All The Smoke

Matt Barnes sits down with businessman, philanthropist, and California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer to break down the largest state in the nation, and discuss his vision for California's future. They cover the housing crisis, a $22 billion corporate real estate tax loophole that's been quietly sitting on the books for decades, and what Steyer would do on day one in office. He also gets into what he thinks the Democratic Party is getting wrong, and why he says fellow billionaires will hate his policies. They also touch on billionaire-elites buying media entities, AI data centers being built in low-income communities, and the Warriors. As we approach the Midterm Elections, The Smoke Signal will be bringing prominent voices to the table to have honest conversations about where the country is and where it needs to go. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt & Stak sat down with one of the Bay Area's most underrated rap legends: Richie Rich. He saw how the industry moved and stepped back from the mainstream while others didn't make it out. Expect crazy Tupac & Biggie stories, how Snoop's 213 was inspired by Rich's 415, and the untold story of how he landed on the Luniz classic "I Got 5 On It." Now building his coffee brand The Rolling Bean Coffee, Rich is proof the game never stops. All game, all real, only on ALL THE SMOKE. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newly minted hall-of-famer CC Sabathia pulls up for his second appearence on All the Smoke. CC gets into everything, most notably his legendary Yankees tenure; from A-Rod recruiting him, Cashman closing the deal, the Astros rivalry, and the current Aaron Judge-era. On Ohtani, CC is all-in: "Ohtani is the greatest baseball player to ever live." Plus, the WBC's rise to must-watch TV, how the Commissioner's office is finally putting players in the room, and what the CAP program is doing to bring legends back to the game. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of Netflix’s Untold: Jail Blazers (premiering April 14), Rasheed Wallace, Damon Stoudamire, and Bonzi Wells join All The Smoke Unplugged to finally tell their side of one of the most misunderstood eras in NBA history. They revisit the loaded Trail Blazers rosters that nearly broke through, the heartbreak of coming up short against the Lakers and Spurs, Damon’s unforgettable first practice in Portland, brutal first-team vs. second-team battles, Scottie Pippen’s arrival, Arvydas Sabonis stories, locker room culture, and why those teams believed they should have won a championship. From the origins of the “Jail Blazers” label to the media narratives that followed those Portland teams for years, the guys reflect on how that era was framed, what the public never heard, and why this documentary matters now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyson Chandler and The Game put us on to Compton legend David Hamilton aka Super Crip, and the fans demanded we bring him on. Now he finally got to sit down with Matt Barnes to tell the full story. Shot in high school. Recruited to Auburn. Caught up in an NCAA investigation. Did time in federal prison. Now he's doing motivational speaking and just dropped a new book. The Compton urban legend speaks for himself. You asked for it. Here it is. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The legendary Kenny Lofton joins Matt Barnes and Chris Young for a long overdue conversation. K-Lo was a six-time All-Star, five-time stolen base champion and four-time Gold Glove winner — but somehow was one-and-done on the Hall of Fame ballot. Lofton breaks down why he believes the home run era buried his legacy and what it was really like playing on the greatest teams never to win a World Series. He also opens up about growing up poor in East Chicago, being raised by his blind grandmother, and the promise he made her before leaving for the University of Arizona — where he played point guard on a Final Four team. Plus, Lofton gets into some amazing untold stories, like almost taking out Cal Ripken during his consecutive games streak, chasing Sammy Sosa through the Cubs dugout during the playoffs, getting held up by the third base coach in Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS, and why he believes Shohei Ohtani should never bat leadoff. 00:00 Intro, Hall of Fame Snub, Steroid Era 08:30: Ichiro Stats Comparison 16:55: Slow Death of the Leadoff Hitter, Should Ohtani Bat Leadoff? 22:50: Raised in East Chicago by Blind Grandmother 28:25: Playing Basketball at University of Arizona under Lute Olsen 39:05: Foot Locker Slam Dunk Contest 44:13: Taking only one at-bat at Arizona, Getting Drafted to MLB 55:30: Superpower of the bunt 58:18: First MLB memories with Astros 01:00:46: Traded to Cleveland Indians, Albert Belle, Eddie Murray 01:03:53: 90’s Indians Best Team to Never win it? 01:05:48: Shocking Trade to Braves for David Justice 01:10:58: Golden Era of Outfielders 01:13:13: Journeyman back half of career 01:14:45: Bartman game, almost fighting Sammy Sosa 01:20:00: Signature Shoe with Nike 01:21:00: 3-0 Blown ALCS with Yankees 01:23:45: Held at 3rd Base in Game 7 of ALCS 01:31:28: Quick Hitters 01:35:50: End See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Barnes opens up ATS Unplugged by calling out Patrick Beverley over recent comments about Dwyane Wade, saying the energy behind the debate feels more like clickbait than basketball analysis. Matt and Vernon “Mad Max” Maxwell also break down why Wade still gets the nod over James Harden for many fans, react to Duke’s late-game collapse in March Madness, debate whether Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić, or Victor Wembanyama deserves MVP, and discuss why Joe Mazzulla belongs in Coach of the Year conversations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the rings, before the goggles, before the championships, Horace Grant was a kid in Sparta, Georgia hunting squirrel and raccoon just to eat. Four titles later, he's finally telling the whole story. On this episode, Horace goes deep on the Bulls three-peat with MJ and Pip, the emotional decision to leave Chicago, what Penny Hardaway could have been, getting that fourth ring in LA with Kobe and Shaq, and why after all of it, he has zero regrets. One of the most complete careers in NBA history. Not enough people know it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time World Series champion Tyler Glasnow sits down with Matt and Chris Young fresh off back-to-back titles with the most dominant team in the sport. The Dodgers right-hander pulls back the curtain on what it's actually like inside that pitching staff — the culture, the aura, and why Japanese players have so much success. Glasnow reflects on the long road from Pittsburgh to Tampa to LA, how the Rays' unconventional R&D system helped shape him into an ace, and what pitching coach Mark Prior has meant to his development. He opens up about his relationships with Shohei Ohtani and his Japanese teammates, the real leadership structure in that clubhouse, and whether the Dodgers are actually bad for baseball. Plus — the mental side of pitching, his game-day routine, thoughts on the pitch clock and robot ump, and what he does away from the field. And with two rings already, one question looms: is a three-peat actually coming? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Howard White has been Michael Jordan's right hand at Nike for over 40 years. As Vice President of Jordan Brand and the man Chris Tucker portrayed in Ben Affleck's Air, Howard has been in the room for every pivotal moment in sneaker history. In this powerful sit-down with Matt Barnes, he tells the full story for the first time. From growing up in poverty in Hampton, Virginia to becoming the person who helped sign MJ to Nike (when Jordan wanted Adidas), Howard reveals the untold stories behind the Jordan 3 design conflict with Tinker Hatfield, the Mercedes-Benz analogy that saved Jordan Brand after retirement, and the moment Phil Knight told him "it's been a good run." He also opens up about his battle with amyloidosis, his heart transplant in December 2020, and how MJ donated $1 million to establish the Howard H. White Center for Amyloidosis. Along the way, you'll hear never-before-told stories about MJ's competitive fire (cycling in Hawaii, ping pong obsession, staring at a blank TV before The Shot), Kobe telling Howard "I want to sit at the table with Mike," and the mother's wisdom that guided Howard through it all: "Even a dog can wag its tail when it passes you on the street." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Oscars just wrapped, so we did what made sense: pulled the 20 craziest Hollywood stories from the All The Smoke archives and put them all in one place. Leonardo DiCaprio getting so deep in character on Django Unchained that it changed everything on set. Vince Vaughn actually slapping Snoop Dogg on Starsky & Hutch. Denzel ignoring RZA while quietly giving T.I. the confidence to become an actor. Charlie Sheen juicing for Major League. Tupac and Eazy-E almost starring in Menace II Society. Ryan Coogler breaking down what inspired Sinners. These are the Hollywood conversations nobody else is having See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most complete players to ever put on a uniform finally pulls up to All The Smoke Dugout, and Eric Davis does not disappoint. From growing up in South Central Los Angeles alongside his childhood best friend Darryl Strawberry, to navigating racism in the minor leagues, to becoming the highest paid player in the state of Ohio — E.D. takes us through a life that was anything but ordinary. Eric gets brutally honest about Marge Schott, the most chaotic owner in baseball history, and how her racism became the fuel that drove him to demand a $3 million contract and deliver a World Series championship. He opens up about the real Pete Rose — not the headlines, but the man who showed up with $5,000 cash in a rubber band, ostrich cowboy boots, and more swag than anyone in that clubhouse expected. He breaks down what the steroid era actually looked like from inside the locker room and why the Hall of Fame has lost all credibility in his eyes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vernon “Mad Max” Maxwell joins All The Smoke Unplugged for a hilarious NBA-heavy episode covering Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP run, whether SGA is already better than prime James Harden, Luka Doncic’s revenge stretch with the Lakers, LeBron’s future in LA, Boston’s playoff ceiling, and Houston’s late-season struggles. Mad Max also reacts to Bam’s controversial 83-point game passing Kobe’s mark, breaks down March Madness contenders, top NBA draft prospects like AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, and sounds off in classic unfiltered fashion on everything from KD to college hoops chaos. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jon Wexler is one of the most influential figures in 21st century sneaker culture. Matt and Stak linked up with him during NBA All-Star weekend in LA to break down his legendary run at Adidas, how he recruited Kanye away from Nike, and what it was like working with young Kobe and T-Mac. We also got into Steph Curry's sneaker free agency, Anthony Edwards' rise in the shoe game, and where fashion is headed. This one is straight free game from one of the sharpest minds the industry has ever seen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former University of Southern California athlete Owen “O-Dog” Hanson lived a double life. Known as the “Cocaine Quarterback,” Hanson went from popular college athlete to the leader of a massive international criminal operation involving drug trafficking, sports gambling, and money laundering across the U.S., Australia, and Latin America. At one point, Hanson owed a cartel $4 million, a debt that could have cost him his life. In this episode of ATS Unplugged, Hanson tells the unbelievable story of how a USC Trojans football walk-on ended up moving millions for a cartel, running an international gambling network, and eventually facing a 21-year federal prison sentence after a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. From partying with pro athletes and celebrities to running a global trafficking empire, this is the wild true story of how he survived the cartel, the streets, and federal prison. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big Nick Smells something crazy and follows his nose. finds one of his friends, Matt Barnes, waiting for a pizza. Join these two for some funny conversations about smoking, super fans and how weak sports have gotten in this new era. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Game returns to All The Smoke for a wide-open conversation about everything happening in hip-hop and basketball. Compton rapper The Game responds to his controversial Kendrick Lamar comments, gives his thoughts on Drake, breaks down J. Cole's new album, and explains why LaRussell is beyond criticism. On the NBA side, we discuss the LeBron James & Luka Doncic Lakers, Alijah Arenas' breakout, and Compton legend Super Crip. If you're a fan of hip-hop, the NBA, or just real unfiltered conversation, this episode is for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taj Gibson just signed a two-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies at 40 years old, and he's pulling up to All The Smoke Unplugged with Matt Barnes to break it all down. From the emotional phone call that brought him back to the NBA, to untold stories from the Derrick Rose-era Chicago Bulls, Taj holds nothing back. He reveals what D-Rose was REALLY like in practice (spoiler: he was NOT quiet), shares wild stories about Joakim Noah, Thibs' no-rules practice wars, and Carlos Boozer's infamous shoe-dye hairline. Taj also compares Ja Morant to Derrick Rose, breaks down the death of the power forward position, picks his 2028 Olympic big men, and shares what it was like having Wemby grab his shot out of the air. Plus, Taj's childhood friend Tameek Floyd joins to talk about GFB Development and their mission to rebuild the Brooklyn community they grew up in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Basketball history has had only a handful of true faces of the league and we were lucky to sit down with one of them during NBA All-Star Weekend: Julius “Dr. J” Erving. Matt and Stak talk with Dr. J about everything from his legendary runs at Rucker Park to the high-flying, flashy style of the ABA, plus his heated rivalry with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. Along the way, we share plenty of laughs, including the inspiration behind Doc’s iconic afro and a hilarious story about his college car at UMass. From influencing generations of players to becoming Michael Jordan’s favorite player and blueprint on and off the court, Dr. J’s impact is undeniable. Step back in time with us as we sit down with true basketball royalty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Paul deserved better. On this episode of ALL THE SMOKE Unplugged, we break down why the Clippers’ handling of CP3’s exit still doesn’t sit right, and how it impacts his legacy as one of the greatest point guards of his era. We also get into: • Jaylen Brown getting disrespected AGAIN... this time by Beverly Hills PD • Team USA 2028 roster projections Who’s a lock? Who’s getting snubbed? • The NBA’s “grimiest” city conversation • Darryn Peterson's Strange Season at Kansas See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.