♪♪♪ >> WELCOME TO THE CHAMPION
CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF THE BEST ATHLETES EVER TO PLAY THE
GAME. I'M YOUR HOST TODD HAMILL.
TODAY WE'RE TALKING TO HUGE NAMES FROM THREE DIFFERENT
SPORTS. HE WAS NAMED ONE OF THE
50 GREATEST PLAYERS IN NBA HISTORY.
SIR CHARLES BARKLEY. >> HOW YOU DOING?
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> HE'S A 14 TIME ALL-STAR WHO
WON THE WORLD SERIES WITH THE YANKEES IN 2009, ALEX RODRIGUEZ.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU.
>> AND DUBBED THE HARDEST HITTING MAN IN THE NFL,
LEGENDARY PITTSBURGH STEELERS LINEBACKER, D.C. TIMMONS.
>> YEAH, ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT NOW.
YEAH, NICE TO BE HERE WITH THESE GENTLEMEN.
I ADMIRE YOU BOTH PLAYING YOUR LITTLE GAMES.
>> LITTLE GAMES? COME ON, MAN.
>> AND NO DISRESPECT NOW, BUT I KNOW YA'LL BE HAVING FUN OUT
THERE BOUNCING THE BASKETBALL OR SKIPPING AROUND THE BASES IN
YOUR LITTLE TIGHTS. BUT FOOTBALL IS WAR.
HELMET TO HELMET, YOU BREAK A FINGER, SUCK IT UP, PUNK.
YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN SEVEN TIMES IN ONE GAME, NEXT TIME YOU
BETTER MAKE IT EIGHT, SUCKER. BUT HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY,
"IF YOU WANT TO RUN WITH THE BIG DOGS, STAY OUT THE KITCHEN."
'CAUSE YOUR KITCHEN IS FULL OF DOGS, GREG.
>> WHAT? WHO'S GREG?
>> EXACTLY. YOU ALL RIGHT, MAN.
HEY, YOU ALL RIGHT TOO. [ LAUGHTER ]
>> WELL, D.C. BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING TOPIC, WHICH LEAGUE
DO YOU THINK IS THE TOUGHEST TO PLAY IN?
>> WELL, BASEBALL HAS A GRUELING SCHEDULE, IF YOU INCLUDE SPRING
TRAINING AND THE POSTSEASON. YOU ACTUALLY PLAY 200 GAMES IN
232 DAYS. >> YEAH, BUT YOU ALL SPEND HALF
YOUR TIME ON THE BENCH. THE NBA'S MUCH TOUGHER, WE PLAY
82 GAMES, YOU'RE RUNNING 30 MINUTES OR MORE.
>> WAIT A MINUTE, CHARLES. YOU WEREN'T ALWAYS RUNNING?
>> YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT RUNNING?
MAN THE FOOTBALL FIELD IS 100 YARDS LONG.
THAT'S 100 FEET. AND EVERY FOOT MATTERS, EVERY
DOWN MATTERS, AND EVERY KISS BEGINS WITH Q.
>> I THINK THAT'S A K. >> SURE, IT'S OKAY, GREG, YOU
GOT TO GET WOKE, IT'S 2007. >> WOW.
>> LOOK, BASEBALL PLAYERS HISTORICALLY GET INJURED OFTEN.
>> YEAH, BUT BASEBALL PLAYERS THINK A BROKEN FINGER NAIL IS AN
INJURY. AM I RIGHT?
>> SURE YOU RIGHT, GREG. I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS PRETTY BOY
OVER HERE. A THE ROD JOHNSON.
HIS FACE STILL LOOKING GOOD. THAT DON'T HAPPEN COMING OUT THE
NFL. SEE, HALF THESE TEETH IS FAKE --
HALF THESE TEETH IS FAKE. THIS EYE, THIS EYE'S MADE OF
SUGAR. AND THIS AROUND, MAN, THIS ARM
WAS MADE BY THE WIZARDS AT INDUSTRIAL LIGHT AND MAGIC.
BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT FOR THESE FAUX CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS,
BABY. COUNT THEM UP, UNO, DOS,
MIGOS -- DECOS, AND THAT MAKES FOUR.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GOING TO CHANGE MY MIND, FOOTBALL IS
DEFINITELY THE TOUGHEST SPORT. >> I CHANGE MY MIND TOO, IT'S
FOOTBALL. LOOK AT THIS POOR DUDE.
>> YEAH, HE'S CALLING EVERYBODY GREG.
I'M GLAD THE NFL IS ADDRESSING THESE CONCUSSION RULES.
>> COME ON, GREG, THESE NEW RULES ARE RIDICULOUS.
FOOTBALL IS ABOUT -- >> D.C.?
>> YEAH, I'LL HAVE A NUMBER THREE WITH FRIES AND A DIET
COKE. >> ALL RIGHT, LET'S KEEP GOING.
DESPITE THE RIGORS OF THE GAME, EACH OF YOU HAD A LONG CAREER.
ALEX, YOU PLAYED FOR 22 YEARS, AND CHARLES YOU PLAYED FOR 16
SEASONS. >> I DID, BUT THE LAST FOUR WERE
IN HOUSTON, THAT SHOULD JUST COUNT AS ONE.
>> AND D.C., YOU PLAYED FOR NINE GAMES?
>> YES, SIR. NINE GAMES, SPREAD OUT OVER THE
COURSE OF SEVEN SEASONS DUE TO INJURIES AND A DEATH IN THE
FAMILY. >> OH, I'M SO SORRY.
>> IT'S FINE, I WAS ONLY DEAD FOR A FEW MINUTES.
>> I SEE. WELL, FOR EVERY ATHLETE, SOME
DAY THE GAME HAS TO END. WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR
FORMER PROS STARTING THEIR POST PLAYING CAREERS.
>> THINK ABOUT YOUR NEXT MOVE, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE GAME.
LUCKILY, MANY ATHLETES CAN MAKE MONEY DOING ENDORSEMENTS.
>> I'VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD JUST LIKE YOU, PRETTY BOY.
I'VE BEEN UP THERE ON THE BILLBOARD IN MY UNDERWEAR.
>> YEAH, IT'S PRETTY EMBARRASSING, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE POLICE GOT TO COME GET YOU DOWN.
>> I'M WORRIED ABOUT WHAT FOOTBALL DID TO THIS MAN'S HEAD.
>> YEAH, I KNOW, IT'S TOUGH FOR OLDER PLAYERS.
>> YEAH, SURE IS, LUCKILY FOR ME, I'M ONLY 27.
>> WITH THAT, LET'S TAKE A BREAK.
WHEN WE COME BACK, OUR PANEL WILL TAKE US THROUGH THEIR
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS. STAY RIGHT THERE.
>> YEAH, LIKE I SAID, THE NUMBER THREE WITH FRIES.