The Payoff - Stories of Sobriety

Luke Timm - two-time all-state wide receiver and college football player at Princeton

17 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Luke Timm was a two-time all-state wide receiver in New York before he decided to play college football at Princeton. At Princeton, it wasn't long bef...

Amy Dresner - Journalist, Author, and Former Comedian

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amy Dresner is a journalist, an author, a former comedian, and most importantly sober. Her book "My Fair Junkie: A Memoir of Getting Dirty & Staying C...

Former NBA Player and Current Coach Doug Overton

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug Overton scratched and clawed his way to 12 seasons playing in the NBA, followed by a career coaching with the Sixers and Nets. But at 46 year...

Stephen Hill - Advocate and Attorney

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Hill is the founder of Speak Sobriety and has been sober for 10 years. He's also a young person in recovery, a bestselling author, a recovery ...

Megan Racer

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Megan Racer is a light in the world of recovery but for so long she was living in darkness. Her heroine addiction led to work for a cartel and a run-i...

Tom Farley

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tom has carried the message of recovery since his brother Chris lost his battle with addiction in 1997.  But only over the last five years has Tom t...

Kristen Harootunian

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kristen has been sober since she was 17-years old but her suffering up to that point could've spanned a lifetime. A full-blown addict, in the wake of ...

Peter Meyerhoff

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

By the time he was 18-years old, Peter Meyerhoff's drug addiction led to a 12-year prison sentence. When he was behind bars he not only survived but ...

Hilary Phelps - Round 2

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hilary Phelps (one of the best swimmers in America in the late 90s) is back with her 15 years of sobriety and recent experience speaking to student-at...

Damian Holbrook - Senior Writer for TV Guide Magazine

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Damian Holbrook's life reads like a drama he might review as a Senior Writer for TV Guide Magazine. But being a closeted gay guy while going to cathol...

Courtney

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Courtney's transparency is textbook recovery and is probably one of the big reasons she's a walking miracle. Her story includes raw emotion and 15 yea...

Chris Thompson CEO at SideKick Mobile Technologies, Creators of the Sober Sidekick App

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Thompson is a successful serial entrepreneur; recently featured in ‘Fortune Magazine. But the fact he’s sober is what he features when you t...

NHL Defenseman Chris "Bundy" Therien

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Therien's NHL career spanned 12 years and 764 games. He was a guy you could count on bringing 100% every night on the ice, but all the while Chr...

Former NFL Player Randy Grimes

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Randy Grimes grew up a humble kid, from a good family, in Tyler, Texas. Football was life, which worked out for Randy because he was very good at it....

Tara Schiller, Co-Founder + CEO of yoursoberbuddy.com

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tara Zoe has created a lifesaving app called @yoursoberbuddy. This incredibly thoughtful conversation is for anyone with shame or a substance abuse di...

News Anchor Courtney Friel - KTLA in Los Angeles

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Courtney Friel spent six years working at FOX News Channel before becoming an anchor at KTLA in Los Angeles. But it's the more than 11 years of sobrie...

Former NBA Players Jayson Williams and Mike Gminski

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s said less than ten percent of people with addiction problems can stay sober and .03% of high school basketball players can make it up the NBA. ...

Ben Tuff

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Tuff recently swam 25 miles in under 15 hours but it's his 10 years of sobriety he'll tell you about first. He's raised almost $200k for Clean Oce...

Gentry Jones

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Gentry Jones is a social media star, who uses vulnerability and humor to carry an incredible message of sobriety to millions.  The mom of four is sm...

Former NFL Quarterback and Dallas Cowboy Quincy Carter

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The only thing that could get between Quincy Carter and success was addiction and that’s exactly what happened. Drafted 52nd overall by the Cubs and...

News Anchor John Boel

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

John Boel has won 99 Emmys and completed 13 Ironman's, but the number he's most proud of is his almost 12 years of sobriety. John's two very public DU...

Pete's Story

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pete actually shares his experience of what it was like, what happened, and what it's like now. The story is evergreen but the podcast is from a few m...

Former NFL Quarterback Ryan Leaf

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ryan Leaf might be synonymous with the term 'Bust' but today he's redefining the word 'comeback'. The former No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft ended...

Skateboarder Brandon Novak

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Brandon Novak was discovered by Tony Hawk and was a pro skateboarder by the time he was 14 years old; filming commercials with Michael Jordan and tr...

Mike Van Meter former FBI agent

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Van Meter spent almost 20 years in the FBI. Before that he worked as a police officer in Washington, D.C., following a career flying helicopter...

Rethinking Alcohol Part #1: The Path to Alcoholism, Hitting Bottom, Climbing Out and Life after Sobriety with Pete Sousa on The Great Man Within

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pete guests on The Great Man Within with Dominick Quartuccio and Bryan Stacy. Pete Sousa runs The Payoff with Pete Podcast, 100+ episodes of athletes,...

Amanda Marino - Certified Recovery and Life Coach

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Amanda Marino is a certified recovery and life coach and a certified intervention professional but most importantly she’s more than 15 years sober. ...

Charlie Engle

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Charlie Engle is a legendary ultra-marathon runner. He has won or placed in some of the world's most challenging races. In 2007, Matt Damon produced ...

Sports Super Agent Leigh Steinberg

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Leigh Steinberg is probably the most notable agent in the history of sports. He's often credited with being the real-life inspiration for the movie Je...

Chris Brown

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Brown is an Emmy-nominated journalist and the winner of more than 10 Associated Press awards for his anchoring and reporting. Chris has also bat...

Colonel Dan

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Col. Dan flew 159 combat missions in Vietnam, where he cheated death almost every day. However, a decorated career as a fighter pilot didn’t excuse ...

Former NBA Player Doug Overton

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doug Overton scratched and clawed his way to 12 seasons playing in the NBA, followed by a career coaching with the Sixers and Nets. But at 46 year...

Screenwriter Jim Hecht

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jim Hecht's ability to create magic on the screen has led to great success for him as a screenwriter. However, mired in addiction more than 20-years a...

NHL Player Chris Therien

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chris Therien's NHL career spanned 12 years and 764 games. He was a guy you could count on bringing 100% every night on the ice, but all the while Chr...

Hilary Phelps

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hilary Phelps is a renaissance woman, who brings light to the world in so many different ways.  She’s an author, a public relations guru, a photog...

Dan O'Toole Sports Broadcaster

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dan O"Toole is one of the biggest names in Canadian sports broadcasting, so big he was lured to Los Angeles by FOX Sports to be one of the faces of ...

Former Pro Boxer Ed Lattimore

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

He's a former heavyweight boxer, an author, a motivational speaker, a military man and his IQ has been recorded as high as 150. Ed is also an alcoholi...

Pete on That Sober Guy Podcast

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pete goes on Shane Ramer's That Sober Guy Podcast to share his story. @thatsoberguypodcast https://www.quitdrinkingdude.com https://www.thatsoberguy.c...

Shane Ramer @ThatSoberGuyPodcast

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Shane Ramer is the founder and host of ‘That Sober Guy Podcast’. Starting in 2014, it’s known as one of the top recovery pods out there. Shane’...

Murph

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

At one point, every morning Murph told himself he wasn’t going to drink and every night the bottles stacked up. He says that’s why he considerers ...

The Coach: Kevin E.

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you need a pick-me-up, this pod is for you. Kevin E is a force of nature and his story of addiction and recovery is shocking before it's totally in...

Former NBA Player Mike Gminski

17 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Gminski was the seventh pick in the NBA Draft in 1980, after an all-American career at Duke. He averaged almost 12 points a game over a 14-year N...

Harry Cunnane

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Harry Cunnane has written two books on recovery and works tirelessly to break the stigma of addiction; a stigma that kept him sick and almost killed h...

NFL's Vance Johnson

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vance Johnson endured life in an abusive household as a kid and drifted into a life of alcohol and drug addiction as an adult. On the outside life loo...

Nate Amor - Trans-Siberian Orchestra

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nate Amor performs in front of sold-out arenas as one of the lead performers in the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. But it’s the high he chased off the st...

Ritch Shydner

17 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ritch Shydner rode the comedy boom in the 1980s to stardom, thanks to his dysfunctional childhood and quick wit. He became a regular on The Tonight Sh...

NFL's Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson was one of the best young players in the NFL. By the time he was 25 years old, he’d made the Pro Bowl and played in...

The Return of Wes Cunningham

03 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Musician and actor Wes Cunningham returns to celebrate the one year anniversary of The Payoff and to talk about his last year, where he got away from ...

Rob Koebel

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Koebel appeared to have it all but as he racked up Emmy Awards and his career in TV News soared, he was spiraling into the depths of alcoholism. T...

Jean McCarthy

20 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jean McCarthy is an award-winning blogger and podcaster who is best-known as a voice of recovery advocacy. She's a light and she's got experience on w...

Clint

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Clint was one of the people who unknowingly laid the groundwork for this podcast. He's had an influence on Pete for decades, as a stalwart in the Sout...

Former NFL Player Tony Mandarich

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tony Mandarich was drafted second in the 1989 NFL Draft. Around that same time, he appeared on Late Night with David Letterman and almost fought Mike ...

Mark Suppelsa

30 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Suppelsa was a fixture in the Chicago scene for more than 25 years in a time when everyone turned to and trusted TV News for information. But in ...

Megna Method Feat Pete Sousa

23 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete guests on the Megna Method podcast. Today’s guest on the show is Pete Sousa. Pete is currently a news anchor and journalist for KWTX in Waco, ...

Dr. Tami Berry

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tami Berry was a distinguished surgeon before the wheels came off because of her addiction to alcohol and drugs; primarily speed. Consuming an exorbit...

Ryan Leaf

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ryan Leaf might be synonymous with the term 'Bust' but today he's redefining the word 'comeback'. The former No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft ended...

Dr. Dick Chopp

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Dick Chopp’s ability to market his brand as a urologist performing vasectomies earned him incredible success and national recognition, including...

Colonel Dan

24 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Col. Dan flew 159 combat missions in Vietnam, where he cheated death almost every day. However, a decorated career as a fighter pilot didn’t excuse ...

Courtney Friel

18 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Courtney Friel spent six years working at FOX News Channel before becoming an anchor at KTLA in Los Angeles. But it's the more than 11 years of sobrie...

Gerry Cooney

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gerry Cooney was 28-3 as a heavyweight fighter and spent time ranked No. 1 in the world. But his biggest victory has come over alcohol, a battle which...

Scott Silverman

04 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Scott Silverman is a Crisis Coach, and behavioral health advisor, and leads the team at Confidential Recovery—an intensive substance abuse recovery ...

Scott Strode

28 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the road to recovery from his drug & alcohol addiction, Scott Strode found self-confidence and a new identity in sports. Today, he's not only a tri...

Laure Redmond

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Laure Redmond's high-octane life as a fitness coach began in New York City, where she ran a gym and trained stars like Tom Cruise, Madonna and Mary Ty...

Calvin Schiraldi

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Calvin Schiraldi reached the major leagues on talent and will. But no amount of natural ability or desire could help him defeat alcoholism. His career...

Dave Kushner

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dave is a rockstar. His career involves selling out arenas in some of the world’s biggest bands, winning a Grammy, and being nominated for an Emmy. ...

Dr. Nishant P.

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Nishant P. is an accomplished surgeon and was an accomplished alcoholic. Speaking with years of experience in sobriety, he talks with Pete about t...

Marin Nelson

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Marin Nelson is more than 15-years sober and her story is one of hope and inspiration...and it's also very funny. Aside from changing her life and get...

Karolina Rzadkowolska

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Karolina Rzadkowolska is a certified alcohol-free life coach who helps powerful women make alcohol insignificant in their lives. This podcast answers ...

Tim Brooks

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Brooks was one of the nation's top high school lacrosse recruits, from a great family, living in one of America's most affluent suburbs. But when ...

Sports Super Agent Leigh Steinberg

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Leigh Steinberg is probably the most notable agent in the history of sports. He's often credited with being the real-life inspiration for the movie Je...

Debra Olson

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Debra Olson spent more than 25 years working as a hairdresser in the film industry so it's no surprise her story is ripped from a Hollywood script. Sh...

Amy Liz Harrison

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Amy Liz Harrison has eight kids and 10-years sober, I could stop right there. She had four children when she ended up in jail for driving drunk with t...

Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson was one of the best young players in the NFL. By the time he was 25-years old, he’d made the Pro Bowl and played in...

Erika

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Erika is a fixture at 12-step meetings in the Austin area but she'll tell you that her work in recovery and on herself doesn't stop there. You'll hear...

Mike Sousa and a Defibrillator

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete's back in the studio, one week after getting a defibrillator. That's the focus, as Mike Sousa returns to share what it like watching Pete go thro...

Fitness Coach Ali Perry

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Replay from the start of the Payoff: Pete sits down with fitness coach and friend Ali Perry to talk about mistakes in addiction, a life that could ver...

Mike Gminski

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mike Gminski was the seventh pick in the NBA Draft in 1980, after an all-American career at Duke. He averaged almost 12 points a game over a 14-year N...

Amy Dresner

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Amy Dresner is a journalist, an author, a former comedian, and most importantly 8.5 years sober. Her book "My Fair Junkie: A Memoir of Getting Dirty &...

Pete's Story

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete actually shares his experience of what it was like, what happened, and what it's like now. The story is evergreen but the podcast is from a few m...

Peter F

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Peter F and Pete Sousa ran the streets together until Peter F ended up in rehab at 17 and Peter S developed a heart problem at 18. Peter F stayed sobe...

Noa Shaw

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Noa Shaw went from dealing coke in Studio 54 in his teens to the brink of more than 15 years in prison, after starting up the first weed delivery serv...

Gerry Cooney

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Gerry Cooney was 28-3 as a heavyweight fighter and spent time ranked No. 1 in the world. But his biggest victory has come over alcohol, a battle which...

Casey Scott

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Casey Scott's rise to fame in Salt Lake City was fast and furious, sorta like his life. He started in radio right out of college and moved into televi...

Pete on The Dreamcatcher's Podcast

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this 'Bonus Pod' Pete reconnects with Marissa Klien Kay, a college friend who had no idea just how far down the rabbit hole he went, before getting...

Courtney Friel

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Courtney Friel spent six years working at FOX News Channel before becoming an anchor at KTLA in Los Angeles. But it's the more than 11 years of sobrie...

Brady Kramer

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Brady Kramer started skating at four years old and ended up becoming one of the most sought-after hockey prospects in the world. He was taken in the 7...

Tawny Lara

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tawny Lara is a New York City-based writer, who specializes in sobriety and sex. She hosts the Recovery Rocks Podcast and her work examining the cross...

Bizz

29 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Elizabeth Chance goes by the name Bizz, but until about 15 years ago, all she was busy doing was getting drunk. Now, she's Busy Living Sober -literall...

Damian Holbrook

22 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Damian Holbrook's life reads like a drama he might review as a Senior Writer for TV Guide Magazine. But being a closeted gay guy while going to cathol...

Dave Kushner

15 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dave is a rockstar. His career involves selling out arenas in some of the world’s biggest bands, winning a Grammy, and being nominated for an Emmy. ...

Courtney

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Courtney's transparency is textbook recovery and is probably one of the big reasons she's a walking miracle. Her story includes raw emotion and 14 yea...

Murph

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At one point, every morning Murph told himself he wasn’t going to drink and every night the bottles stacked up. He says that’s why he considerers ...

Frank S.

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Frank's story seems like it was ripped from a Hollywood script and part of it actually takes us there. His battle through addiction begins as a colleg...

Anna

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you or someone you love is feeling hopeless because of addiction this is the podcast to listen to. In this episode, Pete sits down with Anna. She w...

Kimchi

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kimchi was one of the youngest female commercial airline pilots ever. She eventually turned in her wings so she could get help with her alcoholism. He...

Timmy Brooks

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Tim Brooks was one of the nation's top high school lacrosse recruits, from a great family, living in one of America's most affluent suburbs. But when ...

Gordon H.

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete and sits down with real estate mogul Gordon H to discuss driving through houses before sobriety and breaking through emotionally in recovery. L...

Mike Sousa

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete sits down with his brother Mike to discuss how alcohol relieved his obsession with fear and trying to outrun addiction by moving to Los Angeles, ...

Fitness Coach Ali Perry

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete sits down with fitness coach and friend Ali Perry to talk the past, mistakes, fitness, and sobriety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...

Musician and Actor Wes Cunningham

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pete sits down with musician and actor Wes Cunningham to talk music, movies, and sobriety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch...