1 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Colts Reunion Podcast, a conversation with former 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: Colts players look back at their career, what they're up 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,239 Speaker 1: to now, and how the Colts played a positive role 4 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:17,280 Speaker 1: in their lives. 5 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: Welcome to another Colts Reunion podcast and thanks for joining 6 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 2: us again. I'm Matt Taylor with Colts Ring of Honor 7 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: member Bill Brooks, and we're inside the Indiana Union Construction 8 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 2: Industry Radio studio. Our guest today on this summer podcast series. 9 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: One of the best sinners in Colt's history, Ray Donaldson, 10 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: wore the horseshoe helmet from nineteen eighty to nineteen ninety two. 11 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 2: He was drafted in the second round and would play 12 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: seventeen seasons in the NFL. In that time, he proved 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 2: to be one of the best players at his position. 14 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 2: He was second team All Pro in nineteen eighty seven 15 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 2: with the Colts. Was a six time Pro Bowler, including 16 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 2: his last two seasons in nineteen ninety five and nineteen 17 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: ninety six with the Dallas Cowboys. He represented the Colts 18 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 2: four times in the NFL's All Star Game and won 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: a Super Bowl in Dallas to close out his career. 20 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 2: At his retirement, he was third in Colts history with 21 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: one hundred and eighty four games played. Donaldson played collegiately 22 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 2: at Georgia, and according to the Bulldog's official athletic website, 23 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,919 Speaker 2: Donaldson became the first African American center in the National 24 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 2: Football League. He was one of the most dominant forces 25 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 2: on the Colts offensive line in the mid eighties and 26 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 2: early nineties. And he's our guest today, joining us via 27 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:33,520 Speaker 2: the phone line. Ray, thank you so much for the 28 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 2: time this afternoon. How are you. 29 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 3: I'm fine, Thanks for having. 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 2: Michelt, absolutely so. Before we get into your time with 31 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 2: the Colts and go down memory lane a little bit, 32 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 2: can you tell us what life is like for you now, 33 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 2: what you're up to, and what's a typical day like 34 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: for Ray Donaldson these days? 35 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 3: Well, you know it's turned sixty five this year and 36 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 3: now well retired. I don't do much of anything really, 37 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 3: walk around here with my dog through the neighborhood, in 38 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: the stuff that set on my deck, drink coffee in 39 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 3: the morning. Just enjoying myself, man, just enjoying retirement. But 40 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 3: I am selling merchandise on my website at millions dot 41 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 3: col backslash raped Donalds and football and uh alumniautograph dot com. 42 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 3: So that's what I do now, just sit back and 43 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:20,640 Speaker 3: watch it work for me. 44 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: Are you still are you still coaching high school football? 45 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 3: Right? No, no, no, no, I'm totally retired, not doing 46 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 3: anything like that. 47 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 4: But right, how was your time coaching football? I know 48 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 4: you you did coach some high school football. How was 49 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,359 Speaker 4: your time when you coaching young guys up? 50 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 3: You know what, man, I really enjoyed it. But it 51 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 3: was tough because, uh, a lot of these kids today 52 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 3: they got it all figured out, you know, you know, 53 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 3: and they go out there and they get beat. And 54 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 3: he looked at him and said, see, that's what I 55 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 3: told you not to do it. You know, they don't 56 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:54,560 Speaker 3: listen to anything. But it was fun, man, I really 57 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 3: enjoyed it. I coached down at Franklin Central for two years, 58 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 3: and over at uh what's school name? Oh, man, I 59 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,119 Speaker 3: can't remember. Coach Emil Okafer was the head coach over there. 60 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 2: Was it was it Arsenal Tech? 61 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 3: Arsenal Tech, Yeah, no Tech? Yeah, out there for two years. 62 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 3: So I really had a great time. 63 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 2: That's a perfect segue, Ray, because I know you had 64 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 2: dreams playing in the NFL as a young man growing 65 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: up in Northwest Georgia. You grew up with eight siblings, 66 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: and you thought that, hey, I'm gonna get a career 67 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 2: in the NFL. I you know, you thought that could 68 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 2: be the best way to help out your family. How 69 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 2: motivated were you to get to the NFL and Ray, 70 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 2: when did you realize that you can make it to 71 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 2: the next level playing professional football? 72 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 3: You know, I tell you the story goes a little 73 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 3: like this. Man, I, like you said, I had eight 74 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 3: other brothers, and uh, you know it's six seven years old. 75 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 3: I watched my mom's struggle. She she had two marriages. 76 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 3: My father died before I was born, and my second 77 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 3: husband was killed and left her to take care of 78 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 3: all of us. And I just used to watch us 79 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 3: come in just I dead on her feet, and I 80 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 3: just said to myself, I said, man, I said I 81 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 3: want to I want to be a professional football player. 82 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,520 Speaker 3: And believe it or not, Billy, He's asked. I had 83 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 3: no idea what it was about. You know. All I 84 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 3: knew was the guys, the older guys in the neighborhood 85 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 3: when we played street football. You know, they each of 86 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 3: the quarterbacks believe that Johnny unanis or Bart Starr and 87 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 3: so Johnny Units was the one name that that I 88 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,159 Speaker 3: that struck in my head, you know. And when I 89 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 3: went to school one day, the teacher was asking us 90 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 3: what we wanted to be when we grow up, and 91 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 3: I said, I want to be a pro football player. 92 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,120 Speaker 3: And she asked me who was my favorite player, and 93 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 3: I said, I said Johnny Uniteds. I've never seen him play, 94 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 3: but I just that was the name that I remember. 95 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,280 Speaker 3: So she got his address and I wrote him a letter. 96 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: He sent me back a picture. Wow, And that right 97 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 3: there just got me going, man, wow. So so that 98 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 3: was and so I stuck that stuck in my head 99 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 3: the whole time. I wanted to be professional football player 100 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 3: so I could start taking care of my mother as well. 101 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: So it worked out. 102 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 2: Do you do you still have that picture? You got 103 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 2: to still have that picture? 104 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 3: Right? No? No, man, I was But I did get 105 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 3: to meet Johnny and my rookie year, we were having 106 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 3: the end of the end of camp barbecue and he 107 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:18,160 Speaker 3: was there and I told him the story. He and 108 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 3: this is why I made a mistake. I told him 109 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 3: the story about it, and he asked me the same 110 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 3: thing about the picture, and I said, no, you know, 111 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 3: I lost it. And he said, do you want another 112 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 3: being an arrogant kid, I guess I said, no, I'm good. 113 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 3: You know, yeah, I wish I had taken that I do. 114 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 4: Wow, what a moment there to meet Johnny United and 115 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 4: uh no, your your dream to meet one of your 116 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 4: idols there was pretty neat. But I want to go 117 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 4: back to the time when you left high school and 118 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 4: going to University of Georgia. And when you first got there, 119 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 4: you were playing linebacker for the University of Georgia, but 120 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 4: then you were asked to play center due to an 121 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 4: injury to one of your teammates. What were your first 122 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 4: thoughts when they move from winebacker to center? And also 123 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 4: how difficult was it to make that transition from winebacker 124 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 4: to center. 125 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 3: Okay, well listen to do you want the truth? Yes? 126 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 4: We always want the truth? 127 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:20,480 Speaker 3: Right? Okay, Well, where my first stock really was? There? 128 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 3: Go my chances of playing in the NFL because you know, 129 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:30,119 Speaker 3: there was no black centers in the NFL at that time. Okay, 130 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 3: I was nineteen years old. That's the first thing that 131 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 3: went through my mind. But secondly, this old man that 132 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 3: worked at the university had stopped me and talked to 133 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 3: me about me not being not playing, and he told 134 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 3: me the day before I was asked to move to center. 135 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 3: He told me, And he wasn't a coach, he was 136 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 3: like a janitor, he said, he said, make make me 137 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 3: a promise. I said, what's that? He said, no matter 138 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 3: whether they play, you please, so damn good that they 139 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 3: can't take you out. And I was upset and mad 140 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 3: because I hadn't been playing it like the fifth game 141 00:07:07,040 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 3: of the season. And I told him, I said, oh, 142 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 3: it doesn't matter if I get on that field, I'm 143 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 3: not coming off right, Okay. So and then the next 144 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 3: day they do this and I'm thinking center wrong, I'm 145 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 3: thinking what about all the backups we have at center? 146 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 3: And that didn't matter. So UH went out to practice 147 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,520 Speaker 3: that Monday and started getting it together, and Saturday against 148 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 3: Vandam Bilt, I was starting, and I started the rest 149 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 3: of my career there. 150 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 4: Wow, Well, how difficult was it was a transition? Was 151 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 4: it difficult to make that transition from playing linebacker to 152 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 4: playing center and playing the office line for the first 153 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 4: time in your career? 154 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 3: Sure? Man, it was. You know, I go from being 155 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 3: up on my feet to being a hand in the dirt. 156 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 3: It was tough at first, but Uh, I guess the 157 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 3: offensive line coach, of course mcguf saw enough hitting me 158 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 3: that week to practice the way. He thought I could 159 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 3: go out there and do some of the basic things, 160 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 3: and you know I did. I guess I did them 161 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 3: too well because the following the week he said, listen, 162 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: you need to start putting a little weight on because 163 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 3: we're gonna keep your hair at the center. Because he 164 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 3: wasn't going to, you know, if I did. If it 165 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: didn't work out, of course, Billy, you know I had 166 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:15,680 Speaker 3: to go in college. They'll move your back up, moved 167 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 3: you somewhere else. And they decided after the first weekend that, uh, 168 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 3: they was gonna leave me at center. 169 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, well that's that's that's amazing. 170 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 2: Uh. 171 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 4: Kudos to you for sticking it out and making that transition. 172 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 4: But also about the transition playing from going from high 173 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 4: school to playing in the SEC. What was it like 174 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 4: playing in the SEC back then? 175 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:39,720 Speaker 3: Bill? You know, things like that, Uh didn't even cross 176 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 3: my mind when I was playing high school football playing 177 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 3: in the SEC, ACC it didn't matter. I mean, I 178 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 3: was recruited by both. But I'll tell you when I 179 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 3: when I went down there, it was it was eye opening, 180 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 3: you know, you had all these all Americans and stuff, 181 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 3: and these grown men. I'm eighteen. We got twenty two 182 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 3: year old senate or seniors on the team and going 183 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 3: out there and that the stay on rocking and rolling 184 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: with every kid at the university. It seemed like in 185 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 3: it it was a kind of a frightening at first, 186 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 3: but it didn't take much time to get used to it, 187 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 3: you know, because like a lot of us, we lack 188 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: attention and I was no different. So I wanted to 189 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 3: go out there and play my best so I can 190 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 3: get some little shis. 191 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,440 Speaker 2: Well, fast forwarding a little bit ray to your time 192 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 2: with the Colts. So you get drafted in nineteen eighty 193 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 2: by the Colts, and you anchor the Baltimore offensive line 194 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 2: for four seasons from nineteen eighty to nineteen eighty three. 195 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:35,839 Speaker 2: And I'm sure you've been asked this a lot over 196 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 2: the course of your time, but what do you think 197 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 2: or what did you think about coming to Indianapolis during 198 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 2: the move and what was it like playing in the 199 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:48,679 Speaker 2: Hoosier Dome those first few years in downtown Indianapolis when 200 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:50,560 Speaker 2: the Coults were pretty fresh new into town. 201 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 3: Well planning in Baltimore was when I got the starting job. 202 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 3: It seemed to get to be a little bit difficult 203 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 3: for the fans to like us. I don't know. We 204 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 3: were starting to lose and they were great fans at 205 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 3: first the first year there, and we started to lose 206 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 3: and they just kept boon us and boon us and boonnis. 207 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 3: So when we when we got wind of the fact 208 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 3: that we may be moving, I was like, thank god, 209 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 3: you know, because I'm tired of this, you know, So 210 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 3: we uh, they made the move. I was sitting at 211 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 3: my girlfriend's house. They interrupted the show I was watching 212 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,599 Speaker 3: and they showed the trucks pulling out and a little snowfall, 213 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 3: and I'm like, okay, but I still didn't know where 214 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 3: we were going. They didn't tell us. They did not 215 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 3: tell us. So later on, so when I got here 216 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 3: and they walked that on the uh, who you don't 217 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:47,319 Speaker 3: feel you know? The watch the people in there cheering 218 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 3: and cheering loud and sometime cheering at the wrong time, 219 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 3: but Billy offense with the ball. They cheering, we can't hear, 220 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,720 Speaker 3: you know, And we had we had a teacher how 221 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 3: to win the cheer and went not to I don't 222 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 3: know if you knew that Billy. Yeah, we got the battle. 223 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 3: Quarterback came here. We can't hear him. Yeah, So but 224 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 3: it was great, man, it was great. It is you 225 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 3: the whole new group of fans to play in front of, 226 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 3: and they really seemed like they, you know, Enjorgan's having 227 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 3: us here. So we went out there and we played 228 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 3: as hard as were good. We just didn't play very well. 229 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 4: Now, read during your time here in Annapolis, you were 230 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 4: a proved for some good offensive lines. In nineteen eighty five, 231 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 4: the team had over twenty four hundred yards rushing, which 232 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 4: was fifth in the National Football League at the time 233 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 4: and first in the AFC. And in nineteen eighty eight, 234 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 4: the line opened up some holes for the NFL rushing leader, 235 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 4: Eric Dickerson, who had over fifteen hundred yards that year rushing. 236 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 4: When you look back at it, what made those off 237 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 4: the lines so special? 238 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 3: I tell you, I'm going to say it a lot 239 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 3: a lot of it was on Aeron Differson, man, because 240 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 3: we had that same offensive line before we got there, 241 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 3: you know, and you said we had a eighty, we 242 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 3: had a twenty two hundred, and we were just determined 243 00:11:57,400 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 3: to try and be good. And I know I was 244 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,240 Speaker 3: trying to play as hard as I could, and Chris 245 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 3: Henton and run. So those guys been out. They was 246 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 3: doing what they could do. You know. But when we 247 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 3: got Eric man, we we really feel good about what 248 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 3: we could do with him, even though it didn't quite 249 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 3: work out the way we wanted it to. But I 250 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 3: remember when we made the trade for him. I came 251 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 3: downstairs and I said to my wife, I said, we 252 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 3: got him. We had been talking about him for a 253 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 3: while because you know, they were talking about the trade, 254 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 3: and she said, God, who, I said, Eric Dickerson. You know, 255 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 3: one of the best running backs in the game. We're 256 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 3: gonna be doing We're gonna be doing it now, you know. Yeah, 257 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 3: but we we always feel short. When I was playing 258 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 3: with the coach in our distance, no knock on anybody, 259 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 3: we fell short at the quarterback position a lot of time. 260 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 3: You know, we could have been a very good team. Man, 261 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 3: we just had that passery. 262 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 4: Now you bring up the quarterback position, that was That's 263 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 4: where I was going next. You know, while your time 264 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 4: here with Indianapolis, you play with a lot of different 265 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 4: quarterbacks that line up behind you. How difficult was it 266 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 4: to snap to a different quarterback almost every other year 267 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 4: or every few years. 268 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 3: But you're right, it was just about every two years, right. 269 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 3: But it was it was tough, man, because we couldn't 270 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 3: get no consistency, you know what I'm saying. You know, 271 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 3: the guys a couple of new guys coming and having 272 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 3: to learn at all. We are the bent of line 273 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,680 Speaker 3: is already ahead of them and everything we're doing, and 274 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 3: we just never could get that consistency. Man. I don't 275 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,200 Speaker 3: know why, Well, the lack of talent or whatever it was, 276 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:24,839 Speaker 3: it just it was just never there. It just never 277 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:27,679 Speaker 3: happened for us, right, you know. And it was it 278 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:32,959 Speaker 3: was heartbreaking because I know, with winningcome reward, you know 279 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 3: what I'm saying. So Chris and sult and myself, we 280 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 3: could have made more Pro Bowls had we won a 281 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 3: few more games, right, you know. But it was just 282 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 3: it wasn't meant to be. It was tough. And like 283 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 3: you said, I did. I had like twenty three different 284 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 3: quarterbacks that snapped two throughout my years here. That's not good. 285 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 2: Wow, that's amazing right there. Yeah, we talk about the 286 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 2: turnover right now at the quarterback position. That was certainly 287 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 2: prevalent you know in the end and see of the 288 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 2: Colts days in Indianapolis. Now, one of the things that 289 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 2: we didn't capture before we hit the record button here 290 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 2: when we first got you on the phone. Bill Brooks, 291 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 2: a former teammate of yours for six years in Indianapolis 292 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 2: here with the Colts, he called your bulldog. That was 293 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 2: your nickname. Your teammates called your bulldog. Do you remember 294 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 2: how you got that name and why that name fit 295 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: you and how it kind of stuck with you during 296 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 2: your career? 297 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, I was my rookie year, was in the locker 298 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: room and talking, messing around with the guys and Robert 299 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 3: Prattice starting left guard. He was trying to get my 300 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 3: attention and he knew had gone to Georgia and he 301 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 3: kept trying to get my attention. I was talking to 302 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 3: one of the other guys and he said, hey, Bulldog, 303 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 3: and you know, of course I hear bulldog. I turn 304 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 3: around and is him wanting to talk to me? And 305 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 3: that's how that's how I got the name. He called 306 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 3: me bulldog then, and it's stuck. They all just started 307 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 3: calling me that and that's been going on now for 308 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 3: I don't know since eighty one. 309 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 4: Well, I thought it was really actually dog because looking 310 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 4: at you you have some big, big mits and like 311 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 4: big paws and a bulldog or something. Because when you 312 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 4: get a hold of some of those offensive linemen with 313 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 4: your hands, they did not move. And one of the 314 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 4: things that stood out with me for you was, I 315 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 4: never saw you on the ground. You never you never 316 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 4: were on the ground. That if you were, it was 317 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 4: very very few times. What made it so that you 318 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 4: could stay on the ground and then your mits? How 319 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 4: important was it for you to get your hands on somebody? 320 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:31,720 Speaker 3: You know what? Man? You know the in offensive line 321 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 3: meeting room. You know, some of the coaches that I've 322 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 3: had a lot of them talked this thing about first touch. 323 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 3: You know, I know the snap. So I got a 324 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 3: split shacking to get my hands on that guy, and 325 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 3: hopefully why I really want to get him, and that's 326 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 3: why I was able to get them inside and grab 327 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:52,720 Speaker 3: them and hold them, you know, in place pretty much. 328 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 3: As far as not hitting the ground, man, I've figured 329 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 3: you it's tough to block on your knees, you know 330 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 3: what I'm saying, and on your back and on your face. 331 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 3: You got to keep your feet moving, stay up and 332 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 3: keep your feet moving. So that was my goal to 333 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 3: just keep my feet moving and stay up and push 334 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 3: the guys around and open those holes for the running 335 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,280 Speaker 3: backs and keep those rascals off the quarter back. 336 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 2: You know, Ray, you said you played alongside Chris Hinton, 337 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 2: and I know you guys had a great relationship. What's 338 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 2: your relationship like now with him? And do you guys, 339 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 2: do you realize how special of an offensive line that 340 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 2: you had. You know, yourself and Chris on the same 341 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 2: offensive line. Do you understand the place that you guys 342 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 2: have together, great offensive linemen playing together at the same time. 343 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 2: I mean that that's one of the great duos this 344 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: franchise has ever seen. Regardless of the wins and the losses. 345 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 2: At the time that you played here, you know. 346 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 3: Chris and I were still in communications. You know, we 347 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 3: talk every so often. You know, he's doing fine, you know, 348 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 3: living back up in Chicago. At least he got a 349 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 3: place in Chicago, but he may be in Atlanta Steel. 350 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 3: I haven't talked to him about that, but yeah, man, 351 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,280 Speaker 3: we he and I used to talk about playing together 352 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 3: and how much fun we was having and how easy 353 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 3: it seemed to be. And we I don't know, we 354 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 3: were just both caught up in the fact that we 355 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 3: just couldn't get over the hump. You know. For some reason, 356 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 3: we just couldn't get over the hump, and it just 357 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 3: frustrated us, you know. But you know, we kept doing 358 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 3: our job because we didn't want to lose one thing, 359 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 3: even though we did a lot of that, but we 360 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,760 Speaker 3: didn't want to look bad ourselves. So we just kept 361 00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 3: sticking it in there, man, and giving the people what 362 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 3: we could give them, and hope they enjoyed watching us play. 363 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:38,200 Speaker 4: Now, Rare, I want to move on from the Inniappis coach. 364 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:40,639 Speaker 4: Just a tad here now. You finished playing Innianapus in 365 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:42,480 Speaker 4: nineteen ninety two and went on to play for the 366 00:17:42,520 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 4: Seahawks in ninety three and ninety four. You're a coach 367 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 4: by the late Howard Mudd, who coached here for a 368 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:50,720 Speaker 4: time with the Coats. How was your time in Seattle 369 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 4: and how was your time with Howard Mudd? And what 370 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 4: did you learn from Howard Muddin? 371 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 3: Oh? I really liked how he was smart man. He 372 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,639 Speaker 3: was really small man, you know. He he got me 373 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 3: up there and he said, listen, ray, this offensive line 374 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 3: is young. He said, I'm going to need you to 375 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 3: show them how this thing is done. He said, so 376 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 3: first time we go into one on one pass protection, 377 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 3: he said, He said, I want you to take on 378 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 3: Cartes Kennedy, he said, because we can't get a playoff 379 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 3: with that suckle lining up across from us. So I 380 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:23,919 Speaker 3: got I got it now, and we did it twice, 381 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 3: and I stopped him. Like you said, Billy got my 382 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 3: hands on him, and he just standing in plays jumping around. 383 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 3: He couldn't get past me. And those young young guys 384 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 3: they you know, were going to the next meeting, They're like, man, 385 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,719 Speaker 3: how you do that? I'm like, it's just a determination, 386 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 3: you know, to mean, because you know, Cortela is a 387 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,919 Speaker 3: great players Hall of Fame, and I'm thinking, I'm not 388 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,640 Speaker 3: gonna let him beat me, you know, That's what That's 389 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 3: what I'm thinking. And that's why I felt when I 390 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 3: played against any of the guys that may have gone 391 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 3: to the Hall of Famer, I was going to the 392 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 3: Hall of Fame. I'm gonna do my do my dead 393 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 3: level best to beat them up, minimize what they can do, 394 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 3: you know, to our team. So but how how would uh? 395 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 3: He he really helped those guys out of the like 396 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 3: he you know, he coached Kevin, my wife. Kevin ended 397 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 3: up being a Hall of Family. 398 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 4: Yepp. 399 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 3: You know Cavin was a good football player. Yeah. I 400 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,480 Speaker 3: played with Kevin his rookie year, you know so, uh yeah, 401 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 3: howld it was great man. I sorry to hear about 402 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 3: him losing his life the way he did. He can 403 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 3: talk about anything that you don't want to talk about, 404 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 3: you know. So. Yeah, I M a live from o'hiar, 405 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 3: no doubt. 406 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 2: So you close out your career two years in Dallas 407 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: at age thirty seven, Ray, you become the NFL's oldest 408 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 2: starting center. For you right then and there, How much 409 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 2: pride did you take knowing you can still play? And 410 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:41,680 Speaker 2: I mean did you have a chip on your shoulder? 411 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,040 Speaker 2: Wanted to still whoop on some of these younger NFL 412 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:46,439 Speaker 2: players who thought maybe you couldn't still get it done 413 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 2: at age thirty seven. I mean, you were a Pro 414 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,679 Speaker 2: Bowl player your last two years in the NFL. How 415 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 2: did you get that done? 416 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:54,080 Speaker 3: Ray? 417 00:19:54,119 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 2: Playing at that high, high of a level that late 418 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:58,360 Speaker 2: in your career, if you will. 419 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 3: It happened because I worked my tail love doing the 420 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 3: off season, you know, like they say, and you're only 421 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 3: as old as your field. I don't know how true 422 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 3: that is, but I worked worked out very hard during 423 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 3: the off season of those two seasons, man, and playing 424 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 3: with Dallas, and at the time, Dallas was a pretty 425 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 3: good football team, and I was hoping not get luck 426 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 3: and get a Super Bowl, right, So yes we did. 427 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 3: Didn't give it all I had, you know. 428 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 2: No doubt, And that's exactly what happened. So, like you 429 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 2: were talking about nine seasons you had in Indianapolis, winning 430 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 2: percentage then was just three eighty five. But you play 431 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 2: on some stacked teams in Dallas, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith. 432 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 2: I mean looking back at these rosters, Michael Irvin, Darryl Johnston, 433 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 2: Charles Haley, Dion Sanders for a couple of years, Darren Woodson, 434 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:51,840 Speaker 2: Nate Newton, Larry Allen, Eric Williams, What did it mean 435 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 2: to finally make the playoffs and then win a Super 436 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,679 Speaker 2: Bowl after those years of frustration. I know that you 437 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 2: had team wise before that playing for the Colts and 438 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 2: then Seattle. To be in those moments individually personally, what 439 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 2: did that mean for you in your career after you know, 440 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 2: sixteen seventeen years in the NFL. 441 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,439 Speaker 3: It meant a lot, man, because it was the first 442 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 3: time in my career that I wouldn't get dressed, go 443 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 3: out on that football field for a game and know 444 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 3: that I had better than fifty percent chance of winning it. 445 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 3: I mean, we can we could have won every game, 446 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 3: but I know we was gonna win most of them, 447 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 3: you know what I'm saying, And that right there eight 448 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 3: and eight would have been better than what I was 449 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 3: getting in those previous years. So it was a great feeling, man. 450 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 3: And watching those guys you mentioned Charles Haley ben on defense, 451 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:43,920 Speaker 3: and you know a lot of times you want to 452 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 3: sit down and get a little rest for Yeah, when 453 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 3: you do that, you talk to your old line coach, 454 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 3: you get up and you watch those guys play, because 455 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 3: they was exciting to watch. And I just felt good 456 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,159 Speaker 3: that just being there, man, because I thought we had 457 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 3: a chance, and it turned out that ninety five we did. 458 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 3: I just wasn't able to play in it because that 459 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 3: broke my ankle. 460 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 4: Now, Ray, you you talk about helping the young guys 461 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 4: out and helping the young guys learn the game of football. 462 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 4: When you watch the game, now, how different is a 463 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 4: game to you compared to when you play, especially watching 464 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 4: young guys play now in the National Football League and 465 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 4: here with the Indianapolis Colts. 466 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:23,720 Speaker 3: You know, I see that the guys coming from college. 467 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 3: The way they're being taught in college is so wrong 468 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 3: because I know when they come to the NFL they're 469 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 3: going to have to learn all, you know, some new stuff. 470 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 3: Because seemed like to me, and I'm just talking about 471 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 3: the UGA the old lineman that they they want to 472 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:41,159 Speaker 3: bend at the waste. Now they win in of course, 473 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:43,639 Speaker 3: but they bend at the waste soon pass protection. They 474 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 3: want to put their head in there when it's not 475 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 3: necessary on pass protection, and and and run. And they 476 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 3: said they they wait for the defense to move before 477 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,399 Speaker 3: they try to move them. And you know, I called 478 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 3: down there and I talked to the old line coach 479 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 3: and I just gave him a few points, man, I said, 480 00:23:00,119 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 3: you want to attack them on that side of the 481 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 3: ball because I don't know if you know it really, 482 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 3: but George hadn't had a thousand yard Russia in a 483 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:09,520 Speaker 3: few years. You know. I know the game's turned in 484 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 3: the passing, but still you should have at least one 485 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 3: thousand yard Russia. But it's a different game, man, It's 486 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,919 Speaker 3: a different game altogether. But the old line in the pros, 487 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,719 Speaker 3: they they're getting coached by some real good coaches. Many 488 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:25,720 Speaker 3: a lot of them are doing it, doing it right. 489 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:27,840 Speaker 3: You know, a lot of them are doing it right. 490 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 3: So it's just a matter of the individual. Now you 491 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 3: got the coach, you've got four or five four the 492 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 3: guys doing it right. You got to pull that last 493 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 3: guy in there, get in do what you gotta do. 494 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 3: But yeah, a lot of the coaches the teaching these 495 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 3: young men the right way to do it, and then 496 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 3: a lot of them are getting it done. 497 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 2: No doubt about that. 498 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 3: Ray. 499 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 2: I mean, the game certainly has changed or evolved, and 500 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 2: you know, if you want to put it that way, 501 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:51,400 Speaker 2: and long story short, they don't make him like Ray 502 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:55,280 Speaker 2: Donaldson anymore. I mean, going back, I was floored looking 503 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 2: at this. 504 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 3: Ray. 505 00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 2: You had a seventeen year career in the NFL, as 506 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 2: we said, one of the best center the Colts have 507 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 2: ever seen. But you're one of the more tough for guys, right, 508 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,640 Speaker 2: the more durable players the Colts have ever had. I mean, 509 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 2: starting in nineteen eighty one, you started all of the 510 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 2: games you played in, which included one hundred and eighty 511 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 2: four games with the Colts. I think I went back 512 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 2: and look, the only injury that kept you out was 513 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 2: a broken fibula back in nineteen ninety one. And I 514 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 2: also counted some major streaks. You had a ninety one 515 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 2: game streak, you had a sixty one game streak, and 516 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:29,880 Speaker 2: then a sixty game streak where you didn't miss starts. 517 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,400 Speaker 2: What was your secret to staying available at such a 518 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 2: tough position like center, where you're grinding and you're pounding, 519 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 2: and you're taking all of those hits play after play, 520 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 2: game after game, And how much pride did you take 521 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:46,959 Speaker 2: in being out there every single week to play that 522 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 2: crucial position. 523 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:53,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, I really took a lot of pride in being available. Man. Yeah, 524 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 3: I wanted to play. I wanted to be one of 525 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 3: those guys that you just said I just ended up being. 526 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,439 Speaker 3: I said. But the only thing about football, man, people 527 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 3: were lucky because Billy knows. Any given play, you know, 528 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 3: you can get injured, Yes, you know, and that could 529 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:10,920 Speaker 3: be it, like when I did break my leg in 530 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 3: ninety one. But it's just luck. Man. I can't I 531 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 3: can't put it on anything but that. I mean. I 532 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:20,200 Speaker 3: prepared myself for each season the same way each year, 533 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 3: you know, to be ready to go last, try to 534 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 3: last as long as I could, but it's just I 535 00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 3: was just lucky, I guess, because you know, you just 536 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,919 Speaker 3: can't sometimes you can't avoid injury. 537 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 4: Well, right, I will say this knowing you, you worked out. 538 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 4: We worked out in the officers together, and you worked 539 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 4: out hard. And you were an athlete, right you. You 540 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,760 Speaker 4: and I we played on a team together, basketball team 541 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 4: during the off season. So you were good athlete, play ball, 542 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:48,120 Speaker 4: good feet, and you played hard and you worked out hard. 543 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,359 Speaker 4: So some of it was lucky, yes it was, but 544 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 4: a lot of it was. Ray Donaldson was a good athlete. 545 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 2: Create your own luck, right. 546 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,520 Speaker 3: I appreciate that. Well, you don't want to blue talking 547 00:25:56,520 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 3: about great feet and stuff. A lot of that came 548 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 3: from having played loundback for those two years in high 549 00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:03,199 Speaker 3: school and college. You know, you got to pick your 550 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 3: feet up to get over gas that's on the ground 551 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 3: and stuff. And I took that to the offensive side 552 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 3: of the ball and it really helped you. Right. 553 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,160 Speaker 2: Well, we'll close with this because you mentioned that that 554 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:16,119 Speaker 2: transition you had from linebacker to center certainly one of 555 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:17,880 Speaker 2: the best I know. You didn't like it at the time, 556 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:19,720 Speaker 2: but certainly one of the best things that I know 557 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 2: that happened to you because of what you were able 558 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:26,119 Speaker 2: to turn that opportunity into. And like we said before, 559 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,520 Speaker 2: some football historians claim that you were the first African 560 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 2: American center in the NFL. Ray, what does that designation 561 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,600 Speaker 2: or that recognition? What does that mean to you when 562 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 2: you hear. 563 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 3: That, Well, it means a lot, but it kind of 564 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 3: went unnoticed though. Man. You know, a lot of people 565 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:47,480 Speaker 3: do something for the first time. You know, there's a 566 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 3: lot of recognition about it and this and that. But 567 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:51,680 Speaker 3: I don't know if it was because there's me being 568 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 3: a black man playing center for the first time in 569 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 3: the NFL. They didn't want that, you know, outfail at that. 570 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 3: A lot of people still don't even know it. And 571 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 3: I that's why when they told me they was moving 572 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:06,119 Speaker 3: me to center, that's the first thing I thought about 573 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 3: because I didn't think I'd be able to place, and 574 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 3: I thought they would move me to God once I 575 00:27:10,119 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 3: came to the bro if I got to the Bros. So, 576 00:27:12,920 --> 00:27:15,679 Speaker 3: you know, having been the first one and you know, 577 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 3: no recognition at all for it, it kind of bothers me. 578 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 3: But it is what it is. You know, you have 579 00:27:21,359 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 3: to be first at everything. Somebody got to be first 580 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 3: to do something. Every time. So I just happened to 581 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 3: be that guy at center, you know, and I'm proud 582 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 3: of it, even though people don't know about it. 583 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:34,240 Speaker 2: Well, that's why we're here to spread that word. And 584 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 2: this is uh, this has been a real treat for 585 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:40,600 Speaker 2: me talking to two of the greatest cults of all time, 586 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 2: with Bill Brooks and Ray Donaldson and two former teammates 587 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,920 Speaker 2: here together. I mean, Ray, what was it like being 588 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:49,399 Speaker 2: teammates with Bill Brooks for six years? The diva that 589 00:27:49,440 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 2: he was. I'm sure on the offensive side of the ball, 590 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 2: want to catch all those passes? And I say that 591 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,200 Speaker 2: in jest, of course, don't tell me. 592 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 3: Come on, now, Billy wasn't a diva man. Billy was 593 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,520 Speaker 3: ad workers. You know, he can get down there, I 594 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,639 Speaker 3: catch that ball. He took a couple of shots, you know, 595 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 3: but he got right back up and got back in 596 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 3: that line of scream. I would what I want to know. 597 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 3: Believe you can ask the question, Yes, was the most 598 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 3: targets you had in any single game when we were 599 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:15,359 Speaker 3: just you. 600 00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:18,320 Speaker 4: Wow, To be honest with that, I really don't know. 601 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 4: I know I might have caught eight or nine balls 602 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,959 Speaker 4: one time, So I have no idea how many targets 603 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 4: I would have gotten, but it wasn't wasn't that often, 604 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,719 Speaker 4: you know with uh when we had Eric, we had 605 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 4: Eric and we ran the ball, which we should have 606 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 4: Eric as a Hall of Famer. And we had some 607 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 4: good running backs at Albart Bentley on the team as well. 608 00:28:36,040 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 4: Who's a good running back. I know rennick Millan was 609 00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 4: there for early in my career, but we have some 610 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 4: good running backs and we just, uh, we focused on 611 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 4: running the ball, which we should. We have some good 612 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 4: running backs, which it didn't bother me at. 613 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 3: All, you know what. I was just bringing it up 614 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 3: because man, how things have changed. 615 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 4: Oh yes, Oh yeah, they changed a lot, aren't they. 616 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:55,360 Speaker 3: Yeah. 617 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 4: They spreading the field out and tossing the ball down 618 00:28:57,720 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 4: the field and guys haven't opportunity to make some big 619 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,840 Speaker 4: catches and then be a part of the offense and 620 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 4: have a good time. But it's fun. Things change and 621 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 4: you move on. I'm thankful for my time with the 622 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 4: Coats and thank you for my time to playing National 623 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 4: Football League. Had a great time and one of the 624 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 4: greatest things is having teammates and having teammates like you 625 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 4: and playing with guys like you. Those are things that 626 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 4: we remember, you know, there are games that we're going 627 00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 4: to forget, but we don't forget our teammates and what 628 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,120 Speaker 4: they mean to us. And Ray, you're one of my 629 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:27,520 Speaker 4: good teammates. And I appreciate your friendship during during the 630 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 4: time we played and after the time we played. 631 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 3: I appreciate that by you take care of yourself. 632 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:33,160 Speaker 4: Man, Yeah, you do the same, all right? 633 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 3: Right? 634 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: Ray? 635 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 2: And but hang on now, asking you shall receive, right, 636 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 2: Ask the stat nerd a question here. So the most 637 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 2: the most targets for Bill Brooks in the game? Ray, 638 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 2: what's seventeen of them in nineteen ninety one at Green Bay? 639 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 2: Do you remember anything from that game because Bill Brooks 640 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 2: had ten catches on seventeen targets and a touchdown. 641 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 3: No, I don't. I was laying up with my broken trivular. 642 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 3: That's right. I got the third game of the season. 643 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:57,959 Speaker 2: That's right. 644 00:29:58,040 --> 00:29:59,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, do it for you, Billy. 645 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 4: I know I didn't know that. Youlive me. You asked 646 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 4: the right person, because this guy had no status inside 647 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 4: and out. 648 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:07,479 Speaker 2: I just know where to get him. 649 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 4: He will give you a stat for you. 650 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:10,240 Speaker 2: That's right. 651 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 3: That's right. Okay. Good. 652 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 2: One of the few times where you guys did not 653 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 2: share the field that particular Sunday right there, and that's 654 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 2: Ray Donaldson. Ray, thank you so much for your time. 655 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,360 Speaker 2: It's great to meet you and talk to you for 656 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,680 Speaker 2: the first time. We very much appreciate you sharing some 657 00:30:25,760 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 2: old stories and going down memory and laying with us. 658 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 2: Have a great rest of your summer coming up and 659 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 2: continue success with all that you're doing and enjoy that retirement. 660 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 3: Thank you man, and you called me anytime.