The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins

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**The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins**

Join NBA Legend and the King of Twitter Rex Chapman and one of his closest friends, Actor Josh Hopkins, form the Rex Chapman Podcast. With special guests and the latest news from the NBA, hear personal stories as Rex and Josh rose to the top of their careers from humble beginnings in Lexington, KY. The Rex Chapman Show is powered by BasketballNews.com and produced by Next Chapter Podcasts.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 62 - Bobby Cremins Nov 04, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of the Rex Chapman Show, Rex and Josh chat with veteran NCAA head coach Bobby Cremins.

10:00 - Bobby Cremins tried to recruit Rex to Georgia Tech

20:00 - Bobby is a first generation Irish- American

27:00 - Bobby's #1 goal was to play pro basketball but he came up short

36:00 - As a coach for Georgia Tech in that era he had to game plan to play against Michael Jordan and James Worthy

48:45 - The ACC head coaches took a lot of pride in making it the most competitive conference in the country.

51:00 - Tough losses in the NCAA take their toll on a head coach

59:30 - As a college coach, Bobby has strong feelings on NIL

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Episode 61 - Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf Oct 28, 2022

Show notes

On this edition of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by former NBA veteran, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Two decades before NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to take a knee during "The Star-Spangled Banner," it was Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf who refused to stand for the national anthem. In his new memoir, "In The Blink Of An Eye," he tells of his drive and success in the sport, but that his principles came first.

04:00 - The first time Rex and Mahmoud met in the NBA

05:30 - Growing up in Mississippi

10;15 - Mahmoud was discovered on the playground

15:00 - Mahmoud meets Dale Brown for the first time

20:00 - Josh remembers going to watch LSU v Kentucky when Mahmoud was playing

23:00 - Mahmoud grew up with Tourette Syndrome but wasn't diagnosed until age 17, his symptoms actually caused him to practice harder

35:00 - Mahmoud wrote a 24 page story about Dr. J and carried it around with him.

38:45 - Mahmoud was Steph Curry before Steph Curry, and he was Colin Kaepernick before Colin Kaepernnick

52:00 - Traveling as a basketball player to play in different countries really opened up Mahmoud's mind to how people are treated in America.

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Episode 60 - Ben Mankiewicz Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

On this edition of the Rex Chapman Show with Hopkins, the hosts are joined by TCM host, Ben Mankiewicz. Ben talks about his famous family, future projects, and Season 4 of his podcast "The Plot Thickens" - out October 25th centering on the story of Pam Grier as only she can tell it. Her sudden stardom, her iconic roles, her fights against the system. It’s a story of bravery, both onscreen and off. It’s a story about race in Hollywood and race in America.

05:00 - Ben's famous grandfather is the topic of 2020 film "Mank"

18:00 - Ben started his career as a television reporter in SC

23:30 - Ben went to Tufts because he was caught up in college rankings and was afraid to go to school in New York.

27:15 - Ben is one of the creators of Young Turks

34:00 - You have to give up music or movies forever, which one do you choose?

39:00 - The Plot Thickens is launching Season 4 on Pam Grier

44:45 - Podcasting as a collaborative art

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Episode 59 - Bill Ripken Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, it's 12-year MLB veteran and current MLB network analyst Bill Ripken. We find out who Bill thinks is the true homerun king and what it was like growing up as the little brother of baseball's Iron Man, Cal Ripken Jr.

Follow MLB Network on Twitter and listen to Sirius XM MLB radio to hear more from Bill.

09:15: Cal was always a good big brother

10:45: He could always go to the ballpark with his dad (Cal Sr) but he never forced him to go into baseball to follow him and big brother

16:30: Cal Sr's influence on both Cal and Bill and the different approaches he had to take

19:00: Recalling a moment when his dad was outwardly proud (which wasn't common for him)

22:30: Why he was able to scrap out a long career despite not having the talent of his brother

27:00: His mom's influence on him and the family

30:00: Being a good analyst on TV

33:00: What retirement was like for him and how Cal Jr had an influence on that

39:00: The youth sports projects he's involved it

44:00: Bill doesn't think there is much of a difference in the game of baseball over the last 50 years, just how we look at it (good stuff on analytics)

49:00: At the end of the day, baseball is a game that's best kept simple when coaching on the field

51:30: Bill leans towards Aaron Judge as the home run king

1:00:15: Ohtani is a freak-

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Episode 58 - Christine Brennan Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by the Sports columnist and commentator, Christine Brennan. The first female sports reporter for the Miami Herald and the first woman at the Washington Post on the Washington Football team beat in 1985, continues her advocacy work today. Christine talks about her past as an advocate for women in sports and Title IX and what's next for women's sports.

Follow Christine on Twitter

03:30 - How Christine's relationship with her father got her interested in sports.

07:30 - Not every girl that plays sports is a "tom boy"

12:00 - After the rise of women in sports, the next achievement will be a female president.

17:00 - Many remember their times in team sports fondly, are we depriving young women of that?

23:00 - The younger generation has a better handle on equality than the older generation. It is easy to see in today's youth.

33:00 - Christine vows to be the successful female role mode that she never had.

36:00 - When was the first time you were treated poorly by a chauvinist in sports?

43:45 - Rex recalls the first woman who worked for an NBA team in the 80's and how bad he felt for her.

54:00 - Christine discusses today's controversy around athletes who are transitioning or trans and how it affects women's sports.

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Episode 57 - Ed Cooley Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by the Head Coach of the Providence College Friars, Ed Cooley. The reigning Naismith Coach of the Year discusses the success he's achieved at Providence, and the trials he went through as a young man to get there. He has called himself a born leader, and the guys get into what makes a great coach, especially in the changing landscape of college basketball.

10:30 - Ed opens up about what he saw as a young man, and how he felt empowered by basketball, not the surroundings he grew up with in Providence.

14:00 - If he wasn't going to be a pro player, Ed recognized that he was going to find something that would keep him in basketball, and it turned out to be coaching.

15:30 - While playing at Stonehill College, Ed quickly realized that he was different from the rest of the white kids on campus, and he learned to embrace diversity when those opportunities presented themselves.

20:00 - Who were the coaches that set an example for Ed Cooley on what it meant to be a great coach? There are certain qualities every man needs to be a leader of young men, and nothing was more important to him than having patience.

24:00 - In a changing landscape for college basketball, Ed discusses what qualities he looks for in recruiting that makes a certain player a good fit for Providence College?

30:00 - Since joining Providence as the first minority Head Coach of the Basketball program, Ed has made it a point of emphasis to use his platform and profile to empower others around him. Give everyone an opportunity because of who they are, not just because of what they look like.

39:00 - How has Name, Image and Likeness changed Ed's approach at Providence? It seemed like all aspects of being a coach in this era of college athletics had changed overnight.

43:00 - "The Me Doesn't Become the We if we don't win. Period. End of Discussion"

45:00 - After signing an extension with Providence after this past season, Ed has made it a goal to one day be looked at as the greatest coach in that program's history. He wants to be a pillar of the Providence community for people to look up to.

52:00 - Ed enters this year as the longest tenured basketball coach in the Big East. How is he embracing being one of the leaders in college basketball with a changing of the guard with guys like Jay Wright and Coach K stepping down.

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Episode 56 - Jeff Goodman Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

You can follow Jeff on Twitter and Instagram @GoodmanHoops.

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by College Hoops Insider Jeff Goodman for the latest from the hardwood, plus what got him into journalism.

4:30 - Jeff describes the love/hate relationship he has with the Kentucky Wildcat fanbase.

7:00 - Growing up in Massachusetts, Jeff admits that his favorite NBA player growing up was Andrew Toney, who with the 76ers, always killed the Celtics.

10:00 - Jeff recalls conducting his first interview with NBA players as a teenager. He convinced James Worthy and Michael Cooper into calling his parents' answering machine, and even though he hadn't hit puberty yet, Jeff knew this is what he wanted to do.

14:30 - Jeff brings up meeting Josh on the set of Cougartown, and all Josh wanted to talk about was which recruits the Kentucky Wildcats were getting.

29:00 - Jeff speaks to the tough position he's in as a recruiting insider and analyst, and why his relationship with a number of coaches including John Calipari have been contentious. He is a University of Arizona alum and they don't even like him there.

38:00 - How Jeff ended up at the University or Arizona, and how someone who didn't play a lot of high level basketball was able to evaluate the best college players in the country.

43:30 - Josh and Jeff are living the dream, hosting podcasts with their heroes.

45:00 - Jeff recalls his first time meeting Derek Smith, and just how special of a person he was. It's been no surprise to anyone just how successful his son Nolan has been at Louisville.

49:00 - The 2022-23 Season is defined as "The Year of The Big". Jeff goes over a number of the exciting coaching hires for the upcoming year.

56:30 - Why are the Kentucky Wildcats the #7 team in the country according to Jeff Goodman?

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Episode 55 - Jemele Hill Sep 15, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by Jemele Hill, the incredible journalist, producer and podcaster. What in life gave Jemele the ability to ask the difficult questions and to continue to push the envelope? From an early age, Jemele had a passion for writing and for sports, and it has evolved so much to get to this point.

6:00 - The former CNN+ colleagues talked about their short time together, and what lessons were learned after things came to an end so abruptly.

12:00 - Jemele grew up playing all kinds of sports, excelling at baseball and softball. All while discovering her passions for reading, writing and journalism.

19:00 - While reflecting on all of their upbringings, Jemele comments on the public education she received and the strong sense of identity she received coming from Detroit.

23:30 - Fast forward to today, and how important it is to restrict what is being taught in schools and banning books is just so confusing to people that are seeking out knowledge.

26:00 - Jemele talks about meeting one of the most beloved people from Kentucky, Muhammad Ali.

29:30 - The state of today's media is no longer participating in the very oath Jemele took when she became a newspaper writer all those years ago: "To Comfort the Afflicted, and Afflict The Comfortable."

39:00 - Despite what our country has been through over the last few years, Jemele still has faith in a number of bright spots in traditional media that provide plenty of hope for the future.

42:30 - Jemele previews her forthcoming memoir "Uphill" and discusses the adversity she went through, and felt should be in her own words.

51:00 - What was going through Jemele's mind watching Serena Williams step away from tennis?

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Episode 54 - Latroy Hawkins Sep 11, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by former MLB pitcher LaTroy Hawkins. After playing more than 20 years in the bigs, LaTroy has stayed in baseball, as a special assistant with the Minnesota Twins. He discusses where the game of baseball is today, plus what could have been if he stuck with basketball over baseball.

10:00 - LaTroy discusses life growing up in Gary, Indiana and what he learned about working for everything you have.

13:00 - What was it about baseball that made LaTroy want to pursue being a professional? Some advice from his grandfather helped him stay committed to the sport.

19:30 - On the basketball court, LaTroy Hawkins was one of the best players in Gary, but then Big Dog Glenn Robinson hit his growth spurt and became Indiana's Mr Basketball.

20:00 - Rex on Big Dog Glenn Robinson and his jump shot.... "and I should know because I don't [play defense] either."

22:30 - After LaTroy was signed by the Twins, he discussed when baseball really started to click. While battling in the minors, he felt he could really be a pro player.

29:00 - After growing up idolizing Michael Jordan, LaTroy talks about playing against him when he was in the minor leagues with the Birmingham Barons.

30:10 - LaTroy goes out of his way to meet Michael Jordan in Birmingham "...oh cool I had some girls in Gary, Indiana"

35:30 - LaTroy recalls what it was like getting the call to The Show, and why coming off the 1994 strike season created a unique set of circumstances for him.

40:00 - How the transition from starter to relief pitcher worked for LaTroy, while others would feel like it would be some kind of demotion.

44:00 - For most professional athletes, they want to retire on their own terms, and when they feel like they could still do it. For LaTroy, he made that decision at 42 years old, after 21 years in the Bigs. He could even throw a 96 MPH fastball!

51:00 - One of LaTroy's best friends with the Twins, Pat Mahomes, was so excited to share being a father with him. The story of how LaTroy became the godfather to Patrick Mahomes II.

57:30 - What kind of mindset did LaTroy have when he was on the mound and it was 1-on-1 with so many of those great hitters of the 90's and 00's?

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Episode 53 - Eric Dickerson Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

On the latest episode of the Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins, the guys are joined by Pro Football Hall of Fame Running Back Eric Dickerson. There's so much Eric has accomplished both on and off the field, that gave him the inspiration for him to write "Watch My Smoke." Still living in Los Angeles, Eric is just one of the many Rams fans celebrating the Super Bowl Championship.

7:00 - Josh is losing his mind, sitting down with his two all-time idols: Rex Chapman and Eric Dickerson. You even get the tour of his childhood bedroom, covered in their posters.

9:00 - Josh shows off his poster collection, including Rex Chapman and Eric Dickerson

13:00 - Going back to Eric's childhood, he found out his identity not only on the football field, but he also found out he was adopted. How did those two moments in his life mold him into the man he would become?

15:00 - Eric remembers signing up for football, and in his first game he scored 6 Touchdowns. He was hooked on football ever since.

21:00 - It's his rookie season, and Eric has his "Welcome to the NFL Moment." Josh remembers watching one of the iconic Eric Dickerson touchdowns when he was 12 years old.

24:30 - As the Number 1 player in the country coming out of high school in 1979, his recruitment story is unlike anything you've ever heard before. He wanted to go to Oklahoma, but as a Texas boy, he decided to stay closer to home, ultimately going to SMU.

30:00 - How Eric Dickerson ended up at SMU, after pulling his commitment from Texas A&M (his mom convincing him to go to SMU)

33:00 - The famed gold Trans A&M, and how the story of that car followed Eric for the last 40 years.

38:00 - It took decades for SMU to finally welcome back Eric Dickerson and Craig James after the school received the death penalty. While it was great to be invited back, Eric still wonders why it took so long.

40:30 - Looking back on his own experience in college, Eric says Name Image and Likeness was a long time coming, and the student athletes deserve to be given some kind of compensation beyond the scholarship for what they put into their programs.

45:00 - The biggest impact NIL can provide for student athletes is giving them the means to take care of themselves and provide financial literacy. Eric and Rex both recall their first paycheck and wondering why they were losing money to taxes.

49:00 - Was going to the pros easy for Eric? He joined the Rams and immediately began setting rushing records that still haven't been broken.

51:00 - When Eric first recognized he was in the NFL, and what that felt like being in a professional football game.

58:00 - The NFL still has a number of great running backs, but Eric explains why no one will ever break his single-season rushing record.

1:01:00 - Coming off the Super Bowl Championship for the LA Rams, Eric is thrilled with how they've come together, and how important the title was for the city. Bottom line, he just wants his team to win.

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