You know, this younger generation keeps making their way up and into the NFL and some of the older, maybe less tolerant or open-minded guys are no longer playing.

So I think naturally, as the years go on, this younger generation that was raised to be more accepting, you know, the locker rooms are getting more and more

full of these guys.

So, you know, I'm encouraged by that.

Welcome to the Edge of Sports Podcast. I'm Dave Ziron. This week we speak to former NFL

offensive lineman and New England Patriot Ryan O'Callaghan, co-author with Sid Ziegler of the

new book, My Life on the Line, about the experience of being closeted in regards to his sexuality while playing

in the NFL and how that almost cost him his life. Now full disclosure, my life on the line, which has

gotten media coverage across the country, was put out on my book imprint, Edge of Sports,

part of the Akashik Books publishing company. So I'm extremely familiar with the text because I helped edit it.

And that's why I'm all the more excited to talk to Ryan O'Callaghan about the experience of going

out there with the book and getting the kind of publicity that it's gotten.

Also this week, I've got some choice words about the new California law SB 206 that allows NCAA athletes in the state of California, starting in three, four years to be able to actually market their name, image, and likeness and what that does to the NCAA.

And I've got a very special Just Stand Up and Just Sit Down awards, especially the Just Sit Down Awards where I'm going to talk at length about the utter destruction of Sports Illustrated, the magazine of my youth.

But first, let's call Ryan O'Callaghan.

The book is, I say this with maybe a dapp of prejudice, but the book is so raw and so damn good.

Why did you decide to write it now of all times? Why, 2019?

Well, honestly, I never planned on writing a book. When I came out publicly, I was approached with the idea,

and I saw it is a great way to maybe reach people who didn't originally see my story,

and also a way of kind of filling in the gaps because you can only say so much in an article.

And also, it would be an awesome way to raise

money for the LGBT community. Wow. Now, in the book, you're just brutally honest about issues

...