Latest / THE STILL REAL TO US SHOW – Real Guy Radio / A Tribute to Jeff’s Dad | The Still Real to Us Show | Episode #784 – 02/20/25
Transcript
- 1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,320 It's still real to be damaged! 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:06,960 Alright, welcome everybody to this week's edition and still real to show. 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:12,320 Episode number 784 for February 20th, 2025. 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,120 Jeff Pack, Dr. Tre Franklin here. 5 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:20,320 I think everybody, you kind of figured if you're a listener of the show obviously, 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,480 that this was supposed to be our 15th year anniversary special, 7 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:26,800 that we were going to do with an award show. 8 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,360 If you're seeing the title of the podcast here, it's a little bit different. 9 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:39,440 On Friday morning, my father unexpectedly passed away. 10 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:50,160 And just figured that I would sit here today and kind of talk about my old man with Dr. Tre, 11 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:59,280 I really haven't watched the liquor wrestling at all. I have struggled. 12 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:08,400 I hope that we're kind of back to semi-normal next week and we'll discuss and try to get to 13 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:16,960 doing the 15th year anniversary special, what have you, but I'm sure anybody that's out there that 14 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:23,840 has lost a parent can relate to this, whether it's expected through a hospice care or somebody 15 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:32,880 that's been ill or in my case, an unexpected passing. So kind of have a little cathartic and talk about it. 16 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:39,760 I appreciate you hopping on here and doing this episode with me. So that's kind of what we're 17 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:44,240 going to talk about today is in a way it tribute to my dad because as I was telling Dr. Tre off, 18 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,760 I don't know if I'd be a wrestling fan today if it wasn't for him, honestly. 19 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:55,680 Yeah, I mean, it broke my heart when I saw the message that you put out about your dad and 20 00:01:55,680 --> 00:02:02,400 I was telling you off, it's been my biggest fear in my entire life as losing my dad. 21 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:08,160 And my dad and I aren't, we don't talk all the time, but he was the ones who was there for me. 22 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:14,560 So in the last week, I had to miss the show just because literally like wife and kid and Valentine's day stuff 23 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:21,360 all popped up and I couldn't get free to do the show and then to see that it crushed me because it 24 00:02:21,360 --> 00:02:26,240 like you're one of my, you're one of my closest friends in a lot of ways and we've been together for 25 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:32,480 so long and you know, I made it a point and literally I told you this week when you, when you brought 26 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,960 this up, I was amazed you want to do the show this week. I mean, we could have done a, we could have done 27 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:44,880 the best of, you know, addition for the first time ever in 15 years. This is an absolute reason to pull 28 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:50,320 one out and when you say that you wanted the show, I literally said you tell me when and I will make 29 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,640 sure I'm on the show. I don't care if I'm at work, but I'll clear my schedule for it because that's what 30 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:59,760 it means to me knowing how close you and your dad were, how your dad influenced you and everything else. 31 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:05,520 You know, seeing those pictures of your dad by the fire trucks this week, I was just like, 32 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:12,480 it just, it just brought, you know, a tear to my eye knowing how, how special that man was to you 33 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:18,640 and I never met him, unfortunately, because I'm like, I'm pretty sure that me and him would have 34 00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:26,160 annoyed the shit out of you if we were ever together. Yeah, yeah, no, it's, um, it's been tough, obviously. 35 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:35,760 My dad had been battling stage 4 T cell lymphoma since about August. It was his third 36 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:42,560 bout of cancer that he's had. He had one in 99, 2011 and most recently, in late to, in about mid, 37 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:48,560 early to mid December, he finished his chemo treatments and rang the bell for anybody who's ever 38 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,560 had a family member that's gone through cancer. You know, when I'm talking about that, when they're, 39 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:58,720 we're done with their chemo treatments, they, they rang the bell. About five to six days 40 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:06,480 before Christmas, he landed in the hospital. He was really sick, almost died then, had, had sepsis, 41 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:13,120 had some form of C-diff bacterium just because of his immune system being so bad and he was in the 42 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:20,800 hospital from probably the 19th or 20th till a little after New Year's day. Then he was in a rehab 43 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:28,320 facility for a couple weeks and just got home over the last couple weeks and he had just begun this 44 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:39,120 treatment because my dad got a PET scan and the lymphoma was showing that the lymph nodes were, 45 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:45,120 were elevated levels and my dad went for a stem cell treatment consultation and 46 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:51,600 he was not a candidate because he also had a heart issue that was going on and the heart issue 47 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:57,840 was, was one that was put on pause. He was actually supposed to get surgery for that about a 48 00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:07,760 couple weeks before he was diagnosed with cancer again. So that was been put on hold and they, 49 00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:13,840 the stem cell consultant or doctor and then my dad's oncologist as well, they both reviewed his 50 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:21,360 PET scan and they felt that this was, do more towards his infection that he had in December rather than 51 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,520 the cancer returning because the prior PET scan to that in about October time for him and 52 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:34,800 showed then he was nearing remission. So we believe that he, he was a pet beet cancer again, 53 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:43,120 theoretically. On Thursday of last week someone to show was recorded that afternoon he went for some 54 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:46,640 of this treatment that they were going to be doing for a couple of months and then they would 55 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:52,480 reassess in about April to see where he was if, if their belief was true that the lymphoma had left 56 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,880 or if it, you know, what's still there, he was doing like this maintenance drug in a way. 57 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:04,800 Came home from it Thursday, felt fine, had a normal night, then Friday morning he passed away in his 58 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:14,640 sleep. We believe that he, it was a heart attack. There were no signs of any, signs of any type of 59 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:21,040 pain whatsoever, but it was, it was a total shock because we felt like that there was a chance that 60 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,160 he was going to be around in the corner, still felt like there was going to be some health issues 61 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:30,880 that were going on in 2025, wanted to get through the lymphoma stuff and then get the heart but trust. 62 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:36,240 And it's just all just like very, very terrible timing because as, as you all know, on the show, 63 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:41,840 just recently came a father myself. My brother has a daughter who's about a year and a half and he 64 00:06:41,840 --> 00:06:49,040 just recently came a grandfather and those, that's who he was fighting for were those, those two kids. 65 00:06:50,080 --> 00:07:01,200 And he gets, we go through the services later this week. It's a shock. It's a total shock. I said to my 66 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:07,360 wife, it's probably the worst day of my life and I'm sure that there's so many people out there that 67 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:13,600 can relate in some form or fashion, whether it be a parent, a close friend, what have you, you know, 68 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:19,520 losses, unimaginable, the amount of grief that goes on here. So even sitting down here, I have no 69 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:24,240 idea how long we're going to talk. I mean, there's, I haven't, we're not going to be obviously recapping 70 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:30,320 vengeance day, giving out awards like I said, but, you know, Dr. Triano, you said it's like your worst fear, 71 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:38,880 right? Personally, it's, it's, it's, it's hard because there's, there's a, there's a period of time 72 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:46,400 where you realize that life is filled with chapters and there's new chapters in my book where, 73 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:50,800 you know, I have a son now I'm married, but there are people in my life whether it be my uncle who 74 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,120 passed away from cancer, my grandmother from several years ago and now my dad, it's like they're not part 75 00:07:55,120 --> 00:08:01,760 of it and I wish they were and it's really hard to get your head around grief and death obviously is 76 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:08,400 as human beings because you want people to live forever. Yeah. Yeah, I've been blessed that, you know, 77 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:13,760 I'm approaching 50, like I'm two months away from being 48, which tells you again, how long we've been 78 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:22,000 doing this freaking show and both my parents are still around. I lost all of my grandparents before I was 79 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:27,520 21, except for when I have one grandmother left, everybody else was gone really early in my life. 80 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:34,080 So it's always been, it's always been my dad. But, you know, there's all, like the chapters 81 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:39,200 thing is such a brilliant way of laying it out because, you know, people are kind of put in your 82 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:46,640 life for a reason and in the chapters maybe along with them or they may be short, but, you know, it's 83 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:54,800 the time that we really spend with the people we care about is what lives on forever. You know, 84 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:59,360 like I'm actually in the, in the, when those was going on, like I actually just planned a trip to 85 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:05,280 North Carolina to go see my dad and take Sammy Franklin out there with me because like you said, 86 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:10,320 that's who your dad was fighting for were his grandkids and that's what my dad does now. Like my dad 87 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:17,520 throws a fit because my 17 year old doesn't call him as much as she used to and I'm having to explain 88 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:23,360 to my dad it's like, well, dad when you were 17, were you hanging out with your grandparents all that 89 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:28,480 much? It's not that you don't care. It's just that the priorities shift a little bit and then 90 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:34,000 they shift again later on. Like we've all gone through that somewhat rebellious phase where, 91 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:40,720 you know, our parents don't know anything and we kind of stop listening and then at some point when 92 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:46,000 we mature, we realize, oh no, our parents knew quite a lot of stuff and we should have been 93 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:51,440 paying more attention and then you start to see a different side of your parents when you have the 94 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:56,960 kids and you know that, that man that was kind of a disciplinarian or that man that was like making 95 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:02,240 you eat your vegetables and you know being kind of a hard ass of time is now like the softest, 96 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:07,840 most cuddly guy in the world when he's around your kids and you're like, hey, where was that guy when 97 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:16,160 I was growing up? He wasn't around but his parents were doing that for you. So the fact that 98 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:24,640 you're up here right now willing to do this show for us, the audience, everybody else and you know, 99 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:30,320 like I said, you know, off air it can be kind of cathartic to get these stories out and put it out 100 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:36,880 there for everybody, put it into the ethos. So in a lot of ways, this is something that Luke can 101 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:43,120 listen to down the line. This is something that Luke's kids can listen to down the line is you talking 102 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:50,880 about your dad and how he influenced you in something that Luke is going to see is very important to 103 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:56,720 you as well. So wherever this conversation goes, I'm along for the ride with you my friend. 104 00:10:56,720 --> 00:11:01,920 Appreciate it brother, I really do. What's funny is as you were talking there, I think both Dr. 105 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:06,960 Tray and I, you know, were around the same age and have dads that are around the same age and 106 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:12,320 we grew up in a time period where dads were still, you know, our dads grew up with parents that were 107 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:19,120 in the, you know, 50s and 60s and they're coming off of, you know, being the disciplinary in the 108 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:26,240 the hard ass, right? You know, dad never shed no tears. I think I can count on my hand a very small 109 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:33,840 amount of time that I watch my dad cry. Yeah, say what I mean. Like for me, it's like that too. It's 110 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:41,680 maybe two or three. And what's funny is as you were talking about, you know, your daughter and 111 00:11:41,680 --> 00:11:47,200 bringing Sam and he goes see them, see your grandfather is, you know, at some point they become 112 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:54,720 grandfather and then become soft. I saw my dad get softer when both Mike and I, my brother Mike, 113 00:11:55,680 --> 00:12:00,640 got married and we had, you know, significant others now in the life because he didn't have any 114 00:12:00,640 --> 00:12:06,480 daughters. So there was a little bit of softness there. And then when the grandchildren came, I mean, 115 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:11,680 it was just a whole nother ball game where it was like almost like a reboot and a restart to 116 00:12:11,680 --> 00:12:18,480 the, my father when we were young kids, when we were babies, when we were toddlers like that was 117 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:25,120 who he became again and my dad, like loved kids and and friends of ours who had younger children or 118 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:32,720 whatever, like he was always like the very funny go to guy. And, you know, that was, that was what 119 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:37,360 was really cool about him is is is he was getting ready to become a, you know, as a grandfather, 120 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:41,520 like you kind of saw a refresh on a reboot and he was getting softer and seeing those layers, 121 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:47,760 layers peel away. It's, it was like a really beautiful thing and that's, that's the hardest thing 122 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:58,720 for me. I grew up with, I lost my dad's mom, so my grandmother obviously and then my, my mom's dad, 123 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:04,880 grandfather, before I was ever born, they had passed away. So I grew up with a grandfather on one side 124 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:11,520 and a grandmother on another and you know, that's, that's difficult to go through that where you never 125 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:17,920 met a grandparent because grandparents rule and well, my dad has been able to meet both kids, 126 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:26,000 you know, the, the likely, you know, they're not going to remember them, other than outside of 127 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:31,600 pictures. They're not going to have those moments. Walt Disney World is a, is a massive part of my 128 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:39,360 family and not having him be able to take his grandkids, which was a dream of his is very difficult. 129 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:44,880 You know, we're set to go there later this year and that's got to be really hard to go there. I mean, 130 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:49,520 there's been times this week where I didn't necessarily want to go. I was, I wanted to cancel it, 131 00:13:49,520 --> 00:13:59,680 but I know that my dad didn't want to do that at all. So it's just been, it's been tough for sure, 132 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:04,320 you know, to get my head around that because I know my father was fearful of that of, of dying, 133 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:12,080 where he wouldn't be able to watch his grandkids grow. So, you know, it's just one of those things where 134 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:17,440 the wood it could have showed us where if anybody that's listening to this podcast where if you 135 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,800 haven't talked to a parent in a long time, if you haven't talked to a friend in a long time, 136 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:27,520 sibling in a long time and they mean something to you, pick up the phone, reopen those lines of 137 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:33,760 communications, rebuild those bridges that may have been burned or broken or, you know, or dusty 138 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:38,320 right now in dormant because you haven't reached out in some time and and rekindle those because 139 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:43,120 that's all we got at the end of the day is is family and people that are like family to us. 140 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:48,480 You know, take these situations where, you know, you doctor try, you're, you're getting ready, 141 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:52,720 you're taking your son and go see your grandfather or your father to see his grandfather, you know, 142 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,960 enjoy those moments, right? Because there's got to be people out there that obviously won't be able 143 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,280 to do that, you know, plan something special, have some fun, go out to dinner, whatever you got to do 144 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:07,360 and take as many photos as possible because that's something that where over the last couple months, 145 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:14,000 my dad had lost some hair. He was, he got thin from chemo and and he didn't want many photos because 146 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,760 in his mind it was like, you know, let's, we'll get the photos once everything comes back and, 147 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:23,600 and I'm starting to, you know, feel better from post chemotherapy and and that stuff isn't happening 148 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:30,960 now. So I wish I had more photos of him with my son. So take as many photos as possible, 149 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:34,800 spend as much time as possible, pick up those phones, rekindle those relationships because it's, 150 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:40,560 it's a very cliche to say, but yeah, you just, you just don't know when someone's time comes because 151 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:45,920 this is, this is unexpected obviously. I got to ask you a question and I've been thinking about this 152 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,600 for a very long time and I've never asked it on this show. I don't think I've ever asked you a person 153 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:56,880 alive, but you brought it up. I have to know like who was the Disney person between your mom and your 154 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:02,400 dad because I've known you for damn near 16 years now and you guys have made a lot of trips to Disney. 155 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:10,320 It's, it's a rarity to seize a couple like I have a good friend of mine, the Jeremiah Plunkett who 156 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:16,880 wrestles for NWA wrestling. Him and his wife are die hard Disney fanatics and that is something they 157 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,240 bonded over in their first couple of dates. Between your mom and your dad, who is the Disney person and 158 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:28,080 who convinced the other person to be a Disney person? So you know what's funny? So in 1995 I was just 159 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:34,800 telling the story recently. In 1995, my parents, I had been nine years old, my brothers, brother would 160 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:40,800 be about four, five. I remember this vividly, but my parents brought us into our dining room and 161 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:47,280 they were like, so we're going to Disney World and my brother and I had the utmost worst reaction 162 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:53,120 all the time. We were like, no, we don't want to, like we thought it was for a little kid. So they took 163 00:16:53,120 --> 00:17:01,120 us there for a trip in February in 1995 and the weather was brutal and to get to your original point 164 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:07,440 here, really neither one of them is quote Disney people. I grew up in the golden era of Disney movies of 165 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:14,160 the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, toy stories of the world grew up in that era. Certainly saw 166 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:21,840 those movies, but I can't recite lines and stuff like that. So it was more like that first trip, 167 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:28,240 they really enjoyed it. We went a year later in 1996, went to another trip and really enjoyed it. 168 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:35,760 And that time my father saw this like Disney vacation club that's out there and he got to talk 169 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:41,600 in and decided without really consulting with my mom that he was going to make this investment 170 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:46,880 because it made sense to him that him and his family could go down a Walt Disney World in Lake 171 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:56,480 one of us to Florida from 1996 to like 2048 and it was this really at the time like cheap and 172 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:00,560 affordable price and everybody always thinks that it's like just tied to Walt Disney World and it's not. 173 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:04,960 It's tied to Disneyland. There's resorts actually in like the Carolinas at Disney owns, there's a 174 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:11,200 Hawaii resort that they own, but they're also tied with resorts everywhere. There's some resorts 175 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:19,440 in New York and Canada. It's like a quasi partner with this hotel group chain almost in a way. 176 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:28,240 So he signed us up, my mom was not happy about it and like my parents, I want to say from like 177 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:36,720 mid 2000s on my parents did not go away on vacation anywhere else. Then one time a year for about 178 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:41,760 two to three weeks in April, May time frame March April, May time frame to Disney World and then in 179 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:47,840 October, no, remember time frame to Disney World. They would do about six weeks of the year and they 180 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:54,480 were never still I mean it's not like Mickey Mouse's in tattooed on my dad's arm. We're not sitting down 181 00:18:54,480 --> 00:19:02,080 watching Disney Plus as a family. My brother and I weren't like inundated with with Disney stuff. They 182 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:11,280 just really enjoyed the serenity and the escapeism of Walt Disney World. If you ever anybody who's 183 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:15,600 ever been to Disney World and if you're inundated with it, everybody thinks it's just like one theme park. 184 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:23,200 It's more than that. It's four theme parks in 20 plus resorts and quite honestly, what my parents would 185 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:30,000 do is every day they would spend down at this one resort. They would sit at this one pool, the same 186 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:34,800 street that they would go to and they would just sit outside and my dad would read a card magazine. He 187 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:40,800 would make sandwiches and breakfast, eat smoke a cigar and drink a coffee and that's what they did. 188 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:44,880 And maybe in the morning or night time, they would go to one of the theme parks, but it wasn't like 189 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:50,800 we were go, go, go with the theme parks at all time and it's funny because everybody always will ask 190 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:57,520 me like, why do you go there so much? What do you do there? You're 38 years old. What is this? And 191 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:02,720 it's like it's more than this. I can't explain it to you, but it is. It's escapism. You go down there 192 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:11,040 and it's for my family and us. It's like the closest outside of leaving the real world that you 193 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:17,200 possibly can because you're just in this bubble and it's friendly. It's nice to great atmosphere. 194 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,840 You have a good time. You're excited to do things, try new foods and they keep you busy. 195 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:27,280 The pricing there has gone really, really high, so much so that I guess Disney themselves now 196 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:32,400 was acknowledging that for a middle class family, it's really, really expensive. But that was just their 197 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:39,200 thing. I mean, we didn't go to the Jersey Shore. We didn't go on a family vacation in an upstate New 198 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:45,840 York or Canada or across the country, down south, the Carolinas. That's what they did. They did six 199 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:51,280 weeks out of the year. They would go to Walt Disney World. And my brother and I would go about one 200 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:56,640 week out of the year. Actually, the last time I think I saw Dr. Trey or one of the last times I saw 201 00:20:56,640 --> 00:21:03,040 Dr. Trey in person was we were down there for Florida for Disney World and my wife now wife and I 202 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:10,160 drove down and saw the Yankees race game. So Dr. Trey and we were down there. So it was like their second 203 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:15,840 home, the way that they looked at it was like their second home because quite honestly as time went on 204 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:21,360 and thank God my dad did it because if anybody joins these DVC or Disney vacation clubs now, 205 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:28,080 they're so damn expensive that I don't know if it's as affordable as it would be now because basically 206 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:34,000 after the first couple trips it paid for itself. And the money that they pay each year nobody would be 207 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:39,280 able to get a hotel room for that price. So we were very, very fortunate he made that decision and 208 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:44,800 he did that for his kids. He did it for the future of his kids to have kids and it's something that's 209 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:50,960 a major part of our lives today. Yeah, I love that. Your dad just goes, this is a really good value. 210 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:57,200 I mean, it's just it's it's it's it's finding the value and stuff. But then I also this is something I've 211 00:21:57,200 --> 00:22:03,920 struggled with and I mean you've known me for a long time. I'm kind of a workaholic. I like staying 212 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:10,720 busy. I've never really done vacations. My dad never, we never really did vacations. Like we would do 213 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:16,320 weekend trips to like the lake or we had a family pond or something like that to kind of get away 214 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:24,640 but it was never these long drawn out, you know, two three week long trips and even now when my wife would 215 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,880 bring it up, you know, last year or the year before like she was like, you know, we we don't go 216 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:35,120 on vacation. I'm like, I don't even know what that is because in in my head a lot of it was I never 217 00:22:35,120 --> 00:22:43,360 really appreciated the escapism of taking some time to kind of re-center yourself letting all the stress 218 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:47,040 because for me the stress was always going to be there. It's like when I come back it just starts 219 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:53,760 right back up. I have the same thoughts as you. So and I've known you for a long time and you've 220 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:58,960 been a workaholic also. So I appreciate the fact that your dad and your mom could go, look, we're not 221 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:05,600 Disney people but Florida is nice and there's a pool and we can just go down there and like get away 222 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:10,080 from everything and just spend some quality time together because that's something that I've 223 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:15,920 really struggled with, you know, realizing that, you know, both my my two oldest kids, my my daughter, 224 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:22,480 my stepson, are both about to graduate high school and go off on their own. My daughter's graduating in 225 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:29,760 three months, uh, pay no graduate. He's 18 now, but he'll graduate next year. At that point is just me, 226 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:35,360 me, the wife and Sammy is like, I, I, I want to have a feel guilty about trying to go, look, we need to 227 00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:41,440 do stuff as a family and spend some time together, but the two oldest kids probably won't be along with 228 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:48,400 us because they're about to be adults. So there's this weird contrast of guilt and, you know, not being 229 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:53,120 able to take them along for stuff, but yeah, it really is important, especially as you get older to kind 230 00:23:53,120 --> 00:24:02,080 of just go, we need to step away from life and just enjoy us. And that's one thing I'm trying to be 231 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:07,520 very cognizant of, you know, cognizant of going forward. Your mom and dad just figured it out years and 232 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:12,640 years ago. Yeah, yeah. No, my mom wasn't too happy with them originally because they were still a 233 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:19,360 mortgage and had two young kids and my dad was a, a blue collar worker. He had his own business. It 234 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:25,760 was an H-FAC business. I actually worked with him. At one point when he had, I had cancer, then I was 235 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:30,560 with him for 12 years until I got into, uh, in radio, but it's funny to the point that you're making 236 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:35,200 because I go through this every single time that before we leave for vacation, I'm like super stressed 237 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:40,640 out because I got a list of things that I got to do that's long and wide. And what's always, uh, 238 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:47,680 sucks is there's a list of things to do long and wide when you get home. And it has a lot to do with 239 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:55,040 how connected we are nowadays where, you know, my job can text me day and night at any point. I can 240 00:24:55,040 --> 00:25:01,680 get an email at day and night at any point. Um, anything that I do as a hobby could reach out to me day 241 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:09,200 or night. It's, it's, it's so easy. We're so accessible more than whatever. Um, that you kind of want to 242 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:14,480 go back into 1995 and, and remember those days when everybody didn't necessarily have a cell phone 243 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:18,560 and everybody wasn't texting or calling and all you really had was your landline because you could 244 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:24,160 completely disconnect. So I could totally relate to those feelings where it's like I have, I don't 245 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:28,640 want to go on vacation because I know what it's going to be like when I come back, but I tell you what, 246 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:35,200 day about two, three, four, when you're down on a vacation and you're doing it, you could feel the 247 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:39,760 mind just completely escape. Obviously as it gets closer, you know, depending on the length of the 248 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:46,560 vacation, you know, that, uh, shortly after that first travel day in the middle, uh, about 75% 249 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,720 towards the end, you're, you're in a really good spot. And then that dread comes on when it's like a 250 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:57,760 crap, I got to get back to this all. So, um, yeah, we had had some phenomenal moments and, um, 251 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:03,680 yeah, that's kind of where the whole Walt Disney World thing stem from, which is just, uh, 252 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:10,240 just wild to think. So yeah, I mean, I'm truly blessed and honored and honest, uh, or honestly, 253 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:18,800 happy that my dad, you know, seven days a week, eight hours a day, worked his hands to the bone, 254 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:25,920 worked in a blue collar job, built a business that was just him and I for a period of time. 255 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:31,120 Sold that business, was able to retire and joy some life for a little bit. Um, and he did that all 256 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:36,400 on his back and you're not really going to see those types of workers all that much anymore because 257 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:42,400 the entrepreneur of business has changed. Um, you know, if you're able to build something, it takes a 258 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:49,200 really, really long time to do that, uh, whether it's blue collar or white collar. So it's, it's kind of like 259 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:54,000 that last of a dine breed of some sort where I, I mean, I don't know what it's like for you, Dr. 260 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:58,720 Tre, but I could tell you when I was 20 years ago when I graduated high school, uh, they were already 261 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:04,800 trying to shy kids away from doing these blue collar jobs, working with your hands, being a plumber, 262 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:10,560 electrician, HVAC, which is a damn shame because I could tell you what from a son of someone who did 263 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:17,200 that, uh, he made a very, very good living, was able to provide for us and will still be able to take 264 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:23,680 care of his family for decades and years to come because of the stuff that he did on his own two hands 265 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:31,680 and on, you know, breaking his, his back to the bone almost. Yeah, so, you know, similar, like my dad 266 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:37,520 was a construction, you know, I did my dad, uh, delivered sheetrock for 25 years. He'd be the guy out there 267 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:42,480 the boom truck full of, you know, with all the sheetrock for a house. He'd go out there and nowadays you see 268 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:46,480 a boot, you see a truck go out of all the sheetrock. There's like three or four guys on the truck, 269 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:53,440 you know, no, my dad was the guy that would go out there by himself and deliver it and built a, 270 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:59,120 built a life for him and his family on his back until his back literally gave out. Um, and he got a 271 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:03,520 really good settlement for work with his companies. It will retire, but my, my grandfather was in construction, 272 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:09,360 uh, both my uncles are electricians, my brothers in electrician, uh, and my dad, basically told me, 273 00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:15,360 he's like, you're not a blue collar guy. You're not a heart, you're not the physical guy. You're a smart guy, 274 00:28:15,360 --> 00:28:19,760 you're a funny guy. You need to go to college and figure stuff out for yourself and figure out what 275 00:28:19,760 --> 00:28:24,320 role, you know, what role works for you. And then I end up in construction doing story models and 276 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:29,920 renovations. That's what I was doing. We launched a show that wasn't until a few years back when my 277 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,800 stepson looked at me and went, saw me at a wrestling show. He's like, you're a really good talker. And 278 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:41,440 I was like, okay, thank you. He goes, do they pay you for this? And I went, I like, you know, 20 bucks. He's 279 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:46,080 like, you should have a job where you get paid to talk. And I, and I laughed at it. And I thought about 280 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:51,040 like, it's what my dad was telling me years ago. And I never, and that's how I transitioned over and 281 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:56,320 doing the marketing stuff for construction companies because I'm a good talker. And obviously, 282 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:02,320 we've been here to show for this long. I must be a good talker. But yeah, like, but they were, 283 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,320 that was the whole thing. Like, oh no, you don't want to go into construction. You don't want to go 284 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:11,120 into manual labor. You know, you don't see your family. You're gone all the time. You're always 285 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:15,680 kind of on call for your customers when they need emergencies because you're trying to build a loyal 286 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:22,560 customer base. And the, the scary thing is now, you know, that was like, you know, late 90s, 30 years 287 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:28,000 later, we're begging people to go to trade school. You know, we're a guy. Seriously, you'll make more money 288 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:32,240 doing trade school stuff than you will go into college. Jeff and I mean, seriously, I, how many 289 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:37,600 friends are ours? We have to have like masters degrees and they're making 30,000, 40,000 dollars a year. 290 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:42,720 Like, there's just not a great market for it, but like my brother now who's started his own company up, 291 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:48,160 you know, he'll probably make 400,000, 500,000 a year. He's building something for his son 292 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:53,360 that if that's where he wants to go, there's a business. If not, he can sell it and retire early. 293 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:58,560 I got into a field where, basically, I can do this until I drop into the ground myself because of 294 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:02,640 the fact that like, I can, as long as my brain's working, I don't need my hands on my, I can talk. 295 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:06,320 I can teach people how to talk. I can teach people how to do my job. So 296 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:11,840 that it was kind of like the best of both worlds. I'm like, I'm combining my one talent with 297 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:17,360 my family's history and kind of combining it into one. But yeah, like I tell my steps on my steps 298 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:22,160 on all the time. I'm like, dude, I'm like, you're not a great talker. You don't like people. 299 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:30,400 You might need to find a job in some kind of service trade industry just so you can do the job and 300 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:34,400 not really communicate with anybody and still make a good living for your families. A little bit 301 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:39,520 of that like playing to your strengths and minimizing your weaknesses. That's more the lesson 302 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:45,600 my dad taught me than anything else. Yeah, it's, you know, I guess we're thankful that we grew up in 303 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:52,160 that different era. Then I guess some right nowadays because it did help thicken the skin a little bit 304 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:56,640 and kind of teach you the work ethic. And that's been something I've been pointed out. And I just 305 00:30:56,640 --> 00:31:01,680 mentioned previously I started working with my dad back in 1999. I was 12 years old, which, 306 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:07,200 I don't think a lot of 12 year olds are working nowadays, especially in a in a blue collar job. And 307 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:12,000 it originally just started because he needed a pair of hands. He needed help carrying some stuff 308 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:21,760 because my dad was weak from the chemotherapy at that time. And what started from there was from 1999 309 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:31,200 until about 2000 and 12 when I got hired in Hartford Connecticut to work at the local radio station 310 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:36,960 there in sports radio, 97 to 90 SPN for those who remember those days if you're a long time listener is 311 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:43,680 here of the podcast or even if you remember listening to me from the Bauer Shadeys, it was, 312 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:50,480 it was where that work ethic started and he did not pay me that first summer because he felt that 313 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:56,240 I needed to earn it basically. And I started at like $0 an hour and I would get paid in like 314 00:31:56,240 --> 00:32:03,120 lunches and of course I loved it. And then it became like $2 an hour and $4 an hour and kept increasing. 315 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:11,040 And you know it was it was cool. I enjoyed those times. I mean working with them for God, I guess it 316 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:17,200 would have been 13 years. And then towards the end of it it was it was a really tough decision for 317 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:26,000 me because in about May 2000, so March 2012 Bauer who who kept an obvious Dr. Tray Franklin 318 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:32,480 I did the old Captain obvious name there, knows very well. And he's the gentleman that still host 319 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:38,320 this podcast on there. He got hired in Hartford Connecticut 97 to 90 SPN and in about two months time 320 00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:44,880 he brought me along and what was the trigger of all that was the CM Punk interview of Profession 321 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:51,040 Wrestling was in town in Hartford at the XL Center and he was like you got to be here for this 322 00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,960 and I think he started doing an internship in Air Quotes with me about two weeks prior. 323 00:32:55,040 --> 00:33:02,400 And I would ask my dad like hey do you need me these days or I'm going to go up to Hartford. 324 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:07,840 And he would give me his blessing to go up there it would be like maybe two three days a week. 325 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:13,600 And this time went on it was two three days a week to almost five days a week because he knew I was 326 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:20,000 chasing a dream. He allowed me to do that and I got hired in December 2012. And that was tough because 327 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:26,320 I didn't want to leave my dad out there by himself because he was getting older and age and he was 328 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:30,320 he was having difficulty at times like carrying things and I knew this was going to be a little bit 329 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:34,640 of a burden on him. And I think it was also right around that time that he started talking about selling 330 00:33:34,640 --> 00:33:40,240 the business. If I remember correctly I think I may have worked with him on some weekends but he 331 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:46,160 allowed me to to chase that he could have said no you know I need you five days a week I can't 332 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:50,800 have you go internship do an internship there chasing a job that you may not get for no money 333 00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:55,680 because I wasn't getting paid at that point until December 2012 when I finally got hired as like a 334 00:33:55,680 --> 00:34:01,120 quote board operator still was making peanuts making less money than I would with my dad 335 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:09,600 because the clear channel was extremely cheap and using us basically using me for that role 336 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:14,240 just because I was chasing the dream but he allowed that to happen again I mean he could have said no 337 00:34:14,240 --> 00:34:21,840 but he allowed that to happen and I was happy to that then he did that because it led to some radio 338 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:26,320 and he was extremely proud of me he would it was funny because my mom would tell stories that she 339 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,560 would come home from work and there would my dad would be on the computer listening to the 340 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:35,680 Bauer show online every day in a bag of potato chips eating sandwich whatever and he would be 341 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:40,800 listening the show every single day he was so proud he would never tell me he was listening 342 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:46,560 the show every single day but he was listening every single day for those two years got to ESPN chase 343 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:52,640 that I remember talking to him like when I was getting ready to leave and he and my mom both said like 344 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:58,240 you know you you did what you tried what you wanted to do you did your dream that you want to do I 345 00:34:58,240 --> 00:35:03,280 always wanted to work at ESPN it didn't work out for you the money wasn't there and now you're taking 346 00:35:03,280 --> 00:35:09,760 these next steps and which led to my my rest of my career but yeah I mean a lot of those things where 347 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:16,240 he sacrificed for us as a father as an apparent and he sacrificed as a person to allow me to chase 348 00:35:16,240 --> 00:35:21,760 other things and and for that I'm obviously forever grateful and as I said at the start of the show 349 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:26,800 I don't think I would be a wrestling fan today if it wasn't for my dad I remember in like 350 00:35:26,800 --> 00:35:36,240 91 92 93-ish he would watch wrestling and he would always mimic matcha man's rainy savage voice 351 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:43,120 and from time to time he would have me sit with him and we'd watch wrestling and see Hulk Hogan 352 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:48,160 and and matcha man randy savage and he would like play wrestle and all that stuff it wasn't really 353 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:56,320 until 1994 that I got into wrestling and and a couple stories that like really span out to that to 354 00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:05,200 tie it back to wrestling here on the wrestling podcast that we do in in the in the early 90s he he 355 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:10,480 worked for Bruce Pritchard I think I mentioned here on the show so worked with Bruce Pritchard would 356 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,640 ask me if I remembered brother love I think brother love was an on television at that point and 357 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:23,840 wf as it was known at the time back in the day since I lived close to the headquarters or 358 00:36:23,840 --> 00:36:30,560 lived close to the headquarters of role-rest entertainment they would do these literal high school gyms 359 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:35,360 doctor tray and they would do it for a benefit for a Stanford Connecticut police officer and we 360 00:36:35,360 --> 00:36:42,000 would go to a regular high school and watch wf stars I remember seeing yoko's universe's earthquake 361 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:47,920 in like a sumo match I think Lex Luger was one of the head shrinkers being there one two three kid 362 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:52,400 and it was so cool and before one of the shows he took me down to meet Bruce Pritchard 363 00:36:52,400 --> 00:37:00,000 you know shook his hand set a few pleasantries you know set high to my dad and and off we would go 364 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:06,000 and that was really cool and my dad had some connections where somewhere and I got to find it I've 365 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:10,720 been thinking about this for a long time but somewhere he got a photo of Macho Man Randy Savage 366 00:37:10,720 --> 00:37:16,160 signed for me where it said to Jeffrey you know best wishes which is Macho Man Randy Savage 367 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:22,320 and it was because he had some friends I don't know I don't remember if it was Bruce Pritchard or 368 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:28,560 someone that he knew that worked for wf but he was able to get that for me you know he would make 369 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:35,520 sure I didn't miss a single paper view you know we would watch every mid early to mid 90s paper 370 00:37:35,520 --> 00:37:42,560 view from like 94 to 96 97 was because of my dad watching every single paper view paying for that 371 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:47,520 I'm a bro we said my dad you know they're about to go on did you pay for it he's like yes I paid for 372 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:56,000 it all good and we would watch those paper views obviously illegal now but at the time well illegal 373 00:37:56,000 --> 00:38:02,240 then too but he would record them for me so that I could watch them I remember a Thanksgiving where 374 00:38:02,240 --> 00:38:10,080 we were at we went to go visit my uncle and my dad couldn't come because he was working and I called 375 00:38:10,080 --> 00:38:14,560 him for like the results of survivor series 1994 and having him tell me on the phone that Bob 376 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:20,720 backlin won the wf championship because Owen threw in the towel and then watching it afterwards was 377 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:27,440 like blew blew my mind I remember staying up and watching those early days of Monday night raw with him 378 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:35,840 you know it was just it was really cool and he got me my start in professional wrestling is as time 379 00:38:35,840 --> 00:38:41,840 went on you know he would kind of break my chops of watching wrestling and you know you know that 380 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:48,880 stuff is not real and you know I would choke around with him like got there was something recently like 381 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:54,560 you know did you see that the rock came back or whatever and he's like now I didn't see that and 382 00:38:54,560 --> 00:39:00,240 you know or Hulk Hogan was back on and he's you know he would get a kick out of like the holster still 383 00:39:00,240 --> 00:39:07,280 going out there and running through the motions but yeah um pretty sure that if it wasn't for him 384 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:13,360 watching wrestling in those early 90s and he would actually talk about his old man and my 385 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:17,920 grandfather grandfather taking into madness for a garden to go see Bruno Sam Martino 386 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:25,200 and how important it was to sit down and watch wrestling on those Saturdays and I don't know my my great 387 00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:31,840 grandmother loved wrestling and he would watch it with her and he would tell those stories I think 388 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:37,040 it's safe to say I want to be a wrestling fan today if it wasn't for my father um introducing me 389 00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:42,320 to professional wrestling so you know it's pretty cool that that happened and the amount of things 390 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:47,360 that he did for me to become a wrestling fan to start out being a wrestling fan and uh yeah just 391 00:39:47,360 --> 00:39:51,760 forever grateful I mean when we would go to those events he would buy out the things I'd have the 392 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:58,960 Bret Hart sunglasses he would buy every styrofoam plastic WF title belt for me I had all of them um 393 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:06,080 the my my Reverend razor Ramone chain with a razor that's a razor Simone on it I mean he would 394 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:11,280 just spoil us and um that was my dad and you know I don't know if I'd be here today again 395 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:15,760 talking professional wrestling if he didn't introduce that door to me I'm I'm sure he probably 396 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:21,680 thought at times that it went along a little bit too long that I was a wrestling fan but uh he still 397 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:28,160 he still got that going so I appreciate my dad for doing that I'm just picturing like 11-year-old 398 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:34,640 ginger Jeff Peck uh walking through the halls of his school with that razor Ramone chain dangling 399 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:40,960 from his neck thinking he's the coolest thing in the world I just it's it's it's it's it's I mean 400 00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:45,360 and we've talked about the show like we know my I always tell everybody like my I give my 401 00:40:45,360 --> 00:40:50,080 grandmother credit for getting me in a wrestling but my dad was the bridge dad dad was not a 402 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:54,800 diehard wrestling fan but he I mean he'd watch it with grandma and then when he saw that I was 403 00:40:54,800 --> 00:41:00,560 interested he kind of helped push that a little bit like he's the one that you know like he always 404 00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:06,800 bring up Danny Hodge is like our sixth cousin and he would tell stories about how Danny Hodge could 405 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:12,880 crush an apple with his bare hands and you know all those stories and then you know seven years old 406 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:17,760 like mid-south wrestling in Tulsa was the big thing like you know Ted D. B. Ossie, Dr. Steve 407 00:41:17,760 --> 00:41:24,880 William, junkyard dog all those guys came through that territory and you know dad I remember it took 408 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:31,680 me to my first wrestling show and got me and and nose bleed sees but I mean you know because I mean 409 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:36,000 you know this from having a blue car background your dad's working eight 10 hours a day dad worked 410 00:41:36,000 --> 00:41:39,280 might have a good work at five o'clock in the morning he wouldn't get home till six o'clock at night 411 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:44,400 and he would come home and be like get in the car and go and drive it and take me to a wrestling show 412 00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:52,400 and kind of the same thing like I think you know he always would kind of like you know as I got older 413 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,240 like you're still watching that stuff you're still into like kind of giving me crap about it a little bit 414 00:41:56,240 --> 00:42:03,520 and even into my 20s and then we started the podcast I I joked with somebody recently I'm like I 415 00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:11,840 don't think my dad has ever listened to an episode of our show um up until recently you know just 416 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:16,800 been the last like year or so that I think my dad's actually listened to the show but 417 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:23,520 it once I got involved in the wrestling business my dad thought it was kind of cool like he was like 418 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:28,160 really you're out there and and then now that he sees like the interactions that Sammy has 419 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:35,120 with the wrestling stuff and he told me he saw the video of me getting the crowd saying happy birthday 420 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:41,360 to Sammy was one of the coolest things he'd ever seen it actually brought a tear to his eye and he's 421 00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:45,840 like that's one of the things that's gonna live with Sammy forever and in the back of my mind I'm like 422 00:42:45,840 --> 00:42:50,320 it's also one of those things that's gonna live with my dad for as long as he's around is he's gonna 423 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:58,640 see that how much something I loved gave back to something he loves so much in Sammy so 424 00:42:58,640 --> 00:43:05,200 like I'm really I'm really proud of that that it's taken a long time for me to kind of make my dad 425 00:43:05,200 --> 00:43:11,200 a wrestling fan again not so much in the you know day to day week to week watching of the show 426 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:17,520 but just how much the wrestling community can love the people that love it shit I'm gonna 427 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:22,960 show you fuck yeah yeah no it's it's it's an amazing bond right I mean it starts somewhere for all 428 00:43:22,960 --> 00:43:30,400 of us and that's what's really cool about professional wrestling where it's a bond it starts somewhere 429 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:37,680 and it's passed on to someone else and it brings people together there is no greater joy than 430 00:43:37,680 --> 00:43:42,720 professional wrestling for me at times it's one of the best and it's you want to talk about escapism 431 00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:46,400 I mean this is another one it's the world of professional wrestling and that's something that my 432 00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:52,240 dad opened that door too and I'm sure didn't figure it would be as open and wide as as it was but I 433 00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:55,440 mean there are other things I mean we talked about Walt Disney World my dad opened that door for a 434 00:43:55,440 --> 00:44:00,880 period of time and he himself got away from it as well but NASCAR was a big thing that that we did is 435 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:06,160 as a family traveling around to different racetracks and went to Charlotte Motor Speedway with him 436 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:12,240 went to New Hampshire Motor Speedway with him so I mean those were moments that I'll always remember 437 00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:19,120 one thing that I'll all kind of lead with it and another story that just came to mind as we're 438 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:25,120 talking about my dad and professional wrestling like how wf was back in the day and I think I've said 439 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:30,320 the story on here as well so forgive me for those who've heard it but wf back in the day would have 440 00:44:30,320 --> 00:44:35,600 like these warehouse events where it was people could come to the warehouse and and they can 441 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:42,720 buy merchandise or stuff that was off the rack and recently my dad showed me a flyer for it which 442 00:44:42,720 --> 00:44:47,040 was wild it was like something in the newspapers like a little small newspaper clipping like 443 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:52,720 WWE wf is having a warehouse sale come on down and I think wrestlers were going to be there and my dad 444 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:58,320 always claims like Hulk Hogan was going to be there but he showed me the flyer and said it was 445 00:44:58,320 --> 00:45:03,040 going to be there Hogan was going to be there whatever but I refused to get out of the car because 446 00:45:03,040 --> 00:45:10,080 of donk the clown being there I was afraid of seeing donk the clown and he always said told that story 447 00:45:10,080 --> 00:45:13,600 where yeah you were going to meet Hogan we were going to do this warehouse thing but you went 448 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:18,560 to get out of the car you were afraid and scared because donk the clown was in there which is kind of 449 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:26,880 speaks to a generation where it was pretty cool at one point it was still real to me dammit and I was 450 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:31,120 so fearful this was you know the evil donk the clown error I did not want to get out of the car 451 00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:36,000 because of donk the clown being there so the story that he always would tell from time to time 452 00:45:38,080 --> 00:45:45,760 you know I think this has been a very therapeutic and cathartic edition of the podcast there's 453 00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:52,080 a lot to be said and maybe in the weeks and months and days that follow here on the podcast from 454 00:45:52,080 --> 00:46:00,960 time to time will bring up some more stories but in a weird way I'm sorry to everybody that we're 455 00:46:00,960 --> 00:46:05,120 not sitting here right now and celebrating 15 years of the still real to show and giving you 456 00:46:05,120 --> 00:46:10,480 that award show and recapping review and NXT Vengeance Day and anything else that's going on 457 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:16,880 WrestleMania 41 roundup and I truly hope that we're going to be able to get to that the only 458 00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:21,680 wrestling show that I finished so far of watching was smacked down from last Friday the day that my 459 00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:27,280 dad passed away and I literally just did that today as Dr. Trayn I recorded this on Wednesday afternoon 460 00:46:27,280 --> 00:46:32,000 everything else is just so backed up in the queue of things that I got to get caught up on and watch 461 00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:37,840 I don't quite frankly know if I'll be able to to be fully back and recapped everything that's going on 462 00:46:37,840 --> 00:46:41,760 on next week's edition show and I'm sure you know Dr. Trayn is understanding to that and I'm sure 463 00:46:41,760 --> 00:46:46,320 all of you listening to the podcast are very understanding to that as well and I thank you for that 464 00:46:46,320 --> 00:46:52,880 it was the toughest day of my life it's it's one of the toughest times I've ever gone through 465 00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:58,720 and sitting down here for well over 45 minutes talking with Dr. Trayn talking about my dad 466 00:46:58,720 --> 00:47:05,760 talking about listening about his dad and sharing stories about our dad is is it's been fantastic 467 00:47:05,760 --> 00:47:10,160 it's been extremely helpful and I thank everybody who's downloaded the show I thank Dr. Trayn for 468 00:47:10,160 --> 00:47:14,960 giving me this opportunity to say yeah let's wipe the show clean we're going to go do something 469 00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:22,800 that we've never done in in 784 episodes and then just talk about us there are some wrestling tie 470 00:47:22,800 --> 00:47:28,720 in still but this is just basically Jeff Pack and Dr. Trayn Franklin talking shooting the shit you're 471 00:47:28,720 --> 00:47:37,600 part of the phone call and it's it's it's uh it's been fun I uh I wish I didn't have to do it 472 00:47:37,600 --> 00:47:43,680 certainly given the circumstances but again I thank everybody for downloading I thank everybody for 473 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:49,920 their support it's it's been immense to me and my family and it has meant a lot to me so 474 00:47:50,560 --> 00:47:55,200 I guess before we formally close up shop on this week's edition of the show Dr. Trayn anything 475 00:47:55,200 --> 00:48:01,280 anything else you want to say here before we we bid bid adieu for this week's edition of podcast 476 00:48:01,280 --> 00:48:07,600 we have we've been together longer than most married couples I make that joke with you all the time 477 00:48:07,600 --> 00:48:13,120 like we've been together now 15 years of doing the show probably 16 years of our friendship 478 00:48:13,120 --> 00:48:19,120 I don't say this enough I love you man you love you too man you are near near to my heart 479 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:25,680 we may not have given the audience 15 years of best RTU we gave them 38 years of memories about 480 00:48:25,680 --> 00:48:34,000 fun time Johnny that that is more important to me uh then the show this week so I love you my brother 481 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:43,120 my thoughts and prayers and everything's with you um and this whole community cares about you 482 00:48:44,000 --> 00:48:50,800 so if you need anything all you have to do is reach out to any of us and we always have your back my friend 483 00:48:50,800 --> 00:48:57,040 I appreciate that man um I appreciate all of you for downloading and supporting this podcast for 484 00:48:57,040 --> 00:49:02,240 15 years I down I appreciate all of you guys for downloading this week's edition of the show 485 00:49:02,240 --> 00:49:08,240 probably very curious as to why we're doing this um with the title of the episode and um 486 00:49:08,960 --> 00:49:17,600 again I cannot thank you enough I will I will love and miss my dad forever um and I thank him for everything so 487 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:24,240 until next week four Dodge Tray Franklin I am Jeff Peck thank you for downloading thank you for 488 00:49:24,240 --> 00:49:27,360 being there on this week's edition of the StoRill does show