That 8th Inning Feeling

In this special edition of Get Home Safe, Bill Barnes and I get back together to reminisce over the many events that have taken place since our last recording a few years ago. Let's just say he has plenty to rant about. We cover the fire tragedies taking place in Los Angeles and why it is a direct result of incompetent leadership. We also chat about the upcoming term of President Elect Donald Trump and what changes we hope to see early on. Barnes has a new job that takes him outside of California quite often, so he has plenty of daily drama to report on. Additionally, we look back to when we used to do a weekly episode and wonder if maybe we could throw something together every once in a while to keep the fans craving more.

On this special Independence Day episode, I'm joined by my brother Sam Heersema from his bunker in Orange County. We chat about some memories from the 4th of July and its powerful significance. Sam and I also ramble about ways to stay motivated on the daily grind. A lot has changed over the years but our brotherhood remains stronger than ever. When Sam and I get together, nothing is off the table. Happy Independence Day!

Happy Holidays everyone! Yes, that's how dumb it sounds in the winter also. When pursuing goals, are you completely committed or just going through the motions hoping big things happen? Why do umpires eject players or managers when they clearly were the ones at fault in missing a call? When you make plans and they don't go your way, how do you respond to the adversity? Life is not what happens to us but rather how we respond to what gets thrown at us.

I graduated high school 20 years ago to the day of this release and share some brief thoughts on a reunion from over the weekend. There is a movie that everyone needs to see immediately. The Denver Nuggets and Las Vegas Knights were recently crowned champions of the NBA and NHL respectively, but I'm most excited for the College World Series that begins this Friday. Do you only pray to God when you need a favor? Are you only looking for signs from Him that point you in the direction you want to go and ignore the ones that might offer the alternative you don't want to hear? After some theological questions I vent about false narratives revolving around umpire ejections and give my two cents to make it make sense.

Happy Mother's Day! I look back on memoires of my mother Diane. As I grow older, I wish I had her around for sound advice and to push me in areas I should improve on. I've made a decision to get back to church and am very excited about two possible fits. My heart is heavy on days like these but my head is full of motivation. I have some very big goals in mind and finally have a blueprint of how to achieve them. Just like bad things often do, good things can also come into our lives at the most random times. As Davy Crockett once said, "Be sure you're right, then go ahead."

Robert James is a Ring Announcer in both Professional Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts. He and I crossed paths on the baseball field years ago as we umpired at the collegiate level. Robert grew up in in East Los Angeles and served our country in the United States Army after high school. He is very passionate about climbing the ladder in the combat sports industry and shares what it's like having best seat in the house. It was a pleasure to catch up with Robert especially with the Canelo vs Ryder fight and UFC 288 both going down this evening.

I make a big announcement regarding a new platform you can now watch our show on in addition the current options. Do you have any idea what it feels like to go extra innings? Have you ever wanted to do something for almost 20 years and just never got around to it? I offer a breakdown of a new pattern I'm seeing in professional baseball in response to the new game with a pitch clock. I also think you can do almost anything for 20 minutes if you break it down to that time frame. Finally, did George Orwell predict this is where we would be today in his book 1984?

In a super short episode, I share my thoughts on work ethic and work habits. Do you truly get out of it what you put into it? Can you expect gratification, and can it be fulfilling at all? Are you working hard or hardly working? I also ramble about food and how sometimes it's hard to see any results right away regardless of if you're eating good or bad. What a great weekend of sports with the Ryan Garcia vs Tank Davis fight and of course the Los Angeles Kings' postseason run!

I open this week's show with an analogy from my umpiring days. Sometimes, towards the end of a job or task, we can lose focus because it is almost over. That feeling you get in the 8th inning should instead ignite a more intense focus rather than let down your guard where making mistakes are more likely. In honor of the upcoming NFL Draft, I list 10 moments from my life I would have either done again, done differently, done less of, or not done altogether. Finally, I'm always ready for a good boycott but not for the reasons you would think.

Happy Easter! I recap the Final Four and make the case that UConn is officially the most consistent winning basketball program in America. I also applaud the San Diego State Aztecs who set themselves among the greatest moments in all of San Diego sports history. One thing I'm constantly working on is a fear of failure and am in the middle of a much needed break at work. Is it better to get right back on the horse after falling or is taking some time to recover a better method? Finally, after rather publicized events in the Women's National Championship, I offer up the key differences between Trash Talk and Taunting.