It's Never Just A Game

NJ and Greg wish you a Happy New Year!  They welcome in 2024 with a conversation about age and how old is too old?  From actors to authors, surgeons to NFL quarterbacks, you would be surprised at how many people are still doing what they love well into their later years.

Greg and NJ take time with Mike in Middle America to talk comedy and Sports.  How comedians today can beat cancel culture if they own their own material and distribution.  Shane Gillis is the perfect example of this.  And then the conversation turns to the college play-offs, Zach and Brock and everything in between.

NJ and Greg have an old friend on the show, Dr. Tim Williams!  Tim is a friend and colleague from way back in the P&G Ivorydale Plant days.  Tim shares his career journey; the lessons he learned along the way and the best advice he can give leaders if they want to be successful leading their organizations.  And there is sports to talk about too!

Greg and NJ cover the latest in sports including the J-E-T-S, J-E-T-S, J-E-T-S imploding again and BYU Women's soccer team pulling off the most unlikely comeback to make it to the final 4!  And then the conversation turns to the gnome and some of the amazing possibilities with gene editing for disease prevention and cure. 

The brothers are all in this week as they cover the sports world with some honest unfiltered assessments.  And then, things turn to politics and perspective.  It was a no-holds-barred conversation, and it still wasn't like the “lost” tapes!

Greg and NJ discuss what happens when you lose $46.5 billion in value like they have at WeWork, and who loses that money.  Employees are filing lawsuits over being asked to come back to work and companies are coming up with creative ways to get people to want to come back to the office.  And of course, updates and opinions on the world of sports.

The brothers had a wonderful guest in the studio with them this week.  Budge Wallis, former publishing executive and long-time fan of the show.  Budge shares his career journey from working at a local newspaper to P&G to the highest ranks in the publishing industry.  Along the way he shares his insights and learning from a long and successful career.  Plus, Budge is the push-up King we have been referencing all these years!  And after a long absence, Music Time shows up!

The brothers explore the new methods scammers are using to trick unsuspecting victims and how these scammers use AI to make everything seem even more real.  Scammers are using your pictures on social media, your voice from videos you post and even your walk to impersonate you. Have a listen to the show so you are ready when they call, text, or email you with their latest scams!

Greg and NJ discuss some of the consequences that can follow fear and greed.  Often, we are afraid to make a change and we are stuck with a less-than perfect situation.  And there are moments when greed motivates people to the point where they lose what they have in the pursuit of more than they should take.  And the brothers cover the Yankees, BYU, Puka Nacua and driving away with the gas line still in your car.

The brothers cover a number of things from the Jets being snake bit to the Yankees not making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. But the main topic for today's podcast is the concept of Stewardship and serving other's interests at work versus serving your own.  Peter Block's book, Stewardship is the launching pad for the discussion.  Block's depiction of Stewardship is provocative and challenging given the corporate world's focus on individual achievement and advancement.  How can you get a head in the world by ensuring others do as well?

The brothers take a moment to celebrate the return of College Football and the sudden resurgence of the New York Yankees!  College football starts with some fantastic stories like Colorado upsetting TCU and Neon Deon keeping receipts.  The Yankees start a youth movement and sweep the Astros and they finish with a fan inspired special Music Time!

NJ and Greg had a wonderful guest on the program, Casey Cavell.  An entrepreneur, an executive business advisor and the host of his own Podcast, The Dugout CEO!Casey helps business leaders and owners focus on what is most important.  He was successful in building a number of businesses and now shares how you can get out of the daily grind of your business and focus on what moves the needle for your company.  

The brothers share some of the tips they found for how to out of debt and then they cover a number of topics from the silliness of the new Snow-White movie to the parallels between Stalin's inner circle and climbing the corporate ladder.  The Yankees are done, Aaron Rodgers is coming off well in Hard Knocks and Neymar will be raking it in playing in Saudi Arabia!

The brothers are getting it all off their chests this week!  First, KLM laying a customer service egg on a trip to Scotland and tips on how to pack for international travel.  Then it is on to the mighty Pac 12, the conference of champions, and how that all imploded and is all but gone now.  And finally, the USWNT loses in the world cup, and how they are discussing boycotting playing matches in US States that don't match their politics.

Greg and NJ take time to discuss the characteristics of a positive mental attitude (PMA),  what are some of things you need to do and focus on to maintain that positive approach.  What are some of the things that try to take the positivity from you during your lifetime.Brian Harman won the British Open golf tournament, and PMA was one of the things that helped him win his first major and first tournament since 2017.

NJ and Greg discuss Orwell's 1984 and some of the parallels to today's world. And the book, The Origins of Totalitarianism and how some things never seem to change.

Greg and NJ take some time to catch up with one of their most frequent guests, Greg Wrubell, voice of the BYU Cougars.  Greg shares his realistic thoughts on how the Cougars will do in both football and basketball as well as in all other sports when BYU enters the Big 12 next week.  Shout-out to Mike in Middle America as his Iowa State Cyclones are 4-0 all time against the Cougars in football. 

The brothers recap the USMNT crushing of Mexico 3-0 and the red cards that followed that match.  ON shoes is discussed and how they built their business, including having Roger Federer join ON.  Disney's business is off and why.  Finally, a double shot of Music Time!

Greg and NJ discuss the shocking news of the LIV Tour and The PGA coming together to form a new tour.  Greg Norman is out as CEO of LIV and players on both sides of the deal were kept in the dark.  Not sure how it will all come together but money won again!  Lionel Messi says no to Saudi Arabia and signs with Inter Miami and Inter Miami sales of tickets and merch goes through the roof.   There may be a way to get on private jets for less!

NJ and Greg have a guest this week.  Listen in as Cam Anderson tells his story about how he went from helicopter pilot, to woodworker, to YouTube star.  Cam and Blacktail studios do fantastic woodwork and the videos they make for YouTube are addicting!  Cam talks about making his decision to change his profession and how it is to manage the woodworking he does while producing episodes for his 2.3 million YouTube subscribers.

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!  The brothers cover several things from Target losing $9 billion in market cap to the potential for deflation as more M2 money is taken out of circulation.  But the center piece of the show is about how golfing CEOs treat non-golfing executives and what that really means for top female executives who don't play golf, it's not good!

NJ and Greg take time to talk about EQ, again!  But this time the focus is on how having high EQ can positively impact an organization.  High EQ can increase productivity, drive teamwork and collaboration, spur innovation and even increase revenue.  The brothers then talk about never being too old, and finally, it's Music Time again!

The first episode of Season 4, thank you all for listening!  Greg is in the UK, so INJAG had its first broadcast from an international location.  The brothers cover Bud Light and Fox News taking huge hits, is Artificial Intelligence biased, and some stories of corporate raiders from the 80's in the James B. Stewart book, “Den of Thieves,” all of that followed by a specific question……

NJ and Greg talk about the new Michael Jordan movie, Air.  The discussion focuses on the business aspects of the movie.  How MJ's mother made sure her son would have a piece of the growth of the brand and how much that was worth and is still worth for him.  And then the discussion shifts to the one bad dream so many of us seem to have.  The dream where you missed a class for the entire semester, what does that mean?  Not as positive a you would hope.

Greg and NJ are glad to be back.  Taxes are the main subject this week.  Listen in as they share some data on who pays what, why, and how much, for US taxes, you might be surprised by the numbers.  The Masters visit is covered and then Elon Musk is at it again with a new AI company.  And finally, it's Music Time!

NJ and Greg have a lightning round where they discuss the fact that you are never too old.  If you have the right mindset, you enjoy what you are doing, or you want to learn something new.  Business topics include; Pac 12 TV deal, value of NBA teams, PGA tour purse money going up because of the LIV Golf Tour and Anthony Volpe is going to be the Yankee's starting shortstop!

Greg and NJ have a wonderful interview with PureCycle CEO, Dustin Olson.Dustin shares the innovative work PureCycle is doing in the arena of plastic recycling as well as what he did in his career along the way.  It is a great story of working hard, building on successes and reaching to always do more.

NJ and Greg spend the episode talking about the approach to, and the pitfalls of, CEO succession planning.  An alarming number of boards get it wrong and not enough time is spent on preparing the successors.  Firms will either keep the CEO too long or bring them back once the successor fails.  The impact of a leadership change is felt throughout the organization, it is better to get it right the first time. 

Greg and NJ cover the LAFC in the MLS that has a valuation of $1billion, and how it compares to other professional sports teams.  Then the conversation turns to FinTech and the pressure FinTech companies are under to make money or to get funding in the market today.  They cover AI brands that are competing for your attention as well as AI that is paying attention to you as you work.  Finally, a double dose of Music Time!

NJ and Greg take a look at premium performance apparel, Vuori and how it dominates.  Vuori's founder Joe Kudla took a circuitous route to starting and building Vuori into a brand that has a $4 billion valuation.  He was a model, then an accountant and finally a recruiter before he started Vuori.  Then the brothers cover the Super Bowl.

Greg and NJ cover the cost of having an elite QB for the play-offs and super bowl, you might be surprised at the how little some teams are paying.  Then the discussion moves to the topic of the workplace.  Recent WSJ article says that Bosses are back in charge.  The labor market has changed, and CEOs are no longer doing everything they can to attract and retain people.  Jobs are being cut, pay raises are slowing and working from home may not be as easy as it once was for some.

NJ and Greg talk about Artificial Intelligence, the company Open AI and its product ChatGPT.  What is ChatGPT, why does it matter, how can you access it, what can it be used for and what are some of the concerns people might have with artificial intelligence?  The brothers then cover a few examples of what ChatGPT generated for them and how it will impact sports.  And finally, music time with a twist!

The Pesci brothers focus on innovation as a way of separating from the pack.  The conversation then moves to the fact that, by definition, everyone can't be better than average.  While best practices can make you better, they are not going to make you great, you're just trying to copy and catch-up to someone else.  Sport's focus is on the America men in the Australian open, Sebastian Korda is making a run, and we end with a music time tribute.

NJ and Greg get back at it this week with a lightening round that includes:  The Jets missing the playoffs, Gonzaga got away, NFL playoffs are starting, Mario Andretti and Cadillac want to put an all-USA team in Formula 1, and the daughter of the richest man in the world takes over Christian Dior Couture and the stock jumps up! Formula 1, also known as F1 or Formula One, is the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA. This high-speed, high-adrenaline sport features the latest in cutting-edge technology and engineering, with teams competing in sleek, powerful race cars on some of the most famous tracks in the world. Drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen battle for the title of F1 World Champion, while teams like Mercedes and Red Bull Racing vie for the Constructors' Championship.Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle brand owned by General Motors. Known for its sleek and sophisticated designs, advanced technology, and powerful engines, Cadillac has a long history of innovation and excellence. From the iconic Eldorado and DeVille models of the past, to the modern XT4 and Escalade SUVs, Cadillac continues to push the boundaries of luxury and performance.The NFL, or National Football League, is the premier professional American football league in the United States. With 32 teams divided into two conferences, the NFL hosts a 17-week regular season, followed by a playoff tournament that culminates in the Super Bowl, the biggest annual event in American sports. The league features some of the most skilled and athletic players in the world, including quarterbacks such as Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, and defensive stars like Aaron Donald and J.J. Watt.

Greg and NJ discuss Zach Wilson's short career to date, and the long history of talent mismanagement by the NY Jets. Wilson could certainly have played better but he had no chance with the Jets, nobody does!  P. S. The Jets missed the playoffs again this year making it 12 straight years without a playoff appearance, the longest current streak in the NFL!

NJ and Greg cover the Forbes list of the highest earning celebrities, who just happen to be dead.  Then they cover several layoffs and some of the reactions of those involved.  And finally, the fact that bowl games are no longer the same since NIL and the transfer portal is open to athletes starting on December 5th.  Teams are forced to start their 4th string QB!

Alan Ying is the brother's guest for the episode.  NJ and Greg talk to Alan about his new book, The Risk Paradox.  They discuss the cost of taking and not taking a risk.  Alan then tells the story of his career that goes from being the top intern in Duke's thoracic surgery department, to starting up a tech company with no idea how you raise money or make a spreadsheet!  Great lessons and perspective.  

The brothers cover the upsets in college football, who will go to the playoffs?  They compare the salaries of MLB players to Formula 1 and soccer.  A list of all of the topics we have discussed on the show and how we decide on those topics.  And, we finish with Music Time, it's been a while after all……

Greg and NJ start with a discussion about the changes at Twitter, no free meals and you have to work “hard core.”  Then Mike joins to talk about how the College Football committee doesn't want certain teams to make it to the playoffs and how TCU is driving them crazy.  The World Cup started and team USA plays its first game on Monday!

The Pesci brothers take this episode to talk about the importance of Emotional Intelligence, often called EI or EQ.  They cover the characteristics, the components of EQ, as well as the signs of EQ.  Then they discuss how you might improve your EQ and not fall into any EQ traps.  Sports and the election are also mentioned, go figure! 

The Pesci brothers have an honest and unedited conversation about change.  Change can be a hard thing for people to face, work through and accept.  It can also be a wonderful thing, a fun thing, a thing of hope and promise.  Take time to reflect and ask yourself, is there something I should change in my life, will it make me happy?  If so, don't wait, just do it.

NJ and Greg take a look at female owners in the NFL with both majority and minority interests.  Ten of the 32 NFL franchises have women as majority owners with another eight as minority owners.  And then the brothers review a Forbes article about the top self-made entrepreneur in the U.S., Diane Hendricks, her net worth is $12.2 billion.

Greg and NJ discuss where the Forbes' Wealthiest 400 went to school for their undergraduate degrees.  We cover the schools in rank order and share some of the names of their alumni and the charitable gifts a number of these graduates gave back to their schools.  Only a couple are West of the Mississippi River and there is but one Public School in the lot.   

NJ and Greg have a great time talking with Mark Henness about his work as an NFL Agent and his firm, Leverage Football.  Mark has been a practicing attorney for 28 years and a licensed NFL agent for nearly a decade.  Mark entered the athlete representation world because he recognized that effective representation can make an actual difference in the trajectory of an athlete's career. 

The Pesci brothers discuss what happens when you make a strategic decision to invest or focus on something that makes for a good news headline.  Beyond Meat goes from a valuation of $19 billion to just over $1 billion.  People liked to hear about it but when a product appeals to less than 5% of the population, you are going to have some issues.  Going back to work is picking up steam and may help with feelings of depression and isolation.  

NJ and Greg discuss a recent Forbes Magazine article that references a global Gallop poll where records for anger, stress, worry, and sadness were set in 2021.  The trend is ten years in the making.  Listen as the brothers talk about the impact these factors have on people and organizations and then some of the things you can do to combat them.  The show ends with a longer than normal, “music time.”

Greg and NJ have Mike in Middle America on the show from the start to discuss College Football and Conference Alignment.  Then the conversation shifts to a recent event at a BYU Women's Volleyball match that has garnered national attention.   And we end with talk of rule changes in baseball including the elimination of the shift!

NJ and Greg cover Forbes Magazine's Top 20 Richest Heirs in the U.S.  There are a few lessons in there on what it means to be an owner and how ownership can make all the difference in the world if you are willing to work hard and stick with it.  With College Football underway the brothers cover future changes in the College Football Playoff system.  The Yankees are in trouble and the show ends with Music Time!

The Pesci brothers cover Student Loan forgiveness, Apple, of all companies, wants their employees to come back to work three days a week, LIV golf and PGA changes, past guests making good and Music Time!

The Pesci brothers are back and take this week to talk all things BYU with long-time voice of the BYU Cougars, Greg Wrubell.  With just a few weeks to kick-off, Greg takes the brothers through his assessment of the season, players, NIL, and super conferences.  And the brothers finish with Music Time once again.

Greg and NJ have a lightening round, discussing sports and then focusing in on the PAC 12 and some of the things they learned and heard from PAC 12 Media Week.  PAC 12 taking shots at the college towns in the BIG 12 and having to wait on the BIG 10 before they make any media deals, just like a little brother would have to!  And then, music time!