50 Episodes Deep: The Children of Fandom Finally Speak

In this special 50th episode, I invite my children Evelyn and Bennett to reveal what it's like growing up with a basketball-obsessed parent who constantly talks about the Denver Nuggets and MVP Nikola Jokić. The kids rate my sports fanaticism between "eight and a half" and "seven thousand" on a scale of one to ten, confirming my suspected overenthusiasm.

• My children demonstrate unexpected knowledge about Nikola Jokić in our first game, including his love for horses and signature "Sombor Shuffle

• Second game "Way Too Much" exposes my most frequent basketball complaints, from refs to media coverage of small market

• Discussion of how various NBA teams connect to potential offseason moves for the Nuggets

• Kids hilariously describe my nervous playoff behavior, including stress-induced cleaning and caveman-like celebrations
• Family sets goal to attend a Denver Nuggets home game before episode 100
• Both children show signs of developing their own basketball fandom, though not necessarily centered on my favorite player

Let's make it a family goal to fly out to Denver and watch the Nuggets in a home game before episode 100!

Transcript

50th Episode with Special Guests

Speaker 1 0:04

All right, everyone, welcome back to Fandom From Afar, and today is a special episode. It's special because it is my 50th episode. I never thought I would make that many, but I've had fun doing it. So here we are. But because it's a special episode, I thought I needed a special guest. And then I thought what's better than one special guest, two special guests? So I have my kids, evelyn and Bennett, and the theme of today is going to be what is it like to be a child of a crazy sports fan? And so let's introduce you each, so the listeners can get to know whose voices is whose. So, evelyn, let's start with you and introduce yourself, and then tell me, on a scale of 1 to 10, how crazy of a sports fan do you think I am?

Speaker 3 1:05

okay. So hi, I'm evelyn and he's probably about eight and a half to a nine I'll take that hi, I'm bennett.

Speaker 2 1:15

He's probably like a seven thousand yeah, probably somewhere in between there.

The Jokić Quiz Challenge

Speaker 1 1:21

okay, very good. So the kids have to put up with me talking about my sports teams all the time. They have to put up with me taking over the TV at night and wanting to watch games and I'm sure there's lots of other stuff that will come up as well, but we're going to learn a little bit more about the experience of being a child of a crazy sports fan. So let's start off with an easy one. We'll get kind of warmed up. And can one of you tell me who my favorite basketball player is? Just speak into the mic.

Speaker 3 2:02

Nikola Jokic.

Speaker 1 2:03

That is correct. So our first game is called Jokic. So I'm going to ask you questions about Nikola Jokic, who is a giant Serbian man that you guys probably have no business knowing any details about, but I probably talk about him so much that I'm guessing you guys will get each of these correct. So, evelyn, let's start with you. All right, what are Jokic's favorite animals?

Speaker 3 2:36

Horses, that's right.

Speaker 1 2:38

And what kind of horses does he like, Like? What does he do with them?

Speaker 3 2:42

Oh, he attaches a wagon to the back of them and rides them around because he's too big to ride on them normally.

Speaker 1 2:47

That is correct. Good job Point for you. So, bennett, what number does Jokic wear?

Speaker 2 2:55

Number 15.

Speaker 1 2:56

Hey, good job. Good job Point for you, Evelyn. How many kids does Jokic have?

Speaker 3 3:06

Two, a girl and a boy.

Speaker 1 3:08

See, why would you know that I talk about him way too much. All right, mr B. Last question what is his signature shot called?

Speaker 2 3:20

The Sambor Shuffle.

Speaker 1 3:21

Hey, there you go. That was good. I thought that one might be a little tough, okay, so I think we've established that I talk about him way too much.

Speaker 3 3:28

Yep.

Speaker 2 3:29

Definitely.

Speaker 1 3:30

I have a bonus question for you guys. Can you take turns naming the different I don't even know what it's called, because I'm an old man the different styles of his shoe line, or like the themes?

Speaker 3 3:46

Oh, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 3:48

So you want to go first.

Speaker 3 3:49

Peppa Pig.

Speaker 1 3:51

Bennett.

Speaker 3 3:52

Denver Blue SpongeBob SquarePants.

Speaker 1 4:01

Yeah, that's all I knew too. I didn't know if you guys knew. Keep going, patrick Star, oh, wow, okay, and there's like a white and black one, but I didn't know if you guys knew Keep going. Patrick Starr, oh wow.

Speaker 3 4:06

Okay, and there's like a white and black one, but I don't remember what it's called.

Speaker 1 4:10

I think you're right. I think that was kind of like the original one.

Speaker 3 4:13

Yeah.

Speaker 1 4:14

Very good.

Speaker 2 4:15

Again, I don't look on his website a lot.

"Way Too Much" Fan Behavior Game

Speaker 1 4:18

Again details that you probably shouldn't know, but Jokic is a big part of our lives. Yes, they say begrudgingly All right. So you guys did well. I would say we'll call that a tie for the first game. Now the next game is called Way Too Much, meaning I'm going to give you two options and you tell me which one I talk about way too much, All right, All right. I thought you were going to say which one I talk about way too much, All right, All right.

Speaker 2 4:46

I thought you were going to say which one flops more. Does Shay flop way too much or does Joel Embiid flop way too much?

Speaker 1 4:54

Oh, I've taught you well. I've taught you well, I love it. All right, so let's start. We'll start with Evelyn again. Evelyn, what do I talk about? Way too much. Jokic should be the MVP, or Jamal Murray is being lazy.

Speaker 3 5:14

You talk about Jamal Murray being lazy a lot.

Speaker 1 5:19

That's probably the right answer. He's very frustrating. Anyone that's listened to this episode knows that I wish Jamal would put forth more consistent effort. All right, well, very good, very good. So let's say Bennett, what do I talk about? Way too much. Jokic should be MVP or the terrible refs.

Speaker 2 5:47

Jokic should be MVP or the terrible refs. Jokic should be MVP.

Speaker 1 5:48

I do. I talk about that a lot, and it's true he should be MVP. He should be working on his fifth straight MVP right now. He's already had it three times, I know. I know it's not Shay's turn. Oh, I've brainwashed these beautiful children, all right. So, evelyn, back to you. What do I talk about? Way too much? The terrible refs or the Nuggets?

Speaker 3 6:23

just aren't trying tonight. I feel like it's kind of equal, but just by a little bit. I would say you talk more about the Nuggets, just aren't not trying tonight.

Speaker 1 6:31

Yes, because there's so many nights where they just don't try and it's so frustrating.

Speaker 3 6:35

He's going to go on a rant about every question.

Speaker 2 6:37

Like remember that one night when they lost by 42?.

Speaker 1 6:41

Yeah, unfortunately. Well, and it's a problem for a lot of teams, but I think especially for the Nuggets. They just have the guys just some nights don't care, and it is what it is, all right. So you guys are getting everything right so far, which just will make me do a little self-reflection after this. I appreciate that All right. So, bennett, last one, what do I talk about? Way too much the terrible refs, or how the media covers Denver just because they're not a big market city, and this kind of goes into the Jokic for MVP stuff.

Speaker 2 7:25

How ESPN and all the sports center stuff talk about how he's the best player in the world, but for some reason it's Shay's turn, and Shay isn't as good as him.

Speaker 1 7:34

I will take that. I talked about that quite a bit this year. So well, I guess I'm kind of happy because the terrible refs kept losing every matchup. So I never want to be one of the guys that always complains about the refs. So I guess I'm'm happy. But then all the other things I probably need to, uh, calm it down a little bit then it's probably the one who talks about the terrible ref we're gonna change that. We gotta appreciate the game for what it is call drifts are horrible that's true, all right.

NBA Teams and Nuggets Connections

Speaker 1 8:03

All right. So you, you guys are acing these um games. I think, uh, you might call yourself Jokic experts as well. We're going to go a little bit more broad now and we're going to kind of flip the script a little bit. So I'm going to give you a list of all the teams in the NBA. We'll just do, we'll see how it goes. We'll do between three and five of them, but this game is called Pick a Team, any team. So what you guys are going to do, you can take turns. So let's do four, we'll do two each. Pick a team, any team off of that list, and I will tell you how they relate to the Nuggets in the next couple weeks, because the offseason is just about to begin and, of course, everything comes back to the Nuggets. So we've been letting Evelyn go first, so let's let Bennett go first this time. Bennett, what team would you like to hear how they relate to the Nuggets?

Speaker 2 9:06

The Nets.

Speaker 1 9:07

The Nets. Okay, very interesting. So the Nets have cap space and the Nuggets have a lot of giant contracts. Ideally, we could move one of our giant contracts into their cap space and trick them into giving us a good player for one of our giant contracts. So in this scenario, I would love if we can figure out a way to give them Michael Porter Jr and they give us Cam Johnson.

Speaker 2 9:41

I thought you were going to say the thing where, like, the only way they relate to the Nuggets is their name is Nets and give nuts.

Speaker 1 9:47

That was in the preseason, that was how they. In our practice court. Little slip of the tongue there. We'll just skip right past that, all right. So evelyn, who is your first team?

Speaker 3 10:00

the trailblazers oh, trailblazers.

Speaker 1 10:03

So the trailblazers have a lot of young talent. The Nuggets need young talent and, again, we have lots of big contracts. Perhaps they would like to take a chance on one of our bigger contracts. Or I'm interested to see if they would possibly take on Zeke Nagy if we gave them a future first round pick and then we take one of their centers. They have a couple of good backup centers, so nothing too exciting. But I will say the trailblazers also are always going to be tied to the nuggets, because Chauncey Billups is their coach and he's one of the best nuggets of all time. All right, bennett, what is your second team?

Speaker 2 10:58

The Bulls.

Speaker 1 10:59

Ooh the Bulls. So the Bulls their GM used to work for the Nuggets. They have been kind of stuck in the middle for a while and I think it's a lot of Nuggets fans dream to be able to trade them. Michael Porter Jr.

Speaker 2 11:18

And get Josh Giddey.

Speaker 1 11:19

Oh, I wish we could get Josh Giddey. I don't think they'll give him up, but we would love to get Ayo DeSumo, who's a really good defensive guard, and to do this we might need to take back Patrick Williams, who has a giant contract and is not very good at basketball. But we're hoping the Jokic magic can rub off on Patrick Williams and he'll become good at basketball again. So that's how the Bulls are related to the Nuggets. Evelyn, final one, who do you want to know how they are related to our wonderful Denver Nuggets?

Speaker 3 11:55

The Cleveland Cavaliers.

Jokić Contract Guessing Game

Speaker 1 11:57

Ooh, the Cleveland Cavaliers. So the Cleveland Cavaliers had an amazing season, but they have a couple guys that are going to be free agents that I don't think they're going to be able to afford. So what I'm hoping is, in the small chance that we don't sign Bruce Brown but we're going to sign Bruce Brown. He loves Denver. But in case we don't, I want to use our mid-level exception to sign. I think the Cavs have a couple free agents that we would like, but maybe someone like Ty Jerome or something like that. He would be a great addition to the Nuggets. Don't you feel more educated? At the very least? Now, that's four less teams that I won't talk about around the dinner table tonight. Yep, hey, there we go. All right, All right. So let's get back to the games for you guys. Now. I think you guys are pretty much tied because you've been answering every question correctly. So I have one final game where it's not going to be possible to tie. It's going to determine the all-time winner and we'll see who loves Jokic the most. All right?

Speaker 3 13:22

This is going to be bad.

Speaker 1 13:23

So this offseason Jokic is eligible to sign a contract extension for $221 million. If he signs that contract extension and plays all the way through it, how much will his career earnings be at that point? Earnings be at that point? So I'm taking what he's made so far and adding in what he'll make with that $221. So that's, that's your one hint. It's going to be more than $221 million.

Speaker 2 14:01

You said $221. I think it's a bit more than that.

Speaker 1 14:04

Agreed Slip of the tongue, all right, so who wants to go first? Evelyn, you have been voluntold, oh goodness, so give me a number that you think is in Jokic's bank account. Now, obviously he's made more through commercials and probably through his horses and whatever else he's investing in, but I'm just talking about his basketball contracts.

Speaker 3 14:35

How long has he been on the Nuggets?

Speaker 1 14:37

I think this year was his 10th year, maybe 9th year.

Speaker 3 14:41

Okay.

Speaker 1 14:42

But remember, he didn't start out as a superstar, so he was not making very much at the beginning not making very much at the beginning. So I'd say, knowing that it's probably around 700 million dollars. Okay, so 700 million is her guess. Bennett, what's your guess? 750 million okay, it's a little bit higher.

Speaker 3 15:05

Seriously.

Speaker 2 15:08

You stole mine.

Speaker 1 15:09

All right.

Life with a Basketball-Obsessed Dad

Speaker 1 15:13

If Google was correct, by the end of that contract Nikola Jokic will have made $471, meaning Evelyn was closest. Yes, well done, well done. So you are the winner of today's episode. But I wanted to throw out an idea for you guys. This is episode 50. Should we make it a family goal that, before episode 100, we fly out to denver sometime and watch the nuggets in a home game, because we've gone to the magic game and seen the nuggets play, but we need to go out to Denver so we can be part of the home crowd.

Speaker 3 16:01

Yes, we should.

Speaker 1 16:02

Should we make that a goal?

Speaker 2 16:05

That would be three times this year if we go this year.

Speaker 1 16:10

I don't know if it'll be this year, but we're going to make it our goal to do it before episode 100. Can I pencil you guys in for being the guest stars in episode 100 as well? Sure, okay, cool. For being the guest stars in episode 100 as well? Sure, okay, cool, we'll shake on it All right. So any final thoughts of what it's like to be the children of a ridiculous sports fanatic.

Speaker 3 16:34

Well, I think the first time that you really started to become crazy about sports and stuff in general, so probably right before the N the nuggets won the championship, and then that's when you started talking about it a lot because that, oh my goodness, it was so loud that night, you and mama were cheering so loud and my ears were recovering for the next few days that that was a great night.

Speaker 1 17:01

I didn't think that would ever happen in my lifetime. It was pretty amazing. You guys had little poppers or anything to celebrate. That was awesome.

Speaker 3 17:13

We were prepared.

Speaker 2 17:15

I'm not going to say anything about you, but when Mama gets happy, her celebrations are hysterical. She has skiing celebrations. She has like frozen and ice celebrations.

Speaker 1 17:29

She has many celebrations that like nobody knows what they are so bonus trivia question do you guys know what my go-to celebration is? I?

Speaker 2 17:41

do I Fist pump?

Speaker 1 17:43

Is there a specific kind of fist pump?

Speaker 2 17:45

Oh you go like mm.

Speaker 1 17:48

What do you have to say, Evelyn?

Speaker 3 17:50

You pretty much go like that or you go mm.

Speaker 1 17:53

Like a grunt with a fist pump. I am not unlike a caveman.

Speaker 2 17:58

Or when you're not happy about the game's going, you do random other stuff and then come back and you're like, oh, game's still long, and then start walking around again and do random stuff that didn't even need to be done. And then when you'll come back you'll be like, oh, they're winning and oh never mind, and then go, keep walking.

Speaker 1 18:18

Yeah, so I can agree. I'm very, very cool keep walking.

Speaker 3 18:23

Yeah, so I can agree. I'm very, very cool. During the playoffs. You would stressfully walk around the house every night about an hour before the game would start. I do get nervous you would just start doing laundry and just doing other things yeah, our house has never been so clean no yeah, I, uh, I need to deal with my stress a little bit better.

Speaker 1 18:42

It's fun, though, and I've had so much fun with you guys. Now that you're getting older, I know it's not your top choice to watch, but you guys sit down and watch games with me and I really like it. Obviously, the games being on so late doesn't help you guys see much, but you've seen a lot of first quarters.

Speaker 1 19:00

Oh yeah, but I I love kind of watching the games with you and obviously, like we talked about, we'll go to more games and everything and the the brainwashing will continue, where maybe you guys will become giant nuggets fans and talk way too much about your favorite players.

Speaker 3 19:16

I already liked the nuggets, but the yoga isn't my favorite, oh.

Speaker 1 19:19

Oh, tell that, tell Nuggets, but Jokic isn't my favorite. Oh, tell everybody who your favorite is.

Speaker 3 19:25

Christian Brown.

Speaker 2 19:26

He's my favorite. I really couldn't see Evelyn being the biggest Nuggets fan in the family, but I could see me being the biggest Nuggets fan in the family.

Speaker 1 19:34

That'd be cool. Well, we will update the audience on episode 100 of where your fandom is at. Thank you guys for doing this. I know it was last minute and you, you guys, aced the games. I'm very proud you're welcome all right. Thanks for listening everybody.