The Outliers Podcast

The Outliers Podcast

by Charleston DeLa Cruz

Season 3

Episode #10 - Benjamin Morrison is back! Now, a Notre Dame Football Alumni & Freshly Drafted to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In this episode of The Outliers Podcast, we catch a raw conversation with NFL Rookie, Benjamin Morrison. In our first conversation with Ben (Episode #6), Ben was going into his 3rd year at Notre Dame. Fast forward to now, Ben is currently in his rookie year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who drafted him 53rd overall in the 2025 NFL draft. The discussion depicts Ben’s journey, including his three-year football career at Notre Dame, the team captain role, and the significant challenges he faced due to injuries. Ben reflects on his decision to declare for the NFL draft despite setbacks, including not being picked in the first round, undergoing multiple surgeries and only being a junior. The episode also gives us a glimpse into his mindset of a very young, yet determined mind speaking candidly about the unknowns, the desire to be great and the relationships that shapes his life. There’s something for everyone here, enjoy! 00:00 Introduction to The Outliers Podcast 00:50 Welcoming Back Benjamin Morrison 01:28 Reflecting on Notre Dame Career 02:05 NFL Draft Journey 02:41 Unexpected Music Choices 03:31 Childhood Expectations vs. Reality 04:19 Hypothetical Football Rule Changes 04:55 One Minute Drill Recap 08:28 Injury and Recovery 16:12 Draft Uncertainty and Pro Day 19:22 NFL Combine Experience 24:23 Pro Day and Team Visits 27:18 Overcoming Self-Doubt and Preparation 27:33 The Intense Pre-Draft Process 29:05 Draft Day Emotions and Reflections 31:49 The Call from Tampa Bay 34:41 Personal Life and Relationships 43:39 Vision Boards and Future Goals 47:57 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

Episode #9: Sydney Wiese is back! Stray Cats, Basketball Dreams, and WNBA Reality: Sydney's Journey from Player to Mentor

Back in for her second on the pod! In this heartfelt episode of The Outliers Podcast, we hop back in the timeline of professional basketball player Sydney Wiese as she transitions from an active sports career to becoming an assistant coach at Oregon State. The discussion goes deep into Sydney's experiences, including her challenging time playing in Turkey, her struggles and realizations at WNBA training camp, and her profound reflections on her identity and future. Sydney shares a comedic tale of dealing with stray cats in Istanbul and offers deep insights into personal growth, relationships, and the invaluable lessons of her athletic career. An episode filled with humor, remarkable storytelling, and wise counsel for both athletes and coaches. 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Welcome to The Outliers Podcast 02:21 Sidney is a Turkish Cat Lady 08:23 Life in Istanbul 11:35 Gabby's Dinner Party Questions 24:41 Reflecting on Personal Experiences 27:36 Sidney's Recent Journey 36:40 Finding Comfort in Turkey 38:47 Transition to Training Camp 40:41 Challenges and Realizations 42:37 Post-Camp Reflections 47:29 A New Path: Coaching 50:35 Embracing the Coaching Role 01:01:59 Advice and Reflections 01:18:19 Conclusion and Gratitude

Season 2

Episode #8 - Dylan Cole I Undrafted 7-Year NFL Vet I Anger Management, Love, Hot Take on Social Media, The Politics of the NFL

Missouri's finest, Dylan Cole is a 7-year NFL veteran who has played linebacker for the Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and the Chicago Bears throughout his career. In this wide ranging conversation, we speak about an early childhood and navigating through anger issues, where Dylan found music which helped him harness that energy and how football provided him with strong father figures throughout his career. We discuss Dylan's thoughts on love, the example he wants to lead by when showing his kids how important it is to feel loved and to love others. We speak about battling through injuries during his career, one of which was a double knee surgery and what it took to bounce back. The overall resilience of this undrafted kid from Missouri State and how the chips have been stacked against him from the beginning is truly an inspiration. There are a lot of really great nuggets of information in this episode, please enjoy and share with a friend.

Episode #7 - Austin Johnson I 8th year NFL Defensive Tackle, Drafted #43 overall in 2016 talks about recovery routine, battling through injury, marriage, mentors, self doubt

Austin Johnson is one of the strongest athletes I know! Drafted in the second round (43rd overall) to the Tennessee Titans Austin comes from a strong bloodline of athletes, which will continue because Austin married a former professional female football player Danika Brace, the legacy continues! Austin is originally from New Jersey and elaborates on his environment growing up and how important his family to his success. We talk Penn State football, the environment and the mentors from there as well as teammates who are considered mentors now! We talk injury, the dark times with it and realization of how you can positively benefit from something so uncertain. Overall a great conversation, catch Austin on Sundays playing for the Buffalo Bills.

Episode #6 - Benjamin Morrison I This Notre Dame Team Captain talks about the importance of vision that leads to success, family and mentors

Episode #6 with Notre Dame standout Benjamin Morrison. In this episode we take a dive into Benjamin Morrison's road to glory. Born in Washington DC, playing high school football in Arizona then earning the honor of being name a freshman all American his 1st year of college. We examine Ben's philosophy on life, sports, family and vision. We take a look of how important family is to him, how their love has proven itself through his success thus far and the importance of keeping faith #1 and his best practices to keep him in an optimal state physically and mentally.. Please hit the subscribe button!

Episode #5 - Daniel Munyer NFL Lineman turned agent. No guarantees, tried out and established an 8-year career!

In this episode we talk with Offensive Lineman Daniel Munyer. Daniel is an 8-Year NFL Veteran that was undrafted and has just retired, now is following his dream of becoming an NFL agent. We talk about how overlooked he was upon starting his professional career and how he earned every snap he's ever played, which ultimately separates Daniel from other agents. We discuss the peaks and valleys from his playing days and the mental edge that ultimately still fuels his fire. Daniel is definitely a wealth of knowledge and he shares some of his best practices that has helped shaped his body and mind to perform at a high level. Tune in and enjoy!

Season 1

Episode #4 - Corey Kispert 15th Overall Pick in 2021 NBA Draft, Journaling, Mentors, Cold Plunges, "What Truly Makes Me Happy"

In this episode we interview Corey Kispert, drafted in 2021 by the Washington Wizards as the 15th overall pick in the draft. Corey attended Gonzaga, where he led his team to the National Championship and finished his senior season with an impressive 31-1 record. Corey speaks about early life athletics and how some of his earlier failures helped propel him forward in his basketball career. We dive deep on daily practices such as journaling and cold plunges and the importance of effective coaches and mentors. We touch on life outside of basketball and the emphasis Corey places on maintaining a balance between his work and his home life.

Episode #3 - Jamar Taylor 9-Year NFL Vet, drafted in the 2nd round of the 2013 NFL draft. Injuries, Habits, Self Doubt, Mentors, Values

Episode #3 with NFL vet Jamar Taylor aka JT. We dove deep into JT's past and early athletic life, growing up in southeast San Diego, with the mission of "getting out." JT doesn't hold back on his true feelings about being drafted in the 2nd round, of the 2013 NFL draft and how that inspired him. JT speaks on how he dealt with, and currently deals with self doubt and what important healthy habits will help our listeners navigate through these dark times. JT shows how important mentors are in his live and how these people shaped how he played, how he handles business as well as how to set boundaries. A great family man, husband, father and friend, enjoy this episode with JT! MUSIC: Jae Mrly

Episode #2 - Sydney Wiese 11th overall pick in WNBA draft, embracing weakness, nutrition, finding great mentors

Born & raised in Phoenix Arizona, Sydney was a highly recruited basketball star that attended Oregon State. After breaking records at the collegiate level, Sydney was selected as the number 11 overall pick in the 2017 WNBA draft to the Los Angeles Sparks. During our conversation, Sydney discusses the physical, emotional, and mental challenges of going from collegiate level play to professional play and how she overcame these issues in her own journey. We go over specific tips and insights on how athletes can optimize mindset, physical condition, and team relationships to help them succeed on their own paths.

Episode #1 - Chris Devenski the road less traveled, from JUCO product to a World Series Champ

Let this episode serve as proof that you are not a prisoner of your environment. Ultimately, you make these decisions. In this episode we speak with Chris Devenski aka Devo. A non-recruited junior college product, who made continuous sacrifices and tough decisions early on in life, which led him to a 13 year professional career. As we dive into the experiences that separate Devo from others, we see the amount of mental toughness and willingness to do the 'non-sexy' things needed to become part of the 1%. Growing up in LA, avoiding life on the streets, Devo relied heavily on sports, family and mentors to help shape his path to success. From being cut, thoughts of early retirement and thoughts about taking his own life to being named an MLB All-Star and winning a World Series is an awe-inspiring journey which needs to be shared. If you love sports, are highly driven or just want to see good people win, this episode is for you. Disclaimer: This is podcast is for all athletes, regardless of sport. The tips, routines and habits from this episode can be applied to all levels of sports and professions.

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