Mike Safo

Joined today from Jack Demsey’s by UFC Legends Dennis “The Menace” Bermudez, Ryan Laflare and regular guy Mark... We talk the unbreakable Bro-mance of Ryan and Dennis, why strong island is a hub for UFC fightrers, and about Dennis’s lst visit to the show. Ryan announces his retirement from competitive fighting and we discuss why, what he’ll miss the most and what he is leaving behind. We compare the current state of the UFC to how it was just 10 years ago. We go really deep into the life of UFC fighters from how much they are paid, how scheduling happens, and how their social media is monitored. We get a behind the scenes look at the historic UFC 299 and we find out why he had to pay for the fight 2 times despite the fact that he competed on the card. The boys and I have a ton of laughs talking about fetishes, Dennis’ skin boarding, video games and much much more. From hearing how Ryan Laflare helped get the UFC legalized in NY State to Dennis’ future with the UFC, this episode has it all.  Follow all my gue

Joined today by the 2 time James Beard award winning chef Andy Ricker. Andy and I talk about his time here in NYC, from his favorite hangouts to the best noodle places and of course I try and convince him to reopen Pok Pok here. We talk briefly about his newest venture in Las Vegas and what’s next for him. We talk about his years over in Thailand, some tips on visiting South East Asia, and what was it about the beautiful country that changed his life. We hear about how he left Chiang Mai and opened up Pok Pok in Portland and touch on the current state of the restaurant business. Andy and I speak at length about his friend Anthony Bourdain. We hear some inside info on how that famous Parts Unknown episode came about, what it was like shooting the scenes and the impact Tony had on not only his life but the lives of millions of fans.  Oh and we finished up talking about our awesome cats! Check out the following sites to keep track of everything Andy is up to and be on the lookout for the 3rd book in the Pok Pok

An episode 20 years in the making… joined today by my childhood friend turned uber talented movie director Reinaldo Marcus Green. Rei and I share some laughs about growing up on Staten Island, playing baseball together and arguing over the Yankees and Mets. Rei tells what inspired him to quit his job and get in the movie business. From his short film “STOP” to the newly released, critically acclaimed “Monsters and Men”, Reinaldo has been everywhere lately, schmoozing it up at Sundance and even hanging out with Spike Lee. We talk about how race has become a hot topic and the best way to keep the conversation going. Listen to what inspired Rei to tackle some of the controversial issues he directs, how he out kicked his coverage with his beautiful wife and more... Be sure to check out “Monsters and Men” by following Reinaldo on twitter at: @Reimarcusgreen 

With UFC 229 just a day away there was one person I needed on my podcast, calling in from Sin City, UFC/MMA reporter for the Las Vegas Review Journal, the great Adam Hill. Adam and I talk about his new friendship, which he doesn’t condone, with O.J. Simpson and how he became part of his Sunday Funday crew. Then we get down to business as Adam breaks down UFC 229 between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. We hear his prediction, why the odds are listed the way they are, other bouts on the card and the HUGE event Adam is missing just because of this historic fight. Adam touches on the Vegas Golden Knights’ expectations and we get his World Series pick. Finally, we finish up sharing the impact that Opie had in our broadcasting career. Follow all the awesome things that Adam does on twitter:   @AdamHillLVRJ

Joined today by the owner of Indian Larry Motorcycles, Bobby Seeger Jr.  After a private tour of the shop in Brooklyn, Bobby and I sat down for an intimate conversation in the shadows of some of the world’s most desired bikes. We talked about Bobby being a foodie on Instagram and the gentrification of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The Boss tells us where his love of motorcycles started, how meeting Indian Larry changed his life, to eventually becoming partners with the motorcycling legend. We hear some great stories about traveling around the country in a van with Larry and sadly about the tragic day when Larry passed away doing a stunt. He talks about how he took over the business, made sure those legendary Grease Monkey block parties never ended and how they continue to stay true to their brand. We get taken through the step by step process of picking out and customizing your own bike (Brad Pitt and Shane McMahon stories) Finally, Bobby really opens up about the heartbreaking loss of his only son Aidan and how his

Joined today by 2-time World Series Champion and Gold Glove Winner, Kentucky’s own Doug Flynn. The Glue tells us about his adventures living in NYC while playing for the Mets; from his new Corvette getting stolen to how the New York media treated him. Doug takes us through his journey on how he walked on and played basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats and left early to go try out for the Cincinnati Reds. We talk about the current state of baseball and how analytics are ruining the game. Doug tells us some crazy stories about getting autographs from Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose setting him up with his wife, and working with the great Dick Gabriel. I could have listened to the Glue talk for hours, hope y'all enjoy!  

Joined today by my favorite author, the iconic Erik Larson. He’s authored amazing books, such as: “The Devil in the White City”, “In the Garden of Beasts”, “Isaac’s Storm”, and “Dead Wake”. We talk about the pros and cons of living in New York City, tennis and Erik’s thoughts about Donald Trump. Erik and I talk about the importance of the Chicago World’s Fair and how he came about writing “The Devil in the White City” and how he thought his career was over the day before the book was released. We also discuss his other hit book “In The Garden of Beasts”. From movie deals to juicy fruit gum to meeting Tom Hanks, we shared cocktails and a bunch of laughs. Follow Erik on twitter: @exlarson

Joined today at Jack Demsey’s with Kentucky legend and NBA veteran Tony “Double Zero” Delk. Tony is in town to talk about his inspirational book “Shooter” and his new wine “Lorenz0”. Double Zero tells us about growing up in Brownsville, Tennessee, becoming a McDonald’s All American and how Coach Pitino and Billy Donovan recruited him down to Lexington. We talk about his time as a Wildcat, playing on the famous 1996 team and of course that memorable championship game against Syracuse. Tony reminisces about his time in the NBA playing for 7 different teams, some hilarious Michael Jordan stories and opens up on what he would have done differently with his career. TD and I finish up by talking about the current state of my New York Knicks, retired jerseys at Kentucky and why Cameron Mills isn’t so bad. Check out everything Tony Delk is doing by following him on twitter: @tldelk00 and check out his website: https://tldelkenterprises.com

Joined today by the “Pride of Poland and of Greenpoint, Brooklyn” heavyweight boxer Adam “Babyface” Kownacki. The Champ stops by and talks about his huge upcoming fight against Charles Martin at the Barclays Center. We hear about the excitement of fighting in front of the rabid Polish fans and what goes into a heavyweight training schedule.  Babyface talks about growing up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and watching the neighborhood change right before his eyes and some of his favorite hangouts. Adam tells the worst first date story ever (hint: it ends with an arrest). We hear about what boxer made him fall in love with the sweet science, winning the golden gloves, and training with Klitschko. The future heavyweight champion and I finish up sharing a bunch of laughs over conditioning, entrance music and also pinky promise on a lifelong friendship. Follow Adam on twitter @akbabyface and enjoy the music by Kizo. 

Joined today in studio by the legendary co-host of the podcast “Something To Wrestle With”, Bruce Prichard. Bruce tells us how he got together with his co-host Conrad Thompson and how stunned he was that the podcast blew up to a worldwide phenomenon. Bruce’s career in wrestling spans over 40 years and we hear how the 25-year-old Texan relentlessly called Vince McMahon and somehow became one of his most trusted soldiers involved in some of the most memorable angles in wrestling history. Bruce talks about his time as the infamous Brother Love and what the other wrestlers thought of him. He gives us some of his hilarious impressions of Vince, Dusty Rhodes, the Macho Man and more. From wanting to turn Hulk Hogan heel to Donald Trump calling up the WWE asking about Vince McMahon’s limo accident. Bruce Prichard shows why he’s one of the most listened to and entertaining voices in the wrestling business. Check out Bruce on twitter: @bruceprichard   His website: http://SomethingToWrestle.com  and of course his podcas

Joined today by the comedic genius “Mur” from Impractical Jokers, also known as “author” James Murray. We pick up right where Opie’s podcast leaves off, James leaving his personal items in a bar and how I had to rescue him on his date. Mur and I talk about being raised on Staten Island, what we miss most about it and how we both tried to pick up girls the same way growing up. We discuss his new Sci-Fi Thriller book “Awakened”, how it took 14 years to get published, the idea of making the book into a movie and we find out if he’s finally started to write book # 2. James tells us some stories about the personalized videos he sends to fans and then I open up and tell him why Impractical Jokers means way more than laughs to my family. We find out if the boys are still having fun working together, if there is real beef with Mur and Sal and we touch a little bit about the upcoming IJ movie! From hearing how Mur landed a role in Private Parts to who he thinks actually wrote the Bible (hint: Herman Melville), James M

Joined today by Steve Hytner, name doesn’t ring a bell? Kenny Bania from Seinfeld but he’s way more than that.  Steve stops by the Westwood One studios to talk about his new podcast “That’s Gold”. We talk about how his show is gonna focus on “guy talk”, gambling, tequila and more.  Steve tells the greatest 5 team parlay story involving a murdering gypsy. Then we get down to business. Steve is in town because the Brooklyn Cyclones are honoring him with a bobblehead at Seinfeld night so we talk about Steve auditioning for different parts on the show, his first appearance and how nervous he was all the way to the finale. Laughs and good storytelling occupy this episode. Follow Steve on twitter @Hytner and on his website stevehytner.com

Joined today by former 1st round draft pick by the NY Yankees Slade Heathcott. Slade calls into the show from his team bus and tells us about his extremely difficult childhood, from dealing with his father being in and out of prison to eventually having to protect his mother by pulling a shotgun on his father. We hear how he found out he was selected by the Bronx Bombers and takes us through his journey getting called up to the big show and walking into the Yankees locker room for the first time. Slade is extremely vocal about minor league pay and we hear the shocking truth on how much they actually get paid, their brutal travel schedule, and what needs to be done to correct it. From yoga to which3 players he asked for their autographs. The MLB veteran tells us his plans for after his baseball days are over. Follow Slade on twitter @heathcott_slade and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/slade.heathcott/

On this special World Cup edition of the podcast I’m joined by one half of the ESPN Caught Offside podcast, JJ Devaney and also by soccer guru Danny Roberts. JJ and Danny talk about the previous month of the World Cup, talking about favorite players, best games and of course biggest disappointments. We discuss the nonstop coverage and comparison that the media makes with Messi and Ronaldo and what players became stars during this tournament. JJ goes deep as he thinks this could be the last “traditional” World Cup we see in a long long time and we get the boys’ thoughts on the Final Four and their prediction on who will be hoisting the World Cup trophy. Follow JJ on twitter @JJDevaney and check out his podcast “Caught Offside” and check out Danny on twitter @dannyr302

Joined today, live from Belmont Park, with the voice of the Triple Crown, the legendary Larry Collmus. Larry talks about how he always dreamed of being the voice of horse racing since he was a teenager in Maryland, how he climbed the ranks calling races all over the country and how a random call from a 212 phone number in 2011 changed Larry’s life. We hear about Larry’s first time calling the Kentucky Derby, from his wobbly jello legs to him not being able to listen to “My Old Kentucky Home”. He tells us about all the preparation that goes into calling a race, from his flash cards to studying the night before the races. We go down the emotional road of finally calling a triple crown winning race with American Pharoah and then 3 years later with Justify. From his summers in Saratoga to drunk texting one of the most famous horse trainers in the world, Larry lives up to his reputation as a great announcer and amazing storyteller. Follow Larry on twitter @LarryCollmus

For the 3rd time on the podcast, I’m joined by Navy SEAL American hero Rob O’Neill. Rob and I hang out at Jack Demsey’s waiting for Opie to show up and we catch up on Rob’s new marriage, and how we both totally out kicked our coverage. Rob talks about him traveling all over the country campaigning for candidates for the upcoming elections. We talk some Boston Celtics and he introduces me to the awesome southern rock singer Tim Montana. From Rob complaining about NYC Traffic to talking about his twitter wars, Rob and I just hang out and enjoy some awesome conversation.

Joined today by one of the most popular radio personalities in the last 15 years, the hilariously entertaining Craig Carton. Craig stopped by Jack Demsey’s and somehow we started the show talking about my new kitten Pickles. We were kind of crunched for time so we touched quickly on how Craig jumped all over the country doing radio before making it big in NYC. He shares several stories such as, him breaking the news that Eric Lindross missed a game due to a hangover, his time at WNEW as a part of the “sports guys”, and who almost got the job with Mike Francesa. Craig and I are already planning a longer show, and this is just a taste. Follow everything Craig is doing by checking out his website https://www.hellomynameiscraig.com/ and follow him on twitter @craigcartonlive 

On today’s show I’m joined by Notre Dame legend, NFL veteran and wine connoisseur Rick Mirer. Rick and I catch up to see what he’s been up to in the last 6 years since we first chatted. We discuss how he got into the wine business, it’s competitive nature and what makes Mirror Wine stand out from other wineries out in Napa Valley. We touch on the 1993 NFL draft where Rick went 2nd overall and we hear why he didn’t attend the draft. From explaining to Rick the ins and outs of Twitter, to finding out where in Rick Mirer’s house there is a “Play Like a Champion Today” sign, I finally got my long awaited redo with one of my favorite players growing up. Check out Rick’s twitter @RickMirer and be sure to visit MirrorWine.com to find out about his incredible wine. You can find the song on the podcast from the talented Tim Montana, drop by his site TimMontana.com to listen and download more of his songs.

Joined today by co-host of the “Something to Wrestling” with Bruce Prichard, “What Happened When?”, and "83 Weeks" podcasts, the great Conrad “Hey Hey” Thompson. Conrad tells how a 15 year veteran of the mortgage business and diehard wrestling fan came to co-host 2 of the most popular wrestling podcasts out there today. Hey Hey talks about how Brother Love told him some inside stories about the WWE and how Conrad knew they had something special. Conrad takes us through the prep work that he puts into each thoroughly researched show. We hear about topics from his thoughts on Hulk Hogan’s return, to his dream podcast topic and to the coolest piece of wrestling memorabilia he owns. Conrad brings insight to some of wrestling’s most historic moments. Follow Conrad on twitter at @HeyHeyItsConrad for all the updates on his incredible podcasts and the @PrichardShow for tickets and show information.

Joined today by travel blogger and local expert, Miss Tourist, Yulia Safutdinova. Listen as she shares her tips on her hometown of Moscow, from getting into town to must see sights of the city. We talk about World Cup and how the locals feel about this momentous sports event taking place in their hometown. Make sure to check her blog on suggestions not just for Russia and the World Cup, but for other travel destinations. Visit her blog and awesome website  https://misstourist.com/