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Reel Talk with Rich: Adnan Virk · Reel Talk with Rich: Stories in Sportscasting

• Rich: Welcome to the latest edition of Reel Talk with Rich Stories in Sportscasting. For this episode, maybe more than any other episode, we're going to be talking about a lot more than just sports casting. There's some great sports casting knowledge that's going to be dropped in this episode, but this week, it's Adnan Virk as my guest. And if you know anything about Adnan Virk, he is So well versed in so many different things, not just sports related, but movies, music, you name it. The guy is an encyclopedia of pop culture. You'll hear some amazing name drops and name checks, as well as some unbelievably esoteric references in terms of cinema and music, but also sports. Adman has cemented himself. As one of the most versatile and reliable studio hosts in all of sports. You could see him on MLB Network. You could also find him on Amazon Prime for their hockey coverage. And of course, he made his name on the national scene when he started at ESPN and hosted baseball tonight previous to his current jobs. It's a really fun session talking about stories and sports casting and a whole lot more than just that. So Without further ado, here's Reel Talk with Adnan Virk. Spending some time catching up with the captain, Adnan AV: Ha ha ha. Rich: Virk It's great to see you, buddy. AV: Great to see you too. Rich been too long. Man, obviously you're united by our ESPN days. We had you in studio for MLB Network. I remember a while ago. That was fun. but it's good to catch up this way as well here on the podcast. A little more informal, a little more casual, it'll be good. Rich: I love it. I love it. Let's start with this, Adnan. When was the first time you decided in your heart and in your mind, I want to be a sportscaster? AV: Well, I think sometimes, you know, it it gets made up for you. And I always tell people, Rich, as far as looking for advice and careers and what to do, I said it's always important to look at what you're good at rather than necessarily what you'd like to do. Meaning, when I was in high school, our guidance counselor, Dennis Shula, who was a great guy, when we were looking at potential universities and colleges to go to, he said, you know, look at what you're good at. So he You're a great public speaker, you're an excellent writer. So, you know, I think something like broadcasting would make sense for you. So he said you should go to the school in Toronto called Brierson and the program And I grew up in a small town. I was born in Toronto, but then I grew up in Kingston, which is maybe a town of a hundred thousand and then from ages eleven to seventeen I was literally in the middle of nowhere. I was in a little town called Morgan, population five hundred. So to me, the idea of going to Toronto was very exciting, going back to a big city. And the other part of it was, you know, I've always been a huge sports fan, but also a big movie person. And I'd read this great book called Easy Riders Raging Bulls. And Scorsese's always been my favorite filmmaker, as you know. But Robert Altman, I thought I could do what Robert Altman did, which is that he was a T V director and then he segued to movies. And I you know, I can never tell my parents I'm going to film school, because what kind of a job is that? You know, immigrant parents are not going support that. So I said, I'll go to this RTA school, radio and television arts, and I'll go be a TV. director and then from then I'll become a film director. So in my second year at Ryerson we had to do a short film and mine's was terrible and it wasn't very good. So at that point my mind was made up for me. It was it was always gonna be either movies or sports. And since movies wasn't an option, I said, okay I'll go be sportscaster. So I think there's there's moments as a kid I certainly remember My dad has a video of me as a camcorder, ten years old doing a stand-up, Adnan Virk CBC News, Ottawa. I remember going to the Hall of Fame and there was a little booth where you could pretend to do calls and stuff. there was always fleeting moments like that. But the moment that I truly said, Okay, I'm gonna be a sportscaster is when I realized I was not gonna be a film director. And that was when I Rich: Ha ha. AV: was in my second year in college. When I was twenty, I said, Okay, I'm being a sportscaster now. Come hell or high water and it's all worked out. Rich: We we will certainly dive into the cinema side of things in just a little while, saving that for later. AV: Yeah. Rich: who were and and I ask this to just about everybody, but with AV: Yeah. Rich: you I'm almost extra curious about this answer, Adnan, because you grew up in Canada, as you AV: Yeah. Rich: said. Who were your sports casting heroes who you looked up to? AV: So it's amazing, Rich, because again, so imagine ages eleven to seventeen, population five hundred, we didn't have cable. So forget about, I mean, in Canada, you could not have access to ESPN. I did not watch SportsCenter growing up. So I did not get to watch, you know, Dan and Keith or Stu and Rich or Boomer and all these great broadcasters that so many of our contemporaries have done. So, my main sports interaction was I would read the newspaper. I'd read the Toronto Store every morning, and I would just read the recaps and read the box scores and read columnists. And then, of course, I would watch sports, but a lot of that was hockey related, CBC hockey in Canada, and Bob Cole obviously the voice hockey in Canada, great broadcaster, and fun to listen to. But again, where we lived, it was so remote. You had what's called a rotor, and you'd move this rotor and you'd try to get to TV, and it'd be like all crackly and snowy. So people ask, I became an Eagles fan. I go, Well, there was only two NFL games you could watch. It was either The Eagles games or Giants games. So inevitably, I was like, well, I'll just I'll just like Philly. And I remember like listening to Dick Stockton doing CBS football and being like, this guy is so great. And I remember, you know, the 91 World Series was such a great, great World Series, Twins Braves. And I remember reading in the newspaper that this guy, Jack Buck, was a big deal. Hall of Famer was the Cardinals broadcasters doing the world. And remember thinking, like, this guy is really good. Like just listening to it. Like there was an incredible World Series, as you know. Both teams had been in last place. Virtually every game was Rich: Yeah, worst of first. AV: right, but virtually every game was a one run game. Obviously, Morris Smoltz in game seven. But the pocket game six, the great catch, and then Jack Buck's Immortal Call. And that's I think the first time I was thirteen years old, I realized, you can have great sports moments enhanced by a great broadcaster. Like The singularity of Puckett, who had been slumping the entire World Series, but then has this signature moment, but it was also a signature call by Jack Buck. Hit deep for Mitchell, and we'll see ya tomorrow night. And years later, when I got to meet Joe Buck, and I told him, I said, my favorite part of your book, Joe had wrote a great book called Lucky Bastard, which as I said to him is a literal title. He said it is. Rich: Ha ha ha. AV: he he talked about that call. And he said, you why it was such a great call was he said Jack was was sh struggling at the time. He wasn't really natural fit for TV. Radio, you talk a more, the play-by-play guys you know is the star. Whereas here, McCarver was the scientist new toy, he was a star, and him and Tim were not getting along particularly well. So and Joe said that call was so great because you know it's 50,000 fans of the Metrodome. Everyone's got the Homer Hankeys wearing all white. The baseball is white and there's the plexiglass. So he's like, that's an incredibly difficult call to make that the ball is going to clear the glass. And to be able to pick that up and Joe Jack Bucks in his late sixties at that age. So I'm like, it's one of those moments like retroactively, I'm like, I can appreciate what a great, great call it was because Joe has such appreciation for his father. So I would see moments like that. And then again, when I went to school at Ryerson, I was 18. And then I got an internship in that second year, when I when I vowed, okay, I'm gonna be a sportscaster. And I got an internship at TSN, which was the equivalent of ESPN, the sports network. And that was really the time where I would say, in in terms of heroes, mentors, broadcasters, people I was mimicking, imitating, that's when it started to form. That's when I first started to see NFL Prime time with Chris Berman. It's the first time I got to Keith Oberman do SportsCenter. And it's the first time, probably most importantly, I worked with sportscasters. So I was an EA editorial assistant. In America, we call it a production assistant, a PA. But that's where I worked with David Amber and James Duffy and the late Darren Detitian and Rod Smith. And I would see how those guys would write scripts, how they would read prompter. you know, how to how to craft a highlight, how to use their voice. And so it was very I was I was very ingratiated in that environment. And that's what really kind of took off. And you know as well as I do that the best success is on the job training. So it was funny. I think I was a sports fan my whole life. I kind of knew who broadcasters were, but once I was in it, then it really kinda take off and you start to realize who you like, who you don't like, and you kind of develop your own style. Rich: A big chunk of that story obviously focused on baseball, that one moment in particular. I think AV: Yeah. Yeah. Rich: most people watching or listening right now would associate you most with baseball because of how much you've done with ESPN and now MLB network. What made a Canadian kid fall in love with baseball? AV: Yeah, it's a great question. my friend Blake Bolden, who I work with on Amazon Prime's hockey broadcast. You know, she saw me the other day we were doing hockey and then on the laptop I was watching baseball and she's like, So baseball? Like you're Canadian, like you I don't get it. And I said, Well, as Canadians, it was baseball in the summer and it was always hockey in the winter. She's like, Okay, I guess that makes sense. And I was obviously played baseball as a kid and loved playing it. But I just always loved the sport and again, maybe I was just fortunate at that time. You know, I think w I am forty eight now and I think earliest sports memories are always around six, seven, eight. Eight years old, one of the great World Series ever. Obviously, the Mets winning in 86. I remember liking Ken Seiko because he knows he was so big and Brawny he had that great attitude about him. So I those A's teams. But then, of course, the Gibson Homer and what a great World Series that was for the Dodgers. I get iconic moments, the 91 World Series I mentioned. And then being in Canada, 92, 93, the Blue Jays go back to back and Joe Carter's home run and all the rest of it. So I think I was really fortunate that I was swept up in a great era of baseball. And then right after that, of course, the Yankee Dynasty and all those gay Yankees, Red Sox. matchups and away we go. So I I think it's baseball is a great sport. It's a sport that I've always loved. And I romanticize it. The great Bob Costas has said it well. He said baseball is that sport where nothing happens and then everything happens. Right? You you just get a you think, it's you know, one one count, nobody on, no big deal. And then all of a sudden a couple runners are on and this is the game. And and I love working with all the analysts as I know you do. Jake PB is such a great guy. Like he I'll be sitting there watching a baseball game with him and he goes, like, this is it, this is the game. Like this is like it's gonna move. You're gonna know this is it. Like, this is the most important part you're gonna see. If he gets him out, they're gonna win. And if they doesn't, it's over. And when you get to lean in and lock in on every single pitch and that that wonderful moment of tension and then slight release. You know, when the pitch gets delivered, whatever happens is a result. And then tension, slight release. I think I've just always loved that tension of baseball. And as you know, playoff baseball, there's really nothing like it. It's so great. Rich: I I want to pivot for one second based on what I just heard you say. You mentioned one person, Jake Peavy, but AV: Yeah. Rich: you and I both know that you have worked with dozens, if not more, of partners in the studio who sit next to you at the desk. What would your keys be to building chemistry so it looks like you've worked with these people for years when sometimes that's not the case at all? AV: Excellent question. And Mike McQuaid, who's now running ESPN at the time was running baseball. He really set the template by being, you know, the the show we do would be at midnight on baseball tonight, ESPN 2. Carl Ravage would obviously have the early show at 10. But we would have the meeting around, let's say, 5:30, and then after that we're gonna go grab dinner, and then we'd sit there and watch games. And that was the most important thing. From seven o'clock till ten o'clock, I'm sitting there with Ravi and with Aaron Boone and Alex Kora and Rick Sutcliffe and Omar Garcia Parra and Mark Mulder. And sitting there watching baseball. And that really is the way that you develop chemistry. Is not only watching the games and picking up what they're picking up, you know, Kurt Schilling's fascination with Jacob de Grom and look at his arsenal tonight. he's got something tonight, or he's not doing this, or the guy's just picking up little things. But also the chemistry of just chatting. As you know, if you and I went and saw a baseball game, we're talking baseball, we're also talking about our kids and life and what movies you've seen and what music you're into, whatever it is. So that I think was almost as important as actually watching the baseball. You know, obviously we're paying attention to the games and what's happening. But throughout the night, Tim Kirch and I are just talking about life. And he's talking about his elderly ailing mother and how he looks after her and he drives to Maryland and he played basketball with Cal Ripkin and you're just learning about each other's lives. So then you go out there and it you just feel like you just hang out with a buddy. Like it's just a go-to bar for a few hours and you're going to do a one hour show. So I think that really is important is just spending time with each other. PB specifically, we went to spring training together two years ago now. And just again, we're there at the camp waiting to talk to with the twins or the Phillies or the Cubs. But it's also just going to grab lunch afterwards or grabbing dinner and just just shooting the breeze. I think that's probably the easiest way is just to get to know a person and then it comes across on camera, it's more authentic. Yeah. Rich: Yeah, you're embedded and you're you're forced to interact. And I think you've shown on air that you've taken great advantage of that. Kudos to you for that. I don't want to spend too much time on this, Adnan, because that's not what this podcast is about. But since you are one of the TV baseball experts, I do wanna pick your brain a little bit on how you think this baseball offseason is gonna play out. AV: So every year, Rich, I I I focus on the postseason so much because I always tell myself, after this, it's a long, cold, hard, bleak winter. We give no baseball for months to come. And obviously I I love hockey, I love basketball, I love football, all the major sports as do you. But there's something special and specific about baseball being my favorite sport. So specifically I have felt that this year. There have been moments, you know, dog days of August, I'll be watching a game and maybe it's, you know. eight three in the fifth. I'm going, hey, savor this. We may not have any baseball for a while. Savor every baseball moment. Because you know what it's like. And I I still think how painful that COVID year was. I remember my wife looking at me, she goes, You look like your dog died. I go, I just I'm dying to get some baseball back. And I remember when when Fox had their return July 23rd, I think it was 60 game season. People can laugh how ridiculous it was like, trust me, I'm just so glad that we had baseball back, especially have it taken away. So the spectrum of the lock it has certainly been ominous and it's been over the sport for all of us. There's no question about how could it not be? And yet, I I'm feeling oddly optimistic, and I'll tell you why. Maybe you can talk me out of or or or agree with me. I think the Dodgers losing helps. I think if the Dodgers have won, you'd say, all right, the biggest, baddest team on the block just won their third straight World Series. Clearly, there's a problem with the sport when the team that spends the most always wins. But that's not gonna be the case. It's gonna be one of the brewers, gardens, arrays, small market teams. So that that definitely helps. But I also feel like there's this collective sense. And again, I'm not in the room, I'm not talking to owners, I'm not talking to the players' union, but there's this collective sense that. When they miss games in ninety-four, the the world is a much smaller place in terms of sports landscape entertainment options. Now, like if you if you have a lockout in which you're missing games, there's so many other options now. And I know it and you know it. So how can they not know it as well? People will watch The NBA playoffs, you know, where I live here in North Jersey, people are still so swept up with the Knicks. You know, they're they're just gonna be watching Knicks games and losing their minds. NHL playoffs, certainly hockey rings have improved the last thirty plus years, the sport's in good shape. People watch WNBA now. It it's not a sport that I watch particularly, but I go to school and I see girl dads all the time, talk with WNBA and Caden Clark and all the rest of us. My God, clearly it's a sport people watching. Again, I'm not a big MLS fan. I know people are really into MLS. I know people who love premiership. Like I'm like, all like there's a lot of soccer fans out there that I wasn't aware of thirty plus years ago. And then I got you know, teenage boys who are on their phones watching TikTok and Instagram and Snapchat. So I think there has to be a sense, Rich, that when these guys get together, and I get the owners are desirous of a salary cap and the players are opposed to it. But I think ultimately somebody has to say, hey guys, just so you know, like if we have a lock up, if we miss games in April, people will find other things to do. Like th they're not Rich: Mm-hmm. AV: going to be lamenting no baseball. They'll go, okay, well, there's twelve other things to do. And you don't want to have to do that. Plus, there's such momentum with the sport. Fourth straight year, attendance is up. TV ratings are up across the board, whether it's MLB Network, ESPN, Fox, TBS, et cetera. And it's a global game now. Really buoyed by the fact the Dodgers J's World Series a year ago, the numbers in Canada were off the charts. Obviously, in Japan, baseball has always been very passionate, rapidly followed. So I seem to think, and maybe I'm just a Pollyanna, but common sense will prevail. The lockout will definitely happen. You and I know that December 1st. But I feel like March 15th, they're gonna sit down and go, okay, guys, let's just get this done. Let's figure this out. We don't wanna lose games to cripple the score. We can put in, if you don't want to call our salary cap, maybe some sort of punitive tax, maybe like a soft cap as you might have in the NBA, raise the floor somehow. You know, Steve Phillips said me the other day, he goes, Why couldn't you do a form where you say, Okay, this is the number. If you go above that, we'll find you like 10 draft picks. Like make it so punitive that nobody will go, okay, fine, fine. So it'll feel like a cap if you don't want to go above that. And again, from the player side of things, the union is incredibly strong and and passionate. And they can find things that they're looking for as well. The fact that the owners throughout the proposal 154 game season, but expanded playoffs. Like get creative with these things. So I I think there's definitely gonna be a lock out. You and I both know that. I think before, if I'd asked some people, they would have said it's gonna go into May or June. Maybe again, I'm just in Pollyanna, but I think mid March they'll get it done and I think we won't miss games. Rich: Well, I know Rob Manfred does not want this stain on his legacy as he leaves the commissioner's job. My hot take is gimme Costas and Virk on the ticket and make it a two AV: Ha ha ha. Rich: person job. Rob Manfred so long, Costas and Verk in two AV: Yeah. It's Rich: thousand twenty seven. AV: that is a great point though. Steve made that to me. He goes, I don't think Rob wants it to be part of his legacy that there's gonna be a lock. I think you're absolutely right. Again, you do have to look as much of a sport as it is, this is human egos and personalities involved. And you're right. If I was Rob Manfred, I want to be able to say when I retire, hey man, we had thirty-five plus years of labor peace. We did not miss games. That is so vital. I agree with you. I just a human element that would be big. Not sure about the Vert ticket, but cost is for commissioner. Definitely that's my butt. I remember years ago somebody said that to me and I was like, Yeah, I go, he would be a great guy. He's so passionate about the sport. And obviously you know what it's like getting to work with Bob at MLB Network. He's he's a brilliant guy. So I'm in, let's do it. Rich: Yeah. All right. Looking forward to having him on this podcast a little bit later. So we could talk more baseball with Bob. Let's pivot back to another passion of yours. And AV: Mm. Rich: I want to be the first and certainly not the only to say, I miss the Cinephile podcast, Adman. I really AV: Thank you, buddy. Rich: do. I know it was a labor of love for you. So just AV: Yeah. Rich: like you talked about how you found your love of baseball, how AV: Mm. Rich: did you discover this passion for? Cinema. AV: I think a lot of it goes back to my mom. I I have great memories and still to this day with my mom of watching movies together. You know, she makes the best popcorn ever, get a little salt, get a little butter, and we we'd watch old movies together. And she said, you know, try to find something. She doesn't only want anything with too much violence or nudity or swearing. So that led to a lot of old movies. And in Canada, you know, just like in America, you have PBS or TCM turner classic movies. In Canada they had what's called TVO, and it was a public pro programming. And every Saturday was TVO night at the movies. So we'd always watch movies Saturday night. I'd watch you know Brandon on the waterfront or Jimmy Cagney and the Public Enemy and Bogart and Casablanca. So that would really start my formative education to watch those old movies. My dad is not an avid movie person. We obviously likes movies like anybody. We like it, you he loves Good Morning Vietnam and like a good comedy. But he would go to the library a lot. So I would tag along with my dad. This is like you 10, 11, 12, and I would go there and they'd have all those movies there at the library. So it really started my film education because you could rent the movies on VHS for I wanna say maybe it was a nickel, ten cents, a quarter, something like that. And the way I would do it was just like with sports. So you and I are watching baseball and saying, Barry Bonds, there's a link to Willie Mays, and who's Willie Mays? And you go read a book about Willie Mays, and all of a sudden there's other books you read about other athletes, et cetera. So same thing with movies. It's okay, I love Scorsese, and Goodfellas has quickly become my favorite movie. Well, who is this Scorsese guy? Let's look up his other movies. You go to the library and boom, they have Taxi Driver and Raging Bowl. And okay, who Scorsese's influences? Well loves this filmmaker called Federico Fellini, Italian film. okay what's his movie? Eight and a half. And I would watch, I had a rule of three. I would always watch three movies of each filmmaker. And if I liked it, then I would gravitate more towards it. And if I didn't, I'd well, at least I have some semblance of it. So Ingmar Bergwin's a famous filmmaker. Okay, I'll watch three of his movies: Seven Seal, Cries and Whispers, Wild Strawberries. Great films. Not necessarily something that I cling to, but it's in the vault now. I know what an Ingmar Bergman movie is. If someone makes an Ingmar Burbergwin reference, I know what that means. Okay, now I'll watch Kubrick. Okay, Strange Love. I'll watch 2001. I'll watch Clockwork Orange. Okay, this guy's pretty great. I'm gonna go watch all of his movies, which ends up being 12 movies. So I think it really kind of dovetails of both. It both goes to my parents. One, my mom naturally loves movies, old movies, so watch that with her, nice bonding experience. And two, going with my dad, tagging along to the library, he's got his nose in the book the whole time. I'm going through some movies. My brother also points to the fact that again, he thinks because we grew up in a remote place. Again, ages eleven to seventeen, he goes, buddy, we're we're five hundred people in our town. There wasn't much to do aside. So he goes, I think naturally, because of your environment, you just naturally became a movie geek and a huge cinophile. So there may be something to that as well. Rich: Yeah, there's definitely some truth there. So obviously let's marry the two before we move on. Give me a short list of your favorite sports movies, Adnan. AV: Yeah, it it's always a tough list, Rich, but I you Raging Bolt to me is one of my favorite movies, and I think it's it's not a conventional sports film, but it is about a boxer and it's it's so powerful because it it deals with all the blows that he deals inside the ring, but also outside of the ring. And those are probably the best sports movies. Our old buddy Mike Greenberg, he used to be used to always tell me, he goes, The best sports movies have the least amount of sports in them. I Well I wouldn't go that far, but but I understood his point. It has to have human drama, human element. So I think, you De Niro gives a a performance for the ages, you know, putting on sixty pounds and play Jake Clamata. It's Scorsese working at the peak of his powers. A relatively unknown Joe Pesci getting his first Oscar nomination, playing De Niro's brother, and of course Kathy Moriarty. So I think just Raging Bull reaches the level of art. And it does have sports as subtext. And those boxing scenes are unbelievable. The 12 minutes in the ring, they're so visceral and so vicious and so well caught to life. I think Million Dollar Baby, again, if you want to go that line again, it's not necessarily a sports movie, but it it has boxing at its heart, and it's again a great human story, guilt redemption. But I think there's a separate list, which is more like you and I would think of, which is fun at sports movies. Major league to me is at the top of that list. You know, I wore out the VHS tape watching as a kid. I just think it's so funny and so related. Even to this day, I was watching the other day. I was watching the Tom Behringer, the last scene. I think they said Behringer was based on Gary Carter. It's so crazy how Wesley Snipes is on second base and scores in an infield bunt single, but it's the magic of television. And I think eight men outs great movie. I w I just saw John Cusacks promoting a new book, a graphic novel he wrote. And I always think eight men outs great movie because that has quite a bit of baseball in it. Keith Oberman made that point to me. He goes, You do want to have a baseball with actual guys that look like they could play baseball. And Charlie Sheen plays right field and he can actually throw as you in Major League. He's throwing eighty miles an hour. Cusack looks like a pretty good third baseman Davis Strathern playing NEC cut as a pitcher. Again, they're 1920s baseball players, but these guys all look like ball players. And John Sales is the great writer director beyond that. So I would say eight men out, major league, raging bowl, you million dollar baby, those are among them that are in that list of as far as sports movies that I enjoy a lot. Rich: Wow, no field of dreams and no baldurum. AV: Field of Dr. Field of Dreams. Yeah. You know, of the two, Field of Dreams I definitely love, and it's such a passive Rich: Yeah. AV: film. Bull Durham, I must admit, I saw it when I was younger, and maybe I was just too much of a prude to appreciate the sexiness of Susan Sarandan and Tim Robbins and his jockey underwear hand cut to the bed. So maybe I need Rich: Yeah. AV: to rewatch that again. But you're right, with all the ball players you and I have been around, the number one to them is always Bull Durham. They always say that Ron Shelton captured baseball the way it is, especially the minor leagues better than anybody. But yeah, Field of Dreams. I did get to go to the Field of Dreams game the first one in Iowa. And I remember going in the house and like anyone, whenever you see anything film, what's the first thought? It's so small. You go, how Rich: Small. AV: how could they actually shoot any how could they even fit cameras in here? That's where Koshner was, that's where Amy Madigan was. That's the cornfield, that's it. But very cool to be able to play. I played catch with Kevin Millard, which is very fun. Yeah. Rich: crazy. you've had your more than your fair share of successes. You've also dealt with adversity. And one of the things I've always admired about you from afar is how you've dealt with that adversity. What would your best advice be to upcoming sportscasters who don't even know the obstacles that they are yet to face? Because we all face them in one way, shape, or form. And handling them Adroitly would be something that I would say is a strength of yours. AV: No, I appreciate it. That's a very nice compliment. I always tell people, you know, it's that great line in one of the Rocky movies, Stallone says, Tough times don't last, but tough people do. And I think it's a great compliment that you're giving me. And I I do think that I've got a good amount of resolve and perseverance. And I and I think ultimately, if you've ever been to a therapist, you talk to people in therapy, they always say, control what you can control, right? So whatever you can do, you focus on that. Be a good person, be good to people. Control what you can control, do a great job on air, and let the chips fall where they may. And I've had great, great successes in my life, and I've had great failures, unfortunately, as well. I'll tell people, I I can't believe I worked nine years at ESPN, but then it's even more shocking that I got fired by ESPN. I never thought that would happen. But I I never let the end distort the beginning. I think it's in the movie Cocktail, and I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan, but I just read this the other day. Someone said in cocktail, he said, you know, I hate that things end badly. He's like, well, that's how they end. Like they always end badly. Generally speaking, That's how things do end. There's not a happy, happy recourse. my cousin got divorced and I asked him, I said, I'm so sorry for the divorce. He said, But don't be. He said, No happy marriage ends in divorce. I'm like, right, you're unhappy, so you to move on. So when you lose a job, it's generally an unhappy moment, but then you have to then have the resolve to go on to go elsewhere. And I remember Scott Shapiro, who was a radio guy at USP and he said to me, he texted me after I got fired and he said, Hey, listen, everything about you is intact. you know, your your character, your personality, your work ethic. So that that hasn't changed just because you don't have ESPN attached you. And I thought that was very good advice. And also it's really helped is seeing how many people have thrived and succeeded post ESPN. Colin Cowherd, Dan Patrick, you know, you name it. There's so many sports catches have been so successful. And a lot of guys that I'm friends with from my era, Max Bredos with soccer and Steve Weisman, Tennis Channel, and a lot of other guys that I've worked with, Mike Yam at FL Network. So I look at my own class of guys. I'm like all of us have all gone to on to great success and so there's always a second chance up there and I I generally feel that way Rich in life people will always give you a second chance and and things will work out. But you control what you can control and ultimately enjoy the ride while you can. You and I know one day that day's gonna come. You know the the doors are locked. That's it. We've had enough. No more work. And I'm like, okay, well we did it as long as we could have a backup plan. Maybe go be a teacher, drive an Uber, go work back at the movie theater as I did when I was twenty years old. I'll be tearing tickets again. Hey's that guy He it's Adam Virk That's right. He's back in movies. so enjoy it while you can, because everything is everything is temporary and certainly I've been very, very lucky. I was thinking the other day, someone said to me, How long have you been on air? And I said, Well, I'm forty eight. I was on air at twenty four. So half of half of my life now I've been on television. So it's it's pretty amazing. I I'm so fortunate. Rich: Yeah, I I think somewhere in there we have found our viral moment, Adnan Virk quoting a Tom Cruise movie. Noted Tom Cruise antagonist, Adnan AV: yeah. Rich: Virk actually quoting a Tom Cruise movie. AV: I know. I have to somehow give him a little do where I can. Cause people you you have something. He's like, I said, Well, I generally praise the people around him. So I love Rain Man, but I say, Well, it's all Dustin Hoffman. It's a great script by Ronald Bass and terrific director Barry Levinson What about Magnolia? Again, great director, Paul Thomas Anderson. He's got great people around him, but he's he's undeniably a movie star. Somebody asked me the other day, I think they tweeted because the movie Digger was an enormous flop. I think it's lost $150 million. And they said, How many victory laps have you taken? I I'm winded from all the victory laps I've taken. And and and real simple I don't want to go on a crusade, but when people ask me, they go, Can you explain your Tom Cruise you know, his strident stand against him? I said, Well, I like anybody who takes a stand against anything. I remember years ago at ESPN, Neil Everett was one of my favorite sportscasters to work with. I know he was in Sports Center LA, as you know, and I was there, and Kurt Rambus, the former Lakers coach, terrific analyst, great guy, MBA, walked in and goes, Where's the nearest Starbucks? I'm gonna go get a coffee. And Neil leapt to his feet and said, No, you can't do that. He said, What? He goes, No, I goes, I I lived in Seattle for a number of years. And you can't do that. What Starbucks represents what they he going with this whole screed. He's very passionate about it. And Rampus is like smiling, going, that's great. I just want to go get a coffee. And eventually Kirk Rich: Ha ha ha. AV: Neil goes, Listen, I will take you to another place and they'll get you a free coffee if you come with me. And Kirk goes, Okay, fine. And I remember after, and I don't drink coffee at all, I don't drink Starbucks anyway, I support Neil. I'm like, hey, I'll be anti-Starbux the rest of my life too. And I said, I like people that take a stand. And he goes, What are you passionate about? I go, I'm anti-Tom Cruise. He goes, What's that about? And I Well, it's the whole Scientology stuff. I said I saw this documentary called Going Clear, the case against Scientology in twenty fifteen. And it made such a passionate case for the way that Cruz is basically the face of Scientology, and yet this community has been so vitriolic towards people who try to lead their community. And I said, you know, you should have freedom of choice in whatever religion or belief you believe in. And you shouldn't treat people wrongly. If you're a Catholic and don't want to be a Catholic anymore, well then don't go to church, it's your choice. But the way that they treat people is awful. And I said, Cruz is so complicit. Because he's the face of this. So I said, that was the day I decided. I'm done with Tom Cruise. And he goes, So you don't watch any of his movies? And I said, No, I I said, Well, for Cinefot for the podcast, I had to review them sometimes, but the goal was I wouldn't pay to them. So I wouldn't pay to watch a Tom Cruise movie, which I've still held forth. We're 10 years in. So somebody Rich: Huh. AV: said to me, Are you going to go see Digger? I said, Well, no, I can't pay to see one of his movies. But if they send me a screen and I have to watch it, then I'll watch it. And hopefully it's as bad as the audiences have told me it's been. Rich: All right, let's let's pivot to another pop culture silo. And that would be music. One thing I'm always curious about, I'm a big music fan. When AV: Yeah. Rich: you're working out, when you're going through the airport and you have your airpods in, you have your headsets on, whatever it is, give me three songs that always bring the good vibes for Adnanver. AV: I remember you're a huge Springsteen fan, so I would love to like we gotta put some Bruce in there. I feel like I if I don't put Bruce you'll kick me off the podcast. So Rich: I appreciate that. AV: I think born to run, you know, I worked with Michael Lombardi for years, who did a GM Shuffle NFL podcast together, and Bruce he's such a Bruce fan like you. And that's one thing about Springsteen, you'll never meet somebody who's a casual Springsteen fan. I remember I saw Bruce a few years ago in the Meadowlands with one of my best friends, and I was laughing because it's like it you go to work, you know, how times have you Bruce? I But it's the first time I saw first time, what's wrong with you? I Well, I know I grew up in Canada, I didn't see him in Canada, and I lived in Connecticut, I don't know. Now that I'm in Jersey, I'm like, no, I have to see him. At least it's Bruce Springsteen, he was awesome, he was incredible. But people have seen Bruce ten times. 15 times, 37 times, how many different continents, et cetera. So I think Born to Run is it's like a great emblem, no matter what. there's so many you could choose from. Obviously, I love Thunder Road and Atlantic City and Brilliant Disguise, I think underrated. But I'll just for the purposes say of this conversation, as you only three, I'll say Born to Run. When I go on to do radio hits in Calgary, they used to always tell me, What do you want as your walk-up music? So I said public enemy, fight the power. Because it always makes me think of it, yeah, Rich: Nice. AV: do the right thing with great, great Spike Lee movie. And it's got a real passion to it and a real Rich: Mm-hmm. AV: and I would say number three, something Sinatra. Obviously, I love Sinatra so much. So I I like the the buoyancy of New York, New York, you know, just start spreading the news and the way it beats it. Summer Wind's got a great vibe to as well, but I would probably go Sinatra, New York, New York, which i it's funny how it's y you become a Yankee anthem, but also the way the other players Taunt them. You know what I mean? Like John Schneider and the Blue Jays beat the Yankees and he starts his postgame celebration by saying, Start spreading the news, bitches. And you know, the Rays are playing Sinatra music to celebrate beat Yankees. I I think it's funny how the other teams have taken it and twisted it around, but it it's a gr it's a great song. Always puts a smile on my face. Rich: Yeah, you you're a New Jersey boy now. You weren't born there, but you live there and your kids are being raised there. So you mentioned Springsteen and Frank, you're in good standing. AV: Yeah. Exactly. A hundred percent. A hundred percent. Rich: so I think that would surprise some people with those songs that you chose, but tell me something else that you don't usually get asked or talk about in a public setting that might surprise some people about Adnan Ver. AV: I'm an avid reader. Again, this goes back to my dad, who's a voracious reader. Last year I read 35 books, which was a personal best. So I'm very proud of myself for that. Again, when traveling for Amazon, I find a lot of reading I get done on the plane. And it just really takes a lot of discipline. Because people ask me, what movies do you watch on the plane? I go, I hate watching movies on the plane. The screen's this big, it's the size of my my hand. It's terrible. I got I want to watch a movie on my big screen downstairs or in the movie theaters, et cetera. So I find plane rides are a great place to read. As you know, there's delays sometimes. Well, more time to read. You know, you get there early, you can read. and I read a lot of fiction, more than nonfiction. At my local library, they have this great program in which they recommend a book every month, like a book of the month club. And it's all fiction. And sometimes there's some misses, but there's been some great hits along the way. And I I tell them, I go, I don't know how you guys pick this book. A lot of times they'll find stuff you wouldn't necessarily read. So early on, I said, okay, I like a lot of crime fiction, I like thrillers, you know, mysteries, that kind of stuff. And they would they would find stuff they had not read in that genre. But then they'll get like stuff out of nowhere that I'm like, there there's a woman I just a book I read called A Good Woman, which was unbelievable. It's like this deeply satirical novel about a woman and her dating escapades, and it's a little bit like the movie Gone Girl, which is a great book as well. So I I've really been reading a lot more fiction, which I think would surprise people. I think people who are readers think, you read nonfiction, you read baseball books, I'm assuming sports books. I do on occasional, although I remember Chris Bartends is a great producer, I worked for the ESPN. And when Jane Levy wrote her Sandy Koufax book, I remember telling Chris, it's gotten good reviews, and he goes, I've been covering baseball for fifty years. I don't need to read anything else but Sandy Koufax. So it it it is true, the longer you're in the business, you go, unless someone tells you you've got to read this, you know, like the Clemente book I read 10 years ago is the best sports biography I've read in a long time by David Marinus. So if he writes a new book, then I'm like, okay, I'll read him. But it is funny how you and I know within this business, because we cover it so much, you really have to sell me on something to say, okay, read this sports book. I'll often read a lot of fiction books again. And it probably goes back to movies and sports, which is the escapism aspect. Great storytelling. That's the th that I'm more interested in. Rich: You'll love this story, and it's a shameless name check on my part. But when Joe Madden was in his final year managing the Rays, that's when I started covering them. And AV: Yeah. Yeah. Rich: we bonded over Springsteen. He was a big Bruce fan. AV: Yeah. Yeah. Rich: But then we started talking about other things. He's a raccoon tour, like you are, and like I like to be. AV: Yeah. Yeah. Rich: And we were talking about baseball books. And I said, my favorite baseball book is October 1964, David Halberstam. And he was like, I never read that book. AV: my god, yeah, halberst, yeah. Cardinals. Rich: And I gave Joe Madden my copy of October sixty four. He hasn't given AV: my god. Rich: it back yet, so I'm assuming he read it and enjoyed it. AV: No, that's a great cause. People always point to the other Halberston books, like the the one with the Red Sox and Yankees, summer of forty one or whatever it was. But you're right, October 64 is a great one. I remember reading that and thinking, how can anyone not think Bob Gibson's the greatest pitcher of all time? Like just the stones in that guy. And that was the beginning, of course, of his ascension. 68 was really the year of the pitcher. But the storytelling and McCarver and those other Cardinals players, yeah, October 64. That's the thing. Like I it is a shame I worry about kids these days if they're not like you and I were growing up and saying, again, much like I learned at ESPN. Hey, these are the greats of the past. You honor them by remembering them and it will enhance your future experience. I wonder how many people know. Hey, David Halberston is like one of the great sports writers of all time. You've got to read Breaks the Game, you his book about the Portland Trailblazers or the great sports illustrated writers I read growing up. I'm going to Ottawa this week and someone asked me, What's it like? And I You remember Steve Russian, the great sports illustrated writer? When the senators were in the Cup file in 07, he said Ottawa is the inverse of New York City. New York City is a great place to visit, but when you wouldn't necessarily want to live. Ottawa is a terrible place to visit, but a great place you'd like to live. So I I'm with you. It great writers like that. The the quotes are always live on in your mind forever. Rich: Yeah. Let let's end on this, Adnan. As a sportscaster, what's the best advice that you received early in your career that you still reference and use today? AV: I'll give you a few. One is open to anybody. My dad told me years ago, never talk politics or religion in the workplace, which is outstanding advice, especially with the politics has become so divisive and so passionate. Whether you're a Republican or Democrat, whether you like Trump or don't, it does not help you to discuss it at work. If you're away from work, perhaps if it's somebody who you think shares your belief, because that's what I find is the funniest. You'll start saying something, you think the person aligns you, and they don't, and you go, God, now this is gonna be a big conversation. Let's just move on from that. I remember the great book by Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. And he had like ways to have people like you. And one of them was, I've never forgotten, is always remember people's names. And he's like, there's nothing more important to a person than the sound of their own voice, the sound of their own name. So like you always are like I I will fight. People go, How are you so good with names? I'm like, you have to make an effort. Like when you meet somebody, you have to make sure you get the name. Rich, nice to meet you. And then you say the name, repeat the name, get it in your brain. If you don't remember it, I'll ask, what's the name again? And someone's I'll ask the person. I'm so sorry, what was your name again? Rather than continue with, hey buddy, hey man, how are you? Remember people's names. It's always good advice, whatever you're doing in life. And a good TV advice from again, Mike McQuade who was our boss at USB N on baseball tonight. He said whenever you watch a host, it's always about the tee up and the tag. So the tee up, you don't necessarily have to get too much into the weeds in terms of stats and sports. Brewers are in their first World Series since nineteen eighty two. What will be the key to their success? That's fine. But the important thing is when you tag it, you give some nugget information. And he said, You can tell very quickly who the good hosts are from those who do not. So the poor host, that the analyst gives her ransom. They Yep, should be a great series. Mizerovski game one. Man, he's a stud. time will tell. Let's see what happens. And I and I I watched to this day, I watched someone yesterday who's a friend of mine. I to tell him, like, hey, that that wasn't good the way you tagged it. You kinda just you gave a generic cliched response. And Mike said, Have some negative information. So if the analyst says, I think the key is gonna be the brewer's starting pitching. You have a nugget on the last time the Brewers in the World Series, their starting pitching ERA this, this, this, and led by Teddy Higueira. Or Ms. Arouski, his strikeout told this year was the highest by this. He goes, have some kernel of information to enhance the broadcast. Because he goes, it's all about storytelling. Or if their point is brewer starting pitching, you have a nugget of information about William Contreras or about Christian Yelich or something of interest. He goes, There's nothing worse than being vague in your broadcast. Like people who watch sports. They're diehard fans. Fan is short for fanatic and they want as much information as possible. So be specific. So that's great TV advice whenever. Whenever you're doing broadcast, be specific. Get the stat right. Be accurate in it. Don't bog it down with numbers. Find one very interesting number and sell it well. So that's always been good advice for Mike. Rich: I love it. And a perfect way to end a thoroughly enjoyable conversation as I knew it would be. I used this word a few moments ago, but I want to reinforce the fact that one of the highest compliments I could pay somebody is to call them a raconteur, someone who is an expert AV: Ha ha ha. Rich: and well versed in not just one thing, but multiple things. And that is you to a T, my friend. Thanks for sharing some time on Reel Talk with Rich. AV: It's a great compliment Rich, as We're baseball diehards and seam heads, but there is something to be said. If someone says, Wow, you're you're a lot more well-rounded than I thought, or you're pretty bright for a sports guy. Th those are the best compliments you can get. So I I really appreciate that, man. And of course, likewise to you. I know you've always been a a great talent in the business and a and a friend of mine. So I'm glad we to do this. This is great. Rich: What a fast-paced and fun conversation with Adnan Virk from MLB Network and Amazon Prime's NHL hockey coverage. So much to take away, so much to ingest in a short time, not just about sports and sports casting, but also about movies and music. And he's always a fun hang, Adnan Virk. let's talk about my three biggest takeaways, though. It was hard to leave out. The movie aspect of it and the music aspect of it, because there are some interesting nuggets in there as well. But let's focus on sports casting because that's what this podcast is all about. My first biggest takeaway from my conversation with Adnan Virk prioritize strengths over what you want. Strengths over passion. That's not to say that you shouldn't chase your passion. We're all passionate about sports. And sports casting. So that's why we want to get involved in that industry. But from a very early age, you should lean into what you're good at. What you're good at matters. Leverage your best skills. So if you are really strong and well suited for one particular area in a career that you're looking at, go for that because you'll be instantly more valuable. And It's all about what you're good at, not necessarily just what you want to do. Hopefully, those two things converge and you're able to do what you want to do and you become really good at it. But in the beginning, play to your strengths. Biggest takeaway number two from my conversation with Adnan Virk chemistry counts. We've heard this many times before from many other guests on Reel Talk with Rich. But Adnan talked about it from a studio aspect. Chemistry is not developed in a lab, or in this case, in a studio. Chemistry, with all of his co-hosts and with all of his analysts who he works with on the programs that he hosts, they are all built behind the scenes, away from the camera. It's the traveling, it's the meals. The things like that when you're spending time alone together, as strange as that sounds. That's when you get to know people. Because then you're not just talking about the sport or the sporting event you're covering. You're talking about other things. How's life? How's your family? Where'd you grow up? What are your interests? And that is where chemistry is most and best developed. Takeaway number three. From Reel Talk with Rich, Adnan Virk. I love this one. The best broadcasters amplify the moment. When I asked Adnan why he became such a huge baseball fan, the one seminal moment for him was when he was a teenager in 1991. And it was the Twins and the Braves in the World Series. And Jack Buck made one of the most memorable calls. In World Series history, we will see you tomorrow night. And that was what ended game six, a series that Minnesota ended up going on to win. And what I took away from Adnan talking about that, and that's what really sparked his passion in baseball, is that as play by play announcers, we are not interested in being the story. But if you could be an inflection point. In that story for years and decades to come, that's really satisfying. That's part of your legacy as a sportscaster and as a broadcaster in general. Jack Buck's call in the 91 World Series is remembered because of the moment, not vice versa. The moment isn't remembered because of how great Jack Buck's call was. Jack Buck's call lives on in perpetuity. Because of that memorable World Series moment. And it's great to be even a little side note into sports history. That's the opportunity we have as sportscasters to amplify these big moments. Hope you enjoyed this conversation as much as I did. Remember, subscribe, follow, rate, comment, and review all of these podcasts. There's a whole bunch of them that we've Got posted already. If you missed any of them, you can go back and listen on Apple, on Spotify, on YouTube, even on iHeartRadio. We're now hosting these podcasts. So make sure you check it out one way or another. And as always, stay tuned for the next edition of Reel Talk with Rich.