Ep. 51: Christopher Reid, aka Kid (Part 1)

The end of Pass It Down’s unannounced hiatus starts off with a bang, as Natalie details Mike’s untimely head-bang and its chilling effect on his co-host. After commemorating this year’s relatively tame Blocktober, Mike talks about his eight-year NFL Network journey and why that unlikely partnership ended last summer. We discuss his first story for Bally Sports, which broke the news of Houston Texans chair Cal McNair’s racially insensitive comments at a charity golf tournament, and some of the other toxic forces at the highest levels of a league striving to drape itself in anti-racist symbolism. From the Dan Snyder investigation to the Jon Gruden emails to the Woody Johnson allegations, we get into all of it. Mike also talks about the importance of being part of a team and gets nostalgic about some of his sweeter moments at NFL Network and Yahoo! Sports. And for you Ted Lasso fans, Mike and Natalie have a few things to say about Trent Crimm of The Independent and why he is a blight on humanity.

Kettman retraces the emotional whirlwind that began in February, when he learned of his close friend’s sudden passing, and continued as he spearheaded and edited the book that would hit the shelves in July. We hear about Pedro’s cynical conscription of the “Berkeley Guy” into the baseball beat writers’ fraternity, their perspective-altering trip to Cuba that compelled Gomez to pen an open letter to President Clinton and the bold story he wrote about Curt Schilling that rocked the baseball world on the morning of Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. We also hear hilarious and touching stories about Gomez as a sports dad and an infamous college tale involving Steve and fellow Daily Cal alum Mike Fleiss.

After explaining his motivation for bringing Mike on as a Washington Football Team content contributor, Ron heartily endorses the ‘Clean Slate’ plan that will unblock fans of the team on Twitter (at least for now). That leads to a healthy discussion about Ted Lasso, binge-watching and which WFT player has Jamie Tartt tendencies. We learn about the role frozen yogurt played in Ron and Stephanie’s courtship during their UC Berkeley days and how ‘The Play’ wasn’t the only amazing ending Ron experienced as a Golden Bear great. Ron and Steph share the details of their secret trip to the Bahamas that jump-started his move to Washington, and he tells us why he signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to be his quarterback in 2021. Finally, we learn about the importance of family and friends as Ron battled cancer during his first season with the team, and why one ‘leak’ in the organization turned out to be a good one.

We pick up with Dr. Edwards’ recounting of the long history of athlete activism in the U.S., from baseball-playing Civil War soldiers to Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling during the anthem and beyond. He expounds upon the power--and inherent danger--of social media, and why it is an important protest tool. Dr. Edwards recalls his reaction to witnessing the black-glove salute at the 1968 Olympics that he inspired, and why he worried for the future of Australian sprinter Peter Norman. He weighs in on the recent Supreme Court decision striking down the NCAA’s ability to prevent athletes from cashing in on their name, image and likeness and on Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib coming out as the NFL’s first openly gay active player. Finally, Dr. Edwards tells Natalie why he’s optimistic about her generation’s ability to effect meaningful change during a tumultuous time.

After years of concealing evidence about the dangers of head trauma, the NFL settled a class-action lawsuit with former players… and employed “race norming” as a criteria, a practice racist in both its premise and systemic impact. Dr. Edwards, who regards race norming as part of the “medical apartheid” with which Black Americans have long been confronted, explains why its revelation could spark locker-room revolts and why the devil is not in the details, but in the delivery, as the league attempts to rectify it. In tracing his own journey, from an impoverished upbringing in East St. Louis to pronounced academic achievement and high-profile Civil Rights activism, the esteemed sociologist addresses the personal danger he has faced as a high-profile target--and a recent brush with a would-be assassin’s spray of bullets. Edwards also tells us why Donald Trump was a symptom, rather than a root cause, of the racism that fueled his presidency, and how women are imperative in the fight to conquer climate change, gun violence and other societal ills.

The San Francisco 49ers’ star tight end weighs in on his team’s wild offseason, which he likens to “a tornado after a hurricane after a thunderstorm,” explaining which teammate “sweats olive oil” and assessing the pre-draft trade that landed quarterback Trey Lance. After addressing his Panda Express obsession in very specific fashion, Kittle talks about his prodigious partying days at the University of Iowa and the dramatic behavioral change that saved his football career and catapulted him to the NFL. From that point on the episode turns fast and furious, with topics such as Kittle’s physical dominance of opponents, his love for tight ends (including new Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell), why he can’t wait for fans to flip him off in 2021 and his kinship with Kyle Shanahan’s dog among the auditory offerings.

While discussing disgruntled Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers during a recent appearance on ESPN’s morning show, Russini managed to cast her husband in a glaringly mediocre light, leading his friends to tell him, “Yo--your wife just trucked you on TV.” After amusingly recounting that episode, Russini tells us about her childhood, from her early journalistic aspirations (and her father’s fatefully situated job as a plumber) to her prolific and ultra-aggressive feats on the athletic field. As she and Natalie swap stories of on-the-field transgressions, Dianna relates her journey from overmatched Division 1 soccer player to starter and co-captain--including the red card she received on Parents’ Day--and tells why she preferred the throat to the crotch when it came to handing out punishment. We also learn about her father’s harrowing escape from the World Trade Center during 9/11, what provoked her tirade on the Jets’ practice field and why she questioned an NFL head coach who told her not to stay out late at the Combine.

Kid talks about growing up in The Bronx and Queens worshipping seminal rappers like Melle Mel--and later getting to hang with his idols. After landing the lead role in House Party originally intended for Will Smith (who, thanks to Kid’s regrettable business decision, ended up with a hit sitcom on NBC that vaulted him to superstardom), Kid tormented Martin Lawrence on set and put his writing touches on the 1990 film that became a surprise sensation. We hear about Kid’s friendship with Bill Maher, who he defended (and privately chastized) after the comedian dropped an N-bomb on “Real Time,” and his latest musical effort, a pandemic-inspired collaboration with rapper Bizkit called “Horizon.” Kid also shares his thoughts on the chasm between Aaron Rodgers and the Packers and tells Mike and Natalie about his epic feud with their friend (and Pass It Down intro impresario) Luke Campbell of 2 Live Crew in ‘90s.

Kid describes his early experiences as a celebrity, including the time he was asked to autograph an item that offended him on a deep level. He recalls touring with Digital Underground and then-roadie/all-purpose regulator Tupac Shakur, a future superstar who was shot on the night Kid and Mike met at Derrick Thomas’ house (and died six days later). And there’s a whole lot of reminiscing about what made Thomas special, from the Hall of Fame pass rusher’s legendary social stamina, to his impactful foundation, to his championing of a JFK conspiracy theory that traced back to his boss’s family.

Why did Natalie get cut out of the family group chat on draft night? Did Kyle Shanahan do Matt LaFleur dirty? Can the disconnect between Aaron Rodgers and the Packers be bridged? What did Mike and John Elway do on a hotel balcony a few hours after the legendary quarterback’s last NFL game? Did Kyle change his mind about drafting Matt Jones because he caved to public perception? Will Jeff Darlington’s dad kick Mike’s ass? What small request do your humble podcast hosts have for their listeners? You have questions. We have answers.