1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Build Different is a production of the American 2 00:00:05,700 --> 00:00:09,219 Speaker 1: Association of Christian Counselors. To support this podcast and learn 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,459 Speaker 1: how you can help us to promote all our biblical content, 4 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: spread the gospel, and provide mental health resources and training 5 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:21,660 Speaker 1: to people everywhere, just go to aaccfoundation.org. Again, that's aaccfoundation.org. 6 00:00:25,989 --> 00:00:28,450 Speaker 1: Welcome to Built Different. I'm Zach Clinton, your host, and 7 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,760 Speaker 1: each week I come to you exclusively on the Life 8 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:33,780 Speaker 1: Audio Podcast Network. I'm proud to partner with Life Audio 9 00:00:33,820 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: and bring you entertaining, life-changing, family-friendly podcasts for a new generation. 10 00:00:38,540 --> 00:00:41,020 Speaker 1: At Built Different, our mission is to provide encouragement, hope, 11 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: and challenge to help push you past your limits and 12 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: reach goals you never thought possible. Colossians 2 verse 6 says, 13 00:00:46,979 --> 00:00:49,510 Speaker 1: So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, 14 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:52,629 Speaker 1: continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built 15 00:00:52,729 --> 00:00:53,150 Speaker 1: up in Him. 16 00:00:53,450 --> 00:00:53,830 Speaker 2: Amen? 17 00:00:54,350 --> 00:01:03,250 Speaker 1: Now let's roll. Hello, everybody, and welcome back into the 18 00:01:03,270 --> 00:01:05,750 Speaker 1: Build Different podcast. As always, I'll be your host today, Dr. 19 00:01:05,830 --> 00:01:08,780 Speaker 1: Zach Clinton. And if you're anything like me, this, my 20 00:01:08,810 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: wife calls it Augtober because it is fall time. We 21 00:01:12,780 --> 00:01:16,100 Speaker 1: love faith, we love family, and we love football. Football 22 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,100 Speaker 1: season is back on the mountain here at Liberty University. 23 00:01:19,180 --> 00:01:21,420 Speaker 1: And today we decided to sit down with a team captain, 24 00:01:21,459 --> 00:01:23,420 Speaker 1: a guy who has done a lot of good in 25 00:01:23,470 --> 00:01:26,449 Speaker 1: this program, who's brought a lot of energy to this program, 26 00:01:26,470 --> 00:01:29,350 Speaker 1: and He's from the Northeast. He's from Jersey. He makes 27 00:01:29,410 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: a lot of subs in Phillies, but more importantly, he 28 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,660 Speaker 1: makes burgers. Cooking with Jersey Mike is in the house today. 29 00:01:35,700 --> 00:01:37,580 Speaker 1: Mike Jarvis, my friend. Thanks so much for joining me. 30 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:38,540 Speaker 2: I'm honored to be here. 31 00:01:38,860 --> 00:01:40,260 Speaker 1: It's going to be a lot of fun, my friend. 32 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 2: I tell you this. 33 00:01:41,260 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: There's a lot of excitement. There's a lot of buzz, again, 34 00:01:43,740 --> 00:01:47,140 Speaker 1: on the mountain up at Liberty University. Football season is back. 35 00:01:47,220 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: Saturday's a big game. It's the in-state rivalry for you guys. 36 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:54,180 Speaker 1: James Madison University. You guys are going up there to JMU. 37 00:01:54,220 --> 00:01:56,810 Speaker 1: What is it? Harrisonburg. And it's a big game for 38 00:01:56,840 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 1: you guys. I know that there's a lot of excitement. 39 00:01:58,670 --> 00:02:00,650 Speaker 1: I guess my first question, man, is how do you 40 00:02:00,750 --> 00:02:05,490 Speaker 1: balance all of the excitement and the anticipation, the expectation, 41 00:02:05,510 --> 00:02:07,910 Speaker 1: and everything that you guys have on your shoulders as 42 00:02:07,930 --> 00:02:08,950 Speaker 1: you prepare for this weekend? 43 00:02:09,230 --> 00:02:11,710 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's definitely staying, like keeping your feet 44 00:02:11,730 --> 00:02:14,750 Speaker 2: where you are. And obviously it's very easy, big game, 45 00:02:14,810 --> 00:02:16,190 Speaker 2: first game. This game is going to set the tone 46 00:02:16,210 --> 00:02:19,709 Speaker 2: for the year. So obviously you start work in January, 47 00:02:20,190 --> 00:02:22,790 Speaker 2: work through August. We just got done in August, getting 48 00:02:22,810 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 2: ready for JMU this week. And then you don't want to, 49 00:02:26,060 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: don't make the moment too big than it is. I mean, 50 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 2: it's a football game and you're here to win, but 51 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,590 Speaker 2: don't let the national team, They were in the playoffs 52 00:02:34,610 --> 00:02:37,290 Speaker 2: last year. Great. It's a great competition for us. New staff, 53 00:02:37,310 --> 00:02:40,510 Speaker 2: new team. Both teams are all brand new years. Everything's 54 00:02:40,550 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 2: new each year. So it's really just stay where your 55 00:02:43,340 --> 00:02:45,380 Speaker 2: feet are, stay rooted in the moment, and just take 56 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: advantage of the opportunity. And honor it. Honor it. Enjoy it. 57 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: Enjoy it. You guys have been grinding for months, right? 58 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: Really for years. All of you guys are coming in 59 00:02:54,470 --> 00:02:56,780 Speaker 1: with different stories and But then I'm just thinking about 60 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,150 Speaker 1: the story of this year's team. You know, last year was, 61 00:02:59,610 --> 00:03:01,950 Speaker 1: let's just be brutally honest, it was an off year 62 00:03:02,150 --> 00:03:03,989 Speaker 1: for you guys, right? It was a year that probably 63 00:03:04,030 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: was disappointing, probably left, I hope it left a bad 64 00:03:06,780 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: taste in some of your mouths, especially those that returned 65 00:03:09,020 --> 00:03:11,410 Speaker 1: back to this team. And I think it has a 66 00:03:11,510 --> 00:03:14,230 Speaker 1: chance of really setting the pace and the culture for 67 00:03:14,270 --> 00:03:16,910 Speaker 1: this team. As a leader for you, I'm just thinking 68 00:03:16,950 --> 00:03:19,710 Speaker 1: of rather than this being a bounce-back year, this is 69 00:03:19,810 --> 00:03:21,549 Speaker 1: really a year in which you guys get to write 70 00:03:21,590 --> 00:03:24,109 Speaker 1: your own story. I'm just wondering, from this year's team, 71 00:03:24,590 --> 00:03:26,710 Speaker 1: what story do you guys think you're capable of writing? 72 00:03:27,150 --> 00:03:30,889 Speaker 2: I think instead of writing a story, painting a masterpiece, 73 00:03:31,270 --> 00:03:35,530 Speaker 2: painting a beautiful picture. And obviously, from an individual aspect 74 00:03:35,570 --> 00:03:37,470 Speaker 2: from last year, you've got to take a step back. 75 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: Of course. 76 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,410 Speaker 2: And oversee it. Coach Scott says a great thing, point 77 00:03:41,430 --> 00:03:44,990 Speaker 2: the thumb, not the finger. And it's what did you 78 00:03:45,010 --> 00:03:47,150 Speaker 2: do wrong? What did you do wrong last year? The 79 00:03:47,190 --> 00:03:49,870 Speaker 2: guys returning, even the guys coming in. Because, again, it's 80 00:03:49,890 --> 00:03:52,890 Speaker 2: a whole new roster, new coaches. What did I do 81 00:03:52,930 --> 00:03:56,570 Speaker 2: wrong last year? What is our mission? What is our 82 00:03:56,610 --> 00:03:59,230 Speaker 2: objective for the end of the year? And obviously you 83 00:03:59,510 --> 00:04:01,250 Speaker 2: can't be outcome driven. You've got to be journey driven. 84 00:04:01,270 --> 00:04:03,990 Speaker 2: You have to be. Everybody wants the outcome, but there's 85 00:04:04,010 --> 00:04:07,110 Speaker 2: always something above the outcome. Yeah. And it's just what 86 00:04:07,130 --> 00:04:10,860 Speaker 2: it is. So I think the canvas that we're going 87 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,100 Speaker 2: to paint on this year is a team that was 88 00:04:14,140 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 2: buried last year, lost in a sense. There's a lot 89 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:23,659 Speaker 2: of players-to-players issues, coaches-to-players, coaches-to-coaches. I mean, there was stuff 90 00:04:23,740 --> 00:04:28,380 Speaker 2: thrown at us. And it's, all right, from January until now, 91 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:31,750 Speaker 2: we bust our tails. We're in there working every day, 92 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:36,050 Speaker 2: getting after it, growing, arguing, building as brothers. It's what 93 00:04:36,070 --> 00:04:36,310 Speaker 2: you do. 94 00:04:36,350 --> 00:04:36,909 Speaker 1: It's a brotherhood. 95 00:04:37,380 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it's not going to be clean every day. 96 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,020 Speaker 2: We got to build each other up. So it's this year. 97 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: It's going to be something special. I'm going to do 98 00:04:42,420 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: something this place has never done before. 99 00:04:43,980 --> 00:04:46,170 Speaker 1: And that's exciting to hear. I like the idea of 100 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,850 Speaker 1: taking responsibility for things that needed to be taken responsible 101 00:04:50,890 --> 00:04:54,050 Speaker 1: for for last year. Learning from it. Right. Not running 102 00:04:54,089 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: from our past. Learning from our past. Growing through it. 103 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:59,710 Speaker 1: And then being able to do something that hopefully has 104 00:04:59,770 --> 00:05:01,810 Speaker 1: never been done before. I think it's going to come 105 00:05:01,850 --> 00:05:04,810 Speaker 1: down to, and you know this, culture, right? You guys 106 00:05:04,850 --> 00:05:07,299 Speaker 1: have a culture of competitiveness. You guys are pushing each 107 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: other to that level, but also complementing the crud out 108 00:05:10,260 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: of each other. So that way you guys can continue 109 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,619 Speaker 1: to build this culture, which is alive and dynamic. Culture 110 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,430 Speaker 1: is not stagnant. It's not something that just carries over. 111 00:05:17,470 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: You have to create it every single day. And so 112 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: for you guys, it seems to be, I'm grateful for 113 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: those listening and watching. I get the opportunity of serving 114 00:05:26,540 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: as the athletic counselor on staff there at Liberty University, 115 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,380 Speaker 1: and it's a blast to engage with all the athletes. 116 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: But as I was speaking to a lot of the 117 00:05:33,540 --> 00:05:36,620 Speaker 1: team on Monday mornings throughout, you know, early preseason in 118 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,580 Speaker 1: the spring, I got to watch you guys just observe 119 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,780 Speaker 1: the way in which you interact with each other, observe 120 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,220 Speaker 1: the brotherhood, the strong relationships. What I view as almost 121 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: deeper this year than years past from what I've observed 122 00:05:47,790 --> 00:05:50,550 Speaker 1: is I'd love to ask, though, what's the culture, man? 123 00:05:50,710 --> 00:05:53,110 Speaker 1: What's the trend seem to be? Are you guys– is 124 00:05:53,190 --> 00:05:55,589 Speaker 1: it closer this year? Is there a depth of relationship 125 00:05:55,630 --> 00:05:57,529 Speaker 1: maybe because of the adversity you went through? 126 00:05:57,650 --> 00:05:59,770 Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, 100%. And obviously, this is my sixth year 127 00:05:59,790 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 2: of college. You're the old goat. Second school, I've experienced pre-NIL, NIL, 128 00:06:07,700 --> 00:06:11,270 Speaker 2: and it's a whole different format nowadays. But this is– 129 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 2: every year, everybody's like, oh, this team's different. This team's different. Yeah. No. Like, 130 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,790 Speaker 2: this is the closest I've seen– a whole locker room 131 00:06:18,990 --> 00:06:21,270 Speaker 2: to the pre-NIL era. And I think it just comes 132 00:06:21,290 --> 00:06:23,550 Speaker 2: down to a lot of maturity and respect between each other. 133 00:06:23,570 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: Because if you don't have respect for each other, no 134 00:06:25,010 --> 00:06:26,570 Speaker 2: one's going to listen to each other. Yeah. No one's 135 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 2: going to work for each other. No one's going to 136 00:06:27,740 --> 00:06:29,300 Speaker 2: fight for each other. No one's going to want to 137 00:06:29,339 --> 00:06:32,980 Speaker 2: push each other. And then the maturity aspect is, it's 138 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:37,420 Speaker 2: a where I go home year for everybody. Players, staff, like, 139 00:06:38,339 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 2: we went 4-8 last year. It's bad. It's bad. And 140 00:06:42,060 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: it's when you realize, like, your back's against the wall, 141 00:06:45,420 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 2: you're always forward. Yeah. And you've got to ball your 142 00:06:47,500 --> 00:06:51,050 Speaker 2: fist up and fight. And everybody's willing to drop the 143 00:06:51,150 --> 00:06:54,790 Speaker 2: egos and be mature about it. And obviously, yeah, you've 144 00:06:54,810 --> 00:06:56,250 Speaker 2: got old guys, young guys. You've got to work with 145 00:06:56,270 --> 00:06:58,609 Speaker 2: each other. You've got to bring guys up, elevate them. 146 00:06:58,630 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 2: It's all about elevating people to come together to achieve 147 00:07:01,130 --> 00:07:03,580 Speaker 2: the goal at the end of the year. But you 148 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:08,060 Speaker 2: need to understand the mission, and that's what makes the maturity. 149 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:10,980 Speaker 2: If you're a mature group, then you're not going to 150 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 2: do all the little– The dumb things, obviously they come 151 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,140 Speaker 2: up here and there, but you're going to handle them 152 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 2: like men. That's the biggest thing is maturity and respect. 153 00:07:18,340 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 1: Because I was going to say with the new NIL 154 00:07:20,660 --> 00:07:24,750 Speaker 1: era and the transfer portal era, which really doesn't preach 155 00:07:24,790 --> 00:07:27,810 Speaker 1: a fidelity to a university or like a loyalty. It's a, 156 00:07:27,870 --> 00:07:29,950 Speaker 1: if I don't like it here, I'm just going to 157 00:07:29,970 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: up and leave. I'm going to go somewhere else. But 158 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:35,100 Speaker 1: then there's this idea of those who have stuck around, right? 159 00:07:35,180 --> 00:07:37,220 Speaker 1: Even after maybe a year like last year, that was 160 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: frustrating and maybe disappointing. But man, you came back because 161 00:07:40,820 --> 00:07:44,210 Speaker 1: it's like, hey, we have unfinished business. I'm just thinking 162 00:07:44,250 --> 00:07:47,650 Speaker 1: here for a moment for a guy like you, sixth year, 163 00:07:48,610 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: last year of college football. What do you want to 164 00:07:51,540 --> 00:07:54,420 Speaker 1: leave behind? What do you hope that people think of 165 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:56,660 Speaker 1: when they hear the name Mike Jarvis after you get 166 00:07:56,700 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: off the football field? Maybe you move on, hopefully to 167 00:07:59,780 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: the next level, but whatever God has for you next. 168 00:08:02,450 --> 00:08:04,010 Speaker 1: What do you hope they think of when they hear 169 00:08:04,050 --> 00:08:04,370 Speaker 1: that name? 170 00:08:04,650 --> 00:08:06,570 Speaker 2: I think, and it's something that you hit me in 171 00:08:06,590 --> 00:08:08,990 Speaker 2: the beginning of this year, and it's dig instead of dip. 172 00:08:10,050 --> 00:08:13,910 Speaker 2: And it was, there were so many thoughts, conversations at 173 00:08:13,930 --> 00:08:16,060 Speaker 2: the end of the year to just leave. Yeah. Just, 174 00:08:16,700 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 2: you know. 175 00:08:17,580 --> 00:08:18,950 Speaker 1: We talked about it. I remember you called me. 176 00:08:18,980 --> 00:08:21,420 Speaker 2: We talked about it. Yeah. Because it's like, It's so 177 00:08:21,500 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 2: easy nowadays, like you just said, up and leave. Go somewhere. 178 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: Grass isn't always greener somewhere else. It's not. It may 179 00:08:28,300 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 2: be easier, so whether you're trying to go get a 180 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: quick fix, whether it's financial or just get out of 181 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:35,500 Speaker 2: a bad situation, you don't want to be a part 182 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:38,109 Speaker 2: of something special and not even a rebuild of something, 183 00:08:38,130 --> 00:08:40,670 Speaker 2: but turn this thing around. And it's like I want 184 00:08:40,690 --> 00:08:44,589 Speaker 2: to be remembered as someone who's a foxhole guy. I 185 00:08:44,630 --> 00:08:47,729 Speaker 2: love military terms, and I love being in the foxhole 186 00:08:48,050 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 2: with the guys– getting shots fired, just battling with the 187 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 2: boys each day and just like telling them like, we're 188 00:08:55,100 --> 00:08:57,020 Speaker 2: going to, we're going to get this done. Not we'll 189 00:08:57,040 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: figure it out. No, we're going to get it done. 190 00:08:58,950 --> 00:09:01,250 Speaker 2: We're going to get this thing going. It's not, Oh, 191 00:09:01,309 --> 00:09:04,189 Speaker 2: I think I know, I know we're going to fix this. Yes. 192 00:09:04,390 --> 00:09:06,350 Speaker 2: Whatever it was, we were going to fix this and 193 00:09:06,370 --> 00:09:09,370 Speaker 2: make sure my lap, like this is my last year. 194 00:09:09,410 --> 00:09:12,060 Speaker 2: The other seniors last year's guys like last year's or 195 00:09:12,100 --> 00:09:15,300 Speaker 2: even young guys. Like you want to win. You want 196 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:17,239 Speaker 2: to win. The end of the goal was the win. Yes. 197 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,460 Speaker 2: It's sports, but it's, We're going to win and we're 198 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 2: going to enjoy this year. We're not going to sit back. 199 00:09:23,900 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 2: I played the victim card last year. I'm not going 200 00:09:25,940 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 2: to sit here and lie. I played the victim card 201 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,020 Speaker 2: last year at the end of the year. I would 202 00:09:29,500 --> 00:09:30,940 Speaker 2: sit in the locker room. I was part of the 203 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 2: group that would complain. And it's like, again, that goes 204 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 2: back to pointing the thumb, not the finger. And I 205 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,380 Speaker 2: was like, that is so toxic. And I want to 206 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: be known as the person that stayed, fought, fought with 207 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 2: the boys, was positive, and we got this thing figured out. 208 00:09:46,900 --> 00:09:48,180 Speaker 2: That's right. And we had a crazy year. 209 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,580 Speaker 1: I'm going to stop this right there and jump in 210 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,300 Speaker 1: to say you're listening to Built Different. I'm Zach Clinton. 211 00:09:53,580 --> 00:09:56,089 Speaker 1: We need to break for a brief message from our sponsors. 212 00:09:56,450 --> 00:09:58,329 Speaker 1: I'll be back with our guests to keep the conversation 213 00:09:58,370 --> 00:10:04,230 Speaker 1: flowing right after this. You're listening to Life Audio. We've 214 00:10:04,250 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: talked about this. There's no secret to success. I think 215 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: winning is both selfish and selfless, right? You have to 216 00:10:10,020 --> 00:10:13,380 Speaker 1: be selfish. You have to go take responsibility. Nobody's coming 217 00:10:13,460 --> 00:10:15,540 Speaker 1: to motivate you in the morning at 5 a.m. to 218 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: wake you up to get you in the weight room. 219 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:19,510 Speaker 1: Nobody's doing that. So you have to be selfish. And 220 00:10:19,570 --> 00:10:22,890 Speaker 1: discipline is not something that is driven from hate. It's 221 00:10:22,970 --> 00:10:25,750 Speaker 1: often something that is driven from love, the love for self, 222 00:10:25,790 --> 00:10:27,860 Speaker 1: the love for who you could become. Well, at the 223 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: same time, it's selfless, right? You giving your best is 224 00:10:30,820 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: only going to make sure that all ships rise. Everybody 225 00:10:33,700 --> 00:10:36,150 Speaker 1: is going to say, well, dang, if Mike can do it, 226 00:10:36,860 --> 00:10:39,130 Speaker 1: maybe I can do it too. Bleeds right into your 227 00:10:39,150 --> 00:10:41,510 Speaker 1: word for the year, right? Coach Chadwell, he always picks 228 00:10:41,570 --> 00:10:43,929 Speaker 1: a word. You guys have had multiple different ones. I 229 00:10:43,950 --> 00:10:47,110 Speaker 1: think pursue, earn, but this year's word was? Standard. Standard. 230 00:10:47,620 --> 00:10:49,140 Speaker 1: Talk to me a little bit about that because I 231 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,020 Speaker 1: know this spring as we were unpacking that word together, 232 00:10:52,059 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: what it means to really pursue something that's different than 233 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,140 Speaker 1: a goal. Goals are great to have, but they don't 234 00:10:57,260 --> 00:10:59,630 Speaker 1: take you places. It's what John Gordon would say are 235 00:10:59,670 --> 00:11:03,030 Speaker 1: your commitments or your standards that help you attain the 236 00:11:03,070 --> 00:11:05,710 Speaker 1: goals that maybe you have in your life. Speak to us. 237 00:11:05,770 --> 00:11:08,810 Speaker 1: What does that word, especially for the team, mean to 238 00:11:08,850 --> 00:11:10,580 Speaker 1: someone like you who has a lot of leadership? Yeah. 239 00:11:10,860 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 2: I think obviously the word standard is a very strong word. 240 00:11:14,340 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 2: And obviously you look at standard from a team aspect, 241 00:11:16,700 --> 00:11:18,420 Speaker 2: but also there's personal aspects of a standard where you 242 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: hold yourself to it. But we'll start with the team. 243 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,630 Speaker 2: But it's something that you set in the beginning of 244 00:11:22,650 --> 00:11:25,850 Speaker 2: the year, and this is the line. And every day 245 00:11:25,870 --> 00:11:27,990 Speaker 2: you've got to be above that line. And a lot 246 00:11:28,010 --> 00:11:30,710 Speaker 2: of it comes down to small details. Small, minute details 247 00:11:30,730 --> 00:11:34,290 Speaker 2: that everyone's like, come on, really? Whether it's not touching 248 00:11:34,309 --> 00:11:36,489 Speaker 2: the line or whatever. But that's all a standard and 249 00:11:36,510 --> 00:11:38,530 Speaker 2: a small details. And you can't go below that line. 250 00:11:38,550 --> 00:11:40,290 Speaker 2: You have to withhold the standard. Because if you drop 251 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 2: your standard, then the culture is going to collapse. Mindsets 252 00:11:43,500 --> 00:11:46,020 Speaker 2: will collapse. People will start slacking off. And it's, no, 253 00:11:46,100 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 2: every day you need to rise above the standard, which 254 00:11:48,179 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: I think, again, you got to check yourself first and 255 00:11:50,020 --> 00:11:52,340 Speaker 2: hold yourself accountable. And it's to the, what are the 256 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 2: standards you have for yourself? Like, when you're working out, yeah, 257 00:11:56,220 --> 00:11:57,940 Speaker 2: there's some days where it's going to be hard. Like, 258 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 2: your body's not going to feel great. But I'm getting through. 259 00:12:00,940 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 2: I'm dominating this workout. I don't care how long it takes. 260 00:12:04,540 --> 00:12:08,679 Speaker 2: This is getting done. And I'm not going to lay down, quit. No, 261 00:12:08,780 --> 00:12:11,740 Speaker 2: it's not happening. But the standard is this, and we're 262 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,250 Speaker 2: going to exceed the standard. And it rises every day. 263 00:12:14,490 --> 00:12:16,230 Speaker 2: You can't– but you can't go below it. You cannot 264 00:12:16,250 --> 00:12:19,950 Speaker 2: go below, and you cannot accept mediocre. You can't do it. 265 00:12:20,210 --> 00:12:20,469 Speaker 2: You can't. 266 00:12:20,770 --> 00:12:23,609 Speaker 1: I think that goes back to I hate when people say, well, 267 00:12:23,690 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 1: just do your best. Just do your best, Mike. 268 00:12:26,580 --> 00:12:27,719 Speaker 2: That's like trying. That's right. 269 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:33,530 Speaker 1: Your best is so subjective, right? Standards are objective. They 270 00:12:33,590 --> 00:12:35,510 Speaker 1: just have to be done. They have to be met. 271 00:12:35,570 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: It's not just doing your best. It's doing what's required 272 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,500 Speaker 1: and then some to the best of your ability. Very 273 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:45,270 Speaker 1: different thing there. And so I'm just thinking about For 274 00:12:45,309 --> 00:12:47,130 Speaker 1: somebody out there today listening, I just want you to 275 00:12:47,190 --> 00:12:49,230 Speaker 1: give a word of encouragement to that person who's maybe 276 00:12:49,290 --> 00:12:51,830 Speaker 1: listening in right now and they feel like they maybe 277 00:12:51,910 --> 00:12:55,090 Speaker 1: haven't achieved the standard. They're not living up to the standard. 278 00:12:55,110 --> 00:12:57,569 Speaker 1: I'm thinking some of your teammates, some other athletes at 279 00:12:57,610 --> 00:12:59,699 Speaker 1: Liberty where it's like, man, you know what? They've been 280 00:12:59,750 --> 00:13:02,179 Speaker 1: told time and time again to push themselves, to go 281 00:13:02,220 --> 00:13:04,140 Speaker 1: and aspire to do this, to dream bigger, to have 282 00:13:04,179 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: higher expectations, meet a standard, do your job, work harder. 283 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,660 Speaker 1: But for some reason, they're just not doing it today. 284 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:12,200 Speaker 1: What's a word of encouragement you give them right now? 285 00:13:12,700 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 2: I think it's... You got to practice humility and drop 286 00:13:16,420 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 2: the ego, drop the front. I had the great opportunity 287 00:13:20,460 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 2: to talk to Dr. Tom Bates at the UK. And 288 00:13:23,059 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 2: he said, ego, edging God out. And the ego tricks 289 00:13:26,059 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 2: the mind. And it is so easy to become too 290 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:31,890 Speaker 2: cool to work hard, too cool to call someone out 291 00:13:31,929 --> 00:13:34,370 Speaker 2: or too cool to this or that because you don't 292 00:13:34,390 --> 00:13:36,630 Speaker 2: want to step on anyone's toes. But it's like you 293 00:13:36,650 --> 00:13:38,890 Speaker 2: also got to yourself. What do you want for yourself? 294 00:13:39,850 --> 00:13:41,930 Speaker 2: And it's like, all right. You got yourself, but then 295 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 2: you also have your parents or the people that believed 296 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 2: in you, poured into you, spent money on you, spent time. 297 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:49,580 Speaker 2: And it's– you can't let them down either. Yeah. But 298 00:13:49,620 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 2: it's also– don't let the little kid that dreamed and 299 00:13:52,059 --> 00:13:54,699 Speaker 2: prayed and cried about these moments. You're living in it. 300 00:13:55,260 --> 00:13:58,690 Speaker 2: You have an opportunity, and this opportunity, it goes by fast. 301 00:13:58,929 --> 00:14:00,830 Speaker 2: I'm grateful to have six years of it. Yep. But 302 00:14:00,870 --> 00:14:03,390 Speaker 2: it goes by fast. And it's– don't take every day 303 00:14:03,410 --> 00:14:03,790 Speaker 2: for granted. 304 00:14:04,190 --> 00:14:04,370 Speaker 1: Mom. 305 00:14:04,590 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 2: Don't– it's– again, it's like watching Kung Fu Panda, and it's– 306 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:15,250 Speaker 2: It's this famous line. It's yesterday was history. Tomorrow's a mystery. 307 00:14:15,260 --> 00:14:19,830 Speaker 2: Today's a gift. That's why it's called the present. Live 308 00:14:19,850 --> 00:14:22,910 Speaker 2: in the present. Dominate the day. Yeah, you need to 309 00:14:22,950 --> 00:14:26,710 Speaker 2: have commitments and plans for the future. But yes, stay 310 00:14:26,750 --> 00:14:29,790 Speaker 2: in the moment. Don't worry about what happened. But if 311 00:14:30,070 --> 00:14:32,630 Speaker 2: you're not doing or living up to the standard of 312 00:14:32,670 --> 00:14:36,230 Speaker 2: the team and yourself, okay, check yourself. Drop the ego. 313 00:14:36,530 --> 00:14:40,510 Speaker 2: Humble yourself. Get to work. Don't waste it. Don't waste it. 314 00:14:40,830 --> 00:14:41,340 Speaker 1: Don't waste it. 315 00:14:41,350 --> 00:14:41,810 Speaker 2: Don't waste it. 316 00:14:42,130 --> 00:14:45,070 Speaker 1: Don't waste your weight. I think that's the biggest mistake 317 00:14:45,150 --> 00:14:48,810 Speaker 1: or the most expensive mistake that people make is when 318 00:14:48,850 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: they think they have more time. Yeah. 319 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: Right? They don't have time. 320 00:14:51,620 --> 00:14:54,780 Speaker 1: They think that they'll have another opportunity. So they'll waste 321 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: this moment to think, oh, well, God will give me, 322 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,780 Speaker 1: he'll provide another one for me to step into the 323 00:14:59,820 --> 00:15:01,380 Speaker 1: man or the woman that God has always called me 324 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: to become. But again, if we view today, as unnecessary, 325 00:15:05,460 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: then at the end of the day, what we're saying 326 00:15:06,860 --> 00:15:09,620 Speaker 1: is it's disposable, right? Then, okay, well, I don't really 327 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: need to focus on this, but what if it were 328 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 1: now or never? And it's like, hey, if God is 329 00:15:14,850 --> 00:15:17,729 Speaker 1: presenting the door, just walk through it, be faithful, be 330 00:15:17,810 --> 00:15:20,970 Speaker 1: humble enough to say, okay, I'm going to make sure 331 00:15:21,110 --> 00:15:23,430 Speaker 1: I do what is required again to the best of 332 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:25,650 Speaker 1: my ability to be able to achieve and become the 333 00:15:25,670 --> 00:15:28,050 Speaker 1: person that God has called me to be right here, 334 00:15:28,570 --> 00:15:31,530 Speaker 1: right now, because what if it never comes back again? 335 00:15:32,030 --> 00:15:34,590 Speaker 1: So make sure that we capitalize on the moments. Mike, 336 00:15:34,610 --> 00:15:36,350 Speaker 1: when I think about you, I spent a lot of 337 00:15:36,390 --> 00:15:38,970 Speaker 1: time with you, especially over the last several months. I've 338 00:15:38,990 --> 00:15:40,750 Speaker 1: come to a lot of our events and man, we've 339 00:15:40,770 --> 00:15:43,090 Speaker 1: just gotten to know each other and really become a 340 00:15:43,130 --> 00:15:45,610 Speaker 1: good friend. And when I think about you, man, you're 341 00:15:45,970 --> 00:15:50,340 Speaker 1: somebody who's loud, who's energetic, who is really easy to follow. 342 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: Like you're a natural leader. People love being around you. 343 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: I've talked to a lot of your teammates and they 344 00:15:55,500 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: always say, oh man, Mike Jarvis, that's a guy that 345 00:15:57,960 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: I look up to. That's a guy that I want 346 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: to be more like. That's a guy... that I just 347 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:04,620 Speaker 1: love spending time with. So when I think about leadership, 348 00:16:04,740 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: it's not just about how vocal you are though. It's 349 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,790 Speaker 1: not about how loud you are. Oftentimes it's not about 350 00:16:10,850 --> 00:16:13,590 Speaker 1: the energy that you bring because sometimes that can be false. 351 00:16:14,450 --> 00:16:17,130 Speaker 1: But for you, I'm interested, six years into this whole 352 00:16:17,170 --> 00:16:20,570 Speaker 1: college thing, six years playing for two different schools, a 353 00:16:20,630 --> 00:16:24,790 Speaker 1: lot of ups and downs, challenges and adversities. What have 354 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,980 Speaker 1: you learned about the marks of a true leader? 355 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,410 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot. And 356 00:16:30,450 --> 00:16:35,290 Speaker 2: I think the reflection I had to do from last 357 00:16:35,310 --> 00:16:37,730 Speaker 2: year to this year is when I finally learned the most. 358 00:16:38,270 --> 00:16:41,050 Speaker 2: Growing up and even early in college, it was always 359 00:16:41,790 --> 00:16:44,750 Speaker 2: you got to rip people every day. Lay into them. 360 00:16:45,550 --> 00:16:46,930 Speaker 2: Just chew them out. 361 00:16:46,980 --> 00:16:47,540 Speaker 1: Be hard on them. 362 00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:49,900 Speaker 2: Be hard. And again, there's a time and a place. 363 00:16:50,340 --> 00:16:52,260 Speaker 2: There's a time and a place. But it goes back 364 00:16:52,300 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 2: to connect before you correct. You need to respect somebody 365 00:16:57,060 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: and they need to respect you. So what I've found 366 00:17:00,190 --> 00:17:03,390 Speaker 2: has helped me, has helped guys around me, is be 367 00:17:03,410 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 2: with respect. Like, don't attack them personally. A lot of 368 00:17:07,859 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 2: people think leadership is a power and, like, a dictatorship. 369 00:17:11,340 --> 00:17:14,300 Speaker 2: What I say goes. Like, you say one thing, no, 370 00:17:15,500 --> 00:17:17,850 Speaker 2: I'm the leader. No, this is what's happening. No, you 371 00:17:17,869 --> 00:17:21,010 Speaker 2: don't know the answers to everything. Leadership, you always got 372 00:17:21,030 --> 00:17:24,510 Speaker 2: to grow in leadership. Like, you might have somebody who's younger, 373 00:17:24,990 --> 00:17:28,909 Speaker 2: who sees something you're not seeing. And then, again, you 374 00:17:28,930 --> 00:17:31,210 Speaker 2: got to practice humility. You've got to be able to 375 00:17:31,260 --> 00:17:34,940 Speaker 2: humble yourself, take a step back, and you need others. 376 00:17:34,980 --> 00:17:36,619 Speaker 2: You need to rely on each other. Yeah, at the 377 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:38,859 Speaker 2: end of the day, sometimes is it, no, this is 378 00:17:38,900 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 2: what the standard is. This is what's going to go down. 379 00:17:41,100 --> 00:17:42,900 Speaker 2: This is what we're going to do. But it's, again, 380 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,899 Speaker 2: don't attack somebody. But also, it's like good leaders make 381 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 2: you believe in them. Great leaders make you believe in you. And, like, 382 00:17:50,040 --> 00:17:53,590 Speaker 2: what I've won, like, you can talk about John Gordon, 383 00:17:54,290 --> 00:17:57,970 Speaker 2: power of positivity. You've got to be oneself. You've got 384 00:17:57,990 --> 00:18:00,930 Speaker 2: to be yourself's most encouragement. But you've got to encourage 385 00:18:00,950 --> 00:18:02,649 Speaker 2: yourself first and put yourself in a good state of 386 00:18:02,690 --> 00:18:05,629 Speaker 2: mind before you try leading others. Because if you're not 387 00:18:05,650 --> 00:18:08,990 Speaker 2: leading yourself, you can't lead others. But lead with positivity. 388 00:18:09,670 --> 00:18:12,230 Speaker 2: Put so much belief in somebody. They're not believing in you. 389 00:18:12,270 --> 00:18:16,580 Speaker 2: They're believing in themselves. And it's like, again, if you're 390 00:18:16,859 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 2: complaining and being negative all the time, it's, okay, that's 391 00:18:20,780 --> 00:18:23,420 Speaker 2: going to bring the group down. And then it's good, like, 392 00:18:25,180 --> 00:18:29,570 Speaker 2: say that happens. leadership is tiring it can be very 393 00:18:29,609 --> 00:18:32,650 Speaker 2: tiring mentally taxing especially for someone who cares a lot 394 00:18:32,670 --> 00:18:37,250 Speaker 2: about the mission at hand and it's like but like 395 00:18:37,890 --> 00:18:40,429 Speaker 2: say you're down one day and someone comes up to 396 00:18:40,470 --> 00:18:43,730 Speaker 2: you and it's hey man we need you we need 397 00:18:43,750 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 2: you but it's like there's no off day with leadership 398 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,719 Speaker 2: if you're going to do it you got to make 399 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:52,820 Speaker 2: sure you do it day in and day out because 400 00:18:52,859 --> 00:18:55,100 Speaker 2: again everyone's looking at you if someone hits the fan 401 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,199 Speaker 2: what are we going to do Mm-hmm. And then it's, okay, guys, 402 00:18:58,220 --> 00:18:59,740 Speaker 2: this is what we're going to do. We're going to 403 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 2: stay calm. Don't meet chaos with chaos. You meet chaos 404 00:19:01,660 --> 00:19:03,630 Speaker 2: with chaos, it's all over. 405 00:19:03,970 --> 00:19:04,350 Speaker 1: All over, man. 406 00:19:04,369 --> 00:19:06,670 Speaker 2: It's all over. You got to talk to people like this. 407 00:19:07,910 --> 00:19:10,889 Speaker 2: They're human, too. Everyone's human. Nobody wants to get, especially 408 00:19:10,950 --> 00:19:13,290 Speaker 2: on the football team, 105 guys. Nobody wants to get 409 00:19:13,830 --> 00:19:16,450 Speaker 2: ripped in front of everybody. No. And some guys, everybody 410 00:19:16,490 --> 00:19:17,169 Speaker 2: reacts differently. 411 00:19:17,369 --> 00:19:17,510 Speaker 1: Yeah. 412 00:19:17,750 --> 00:19:19,490 Speaker 2: Like, I was someone who you could. You could rip. 413 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:22,139 Speaker 2: But again, you got to know who you, you got 414 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,739 Speaker 2: to connect with people before you can actually truly lead them. 415 00:19:25,140 --> 00:19:27,590 Speaker 2: And 105 guys, there's a lot of people So you 416 00:19:27,630 --> 00:19:29,609 Speaker 2: really just got to let everyone know up front how 417 00:19:29,650 --> 00:19:32,290 Speaker 2: your plan is to lead. Yeah. And just, you got 418 00:19:32,430 --> 00:19:33,270 Speaker 2: to stay calm. 419 00:19:33,609 --> 00:19:33,770 Speaker 1: Yeah. 420 00:19:33,950 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 2: And that's within sport and in life. Stay calm. Don't 421 00:19:37,500 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: be the person that freaks out. And it's, again, like 422 00:19:39,780 --> 00:19:43,060 Speaker 2: we're so taught to, again, get on people, rip people out, 423 00:19:43,260 --> 00:19:46,290 Speaker 2: like tear them anew. But it's like, yeah, that's not, 424 00:19:46,390 --> 00:19:47,550 Speaker 2: there's no respect with that. 425 00:19:48,790 --> 00:19:51,290 Speaker 1: Right, man. I like the idea of communication. before you correct. 426 00:19:51,950 --> 00:19:54,250 Speaker 1: And like you said, good leaders make you believe in them. 427 00:19:54,330 --> 00:19:58,230 Speaker 1: Great leaders make you believe in you. It's a powerful phrase, man. 428 00:19:58,369 --> 00:19:59,890 Speaker 1: That's a really good one. That's one that you should 429 00:19:59,930 --> 00:20:03,850 Speaker 1: coin because, man, that's something that you can bank on. 430 00:20:03,859 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 1: And what I mean by that is leadership, I think, 431 00:20:06,430 --> 00:20:09,020 Speaker 1: is broken down like the best leaders are the ones 432 00:20:09,060 --> 00:20:12,660 Speaker 1: that have a good core, like they're centered, right? They're 433 00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:16,669 Speaker 1: people that are living and breathing examples of maybe what 434 00:20:16,710 --> 00:20:19,990 Speaker 1: it means to live a life that exudes that of Christ, right? 435 00:20:20,050 --> 00:20:23,530 Speaker 1: They are servants just naturally in what they do. Number two, 436 00:20:23,570 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: they're curious. I think they're curious about other people. They're 437 00:20:26,859 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: curious about what makes you tick because, again, my goal 438 00:20:29,340 --> 00:20:31,380 Speaker 1: is to get the best out of you, not just 439 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 1: make you believe in me and even follow me. My 440 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:36,740 Speaker 1: goal oftentimes is to help you become the best version 441 00:20:36,770 --> 00:20:39,310 Speaker 1: of yourself, a version that looks a lot more like 442 00:20:39,350 --> 00:20:41,710 Speaker 1: Christ every single day. So they have a good core, 443 00:20:41,730 --> 00:20:45,149 Speaker 1: a good center. They're curious. But then also, lastly, I 444 00:20:45,170 --> 00:20:48,110 Speaker 1: think they're consistent. Leadership, you have to be consistent every 445 00:20:48,130 --> 00:20:49,730 Speaker 1: single day. If you're going to be a good leader, 446 00:20:49,830 --> 00:20:51,950 Speaker 1: people can't wonder what Mike Jarvis is going to walk 447 00:20:52,010 --> 00:20:54,170 Speaker 1: in today, right? Is this Jersey Mike or is this 448 00:20:54,230 --> 00:20:57,030 Speaker 1: Mike Jarvis or is this the guy who's the stickler? No, 449 00:20:57,050 --> 00:21:00,280 Speaker 1: they got to know that you're the same person. And 450 00:21:00,300 --> 00:21:02,020 Speaker 1: so I want to go into the backwater of your 451 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:06,070 Speaker 1: story here for a moment. Just simply because I think 452 00:21:06,130 --> 00:21:08,730 Speaker 1: about you, and I think about that you're funny, and 453 00:21:08,750 --> 00:21:11,649 Speaker 1: I think about just the charismatic leader that you are, 454 00:21:11,670 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: and I think about how many people love you, but 455 00:21:13,460 --> 00:21:17,100 Speaker 1: I want to know the backwater. I want our audience 456 00:21:17,140 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: to understand what helped raise you into the man that's 457 00:21:20,300 --> 00:21:22,380 Speaker 1: sitting across from me today with some of these incredible 458 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:25,950 Speaker 1: terms and somebody that's pushed through adversity. What was home 459 00:21:25,990 --> 00:21:29,010 Speaker 1: life like? What was childhood like? What was the family 460 00:21:29,050 --> 00:21:29,750 Speaker 1: dynamic at home? 461 00:21:29,890 --> 00:21:33,980 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I come from split family, divorced parents. Before 462 00:21:34,020 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 2: I could even remember. I only remember mom, dad split 463 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 2: and stepdad, stepmom in the picture. And some people look 464 00:21:42,619 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 2: at it as a curse. I look at it as 465 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 2: a blessing. Everything happens for a reason. It's just up 466 00:21:46,859 --> 00:21:48,980 Speaker 2: to you to figure out what the reason the Lord 467 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 2: had for that moment. And it allowed me to gain 468 00:21:53,670 --> 00:21:56,830 Speaker 2: three stepbrothers and a stepsister in the process too. Three 469 00:21:57,490 --> 00:22:00,930 Speaker 2: from my stepdad and one from my stepmom. And then 470 00:22:01,010 --> 00:22:05,820 Speaker 2: my sister, like... When I was young growing up, like 471 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:07,859 Speaker 2: when you're young, like you butt heads a little bit 472 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 2: with your sister. Oh, yeah. You don't want to hang 473 00:22:09,500 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 2: out with the girls or whatever. You just want to 474 00:22:11,300 --> 00:22:14,700 Speaker 2: hang out with the guys. And it's as I got 475 00:22:14,790 --> 00:22:18,350 Speaker 2: older and the more, I guess, matured, the closer my 476 00:22:18,390 --> 00:22:21,230 Speaker 2: sister and I got. And I think even like our 477 00:22:21,250 --> 00:22:23,510 Speaker 2: parents being separated at such a young age, like I 478 00:22:23,550 --> 00:22:27,510 Speaker 2: don't have any recollection of it. Yeah. But every day, 479 00:22:27,530 --> 00:22:30,090 Speaker 2: like I go to her with everything because she's a 480 00:22:30,930 --> 00:22:33,660 Speaker 2: supporter of backbone she comes to me with things like 481 00:22:34,119 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 2: and as we get older and we mature it's like 482 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 2: we look forward to our times like i'll book trips 483 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,100 Speaker 2: and go see her and it's like so she she 484 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:45,270 Speaker 2: is somebody who's consistent and she works her tail off 485 00:22:45,290 --> 00:22:48,570 Speaker 2: with what she does and again we got so much 486 00:22:48,850 --> 00:22:50,790 Speaker 2: work ethic from like our father he owned a business 487 00:22:51,130 --> 00:22:55,030 Speaker 2: for 35 years full business and it's there's some good 488 00:22:55,050 --> 00:22:57,380 Speaker 2: things just dumb things and he's man enough to say 489 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 2: it but um like we learned a lot of hard 490 00:22:59,900 --> 00:23:03,550 Speaker 2: work from him and then Bring my stepdad into the picture, 491 00:23:04,130 --> 00:23:09,640 Speaker 2: who's somebody who had his kids always in athletics. And 492 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,959 Speaker 2: he's the one that got me into football. And without him, 493 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,159 Speaker 2: I wouldn't be here. Wow. Because he's the one that 494 00:23:15,180 --> 00:23:18,670 Speaker 2: connected us. 2022, send me a video before I even 495 00:23:18,690 --> 00:23:23,470 Speaker 2: came here. But I saw my stepbrother playing football, and 496 00:23:23,510 --> 00:23:25,710 Speaker 2: I was like, it's kind of cool. I was a 497 00:23:25,710 --> 00:23:26,530 Speaker 2: baseball guy growing up. 498 00:23:26,710 --> 00:23:26,870 Speaker 1: Yeah. 499 00:23:27,369 --> 00:23:29,770 Speaker 2: And I was like, I love baseball, love baseball. And 500 00:23:29,790 --> 00:23:31,590 Speaker 2: then he, there was one day we sat down before 501 00:23:31,650 --> 00:23:33,070 Speaker 2: eighth grade and he's like, if you want to play 502 00:23:33,090 --> 00:23:34,450 Speaker 2: in high school, you gotta, you gotta play in eighth 503 00:23:34,470 --> 00:23:36,550 Speaker 2: grade just to get your feet, get your feet wet. 504 00:23:37,450 --> 00:23:40,149 Speaker 2: And so then that, that took his place and now 505 00:23:40,170 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 2: we're here. So he's someone I'm forever indebted to with that. 506 00:23:43,500 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 2: And then my mom, she's, she's the nucleus of it all. She, 507 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:50,500 Speaker 2: everything runs through her. And it's just, she's a, A 508 00:23:50,500 --> 00:23:53,719 Speaker 2: hundred percent Italian loves you hard and she's crazy, but 509 00:23:53,740 --> 00:23:54,199 Speaker 2: we love her. 510 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:55,740 Speaker 1: And that we love her. 511 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:57,780 Speaker 2: That's, that's the thing. And it's about her. It's like, 512 00:23:58,119 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 2: you know, you're getting every day out of her. Yeah. 513 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:01,920 Speaker 2: Like she is going to be on you. She wants 514 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:04,439 Speaker 2: to know what's going on all the time, but she, 515 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,379 Speaker 2: and she will do, she loves hard. She loves hard. 516 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,140 Speaker 2: And it eventually caught up to her eventually getting that, 517 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:16,420 Speaker 2: but she will put everyone before herself. And it's, it's beautiful. 518 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 2: And it's like when you, When I look at my 519 00:24:19,180 --> 00:24:21,460 Speaker 2: sister and my mom and it's like these two, it's 520 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,500 Speaker 2: like I always crack jokes on my sister. I'm like, 521 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:25,859 Speaker 2: because when I'm with my sister, she turns into mom. 522 00:24:26,520 --> 00:24:27,859 Speaker 2: And it's like, you're going to be waiting. You're going 523 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:30,420 Speaker 2: to be like, mom, maybe worse. But it's just a 524 00:24:30,460 --> 00:24:33,350 Speaker 2: funny joke. But it comes with a loving family. And 525 00:24:33,390 --> 00:24:36,630 Speaker 2: just like apart from like all the differences and everything 526 00:24:36,690 --> 00:24:39,790 Speaker 2: from both sides, it's like my stepmom loved, like she 527 00:24:39,830 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 2: loved us like we were her own. She lost her 528 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: son at a young age. And it's like she took 529 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:48,920 Speaker 2: care of my sister and I too when they had us. 530 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 2: They did a great job co-parenting. They put everything aside. 531 00:24:52,050 --> 00:24:55,690 Speaker 2: Whatever thoughts they had about each other, they dropped. They 532 00:24:55,710 --> 00:24:57,629 Speaker 2: always made sure we would try to go on and 533 00:24:57,690 --> 00:25:00,590 Speaker 2: off every day. So, again, they put the kids first, 534 00:25:01,350 --> 00:25:03,649 Speaker 2: and it was fun. It was hard times, but it 535 00:25:03,670 --> 00:25:05,990 Speaker 2: was fun. It was fun. And we always had everything 536 00:25:06,109 --> 00:25:06,590 Speaker 2: that we needed. 537 00:25:06,810 --> 00:25:08,109 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I was going to ask, you know, as 538 00:25:08,170 --> 00:25:10,409 Speaker 1: it related to, Football, I heard you say that you 539 00:25:10,430 --> 00:25:12,770 Speaker 1: were introduced to that by your stepdad. And that was 540 00:25:12,810 --> 00:25:15,430 Speaker 1: what you said, eighth grade year is when you started playing? Yeah. 541 00:25:15,850 --> 00:25:17,710 Speaker 2: So I played in kindergarten, quit, hated it. I was like, 542 00:25:17,730 --> 00:25:18,850 Speaker 2: I'm never playing this thing again. 543 00:25:19,330 --> 00:25:21,710 Speaker 1: Get me out of this. What did football bring? Maybe 544 00:25:21,750 --> 00:25:23,730 Speaker 1: in the midst of, although there was a lot of love, 545 00:25:24,250 --> 00:25:27,790 Speaker 1: there was maybe some inconsistencies, right? And football, sports can 546 00:25:27,830 --> 00:25:30,380 Speaker 1: almost become an outlet for some kids. Unfortunately, for some kids, 547 00:25:30,450 --> 00:25:32,820 Speaker 1: it can become an identity because they place all their stock, 548 00:25:32,859 --> 00:25:35,580 Speaker 1: all their eggs in this one basket. But for you, 549 00:25:35,740 --> 00:25:39,500 Speaker 1: for somebody that maybe there's inconsistency around, Again, a lot 550 00:25:39,540 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: of love and incredible family. I can't wait to meet 551 00:25:42,020 --> 00:25:43,890 Speaker 1: some of your family, by the way, in the coming weeks. 552 00:25:44,270 --> 00:25:46,610 Speaker 1: But I'm just thinking about the game of football probably 553 00:25:46,750 --> 00:25:50,710 Speaker 1: brought a deeply rooted sense of consistency into your life. 554 00:25:50,750 --> 00:25:52,870 Speaker 1: Like you knew what you were going to get every 555 00:25:52,930 --> 00:25:56,310 Speaker 1: single day. Speak to just what has football taught you, 556 00:25:56,330 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: especially in those early formative years growing up. What were 557 00:25:59,540 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 1: some of the principles you learned along the way in 558 00:26:01,380 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: those years? 559 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 2: Football and I think all sports both build character. I 560 00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:08,050 Speaker 2: think every kid should be in sports, whatever sport it is. 561 00:26:08,060 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: Agreed. 562 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,590 Speaker 2: Like multiple sports. It teaches discipline. Yeah. Work ethic. 563 00:26:12,710 --> 00:26:12,910 Speaker 1: Yeah. 564 00:26:13,030 --> 00:26:15,770 Speaker 2: How to work together. Like it shows you how to 565 00:26:15,790 --> 00:26:18,230 Speaker 2: get in a routine. And it's like, yeah, when you're 566 00:26:18,250 --> 00:26:20,389 Speaker 2: young and you talk about like a lot of times 567 00:26:20,470 --> 00:26:23,709 Speaker 2: I struggle with it too. Before I matured, I put 568 00:26:23,750 --> 00:26:25,629 Speaker 2: a lot of my identity in football. Yeah. And can 569 00:26:25,670 --> 00:26:27,590 Speaker 2: we be honest? And it's probably still do at times. 570 00:26:27,609 --> 00:26:30,010 Speaker 1: Let's be honest. A hundred percent. Cause it's what you know. Yeah. 571 00:26:30,250 --> 00:26:31,830 Speaker 1: It's the language you speak. It's all you do. 572 00:26:32,130 --> 00:26:35,870 Speaker 2: And it's the fact that like you love something so 573 00:26:35,950 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 2: much and it's like, Sports don't love you back, but 574 00:26:38,780 --> 00:26:41,100 Speaker 2: you love that sport and you'll do anything and you'll 575 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:41,859 Speaker 2: die for that sport. 576 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: The problem is that they owe you nothing. 577 00:26:43,300 --> 00:26:48,070 Speaker 2: They owe you nothing. And it's definitely can be, you 578 00:26:48,090 --> 00:26:49,930 Speaker 2: got to be careful with it, but it's definitely, you 579 00:26:49,970 --> 00:26:52,590 Speaker 2: got to love it and take advantage of the opportunity, 580 00:26:52,930 --> 00:26:56,010 Speaker 2: take advantage of opportunities too. Yeah. But no, it means 581 00:26:56,260 --> 00:26:58,860 Speaker 2: it builds character. Sports build character and you need that. 582 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:03,659 Speaker 1: You had an incredible family, a solid community. God is 583 00:27:03,700 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: beginning to form your character through a game of football. 584 00:27:07,380 --> 00:27:08,949 Speaker 1: I don't know if you were close to God up 585 00:27:08,990 --> 00:27:09,750 Speaker 1: until that point. 586 00:27:09,790 --> 00:27:10,310 Speaker 2: Not really, no. 587 00:27:10,490 --> 00:27:14,050 Speaker 1: Not really. No. And so he's maybe inadvertently using football 588 00:27:14,070 --> 00:27:16,740 Speaker 1: to shape you. He opens up a door. 589 00:27:16,760 --> 00:27:17,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. 590 00:27:17,570 --> 00:27:20,910 Speaker 1: And it's to the University of Wisconsin. I mean, coming 591 00:27:20,950 --> 00:27:23,470 Speaker 1: out of high school, a Big Ten school, let alone, 592 00:27:23,490 --> 00:27:25,750 Speaker 1: were you always a defensive player, like a D and 593 00:27:25,790 --> 00:27:28,030 Speaker 1: a nose guard? Was that your position the entire way? 594 00:27:28,190 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I mainly played defense in high school, and 595 00:27:30,300 --> 00:27:31,780 Speaker 2: then as I got older, I played a little bit 596 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,490 Speaker 2: of both ways, D-line and O-line. But I grew up, 597 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 2: and I didn't watch college football, but I knew the 598 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:37,500 Speaker 2: Watt brothers. 599 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:39,790 Speaker 1: I was about to say. I mean, that's what made 600 00:27:39,830 --> 00:27:42,570 Speaker 1: Wisconsin huge were the Watts. It was the Watt brothers, 601 00:27:42,650 --> 00:27:45,430 Speaker 1: and as soon as I had that opportunity— It was 602 00:27:45,450 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: a dream come true. I remember I wrote down 10 603 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:49,980 Speaker 1: schools that I had dreams of going to, and Wisconsin 604 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:50,540 Speaker 1: was number one. 605 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:51,020 Speaker 2: Wow. 606 00:27:51,140 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: And I was like, oh, my gosh. Your dream school, 607 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:54,700 Speaker 1: banging on the door. 608 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 2: And I was like, it's the only school I really know. 609 00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 2: And the opportunity, I was like, I need to go. 610 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 2: I don't know why, but I need to go. I 611 00:28:03,540 --> 00:28:04,360 Speaker 2: need to chase this dream. 612 00:28:06,260 --> 00:28:09,660 Speaker 1: When you get there, things didn't go as planned. 613 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. 614 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,400 Speaker 1: And, you know, Mike Tyson, I love. His statement, everybody's 615 00:28:14,420 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: got a plan until they get punched in the mouth. 616 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,899 Speaker 1: You were punched in the mouth, not once, not really twice, 617 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 1: probably three times or so while you were there. Just 618 00:28:24,060 --> 00:28:27,100 Speaker 1: open up this can of worms, if you would. When 619 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:29,580 Speaker 1: you get there, you're excited. There's a lot of expectancy, 620 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,240 Speaker 1: probably a lot of expectation on you because I'm assuming 621 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,790 Speaker 1: you're a big dude. You're coming in. I want to 622 00:28:35,830 --> 00:28:38,690 Speaker 1: be the next TJ, JJ Watt. I want to be 623 00:28:38,710 --> 00:28:40,950 Speaker 1: the guy coming off the edge, sacking the QB. I 624 00:28:40,970 --> 00:28:43,230 Speaker 1: have all these dreams, goals, getting to the next level 625 00:28:43,250 --> 00:28:45,490 Speaker 1: of the NFL, but then boom, ACL. 626 00:28:45,650 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. 627 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:46,650 Speaker 1: Take us into that. 628 00:28:46,670 --> 00:28:49,660 Speaker 2: I think it, even before that ACL, it kind of 629 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 2: started maybe. I think going to a school like that, 630 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:57,620 Speaker 2: and it was during COVID, and during obviously 2020, it's 631 00:28:57,740 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 2: a crazy year. Yeah. And I think I felt like 632 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:04,480 Speaker 2: I had a self-entitlement almost. To, like, all right, I'm 633 00:29:04,500 --> 00:29:07,020 Speaker 2: going to this big school. I'll be here for four, 634 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:11,220 Speaker 2: maybe five years. I'll play, go to the NFL. Yeah. Like, 635 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:13,930 Speaker 2: it was, at the time, it was pre-NAL. It's a 636 00:29:13,930 --> 00:29:16,469 Speaker 2: developmental school. They develop your guys two, three years, get 637 00:29:16,490 --> 00:29:19,290 Speaker 2: them ready, and then they play. Yep. So that's my 638 00:29:19,330 --> 00:29:24,490 Speaker 2: first thought. And I remember I was early enrolled in 2021. 639 00:29:24,490 --> 00:29:27,330 Speaker 2: Left high school early, excited. You get there, me and 640 00:29:27,370 --> 00:29:29,290 Speaker 2: six others, and then you find, like, a cool group 641 00:29:29,330 --> 00:29:32,910 Speaker 2: of guys, and it's Jake, Riley, Jack. Like, there's, like, 642 00:29:33,310 --> 00:29:37,050 Speaker 2: We did everything together. And then that first spring ball 643 00:29:37,450 --> 00:29:41,010 Speaker 2: is when I realized like, okay. I'm with the big 644 00:29:41,030 --> 00:29:43,320 Speaker 2: boys now. That's right. It's a lot different than high school. 645 00:29:44,340 --> 00:29:48,600 Speaker 2: I'm like 260 going against all Big Ten guys, some All-Americans, 646 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 2: just getting jacked up, getting jacked up a little bit. 647 00:29:52,580 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 2: I'm like, all right, quick little humbling. Yeah. So, you know, 648 00:29:56,020 --> 00:29:58,790 Speaker 2: redshirt freshman year. I'm like, all right, good. like character 649 00:29:58,810 --> 00:30:01,390 Speaker 2: building year, tough. Like it sucks. And it was like, 650 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:06,280 Speaker 2: you got, uh, kids, kids playing when they're younger. Like 651 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:08,590 Speaker 2: I was fortunate enough to see a roommate, Jake at the, 652 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 2: like when we were roommates, he's playing his freshman year 653 00:30:11,380 --> 00:30:14,440 Speaker 2: on special teams. And it's like, that's sick. And it's like, 654 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:16,840 Speaker 2: he's out there already. Like this is, this is awesome. 655 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:18,680 Speaker 2: I said, all right, like you're still back with some 656 00:30:18,700 --> 00:30:20,380 Speaker 2: of the boys, but like you boys are traveling, you're 657 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:24,160 Speaker 2: on scout team, just going through it. And it's come 658 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:28,380 Speaker 2: a summer of 2022. It's like, all right, like, Took 659 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:31,940 Speaker 2: everything the last year. Like, I put on some weight. Physically, 660 00:30:31,980 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 2: I'm ready. 661 00:30:32,660 --> 00:30:32,820 Speaker 1: Yep. 662 00:30:33,020 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 2: Not even thinking about the mind. Haven't even got to 663 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,400 Speaker 2: that yet. Not worried about that. I'm strong. I'm tough. 664 00:30:37,610 --> 00:30:40,270 Speaker 2: That's right. I'm a dude. Yeah. Like, show no weakness. 665 00:30:40,330 --> 00:30:45,290 Speaker 2: Show no weakness. Get in the camp. August 8th, two 666 00:30:45,310 --> 00:30:48,270 Speaker 2: guys go down ahead of me. So I'm like, oh, wow. 667 00:30:48,990 --> 00:30:50,230 Speaker 2: The opportunity might come this year. 668 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:51,080 Speaker 1: This is it. 669 00:30:52,220 --> 00:30:56,180 Speaker 2: August 9th happens. I remember we're in a drill called Paz, 670 00:30:56,240 --> 00:30:59,940 Speaker 2: and it's just grueling. It's way worse than inside run 671 00:30:59,980 --> 00:31:03,290 Speaker 2: if people know what inside run is. It's just defense 672 00:31:03,310 --> 00:31:06,370 Speaker 2: alignment taking on double teams for 10 minutes, just fighting 673 00:31:06,390 --> 00:31:08,790 Speaker 2: double teams. And I felt like a knee crack, and 674 00:31:08,810 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 2: I was like, whatever, whatever, who cares? Get back up. 675 00:31:12,300 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 2: Didn't feel much. It felt normal. We're on inside run. 676 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 2: I'm engaged with the double team. Bang, something shoots down 677 00:31:18,860 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 2: my leg. I'm like, it didn't really hurt. I went down, 678 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:27,100 Speaker 2: popped up. I was like, this doesn't feel right. Go 679 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,660 Speaker 2: to the sideline. Trainer checks me out. Whatever. Throw a 680 00:31:29,660 --> 00:31:32,700 Speaker 2: knee wrap on it. Get back out there. I'm like, 681 00:31:32,790 --> 00:31:34,530 Speaker 2: I'm not letting this stop me. I'm like, I know 682 00:31:34,570 --> 00:31:37,810 Speaker 2: something's wrong, but I'm not worried. It was just uncomfortable. 683 00:31:37,830 --> 00:31:39,030 Speaker 2: It was just uncomfortable. I was like, we'll deal with 684 00:31:39,050 --> 00:31:42,850 Speaker 2: this later. Like, I have an opportunity, and I got 685 00:31:43,170 --> 00:31:44,770 Speaker 2: to show them tough that I got to take advantage 686 00:31:44,790 --> 00:31:46,070 Speaker 2: of this because, like you said, you never know if 687 00:31:46,090 --> 00:31:48,790 Speaker 2: your opportunity is ever going to come again. Yeah. A 688 00:31:49,230 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 2: couple periods later, we're in a pass drill, pass rush drill, 689 00:31:54,490 --> 00:31:57,090 Speaker 2: going against one of my best friends, Raleigh Malman. I 690 00:31:57,110 --> 00:31:59,950 Speaker 2: get off the line, my leg buckles and I just 691 00:31:59,990 --> 00:32:02,750 Speaker 2: like immediately felt the excruciating pain and just like shoot 692 00:32:02,790 --> 00:32:04,870 Speaker 2: down my leg and just lock up. And all I 693 00:32:04,890 --> 00:32:09,170 Speaker 2: remember hearing is, so are you good from Riley? And 694 00:32:09,190 --> 00:32:12,600 Speaker 2: I'm just sitting there screaming just like, cause I've never 695 00:32:12,630 --> 00:32:15,140 Speaker 2: felt pain like that before. Yeah. And I, and I 696 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 2: immediately thought like my season's over, my season's over. This 697 00:32:19,660 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 2: is something, something's truly, truly wrong here. And then trainers 698 00:32:23,740 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 2: get me up and it was just, this was like, 699 00:32:25,990 --> 00:32:30,650 Speaker 2: this moment from my leg buckling to getting off the 700 00:32:30,670 --> 00:32:33,690 Speaker 2: field was like a true, like pride in a way, 701 00:32:33,990 --> 00:32:36,690 Speaker 2: but also like respect for myself. It was like, do 702 00:32:36,710 --> 00:32:38,260 Speaker 2: you need a wheelchair or something? Get off the field. 703 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 2: I was like, nah, like I got on this field 704 00:32:41,060 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 2: with two feet. I'm walking off this field with two feet. 705 00:32:43,700 --> 00:32:45,700 Speaker 2: And that for me was kind of like a shift. Yeah. 706 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:47,440 Speaker 2: And it was like, all right, I was tough before, 707 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:49,500 Speaker 2: but I was like, I know that I'm not going 708 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:51,180 Speaker 2: to let this hold me down. Yeah. And I had 709 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:56,030 Speaker 2: two unbelievable trainers, Corral and Alyssa. Alyssa was a, graduate 710 00:32:56,590 --> 00:33:00,610 Speaker 2: student at the time and she poured way too much 711 00:33:00,670 --> 00:33:03,330 Speaker 2: time into me and cared so much about the treatment 712 00:33:03,450 --> 00:33:05,510 Speaker 2: and it was it was beautiful not even way too 713 00:33:05,530 --> 00:33:07,950 Speaker 2: much but she cared so much about the process so 714 00:33:07,970 --> 00:33:11,650 Speaker 2: those two are like I'm forever indebted to and especially 715 00:33:11,870 --> 00:33:13,470 Speaker 2: she could have she was a student she didn't have 716 00:33:13,490 --> 00:33:15,470 Speaker 2: to always be there so that obviously you go through 717 00:33:15,490 --> 00:33:18,630 Speaker 2: that whole process and I've it's a long grueling process 718 00:33:18,930 --> 00:33:22,990 Speaker 2: and you learn a lot and it's this quote Romans 719 00:33:22,990 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 2: 8 18 it was something that You know, again, I 720 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,860 Speaker 2: didn't really have a spiritual background. Like I was raised 721 00:33:28,900 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 2: Italian Catholic and it was, yeah, it was that. And 722 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:35,270 Speaker 2: then like there was, you sit there and you read 723 00:33:35,310 --> 00:33:38,470 Speaker 2: these quotes and you're like, oh, that's sick. And it was, 724 00:33:38,530 --> 00:33:40,310 Speaker 2: yet we suffer now is nothing compared to what the 725 00:33:40,330 --> 00:33:43,510 Speaker 2: joy is coming. And it kept popping up. Didn't know 726 00:33:43,530 --> 00:33:47,430 Speaker 2: what it meant. All right, whatever. Keep going. Keep going. 727 00:33:48,090 --> 00:33:50,090 Speaker 2: Come out of it. You know, you create some of 728 00:33:50,110 --> 00:33:52,490 Speaker 2: the best friends that you get. Like one person I 729 00:33:52,510 --> 00:33:55,430 Speaker 2: talk to all the time still, Aaron Witt. When I 730 00:33:55,450 --> 00:33:57,770 Speaker 2: think of someone who's a warrior and been through it, 731 00:33:58,250 --> 00:34:01,290 Speaker 2: it's that guy. And his story's out there too, and 732 00:34:01,510 --> 00:34:06,300 Speaker 2: it's incredible. But that's someone who I'm grateful that injury happened, 733 00:34:06,390 --> 00:34:08,779 Speaker 2: this injury happened, because when it changed me, but it 734 00:34:08,820 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 2: also brought me closer to people that I may not 735 00:34:11,500 --> 00:34:15,420 Speaker 2: have been close to. So then fast forward, we get 736 00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:19,680 Speaker 2: a staff change through the season. We find out we're 737 00:34:19,700 --> 00:34:20,880 Speaker 2: getting a new head coach coming into 2023. 738 00:34:20,860 --> 00:34:21,259 Speaker 1: Yeah. All right. 739 00:34:23,200 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 2: Still going through the ACR rehab process. Still got about 740 00:34:25,820 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: another half a year left. All right, reset. New staff, 741 00:34:29,700 --> 00:34:32,700 Speaker 2: fresh everything. Like, they don't know the old Mike Jarvis. 742 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,339 Speaker 2: All they know is the Mike Jarvis to this day. 743 00:34:35,010 --> 00:34:38,710 Speaker 2: The one that's in the rehab, getting ready. And at 744 00:34:38,750 --> 00:34:43,069 Speaker 2: this time is when the Lord started, I guess, being 745 00:34:43,110 --> 00:34:47,109 Speaker 2: more presented in my life. And Coach Dustin Tripp, who 746 00:34:47,140 --> 00:34:50,460 Speaker 2: was a strength coach, and he's the best. And he 747 00:34:50,500 --> 00:34:53,839 Speaker 2: always did– You're going to come to church with me. 748 00:34:54,219 --> 00:34:56,080 Speaker 2: I'm going to extend the offer. And then after, we're 749 00:34:56,100 --> 00:34:57,880 Speaker 2: going to come to my house and we'll eat. You're 750 00:34:57,900 --> 00:35:00,580 Speaker 2: only coming to my house. Come to church. I'll see 751 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:03,460 Speaker 2: you at church. And then I had him. And then 752 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:07,379 Speaker 2: I had my roommate, Jake Chaney, who, a faithful man 753 00:35:07,420 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 2: growing up. So he was always in my corner trying to, 754 00:35:09,380 --> 00:35:11,759 Speaker 2: you know, push it too. And again, like it was 755 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:15,490 Speaker 2: still like I was just checking the box. I didn't really, 756 00:35:15,510 --> 00:35:18,859 Speaker 2: you know, dive in. Dive into the word, really think 757 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:21,110 Speaker 2: too much of it. Again, just like checking a box. Oh, 758 00:35:21,150 --> 00:35:26,549 Speaker 2: I'm going, so I'm feeling good. Like, no. So 2023 759 00:35:26,550 --> 00:35:30,410 Speaker 2: rolls around. Again, still doing that stuff. I get cleared. 760 00:35:30,430 --> 00:35:34,980 Speaker 2: Day I get cleared, I know something's wrong mentally. Yeah. 761 00:35:35,140 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 2: Not physically, mentally. I felt like a sense of that's it. 762 00:35:41,420 --> 00:35:44,719 Speaker 2: I'm cleared. I'm back to playing football. I'm not happy. 763 00:35:45,910 --> 00:35:47,310 Speaker 2: And I have all these people around me telling me, 764 00:35:47,810 --> 00:35:50,230 Speaker 2: you're back, you're back, you're probably so excited. And on 765 00:35:50,270 --> 00:35:52,130 Speaker 2: the surface, I'm like, yeah, I'm so fired up. But 766 00:35:52,150 --> 00:35:56,850 Speaker 2: like deep down, I'm like, this is it. Miserable. Like 767 00:35:57,150 --> 00:35:58,690 Speaker 2: I'd rather be in the training room at five in 768 00:35:58,710 --> 00:36:04,879 Speaker 2: the morning or late at night doing treatment. Going through 769 00:36:04,900 --> 00:36:08,140 Speaker 2: two workouts a day for a knee. Yeah. And it's like, 770 00:36:08,820 --> 00:36:11,640 Speaker 2: and I'm sitting here looking at being back after I 771 00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:14,729 Speaker 2: just relearned how to walk. Yeah. And all X, Y, Z, 772 00:36:15,030 --> 00:36:19,890 Speaker 2: and I'm sitting here laughing at being back. I'm like, miserable. 773 00:36:20,730 --> 00:36:24,250 Speaker 2: I said, this isn't good. But again, this isn't good. 774 00:36:24,330 --> 00:36:26,089 Speaker 1: Anything that you would attribute that to? Because I'm just 775 00:36:26,110 --> 00:36:28,819 Speaker 1: thinking for some people coming back from an injury, they 776 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:30,819 Speaker 1: pray for the opportunity to get back on the field. 777 00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:32,610 Speaker 1: They get out there, and it's like, man, I realize 778 00:36:32,660 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: how much I missed it. It sounds like it was 779 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:35,779 Speaker 1: almost the opposite for you. 780 00:36:35,820 --> 00:36:40,900 Speaker 2: The opposite. And I don't know. And it was scary mentally. 781 00:36:43,219 --> 00:36:46,040 Speaker 2: And it was like you're just like lost. Yeah. It's like, oh, my. 782 00:36:46,060 --> 00:36:48,060 Speaker 2: There's a guy like Aaron Woods, somebody who missed like 783 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,319 Speaker 2: two and a half seasons, who would die on the 784 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:52,469 Speaker 2: field just itching to get an opportunity. And I'm sitting 785 00:36:52,489 --> 00:36:58,710 Speaker 2: there like not laughing, but just like, eh, whatever. Yeah. 786 00:36:58,830 --> 00:37:03,050 Speaker 2: And I'm back. So get through camp. Don't have a 787 00:37:03,050 --> 00:37:06,600 Speaker 2: good camp. I don't. Physically, I don't feel right. Mentally, 788 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:09,360 Speaker 2: I'm just not there. Yeah. And it's like I'm showing up, 789 00:37:09,380 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 2: doing my things, putting on this front that I care. 790 00:37:12,140 --> 00:37:15,620 Speaker 2: that I'm busting my tail. But, like, deep down, it's 791 00:37:15,660 --> 00:37:18,160 Speaker 2: killing me, eating me alive. And I would never– again, 792 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:20,390 Speaker 2: I bottled a lot of stuff up. I wouldn't want 793 00:37:20,410 --> 00:37:24,210 Speaker 2: to tell anything to anybody. And then when the season came, 794 00:37:26,070 --> 00:37:30,029 Speaker 2: going into my junior year, and obviously, like, all freshmen, like, 795 00:37:30,050 --> 00:37:32,969 Speaker 2: they're in, like, scout team, power out of these extra 796 00:37:33,010 --> 00:37:36,210 Speaker 2: workout groups. And so I'm in my third year coming 797 00:37:36,250 --> 00:37:39,480 Speaker 2: back from ACL. So I scout team freshman year, ACL 798 00:37:39,500 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 2: second year. Back on scout team my third year. And 799 00:37:43,100 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 2: I'm just like– Frustrating for anybody listening that doesn't understand 800 00:37:45,980 --> 00:37:49,259 Speaker 2: the process. I'm just like, are you serious, Mike? Like 801 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:52,259 Speaker 2: what is– and I'm playing this victim card left and right. 802 00:37:52,739 --> 00:37:55,719 Speaker 2: I'm better than him. I work so much harder than him. 803 00:37:56,300 --> 00:37:59,569 Speaker 2: He doesn't deserve this. He'll go out and party all weekend. 804 00:37:59,620 --> 00:38:03,129 Speaker 2: I'll stay in just because I– no, I deserve that. 805 00:38:03,810 --> 00:38:05,730 Speaker 2: But it's like the facts don't care about your emotions. 806 00:38:07,110 --> 00:38:09,450 Speaker 2: And I think that's something that a lot of people misunderstand. 807 00:38:10,070 --> 00:38:12,779 Speaker 2: Like a coach has it out for me. He doesn't 808 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:16,170 Speaker 2: like me. No, no, no. What's the evidence in what 809 00:38:16,190 --> 00:38:19,549 Speaker 2: you're doing? Are you proving that you deserve to be 810 00:38:19,610 --> 00:38:23,390 Speaker 2: out there? Are you actually ready physically and mentally and 811 00:38:23,410 --> 00:38:26,759 Speaker 2: more mentally than physically? Or is it just emotionally you 812 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:29,120 Speaker 2: feel like, oh, I should be out there. I'm better 813 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:31,220 Speaker 2: than him. He doesn't deserve this. And you get yourself 814 00:38:31,260 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 2: into comparing. And when you start comparing yourself to other people. Trap, bro. Trap. 815 00:38:36,780 --> 00:38:39,670 Speaker 2: And then it's like you're mad at other people. None 816 00:38:39,710 --> 00:38:42,470 Speaker 2: of these guys did anything to me. And I'm jealous 817 00:38:42,530 --> 00:38:45,950 Speaker 2: of him, mad at him. And I'm like, but in 818 00:38:45,969 --> 00:38:50,950 Speaker 2: the moment, I'm not realizing this. I'm just, again, playing 819 00:38:50,969 --> 00:38:51,730 Speaker 2: this victim card. 820 00:38:52,570 --> 00:38:53,279 Speaker 1: And then. 821 00:38:56,700 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 2: Getting to the season in these long workouts with freshmen 822 00:39:01,080 --> 00:39:03,319 Speaker 2: and it's like, why am I in here? I'm the 823 00:39:03,340 --> 00:39:06,629 Speaker 2: oldest guy in this place. And it's embarrassing. And to me, 824 00:39:06,650 --> 00:39:08,910 Speaker 2: I'm embarrassed at this time. You look at me now, 825 00:39:09,230 --> 00:39:12,009 Speaker 2: I'm so happy. But, like, I'm embarrassed. Yeah, you're ticked. 826 00:39:12,290 --> 00:39:14,089 Speaker 2: And it's like, I can't believe this. I'm doing these 827 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:18,259 Speaker 2: hard workouts. Like, I should be out there with the guys. 828 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,480 Speaker 2: Some guys that were on the scout team that were 829 00:39:21,520 --> 00:39:25,190 Speaker 2: older weren't doing it. And it was me and Ashley Crazy, 830 00:39:25,230 --> 00:39:28,870 Speaker 2: a teammate that was at Wisconsin, who's kind of led 831 00:39:28,910 --> 00:39:31,870 Speaker 2: me to here, Aiden Vaughn. We were in the same boat. 832 00:39:31,910 --> 00:39:33,050 Speaker 2: I was just a year older than him, and he 833 00:39:33,090 --> 00:39:34,890 Speaker 2: was a year younger than me, and he miscan't with concussion. 834 00:39:35,390 --> 00:39:36,790 Speaker 2: So we got put in the same boat, and we 835 00:39:36,830 --> 00:39:39,950 Speaker 2: went through a lot that year together. But again, we, like, 836 00:39:40,969 --> 00:39:44,399 Speaker 2: get to bye week, I think that I have a shot. No. Again, 837 00:39:44,420 --> 00:39:47,040 Speaker 2: guys don't care about your emotions. Get through the end 838 00:39:47,060 --> 00:39:50,940 Speaker 2: of the season. I remember sitting down– or actually calling 839 00:39:51,860 --> 00:39:55,219 Speaker 2: on a real close friend of mine, Hunter Wohler, who 840 00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:58,080 Speaker 2: played his freshman year. He was going into his senior year, 841 00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:01,880 Speaker 2: fourth year, and we were just talking, and I was like, dude, 842 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:06,819 Speaker 2: I don't get it anymore, man. What is happening? Why me? 843 00:40:06,960 --> 00:40:10,839 Speaker 2: Why me? Why me? And he's the one that got 844 00:40:10,860 --> 00:40:15,820 Speaker 2: me into, there was a Bible study for athletes at Wisconsin. 845 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:19,420 Speaker 2: He's the one that started bringing me to that. And 846 00:40:19,460 --> 00:40:23,160 Speaker 2: I was like, all right. So, again, the Lord's trying 847 00:40:23,180 --> 00:40:26,390 Speaker 2: to grab all these different people. They're only in my 848 00:40:26,450 --> 00:40:29,730 Speaker 2: life to open up my eyes. But, again, I'm putting 849 00:40:29,750 --> 00:40:33,250 Speaker 2: these blinders on. I got this. I'm figuring this thing out. 850 00:40:33,890 --> 00:40:37,050 Speaker 2: I don't need you. Like, it may sound cool in 851 00:40:37,070 --> 00:40:39,719 Speaker 2: the moment or, no, it's fine. Like, I'll just go 852 00:40:39,760 --> 00:40:41,819 Speaker 2: and check the box. Like, I went there. I should 853 00:40:41,860 --> 00:40:45,720 Speaker 2: reap some sort of benefit, right? 24 comes rolling around. 854 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:50,149 Speaker 2: Get a new position coach. All right. another reset. Let's go. 855 00:40:50,310 --> 00:40:53,109 Speaker 2: Let's go. Let's reset again. I'm giving, I'm giving myself 856 00:40:53,150 --> 00:40:56,210 Speaker 2: all these excuses and all these resets. And I'm like, 857 00:40:57,250 --> 00:41:01,310 Speaker 2: we get to spring ball, uh, a kid ahead of 858 00:41:01,330 --> 00:41:04,390 Speaker 2: me transfers. I'm like, Oh, another opportunity. Here we go. 859 00:41:05,090 --> 00:41:07,060 Speaker 2: And I'm like, we got three or four days left 860 00:41:07,140 --> 00:41:10,660 Speaker 2: in camp. And then, um, April 24th, I get a 861 00:41:10,700 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 2: text about like 12, 15, my position coach. Hey, we 862 00:41:14,940 --> 00:41:17,640 Speaker 2: need to see you at three. I'm like my head. 863 00:41:17,700 --> 00:41:19,800 Speaker 2: I'm like, I feel like I'm having a good spring. 864 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:23,839 Speaker 2: Just feel like I got moved up. Like, I wonder 865 00:41:23,860 --> 00:41:25,640 Speaker 2: what this could be about. Like, it's an off day. 866 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:29,989 Speaker 2: Not really thinking anything of it. And then right before 867 00:41:30,010 --> 00:41:34,230 Speaker 2: I get up there, it's go to the head coach's office. And, like, 868 00:41:34,670 --> 00:41:41,170 Speaker 2: my heart drops. Like, did I do anything? What did 869 00:41:41,210 --> 00:41:43,719 Speaker 2: I do? I'm trying to replay all these scenarios in 870 00:41:43,739 --> 00:41:46,020 Speaker 2: my head. Did I do something? No. I didn't do anything. 871 00:41:46,980 --> 00:41:51,299 Speaker 2: All right. No, man, sit down. Immediately hits you with. 872 00:41:52,900 --> 00:41:59,160 Speaker 2: We just don't see any improvement. And in my head, I'm, like, 873 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:02,450 Speaker 2: fighting back tears. Because, like, the first, like, you were told, like, 874 00:42:02,969 --> 00:42:06,150 Speaker 2: your whole life or, you know, you're talented or in 875 00:42:06,250 --> 00:42:07,810 Speaker 2: high school you're the man or you go to this 876 00:42:08,290 --> 00:42:10,890 Speaker 2: bigger school off rip. You feel, like, felt entitled to, oh, 877 00:42:10,890 --> 00:42:13,670 Speaker 2: I'm the man. And then you got quick humbled and 878 00:42:13,690 --> 00:42:15,089 Speaker 2: you went through all these things. But it's, like, you've 879 00:42:15,110 --> 00:42:19,160 Speaker 2: never truly been told that. you're not living up to 880 00:42:19,760 --> 00:42:22,780 Speaker 2: what we need you to do. And in that moment, 881 00:42:22,820 --> 00:42:26,239 Speaker 2: it was like a hatred towards the guy. And it's like, 882 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:30,489 Speaker 2: in that moment, I didn't realize, like, I shouldn't be 883 00:42:30,530 --> 00:42:33,850 Speaker 2: mad at him. He's got a job. I may not agree, 884 00:42:33,890 --> 00:42:36,330 Speaker 2: but that's not, I shouldn't hate the guy. So I 885 00:42:36,590 --> 00:42:42,060 Speaker 2: kind of was left with either medically retire, because they 886 00:42:42,100 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 2: were like, your knee, like, we still think your knee's 887 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:46,180 Speaker 2: giving you some issues. In my head, I'm like, no, like, 888 00:42:46,219 --> 00:42:47,930 Speaker 2: it's like, I told him, I was like, I got 889 00:42:47,950 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 2: three years left. Like, I got an extra year back. Like, 890 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:53,520 Speaker 2: what's going on? And then he's like, you can transfer. 891 00:42:53,540 --> 00:42:56,299 Speaker 2: And I told him, well, I don't want to transfer. Like, 892 00:42:56,340 --> 00:42:58,739 Speaker 2: I picked this school. I just want to stay lower 893 00:42:58,760 --> 00:43:00,460 Speaker 2: to this school. And then I said, like, what if 894 00:43:00,500 --> 00:43:03,219 Speaker 2: I stay and fight? And he's like, you're not going 895 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:05,520 Speaker 2: to have an opportunity. I was like, in my head, 896 00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:08,520 Speaker 2: I was like, I got three years left. Like, there's 897 00:43:08,580 --> 00:43:10,569 Speaker 2: no trust. Like, you didn't recruit me. Like, you don't 898 00:43:10,590 --> 00:43:14,069 Speaker 2: know me. Like, we haven't really sat down. You don't 899 00:43:14,090 --> 00:43:18,489 Speaker 2: know the true me. Like, yeah. But And then it 900 00:43:18,530 --> 00:43:23,319 Speaker 2: kind of, I remember I get back to home and 901 00:43:23,340 --> 00:43:26,900 Speaker 2: I'm sitting there, my bed just crying. And I'm just like, 902 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:32,880 Speaker 2: why me? Just like looking over. Why me? Why? Again, disappointed. 903 00:43:33,260 --> 00:43:36,730 Speaker 2: Just sick to my stomach. Like, why is this happening 904 00:43:36,750 --> 00:43:39,790 Speaker 2: to me? Like, wish it happened to someone else. A 905 00:43:39,830 --> 00:43:40,530 Speaker 2: horrible mindset. 906 00:43:41,250 --> 00:43:41,430 Speaker 1: No. 907 00:43:41,710 --> 00:43:44,830 Speaker 2: And then in the moment it should have been, why 908 00:43:44,870 --> 00:43:47,720 Speaker 2: not me? Why not me go through this? I need 909 00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:51,120 Speaker 2: to go through something like this to keep adding these 910 00:43:51,180 --> 00:43:54,719 Speaker 2: trials in my life. So then, which is crazy, is 911 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:59,300 Speaker 2: my roommate was on the phone with Aiden Vaughn about 912 00:43:59,320 --> 00:44:01,960 Speaker 2: a week and a half prior to this day happening. 913 00:44:02,840 --> 00:44:07,000 Speaker 2: And I heard that Liberty was in the market for 914 00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:10,330 Speaker 2: Dean Lyman. Go Flames. They tried getting the guy who 915 00:44:10,350 --> 00:44:13,670 Speaker 2: transferred before me. That's right. And he went to somewhere else. 916 00:44:14,489 --> 00:44:18,040 Speaker 2: And he's doing great now. And... So as soon as 917 00:44:18,060 --> 00:44:20,839 Speaker 2: this happened, I talked to my parents. I told them 918 00:44:20,860 --> 00:44:24,460 Speaker 2: everything that happened. And I was like, I don't know 919 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:29,440 Speaker 2: what to do. And obviously, it's like a scholarship at Wisconsin. 920 00:44:30,030 --> 00:44:32,029 Speaker 2: Who's going to take a kid that's going to his 921 00:44:32,070 --> 00:44:35,149 Speaker 2: third year or now going into his fourth year, actually? Right. 922 00:44:35,230 --> 00:44:38,049 Speaker 2: Not third year. Right. Fourth year in ACL, hasn't played 923 00:44:38,090 --> 00:44:42,010 Speaker 2: a snap of football. Just had straight scout team reps. 924 00:44:42,030 --> 00:44:43,129 Speaker 1: That's insane to think about. 925 00:44:43,190 --> 00:44:44,790 Speaker 2: Like, who's going to take this guy? Who's going to 926 00:44:44,810 --> 00:44:51,750 Speaker 2: take him? Nobody wants him. And it's like, call Aiden up. 927 00:44:52,010 --> 00:44:54,750 Speaker 2: I'm like, dude, I'm going to go in the portal. 928 00:44:55,989 --> 00:44:57,359 Speaker 2: I told him everything because him and I went through 929 00:44:57,380 --> 00:44:59,700 Speaker 2: the same thing. And he got here in January, told 930 00:44:59,739 --> 00:45:01,980 Speaker 2: me all about this place. And I was like, I'm 931 00:45:02,000 --> 00:45:04,819 Speaker 2: going to do it. Do you guys still need one? 932 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:08,279 Speaker 2: He's like, I think we still do. And he's like, 933 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:10,219 Speaker 2: let us know when you're in the portal. As soon 934 00:45:10,239 --> 00:45:12,640 Speaker 2: as I hit the portal, as soon as I'm eligible 935 00:45:12,660 --> 00:45:16,440 Speaker 2: to get recruited, Coach McGee calls me. And it's like, 936 00:45:16,460 --> 00:45:19,460 Speaker 2: you need one person. in your life, at least one 937 00:45:19,500 --> 00:45:23,420 Speaker 2: coach to believe in you. And it was, I knew 938 00:45:23,460 --> 00:45:27,160 Speaker 2: where I was going before I even entered the portal. 939 00:45:28,020 --> 00:45:29,680 Speaker 2: I was like, as soon as I talked to Aiden, 940 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:32,460 Speaker 2: I was like, I'm not even going to really announce 941 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:34,419 Speaker 2: that I'm in the transfer portal. I'm going to the school. 942 00:45:35,580 --> 00:45:38,500 Speaker 2: They're just coming off crazy season. You know, staff just 943 00:45:38,540 --> 00:45:40,700 Speaker 2: got there. They're not going to leave. Like there's some 944 00:45:40,719 --> 00:45:43,239 Speaker 2: security there. I'm going to go there. This is, this 945 00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:46,600 Speaker 2: is what's going to happen. So then transferred into Liberty. 946 00:45:48,170 --> 00:45:52,990 Speaker 2: And it's coming from a big, big school. It's big. 947 00:45:53,510 --> 00:45:56,390 Speaker 2: It's a top party school. And then you come to 948 00:45:56,410 --> 00:46:00,080 Speaker 2: a private Christian school. A little different. Way different. Curfew 949 00:46:00,120 --> 00:46:04,460 Speaker 2: and everything. And I remember the recruiting process. I was 950 00:46:04,500 --> 00:46:07,680 Speaker 2: somebody who had fun in college. I'm not sure I 951 00:46:07,700 --> 00:46:10,190 Speaker 2: said I didn't. But, again, I wasn't someone who was 952 00:46:10,230 --> 00:46:13,160 Speaker 2: going out every weekend because I was so focused on. 953 00:46:14,270 --> 00:46:16,430 Speaker 2: I'm not going out because we have a workout coming 954 00:46:16,510 --> 00:46:18,730 Speaker 2: up or I'm going to make sure I put myself 955 00:46:18,750 --> 00:46:21,200 Speaker 2: and my body in the best position possible to take 956 00:46:21,239 --> 00:46:24,719 Speaker 2: advantage of the opportunity. So it's like coming to a 957 00:46:24,719 --> 00:46:26,799 Speaker 2: school like this wasn't an issue for me, but it 958 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:31,359 Speaker 2: was what I needed. And then when I announced that 959 00:46:31,420 --> 00:46:37,180 Speaker 2: I committed to here, this man comments, yourself, and I'm like, 960 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:41,240 Speaker 2: this guy for a second. So we both follow each other. 961 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:44,220 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh, my gosh. This is a man that might– 962 00:46:44,610 --> 00:46:47,290 Speaker 2: that my stepdad sent me in 2022 while I was 963 00:46:47,330 --> 00:46:50,230 Speaker 2: going through recovery process while he was talking to Liberty football. Crazy. 964 00:46:50,430 --> 00:46:56,010 Speaker 2: That works here. I get here and then I find 965 00:46:56,350 --> 00:46:59,310 Speaker 2: like new life. The re-spark was lit in my body. 966 00:46:59,469 --> 00:47:00,069 Speaker 1: Juvenation. 967 00:47:00,130 --> 00:47:02,830 Speaker 2: And I'm like, let's go. Huge weight lifted off my shoulder. 968 00:47:03,270 --> 00:47:06,710 Speaker 2: I feel wanted, needed, feel a sense of purpose again. 969 00:47:07,130 --> 00:47:08,950 Speaker 2: Probably fell back in love with the game. Oh my gosh. 970 00:47:08,989 --> 00:47:09,169 Speaker 1: Yeah. 971 00:47:09,190 --> 00:47:10,650 Speaker 2: And that was the biggest thing for my junior year. 972 00:47:10,830 --> 00:47:14,350 Speaker 2: I hated it. Right. I just lost. Right. And it's like, it's, it's, 973 00:47:15,360 --> 00:47:16,969 Speaker 2: almost kind of disgusting in a sense because it's an 974 00:47:16,989 --> 00:47:19,420 Speaker 2: opportunity that I'm kind of just sitting there taking for 975 00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:23,879 Speaker 2: granted and playing victim every day. And it's like you 976 00:47:24,080 --> 00:47:27,020 Speaker 2: have the choice to either be a fighter or victim today. 977 00:47:27,719 --> 00:47:30,040 Speaker 2: And I was playing victim more times than I was 978 00:47:30,060 --> 00:47:32,880 Speaker 2: playing fighter. It's true. And it is bad. It's true. 979 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:38,440 Speaker 2: It's very bad. And get to Liberty, playing the first game, oh, man, 980 00:47:38,480 --> 00:47:41,959 Speaker 2: I'm fired up. Like, dream come true. I'm finally playing. 981 00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:45,240 Speaker 2: I'm building some steam, building some steam. Kennesaw State happens 982 00:47:45,940 --> 00:47:51,969 Speaker 2: right before halftime. Play's going on. Boom. Me and teammate 983 00:47:52,489 --> 00:47:56,570 Speaker 2: get a sack. Feel my arm hyperextend. I'm like, it's 984 00:47:56,590 --> 00:47:58,230 Speaker 2: happened before, but this one hurts a little bit more 985 00:47:58,410 --> 00:48:03,350 Speaker 2: than usual. Whatever. Again, I'm not coming out of this game. 986 00:48:03,730 --> 00:48:07,290 Speaker 2: That was one thing with me. I'm not quitting. I'm 987 00:48:07,330 --> 00:48:10,529 Speaker 2: not coming out. And brace it up. Try to go 988 00:48:10,550 --> 00:48:12,260 Speaker 2: to the third quarter. I'm just in effect. I'm playing 989 00:48:12,280 --> 00:48:14,520 Speaker 2: with one arm. They're like, all right, dude, you're done, dude. 990 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:17,930 Speaker 2: You're playing with your left hand. You need both. Like, no. So, 991 00:48:19,120 --> 00:48:19,590 Speaker 2: little injury. 992 00:48:19,770 --> 00:48:20,050 Speaker 1: Whatever. 993 00:48:20,070 --> 00:48:23,730 Speaker 2: We'll be fine. It's not the worst thing that's happened. 994 00:48:25,310 --> 00:48:31,680 Speaker 2: Jack State rolls around. How'd it go? Play five, six snaps. Boom. 995 00:48:31,739 --> 00:48:35,540 Speaker 2: Get dumped. Using one hand. Pulls me. Done. I'm like, 996 00:48:35,580 --> 00:48:37,620 Speaker 2: come on. Why? Why? 997 00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:39,380 Speaker 1: We have a little break. 998 00:48:39,700 --> 00:48:43,740 Speaker 2: Middle Tennessee. It's a Monday morning. We're in inside. boom, 999 00:48:43,820 --> 00:48:47,379 Speaker 2: felt my right knee pop. I said, there's no way. 1000 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:51,800 Speaker 2: There's no way. Goodness gracious, man. I said, there's no way. 1001 00:48:51,910 --> 00:48:56,109 Speaker 2: There's no way I did it again. So immediately I'm thinking, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. 1002 00:48:56,170 --> 00:48:59,330 Speaker 2: I'm done. I'm done for the season. Went from UCL. 1003 00:48:59,830 --> 00:49:02,410 Speaker 2: I did the ACL again. It felt worse than the 1004 00:49:02,430 --> 00:49:09,940 Speaker 2: other time. Lord had me. Just a meniscus, thankfully. But still, 1005 00:49:10,590 --> 00:49:13,180 Speaker 2: It was, I had to finish the season in an 1006 00:49:13,260 --> 00:49:16,719 Speaker 2: arm brace and a knee brace, and I was pretty ineffective. 1007 00:49:17,210 --> 00:49:19,450 Speaker 2: I went from playing a lot to getting a couple 1008 00:49:19,469 --> 00:49:22,219 Speaker 2: snaps here, being a rotational guy, just helping out here 1009 00:49:22,239 --> 00:49:26,620 Speaker 2: and there. And every day you've got two torn ligaments. 1010 00:49:27,020 --> 00:49:29,779 Speaker 2: You're playing defense lines. It's pretty hard to play any 1011 00:49:29,800 --> 00:49:34,160 Speaker 2: sport with two torn ligaments. And, again, it's like, why me? 1012 00:49:34,200 --> 00:49:37,520 Speaker 2: Why me? And then this is November is when probably 1013 00:49:37,540 --> 00:49:41,529 Speaker 2: the scariest thing to happen in our family. And it 1014 00:49:41,550 --> 00:49:46,530 Speaker 2: was when our mom just kind of went nonverbal. Went nonverbal, 1015 00:49:46,550 --> 00:49:48,839 Speaker 2: lost her independence, and started to become frightened. And it 1016 00:49:50,090 --> 00:49:52,819 Speaker 2: was out of the blue. I remember Sam Houston, final 1017 00:49:52,840 --> 00:49:55,040 Speaker 2: game of the year was when I really noticed it 1018 00:49:55,060 --> 00:49:58,219 Speaker 2: because I sent her a text. Like, love you, taking off. 1019 00:49:58,800 --> 00:50:02,859 Speaker 2: Reddit didn't answer. And we started to notice a little 1020 00:50:02,880 --> 00:50:06,040 Speaker 2: bit of things. And we're like, somebody who's always been 1021 00:50:07,480 --> 00:50:12,690 Speaker 2: put herself behind everybody. Everyone else first. First one to answer. 1022 00:50:13,730 --> 00:50:15,230 Speaker 2: You call her at any time of the night. You 1023 00:50:15,250 --> 00:50:19,049 Speaker 2: text her. She's answering. No. We're like, all right, what's 1024 00:50:19,090 --> 00:50:23,950 Speaker 2: going on? Call him. Call him the stepdad. He's not 1025 00:50:23,989 --> 00:50:26,480 Speaker 2: trying to scare us too, too much, but, like, he's 1026 00:50:26,500 --> 00:50:28,759 Speaker 2: letting us know. He's a very honest guy. He'll let 1027 00:50:28,780 --> 00:50:31,279 Speaker 2: us know what's going on. Can't talk to our mom. 1028 00:50:31,580 --> 00:50:34,560 Speaker 2: She won't talk to us. My sister and I, like, 1029 00:50:34,780 --> 00:50:37,239 Speaker 2: my sister and I and, like, stepdad, we're just like, 1030 00:50:39,770 --> 00:50:41,880 Speaker 2: what happened to her? And it was like, did she 1031 00:50:41,890 --> 00:50:45,020 Speaker 2: get exposed to something? She was down in the hurricane 1032 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:48,860 Speaker 2: in 2024 when the hurricane hit down in South Florida. 1033 00:50:48,880 --> 00:50:53,620 Speaker 2: I said, what is going on? So, four months of 1034 00:50:54,580 --> 00:50:57,819 Speaker 2: not having any answers, not getting any better. When I 1035 00:50:57,840 --> 00:51:01,029 Speaker 2: saw her in December of 2024 after our final game 1036 00:51:01,050 --> 00:51:03,149 Speaker 2: of the season before our bowl game, I was like, Coach, 1037 00:51:03,190 --> 00:51:05,930 Speaker 2: I got to go home. My mom's in the hospital. 1038 00:51:06,270 --> 00:51:09,710 Speaker 2: I want to see her. I got to Get to 1039 00:51:09,730 --> 00:51:12,930 Speaker 2: the hospital, doesn't speak to me. She'll look at me. She'll, like, 1040 00:51:13,390 --> 00:51:15,770 Speaker 2: give me a hug and everything, but just fight. It's like, 1041 00:51:15,790 --> 00:51:24,009 Speaker 2: I'm crushed inside. So sister comes up. We take her 1042 00:51:24,030 --> 00:51:25,570 Speaker 2: to Christmas, try to get her. We're just trying to 1043 00:51:25,590 --> 00:51:28,270 Speaker 2: get her in places that she loves, and there's no 1044 00:51:28,310 --> 00:51:30,850 Speaker 2: enjoyment at it for her. It's like, what is going 1045 00:51:30,950 --> 00:51:34,279 Speaker 2: on right now? Yeah, so confused. And we're just like, again, 1046 00:51:34,430 --> 00:51:37,219 Speaker 2: we're heartbroken. You talk to her, and it's like, who 1047 00:51:37,300 --> 00:51:41,319 Speaker 2: is this person? And it's like, no, no. So then 1048 00:51:41,780 --> 00:51:44,560 Speaker 2: in that time period, I had to grow up really fast. 1049 00:51:44,860 --> 00:51:47,279 Speaker 2: She's someone who is, you know, handled. 1050 00:51:47,300 --> 00:51:49,069 Speaker 1: Who always took care of you. Now you have to 1051 00:51:49,090 --> 00:51:49,650 Speaker 1: take care of her. 1052 00:51:49,670 --> 00:51:51,690 Speaker 2: Took care of me and, like, did a lot of 1053 00:51:51,750 --> 00:51:54,810 Speaker 2: things that I'm very fortunate enough that she would step 1054 00:51:54,870 --> 00:51:57,630 Speaker 2: up and do for me. And then I had to 1055 00:51:57,650 --> 00:51:59,730 Speaker 2: learn the ropes pretty quickly with certain things that she 1056 00:51:59,770 --> 00:52:03,299 Speaker 2: would always just handle. It was like bills or something 1057 00:52:03,610 --> 00:52:07,049 Speaker 2: for myself. And it was like, okay, all right. So– 1058 00:52:07,680 --> 00:52:10,460 Speaker 2: January comes around. This is when I kind of just reset, 1059 00:52:11,320 --> 00:52:14,779 Speaker 2: like another reset. This reset actually truly meant something. This 1060 00:52:14,850 --> 00:52:16,489 Speaker 2: one had some purpose behind it. I was like, all right. 1061 00:52:19,270 --> 00:52:22,890 Speaker 2: The Lord has been presented to me prior. Didn't take 1062 00:52:22,950 --> 00:52:28,200 Speaker 2: anything of it. I'm at a Christian school. First year, 1063 00:52:28,239 --> 00:52:33,460 Speaker 2: very intimidating. Don't know much. I don't want to say 1064 00:52:33,500 --> 00:52:38,900 Speaker 2: something that's wrong. Scared of being judged. Embarrassment. And it's like, 1065 00:52:39,320 --> 00:52:40,940 Speaker 2: so I'm just, again, sitting back. And I was like, 1066 00:52:40,960 --> 00:52:46,400 Speaker 2: I need to figure out who this guy is. Figure 1067 00:52:46,440 --> 00:52:50,339 Speaker 2: out what's going on here. Why am I going through 1068 00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:52,529 Speaker 2: all this stuff? Why is my family going, especially this 1069 00:52:52,570 --> 00:52:58,330 Speaker 2: time period right now? That's when I made the decision 1070 00:52:58,350 --> 00:53:01,029 Speaker 2: to give my life to Christ. And I was like, 1071 00:53:01,050 --> 00:53:04,469 Speaker 2: all right. And I remember saying this prayer all the time. 1072 00:53:04,830 --> 00:53:08,600 Speaker 2: And it was, I'm going to trust you, Lord. but 1073 00:53:08,860 --> 00:53:11,000 Speaker 2: you need to get my mom out of this. And 1074 00:53:11,020 --> 00:53:14,000 Speaker 2: it was like every day I remember sitting, like talking 1075 00:53:14,500 --> 00:53:18,399 Speaker 2: to my sister and my stepdad. And it was, again, 1076 00:53:18,460 --> 00:53:21,109 Speaker 2: it got to the point where it just wasn't getting 1077 00:53:21,120 --> 00:53:25,650 Speaker 2: any better. We knew like our stepdad like truly loved, 1078 00:53:25,750 --> 00:53:27,910 Speaker 2: like we always knew he loved our mom. But it 1079 00:53:27,950 --> 00:53:31,150 Speaker 2: was when he's holding it down back at home, working, 1080 00:53:31,930 --> 00:53:35,860 Speaker 2: taking her to these appointments, helping my sister and I 1081 00:53:36,010 --> 00:53:39,110 Speaker 2: out with stuff that we need, helping his three kids out, like, 1082 00:53:40,250 --> 00:53:46,190 Speaker 2: and coming home to his, his wife and doing everything 1083 00:53:46,250 --> 00:53:48,060 Speaker 2: that he needs. Cause I mean, he works on the, 1084 00:53:48,070 --> 00:53:50,250 Speaker 2: it works like during the weeks and he's a trucker 1085 00:53:51,310 --> 00:53:56,410 Speaker 2: and he's tired, he's exhausted and he didn't flinch. And 1086 00:53:56,450 --> 00:54:00,450 Speaker 2: it was in that time where it's like, man, like 1087 00:54:00,710 --> 00:54:06,940 Speaker 2: he was blessing, blessing that, My dad and stepmom step. 1088 00:54:07,020 --> 00:54:09,520 Speaker 2: What's going on? How can we help? 1089 00:54:09,540 --> 00:54:12,320 Speaker 1: Almost like united people even more. 1090 00:54:12,340 --> 00:54:16,939 Speaker 2: Put everything inside. Put everything inside. Who cares? What's going 1091 00:54:17,020 --> 00:54:20,630 Speaker 2: on here? How can we help? So then, and it was, 1092 00:54:20,690 --> 00:54:22,750 Speaker 2: you could tell that he was hurting bad. And then 1093 00:54:22,770 --> 00:54:24,689 Speaker 2: there was a time where he texted me. It was like, 1094 00:54:24,710 --> 00:54:27,190 Speaker 2: and this is when you, especially these night events, it's 1095 00:54:27,210 --> 00:54:31,009 Speaker 2: like guys need community. They need the boys. That's right. 1096 00:54:31,230 --> 00:54:32,750 Speaker 2: They need the boys. They need the boys. And he 1097 00:54:32,770 --> 00:54:34,820 Speaker 2: texted me. He's like, going out with the boys tonight. 1098 00:54:35,340 --> 00:54:38,120 Speaker 2: We're just going to go to dinner, just hang out, 1099 00:54:38,340 --> 00:54:41,960 Speaker 2: just catch up. He's like, I need some guys. And 1100 00:54:42,060 --> 00:54:44,279 Speaker 2: a lot of times, like, we knew it a little bit, 1101 00:54:44,320 --> 00:54:46,720 Speaker 2: but a lot of times the guys don't. They just shut. 1102 00:54:46,780 --> 00:54:48,410 Speaker 2: They kind of, when they get married, they kind of 1103 00:54:48,430 --> 00:54:51,049 Speaker 2: just all wife and kids, all wife and kids. And 1104 00:54:51,090 --> 00:54:53,350 Speaker 2: it's like, you need guys in your life. You need 1105 00:54:53,370 --> 00:54:55,050 Speaker 2: your boys. You need somebody. You need a group of 1106 00:54:55,090 --> 00:54:56,330 Speaker 2: guys that you can go to for good things and 1107 00:54:56,370 --> 00:54:59,070 Speaker 2: bad things. And then it was towards, I guess, February 1108 00:54:59,270 --> 00:55:02,290 Speaker 2: when we realized that it wasn't getting any better and 1109 00:55:02,310 --> 00:55:05,450 Speaker 2: it became a breaking point where We had to put 1110 00:55:05,469 --> 00:55:08,379 Speaker 2: her in a center, want a center. It was scary. 1111 00:55:08,620 --> 00:55:13,299 Speaker 2: Like when she's in the house, okay, not doing well. 1112 00:55:13,860 --> 00:55:16,120 Speaker 2: And then you go from not communicating, can't even talk 1113 00:55:16,140 --> 00:55:17,500 Speaker 2: to her. At least you can try and talk to 1114 00:55:17,540 --> 00:55:19,620 Speaker 2: her through the phone. She might not answer you. But 1115 00:55:19,680 --> 00:55:25,780 Speaker 2: now it's okay. Who knows what's going on? So thankfully 1116 00:55:26,130 --> 00:55:29,850 Speaker 2: she got out of it. Lord answered those prayers. And 1117 00:55:29,870 --> 00:55:33,460 Speaker 2: I was like, all right. Let's go. All right, we're 1118 00:55:33,480 --> 00:55:36,540 Speaker 2: out of it. Now what? She's back. She's great now. 1119 00:55:36,800 --> 00:55:39,120 Speaker 2: She's back to her old self. Praise the Lord, man. Yeah. No, 1120 00:55:39,140 --> 00:55:41,219 Speaker 2: it was beautiful. It was definitely scary. But again, like 1121 00:55:41,239 --> 00:55:46,049 Speaker 2: you gotta, it's like two Corinthians five through seven walk 1122 00:55:46,070 --> 00:55:49,230 Speaker 2: by faith, not by sight. And it's a lot of 1123 00:55:49,270 --> 00:55:53,610 Speaker 2: times you, like I walk through sight and it's, I 1124 00:55:53,630 --> 00:55:56,069 Speaker 2: walk through what I wanted to see, but it was, 1125 00:55:56,170 --> 00:55:58,009 Speaker 2: there was no faith behind it. And then when it's 1126 00:55:58,050 --> 00:56:01,600 Speaker 2: like you, you fully surrender yourself and know like, You 1127 00:56:01,640 --> 00:56:04,700 Speaker 2: need a spiritual background. You need that backbone in your life. 1128 00:56:05,300 --> 00:56:07,220 Speaker 2: There's a reason why he throws you in the fire, 1129 00:56:07,280 --> 00:56:11,620 Speaker 2: throws people in the fire around you. The forge, the 1130 00:56:11,640 --> 00:56:13,299 Speaker 2: forge in the fire. What do you guys stand for? 1131 00:56:13,360 --> 00:56:14,480 Speaker 2: What do you guys stand for? 1132 00:56:14,739 --> 00:56:17,660 Speaker 1: Exactly right. And I feel like that's where in your 1133 00:56:17,739 --> 00:56:19,940 Speaker 1: story when I hear it, and I know you've impacted 1134 00:56:20,040 --> 00:56:23,160 Speaker 1: it with me in the past, it's this idea that 1135 00:56:23,180 --> 00:56:26,050 Speaker 1: I think you really went from demanding things from God 1136 00:56:26,870 --> 00:56:30,270 Speaker 1: and shifted into depending on God. There's a big difference 1137 00:56:30,310 --> 00:56:33,120 Speaker 1: in demanding and depending. right? You were demanding things originally 1138 00:56:33,140 --> 00:56:35,700 Speaker 1: where it was like, God, I'll trust you if you 1139 00:56:35,739 --> 00:56:37,819 Speaker 1: do this, right? There was a little bit of like 1140 00:56:38,340 --> 00:56:41,480 Speaker 1: compromise there, only if, but then you went into that, 1141 00:56:41,580 --> 00:56:44,219 Speaker 1: even if mindset of God, there's nothing I can do. 1142 00:56:44,700 --> 00:56:48,430 Speaker 1: This is completely outside of my control. I'm surrendering my 1143 00:56:48,489 --> 00:56:50,910 Speaker 1: mom and her health and everything over to you. And 1144 00:56:50,950 --> 00:56:53,750 Speaker 1: I'm just depending on you, expecting you to do great things. 1145 00:56:53,770 --> 00:56:56,290 Speaker 1: Because if we believe Ephesians 3.20, that he can do 1146 00:56:56,590 --> 00:56:58,670 Speaker 1: exceedingly above than we can ever ask, think, or imagine, 1147 00:56:58,690 --> 00:57:01,260 Speaker 1: then man, I'm going to expect God to answer my prayers. 1148 00:57:01,400 --> 00:57:02,799 Speaker 1: That's why we go to him. That's why we pray 1149 00:57:02,820 --> 00:57:06,420 Speaker 1: to begin with. Pray with the posture of expectation. But 1150 00:57:06,440 --> 00:57:08,940 Speaker 1: I'm not demanding anymore. I'm simply depending on you. And 1151 00:57:08,980 --> 00:57:11,040 Speaker 1: that's really what trust comes down to. And I hear 1152 00:57:11,060 --> 00:57:13,280 Speaker 1: all the different challenges you face, man, because your life, 1153 00:57:13,540 --> 00:57:16,740 Speaker 1: the last four or five years, haven't looked very easy 1154 00:57:16,780 --> 00:57:17,810 Speaker 1: for Mike Jarvis, right? 1155 00:57:17,850 --> 00:57:20,730 Speaker 2: And up until that time, again, I wasn't really punched 1156 00:57:20,750 --> 00:57:22,470 Speaker 2: in the mouth. No. Up until college. 1157 00:57:22,530 --> 00:57:24,690 Speaker 1: And then you got punched, punched, punched, punched, punched in 1158 00:57:24,750 --> 00:57:27,190 Speaker 1: a row. And I think what it revealed to you 1159 00:57:27,250 --> 00:57:28,670 Speaker 1: is that it doesn't have to be fair to be 1160 00:57:28,730 --> 00:57:30,890 Speaker 1: worth it. No. What I mean by that is like, 1161 00:57:30,910 --> 00:57:32,230 Speaker 1: there are going to be moments that come in our 1162 00:57:32,270 --> 00:57:35,880 Speaker 1: life that just aren't fair, but it's in those moments 1163 00:57:35,920 --> 00:57:39,460 Speaker 1: that God forges us and we look back and we're like, man, 1164 00:57:39,500 --> 00:57:41,700 Speaker 1: it was worth it. I'd go through that stuff again 1165 00:57:41,720 --> 00:57:44,840 Speaker 1: if it meant coming out on the other side. One 1166 00:57:44,880 --> 00:57:47,460 Speaker 1: thing that I just think of as well in your 1167 00:57:47,500 --> 00:57:49,090 Speaker 1: story is that dreams don't quit. 1168 00:57:49,160 --> 00:57:49,740 Speaker 2: People do. 1169 00:57:49,930 --> 00:57:52,290 Speaker 1: Yeah. But you chose not to quit. 1170 00:57:52,450 --> 00:57:52,650 Speaker 2: Yeah. 1171 00:57:52,970 --> 00:57:55,170 Speaker 1: And I just am thinking about coming out of a 1172 00:57:55,250 --> 00:57:57,250 Speaker 1: season where you hated the game. 1173 00:57:57,270 --> 00:57:57,650 Speaker 2: Yeah. 1174 00:57:57,990 --> 00:58:01,860 Speaker 1: Like, What perspective did you have to have to say, no, 1175 00:58:02,280 --> 00:58:04,240 Speaker 1: I'm going to stick with this and I'm going to 1176 00:58:04,340 --> 00:58:07,250 Speaker 1: find the good in this? And again, oftentimes we say 1177 00:58:07,290 --> 00:58:09,410 Speaker 1: that phrase, find the good in the bad. And there 1178 00:58:09,430 --> 00:58:11,790 Speaker 1: are just some things, Mike, that aren't good. So you 1179 00:58:11,830 --> 00:58:14,320 Speaker 1: can't find any good, but good can come out of it. 1180 00:58:14,660 --> 00:58:16,620 Speaker 1: So for you, it's like, how were you able to 1181 00:58:16,680 --> 00:58:19,720 Speaker 1: create good? And what did God help you kind of 1182 00:58:19,780 --> 00:58:22,090 Speaker 1: reveal the perspective that he gave you in those times 1183 00:58:22,190 --> 00:58:24,490 Speaker 1: to stick with it, to find yourself here, to now 1184 00:58:24,550 --> 00:58:27,690 Speaker 1: find yourself what I would identify as probably thriving or 1185 00:58:27,730 --> 00:58:30,670 Speaker 1: flourishing in your sixth year? By the way, you waited. 1186 00:58:31,090 --> 00:58:33,110 Speaker 1: You never really stepped foot on a field into your 1187 00:58:33,150 --> 00:58:33,990 Speaker 1: fourth or fifth year. 1188 00:58:34,010 --> 00:58:36,830 Speaker 2: My fifth year is the first time I started. That's crazy. 1189 00:58:37,050 --> 00:58:39,790 Speaker 1: So like what's a word of encouragement to someone today 1190 00:58:39,830 --> 00:58:43,820 Speaker 1: who finds himself in a waiting, frustrating season? that maybe, 1191 00:58:43,900 --> 00:58:46,820 Speaker 1: just maybe, you can find hope in the middle of 1192 00:58:46,860 --> 00:58:49,680 Speaker 1: the hard, but at the same time, having a perspective 1193 00:58:49,720 --> 00:58:51,720 Speaker 1: that gets them to continue to persevere. Yeah. 1194 00:58:51,940 --> 00:58:54,500 Speaker 2: I think it goes back to, like, talk about quitting, 1195 00:58:55,540 --> 00:58:59,850 Speaker 2: walking away from the game. And it's, what message does, one, 1196 00:58:59,890 --> 00:59:03,030 Speaker 2: does that send to yourself? Two, who does it send 1197 00:59:03,050 --> 00:59:05,170 Speaker 2: to the people around you? And three, who does it 1198 00:59:05,190 --> 00:59:08,310 Speaker 2: send to your future self? Because, like, the only time 1199 00:59:08,350 --> 00:59:12,260 Speaker 2: to grow is through adverse times. And you, like if, 1200 00:59:13,080 --> 00:59:15,240 Speaker 2: talk about the broken man. The broken man is the 1201 00:59:15,260 --> 00:59:18,660 Speaker 2: strongest man. The one that's got thrown in the fire, 1202 00:59:19,550 --> 00:59:23,730 Speaker 2: back against the wall, whether he did self-inflicted things or 1203 00:59:23,830 --> 00:59:27,410 Speaker 2: God just threw to him. Hard times at him. And it's, 1204 00:59:29,520 --> 00:59:33,160 Speaker 2: In that moment, he had dropped the ego, the pride, 1205 00:59:33,560 --> 00:59:36,910 Speaker 2: humble himself, and say, one, I can't do it alone. 1206 00:59:38,250 --> 00:59:40,870 Speaker 2: I need a Lord and Savior. I need someone who's 1207 00:59:40,890 --> 00:59:43,550 Speaker 2: always going to be in the corner. But two, like, 1208 00:59:44,570 --> 00:59:46,890 Speaker 2: a lot of things that I, like, strive for in 1209 00:59:46,910 --> 00:59:50,220 Speaker 2: my day-to-day is, yeah, it's for the moment, but a 1210 00:59:50,220 --> 00:59:52,640 Speaker 2: lot of it is for the future. And, like, future kids, 1211 00:59:53,120 --> 00:59:55,840 Speaker 2: if God blesses me with that family. And it's, what 1212 00:59:55,880 --> 00:59:57,900 Speaker 2: am I going to tell my kids? That I quit. 1213 00:59:58,100 --> 01:00:00,169 Speaker 2: I quit. Your dad quit when the time got hard. 1214 01:00:00,190 --> 01:00:05,480 Speaker 2: All right, so when he goes through something hard, and 1215 01:00:05,520 --> 01:00:07,840 Speaker 2: I quit, what am I supposed to tell him? Well, 1216 01:00:07,860 --> 01:00:10,280 Speaker 2: your dad quit. What are you going to tell your wife? 1217 01:00:12,140 --> 01:00:17,370 Speaker 2: Hard time in a relationship or something. Oh, I'm out. Deuces. Like, no, 1218 01:00:17,550 --> 01:00:20,380 Speaker 2: it's in those moments, and it's in James 1, 2, 1219 01:00:20,380 --> 01:00:22,970 Speaker 2: 2 through 4. Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever 1220 01:00:22,990 --> 01:00:25,850 Speaker 2: you face trials of many kind, because you know that 1221 01:00:25,870 --> 01:00:29,710 Speaker 2: testing your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance Finish this work 1222 01:00:29,750 --> 01:00:32,370 Speaker 2: so that you may be mature and lack nothing. And 1223 01:00:34,730 --> 01:00:38,189 Speaker 2: it didn't take me until the final last six to 1224 01:00:38,290 --> 01:00:41,770 Speaker 2: ten months until I realized that everything I went through 1225 01:00:43,110 --> 01:00:46,550 Speaker 2: was for a purpose. And again, I thought that purpose 1226 01:00:46,610 --> 01:00:48,950 Speaker 2: I was going to figure out. I didn't realize there 1227 01:00:48,970 --> 01:00:51,180 Speaker 2: was going to be a calling behind it and something 1228 01:00:51,200 --> 01:00:52,450 Speaker 2: that's going to drive me to what I want to 1229 01:00:52,470 --> 01:00:55,380 Speaker 2: do when football is over. But I went through these 1230 01:00:55,460 --> 01:01:02,640 Speaker 2: times to, one, become the man I am today. And 1231 01:01:02,680 --> 01:01:06,060 Speaker 2: it was, it's a, it's a, it was beautiful in 1232 01:01:06,100 --> 01:01:08,340 Speaker 2: a sense. I look back and it's like, I wouldn't 1233 01:01:08,530 --> 01:01:11,970 Speaker 2: change anything that happened. Yeah. All those times that I 1234 01:01:12,010 --> 01:01:16,810 Speaker 2: felt embarrassed or mad at myself. And it was, no, 1235 01:01:16,910 --> 01:01:20,230 Speaker 2: everyone's story is different. Not saying not two humans are alike. 1236 01:01:21,090 --> 01:01:24,840 Speaker 2: Everyone's different. And it's everyone's again, everyone's story is different. 1237 01:01:24,860 --> 01:01:27,780 Speaker 2: Don't compare yourself to someone else. But it's, who do you, like, 1238 01:01:27,960 --> 01:01:31,840 Speaker 2: don't be a, don't quit. There's many times, and I'm 1239 01:01:31,860 --> 01:01:36,810 Speaker 2: not saying, like, sometimes you need a plan B. Yeah. 1240 01:01:37,290 --> 01:01:39,550 Speaker 2: Or sometimes you got to shift the plan. But that's 1241 01:01:39,570 --> 01:01:42,950 Speaker 2: not quitting. Quitting would have been, all right, like, because 1242 01:01:42,970 --> 01:01:44,170 Speaker 2: there's some people where you have to walk away from 1243 01:01:44,190 --> 01:01:46,760 Speaker 2: the game of football. Yep. Like, you have to. Medically, 1244 01:01:46,780 --> 01:01:48,480 Speaker 2: you have to. You have to. You have to. And 1245 01:01:48,500 --> 01:01:52,920 Speaker 2: I've seen it happen many, many times. And that's not quitting. No, no, no, no, no. 1246 01:01:53,360 --> 01:01:55,900 Speaker 2: I still had an opportunity to play football. 1247 01:01:56,040 --> 01:01:56,120 Speaker 1: Yep. 1248 01:01:57,010 --> 01:02:00,270 Speaker 2: And it wasn't the fact that, you know, going to 1249 01:02:00,290 --> 01:02:02,250 Speaker 2: a new school was quitting. No, no, no. It was, 1250 01:02:02,370 --> 01:02:04,590 Speaker 2: all right, we're going to change the path here. And 1251 01:02:04,650 --> 01:02:08,140 Speaker 2: it was, no, I'm going to get a relationship with 1252 01:02:08,160 --> 01:02:10,540 Speaker 2: the man upstairs, and I'm going to trust on him 1253 01:02:10,560 --> 01:02:12,840 Speaker 2: and depend on him, and he's going to lead me 1254 01:02:13,420 --> 01:02:15,440 Speaker 2: to figure out, one, open up my eyes to what 1255 01:02:15,460 --> 01:02:18,330 Speaker 2: this is all about, why this all happened, and two, 1256 01:02:18,340 --> 01:02:22,020 Speaker 2: I'm going to use it for my future. Right. And 1257 01:02:22,060 --> 01:02:23,720 Speaker 2: how can you be a leader if you've quit? If 1258 01:02:23,740 --> 01:02:24,120 Speaker 2: you've quit. 1259 01:02:24,730 --> 01:02:27,220 Speaker 1: Exactly right. That's the idea. I love what you said. 1260 01:02:27,260 --> 01:02:30,920 Speaker 1: A broken man is the strongest man. And we're not 1261 01:02:30,960 --> 01:02:33,600 Speaker 1: going to quit because I've heard it said that you 1262 01:02:33,640 --> 01:02:36,140 Speaker 1: really are going to persevere through hard times for your 1263 01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:38,360 Speaker 1: eight year old self and your 80 year old self. Right. 1264 01:02:38,380 --> 01:02:41,120 Speaker 1: For your eight year old self, it's who you grew 1265 01:02:41,220 --> 01:02:42,600 Speaker 1: up imagining that you could become. 1266 01:02:42,900 --> 01:02:43,060 Speaker 2: Right. 1267 01:02:43,100 --> 01:02:44,860 Speaker 1: Like that eight year old that had all these dreams, 1268 01:02:45,060 --> 01:02:47,380 Speaker 1: all these aspirations, like I'm going to push through for 1269 01:02:47,420 --> 01:02:50,970 Speaker 1: that kid. Because oftentimes we find ourselves complaining about the 1270 01:02:51,010 --> 01:02:53,500 Speaker 1: things that we once prayed for, the opportunities that have 1271 01:02:53,520 --> 01:02:55,900 Speaker 1: been provided to you now to compete and play. Like 1272 01:02:55,920 --> 01:02:58,300 Speaker 1: there are going to be hard times coming through camp, 1273 01:02:58,340 --> 01:03:00,740 Speaker 1: going into all the different games this fall. You're going 1274 01:03:00,760 --> 01:03:04,680 Speaker 1: to face adversity and you're still provided an opportunity to 1275 01:03:04,720 --> 01:03:07,240 Speaker 1: push through for that eight-year-old kid that once dreamt that 1276 01:03:07,280 --> 01:03:08,800 Speaker 1: you could be where you're at today. But at the 1277 01:03:08,840 --> 01:03:11,660 Speaker 1: same time, you're pushing through for your 80-year-old self because 1278 01:03:11,700 --> 01:03:13,570 Speaker 1: you are investing in your future. As you said, your 1279 01:03:13,610 --> 01:03:16,900 Speaker 1: future family, your future marriage, whatever it is. You're investing 1280 01:03:16,960 --> 01:03:18,550 Speaker 1: in the person that you want to become. And the 1281 01:03:18,590 --> 01:03:22,250 Speaker 1: greatest predictor of who you'll become tomorrow is who you 1282 01:03:22,290 --> 01:03:25,490 Speaker 1: choose to be today. And so every single day, I 1283 01:03:25,510 --> 01:03:28,910 Speaker 1: think it's being able to understand. You don't have to quit. 1284 01:03:28,930 --> 01:03:30,610 Speaker 1: But also, I want to go here for a moment. 1285 01:03:31,070 --> 01:03:33,480 Speaker 1: You don't have to do it alone. I know something 1286 01:03:33,500 --> 01:03:36,960 Speaker 1: that God has placed on your heart here recently is 1287 01:03:37,040 --> 01:03:40,520 Speaker 1: this idea of helping men understand the importance and the 1288 01:03:40,580 --> 01:03:44,340 Speaker 1: significance of vulnerability. Yeah. Mental health stats on men are 1289 01:03:44,400 --> 01:03:47,370 Speaker 1: pretty insane. 25% of men walk around with a mental 1290 01:03:47,410 --> 01:03:50,930 Speaker 1: illness on any given day. 75% of that 25% never 1291 01:03:51,130 --> 01:03:55,350 Speaker 1: ask or seek help. 1,440 men die by suicide every 1292 01:03:55,430 --> 01:03:59,670 Speaker 1: single day. Over 70% of suicides are completed by men, 1293 01:03:59,990 --> 01:04:02,480 Speaker 1: obviously because of the lethality in which they choose to 1294 01:04:02,540 --> 01:04:05,100 Speaker 1: do it. And there's just so many things that when 1295 01:04:05,140 --> 01:04:08,480 Speaker 1: we talk about the stigma around mental health, opening up, 1296 01:04:08,660 --> 01:04:11,040 Speaker 1: asking for help, it's not a sign of weakness at 1297 01:04:11,820 --> 01:04:13,880 Speaker 1: It's a sign of wisdom. And I know you had 1298 01:04:13,920 --> 01:04:19,020 Speaker 1: a buddy named Jack who has passed away recently. I 1299 01:04:19,040 --> 01:04:21,160 Speaker 1: know he struggled with mental health challenges. I mean, I 1300 01:04:21,200 --> 01:04:24,040 Speaker 1: don't want you to go anywhere you don't feel comfortable going, 1301 01:04:24,100 --> 01:04:26,860 Speaker 1: but I would love to just hear how that opened 1302 01:04:26,900 --> 01:04:29,720 Speaker 1: your heart up, opened your eyes, opened your ears to 1303 01:04:29,740 --> 01:04:32,630 Speaker 1: the struggles that so many people face. And a lot 1304 01:04:32,670 --> 01:04:35,110 Speaker 1: of them, unfortunately, face them in silence. Go there if 1305 01:04:35,130 --> 01:04:35,410 Speaker 1: you would. 1306 01:04:35,510 --> 01:04:41,730 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, definitely. March 30th. um we're just finishing a 1307 01:04:41,730 --> 01:04:46,610 Speaker 2: workout 12 50 i get a call from uh buddy 1308 01:04:46,650 --> 01:04:53,030 Speaker 2: jake and it was uh on my locker so he 1309 01:04:53,170 --> 01:04:54,950 Speaker 2: coaches in michigan state why you call why is he 1310 01:04:54,970 --> 01:04:58,340 Speaker 2: calling me at 12 50 nothing out of it and 1311 01:04:58,380 --> 01:05:02,960 Speaker 2: all i hear is he's gone didn't wake up i'm 1312 01:05:02,980 --> 01:05:10,560 Speaker 2: saying who what he's like jack I said, hold on, 1313 01:05:10,570 --> 01:05:13,950 Speaker 2: hold on. What? He's like, yeah, Jack. Jack, I just 1314 01:05:14,130 --> 01:05:20,710 Speaker 2: talked to his brother, Trey. And I just, I had 1315 01:05:20,750 --> 01:05:26,550 Speaker 2: to sit down. And it was just like, there's no, 1316 01:05:26,890 --> 01:05:29,210 Speaker 2: I couldn't believe it. We were all talking last week. 1317 01:05:29,450 --> 01:05:31,290 Speaker 1: Yeah, like this is one of your best friends. Yeah. 1318 01:05:31,310 --> 01:05:32,630 Speaker 1: Not just a former teammate. No, this is. This has 1319 01:05:32,650 --> 01:05:33,370 Speaker 1: become like a brother. 1320 01:05:33,430 --> 01:05:36,890 Speaker 2: This is like, exactly. And it's like you talk about 1321 01:05:37,010 --> 01:05:40,340 Speaker 2: like football brings brotherhood. Like that's a brother. And he 1322 01:05:40,380 --> 01:05:41,880 Speaker 2: is somebody who had to step away from the game 1323 01:05:42,440 --> 01:05:46,210 Speaker 2: due to mental health. And he was very vocal about it. 1324 01:05:46,840 --> 01:05:48,720 Speaker 2: He was very vocal about his struggles. There was many– 1325 01:05:48,740 --> 01:05:51,930 Speaker 2: there were some scary experiences that we experienced in our 1326 01:05:51,950 --> 01:06:00,210 Speaker 2: time together at Wisconsin. Again, it was me, Jack, Riley, 1327 01:06:00,250 --> 01:06:02,160 Speaker 2: and Jake. I mean, us four, we did a lot together. 1328 01:06:02,240 --> 01:06:09,700 Speaker 2: And it was– we always were the, like– We guys, 1329 01:06:09,740 --> 01:06:12,140 Speaker 2: I guess, were kind of front lines because his parents 1330 01:06:12,180 --> 01:06:14,800 Speaker 2: always weren't there. And it was guys that he trusted 1331 01:06:14,820 --> 01:06:18,530 Speaker 2: the most. And when he told me that, it was 1332 01:06:19,820 --> 01:06:22,470 Speaker 2: just this utter state of shock. I couldn't believe it 1333 01:06:22,750 --> 01:06:27,990 Speaker 2: because you guys had that Ignite event in Ohio. And 1334 01:06:28,010 --> 01:06:33,070 Speaker 2: I remember I was talking to Brother Riley the week before, 1335 01:06:33,090 --> 01:06:34,450 Speaker 2: and I was like, I'm going to invite Jack to this. 1336 01:06:35,330 --> 01:06:39,650 Speaker 2: This is perfect for him. This is perfect. Someone... Everything 1337 01:06:39,690 --> 01:06:44,090 Speaker 2: that they're doing is, you know, helping broken guys, realize 1338 01:06:44,140 --> 01:06:46,800 Speaker 2: that where they want to get strong relationships with the Lord, 1339 01:06:46,860 --> 01:06:51,440 Speaker 2: help their marriage, whatever it is, knowing that there's, have 1340 01:06:51,480 --> 01:06:55,439 Speaker 2: no shame. And Joshua Broome said, shame has no power 1341 01:06:55,480 --> 01:07:03,290 Speaker 2: over you. And it was just sickening. So then I said, okay, 1342 01:07:04,410 --> 01:07:05,610 Speaker 2: he's in the middle of work on the middle of 1343 01:07:05,630 --> 01:07:07,270 Speaker 2: the day. I'm like, we'll catch up. We got to 1344 01:07:07,430 --> 01:07:09,270 Speaker 2: catch up when we get out of here. I'm trying 1345 01:07:09,290 --> 01:07:14,150 Speaker 2: to process this. I call his brother immediately, Trey. He's 1346 01:07:14,170 --> 01:07:18,990 Speaker 2: just crying. And I'm just bawling my eyes out. And 1347 01:07:19,030 --> 01:07:23,130 Speaker 2: it's like there's no way because Trey and Jack are 1348 01:07:23,150 --> 01:07:26,450 Speaker 2: the same person. I see everything that I saw in 1349 01:07:26,470 --> 01:07:34,640 Speaker 2: Jack and Trey. And Jack was somebody who loved like 1350 01:07:34,680 --> 01:07:37,610 Speaker 2: no other. He did not care what anyone thought about him. 1351 01:07:38,320 --> 01:07:41,320 Speaker 2: He was just, it was a funny story about this 1352 01:07:41,360 --> 01:07:43,960 Speaker 2: man always had a pair of camo Crocs on. No 1353 01:07:43,980 --> 01:07:47,220 Speaker 2: matter what the occasion was, he was wearing these camo Crocs. 1354 01:07:47,860 --> 01:07:51,360 Speaker 2: And definitely something that I guess over that time period, 1355 01:07:51,620 --> 01:07:53,540 Speaker 2: I guess talking to his parents, like there was a 1356 01:07:53,580 --> 01:07:56,620 Speaker 2: couple of things that he always dealt with, the depression, 1357 01:07:56,640 --> 01:07:58,860 Speaker 2: the anxiety, and he was always trying to chase perfection. 1358 01:07:58,880 --> 01:08:04,000 Speaker 2: There was only one perfect man, this man upstairs. And 1359 01:08:04,020 --> 01:08:09,370 Speaker 2: he just couldn't accept himself. So he was always chasing 1360 01:08:09,390 --> 01:08:13,590 Speaker 2: the next pill or something to fill the void. And 1361 01:08:14,030 --> 01:08:19,560 Speaker 2: one thing that definitely hurt the family and us was 1362 01:08:19,740 --> 01:08:23,940 Speaker 2: it wasn't intentional. And a lot of you immediately see, 1363 01:08:23,960 --> 01:08:30,120 Speaker 2: because everyone was public about his mental health struggles, everyone 1364 01:08:30,240 --> 01:08:33,760 Speaker 2: automatically assumed it was suicide. But it wasn't. It was 1365 01:08:34,340 --> 01:08:38,259 Speaker 2: his body just caught up to him. and he got sick, 1366 01:08:39,140 --> 01:08:43,240 Speaker 2: and his body just said, okay, we can't go anymore. 1367 01:08:43,460 --> 01:08:47,060 Speaker 2: He was called upstairs. He'll be with the Lord, because 1368 01:08:47,430 --> 01:08:50,269 Speaker 2: towards the end, he was like him and I. Coach 1369 01:08:50,330 --> 01:08:52,809 Speaker 2: Tripp was another one working on his life. Jake was 1370 01:08:52,850 --> 01:08:55,290 Speaker 2: another one trying to bring us to church and everything, 1371 01:08:55,300 --> 01:09:00,580 Speaker 2: And it was something that you just couldn't believe it 1372 01:09:00,600 --> 01:09:02,340 Speaker 2: because we were cracking jokes the week before. I'm going 1373 01:09:02,360 --> 01:09:06,979 Speaker 2: to invite him to this event. But it's vulnerability is 1374 01:09:07,020 --> 01:09:11,769 Speaker 2: everyone takes it as a weakness, and it's not. I 1375 01:09:11,790 --> 01:09:14,690 Speaker 2: think being vulnerable, and as I've gotten older, and it's 1376 01:09:14,729 --> 01:09:18,530 Speaker 2: almost like Not mad at myself, but I guess mad 1377 01:09:18,610 --> 01:09:22,280 Speaker 2: about how sometimes you're brought up. Or just like what's 1378 01:09:22,320 --> 01:09:27,020 Speaker 2: taught in high school. Depression. You're not depressed. You don't 1379 01:09:27,040 --> 01:09:29,300 Speaker 2: know depression. Depression's not real. You see online, it's all 1380 01:09:29,320 --> 01:09:34,240 Speaker 2: be a man. Figure it out. All you need is you. 1381 01:09:36,860 --> 01:09:39,760 Speaker 2: You've got everything for you. No, there's people out there, 1382 01:09:39,780 --> 01:09:41,860 Speaker 2: especially when you're at the college, that are fighting some demons. 1383 01:09:43,450 --> 01:09:48,439 Speaker 2: And whether it's People are just throwing them pills, and 1384 01:09:48,520 --> 01:09:50,080 Speaker 2: it's not like I talked to his parents, and it's 1385 01:09:50,100 --> 01:09:55,040 Speaker 2: like it's the worst thing to do. Just throw people 1386 01:09:55,080 --> 01:09:57,679 Speaker 2: that are especially with the mental health industry, throwing pills. 1387 01:09:57,780 --> 01:09:57,939 Speaker 1: No. 1388 01:09:58,420 --> 01:10:01,340 Speaker 2: Get them a spiritual relationship with the Lord. Start with that. 1389 01:10:01,800 --> 01:10:04,389 Speaker 2: Let's start with that. But then going back into the 1390 01:10:04,430 --> 01:10:07,590 Speaker 2: vulnerability aspect, I think a vulnerable man is the one 1391 01:10:07,610 --> 01:10:11,950 Speaker 2: that's strong, that's willing to open up. Let go of 1392 01:10:11,970 --> 01:10:18,580 Speaker 2: his ego. Drop the humility and just open up. Be raw. 1393 01:10:18,800 --> 01:10:23,400 Speaker 2: However you want to say your story, none of this proper, no, 1394 01:10:23,540 --> 01:10:25,900 Speaker 2: just get real and just open up. And that's the 1395 01:10:25,960 --> 01:10:29,180 Speaker 2: number one way to connect with people too. And yeah, obviously, 1396 01:10:29,660 --> 01:10:31,280 Speaker 2: if you don't fully trust somebody, it's hard to get 1397 01:10:31,300 --> 01:10:33,660 Speaker 2: vulnerable because you don't know if they're going to say 1398 01:10:33,720 --> 01:10:39,090 Speaker 2: something or judge you. Who cares? If someone's judging you 1399 01:10:39,820 --> 01:10:43,170 Speaker 2: for you have the courage to open up about what 1400 01:10:43,189 --> 01:10:48,200 Speaker 2: you are battling, that's on them. They had the issue. Like, 1401 01:10:48,320 --> 01:10:50,479 Speaker 2: if you're going to sit here and judge somebody for 1402 01:10:50,520 --> 01:10:53,360 Speaker 2: dropping his guard, seeking to get help, or wanting to 1403 01:10:53,400 --> 01:10:57,780 Speaker 2: help others, making awareness about something that is an extremely, 1404 01:10:57,960 --> 01:11:01,900 Speaker 2: an extremely important thing that needs to have more awareness. And, like, 1405 01:11:01,920 --> 01:11:06,120 Speaker 2: you just had Edwin Martin on. Yeah. Great calls. His 1406 01:11:06,160 --> 01:11:09,480 Speaker 2: story's beautiful. His story's beautiful. The war is won and 1407 01:11:09,500 --> 01:11:12,880 Speaker 2: lost in the mind, he said. And there needs to 1408 01:11:12,920 --> 01:11:16,009 Speaker 2: be more awareness towards the mental health, and especially in athletes. 1409 01:11:16,420 --> 01:11:20,240 Speaker 2: Because again, you're so attached to the sport, the identity. 1410 01:11:20,260 --> 01:11:22,780 Speaker 2: Like I was talking to his dad, when he was young, 1411 01:11:22,820 --> 01:11:25,830 Speaker 2: he was getting recruited for basketball and football, being all 1412 01:11:25,870 --> 01:11:29,590 Speaker 2: this talent. And it was, the worst thing to tell 1413 01:11:29,630 --> 01:11:32,990 Speaker 2: someone when they're young is you're talented. Like, okay, then 1414 01:11:33,010 --> 01:11:34,530 Speaker 2: they automatically think, all right, when you get punched in 1415 01:11:34,550 --> 01:11:37,450 Speaker 2: the mouth, what happens? Or what happens when the sport 1416 01:11:37,490 --> 01:11:39,930 Speaker 2: doesn't go the way it's supposed to go or you 1417 01:11:39,970 --> 01:11:44,200 Speaker 2: planned it to go? And it's, then what? But no, 1418 01:11:44,740 --> 01:11:47,070 Speaker 2: you want to be able to We need to be 1419 01:11:47,090 --> 01:11:51,140 Speaker 2: able to accept people's vulnerability and understand that's a true 1420 01:11:51,360 --> 01:11:53,960 Speaker 2: show of strength, not weakness. Yeah. 1421 01:11:53,979 --> 01:11:57,100 Speaker 1: I think that's the idea where maybe people don't need 1422 01:11:57,140 --> 01:11:59,740 Speaker 1: to hear you're talented as much as they need to 1423 01:11:59,800 --> 01:12:00,480 Speaker 1: hear you're loved. 1424 01:12:00,900 --> 01:12:04,439 Speaker 2: You're loved. The things that you do, your effort, your attitude, 1425 01:12:04,720 --> 01:12:06,280 Speaker 2: those are things you need to hit on. Right. 1426 01:12:06,340 --> 01:12:10,130 Speaker 1: Because when talent gets removed, there's an injury. When there's 1427 01:12:10,170 --> 01:12:12,690 Speaker 1: a change in assignment, whatever it is, then the mission 1428 01:12:12,729 --> 01:12:13,070 Speaker 1: never ends. 1429 01:12:13,360 --> 01:12:14,100 Speaker 2: Changes, right? 1430 01:12:14,160 --> 01:12:16,680 Speaker 1: You can always feel loved, especially if you're surrounded by 1431 01:12:16,720 --> 01:12:19,140 Speaker 1: people who make you feel that way. I mean, I 1432 01:12:19,320 --> 01:12:22,220 Speaker 1: just am. I know my heart went out to you 1433 01:12:22,240 --> 01:12:25,019 Speaker 1: during that time. Grief is a funny thing. It's a 1434 01:12:25,060 --> 01:12:28,190 Speaker 1: messy process. It doesn't really go away. It never will. 1435 01:12:28,689 --> 01:12:31,490 Speaker 1: It never will. Because those who love deeply grieve or 1436 01:12:31,530 --> 01:12:35,450 Speaker 1: mourn deeply. And so you'll always remember Jack. You'll always 1437 01:12:35,490 --> 01:12:39,700 Speaker 1: remember those stories, those memories, that brotherhood. And my prayer, 1438 01:12:39,740 --> 01:12:41,880 Speaker 1: as we've chatted about, is that you would just continue 1439 01:12:41,920 --> 01:12:44,960 Speaker 1: to live a life that honors the legacy that he 1440 01:12:45,020 --> 01:12:48,500 Speaker 1: left inside of you to continue to carry out. And 1441 01:12:48,540 --> 01:12:51,840 Speaker 1: as you do that, man, I'm just thinking about, there's 1442 01:12:51,900 --> 01:12:54,620 Speaker 1: a C.S. Lewis quote that I wrote down. It said, 1443 01:12:54,660 --> 01:12:57,700 Speaker 1: God whispers to us in our pleasures. He speaks in 1444 01:12:57,740 --> 01:13:01,330 Speaker 1: our conscience, but he shouts in our pain. And in 1445 01:13:01,370 --> 01:13:03,630 Speaker 1: the midst of all of the pain that you've experienced 1446 01:13:03,650 --> 01:13:06,700 Speaker 1: throughout your life, I am interested and I hear, I 1447 01:13:06,860 --> 01:13:10,360 Speaker 1: can hear the depth that your faith is continuing to 1448 01:13:10,400 --> 01:13:12,840 Speaker 1: deepen day by day as you spend more time in 1449 01:13:12,880 --> 01:13:15,890 Speaker 1: his word, as you spend more time in prayer, as 1450 01:13:15,900 --> 01:13:18,089 Speaker 1: you spend more time in his presence, as you spend 1451 01:13:18,110 --> 01:13:20,910 Speaker 1: more time around his people, right? You are deepening and 1452 01:13:20,970 --> 01:13:24,450 Speaker 1: strengthening your faith. But I'm interested, what has God revealed 1453 01:13:24,490 --> 01:13:28,230 Speaker 1: to you about himself in the midst of this painful experience? 1454 01:13:28,650 --> 01:13:35,849 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's staying faithful to him. And And I think 1455 01:13:35,860 --> 01:13:39,230 Speaker 2: that's probably one of the, it's a challenge. It's a challenge. 1456 01:13:39,410 --> 01:13:43,250 Speaker 2: And especially, again, I'm not going to sit here and 1457 01:13:43,290 --> 01:13:45,370 Speaker 2: say I know X, Y, and Z about the Bible. 1458 01:13:45,530 --> 01:13:48,410 Speaker 2: I'm not going to sit here and do that. I don't. 1459 01:13:48,570 --> 01:13:53,349 Speaker 2: I'm not there. I'm working towards that. But it's, there's 1460 01:13:53,390 --> 01:13:56,350 Speaker 2: a purpose behind everything that he throws into you in 1461 01:13:56,390 --> 01:14:00,650 Speaker 2: your life. And it's, again, walk by faith, not by sight. 1462 01:14:02,280 --> 01:14:06,260 Speaker 2: Trust in his plan that There's a reason for this. 1463 01:14:07,140 --> 01:14:11,460 Speaker 2: There's a reason for this time of struggle. Time of good, too. 1464 01:14:12,500 --> 01:14:16,970 Speaker 2: But it's, again, that's the only time to grow is 1465 01:14:17,010 --> 01:14:19,590 Speaker 2: through the adversity. Through when you're basking against the wall 1466 01:14:19,610 --> 01:14:23,929 Speaker 2: and you've got to fight. And don't roll over. Don't 1467 01:14:23,970 --> 01:14:27,790 Speaker 2: roll over. Don't be a quitter. It comes down to 1468 01:14:27,810 --> 01:14:30,110 Speaker 2: a choice in life. There's always going to be two 1469 01:14:30,150 --> 01:14:33,350 Speaker 2: choices when you're in that hole. When he throws something 1470 01:14:33,430 --> 01:14:35,460 Speaker 2: at you, And he's like, all right, time to go 1471 01:14:35,479 --> 01:14:38,000 Speaker 2: to work, big dog. But sometimes people will roll over 1472 01:14:38,020 --> 01:14:41,479 Speaker 2: and quit. So then you're going to allow yourself to 1473 01:14:41,520 --> 01:14:44,680 Speaker 2: just call it a day? Your life's over? Or are 1474 01:14:44,720 --> 01:14:46,979 Speaker 2: you going to fight? And you've got to be known 1475 01:14:47,020 --> 01:14:51,210 Speaker 2: as a fighter. All his warriors were fighters. Like, no 1476 01:14:51,250 --> 01:14:54,490 Speaker 2: matter what he threw at them, you've got to fight. 1477 01:14:55,050 --> 01:14:57,710 Speaker 2: And each day is a gift. And I think that's 1478 01:14:57,729 --> 01:15:03,710 Speaker 2: the hardest thing that people misunderstand. It's, no. You and 1479 01:15:03,790 --> 01:15:07,440 Speaker 2: I aren't guaranteed to walk out of here. Be where 1480 01:15:07,479 --> 01:15:10,360 Speaker 2: your feet are and cherish each moment that you have 1481 01:15:10,380 --> 01:15:15,320 Speaker 2: with people. Cherish the moments. Cherish the little things. Cherish 1482 01:15:15,380 --> 01:15:19,929 Speaker 2: waking up. Cherish going home and having a meal. Like 1483 01:15:20,520 --> 01:15:23,290 Speaker 2: everybody's like, oh, they forget about it because it becomes 1484 01:15:23,470 --> 01:15:25,670 Speaker 2: so second nature. 1485 01:15:26,229 --> 01:15:26,490 Speaker 1: No. 1486 01:15:28,070 --> 01:15:31,850 Speaker 2: You're not promised or guaranteed anything in life. It's why 1487 01:15:31,870 --> 01:15:34,950 Speaker 2: you got to have perspective. If you don't have true 1488 01:15:35,010 --> 01:15:41,750 Speaker 2: perspective in life, it's like, and you take advantage of, 1489 01:15:41,880 --> 01:15:45,540 Speaker 2: especially with college athletics or sports in general, it's so 1490 01:15:45,660 --> 01:15:49,360 Speaker 2: sad when you see people take advantage of the opportunity 1491 01:15:50,320 --> 01:15:52,720 Speaker 2: and just you see wasted potential. Wasted potential is the 1492 01:15:52,760 --> 01:15:57,719 Speaker 2: saddest thing ever. Guys that have been given these God-given 1493 01:15:57,760 --> 01:16:03,850 Speaker 2: abilities to play a game. I've seen some of those guys. 1494 01:16:04,850 --> 01:16:09,589 Speaker 2: Greek athletes, they've been blessed with crazy genetics, but upstairs 1495 01:16:09,630 --> 01:16:12,750 Speaker 2: they lost it. They can never hone it in upstairs 1496 01:16:13,150 --> 01:16:17,930 Speaker 2: between their ears. And that's when that waste of potential 1497 01:16:18,930 --> 01:16:23,800 Speaker 2: came to fruition. And that's, I think, perspective and just 1498 01:16:23,840 --> 01:16:29,460 Speaker 2: don't take things for granted. Perspective, perseverance, and I think purpose, man. 1499 01:16:29,479 --> 01:16:32,000 Speaker 2: Purpose is huge. It's passion. 1500 01:16:32,020 --> 01:16:34,019 Speaker 1: That's what you talked about this entire time. Passion. 1501 01:16:34,040 --> 01:16:34,180 Speaker 2: Passion. 1502 01:16:34,770 --> 01:16:38,890 Speaker 1: Is the willingness to suffer for something that you genuinely love. 1503 01:16:39,090 --> 01:16:42,050 Speaker 1: And I feel like that is what God obviously did 1504 01:16:42,090 --> 01:16:44,860 Speaker 1: for us. And that is then what God calls us to. 1505 01:16:44,880 --> 01:16:49,750 Speaker 1: My friend, I appreciate. vulnerability that you continue to share 1506 01:16:49,810 --> 01:16:53,290 Speaker 1: with just you opening up today having this conversation i 1507 01:16:53,510 --> 01:16:55,879 Speaker 1: think it's incredibly important i think a lot of your 1508 01:16:55,900 --> 01:16:58,780 Speaker 1: teammates are probably going to be blessed by hearing more 1509 01:16:58,820 --> 01:17:01,520 Speaker 1: of your story by hearing the man behind the helmet 1510 01:17:01,900 --> 01:17:04,860 Speaker 1: the man behind the face mask but then also knowing 1511 01:17:05,280 --> 01:17:09,010 Speaker 1: that you're somebody again worth leading as you follow jesus 1512 01:17:09,660 --> 01:17:12,590 Speaker 1: every single day last question is we kind of wrap 1513 01:17:12,710 --> 01:17:15,450 Speaker 1: up is obviously again follow up the way that i 1514 01:17:15,490 --> 01:17:17,230 Speaker 1: started Big game on Saturday. 1515 01:17:17,250 --> 01:17:17,650 Speaker 2: Yeah. 1516 01:17:17,729 --> 01:17:19,429 Speaker 1: What can we expect from the flame train? 1517 01:17:20,470 --> 01:17:21,370 Speaker 2: The boys are coming out hot. 1518 01:17:21,870 --> 01:17:22,010 Speaker 1: Oh. 1519 01:17:22,670 --> 01:17:23,790 Speaker 2: The boys are coming out hot. 1520 01:17:25,050 --> 01:17:27,130 Speaker 1: I love it, man. And where can our audience go, Mike, 1521 01:17:27,189 --> 01:17:28,230 Speaker 1: to find out more about you? 1522 01:17:28,610 --> 01:17:31,059 Speaker 2: And shout out the cooking channel, by the way. Yeah, 1523 01:17:31,080 --> 01:17:33,680 Speaker 2: we got Cooking with Jersey Mike's, the cooking channel. And 1524 01:17:33,720 --> 01:17:37,000 Speaker 2: then obviously my personal just Mike Jarvis. But obviously before 1525 01:17:37,040 --> 01:17:38,979 Speaker 2: we go, I want to leave the audience with one thing. Please. 1526 01:17:39,479 --> 01:17:41,780 Speaker 2: And it is the greatest risk in life is not 1527 01:17:41,800 --> 01:17:46,520 Speaker 2: taking any risk. And it's finding true purpose in what 1528 01:17:46,540 --> 01:17:48,500 Speaker 2: you're truly called, what the Lord has called you to do. 1529 01:17:49,640 --> 01:17:53,690 Speaker 2: Take risks. He wants people that's going to take more risk. Fail. 1530 01:17:53,810 --> 01:17:56,990 Speaker 2: Fail fast. It's not true failure if you can learn 1531 01:17:57,030 --> 01:17:58,350 Speaker 2: from it. If you don't learn from it, then it 1532 01:17:58,430 --> 01:18:00,990 Speaker 2: is failure. But the greatest risk in life is not 1533 01:18:01,010 --> 01:18:01,870 Speaker 2: taking any risk at all. 1534 01:18:02,189 --> 01:18:05,010 Speaker 1: Come on, man. All of our audience here, we're just 1535 01:18:05,050 --> 01:18:07,410 Speaker 1: grateful that you tuned in. Again, I hope and pray 1536 01:18:07,430 --> 01:18:09,440 Speaker 1: that you would have heard a lot of the themes 1537 01:18:09,479 --> 01:18:11,839 Speaker 1: that we covered on today. Being a person of passion, 1538 01:18:11,880 --> 01:18:14,380 Speaker 1: being somebody who is rooted and anchored in a greater purpose, 1539 01:18:14,420 --> 01:18:17,179 Speaker 1: bigger than yourself, being someone who perseveres through the fire, 1540 01:18:17,200 --> 01:18:21,250 Speaker 1: but then realizing that, again, the greatest risk is potentially 1541 01:18:21,290 --> 01:18:24,510 Speaker 1: not taking any risks at all. Every single day, push 1542 01:18:24,550 --> 01:18:27,130 Speaker 1: yourself to become the best version of yourself. And my 1543 01:18:27,189 --> 01:18:29,620 Speaker 1: prayer that that would be a version that looks more 1544 01:18:29,660 --> 01:18:33,020 Speaker 1: like Christ from the inside out. Mike, my friend, thank 1545 01:18:33,040 --> 01:18:34,660 Speaker 1: you so much for your time. Thank you for sharing 1546 01:18:34,680 --> 01:18:37,220 Speaker 1: your testimony. You know, I love you. I appreciate you. 1547 01:18:37,580 --> 01:18:38,019 Speaker 1: Go Flames. 1548 01:18:38,180 --> 01:18:38,640 Speaker 2: Go Flames.