As Seen on ESPN: “The Charlie Rymer Golf Show” Season 2, Episode 8 with NFL Great Sterling Sharpe

Speaker 1 (00:03):

The Charlie Rymer Golf Show, starring Charlie Rymer. Hey okay, let’s pick up the tempo.

Charlie Rymer (00:13):

Charlie Rymer here and welcome to my new show, where we do things my way. As a former golf pro and media personality, I know golf. This isn’t going to be your grandfather’s golf show. I’m bringing you conversations with celebs and golf greats, getting off the course and out on the water, and even getting into some good eats. This is the Charlie Rymer Golf Show. Keep it in the fairway, folks.

(00:44):

I’m at the Barefoot Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We’re playing the Davis Love course today and you’re going to love my guest, five time Pro Bowler for the Green Bay Packers, my pal Sterling Sharpe. I’m Charlie Rymer and this is Riding with Rymer.

(01:08):

Sterling Sharpe, that’s enough practice. Come get in this cart. We’re going to get out on the golf course.

Sterling Sharpe (01:12):

As you can see, I was practicing the short ones because I’m going to hit it close all day.

Charlie Rymer (01:17):

You don’t need no stinking practice. Come on buddy, let’s get after it. Make yourself comfortable. There’s a quote from you going way back that says, “I will never play golf.”

Sterling Sharpe (01:28):

Ever. I’m never going to play!

Charlie Rymer (01:30):

How many rounds a year you playing now?

Sterling Sharpe (01:32):

I’m well over 200.

Charlie Rymer (01:35):

Yeah, so never say never.

Sterling Sharpe (01:36):

The thing is, it’s easy to say when you’ve never experienced it.

Charlie Rymer (01:39):

Yeah.

Sterling Sharpe (01:40):

When you’ve never gone out and go okay, and you hold that a hundred yard shot.

Charlie Rymer (01:45):

A lot of people would look at your upbringing and think it was disadvantaged or there were some issues. There weren’t any issues.

Sterling Sharpe (01:51):

No.

Charlie Rymer (01:51):

When folks like you and Shannon are coming out of a household like that, you were raised by the right people at the right time.

Sterling Sharpe (01:58):

We got exactly what we needed, not wanted, what we needed when we needed it.

Charlie Rymer (02:03):

Yep.

Sterling Sharpe (02:04):

I was having a conversation with some friends of mine about eating squirrel and they were like, “I would never eat a squirrel. I would never eat that.” I said, “Yeah, that’s easy to say right now. You can say that right now.”

Charlie Rymer (02:14):

You hungry…

Sterling Sharpe (02:15):

I said, “You know what, I don’t want to, but I do know I’ve already had that experience and it wasn’t that bad.”

Charlie Rymer (02:24):

I’ve eaten a little squirrel too. Brown gravy and dumplings, it ain’t so bad.

Sterling Sharpe (02:27):

It wasn’t that bad.

Charlie Rymer (02:28):

Little salt and pepper. The thing that interests me in sports, isn’t the stuff that everybody’s talking about, which are stats.

Sterling Sharpe (02:36):

Yes.

Charlie Rymer (02:36):

The thing that interests me more than anything, are the things that you can’t see and you can’t measure, the heart, dealing with emotion, how people carry themselves, what they look like in their eyes. Those are the things. To me, if people want to know stats, they can look up stats on a computer. When I hear you breaking something down, I want you to tell me what it feels like to be in that situation, failing or succeeding.

Sterling Sharpe (03:00):

Don’t make it complicated. Don’t make it hard. Don’t try and figure out how … The worst thing that I see with guys, is I want you to know everything I’m doing to get ready for the season. I’m running 16 miles a day. Here I am working out. Here I am. And I’m like, you know what Jerry Rice needs to do to be Jerry Rice. I’m not Jerry Rice.

Charlie Rymer (03:19):

My favorite part of the day. I get to watch you hit drivers.

Sterling Sharpe (03:23):

A lot of trouble out there.

Charlie Rymer (03:24):

Nah, that trouble ain’t going to get you.

Sterling Sharpe (03:26):

That’s all I see.

Charlie Rymer (03:27):

All right, Sterling, let’s see that driver.

Sterling Sharpe (03:30):

It’s about 240 now.

Charlie Rymer (03:32):

Yeah.

Sterling Sharpe (03:33):

Which is good for me because usually at 240 it’s in play.

Charlie Rymer (03:36):

At 240 your ball is still going up.

Sterling Sharpe (03:39):

Oh, it’s up in the air, but we aim it down the soft side and we just try and hit it as best we can. That is as best as we can.

Charlie Rymer (03:53):

You still got it. Sterling Sharpe, ladies and gentlemen. He’ll be here all week.

Sterling Sharpe (03:57):

All week.

Charlie Rymer (04:00):

When they retired your number two jersey at in Columbia, you were the second player that ever had a jersey retired while you were still playing.

Sterling Sharpe (04:13):

Yeah, we had a bowl game.

Charlie Rymer (04:14):

Tell me about how special that moment had to be.

Sterling Sharpe (04:17):

It was not special at all because I had no idea what the magnitude of it was. That was the thing about athletics, is a lot of people want you to enjoy your success right now. I was one, Charlie and my grandmother and grandfather did a great job of raising us, and we used a lot of words and phrases, I never tried to sacrifice what I want for what I want right now.

Charlie Rymer (04:42):

Do you do much mentoring, talking to young people or specifically people that have dealt with injuries that have gotten them off track and trying to help shape them and give them a little better understanding of some of the things we’re talking about today?

Sterling Sharpe (04:55):

Mentoring is all about you have to want what I’m giving. I think when you start mentor or talk about mentoring people, that person has to be receptive to what you’re giving because it may be as simple as, “You know what, Charlie, keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t do anymore. Don’t do any less.” I try and get guys to go, Maybe you are not supposed to play seven years. Maybe you’re not supposed to play 20 years. Maybe you’re not supposed to play two years, but make sure when you leave the game you don’t leave with my regret or you don’t leave with my expectation.

Charlie Rymer (05:36):

I want to get in the mind of Sterling Sharpe right here. You’ve smoked it right down the middle of this fairway. You got like 240 2nd shot to this par five and yet I see you laying up.

Sterling Sharpe (05:48):

Well first of all, the fine people let me come out and play for free, so I’m going to enjoy however many golf shots because if I hit it on the green in two putt or one putt, you go, “Wow, that was a good hole.” I like hit hitting the golf ball so more often than not, I will just lay something up just because I want to see can I hit it straight or can I keep it out of that left bunker? I just do those things.

Charlie Rymer (06:16):

You-

Sterling Sharpe (06:20):

I’m like, that’s a win for me. I just won.

Charlie Rymer (06:23):

You’re telling me, you’d rather shoot 80 than 70 because you get to hit more shots and that’s more fun?

Sterling Sharpe (06:27):

I enjoy playing. A lot of guys are going to get up here, Oh, I’m downwind, and I’m going to grab my three wood, and I’m going to stand up, and I’m going to hit it way right, and I’m going to make seven, or eight, or 10. Now, their entire round is ruined, where I’m like going for it today really doesn’t help me or hurt me because I know I can get there. I don’t have to prove it to myself.

Charlie Rymer (06:50):

Well, you showed us that you can hit a shot while you’re talking. Why don’t you get in the cart while you’re talking?

Sterling Sharpe (06:55):

I can’t do that. Hey, I can’t do those two things.

Charlie Rymer (07:00):

Me and you going to suck all the oxygen out of this cart.

Sterling Sharpe (07:08):

Oh, this should be interesting.

Charlie Rymer (07:09):

It’s got some left in it. Get it. You did everything but hit it, Sterling.

Sterling Sharpe (07:19):

Well, the greens were a little slower than I imagined.

Charlie Rymer (07:23):

Uh-huh. Blame it on something else.

Sterling Sharpe (07:27):

Of course. Hey, it’s never going to be me. I mean, that would ruin my attitude. Just hit five shots and my confidence and my joy is still intact. I won. I won.

Charlie Rymer (07:43):

How long was it after having that injury that you knew or the realization that NFL is over for me?

Sterling Sharpe (07:54):

I knew before I had the surgery. I had two specialists tell me that I could get my neck fixed and it would be stronger than anyone else’s in the NFL, but we don’t know what the end game is going to be. I hopped off the table. I was like, “Doc, I appreciate it. I ain’t playing anymore football,” because I only wanted to play, Charlie. That’s all I wanted to do.

(08:15):

You know what? My journey was seven years. My journey was one year of B Team, four years of high school, be in college five years, play seven years in the NFL, and that was my NFL journey. I did what I wanted to do. I didn’t have 18 things I wanted to do. I had one. I wanted to play in the NFL. That was it. I got a chance to do that, which was really cool.

Charlie Rymer (08:38):

Inspirational, Sterling. Sterling, as always, you’ve been a lot of fun hanging out. The Love course has been great today here at Barefoot. Always like getting out on the golf course with you.

Sterling Sharpe (08:49):

It’s always a pleasure to be out with you my friend.

Charlie Rymer (08:52):

What a great putt to finish the day, Sterling.

Sterling Sharpe (08:55):

It’s not in the hole just yet.

Charlie Rymer (08:56):

I think you can handle that one.

Sterling Sharpe (08:57):

Wait, is this a two million dollar one?

Charlie Rymer (08:59):

Yeah. You need to mark that, line it up, get everybody to be quiet. Or, you could just do that. Appreciate it, brother.

Sterling Sharpe (09:07):

It was a pleasure, my friend.

Charlie Rymer (09:07):

I get a hug.

Sterling Sharpe (09:07):

Oh, God. You know how we go back. We go back.

Charlie Rymer (09:09):

You are the best. Well, next time we get out and play a little golf, I’m going to play some with you too.

Sterling Sharpe (09:14):

I’d like that very much.

Charlie Rymer (09:15):

You got it. Thank you so much you for being on the show.

Sterling Sharpe (09:17):

You’re welcome, very welcome.

Charlie Rymer (09:18):

I feel a little less stressed hanging out with you.

(09:34):

Hi, and welcome into the Charlie Rymer Golf Show. I’m your friendly host, Charlie Rymer. It’s my show so I can talk about what I want to talk about to who I want to talk about, but today I’ve got one of my favorites, a man I got a chance to meet and spend a little time with out in Lake Tahoe, Kevin Millar. Kevin, 10 plus years in the big leagues, 270 home runs. He’s a member of the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, now with MLB network. He’s cohost of their longest running show for over 10 years, Intentional Talk. Kevin, thank you so much for joining us on the show.

Kevin Millar (10:13):

Hey, this is big time stuff. I love talking golf too, so it’s nice to get me a golf guy that yeah, you can help me out.

Charlie Rymer (10:20):

Well let’s start right there, the most important question, how’s your golf game right now?

Kevin Millar (10:26):

And the most important answer, how do you get the ball in the hole? I mean, I could put you in good spots. If you want in my garage, I got 62 putters-

Charlie Rymer (10:35):

Yeah, you do.

Kevin Millar (10:36):

It’s fucking Golfsmith’s academy. You got different grips, so what’s that scream? It screams struggle bunny. Golf game is okay. I don’t know why, but I don’t understand the putting aspect of it.

Charlie Rymer (10:48):

Well, nobody does, so don’t feel like the lone ranger.

Kevin Millar (10:52):

That’s right.

Charlie Rymer (10:54):

I know you like playing the celebrity golf tournaments. How much fun is that for you, especially now that you’re 50-years-old?

Kevin Millar (11:00):

It’s everything you live for, honest to God.

Charlie Rymer (11:02):

Well, I sure enjoy getting you guys out there. It’s the only environment I’m going to make fun of you in, I can assure you. It’s always a lot of fun being an announcer on those events.

(11:13):

I’ll tell you what I love so much about baseball that doesn’t happen in golf. It used to be in golf that the great players became the great teachers and they mentored the players that came along, not only with their golf swings but the unwritten rules that don’t seem to be around as much anymore. We don’t have any time in golf where the legends get a chance to spend time with the rookies and I love that you guys do that in baseball.

Kevin Millar (11:36):

It’s funny, golf and golfers always had a label of not being very friendly because really you guys personally back then you didn’t talk to anybody. You had your swing coach in the golf. There’s no boys club, I’d call it, joking around, “Hey, sweet shirt, Charlie.” “Hey, nice fake teeth, Kevin.” That’s what baseball has, is that clubhouse camaraderie.

(11:59):

Now, you’ve had Ricky Fowler stepped in, he is got the Puma flat bill, and you’ve got Justin Thomas, he’s got a personality, and you got guys ragging on each other. It makes it fun. It makes it fun. Tiger actually speaking to people. The funniest thing ever was when Rom had those comments. He’s like, I asked him, “Can you give me one tip?” He said, “Just focus on the ball,” and he walked away.

Charlie Rymer (12:20):

Hey growing up, and you grew up in LA, who was a baseball player that was your hero? My golf hero was Jack Nicklaus. But who was your hero in baseball?

Kevin Millar (12:30):

Yeah, so I’ll give you two. My uncle Wayne Nordhagen, he played in ’77 to about ’83 with the White Sox. I was a 11-year-old, 12-year-old, 13-year-old kid, but Uncle Wayne was in the big leagues. That’s all I wanted to do. He was my idol. I looked up to him. I was a Dodger fan now, Garvey, Lopes, Ron Cey, Dusty Baker, Reggie Smith.

Charlie Rymer (12:59):

Yeah.

Kevin Millar (12:59):

Then it was more of a Pedro Guerrero. He gave me a wristband when I was in high school and it was this long. I wore it every day and I tried to hit like him. He had this waggle, but that’s who I really loved. That was right in my sweet spot in high school, was Pedro Guerrero.

Charlie Rymer (13:16):

I love hearing the old baseball stories. You made the switch over 10 years ago now from being an athlete to being on television, having a show. Isn’t it amazing how much training they do not give you, do not give when you make that switch?

Kevin Millar (13:35):

Isn’t that the truth? I always said, “Why don’t they send us to school for two weeks?” I didn’t even know what a talk back button was. I didn’t even know how to put an earpiece in, let alone tie a tie.

(13:44):

The bottom line is this, from day one, I said I’m going to make mistakes. I’m not the smartest guy in the world. I don’t know a whole lot. I don’t know how to say names. I’m going to be me. Then it became organic. It’d be like, “Oh, that’s Millar. Oh, that’s Charlie.” I’m still me. I still don’t know how to tie a tie. I’m still not smart. I still don’t know a guys’ names. I still get nervous.

Charlie Rymer (14:07):

I’m with you. Amen, brother. Keep being you. You’re the best. I could spend 10 hours doing this. I know you’re a busy man. You got to get out there and do all your ranching with the three cattle that you have. You’re a fake rancher, which I can relate to. Kevin Millar, thank you for your time. Keep being you. Love you, buddy. Appreciate you taking time to come on the show.

Kevin Millar (14:29):

Love you too, bro. You’re awesome.

Charlie Rymer (14:31):

Thanks for joining us on the Charlie Rymer Golf Show. For my full interview with Kevin Millar, check that out over at playgolfmyrtlebeach.com.

(14:54):

Today, I’m cooking up a timeless meal and this meal is inspired by the late Arnold Palmer. We’re doing a barbecue chicken, South Carolina style. I got some yummy broccoli with garlic and some wild rice that I’m going to kick up a notch or two.

(15:09):

The thing about Mr. Palmer is he was always true to his roots. Throughout his entire life, he always spent time in Latrobe. In fact, he owned the country club there. He kept an office there. I think he really appreciated the basics and that’s what this meal is all about. This is a meal that I know Mr. Palmer would’ve appreciated.

(15:30):

All right, so we’re going to start with a chicken. The first thing I’m going to do, this is a local South Carolina dry rub, and I’m going to get after it with this dry rub. Got to keep that chicken seasoned. This is bone in chicken with skin on it. When I go on the grill with my chicken, we’re going to do this on the propane grill, I like having that skin on there. That keeps that chicken nice and moist. I know a lot of people look at this and go, you’ve over seasoned it. This looks just about right. Let’s see about getting this on that grill.

(16:01):

All right, so let’s get this chicken on the grill. I’m going to go bone side down with that chicken. I’ve got this grill set at, oh maybe not quite 300 degrees. You don’t want to overcook it at all. A lot of people, they wonder how long you cook chicken. In my family, we cook chicken for somewhere between three and four cold beverages.

(16:33):

Sticking to the basics with this meal for Mr. Palmer, we’re going to go with some wild rice. I’m just using some store bought wild rice. We go in there with a little bit of the seasoning that came with it. You know what? I like using coarse ground black pepper. I don’t know why I’ve always been that way. I do like to kick it up a little bit with some red pepper. Come over to eat at my house, don’t be surprised if you get something maybe a little more spicy than you might normally be used to. I’m going to take some garlic here with the broccoli and some butter, a little bit of salt and pepper. Just one of the basic things and that really is a theme for this meal, doing the basic things really well.

(17:18):

I’m thinking about Mr. Palmer. The last time that I had a chance to see him, was maybe about a month before he passed away, and was actually up at Latrobe at the country club there. I saw him one afternoon and spent a little time with him in the morning. I was popping by to say goodbye and he’d fallen asleep at his desk and they told me that’s pretty common of him in his later years, to take a nice little snooze there.

(17:43):

The next day we were actually doing a fundraiser for Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando, amazing fundraiser. A group of folks came up from Orlando and they’d asked me to stand by in case Mr. Palmer didn’t feel like getting up and talking to the group and thanking everyone to be there. I was really hoping that he would come up, but right before it was time, I got the thumbs down from his folks. And so, I ended up going up and thanking everyone. On my way out, he was sitting right there, he had this great booth at Latrobe Country Club right by the doors as you’re leaving the dining room. He called me over and thanked me very nicely for coming up and helping with the fundraiser.

(18:25):

That ended up being the last time I saw him. It was a tough loss. But you know what? He led an amazing life. He was an amazing man and through a lot of his charitable work, he’s really been able to help a lot of folks. That legacy I know is going to continue through with his family and his business organization.

(18:44):

We’ll get this broccoli going. We’re going to get this on the table here in a little bit. Maybe we’ll think about Mr. Palmer when we’re sitting down having a nice meal, folks you want to be with. Nothing too fancy. Really good with something that just covers the basics.

(19:24):

Let it baste in this and a little bit lower temperature. Late in the process, a little mustard baste, South Carolina style sauce. I might just be the Picasso of the barbecue grill. Yeah, this is going to be good right here now. We’re getting close now. All right, I think we’re ready to roll now. Love that gold and mustard color. Man, doesn’t that look good right there? I’m going to finish that off, just a little bit more of that sauce. Let that settle in right there. You got to talk sweet to your barbecued chicken. Look at that right there.

(20:19):

Well, there you have it, some South Carolina low country style barbecued chicken, some kicked up wild rice, some broccoli with Irish butter and a little bit of garlic. I know Arnold Palmer would’ve liked this meal and also know our crew is going to like it. Come on guys, get you some. Looks pretty good really.

Speaker 1 (20:57):

End of another great day here in Myrtle Beach. You know what that means? Yep. Time to grab a sweet tea and unwind down by the water.

Charlie Rymer (21:07):

Golf parallels life in so many ways, often the lessons we learn in one translate to the other. Now, I really struggle with my patience and when you get a little bit behind, it’s very tempting to try and drive the grain, but so many times it’s the safe play that pays off. Now the older and the wiser I get, the more I appreciate solid pars and I think you will too. Thanks for watching the Charlie Rymer Golf Show and keep it in the fairway, folks.

(21:44):

Golf parallels life in so many ways. Often the lessons we learn in one … Oh, I had this huge acorn just nail me right there. Clocked me right there. Driver wedge. Driver wedge. Driver wedge.

Sterling Sharpe (22:00):

Hey, look I don’t have to eat doing this. This is fun, so have fun with it. I mean, a lot of people want to be PGA tour players and can’t break win. That ain’t going to work, so-

Charlie Rymer (22:12):

I can do both.

Sterling Sharpe (22:13):

You might as well have a good time at it. What a horrible lot.