The Sam Acho Podcast

In this episode, Sam Acho and Clif Marshall welcome Josh Harrison—two-time MLB All-Star, proud Cincinnati native, and a man grounded by faith, family, and relentless joy. Josh breaks down the reality of thirteen seasons in the majors: the grind, the setbacks, the unseen work, and the gratitude for every step. He shares how a rough junior year and the wisdom in 1 Peter 5:6 forged his humility, how his mother’s words—“big don’t mean bad”—shaped his identity, and why baseball never defined his purpose. With authenticity and fire, Josh opens up about the profound role of mentors, living out “iron sharpens iron” at Ignition, and stepping boldly into “Brittany season” to support his wife and kids in life after baseball.

Key highlights
• Josh Harrison’s path from Cincinnati Bearcats to thirteen MLB seasons and two All-Star selections, earning respect through hustle, athleticism, and genuine joy.
• Facing adversity: being sent down five times in one season, recovering from injuries, and enduring a junior-year slump transformed through 1 Peter 5:6 and unwavering family support.
• Core moments: his first walk-off hit on Mother’s Day with his mom and grandmother present; breaking up Rich Hill’s no-hitter with a walk-off home run; receiving MLB’s Heart and Hustle Award.
• Defining identity beyond the game: why Josh insists baseball doesn’t define him—character, faith, and family are what truly matter.
• “Big don’t mean bad”—how early lessons from his mother and competing against his older brothers fueled a fearless, competitive edge.
• What “Brittany season” really means—stepping into an active, supportive role for his wife’s dreams and his family’s future, embracing life’s next chapter with purpose and humility.
• The lasting impact of Clif Marshall’s mentorship and Ignition’s “iron sharpens iron” culture, plus the brotherhood built with teammates like Andrew McCutchen.

References
• 1 Peter 5:6 (Scripture Josh leaned on during adversity; inscribed on his gloves and wristbands) 
• Ignition Athletics; “iron sharpens iron” with Clif Marshall: https://ignitionapg.com/
• The Beat Mom Magazine by Brittney Kelley Harrison: https://www.thebeatmom.com/
• Walk-off home run breaking up Rich Hill’s no-hitter: https://www.mlb.com/news/harrison-s-walk-off-hr-ends-hill-s-no-hitter-c250122390

Creators and Guests

Host
Clif Marshall
Coach Clif Marshall enters his ninth year as the Performance Director at Ignition where he is responsible for the design and implementation of both the strength and speed programs. Marshall works as a Fitness Ambassador for the NFL. With 15 years of professional experience, Marshall has trained more than 400 pro football players, including first round NFL draft picks, Super Bowl Champions and Pro Bowlers. Luke Kuechly, AJ Green, Geno Atkins and Devin McCourty have been some of Marshall's most notable clients over the years. Under Marshall's Direction Ignition has trained over 40+ NFL Combine Top Performers and a number of NFL Players who hold all time combine records for their position groups. Currently Ignition and Coach Marshall have at least one player that they have trained on all 32 NFL Clubs.
Host
Sam Acho
Financial Professional and ESPN Analyst

What is The Sam Acho Podcast?

The Sam Acho Podcast, featuring Clif Marshall, helps athletes learn how to win without losing it all. By going first, giving space, and growing hope, Sam and Clif talk authentically about faith, family, football, and finance to win at more than sports.

Sam Acho: Welcome back to the Sam Macho
Podcast, the place where we go first.

We give space, we grow hope.

We talk about faith, family, football.

Sometimes you'll hear about more of
that in in a second, and also finances.

And today we have a very special guest.

And Cliff, I'd love for
you to introduce our guest.

Clif Marshall: Absolutely Sam.

I am thrilled today because
we have Major League baseball

veteran Josh Harrison with us.

Josh is a follower of
Christ, a husband, a father.

And just a great human being.

Josh was born and raised
in Cincinnati, Ohio.

He was a standout baseball player in
college playing for the Cincinnati

Bearcats, where he was named
the Big East Player of the year.

He was drafted by the Cubs.

In the sixth round of the 2008 draft.

Josh went on to play for the
Pittsburgh Pirates, the Detroit

Tigers, the Washington Nationals,
the Oakland Athletics, Chicago

White Sox, and Philadelphia, Philly.

Josh was named to the Major League
Baseball All-Star Roster two

different times in his career.

Personal for me, Josh trained in the
off seasons at Ignition, where I was

the performance director for many
years, so I got to watch his climb

from the minor leagues to the big show.

He officially announced his retirement
last week after 13 MLB seasons.

So we are going to find
out what he is up to.

After hanging up the cleats, Jay Hay,
welcome to the podcast, my friend.

I'm so excited that you're with us.

Josh Harrison: Man.

I appreciate y'all having me, man.

Uh, as I said, uh, you know,
I'm just grateful to be

here and let's get it going.

Sam Acho: Yes.

Well, uh, J Hey, I got a question,
but before I ask that, we were gonna

start recording and you made a comment
about Cliff and y'all's relationship.

What did you say about Cliff
and y'all's relationship?

Josh Harrison: Oh, um, one when, when
he, when he spoke to me or reached

out to me about doing his podcast,
um, you know, I said, yeah, but to

go a little further, I said, anything
that Cliff was involved in, you know,

I consider going just from my time.

You know, as he said, our, our history,
he knew me from when I first started

training there in the minor leagues.

To, um, once I made it to the big leagues
and anything that Cliff was ever involved

in, um, you know, I was willing to be
a part of, he'll tell you too, uh, even

at Ignition when he asked me to come
speak to some of, you know, football

guys, even though I didn't play football.

Um, as I said, I, I, cliff was somebody
that I definitely resonated with.

Um, especially, you know, one of
the things that he talked about that

ignition was iron sharpens iron.

And, um, cliff is a good dude that any
time that I've been around talking to.

Has been able to kind of guide
you in the right direction.

So when asked to do this,
I'm like, that's my guy.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

That's so good.

Clif Marshall: Thank you brother.

Sam, let me show you real quick.

That means the world to me and Sam.

You know, for every athlete that I
trained somewhere in my house, there

Sam Acho: Ooh.

Clif Marshall: I.

So that's a great picture of
Josh when he was playing for

the Pittsburgh Pirates there.

So Josh, you're family to me brother.

And obviously we haven't seen each
other for a few years now that

I've moved on to Indiana and moved
away from Cincinnati and Ignition.

But it's family forever, man.

When you're a coach and an
athlete and you have that bond,

you have that relationship.

It's the most rewarding
part, uh, at least for me.

So thank you for those kind words
that it really means the world to me.

Josh Harrison: Oh no, that's,
that's without saying.

As you said, family, a lot of people
don't realize coaches, trainers, when

you're dealing with an athlete to
get to know them, that's, that's when

you're gonna get the most out of them.

And

I mean, when you take that personal
relationship, that step further,

that's where you become family.

Sam Acho: That's so good.

Well, I want, I got a
question for you, Josh.

So you just finished, you just announced
like in the last week or two, your

retirement from the MLB after 13 seasons.

My man two time All star, my man, uh
uh, breaking up people's no hitters.

My man over here.

I'm like even watching some
of your highlights, I'm

like, rotes, dude, king, go.

But now you are done at
least with this chapter.

So my question for you is, what
does life look like now that

you're no longer at the ballpark?

Josh Harrison: Uh, you know, first
and foremost, as you said, 13

years was definitely a blessing.

Um, definitely looks a lot different
now than what it did in, in my previous

years, but, uh, all things that.

I was kind of ready for
when, when, as time came.

Um, not to say any, any athletes that's,
that's playing now or played before.

I mean, there's gonna come a point in
time where you're done playing and most

people don't like to think about it.

But, um, you know, I,
I, I take everything.

In hindsight, I was the youngest of three.

I'm able to observe and see how things,
you know, go and what to look for.

And, uh, unfortunately
2020 was a COVID year.

Um, our season was shortened.

I was also coming off
of a hamstring surgery.

So the previous year I was home, you
know, August through all the off season.

And then after the COVID season we had the
lockout where the season started later.

So it was a gap of two years where
I had more extended time at home.

Um, whether it was rehabbing or we had
COVID, I had already got a glimpse of what

life would be like when baseball was done.

And uh, when it came time for
it to be done, you know, I was.

Like, here we go.

I was able to take my kids to school.

Some that I had to do during COVID, you
know, granted it was, it was online.

I was still taking 'em to school, like,

like, you know what I mean?

But it, it was those things that where
it's like, okay, I'm no longer on

the other side of the phone trying to
help with homework or do these things.

I was able to be a
little bit more present.

So now my days look like, you
know, granted it's the summer,

it's summer break, so it's not.

Really much that we are doing other
than, you know, some, some family things

that we haven't had a chance to do.

But, um, you know, this past offseason
or this past year has been, you know,

waking up, taking the kids to school.

Uh, you know, whatever my wife
made, you know, she called

the offseason Brittany season.

And in my and, in my, in my post
for the retirement, you know, I

told her it is Britney season now.

You know, so that, that involves, you
know, helping in any way that I can,

you know, for, for athletes, you know,
our significant other are the ones that.

You know, kind of keep the
house afloat while we're gone.

And I don't think you can make up
for Mo for miss time, but you can

make the most of what you have.

So you know, I'm allowing her to do.

Things that she wasn't able to
do otherwise when I wasn't here.

She's a business owner.

She's got her own magazine.

Um, the beat mom.

She's getting ready to drop her new issue.

Um, she's also got her
own online boutique.

Um, so just a few things, just, you
know, where she supported me throughout

my career, I'm able to kind of give
it back to her where, you know, she's

always done it, but it's just a little
more fulfilling for me to sit back and

know that, babe, go, go do what you do.

I, I got the kids, you know, um, you
know, you don't have to worry about

calling your parents and my parents,
you know, things that I wasn't here for.

Now I'm here.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Josh, I wanna ask you, man, as you, as
you've, uh, you know, hung the cleats

up, so to speak, Sam hung his up as
well after about a decade in the NFL.

Um, what do you think you're gonna
miss most about the clubhouse?

And really just baseball in general.

Josh Harrison: More the competition.

Um, I, I, I think that's
more than anything.

Like I, I say I miss my guys,
which I think that's a given, but.

I mean, I, I got a, I had an
opportunity, I was blessed.

I played 13 years and I played with
a lot of people from different, you

know, eras, different walks of life.

I.

And, um, so to say that I'm
gonna miss those people, I

don't really consider that.

'cause the ones that you keep in
contact with, you know, you're

gonna keep in contact with.

And the ones that you
don't, there's no love lost.

It's just life.

It's a lot of, it's a lot of people
that you can't keep in contact with.

But I would say the competition, um,
'cause that, that's, that's all I've

done from, from the age of three.

You know, I played T-Ball from
the age of three all the way to

playing in the major leagues.

Um, and I also played other sports, but.

Like that competition piece.

Um, 'cause that's something that,
you know, you, you're gonna miss.

I'm always gonna be competitive
whether I'm playing Uno monopoly,

you know, but, but going in and
putting on a uniform and, you know,

actually competing against a pitcher.

I mean, I, I, I'll miss that.

But you know what, I, I, I, I
feel like I've done enough of it.

I'm, I'm excited for, for what's next.

Sam Acho: So how did
baseball happen for you?

Like I, you said you played
a bunch of different sports.

How, how did, how did
baseball become the sport?

Josh Harrison: Um, in my family, one,
my, my mom's brother, John Tbo Shelby.

Played in 11 years, coached
for 42 World Series rings.

He was the starting center fielder, uh,
for the a DA Dodgers Kurt Gibson home run.

Like the, my, my uncle was the
starting center field on that team.

Um, to the point to where when I said
coach for 40 years, my uncle was still

coaching in the major leagues when I
played, he was a brewer's outfield coach.

So when I played for the Pirates,
they came to Pittsburgh three

times out the year we went to
Milwaukee three times out the year.

So I'm seeing my uncle, you
know, 20 something times.

Where, you know, as I
said, it's a lot of games.

We're away from family, but at the same
time, we still get to see each other.

We're going, you know, but he's also
giving me the, the real deal, the

ins and outs of, Hey, stay ready
if you're not playing, you know,

always, you know, he's been through
it and he sees it on the other hand.

So that, that's where it came from.

And then I had two older
brothers that played.

We all grew up playing football,
basketball, and baseball.

Um, my oldest brother
manages the date and dragons.

Um, but uh, baseball
was just natural to me.

Not that the other sports
weren't, but, uh, you let my

family tell it their stories.

Uh.

I was three years old at the table with
a fork making my brother's ball up like

a piece of paper, using it as a ball,

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Josh Harrison: so,

Sam Acho: so it's in the blood.

Josh Harrison: oh yeah.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

So you're talking about some
of your brothers, one of your

brothers you mentioned is a, is
a coach in the minor leagues.

Josh Harrison: Right.

Sam Acho: Now that your career
is over, have you thought about

getting into coaching or staying
involved in baseball in some way?

Josh Harrison: So, yeah,
I got two brothers.

Uh, my brother Sean, uh,
is the middle brother.

My brother Vince, is the oldest brother.

Um, Sean's a barber, so he's our barber.

As you can see, I had to get
clean before I got on here.

Sam Acho: Smooth, smooth.

Josh Harrison: Shahe, also known as Shahe.

Uh, I'm Jay, he, but Big Brother
Vince is Vhe, kind of the trailblazer.

And, uh, he is managing the dragons.

He's actually, this one, I
wanna say maybe like his.

14th or 15th year coaching,
just pro ball in general.

Um, and I can't say what the
future holds for me, you know,

whether I'm coach or not.

Um, you know, I'm enjoying being at
home with my family, but I, but I do

know that coaching also is just as much
of a, you know, commitment is playing.

And, uh, that's why I said as of right
now, you know, I'm enjoying being home.

I don't know what the future holds,
but, uh, my big brother is, is

holding a down force right now.

And, uh.

You know, I'm rooting for him.

You know, it's, it is been
pretty cool to kind of, you know,

see things come full circle.

'cause he was the one
that started to fall.

All love it.

Me and my brothers, all our cousins,
but, um, you know, who knows, Hey,

my brother get a big league job.

I, it, it might be cool
to coach my brother.

You know, that's something that
I might not be able to turn down.

I.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Clif Marshall: Jay.

Hey.

I just heard you say, like you said,
I'm gonna miss the competition.

Right.

In the major leagues, that's
what you're gonna miss the most.

So you had that competitive spirit
in you and I got to watch it for many

years at Ignition when you would come
in and you would want to train with

like the, the NFL wide receivers and the

Josh Harrison: yeah.

Clif Marshall: And I'd be like, Jay,
hey man, you're a baseball player.

What do you wanna train
with these NFL guys for?

And it's like, because
you wanted to compete.

And also your skillset to me, even
as a baseball player, is you had

incredible athleticism, right?

You had speed, you had
agility, you had power.

And uh, it was so cool when I got to watch
you training with our other pro athletes,

but in addition to the competitive spirit.

I feel like you have
the fruit of the spirit.

And what I mean by that is
you played the game with joy.

You have love, you have compassion.

You just have this, um, wellbeing about
you that people want to be around you.

And as I was reading a lot of the comments
on social media about your retirement,

that's what people said about you.

They said you were the glue guy.

For the Major League baseball teams
that you played for, but you also

brought such a joy to the game, and I
want to know where does that come from?

Josh Harrison: Um, it, it is,
I don't believe in coincidence,

the fact that you brung that up.

Um, it's not a coincidence.

'cause even in my, you know, my, my
letter, you know, I said the peer passion

and joy that you watched me play with
it, you know, came from the heart.

A lot of it was, I.

You know, I got a chance to do something.

I loved, you know, how, how many, how
many people really get a chance to say for

majority of their life, the job that they
work was something that they loved to do.

Um, you know, so every day that I walked
in, um, you know, I was, I was grateful.

I.

And, uh, also knew what was ahead of me.

'cause uh, there was a lot of hard
work that got me to that point.

Um, nothing was ever given to me.

Nothing was ever handed.

The same day I graduated high school.

It was the same day I signed
my national letter of intent.

I didn't have any offers going
until my last year, you know,

my last month of high school.

Um, so the, the, the joy that I played
with in high school was the same joy I

played with in the big leagues 'cause.

No matter what the situation was,
I was doing something that I loved.

And even my last month of high
school, I can remember people

like, man, you're not worried
about where you're going to school.

And I'm like, I know.

Wherever I go, it's gonna be somewhere,
you know, I was gonna go to a juco.

But, um, you know, just having
things in perspective, man, knowing

that I got to do what I love.

But, you know, coming off the
field, you know, I'm a husband,

I'm a son, I'm a father, I'm a
brother, um, you know, I'm a friend.

All those things, you know, put
things in perspective to know

that when I go out here and play.

I, I can leave everything on the field.

'cause you know, I even said that when I
signed my, my contract extension with the

Pirates is baseball doesn't define me.

You know, it's just, it might be
what I do, like my occupation,

but baseball will never define me.

I.

Um, and, and that's kind of what allowed
me to play with that passion and joy.

'cause you know, whether I was four
for four or oh for four, you know,

coming outta the clubhouse, all my
daughters wanted was a sip of my

Sprite and ride in a car with me.

You know?

So at the end of the day, all, all I
can do is go out here for, you know,

whether it's nine innings, 12 innings.

Man, play hard, have fun, enjoy it.

'cause as I said, I, I, I, I, I definitely
fed off of like the fans' energy.

Clif Marshall: Well, let me ask you,
you know, baseball is a game, uh,

a little different than football,
although Sam lived it as an NFL player

and as a college football player.

Man pressure.

Right.

There's a lot of pressure
in sports in general.

Right.

And, um, but baseball a little bit
different, you know, in terms of

you're at the plate by yourself, right?

You're solo up there.

How did you handle the pressure
of playing in the major league

Josh Harrison: Uh, one
knowing that I belong there.

Um, but as I said, I'm observant.

And you also gotta understand
baseball is a game that is tough.

You can do a lot of things right
and still not get rewarded.

And, um, literally knowing that and
going into every day, knowing that

every day is it's own and no matter
what you do, there's certain things, a

lot of things that you can't control.

Um, that, that definitely helped.

And I, I don't know if that
comes from me being the youngest

of three where I didn't really.

Get my way for a lot of things.

You know, I'm, I don't get
to choose what's for dinner.

I might've been the baby of the
family and got, you know, my way.

But when it came to speaking and
like, you know, hey, I, I was such

an easygoing, just go with the flow,
but I was also able to observe.

And in the game of baseball, I've
always observed, you know, riding

that wave like I played with emotion.

I, I enjoyed it.

I had fun, I played with passion.

But you know, it's the other side
of the game where you struggle and.

You can't act like that doesn't happen.

But, you know, knowing that
you, you gotta ride that wave.

and and for me it was just easy knowing
that, man, if I can just go out here

and play this game and, and know that
at the end of the day whatever's meant

to be is be that, that's, that's, that's
what helped me get to the next day.

'cause if you were about yesterday,
trust me, I've been fourth before and

came back the next day, it is like,
man, I don't know what happened.

But that's, that's, that's baseball,
that's sports, that's, that's life.

Um, what happened in the past?

Not saying it can't affect the future,
it doesn't have anything to do with

the future, but if you worried about
that, you're not focused on today

and what's at, at what's at hand,

Sam Acho: Cliff, you
want to, you want to ask.

The next

Clif Marshall: Yep.

Yep.

So, um.

Jay, Hey, just watching you train
again and being around you, uh,

as you were making your climb
to the major leagues, right?

Um, you're not the biggest guy in
terms of height and stature, right?

I would guess you to be, what,
around five foot eight maybe.

I don't know what they list you at.

Maybe you're a little taller
than that, but my point is.

You were never the biggest athlete,
high school, college, or in the major

leagues, but I always like to say it's
not the size of the fight in the dog.

It's the size of the dog in the fight.

And you had that.

Where did that come from?

Josh Harrison: So I gotta stop you first.

I'm not five eight, I'm six two.

No,

no, no.

But when kids used to
ask me, how tall are you?

I be like, six two.

No, you're not.

But, but, but no, um, no, it, the,
the fact that you said that I, I

grew up, as I said, with my two older
brothers, Vince and Sean, and, uh,

I even said it in my announcement
thing, you know, all the block shots,

you know, uh, strikeouts, you know,
I played against both of my brothers.

They four and a half and seven
and a half years older than me.

So as a younger brother,
I was always smaller.

But then.

I got amongst my peers.

I didn't realize I was smaller.

Like, you know what I mean?

Just 'cause I was playing
against my older brothers.

But, um, at the same time, uh, I
started playing T-ball at three.

The reason that I, I, I played at three
is 'cause my mom coached, they wouldn't

let me play unless my mom coached.

'cause when they took me out,
they was like, he's too small.

And my mom's like, trust me, he can play.

And the only way that they let
me play was for her to coach.

I.

But she's always said something to me when
I was little, was big, don't mean bad.

So, so when you say that, granted I
had two older brothers, but you know,

my mom was my first coach at three and
she always said big don't mean bad.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

I like that.

Sam Acho: What did that instill

in you hearing your mom say that
message to you at such a young age?

Josh Harrison: That right there was
enough to know that I don't care how

big you are, how small you are, like
if you got the will to want to do it.

I mean that's, that's how I took
it was I don't care how big, hey,

I've been, as you said, cliff, my
whole, whole life, whole career.

I've probably been, if not the smallest,
one of the two smallest on the team.

But if you would've asked me or
anybody who played probably the

biggest on the team, I've gotta be one.

And it's not from a standpoint, I
think it's just how I carried myself.

Just 'cause.

I got two older brothers, it
ain't nothing you can do to me

that they haven't, you know?

And then my mom said, just 'cause
you big don't mean nothing.

And as I got older, they say the
bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Sam Acho: Oh.

That's so good.

So big don't mean bad.

You're five eight.

At least claiming six, two maybe.

I don't know what, I don't know.

I would say somewhere in the range,
maybe under, I don't know where we at.

I don't know where we're at exactly,

Josh Harrison: eight was spikes.

Sam Acho: Okay.

With, oh, with spikes.

5, 6.

Coach, coach Ft.

Josh Harrison: Five, six and a half.

Five, six and a half,

Sam Acho: five, six and a half,
but a two time MLB All-Star.

What was it like finding out the
first time you made the All-Star game?

Josh Harrison: man, 1 1 2 time Allstar.

That's a blessing.

Um, never set out to say I want
to be an Allstar this for that.

But granted, I had been an all
star at every level I've been.

So it was never a surprise to me,
maybe to other people, but I never did

anything for anybody else's approval.

Um, it was always for my own
beliefs and my own thoughts, but

um, I can remember my first one.

It was 2014 and I made my debut in 2011.

That means it took three years,
but not just three years.

When I say it took three years.

11, 12, 13.

I didn't really play like I
was the 25th man on the bench,

barely getting 200 at bats.

And that's why I said it helped to have an
uncle who played 11 years, coach for 40.

Having my brother who's coaching pro
ball at the time, you know, 'cause

I'm voicing my frustrations as man.

Everywhere I've gone, I've played
like, and not just played, I've

exceeded and ball, you know, single
aa, aa, all star, every level.

I get to the major leagues
and it's like I'm not playing.

But then when I do play, I.

Hey, you got one start this
week or once every week?

Oh, go pinch it.

And I'm like, man, I've
never done this in my life.

It's a lot of, it's a, it's an adjustment.

And I remember that 2014 season, it's
like two weeks into the season, I don't

have a start yet talking to my brother.

And he is like, man, just got a feeling.

We, we are gonna be laughing at
this at the end of the season.

Like, man, just stay ready.

Keep doing what you're doing.

Like, it's nothing like stay ready.

You know, nothing changed from what
we've done the past three years.

You gonna get your, you
gonna get your shot.

I thought my shot was
gonna come Easter Sunday.

That was my first start.

Two hits.

We had a brawl with the
brewers benches cleared.

I can remember after my first hit,
you know, the benches cleared.

You know everybody out there
and I'm like, Hey, come on

man, let's get this game going.

Like it's my first start.

Like, hey, already, you
know, already got a hit.

I'm trying to get another one.

But hey, hey, if anybody wanna get
active, we can get active, but I

know ain't nobody trying to fight.

I'm trying to play.

So I get two hits and I
don't start the next day.

I think I go another week without a start.

Somebody ends up getting
hurt, I end up popping in.

And long story short, never looked back.

It's all star selection Sunday.

We already know Andrew McCutchen going
'cause he's having an outstanding year.

And Clare Hurler goes, uh, yeah,
we got three all stars this year.

Coach.

That's without a doubt.

We had another one of our relievers,
Tony Watson, who I came up in the minor

leagues with, who was dealing too.

He's like, oh yeah, yeah.

He goes, his third one, uh, well deserved.

And, uh, I was actually, I think Mike
Mathey, the National League coach,

selected me as like the utility guy.

When they said me, I was like,
know, everybody was like, yeah.

And I'm like, dang, I'm,
I'm sitting there like.

I gotta call home.

Like I, you know, like, mom, dad, um,
the All Star game is in Minnesota.

I just got called.

I they go, what?

Oh man.

Oh man.

Like, yeah, we gotta get you granny.

My brother's in like Morgan.

I call him, it's Sunday.

You know, they a couple hours behind.

So you know, if our game's at
one, they tell us at 1130, so

it's probably 8 30, 9 o'clock.

What's up bro?

Hey, remember you told me we was gonna
be laughing at the end of the season?

Yeah.

We ain't gonna be laughing.

We ain't gotta wait.

I'm a and he like, no, like he, my brother
Vince wasn't able to make it 'cause he

was coaching, but like, you know, when
I say it was a blessing, I came into

that season not playing for three years.

Get my opportunity.

Getting a chance to play injuries
happen and then, you know, boom,

in a matter of an instant boom.

And, uh, you know, the rest was history.

But, uh, like getting that, I
wouldn't even say getting that call.

It was in a locker room, I found
out when the team found out.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Josh Harrison: So it, it, it was cool.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Jay, you talk about it happening,
happening in a matter of an instant, but

I wanna talk about those three years,
even the time in the minor leagues.

Like what was it like before you
finally got a chance to get a chance?

Josh Harrison: I had be lying
if I said it wasn't miserable.

You know?

'cause you, we, we all from, at this
point, you come up, you go to middle

school, you go to high school, you go
to college, you everywhere you've gone.

You've been an everyday player.

And not only that, you've been
one of the guys and it wasn't

a humbling experience for me.

'cause as I said, I, I've been
humble my junior year humbled me.

We'll get to that.

But, um, I can remember, as I said,
I'm outperforming people that are

getting an opportunity ahead of me.

Oh, we're gonna send you down to Triple A.

Okay, that's fine.

But like at 1,200 13, I got sent
down five times before July.

And usually when you get sent down
it would be, Hey, go work on this.

Go work on that.

You know, you having trouble with the
slider, we wanna see you do that better.

Or Hey, we need you to do better
defensively, so go whatever the case is.

They're giving you something to work on.

And I got to 2013 and when I tell
you I got option five times before

July, I don't know if you know how
options work when you have an option.

That means throughout the season,
162 games they can send you between

the minor leagues and the major
leagues as many times as they want.

Without, you know, Hey, you can come up
tomorrow, we'll use you for one game.

Hey, you know what, we gotta somebody
we're gonna send you back down.

And that happened five times before July.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Josh Harrison: And I'm like,
man, I'm outperforming people.

But at the same time, like, you
know, I'm staying the course, I,

I got my uncle, my brother, Hey,
keep doing what you're doing.

It's 29 other teams.

But I can remember like being
in AAA 2013, after that fifth

time I got sent up for one day.

I remember I pinch it.

They send me back down the next day and
you get three days to ee the team when

you get sent down, and I never did.

But after the third time, after
the second time, the third,

fourth, and fifth time, I said.

I'll meet them on the third day.

I mean, granted, I live in Cincinnati.

AA was Indianapolis.

I could wake up the same
day, you know, on day three.

You know, we ain't talking about
Jesus on the third day, like

not, but, but on the third day, like,
okay, if I gotta be there today, BP starts

at two, I'll leave the house at 10 30, 11,
get to the stadium at one, and I'm there.

But it was also me sending a message like.

Man, I'm the ultimate team guy.

Ultimate team player.

You've never heard me complain.

Never done anything.

I've done everything that y'all asked and
more, but at some point, enough is enough.

And I remember going to my AAA
manager, dean, trainer at the time.

I can't make this up.

I go, Dino, get me outta here.

Like I, I love being a pirate.

Like I, these are my guys at Triple A.

But this, I said, every
time I go up, I don't play.

They want and when I come up I might
pinch hit and then they send me down.

I said, is that their way of
seeing me as a pinch hitter?

I say, if they don't want me,
there's 29 other teams that

I know somebody will use me.

Like this is me just speaking in
confidence to my AAA manager at the time.

And you know, he was somebody
that at the time I didn't spend

much time in the MI minor leagues.

Like most people spent five, six years.

I spent like two and a half,
three years, but I was between

two different organizations.

So like I was only in one
place for one full year.

Everything else, I was half a
year here or there, even aaa.

But Dino was one that was that
liaison and I'm like, Dean, every

time they sent me down, like
they never said, go work on this.

You know what their message was to me
when they sent me down, go do what you do.

We know you're gonna do it.

So I'm like, why am I being sent down?

So when you say, how was it?

Oh, it sucked because it's like I'm
being sent down for, for nothing.

But I was also a guy that, as
you say, you get three options.

I was able to be sent down other
people that they sent down, they

would've had to taken off the roster
and somebody could have claimed.

So there, there, there's roster things
involved, but it's like, hey, at the end

of the day, I'm outperforming this dude.

You can let this dude go.

You know, that's, that's personal.

But at the same time.

You know, that, that's also
understanding the business.

Um, but it, it was frustrating
having to sit around for three

years and wait for that opportunity.

But, you know, I never let it deter
me from, you know, going about

my work and being ready for when
that opportunity presented itself.

'cause, you know, everybody's gonna get
an opportunity per se, but, you know,

might not be as big as somebody else's.

But one thing I wasn't gonna do
is let it slip through my fingers.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Clif Marshall: Jay?

Hey, just hearing your story, you
know, uh, I think of commitment, right?

You were committed to the process
even when you were sent down to the

minors time and time again, even when
you were in high school and you get

to the last month of your senior year
and you have zero division one offers.

I just think of how you
went from that moment.

To making the Major League
Baseball All Star game.

And I think that a lot of it is in life.

It's 10% of what happens
and 90% of how you respond.

In other words, it's the event plus the
response that's gonna equal the outcome.

And I think you said it earlier, you
controlled what you could control,

which is your attitude and your effort,
and that's what it's all about, man.

So any young listeners.

Any, anybody just in general, we
can all learn from Jay Hay's story.

Now, I do wanna ask you, Jay Hay,
obviously you had a great memory of making

the All-Star game, but aside from that,
what is your greatest memory in baseball?

Josh Harrison: My greatest memory
in baseball, um, if I was to let

other people speak for me, they
gonna say Probably my rundowns.

You know, that, that, that,
that's like, you know, something

that goes on every year.

Oh, 10 years to the day, you know?

Um, but, but honestly.

One of my most special moments to me.

Um, and I've had some cool ones.

Uh, like the Rich Hill moment was
cool, breaking up a perfect game

with a, with like a home run, um,
walk off home run that, that, that

or no hit or that, that was cool.

But honestly, man, I think I've had maybe
seven or eight walk off hits in my career.

And my very first career walk off
hit in 2012 was on Mother's Day.

And my mom and grandma were there.

Clif Marshall: Oh

Josh Harrison: And Oh,
it, it was a getaway day.

My, my wife was there too.

She wasn't pregnant.

We were engaged at the time.

But, um, like I remember, uh, I hit
the walk off in the rain, you know,

I get interviewed on the field.

I got like the shave, you know, like
the whipped cream, like it's a picture

of me, and my mom, you know, I'm in a
tunnel with my grandma and them after

the game, before we catch a flight.

But like, for me, been a
part of a lot of things.

But to have like one of my walk offs, my
very first walk off to be on Mother's Day

and like my mom and grandma to be there,
that's kind of one of my favorite ones.

Sam Acho: Why, why was
that your favorite one?

Josh Harrison: Well, my
mom was my first coach.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

Josh Harrison: But

also, you know, it's cool to do things
in front of, in front of family,

you know, um, but I thought it was
cool for it to be Mother's Day.

And my grandma lives
in Lexington, Kentucky.

She really ain't traveling nowhere.

So for her to be there, my mom to be
there, it's like, oh, it was cool.

My first walk off hit 2012 when I
wasn't playing every day either.

So you gotta think.

They were showing up at games that
I probably wasn't even playing in.

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Josh Harrison: So, so for me to take
that, my first career walk off of

2012 when I wasn't playing every
day Mother's Day, both of them to be

there, my mom being my first coach.

That's kind of cool.

Sam Acho: That's so awesome.

Clif Marshall: Well, let
me, oh, go ahead, Sam.

Sorry

Sam Acho: what you, you talked
about some of the highs, but on this

podcast we talk about some of the

lows as well.

Talk about overcoming adversity
and you mentioned your junior year.

Um, what happened junior

Josh Harrison: that was
my junior year, I think.

Got me prepared for, for everything.

Um, my freshman and sophomore year, I
remember as you, as you said, no offers

going to my final month of high school.

And you backed that up to go
my freshman year, freshman All

American at uc, um, followed up
by going to sophomore, sophomore

year, had another grade campaign.

Went to the Cape Cod, which is
the most prestigious college

bat league at the time.

Um, then come back to my junior year
and I started the fall with a hernia,

had surgery, missed a lot of the fall.

Um, so it was a little delayed there.

And preseason is all talks of, you know,
I might be a first round or second round,

like just off of my first two years.

And to set the precedence, I came
in as a freshman, as a shortstop.

My freshman year I played.

Six positions.

Second, short, third, left, right.

Catcher?

Yeah.

Catcher.

Clif Marshall: Wow.

Josh Harrison: Don't ever
had to catch three games.

Emergency.

Never called a day in my life.

But, um, so as, as I've done
this, I get to my junior year,

you know, oh man, first, second,
rounder, whatever the title is.

And I get off to the worst start of my
life, and I'm talking, some of it is

coupled by, you know, delayed in the fall.

But some of it's just, Hey, it's baseball.

You cannot expect to play
this game and not struggle.

And I tell people all the time, baseball
does not care about your feelings.

The sooner you fi sooner you figure
that out, the better off you'll be.

But, um, like I remember, I'm
talking, I'm hitting first and

second in lineup to where I'm so bad.

That they moved me to
like sixth and seventh.

They like, we got, we gotta
just to clear your head.

And not only that, they've moved me
to second, second base full time.

When they go, Hey, scouts
wanna see you play second.

I'm like, okay.

The times that I've played in the past
have just been okay, somebody been hurt.

I'm just kind of flowing through
the first, it's 52 games in college.

Dude, the first 26 games, I
think I was hitting maybe 200

with maybe like 12 to 13 errors.

The errors was throwing
errors, turning double.

It was just everything was, I didn't
practice at second base in the fall.

Everything I was learning
on the fly, it was boom.

And I remember, so my favorite
Bible verses one Peter five, six,

and it says, humble yourselves,
therefore in the God's mighty hand

that he may lift you up in due time.

I took that as.

Even to this day, it's my, it is
inscribed on all of my gloves.

I, I wear wristbands that it's
inscribed on my wristbands.

Um, and it was more of a thing, not that I
wasn't humble, but you know, you hear, oh

man, being person, oh, that makes sense.

You know, I'm not that I was feeling
myself, but it's like I was expecting

myself to, to get off to this start
where it's like I'm the man on the team.

Like if like we, we struggle and I'm
like, I'm taking a person, like we

losing 'cause I ain't doing my job.

Which I mean, realistically we were, but.

mean, no, I'm, I'm just being honest.

Um, but, but at the same
time, it's not really me.

You know what I mean?

I, I had to get out of that and I kid you
not, I found that Bible verse from that

moment on, when I tell you my worries,
everything went away so much to the point.

I started the season over 10 at
the University of Miami, Florida.

They were preseason ranked
number one by uncle.

Who was down there for spring training
and came to see us play, I tell you, I

go, oh, for 10, I can't make this up.

And we lose.

They're preseason number one.

We lose the first game and the
third game by like one or two.

And I'm like, man, if I just
got a hit here or there, you

know, I hit some balls decent.

And I remember I'm oh for 10, talking to
my uncle after the game before we leave.

You know, I'm, Hey, I'm crying.

Like this is the first weekend
I've ever not gotten a hit.

I'm 19, 20 years old, never gone
a weekend without getting a hit.

I'm oh for 10.

You know what my uncle said to me?

He goes.

You plan on playing pro ball, right?

Go.

Yeah.

He said, this ain't gonna be your,
this ain't gonna be your last O for 10.

But he goes, he goes, take the
positives, keep having good at bats.

See where you fi.

You know what I mean?

But like he goes, this ain't
gonna be your last O for 10.

If you want to keep playing fast
forward we go to Louisville.

I have a week where I go 10 for 10.

In the season, we lose to Louisville, the
Big East Championship by like two runs.

We didn't get a at large bid.

We still got the school
record for wins with 39.

But I say all that to say when we
go at the end of the season, the end

of the year banquet at the Big East
Tournament, big East Player of the Year.

I was Kobe, big East Player of the
Year with Chris Dominguez after

starting the beginning of the season
where it was like, you know what?

This dude might be coming
back for his senior year.

I never thought that, but you know,
those are things that can really happen.

But telling you, so when I went
through the ringer, I'm talking yes.

Some of, some of my joy was, I don't wanna
say it was taken away, but the pressures

of me feeling like I had to do this one
was like, Hey, whatever's meant to be

is being, and it's all on God's timing.

Clif Marshall: Man, baseball.

Josh Harrison: That was,
that was my junior year.

Clif Marshall: Sam, I know
football teaches you a lot

about life through adversity.

Um, but Jay, I gotta tell you, my son's
10 years old and he's a baseball player

right now and he is playing travel.

And about a month ago, I.

He was in a baseball tournament
where he went like, oh, for 12.

Oh, for 14, and I drove him home
afterwards from this tournament and

he's in the backseat of my truck
and he's just crying hysterically,

just upset about his performance.

And something told me, cliff, you need
to take your phone and videotape this.

So I did.

I took my phone and I videotaped
him crying and obviously had the

conversation with him that, you know what?

Just gotta keep showing
up like you did right.

And keep battling.

And literally a week later they were in
the championship game up in Indianapolis

in this huge tournament, and the
championship was on the line and he was

at bat and he gets a walk off double to
win the game, to win the championship.

And I also had that videotaped
and I put the video of him crying.

Seven days later, him hitting
the walk-off, uh, double

to win the championship.

And I did that for him to teach him that
this isn't gonna be the last time you face

adversity, especially if you play baseball
and you just gotta keep showing up.

Just like Josh Harrison did all those
times at Cincinnati Bearcat and throughout

his MA Major League baseball career.

Josh Harrison: No, that
that's right though.

'cause literally what you said, that's,
Hey, granted younger, you know, they

gotta wait a week till they played.

But imagine yourself being
in the major leagues.

You go, oh, for four with four strikeouts.

Guess what?

You worrying about that tomorrow you gonna
go o for four, for four sharks A gear?

You know, I, I, I've had, I,
I've literally had I think two

stretches of like o for 20.

So, so when my uncle said O oh for 10,
I mean, I got the O for 20 and I'm like.

Yeah, I'm the worst player in
the, you know, at the time.

I'm like, man, and then you
get your first hit, you know,

it happens to a lot of people.

You get the first and guys
are like, gimme the ball.

Like it's your first hit
and guys are laughing.

They'd be like, why you ask for the ball?

Like man, I was o for my last 20.

And your teammates be like, you
were meaning it's bigger of a deal

to you 'cause you, but the O for
20 is really not that big in the

grand scheme, you know what I mean?

But we make it that big
'cause we tie it to results.

When, how many of those O for
four, you know, out of those 14,

he probably hit some balls hard.

Clif Marshall: Mm-hmm.

Josh Harrison: You know what I mean?

So that's where this game is
like, it's, it's so tough.

'cause most sports and things,
you get result oriented.

And sometimes baseball is the one that's
like, you like results, but sometimes the

result might not be the true telltale.

'cause if you hit a line drive like
you did what you were supposed to,

you know, like you just
didn't get rewarded and.

Trust me, you play long enough and you
get enough of those, you're gonna have

a couple times like, nah, I'd rather
do everything wrong and get rewarded.

Like, you know what I mean?

You, you, you hit 10 line drives and
you see your teammate come up and

you know, he done stepped out the way
and accidentally checked, swung, and

the ball and went and got a base hit.

And you're like, God, why can't you know?

You know, you start seeing guys go God,
and it's like, hey, it wasn't meant to be.

Sam Acho: But I do have a question though.

How do you

get, and this is just, like I
said, I, I played football, right?

I played baseball one year.

I was a guy in my fourth grade that
would close my eyes to try to swing.

I was at second base and they hit a ball,
hit me in the, in the hand or the head

somewhere, and I was like, no, I'm done.

Take me off the field.

I, you know, I had a
fantasy baseball team.

It was about as far as I went.

Um, but, um, how do
you get out of a slump?

Josh Harrison: I, I'll be honest,
I, I can't really say how to get out

of one, but like realistically, you.

Same what Cliff has said.

You just gotta keep pushing.

But like sometimes we put ourselves
in more of a slump trying to chase a

result, which is what I was saying.

Like, you know, he was
upset, he didn't get a hit.

He probably would've been like, man, I'll
go up there and bat with my hands the

other way if it mean I'm gonna get a hit.

Like, you know what I mean?

And it's like, but in the grand
scheme of things in the long run,

is that really beneficial for you?

So sometimes getting out of a
slump is just staying the course.

Like that's, it's a, it's
a lot of uncontrollables.

Now there, there are times in a slump
where it's like, oh yeah, you're in a

slump 'cause you're not seeing the ball.

Or you're not like, but like nine
times out of 10, hey, you gotta look.

Don't look at the result.

You know?

'cause sometimes the result
is not what it really is.

You just gotta, you know what the
process, if the process was there,

just continue to trust it, which
is what we say trust the process.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

That's so good.

Uh, I want to transition us.

Josh Harrison: The.

Sam Acho: We talked about the ups, talked
about the downs, talked about family, uh,

but I want to talk about your teammates.

Who has been your favorite
teammate to play with and

why?

Josh Harrison: I've had, I've had, I've
had some great teammates, honestly.

I have man.

Um, but, uh, man, it might be Kutch like,
like Andrew McCutchen, um, just from a

standpoint, like he and I, we still talk.

That's my dog.

But, uh, like I, I, I know.

There were things we were able to do
for each other, playing alongside to

where like, I mean, Kutch is Kutch,
like he was a five time all star.

Um, you know what I mean?

For, for the first nine years he
was there, he was MVP, and uh,

you know, I don't know how it is
in football and basketball, but

as I said, I was traded over.

I come to the major leagues, I don't know
anybody when I say I don't know anybody.

I don't know anybody 'cause I
wasn't in spring training in big

league camp with these dudes.

So when I made my debut, I'm walking
in the clubhouse with 23 other guys

that I've seen, you know, we've seen
in passing just from me coming to

be an extra body in training camp.

But like I.

Nobody to be like, oh yeah,
hey, hey J hey, what's good man?

Let's go grab some breakfast.

Or like, like, I don't know anybody.

So from the time of getting
there and to see how he

responded, Hey, what's good bro?

You good?

Hey, alright.

Hey, the picture thrown tonight,
like, not that he took me under

his wing, but it was just like,
dang, my locker was next to his.

And then, you know, that
relationship just grew.

Um, you know, we got to a point
to where 2014, every time he had

an RBI, he was driving me in like
like we, we caught ourselves.

Soul Train.

Our handshake was the high five.

Like, if, if you watch the, whenever
I hit a home run or he hit a home run,

we come at home play and we do the,
ah, that like we, that was, and it

was a thing of like finding somebody
that played with the same joy as you.

Like, you know what I

mean?

It's like, and that's
why our team was good.

'cause if you got.

A bunch of guys that are playing
free and loose like getting after it.

But it's like, bro, we having fun that
those are the people you wanna play with.

'cause that's like being in the backyard.

And, and, and I think, I think vice
versa, I was able to help him relax

'cause he didn't feel he had to do all
of the, trying to get everybody relaxed.

'cause that's just naturally what I do.

But also think.

You know it.

That's just who I am.

So it also allowed me to come into a
space to where I was able to be me.

So wherever I went from there, I mean,
I was always gonna be me, but to not

really know anybody and then just hop
in, you know, they could have looked

at me like, man, you wearing number 62?

Who is you?

Clif Marshall: Hmm.

Josh Harrison: I'm, I'm the new
offensive guard for the Steelers.

I just came over here.

That's, that's, that's
why I'm in number 62.

But, you know, um, just, just one
of those things where it's like

when you can find somebody that has
kind of helped you get to that next

level, whether it be bro, him, he
literally helped me in Tony Washington.

We got named for the All-Star Game.

That story that I was telling you, Tony
Watson found out that morning too, and

he was like, Hey, I got y'all, man.

This is so you wanna get to,
it's like, alright, cool.

Yeah.

Yeah.

He said, yeah, the team gonna
make sure we fly out there.

Hey Ku, we just following you bro.

Just tell us what, you know what I mean?

And it's, it's a lot of things behind
the scenes that, you know, it's

bigger than baseball, especially
when you got your family involved.

Not only that, uh, it's more
than just me and t like his wife.

My wife still talk, his parents, my
parents, um, you know, we all got kids.

They grew up together, you know,
kind of around the same age.

So it's one of those things where,
you know, he's just won a name.

A lot of guys from
Pittsburgh, Pedro Avarez.

Now, you know, t Pedro, IEZ, Jordy,
Mercer, Jordy's, my dog too, me and him,

we were salt and pepper up the middle.

Every, every, every time we turn to
double play, they play salt and pepper.

So like, that's just, just a few people
that I can name off the top of my head.

But I've had some, some
cool teammates, man.

Clif Marshall: I've gotta ask you, Jay.

Hey, born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I know when you were with the
Pirates, you would always come back to

Cincinnati and you would play against
the Reds at Great American ballpark.

What was it like running out on that
field in front of your friends and family?

Josh Harrison: Exciting.

Um, and once again, just a blessing
for everything to come full circle.

Um, you know, as I said, my
parents able to come see me in

Pittsburgh, you know, see my family.

But, uh, for those that weren't able, you
know, it was still cool to, I think not, I

don't think I know one game they had, uh.

It was actually like Josh Harrison
day where they brung like my high

school baseball team on the field.

My mom, dad coaches,

granted I was a visit, granted I was
a visiting player, but they had a

Josh Harrison day where my team was
on there, and it was just like, man,

for, you know, it, it just brung
something back to me to where it's

like, you know, it's bigger than me.

Um, granted, I've always felt that
way when I was out there playing.

It was always more than
just representing myself.

You know, I took pretty much parts of
me and all my loved ones, Whitney, I.

But, um, as you said, you can't
take everybody with you, so to be

able to come here and, and, and, and
put on for 'em was, was definitely

something I didn't take lightly.

I mean, I don't think it's
a coincidence that my only

multi home run game came here.

Only career, multi home run game.

Came a great American in the second
home run, tied it up in like the ninth

inning, you know, like family up in
the crowd right above, you know, so

it's like, Hey, if I'm gonna do it
anywhere, I would love to do it at home.

And it was cool.

Clif Marshall: Well, let me ask
you, uh, as we finish up here, um,

Josh, I think, uh, the one thing
that I think about with you and Sam

both is that, you know, I lived.

You know, my, uh, joy through
watching you play, right?

If you stepped up to the plate
and you hit a home run, like, man,

I'm going crazy watching it on tv.

When Sam played in the NFL, he got a big
sock as a strength and conditioning coach.

I'm going crazy because.

In some indirect way.

I feel like I played a small part in that.

So watching you throughout your 13
years as a major league baseball

player brought me so much joy.

Um, and I just want to commend you
because the way you went about it, right?

The story that you share today about how
you had to hustle for everything, right?

I know that they use that word
a lot with you as they described

you as a ma, major League baseball

Josh Harrison: they, they,
they, they made shirts.

I wore number five in Pittsburgh that
said hustle, but the s was a five

with, with my beard character on.

Yeah.

There, there was, I mean, I mean, I
mean, and you said my most memorable

moment walk off hit, but I, I
mean, not that I forget about it.

Which I do just 'cause
it came natural to me.

But I mean, one of my favorite awards is
being the Hard and Hustle award winner

of the whole major leagues in 2014.

So, you know what I mean?

It's like I didn't get that just
off of like, oh, I, I got it.

No, I, I just play hard.

I play hard, I play smart.

But, um, you know, as you said, it
just kind of comes with the territory,

not taking anything for granted.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

Clif Marshall: Well,

Josh Harrison: yeah, that, that
resilience, I mean, I spoke on it and

I mean, I didn't really get to get,
to get into it even in my big league

career, but I mean, two broken hands, 96
miles an hour torn UCL in my thumb from

stealing the bag torn semi tendon in
my hamstring that they had to cut out.

So, but my junior year of, as I said,
going back to that Bible verse and all

that helped me in that time, you know,
obviously to know that whatever was

meant to happen is meant to happen.

Clif Marshall: Well, not, not
only, uh, Josh watching you as a

player, but also watching you as a
husband, watching you as a father,

watching you as a follower of Christ.

That's what I'm most impressed with
and that's why, you know, I just, uh,

you know, think the world of you and
the journey you've been on, and I just

pray in your next chapter, uh, you'll
continue to have influence, continue

to have success, and keep sharing your
story, brother, because it is so impactful

and so many people need to hear it.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

I will say this, Josh, before we
let you go, there's a comment that

you made about halfway through the
podcast and that stuck with me.

You said, and it might've been the year
where you made the All Star team, but

you said, baseball will never define me.

Clif Marshall: Mm.

Sam Acho: Mind

you, 13 years.

Two time Allstar walk off Homers
ending, uh, amazing rundowns,

uh, uh, ending no hitters.

But you said baseball
will never define me.

What will define you?

Josh Harrison: My legacy, I
get off the field, you know.

Helping people and just showing up,
being a good friend, being a good

person, being a good father, being a
good husband, um, and not that baseball.

I, I know it comes with
the territory people.

Oh, Josh Harrison, who played
baseball, but like, I don't, I don't

want that to be the definition.

Oh no.

I, I used to joke all the time,
like, you know, people, like, what

do you do wanna do when you're done?

I said, I wanna be normal.

You know, I, you know, I, you
know, we go on the road a lot

and we eat at different places.

I like to eat at mom and pop shops
'cause you know, it's like home.

But you know, I walk in and,
oh, I got a table for you.

What would you like?

You know, sit down and I order.

And you see, hey there, go Bill And
Jen, Hey, what's go, you know, they've

been there for 40 years and it's like,
that's a sense of normalcy that is like.

Regardless of what they do or what
their occupation is, that's just showing

up and being present in the moment.

And not being a CEO or being
this like your occupation is

your occupation, but it's so much
more to life than what that is.

And

that was pretty much what I
wanted to get across was I love

what I do playing this sport, but

it ain't gonna have me in a mode where
you see me out here and it's like,

that's the end all be all for me.

You know where to, to where
my emotions and stuff are tied

to my success on the field.

Sam Acho: hmm.

And then last one for me, you've
said this in your retirement post,

you also said it at the beginning
of the podcast, it's Britney season.

What is, what does
Britney season look like?

Josh Harrison: I dunno.

It, it involved me being.

A little bit of volleyball coach,
uh, you know, drop off and pick up

at, at dance practice volleyball.

Um, all the things that she had
to, you know, use her gas for now,

I guess I'm using my gas money
and getting the mileage on my car.

Sam Acho: Awesome.

Awesome, man.

Well, uh, Josh, thank you so
much for not only your legacy on.

On the mound or on the
in, in the ballpark.

Um, but just the joy you played with.

Like, I'm a guy who played with a lot
of joy and even, like I said, just

watching you, like you're always, you
always have a smile on your face, but

it doesn't mean you didn't go through
some hard times, you know what I mean?

Like,

you almost like brushed over, it's
like, yeah, 96 miles per hour and

a broken hand and a this, and it's
like, but you still played with joy

and there's something to that.

Josh Harrison: And.

Sam Acho: who you may never, ever,
ever, ever meet, watched you and are

watching you, were watching you, and
are still watching you and saying,

man, I wanna play like Jay Hay.

So

on behalf of Yeah, go ahead.

Go

Josh Harrison: No, no, no.

I, I appreciate it.

And what I was gonna say, not to cut
you off, but I just didn't wanna lose

my train of thought when you say that.

Just another shout out to my mom.

I got some dope parents, my, my mom, my,
my dad, big Vince, and my mom Bonita.

Um, love 'em dearly.

But, uh, even then when I was, I
can remember, as I said, talking

to my uncle and my brother.

My mom, she flat out told me too,
and I remember she had said, listen

to Kirk Franklin song, smile.

'cause no matter what I smile.

But she said one thing, don't
ever let him take your joy.

So you saying that, my mom always said,
even though you, she said, I know.

I know.

It's tough.

But that's part of it too.

It's just always, you know,
having somebody that can keep

you grounded, you know, and she
don't ever let 'em take the joy

Sam Acho: Well, you didn't,
you never didn't, cliff.

Go ahead.

Say something.

Clif Marshall: Yeah, I think
joy, you know, it's Jesus first,

others second, yourself third.

And I think you've lived
your life like that, Josh.

And I think for our listeners out there,
like in order to have joy, I think we

have to have those three things in check.

It's Jesus others.

Yourself.

That's, that stands for Joy.

Sam Acho: Hmm.

And you lived it?

Josh Harrison: Hey, I'm gonna use that.

Sam Acho: Yeah.

Josh Harrison: Don't hold against me.

But I like that.

Clif Marshall: I, I, I st I stole it.

I stole it.

I think that the basket,

Josh Harrison: Well, it ain't gonna
be mad at me for recycling it.

Clif Marshall: right?

Just recycle it.

I think I gotta give credit to the,
uh, to the Baylor basketball coach.

Um, I think that the
Baylor basketball team.

Actually uses that, um,
within their team dynamics.

And so, uh, that's kind
of where I got that from.

Sam Acho: Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, Josh, on behalf of myself,
cliff Marshall, and everybody

listening, thank you so much for
joining the Sam Macho podcast.

For everyone listening,
go to sam macho.com,

uh, to listen to this
episode and so many more.

And make sure to go and follow Josh
Harrison as he's in his Brittany season.

Uh, follow him as he
goes on the next journey.

Man, it's been such a pleasure
getting to know you, Josh, and

I'm so excited for everyone who is
getting to listen to this podcast.

We can't wait to see you soon.

Josh Harrison: Appreciate y'all having me.