In this episode I sit down with Michael Fortune, to whom ball is literally life. He joins us as the first remote guest of Te Passion Project, which would explain why his audio sounds a bit different to previous guests. He talks about how basketball saved him from going down a path that would’ve trapped him in a life of darkness, and how his athletic talent allowed him not to become a statistic. We discuss his business, Fortunate Hoops, as well the Cook & Fortune Foundation, which was set up to give back to the community and to under-privileged kids in need. Knowing oneself is also a theme that crops up in the episode.
The audio cuts out a couple of times in this episode due to some technical difficulties, but I tried salvaging it as best I could. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we had fun recording it.
In this episode I sit down with Michael Fortune, to whom ball is literally life. He joins us as the first remote guest of Te Passion Project, which would explain why his audio sounds a bit different to previous guests. He talks about how basketball saved him from going down a path that would’ve trapped him in a life of darkness, and how his athletic talent allowed him not to become a statistic. We discuss his business, Fortunate Hoops, as well the Cook & Fortune Foundation, which was set up to give back to the community and to under-privileged kids in need. Knowing oneself is also a theme that crops up in the episode.
The audio cuts out a couple of times in this episode due to some technical difficulties, but I tried salvaging it as best I could. I hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we had fun recording it.
spk_1: 0:00
In this episode, I sit down with Michael Fortune, to whom bald is literally life. He joins us as the first remote guest of To Passion Project, which would explain why his audio sounds a bit different to previous guests. He talks about how basketball saved him from going down, a path that would have trapped him in a life of darkness. And how is effort? A talent allowed him not to become a statistic. We discuss his business fortunate hoops, as was the Cook and Fortune Foundation, which was to sit up to give back to the community and to underprivileged kids in need. Knowing oneself is also a theme that crops up in the episode. The audio cuts out a couple of times in this episode due to some technical difficulties, but I tried salvaging it as best I could. I hope you enjoyed listening to this episode as much as we had fun recording it to supports a passion project, please consider subscribing to us on Spotify, apple podcasts, Google podcasts or YouTube. You can find out more about the show. Once a passion project dot com, We can also support by purchasing a passion project T shirts. Wait. Got a whole bunch of colors available. And each purchase helps keep the showboat afloat. Your final to Dakota car talk. My name is his Ron Alban. And welcome to to passion Project Passion Project is appalled cost aimed at those people who are wanting to take that first step towards making it happen. Thank you so much for tuning in. And I hope you enjoy the show. Yeah. Yeah, like I said, wherever you want to take it. But it zipped up to human organically would just
spk_0: 1:43
happen the way it's meant to happen.
spk_1: 1:44
Exactly. Exactly So. All right, men. Well, on the show of God, Mr Michael, Fortune was some homey.
spk_0: 1:53
How would it do, man, It's ah, it'll be on the show, man. I've been trying to get on. We're trying to plan it out for a while, so actually be here in a moment. And me being the first doing what we're doing is, uh, pretty cool. I think it's gonna work out. I'm going to
spk_1: 2:07
be in our interview, bro. Meant to be. So we're about saw you at the moment meant
spk_0: 2:14
I'm currently in Ah, Melbourne, Australia Melbourne, Australia 6:43 p.m. On a Wednesday
spk_1: 2:21
on a Wednesday Man lands day. I don't even know what time it is here. Like 3 43 on a Wednesday for us, Something ahead. Yemen. So the time difference isn't as big as is between here in West Virginia, right?
spk_0: 2:35
Ah, was a big difference between Ah, West Virginia and Manila. But Melbourne and Manila? No, it's not, uh, similar little bit
spk_1: 2:47
West Virginia, bro. Tell us a bit about about
spk_0: 2:49
West Virginia. Good old Virginia. I know it's funny because a lot of people don't know about really like West Virginia anytime. I'm saying from West Virginia, all Yeah, I know Virginia. I know. Virginia. I'm like no West Virginia. Oh, yeah. West of No, no, no, no. Let's Virginia, Virginia to different states, man. So wild and wonderful. Just pretty scenery, a lot of mountains. Um, just this is the real one of the lower income states in America out of the 50. But, um, it's this gorgeous man, Lot of gorgeous. I mean, I know you get it mean New Zealand is part of the beautiful, beautiful country There is out there, especially that I've laid on his own. But you put it in a little bit of a mind frame like that. West Virginia, Not as exotic with this injury as, uh, New Zealand. But in them terms, that's how the mountains and about how it just goes. So, yeah, man. Mountain Momma taking home from back weeks.
spk_1: 3:46
Yeah. Bakley, West Virginia. That's the one in a row before. So what's interesting, man is is how we met. I remember one of the first instructions we had was in Mikey, Brett Ahmad on Billy. Billy. I actually introduced those boys. Um, yeah, man shot its ability. That's the guy. And then that's the guy. That's the guy. And obviously be as well who, um, you know, was was an integral pot off. Why? We met
spk_0: 4:15
a stop three, uh, top three people I've ever met in my life on wax. Brian. Eyeball,
spk_1: 4:22
you have. Ah. So before we sort of get into the story of how we met Just how did you end up in Oakland, bro? Ah, just eso a whole bunch of random events, right?
spk_0: 4:36
Uh, yeah, I am pretty random and stuff. Hand happens for me pretty randomly. Just Lau. I ended up in an awkward working in Brenham or Nike? Uh, yeah. I've just been working at Nike in Australia at the employee store, and ah, just you know, I had some a few connections there, And the guy that I met, his daughter had played for the bowling boomers. The professional team. I was playing for the top, and he kind of presented me the opportunity with a job of Nike and Ah, yeah, it kind of went through there and not knowing who this guy was shot to. Dallas Boland is his name. Ah. I was working an event as Southworth in Melbourne and a promo of and Dallas comes up and we're joking, talking in his regular conversation like a daughter place for Blaine. Like he was my connection to get in a Nike. But not too many people that work with me or work for Nike knew that. And, ah, once, um, mean him Finish chopping it up, uh, shot a mature me and him was standing and talking here, No doubt. List. Yeah, that was like, How do you know Dallas? Or explain the situation? How I just explained. And ah, he goes, You don't know who he is. Do you. I'm like I am. And this is Dallas. He's like no man. He's the director of Rita Nike Retail Australia. If you're cool with hell, I'm like, Oh, wow. So, so humbled of a guy he is, because I've known for some months and didn't even know his title. I just thought he got me the job, bro. Yeah, I kind of just went from there hustling, working at the store, playing ball stuff. Unless my season ended. I was still working for the story that was in Melbourne on a working holiday visa. And yeah, just ah was weighing my options or what I want to do next. And Dallas just put me in front of some opportunities. Ah, potential to work back in the States. Potential chance to work in ah, London at Nike town. And then, um, yeah, I was just working one day and ah, God. Camera shot the camera. Hutcheson, come up to me and we're just talking, talking about my situation. It's like I have a guy out in, um in New Zealand and he runs his own store in Auckland. He'll be up here in three weeks. Um, introduce you guys. I'm not all. Yes. Sweet. Cool. Cool. And some weeks went by sometime and I hadn't seen Cam. I don't even know if this situation with Lachlan is even real, you know? And Ah, yeah, These two people come into the store to get shoes. A woman in a guy to come to get shoes, air Max wants to be exact. And ah, there was, like, a mix up. And the woman when she had left, I went to go solve the matter. And the guy was just, you know, running around the store, I come up, start talking to him, introduced myself and ah, he's just kind of like that. Where you from? I'm just like, Oh, yeah, from, ah, States. He's like, Yeah, no shit. Where are you from? And I'm like, all from back in. What we're doing is like, cool bro from Sarasota, Florida. I'm like, Oh, dope, sweets. We're talking about the states. Just talking regular talk, easy. Casual was just flowing back and forth. And, uh, yeah, you know me. One of American meeting another in a different country is just easy chit chat and yeah, just to make a long story short, I was telling my situation, Nike, what was going on? And I was like, me. And my friend camera was supposed to introduce him to this guy that runs the store out in Ah, Zeeland. And, uh, I haven't seen camera in a while, so I don't know if that's a go and ah, you know, Cameron that it? Uh, yeah. No, Cameron, that, uh, he goes, Hey, man, I'm Braun and I go Oh, no way. You know, you're the guy. You're the guy and he pulls his car. Now hand it to me as a man. You can come work for me any day if they figure out what you want to do. Like start explaining to me about the store, just everything. Just get your ducks in a row. Call me. We'll go from there and see what happens. And then next thing you know, I just wait All my options and ah, yeah, New Zealand was the most appealing because it still gave me the opportunity to play basketball as well while working for Nike. So just yeah, made. Ah, that's how I ended up in Auckland, New Zealand, man. Yeah, just I won't even supposed to work that day. And, uh, but I was supposed to work that day, right? So yeah. Cool. Yeah. Yeah.
spk_1: 8:43
I remember that day quite clearly, actually. The very first day that Billy introduced us to. Yeah. Then yet and then a couple of days have gone by, actually, and I wasn't at work. But you were working through it that that whole week, pretty much
spk_0: 8:57
trying to I was still trying to find you. I was homeless, trying to find a place to live. So it was How could my ships? Yeah.
spk_1: 9:03
Yeah. And then I appreciate you remember this as well, but we actually bumped into each other. The bathrooms, huh? All right. I had osteo. Hey, boy, like, how's it going? How's the situation? And I remember you telling me, like, dude, I'm actually finding it real hot. Spit more wings and fly, because at that point, you don't actually know where you're gonna lay your head that night,
spk_0: 9:24
right? And if you can't? Yeah, I mean, I couldn't leave the nest. I didn't know where I was gonna end up back, so I just stayed competitive. Yeah, man, tough times.
spk_1: 9:33
He ever And then you obviously went back into the store. I went back into the shop where I was working at, and I was actually thinking about this. I was like, shocks closed. My parents were in the Philippines at the time, and I had the whole crypt to myself. So I was thinking Fire out, light off an extra bid. I reckon the stewards goto a story to share. I really want to hear it. I think I might offer you the crib. So I walked across the road into into Mikey. And remember, we exchange numbers, right? I was like, Yo, dude, if you need a place to stay at the end of the week, you haven't found one yet. Like, give me a text message.
spk_0: 10:08
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
spk_1: 10:10
And then you gave me a text message message on the Sunday I think
spk_0: 10:13
you know, I gave you a text message on the Saturday I'll stay on a Sunday because you at church and I was right about that shift. And that's right. I was very hesitant to hit you up. The only reason I hit you up because my financial status had was getting really bad. So, President, I didn't know you. I was hesitant, but a man desperate Times calls for desperate measures, man. Huh? But I'm glad. I'm glad I made the call, because now I'm here three years later talking to you so
spk_1: 10:41
And we're having this shed today. It's crazy. Obviously. I had I had a bit of apprehension as well. Just offering up the place so strange that I admit not 40 48 hours prior says a lot of Monroe. Suppose we both took a risk,
spk_0: 10:55
right? Takes one to know one
spk_1: 10:57
for 44 all union fold. You knew I could have had, like, some sort of, you know, dungeon in the place. And I could just led you there. I like, I
spk_0: 11:04
like I told you at the front door, dude, I could I could kill you right now. You could have a stroke, but it was really
spk_1: 11:12
I actually gave my dad a call before I picked you up. I was like, Hey, um, I've met a dude. New employees at Mikey, and he doesn't He doesn't have a place of states, and I've actually offered him the place, and he's here Call. No worries. No worries. Why didn't why didn't say, though, is that your what? 63 black dude.
spk_0: 11:34
Tone it down some 6161 Sorry. I wish. I wish I wish
spk_1: 11:41
the those That is quite funny. I remember also telling the boys I was like, Yo, I've got the stewed at the crib. If you don't hear from me tonight, you guys need a roll through and make sure, All right?
spk_0: 11:54
You could have sent them into a trap, though, but it was a mandatory text.
spk_1: 12:00
You also met Gino and Chris that night?
spk_0: 12:02
Yeah. Yeah, you know Chris Moore. So happy genome or so Not
spk_1: 12:07
way. Want to get into that, But yeah now. But it was It's just it's quite interesting how stuff some of the lines and in, you know, people come into each other's lives and everything like that. Because at that point in my career, anyway, I was in a bit of ah, a bit of a slump. Actually. Both of us Waas Both of us were Yemen. And then I was like Like I said, I was like, Fuck, this guy has to have a story
spk_0: 12:36
way needed each other, bro.
spk_1: 12:39
Exactly. Exactly. We don't even know. Um I don't know how much you want to touch on this man. But for you, um, Ball is life. Yeah. Let's gay, man. That literally gave you the opportunity, Thio. You know, get some Melvin gets in New Zealand, have the opportunity to maybe go to London. Um, it's saved you right. Possible.
spk_0: 13:02
Oh, my God, Yes, I say it and I mean it. I would die for this game. I'm eternally grateful for this game. My first love, My number. It's my passion. It's something I've been doing since as long as I can remember. My family says three. I remember far back is about five, but yeah, it's it's it's definitely been been the vehicle. Tow my success, but it's ah, definitely opened up a lot of other doors, so I'm thankful. Thankful for the gang Mary
spk_1: 13:33
and a couple of those doors that basketball had opened up for you was education. Yeah, Major case. Tell us a bit about Tell us a bit about that
spk_0: 13:41
broad. Oh, dog. If it wasn't for ah basketball when I went to school, I want to win to college. I wouldn't have a degree, none of them and Onley reason, man is just if I didn't go to school. I didn't complete my schoolwork. I don't need to play basketball. And nothing was stopping me from playing basketball. Like even when I was a kid. Man, I just I was always dealt with responsibility. My mother, you know, shout to my mom. I love you. I'm the owners before and I had duties. I was the man of the house. Never met my father before. And my mom worked at the Hampton Inn. Man, never forget Hampton Inn, sometimes 7 p.m. Seven a. M. Seven PM So I had to be men of the house. Get my brother, You know, off the head start bust after I got out of school and make sure the house is clean. Make sure you know dishes. Well, just all your chores as a young young adult, because that's what was or make sure me and my brother was straightened. My mom got all she would let me play basketball if things one done around the house. I couldn't play basketball, but things were done. I could go play basketball. So you know what I was gonna do? I'm gonna get it done, and that just but that foundation from that being a young young child. Help me later down the line tohave that discipline. Wanna go do things for basketball? So my mother, I think she really started that trend of me just sacrificing anything for basketball 100
spk_1: 14:59
percent. What were the sort of things that basketball safety from
spk_0: 15:04
bro Ah, save me from, Ah, lot of situations. Uhm ah. It gave me a way out of a city that is easy to get stuck too easy to stay in and negativity forms. It's swarms. And in my life, I've always had situations about basketball has put me either go right or go wrong and just Ah, I'll give once the word that sums it all up. And I tell the story all the time. And, um, never forget just moved into Beckwith apartments from Beckley West Apartments. And, ah, there was some kids. They're in the area who were kind of just rough around the edges and things like that. Terms getting in trouble and things like that. But I enjoy them were friends and my boys Underwood hanging out with them, and there was two of them in specific to twins and, um, yeah, they come to my door and they Ah, they asked me to go to food line with them and I remember going upstairs asking My mom couldn't go tofu line. She looks outside, see who's down there and she's like Hell, no, you're not going down there that that that guy is the third. You're going to play basketball like we planned. I'm taking you to the wild went and told my friends that I couldn't go mad. Of course, Then the way that my mom's doing all this stuff about separating your friends and rail winds and like basketball, we'll get you out and hanging with them will take you away from doing this. Just all this stuff, but one without the other. When you're 13 14 year old boy, he's one night with the boys, right? And, uh, get to school the next day and found out that both of the twins I got arrested for shoplifting a full on. Gee, that's one decision right there, and that's one of many, right? So that just gives you the type of things that saved me from. And that was it makes me so much. Maurine the Moto want to give back to kids in my area in my neighborhood because I once was that kid with the same, um, you know, situation, same choices. But basketball was the one thing that kept me away from that. And you don't have to be basketball for the kid's gonna be anything that keeps you away from that path and that path. It's easy to go down in my city, so, yeah, man, that's one of one of the things of many that basketball is kept me in line with, man. Yeah,
spk_1: 17:20
one of many of our ever pull a couple. I remember. I recall a couple of the other stories that you told me that first bricks that we had that morning and it was quite Israel different for me, Real difficult. Sorry for me to listen to this stuff because this is the sort of stuff that, as as a non American, this is the stuff that we sort of see like that only happens in the movies. But it's It's like
spk_0: 17:47
a reality. Yeah, my whole life. A lot. Whole life. Good, bad. Even the story when the Nike situation and when I just put in this stuff that you can pick up where there's good about always. I have stories for days, man. Yeah, you D'oh! Oh, for days. For days, man.
spk_1: 18:02
Huh? I know that you've got a bit of plans, you know, share that shit. Show that someone steal your thunder from from that problem. But I don't know when I, uh
spk_0: 18:13
I'm wrong here, bro. You asking what open, bro? I have nothing to hide. Nothing. What
spk_1: 18:20
was your time at, um, King University likes are telling me that you were the youngest ever player. Coach?
spk_0: 18:30
Yeah. I was, uh, just King University man. Just before even touch on basketball. That school that's near and dear can University that five year span. I was there in Bristol, Tennessee. Partly the best five years of my life. Real tone from the professor's. So my coach's toe, my friend, that turned into my brothers. I'm playing the sport that I love to getting a degree just to the area and the, you know, the community. It was just, um, coming from back. Lee man, you just don't know nothing, man. And I never was a kid to travel or went to different places. I was always confined in one spot. And if I traveled for anything with basketball and just to get out the house and just grow up as a man can universities just is everything to me. Um, just is everything to me, but ah, yeah, man, I was I played for four years at King University. Um, I got my degree in sports management minor and coaching, and I was always a captain of the team in the last couple years and was always young. Came in as a freshman and played straight away, and was just one of the younger guys who was always cool with older guys. And, uh, just yeah, I was actually working a job enterprise and got a phone call. Um, this is after I graduated from King University. So now I'm working. It's my first year without basketball. Is gonna phone calm down, offered ah, comes to J. V. Basketball team at King University, and it just went on for a couple of three weeks is just a fill in for somebody who was having some personal issues. And yeah, man won the crowd over man like gladiators. They say when the crowd and, uh and, uh, was coaching guys and I was just hanging out with, like, you know, playing video games with going out, hanging out, going out to eat. And I became their coach. And within three weeks, man, I knew I had him rain washed into. What I was trying to do is one When you were saying Yes, sir. And I'm like, No, like, I'm your boy. Don't like no Yes, sir, You know, saying there's like, sexual, I respect you and the whole person and change all came someone from basketball player, the basketball coach. And it was just part of this experience of my life. I've always been a leader. I've always been responsible. I've never really thought about being a head basketball coach at that time. And that opened up the doors for me, thinking about doing basketball coach in that one year. So thank you, George Pits and King University for even thinking of me to give me the opportunity in It was dope. It was super dope. Superdome Super does love King. I love King University.
spk_1: 20:54
It's amazing, man. So the experience is a coach that you took from from the J V team Can University obviously brought that over to New Zealand as well To Melbourne at the same time. Um, Bastable, New Zealand man. Something quite something threw a spanner into the works for you. So you had a plan to play in New Zealand? Yep. So that something happened Young, uh, major was those that brought
spk_0: 21:24
ah, tore my patella tendon on.
spk_1: 21:28
That's sometimes that's that's not an injury that many people recover.
spk_0: 21:32
Not common. They'll recover. Um, I see what I see. What time it was this I got told by Wiseman. Shut out. The Braun able again Top three was I kind of got a man in my life. I'll say it over and over. Told me something, man, When I got injured, I never forget. He told me that sometimes the worst thing that happens to you in being the best thing that could happen to you. And once he told me that it just clicked and I just started to ah, change my whole way of thinking the whole process. When I was really mad at the world, I was really depressed. Of course, I'm in a different country by myself. No family, um, going through and I've been playing basketball my whole life and never had a serious injury. And one of that magnitude, man, I had a teach myself how to walk again, How to run again. Howto, um, lift my leg up like it was crazy. I really, really got broken all the way down to a pebble and had to pull myself back up into this flower. And, um, it was incredibly, incredibly tough on anyone. Understand what it's like to have injuries, but that injury to give me a 10% chance to play again, Doctor, have a 10% chance. I say. I never walked the same run. The same thing would be different. And it has been it has been. But in life you adjust, you make adjustments, his life goes and it happened, and you move on from it. You learn, you pick up the pieces of the puzzle and you continue to put your picture together. And that's all I've done. And I've been I've been on an incredible journey at every opportunity to quit playing the game of basketball because of that injury, and this happened in 2017 June 21st. Never forget, and it is. What is it March 18th 2020. And I'm still playing. I'm back playing. This is my first season Since then I'm a I could say I'm 100% healthy that I played. I don't even think about money has been
spk_1: 23:19
praised, has been crazy called man. He's going on every
spk_0: 23:22
single day, every single day relationship strong
spk_1: 23:25
with them that injury, it would have bean such an easy decision for you to make to be like you know what? I'm just gonna leave this all behind. I'm never gonna be the same basketball that's done. Like I will never pick up a possible again. I will never step onto a court ever again. Um, how did you obviously be? Was like, you know, the worst thing that could happen to you could end up being the best. How did you just get out of that hole, bro? Because that is a That was a date. Frickin whole army. You in?
spk_0: 23:58
Yeah, it's very Ah, very deep hole. I know you remember my times. I was really dark, bro. I was room. It was hard to see the light, but Ah, I'm a fighter, bro. I'm a survivor, bro. Like I said. The game is giving me everything. It got me out when I could have stayed in and bend it. Statistic. And I just I just I don't know, man. I just just when you love something so much, man and you're so passionate about something, man and you don't get to end on your terms, I never want to live with that regret. Once I realized that if I just quit and not play and settle for what's happened because of Obstacle thrown in my way, then I'm regular and I view myself is not a regular person. And once I realized what I realized that I was just able to really lock in and treat the process for a marathon, not a sprint. Take my time, take baby steps, find other things about find out other things about myself that I didn't know. I mean, when you can't do something, you've been doing your whole life and you're forced to try to figure out other things. This starts to create and think and things happen. I was injured and I could have set there and be mad at the world for a long time like I was, but I got creative, You know, I was doing my rehab. Super motivated to get back. Um, I got the opportunity to create my foundation. Um, I got the opportunity to create my basketball serving my basketball. Um, individual basketball service. I was working in New Zealand. Um, I got to create Ah ah, fragrance that I've got in the works right now. I just really got creative and just started really thinking about what I'm bigger bat life is bigger than basketball. Once I realized that I really start to dig deep and find out things about myself that I didn't know. So I took it as a great opportunity to learn and road and really grow and really heal a lot of wounds that I grabbed, gather my whole life and was, once the world stops, I mean, the ground doesn't So, um, for May is just I was not gonna I was not going to give in to something when I'm done playing basketball. That's when I say so. Not when that happens and tells me that's how once I realized that the bone has got the role of man. Yeah, I'm still here. I'm standing tall. Told me what I couldn't do. And I just wanted to do it, so yeah, man, it was It was tough time. I was I was suicidal. Thoughts broke. Never had it before, man. Like, I could really touch hard on mental health awareness. But I was there. I was at my last. I was in my last eggs, man. Really? It took a lot for me to dig myself out their home. And that's that's That's why I am who I am now. And that's why I act on it. So you gotta go through things and start in order to understand who you really are and you're tested. Tells you a lot about yourself. Yeah, man, it's crazy. Crazy, crazy.
spk_1: 26:44
That's that's so amazing, boy. Because, you know, we we sort of walked to that together. Manly. You don't have any anyone else in Auckland? I thought I still remember picking you up that one rainy ass knights have dinner with my parents. And that was when you were, like, fresh injured as well, bro. Yeah, you remember that. You hold your asada bid toe, have dinner with us. So that was the first time you met them, right?
spk_0: 27:07
Yeah, First pair. It's crazy at first,
spk_1: 27:13
um, never like that. That's just such an amazing story about how you you dug yourself out of that man. Thanks for Thanks for opening up.
spk_0: 27:21
No, man. Just thank you, man, for opening up in that time of need, man. Just being there for me, You know my friend Brandon Lucas and actually come in Poteau Brown Eye Bull, my Nike staff, Just the parents and the community of tech Capone a, uh, Cressida grammar school. Like just everybody who was in that situation. I cannot express enough how much they did for me, man. They're really rallied behind me when I was down. And for that man, I was not gonna lay down. I was going to stand up. And you other people stand up for you. Makes it easier for you to get up. So, no, thank you for opening up in the people who I met in Auckland, New Zealand, The hour y'all never for gotten off chair shoot, even though we don't speak or I don't see you. But I cherish you. You're here and you know who you are. And it became across passion. You know what's up. So thank you guys. Seriously, I love I love awkward
spk_1: 28:11
tech pentagram abroad. You would have bean. You have been quite a figure of the open don t want to many Americans out there. Men,
spk_0: 28:21
there's not. There's very sort of amount of Americans in Auckland versus Melbourne. There were much more slimmer number.
spk_1: 28:28
Yeah. So take a grandma. You were coaching them for a bit.
spk_0: 28:33
Yeah, I was coach.
spk_1: 28:34
Is that right? Yes. And you also had some one on one clinics as well and open those
spk_0: 28:40
that, you know, that was that wasn't offline. That's when it started when I started. Fortunately, I started hopes I set back, made a got a flyer made and while was injured trying to recover. I remember being in the cast and, like, just translated and it just grew Just word of mouth I had were working harbor basketball for a little bit. And I just kind of grew my name a little bit through that and met people along the way. And that's for them people still behind me and sent their kids to me, and it just turned into like, a cool little thing. Every Saturday I would go up there. They grant me the gym from, Ah, about 8 a.m. to about like 7 p.m. And I would just running basketball sessions be wanna ones? Three group sessions, five group sessions, maybe 10 kids coming out run scrimmages. It was to the point that it was just a hangout spot. Kids will just come and hang out like we were just chilling Neighboring. We'll have music, don't bring their laptops. They'll be in there just like a safe haven. Man. It was awesome. And training. Just be training. Kids will become enough home and some kids on tech Aparna look forward to coming and just being around and not have kids hang out from 8 a.m. till 7 p.m. Are leaving. Come back with lunch. And it was super dope man in the Superdome Tech a point of grammar, and I grew a really good relationship. If I didn't have the aspirations to play basketball again, we could have probably could have probably still been there. I could have done some stuff with that school. We're really we're tight. We're tight
spk_1: 30:00
and 100% 1 off the effect that possible head on you as a young man surely would have had the same effect on one of the kids that you would've interacted with in Oakland for sure.
spk_0: 30:12
Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.
spk_1: 30:16
You were touching on this earlier Thea Foundation. Thesis is this is something I know that you are deeply, deeply passionate. Full
spk_0: 30:25
out. My God, it's my number one passion.
spk_1: 30:27
What foundation is this? Pro
spk_0: 30:29
Austin Cook of Fortune Foundation. Should be wearing a shirt, but shut out to call in basketball. But that's a touching that another time if we get to it. But, uh, cooking fortune found, actually cooks. Oh, you took the words of my mouth That wasn't Justin Cook, man. My brother. We we That's my That's my number one. That's my number one guy, man. We've been through some stuff, man. We grew up together both from back, please. And Air Force successful would know when I was injured, he was deployed just We've always talked about one day in the future, just joining together to put a foundation center infected. We always would talk about that high school and just were moping college. And yeah, like I said, once you I couldn't play basketball was just sitting on my butt 20 hours of the day and making these creations, and I came up with it, and I based time, are we talking like Broad? Put this whole game plan together like he got his laptop and we just started going back and forth. He wasn't guitar. I was in New Zealand. Time was kind of similar because he was deployed and re Thorne ideas back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And next thing you know, I go home. Uh, and, uh, I think like I'm gonna go home like October that years. I'm like that. Whatever I think
spk_1: 31:32
was descended from 17 I think Elizabeth,
spk_0: 31:36
it was November when I left there. But I think when I went back the first time I did my first thing we'll cook a fortune foundation and back me was in January 2 started younger, promoting in December, Year of 2000 cents. That's right, but yeah, that cooking fortune Cookie Fortune Foundation. That's Ah, yeah. We give back to at risk youth and under privilege in the city of Beckley. Kids who were just like us. Same situation saying, you know, obstacles and we host events through Fortunate Hoops when I started in New Zealand and I just told Justin we could do something like that. I got into schools, local schools and in my city. Firstly, I started with Maxwell Hill Elementary, where I went to school at and Dessum Sessions. They're kind of did my promotion for the Cook of Fortune Foundation, and I was running a clinic, and the first clinic I ever ran was at at the place a church. Ah, use of youth center church, actually. And, ah, instead of kids bringing money, I had on ah, donate a toy. Any tour of their choice New Oh, whatever the case may be and had about 35 kids show up on the coldest day act, so snowy a whole week was perfect. And then against that, Saturdays are snowing again. Another obstacle could have called it off. But the view people showed up, it showed up. It showed up. And yes, so we took the toys, disinfected them, clean them all up. We got 44 boxes of him. And yeah, I started with the Children Home Society and took all the toys. There have kids, the half for Christmas and the kids who didn't, you know, don't have families, and they'll have things like that. I took it with damage. Um, yeah, that led to the next year of us doing on intercessory winter accessories. So instead of toys, this time we did clothes. I mean, coats, gloves, scarves, hats, mix anyone accessory because anybody knows you're from West Virginia, get cold in the wintertime. And we did the same route with the past two years with him chosen home society. And now we formed a partnership with them that could go forward in the future. We formed a partnership with the Y M C A. And it just growing, man. Me and Justin were just talking today, some ideas and things we can do, like we're always creating. Always on the low when you don't see me. Yep. You know.
spk_1: 33:48
All right. Sorry, man. Um, we'll turn the order. You're back on all of the video. Back on in a bit, man. Um, What happened?
spk_0: 33:58
Yeah, I just want the foundation, man. It's just It's like,
spk_1: 34:01
yeah, yeah. The winter coats, winter coats.
spk_0: 34:04
We've Like I said, we're always creating. We always got always got some of my sleeve man. I'm always on the Loma. I'm random, but I'm always trying to my toes and some man just trying to my toes. A little bit of everything.
spk_1: 34:18
So you have 35 kids for the 1st 1 you have for the how many did you have for that 2nd 1 50 50. So you almost doubled.
spk_0: 34:28
And in the third, when we had about 65? Yeah, s o has grown. Each year is grown each year.
spk_1: 34:34
Man on the move it. And it even made the local news, right?
spk_0: 34:38
Made the news. Made the paper. Um, yeah. People really got behind it this year because this year we were fed the kids. We have teamed up with our childhood friend Shaquille a Singleton. And she, um, has wrong little She's a little chef, and she could cook. And you had her. She cooked some kid friendly foods. Nachos, hot dogs. Um, just a bunch of cotton candy. Just a bunch of different stuff for the kids, man. And after they left, um, the the session unfortunate hopes session. We gave him a doggie bag to take home for free. It was awesome. It was super cool. Head spent all the Spectators. Yeah, it was just It was It was nice. It was love. A lot of people in the community showed up to this one.
spk_1: 35:21
Yeah, another guy that I sort of wanna, um, want to quickly. Ah, touch over, bro. Was Damian Town still Damian Tunstall? Tunstall? So the story behind him and I remember you messaging me one day. You will like, Yo, dog, one of my boys is ah, gonna be laying over and using for about six hours. Could you boys six hours of your time?
spk_0: 35:47
Uh, if I didn't think the shoe would've fair, I wanted presented it to you, man. I
spk_1: 35:51
knew Damien's going then, brother. He is where he is. Men. So again, another one of, you know, Michael fortunes random little things. His own. What, you gonna want you to meet this guy? So I went out to go meet him. But what role does he have with the whole cooking fortune Foundation?
spk_0: 36:09
Oh, Damien has a big role. He's, um he's, um he still lives in Beckley, West Virginia. But he's probably one of the most successful people in Beckley, West Virginia. Manny's He's doing outstanding things. He dust up with the drug free All Stars, where he goes to different schools and travels and play against, like faculty and staff in front of the kids. So he's an integral piece of Beckley, West Virginia. And not only that, he's my brother. We've been known each other since we were, um, middle schoolers. And like we just grown close over the years, both played college basketball. He got a degree. He know basketball was his passion. Got him out of Beckley, um, to do some things with himself and just having him involvement. And that's just a no brainer. He's the first person I can't like Help me like you and he and he's involved with it like he loves Beckley as much as I do. So all the guys who were involved in the Cooking Fortune Foundation, they love Beckley genuinely in their hearts. So they're just guys who want to get back to the community that, you know, raised us. So he was a no brainer for sure. He's the first person I even thought up toe even ask for help. Yeah,
spk_1: 37:10
yeah, yeah, for sure. You and all these people, man. Surely you were cut from the same cloth. Because as individuals, you are all quite successful in your own right. And when you come together and put you behind the project like this, man, you know nothing but good has come out of it, bro.
spk_0: 37:29
Nothing. Nothing but good When you have good intentions, man. Genuine good intention. You just wants back in your favor, man. But you know, it's all says all genuine movements, man looking for no clout, man at all. We just love our city love giving back no love life, man. Just love life Just, you know I'm all into it
spk_1: 37:50
And that's the That's the thing that's so beautiful about it, man. Because you get a lot of people who are wanting thio, you know, sort of quite unquote give back, but used the you know, the word cloud. There's a lot of people just out there doing it for the cloud men
spk_0: 38:05
looking for something return. You do something to look for something in return. It's Come on, bro, like, Come on. Yeah, come on. I mean, we're so I can't You know what? I can't speak on that because I'm nothing like that. So you know how that process is right. This is just some people will do. Some people just have different editions and different intentions, different values, different things. They're trying to, you know, different agendas. But you know, it's real and you know when it's not. You know, First World don't lie.
spk_1: 38:33
No. And people are quite in tune to that as well taken. See if you're in it for real war. If you're just, you know, for ah, something ulterior.
spk_0: 38:42
Yemen Energy. The eyes don't lie. They say energy is really the vase, man. You know. You know, man, you do. Definitely. No.
spk_1: 38:52
So you're you in Melbourne at the moment. What you doing right now, man? Well, it's Michael Fortune up to
spk_0: 38:58
I was gearing up, um, for my season from a basketball season. This year was supposed to play a game of the season this past Saturday, But you know what? The whole corona virus? Yeah, knowing they can't be suspended the season. It's funny that once the virus has come out, people don't know the difference between canceled and suspended. Yeah, well, but suspended yet up until April 16th until further notice. So, um, no coach in no basketball, so I'm still working out. Um, I'm still moving. Like things hasn't changed. I'm still creating. Um, just Yeah, I'm just making the most of the time that I got. I've done it before with the injury. So, like, now, this is like, nothing like so you just just just on the low creating while this is going on. But I'm here to play basketball. Coburg Giants.
spk_1: 39:44
So what? What legal? The corporate giants in
spk_0: 39:46
there in the big B, Division one, Big D one, division one right below state champ. And then there's another league, Indio y and, of course, in video. So yeah, legs are here.
spk_1: 39:57
Yeah. And you guys won last year, didn't you? Two years ago, going on two years
spk_0: 40:01
ago to write, I was injured. I was on the tip. I was on because ah, play. And also, coach, I do a lot of coaching with the youth program that's connected to the professional team. Just get to the team. So I'm gonna a lot of new stuff. So the first year we won the championship, I was Ah, I was in rehab, working on my injury, my patella tendon injury, and but once I got healthy enough. I was practiced in and I just don't qualify for enough games. But I was practicing with the team and I'm sitting on the bench and helping out with things. And I was I was instrument to that championship team in. And then the next year I played last year, which we didn't win, and just up and down season with injuries. Man could never get right. You know, I start to get, you know, some consistency start to get my form back, and then bang, er, nagging injury or something. Little what happened to slow my process down So and all of Ah, the all of the little minor injuries were fruit from the same poisonous tree patella tendon injury. Still want fully there yet and over conversation. So ah, miss, Like the last three games of the season last year just took him off and took some time off. And just the whole offseason, dedicated to my body dedicated to my body, dedicates in my body to be in this moment now ready to perform and that I am
spk_1: 41:16
so right now you ah, 100% in terms of your fitness. Yeah, jury's not sort of plaguing you?
spk_0: 41:24
Absolutely not. No, no, no.
spk_1: 41:28
Roger. And 100% like Yep. And ah, lot off that recovery process would have also had to be in mental fortitude as well. Right? All right. Sorry about the, ah, technical issues there, but I hopefully will. We'll come back around.
spk_0: 41:48
We'll sort it out later.
spk_1: 41:49
Yeah, man. Um, where were we before? Got cut?
spk_0: 41:55
Uh huh. You were at
spk_1: 41:59
coaching? Yeah, it was about the one. The one you were coaching the youth program connected to the league and
spk_0: 42:07
way we're talking about. You were asking me a specific question, bro. You ask me specific questions.
spk_1: 42:16
Oh, yes. Um, what I was asking you was the recovery process. A lot of eyes, a mental game as well, bro. And, um, what I wanted to know waas. Um just how how How did you do it, man?
spk_0: 42:38
Do what, Like howto get through all of it and be, like,
spk_1: 42:41
for like, I mean, it's such a such a wide question, and there are a 1,000,000 ways you could answer it, but, um, because, you know, we both we know a lot of bottle of athlete friends, and I guess what I wanted to know was when it when it came to goals that people have is well, whenever there's discouragement, when it is obstacles, a lot of a lot of getting over it is also all up here, man
spk_0: 43:09
as small. That's 90% of it. 90%.
spk_1: 43:13
So I guess. Advice. Did you have other people out there, man?
spk_0: 43:20
Look, man, uh, just to tryto shortened his broader question up. Man. Um, the first thing first things first, you just gotta believe, Like, genuinely believe in yourself and what you're capable of and not being afraid. Thio fell it Trying to tap your potential. Um, in them processes, it's just like the stock market. You're up, you're down, you're up, you're down. But what I found what really worked for me well is really staying. Even kill. Um, everybody's handles things differently. Me if I'm in a time of despair or just time of where I'm lost, I'm in my own head like we're human, right? Like I'm not No, perfect. You know, like I go through the same things as anybody else or any other athlete injuries or whatever the case may be. But for me, it was work for me. I've always been able to look yourself in the face and really figure out what's going on. What can you do? Thio Better yourself in this situation? What are you trying to achieve? What is your Why why are you even doing this? What is this for? And once you ask yourself these questions and start to get answers, But for me, it's not sitting down. Thinking about it's looking in the mirror, actually walking to a real mirror and looking at my face and having a conversation with yourself. That's that's what I do. Just to try to figure out like this is me and you here. You know, I wake up with you, I go to sleep with you. What are we doing? What? What? What's our fun? What can we do to be better at this? What can we do to fix this situation? What can get you out this slum and you won't you start to have a conversation with yourself? I mean things. You start to rise and you start to get segments and pathways in your head that wouldn't create it. And then you start taking them pass and you start seeing like it's into the tunnel and you start seeing the progress and then that turns into a process and then you fall in love with it. I fell in love with the back of trying to make myself better. There was once before the injury gave me all the opportunity and all the M O to rebuild and restore. So why not? I fell in love with the process. It was difficult, but at some point I was just I was just loving it. I was 11 trying to build myself up not only physically but mentally and for me. Um, find that space a where you can really create and where you can really find who you are and really get into your heart of hearts and really have that open conversation with yourself. Some people are afraid to face ourselves. Really. Some people are really afraid to face their Selves. Believe it. Tonight, some people go their whole lives not knowing who they are or not knowing what they want to do. And for me, I can't speak for anybody else. I'm just very, very fortunate. No pun intended that at the age of 49 I know who I am. I know my purpose. I know why I'm here. I know why I'm doing this. I know my motivations. I'm not afraid, bro. I'm just not afraid of myself. I trust myself, and that's the most important thing. Trusting yourself and I'm not being worried fall in love with the process of not being worried about the results. When you put in the work, you put in that work and you know you're putting that work of results are gonna happen is gonna happen. But you're not putting in them work. You're going to get results. But someone held him, and some people will find something else to blame that on. They won't blame theirselves. All this is going on, this is happening. Well, that's why I couldn't do this. It's an excuse, but like when you sit down and get to the nitty gritty of and you're like, what am I doing? This is something coming from here, and I need to fix it up here. And once you start to get that man like I say, if you can't score, if you can score on yourself, why can't you score when anybody else were our biggest competition where our biggest enemy you could make friends and a relationship with that person and not row. There's girls out there that are gorgeous, beautiful and won't even look at yourself in the mirror, bro. No, no turn like bro was crazy. Some people are really afraid to face their Selves Dog, like, that's real talk that a real life man and just me I wasn't afraid to face myself I waas when I was in that dark in place that you see me in But once I started to really see the light and find my rhythm and find my groove and stuff like that Man Yeah, man, So just a sum of everything I said, Man, you just starts with you from you got to be right from within Just like that. Ah, that Lauryn Hill song, man, How you gonna win if you ain't right from within? Straight up?
spk_1: 47:33
Exactly. Exactly. It's it's It's actually very inspiring to know that it was from a place of such darkness. World is clarity just just came to you. And that really does give me hope as well. Not only for, um my own goals that have got this whole covert 19 thing. It's It's really put a spanner. Um, the whole clockwork over, though, for me because my interview was canceled, but with blood, whatever. But I'm also just for everyone out there as well. Who has X, y and Z that they want to achieve? Um, just keep Just keep at it, right? Yeah, Let's just keep at it.
spk_0: 48:17
Yeah. Look, man, I can't speak for anybody else again. I'm just speaking for my own personal journey. It's a marathon, and I'm trying to live a long time. I want to live until I'm 90. I'm not even 30 yet. Have so much time to grow have so much more to do there so much. Sometimes you got to give Tom, Tom and something. You want to rush the process, man, like you gotta go through the process and just trust that process. Man like it. Look, man, there's a lot of life to live, man. And some people just give up too soon and not seeing it through. I could have. Could've gave up so many times, bro. But they're standing. I'm I'm still here to tell that to whoever needs to hear that, and it's just Yeah, man, You got to give time Time, bro. And we have a lot of time trying to live a long time. I know.
spk_1: 49:05
I know all the time. A long time, bro.
spk_0: 49:09
So yeah, I said Sprint, bro.
spk_1: 49:12
And how appropriate is it? The, you know, your last name is Fortune?
spk_0: 49:17
Yeah, it works out, right. Like you can use my name for so many different things. And it's funny because people don't even believe me when I tell him the last name where I think I created this. So I changed it are shoddy, and I take it as a blessing, man. It's just a timeless name, bro is timeless. Is this lying? You know, and I was named, you know, my last night. You know, my family is very small, very small family. And there's if you're a fortune, your kid, there's no fortune running around like Smiths are like Nazis, you know, is very smooch. And just to be named Michael is a lot of great Michael Michael Jackson. Michael Jordan, like Michael ties in like Michael Phelps. I could go Michael's Renee Eggs man, even for that horrid, horrid people there. Michael Myers, I could just name yeah, even Austin Powers. Goldmember, like Michael, is just just the name Michael just rings bells and then just Michael Fortunate, just kind of go together. And it's funny because my name has gotten me a lot of opportunity like I've been My name's been seen. I've gotten phone calls from, like, opportunities like a modeling thing I was telling you about. That was all my name being seen just seeing my name. Just let's take a look at this name. We look into the name Michael fortune and you see all this stuff about me and then you're already intrigued When you get to know me, I'm as advertised, man, No gimmicks. There's no What you see is what you get. I'm true to me. I'm true to myself. So I'm not gonna change for nobody. Like I'm just a positive, super positive human being that just has a knack for love living life, bro, no matter what's going on, good or bad, trying to make up and negative
spk_1: 50:50
man, you have our Exactly. And that's exactly why I That's exactly why I knew I had to get you on the show, man, cause sure is how they're gonna be so many people out there that will listen to this and and be able to relate. Thio told these stories that you just shared by the modeling thing. Have some of that that's that's quite interesting
spk_0: 51:12
a super low key, but I'll just I'll just, uh it's super low key is not fully official, but it's just it's awesome. Roller this, uh, it started in New Zealand. Yeah. Did good tea, right, Ron? Eyeball tag, copter Greatest guys I'm feeling tagged me and Angus was woman had put something on Facebook like we need a guy who can fit large and rebel sports for a photo shoot. And I'm Ron tags. Me and I am about what is going on. So you should call her. Gotta duck is Brown was always trying to push me to do more than Nike in New Zealand. He was like, You need to
spk_1: 51:48
get You could say Hey, Said said
spk_0: 51:50
that New Zealand needed somebody like me like he's like, you're bigger than your like he was just brought in my horizon like you're in the store. But b e outside the store be out there, you know, and he was just always tryingto opportunities. And just may I could go on about this God for days and you could get I am. And I love that dude. Um, hope he watches this. He already knows what's up, but, uh, just, um yeah, So I hid her up and she told me to come through to read 11. And I went to read 11 and, you know, talking and I did my head shots and whatever, and she goes away for a second. It comes back and she's like, I don't think that they're gonna take you for the modeling. And I was like, Oh, why not? She's like, Well, they I already have a guy in the chute. A boxer. He has dark skin. He's from Fiji. So I don't know, I just I would take you. I just don't think they're going to try to get all this stuff that I mean, I've never been in the industry. Never thought about doing it so quickly. She knows what she's talking about. What she would like your support person. What did I tell you? Should like, let me know. Some type of modeling for you represent you manage, you and try to get you some opportunities and that just Yeah, just kind of came in stories for days, bro. Just I didn't go looking for that. I just came and I went and just was myself and got offered the opportunity. And I did. Ah, remember, I got injured and I don't remember this. I got injured and my day out, their own hospital. My first day at the hospital building picked me up, took Mi Teoh, took me and Alicia ex girlfriend took me and Alicia Ah, to my place and the parents. Have you seen my place like this? Like I said, I got I got I got ah ah ah g TV series. And it's gonna show my place. Like I got a TV. Serial is one of the episodes, my place. But that's a different story for a different day. And
spk_1: 53:38
keep an eye out for that one
spk_0: 53:39
time. She, uh she, uh I mean her, you know, went toe the hotel that the parents I got for me they had set me up in a hotel so I can move around better. And, you know, it is being a better space with my injury than what? My place. Look, you've seen it and, um was rough. You owe him an And, uh, yeah, maybe we should just got my opportunity. Called me on the phone while I was in a hospital like our before I was released and offered me a job to do a commercial with Vodafone and, uh oh, yeah, but the phone Cool. And I told him about my injury in my situation, and she told me that I couldn't do it. I don't think I was able to get it because I'm injured. And, uh, Excellency Hunger defined started crying, bro. Because opportunity lost off like I was just in such a vast bass pro. And then they called back and said, No, they still want you. The only thing is, you have to use your crutches to get up some stairs. Can you do that? I'm like I'm there. So, man, I mean Alicia's we've got myself ready, you know? Big goal price. On my way. Put some genius. We're winning. Just remember that. Remember that part where Red 11 and had a few opportunities were never led anything but gotta do auditions and do little stuff, and then Yeah, I come here to new Z, uh, toe last year and Ah, yeah, my friend, my friend's wife. Um, you know, we were just talking and I was in a dark spot. Then eventually And, you know, we were just talking about told her about, you know, New Zealand. Like I just told you. And I leave the house and she sends me this RG, um, post on the M. I was like, I follow all this modeling stuff cause her daughter's model and young daughters and I never see male model searches. I take it as a sign you should enter it. So I did whatever I entered the male models ERT. Yeah, whatever. And they chose a winner, or like a 21st the 23rd of October last year, and they chose somebody else. Okay, whatever I want. And I just entered it because you told him to, like, you know, and then I get a call, like, three weeks later. Oh, I'm gonna text like, three weeks later. Like how this is such a handle from the wall story. It's photo studios Australia. We see your profile that a Doug give us a call at this time All this stuff and I'm in a transit of doing stuff, so I'll look at the message on Keep it moving. Come Busy. Did I get a phone call? And I'm looking? Don't know this number. Hang up Doing what I'm doing. Get the phone call again. Hang up. Look at the number of getting like That's the tags. So I called him back and had they just seen my name. Road is how this whole story, they've seen my name. They asked me a person as your name. Really Michael fortune. And then we usually like we've seen your instagram using all your stuff. We love what you do that. And how would you like for us, Thio? Yeah, And I was because I entered research, didn't even win it. And I almost technically still one. So yeah, I did like a portfolio shoot 23 weeks back and I was amazing experience. Amazing experience, man had to get my makeup done and it was a super dope. Let's go, Hank, Ever bro is so cool. And so Yeah, my mama portfolio is in the making right now, but who knows what can come from it like I never thought about doing this, and it all started from me. Is doing that little thing in New Zealand taking up Bronze Word, getting little stuff there and then coming here and never said nothing to J. That's her name to set me. The Oggi published My Friend's Life. I never said no to her about the modeling stuff, and I've known her since I first lived in Melbourne in 2015. I never said on the boundary and we her like tigers. My homie and I just mentioned it just we just just mentioned it and she sent me that Next thing you know Bam, bam, bam, bam! And yeah, super cool, man. So I'm looking forward to my photos to be released. I'm looking forward to working come from and just beating people in the industry. I just think it is cool. It ties together, right? Like the name it just It's cool. It's cool. I've never seen it until I got into it like a man like I like, This is kind of me, like, you know, like, this is cool. So very fortunate. No pun intended, wrote like a lot. A lot of my stories will happen just like it's crazy, bro. Can't make it up like
spk_1: 57:45
you can't you can't I guess when you open yourself todo good energy and just opportunities, don't we just present themselves to you, man to man and it's up to you. It's up to you with what? You're gonna grab it, Grab it or not,
spk_0: 58:01
Right? Life's full of decisions, man. And we all got decisions we can make and you get in what you put in. You put out that energy and not look for nothing to return like we talked about. People do sometimes, and they just kind of come your way organically. And that's how my whole life is being just from the time. Ologists. Yea, high until now. When I look back in hindsight, from everything that's happened to me, good or bad, it's just is book material worthy road. We'll talk. It really is, man. I'm not even trying to bone horn and never, ever tried. You know, it's funny, man. I used to always be afraid to admit who I was wrong. I never want to come off to anybody as arrogant or my know it all, or like a self absorbed like you think. Like I was always afraid of that and the ones I got injured. I said, forget that I'm a own who I am. This is who God made me to be. These are my intangible. These are my gifts. This is my purpose is what I do. Act on it, you know, Appreciate it. Put it out there. I used to be super shine that regard man Super shocks. I never want to come off the wrong way because I'm super humble man. Like I'm super humble, bro farthest thing from anything like that. But, I mean, just confident, man. Just at this point in my life, man, I'm fully confident in my ability and what I could make happening. As you should too, man. I mean, you should be confident. Anything you put your heart into grow all of us. Just be confident. Broke. You got to be your biggest fan. Your your number one fan. It starts and ends with you. You got that self absorbed. Your own motivation that turns into a inspiration for yourself and everybody else is on your wave like it starts with you. Is it just all starts with humanity, But you gotta be your biggest friend and your biggest critic at the same time. But stay in the middle of the whole way the whole way, man. So and we all have this ability, we all could do this kind of stuff
spk_1: 59:48
because sometimes it'll sometimes it's easy to get carried away in your own aura. And, you know, you're you're vibing hard. You're doing all these great things and you're thinking far out like I'm the men like, you know, But you just can't. It doesn't come with that sort of mindset, like, you know, the whole arrogance thing that you were talking about earlier. Um, not very like you've said a man gotta go to be humbled, to be humble, humbly confident man. Exactly. If if you're confident in your ability to succeed and you're humble about it, But that's a very deadly combo, very deadly. But
spk_0: 1:0:28
the key is not being afraid to fail. Sometimes you putting about and don't work that's happening. You can't be afraid. You gotta try. I just never want Oh, rodeo. Look back. Like what? If Just give it a going If it don't work, the least you can say that gave it a try, bro. Now you're left. Exactly. That's that's that's That's what I never want to look back, Whatever I should've
spk_1: 1:0:46
exactly exactly for someone on for someone looking at your story from the outside, it's easy to see, like you know, all these peaks that you're talking about. Ah, he's done this. He's he's done the foundation. He's the possible clinic. He's played his coat. She's done all these great things, but at the same time all these values, they've got equally low. Ellen, you just shared a couple of them earlier on, and you know, you gotta take the good and the bed,
spk_0: 1:1:16
you've got to do it. And that's what my haji tv Siri's I'm talking about. It's about a lot of the bad. I filmed a lot of the van, bro, like I'm gonna be very vulnerable with viewers and showing you that like, Oh, this is all this coming. This is why this is like this. It comes from something. Road is a lot of L's along the way, means a lot, a lot,
spk_1: 1:1:38
and that's what I think people need to see on the journey to success because if you are just looking at, you know, succeeding. And you're afraid off failing. Then you'll never get to the top. You'll never you know before full of the potential that you've got unless you're willing. Toe, you know, eat dirt.
spk_0: 1:2:01
Got to a man. As my brother Dan Kushner says when I shot the damn Kushner man loved by God. The reason why I mean, you
spk_1: 1:2:08
just met him, right?
spk_0: 1:2:08
Yeah. One. The reason why I'm in Australia with the military school. Together we go, we go way back to military school. But like he says, Man used to tell me this process when he was going through a man and always stuck with me a rather eat shit. Now to eat caviar for the rest of my life. I was like, Bro, I'll eat shit right now. I will. But at some point I would be eating caviar and I'm going to eat this shit to appreciate the caviar. When I get to it, I'm just like, yeah, we on we on because he's a special guy. Top three again. Another top three guys with so many. But he's another one. He's he's awesome. Do like I do, he's No,
spk_1: 1:2:44
it's It's just amazing how you know, sometimes certain people get put into your life and how, how, how key in terms off, you know, the part that we take, the parts that we take and then all that sort of stuff. Man, some people
spk_0: 1:3:00
were in your life for a reason. And somewhere in there for seasons.
spk_1: 1:3:04
I've never heard that before. That's actually that's the truth of the bullring.
spk_0: 1:3:09
Forcing some come some go. But you were in their life for that moment of purpose. But you gotta look back in hindsight to see what you know, a lot of my relationships. I've had girls and things like that and for people that, you know, you just look back in hindsight, like at this moment in my life and probably in your life, we were like me and you. We needed each other at that moment. But you're a reason you're still here. You're not a season. You don't pass and go. You know, I'm staying with someone from some of the seasons, but along the way, man, I take it all the learning experience good and bad, man. I'll take all the learned experience, man, like, um, one of things I go about Fabulous says, man, you gotta take the good with the bad love what you got. Remember what you had Always forgive, but never forget. Learn from mistakes, but never regrets. Never since I heard that man say that in a song that resonated with me in high school. Like when you did that, Like, just always run with it, man. Just a lot of things like that, man. You can supply to your life a lot of stuff everyday. Living bars on bars, bro. Yeah, Yeah, I got him. I got him. I got it.
spk_1: 1:4:12
I love it. I love the
spk_0: 1:4:12
freestyle man hitting Jim. I love freestyle in Rome.
spk_1: 1:4:17
I remember you. I'm dropping a few free styles at the at the crib when you were still when you're still staying with me, man. So
spk_0: 1:4:26
fun. I've been doing this is not like 13. Yeah, yeah, I think it on the table at lunch. Yeah, Yeah. Freestyle over road. Just always so fun. I loved doing it
spk_1: 1:4:38
just just to wrap up men. Um, I know that you want to keep this a bit low key, but, you know, just real briefly, but what does the next couple of years look like for you? You
spk_0: 1:4:50
know what? You asked that question and the first thing that comes to my head is where you're at. Ah, if anyone's watching this podcast, I don't like telling my moves. I like I live by the theory. If I'm gonna take over the White House, would you do it Independence Day style? Or would you sneak through the back door? I like sneaking through the back door unannounced off guard all my moves like that. That's why I'm so random things pop up with and then my recipe. So for the ones who listen to this and no, thank you for taking to tell your ears to listen, hopefully, anything I said or any Jim's or my stories, whatever. Maybe I'm here to inspire. Ah, I love being the source of energy that makes people want to just speak right, you know, risk it to get the biscuit, take chances, take, you know, full hold of life opportunities and just stay positive and just that's just who I am. That's the energy I put out. That's just how I live. And I just feel like it's just not many like that in the world today. And, um, for the ones who are just taking the time, all of you. Thank you. I appreciate you and this is not a gimmick. I'm not doing this for no accolades. Don't nothing says who I am, who I am. And, yeah, the next couple of years, I'm taking a year by year. Um, I'm always creating, but I take steps. I don't lose that. What's going on now? Right now, basketball is one number one vision, but on the low on the low, I'm cooking up something. You got something cooking, man. So don't be surprised. So but don't be surprised if you see me in the year. So's Tom. Where has Ron is that for those of you who know where he is right now, where his location is, it was a private. You see me there saying seeming.
spk_1: 1:6:38
They're gonna cook problem cooking fortune right
spk_0: 1:6:43
out there. We out there? Ah, yeah, man. Yeah, that's the next couple of years. I'm looking. Yeah. These next couple of years, I'm looking to find a place to settle time early to at least. Max. I need to know my location. Where you putting your eggs in and build out of? I've been people Don't know if you didn't even know where I was that you thought I wasn't West Virginia like I want to. I love that. I love that. I love the fact that no one really knows what I'm doing. Like, you know, that's my instagram name in the afternoon. And like a rapper in that doom, if you need God, you understand? Under underground rap. But he wears a mask. You don't want to be seen. And now, which is a kid always like that and m f Michael Fortune just work. And I made it my instagram name some years when Instagram first started and then just randomly, organically people to start calling me it. So it's just like all right, whatever. I run with it, but ah, yeah, bro. Um don't like my moves and moves to to be seen. I like popping up with stuff on the low grind in the dark, shine brighter in the light. That's
spk_1: 1:7:47
when that's go. That's what I scold. Bruh vessel chur Oh, man. Bar I I appreciate you more than you, Norman.
spk_0: 1:7:57
Yeah, vice versa. You already know bro. You for life. Dog is his life for life. Emily, your sister. Your mom and dad are all your friends, bro. Dog, The reason you're not a season. You're a reason room your reason.
spk_1: 1:8:15
But thanks so much for ah, for spending time with me this afternoon. Bar on the show surely does people like I was actually quite excited That flows for a long time. There is bound to be people out there who, you know, find a lot of value in the message that you've shared so again. Thanks so much. Man. That's
spk_0: 1:8:42
cool. I didn't even
spk_1: 1:8:43
touch on every so much to touch on this way. Have so powerful
spk_0: 1:8:48
they don't know what the real ones
spk_1: 1:8:49
now don't gone for days. So you could have gone for days. So much left out. So much stuff
spk_0: 1:8:57
that happened between us happened in my life and things that I'm doing like a shot to calm basketball before I go. Yeah, I like Shakespeare. Mosque A J. Alexander Michael Elitist. One of the coolest kids ever who created the 16 year old kid, 17 year old kid, One of my closest friends. He shot to him what he's doing with Colin Basketball. We over here, We never panic. No, it's always calm. Row. We never tripping over here. It's a shot to my guy. Gotta give Lux a boy. He's gotta get love to boys I came
spk_1: 1:9:27
to ***. You heard it. Here. Hey, I heard it hit Firearm in peace, bro. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah.