NFL’s Eddie George and NBA’s B.J. Armstrong keep moving it forward

Heisman trophy winner and 4-time pro bowler Eddie George joins On The Mark, plus 3-time NBA champion B.J. Armstrong.

Eddie George was like a lot of football players when his career ended. He had no idea what he wanted to do next and started to self destruct. George was taking sleeping pills and avoiding life. But George pulled himself out his rut in a big-time way. He has also helped current Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.

“[Derrick] reached out, asked me what I thought about his game and I was really honest with him and told him that he was running soft,” George said. “To be that big he needed to impose his will with his size. Maybe he can hit the home run with the speed, but being consistent in this league you have to impose your will on defenders.”

B.J. Armstrong went from winning championships alongside Michael Jordan in Chicago to being left unprotected in the expansion draft. He is now an agent representing many NBA players, including another former Chicago Bull, Derrick Rose. A poignant scene in the recently released documentary, Pooh: The Derrick Rose Story, showed how Armstrong handled delivering the news to Rose that he had been traded from the Bulls to the New York Knicks.

“This kid grew up in Chicago. He had one goal in mind,” Armstrong recalled. “He didn’t just like playing for the Bulls, he loved it. His heart and soul was there and will always be there. I knew how difficult that was going to be for the person. I knew he would get the business part. I didn’t really know what to say, other than just give him the facts. It’s very difficult for me to watch now. You saw Derrick at a very difficult time.”

Two interesting journeys join the On The Mark podcast this week.  Here is the complete show rundown:

1:30 – 4:15 A letter came in the mail

4:15 – 13:40 James Harden did not get fouled, NBA playoffs with Jasmyn Wimbish

13:40 – 16:00 Tom Thibodeau loves the Boston Celtics

16:00-21:00  NFL draft in Nashville, Nick Bosa drafted by 49ers

21:00-35:40 Eddie George

35:40-50:36   Ethan Blumenthal unique breakdown the NFL draft that you can’t get anywhere else

50:36 – 1:22:47 B.J. Armstrong, former Chicago Bulls guard, now agent for Derrick Rose on Pooh: The Derrick Rose Story and his career 

1:22:47 – close How to fix extra-innings baseball