are on the table and all ideas are being looked at.”

Karl Ravech on the discussions to bring MLB back: “It has literally become a CBA conversation. The CBA doesn’t expire until 2021. This should be solely about getting back on the field during a pandemic.”

Ravech on the failed discussions between players and owners: “You had an opportunity to be back on the field before others. You had an opportunity to make this unique and memorable. You had an opportunity to experiment and yet you are mired in arguments you had in 1981, 1994. It doesn’t resonate, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. It is a blown opportunity.”

Ravech on commissioner Rob Manfred’s preference in negotiation: “I think he prefers a deal. I think he prefers a deal that benefits the owners, but I think in the end, he prefers a deal versus this 48-game idea.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include Michigan State Basketball Coach Tom Izzo, Notre Dame Football Coach Brian Kelly, MLB Network Insider Ken Rosenthal, Minnesota Wild D Matt Dumba, and GOLF Channel’s David Feherty

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include New Orleans Saints Linebacker Demario Davis and NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Nos. 25 and 26 on Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 9, 2020 – Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo, Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly, New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis, MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal, and NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Today’s Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Izzo, Kelly, Rosenthal, Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba, and GOLF Channel’s David Feherty joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo
  • Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly
  • MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal
  • Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba
  • NBC Sports golf analyst & host of “Feherty” on GOLF Channel David Feherty

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET through June 12, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis
  • NFL Chief Medical Officer Allen Sills

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Nos. 25 and 26 on Chris Simms’ list of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks.

“Anytime there’s any great movement of any kind, it was done by young people…I want to give our players a voice, whatever voice that is…They have to get behind what they’re passionate about,” South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley told Tirico yesterday.

Click here for more quotes from yesterday’s shows.

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include NBC Sunday Night Football Analyst Cris Collinsworth, South Carolina Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley, NHL on NBC and NBC Sports Horse Racing Analyst Eddie Olczyk, SI.com College Sports Writer Pat Forde, and NBC Sports Motorsports Commentator Leigh Diffey

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include NBC Sports NFL Insider Peter King, MMA Fighting Journalist Ariel Helwani, and Actor Josh Gad

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Nos. 27 and 30 on Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 8, 2020 – NBC Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth, NBC Sports NFL Insider Peter King, South Carolina women’s basketball coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Dawn Staley, NHL on NBC and NBC Sports horse racing analyst Eddie Olczyk, and actor Josh Gad highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Today’s Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Collinsworth, Staley, Olczyk, NBC Sports motorsports commentator Leigh Diffey and SI.com college sports writer Pat Forde joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • NBC Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth
  • South Carolina women’s basketball coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Dawn Staley
  • NHL on NBC and NBC Sports horse racing analyst Eddie Olczyk
  • com college sports writer Pat Forde
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Leigh Diffey, who called Saturday’s INDYCAR season opener in primetime on NBC

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET through June 12, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • NBC Sports NFL insider Peter King
  • MMA fighting journalist Ariel Helwani
  • Actor Josh Gad

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Nos. 27 and 30 on Chris Simms’ list of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks.

–NBC SPORTS–

“The only way to make real change is if we come together. Diversity does that… Sports forces us to get to know each other and you can see that there could be some great, positive things happening.” – Lovie Smith

 “We were loose, we were angry. You can’t help but listen to the media…you’re an 18-point underdog…you have virtually no chance to win the game.” – Joe Namath on his Super Bowl III guarantee

 “When you have 20-plus drivers committing and going all in on a mile and a half like that, that’s where the fireworks happen.” – NBC Sports INDYCAR analyst Townsend Bell on tomorrow night’s season opener at Texas Motor Speedway at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 5, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • Illinois football coach & former NFL head coach Lovie Smith
  • Pro Football Hall of Famer and former New York Jets QB Joe Namath
  • Former NBA player and NBC Sports Washington analyst Drew Gooden
  • NBC Sports INDYCAR analyst Townsend Bell
  • NBC Sports horse racing reporter Britney Eurton

 

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

• • Film director David Anspaugh (Rudy, Hoosiers)
  • INDYCAR driver Graham Rahal
  • MLB Network analyst and The Athletic’s Jayson Stark

 

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Lovie Smith on coaching life skills to his players: “A lot of life experiences I feel like have prepared me for this moment. When I say life experiences, I’m a 62-year-old black man from the south in a biracial marriage. So, (my wife) MaryAnne and I have seen an awful lot. I get a chance to lead men from all different places, all different nationalities, and…life skills do come up. As football players and coaches, we live in a cocoon a lot of times where the real world doesn’t actually touch us. We teach, we develop, we talk about developing the man first and then we develop the football player. As we look at what’s going on right now in our society, I’ve always encouraged our players to be involved with what’s happening in your normal world, your normal life.”

Smith on racism: “Systemic racism exists in our world. We have to acknowledge that first before we can go any further. I have seen it. It’s one thing to identify a problem, then it’s how we change that problem. That’s what we’ve been doing at the University of Illinois. We’re trying to make the world better, but it can’t be words.”

Smith on the importance of action: “I talked to our players about, ‘Hey, you have a right to protest.’ That’s great, that’s what college life is all about, too, in a peaceful manner. But then, what else do you do? That’s where we are right now. What else do you do to make football better and to make the world better?”

Smith on making sure his players are socially informed: “Be informed. This is a true way for people to hear your voice. Right now, I see a lot of protests. Protests are good. Then what do we do? It’s like there’s a death, there’s a funeral and everybody leaves, and after the funeral the next day, everybody goes home. What we’re doing, what I’m going to insist on — first off, all of our guys are registered to vote, but that’s just a part of it, registering to vote — be informed. If you don’t like what’s going on right now, and we in America have acknowledged that we don’t like what’s going on right now, we have to look at, first, our leader. Do you like the policies that he has in place? Congress, local governments? This is how you have true change and for us. We’re going to go back to make sure people are informed…I think we all know right from wrong…We’ve all been taught that, and I think most of us really do know right from wrong. That’s what we’ve been preaching, and we’re going to continue to do that with our program through diversity. The only way to make real change is if we come together. Diversity does that.”

Smith on diversity and racism: “Everybody’s talking about the NFL — there are only three black coaches, only two GMs, no black owners. That’s important, but you look at college football also when you talk about systemic racism a little bit, there are…college programs where you can have a one-time transfer rule in place where guys can transfer and be eligible. There are other sports like football and basketball where you can’t. I think if you keep looking at the details a little bit, why are there different rules for different people? … You haven’t mentioned George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor — that’s kind of seen right there. Everybody acknowledges that that is bad, but it goes so much deeper than that, and that’s what we’re trying to change. Sports definitely can. Sports forces us to get to know each other and you can see that there could be some great, positive things happening.”

John Namath on Super Bowl III, which will air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, and his guarantee: “We were loose, we were angry. You can’t help but listen to the media…That you’re an 18-point underdog, that you have virtually no chance to win the game…When I made that statement…that was to a wise guy in the back of the room that Thursday night before the championship game and he said, ‘Hey, Namath, we’re going to kick your you-know-what,’ and I said, ‘Wait a minute man, I got news for you. We’re going to win the game and I guarantee it.’”

Namath on discrimination: “I’ve realized most everything starts at home. It starts at home with the environment, with the family, with mom and dad, with brothers and sisters, and how you respect people. At home, in my house, our household, my parents taught us respect and you didn’t discriminate with one another …You treat people the way you wanted them to treat your family and friends.”

Namath on protests: “We need to look in the mirror. The adults need to look in the mirror at home and how they treat their children and raise their children because they’re going to reflect us and our attitudes. We have so much pain in our history. This is an awful way to try to correct our history. We’re not going to make it better overnight, but we have an opportunity now, now together. We see through these demonstrations not only in our country, but around the world. We need to do better.”

Namath on Jets QB Sam Darnold: “Sam can play. He’s growing, he’s going to improve, he’s going to get better, but like most things in life, it’s a team game. He’ll step up. I believe he’s going to get better, but he needs the teammates also, and they’re improving. (Jets GM Joe) Douglas has done a great job bringing in some new players.”

Drew Gooden on athletes using their voice and platform: “Well, when I first got in the NBA,  email was just becoming popular. Now with the social media platforms, you have your turn as an athlete to speak on any topic…Now, once that quote comes out in the paper or on a social media platform, you have the power to go back and say, ‘No, this is what I meant by that quote.’ Back in the day when I was playing, whenever you said something or whatever was written, that was set in stone and you couldn’t go back and kind of fix those things. Now, I think you have a voice as a player, whether it’s that situation or you’re touching upon social issues, like what you have going on right now, or trending topics — whatever your favorite foods are, or things that you like to do outside of basketball — the audience and the fans can kind of have that connection with you.”

Gooden on social media: “I feel like it’s a two-way street. A lot of guys have been notable for doing great things in the media — standing up for political views or certain views — but then you have backlash like with stuff that came back out with Drew Brees…Sticking up for something or saying a comment that you thought was the right thing to say at that time, that actually comes back to haunt you and all those millions of fans and followers that you were able to get, now are your enemy. So, you have to be very careful as an athlete when you’re using your platform and the social media.”

Gooden on the NBA season’s restart: “It’s no easy way to cut it. You want a season to continue, but you can’t be picky. It is what it is. I think the set-up is going to be great…There’s going to be a lot of protocols on the care of the players to protect them and the staff. I mean you have to remember, it’s not just the players, it’s the team personnel around the players that also have to be in a quarantined situation.”

Gooden on NBA greatest of all-time debate: “Now there’s one variable that we all we never talk about when this discussion comes up between Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, and there’s one guy that I think is the variable in this formula, and that’s Phil Jackson. I mean, if you take Phil Jackson out of this equation, how many championships does Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant have? So, LeBron James is in a unique situation outside of not having a Phil Jackson and having to have to go like a vagabond and go figure it out by himself — multiple coaches, multiple organizations, multiple systems.”

Townsend Bell on drivers returning to racing tomorrow night at the 2020 NTT INDYCAR Series season opener on NBC at 8 p.m. ET: “They have been sim racing. We’ve had six virtual iRacing (events) on NBC. This is totally different though. This is the real thing. Not only are they coming off such a long layoff, they are going into a race — not weekend — a race day where they’re going to have one single practice session, one short two-lap qualifying run, and then they’re going to grid up side-by-side. Not just at any racetrack, at Texas Motor Speedway, the…sketchiest track on the schedule on a Saturday night…For the drivers, it’s going to be like walking out into a blizzard in terms of the visceral experience that they’ll have on those opening few laps.”

Bell on racing at Texas Motor Speedway: “If you sort of just ride around and try to play it conservative, you’re going to get absolutely smoked at Texas. They’re going to chew you up…You have to commit. When you have 20-plus drivers committing and going all in on a mile and a half like that, that’s where the fireworks happen.”

Bell on the strongest racing teams: “I put Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti, those have been the big three, the strongest teams for the last decade. They’ll be up there again.”

Britney Eurton on the state of horse racing: “Racing in the afternoon is the economic engine that funds everything in the morning, so to have horses out there on the track even without spectators, I think it’s very uplifting to everyone on the backside. For those in New York, (it’s) fantastic that Belmont’s up and running.”

Eurton on the Santa Anita Derby: “(Bob Baffert) has another undefeated horse in Authentic, so he headlines the race. Just seven horses set to go a mile and an eighth…He is going to have to fend off a very talented and good-looking horse in Honor A.P.”

Eurton on the Belmont Stakes field: “It could be one of the most competitive Belmont Stakes that we’ve seen in some time.”

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Jayson Stark on the MLB season plans: “The vibe I’m getting right now is they’re determined to play. If that means there’s no deal, then (MLB Commissioner) Rob Manfred will just announce a schedule and players to report in June and will start playing July. That’s going to be the deal and all players must report. It’s not a good way to go about this, but if that’s what it takes, I’m more convinced than ever that’s what’s going to happen.”

Stark on the MLB negotiations: “We’ve seen this movie a million times. I’m tired of watching it. March 26 they came in agreement, two and a half months later and they can no longer agree on what they agreed on. That just sums up the state of the labor relationship in baseball.”

Stark on why the MLB owners and MLBPA can’t come to an agreement on terms: “You’ve got this situation where owners are saying, ‘We are going to lose millions of dollars if there are no fans in the stands,’ and you have the union saying, ‘We don’t believe that.’ The basis of conversation would assume that they understand each other’s premise. That’s not even happening. There’s no basis for conversation and (it’s) very discouraging to watch, especially in this moment in America.”

Stark on if an MLB season is possible at this point: “How many games are you going to play? There’s only a 50- or 48-game schedule, then you don’t have to start that until August 1. If you wanted to play a fairly normal half season, starting on July 4 made a lot of sense. There was never a firm date, but it was a great date to aspire to because you would have the stage for yourself for three weeks.”

Stark on what would happen if MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the schedule: “First off, the players would not have much choice but to show up and play. If they don’t, they would be staging an illegal strike in a middle of a waiver deal. That’s not a good idea. It creates all sorts of legal issues. I don’t think players would do anything other than play the games.”

Graham Rahal on returning to racing in tomorrow’s 2020 NTT INDYCAR Series season opener on NBC at 8 p.m. ET: “It’s nice to be back. It’s been weird for everybody the last few months and for sports in general. When the (Utah Jazz forward) Rudy Gobert thing went down, it was literally the day before our season was supposed to start.”

Rahal on preparing for tomorrow’s race: “I’m in Indianapolis right now. It’s a one-day show, we literally show up tomorrow morning. No one has driven these cars in four months. You are going to practice for an hour, do two laps of qualifying, and then go race on primetime on NBC.”

Rahal on the NTT INDYCAR Series Genesys 300: “This isn’t just your normal race. Texas is the most intense race on our calendar, each and every year. To throw us out there, is like throwing us to the wolves. This one in particular, it’s going to be really intense and it’s also the first time INDYCAR will have a narrow screen. We are excited to get going and it’s a great opportunity for people to tune-in to live sports.”

Rahal on if drivers will be more cautious this weekend: “This will be interesting because the race has been shortened from the normal 248 laps to 200. That’s going to breathe a little more anxiety into the guys because if I start tense, I need to make my way up to the front sooner. I don’t know if we will race completely in darkness because when the sun goes down, the track has more grip and you can drive more aggressively.”

Rahal on the safety of the drivers on the track: “I hope everybody uses their head because Texas is probably the most dangerous track we go to the whole year. So, throwing everybody out there together (is) intense already. Adding in a bunch of rookies that haven’t done an oval race…there’s a lot of question marks already in play here.”

David Anspaugh, who directed the film Rudy, on whether Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger was actually carried off the field: “Of course he was carried off the field! There’s a picture out there. The crowd chanted ‘Rudy’ and it spread around the stadium. What happened on the day we shot, we didn’t have the money for CGI, so I had to shoot Sean (Astin) in front of the tunnel in front of a real crowd. It was like a ballet because we shot it in seven minutes.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath, Illinois Football Coach Lovie Smith, Former NBA Player Drew Gooden, INDYCAR Driver Graham Rahal, NBC Sports INDYCAR Analyst Townsend Bell, and NBC Sports Horse Racing Reporter Britney Eurton

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include INDYCAR Driver Graham Rahal and Film Director David Anspaugh

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Nos. 27 and 28 on Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 5, 2020 – Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath, Illinois football coach and former NFL head coach Lovie Smith, former NBA player and NBC Sports Washington analyst Drew Gooden, and INDYCAR driver Graham Rahal, who will compete in tomorrow’s 2020 NTT INDYCAR Series season opener on NBC at 8 p.m. ET, highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Today’s Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Namath, Smith, Gooden, NBC Sports INDYCAR analyst Townsend Bell and NBC Sports horse racing analyst Britney Eurton joining Tirico on today’s episode. Namath will also speak with NBC Sports’ Liam McHugh throughout Sunday’s broadcast of Super Bowl III at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN as part of Super Bowl Week in America.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath
  • Illinois football coach & former NFL head coach Lovie Smith
  • Former NBA player and NBC Sports Washington analyst Drew Gooden
  • NBC Sports INDYCAR analyst Townsend Bell
  • NBC Sports horse racing reporter Britney Eurton

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET through June 12, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • Film director David Anspaugh (Rudy, Hoosiers)
  • INDYCAR driver Graham Rahal

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Nos. 27 and 28 on Chris Simms’ list of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks.

“This has to result in a change of hearts and attitudes. That’s how this is going to get solved… and the only way that’s going to happen is communication,” Tony Dungy told Tirico yesterday about improving social injustice.

Click here for more quotes from yesterday’s shows.

–NBC SPORTS–