Facing Nolan: Nolan Ryan Interview w/ PitchingNinja

My interview with Nolan Ryan, Tom House and Bradley Jackson (director of Facing Nolan). Be sure to watch the full Facing Nolan documentary, I promise it's one of the best baseball movies of all time.
We discuss:
Nolan Ryan and Robin Ventura
Ryan vs. Bo Jackson
Max effort pitcher?
What made Nolan Ryan special.
Snow Monkeys?
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Directed by Rob Friedman
Produced by Will Leahey

[@PitchingNinjaVideos]

Hit SUBSCRIBE if you like these interviews!! There'll be a lot more. Shane McClanahan coming up!

[@davidsaba2960]

This interview is HISTORY. Thank you for recording it, preserving it, for future generations.

[@grokeffer6226]

I hope Mr. Ryan is doing well. He's one of the all-time greats.

[@lmartinez3633]

You are getting to a new level…the Ryan Express

[@chrisriley7937]

Phenomenal! Ryan was my favorite player growing up, and my Dad took us to watch him pitch when he came to Atlanta. We would go down to the bullpen to watch him warm up and hear that glove pop and him let out a grunt now and then. Greatest pitcher ever. He was a bulldog!

[@craenor]

My dad would take me to Arlington, and I'd watch him warm up on the bullpen. Magical memories. The only iconic moment I saw in person was when Bo Jackson's ground-ball split Ryan's lip, but every memory...just pure magic. I'll never forget the bullpen and the sound of the ball cutting through the air or the pop when it hit the catcher's mitt.

[@81ghale]

It’s so crazy he was one of my favorites as a little kid in the 80’s, and teen in the 90’s, and he’d had 2 decades BEFORE that! Nolan is on the Mt Rushmore for starting pitchers for me.

[@jritechnology]

Nolan Ryan is a legend. Heroes get remembered, Legends never die. The man has a legacy in not only Baseball, but in his legacy and life as a man's man who played against odds, who fought through injuries to dominate...and still never won a CY Young award.

[@jonfieldsmusic]

This is super dope. I remember Nolan when i literally 6-7 years old watching baseball with my dad. incredible to get an interview with him. i cant wait to watch the documentary.

[@PitchingNinjaVideos]

I promise -- the documentary is fantastic. Better than I would've hoped for.

[@LukenUSee]

Great interview! Excellent questions. Nolan was one of a kind, from the mindset of pitching the whole game, to the groundbreaking physical conditioning and the attention to mechanics, the list goes on. It's a crime that Nolan never won a CY! Saw Randy Johnson pitch in person and I'll never forget the pop of the catcher's mitt and his intensity. Watched Nolan on TV growing up. Both could make great hitters look foolish. Nolan and Randy, the greatest, most intimidating ever.

[@caseywilliams271]

I remember going to the Astros game as a kid and Billy Wagner coming in was my moment similar to yours. I will never forget the sound of the ball hitting the mitt echoing throughout the Astrodome. It was just different than ever other pitcher.

[@LukenUSee]

@@caseywilliams271 There's something sharper and louder about the sound of their pitches hitting the catcher's mitt. Might be a psychological factor, since we knew we were watching great pitchers in action, but I don't think that's all of it. I had close seats watching Johnson, such an imposing figure at 6'10", on the hill, throwing smoke, on a rehab stint but still blasting away. Stays with me.

[@havefunbesafe]

Nolan is a legit badass…I wouldn’t mess with him today!

[@mattyhoosier2028]

Absolutely awesome! Talked to my boys and kids I coached about Nolan all the time. Like so many, loved to watch him pitch. Just watched the doc last night so this was perfect timing to see this. Tom House is an underrated genius in what he's done. Thank you!!!

[@SayerofThings]

Geez, I remember as a kid watching Nolan’s last 2 no hitters. Loved that guy

[@chasewoood7363]

Tom is the most polite guest I've ever seen on an interview haha what a genius too

[@TheMailmanOfSteel]

Nolan looks like he could still send some 80mph heat! Robin Ventura put on notice!

[@dankygr33n52]

Nolan Ryan was my favorite player period. Not just pitcher but player. I had shirts and all kinds of memorabilia. I still have two sets of cards just Nolan Ryans. There will never be anyone to touch his badassedness

[@Donjasoni]

Just watched the documentary! Fantastic! Nolan was my favorite baseball player growing up…classy, competitive, and a winner!

[@spg1026]

Thanks for going more in-depth from a pitching mechanics perspective than most interviewers go. And thanks for one more new interview with the man I named my son after.

[@seiyulyu4854]

As ferocious and terrifying as the Ryan Express was with a baseball in his hand, Nolan Ryan the man seems like such a nice gentleman.

[@patrickroy3380]

Thank you for posting this interview with the true American legend and tough as nails

[@akihiroinoue7416]

ありがとうございます。 今の姿を見れただけでも感動しました。 神回ですね。

[@selfwitness]

Wow, what a great interview! Thank you!

[@Hosstache]

GREAT JOB!!! Loved his answer to the bat flip question!!

[@manofiske3318]

You could see that one 'coming down 5th Avenue'

[@leorc564]

Excellent Ninja! Awesome work!⚾️⚾️⚾️🔥🔥🔥🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮, Nolan Ryan, the best!

[@EdenR48]

In an era when a 34 year old pitcher is prevented from completing a perfect game, the Express completed 19 games along with 7 shutouts, wait for this....in his 40s. I met the Express in June 1979 as a kid. I skipped school to catch the 1 pm game vs Jay where bullpen was along 1st base sideline. Have pic of him signing my Ryan scrapbook.

[@manofiske3318]

The "Sabermetrics"Tyrants("Analytics" A-Holes/"Pitch-Count" Nazis) and their devoted disciples lording over baseball today have wreaked havoc on the game and nearly completely dismantled the once fine art and craft of pitching. Truly tragic.

[@anthonydamato0803]

Now this, this is awesome

[@CL-vx9dr]

OH MY GOD YOU GOT HIM

[@atendriyadasa6746]

My nephew named his son after Nolan. God love ya, man!!

[@OtisMoto]

I missed Nolan's 7th no no by one game. My little league team watched them play.

[@seabrook1976]

39:08 that’s the same game Nolan was talking about where Dick Allen broke up the no-no.

[@PitchingNinjaVideos]

Yep!

[@seabrook1976]

@@PitchingNinjaVideos Thank you for putting this together. I spoke a few years back with a guy named Carl Nichols, who was a backup catcher in the late 80's and he struck out against Nolan in a spring training game. He said that hitters respected him because if he ever brushed you back, the next pitch would be his best fastball, but he would leave it over the plate as a way to give the hitter his "shot". More often than not, the hitter missed, but they respected that he didn't nibble corners but would challenge you.

[@ethanniedorowski116]

Still sharp as a tac Glad you did this Thank you for your time Mrs Nolan Sir. Great get ninja 🥷 👏

[@standepain]

The pitch he throws to strike out Joe Orta (@ 2:08) is still the fastest thing I have ever seen. Frame-rate be damned but that pitch was an absolute laser.

[@standepain]

*Jorge Orta Blasted autocorrect.

[@johnnyeaton]

I truly believe that the only way the game will get back to the use of starters as traditionally intended is for the rosters to be contracted. If the number of players on a pitching staff is limited, pitchers who can eat innings will regain their value.

[@erikdixon8464]

YES!! THIS IS SO COOL!!!

[@gbugsyhunt1921]

fire interview

[@standepain]

40:18 hahahaha "Get the hell off my mound."

[@logalogalog]

Can you attempt to land The Big Unit or Sandy. I know they aren't as friendly as Dr. House and Mr Ryan, but please at least try.

[@SPG8989]

The unit is super friendly wtf are you smoking

[@montueswedthursfri]

keep putting these on the podcast show too, please! :)

[@johnnyeaton]

"He was 6'6" or 6'7"- it doesn't really matter when you're that big." LOL

[@BornShalom]

wow this is insane

[@FromTheHipp]

unironically....Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson are my 1 and 2 on MLB the Show DD lol.

[@jbg_22]

I want both sooo bad😂

[@FromTheHipp]

@@jbg_22 both are incredible.

[@ethanniedorowski116]

Big time big heat big personality 😤 💪 just a dude. The dude The Nolan Ryan Express Striking out 400 a year in his off-season. He was a cowboy first

[@Strotophonic]

It is amazing that at about 8:40 they talk about Ryan's Change Up. It is that pitch that later in his carrer promoted a K/9 increase on him even though he wasn't throwing his hardest. Furthermore, I've mentioned this before to my Friends. Ryan Was the first Extreme Power Pitcher who incorporated the change up. In the Past the change up was used by pitchers with decent fastballs, but needed a little something to enhance them. The extreme power pitchers like Koufax, Randy Johnson, JR Richard, Bob Gibosn were basically Fastball-Breaking ball type. This I can attest.

[@honchosayso]

Nolan shouldve won that cy young in 73!! Period!! They picked Jim Palmer over Nolans 383 strikeouts!! Crazy,

[@JRob1125]

Dude 😦

[@stevilkenevil9960]

Srill cant believe he doesn't have a cy young

[@au8363]

ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR AND REPENT JESUS LOVES YOU HE DIED FOR YOU SO YOU COULD BE FORGIVEN ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND REPENT!🙏🙏 AMEN!!!!!!!!!!

[@soundshack33]

Serj tankian interviews Nolan Ryan 🤣

[@PitchingNinjaVideos]

Here you go, create another fable...

[@allanallan2171]

Wow

[@nickrockway472]

the guy in the bottom right made it incredibly awkward

[@Max-ez9ru]

Hi

[@strangelyerect3047]

Noice!

[@terencemccarthy3744]

1st 2 minutes in shows how the Mets still live in your minds Rent free....lol

[@dfboiler]

sometime please have Nolan back without House, he always has to dominate the interviews when I'd much rather hear Nolan answer than House mansplaining him.

[@Kruk1975]

Zzzzzzzz make this shit shorter. I get it but still. Just get to it

[@ajjones850]

Just enjoy the prescence of a legend speaking

[@LukenUSee]

Relax, sit back, and soak up the legend

[@King_Immanuel]

He's interviewing Nolan Ryan.... some people will never be satisfied

[@shanebreon2506]

It couldn't be long enough for me, great questions and there were years were we hardly heard from Nolan, super cool to see him out and about giving interviews again.

[@SPG8989]

If you get bored listening to legends you are in the wrong sport and need to go watch cartoons