Sports Card Lessons speaks up
I hit pause on @sportscard_lessons on my drive home the other night because of something Ken found the courage to say during his interview with Dustin, aka The Sports Card Dad.
It’s not hard to disagree with a guest when the issue isn’t important. I might think Justin Herbert is the best QB out of the 2020 class and someone else might think it’s Joe Burrow. We can debate. (p.s. It’s Burrow)
But it can be hard to speak up when there’s a fundamental worldview difference. The guest is giving you the gift of their time — even their vulnerability. Dustin’s decision to openly talk about his addiction to sports cards, and the potential impact on his family, has been one of the more important hobby topics this year. His bravery cannot be overstated. His willingness to talk has had a profound impact on my own buying decisions.
Nevertheless, something he said on the Feb. 16 edition of Ken’s show broke me out of my listening trance because I disagreed with it fundamentally. What Dustin said wasn’t wrong — my worldview is simply different from his. There are nearly 8 billion people on earth. We’re not all going to agree on everything.
“It’s a tough balance, because you’re the man running your house,” Dustin said. “At the same time, you don’t want to go down a path where you’re letting your family down.”
The idea felt antiquated. Still, I figured the interview would continue and I’d forget about it.
Then Ken responded.
“Just me, in 2023, I think it’s a partnership that runs the family. It’s not the man anymore,” Ken said. “It’s definitely a partnership that runs that family. But definitely, good stuff. Good stuff.”
You can see at the end how he’s trying to speak up for what he feels is right without making his guest feel awkward (“good stuff”). Sometimes, we’re compelled to speak up for what we feel is real, or right, or just needs to be said. It can be hard.
Sports Card Lessons had become one of my essential hobby listens well before Ken showed the strength to share his point of view. This validated my choice because it shows he’s willing have conversations, to listen, to learn, to disagree, to be respectful of guests, and to honor the people in his own life even when he’s on the air. I’m excited to see where his journey takes us throughout the rest of 2023.