Men need strong friendships. Few of us are lucky enough to keep them for decades.

On this episode of The Back 9, we sit down with Jim Brock Jr. — a 30+ year friend — to talk about the rare power of long-term adult male friendship and what it takes to stay connected through the peaks and valleys of life.

What makes a friendship survive decades? What allows two men to be instantly available for each other no matter the circumstances. How can you pick up the phone after years and feel like no time has passed?

Jim shares what it was like coming out as a gay man later in life, navigating sexual identity in a polarized political culture, and how real friendship holds steady even when beliefs and identities shift. We talk about emotional trust, loyalty, and adult male connection, and why those bonds become more meaningful as life moves forward.

It's an episode that explores true masculinity through the kind of friendship that lasts a lifetime...on the Back 9

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast

What do you do when your industry shifts — and your 21-year run suddenly ends?

This week, we sit down with longtime ESPN producer Gus Ramsey to talk about career pivots, layoffs, reinvention, mentorship, and retirement planning on the Back 9.

After producing SportsCenter's most important shows during its peak, Gus was forced to recalibrate. Instead of chasing relevance, he focused on usefulness — launching a coaching practice, leading the prestigious Dan Patrick School of Sportscasting, and mentoring the next generation of broadcasters.

Now, at 59½ — emphasis on the half -- he's made another intentional pivot: retiring, relocating, and redesigning life on purpose.

This episode is about reading the signals, protecting your integrity, and making bold midlife career moves without losing yourself…on the Back 9.

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast

Most relationships don't end because of one big blowup. They end because too much goes unsaid.

This week on The Back 9, therapist and author Colette Fehr returns to the show to talk about her new book, The Cost of Quiet, and why avoiding conflict can quietly push couples toward distance, disconnection, and divorce. The three of us dig into how "keeping the peace" turns into resentment, how intimacy fades when hard conversations don't happen, and why this pattern shows up so often in midlife relationships and second marriages.

If you've ever stayed quiet to avoid a fight — and wondered later how things slipped so far — this conversation will hit home. It's a topic worth shouting about, on The Back 9.

Contact Colette

Preorder The Cost of Quiet: How to Have the Hard Conversations That Create Secure, Lasting Love
https://www.colettejanefehr.com/new-book

Website
https://www.colettejanefehr.com

Instagram and TikTok
@colettejanefehr

Substack
https://colettejanefehr.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips

TEDx Talk, "Secrets from a Couples Therapist"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tSUOB2yEd0

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast

What does it actually take to design a life you want? And do you earn your way to that clarity by going through the harder chapters first?

We're joined by someone who can answer those questions. Expat business coach and former federal criminal defense attorney Linda Perry has created a life that is a perfect model of what it looks like to build with intention. Linda shares how a 17-year career in law, a difficult ex-husband, and the work of self-reflection all shaped her understanding of who she really was and what she wanted next. Linda brings both lived experience and professional insight as a mediator and coach, offering perspective on how people break patterns and move forward with integrity.

Then we shift into the bold choice she made to live abroad. Linda walks us through life in Portugal, touching on both the process (residency options, language, bureaucracy) and how joyful daily life can be when you choose to start over in another country.

It's an episode about earning clarity, choosing courage, and deciding to design your life instead of living by default….on the Back 9.

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast

On this episode we give you some bang for your buck, as we sit down with financial advisor Mike Gyzl of Cetera Investors to talk about a topic most families avoid until it becomes urgent: money.

Mike explains the "retirement red zone," how to think about replacing a paycheck after work ends, and why the coming wealth transfer makes family planning more important than ever. We also dig into how to bring kids and young adults into the conversation, why they often tune out their parents but will listen to a trusted third party, and how to use simple tools to keep the transfer of wealth simple and clear.

And we wrap by exploring the emotional side of money, market noise, investing trends, and that big Back 9 question: what kind of life do you actually want, and how do you build a plan that can grow and adapt as life changes on the Back 9.

Disclosure: Cetera Investors is a marketing name of Cetera Investment Services. Securities and Insurance Products are offered through Cetera Investment Services LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services are offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC.

REITs are subject to various risks such as illiquidity and property devaluations based on adverse economic and real estate market conditions and may not be suitable for all investors. A prospectus that discloses all risks, fees and expenses may be obtained from the REIT company. Read the prospectus carefully before investing. This is not a solicitation or offering which can only be made in conjunction with a copy of the prospectus.

We kick off the new season with our Wellness episode. Joyce Feldman, the leader of South Florida's Big Children's Foundation, which focuses on teens in foster care. Our discussion focuses on the importance of mentorship from men, and how early support, consistency, and real relationships matter more than quick fixes.

Joyce is also a long-time health and fitness expert, and she leans into that expertise to share tips on how we can keep our fitness resolutions heading into the new year.

It's a conversation about showing up, building habits that last, and how physical health, mental wellness, and purpose all connect on the Back 9.

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast

Kick off the new year with The Back 9 as we take you inside what's ahead in Season 11 to preview all our new elements of the show — including an updated format designed to help you quickly find the conversations that matter most to your life during midlife. We are emphasizing the topics our beloved listeners ask for most: parenting, modern masculinity, health and wellness, friendship, purpose, and legacy.

Along the way, we look back at holiday travel chaos, laugh about over-cologned Uber drivers, and share what's changed behind the scenes. So let's make turn into 2026 with gratitude, clarity, momentum, and a great list of upcoming guests…on the Back 9.

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast

In this season and year-end wrap-up of The Back 9, we reflect on the conversations, moments, and themes that defined Season 10.

From a viral clip with Kerri Ballinger to powerful discussions on wellness, early detection, loss, and personal reinvention, this season delivered big moments of depth, honesty, and perspective at every turn. We share the insights from guests including Sean Springman, Ross Deutsch, and Sheryl Campbell, and take a personal look at our recurring themes of setting boundaries, healing, and building healthier relationships.

Some of this comes from our own lives as we dive into the next chapter with greater clarity and intention.

So join us in toasting the Old Year past, the New Year Present, and our commitment to creating our best future, on the Back 9.

Contact Dennis & Josh

Instagram: @Back9_Podcast