I’ve been there. Right in the middle of it. The ex-player next to you is radiating, “I played, you didn’t” energy. And you? You’re nodding, smiling, trying to build their credibility while holding on to your own. It’s like walking a tightrope over rabid fans, salty ex-teammates, and one guy livestreaming the argument from the press box. Welcome to the life of a “non-player” in sports media.
That’s why the Ryan Clark–Peter Schrager dust-up on ESPN’s Get Up hit home. Clark drops, “That’s the non-player in you,” Schrager fumes, the tension thick enough to cut with a Gatorade bottle, and the internet explodes.
Players, reporters, hosts—every opinion now flies instantly to anyone with Wi-Fi. The lesson? Fans need more than just the player’s perspective.
It’s the locker room pass vs. the press pass.
Playing the games we talk about really matters. I get it. I’ve hosted shows with Hall of Famers who mastered the game—Rod Woodson and Steve Young. Players who were all the way out there in Bill Romanowski and Eric Byrnes. I’ve shared the mic with new school and old guard. They’ve been in the trenches, in the spotlight, in dugouts and locker rooms.
Me? The farthest I got was college lacrosse—and I’m using the term loosely.
Sports Media Has A Role
But sports have been my life since I was old enough to remember, and it’s the only “job” I’ve ever had. Sports radio host all over the country and nationally. I’ve dabbled in television, a sports writer—that’s all I know.
My job has never been to just nod politely. It’s to pull stories out, push the envelope, show respect or fire players up. Just like they did on the field, I had to read the room and get the most watched, read, or listened-to content. My perspective mattered.
Why was I there if I was just rolling the balls out and not challenging everyone to be their best?
And yes, I’ve been told, “You never played.” Fine. True. I didn’t sack Patrick Mahomes or shut down Steph Curry. But I’ve been there—15 Super Bowls, covered multiple NBA championships, sprayed with NBA Finals champagne by Michael Jordan, World Series clubhouses, Stanley Cups, Final Fours, NFL overseas games—and I’ve learned a few things along the way.
I’ve interviewed Montana and Rice, Jordan and Kobe, Gretzky and Gordie. Serena and McEnroe—and yes, I am serious. Some of it had to rub off, right?
While I never played, my ears were open and my mouth was shut.
Non-Player Skill Set
Being a “non-player” doesn’t mean irrelevant. It means mastering a different set of skills: access, curiosity, persistence, and the ability to connect dots players aren’t thinking about. Fans deserve that perspective—especially now, when every opinion has a platform and the echo chamber is one click away.
That’s what the Clark–Schrager moment reminds me of. Players bring scars, sweat, stories from the trenches. Media people bring context, history, instincts, and connective tissue fans can’t get anywhere else.
Clark knows what it feels like to line up against monsters like Micah Parsons, to feel the chaos he creates. Reporters can tell you why Green Bay gave up the farm for him, and how losing him shifts the Cowboys’ blueprint. That’s the value of perspective and connections, both sides filling in the gaps the other can’t.
That’s where reporters come in.
Players bring sweat and scars. We bring a lens that lets fans peek behind the curtain—without stepping on a cleat. Both perspectives matter. Both make the story bigger than the box score.
We media guys have our Super Bowls too.
Derek Fisher leaves the Utah Jazz to care for his daughter Tatum, battling a rare eye cancer. Jazz fans feel burned when he signs with the Lakers after Utah lets him out of his contract. When he comes back, fans let him have it: loud, nasty, unmissable boos. The Lakers are in Salt Lake. Everyone wants Kobe Bryant’s reaction. Game ends. Reporters vanish faster than a pizza at an office meeting. Me? I hang back, last one in the gym. Kobe walks out. I ask. He unloads. I look around—nope, no one else is there. Kobe defends Fisher. Rips Jazz fans. Says he can’t wait to stick it to Utah again. Raw, passionate, no filter.
My Finals moment.
Sports Media Creates Moments
Being a reporter/host is like being a player in one sense: you earn your big moments by being prepared, asking the right question, and staying when everyone else leaves. We don’t get rings, but it’s nice when your key card still works in the morning.
So yes, players played, and that matters. But so does my three decades of experience, access, instincts, and perspective. Asking the right questions. Digging for details. Bringing fans stories nobody else got.
Calling someone a “non-player” like it’s a mic-drop? It’s not even half the story.
Sports are too layered, too human, too chaotic to be told from one angle. The best coverage comes when players, hosts, reporters—and now a new generation of media voices—tell it all.
Fans want every angle. Who’s to say who tells it best? Most times it’s not one person’s perspective. It’s input from everywhere. Everybody gets to play the game now.
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With decades of experience behind the mic, John Lund is more than a sports commentator and weekly columnist for Barrett Media—he’s a storyteller, humorist, and true fan. He’s hosted shows in mid sized markets like Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City to larger cities like San Francisco, Detroit and Dallas. John has even hosted nationally on ESPN Radio. Known for his sharp wit and deep sports knowledge, John welcomes your feedback. Reach him on X @JohnLundRadio or by email at John@JohnLundRadio.com.
