{"id":856,"date":"2018-05-02T03:53:46","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T08:53:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pauleide.com\/?p=856"},"modified":"2021-05-19T08:56:19","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T13:56:19","slug":"three-days-in-la-a-2013-espy-awards-adventure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/i80sportsblog.com\/three-days-in-la-a-2013-espy-awards-adventure\/","title":{"rendered":"Throwback: Three Days In LA – An ESPY Awards Adventure"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2013

I knew it was going to be an interesting trip to Los Angeles when I met actor Colin Farrell at LAX baggage claim upon arrival. Minutes later, I bumped my shoulder into Olympic legend Michael Phelps\u2019 tightly toned torso while wildly retrieving my luggage from the baggage carousel.<\/p>\n

Here is the actual transcript of our meeting:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhoa. Hi Michael, excuse me. That bag kinda got away from me there for a second.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo problem, how are you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am good, nice to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Turning my attention, and body, towards the exit, I again saw Farrell, this time attempting to lay low in the shadows as people began to recognize him as \u201cthat one guy from \u2018SWAT.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Suddenly, five punky paparazzo exploded off the elevator and surged towards the helpless Farrell, who was now pacing back and forth, alone, waiting for his luggage, while having a conversation on his cell phone that was going nowhere. He was adamant about needing a ride immediately, but his urgency was neither acknowledged nor reciprocated.<\/p>\n

A pair of 50-something (but don\u2019t tell them that) Latinas spotted him, exclaiming with glee to everyone within earshot that Farrell was, in fact, \u201cright by them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ladies bum rushed him and made their jerky husband take several pictures while they posed, Farrell maintaining a state of disinterest throughout the experience. 30 people stood around and watched, mouths agape.<\/p>\n

Metaphorically, Farrell was naked in front of his high school assembly, with no publicist or agent in sight to deflect or protect, and the verbal potshots began to pile up.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought he\u2019d be taller.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe looks tired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d go up to him and say \u2018Hi,\u2019 but I read he was mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a scuffle between the paparazzi and airport security which was neatly punctuated with some harsh language, and it allowed Farrell to wiggle out of the corner he was in and move to the other side of the baggage claim room. Fortuitously, my last bag emerged directly in front of Farrell\u2019s new defensive position, so I thought I\u2019d offer my services.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Colin, I can see you\u2019re in a spot here. Do you need a ride? I\u2019ve got a car service waiting and I\u2019m heading downtown.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both things were true, as my driver was waiting outside the baggage area and our next stop was the beautiful Four Seasons hotel off Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills.<\/p>\n

He removed the phone from his ear and said, \u201cCheers man, I really appreciate it. I finally got a hold of my driver and he should be here any minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese people are insane,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

He laughed and agreed. \u201cYeah, it\u2019s a little wild, but it\u2019s all part of the deal. Thanks for the offer, cheers. Have a good time in LA.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Colin

I went to Los Angeles to cover the 20th<\/sup> ESPY Awards, courtesy of Clear Men Scalp Therapy. Clear Men stops dandruff at the source for 100% flake-free hair. Unlike other dandruff shampoos, Clear Men is great smelling and good for daily use.<\/p>\n

Is there anything more \u201cLA\u201d than meeting Colin Farrell and Michael Phelps at the airport? How about sitting at a table in the Four Seasons hotel bar an hour later, directly next to Disney boytoy Zac Efron?<\/p>\n

I think I did a good job of hiding my enthusiasm, because it would be pretty weird for a 33-year-old man to get star struck by the impossibly handsome Efron.<\/p>\n

It could be that my excitement was dulled rather than contained, as an attractive woman at the bar asked me just prior to seeing Efron if I was the son of Hollywood icon Ed Harris because, evidently, I \u201clook exactly like him.\u201d<\/p>\n

But I didn\u2019t let that stop me, as an hour later, a used sugar packet from Efron\u2019s place setting at the table was coincidentally up for sale on eBay with the caption, \u201cWhat\u2019s sweeter than Zac Efron\u2019s performance in \u201cHigh School Musical\u201d? This sugar packet he just used.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking of the Four Seasons, check out the view from my balcony:<\/p>\n

\"Four

After enjoying my time at the Four Seasons, then heading to Laurel Hardware for dinner, a restaurant off Santa Monica Boulevard, it was time for the BODY at ESPYs Party.<\/p>\n

\"Laurel

Held at LURE Nightclub in Hollywood, the first thing I saw when entering the red carpet entrance into the club was 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick\u2019s naked cover shot for the Body Issue of ESPN The Magazine superimposed on the outside of the building.<\/p>\n

Kaepernick was one of the first athletes I encountered at the party, and he was easily the most popular person there, completely surrounded at all times.<\/p>\n

The first celebrity I met was none other than Dennis Haskins, aka Mr. Belding from popular 90s TV show \u201cSaved by the Bell.\u201d We talked for several minutes about what he was up to and when he found out I was from Omaha, Nebraska, he talked about how much he enjoyed golfing \u201cout there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The party was sponsored by Hennessy V.S. and free drinks were being served by incredibly hot waitresses who looked like carbon copies of the models from Robert Palmer\u2019s music video for the 80s hit \u201cAddicted To Love.\u201d Haskins and I bemused the similarities and then took turns lusting over a nearby waitress.<\/p>\n

About this time, I noticed NBA stars DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall leaning against a table nearby. Cousins is an absolutely huge<\/em> human being, and Wall is no slouch either. Opposite them was NFL legend Kellen Winslow Sr., and about five feet to the left of him was Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones.<\/p>\n

The dynamic of this party was really interesting. About 40% of the people in attendance were agents or lawyers, 30% were media\/marketing people, 20% were athletes and 10% were chicks trying to land a pro baller for the evening, or longer based on if the encounter took.<\/p>\n

The setting was extremely intimate \u2014 so intimate you could walk up and have a conversation with anyone you wanted. I set my sights on Vikings all-pro running back Adrian Peterson.<\/p>\n

My colleague Paul Kaplan, senior video producer for Bleacher Report, knew AP and introduced us. The next 15 minutes were fantastic.<\/p>\n

Upon meeting AP, I had to get a taste of his world-renown grip. I stuck out my hand and introduced myself.<\/p>\n

\u201cAP, I\u2019m Paul and I have got to feel that famous handshake.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll Day\u201d obliged, grabbed my hand, and stepped in so close his face was about two inches from mine. To say it was intense would be an apt description.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s that Paul?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPretty good AP,\u201d I said. \u201cBut definitely not the strongest grip I\u2019ve ever felt.\u201d<\/p>\n

We started talking about the phenomenal season he just completed, his rehab and how he was feeling heading into this season. After a few minutes of that I said, \u201cAlright AP, give me the real one this time,\u201d and I stuck out my hand again. He grabbed it, made the meanest face ever and squeezed my hand about 10% harder.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, now we\u2019re getting somewhere!\u201d<\/p>\n

I was barely able to wiggle my hand out of his.<\/p>\n

We talked for another couple minutes and I told him what an inspiration he was and about how he essentially redefined what we expect from athletes in terms of recovery from injury and ensuing performance.<\/p>\n

As we were talking, former Alabama running back Eddie Lacy walked up and joined our conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the guy, right here,\u201d AP said, as he introduced me to Lacy. \u201cGreen Bay has finally got the back they\u2019ve been looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lacy was a cool character, totally low-key and relaxed. I asked him what his expectations were for the upcoming season, his first in the NFL.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust to stay healthy, man. And do everything I am asked. I\u2019m ready to learn.\u201d<\/p>\n

People had started coming up to Peterson in groups to engage the NFL\u2019s best running back, so I stuck out my hand again.<\/p>\n

\u201cAP, thank you so much for the time, great to meet you. But this<\/i> time, I want the real<\/i> AP handshake.\u201d<\/p>\n

He laughed, took my hand and really<\/i> gave it to me this time, accompanied again by a super mean face. This<\/em> was the real AP handshake and it hurt<\/i>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, OK, AP! That\u2019s my writing hand, man! Ouch!\u201d<\/p>\n

AP\u2019s face went back to normal, and gradually, his lips pursed into a smile and he laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah and I don\u2019t need any lawsuits, man.\u201d<\/p>\n

We both chuckled and went our separate ways.<\/p>\n

Immediately, I turned around, and standing right behind me was Chance Warmack, offensive guard and 10th<\/sup> overall pick of the Tennessee Titans. Paul Kaplan had recently interviewed Warmack and was nice enough to introduce me.<\/p>\n

Warmack was such a cool guy. He was totally unimpressed by everything around him, dressed super casually, not fazed by anything at all. He spoke in a casual, relaxed tone and looked you in the face when he spoke. I told him how much I wished the Bears would\u2019ve traded up to grab him and he laughed. The Titans got a hell of a football player.<\/p>\n

My sitdown interview with Tony Gonzalez was just a few hours away thanks to the 5 AM start time, so I went to grab a seat in the lounge area and just chill for a second.<\/p>\n

After being there for a minute or two, a very attractive woman came over and asked if the seats next to me were taken. I said, \u201cI\u2019ve been saving them for you, go right ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n

She giggled, sat down and introduced me to her friend \u201cBob\u201d and said, \u201cHe\u2019s kind of a big deal.\u201d I shook his hand and it was none other than ESPN personality Bob Valvano, brother of Jim Valvano.<\/p>\n

Bob was a character. He said, \u201cHey Paul, you want to play a game with me right now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure Bob, what\u2019s the game?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s called Instant Gangster. You basically look around the immediate area and decide who is the most gangster of anyone you see and then compare gangsters with the people you\u2019re playing with.\u201d<\/p>\n

I played Instant Gangster with Bob and the gorgeous girl, Julie, for about five minutes; it was hilarious.<\/p>\n

Then Bob leaned in and asked me, \u201cHave you had one of those doughnuts yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a little booth serving all kinds of sweets about 50 feet from where we were sitting and Bob claimed the glazed doughnuts were \u201clike crack, but better for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

I tried to resist, but Bob wasn\u2019t having it. \u201cWait right here, I am going to go get us some.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bob got up and came back five minutes later with three doughnuts; it was potentially the best doughnut I\u2019ve ever had.<\/p>\n

At this point, the limo service on standby outside the club was texting, asking when we would be ready to leave. Even though it felt like perhaps an hour had passed, it was almost three in the morning. I shook hands with Bob and Julie, assembled my crew, and we left the party and headed back to the Four Seasons for roughly two hours of sleep.<\/p>\n

During my first 14 hours in LA, I had met so many cool people that I had no idea what I could do for an encore after such a hot start. I felt like Yasiel Puig.<\/p>\n

But I knew beginning the day with an in-person interview with the greatest tight end in NFL history, Tony Gonzalez, was a hell of a good start.<\/p>\n

Clear Men Scalp Therapy, the greatest 2-in-1 men\u2019s shampoo on the market, set up the interview in a small, inconspicuous sound studio somewhere in downtown Los Angeles. Even the door was non-descript, and as I entered, I thought maybe my ex-wife had set this all up as part of an elaborate hoax to have me killed. (Just kidding honey, I know you would never use Tony G to hurt me.)<\/p>\n

As soon as I opened the door, there was Tony, sitting in a chair wearing a suit that I could maybe<\/i> pay off on a ten-year deferred payment plan. But the interest would certainly kill me.<\/p>\n

Tony and I made our way into the sound studio and were both mic\u2019d up. I had about 10 minutes to talk to Tony off the record as the equipment was getting set up. I jokingly asked if he had gotten his workout in for the day, knowing he had been up since 3 AM doing interviews, and he said, \u201cHell no man! But I did play some pick-up basketball with Klay Thompson yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, what is awesome<\/i> for $1,000, Alex?\u201d<\/p>\n

People forget that Tony could\u2019ve probably gone pro as a basketball player, as he played for Cal in the mid-90s.<\/p>\n