The Four Bests Podcast

Welcome to Part 2 of Episode 11 of The Four Bests podcast! This week, Isaac takes the mic to share his "best" from July 2026: a multi-state college tour that turned into an unforgettable family vacation. With his daughter Lydia going into her junior year and narrowing down her collegiate volleyball prospects, the family hit the road to visit campuses across Alabama, Ohio, Virginia, and Florida. The guys discuss the bittersweet reality of kids growing up, how to trick your spouse into spotting for disc golf, and the biological anatomy of the Akron kangaroo mascot.
Key Takeaways
The College Tour Vacation: Isaac, Rachel, and their son Isaiah spent a week and a half traveling to college volleyball camps with Lydia. Isaiah was able to take a week off work to join the family in Ohio before flying to Pennsylvania to visit his grandparents, Bonnie and Charles, on their farm.
Cedarville Disc Golf: While Lydia stayed in the college dorms for her volleyball camp, Isaac and Isaiah played the top two UDisc-rated disc golf courses in Ohio. Rachel acted as the designated disc spotter in the deep woods to keep them from losing their gear.
Lydia’s Big Decision: After receiving offers from the University of Akron and American University, Lydia verbally committed to play Division I volleyball for the Akron Zips. As a junior, she plans to formally sign her letter of intent next November.
The Akron Zips Mascot: Isaac shares a fun fact that Akron’s mascot is a female kangaroo, making it one of only two female mascots in Division I sports. This immediately devolves into a debate led by Serge about whether kangaroos have literal metal zippers on their pouches to keep their money from falling out.
Parenting Advice with Dr. Scott: Isaac jokingly advises Nate that the secret to getting your spouse to join you on the disc golf course is walking away from the vehicle with the rental car keys in your pocket when it is 95 degrees with 100% humidity so they are forced to follow you into the shade of the woods.
📅 Release Schedule & Contact
New Episodes: The podcast drops weekly on Wednesdays at 4:44 PM.
Get in Touch: Reach out at fourbestspod@gmail.com to share your own "best" or to join the conversation.

Episode Summary Welcome back to The Four Bests Podcast! This week kicks off Episode 11 with Nate taking the lead to share his absolute best from July 2026: the "Achievement High." After feeling weighed down by a massive summer to-do list, Nate finally locked in and conquered everything from motorhome repairs to yard work. The guys break down the psychology of getting things done, the satisfaction of checking boxes, and why Nate's preferred method for dealing with backyard weeds involves a literal flamethrower.
Key Takeaways
The Achievement High: Nate shares that his best for the month was the intense feeling of accomplishment that comes from tackling a massive, lingering to-do list. He notes that he first heard the term "achievement high" from a patient earlier in the week.
The Master Task List: Nate's productive streak included power washing the driveway, fixing his motorhome with his friend Doug Herndon, setting up a 3D printer with his son, and clearing out a storage shed for Heidi to sell items.
The Flamethrower: Instead of pulling weeds or using chemical sprays, Nate reveals his extreme yard maintenance strategy: burning them to the ground with a propane torch flamethrower.
Gamifying the Grind: Isaac praises Nate’s unique ability to take mundane household chores and turn them into fun, gamified challenges.
Corporate vs. Home Accomplishments: Serge reflects on the difference between his nursing days and corporate life, noting that household tasks offer a highly satisfying, immediate sense of accomplishment because you directly see the benefit.
The Snowball Effect: Mac compares stringing together small daily accomplishments to rolling a snowball, prompting Serge to finally remember the name of the classic PlayStation 2 game Katamari Damacy.
📅 Release Schedule & Contact
New Episodes: Dropping every Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST!
Contact Us: Have a question, a comment, or want to sponsor Serge’s ice cream addiction? Drop us a line at fourbestspod@gmail.com.

Welcome to the final installment of Episode 10 of The Four Bests podcast! This week, Mac wraps things up by sharing his best, which is all about Father's Day. He kicks off the segment with a history lesson on how the holiday started in Spokane, Washington, in 1910 before diving into his own unique parenting traditions. The guys then share their own Father's Day experiences, leading to some hilarious and classic middle-school banter about neighborhood BBQs.
Key Takeaways
The History of Father's Day: Mac shares that Father's Day was started by Sonora Smart Dodd in 1910 to honor her single-parent father, and it became an official holiday in 1972 under Nixon.
1-on-1 Dad Dates: To avoid crowds, Mac celebrates by taking each of his kids on individual dates on Saturdays. He took his daughter Ella to the Pittsburgh Zoo to catch a rare glimpse of an owl, and he took his son Eli to the wave pool.
A Bonus Celebration: Mac also enjoyed a bonus Father's Day celebration that included grilling ribs, hiking at McConnell's Mill Park, and playing mini-golf.
Nate's Ultimate Sunday: Nate's Father's Day tradition involves his usual Sunday pickup ultimate game, which he now gets to play alongside his son, Cade.
Isaac & Mottocs: Isaac got to celebrate with his dad, Mottocs, who traveled down to visit. They spent the day playing disc golf together for the first time on Father's Day in over 20 years.
Serge's Neighborly BBQ: Serge celebrates by going to his neighbor John's house to eat his grilled meat, a tradition that sparks a barrage of endless jokes from the rest of the crew.
No so recommended Parenting Tips: The guys close out the episode by sharing highly sarcastic tips for manipulating their families into giving them the best Father's Day, such as Mac demanding presents for love.
📅 Release Schedule & Contact
New Episodes: The podcast is released weekly every Wednesday at 4:44 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Contact the Show: Listeners can reach out with thoughts or ideas by emailing fourbestspod@gmail.com or by finding the show on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

Welcome back to another weekly segment of The Four Bests Podcast! This week, Isaac takes the mic to share an incredible update on his daughter Lydia's volleyball career. By combining his recent exploration of artificial intelligence with her college recruiting journey, Isaac reveals how they successfully navigated the complex world of NCAA sports. From recovering from an ankle injury to fielding Division I offers, this episode features a proud dad moment mixed with a masterclass in utilizing AI as a strategic thought partner.
Key Takeaways
Isaac utilized Google Gemini to create a custom "NCAA executive recruiter" AI persona to help guide Lydia's college outreach over the last six months.
After inputting Lydia's athletic stats and desired major (health science or exercise science), the AI generated a targeted list of nearly 100 matching colleges and drafted email templates.
Lydia successfully bounced back from an ankle injury and recently competed in a massive national tournament in Orlando attended by over 400 colleges.
Following the June 15th contact deadline for Division I coaches, Lydia attended several college camps, including trips down to Alabama and up to Ohio.
The Big News: The University of Akron (a Division I school) was highly impressed by Lydia and extended a full-ride, five-year scholarship offer!
Isaac highly recommends the book The AI Driven Leader by Jeff Woods for learning how to build effective AI personas and avoid AI hallucinations.
Nate brings his signature banter, joking that he still might be able to jump higher on the wall than Lydia to keep her humble—though Isaac points out Nate is actually just bitter about losing their massive Duolingo streak rivalry.
📅 Release Schedule & Contact
New Episodes: Released weekly on Wednesdays (the fourth day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST.
Contact Us: Reach out with questions or comments at fourbestspod@gmail.com, and find the show on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

Welcome back to The Four Bests Podcast for our next weekly Wednesday drop! This week, Nate takes the mic to celebrate a massive life milestone: his 20-year wedding anniversary with his wife, Heidi!
The guys take a heartfelt (and hilarious) walk down memory lane, reminiscing about the wedding where Mac and Isaac served as best men and Serge perfectly seated the guests. From anniversary gifts and the realities of healthy conflict to Nate’s ultimate secret for navigating mismatched expectations, this episode is a deep dive into the intentionality it takes to build a thriving, decades-long partnership.
Key Takeaways
The 20-Year Milestone: Nate celebrates two decades of marriage with Heidi, highlighting how they marked the occasion with a cruise earlier in the year, a special dinner, and exchanging meaningful gifts.
The Gifts: Nate gifted Heidi a diamond necklace and a ring, while Heidi surprised Nate with a Tissot Powermatic 80 watch that he plans to pass down as a family heirloom.
Curing Selfishness: Nate candidly reflects on how marriage made him a significantly better, less selfish person, joking that without Heidi, he'd be "drunk on the streets"—a highly ironic statement given his career in psychiatry and alcohol rehabilitation!
The Value of Healthy Friction: Isaac and Nate discuss why conflict in a relationship isn't a sign of failure, but rather a necessary catalyst for personal growth and understanding.
Navigating Conflict Styles: Nate shares a story about balancing Heidi's fierce protectiveness over their kids by purposefully remaining calm to help mirror the peaceful resolution they both ultimately wanted.
The Secret Sauce: Nate reveals his top advice for handling marital disagreements and mismatched expectations: always "assume positive intent" and remember that you and your spouse are allies.
📅 Release Schedule & Contact
New Episodes: Dropping every Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST!
Contact Us: Have a question or want to share your own relationship advice? Email the crew at fourbestspod@gmail.com!

Welcome to Episode 10 (Part 1) of The Four Bests Podcast! We are kicking off our brand-new weekly release schedule with a trip to the coast! This week, Serge takes center stage to share his favorite summer tradition: a family vacation to the peaceful, postcard-worthy town of Chincoteague, Virginia.
From the real history behind Chincoteague's famous wild ponies to catching blue crabs with a stick and string, Serge breaks down the magic of slow-paced island living. Plus, the guys dive into a sinking town on stilts and settle the score on Serge's lifelong habit of eating microwaved, melty ice cream!
Key Takeaways
The Chincoteague Vibe: Serge describes the slow-paced, peaceful atmosphere of Chincoteague, VA—a small town with wild ponies, local ice cream, and no rush.
Ponies & Tax Evasion: The history behind Chincoteague's ponies, comparing the romanticized Misty of Chincoteague legend to the real 1600s tax evasion story of farmers hiding horses across Assateague Bay.
Firefighter Fundraisers: How a string of fires 80 years ago led local volunteer firefighters to take over the island's famous annual pony penning auctions to afford gear.
Old-School Crabbing: Serge shares his first time catching crabs using nothing more than a stick, string, and lead weight to make homemade crab cakes.
Tangier Island: A look back at a trip to nearby Tangier Island—a town built on stilts projected to sink in 25–30 years that was famously featured on The Daily Show.
The Ice Cream Debate: Serge’s wife sets the record straight on his "traditions" in the background, leading to a hilarious breakdown of Serge's childhood preference for eating ice cream completely melted.
📅 Release Schedule & Contact
New Episodes: Dropping every Wednesday (the 4th day of the week) at 4:44 PM EST!
Contact Us: Have a question or story to share? Email the crew at fourbestpod@gmail.com!

Episode Summary Happy Fourth of July and America's 250th birthday! In Episode Nine of The Four Bests, the guys are celebrating independence, the great outdoors, and some massive personal milestones. This month’s highlights cover everything from nostalgic Pittsburgh amusement park rides and hidden local waterfalls to Oregon backpacking gear and a highly anticipated doctoral graduation.
Key Takeaways
Mac kicks things off by recounting a perfect 70-degree family day at Kennywood for his son Eli's school event. The guys reminisce about classic Pittsburgh coasters like the Jackrabbit, the Racer, and the head-rattling days of the original Steel Phantom.
While his wife and daughter spent the day doing "cat yoga" in the city, Serge took his son Felix on an adventure to Fall Run Park in Shaler. The two waded barefoot through the ankle-deep creek all the way to a natural waterfall and slide.
The waterfall talk sparked a hilarious flashback to Mac's bachelor party at Ohiopyle, where Nate famously lost his wedding ring on the natural water slides.
Nate details his first backpacking trip of the year—a one-nighter with friends in the Oregon wilderness to test out a new camping hammock. He dives into the logistics of trail life, including water filtration, dehydrated meals, and keeping gear safe from small bears.
Isaac brings the episode home by celebrating a massive life milestone: traveling to Lynchburg, Virginia, to officially walk for his doctorate at Liberty University.
Isaac reflects on the culmination of an 18-year educational journey, the support of his family, and the surreal experience of the traditional 12th-century doctoral hooding ceremony.
Connect With Us Be sure to like and subscribe to get notified when our next episode drops on August 4th at 4:44 PM EST! Follow the crew on X (Twitter): @4BestPod

Episode Summary In the eighth installment of The Four Best Podcast, Isaac, Mac, Sergey, and Nate return to share their highlights from the past month. The conversation spans from celebrating professional truck drivers in Dallas to proud parenting moments involving marathons, swimming lessons, and piano recitals. Nate also shares an exciting initial announcement about his family's dog. At the end of the episode, Isaac and Nate provide a somber but important follow-up recorded a few weeks later, finding moments of gratitude and community support amidst a tragic loss.
Key Takeaways
Isaac shares his experience at Frito-Lay's Million-Miler Club red carpet event in Dallas, Texas. The company celebrated drivers who reached 1, 2, 3, and even 4 million safe driving miles.
Reaching 4 million miles without a preventable accident is an incredible feat that takes a driver approximately 40 years to achieve.
Isaac addresses the physical toll of the trucking industry, noting that the average truck driver's life expectancy is 61 years old compared to the mid-70s for the average American male.
Mac celebrates a double best regarding his children, Eli and Ella. Both kids completed the one-mile Pittsburgh Kids Marathon, with Eli running almost the entire way to finish in 14 minutes and 44 seconds.
Both of Mac's children successfully advanced from level 2 to level 3 in their swimming classes, where they will begin learning more stroke work.
Sergey discusses the parenting challenge of knowing when to let kids quit activities, following advice he received from Isaac.
Sergey's daughter Tesla played "Jumping Jazz Cat" and "Down by the Bay" at her piano recital before deciding to step back from music to focus her energy on swimming.
Sergey plans to keep encouraging his theatrical son Felix, who played "Peter Peter" and "This is Not Jingle Bells," to pursue music and performance to help with his concentration.
Nate initially announces that his six-year-old Poochi Kaka mix, Bella, is pregnant with six puppies.
Nate shares facts about dog pregnancies, such as the 63-day gestation period, and jokes about a misread handout that told him to call a "veteran" instead of a veterinarian in case of an emergency.
In a heartfelt update recorded weeks later, Nate shares the tragic news that Bella and her puppies passed away due to pregnancy complications just three days after the initial recording.
Nate expresses immense pride in his children for bravely choosing to perform in their school play on the day Bella passed away.
The Kravitz family experienced incredible community support during their loss, including castmates praying with them, the cross-country team running with Cade in the quad, and Serge bringing them pizza and wings.
 

Episode Summary:
In Episode Seven of The Four Bests, the guys shake up their usual format to recap an epic group trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, celebrating a couple of 40th birthdays! Instead of their typical monthly highlights, Isaac, Nate, Mac, and Serge each break down their absolute favorite moments from the trip. From early morning half marathons and smooth airport travel to getting discs stuck in palm trees and performing on stage with Penn & Teller, this episode is packed with hilarious stories and a celebration of lifelong friendship.
Key Takeaways:
The Vegas Roster: The four bests traveled to Vegas to celebrate turning 40, accompanied by Tom (aka Mot Ttocs), who acted as a "fun chaperone" and even won $150 on a slot machine.
Nate's Best - Stress-Free Travel: Nate highlights how smooth his flights were, crediting TSA PreCheck's new touchless ID facial recognition, priority boarding, and free checked bags with Alaska Airlines.
Isaac's Best - Mt. Charleston Half Marathon: Isaac recounts waking up at 4:00 AM to run the Revel Mt. Charleston downhill half marathon. He enjoyed the stunning desert sunrise alongside Nate and Serge.
The Bummer - Rental Car Break-In: The guys share the unfortunate morning they discovered their rental SUV was broken into and Isaac and Serge's disc golf bags were stolen.
Mac's Best - The Palm Tree Rescue: Mac tells the hilarious story of Serge getting a brand-new disc stuck high up in a palm tree on hole 10. He highlights the epic teamwork required to knock it down using a pole while Nate balanced on Isaac's shoulders.
Serge's Best - Penn & Teller: Serge recounts going to the Rio to see Penn & Teller's 50th Anniversary show. He was pulled on stage by Penn to play rock-paper-scissors and darts.
The Shoutouts: The guys express gratitude to their wives (Eileen, Kelsey, Heidi, Rachel) for holding down the home front. They also give a special shoutout to Heidi for making custom NISM trip shirts.
 

🎙️ Episode 6: Spikes, Sparks, Smashed Subarus, and San Diego
Buckle up, because Episode 6 of The Four Bests is an absolute rollercoaster! This month, Isaac, Mac, Serge, and Nate are bringing a wild mix of heart-pounding scares, major career milestones, proud parenting moments, and a century-old sports underdog story. If you’ve ever wondered how four lifelong friends from Pittsburgh can seamlessly transition from totaled cars to vintage ice hockey, this is the episode for you.
Hit play and join the guys as they break down their absolute "bests" from the past month. Expect deep laughs, serious perspective shifts, and the kind of authentic banter you can only get with your oldest friends.
🔥 Inside This Episode:
San Diego Sun & Statistical Triumphs: Serge and Mac take us to the West Coast! They recap their trip to sunny San Diego for the annual assembly of hospice and palliative care, where they took the national stage to present research on statistical call analysis.
Smashed Subarus & Second Chances: Nate brings the adrenaline (and a whole lot of gratitude) as he recounts his harrowing Valentine's Day Eve car crash. After walking away from a completely totaled 2015 Subaru Outback, Nate shares his fresh perspective on what really matters—and exactly why he immediately went out and bought another Subaru.
Sparks, Spikes, & Proud Dad Energy: Isaac steps up with some major family milestones! He celebrates his 19-year-old son, Isaiah, who is striking sparks in his brand-new welding career at Cornerstone Fabrication while juggling college operations management classes. Plus, a massive shoutout to his 15-year-old daughter, Lydia, who is absolutely crushing it on the volleyball court wearing number 25 for Cape Coast.
Pucks & The Vintage Winnipeg Falcons: Mac closes out the episode with a legendary deep dive into the winter Olympics hockey and sports history. Forget what you know about the ice rink— the guys take us all the way back to the 1920 Olympic ice hockey tournament to relive the epic, gold-medal victory of the Winnipeg Falcons.
 
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