David Pollack | Sage Steele Show | EP 102

<p>I have known David Pollack for years. We worked together at ESPN, we have been friends through some of the hardest seasons of each other's lives, and I have always respected him deeply. But I did not know the full story until he sat down with me for this conversation.<br /> <br /> David was a three-time All-American at Georgia, second only to Herschel Walker in program history. He was a first-round NFL Draft pick. And in year two of his professional career, he broke his neck. A burst fracture at C6 and C7 that nicked his spinal cord. His wife Lindsay nursed him back to health for three months while he wore a halo screwed into his skull. He went from benching 455 pounds to struggling with 135. He says there was no mourning. Just gratitude for what had already happened and a quiet belief that something better was coming next.<br /> <br /> That belief carried him through 15 years at ESPN, a departure from the network he gave everything to, and then the phone call no husband wants to get. Lindsay had brain cancer. She had a seven-hour craniotomy. And thirty minutes after coming out of surgery, with her head still bandaged and her left arm barely working, she raised both arms and praised God.<br /> <br /> We talk about all of it. His philosophy of building identity from the top down instead of the outside in. Why he turned down a massive sponsorship deal because it involved gambling. His new podcast. His thoughts on women's sports and the trans athlete conversation. What it actually feels like to get fired from a job you loved after 15 years. And why he coaches his daughter's basketball team and has never missed a game since leaving ESPN.<br /> <br /> This is one of the most honest and moving conversations I have had on this show.<br /> <br /> Sponsors:<br /> Get 15% off all Amallow products with code SAGE at checkout: <a href="http://amallow.com/sage" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"> http://amallow.com/sage</a><br /> <br /> Do you know what's in your tap water? Get $250 off your purifier at <a href="http://www.covepure.com/SAGE" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"> http://www.covepure.com/SAGE</a><br /> <br /> Get 25% Off Cowboy Colostrum with code SAGE at <a href="https://www.cowboycolostrum.com/SAGE" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"> https://www.cowboycolostrum.com/SAGE</a>. Hydrate your liver at the cellular level with LTV. If you're tired, bloated, or feel like water isn't working anymore, this could be the fix. Get up to 64% OFF for a limited time at <a href="http://drinkltv.com/Sage" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"> http://drinkltv.com/Sage</a></p>