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Jason Smith:
But it's the way this town cares about its sports teams. It's not just a distraction, sports for Memphis. It's a passion. And just look at it. I mean, you're talking about a city where two bozos like John and I can go on and do a three-hour radio show, consisting mostly of sports takes and be blessed enough to be able to take care of our families. If there wasn't that passion here in Memphis, we wouldn't be able to be able to do what we do.
Shea:
Hey, this is Shea.
Carrie:
And this is Carrie. Welcome to the Pocket Change podcast. Where you'll learn better ways to spend, save, and invest, and take control of your financial journey.
Shea:
Go, Tigers, go.
Carrie:
Go, Grizz, go.
Shea:
We're all blue today.
Carrie:
I know. Blue is my favorite color, so...
Shea:
Supporting Memphis. All things Memphis sports.
Carrie:
All things Memphis sports. That's right. We're going to have Jason and John from ESPN Radio on our show today, and we're excited to talk to them about everything to do with Memphis sports and their passion Memphis and their partnership with leaders. We're so excited today to welcome our guests, Jason and John from ESPN Radio 92.9 in Memphis today. Welcome to Pocket Change, Jason and John. How are you guys?
Jason Smith:
Oh, excited to be here. Too excited to be here. Thanks for having us.
John Martin:
Yeah, absolutely.
Carrie:
Well, we're so excited to have you with us today, of course. For those of our followers and listeners who don't know you, we know you have a pretty loyal following in the Memphis area, but could you share a little bit about yourselves and how you both got into radio?
Jason Smith:
John, you want to go ahead? I usually like to let the youth go first.
John Martin:
Although that youth is fading by the day. Yeah, mine's a little less, I think, winding than Jason. Jason took a different career path than I did. Mine was pretty straightforward. I graduated from Memphis on a Sunday, and I was working, or at least training the next Monday, the next day. I had built a relationship with Jeff Cawkins, who obviously you guys work with as well. He was getting a radio show, and he wanted a talking producer, somebody who he knew he could count on to contribute. After some, I would say, pressure that was put on the management there from both Jeff and Gary. We got a deal done, and I started on that next Monday training with Jeff. I was working at the Commercial Appeal as a stringer at the time covering recruiting, so I had two jobs that even if you combined them It would still be less than one job, but I was working, right? I was working, and I was doing it in the industry that I loved. I did that job with producing Jeff for three years. Then as things do in the world, dominoes fell. The right dominoes fell, and got an opportunity to do the show with my guy, Jason, who I've worked with at the CA for many, many years.
John Martin:
So it all broke out perfectly. I just got into it because it was media. I love to BS and talk, entertain, and it was just a natural venue to do that.
Jason Smith:
For me, like John said, the route was a little bit more winding. I started in newspapers, as John said, working for the Commercial Appeal. At the time, they're only; the main local paper in Memphis. I'm a second-generation journalist. My dad was in television journalism here in Memphis. After going to college, started out at TSU up in Nashville and going for business, because that's what mom said, "You want to major in business. That's where you're going to make money, son," but then figuring out in college, like many of us do, well, that's not really what I like. It's not really a passion for me, deciding, "Okay, I'll try this journalism thing like my dad did," but I didn't want to go the television route. Early on, I decided to give newspapers a shot, and long story short, was lucky enough after graduating from Memphis like John, didn't get it the next day, but a little bit after my graduation, got a job at the Commercial Appeal, the newspaper here, covering high school sports. You had everything from football to the high school basketball for all the '80 to '90 schools that we had here in town.
Jason Smith:
You also had stuff I'd never covered before, like high school bowling and volleyball. So what you had to be was versatile. After, what, seven years doing that, I spent the last six at the newspaper as the University of Memphis Basketball beat writer. Anybody who knows the city of Memphis or knows anything about it, knows how much it cares for that Memphis basketball team. Got a chance to get that spot at the newspaper. Then after 13 years there, to finally get to the end of this winding road, John and the radio station came and said, "Hey, we're starting up a news show. John Martin, your friend, is going to be one of the hosts. Would you like to come and join him?" At the time, obviously, 13 years in newspapers, you're talking about a leap of faith, jumping out into radio, even talking something that I knew, which was sports. It was still something I didn't know in terms of the medium itself, radio. It was a leap of faith. It was eight years ago this month, and happy to say now, more comfortable than I ever thought I'd be, but certainly, too more blessed than I ever thought I'd be because I'm getting to do it with a guy I refer to as my brother, more so than my co-host.
Jason Smith:
We're getting to talk sports for three hours a day in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. That's already sports crazy, and so 21 years in the sports media game in Memphis. And yes, the last eight, very blessed to be at 92.9 FM ESPN with John.
Shea:
Yeah, and you can tell you all are a brotherhood more than just co-hosts, and you all have that collaboration together. So going along with that, what do you love most about covering Memphis sports? Jason, we'll start with you.
Jason Smith:
It's the passion. I mean, you find that out so fast here once you've moved in. We were transplants. My dad, climbing up the television game, moved us here from Florida in the mid '80s. He came to work for the the NBC affiliate here in Memphis, channel 5. So we didn't know what it was like when we first got here. What you found out very early on in the '80s Especially as we got to the mid '80s, Memphis basketball, at the time Memphis State Basketball, was huge. Remember at that time, you were talking about a city that didn't have a NBA team, that didn't have the Memphis Grizzlies. As I've said to John, that Memphis State Basketball Team, and that program was the city's professional team. What you found out very early on, especially as they were making final four runs in the mid '80s, was that this town loved its basketball, and frankly, its blood almost seem to pump Tigers basketball. So you learn that very early on, you find out how much people care about their programs, about their sports. It didn't change once the Grizzlies got here, obviously, and now it's been, what, almost a quarter of a century since they've been here from Vancouver, but it's the way this town cares about its sports teams.
Jason Smith:
It's not just a distraction, sports for Memphis. It's a passion, and just look at it. I mean, you're talking about a city where two bozos like John and I can go on and do a three-hour radio show, consisting mostly of sports takes and be blessed enough to be able to take care of our families. If there wasn't that kind of passion here in Memphis, we wouldn't be able to do what we do. It's essentially that, I think first and foremost, it's the passion of the people here.
John Martin:
Yeah, I think Jason put it well. I had a job at the Commercial Appeal way back when, covering nothing but recruiting of the university. It was mostly just basketball. I mean, I'd sprinkle a little football in there, but this place would go crazy. Times have changed a little bit with NIL and the transfer portal. Now, it's mostly high school. It gets pushed to the background, the back burner. There was a time, 11, 12, 13 years ago, where Memphis fans would go absolutely, they would be just rabid about it. They'd be rabid about who is Memphis offering? Who is Memphis going to see today? Who is Memphis bringing on campus? I mean, it was a whole whole game within a game. Again, that's changed over the years because of the landscape in college, but I think that just embodies how much people care and are invested in sports around here. It is. It's that level of emotional investment in Memphis sports and sports in general, I think if you just poll, if it's college football, if it's college basketball, if it's NFL, even if we don't have a team necessarily, we still are watching and participating in whatever it may be.
John Martin:
I think that's the great thing about Memphis is just, yes, we love our teams, but we love sports, and that's been bared out over many, many years.
Carrie:
Well, that's great. So we now know what you guys love about Memphis sports, but what do you love about the city of Memphis?
John Martin:
Well, it's obviously not without its issues. What I think I love the most is that we are, I think, aware of them and we're trying to work through them. It's not a great... I mean, I can't deny it and give you guys a fake answer. It's not a great time right now for Memphis it feels like. We've been through quite a bit. We've been through quite a lot the last, I don't know, it feels like five, six years. What I'm hopeful for and what I truly believe is that there are business owners, there are restauranteurs, there are people that are finally going to, I think, realize that, hey, enough with feeling sorry for ourselves, enough with the negative stuff. I think you're going to see a doubling down on Memphis in the coming years. I think we have the right leadership. Everybody involved knows what's at stake. I think there's something there. I mean, again, we have our challenges, and you can't really run from those. But I think that's what makes Memphis great is that we don't run from those. Now the work is fixing them. Now the work is fixing our problems and going to work every single day to make sure that we do that, but we go with things head on. We don't try to hide who we are in Memphis. I think that's definitely one of my favorite things about it.
Jason Smith:
I'd agree with everything John just said. It's like, you know, Memphis grows on you. That's one of the things. You come here and you get it more. If it's us telling you about Memphis, and you've never been here, say you're from the rest of the state. Until you set foot here, until you drop boots down on Beale Street, I don't think you get it. I know that's cliché, but it's so true about Memphis. We've said If you hug Memphis, it'll hug you back in a way that feels like family. When you talk about what I love most, it's the people. It's the fact that we're not going to wallow in self-pity, the fact that Nashville has passed us in terms of what it's got going on. Maybe one day, they'll have Super Bowls and everything else. It's not saying, "Oh, woe is me," it's not that attitude here. John and I talk about it all the time. It's the roll up your sleeves mentality, and you're going to do it with the guy sitting next to you, the guy or gal sitting next to you, because you're in it for one cause, which is moving the city forward.
Jason Smith:
I think it's that. It's people that have a true soul. We talk about all that all the time, and not to shoot out shots at the rest of the state, but we talk about how our soul here in Memphis is different, and what we come from, and what we've been through is different than the rest of the state. I think we take a great pride in that. Ultimately, it's the people that make this city so great. It's the people that make you want to come back here, because as John said, we've got our issues. We've got problems. Lord knows this Tyree Nichols situation that we had with the police, and the national story became a black eye on Memphis, obviously, but what we've got is a wonderful city in terms of the people that live here. It's, again, a roll up your sleeves. We'll do the work. We're not just going to tell you how good a city we are. When we get that acknowledgement from those outsiders, when they start to see it, too, I think that's what makes us the most proud. So that answer is easy. It's the people of Memphis.
Shea:
Leaders, we've been in the Memphis area with one branch in the Bartlett area for about 10 years, and we're rapidly growing and want to continue to invest. We've become the studio sponsor for ESPN Radio. Tell us what that sponsorship has meant to you all.
Jason Smith:
What's meant everything so far. First off, you all and Leaders in their sponsorship, the studio sponsorship, it represents a great trust. A great trust in John and me to get the word out, because when you have something good, you want a good word put out about it. That's first and foremost, we're grateful because of the trust that Leaders has put in us. The second thing that I would point to, and I think John would agree, it's something we're proud of. We talk all the time. We're a sports radio show, but John and I like to think that we're here to serve this city, to serve to serve the city of Memphis, whether that's with our viewpoints, things we hope we can make better in this city, whatever it is. Clearly, that's what Leaders is here to do. It lines up. Leaders' vision to serve is our vision as a show. John and I have looked at ourselves, and hopefully it's come across that way for eight years now, as servants of the people of Memphis, much like we were in our journalism roles. Coming up through the U of M, me at the newspaper, you are the watchdogs. You are the servants for the people here.
Jason Smith:
In so many ways, Leaders is that. Leaders is working for the people, unlike banks. That's why it's been so much fun for us, but also a responsibility we're not taking lightly and putting that word out when you've got something as good as Leaders that's working for you, you want to be careful with it. You want to protect it. We're grateful for the trust of Leaders, but also they make it easy for us. When you're shouting out a great product like Leaders, they make it easy for us. They really do.
John Martin:
Yeah, I could not agree more. I think for us in our spot, eight years into this, successful, we want to align ourselves with businesses and sponsors that we feel aligned with. I think what you guys do and your focus, and you guys are unapologetic about it, is you want to help, you want to educate your focus on the future and the difference. The difference with Leaders as opposed to everybody else, where the focus may be, you might just be a number, you might just be an account. At Leaders, you're a person and you're a member of the community. I think that's important for us. We don't want to just say, "We'll just advertise with anybody. We'll just spread the word about anybody's business." It's important for us to believe, not just in the business, but the people that are involved with it as well. I think that's why it's a partnership as much as it is a sponsorship. I think that's what we're trying to focus on with our show in 2024.
Shea:
We appreciate you getting the word out, and I think we call ourselves financial champions, but maybe taking Jason's word, we'll call ourselves financial watchdogs for our members and for Memphis. So maybe a new-
Jason Smith:
You're looking out for the people.
Shea:
Yeah, looking out for everybody.
Carrie:
Well, and I find it comforting to know that we all share the same passion of serving the people. So it's a great partnership that we have with you guys, and we're thankful for that. Shifting gears, we are a financial podcast, so I can't slip away without asking you guys, what's the best financial advice that you've been given?
John Martin:
Over the years, you hear a lot, right? The most impactful, I would say, just in my overall life, would be understand your 401(k), if you have one at your company, understand what the match is, and definitely max it out if you can. I know that's not necessarily a day-to-day piece of advice, but it's a day-to-day thirty years from now, a piece of advice. It's important to have money today so that you could pay your bills and do things and all that, but you got to have money for yourself in the future. I think the power of compounding interest is something that I just didn't really understand, never knew what a 401(k) was. I was told, basically, you're not even going to miss the money. We won't even know it's gone. Obviously, the tax incentives are huge as well. Just understanding the power of the 401(k), I know there will be critics, there will be detractors of it, but I'm just more the old-school, traditional guy when it comes to maxing that out, making sure that I can preserve a future for myself and my family so I don't have to work until I'm 80 years old.
John Martin:
I don't have to do that. It's sad what Ron Olson is having to do. I mean, he should be wheeled out of the building, but I guess he just didn't have that 401(k). My whole thing was make sure that I have that and max it out and do as much as I can. A Roth IRA would be the same thing, though. That's a little different, but yes, I would say 401(k) for sure. Start investing in that, not today, yesterday.
Jason Smith:
I could not agree more with John. I mean, I spent 13 years at the CA, like we talked about, the newspaper here in Memphis, coming out of college back in 2002, and I did not contribute to a 401(k) for those first 13 years. I wish I had been as smart as John was financially, as young, as early in my career as he started, because I look at what the situation could have been for me. It wasn't until joining him at the radio station, one year in, so 2017, with the match that our company was offering, that I said, "You know what? I got to get in this." I thank that John was one of those that schooled me on it and said, "Look, to be honest with you, you've blown it here," but like he said, let's go ahead. It's never too late to get you in this. To be honest with you, I really, whether it's vocally and saying it to him or just in my head every day, I'm grateful to my partner that I did because just in that seven years time, it's made this huge difference. Absolutely on the 401(k).
Jason Smith:
I'd also say, Listen, my dad... Times have changed. My dad raised me up with the advice, "Hey, man, if you can't buy it cash, don't do it. You can't." Obviously, you can't live like that anymore. Some of the old rules that I was brought up with, they don't apply anymore. What I will say is no matter how much money you either start with or you've got or what road you're on, being a good shepherd of what you have. Rather than, "Hey, I'd love to have that." John and I were just talking about this on the show today. A lot of times, it's a better attitude. You can save a lot easier if you love what you have, as opposed to having Everything that you love, loving what you have, being a good shepherd of what you have, can still, again, paying those bills on time lead to good credit. That, again, is so much bigger, so much larger for you in the grand scheme of things. Yeah, absolutely. Get on that 401(k) like John finally got me to come around and understand, but also, you don't have to start with a lot to get to a place that's better.
Jason Smith:
You can start with a little bit, and that takes a little bit of discipline, clearly. Financial discipline, but a little bit can get you a long way. So just to piggyback off what John said, that's my little two cents of financial advice.
Shea:
That's a lot more than two cents. We got a whole book of advice right there.
Jason Smith:
I don't know about that.
Shea:
It's good to have-
Jason Smith:
I talk to this man. He's my financial advisor.
Shea:
Well, it's good to have a trusted partner, someone you can trust, talk to, and that will encourage you into positive money habits. So that's a great piece of advice. The last question, since we call it the Pocket Change podcast, if you had some pocket change, just some spare change in your pocket, what's something you would spend it on?
Jason Smith:
So this one's easy for me. A few weeks back, we were lucky enough to roll into the Bartlett branch Leaders here in Memphis and open up a Future Leaders savings account for my son. He's 10 years old. His name is Christopher. We'd read all about it. Obviously, John and I have talked about it on the radio, having been given this chance with Leaders as our studio sponsor. We talked about the fact that he gets quarterly bonuses for straight A's, a bonus for perfect attendance, but 5% APY. It's a way for us to show Chris and teach him how to grow his money very early on at 10 years old. That branch that had been here 10 years, one branch, now we got the new one coming up in Arlington. I know that we've broken ground on, but that branch, I had never been there. That's another great thing I love about being partnered with leaders is that we're getting this word out about the new branches coming on and everything else. But we were lucky enough to open up that future leader savings account for Christopher, and we're teaching him, very early on, how you can grow your money.
Jason Smith:
If I've got a little bit of extra change, we're throwing in that future Leaders savings account, teaching Chris a little bit something about growing his money.
Shea:
Earning that interest.
Carrie:
That's Great.
John Martin:
Yeah. We're not quite there yet with my three and a half year old, soon enough, when we start getting into grades and stuff, but for the moment, if I did find something, it would go in the piggy bank. What's funny, though, is that every time I ask my daughter, if I ask her, "Hey, can I have $5?" She always gives me the same answer every time. And that answer is, "I don't have any pockets." I didn't ask you if you had pockets. I asked you if you had $5, but she never has any pockets. She can never loan me $5. So we'll see if that ever changes, but yeah, in the meantime, this is a one-way transaction, and that's going into my daughter's piggy bank for sure.
Carrie:
That's great. Well, we thank you guys so much for being on the podcast today and sharing all this great news about Memphis and what you're doing with Memphis Sports.
Jason Smith:
We thank you guys for your trust in us and your partnership.
John Martin:
It was an honor and a privilege. Thanks for having us.