Pivot Podcast

"These five words changed everything: It All Starts With You." Trent Shelton

June is Mens Mental Health Month, and on our platform, that means leaning into the tough conversationsasking the hard questions that may be uncomfortable, but are necessary for real change. Sometimes, all it takes is one honest moment, one powerful story, to shift a mindset or spark a breakthrough.

In this special episode, we sit down with former NFL player turned motivational force and social media phenomenon, Trent Shelton, for a raw, honest, and deeply necessary dialogue about the emotional struggles many men face behind closed doors.

Joined by Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder, and Fred Taylor, Trent shares his powerful journeyfrom chasing NFL dreams to losing his sense of self, battling depression, and ultimately rediscovering purpose through pain. He opens up about the crushing pressure to appear strong, the stigma around vulnerability, and how real strength lies not in silence, but in healing.

Trent recounts the darkest moment in his lifewhen he nearly gave upand how one glimmer of hope helped him fight his way back. Together, the guys chat about life after sports, identity crises, the importance of mental health, and how Trent transformed his lowest point into a movement with his powerful message: Its Rehab Time. Inspired by the tragic loss of a close friend to suicide, Trent turned pain into purpose, creating a platform for healing and growth.

The episode takes an even more personal turn as Channing opens up about grieving the loss of his father, Fred reflects on the weight of quiet moments, and Ryan shares his thoughts on lifes next chapter. The conversation is unfiltered, vulnerable, and incredibly movinga testament to the power of speaking truth, facing pain, and finding strength through faith, family, and brotherhood.

Whether you're an athlete, a father, or a man struggling in silencethis conversation is for you. We all have had pivotal moments and know others going through it, we hope this episode serves as a beacon of light for anyone who may need it.

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“Find the positive. The devil doesn’t sleep and that’s what is sneaking into your mind so when I say F the outside haters, F your inside haters too and know who you are.” Channing Crowder

It's another three-man Friday and Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder are breaking down all the big sports storylines and trending topics that have us all talking! This unfiltered conversation keeping it 100 as always speaking from the heart and our own experiences.

NFL and NBA Updates: Deion Sanders' reaction to Shedeur's draft fall out, Stephen Curry's revelation, Stefon Diggs' offseason, Lebron and Luka's recent comments.



Trending Topics: Discussing current events and cultural moments making headlines today such as youth sports burnout, imposter syndrome, mental health, younger dating trends and more.



Personal Insights: Sharing personal stories and experiences that offer a unique perspective on the sports world.



June is Men's Mental Health Month and with recent passing of Sports Science host, John Brenkus, Channing says no evaluation of money or success dictates what goes on inside someone while Ryan talks about how being tough isn't always the best tool, but rather strength can be found in vulnerability, failure and growth.

Whether you're a die-hard sports fan or just tuning in for the engaging discussions, this episode promises to deliver thought-provoking content and plenty of laughs as we break it all down for you heading into thee weekend!

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"If they ain't hating on you, then you aren't doing something right." Shaquille O'Neal

One of our favorite people and top Pivot Podcast guest returns as we welcome a man who needs no introduction, our friend, the one and only Shaquille O'Neal. Sitting with Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor- Shaq jumps right into the chaos and fun of the world we know, the dynamic of life after sports, shares some inside stories, offers his thoughts on current NBA, the mindset shift it took to build a business empire, give back to communities, and discover his true purpose.

From the end of TNT's Inside the NBA show to his relationship with Charles Barkley, Shaq says how he avoids emotions around changes he can't control and admits the two occasions he cried, losing his sister to cancer and losing his brother Kobe Bryant. He expounds on questions surrounding his relationship with Kobe and how he regrets not reaching out sooner as he explains the tough lesson in the reality that once someone is gone, they are gone forever with no redos or second chances.

Shaq continues telling Ryan, Channing and Fred that we have to approach life with open hearts to always forgive and be the bigger person even when it's most difficult. He reveals what's been the glue to his bond with Barkley over the years and the why that we never knew existed.

The icon's larger than life personality comes through as the guys talk about what really happens after the final buzzer sounds as Shaq keeps it real speaking on his era of players vs now, breaks down the NBA finals between Oklahoma City and Indiana, dismisses the small market vs large market not making entertaining basketball, weighs in on the true GOAT conversation, and who he sees as the current player who wears the crown as the league's face, and best ways of navigating identity outside of the NBA.

From owning businesses to being a father and mentor, Shaq reveals what keeps motivating him to keep making big moves, and it's not just money...this conversation is full of laughs, locker room talk and true fellowship as we really cover so many aspects of life and do it in a pivotal way where you are laughing one moment and in deep thought the next.

Drop your thoughts in the comments and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe for more inspiring convos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Pivot Podcast, we sit down with the multi-talented Woody McClain — actor, producer, and cultural force — best known for his powerful portrayal of Bobby Brown in BET’s The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story as well as his breakout role in PowerBook.

Woody opens up to Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder about his journey from viral content creator and backup dancer to becoming a breakout star in Hollywood. He talks growth, rejection, reinvention, and what it really takes to pivot into your purpose. Throughout the episode, McClain shares candid insights into his early career, the challenges he faced in the entertainment industry, and the personal growth that led him to embrace acting as a lifelong passion. The discussion also touches on the importance of mentorship, the influence of Bobby Brown's legacy, and how McClain's experiences have shaped his approach to storytelling and artistry. He shares his what he learned from touring with Chris Brown, advice from 50cent, gratitude for his mother's unconditional support and how this one enlightening experience changed everything for the young actor.



The impact of portraying a music legend



How becoming a father reshaped his dreams



Why he put breaks on dancing to chase acting



Mental health, staying grounded, and staying hungry



The real Woody McClain outside the spotlight



This conversation is a masterclass in transformation and self-belief as Ryan, Fred and Channing share their own insights and experiences about navigating this high stakes business that is sometimes unforgiving.

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“You can’t play chess with people who only own checkers because you both end up playing connect four and that’s a child’s game- and I no longer want to play children’s games.” Ryan Clark 

Has this week been our Biggest Pivot? It's been an interesting and difficult at times for The Pivot Family, we lost Channing's father and have been trying to navigate life as various things have come our way. Ryan experienced a heightened media frenzy as he expressed his take on certain topics with RG3, culturally and with family, which ultimately led him to open up on his approach when using his voice and the responsibility that comes with having a platform. We also address recent accusations about our Bill Belichick show and Channing's clears the air on comments he made about Jordon Hudson's involvement while Ryan disclosed how our conversation truly took place.

And we get back to the business talking about all the hottest headlines and biggest storylines in sports from Travis Hunter wedding to prenups to the reality of WNBA and our NBA Finals picks.

The guys discuss the WNBA and how the league may be at elevated popularity because of Caitlin Clark, but there are so many stars and talented players which is truly making the game so much more fun and popular to watch. We get into the NBA finals, key players to watch and who the two teams left will be and how that affects the league and ratings. We get a few laughs as we talk about prenups, break down the viral best man speech and how we would handle these situations if it was us!

And as we close out our conversation, we pay tribute to Randolph Crowder Sr as Channing reflects back on his final days with his father and how this loss has affected his outlook on life as he honors the man his dad Big Randy represented.

Thank you Pivot Family for rocking with us and knowing that we will always hold each other accountable and operate with integrity no matter what popular opinion may be.

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