I hope you had an important and stress-free Thanksgiving break. To deliver you again to work, we’ve a particular Q&A with some of the fascinating folks in sports activities media: Fox Sports activities’ Jay Glazer.
The 53-year-old Glazer emailed with the SportsClicker publication about his profession, the TV present he virtually had and the way he bought to the place is within the enterprise.
The interview has been calmly edited for readability.
Clicker: The place did you develop up?
Glazer: A spot exterior New York Metropolis that rhymes with Persey Shore.
What sort of athlete have been you? What have been your hobbies?
I used to be a horrible athlete in my thoughts. I solely performed one yr of soccer as a result of I used to be dedicated to wrestling and I minimize a ton of weight all 4 years, in order that wasn’t conducive to soccer. Once I say a ton of weight, my junior yr, I minimize 26 kilos at first then often 13 kilos every week for matches on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
To be actual, I don’t suppose I used to be an excellent competitor till I began teaching guys. Once I was rising up, I all the time felt like I used to be a dumb child and wrestling was all I needed to make myself really feel particular. So I wrestled to not lose too typically as an alternative of to win.
The best way I realized to teach, although, was to utterly take the ego out of it and respect the combat as an alternative of the win and loss. That shift in mindset modified my life. Want this model of myself may have coached that scared little man that I used to be.
When did you first turn out to be all for turning into a reporter? Why?
It occurred as a result of that was the very first thing I bought employed to do for pay. I began in sports activities and broadcasting interning in 1989/1990, and utilized for each job I may. I used to be past broke. It took me 4 years to lastly get a “paid” job in 1993 masking the Giants, and even that gig solely paid for just a few weeks earlier than they went Chapter 11.
However, man, after I walked into that Giants locker room in July of ’93, I simply felt like I belonged. Though I wasn’t a part of the workforce, masking the workforce gave me a way of group that I used to be actually craving.
As soon as I bought in there and I spotted sooner or later that was my path to not being dealer than broke, I craved being a reporter.
Plus, it gave me a way of competitors that I beloved!
The place did you go to highschool?
I first went to West Chester College of Pennsylvania, however bought kicked out throughout my freshman yr for, um, let’s name it disciplinary causes. Then the subsequent yr, I went to Tempo in downtown Manhattan and lived within the constructing I took lessons in.
New York Metropolis is the most effective faculty campus on the planet!
What was your first actual job in sports activities media?
I nonetheless don’t have an actual job. You kidding me? I’m nonetheless ready to get up in fifth grade and none of this occurred, it was all a dream.
What was your first massive break?
New York 1 TV let me do a weekly NFL present on Friday nights at midnight for an hour throughout soccer season beginning in 1993 in trade for a automotive service to the studio.
I believed I used to be so cool. But it surely allowed me to work at my craft and mess up and work, work, work at it. I don’t have a whole lot of expertise normally, however I outwork the world, that’s my massive benefit. So it gave me reps for six years. They finally gave me $450 per yr (that’s not a typo).
In 1995, due to all of the scoops I broke on NY1, the nice Steve Serby advised Greg Gallo, the editor of the New York Put up sports activities part, they needed to rent me as a result of I had higher relationships in soccer than anyone. Steve modified my life! I’m ceaselessly grateful.
I had a tryout of kinds and despatched Greg a scoop I used to be sitting on. He thought I used to be filled with crap, so he turned me down at first. Two weeks later, that scoop got here true, Greg referred to as, mentioned I used to be proper and mentioned, “OK, child, I’ll offer you $250 a narrative, you’re our new NFL Insider!”
You couldn’t think about what 250 bucks per week meant to me again then. Completely life-changing. I’ll by no means take it without any consideration.
Nevertheless, regardless of that, I undoubtedly pushed again about solely $250 per week. Greg mentioned, “Look, child, I respect your moxie [true word he used], however you’ve bought zero expertise, the place else ya gonna go? That is what you’re getting!”
And that’s what I bought from ’95-’99!
Yeah, between NY1 and The Put up, I made $9,450 per yr!
That’s it! Taught me methods to go from broke to unbreakable, although.
Who was your mentor?
George Younger, late Giants GM. Man, George took care of me. Once I first began touring to NFL house owners conferences, I stayed up each evening within the bar to fulfill folks. George by no means drank a drop of alcohol in his life, however would sit with me in these lodge bars simply to validate me to different those who I might be trusted.
When he handed, he had two funerals. One was in Baltimore. I consider there have been 10-15 folks from the NFL invited to that personal ceremony. I used to be extremely honored to be certainly one of them.
How did you develop relationships with gamers?
I used to be loopy again then (nonetheless am), however I’m genuine. They respect that. However on my finish, I want a group to assist me quiet down the loopy roommates in my head, get them to speak properly to one another.
These gamers and coaches by no means knew that whereas I used to be masking them, that total time they have been really saving me. Relationships are every thing to me, they’re my antidepressants.
How did your relationship with Michael Strahan develop?
Again in ’93, we latched onto one another each of our first weeks [around the Giants]. It was loopy — I instantly felt like I grew up with him. God put that man in my life for a motive, and we’ve been in a position to lean on one another as brothers by way of the most effective occasions and a few actually, actually exhausting occasions.
He’s the most effective good friend I’ve ever had, and had I not met him, I wouldn’t be the place I’m. Michael additionally validated me to gamers, coaches, everybody, that I might be trusted. However the most effective factor he did was inform everybody how loyal I’m. Loyalty is every thing to me. My dad advised me as a child, “Should you’re loyal and outwork the world, you may make your goals come true.” Finest recommendation I ever bought.
However with out Michael letting others know the loyalty was genuine, I’d nonetheless be broke and nowhere close to the place I’m. The dude means every thing to me.
Oh, and likewise he felt dangerous for me, so he drove me again into NYC actually on daily basis from fall of ’93 to ’99! Day-after-day. I didn’t manage to pay for for the subway and bus fare every day, so he drove me. Principally I owe him like 26 grand in Lincoln Tunnel fare.
Checklist for me your different companies and pursuits.
Clearly blended martial arts. I used to be the primary host of a nationally syndicated MMA present in America beginning in 2004. Had two professional fights in 2003, realized what I didn’t know by dropping the primary one. It bought me to be taught jiu jitsu.
The combat group to me is part of the material of my life. As soon as Fox advised me, “Nooo, you’re not preventing ever once more,” I realized methods to coach as a result of I couldn’t give it up. I began teaching the identical NFL gamers I used to be masking in an MMA system I got here up with. I used to be mainly educating soccer gamers the fighter mentality and grind and having these NFL gamers and coaches train fighters sport IQ.
Loopy life.
Truly coached the entire Falcons workforce two totally different years, Rams, Browns, Saints. Tons of of gamers. That led to me opening my gymnasium Unbreakable in West Hollywood 9 years in the past. Introduced that very same MMA system to a ton of Hollywood people. However greater than something, Unbreakable is a group. I have a look at the gymnasium as a psychological well being place greater than bodily well being.
I additionally host a psychological well being podcast now referred to as “Unbreakable.” I wrote a e-book two years in the past additionally referred to as “Unbreakable” the place I attempt to give psychological well being phrases.
What else? I used to be on “Ballers” for 5 years — performed my regular knucklehead self.
I began two charities. The primary one is known as Landing Goals to pair youngsters preventing for his or her lives with their favourite NFL groups. After which, in fact, MVP, Merging Vets & Gamers, to assist in giving our navy and ex-athletes a brand new workforce once more after their earnings comes off. Dropping that locker room is exhausting for each!
Making an attempt to write down my second e-book now, which provides folks a tangible day by day recreation plan and habits to assist them by way of their psychological well being points but additionally assist folks use their points to empower them as an alternative of beating us down. We’re all going by way of one thing. I like teaching. This enables me to proceed teaching between the ears and behind the rib cage differently.
I’m a associate in Jimmy Bars, a protein bar that additionally helps with mind well being. Additionally making an attempt to assist a stem cell place in Panama referred to as Auragens that saved me from having to get three fusions in my again. They’re now making an attempt to assist veterans and youngsters at no cost, and I’m serving to them spearhead that. They already handled an in depth veteran good friend of mine named Eliott Ruiz. Ellliot was injured in Iraq, had a number of surgical procedures and now a number of sclerosis, and the therapy, which they completely comped, had modified his life.
Additionally the spokesman for an ADHD remedy I take named Qelbree that’s a non-stimulant.
Apart from that, I bought nothing occurring, haha.
What’s your greatest story about gamers you practice?
Oh, the most effective is: I used to be coaching [NFL offensive lineman] Kyle Lengthy and going over these hand-violence drills I got here up with. Howie Lengthy, his dad and clearly my brother from Fox, stored butting in like freakin’ Honey Boo Boo’s mother, like he’s a dance mother. Saved telling him to butt out and at last confirmed Howie the drill and whack, cracked him in his forearm with a hammer fist. Howie Lengthy!
Welp, the Raiders model of Howie Lengthy re-emerged. He says, “Why would you try this?!?!” Took his automotive key and tried to punch me within the eye. Yeah! He actually tried punching my eye out. I jumped again and we calmed him down.
Now I say, “So, possibly ya suppose your response was a tad extreme there, Sasquatch?” However in actuality, my dumb ass most likely shouldn’t be hitting the baddest Raider who ever lived.
He mentioned, “Nicely, it harm.” That was it. Yeah, that was a hoot.
How do you deal with the potential battle of coaching gamers and masking them?
I all the time advised guys: If it’s going to come back out, I wish to have it first. I’d get in squabbles with guys about it, however I wore two hats on the time. What I used to be doing had by no means been performed earlier than. One time, I broke a narrative within the gymnasium of a workforce buying and selling for a participant to interchange the man I used to be coaching. I couldn’t say a phrase and felt horrible, however I needed to have my Fox hat on that day. That was a tad awkward.
What’s essentially the most fascinating telephone quantity you’ve in your contacts?
I don’t know the way you rank that. I at the moment have 3,912 contacts, to be actual. Loopy names from all walks of life, and I’m grateful all of them reply my name.
What was the primary business you probably did?
Subway with Strahan once we have been each bored and had nothing to do as a result of it was the offseason. He was botching all of the sandwiches and I used to be pestering the sandwich makers for scoops. Can’t make it up. They gave me a Subway Black Card again then, although. Coolest factor ever: limitless Subway, child. They didn’t know this, however I’d really use it to purchase meals for the homeless. I’d take all these orders and cargo ’em up!
What’s the most effective story on commercials you’ve shot?
I satisfied Michael Phelps to push me within the pool on a Subway shoot, however proper earlier than mentioned, “You higher not screw this up, Phelps, as a result of I solely bought one go well with!” He nailed it.
How do you have a look at competitors with different insiders?
I used to have a look at it as a combat as a result of that’s how I operated greatest. However now I’ve bought an important relationship with them and have given a bunch of recommendation when some began off. I used to be in that first group to do that minute-by-minute breaking information when the web first got here out, so I’ve seen all of it. It was me at CBS Sportsline.com versus the nice Chris Mortensen, Len Pasquarelli and John Clayton from ESPN. Schefter got here just a few years later to NFL Community.
No one is aware of this, however earlier than each single season I’d name Mort and Adam and inform them, “I’m most likely going to speak a complete bunch of crap about you each and ESPN, however that’s simply because I just like the combat of it. I like ya each, let’s do that proper this yr, not steal one another’s stuff and behind the scenes let’s root for one another.”
No one ever knew that.
How do you have a look at day-to-day minutia information breaks as in comparison with bombs?
Bombs, wow, absolute adrenaline rush. The day-to-day enterprise modified. Now it’s whoever tweets the quickest, and too many individuals simply take it as their very own a minute later. I by no means bought that.
I additionally by no means bought “confirming” another person’s scoop. Clearly that reporter already labored to substantiate it, so simply give that man or girl credit score. There’s sufficient to go round.
Who’s your favourite NFL reporter?
Will McDonaugh paved the best way for all of us. However, man, I like the OGs like Mort, Peter King and Schefter. We’ve all constructed up manufacturers we by no means may have imagined, and I’m not making 9 grand a yr anymore. Wonderful [stuff] it’s performed for all of us.
However when Mort bought sick, I referred to as him continuously to mess with him simply to assist carry his spirits. When he got here by way of the opposite facet of that tunnel, he left me essentially the most unimaginable message of how a lot all my loopy f-bomb messages would make him giggle and carry him. Finest message I ever bought on this enterprise! As I’ve mentioned, relationships are every thing to me, and that really consists of my opponents.
When did you first notice your psychological well being points?
Earliest childhood reminiscence. I’ve lived on this darkish “grey” my total life. It’s each rattling day of my life, and it completely sucks. Extremely painful existence. I do know my life is nice, however between my ears sucks and I didn’t join it. However I do know I will help folks by way of their ache now due to the ache I’ve skilled.
How did you deal with it?
A ton of remedy, from after I was slightly child to the present day. Sadly, I’ve tried over 30 meds for melancholy and anxiousness and 0 have labored. It sucks. So I’ve needed to be taught new habits to get myself by way of it. Now that I’m public with it, I’ve realized a lot extra and my vulnerability has made me a lot nearer to associates and the remainder of the world. Now I’ve a complete routine I do within the AM that I’ve talked about on my podcast and hope to put out in a subsequent e-book. I’ve instruments like breath work and meditation for when my partitions are caving in. I’ve a routine within the night I now do with my superb fiancée Rosie Tenison. (She and her sister have been a pair of the unique Doublemint Twins. That’s not related, however I’m completely entertained by it.)
Why is it so essential so that you can publicize your struggles by way of your e-book, your podcast and on social media?
God blessed me with the reward of communication, I needed to offer phrases for these things for others who couldn’t. How can we share and get assist if we don’t know methods to speak about it? I needed to assist in giving it phrases for everybody, so they may flip to their spouse, husband, assist perceive their children higher, associates, mother and father, everybody.
Me doing this additionally permits me to be of service. Being of service is a large weapon I take advantage of to combat again towards the grey.
What ought to folks find out about coping with their very own psychological well being?
Not one good friend has shunned me for going to them. Even when I am going to them time and again and over. Belief me … you might be not a burden! I hid it from Strahan for 30 years, and his response? “Why have you ever by no means advised me? You took away my skill to behave as your greatest good friend all these years!” It permits him to be of service, too, I now notice.
What do you continue to wish to accomplish in your profession?
I beloved, beloved, beloved “Ballers,” and as tousled as I’m between the ears, laughter is one other big device of mine. We have been this shut about 5 years in the past from doing mainly “Curb Your Enthusiasm” for sports activities.
It was primarily based on all my loopy antics and profession, Strahan was my conscience, and the one different actual folks have been Eddie George, Randy Couture and Tony Gonzalez (dudes who may act). Everybody else have been actors and actresses.
It was a soft-scripted comedy. USA Community purchased it. They watched the mini-pilot. Half the room voted sure, the opposite half of the room needed it to be a actuality present as a result of my life was so loopy. I didn’t wish to do a actuality present. I needed to do comedy and make folks giggle. Ugh. Nonetheless a intestine punch. It might have been superb.
If somebody near you was requested to explain you in a single phrase, what would you need them to say? Why?
Loyal. Finish of story. What I’m most pleased with by far.
What didn’t I ask you about that I ought to have?
How tall I’m. 5-7. Loud and proud, homies.