Ep. 97 - B Team Recap: Bourbon, Bentonville & Broken Chairs

A hundred episodes later, the energy feels different, in the best way. We unpack a year that stretched us and grounded us: restaurant openings that set a new bar for Bentonville, a brewery moving in next door to the new campus, and community events that turned goodwill into real impact. Along the way we laugh through the chaos, Bobby’s empty chair, a fire alarm mid-haircut, and a not-so-secret “VIP stash” moment; because the inside jokes only work when the community outside the studio is growing with us.

Food shaped the year’s rhythm. Compton delivered big-city polish with local soul, Mezzaluna continued to shine, and Great Harvest reminded us how far courage can go when first-time guests bring passion and pastry. We spotlight expansions at MJ’s and Peddler’s Pub, and look ahead with Flyway Brewery coming just a stone’s throw from our front door. It’s a sign of a city maturing: better rooms, deeper menus, and owners who treat hospitality like craft. We talk frankly about location challenges, closures that still sting, and the lessons they leave behind for builders and operators.

Bourbon kept the stories flowing. From special-pick Eagle Rare to a Weller full proof that sparked a legendary cabinet caper, we relive the sips that earned reverence and the blends that belong in the penalty box. Those pours became rituals: reasons to gather, reflect, and plan the next road trip to the bourbon trail. Gentsgiving hit a new peak, powered by generous people and tight logistics, and proved that humor, clarity, and heart can move a room to give more than they planned.

We also get personal. A Razorback-red watch gifted to a dad in a tough year, kids dropping by for ice cream and causes, and a cohost determined to show up for every recording in 2026. That’s the fuel for season three: add Jim to the regular lineup, film on-site at local institutions, and keep telling stories where Bentonville, bourbon, and business meet. If you’re new here, welcome to the table. If you’ve been with us from the start, you helped build it.

Enjoy the recap, then tell us what you want next: a guest to book, a bottle to try, or a place we should record. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves Northwest Arkansas, and leave a review so more people can find the B Team.

Transcript

Setting The Scene Without Bobby

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Welcome to the B Team Podcast. I am your host, Josh Saffron, with my co-host, Matt Morris, and our permanent guest, Rob Nelson. We're here every week to talk to you about all things Bettonville, bourbon, and business. The B Team Podcast.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

Be here. Welcome to the B Team Podcast. I'm your host, Josh Saffron, with my co-host, Matt Morris. And our permanent guest, Robbie. Bobby's gone.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

You know, Bobby, Bobby said he was going to be here. I know he was trying to give me a hard time for for being gone once. I just I just can't imagine what maybe that was him in Texas.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

Is that Bobby?

SPEAKER_03 0:49

No.

SPEAKER_02 0:50

Well, it's a sad day, but it's uh getting both of you here at the same time's miniature. Yeah, it's been it's been tough. It's been a tough, tough year. The extra gray, the bags under my eyes, it's because I'm stressed out. It's you guys, it's not my six kids, two businesses. It's none of that. It's it's you guys being in the same place.

SPEAKER_03 1:06

I mean, I get it.

Hitting 100 Episodes And Highlights

SPEAKER_02 1:08

We're here every Thursday for all things Bentonville, Business and Bourbon. And this was gonna be a good episode, but you and I will have to carry the load because Bobby didn't make it today. Um, we're gonna do a 2025 season two recap. You believe we're at a hundred episodes we filmed.

SPEAKER_03 1:20

I think saying it's nuts, and ninety eight of guys I made it to all but two or three.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

No, yeah, I think so. You but you've been here more than Bobby.

SPEAKER_03 1:30

I missed the last time you guys did.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

But of the hundred guests, like 98 have come from me. I mean, we're all but we're yeah, that's fair.

SPEAKER_03 1:36

We're clear on that. Rob did have two, I think.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Well, he was excited. Like, one of the things I want to highlight is like trailhead Tony came back um a second time this year.

SPEAKER_03 1:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

You missed that one. That was that was epic.

SPEAKER_03 1:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:48

There was a scene when uh when Tony and Kyle, because they're opening uh fry, yeah, which is supposed to open anytime, at about 40 minutes of the podcast, Kyle goes, I just need to go to the bathroom. I don't like, can you do cross your legs and do the pee-pee dance? We're almost done, you know? And then Tony goes, I have to go to the bathroom too. So you missed that, huh? Yeah, I did miss that. That was a good one. Nice. That was a good one. But I was thinking about the year, I think the there are one multiple highlights for me. Uh, one was adding Jim as our permanent alternate because he he's he's good. Yeah, but he filled in the the one episode we did when we did the uh the the fan club one. Yeah, I mean that was incredible.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

Yeah, and then you guys also we were talking, I was talking with the girls with my girls, and Mallory had reminded me that she came. That was because so there's another one I missed. Mallory came for the the ice cream.

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Yes, we had my daughter, your daughter, the ice cream. That was a huge hit. Shout out to uh honeybean. Honeybee, right? Yep, honeybean? I think it's honeybean. I think so. I think so. I wasn't here. You should know. I should know, but I didn't, but that was a great episode. Having my daughter Gabby came on for gut BFF. That was another shout out to Gita. That was a fun one. Well, yeah, we did we did expand with Jim and the girls and the family for sure.

Family Cameos And Fan Club Growth

SPEAKER_03 3:08

Yeah, so it was good. Yes, and I think we've kind of um we're kind of giving the 20 viewers what they want now. I think we've honed in on what everyone wants. They want more of you and Bobby.

SPEAKER_02 3:20

Yeah, the viewers are upset that we haven't had I mean it's it's hard to get Bobby. If I can get you both in the same room at the same time, baby steps. Um, I was going through in my head though, we set some really cool restaurants this year. Um, you were here for MJ's and the expansion, right? That's going on with Miles James. That was amazing. Um, Mezzaluna. Mezzaluna is also awesome. And then the other one that I loved, I mean, I loved all of them. Um uh Pellers Pub with the expansion. Like we had some really, really cool restaurant. We ate well this year.

SPEAKER_03 3:51

Yeah, we did. We even had uh um, didn't we have the uh Great Heart, the Great Harvest? Yes, them come with uh and they made the special bread for Natalie, which is amazing.

SPEAKER_02 4:05

I I saw them yesterday. Their business is blowing up, they're it's really good. I stopped for some breakfast yesterday, but that was great. They laid in none of them had ever been on a podcast and they were super nervous. Remember how much food they brought for us?

SPEAKER_03 4:17

So and I remember you took it all home. You didn't share with them.

SPEAKER_02 4:20

Not all. I took I took a you know, you were you were more five.

SPEAKER_03 4:22

I mean, you do have six kids, so yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

You guys keep rubbing that into six kids. Yeah, but but the other piece too, like you you started finding new places because you wouldn't have ever been to that restaurant.

SPEAKER_03 4:31

No, no. And I'd again I've been by there, but I never thought to go in there. So you send your people, you people in there to pick up the food for you? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Mallory, Mallory's been there, Natalie's been there. So the kids love it. It's perfect for you because it's on the way to the new campus. So you go right by it.

Restaurant Roundup And Local Food Wins

SPEAKER_02 4:53

That was my next piece, the new campus. We had um uh Steve Wayne come in. That was awesome, right? Yeah, I mean, talking about whatever what's going on. Um, we're trying to get a lot of folks in from their flyway brewery. We're gonna have on. Uh that should air. That's gonna be a great one. I mean, having a new bar up here from down in Fayetteville. Oh, I didn't realize it's a bar. Yeah, it's a uh it's a uh brewery, but it's a restaurant. Yeah, so it's got a lot of that feel. He's got is bringing his own stuff.

SPEAKER_03 5:19

Being a brewery, it is yes, does have alcohol.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

Which would be cool. And right next door to us, we'll have rights open on one side and we'll have flyway on the other side and a nice.

SPEAKER_03 5:26

I can just I'll be able to go there. When you guys go in the VIP, I can go over there and just set a flyway.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

And we could FaceTime you.

SPEAKER_03 5:32

Yeah. I just gotta get the jabs and well, it's good.

SPEAKER_02 5:41

It's good. You know, Bobby's there, he's I check on him, he's watching and I'm watching him on the camera and start he's looking for his people, he's in there by himself.

SPEAKER_03 5:48

Yeah, yeah. You should bring you as his guest occasionally. Well, he did he won't he wanted me to buy in and then he kind of backed out on it. So we could always get you to charge half the car not. Yeah. I know how those stories end. Always not good. I mean, we we could talk about old miss. I mean, there are plenty here in a few days. That's exciting. Are you going to the game? Yeah. We've gone to too many games. I'm I'm I'm funded out for football.

SPEAKER_02 6:17

Now, would Carrie say the same thing that you've been to too many games?

SPEAKER_03 6:20

Um we'll see it works out good for us because we we get to go see Kennedy. But smart answer there. That was good. Yeah, Kennedy wanted to go, but she's not gonna make it either. So it's in uh they go to the next round, it's in New Orleans on New Year's. That'll be fun. It's down the seven o'clock game, so it should be fun.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

Yeah, you go are you having a watch party at your house for all the viewers can come by?

SPEAKER_03 6:44

Probably.

SPEAKER_02 6:44

You want to put the address?

SPEAKER_03 6:50

With the toilet bowl? What if it's looking at the biggest thing? I'm gonna get into trouble from all the viewers.

SPEAKER_02 6:55

That was Matt Mars who's shitting on the with the razorbacks. Matt, should we flash your address on there for the for the game? All four Rob's uh friend from Hawaii and Haley and his mom will be knocking at your door to watch the game. Exactly. And that would count as you hosting.

SPEAKER_03 7:13

Yeah, yeah. I mean, well, I do host. It's you that doesn't. Yeah, so that's fair. That's fair. That's fair.

SPEAKER_02 7:19

Um, what else do we have? Um Clint came in. Yeah, right, and the first year we highlighted his a lot of his painting business, but we highlighted his clothing store this year. Shout out to Clint.

SPEAKER_03 7:28

And he brought some amazing stuff to Gentsgiving.

SPEAKER_02 7:32

He did.

SPEAKER_03 7:32

Yeah. Which Gentsgiving was it was the biggest year yet, right? Yep. Yep, just do it. Lisa, I I I give most of that credit to Lisa and Emily, but I mean you were there.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

So I was the buffoon up there, you know, monkeying around getting people to spend money. But yes, all the credit goes to Lisa. Russ was amazing.

SPEAKER_03 7:52

Yeah, Russ is Mike Hodges. Shout out to where's Russ been? He could have been sitting over there. Russ had knee surgery. Oh, I forgot he was gonna get a second. Yes, he done.

SPEAKER_02 8:00

Now let's put our hands up. Who has reached out to Russ to check in on him? Say hi.

SPEAKER_03 8:05

Ooh. I forgot about that.

New Campus, Neighbors, And Flyway

SPEAKER_02 8:08

I did check on him. Him and his gummies are doing well. He's he's he said this one was a little bit rougher than the last one. Yeah, but he's doing well.

SPEAKER_03 8:16

Well, by March he'll be through it, and maybe we'll be going on the bourbon trail or something. That would be good. That would be good. We got we tried a bunch of good bourbons. I mean, yes. Yep. Um, what was what would you say was the top and the the bottom? Do you even remember? I don't. Yes, I mean the top for me well clearly anything that you brought in that we got from uh oh now I'm forgetting his name. The Chris? I don't know. Yeah, Chris Brookhauser.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

Yeah, that was amazing.

SPEAKER_03 8:46

So yeah, that was an amazing gift, and you and Rob drank half of it that day.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Yes, that was yes, and watching your face every time it would slide across for an extra four.

SPEAKER_03 8:56

And then the bottom was the infinity that Rob brought. Was that this year?

SPEAKER_02 9:00

That was season one, and he's been banned from that. He hasn't brought a bottle since.

SPEAKER_03 9:03

My fly, my dry fly. Was that this year? That was this year. So you see, I got the top and the bottom.

SPEAKER_02 9:08

Well, I went twice. You know what the other top one was? Because again, it's only the luck of memoir when you picked up and brought in the four laser.

SPEAKER_03 9:15

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

Yeah, I forgot about that. Another one where I can.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Well, we actually have someone bringing us some today. We may have to try whatever they're bringing for you. That'll be a nice. I think it was uh Eagle Rare special pick. Yeah. Maybe we'll try that later. Let's go. I'm a bit Eagle Rare is good. Yeah, especially the special pick ones. Yes, yes, that's very good. So we tried the 12-year Eagle Rare this year, didn't we?

SPEAKER_02 9:39

No. Well, we probably did.

SPEAKER_03 9:41

No, I thought Russ Radda. Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 9:43

That may have been the 18 podcast. I wasn't I wasn't in attendance for that.

SPEAKER_03 9:47

We've tried, we've tried it on this. I know we have. The 12-year? Yeah, but because I think we like the 10 better. Did we do that at um Hodges' house? Did you guys have that? Oh, that's where we did. That's where, yeah. At the um another person we need to tab on again.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

Mike Hodges, and um, it was Mike and JS. Yep. That was a really cool episode. I wasn't there for that one. You missed it, did we? Was that the that's the one that we uh we FaceTimed you in and you were in Colorado? Yeah, I was in Utah. Utah. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 10:14

Another episode you missed. So maybe there was half a dozen. The first year I missed none.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

True. Yeah, true. But uh I got a lot of interesting phone calls in the last few weeks asking, is Matt off the show? Is there a contract squabble? Like, what's happening? I was like, I think he's I think he's in.

SPEAKER_03 10:33

Um yeah, I was kind of walking a tightrope there for a while, but I'm back on solid. Because the viewers want to know, are you gonna be part of season three? Yeah, I mean, I mean, as long as we're having season three.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Well, if Bobby's gonna start to show up occasionally, I mean, can we film from Bimini?

SPEAKER_03 10:48

I don't know. Uh he's he keeps sending pictures of houses from down there.

SPEAKER_02 10:52

He sure does. He sure does. And I asked him, I said, um, let me ask you a question. Like, are you gonna be here at some point? And then we started going through all the places where he's like, I've never been to uh Big Cedar. I'm like, you're just there a couple like, where have you been, Bobby? Like all around the world, but I know he's not here.

SPEAKER_03 11:08

You're the only one that hasn't missed, which I think you haven't because you know that Rob and I would just be like, can you imagine?

Gentsgiving, Community, And Recovery

SPEAKER_02 11:17

Can you imagine if I didn't show up? What would go on here?

SPEAKER_03 11:20

It would be a mess.

SPEAKER_02 11:21

I think one time I actually asked you, so can you do the opening, Welcome to the B Team Podcast? And we couldn't even get that done.

SPEAKER_03 11:26

I think I could do that. Yeah, let me hear. I mean, let's see.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

Here we go.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

That the welcome. Yeah, yeah. I would, you know, you just get in there and you go play Josh Saffron. You're like this. Hey, my name's Josh Saffron. I mean Matt Mars. Let's go. Let's do it. I'd like to welcome everyone to the B Team Podcast where we talk about Benton, Bentonville, bourbon, and business. Yes. That was cool. And my co-host Josh over here. Hi, I'm Josh. Bobby's not here, as always, and we don't have any guests.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Oh, you did good. I'm gonna hand for Bobby. That was incredible.

SPEAKER_03 12:02

That was incredible. So, I mean, I thought you would have at least brought Emily in.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

Uh, that was another highlight this year. Emily came. She sat right there. You weren't here that day. That was the Gents Giving recap. It was Yeah, I wasn't. No. And I was playing FTSE with her because it was a lot, I had a much better view that day than probably why she hasn't come back. I haven't seen her since. So there were a few disappointing podcasts this year from a standpoint of like Hutch's was amazing, but it's no longer here. Yeah, right. That was sad because we drove past, yeah, right there right after the podcast. We ate. And it was good. It was great.

SPEAKER_03 12:39

And it's just, I guess they just I don't know, maybe it didn't work for them or because you know they they did relocate here to run that business, so maybe they had to get go back home for family issues. I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

I think there's another hot chicken place or another chicken place that opened over there.

SPEAKER_03 12:55

Maybe I love hot chicken.

SPEAKER_02 12:57

So that place, everything that's been there since I've been here is fancy.

SPEAKER_03 13:01

Yeah. The only thing that made it the longest was uh was Atlanta or Panera was there, I think. Or Atlanta Bread. Atlanta Bread was one of those. And it lasted for five or six years. I mean, but the location it's just because it's tucked back off the street, but I mean it's a traffic area. It's a tough area. Yeah. Even on that point is tough. So location. That's what it's all about.

SPEAKER_02 13:24

Location, yep.

SPEAKER_03 13:26

Uh it's like you where you got it, the new campus gents.

SPEAKER_02 13:30

Yes.

Bourbon Highs, Lows, And Private Stash

SPEAKER_03 13:30

I can park. And then I met who did I meet last time I went there. So I parked in the the covered parking around back. And someone showed me the little wormhole where you can just go up the and you walk through by gearhead through that little I used to always walk down the flyway. Oh, the walk with the breezeway. Now the breezeway. Yes. It's quick. I was like, Josh was thinking here. I wish I could take some credit for that. Yeah. I wish I could take some credit. You lucked out on that one. Sometimes you get lucky in life. And I think you have good neighbors. Yes. Yes. Um, I did have a little situation last time. I was telling me, what was the problem? The fire alarm went off for 25 minutes while I was getting my hair cut. That was was that the late evening one? So you were in the chat?

SPEAKER_02 14:16

That was the night that the fire alarm went off? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:18

And it was like, they're like, it'll go off here in a minute. And then it was just like it just kept going. I think that but that was like a seven o'clock in the evening one? Or was it late? No, it was earlier than that. Really? So there's been multiple. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. We had a and I I think it's just there's you know how it is. When you have half of a building occupied in construction in the other half, it's gonna happen. And it's not an easy on-off switch with those.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

No, they're trying to figure out some kinks they're working out, and yeah, we're happy that we're one of the first folks that opened, but obviously by the time Jordan Wright opens up and flyway.

SPEAKER_03 14:51

Hopefully, yeah, because they'll have a bunch of stuff going on. As far as like smoke and cooking things, oh yeah. Oh yeah. All because then it could actually be something real. Now it's like, you know, it's one of the plumbers or something, probably. But no, I love the new location and everything's good going good there from what the girls have said.

SPEAKER_02 15:15

It's are you going there regularly or are you going back and forth?

SPEAKER_03 15:18

Um, I think I'm the last three times I've gone there. And I think I have another one in a week that's there.

SPEAKER_02 15:24

I have to go there because last time you you bullied one of our team members into giving you.

SPEAKER_03 15:28

Yes. I got to VIP level.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

Yes. And then they, you know, the poor girl, poor Lauren. Shout out to Lauren. I said it had never said anything. No, no. Well, she uh I was I was said, hey, it's okay because it's Matt. And then she was very upset and she felt bad and she apologized 10 times.

SPEAKER_03 15:44

You know, that that explains why last time I went in there, she offered me that dry fly.

SPEAKER_02 15:51

Well, the reality of the situation is she's like, isn't Matt one of your good friends? I'm like, well, no, I'd say some days.

SPEAKER_03 15:56

Yeah. Yeah. He's an acquaintance.

SPEAKER_02 15:58

Acquaintance, right? And he's an acquired taste.

SPEAKER_03 15:59

So it's one of those where you know I have to start moving my stuff away from that area there and keep it. You gotta flip it around to that VIP area. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

You thought that was hidden there, but well, I have a private cabinet there where I keep all my stuff, so there's always a couple bottles of blands back there, and I keep a lot of my Fortilays.

SPEAKER_03 16:16

Well or foolproof. There was. I may have finished it. There was, and uh well, I mean, she got down in there and showed me the blands, and I was like, no, no, no dig a little deeper in there. And she's like, Well, there's this blue one back here, and I was like, that's the one.

SPEAKER_02 16:29

I I have to go back and watch the video. And the nice part about the video, Jets, is it's it's audio with it.

SPEAKER_00 16:35

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 16:36

I have to go back in and pull it down and just laugh my ass off watching. And she was so proud, she's like, I know I was having her shit.

SPEAKER_03 16:43

I was having it. And then it was like, it was like a uh it was like her, you know, her prison pigs. It was like she was getting her oh yeah, getting her tucked into jail there.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

So then I sent a note of like, hey, FYI, um please refrain from going into my private stash unless you ask for permission. And then she's like, what do you mean? And I sent a picture of her holding the bottle of the weller fallproof. And the girls were like, oh my God, she was so upset. She was worried about losing her job. I'm like, shut up she's not gonna.

SPEAKER_03 17:14

I'm gonna bring a bottle in with this much in the bottom and tell her she can put it back in there to make it even. But she won't know the difference. If it's the dry fly, she'll be like, I'm waking up. Well, I'm gonna put dry fly in a weller bottle. Yes. So now we've got some good story. We haven't we haven't gone on any trips together, really. Nope, nope, nope. It's been kind of a I didn't get invited to the trip that you and Bobby went on. But which trip was that? I don't know. One of the islands that you guys went to without me. No, I don't remember that. We don't have any Bin many trips or nope, nope. It's been kind of Rob's been kind of slow on the vacations for Prince.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

He's very busy.

SPEAKER_03 17:54

Yeah.

Fire Alarms, VIP Perks, And Inside Jabs

SPEAKER_02 17:55

You know, he's very busy, and he's got a new friend group. Maybe he's planning a new a new trip. Well, he got a new friend group. He's he's very close with the folks from Maison Luna, he's working out a lot. He's at the gym, he's at Salt Health. Salt Health has been great. Yeah, he's been there. He came to dinner last night. He was like in a whole new wardrobe. The other time I didn't get invited. He had a whole new wardrobe on, too. Yeah, he's wearing like these camel hair finished jackets. I'm like, man, Hubbard's must be so happy that you're you're down a few sizes. Yeah. I mean, he had to have an$8,000 wardrobe.

SPEAKER_03 18:24

Did he have the glasses on? Didn't wear the glasses. He didn't wear the glasses. He told me he's bringing those when he goes to Miami next time. Oh boy. Oh boy. We may see him on the news. With the chain and the fur. So how how was dinner at Compton? Compton. We need to get them in here. Yes. Tom and Stewart. Or the chef or whoever.

SPEAKER_02 18:50

I mean, it was great. Have you been yet?

SPEAKER_03 18:52

No.

SPEAKER_02 18:52

Shout out to the Compton. This this what I was telling saying last night is when remember what 21C got here and everyone goes, oh my God, right? Until um Junto and um the motto came here. And then you walk into the Compton and it's like each of them like outdoes the other. It the finishes, the wood, the stone, the like every single thing in there. It looks like it's been there forever. It's incredible. And it's brand new. And then you go into the restaurant, and it's you know when you go to the like a big city and you're like in a it's a big city feel restaurant, not not the people, just like the ambiance. I mean it was like Bayeville? Yeah. Like Nueva York. Chicago. Yeah. But we walked in last night and a nice table, round table. Alice Walton sitting two tables over. Rob went over and introduced himself, gave his metal lake home card. Shout out to Rob. Yeah. I think he wants to build a new home for Alice.

SPEAKER_03 19:45

Maybe that's that would be good. I mean, that would be something.

SPEAKER_02 19:49

Yeah, I think she was there. I think John Tyson was there. I mean, it was everybody was there but you.

SPEAKER_03 19:53

Yeah. Well, that's probably why you guys didn't want me there. Hey, you can only have goblin way at that point. You know, I was I wore a sharey got me a shirt from Donnie that I wore. Or actually it was a you've probably seen it. It's a American flag sweater.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

Nice. Is that the one that you that's the one? I know that's the one that's on your new uh on your Facebook Christmas card.

SPEAKER_03 20:16

I ordered ribs because the girls wanted ribs. Well, I was reaching across to get something, and my sweater was hanging down a little. The whole bottom was in barbecue sauce. Did you return it to Donnie and say can I get it? I told him I said, I we have a little problem here. Luckily, Brenda, we were at Ripper Grill. Brenda got me some soda water and we got it clean. You got it out? Yeah. Did you get yelled at? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 20:41

Was it as bad as when you got yelled at for spilling a glass of red wine in your wife's lap?

SPEAKER_03 20:45

No. No. Which one was worse? That that well, the wine was worse. But I was almost, Donnie was ready to sign a deal for me to wear his clothing on the podcast until he heard about the barbecue thing. And he's like, I just I can't do it.

SPEAKER_02 21:01

Well, I mean, it's on your elbow, right? I mean, all you have to do is set up an elbow panel. That's what I told you. We could just put like a leather elbow. Yeah, let's call it a day. The BT Pocket, sponsored by Hubbard.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

I mean, I've been waiting for gents to get some new hats so I could wear it every time. I'm working on that. I'm working. You said you're kind of in the RD phase. I'm working on that. I'm kind of is Clint gonna make them, or what are you thinking?

SPEAKER_02 21:29

I have an ask out for Clint. It'd be nice. And then it'll be nice to have you rep the gents place. Do you ever did you burn that gents place hat that you got? I mean, it's no, it's not your favorite. I still have. Do you wear it like when you're picking up dog poop or something? It's gotta be appropriate for something.

SPEAKER_03 21:47

No, I wear it. I wear it. It's it's uh it's just not my favorite hat. Oh, we're gonna have to get you your favorite hat. Yeah, I mean, I from the mock-ups you showed, I think you're headed in the right direction.

SPEAKER_02 21:58

It's progress. It's progress. Yeah. I mean, but if but it's an all-white hat. I mean, you can't be out. I like that. You can't, yeah, but you can't be out having barbecue ships.

SPEAKER_03 22:07

Yes. And that do you wear that one? Well they last about a month. And then you have to throw them away. Because they're just filthy dirty. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Yeah. Well, then you but a all-white hat looks good. But think about that though. Like you have to go in and buy another one, right? Like, hey, most most hats you keep for years and years and years. Yeah. So for me, it's like, hey, I'll get your money a second time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:25

Well, when you're sponsored, you just go get another. That's true. It's kind of like the VIP Weller foolproof. You just go in and you say, and then she gets yelled at.

Trips Missed, New Routines, And Style

SPEAKER_02 22:34

Yelling was a straw word. We had to just say, in the future, let's refrain. Because in the back, there's uh there's Weller Special Reserve and there's blends and there's um um um Buffalo Trace. Yeah, they can't have the Fort Laser. That's not back there either. Well, it's for me. There's there's there's what's for the paying members. Yeah. So we're about to announce that we're doing a big uh gents place uh event out at uh uh Cherokee.

SPEAKER_03 23:08

Ooh.

SPEAKER_02 23:09

Bobby is super annoyed with me because it's one of the 320 days of the year he's out of town. So when are when are you gonna do it?

SPEAKER_03 23:15

Do you know yet?

SPEAKER_02 23:16

Oh, yeah. We got dates, it's gonna be nice. It'll be good. You're gonna have to keep keep that on your calendar. Maybe we could bring some mics and film from out there.

SPEAKER_03 23:23

Yeah, that'll be we've said that for years. I know. I was it I thought we were gonna film some in the VIP gems, but working on that too. But I don't know how you get back in there to film, like Rob can get back to because he's very well I could sit out in the normal one, yeah. And I could just have my laptop with like some headphones.

SPEAKER_02 23:42

Well, I've got a block at Flyway and you'd zoom in. Exactly. Have you been to Flyway before?

SPEAKER_03 23:51

No, I never have. I'm real excited. I'm excited.

SPEAKER_02 23:54

Because when you lived in Fayetteville, I wasn't there.

SPEAKER_03 23:56

No. It's been we haven't lived in Fayetteville in 24 years. That's that's how old I am. Twour years. That's a long time. It's changed a lot. Yep. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 24:15

So do you have any New Year's resolutions or anything you want to share with our wonderful listening audience as we head into 2026?

SPEAKER_03 24:22

I'm gonna try to be nicer to you and Josh or you and Rob. Oh, that would be wonderful. I'm gonna try to make all of the podcasts this year. That's big. That's big. It's gonna be hard though. You know, our kids are kind of the same ages, and it's you're being pulled 50 different places. There's uh you're just fortunate that yours have all stayed local.

SPEAKER_02 24:43

So far.

SPEAKER_03 24:44

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:45

Well, again, my daughter's in Springfield, so it's two hours away.

SPEAKER_03 24:48

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:48

Not all of us have a plane either that we can get in and fly. I mean, I'd have to drive to see them.

SPEAKER_03 24:52

Yeah. Yeah. You'll figure that out. But you may have one go to old miss too. We're we've been rooting that way. I know shout out to me. I know you're gonna probably squash me going down there. Well, canada be gone by then. Natalie's gonna be there the next year.

SPEAKER_02 25:09

Oh, she's definitely going. What did you pay like for the Mars wing down there on the football stadium? How do you know that you're trying to get it? She said she wants to go.

SPEAKER_03 25:19

She gets good grades. Yeah. And she might she wants to try to cheer.

SPEAKER_02 25:24

So that'll be nice. So you'll keep your spot at the grove for another few years.

SPEAKER_03 25:29

Yeah, we'll keep that.

SPEAKER_02 25:30

Hopefully, Rob and I get invited to that at some point. You're invited every every game. We're we're there. You throw me in the planes in the luggage rack. Yeah. Yeah. So you heard it here that we're invited every game.

SPEAKER_03 25:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:42

That's exciting. I've told you guys that. That's exciting. I don't get official invite calendar invites. Bobby doesn't really like going to that kind of stuff. No, that's not. He doesn't like crowds. No. But I I told him we went to the Razorback tailgate this year, it was fantastic. Like, I'm like, why don't I do this more often? Yeah. The football games. No, I know. It's so much fun. And here it's different. You walked around like, hey, there's Steve Lyon, and here's Johan and Shannon, and here's this one and that one. Like, you know, like 100 people. I mean, it was super cool. We had I had a really good time. Actually, why did I not get invited to this? You was Bobby there, too? No, no. Um, our contractors, shout out to CDI. Oh, Ryan. Yeah, Ryan invited us.

SPEAKER_03 26:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

And it probably was a weekend that you were out of town either at Old Yes or BYU. I mean, between what?

SPEAKER_03 26:21

We went to one this year, but I don't remember which game it was.

SPEAKER_02 26:24

Between end of August and December, you guys are here on most weekends.

SPEAKER_03 26:28

Yeah, it's a lot. Shout out to Carrie. Yeah, she's she keeps me busy. That's how she keeps me out of trouble.

SPEAKER_02 26:35

Oh, and speaking of, speaking of Carrie and Family in Trouble, I did see uh your dad got a beautiful watch for Christmas. I saw that. Yeah. Did you see that? I did. He must have been just purple bash. Blakeman's original. That's awesome. Yeah. He was so excited. Was that the red razorback one?

Compton Dinner And Big-City Vibes

SPEAKER_03 26:52

Yeah. Oh. Yeah. Super cool. Yeah. With with baby went in and you guys did it together? Um, no, I got it. I got him that, and then Dave got him another present that they're gonna do with with him.

SPEAKER_02 27:05

So that's fantastic.

unknown 27:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

Did he like does he know like when he saw the watch, did he understand like the magnitude of how cool that was, or did you have to explain it?

SPEAKER_03 27:13

I don't he seems like he really likes it. So he just he's never had a uh a nicer watch like that. So it was it was neat to give it to him.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

But I was gonna say, doesn't it make you feel good to be able to give something to your battery?

SPEAKER_03 27:24

Yeah. So yeah. So now he uh because you know, Rob and I got those, and they have like the red face, and then as the Jubilee, that's the one that they had at um that uh at uh Blake. Blake Street did that a bit. Yeah, that's the one that he was doing the picture of.

SPEAKER_02 27:39

Yeah, super cool. You bought it that night?

SPEAKER_03 27:41

Yeah, super cool. So I'm still waiting to see if I won that picture. I haven't seen it at Bobby's, so can you text Carson and see where you're at? I mean, you guys have I need to call him and see where the where it is.

SPEAKER_02 27:54

Ask him just to go pick it up and drop it off.

SPEAKER_03 27:59

You would think that you guys for the next next year's event and then give it away.

SPEAKER_02 28:04

That would be nice. But yeah, that was cool. I'm I'm sure. Um I got kind of chills at watching. Like I know this year's a rough year for for dad and everything, and just being around you guys and being for you to be able to give your dad a gift like that, that must have been so all well, all of us.

SPEAKER_03 28:18

Ben, Ben and the the whole group, Carson and Dominic, all gave us like we all had a good year. You you had a yeah, you had a nice you're not wearing it tonight. You got a nice watch. I did. I wore it to dinner last night with you aren't there, of course. But yeah. But it's neat because you know, most of us guys don't traditionally have any kind of like jewelry that we that we really look forward to wearing, like our wives do. So it's kind of neat. Yes. So I don't know how Carrie and Emily probably don't feel as good about it because it takes from the pot.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

Yes. I mean, hey, anytime there's a purple bag, they expect it to be for them. Yeah, they don't understand we have a purple bag and it's for somebody, not them. That's right. I mean, it's not like we're giving it to our girlfriends. Yeah. I mean, yeah, not that they know about, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:03

But it's give it to somebody else. The the whole purple bag thing. It's we need to have them back on the show. Blakeman's? Yeah. Oh, I would I would love to go film there. That would be great. So because like their new the new location. We I don't we haven't filmed with them since they opened the new location.

SPEAKER_02 29:17

Nope, nope. Shout out to Billy Yeah. Yeah, I'd love to have him back on, but we I'd love to film it on site in that private room that they have in the back.

SPEAKER_03 29:23

Yeah, it'd be super cool. I haven't ever been invited back there. Maybe kind of like the VIP at uh Gen, so I kind of held myself and walked back there one day.

SPEAKER_02 29:32

The guy's like, What are you doing back there? I'm like, Oh, I have a I I don't have a Rolex, I can't go back there in that room. I'm like, I'm here with Rob Nelson. Like, oh, okay, this is a Rob Nelson wing, so you should feel okay to come back here. They're like, Are you either with Rob Nelson or Michael Brewer?

SPEAKER_03 29:46

And I'm like, You're like, I'm friends of both. I know them. Yeah, I know them both. So no, it's we have we're very fortunate where where we live and what we've done with the podcast. I think it's I think we're starting to gain momentum. Oh, there's no doubt. I mean, we've got to be to 30.

SPEAKER_02 30:03

Well, what about the time? Like, we should probably end with. Remember when we went to Mezzalina for dinner?

SPEAKER_03 30:07

And the guy goes, Hey, that's the guys from the podcast twice. That's happened now at different places. Where was the other one? I think it happened there, and it happened at uh where were we at? Well, it's happened to me in uh where was I at? And I thought it was I thought they were probably saw me from the the TV show, but it was but it was from the podcast. Isn't that funny? And I was like, I gotta tell Josh this story, and I don't now I don't remember where it was.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

But that's amazing. Yeah, that's amazing. I saw Jenny last year. We were at she was at Basketball Beat Hits, and I'm like, I know you, you're from the Beat Team Podcast. You know, just she's on a TV show, you know? Yeah no, I saw you on the beat team podcast. Yes, you have to tell them. That's what you gotta say, right? I mean, yeah. We saw um Angie told me uh last night what they went to dinner with um uh Sorkey and Amy from uh Mezzaluna, and they were they were at a party, they were all together, and and uh the guy that was there was the guy that saw us from the B Team podcast. Yeah. And Angie goes, there was some other guy at one point that that really remembered you guys, and and Rob's like, that's this guy. She didn't she didn't realize it was that guy, but that guy shouldn't be like, some ass clown. That's still the same guy.

SPEAKER_03 31:25

Still him, still him. So that's something I would do.

Recognition Moments And Audience Momentum

SPEAKER_02 31:29

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 31:32

So anyway, but no, I I think it's been a great, it was a great year. And I mean, I look forward to next year. I hope we can maybe I can get one or two of the guests. That would be incredible. I mean, when we originally negotiated, I didn't there was nothing said about I was required to get any of the guests, so that's why I think I've kind of dropped the ball.

SPEAKER_02 31:52

That's fair. But then what aggravates me is when you and Rob are like, oh my god, I was like, Rob's already been to the Compton three times. You to the to the What did you get last time? I had we we had a steak, like a Wagyu steak, uh, and while I split that and then there was a homemade pasta dish.

SPEAKER_03 32:07

I everything was like a radio that radiator pasta. Did you get that?

SPEAKER_02 32:11

No, we did um there was a um uh a squid ink black pasta with shrimp. It was incredible.

SPEAKER_03 32:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:18

I mean, I will say it it's a pricey meal.

SPEAKER_03 32:20

I mean it's everything is the steak was price. That's probably why you didn't invite me because I would have been complaining the whole time. It was expensive.

SPEAKER_02 32:27

Well, what you would have done is you know, everybody else ordered like the pasta dish, and you'd be like, let me get there's a 42-ounce steak there that's like 250 bucks.

SPEAKER_03 32:34

Like, let me get one of those for me, one for the kids for home, one for usually what Rob does, he tries to talk everyone into getting that, and then he splits it with them. Yes, which I can't believe you didn't do that with them.

SPEAKER_02 32:46

Nope. And we didn't even have any bottles of wine last night. Which again, you know, Ruth Chris, two weeks ago, we had six, seven, eight, ten bottles of wine.

SPEAKER_03 32:54

Yeah, that's that's what makes it expensive to you. Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

Well, I only hope that you guys are here for at least 50% of the shows next year. That would make my life a lot easier.

SPEAKER_03 33:04

We will. I think we can do 50%. That's a big number. I mean, I I have a lot of vacations I could add.

SPEAKER_02 33:10

Well, like you're at 75 and Rob's at 25, so combined you guys are at like 50. You know, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

It's fair. So do you still think he's gonna come today or whether what are your thoughts? We have a couple minutes left.

SPEAKER_02 33:22

Well, he clearly didn't make this one, but didn't we have an episode we were filming something and he was like out there and he came in in the middle? Is that Clint? I don't remember who it was. He's like, hey, Bobby's here, come on in.

Resolutions, Tailgates, And Family Wins

SPEAKER_03 33:33

Bobby. Well, the viewers want him back. I don't know. Maybe we need to to see if they really do want him. Maybe they want Jim. I don't know. Well, Jim, Jim was very humble. I think he's better than I am, too. I think you would be better off cutting loose Rob and I and just taking Jim. The viewers just wouldn't be as happy. I mean you have a fan club. I know. I mean, I I would I would hate to see it happen. I'm just saying. Well, maybe we'll maybe we'll morph to have the four of you guys. We could have four. I'll be good. And then well. And then it doesn't matter when one of us doesn't show up. Well, so are you saying we're gonna give Jim a promotion from the permanent alternate to the permanent co-guest? If he's willing to sign on, I think it might be kind of neat having four to bounce questions off. Yeah. Because we could slide this table ahead and we could just put the person that we're interviewing right here. Which would be which would kind of be in we could get rid of that ugly picture that we have up there. We should update just for yeah, year three.

SPEAKER_02 34:35

I mean, Bobby, I don't know how much more weight he can lose. No, I don't either. And we can get an H hat in front of the instead of the B hat for you to rock your Hubbard's hat that you always like.

SPEAKER_03 34:44

Well, I could wear a uh yeah, one of us could wear a a Hubbard and one could wear a gent's place. Yeah. We'll like to. So and I've got a lot grayer since we did that photo, too. There's yeah, we have to. No, it looks like you maybe you've gained a little weight too. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. You know what was funny?

SPEAKER_02 35:01

When Jim when Jim was here the other day, you missed him. We have such good one-liners. But the guy who owns um this bar called Fry, um, have you met him before? He was the guy that owned the dive bar.

SPEAKER_03 35:11

No, I think.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

It was Kyle. Good, good dude. Yeah. Um and we said Where is Fry? So Fry Fry is going. You know where a loom barbershop used to be down the square? It's it's going in right over there. Oh, nice. Which is a great spot. Great, I think it's a great spot for a like it's almost like a speakeasy field. If you can't find the bar from the street, it's back in the back. And so he's telling us we so how do you come back? So by first seat? Yes, yeah, right next door. Okay. So how did you come up with the name Fry? We're waiting for this thing. So then I, of course, go, well, he saw Rob come out of the bathroom and he goes, Oh, small fry, right? And then wrong. So then he goes, he tells a story about which we're all like, Is this a real story? Yeah. How the fry is a baby seahorse, which I didn't know. So he's showing his tattoo this thing. So the Jim, like five minutes later, goes, You know that um the name of baby oyster is Benville. And he was like, What? It should be true. No. And then we say, Well, why don't we have um seahorses like like an aquarium in there? And then he says, Well, they just don't like bass and there's gonna be a lot of music playing, and seahorses will die. We're like, Well, what? But but it's called fry because it's baby seahorses, which we we learned something new. There you go. It's very exciting. Well, until next time, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 36:28

That's it. Until next time. Well, thank you for your 85% participation this year. And we can't say anything to Rob, but we'll send him a letter. We'll write him a letter.

SPEAKER_02 36:37

We'll write him a thank you note.

SPEAKER_03 36:38

Yeah, right?

SPEAKER_02 36:39

Dearest Bobby, thank you for attending a club. We don't know, but thank you. Remember, like in the LA the participation trophies in sports? Well, you bobby a participation. Yeah, it would be our sticker, man. Yes. Well, Matt, it's a good year. Yep. Looking forward to season three. Yep, 26. Here we come. Here we come.