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When Washington, DC rapper No Savage mentions the “mob” in the intro to some of his songs, he’s not referring to just any group of friends. He’s rapping about the people he views as family.

The word “mob” quickly popularized in the DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) area outside of music. It became a phrase for everyday circumstances that the region, and DC residents in particular, began to take seriously.

Syracuse linebacker Marlowe Wax, a native of Baltimore, learned the term at home, and the Orange’s 2022 defense adopted “the mob” as its unofficial name. And since then, it has become the name of a podcast, which Wax co-hosts, that has quickly captivated SU’s fanbase.

“We just felt like it was a tough word and we knew that it would be just for us and that everyone was gonna go along with it,” Wax said about the podcast’s name.

Hosted by Wax, Caleb Okechukwu and Ja’had Carter, “The Mob Podcast” breaks down each game and discusses the lives of Syracuse’s players outside of football.

Now six episodes in, the podcast is recorded after every game and airs each Wednesday. It has featured current and former Syracuse players as its weekly guests.

Okechukwu first thought of hosting the podcast in 2020, according to his brother David. During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Okechukwu, David and their brother Josh consistently watched the “I Am Athlete” podcast — a show hosted by former NFL players that features guests from different industries.

What inspired Okechukwu the most was how players discussed what they did off the field, David said. Okechukwu’s father joked at the time that the brothers should start a podcast within the family but it never came to fruition.

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“Caleb has always had great hosting skills when it came to talking in front of large crowds and stuff,” David said. “Caleb’s always that funny guy that’s wanted to joke around within the family so seeing him host this podcast, I’m just proud that it’s going in the right direction.”

Okechukwu also watches multiple podcasts with Wax and Carter, like “The Pivot,” a show run by former NFL running back Thomas Jones. “I Am Athlete” and “The Pivot” demonstrate candid and open conversations on designated topics, which is exactly what the defensive trio wants to emulate on their own platform.

Each episode ranges from about 35-70 minutes and begins with the breakdown of the game played the day before. The players reminisce on the top plays from the game, share their perspectives on some of their individual contributions and talk about some exclusive moments from the sidelines. It’s meant to be as “real” as possible, Wax said.

“Seeing how they just act like brothers from the same mother and stuff, it’s just very fun to watch and I can tell that they have a great connection with each other,” David said.

The trio have also tried to make the voices of those outside the team heard, bringing on Syracuse football alumni as guests. Recent alumni Zaire Franklin and Andre Cisco, shared their journey from the collegiate level to the NFL, where both have emerged as defensive starters.

Once Syracuse went 5-0 for the first time since 1987, Don McPherson was that week’s guest. McPherson discussed nearly giving up on playing football, especially when he was uncertain about if he’d be selected in the NFL Draft.

“I didn’t really know who (McPherson) was until we met him then,” Okechukwu said. “Just his spirit and his approach to life, really. He doesn’t really let anything get to him because he’s prepared for the moment.”

The latter part of each episode always diverts toward more non-game related conversation. It can be as light as talking about their favorite pregame music or their personal lives.

In the second episode, which followed the Purdue game, Okechukwu, Wax, Carter and the episode’s guest Oronde Gadsden II, went through Syracuse’s thrilling comeback for the first 20 minutes before quickly pivoting into a more personal conversation. Okechukwu brought up how a kid spoke to him after the win and asked him “what’s your why?” about his motivation behind playing football. Each player responded to the question and shared stories about their family situations, from growing up in single-parent households to dealing with the loss of family members.

Since then, the players have told family stories, among many others, which they believe has had a positive impact on the podcast’s fanbase.

“We knew everyone was gonna love it because people wanna see us behind the helmets and get to really know us,” Wax said.

Wax knew the podcast’s popularity would be where it is now. And paired with Syracuse’s 6-2 start and a No. 22 ranking, “The Mob Podcast” is the perfect reflection of the closeness within SU’s football team, Okechukwu said.

“What you see on the podcast, it’s really just the relationship we have off the field on camera,” Okechukwu said. “The way we joke around, that’s how we are in the locker room.”

Published on October 31, 2022 at 11:14 pm

Contact Alex: ahcirino@syr.edu