Brian Jordan was drafted in the first round of the 1988 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. The following spring, he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1989 NFL Draft. While playing his way through the Cardinals minor league farm system, Jordan also played DB in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons.
During his three seasons playing in the defensive backfield for Atlanta, the hard-hitting Jordan grabbed four interceptions, recovered a fumble, had four sacks and two safeties while playing on the same defensive backfield as Deion Sanders.
After hanging up the helmet and shoulder pads, Jordan made his official MLB debut in April of 1992. Jordan was one of very few athletes to play two professional sports simultaneously, and his name was said in the same sentences as two sport icons of the time–Sanders and Bo Jackson.
Jordan’s Major League Baseball career spanned parts of 15 seasons, which included multiple 20-plus home run seasons. He surpassed the 100 RBI plateau more than once and was named an NL All-Star in 1999 while playing for the Atlanta Braves.
The muscular outfielder hit the ball hard, flew around the bases and fielded his position in the outfield at a near Gold Glove level, throwing runners out and making athletic grabs with the leather in left field.
Jordan played in the MLB postseason five different seasons, including five NLDS appearances, three NLCS trips and one World Series.
Sharpshooter Dale Ellis was drafted 9th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.
After three seasons in Dallas, Ellis was traded to the Seattle Supersonics and went on to become one of the greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history.
Ellis was a bucket before that term existed. He shined in the move to Seattle, and in four seasons in the Pacific Northwest, he went off, averaging a career-high 27.5 points in his All Star season of 1988-89 and averaged 23.5 points or more each of the rest of his seasons in Seattle.
The career 15 plus point per game scorer was once the record holder for made 3-point field goals in NBA history, until he was surpassed by Hall of Famer Reggie Miller.
The sweet shooting guard was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 1987 and under the bright lights of NBA All Star weekend, won the NBA 3-Point Contest in 1989.
Now, Jordan and Ellis have teamed up to launch a new show called My Cave My Rulez.
Produced by Chris and Shaq Amerson, it’s described as a sports talk show meets QVC meets Antiques Roadshow.
Jordan and Ellis bring all-time great athletes into their cave and do deep dive interviews while offering a unique interactive experience and personalized collectibles to be purchased right there on the spot.
SC Daily spoke to Jordan and Ellis about the genesis of the My Cave My Rulez project, some of the names of the guests set to appear on the show, what the hosts have in their own mancaves and more.
Tony Reid– The show is described as a sports talk show meets QVC meets Antiques Roadshow. What can viewers expect to see in each episode?
Brian Jordan-One, they can see a great interview of celebrities, athletes and very successful people. They get a chance to be able to by memorabilia, which is very unique. We try to do our shows where we can actually have the celebrity and athletes sign while we are doing the interview. It’s live. Its real and they have the opportunity to go out there and purchase it. It’s a little different than most shows. It’s My Cave My Rulez, so we get have fun and to dig deep into athletes and celebrities lives to a point where some people can’t get to.
TR–We’ve seen pieces of all of this elsewhere with the live aspect, the man cave, the interviews, the purchasing of items but to be able to combine all of these aspects under one roof really is unique. Was the idea to be that all-encompassing, one stop shop for fans?
BJ-Yeah, that was the whole point, to be different. I think Dale can really speak to that point.
Dale Ellis-Yeah, it’s all about connections. We are really excited about the process of the show. We have already taped a few athletes and we have a few ready to tape. It was an excellent idea. It makes some of these guys relevant again. Some of these guys have been retired and out of the scene for years. It’s going to be a great opportunity for them to come up here and share memorable experiences. We are excited about the process.
TR–I’d love to hear about the inspiration and genesis of the show. Whose brainchild was the show and how did it come together?
BJ-As far as brainstorming, we have great executive producers in Christopher and Shaq Amerson. They brought it to Dale and myself and we sat around and we talked about it. We all threw around new ideas. We all wanted to be different and give the fans, like you said, a one stop shop.
DE-Chris and I met several years back looking at some other work. Brian got involved with us and we were headed in another direction and then this just evolved. It all came from a conversation, Brian does a lot of charitable work and so do I. I am treasurer of the Atlanta chapter of the National Retired Players Association. I have done that for several years. Brian runs his foundation and it’s all about giving back and providing scholarships for kids. We are looking at opportunities to compensate players and it all evolved into what we are doing now.
TR–Who are some of the great players we can expect to see on the show early on?
DE-We have had tapings with Ray Allen, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Michael Cooper. Gary Payton is waiting to go on the show. We also talked to Vince Carter and Nick Van Exel as well.
TR– Which as been your favorite episode or favorite moment to this point?
BJ-For me, I am the host and it was fun to interview Dale. As we have partnered together, to learn more about Dale Ellis was a fun interview for me. People will get to see a side of him they would never imagine. A guy from Atlanta going to Tennessee and being such a great player at Tennessee, the big question is why did he leave Georgia and go to Tennessee? He is able to tell everybody his reasoning. Just learning about Dale and being able to interview different athletes and be able to dig deep into their lives is very new for me.
DE-Bringing Mahmoud on the show. I had the opportunity to play with Mahmoud in Denver. We always called each other one-two, as far as who was the best shooter in the game. Mahmoud is one of those guys who never got the credit he deserves. He should be looked at as one of the best shooters to ever play the game of basketball. I was on the floor with him. Coach called a timeout. The game is on the line. We always got eye contact because we knew the coach was going to call a play for myself or Mahmoud. If he called the play for me he was open and would knock it down and vice versa. He was the only player I played with as a shooter that I didn’t mind having the ball at the end of the game. It was special having him come on the show.
TR– Dale, you were an NBA All Star, the NBA Most Improved Player, an NBA 3-point contest champion, and one of the greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history. You have had 412 cards produced. Your RC appears in the 1987-88 Fleer product. Do you remember seeing yourself on a trading card for the first time?
DE– I didn’t know what to think. It blew me away. That was one of those things that I only imagined. I remember the first time I stepped on the court with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. When the Lakers came to town I had the chance to stand next to him on the court. It dawned on me, I am realizing my dream. I am playing NBA basketball. Kareem was one of my heroes. The idea of having my image on a basketball card never really entered my mind, so it was mind blowing.
TR– Brian, your rookie cards appeared in 1990 Fleer Update in football and 1992 Bowman and Donruss in baseball. What was it like seeing yourself on a trading card in two sports?
BJ-It was a dream come true, really, to see yourself on your first card. Going back to my rookie year and seeing that it was like all of the hard work you put in finally paid off. You are now one of the elite athletes that have the opportunity, at least for me, to play two professional sports. It was an exciting time for my whole family. I am a momma’ s boy, so being able to show here my card made me feel like I had done something right in my life.
TR–With having a long, successful careers in two sports and now hosting a man cave and memorabilia centric show, what does your personal cave look like?
BJ-I collect memorabilia and I’ve done it for a long time. I have a basement that has nothing but pictures, jersey and all kinds of stuff. I have stuff form the NBA, MLB, NFL and even hockey memorabilia down here. I enjoy it. I love it and I want to see it every day when I wake up.
DE-I’m still collecting as well. I’m at about 10-15 charity events per year. There is always some memorabilia there to collect. I started late in my career. I actually have Michael Jordan’s signature on a jersey. A friend of mine got me into collecting so he went and purchased two Jordan replica jerseys. I asked Jordan after the game. Of course, I let him beat us first. I threw him a jersey in the middle of some reporters and he said ‘Sure, Dale. Give it to me. I’ll sign it.’ He signed it. I gave him the second jersey. He just looked at me and smiles. On the second one he signed ‘Best wishes, Michael Jordan’. I told my friend that one there is for you.
TR-What is your favorite piece in your mancave?
BJ-Being one of the elite playing two professional sports it would be the wall where I have Bo Jackson, myself and Deion on the wall. That is my favorite wall. I got nothing but respect for those guys. Tony, I’m still waiting for my Dale Ellis jersey so he can get up on the wall with Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson.
TR–There is something special having athletes talk to athletes. It may be a bit more authentic. Is that part of the draw to the show?
DE-It’s a beautiful thing. We have competed against these guys time after time and year after year. You really don’t get to know them until you see them off the court. You think they are one way but when they are sitting down and you get a chance to speak with them you see what they are all about. A lot of these guys are beautiful people it’s just they were competitive. They were playing to win. They were tying the shoes up tight they are out there to play football, baseball or basketball, it’s that game face. It’s about coming with it every single day. On the court they are one way, off the court they are different.
TR–The jersey swap is the new generations way to show respect and pay homage to their opponents. If you could go back and swap jerseys with any player you shared the field or court with, who you you pick?
BJ-I started my career in the NFL and I feel like Barry Sanders is the greatest running back of all time. If I wanted to swap a jersey, even though I have his jersey on my wall in my mancave signed, he was the guy I would do a swap with on the field. Back in our day we din swap any jerseys on the field. Teams were too cheap back then. If you gave away your jersey you would pay a hefty price for it, so you kept your jersey.
DE-It’s funny you say Barry Sanders. I have his signature on a helmet. I loved watching him play. I think he was the best runner to ever play the game. He made the game look so easy. Asking if I would swap a jersey, I came into the league and I grew up admiring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Gervin and Julius Erving. I would swap with them in a heartbeat to have those jerseys hanging in my mancave.
TR–What was the most memorable fan interaction during your career?
DE-The fans for all of the teams I played for, the fans are unbelievable. There is no game without them. When you asked that question the thing that popped into my head was back when the Detroit Pistons paid this particular fan or gave him seats to sit behind the opponent’s bench to joke and get the player’s laughing. He would say some funny, funny stuff. It would aggravate the coaches to see the players laughing on the sideline and on the bench. You are supposed to be so into the game. He was there to distract you. I miss that. I miss that interaction and distraction.