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Welcome to Season 5 Episode 23 Featuring- Wayne Smith

We sit down with Oaklawn Casino and Racing GM Wayne Smith to trace an unlikely path from one college accounting class to a global hospitality career, Vegas casinos, and leading a premier racing casino resort. Along the way we talk work ethic, mentors, family, music, sports, and what legacy really means.

• growing up in Rhode Island and learning discipline at military school
• discovering accounting and gaining range through Northeastern’s co‑op
• saying yes to a headhunter and auditing hotels worldwide
• breaking into Vegas casinos and learning operations on the floor
• moving from finance to GM with help from mentors
• what a casino resort GM actually does day to day
• leadership rules of thumb like inspect what you expect
• family balance, marriage as partnership, and setting shared goals
• music tastes from Prince to Pink Floyd and DJ stories
• sports fandom, the 90s Cowboys, and Yankees memories
• career advice on happiness, choices, and staying open
• defining legacy through honesty, work, and lifting others

"I'm not the smartest person in the room, but i'll out work anyone"

Thank you guys for the support with that button and allows us to keep going the comments and allows us to keep having comments like this.

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Welcome to Season 5 Episode 22 Featuring- Jay Harris

Make sure you check out Season 2 Episode 6 with Jay, to learn more about hsi upbringing and his road to ESPN. Check it out here: https://thedaylanshow.buzzsprout.com/1145969/episodes/8681431-season-2-episode-6-featuring-jay-harris

Jay Harris returns to share a candid account of discovering prostate cancer, choosing surgery, and rebuilding life with clarity and purpose. The story begins with family history and a routine physical that flagged a PSA of 6.3, then moves through MRI, biopsy, and a PET scan that blessedly showed no spread. Faced with equal odds between radiation and surgery, he chose to remove the prostate to preserve future options. Four weeks later he stepped back onto the SportsCenter set, guided by a medical plan and a mindset that health is not a solo project. He’s since turned his platform toward men’s health, urging men—especially Black men—to get screened, learn their history, and drop the “tough it out” act that keeps too many from early detection.

What resonates most is the chorus of support. Jay credits his wife and kids, colleagues like Hannah Storm and Brian Custer, and a flood of strangers who reached out after his Good Morning America appearance announcing his prostate cancer. Those messages became a living map: what to expect from surgery, how to manage uncertainty, and how to speak plainly about intimate topics without shame. That transparency counters a culture where men often hide pain and skip checkups. Jay argues that vulnerability is a survival skill and a leadership trait. When we talk about cancer openly—symptoms, side effects, decisions—we trade isolation for information and transform fear into action. The result is a practical blueprint for community-driven healing.

Jay’s professional life adds another dimension. Despite the velocity of social media and the shift to digital, he insists the core of journalism remains unchanged: gather facts, write with clarity, ask better follow-ups, and refine the story until it’s ready for air. He urges aspiring sports journalists to stop waiting and start building—intern, write daily, cut a reel, learn to interview, and join professional networks.

Away from the desk, Jay’s center of gravity is simple and strong: family, golf, and music. He finds peace walking the course, even on bad rounds, and spends winter fine-tuning bass and guitar.

This is what Jay left me with in terms of legacy: "be a good teammate, a good journalist, a good dad, and a good man. Awards and headlines fade; character endures." That clarity is the heartbeat of this conversation: health as a daily practice, work as a craft, and life as a gift worth protecting. If you’ve waited on a checkup, call today. If you’re stuck at the start line of your career, take one step. The future favors people who show up early and often.

Beyond grateful to be able to do this, moments like this bring joy to my heart. Every episode is a blessing, every conversations is cherishing, so thank you guys for supporting me, and allowing me to co

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Welcome to Season 5 Episode 21- Featuring Michael Johansson

Welcome to the first ever episode 21 in the show!!

Joining me on this historical episode, is my good friend Michael Johansson!

Former Director of International programs at Ole Miss, his story is one like no other!

At 76, Michael Johansson doesn't just have stories – he embodies a living history of cultural connection, mentorship, and boundless curiosity that defies age barriers. From his humble beginnings on a small rented farm in Illinois to becoming the director of international programs at the University of Mississippi, Michael's journey reveals the extraordinary power of staying engaged with life and people across generations.

The conversation takes unexpected turns as Michael shares remarkable experiences – teaching in Japan and Russia, living in a cave off the African coast, digging out an erupting volcano in Iceland, and becoming a full member of Phi Beta Sigma (a historically Black fraternity) at age 60. These aren't just travel anecdotes but profound lessons about breaking down cultural barriers through genuine human connection.

What stands out most is Michael's perspective on mentorship. Rather than viewing it as a formal arrangement, he demonstrates how simple curiosity and genuine interest in others creates natural mentoring relationships. "Take an interest. Ask questions," he advises, sharing how conversations with grocery baggers about their education dreams or connecting international students with resources exemplifies his organic approach to guiding others. His personal philosophy – "honor the ignored" – reveals a commitment to reaching those often overlooked.

Despite calling himself an "old man" at 76, Michael's vibrant engagement with contemporary culture (his last concert was rapper Big K.R.I.T., and he enthusiastically discusses current films) showcases how curiosity keeps us young. When asked about his legacy, his answer cuts to what truly matters: "How did I make people feel? When they think of me, will they have a smile?" This episode isn't just a conversation – it's a masterclass in living a meaningful life through connection, curiosity, and genuine care for others.

Ready to challenge your perspectives on age, mentorship, and what makes a life well-lived? Listen now and discover why connecting across generations might be the most important thing we can do for ourselves and our communities.

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