S E116: Sage Steele Uncanceled: ESPN, Obama, Aldean & Standing Your Ground :: Ep 116 Try That in a Small Town
S E116: Sage Steele Uncanceled: ESPN, Obama, Aldean & Standing Your Ground :: Ep 116 Try That in a Small Town  
Podcast: Try That in a Small Town Podcast
Published On: Mon Jul 06 2026
Description: Sage Steele joins the Try That In A Small Town podcast for an honest, uncensored look at sports media, politics, faith, and standing up when it could cost you everything. She shares the real story behind her controversial Obama comments, the COVID vaccine moment that changed her career at ESPN, suing Disney while still on air, and why she refuses to back down from her convictions.The crew also dives into the “Try That In A Small Town” backlash, country music, Jason Aldean’s TV bans, social media burnout, raising kids with values, and how Sage found love and a second chance at marriage in Nashville.If you care about free speech, faith, sports, country music, and common sense, this one’s for you.TIMED HIGHLIGHTS / CHAPTERS: 00:17:08 – Is “Sage Steele” a real name? Childhood, identity and keeping her name after marriage 00:19:02 – Growing up a military kid: Earth, Wind & Fire, Lionel Richie, James Taylor and first concerts 00:22:34 – First reaction to “Try That In A Small Town” and why Sage never saw it as racist 00:24:22 – Sponsor break: Original Glory beer and Patriot Mobile 00:25:40 – Sage vs The View: Barbara Walters, race, Obama and getting elbowed backstage 00:33:00 – “No going back”: politics, division since 2016 and losing common sense 00:36:33 – COVID, mandates, Fauci, Tulsi Gabbard and accountability in leadership 00:48:10 – The Jay Cutler podcast: Disney’s vaccine deadline and Sage’s fateful comments 00:50:36 – Suspended, forced apology and living in fear inside ESPN 00:54:24 – Double standard: political rants allowed on ESPN air… unless they’re from Sage 00:56:20 – Suing Disney/ESPN while still on the air and the moment her son told her to stand up 01:00:09 – Her relationship with Stephen A. Smith and why he still stands next to her 01:03:50 – How ESPN lost its way with politics, personalities and cord‑cutting 01:07:05 – Missing the old SportsCenter era: Stuart Scott, Berman, Linda Cohn and big TV moments 01:17:01 – Launching The Sage Steele Show and learning to be an independent creator 01:20:45 – Being labeled “conservative” and how that shuts doors in media and entertainment 01:21:34 – Jason Aldean, banned TV appearances and corporate fear around “Try That In A Small Town” 01:23:27 – When controversy makes a song bigger: backlash, business and blessing in disguise 01:30:15 – Meeting Dave: military‑brat connection, charity event, and a whirlwind Nashville love story 01:37:36 – Daily devotionals on camera: praying out loud, public faith and the fear of “send” 01:39:24 – First ever public prayer: doing the invocation at a NASCAR race on live TV 01:42:30 – Why praying out loud feels scarier than live TV and why we’re never “worthy” 01:49:41 – Pet peeves, movie etiquette and “read the room” moments in public 01:55:36 – Airplane chaos: overhead bin wars, service animals and entitlement culture 01:59:31 – Sage’s patriotic merch and the line “raised right, seasoned well” 02:01:02 – Why Sage came on the show and what standing up has really cost—and given—her______________________________________________________________________________________________SPONSORS: The Try That in a Small Town Podcast is powered by e|spaces!Redefining Coworking - Exceptional Office Space for Every BusinessBook a tour today at espaces.comFrom the Patriot Mobile studios:Don’t get fooled by other cellular providers pretending to share your values or have the same coverage. They don’t and they can’t!Go to PATRIOTMOBILE.COM/SMALLTOWN or call 972-PATRIOTRight now, get a FREE MONTH when you use the offer code SMALLTOWN.Original Brands - Our original sponsor since the beginning!!Original brands is starting a new era and American domestic premium beer, American made, American owned, Original glory.Join the movement at www.drinkoriginalbrands.comPeacemaker Coffee CompanyFounded by retired police officer/chief Chris Morris, Peacemaker delivers clean, low-acidity coffee while supporting police, firefighters, EMS, military, veterans, teachers, dispatchers, and medical personnel through donations and programs.https://www.peacemakercoffeecompany.com/________________________________________________________________________________________________Follow/Rate/Share at www.trythatinasmalltown.com -For advertising inquiries, email info@trythatinasmalltown.comProduced by Jim McCarthy and www.ItsYourShow.coSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.