"We should stop apologizing to each other."

I laughed when a colleague said that yesterday. We were probably a half dozen apologies into a conversation in which we were cutting each other off or not hearing correctly. It would have been really awkward if we weren't already friends with rapport. We agreed to stop apologizing... and then proceeded to say "I'm sorry" at least two more times, mostly out of habit.

It takes work and intentionality to break out of any kind of habit including what we say in conversations. If you have a habit of ignoring small talk or not preparing for small talk, here's your chance to change that. This list of sports conversation starters gives you topics that will spark conversation, built rapport and help you make connections. 

We’re heading toward a 3-day weekend and a huge weekend in sports. Even if you don’t normally talk sports, it could be handy to have a few headlines in your back pocket. Just knowing what sports are taking place can help you follow along in conversations and file details away for future use.

Here are a few topics making headlines this week.

Sports headlines are great for building your sports knowledge base and starting conversation, but what happens when you get asked to dive deeper or get asked to weigh in on a topic, game or player you’re not familiar with? Then what do you do?

I get this question all the time. I know it causes a lot of anxiety, but there is a pretty simple way to solve this problem. 

First, don’t panic. Resist the urge to just walk away from the conversation.

Second, recognize it’s not your job to have answers to every sports question. (Sports is my job, but it’s your hobby.)

Third, redirect a conversation that starts with “Did you see…” using the words, “No, but…”

As in:

“Did you see the game last night?” “No, but what happened?”

“Did you see what the Seahawks are doing?” “No, but do you have any insight?”

You don’t have to have the answers, you just need a way to keep the conversation going. This is a big fear among novice fans and fans who aren’t confident in their sports knowledge. But the ...

I’m glad Simone Biles captured the attention of the world and shined a light on the importance of mental health. She helped spark conversation around the immense pressure athletes are under to perform and the stress that goes along with being the best in the world.

I’m encouraged fans were forced to look beyond Biles’ impressive personal accomplishments and see her as a human being.

I only wish every fan could accompany me into a locker room so you never forget athletes are people and we’re all human.

It’s a message I heard a decade before I set foot in a professional locker room when I wrote a letter to a local sportscaster I adored in Houston. I told her how much I loved sports and how I thought it was so cool she got to talk to athletes. I was surprised when Lisa Malosky took the time to write back. She encouraged me to pursue a career in sports before I even knew it was possible. She agreed the job was cool but she included these words I’m forever grateful for “Remember that ath...