Who could have guessed a kid glued to the TV would pull out as a FOX sports reporter one day? Luckily, the habit of hanging onto every word of a sports story didn’t go to waste. Well, it can’t be just the touchdowns or the final scores that kept her interest alive, right? Maybe, it’s the rivalries between the team that intrigued her. Or maybe, she wanted to know more about how these athletes tick. Erin Andrews‘ curiosity took her to the career of a lifetime, along with a push of a special someone, who directed her dreams.
In episode 313 of Calm Down with Erin and Charissa, listeners were treated to a heartfelt conversation, recorded live at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ She Is Football Summit – Part 1 in front of an audience of 800 women. Erin and Charissa opened up about their deep, personal connections to football, with Erin sharing a touching story about her father’s influence. She recalled how his gift for storytelling made the game come alive for her, turning athletes, coaches, and teams into more than just names on a screen. “I grew up loving it because of my dad… he was a great storyteller on television, here in Tampa for 30 years. He would sit me down and make the athletes, the coaches, the teams sound like they were my best friends.” His passion not only shaped her love for the sport but also inspired her own path in sports media.
Apart from her dad’s narration, she tells us about her interests. Her interest was to know what players were like off the field. Like how they prepared and bounced back from the losses. “And just everything about, you know, what their preparation was like, what their recovery was like, what their family life was like”. She was a fan of their discipline, their drive, and their obsession with being the best. Erin thinks this mindset applies to anyone. She added, “You don’t have to be a football player, you can be a mother, you can be somebody that works a nine-to-five job, we work—our hours are ridiculous—and not take pieces of it and apply it to your life”.
To talk more about his dad, Steven Andrews. He spent three decades as a respected investigative journalist at WFLA-TV in Tampa. He earned multiple Emmy Awards for uncovering corruption and championing consumer protection. His dedication to storytelling had Erin’s attention. Growing up, she watched him bring stories to life on television, developing her passion for journalism. Erin was all under his influence. No doubt, Erin is now one of the most recognized figures in sports broadcasting.
Charissa Thompson confirms retirement plans
While Erin shared her motivation for her football career, we had Charissa Thompson tell us about her future retirement plans. As her time at FOX is over, Charissa joked about her possibility of settling into a laid-back gig in local news. Or maybe into a Florida retirement community. In the podcast, she tells us how she loves the idea of working just a few days a week. With no early morning struggle. Well, that just might be a distant dream till she is hosting Thursday Night Football.
Moving into the conversation, Charissa also acknowledges the women in the audience. After all, teamwork isn’t just for athletes, right? “Yeah, I mean, all of you women, you sit out here and you know as businesswomen, as successful entrepreneurs, whatever uh, you know, hat you wear—as mothers, whatever it is—that there is that collective team aspect that you are better together than you are as individuals.”
Charissa, as a proud Seattle native, tied it all back to football. She gave a shoutout to the Seahawks’ legendary 12th Man fanbase. “And the game of football is just that, right? Even—so I’m from Seattle—even so much as the fans are… sorry, is that okay? We’re not the same division, it’s fine. Um, it’s that the 12th man, the fan, is part of the team, right?” Her point is one can be on the field, in the stands, or running your own business, but success takes a team. Charissa talks about the highs and lows of chasing success. “Doing together is better than individuals and that’s what I love about it is that you win and you lose and you pick yourself back up”. Just like in football, life comes with losses, setbacks, and unexpected challenges. That’s why having a strong team always makes all the difference.
She wrapped her talk by sharing her own take. Humor has helped her through tough times, much like athletes push through injuries or Super Bowl losses. “You know, I obviously—I’ll make, you know, jokes about my personal life—but like adding some levity and being jovial about things that are really hard help me get through stuff”. She believes in the importance of having a team for success. “And that’s what I love—I love being part of a team, whether it’s at Fox, whether it’s at Amazon, whatever your respective career is…. you guys do it together as a team, I know it means so much more than by yourself.”
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