1 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Thanks again for tuning in to another episode of school Stories. 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: Today's guest had a four year NFL career as a 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: safety with your Minnesota Vikings. Nowadays, he's giving back to 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: the game by helping raise money for local clubs and programs. 5 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: Please enjoy today's conversation with former Viking safety Vistrell Raymond. 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 2: Hey, Mischel, I know you've been traveling quite a bit. 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: You're kind of all over the world. Will get into 8 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 2: that in a little bit, but just kind of for 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: the listeners, give us a little bit of update on 10 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: what you've been doing and how is the post NFL 11 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:38,960 Speaker 2: life treating you. 12 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 3: I'm a father now, you know. That's so that's the 13 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 3: biggest difference. So, you know, just you know, trying to 14 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 3: wrap my head around fatherhood and you know, with these 15 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 3: kids and is always like every day you're trying to 16 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 3: figure figure out from scratch basically. And I've been I'm 17 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 3: enjoying it, man, that aspect of it. But yeah, I've 18 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 3: been traveling quite a bit and live in different areas, 19 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 3: different cities, different countries, and just trying to figure things 20 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 3: out after football, man. You know, that's a it's a 21 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 3: it's a real task for guys when they leave the league. 22 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,959 Speaker 3: But I'm very very comfortable where I've landed now. I'm 23 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 3: back home in the Tampa Bay area, back around family 24 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 3: and doing some things business wise with family as well 25 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 3: as my friends. So I'm in a comfortable space as 26 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,199 Speaker 3: far as from a business acumen as well. 27 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: So how does fatherhood change you? You said, I trying 28 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 1: to get wrap my head around it. Your life will 29 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: never be the same as you know it, right, I mean, 30 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: that's that's what they always say. We've both experienced that. 31 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,240 Speaker 1: So what what's how old is he or she right now? 32 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 3: Yeah? So I have I have a I have a 33 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 3: ten year old daughter, I have a six year old daughter, 34 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 3: and then I have three year old twins. 35 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness. 36 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 3: So yeah, man, my price my cup running over guys. Yeah. 37 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 3: So it's been exciting. Man. You know, I'm just just 38 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 3: coming from a background where, you know, I just wasn't 39 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 3: raised in the household with with the my father. And 40 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 3: the thing is, you know, I had to there were 41 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 3: things that I had to learn and you know, just 42 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 3: kind of lean other guys for advice. And it's been 43 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 3: it was a challenge, it still is, you know. It's 44 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: just trying to figure it out. But the beautiful thing 45 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 3: about it is, man, we don't do it alone. And 46 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 3: I just get a chance to look at even a 47 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: lot of my teammates who have come not only just 48 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 3: friends but real others to me, and you know, we 49 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 3: just kind of lean on each other for advice and 50 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 3: guidance and just lit each other up. It's it's been 51 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: a blessing, seriously. 52 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: And you started your football journey down in Paul Metal 53 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: High School in Palmetal, Florida, and then made the decision 54 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 2: to attend a junior college in Iowa, in Iowa Falls. 55 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: It had to have been a football first decision, I 56 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 2: would think, and tell us about the culture shot going 57 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: going from Florida. 58 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 3: To Iowa, I would be had to say I made 59 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 3: the decision. I think I was. I was kind of 60 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 3: like it was my last resource, to be quite honest. 61 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 3: You know, I had just coming from my background, you know, 62 00:02:56,040 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 3: I hadn't really put myself in the best situation to 63 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 3: go out and be successful as a student or as 64 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 3: an athlete post high school. And so I just need 65 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 3: to give myself a second chance to just kind of 66 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 3: figure out, grow up a little bit, and you know, 67 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 3: give myself a second chance at a recruiting process, and 68 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 3: so Junior Colles was the route I chose, and just 69 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 3: leaving leaving Florida and going to Iowa obviously was a 70 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 3: huge culture shop and it was very different from me. 71 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 3: But you know, when I was young, I always had 72 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 3: the chance to travel a lot, and it experienced different climates, 73 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 3: different areas, different accents, different cultures. So I adapted very 74 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 3: well to it, even more so than others. I noticed 75 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 3: that immediately that I did much better adapt into it. 76 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 3: And at the end of the day, it worked out 77 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 3: because living in that climate like prepared me for what 78 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 3: would be years later me landing in Minneathletes and I 79 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 3: was able to, you know, kind of enjoy the climbing 80 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 3: and embrace it versus you know, trying to fight against it. 81 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 3: So yeah, it worked out in my favor. 82 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: Man, Well, it did lend you an opportunity to perform 83 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,480 Speaker 1: at a high level at Ellsworth Community College, but you 84 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: did make your way back to the University of South 85 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: Florida in Tampa, back to Wormweather, back to probably an 86 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: area that you felt more comfortable with. What went into 87 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: that process and what was your mindset when they give 88 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: you your shot? Then playing for the bulls, not the 89 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: Chicago Bulls, the other bulls. 90 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. So again, man, I just from traveling when I 91 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 3: was really young. I actually never wanted to go to 92 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,800 Speaker 3: school in the state of Florida. I always wanted to 93 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 3: branch out and be different and experience a different city 94 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 3: and different environment. And again, like it was one of 95 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 3: those things where it was actually the last resort for 96 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:35,320 Speaker 3: me I had at the time. When I was in 97 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 3: junior college, I had some family tragedy and some things 98 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 3: that came to the front doorstep of my family while 99 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,200 Speaker 3: I was away, and so I just decided it was 100 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 3: in my best nature just to turn down some scholarship 101 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: office that I even had, and just at the time, 102 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 3: I just had to be as close to family as 103 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 3: possible and USF being just forty five minutes away from 104 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 3: my hometown where I grew up down in Palmetto, it 105 00:04:58,120 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 3: was just a no brand of the first chance I 106 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 3: got to fly home, I just kind of approached the 107 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: coaching staff there in the middle like spring pectus or something, 108 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 3: and I just walked up to them just out of 109 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 3: the nowhere and just told them they, man, I don't know, 110 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 3: you know what the situation is here or if you 111 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 3: got any space for me. But when I graduate with 112 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 3: my socials degree from my junior college up in Iowa, 113 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 3: I'm gonna be here even if I have to walk on. 114 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,239 Speaker 3: And that was just a decision I made just basically 115 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 3: based off where I was as far as a family 116 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:25,600 Speaker 3: situation at the time. 117 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 2: Mischel, So your path into the NFL is not what 118 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 2: everybody thinks, right. Everyone just assumes your top one hundred recruit, 119 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: you go to play in the SEC and then you 120 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,960 Speaker 2: know you're drafted. It's yours was a different route, proving 121 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 2: that you can make it. Why how come you never 122 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 2: gave up? I mean, I'm listening to you talk about 123 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: the the hurdles that you've had and the challenges and 124 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 2: what the lengths that you had to go through just 125 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 2: to get a shot to eventually be drafted by the Vikings. 126 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 2: But what was special about you that you refused to 127 00:05:57,520 --> 00:05:59,480 Speaker 2: give up? What kept you going? 128 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 3: Only? Part it is I gave up a few times, 129 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 3: to be quite honest, I just thought it was too much. 130 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 3: It was it was wearing me down. My spirit was low, 131 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 3: and just somehow some way that I will always have 132 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 3: people around me who just went above and beyond even 133 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 3: went behind my back to talk to you know, liaisons 134 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 3: at the schools. I had got into a situation at 135 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 3: USF when I first got on campus where I actually 136 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 3: was academically ineligible and my mother had passed away that semester, 137 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 3: and I just was going through a lot, and I 138 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 3: just didn't speak to anybody about it. Didn't know about 139 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 3: you know, talking to anyone. Had never experienced therapy or 140 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 3: anything like that, and so I just kind of harbored 141 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 3: these thoughts and these feelings and all these emotions, and 142 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 3: I just wasn't doing well in my personal life. But 143 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 3: my grandmother actually went behind my back and she went 144 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 3: to the to the school, and she went to the board, 145 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 3: and she went to my coaches and kind of told 146 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,119 Speaker 3: them what I was going with. They had no idea. 147 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 3: They thought I just was being a knucklehead and just 148 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 3: messing up. And so I was able to get a 149 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 3: hardship waiver from the NC double A just because my 150 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 3: grandmother would and let me. She was seeing me kind 151 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 3: of give up and she just wouldn't let it happen. 152 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 3: And so, yeah, those are the things people really don't 153 00:07:05,839 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 3: know about, is that I gave up plenty of time. Man, 154 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 3: it's not easy to kind of to rise above all 155 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 3: some of the things that I had to endure and 156 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 3: a lot of things that I know a lot of 157 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 3: guys have to endure at this point or coming up 158 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 3: and through the high school and college ranks from those backgrounds, 159 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 3: in those areas. So yeah, for me, it was just 160 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 3: more so, man, I'm just very thankful for, you know, 161 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 3: the people that I had around me and the people 162 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 3: that actually believed in me, and and so yeah, just 163 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 3: that's that's that's how that situation actually worked out for. 164 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: Me and mis So when you get drafted of the 165 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: sixth round, like like you were with from the Vikings 166 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: in twenty eleven, you're still you know, buck of the odds, 167 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: as they say, about just making the team. You got 168 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: to live that day by day wondering what the coaches 169 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: are thinking of you. Did the Vikings talk to you 170 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: before the draft and did you have a sense that 171 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: you might be picked by them? And then what was 172 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 1: that journey like as you first walked into a winter park? 173 00:07:58,320 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 1: I guess at that time, oh. 174 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah. So so prior to the draft, I did 175 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: only did two pre draft visits and one was with 176 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 3: oh gosh, with the team down there and in the 177 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 3: Windy City, and the other was with the Minnesota Vikings, 178 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 3: and so I was I was very familiar with the Vikings. 179 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 3: I had got a chance to come into the building 180 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 3: and meet the coaching staff and and meet some of 181 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 3: the front office staff. I remember, uh, you know, at 182 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 3: the dinner that night at the top thirty visit. I 183 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 3: remember Rix's buildman, who was a general manager at the time, 184 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 3: giving the speech, and I remember him saying in that speech, 185 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 3: he said, you know, you played this game for one reason, 186 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 3: and that's to earn the respect of your teammates. And 187 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 3: that's something I've always remembered and I've always carried with me. 188 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 3: And so when the draft came around, I knew they 189 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 3: were very fond of me, and I knew, I you know, 190 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:45,319 Speaker 3: when the when the phone rung and I saw the 191 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 3: six one two, I was kind of comfortable knowing that 192 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 3: I was going to land somewhere where I had actually 193 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 3: had a chance to make physical contact and get in 194 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 3: front of these guys and and showing what type of character. 195 00:08:55,679 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 3: I had. So yeah, it was. It was a perfect 196 00:08:57,880 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 3: landing spot for. 197 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 2: Me, and I think Leslie Frasier, I thought I would 198 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 2: assume dovetailed nicely with your experience, what you've been through, 199 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 2: and then to play for a guy like him, just 200 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:13,560 Speaker 2: an unbelievable man and a leader in Leslie. 201 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, I can't can't say enough about coach Fraser. 202 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 3: And obviously, you know the chance he took on me, 203 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 3: and you know, I get a chance to see him around, 204 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 3: like I just been running to him really in the 205 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 3: most randomer places. I was living in Chicago for a while. 206 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 3: He keeps it, you know, he keeps a residence there 207 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 3: with his family. You know, obviously he's got the background 208 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 3: playing for that team down in the Winny City, and 209 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 3: so I still see him. We still get a chance 210 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 3: to I give it, to get a chance to kind of, 211 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 3: you know, give him his praises and always think him 212 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 3: and make sure I'm respectful of it. But yeah, he 213 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 3: took a chance on me. He understood where I was 214 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 3: coming from and some of the my family structure and 215 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 3: the things that were important to me, some of my 216 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 3: moils and values, and I guess he saw a little 217 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 3: bit of himself in those things. And you know, I 218 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 3: think we had a good thing for a long time. 219 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 3: And he's still doing He's still in the league in 220 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 3: some capacity doing the great things for himself. And you know, 221 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 3: I'm still really involved with the sport and former players 222 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 3: and trying to you know, just trying to. 223 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 2: Pay it for Yeah, Leslie's out in Seattle now with 224 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 2: the Seahawks. You get are you ever going to get 225 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:18,080 Speaker 2: a connection that plays somewhere south of Chicago? 226 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: You know what, man, Man, I tried. Man, I remember 227 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 3: living I was living in Chicago for seven years, and 228 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 3: I'm like, I just want one of my friends to 229 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 3: just kind of sign as a free agent in Chicago, 230 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 3: just so I could have some sort of connection and 231 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,560 Speaker 3: you know, here in the city. But you know, it's 232 00:10:33,559 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 3: been interesting to see where some of the guys have landed. 233 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:38,679 Speaker 3: And I'm one of the guys. Man. They'll tell you, 234 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 3: man that I still travel off fly out. I get 235 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 3: to I'm kind of like the glue between the brotherhood, 236 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 3: and I just go visit everybody and I just you know, 237 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 3: try to keep everyone connected. As you see. Right now, 238 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,199 Speaker 3: I'm up. I'm in Winnipeg here visiting Larry Dan, who 239 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: just done something amazing for himself here working in the 240 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 3: front office with the Saskatchewan rough Riders. Just want the 241 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 3: CFO great cup here. 242 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: Well, speaking of guys who accomplished a lot, I mean 243 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: when you came here to Minnesota had a pretty loaded 244 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: secondary guys like Anchoine Winfield, Jamarco Sandford, a guy named 245 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,719 Speaker 1: Harrison Smith who across a two hundred game mark. And uh, man, 246 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: what were your initial impressions when he came in? And 247 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,199 Speaker 1: uh kind of identify why do you think he's had 248 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: such a successful career? 249 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,400 Speaker 3: You know what? I So, Harry came in the year 250 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 3: after me, and I remember me and me and Jamarca 251 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 3: were you know, we were slated to be the star 252 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 3: in safety's And I remember Jamarca, we were sitting in 253 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 3: the sun on the day of the draft, the day 254 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 3: we drafted him, and Jamalka looked through and he said, man, 255 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 3: they just drafted this kid first round. He's going to start, 256 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 3: you know. He like I was the league. I didn't 257 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 3: understand He's like, he's going to start. So he's going 258 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 3: either going to be me and you and and you know, 259 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 3: in most most of those situations, like you know, when 260 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 3: guys are competing in against each other, it kind of 261 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 3: drives a wedge between them. But for us, it was 262 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 3: one of those situations where when Harrison came in the building, 263 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:56,560 Speaker 3: we were all I didn't look at it as if 264 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 3: we were competing against each other. It felt like we 265 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:00,959 Speaker 3: were competing with each other to make each other better. 266 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 3: And you know, just knowing that, you know there's gonna 267 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 3: be times when one guy's up, one guy's down. We 268 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 3: just had to had to man the sales, you know. 269 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 3: And so when when Harrison came in the building, I 270 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 3: mean it was instantly you could tell. Man, I don't 271 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 3: know that that structure that they give down there in 272 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 3: South Bend or whatever it is, but he was a 273 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 3: professional from the from day one when he stepped in 274 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,079 Speaker 3: the building, and he was prepared for the moment. And 275 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,199 Speaker 3: I think that's the most important thing that people don't 276 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 3: realize with him, his preparation and just his obviously people 277 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 3: are very aware of the sense of calmness that he 278 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 3: keeps on the every situation. He's the same guy, whether 279 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 3: it's up down, no matter what his personal mood is like, 280 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 3: he's going to give you, He's going to be the 281 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 3: same guy. And that's what I think has sustained him 282 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 3: and given him a long longevity that he's had is 283 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 3: just his temperament and his personality. It doesn't say he 284 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 3: is who he is. 285 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 2: Are you frustrated all watching football? Just I mean, how 286 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 2: much you guys studied the game, became students of the game. 287 00:12:56,559 --> 00:13:01,679 Speaker 2: Watching today's game, it just seems a little less, let's say, 288 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,520 Speaker 2: call it organized or planned out. You know what I'm 289 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 2: saying as far as that goes, because you guys really 290 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 2: studied your craft. And I want to glance over that 291 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 2: because that's a big deal. 292 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 3: Yeah. So I tell guys all the time, and it 293 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 3: was a veterans league when I came in. I mean 294 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 3: that was a guy for got to be there. Ten 295 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 3: twelve years wasn't a big thing. You know, we see 296 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:25,160 Speaker 3: Harrison Noalogy in fourteen year and it seems like a dinosaur. 297 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 3: It's a young man's league. I think evolution is real. 298 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 3: The sport is a lot faster. Obviously, the more points 299 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 3: get scored, the more entertainment, the more fantasy. I think. Personally, 300 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 3: I think it's taken away from the game that I 301 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,200 Speaker 3: grew up to love, right, But in this day and age, 302 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,439 Speaker 3: the game is what it is for the people who 303 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 3: are growing up in it now, and so I just 304 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 3: being an older guy, I just have to adapt to it. 305 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 3: And accept it for what it is. And at the 306 00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 3: end of the day, man, for me personally, the exits 307 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 3: and those of the game don't matter as much to 308 00:13:55,679 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 3: me today as the you know, the mental health of 309 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 3: the players that are playing it, the young guys coming up, 310 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 3: making sure they're prepared for what they're going to go 311 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,000 Speaker 3: through in the future. I just see the game from 312 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 3: a top down approach. 313 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: Well, mister, you used football as kind of a means 314 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: to an end. There's a lot of players do understanding. 315 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: Your career got a shelf life of X number of years, 316 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,560 Speaker 1: and after football, you've certainly made it your mission to 317 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: get back to the youth communities in your area. Uh 318 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 1: what kind of prompted you to do that and getting 319 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 1: involved and why is it so important to you? 320 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 3: Man? Honestly so for me, I've always been connected to 321 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,080 Speaker 3: my to my neighborhood where I grew up, to my 322 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 3: city and everything, and I've always given back and done things, 323 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 3: but it's really been under the table, Like I didn't. 324 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 3: I'm not one of the guys to give feed the 325 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 3: homeless and tell a recorded and say look what I did. 326 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 3: I always thought that was it didn't sit well in 327 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 3: my spirit and so I got to a point where 328 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 3: I was talking to a really good friend of mine 329 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 3: and he told me, he was like, listen, man, I 330 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 3: understand why you feel that way, but these younger guys 331 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 3: need to see you doing these things, so when they 332 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 3: come up, you know, and it's their turn to give back, 333 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 3: they could see what it's supposed to look like. And 334 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 3: for a long time after I left the NFL, I 335 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 3: was not able to watch football. That's just the fact. 336 00:15:08,720 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 3: I just wasn't able to watch it. I didn't watch 337 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 3: the NFL, I didn't watch college. And then my nephew 338 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 3: started playing Pop Warner and I was just kind of 339 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 3: forced to go to the game to support him. And 340 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:20,920 Speaker 3: I rediscovered my love and passion for football at the 341 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 3: youth league football fields, and from there I was able 342 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 3: to you know what, man Harrison still playing, Man, I 343 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 3: let me go support my brother Man, And so I 344 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 3: first came back to a Viking game just to support Harrison, 345 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 3: and from there it just led to I got a 346 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 3: chance to see how much love was still there in 347 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 3: the organization for me and all those sorts of things, 348 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 3: and so for me to give back, it's literally just 349 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 3: because I know that someday I hope those kids do 350 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 3: the same and the more hands we can get in 351 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 3: the plot giving back, we could take care of our 352 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 3: community and sustain you know, generations to come. 353 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 2: You're a dual citizen of the United States in Ghana. 354 00:15:56,240 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 2: Talk to us about that and your connection with Africa, 355 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 2: with football in Africa and what you're hoping to do 356 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: and hoping the bridge there. 357 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. So, uh, you know, seeing what some of the 358 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,440 Speaker 3: guys are doing, even even where a former Viking, Brian 359 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 3: Brian More he like where he's he's from Ghana as well, 360 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 3: and so the things if you look into it, the 361 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 3: things that they're doing to bring more awareness to the 362 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 3: sport and from from that side of the of the ocean, 363 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 3: it's it's really special and I'm excited to see how 364 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 3: much it grows. 365 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: Is it Is it from a just a spectator standpoint 366 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: or actively wanting to play the game, And are you 367 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: seeing it evolved? Like you know, guys want to play 368 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: football right now because they they watch you. 369 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 3: Know, they these kids want to play, So they're developing 370 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 3: leagues there they started, you know obviously like seven on seven. 371 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 3: I think I think that one of the team, you know, 372 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 3: the Global Initiative and we all have been assigned these 373 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 3: different regions. I believe the Philadelphia Eagles have Ghana, and 374 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 3: so I mean if you go there, just over the 375 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 3: last four or five years, just me going back there, 376 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 3: I've just seen more and more football, Like it's growing 377 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 3: that like now they're you know, they've developed actually where 378 00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 3: they go play in other countries and now you know, 379 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 3: NFL Africa has become a thing and through the National 380 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:09,360 Speaker 3: Football League and it's it's it's gonna be special to see. 381 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 3: I mean, these kids are that they're talented and all 382 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 3: they just need is the opportunity to show that, you know, 383 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 3: that able to to play in this league. And if 384 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 3: you look around and you look around the scope of 385 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 3: the league, you see see a lot of reflection of 386 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 3: Africa in the league to this day. 387 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 2: And you do you think that you were not too 388 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,400 Speaker 2: far away from seeing an international game there. 389 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, I I would hope so absolutely. I would being 390 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 3: full supported that I think that you know, we I'm 391 00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 3: seeing games pop up all over We're doing Berlin, We're 392 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,679 Speaker 3: doing Mexico City, We're doing all these different places. I mean, 393 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:41,760 Speaker 3: at some point, I think it's only right to bring 394 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 3: an international game to the to the continent of Africa 395 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 3: that I think they deserve it. Their fans just like 396 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 3: big as big a fans as any other nation you 397 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 3: could think of. And and I would be all for 398 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,120 Speaker 3: I'll tell you what, when it happens, I'll be there. 399 00:17:55,600 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: Athletes are generally speaking, risk takers within reason. And I 400 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: know you recently went skydiving with the US Army Golden Knights. 401 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: Was this a bucket list thing with you or how 402 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: did that opportunity come about? And why did you say yes? 403 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 3: So that was actually part two of my midlife practice. 404 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 3: Part one was moving to Africa. Part two was good diving. 405 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 3: You know, I tell myself, I survived it. I can 406 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 3: survive anything. But no, my my cousin is he played 407 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 3: at West Point, he played for Army, and he's a 408 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 3: he's he's in the Army. He's in the recruiting area. 409 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 3: And so having the opportunity to go out to gatherves 410 00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 3: in Texas and and and spend some time out there 411 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,360 Speaker 3: learning about the army and all the things that it's 412 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 3: done for uh, you know, to turn to get to 413 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:47,640 Speaker 3: give young people uh careers. You know, that's so many 414 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 3: careers in the Army that people don't know about and 415 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,359 Speaker 3: just having a chance to go out there and spend 416 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 3: that time was very impactful to me. And then to 417 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 3: have the experience to actually go up and you know, 418 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 3: do that sky diving thing. Man, it was exhilarating and 419 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 3: I felt like it was a one of those situations 420 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 3: was that where I like transcended spiritually. I can't explain it, man, 421 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 3: you just got to do it, Pete, you got to 422 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 3: do it. 423 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,680 Speaker 2: Well. I've been up with the Blue Angels and I've 424 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 2: live fired a tank, so uh, I don't know, man. 425 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 2: The parachute thing, what I've heard is that it's amazing 426 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 2: when you're up there because you see that you see 427 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 2: the earth from so high, the curvature of the earth right, 428 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,159 Speaker 2: and then everything just changes as you get closer, and 429 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 2: it's just it's got a metaphor of of how you 430 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,119 Speaker 2: look at life right and everything around you. 431 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, yea for the free fall aspect is one thing. 432 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:36,120 Speaker 2: Man. 433 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 3: You're like, you feel the wind, you feel the resistance, 434 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:41,360 Speaker 3: so it's kind of tough. But once once you once 435 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 3: that pass you opens and you can just glide. It's 436 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 3: just like letting go of everything. Man. It's it's just 437 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 3: like it's just your ford man, I can't explain the feeling. Yeah, 438 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 3: very glad, very fortunate to have that experience, and I'm 439 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 3: again very thankful and grateful to my cousin Josh Mitchell 440 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 3: for setting that up for me. 441 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: Well, you have tra vel around the world as busy 442 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: as you are with your family, et cetera. How long 443 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: has it been when you got to travel, bug, and 444 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: why is it so important for you to kind of 445 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: get out and experience all of it? And do you 446 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: have a favorite place that you you've landed over the years. 447 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:19,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean for me, I think it's something that 448 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 3: I've I've been gifted Honestly, I feel like just spiritually 449 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 3: me personally, for what my spirit needs is I've been 450 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 3: gifted with an ability to travel freely and to move 451 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 3: without and concern, and to travel to all these different places. 452 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 3: So to not utilize it or to not maximize it 453 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,239 Speaker 3: would be doing a disservice to the most out who 454 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 3: gave me these blessings to be able to do this. 455 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 3: And it's something that, like I said, when I was 456 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 3: very young, I traveled a lot. I had a a 457 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,159 Speaker 3: friend who who was older. He was his name is 458 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 3: last in his military was the first round picking the 459 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 3: MLB two thousand and three MLB drafts from my area, 460 00:20:57,440 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 3: and he's playing with the New York Mets. And anytime 461 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:01,879 Speaker 3: he would be in spring training or anytime he had 462 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:03,959 Speaker 3: a chance to bring me to Norfolk, Virginia or they 463 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 3: were doing spring training down in Port Saint Lucie, Florida, 464 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 3: like we would travel. He would give me the opportunity 465 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 3: and put me on planes, put me on a Greyhound. 466 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 3: And so I was always traveling since I was very 467 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,159 Speaker 3: very young in them. So that's something that I just 468 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,719 Speaker 3: kind of always wanted to keep going. And it just 469 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,320 Speaker 3: it's kind of evolved into who I am and not 470 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 3: just what I do. Is traveling is kind of like 471 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 3: who I am. 472 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 2: I kind of I think I know what kind of 473 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 2: traveler you are, and I might ask you a question. 474 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: There's there has to have been a place that you've 475 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,399 Speaker 2: walked to, whether it's historical or whatever, but you just 476 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,399 Speaker 2: felt an instant connection almost like you've been there before. 477 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 3: What's that? 478 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 2: What's that place for you? 479 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 3: I would say, I would say the castles and Cape Coast, 480 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 3: just west of across down On, which is the capital. 481 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 3: You go out to some of those to the slave castles, 482 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,639 Speaker 3: and you just got to experience and just have to 483 00:21:54,680 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 3: embrace what went there and just have to accept it 484 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,600 Speaker 3: and just just know that you know how far, how 485 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:03,919 Speaker 3: far along we've come, and things of that nature. And 486 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 3: for me, it's just been one of those things where 487 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 3: like walking those same cells and walking those chambers and 488 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 3: it just kind of just freed me as a person man, 489 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,360 Speaker 3: and just I don't know, I can't explain it, but yeah, 490 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 3: if that's one place that I can think of that 491 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 3: just kind of captivated me and just made me just 492 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 3: appreciate the abundance of life we have, man, all those 493 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 3: slave castles. 494 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: Miste was just walking walking along the hallways here at 495 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: Twin City Orthopedics, and you know, walking past a lot 496 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: of young guys on this Vikings team as you once were. 497 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: There are twenty something year olds. And if you could 498 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 1: go back in time and tell your shelf the one 499 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: twenty five year old self, what advice would you give 500 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 1: that person, And what advice would you have for these 501 00:22:47,880 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: young players today? 502 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 3: Yeah? I would, man, And they think so much different 503 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:55,879 Speaker 3: than we did. But for me personally, it is it 504 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 3: is the entire life after football thing. I mean, foot 505 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 3: all that window is so so very short man. And like, 506 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 3: if I look back now, I've already been ten years 507 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 3: removed from the NFL, and I was only there for 508 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 3: four years. So I've lived life twice as long on 509 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:13,919 Speaker 3: this side of football as I did when I was 510 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 3: in it. And that's so much life to live, man. 511 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 3: And there's so much opportunity still if you, you know, 512 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 3: treat people the right way and uh, you know, leave 513 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 3: a good name for yourself. There's so much opportunity for 514 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:29,240 Speaker 3: you to continue your legacy post career. And the one 515 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 3: thing I will say about the guy specifically in the 516 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 3: Vikings organization or in that building is there is no 517 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,720 Speaker 3: other organization that keeps the door open for alumni and 518 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 3: treats us as well as the Vikings do. I talk 519 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 3: to guys form of players or retired players from all 520 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 3: over the league, and they see the experiences I get 521 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,919 Speaker 3: to have when I come back to the Vikings and 522 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 3: all the people in that organization, the Legends Department, Tracy McDonald, 523 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 3: Tom West, Bratt Taylor, you know, all those people, Joe Rush, 524 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 3: Emily Weinberg, all the people that take care of me 525 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 3: when I come there, and you know, the experience is 526 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 3: so great. I would tell the guys that are playing 527 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 3: for the Vikings specifically that you know, just to harbor 528 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 3: those relationships. Just don't remember people that take care of 529 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 3: you when you were there, the guys that put the 530 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 3: tape on your ink, or the guy that ran and 531 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,199 Speaker 3: got your mouth piece when it on the field, when 532 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:19,359 Speaker 3: you dropped it and left it behind. Because trust me, 533 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 3: they're gonna remember you. And that's going to come a 534 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 3: time where you can come back there, and you know, 535 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 3: when you leave, bring your kids along, bring your family 536 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,120 Speaker 3: the people that maybe didn't have the chance to get 537 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 3: that experience. The Vikings do an amazing job of leaving 538 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 3: the door ophin for us. 539 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 2: And mister before we before we let you go, let 540 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 2: the listeners know how they can help support your foundation. 541 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 2: Where can we go to help you with your efforts 542 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:45,320 Speaker 2: in the community. 543 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 3: Yeah. So my foundation is the Mistre Raymond Recreation and 544 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 3: Education Foundation, well Florida based foundation, and I just created 545 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 3: it just to kind of support the communities that have 546 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 3: supported me. So I still do a lot of work 547 00:24:57,080 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 3: even in the Twin Cities. I support Youth Leave Football. 548 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,880 Speaker 3: They're the Cooper Young Kings. They play over up at 549 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 3: Cooper High School, which a former Viking. Actually, Willie Howard 550 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 3: is the athletic directed good friend of mine, Tim Crouch 551 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 3: and his wife Angela, they run that organization. So yeah, 552 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 3: the places I live, I have a footprint in and 553 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 3: I just try to continue my legacy there and just 554 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:19,840 Speaker 3: doing as much as I can for those inner city 555 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:22,439 Speaker 3: youth and expanding, you know, their scope of mind and 556 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 3: creating more opportunities for them. So honestly, man, I'm not 557 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:29,199 Speaker 3: hard to find. I'm very organic and racing. You can 558 00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 3: reach out to me directly, and you know, for me, 559 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 3: it's all about it's all about doing the right thing, 560 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 3: and the right thing is supporting the people that have 561 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 3: that boosts on the ground, that are looking after these 562 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 3: kids every single day. And so I just try to 563 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 3: do my part, man, And like I said, the more 564 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 3: hands we get in the bucket, the more we can 565 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 3: kind of sustain our communities. And that's what I'm all about. 566 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: Well, Michelle Raven, thank you so much. It's great catching 567 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 1: up with you today and thanks for coming on and 568 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: sharing your skull stories with us today. And you've got 569 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,439 Speaker 1: a great adventure still ahead of you and thanks for 570 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 1: all the work you do behind the scenes as well. 571 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 3: Man, absolutely, man I appreciate you guys having me on 572 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 3: that I look forward to seeing you all in a 573 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 3: couple of weeks. I'll be back up in Minnesota for 574 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:09,920 Speaker 3: you soon. 575 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 2: Thanks again to mister Raymond for joining the show today, 576 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 2: and thank you fans for tuning in to another edition 577 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 2: of Skull Stories. Be sure to check out all of 578 00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,640 Speaker 2: our content via the audio tab on Vikings dot com. 579 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 2: All iHeartMedia, feed, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. We'll see 580 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 2: you all again next week.