Tremendous Bowl week is at all times a whirlwind, and much more so for Taylor Rooks. Rooks took the time to talk with SB Nation’s Kyle Posey about Tremendous Bowl predictions, who must be the NFL MVP and why, the wildness of the NBA commerce deadline, and her participation in Proctor & Gamble’s Battle of the Paddles, the place movie star followers like Rooks shall be teamed up with NFL gamers in a ping-pong extravaganza.
NFL MVP usually goes to a quarterback, however Rooks makes a powerful case for Saquon Barkley to win this yr.
“What he’s been in a position to do that yr, the data that he was capable of break and simply the story of it, proper? The frustration with the Giants, the frustration that was occurring with the Giants, and for him to go to the Eagles, have this phenomenal first yr, they’re going to the Tremendous Bowl, whatever the workforce that wins, it’s a really, excellent story, and I’m a member of the media, so I like tales,” Rooks stated.
And though the Chiefs are the Chiefs and Rooks tends to not wish to guess towards Patrick Mahomes, she’s nonetheless choosing the Eagles to win this yr.
Battle of the Paddles is in its third yr, and this yr, Rooks (a lifelong Falcons fan and Georgia native) is paired up with Falcons QB Kirk Cousins. In order that must be enjoyable!
Battle of the Paddles shall be broadcast dwell Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 6 to eight p.m. CT on Advanced’s YouTube channel.
Kyle and Taylor’s full dialog is wide-ranging, and so they get into the wild NBA commerce deadline, school sports activities, and extra. You may learn the complete interview under.
This interview has been flippantly edited for size and readability.
Kyle Posey: Thanks everyone for becoming a member of us. My identify is Kyle Posey of SB Nation. I’m joined by a really particular visitor, Taylor Rooks joins us on behalf of Battle of the Paddles. Taylor, everybody’s an athlete till they play a sport they haven’t any enterprise enjoying. Let’s be actual right here. Have you ever ever dipped your toes into the pickleball enviornment?
Taylor Rooks: So I’m fairly accustomed to ping pong, and once I say fairly acquainted, that’s perhaps a little bit of a stretch. I’m acquainted in the best way that if I am going to a spot and so they have a desk, I’ll play. I’m an extremely aggressive particular person, so I care so much about successful. I’m not gonna say I’m an skilled, however I’m not a newbie, however I’m positively an skilled winner. I’ll say that.
KP: May you maintain your individual? How about that?
TR: I might maintain my very own, however fortunate for me, I received’t should. I’ll be paired with an elite athlete who shall be, it’ll be a give and a take. I’ll assist their weaknesses and their strengths will assist mine, and we’re gonna determine it out.
KP: As quickly as I noticed Battle of the Paddles, all I might consider was that clip of Saquon going forwards and backwards. Simply inform me your general ideas about Battle of the Paddles.
TR: I imply I feel it’s gonna be a lot enjoyable. It’s the third yr that P&G is placing on Battle of the Paddles. Each single yr has been loads of enjoyable, excessive depth, loads of trash speaking. Everyone desires to win, and it’s simply gonna be a very nice time. I like that they’re pairing an NFL participant with a celeb fan and we’re gonna be going forwards and backwards. I do know that everyone cares so much about placing their finest foot ahead, getting that win and I feel that when we start, it’s simply gonna be full go, no breaks, and it’s gonna be a very enjoyable time. And with P&G, it’s additionally for the followers too. They’re, in fact, partnering with Lowe’s for this occasion and followers will get offers as a result of from now by means of Might. You’re going to get $10 off by spending $50 or extra on PNG merchandise like Bounty, Swiffer, Tide, should you go to Lowes.com. So it’s loads of enjoyable for everyone.
KP: The followers are gonna be most likely fairly loopy simply watching, I think about, simply simply seeing whoever is there.
TR: I don’t know the all of the friends, all of the athletes which can be gonna be there, but when it’s one of many groups that they root for, please consider that they’re gonna be getting into for them.
KP: After I noticed the place you went to high school, I nearly wore a Hawkeye shirt as a result of that’s the place I reside. I didn’t wish to troll you too early although. Do you miss protecting the chaos that’s school sports activities day-to-day?
TR: Oh, what a great query. Nicely, first off, you need to know, anytime a Huge 10 college is enjoying a non-Huge 10 college, I at all times root for the Huge 10. There was many a time that I’ve truly rooted for Iowa. I clearly really feel like I can’t say the identical for you. No, however I imply, I, I miss the surroundings of school sports activities. I’d say I feel the followers clearly are very passionate. They really feel, they really feel very tied to their colleges in a means that’s distinctive compared to, you recognize, totally different sports activities and. In numerous leagues, so yeah, I miss it. I feel fortunately I nonetheless get to dabble in it some. I do loads of interviews with school athletes, typically I do sideline for some school video games, which is enjoyable, however, you recognize, the regularity of it and the fervour of it’s one thing that I’d say I miss for certain.
KP: Why on the planet do school basketball groups wait till 3 minutes earlier than tipoff to announce that they’ve scratched the perfect participant? That drives me loopy. You coated school sports activities, clearly. Have you learnt why that that occurs? Why can we not do one thing about that?
TR: I do know it’s important to have the petition, get everyone on board. And it drives me nuts.
KP: OK, so that you went to highschool in Georgia, you went to school in Illinois. Who’re your favourite professional groups?
TR: So I root for the Falcons, which I’m very pleased I’m gonna be paired with Kirk Cousins for PNG Battle of the Paddle. So placing Atlanta on our again, you recognize, however I’m a Falcons fan, I root for the Hawks as properly. I went to UI for faculty, so in fact I root for Illinois paramount, however I’m additionally a UGA fan as a result of anyone from Georgia is a UGA fan. My sister went there, been rooting for the Dawgs loads of my life, so I’m very Georgia-centric with regards to the groups that I root for along with UI.
KP: By the best way, primarily based on like a a 2-minute clip of Kirk Cousins, he has a critical future in broadcasting. He was rattling good on Thursday Night time Soccer. Have been you stunned by that?
TR: I don’t assume I used to be stunned. No, I’ve been actually lucky to — I labored with Kirk on a business earlier than. I’ve additionally interviewed him just a few instances and he’s tremendous insightful and like, he at all times says his swag is just like the dad’s swag, and it positively is, nevertheless it works for him. He’s tremendous entertaining. He has like a very attention-grabbing humorousness. He can speak to anyone, so seeing him shine on TV isn’t one thing I used to be, I used to be stunned about. He has that means about him. He’s very relatable and in all of the ways in which matter in broadcast. He positively leans into the, let’s name it the goal model.
KP: Oh, OK, so the a part of the explanation I requested you in regards to the fandom is like — how is that helped or harm simply by protecting sports activities as a result of it’s important to do it objectively, proper? You may’t say, properly, Illinois must be doing like as you’re on the sidelines, so how do you take care of that so far as, you recognize, protecting the Falcons on the sideline and, you recognize, simply being goal.
TR: Yeah, I imply you positively have on, you recognize, your fan hat and you’ve got in your broadcaster hat, and also you by no means put on two hats on the identical time. So if I’m working, you’re by no means saying, OK, oh, I’m so upset the Hawks misplaced as a result of that’s simply not what you do as a broadcaster. I do have some totally different, you recognize, retailers the place we get to kind of lean into fandom, like if I’m doing streams of TNT and stuff, they prefer it to be enjoyable and lightweight and and use your character, however there’s by no means a time the place you might be being biased in direction of your workforce and that basically shines within the broadcast, but in addition for me, you recognize, I’ve been been doing this for therefore lengthy that I by no means actually acquired to completely be a fan. Like, even once I was in class at College of Illinois, I used to be working. I coated the groups, so I solely went to a recreation and never working thrice in my whole time at College of Illinois. So from once I began in school in 2010 to now, I’ve been doing broadcasting at some degree, and so I’ve develop into used to not having that at all times present, however now I actually get pleasure from these instances the place I get to go to video games as a fan, trigger I really feel like I’m doing issues in reverse slightly. I can dwell my fandom slightly bit extra now than I used to be capable of once I was first beginning.
KP: So from Huge 10 Community to TNT and clearly much more issues sooner or later, might you pinpoint if anyone have been to ask you, hey, pinpoint a time or pinpoint an space that basically helps you get to the place you might be, what, what would you level to? What do you assume actually helped you alongside the best way?
TR: I’d say two issues: One, it’s relationships, like relationships that I constructed once I first began or relationships that I nonetheless lean on and love at the moment. In some ways, each within the NBA and NFL, that has been very useful. You need to be good to folks. Your repute, I feel, is all the things on this enterprise, however then I’d additionally say doing issues which can be your individual. How can your character shine? How will you present individuals who you might be and what you’re truly like, and why they need to hear and why it’s entertaining, and why you’re informative and all these other ways, simply what’s what’s totally different about you. I feel that the extra you may determine that out, the extra all the things continues to open up for you. So yeah, I’d say, I’d say relationships after which additionally simply understanding your self, like what makes you you within the enterprise are the 2 issues.
KP: Yeah, it sounds it sounds easy, proper? Simply don’t burn bridges, be good to folks, be variety to folks. But additionally be your self, and I feel that’s the largest battle. I feel I see with lots of people is how will you be your self, toe the road, however not let folks see like the complete loopy aspect of you that, you recognize, so it it’s sort of attention-grabbing.
OK, so that you’ve been uncovered to so much. You’ve been uncovered to loads of athletes, and varied leagues. Inform me a couple of time that you just have been starstruck. And does that also occur to at the present time, and it doesn’t should be like, clearly a LeBron James or a Tom Brady. It may be any like every actor or actress.
TR: I wasn’t starstruck, however I used to be actually pleased to satisfy Allen Iverson, simply trigger it, it’s Allen Iverson. So I believed that was cool. After which just like the Georgia in me, once I met Michael Vick, that was additionally actually cool as a result of that’s simply who I grew up watching down there on the peak of Michael Vick. He was like nothing you’ve ever seen. You had your No. 7 jersey costume and everyone was sporting theirs. Michael Vick was actually vital to my formative childhood soccer expertise. So assembly him was actually, actually cool, and in order that’s extra so what I skilled, like, oh, it’s so it’s cool to satisfy this particular person. I can’t consider a time that I’ve been starstruck, perhaps once I like noticed Beyonce in particular person. So yeah, that’s, that’s what I say. Allen Iverson and Michael Vick.
KP: I bear in mind on the Tremendous Bowl final yr, in Vegas, strolling by and seeing Michael Vick there and like triple-taking like, wait, is that — ought to I — what do I, so I actually know precisely what you imply there.
OK, so massive week in sports activities, clearly — NBA, NFL. What number of instances do it’s important to refresh your Twitter?
TR: This previous Saturday after we noticed the Luka commerce. Loopy. Nicely, it’s like each group chat was going insane, and then you definitely’re actually checking since you’re pondering, wait, is that this an actual tweet? I simply needed to carry on going to indicate this web page and say, OK, is there a tweet that claims, oh, I’m hacked, regardless of the case could also be, however when it was confirmed as actual, it was simply — you don’t usually get these moments the place just like the world stops, it feels just like the panorama modified, however that was for certain a type of instances the place you’ll assume, the place have been you when the commerce occurred? It was nuts. I’m actually excited to see what that is how that is gonna play out for each groups, however I’m additionally clearly so thinking about, you recognize, what Luca actually feels about how this occurred and there’s been a various studies, however I’m excited to listen to it from him, his ideas on the commerce. The potential of touchdown the face of the NBA who’s nonetheless a child, proper? Like he’s actually wild, yeah.
And like, why wouldn’t he simply flip the change, proper, and say, hey, you, you assume I’m commerce worthy? You assume you’re gonna commerce me? After which he simply takes it to a different degree after which it helps to have LeBron in your aspect. Yeah, I feel it might go loads of other ways.
KP: In order an OKC fan, I simply need Chet again. I don’t actually need anything throughout this commerce deadline. Is there a commerce that you just wish to see occur? And the observe as much as that’s: Is there gonna be anyone within the West to take down my boys this yr?
TR: I imply, so far as a commerce I wish to see occur, I feel that each the Warmth and Jimmy wanna be executed with each other. I feel that all of us are like, OK, you guys wish to separate, let’s see it. Each day it felt prefer it was one thing new. They each need it to be executed. I additionally need it to be executed. I additionally assume the followers need it to be executed. They simply need a decision to it, since December, man. I’d like to see the place Jimmy finally ends up. I feel it can make each side pleased. I would like all sides to be pleased. After which so far as OKC, y’all look actually, actually good. It’s such a enjoyable workforce to look at. Shay is Phenomenal. You watch him and, it’s simply he makes it look so easy, though what he’s doing is genuinely unreal, and we talked about clearly youth, what they’ve been capable of do with that workforce. It’s gonna be scary, and the cool factor about OKC is y’all shall be good for a very long time, it appears. So the longer term is shiny and the current is shiny. So shout out to everyone in that entrance workplace, trigger y’all have executed it proper for certain.
KP: Do you assume we take these performances with no consideration as a result of such as you’ll take heed to the published and it’s, oh properly, Shay, 33, 7 and 6 tonight, and it’s like ho-hum, however he does that like each night time. Like, at what level will we acknowledge the greatness as a result of it does really feel like he’s being taken with no consideration.
TR: I feel that typically in sports activities folks take all the things with no consideration, proper? I feel particularly when whenever you’re a participant that’s nice or a workforce that’s nice, after which your expectation turns into greatness, folks then develop into numb to what they’re seeing as a result of they’re seeing it a lot, however simply since you’re seeing one thing a lot doesn’t imply that it isn’t extremely spectacular and extremely laborious and it’s on the heels of anyone who was extremely extremely proficient, so I really feel that about sports activities simply usually, I feel what athletes do. It’s loopy and now we have develop into simply very desensitized to it. So yeah, I’d say that about Shay, I’d say that in regards to the Chiefs, I’d say that about something, that I feel greatness is one thing that we are able to take with no consideration as a result of we expect that after we watch sports activities, however we’re at all times seeing one thing that we’ve by no means seen earlier than.
KP: That’s an ideal segue, so it’s Tremendous Bowl week, proper? And followers of each groups, they’re gonna inform you it’s us towards the world, which that’s what delusion does to you as a fan, however the narratives are sort of loopy and I’d say lazy if something, so that you’re listening to the refs need the Chiefs to be right here. Like, do you purchase into any of that nonsense? Do you purchase into, just like the Chiefs and the Eagles? No one desires to look at that.
TR: What occurred to appreciating greatness? These are the 2 finest groups within the sport. Yeah, I feel it’s gonna be nice and I like that with the sport, we’re both going to see the Chiefs get a 3-peat or we’re going to see the Eagles full what has been a very nice season, each for Jalen getting again to the Tremendous Bowl and for Saquan having a textbook magical yr — that’s who truthfully I feel must be the MVP.
I perceive the MVP is a quarterback award, that’s what it has develop into, however what he’s been in a position to do that yr, the data that he was capable of break and simply the story of it, proper? The frustration with the Giants, the frustration that was occurring with the Giants, and for him to go to the Eagles, have this phenomenal first yr, they’re going to the Tremendous Bowl, whatever the workforce that wins, it’s a really, excellent story, and I’m a member of the media, so I like tales. So I simply assume it’s gonna be a enjoyable one regardless.
KP: OK, earlier than we get you out of right here, you stated MVP Saquon, and, and that may be, for my part, the easiest way it will come out, proper, as a result of Patrick Mahomes has executed this a number of instances and for all the things that Saquon’s been by means of, proper, for having to spend your rookie contract with the Giants, I really feel such as you deserve a Tremendous Bowl win with the Eagles. Give me your rating prediction.
TR: You recognize, I haven’t actually thought of my rating prediction. I’ll should get again to you. I do assume the Eagles can get this one. I feel the Eagles can win. Now it’s very laborious for me to say that trigger I’m not an individual that bets towards Patrick Mahomes. I’ve at all times been like, oh, the Chiefs are gonna win. Yeah, however I’m gonna go Eagles, and I’ll get I’ll get again to you on the rating. I haven’t thought of my rating prediction but.
