Transcript

ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on a Possible BIG Change

From Sports Illustrated · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 42 min · 9,066 words · 145 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on a Possible BIG Change", an episode of Sports Illustrated published January 22, 2026 (42 min, about 9,066 words). It mentions 10 people, works and ideas, including Scott Van Pelt, ESPN, Super Bowl, Diet Coke, National Championship.

What this episode is about

Scott Van Pelt shares insights into his hectic recent schedule, which included covering major sports events such as the NFL divisional playoffs, the national championship game, and TGL's innovative indoor golf matchup. He highlights the excitement surrounding these events and their role in engaging younger audiences, while also discussing future plans to cover hockey and the Australian Open.

Key takeaways

  • Scott Van Pelt's whirlwind schedule proves that sports journalism is a modern-day triathlon—sans the medals.
  • Miami's chill at 40°F evokes puffy coats, yet New Englanders laugh at such 'frigid' temperatures. Perspective, anyone?
  • The internet can resurrect past medical scares as top results—ironic for a journalist whose health is just fine now.
  • TGL's indoor golf is the hipster answer to traditional golf—because why swing clubs outside when you can do it in style?
  • Switching climates from snow to sun: the ultimate body reset or just a convenient excuse for a wardrobe change?

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: ESPN, National Championship, Scott Van Pelt, Australian Open
  2. – 20:00: ESPN
  3. – 30:00: Diet Coke
  4. – 35:00: Diet Coke, National Championship
  5. – 40:00: Super Bowl, ESPN, Diet Coke, Benny (grandson of Benjamin Franklin)
  6. – 42:08: Super Bowl

Notable quotes from "ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on a Possible BIG Change"

  • Saturday Sunday no Sunday Monday Tuesday, all over the place. Scott Vanpelt. Scott, how are you?
    about Scott Van Pelt · at
  • No object. so we were in SoFi for TGL on Tuesday and then I'm here now and we're doing we're after an NBA game tonight. Jimmy and Steve and I just taped a pod. I said I think we're going to Canada for a hockey game Thursday.
    about ESPN · at
  • Mean, the internet and the search engine, God knows it could have led you anywhere. That did happen. It was I was meant to do the show following the national championship game…
    about National Championship · at
  • Have an empty one next to me from earlier doing a pod with Steve. it's I'm not proud of it. It's just I constantly am drinking them. famously, Francesa is always the guy. He…
    about Diet Coke · at
  • There were reviews by the time we did the year in review. You see James Franklin running down the sideline to call a timeout and you realize, holy [ __ ] James Franklin was the coach of Penn State. They were undefeated when.
    about Benny (grandson of Benjamin Franklin) · at
  • Big. Yeah. No, we're going to do our show Sports Center from SoFi the night of the Sports Center in Santa Clara because the minute that Super Bowl ends, we're essentially on the clock and.
    about Super Bowl · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Scott Van Pelt — Person · Main guest · 1 mention · first at
    Primary interview subject; discusses his ESPN travel schedule, on-air roles (SportsCenter, Bad Beats), potential 5pm show, and personal anecdotes (health scare, Diet Coke).
  • Tiger Woods — Person · Referenced athlete/celebrity participant · 2 mentions
    Mentioned as participating in TGL (indoor golf league/event) that Van Pelt covered at SoFi; used to illustrate SVP’s travel and event coverage.
  • Colin Morikawa — Person · Referenced athlete/competitor · 2 mentions
    Mentioned as part of the TGL matchup context (name appears in a garbled phrase in transcript); helps identify the roster of notable golfers involved.
  • Justin Rose — Person · Referenced athlete/competitor · 1 mention · first at
    Named as the opposing side/participant in the TGL match SVP covered; provides specificity to the event being discussed.
    Tuesday night we did TGL with Tiger and his team against Justin Rose, Colammore Kawasak, Agala. It's that's actually a I get it sort of niche and whatever with golf indoors and it's like how's it rating as doing really well.
  • Benny (grandson of Benjamin Franklin) — Person · Referenced coach · 1 mention · first at
    Cited in a Bad Beats example involving Penn State vs Villanova; used to underscore how even blowouts can produce gambling drama and how real teams/coaches are involved.

Companies & orgs

  • ESPN — Company · Business focus · 4 mentions · first at
    Primary employer of Scott Van Pelt and platform for his shows and segments.

Products & tech

  • Diet Coke — Product · Personal preference · 10 mentions · first at
    Scott Van Pelt's notable personal addiction, discussed in detail.

Places & events

  • Super Bowl — Event · Event discussion · 4 mentions · first at
    Upcoming major sports event discussed in the context of ESPN's coverage.
  • National Championship — Event · Event discussion · 3 mentions · first at
    Recent sports event covered by Scott Van Pelt.
  • Australian Open — Event · Event discussion · 1 mention · first at
    Upcoming tennis event mentioned in passing.
    Why wouldn't we? Then we'll just go to the Australian Open and hang out for a couple of weeks. So no, I mean the last three days were pretty busy, which comes at the end of a busy season.

Full transcript with timestamps

All right, joining me now, always one of my favorites when he comes on. Appreciate him because I know he's been extremely busy this week. We saw him Saturday Sunday no Sunday Monday Tuesday, all over the place. Scott Vanpelt. Scott, how are you?

I'm well, Jimmy. I'm happy to be home and available to to visit with you. Well, give me the give me like the schedule the last few days. Where where were we?

Let's see. Uh Sunday we were in New England. It was divisional playoff day in the snow.

Yeah. And then we left there at halftime. We were lucky to get out of uh Foxboro cuz it started snowing pretty heavily. And then as it got later in the day, it got

the weather got way more uh prohibitive. Went down to Miami. In Miami for Monday, national championship game between Indiana and Miami. Then after that game, we drove north to Palm Beach Gardens. Tuesday night we did TGL uh with Tiger and his team against Justin Rose, Colammore Kawasak, Agala. It's that's actually a a I get it sort of niche and whatever with golf indoors and it's like how's it rating as doing really well with young folks and this that and the other thing but it's just kind of growing the game of golf with an indoor version. I think people that play it, you know, you hit on mats in your basement or in the garage or whatever.

This is the version of it if money were no object. Um, so we were in SoFi for TGL on Tuesday and then I'm here now and we're doing we're after an NBA game tonight. Jimmy and Steve and I just taped a pod. I said I think we're going to Canada for a hockey game Thursday. Why wouldn't we? Then we'll just go to the Australian Open and hang out for a couple of weeks. So no, I mean the last three days were were were pretty busy, which comes at the end of a busy season of traveling. But

I mean these are the big events. They're the fun events. Being on the field Monday night's incredible being in New England on Sunday is incredible. So, no complaining, just the reality of what you you know what you sign up for.

Well, I really appreciate you saying yes to doing this after you were those those three events. But also like what what is the body response when you go from New England and the snow to Miami?

Well, that's better than the other way, right? You go from the snow to the warmth. I think your body is happy to be in humidity. the the skin isn't dry and cracking and it's it was funny, Jimmy, cuz when I got to down to Miami, it was in the maybe in the upper 40s and people are dressed up like like it's the the you know, like it's the Game of Thrones and the White Walkers are approaching, right? I mean, they're puffy coats and they're not going to survive the day perhaps because it's it's not in the ' 60s7s or 80s. But I got to tell you, you know, coolish on Monday night in Miami, I guess maybe. But no, man, it was it was beautiful. You know what it's like when you can get down there, feel feel some sun on your face is uh very welcome.

40s is like, you know, t-shirt with a hoodie over it and no jacket. You're you're fine. You're No, not if you live down in Miami. It's not. It's where's the puffy coat? Where's the beanie? Where are my gloves?

I'm gonna have to go brave the winter to go out in my car to drive wherever I'm going. But it was uh

like I said, it was a good time. Yeah. All right, I'm going to start with something bizarre only because I I feel like you would appreciate this.

Okay. Um, so I always do a little research on whoever's coming on, no matter how well I know them or don't know them. And when I put your name in a Google search and I hit news to see what's the latest going on with Scott Vampelt.

Okay, this is this is just this shows you how completely screwed we are as a society and how the internet is the worst thing that's ever been created. The first thing that came up for Scott Vanpelt news was quote and it was from AOL. It was AOL or Yahoo. It was one of those and it said ESPN Scott Vampelt has medical scare. Says heart got out of whack. So now the first thing through my head is I'm supposed to interview Scott Vampel tomorrow and he's having a metal scare. What? I click it and the article is from 2022. Yet that is the first thing that comes up when your name is put into a Google search.

Does that give you any concern? Because I think that's really disturbing. I mean, you said it at the start. I mean, the the internet and the search engine, God knows it could have led you anywhere. That did happen. It was I was meant to do the show following the national championship game and I got on the Pelon and my heart rate spiked and it wouldn't come down, right? And I actually had to that was that was not a fun afternoon. I actually had to go in an ambulance. They gave me this shot of stuff that basically stops your heart for a second, which is not a great time.

But the second that they do that, it just everything was fine. But I did have a medical scare,

right? I did. That did happen. And so that is part of my history. But the fact that that's the first thing

first. I mean, it was aol.com. I just relooked it up. So wait, have you had any issues since then or you've been 100% since? No, I I they I did the I did a full battery of tests with I mean I'm lucky I this is my hometown. I know some people who know some people. You get in with some heart doctors and they put you through

a battery of tests and they came to realize that I was dehydrated. It's actually funny to to recall what it was. The the the Raiders and the Chargers had played a game the night before which went to overtime and the outcome of it was going to determine who made the playoffs. It was wild and it was a really late night and then I got up the next day and I hadn't eaten anything or I hadn't had any water and then I got on the bike so I was dehydrated and I exercised and my heart rate just spiked and it didn't come back down and they determined that it was a one-off. They did I mean we checked for everything blockages blah blah blah blah blah blah blah and so I mean I'm knocking on wood at the moment. I've been lucky that nothing else happened uh since then but that did happen but I mean

lots has happened since then. for that to be the first search is kind of a curiosity, but no, thankfully I'm not currently in the middle of a medical episode or immediately on the back end of one.

My guess is I'm going to guess that because the national title game was on Monday that maybe someone republished it or did something to bump that up to Google search. But you know what's crazy about that? It does sound like it was best possible outcome. You've had no issues since then.

Yeah. But they stopped your heart. Like just hearing those words can f with your brain.

Well, okay. So, I didn't know we were gonna go down this road. You're in the back of an ambulance and the guy says, "You may feel funny for a second and then the you feel like I don't know how to describe it. It just feels like your body feels warm for a second and you're like, and then okay." And I said, "What the [ __ ] was that?" And he said, "Well, it stops your heart for a second." I said, "You might want to tell somebody." He's like, "Well, we don't want to say that because then it might freak you out." I'm like, "Well, yeah, but you're going to feel a little funny. Doesn't quite describe the the the turning it off and turning it on." But isn't that amazing, Jimmy?

That like your phone, your computer, it doesn't work. What do you do? Turn it off and turn it on. It kind of resets. That's what they did. You turn it off and turn it back on. And then the whole whatever was happening, by the time I got to the hospital, the guy is like, "You're fine." And I literally I I asked the doctor, I said, "I'm supposed to do." He goes, "I know what you do. you you got a big game tonight. I said, "Can I go to work?"

And he paused for a second and he said, "You could, but we stopped your heart and you came to the hospital and ambulance. Maybe you go home to your family." And I said, "I'm going to do that,

right? I'm going to do that." And it sucks to miss the big ones because the big shows are the most fun shows. Like, you know, Monday night, I'm sitting there talking to Fernando Mendoza, who couldn't be uh a more wonderful young man and story. and you you're in the arena on the field talking to the guy like those are the games man those are the most fun things so to miss you don't want to miss one of those because only a few of them come around a year but I took the doctor's council that night and I came home and thought I'm glad I'm coming back here driving and you know we're we're fine

it is funny when you when you were first telling that story in my head I'm going how on earth how on earth do they not give you a little heads up that they're going to do that then I'm thinking to myself can you imagine you're laying there and they go we're going to stop your heart Please don't do that. Please,

please, can we not stop the heart? No, but it's a uh it's something. It was I It's one of those things you remember it. I'll put it that way.

Yeah. Yeah. Glad there's been no incidents since. All right. Well, all that'll be easy, I guess, compared to this. Are you going to go to 5:00?

I have absolutely no idea. Uh do you want to go to 5:00? It I I don't know what it is. What is it? What am I doing? Jimmy, workshop it for me. Tell me what I'm doing at 5:00.

Well, one of the questions I had is I I do feel like with your night show, the night version of Sports Center, I feel like you have a decent amount of time because it's usually an hour, maybe more after big events. 5:00 it would be 30 minutes, I would assume.

That's not a lot of time. That's not a lot of time. Um, I have absolutely no idea

as we sit here right now. The only thing that was ever discussed, and I don't want to get too in the weeds with this because I don't want to speak for him, but

I mean it's been reported like over the summer, Rillo and I talked about the idea of doing, we did SVP and Rascil years ago. We talked about the idea of could we do it in a TV format. Um, and we talked about it and Burke's on the record talking about it. We talked about it and that was a fun thing to think about because it's like man, you know, Ryan has created his own very successful lane and to reassemble in a different time in all of our lives in a different format where we'd have to be more nimble, right, in only 20 some odd minutes of actual content that that that was appealing. But he has a million different irons in the fire and options and ultimately we just couldn't get there. and he can sort of describe the reasons why I don't want to speak for him other than I will speak for him and saying both of us were excited about man wouldn't this be cool you know um cuz we haven't done that show in more than a

decade and there still did it come close to happening or not really didn't get back

I I mean it was it's if it's being talked about Jimmy it's close to happening cuz for that to happen at all means that it's a it was a possibility close to happening means like were there terms drawn up? No, we didn't have that. But we we had enough of we'd gone through enough runway that I'm wondering like is this going to be a thing? I thought maybe. But again, Ryan had Ryan has done so well that he had so many different options,

right? That figuring out are you going to have to put other things on the side to do just this? You know, again, that's where I don't want to say for him exactly what led it not to happen because that's that's for him. Um, but yeah, I mean, it was we were certainly we didn't talk about it once for five minutes. Like, we talked about it, you know, he and I and and whatever, but things are tricky. You know, he lives in Manhattan Beach, you know, he's got a really good got a really good setup,

right? And I'm not asking him to abandon any of that for a TV show, but but if you looked at it pragmatically and you thought, let's look at the runway here and figure out what could it be down the road? Could it evolve into something more? Could it be the last thing you do if it's good? Look at Tony and Mike, man. They're they'll do it forever and it'll be a great show forever. And that's that that to me was appealing. the idea of something with someone you really like and if it if it succeeded that that could work.

And so when that not when that became not the road the direction that this would go then it becomes well okay so what what would it be? I don't know. I love doing the shows that I do after the big events because there's nothing else like it. Nothing. And I and I know that the I know that the players, the coaches, and the leagues all appreciate what we do and how we do it. I know that for a fact because I've heard from them. And so I don't want to abandon that, and I wouldn't. Um, but what would 5:00 be to date? I don't have like some rundown or some run of show or who'd be part of it. I don't know. I believe we'll talk about it.

I'll tell you that because I think they're interested in talking about it and I appreciate that they're interested in talking to me about it. Um, but if it isn't something that I'm not just going to do it for a reason to try to open up my contract and say you gave Stephen A 20 million, what what am I worth?

Right? And frankly, that becomes I'm not going to money grab it just because somebody else got paid a gigantic amount of money, right? and try to figure out okay well like how do I how do I approach that

but opening up opening up your deal Jimmy in this business is the only way you ever get a chance to really do that and I'm not a the money isn't as interesting to me as my life and I don't want to work 200 and some odd days a year to do a show to say I make this money that I can't spend spend on vacations with my family I I'm in a great spot of being able to have time off and do things I like I'm not I'm not uh in a rush to put more on my plate just so he could say, "Hey, you and Marian and Dich and Rand and all the people that talk about this can be like, "Hey, Van Pelt, you know, he's going to get the giant bag." Although get my money never interests you the way like Stephen A does, which is fine by me.

I don't care about anybody's money to be honest. Good. Why pocket watch people? I don't. It's wild.

Yeah, I've never That's I couldn't care less about that. No, neither do I. Hey, and that's my point. That's my point. Go ahead.

I'll say this. I care about it in the standpoint of like when you hear like Tom Brady's getting 375 million from Fox, you go, "Holy [ __ ] that's unbelievable." And then I put it away. When I see him do a Pizza Hut ad, I say, "Does Tom really need the money from Pizza Hut?" But that's really the extent of like I don't care if someone makes 20 million, 40 million, 50 million. You get what you can get and you be happy with what you can get and you should get as much as you can get. That's my philosophy on it. I'm more interested in like, you know, you'd go from an hour to a half hour. You'd maybe have more eyeballs on sets at five than midnight.

Who knows? Um, our show is the highest rated studio show we have. I mean, because we follow games,

so I I wouldn't have more eyeballs at five, but I don't like I I'm as famous as I need to be. I don't say that to be a prick, but like I mean, I'm 66 and I'm bald and I've done this 25 years. I go out in the world, people know who you are. Like I don't I'm not worried about the numbers of people at 5 or 11. It doesn't to me what all that matters to me is is it is it a show I want to do cuz I don't I don't Oh, you do.

But aren't you doing the show you want to do? That's kind of the point is is that what

I enjoy the big event sports centers. But okay, what if you get to still do the big event sports centers and then you do something that's on a daily show? Look, a couple of years ago when you and I did this and I said I'm not going to be doing this in however many years. What I meant is grinding out 200 sports centers a year. And I didn't want to be disrespectful to what the show is. It's just the appetite for the grind of it cuz it's it I'm not in the trenches, but it's every day doing it. Are you going to eventually not be any good at your job or it's obvious that you're not as good as you used to be? I don't want to be in that spot. So doing big event sports center when your legs going 100 miles an hour cuz the adrenaline of the moment is so real and you're the one on. There's nothing like that. So I wouldn't want to abandon that.

Well, I I had Burke on in late November, Burke Magnus, and he said he said if you got five o'clock, we would still see you around the big events,

right? And we had we've had that right and we've had we've all had that conversation. All right. So, let me ask you, are there any pros to five o'clock in your eyes?

Sure. If you can come up with if you can come up with a cool concept that that that you're interested in doing, because the way I always figure it is if if I'm interested in the topics and I'm interested in the guests, then you're going to it'll be interesting to your to your viewers. Um, and so if we can find a sweet spot of something that makes sense. Um, Antonio Tony and Mike can still do yesterday's stuff at 6:00. 6:30, I beg your pardon.

5:30, I'm sorry. 5:30. They could still do yesterday at 5:30 in such a compelling way because it's them,

right? Um and so they before Sports Center and and stuff uh like whether it's get up first take McAfee before all that stuff was on during the daytime them doing that when PTI started that was sort of the first the first word on yesterday's stuff right and somehow all these years later it still resonates it still

uh it still tracks that's credit to both Tony and Mike and Ride home and that whole crew. So, if you thought about this, do you feel like if you went to five o'clock, you would only want to have one partner, or could you see it where it's like Scott Vanpel and Friends and you can shuffle in, you know, one day it's Kyle Brandt, one day it's Kevin Clark, one day it's Stanford Steve. Like, could you do it that way?

I don't. To me, Stanford Steve's got to be there all at all times or I don't I don't want to do it. He's my guy. Um, right.

And and when I did Sports Center and initially, I said, "Stanford Steve has to come along." And they're like, "What's he going to do?" I said, "He's going to be Stanford Steve." And they said, "What's that?" I go, "I don't know. is just we'll figure it out. And now he's you know he's become you know his own star unto himself which is awesome but he's important to me and I I you know he's not

if I'm not I'm not doing it if he's not part of it. I'll just say that. Um it's he's too important to me unless he doesn't want to do it which I mean he could tell me that. Uh I I don't I don't know. I don't know Jimmy. I mean it's the idea of not driving home at 1:30 in the morning um every night at some point probably. Yeah, that I could see how that would be appealing to be to have more quote unquote normal hours. Sure. Um, but again, that's not it isn't worth it to try to chase a bag and go to bed earlier for a show I don't want to do.

And so this is where there are creative people, you know, the Fosses and the McUades and the and the Burks and and across the board people who are part of our show right now that it's really just a matter of getting in a on a Zoom or in a room together and just say like what do we what would it be? Um, and again, I'm really grateful for the fact that they're willing to have that conversation with me, but there is a zillion talented people at ESPN that could fill that spot um and do something great with it. So, uh, if if that if that's what ultimately happens, then cool. I I just appreciate the fact that again that they're willing to have a conversation about we I think what we did at midnight has succeeded, you know, when we did it more than 10 years ago.

Uh, and I think if we did something at five, I think it could succeed as well. Um, but again, as I sit here with you today, I don't necessarily have a run of show in my brain that that I could imagine what it would be. And and I don't know how you take what we do after games end and make it make sense at five. And I don't want to do P I'm not going to steal PTI's rundown, even though it's genius. And I'm not doing get up or first take cuz they they've got that covered. So, you see what I'm saying? It's just it's it's it's a trickier thing when somebody says, "Oh, what do you want to do?" and here's this blank canvas and you're like, well, I'm supposed to paint it like I'm kind of good where I'm at. You know what I mean?

It's so I don't know if that makes sense. Can I make can I make my pitch? Sure. I mean, yours is as good as any.

I sort of made it there. Here's what I would love to see and I think you've already hit on this with Stanford Steve because you guys do a great job with the podcast and we'll get into Beats. If it's gonna be a 30 minute show at five o'clock, and I think this ties into Tony and Michael Wbon having so much success and you'd want to go to like Mike and the Mad Dog or whatever, give me a show where there's no former athletes. I there are plenty of shows where, you know, you mentioned First Take, you mentioned Get Up, NFL Live filled with exathletes, NFL lives. They go so hardcore with X's and O's and that's great. I'm not denigrating it. If you

want Emmy awardw winning NFL live, give them their flowers. All right. But there's also something to be said about PTI, Mike and the Mad Dog where it's not the exathlete. Go ahead.

No, no, no. I'm I I'm I'm I'm with me doing my finger here was like, you're on to what we're saying. It's the chemistry of of two guys, a guy and a gal, two gals, whoever it is,

right? It's the chemistry of of friendship that was at the core of PTI. That was the core of Mike and the Mad Dog. I mean that I'm I'm with you. Um

it almost like you know what it could almost be like not like this but I'm thinking of like the like um what's the name of the Andy Cohen show? Watch what happens live where it's him with the two chairs. You with two chairs give me non exathletes. Like when Shawn McDermott gets fired, I want to hear from the non like I'd rather hear like I want to hear from the ex-athlete, don't get me wrong, cuz they have a perspective on the locker room and all this, but then I want to hear from the person who didn't get into like who didn't play like what is what do you think about Josh like to get into like the Josh Allen career? I' I'd almost like that more from you than an ex-athlete

because you're coming at it where I'm coming at it from because I'm not an ex alete.

I get it. I just think I think doing another another doing a different version of of get up or first take or PTI is isn't

they already have that. So what was appealing to me about the sports center we did is that none had ever been done like that.

Um I mean there's a template that that you know that that just thinking out loud of something the way that did it where you have like I did one big thing. If you had an essay that started your show on today's topic is this thing and it's an essay that starts your show about the the important topic of the day and then you dive into that with panelists of some sort. But that's where you probably have you probably would would would wade into the athlete lane. Um, I I think I think the thing I the thing that I was always glad that that happened with uh our show is like before Lewis Rick became kind of a star, I felt like we had him on with us a lot on Sports Center and would have different people like whe like Winhorse before he like and I'm not saying we made these people, but just giving folks runway and lanes um

um I'm trying to think like Spencer Hall is a writer that I always loved and you like you didn't see him any place else. I Wright Thompson anytime you could talk to Wright Thompson. Um anytime you like Bill Barnwwell like give give people opportunities and lanes like the great people we have are are excellent but the problem is every single person every single show wants them. So, when you can create lanes for voices that aren't heard as much or people who aren't seen as often,

um, you know, like I I'm having Mina on, um, before I felt before she became like a fixture on NFL Live, the Emmy award-winning show, right? Like giving people lanes and opportunities to to be seen and heard is is really a cool thing. Um, and and our sports center

I I mean, Christ, we've done it for a long time. um giving it to the folks that aren't necessarily the e the exathletes, but there are people that are voices that are smart people who are smart. Um that's appealing. That's appealing. But 5:00 you don't have as much runway, man. You got to you got you got to really be tight. And I'm not. I talk too much.

Right. Right. Right. That I get it. I get it. And I like here's the this is the example I should have used. So the Bills have the press conference today. the owner chimes in and basically says the coach wanted Keon Coleman and you know basically

yeah being was a good soldier I read that right so now every I know that every player because I've already seen on Twitter Marcus every player is going to rip the owner every player is going to rip the owner it'd be nice to have like the non-ex player be like you know what Kam Coleman does stink it's not a crime to say that you like should the owner throw his player under the bus no can we not make Ken Coleman out to be Jeff Justin Jefferson Like there is the in between.

That's fair. And we don't get the in between with the Xplay. All right. Okay. I mean, we'll we'll workshop this further. You can be Well, I'll give you a coordinating producer credit if you come up with the thing that works. I mean, I'm I'm all

have a guest. I'd rather have a guest spot, but that's fine. Trina, we'll have Tuesdays with Trina.

You're like Mory. It doesn't have to be that often. Just once in a blue moon. Okay. Um, and it's funny too because you got me because I was going to read that quote from you when you did this podcast June 15th, 2023 and you said there's no chance you'll be doing Sports Center in 3 years. Here we are two and a half years later.

See? All right. So, that means that means we got six months to blow the whole thing up.

Yeah. All right. I don't want to make I mean I don't want to be be a liar but again I'm you know what I if I didn't make it clear then I think I just meant that it wasn't it man I don't know what did I mean I guess I just meant that it wouldn't be hundreds of these a year

yeah that's it was fine gave me good gave me good pub um and then here's the other thing we'll transition now if you do five o'clock and it's only half hour this other problem I need Scott Vanpelt doing some non-sports stuff because I feel like That's almost where you shine the most. And I say that because in doing research, I found out now you have a Diet Coke addiction.

I do. And now I I need to know how bad this addiction is. I mean, it's it's I think every person that has a Diet Coke addiction wants to act like they have the worst one, as if it's a badge of honor. I don't understand that, you know? I mean,

I I remember vividly when I got to ESPN and Boomer was like, "Scotty, dude, nobody drinks more than me." Okay. All right. Stick around, pal. I mean, I'm going to get a cooler with the bottles. I mean, literally, as we sit here, we have an empty one next to me from from earlier doing a pod with Steve. I mean, it's I'm not proud of it. It's just I constantly am drinking them. I mean, famously, Francesa is always the guy. He Now, see, he's a can guy. I don't get that that I find cans repulsive. I got to go bottles.

I can also tell you from knowing people who worked on that show, it wasn't always Diet Coke.

Understood. And he No, he wasn't a can guy. He was a bottle guy and he would rip the label off because

Oh, I see. Yeah. Well, I'm just Well, I mean, I'm not casting aspersions. People can do what they like to do. I I'm strictly a Diet Coke guy. I I It's a problem.

Do you drink Do you drink coffee? I don't. So, is Diet Coke the first thing in the morning that we grab?

Absolutely. Wow. It's It's It makes no sense to people that It doesn't make sense to. They think, "Wait, that's the Yep. Give me one. Crack it. I'll drink one right before I go to bed. My body I'm I'm immune to it. The c the caffeine would keep me up." Not me, Jack.

Not me. Well, I'm that way, too. I could have coffee at 11:00 and I could be sleeping at 11:15. That's

And what a gift. What a gift because there there are people that that that don't have that capacity. Jimmy, you and I were that's our superhero power. What a sad one to have.

Yeah. Because I've never wanted to be that per like now I'm at the age where my friends will say like, "Oh, I need to have decaf." It's like

I don't ever What's the point? Diet Coke with no caffeine in it. What are you doing? What's the purpose of this? And I don't mean a caffeine-free anything. I don't understand. But if especially if it's a diet soda that doesn't have caffeine, I don't understand. It's like a placebo for you. You want to feel like it, but you're not getting any of the any of the oomph? I don't I don't.

But see, how does this translate to what is this? A segment on television. I'm a weirdo that drinks. I'm supposed to talk about that.

Because here's the because here's a question I have for you. And I don't know if you'll appreciate this question because this is a fat person question and you're clearly not and I clearly am. But fountain bottle can. Do you have preferences?

For sure. So, I'm in Miami the other day and I'm walking out of a store and this this uh this woman has a t-shirt, not a t-shirt, I beg your pardon, a sweatshirt cuz it was 50 and there she was clearly in peril and the the the sweatshirt said, "I need a Diet Coke." And I walk right up to it was a group of women and I walk up to her and I just said, "Are you can or bottle?"

And she immediately knew. She goes, "Oh, I'm can." I go, "Okay." I said, "Cuz there were only three bottles in there." And I bought them all. And I said, "But if you were a bottle one, I'd give you one cuz I don't want to take I don't want to take from you

because if you're a bottle, you can't do can." She goes, "Oh, I'm can. I can't do bottle." And I'm like, and then I looked at her. I'm like,

"What? What kind of sociopath are you?" She's like, "You like bottles?" I said, "Can? It's a very odd thing." Yeah,

I I will drink cans in a pinch. I just don't enjoy them as much as bottles. Right.

Fountain is very tricky. I think Chick-fil-A and McDonald's both do it really well where there's some fizzy combination where the sweet and the bubbles are just right. But when you get bad fountain,

I'll throw it away. Yeah, I'll throw it away. You get a bad mix, Jimmy. No good.

And you think this isn't a topic for 5:00? Perfect topic. Sure. I mean the for years I'll give him a pop. Sandy Mag who's been my representation. They've like they've said he people this dude moves product. Van Pelt got a big audience. Diet Coke. They're like we're going to go ahead and ride with Taylor Swift. We're good that we're we're all set.

I do. You don't want the late 50s peepaw crowd. Right. Right. Nope. We don't need any of your help.

I would think a brand like Coke doesn't need any help from they don't even need Taylor Swift. Like, does it get more like Americana than Coke?

No, of course not. But we I mean, as a good agent, you're just trying to angle for something. Get me a pallet of soda. Get me get me a gross of soda just be delivered. I literally have asked the guy in a grocery store and I see the guy, I'm like, "Listen, listen. Hey, it's like a drug transaction. You walk up real quiet like a speak easy. Hey, what do I got to do just to get you to stop by the house? I'll make it worth your while." You know what I mean? You're having these clandestine. He's like, "Why don't you just come get him here?" I was like, cuz sometimes they're not on the shelves, man. And I need the And we got a monster blizzard coming in and all I can think of is I don't care what we have in our house. We better have Diet Coke. So when you and I are done and I'm done picking up kids from school, I'm going to go clear out shelves. Bread, milk, toilet paper for the Blizzard. Nope.

Nope. Don't need it at all. I'm going to be the Diet Coke junkie. You You have to be a Costco shopper. You got that's where you got to go if you want the bottle. You got to load up at at Costco.

But there's how how deep you want to go here, man. You can't go too far where you get too much of it that then there's dates on there and you don't want that date to get too far down the road. Then you lose the good fizz in there.

That's true. I got to have the fizz. Do you by any chance watch the show Hacks on HBO?

Jimmy, I haven't watched one TV show since Breaking Bad. I watch games. I have children. I'm really terribly boring. Steve and I fight about this. He's got a hundred shows I'm supposed to watch right?

And I watch I'm so narrow and boring. Yeah, I'm with you on that. But I did watch Hacks and I the only reason I brought it up is because the main character played by Jean Smart who's supposed to be like a Joan Rivers kind of knockoff has a diet has a has a Coke fountain in her kitchen in her house. That's So I was thinking that could be good for you. See, but the fountain I just I I I don't mind shleing wherever to get the bottles as long as they've got, you know, as long as I got the

I noticed throughout this whole thing, you wouldn't say exactly how many bottles a day you have.

It depends. Like when we go to Monday Night Football, this is so embarrassing, but it's true.

Say it. Say it. Oh, I'm gonna I'm gonna It's not embarrassing. It's just it's it's a known thing. Like when I got to the national championship on Monday in Miami, the the fridges didn't have Diet Coke and and the folks that were there knew they they act like I'm going to go full Rainman if I don't get a Diet Coke. And they are scurrying and then they find like these three miniature cans and they said, "We're going to hide them in here in this in this refrigerator." I'm like, "It's it's okay. It's okay. I I'll be all right." But thank I can see you like backhanding the miniatures out of their hand like miniatures get the get miniatures get it right.

Better that than nothing. Better that than nothing. But at Monday night when we get to Monday Night Countdown, there's this one little miniature fridge filled with ice filled with bottles. There's probably a dozen in there and I go through however many I go through. And then there's folks out there that our our crew that's out by the set Pittsburgh regular season. They brought them to me and they were freezing. This is my guy Rman. He took the hand warmers, duct taped hand warmers around the frozen Diet Coke so it could it would unfreeze. This is a true story. He took hand warmers and duct taped them to the Diet Coke so it would freeze enough that you could actually drink a little bit of it. That happened.

I'm saying all this out loud. I don't know if this is embarrassing, but you still haven't given me like are we talking double digit? For sure.

Okay. All right. We'll leave it there. More than six less than 12. I mean, it's it's I mean, somewhere in there, the thing about Coke, Warren Buffin wrote about this. It's why it was one of their gigantic Berkshire Hathaway home runs. Most they hit a lot of home runs, but the the first Coke you drink and the sixth Coke you drink are equally as satisfying. Whereas other sodas after two or three, it's like, nope, can't do it anymore. And somehow the sixth or seventh or eighth is as good as the first. And that's the magic trick of it.

That's why this is an addiction. And it is an addiction, but I suppose as addictions go, it's not as bad as some others. I hope if it proves to be as bad as others, then I've enjoyed knowing you, Jimmy, and thank you for having me on through the years.

You ready for this transition? Sure. Hard left. Speaking of addictions, I can't thank you enough for Bad Beats.

Thank you. Do you have a favorite bad beat from the 2025 season? One that sticks in your head, one that you still can't believe? Yeah, the East Texas A&M um I think Lamar that was the one where in the middle of it I asked Steve, "Wait, are they playing by a gas station?"

Yes. And yes, I remember that. I did a I had I did a horrible job on the read cuz I was so a gas at what was happening and I was so thrown off by just the totality of it. It involved a touchdown late. A team was getting like eight and a half points. They gave up a score with 4 seconds left and they were they were still covering but then on the kickoff they did that pitchy pitchy woo woo and they're throwing it around and the guy just chucks it in the direction of the gas station and I pretty sure it was Lamar recovered it and they they covered and it was such a catastrophe.

But then the thing about Bad Beats that's astounding to me is how the people that are in it somehow are it's like a badge of honor. The whole Southland conference turned it into content for the week that that this had happened. And even

this is truly the no publicity is bad publicity kind of a thing. the the way folks can somehow turn that lemon into lemonade has been amazing to me.

Yeah, that that one was uh that one in the Villanovavva total against Penn State was incredible because it there were

that one. Yes, there were timeouts taken. There were reviews by the time we did the year in review. You see James Franklin running down the sideline to call a timeout and you realize, holy [ __ ] James Franklin was the coach of Penn State. They were undefeated when this happened. Like, think of like we're we're crying about a bad beat. Like, think of what happened to that guy's season after this. They lose to Oregon, then the wheels fall off. I mean, he landed in a great place. He'll he'll be excellent, I think, down at Virginia Tech.

That is the one that's Villanova. And here's what here's what I love about this for me. That would be the number one for you. You maybe it's your number two. And it's a 52 to6 game. Correct. That's the best part of it.

Right. And I mean, and the beauty of of the segment is that and I'm making the point it that Jimmy that involved both game and total,

right? And that's for the true true degenerates. I mean, if you're involved in if you've got a side in Villanova Penn State,

maybe maybe take a take a 20 second may make it a fool. Let's take a look in the mirror. I say this as a man that had hot hand warmers duct taped to Diet Coke. So, who I'm not judging anyone, but if you've if you've got Penn State laying the number to Nova and you're sweating that out at the end, you know, you kind of get what you paid for.

It's the beauty of a college football Saturday. It is. Right. It starts at noon and goes till 2 in the morning.

That's it. As we get closer to the Super Bowl here, is there a Super Bowl prop bet you love to bet? Like, do you love to bet the coin toss the anthem, the length of the anything like that? No.

No. But the I I'm certain I'll eventually change course. I used to look down my nose at fantasy football, Jimmy, as like like you guys are losers. And now I'm in four leagues and I'm the most fantasy football obsessed guy you'll meet. Well, I as a gambler, I always looked at it like, what are you doing? Like, if you want to have you want to have skin in the game, take the points, lay the points, you're in and you're out.

But then fantasy football with friends became a cool thing. And now, so my point as it relates to that is I used to I used to tisk it. And now I look at props like, what are you doing? And then I'm imagine I get why they're popular because it's I mean, if it's the coin flip, it's heads or tails and you move on. Or if it's the over and the anthem, but that's that's never my thing. Um, and I mean if there's I'm sure there's money to be made and I'm sure there's sharp people that are able to to really nail down that prop lane. It's hard enough to win anything. So I I just look at it as that's another place where you're just burning money. So I don't do it.

Yeah, I I agree with all that. I feel like that's the day I enjoy burning money. Like I don't bet those things during the season and that day I like to go crazy and

totally get it. It's it's you're going to sit there for eight hours. You're going to eat six bags of Doritos, drink a 12 of whatever it is, eats his subs, whatever wings, and you're just going to fire. I'm I'm fine. And you're you're a fellow, you know, people use degenerate almost like it's a cool thing. But you're a guy that likes action. And I that's why part of the reason why I think you and I kind of get it. I get I you and I are in the same boat.

I just realized too, you got that you guys have the Super Bowl next year. We do. I know Burke and and Joe Buck was on that. He told me ESPN's already starting preparations.

Big. Yeah. No, we're going to do our show Sports Center from SoFi the night of the Sports Center in Santa Clara because the minute that that Super Bowl ends, we're essentially on the clock and we are going to make a big grand

Oh, wow. celebration of what the Super Bowl is. Um, and and the fact that it's going to be like, you know, we're talking all hands on deck, ESPN, like Disney, the whole thing of how how do we celebrate this game and all that has been part of it, the people that have been part of the story of the fabric of the most American the biggest game in American sports, right? So, that's that's coming. And um we well I think again it's it's celebrating what the people of the game and the game itself and the fact that it's going to be you know that Joe and Troll have the call. It'll be the biggest it'll be the biggest day in the history of our company.

Yeah. So that's a good nugget. So after this Super Bowl on the 8th that's in Santa Clara you will be doing Sports Center from SoFi as the kickoff to the ABC. That's great.

Correct. Great. Correct. So I mean and then the whole point being look all right so that one's done. the next year we'll be crowning a champion right here. And you know, it's a long way to go to do a show, but I get it. And it's all it's a way to sort of light the fuse and set the table of what will be this year-long thing.

All right, I appreciate it. I'm going to let you go. I had a few more, but it's, you know, I don't know. I feel like we've hit a good spot to end it on.

I don't want to keep you for no reason. I got to go pick up my kids, so that's a better that's a better end. So, it's always good to be with you, Jimmy. Good luck, good health, and uh and 26. Go pick. That was the last I also want to say I love real or fake true TV shows when you and Stanford Steve do that. That was my other thing. I had to get in there. Okay, now now you can go pick up your kids.

That Thank you for liking it. It when I don't laugh out loud at a lot, but when you get real or fake TV shows and this year one of them was Inside the NDA,

think how funny that is. And that's a guy named Jeff Brown. He and his brother write them every year. They're the creative genius behind it. Inside the NDA is funny. And I was laughing. so hard cuz I don't know what they are. And I was so pissed at myself afterwards for not just slipping into Shaq and being like "Hey Chuck Chuck Chuck inside the NBA." Just just imagining inside the NBA, but inside the NDA and just imagining how Shaq and Chuck might do that. I just missed a window for something that would have been funny to me, but so I apologize to you for screwing the bit up.

Listen, that segment is per That's perfect segment. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate you.

Be well. Take it easy. Go get your kids. Thanks. Yep. Thanks.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on a Possible BIG Change"?

Jimmy (Guest), Scott Van Pelt (Guest).

What is "ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on a Possible BIG Change" about?

Scott Van Pelt shares insights into his hectic recent schedule, which included covering major sports events such as the NFL divisional playoffs, the national championship game, and TGL's innovative indoor golf matchup. He highlights the excitement surrounding these events and their role in engaging younger audiences, while also discussing future plans to cover hockey and the Australian Open.

What is mentioned in this Sports Illustrated episode?

10 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Scott Van Pelt, ESPN, Super Bowl, Diet Coke, National Championship, Tiger Woods. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "ESPN's Scott Van Pelt on a Possible BIG Change"?

The episode runs 42 min; the transcript is about 9,066 words in 145 timestamped sections.

More from Sports Illustrated

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 25, 2026.