The Payoff - Stories of Sobriety

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Sports Super Agent Leigh Steinberg Sep 02, 2021

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Leigh Steinberg is probably the most notable agent in the history of sports. He's often credited with being the real-life inspiration for the movie Jerry Maguire. But he really doesn't really want to talk about movies or his star-studded roster of clients over the years - from Troy Aikman to Pat Mahomes. What he wants to talk about is being sober for more than a decade and how he did it. It's an incredible tale that could be a motion picture of its own. Leigh's story is also a real tailwind, for anyone struggling or looking to get sober.

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Debra Olson Aug 26, 2021

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Debra Olson spent more than 25 years working as a hairdresser in the film industry so it's no surprise her story is ripped from a Hollywood script. She moved to LA as a teen and the party was just getting started. Her run in movies and TV was legendary in and out of the studio and her collapse was just as epic. Now almost 20-years sober, she describes how she got through to the other side and shares gems she uses today to stay serene.

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Amy Liz Harrison Aug 19, 2021

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Amy Liz Harrison has eight kids and 10-years sober, I could stop right there. She had four children when she ended up in jail for driving drunk with them all in the car. At that point, her “perfect” public and wasn’t even put together on the surface anymore and the masquerade was over. She’s recently written a book and her honesty about her journey in recovery is contagious, it’s also eye-opening when you consider she was a suburban mom with incredible resources at her disposal. Another example is that alcoholism and addiction don’t discriminate.

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Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson Aug 12, 2021

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Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson was one of the best young players in the NFL. By the time he was 25-years old, he’d made the Pro Bowl and played in three Super Bowls (winning one) on America’s Team the Dallas Cowboys. But as his career evolved so did his addiction to cocaine. It started hanging out in Los Angeles with Richard Pryor and Marvin Gaye and ended with a love for crack and finally big trouble with the law. Now, almost 40 years sober, this former NFL star is winning at the game of life “one day at a time” and taking a lot of folks along with him. Incredible man, a fantastic podcast

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Erika Aug 05, 2021

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Erika is a fixture at 12-step meetings in the Austin area but she'll tell you that her work in recovery and on herself doesn't stop there. You'll hear from her today because she's one of those people that has what a recovering alcoholic wants and if you want to understand what that is, just take a listen. Drunk, sober, or trying to get just one day clean: this podcast is for everyone, as she drops so many life gems throughout this chat. Erika is full of hope and you will be too after you listen to her.

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Mike Sousa and a Defibrillator Jul 29, 2021

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Pete's back in the studio, one week after getting a defibrillator. That's the focus, as Mike Sousa returns to share what it like watching Pete go through the surgery after Pete put it off for years. Also covered is how addicts react to pain meds and the slippery slope that comes with any controlled substance prescription for an addict. Pete is very revealing on the dark feelings he had post operation. Mike is very funny. Enjoy

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Fitness Coach Ali Perry Jul 22, 2021

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Replay from the start of the Payoff: Pete sits down with fitness coach and friend Ali Perry to talk about mistakes in addiction, a life that could very well be a movie, her newest fitness venture and, of course, sobriety.

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Mike Gminski Jul 15, 2021

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Mike Gminski was the seventh pick in the NBA Draft in 1980, after an all-American career at Duke. He averaged almost 12 points a game over a 14-year NBA career, where he says alcohol abuse really wasn't an issue. But then life threw some haymakers at the G-Man and he used drinking and drugs to cope. On July 13, 2020, Gminski's son Noah and his ex-wife drove him to Florida, where former teammate Jayson Williams is running a treatment center called Rebound Institute. By that point, Gminski was drinking a fifth of vodka a day and taking Xanax to deal with panic attacks. At Rebound, he learned how to stay sober and play the game of life again. Gminski talks with Pete about getting sober, a colorful NBA career, and his work as a successful TV analyst on college basketball games. And he does all his talking from Rebound, where he's now employed. But most importantly he talks about almost dying a year ago and living his best life today. Gminski calls it a miracle. We bet you'll call this a great podcast.

https://www.facebook.com/reboundforlife

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Amy Dresner Jul 08, 2021

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Amy Dresner is a journalist, an author, a former comedian, and most importantly 8.5 years sober. Her book "My Fair Junkie: A Memoir of Getting Dirty & Staying Clean" has been hailed by critics and readers alike and it gives people struggling with addiction hope. She's got another book on the way and a successful podcast called "Rehab Junkie" but she also has real-life problems in recovery that she's very open about. Amy is hilarious. Like really, really funny.

https://www.amydresner.com/

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Pete's Story Jul 01, 2021

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Pete actually shares his experience of what it was like, what happened, and what it's like now. The story is evergreen but the podcast is from a few months ago when Pete appeared on the Busy Living Sober Podcast. He covers finding out he had a heart issue and losing out on playing college football, after years of abusing drugs and alcohol as a teen. Then he takes us through a roller-coaster career, where he attempted to juggle working in pro sports and addiction. Finally, he talks about hitting bottom, getting the gift of desperation, and accepting total defeat before doing whatever it took to get sober.

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