After 11 seasons as an NFL quarterback, Sage soaked up enough football knowledge to justify the name his free-thinking parents (who apparently don’t like being referred to as “hippies”) bequeathed him. He shares more wisdom in Part 2 of our conversation, reflecting upon the infamous “Rosencopter” game with the Houston Texans and the surreal 2009 season as Brett Favre’s backup with the Minnesota Vikings. An outspoken critic of Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and other right-wing zealots, Sage also talks politics, revealing that he’s been recruited to run for the U.S. Senate (in his home state of Iowa) and Congress (in his current state of Nebraska).
Beginning with his hilarious recap of the notorious “Rosencopter” defeat to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, and continuing with his evocative portrayal of the tension between future Hall of Famer Brett Favre and head coach Brad Childress during the Minnesota Vikings’ 2009 season, Sage entertains us with behind-the-scenes anecdotes and insights, at one point describing “the best throw I’ve ever seen in the sport of football.” He then pivots into a political discussion that excoriates Ted Cruz, Donald Trump and other right-wing zealots--likening the ex-President’s role in the Jan. 6 insurrection to that of a coach giving a fiery pregame speech--and explores the possibility of him holding higher office. We also hear the story of Natalie’s arresting question to her father while she was in the middle of a charged protest on UC Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza and he was charging toward the Super Bowl party he was co-hosting in Houston.