WEBVTT - Beyond The Snap 0:00:04.853 --> 0:00:15.013 Comeback Stories is a production I've Inflectioned Network and iHeartRadio. 0:00:15.813 --> 0:00:18.613 Welcome back, everyone to another episode of Comeback Stories. I'm 0:00:18.613 --> 0:00:21.213 one of your co hosts, Darren Waller, here for another 0:00:21.253 --> 0:00:23.333 episode with my guy, my brother, Donnie Starkins. 0:00:23.333 --> 0:00:24.413 Donnie, how we doing today? Man? 0:00:24.973 --> 0:00:25.453 Doing great? 0:00:25.493 --> 0:00:29.213 Man, I'm always excited on we record, typically on Tuesdays, 0:00:29.213 --> 0:00:31.133 I get hyped up for this because one I get 0:00:31.133 --> 0:00:33.013 to see you and two we get to drop into 0:00:33.053 --> 0:00:34.973 some some meaningful conversations. 0:00:34.973 --> 0:00:36.573 And I'm hyped for today. 0:00:36.853 --> 0:00:37.293 No doubt. 0:00:37.293 --> 0:00:40.733 Man, I'm super excited about today's guest. You may have 0:00:40.853 --> 0:00:43.373 seen him, know him from being under center down there 0:00:43.373 --> 0:00:47.053 in the swamp, but we're excited to dive into this 0:00:47.133 --> 0:00:49.853 man's story as a human being, things that he's faced 0:00:49.853 --> 0:00:52.133 and overcame in his life. Please welcome my man, Graham 0:00:52.173 --> 0:00:52.733 merch the show. 0:00:52.773 --> 0:00:53.013 Graham. 0:00:53.013 --> 0:00:53.493 How we doing? 0:00:54.093 --> 0:00:57.213 And I'm doing great. I'm blessed so looking forward to 0:00:57.213 --> 0:00:59.733 this man. I've seen some clips, so I'm fired up 0:00:59.773 --> 0:01:00.853 to dive into it a little bit. 0:01:01.213 --> 0:01:03.373 Yes, sir, man, blessed to have you. We love to 0:01:03.373 --> 0:01:05.773 start from the very beginning. People see where you're at 0:01:05.813 --> 0:01:08.013 now and see you're on TV playing in big games. 0:01:08.053 --> 0:01:10.853 But what was life like growing up for you just 0:01:11.093 --> 0:01:11.933 as a kid. 0:01:12.573 --> 0:01:14.853 Yeah, I mean, so I I got the hat on 0:01:15.013 --> 0:01:17.373 right now, kind of fitting. But I'm from a city 0:01:17.413 --> 0:01:21.453 right outside of Kansas City called Overland Park. But yeah, 0:01:21.493 --> 0:01:23.973 I grew up with a really close family. Two older 0:01:24.013 --> 0:01:26.853 sisters both were both were hoopers. I wanted to be 0:01:26.893 --> 0:01:29.573 a hooper, but didn't really work out for me. Wasn't 0:01:29.573 --> 0:01:33.973 that athletic, so I stuck with playing quarterback. But really 0:01:34.013 --> 0:01:37.213 close family. They're all my best friends, talk to them 0:01:37.213 --> 0:01:43.013 every day. So I mean, great upbringing in two amazing parents. 0:01:42.893 --> 0:01:43.293 No doubt. 0:01:43.293 --> 0:01:45.853 Man, how you said I talked about football. How early 0:01:45.893 --> 0:01:48.173 did playing football come into the picture for you? 0:01:49.093 --> 0:01:54.933 Man, I'd say my earliest memory obviously grew up to 0:01:54.973 --> 0:01:57.013 play flag football and all this stuff. But for me, 0:01:57.093 --> 0:01:59.493 it was the moment where I found out I really 0:01:59.533 --> 0:02:02.173 loved it. Was when I was going to my sister's 0:02:02.253 --> 0:02:05.733 basketball tournaments and I was actually like throwing the ball 0:02:05.773 --> 0:02:08.333 around at halftime instead of shooting. So I was like, 0:02:08.893 --> 0:02:11.773 probably means something, I probably really liked this, and then 0:02:12.413 --> 0:02:15.533 I mean just got obsessed with it. I still played basketball, 0:02:15.653 --> 0:02:19.893 still played baseball a little bit, so but man, I 0:02:19.933 --> 0:02:22.373 always loved football, So that was that was deep down 0:02:22.453 --> 0:02:26.413 something that I always leaned into any chance I had, 0:02:26.413 --> 0:02:29.253 whether it was in the neighborhood or watching TV, watching 0:02:29.293 --> 0:02:31.773 guys play, that was all about ball. 0:02:31.893 --> 0:02:32.013 Man. 0:02:32.533 --> 0:02:32.973 I feel you. 0:02:33.013 --> 0:02:33.133 Man. 0:02:33.173 --> 0:02:35.853 My mom always tells a story about when I was young, 0:02:35.893 --> 0:02:39.213 like I'd be playing football, or it'd be basketball season, 0:02:39.253 --> 0:02:41.493 baseball season. I tried tennis for a little bit, but 0:02:41.533 --> 0:02:43.613 no matter what it was, what uniform I was wearing, 0:02:43.653 --> 0:02:45.493 I'd be running around the house with a football or 0:02:45.533 --> 0:02:48.333 like sleeping with sleeping with the football. 0:02:48.373 --> 0:02:49.053 You know what I'm saying. 0:02:49.133 --> 0:02:52.453 So, uh, nerfball, a little squishy nerfball, run around everywhere 0:02:52.453 --> 0:02:53.533 with that thing exactly. 0:02:53.653 --> 0:02:56.213 Never could get enough. But I want to ask you 0:02:56.213 --> 0:02:58.973 a question that we always ask like was there anything 0:02:59.013 --> 0:03:04.493 from your childhood that was maybe painful or confusing or 0:03:04.573 --> 0:03:05.293 affected the way you. 0:03:05.293 --> 0:03:05.973 Looked at life? 0:03:06.013 --> 0:03:08.853 And I asked that because for me, growing up, I 0:03:08.853 --> 0:03:12.293 felt very confused as far as maybe like finding my identity. 0:03:12.373 --> 0:03:15.533 I always felt like a strange kid. I was very sensitive, 0:03:16.173 --> 0:03:17.853 just felt like nothing that I did really fit in 0:03:17.893 --> 0:03:20.133 and I kind of got rejected for it, kind of 0:03:20.133 --> 0:03:23.173 made fun of for it, and I kind of dove 0:03:23.213 --> 0:03:24.933 into football. I was like, this is my way to 0:03:25.013 --> 0:03:28.213 prove myself, for me to be accepted in society. Was 0:03:28.253 --> 0:03:31.173 there anything growing up for you that may have impacted 0:03:31.173 --> 0:03:32.453 your perspective in that kind of way. 0:03:33.173 --> 0:03:36.173 Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna go a different same topic, 0:03:36.213 --> 0:03:39.573 but a different way of twisting it. I'd say growing up, 0:03:39.653 --> 0:03:42.133 I didn't really have any hardships. I mean, my parents 0:03:42.133 --> 0:03:44.093 did a great job of providing for me and working 0:03:44.093 --> 0:03:48.533 hard for our family, which I thoroughly appreciate. So for me, 0:03:48.653 --> 0:03:51.093 it was it was actually going through not a ton 0:03:51.133 --> 0:03:54.253 of hardships and then getting into the older years of 0:03:54.253 --> 0:03:57.093 my life where I started hitting those and then then 0:03:57.093 --> 0:03:59.013 you run into what you just talked about about finding 0:03:59.253 --> 0:04:03.213 your true identity, your values, what makes you go, makes 0:04:03.213 --> 0:04:06.293 you pick. So for me, it was it was growing 0:04:06.373 --> 0:04:08.493 up and like I was, I was blessed to have 0:04:08.533 --> 0:04:12.853 a great family, great foundation, a great household, and I 0:04:12.933 --> 0:04:15.733 think that down the road that was one thing that 0:04:16.253 --> 0:04:19.733 I mean, you don't wish hardship on yourself, but I 0:04:19.773 --> 0:04:22.333 think it's one thing to realize that that's in order 0:04:22.373 --> 0:04:24.373 to get to where you want to go, that's necessary, 0:04:24.813 --> 0:04:26.453 and you got it. You got to dive into that 0:04:26.493 --> 0:04:28.653 when you get when you get opportunities like that. So 0:04:29.253 --> 0:04:31.293 for me, i'd say that kind of came later down 0:04:31.293 --> 0:04:35.053 the road after not really having a lot in my childhood. 0:04:35.773 --> 0:04:40.333 You're always you're loved, everybody's always surrounding you and and 0:04:40.813 --> 0:04:42.693 supporting you, and then when you get on your own, 0:04:42.933 --> 0:04:46.253 that really tests that that foundation and your values. So 0:04:46.773 --> 0:04:48.293 for me, it was later down the road. 0:04:49.893 --> 0:04:52.533 It's a very wise thing for you to say. I mean, 0:04:52.573 --> 0:04:55.253 I know when I was, I mean, how old are you? 0:04:55.293 --> 0:04:57.453 Just turned twenty three? Man? So I'm getting old in 0:04:57.493 --> 0:04:58.613 my in my college years. 0:04:58.893 --> 0:05:01.373 Yeah, I mean looking back to when I was twenty three, 0:05:01.493 --> 0:05:03.053 you would never hear the words come out of my 0:05:03.093 --> 0:05:07.173 mouth like adversity is something that I need. Adversity is 0:05:07.173 --> 0:05:11.533 something that I welcome or I see as necessary for 0:05:11.733 --> 0:05:14.653 my growth. And I think that's powerful because there's a 0:05:14.693 --> 0:05:17.453 lot of young guys in your position that may be 0:05:17.533 --> 0:05:19.693 going through things that you're going through, asking why is 0:05:19.693 --> 0:05:22.293 this happening? Like how did I get here? Why are 0:05:22.333 --> 0:05:24.653 things not going my way? And just because it may 0:05:24.693 --> 0:05:27.493 be a season of things not going their way, they 0:05:27.493 --> 0:05:30.293 may see it as just life totally not going their way. 0:05:30.333 --> 0:05:32.493 So I think that's that's really dope. 0:05:32.493 --> 0:05:35.973 And Donnie and I know you got something for that. 0:05:36.333 --> 0:05:38.653 Yeah, I'm chomping at the bid always, but I mean 0:05:38.693 --> 0:05:41.773 it's graam. So I think I know like one city 0:05:41.853 --> 0:05:45.893 and it's Overland Park. Would be Kansas, Right, there's like 0:05:45.933 --> 0:05:48.053 one city I know in Kansas and it's Overland Park. 0:05:48.133 --> 0:05:52.853 Because one of my friends and clients, Tyron Matthew, live 0:05:52.933 --> 0:05:55.693 in Overland Park, and I would go out and travel 0:05:55.733 --> 0:05:57.653 and do one on one stuff with them all the time, 0:05:57.653 --> 0:05:59.333 and I'd fly in and fly out the same day. 0:05:59.333 --> 0:06:03.453 But it was Overland Park was the city I was in. Yeah, 0:06:03.533 --> 0:06:04.053 that's cool. 0:06:04.493 --> 0:06:07.613 Best barbecue in the country. Man, Oh, it is no debate. 0:06:08.933 --> 0:06:10.173 I'm curious for you. 0:06:10.493 --> 0:06:13.693 Okay, So not a lot of childhood shit, like, not 0:06:13.773 --> 0:06:16.773 a lot of hardship, but obviously it came in college 0:06:16.813 --> 0:06:19.893 and maybe you can take us through. Yeah, I just 0:06:19.973 --> 0:06:22.213 walk us through college or maybe walk us through like 0:06:22.333 --> 0:06:25.093 senior year and the hype and we also want to 0:06:25.133 --> 0:06:28.933 know a lot about like, yeah, there's all the good stuff, right, 0:06:28.933 --> 0:06:32.133 but then the pressures that come with the hype of 0:06:32.493 --> 0:06:35.733 you know, maybe after your All American game, like everything 0:06:35.733 --> 0:06:38.533 that came after that. So maybe walk us through senior 0:06:38.613 --> 0:06:40.093 year and then college. 0:06:40.853 --> 0:06:44.093 Yeah, so I actually we'll go back to junior year 0:06:44.093 --> 0:06:47.733 because that's when kind of everything started. So started off. 0:06:48.333 --> 0:06:51.213 I went to a private high school and then transferred 0:06:51.213 --> 0:06:53.893 after my sophomore year. So it was kind of that 0:06:53.933 --> 0:06:56.373 stage where sophomore year guys are starting to get on 0:06:56.413 --> 0:06:59.333 the scene, starting to get recruited, and I'm over here, 0:06:59.373 --> 0:07:01.373 like I need to play. Because I had an older 0:07:01.373 --> 0:07:03.933 guy ahead of me that was Gatorade Player of the Year, 0:07:04.093 --> 0:07:06.093 greatly on the team, and I was like, and he 0:07:06.173 --> 0:07:10.173 was coming back for senior year, so I figured I 0:07:10.213 --> 0:07:12.413 wanted to transfer closer to home. So I actually did 0:07:12.453 --> 0:07:14.893 that in high school and went to the public school 0:07:14.973 --> 0:07:18.453 right down the road. And then going into that year, 0:07:19.173 --> 0:07:21.733 the first year really starting, I actually I got offered 0:07:21.733 --> 0:07:25.013 by Kansas and then Wisconsin right away after. It was 0:07:25.093 --> 0:07:27.933 Kansas before the season, Wisconsin was after like week two, 0:07:28.853 --> 0:07:30.853 and then I went on a visit and I fell 0:07:30.893 --> 0:07:33.733 in love with Wisconsin. I fell in love with the people, 0:07:34.293 --> 0:07:36.933 the atmosphere, the city, everything that went along with it, 0:07:37.853 --> 0:07:41.573 the history. So I actually committed there and then play 0:07:41.613 --> 0:07:43.693 the rest of the year, and that was when kind 0:07:43.733 --> 0:07:47.853 of the offers started. Rolling in and I think, gosh, 0:07:47.893 --> 0:07:49.893 I don't even remember how many it was, but it 0:07:49.973 --> 0:07:54.573 was it was pretty much at anybody not to toot 0:07:54.613 --> 0:07:56.613 my own horn. But that's kind of the that's what 0:07:56.693 --> 0:07:59.173 the spot we got to. And you get to that 0:07:59.173 --> 0:08:02.133 that high rank status and as a young kid like that, 0:08:02.173 --> 0:08:04.973 can that can do things subconsciously, do you mind where 0:08:04.973 --> 0:08:07.293 you're like, oh, like I got some bag, like I'm 0:08:07.293 --> 0:08:10.293 gonna go in as a freshman, I'm gonna start I'm 0:08:10.293 --> 0:08:12.973 gonna be three and out like that mindset, so that 0:08:12.973 --> 0:08:17.573 that kind of subconsciously probably creeped in. Like obviously with 0:08:17.573 --> 0:08:20.933 my family being being so awesome and so supportive, I mean, 0:08:21.453 --> 0:08:22.893 they kept it real with me and they were like, look, 0:08:22.933 --> 0:08:24.933 you still got to work. So I always kind of 0:08:24.973 --> 0:08:29.053 had that reminder through my family and uh, like I said, 0:08:29.053 --> 0:08:31.413 two older sisters that were Hoopers played in college, so 0:08:31.453 --> 0:08:33.613 they kind of went through the whole recruiting process. So 0:08:34.493 --> 0:08:37.053 for me, junior was good, it was great, committed, and 0:08:37.093 --> 0:08:40.093 then senior year came and I was just so ready 0:08:40.133 --> 0:08:44.533 to get started at Wisconsin, so graduated early and ended 0:08:44.613 --> 0:08:47.333 up going in there. There was the first time in 0:08:47.373 --> 0:08:49.413 my life being on my own and I think that's 0:08:49.413 --> 0:08:52.333 one thing that as soon as you have that initial switch, 0:08:52.493 --> 0:08:54.213 like you might be ready for it, you might not, 0:08:54.413 --> 0:08:57.373 and you won't know until you're directly in it. And me, 0:08:57.453 --> 0:09:00.653 it was I was there and I was doing it, 0:09:01.093 --> 0:09:04.453 but I wasn't mentally all in on what I was doing, 0:09:04.853 --> 0:09:06.973 like I was. I was just kind of checking the boxes, 0:09:07.213 --> 0:09:09.573 like did I watch film today? Yeah, I don't know 0:09:09.573 --> 0:09:12.493 what I watched, but I watched it like subconsciously telling 0:09:12.493 --> 0:09:15.533 myself like, I'm doing all the right stuff, when in reality, like, 0:09:16.213 --> 0:09:18.933 the only way you truly grow is to see where 0:09:18.933 --> 0:09:22.013 you're falling short, where your weaknesses are, and attacking them. 0:09:22.173 --> 0:09:24.693 So for me, it was it was being on my 0:09:24.773 --> 0:09:27.813 own and that tested me. I mean, and the second 0:09:27.893 --> 0:09:31.373 you get to college, there's so many extra distractions. This 0:09:31.493 --> 0:09:34.253 was before all the nil and all that stuff. So 0:09:34.813 --> 0:09:36.933 I'm an old head now in college. Everybody's like, where 0:09:36.973 --> 0:09:41.693 were days like that where there's no nil souh. But yeah, 0:09:41.693 --> 0:09:43.133 for me, I mean, I mean that was rough. That 0:09:43.373 --> 0:09:46.053 was the first time in my life where, like I was, 0:09:47.213 --> 0:09:49.853 you're going through weeks and you just feel like you're 0:09:49.893 --> 0:09:52.653 just passing by, And for me, it was like I 0:09:52.693 --> 0:09:55.693 wanted to play. I didn't know. I didn't know what 0:09:55.733 --> 0:09:57.213 I had to do to get on the field other 0:09:57.293 --> 0:09:58.893 than what I was doing. So it was like there 0:09:58.973 --> 0:10:01.253 was so much room to improve to get on the 0:10:01.253 --> 0:10:05.333 field and be ready that I I was just going through. 0:10:05.413 --> 0:10:07.453 I was going through the motions and trying to find 0:10:07.453 --> 0:10:10.293 myself at the same time. So I'd say that was 0:10:10.333 --> 0:10:12.533 probably that freshman year was rough. I mean it was 0:10:12.613 --> 0:10:14.253 it was a fun season to be a part of, 0:10:14.573 --> 0:10:17.133 but I mean, you're a freshman not playing, and you 0:10:17.173 --> 0:10:20.573 had all these expectations and you think you should be 0:10:20.573 --> 0:10:22.413 doing something like you shoul think you should be playing, 0:10:22.733 --> 0:10:26.133 but in reality, you're not ready. So I'd say for 0:10:26.213 --> 0:10:28.573 me that was that was the first challenge that kind 0:10:28.613 --> 0:10:30.293 of kind of presented itself. 0:10:30.573 --> 0:10:33.093 And then I had a question for you regarding I 0:10:33.173 --> 0:10:35.653 heard your story about how you created a spreadsheet with 0:10:35.653 --> 0:10:38.093 your dad when you were choosing colleges, and it brought 0:10:38.133 --> 0:10:40.773 me back to my I played college baseball and I 0:10:41.053 --> 0:10:43.373 had three surgeries before I graduated high school. So the 0:10:43.373 --> 0:10:45.213 book was out on me. It's like, no one's going 0:10:45.253 --> 0:10:47.013 to invest in a lemon, right. I knew I wasn't 0:10:47.013 --> 0:10:50.293 going to go like get drafted, but I wanted to 0:10:50.293 --> 0:10:53.293 play college ball, and I ran with a noticeable limb, 0:10:53.613 --> 0:10:55.653 and so nobody was like really, So I went to 0:10:55.693 --> 0:10:58.213 junior college and then you know, had this really good 0:10:58.253 --> 0:11:00.213 game and hit two home runs and one was a 0:11:00.253 --> 0:11:02.613 walk off on like a showcase game they were doing 0:11:02.613 --> 0:11:05.253 for sophomores. And then everything change that day and then 0:11:05.293 --> 0:11:07.693 al a sudden, everybody wanted me in one one game. 0:11:07.733 --> 0:11:10.493 And my dad always used to say, always play hard 0:11:10.493 --> 0:11:13.773 because you never know who's watching, and it's like life right, 0:11:14.533 --> 0:11:16.693 And that day everything changed. But then I had to 0:11:16.693 --> 0:11:19.933 squeeze in like four recruiting trips in two weeks before 0:11:19.933 --> 0:11:24.173 the signing deadline, and so I had like Nebraska, Texas Tech, Utah, 0:11:24.213 --> 0:11:28.253 and Arizona State. And I remember when I signed everything 0:11:28.253 --> 0:11:31.133 I wanted, the letters and like college coaches blowing you 0:11:31.253 --> 0:11:34.293 up turned into a nightmare because when it came time 0:11:34.333 --> 0:11:35.013 to sign. 0:11:34.813 --> 0:11:36.013 I didn't know what I wanted to do. 0:11:36.973 --> 0:11:40.093 And ultimately I feel like I made a choice that 0:11:40.293 --> 0:11:44.213 wasn't my I don't know what I did, but it wasn't. 0:11:44.253 --> 0:11:46.293 It was Nebraska, and it didn't. It didn't work out 0:11:46.453 --> 0:11:49.013 like it was. I lived in Arizona and I didn't 0:11:49.053 --> 0:11:53.213 realize like Arizona's Arizona and Nebraska's Nebraska, but you don't 0:11:53.213 --> 0:11:56.093 realize until you go right. So I'm just curious for you, 0:11:56.773 --> 0:11:57.693 what was that process? 0:11:57.733 --> 0:12:00.373 Did you know for sure? Was Wisconsin the fuck? 0:12:00.453 --> 0:12:01.013 Yeah? 0:12:01.053 --> 0:12:02.933 And how did you choose Wisconsin. 0:12:02.533 --> 0:12:05.693 Over like Alabama, Georgia and all the big dogs? 0:12:06.013 --> 0:12:09.933 Yeah, So I've skipped right past that part, so I'm 0:12:09.933 --> 0:12:12.693 glad you brought that back. So, I mean, for me, 0:12:13.053 --> 0:12:16.213 I committed so early, and one thing my parents are 0:12:16.213 --> 0:12:19.133 always like, if you put your word into something, you 0:12:19.173 --> 0:12:20.973 put your trust, you put everything into it. You got 0:12:20.973 --> 0:12:23.573 to stand by that. So that was one thing that 0:12:23.693 --> 0:12:27.053 just going through that process. I mean, obviously, you got 0:12:27.693 --> 0:12:29.853 Nick Saban rolling up to your high school, Urban Meyer 0:12:29.853 --> 0:12:32.813 at the time it was Ohio State rolling in and 0:12:32.853 --> 0:12:35.173 You're like, I want to go see these places, but 0:12:35.973 --> 0:12:38.573 I already made a commitment to this place. So for me, 0:12:38.653 --> 0:12:40.253 I feel like that was kind of tugging at me 0:12:40.293 --> 0:12:43.693 the whole time. And and the hard part it was 0:12:43.733 --> 0:12:45.573 I was like one of the first commits in my class, 0:12:45.573 --> 0:12:48.453 So I'm out there recruiting all these guys and you 0:12:48.493 --> 0:12:51.453 build those relationships and you're like, wait, we're in this together, 0:12:51.573 --> 0:12:54.573 like this is bigger than just me and for me 0:12:54.653 --> 0:12:57.093 in the end, like I had a few schools that 0:12:57.133 --> 0:12:59.933 were coming in late and really trying to flip me, 0:13:00.093 --> 0:13:02.413 and I did actually take a few officials. I went 0:13:02.453 --> 0:13:06.253 down to Georgia, I went to Ohio State, and I 0:13:06.253 --> 0:13:08.253 mean it was it was tempting, but in the end, 0:13:08.293 --> 0:13:10.893 I mean I thought long and hard about it, and 0:13:11.933 --> 0:13:15.533 my heart was in Wisconsin and I wanted to I 0:13:15.573 --> 0:13:17.653 wanted to do something there that hadn't been done, and 0:13:17.653 --> 0:13:20.013 that was kind of everything that was our class was 0:13:20.053 --> 0:13:22.653 talking about, and that's what was pushing me to stick 0:13:22.693 --> 0:13:25.693 to my work. So I think, I think in the end, 0:13:27.333 --> 0:13:30.133 I'm even right now, I'm so thankful I went there 0:13:30.413 --> 0:13:33.573 because it taught me again on the field, it didn't 0:13:33.613 --> 0:13:35.933 work out the way I wanted or how it pictured it, 0:13:35.973 --> 0:13:38.733 but it showed me who I am as a man 0:13:39.093 --> 0:13:41.413 and who I want to be going forward. And it 0:13:41.453 --> 0:13:45.573 taught me all that stuff that all the all those 0:13:45.573 --> 0:13:48.213 hardships you go through, it it teaches you about yourself. 0:13:48.293 --> 0:13:51.333 So yeah, I'm forever thankful. 0:13:51.013 --> 0:13:55.133 For going there, no doubt. Man, I'm I'm interested in wondering. 0:13:55.413 --> 0:13:59.253 You know, you see how today how like hectic and crazy. 0:13:59.293 --> 0:14:02.293 The whole transfer portal thing seems and it's kind of 0:14:02.293 --> 0:14:05.253 like a business decision guy just you know, for their 0:14:05.293 --> 0:14:07.013 own brand. Maybe you guys have a lot of different 0:14:07.053 --> 0:14:09.973 reasons in they're entitled to that. But as you as 0:14:10.013 --> 0:14:11.933 somebody that was like, Okay, I'm going into this thing, 0:14:11.933 --> 0:14:16.013 I'm committed to this school, I'm committed to this program. 0:14:16.413 --> 0:14:18.493 What was it like was it a little bit of 0:14:18.533 --> 0:14:20.813 like just like a lot of different thoughts of like, man, 0:14:20.853 --> 0:14:23.533 am I not a man of my word when it 0:14:23.573 --> 0:14:25.893 came time to like transfer and make a decision to 0:14:25.893 --> 0:14:28.813 go somewhere else, Like what led you to that process? 0:14:28.853 --> 0:14:31.133 And what was it like making that decision. 0:14:32.053 --> 0:14:36.013 Yeah, that's a great question. I think for me, it 0:14:36.053 --> 0:14:38.333 was a tough choice. It was a really tough choice. 0:14:38.853 --> 0:14:42.333 And I just felt like after that freshman year, after 0:14:42.373 --> 0:14:45.813 I started playing for a while, I figured out, I 0:14:45.813 --> 0:14:50.133 figured out my process how I approach everything, and I 0:14:50.253 --> 0:14:53.533 just I needed something fresh and our coach got fired 0:14:53.853 --> 0:14:55.293 and I was getting to the end of my career. 0:14:55.453 --> 0:14:57.413 So for me, it was like, you get to that 0:14:57.453 --> 0:14:59.333 point of your career, we only have one or two 0:14:59.413 --> 0:15:03.053 years and you don't know who the coaches are coming 0:15:03.053 --> 0:15:05.213 in the offense you're going to be running. So for me, 0:15:05.293 --> 0:15:08.213 it was it was all about scheme in which scheme 0:15:08.253 --> 0:15:10.813 fits me best? Is it something I don't know or 0:15:10.813 --> 0:15:13.253 should I go look for something and weigh all my 0:15:13.333 --> 0:15:16.733 options before I make a decision. So, I mean I 0:15:16.773 --> 0:15:19.533 had I had great relationships out there. I mean I 0:15:19.613 --> 0:15:21.973 have so many friends to this day that are up there. 0:15:23.013 --> 0:15:24.933 So it was an easy decision and it was a 0:15:25.013 --> 0:15:28.293 rough one. But I mean, in the end, there's points 0:15:28.293 --> 0:15:29.973 and seasons of your life where I feel like you 0:15:30.053 --> 0:15:32.733 have to be selfish and you have to you have 0:15:32.813 --> 0:15:35.373 to think about what's best for you. I don't think 0:15:35.413 --> 0:15:37.653 that's true all the time, but I think that there 0:15:37.693 --> 0:15:40.693 are definitely points where you have to be true with 0:15:40.733 --> 0:15:42.853 yourself on Okay, do I need to be selfish in 0:15:42.893 --> 0:15:46.293 this or not? And I think when you get in 0:15:46.333 --> 0:15:49.733 those personal settings, not really team settings, I think that's appropriate. 0:15:49.893 --> 0:15:52.533 But in the end, I mean, I made the decision, 0:15:52.973 --> 0:15:55.893 and it wasn't fun at the time, and you're sitting 0:15:55.933 --> 0:15:58.253 home when your buddies aren't bull prep playing in a 0:15:58.293 --> 0:16:00.853 bowl game, and you're you got eighteen days to figure 0:16:00.853 --> 0:16:04.013 out where to go. So that was also another that 0:16:04.053 --> 0:16:05.333 was also stressful time. 0:16:06.253 --> 0:16:08.333 Yeah, man, I think I think you said it so well. 0:16:09.693 --> 0:16:12.373 Being able to have the balance and knowing like when 0:16:12.413 --> 0:16:17.893 it's right to choose yourself investing yourself and not maybe 0:16:17.933 --> 0:16:21.493 be over extending yourself and saying, oh, well, it may 0:16:21.533 --> 0:16:22.293 look bad. 0:16:22.133 --> 0:16:24.213 If I leave. People's opinions of me. 0:16:25.733 --> 0:16:28.733 Might take a hit at Wisconsin, but it's like, Okay, 0:16:28.733 --> 0:16:29.933 at the end of the day, I have wants and 0:16:30.053 --> 0:16:32.533 nees and I have the right to fulfill those and 0:16:32.653 --> 0:16:36.573 set myself up for the future. And you know what 0:16:36.693 --> 0:16:38.093 I want to see and the way things that I 0:16:38.133 --> 0:16:40.973 want to experience in my career. So I think the 0:16:41.013 --> 0:16:42.973 way that you put that is is dope, man. 0:16:43.693 --> 0:16:44.453 Appreciate that. 0:16:45.933 --> 0:16:49.573 Yeah, I think it's I want I wanted to ask you, 0:16:49.613 --> 0:16:55.173 Graham about the lowest point at Wisconsin. Darren and I 0:16:55.293 --> 0:16:57.533 work and talk a lot on this podcast and have 0:16:57.613 --> 0:17:00.653 been working together about quieting the noise and you know, 0:17:00.733 --> 0:17:03.213 finding your center and not taking things personally and all 0:17:03.213 --> 0:17:06.773 these things that that are really you know, we weren't 0:17:06.773 --> 0:17:10.093 taught this stuff in school. And it also brings me 0:17:10.133 --> 0:17:12.413 back to real quick. I'll come back to that point. 0:17:13.213 --> 0:17:16.093 I had someone kind of talking about the nil process 0:17:16.333 --> 0:17:18.693 and I and you know, I started to explain to 0:17:18.773 --> 0:17:23.093 this person that they are learning so much more about life, 0:17:23.413 --> 0:17:26.733 like applicable life in this little stint that they had 0:17:26.773 --> 0:17:29.173 with Nil than anything they're going to learn in college. 0:17:29.173 --> 0:17:31.373 And sorry if that's a knock on college, but that's 0:17:31.413 --> 0:17:34.213 just facts, like they're going to learn a lot about 0:17:34.293 --> 0:17:36.893 business and marketing and all of those things and who 0:17:36.933 --> 0:17:41.333 to trust. So yeah, I just wanted to circle back 0:17:41.333 --> 0:17:43.773 to that before I forgot and then yeah, maybe take 0:17:43.813 --> 0:17:47.613 us through the lowest point and like how personal it 0:17:47.653 --> 0:17:49.533 got for you and how you allowed the noise to 0:17:49.573 --> 0:17:50.093 get to you. 0:17:50.813 --> 0:17:53.813 Yeah, I think that's that brought me to a point 0:17:53.813 --> 0:17:56.573 that I completely didn't bring up, and that's that's COVID. 0:17:56.973 --> 0:18:01.573 So for me, my first start was it was so 0:18:01.653 --> 0:18:04.413 COVID hit right after the Rose Bowl and then we 0:18:04.653 --> 0:18:08.573 off for what was it three four months of all 0:18:08.573 --> 0:18:11.573 the COVID stuff. But anyway, we come back and there's 0:18:11.573 --> 0:18:14.413 so much uncertainty, and that that uncertainty kind of got 0:18:14.413 --> 0:18:15.853 to me a little bit of like I don't know 0:18:15.893 --> 0:18:18.493 if we're playing, I need to be ready. I got 0:18:18.613 --> 0:18:22.133 I'm gonna get my first start. So I mean, you 0:18:22.213 --> 0:18:25.333 get especially in a situation like that in today's world 0:18:25.333 --> 0:18:27.813 where everything's all it's all social media. That's how you 0:18:27.853 --> 0:18:29.773 get your news, that's how you get everything. So you're 0:18:29.813 --> 0:18:32.893 always on it. You're locked in, you're locked in your house, 0:18:33.053 --> 0:18:36.613 just scrolling all day. So for me, it was that 0:18:36.733 --> 0:18:38.253 was the first time where I felt like I was 0:18:38.373 --> 0:18:42.253 letting social media dictate some of my thoughts and all that. 0:18:42.453 --> 0:18:46.493 So play the first game and it was probably, I 0:18:46.533 --> 0:18:49.333 mean my career Wisconsin, that was probably my best game. 0:18:49.573 --> 0:18:53.653 So it's like twenty twenty for twenty one five touchdowns 0:18:53.653 --> 0:18:56.213 and like you start your you start your career off 0:18:56.253 --> 0:18:58.893 like that. So it's like bang, starting off hot. And 0:18:59.693 --> 0:19:02.293 for that night, I mean, you're you're the man, and 0:19:02.333 --> 0:19:05.373 everybody's talking about you. You're getting posted everywhere, and for me, 0:19:05.453 --> 0:19:07.333 it was like, oh, like this is sweet, Like this 0:19:07.373 --> 0:19:09.893 is everything I envisioned it, being like, oh, this is 0:19:09.933 --> 0:19:13.253 this is the dream. And then go to sleep that night, 0:19:13.373 --> 0:19:16.973 wake up the next day, test positive for COVID. So 0:19:17.573 --> 0:19:19.493 at the time that was where it was. It was 0:19:19.533 --> 0:19:23.413 like ten to fourteen days isolation. So I got pulled 0:19:23.413 --> 0:19:27.653 out of my apartment, put in like a little dorm 0:19:27.733 --> 0:19:31.213 off campus in the woods for fourteen days by myself. 0:19:32.133 --> 0:19:34.533 So for me, that was that was the time where 0:19:34.533 --> 0:19:38.133 after like the highest of highs, I feel like, just mentally, 0:19:38.133 --> 0:19:40.853 I was at the lowest to lowest because I realized 0:19:40.893 --> 0:19:45.413 that I was I was not I wasn't satisfied or 0:19:45.493 --> 0:19:49.813 fulfilled with external things, and I thought that that was 0:19:49.853 --> 0:19:53.893 what I wanted. And after going through that, I mean, 0:19:54.493 --> 0:19:56.893 I feel like that was a turning point mentally for 0:19:56.973 --> 0:19:58.533 me where I was like, look, I gotta I gotta 0:19:58.573 --> 0:20:02.493 invest in myself, in my mental well being before I 0:20:02.573 --> 0:20:06.853 can even like worry about that stuff. I gotta make 0:20:06.893 --> 0:20:08.853 sure I'm good before I start doing all this. So 0:20:09.453 --> 0:20:12.533 I'd say that COVID year was really it was probably 0:20:12.573 --> 0:20:15.333 the biggest area of growth for me just mentally and 0:20:15.493 --> 0:20:18.253 understanding the world I was in and how it was 0:20:18.253 --> 0:20:21.173 different than high school. So I think that was that 0:20:21.253 --> 0:20:23.093 was one thing of going from the highest to highs 0:20:23.093 --> 0:20:26.613 to the lowest to lows that quick and in one day. 0:20:27.653 --> 0:20:29.213 So for me, that was that was one of the 0:20:29.253 --> 0:20:32.293 things that kind of shaped me into just thinking like, look, 0:20:32.293 --> 0:20:35.813 I need to develop my mindset and develop my approach. 0:20:35.893 --> 0:20:38.453 So that's such a yeah. 0:20:38.493 --> 0:20:40.133 Sorry, I was going to say, there's such a beautiful 0:20:40.213 --> 0:20:43.773 lesson there, of the lesson of impermanence, like that moment 0:20:43.853 --> 0:20:45.533 that you're describing. I feel like you're going to be 0:20:45.573 --> 0:20:47.933 able to help so many people with that story of 0:20:48.373 --> 0:20:50.853 writing the waves of life and like nothing's permanent and 0:20:50.893 --> 0:20:54.973 sometimes it lasts one game. Sometimes it can last a 0:20:55.133 --> 0:20:58.493 ridiculous career like Tom Brady, you know, and so you 0:20:58.573 --> 0:21:00.893 never know, right, And so what a gift that you 0:21:00.973 --> 0:21:02.573 got that. I know it didn't feel like it at 0:21:02.573 --> 0:21:05.053 the time, but clearly it's like you're using it as 0:21:05.093 --> 0:21:07.413 strength and you found a lot of growth through it. 0:21:07.773 --> 0:21:11.733 Oh yeah, yeah, I think it was big. And I mean, 0:21:12.013 --> 0:21:14.133 I don't know how much you guys talk about faith 0:21:14.173 --> 0:21:19.133 on here, but for me, the biggest thing was growing up. 0:21:19.213 --> 0:21:22.293 We went to church, but I wasn't always going to 0:21:22.493 --> 0:21:24.773 summer camp and the learning about that, so I didn't 0:21:24.773 --> 0:21:27.973 really have a We had a foundation, but nothing that 0:21:28.053 --> 0:21:30.373 I built on in my time. So for me, it 0:21:30.453 --> 0:21:33.093 was going to college and not having that and trying 0:21:33.133 --> 0:21:36.653 to figure out what it was to me. And i'd 0:21:36.693 --> 0:21:40.253 say it up until shoot, probably after my sophomore year, 0:21:40.613 --> 0:21:44.213 sophomore retro sophomore year at Wisconsin was when I really 0:21:44.253 --> 0:21:47.573 dove into it, and I realized that there were so 0:21:47.653 --> 0:21:50.853 many points in my life where I felt like I 0:21:50.933 --> 0:21:55.413 felt like I needed I needed it, And looking back 0:21:55.453 --> 0:21:56.733 at it, I mean, I feel like those were all 0:21:56.733 --> 0:21:59.373 points where you get those little hidden messages where we're like, 0:21:59.413 --> 0:22:01.733 all right, like this is a great time to relax faith, 0:22:02.013 --> 0:22:04.173 and looking back at it, I mean, I wish I 0:22:04.213 --> 0:22:06.493 would had that because I felt like that transition would 0:22:06.493 --> 0:22:07.213 have happened. Quicker. 0:22:08.093 --> 0:22:09.533 I love to hear you talk about faith. 0:22:09.573 --> 0:22:09.733 Man. 0:22:09.773 --> 0:22:11.693 We ain't on here trying to hit people over the 0:22:11.693 --> 0:22:14.053 head with it. But when somebody brings it up, man, 0:22:14.213 --> 0:22:18.133 it it brightens me up. Because that's what when I 0:22:18.133 --> 0:22:20.413 try to explain to people, like why I believe in God, 0:22:20.493 --> 0:22:23.733 it's like, there are a lot of moments where it's like, man, 0:22:23.773 --> 0:22:27.293 these things things are not going my way. I'd love 0:22:27.333 --> 0:22:28.653 for it to be different. I don't know when it's 0:22:28.653 --> 0:22:30.773 going to change. I don't know how it's going to change. 0:22:30.853 --> 0:22:33.973 But when you're at that point, it's like, would you 0:22:34.093 --> 0:22:36.773 rather believe that these things are going to change and 0:22:37.613 --> 0:22:39.733 have faith and have a trust that they are, or 0:22:39.813 --> 0:22:41.893 just sit here and continue to find the reasons as 0:22:41.893 --> 0:22:44.773 to why it won't work or sit here and wallow 0:22:44.853 --> 0:22:48.453 in why I'm here, how I got here, And it's like, nah, 0:22:48.533 --> 0:22:50.973 Like that's like it took me getting brought to my 0:22:51.093 --> 0:22:53.773 knees to really truly make that decision because I grew 0:22:53.853 --> 0:22:56.253 up going to church, Baptist church in the South, and 0:22:57.053 --> 0:22:59.973 church was a chore, you know, and having a relationship 0:23:00.013 --> 0:23:01.973 with God was more of a transactional thing, like if 0:23:02.013 --> 0:23:03.853 I did things, if I read the Bible, if I showed 0:23:03.933 --> 0:23:07.213 up to yeah, churched on Wednesday night and Sunday night, 0:23:07.293 --> 0:23:10.093 like that would give me a relationship a spiritual life. 0:23:10.133 --> 0:23:13.973 It's like, no, it's really just my own walk through prayer, meditation. 0:23:14.133 --> 0:23:17.853 How I feel connected is how I developed that. But 0:23:18.333 --> 0:23:20.053 that was never really there for me until I got 0:23:20.093 --> 0:23:23.413 brought to my knees from fdiction, being banned from the league, 0:23:23.573 --> 0:23:25.933 like all these things, man, And it's like now I 0:23:25.933 --> 0:23:27.733 look back and I'm like, I don't know how I 0:23:27.733 --> 0:23:30.933 did it without faith. I don't know how I made 0:23:30.933 --> 0:23:33.973 it without faith. And I was just waiting to crash, 0:23:34.053 --> 0:23:37.573 ruminating on the negative, ruminating on why my life wasn't 0:23:37.613 --> 0:23:40.413 anything even though I had a lot of those external things. 0:23:40.413 --> 0:23:40.613 Man. 0:23:40.693 --> 0:23:43.213 So I really appreciate you bringing faith up man and 0:23:43.773 --> 0:23:48.773 speaking of faith, like, I'm sure choosing Florida, stepping into 0:23:48.813 --> 0:23:52.693 a new environment and having an expectancy of that to 0:23:52.773 --> 0:23:54.493 work out and be what you wanted it to be 0:23:54.733 --> 0:23:57.853 took a level of faith taught to us about that transition. 0:23:58.973 --> 0:24:02.573 Yeah, I mean I kind of made a deal with myself, 0:24:02.973 --> 0:24:06.213 And it was before once I made the decision to 0:24:06.253 --> 0:24:09.493 come down here. I mean, just coming down and visiting, 0:24:10.133 --> 0:24:12.573 I felt a presence of just the amount of people 0:24:12.613 --> 0:24:15.733 that cared about the program better in it. Like that 0:24:15.853 --> 0:24:17.373 was one thing where I was like, all right, the 0:24:17.413 --> 0:24:20.613 second I get down there, like I'm investing in everybody 0:24:20.693 --> 0:24:23.453 else and that will lead to me getting better as 0:24:23.453 --> 0:24:27.173 a player person. So before I got down here, I mean, 0:24:27.173 --> 0:24:29.053 that was one thing that I was like, that's a 0:24:29.133 --> 0:24:32.173 non negotiable. Every day it's what I'm doing this for 0:24:32.253 --> 0:24:36.333 somebody else, and I'm trying to trying to brighten somebody 0:24:36.333 --> 0:24:38.813 else's day, like at least one or two people every day. 0:24:39.013 --> 0:24:43.093 And for me, that was where you get down and 0:24:43.133 --> 0:24:46.293 you're so used to a that's where the transport was weird, 0:24:46.293 --> 0:24:48.093 because when you go to a school for what three 0:24:48.293 --> 0:24:51.733 four years, I mean you learn, like you learn how 0:24:51.733 --> 0:24:53.693 everything goes, you learn the off season, but for me, 0:24:53.733 --> 0:24:56.813 it was all new, and my approach was, look, I'm 0:24:57.253 --> 0:25:00.173 I'm investing in the people. I'm investing in in trying 0:25:00.213 --> 0:25:02.693 to get a little bit better every day, and I'm 0:25:02.733 --> 0:25:05.653 just gonna have fun doing it. So for me, that 0:25:06.133 --> 0:25:11.213 brought me so much joy in the process, and like, 0:25:11.333 --> 0:25:15.533 the relationships I've made in the past shoot eleven months 0:25:15.573 --> 0:25:18.853 now have been just amazing. Like I feel like I've 0:25:18.853 --> 0:25:20.973 known these people my whole life, and I feel like 0:25:21.013 --> 0:25:24.173 that's one thing where if I were to talk to 0:25:24.213 --> 0:25:27.213 anybody going to the portal, I'd say one piece of 0:25:27.253 --> 0:25:30.813 advice would be that, like, invest in the people around you, 0:25:31.093 --> 0:25:33.813 because it will be the most fun years of your life. 0:25:34.133 --> 0:25:34.573 Wow. 0:25:35.533 --> 0:25:35.853 Big. 0:25:36.893 --> 0:25:39.013 I feel like I want to make sure that anybody 0:25:39.053 --> 0:25:44.333 listening that is a parent, a high school athlete, aspiring athlete, 0:25:44.373 --> 0:25:48.613 a college athlete, to like go grab your kids or 0:25:48.613 --> 0:25:50.933 grab your parents and listen to this together because it's 0:25:50.973 --> 0:25:53.973 so important. And I'm sitting here going this dude is 0:25:54.013 --> 0:25:56.973 talking about service and like he found the hack at 0:25:56.973 --> 0:25:59.453 twenty three and you know, Darren and I found it 0:25:59.493 --> 0:26:04.293 through a very reckless, scary addiction. Found the hack to 0:26:04.333 --> 0:26:07.173 lie life, which is service, but you found it, and 0:26:07.213 --> 0:26:09.253 so I think it's important. I think some of these 0:26:09.333 --> 0:26:11.533 questions that I want to continue to get into you 0:26:11.613 --> 0:26:14.093 with is a way that you can help others and 0:26:14.133 --> 0:26:16.613 help parents and understand the pressures. 0:26:17.173 --> 0:26:18.853 I don't know if there's anybody on the. 0:26:18.813 --> 0:26:23.213 College campus that would have met any more distractions than 0:26:23.293 --> 0:26:27.413 the starting quarterback for the university. So like, can you 0:26:27.493 --> 0:26:30.413 talk to me about what are like the priorities, your 0:26:30.493 --> 0:26:34.013 non negotiables that keep you, like your mind right, your 0:26:34.053 --> 0:26:37.453 mental health, your focus, meditation, whatever it is. 0:26:38.253 --> 0:26:40.893 Yeah, I mean, I think there's a lot of things, 0:26:41.053 --> 0:26:45.533 and I think the biggest thing really for anybody is 0:26:45.773 --> 0:26:49.093 being able to have a routine and a process and 0:26:49.213 --> 0:26:53.213 be able to grow and adjust things and add things, 0:26:53.413 --> 0:26:57.373 track things, but at least have a foundation of a process. 0:26:57.533 --> 0:27:00.453 And for me, that starts my day off with a 0:27:00.533 --> 0:27:04.173 morning routine. And I mean I've done the same thing 0:27:04.213 --> 0:27:07.013 for the past eleven months, and I might have added 0:27:07.053 --> 0:27:09.693 a few things to it, but I think the biggest 0:27:09.693 --> 0:27:13.133 thing is having a foundation of a process and being 0:27:13.133 --> 0:27:15.653 able to always have an open mind about adding new things, 0:27:15.693 --> 0:27:21.013 whether that's daily devotional or prayer or reading the Bible, 0:27:21.253 --> 0:27:24.853 or I got this little daily stoic book I'll open up. 0:27:25.053 --> 0:27:28.293 But it's not always reading, Like for me, it's making 0:27:28.293 --> 0:27:31.373 sure I'm drinking my water, eating the right things. Like 0:27:31.373 --> 0:27:35.733 there's so many different things that add to just the 0:27:35.813 --> 0:27:40.173 overall human experience that got you. Gotta dive into and 0:27:40.213 --> 0:27:43.053 find that for you. But I think having a foundation 0:27:43.173 --> 0:27:45.533 of process and just a few things every day doesn't 0:27:45.533 --> 0:27:47.853 have to be one hundred things. But if it's three 0:27:47.893 --> 0:27:50.253 things to do every day, like you gotta do them 0:27:50.293 --> 0:27:52.613 every day because because that sets you up for success. 0:27:52.933 --> 0:27:56.133 And like if it's making your bet, that's my that's 0:27:56.173 --> 0:27:58.733 my first thing I do every morning. But it gives 0:27:58.773 --> 0:28:02.413 you that mental mind frame like, look, I already started 0:28:02.413 --> 0:28:04.893 the day doing one thing, so that's a win. So 0:28:05.533 --> 0:28:07.053 that you just got to keep building on it. But 0:28:07.293 --> 0:28:10.413 I think the biggest thing is having that no doubt. 0:28:10.453 --> 0:28:12.693 Man, I mean, the routine is so important and I 0:28:12.733 --> 0:28:15.613 don't want to let it pass by, Like how important, 0:28:15.893 --> 0:28:19.093 how powerful it is your perspective coming into Florida, because 0:28:19.533 --> 0:28:21.653 you could have easily had a mindset of all right, 0:28:21.773 --> 0:28:24.693 I'm coming into this new opportunity, like I gotta get mine, 0:28:24.733 --> 0:28:28.133 like I gotta eat. Like I was slided before. I 0:28:28.173 --> 0:28:29.813 didn't get what I wanted, but now it's time to 0:28:29.813 --> 0:28:32.933 get mine. And I've been in that place before. I 0:28:33.253 --> 0:28:36.813 vividly remember I was in the practice squad in Baltimore 0:28:36.893 --> 0:28:40.413 and I came back, got reinstated from being suspended, and 0:28:40.453 --> 0:28:43.133 they drafted Mark Andrews, and Mark from like as a 0:28:43.213 --> 0:28:45.613 rookie was like showing like he was going to be 0:28:45.653 --> 0:28:47.973 what he is today and seeing him do that, get 0:28:47.973 --> 0:28:50.093 those opportunities and take off, and I'm on the practice 0:28:50.133 --> 0:28:52.173 squad and a lot of times my belief was like 0:28:52.213 --> 0:28:54.253 if somebody else is eating, there's not enough, there's not 0:28:54.373 --> 0:28:58.373 enough out there for me, Like and you know, not 0:28:58.413 --> 0:29:01.213 wishing anything bad on somebody else, but it's like man 0:29:01.333 --> 0:29:04.133 like being envious and like being like, well, why is 0:29:04.173 --> 0:29:06.893 he this? And at that time, like God convicted in 0:29:06.933 --> 0:29:08.573 my heart is like you got to you gotta support 0:29:08.573 --> 0:29:12.213 this man, Like wanting to see other people succeed is 0:29:12.373 --> 0:29:15.013 you know, an accelerator for you know, the abundance in 0:29:15.053 --> 0:29:17.533 your life. Because it's really just a reflection of damn 0:29:17.573 --> 0:29:19.893 if I don't if I'm critical of this other person, 0:29:19.893 --> 0:29:21.813 I'm really just critical of myself at the end of 0:29:21.853 --> 0:29:24.613 the day. So I think it is powerful that, you know, 0:29:24.733 --> 0:29:27.813 especially you being a leader and like commanding the huddle 0:29:27.853 --> 0:29:30.613 and having that mindset. That's that stuff is going to 0:29:30.693 --> 0:29:33.133 bleed onto the guys on your team and they're going 0:29:33.213 --> 0:29:35.373 to start thinking that same way. And that's how you know, 0:29:36.093 --> 0:29:39.093 programs come together and start doing great things. And like 0:29:39.093 --> 0:29:42.493 I said, it starts with those with those routines. Man, 0:29:42.533 --> 0:29:44.733 then I want to know how you feel. How did 0:29:44.733 --> 0:29:47.453 you feel as far as like the scheme fit and 0:29:47.533 --> 0:29:51.013 everything like stepping in, Like how smooth of a process 0:29:51.093 --> 0:29:52.853 was that for you to step in and really feel 0:29:52.893 --> 0:29:54.653 like all right, like I'm I'm here, I can just 0:29:54.693 --> 0:29:57.613 play football like the kid you splay football. 0:29:58.413 --> 0:30:03.773 Yeah, oh yeah, I think I think that was after 0:30:03.853 --> 0:30:06.693 putting in the work. I mean for me, it was 0:30:06.733 --> 0:30:09.013 the winner and I went in there and I was like, 0:30:09.013 --> 0:30:11.933 all right, I got to learn this offense. And it 0:30:11.973 --> 0:30:14.173 wasn't like as fast as possible. I was more like, 0:30:14.893 --> 0:30:16.853 I'm going to give this everything. I got to learn 0:30:16.893 --> 0:30:19.573 it because I need when springball hits, I need to 0:30:19.573 --> 0:30:23.013 be ready to work with these guys on timing all 0:30:23.013 --> 0:30:25.693 these different things that go into the preparation for the season. 0:30:25.693 --> 0:30:28.093 I wanted to make sure I was ready to do that, 0:30:28.653 --> 0:30:30.893 not just be like, all right, I got the offense 0:30:30.973 --> 0:30:33.573 down and throw a hitch, can throw a seam Like No, 0:30:33.613 --> 0:30:35.373 I want to know the ins and outs of everything. 0:30:35.493 --> 0:30:38.613 So for me, I mean it was the winner was 0:30:38.733 --> 0:30:42.053 a lot of work, like a lot of long days, 0:30:42.133 --> 0:30:45.653 a lot of early mornings, but I knew in the 0:30:45.773 --> 0:30:48.493 end that it would only benefit us as a team 0:30:48.533 --> 0:30:51.013 if I could sacrifice that on the front end. So 0:30:51.453 --> 0:30:54.133 for me, it was it was the work ahead of 0:30:54.173 --> 0:30:57.573 that first spring where I mean, anytime you get a 0:30:57.573 --> 0:31:00.773 new install it's like it's all just football in the end, 0:31:00.813 --> 0:31:02.613 but there's so many ins and outs of it where 0:31:03.733 --> 0:31:06.733 you got to know the intricate details of each play. 0:31:07.173 --> 0:31:09.293 So for me it was I mean, I played a 0:31:09.293 --> 0:31:12.453 lot of ball Wisconsin. I understood offensive scheme. But for me, 0:31:12.533 --> 0:31:15.453 it was coming down here and learning kind of the 0:31:15.493 --> 0:31:17.893 mind of coach and how he wants to call it. 0:31:18.173 --> 0:31:21.733 And I mean, honestly, I love the offense and I 0:31:21.813 --> 0:31:24.373 love how it gives me the freedom to It feels 0:31:24.373 --> 0:31:26.933 like every play you get to make it right, whether 0:31:26.933 --> 0:31:29.733 it's an RPO or a run check or a pass 0:31:29.813 --> 0:31:33.453 check all these different things. So I've loved it. 0:31:34.933 --> 0:31:39.933 What do you think your mental strengths are that make 0:31:40.013 --> 0:31:42.413 you the quarterback that you are. What's the mind stuff 0:31:42.413 --> 0:31:44.813 that you feel like you're blessed with or have worked 0:31:45.213 --> 0:31:46.613 on to get to this place. 0:31:47.693 --> 0:31:51.573 Yeah, I think I think the biggest thing is there's 0:31:51.853 --> 0:31:56.053 I finally not finally, I mean i'd say last year, 0:31:56.893 --> 0:32:00.373 my last year Wisconsin, I've finally just made the decision, like, look, 0:32:01.053 --> 0:32:03.573 the only person that's gonna stop me is me. And 0:32:04.173 --> 0:32:06.853 I had so much in early in my career. I 0:32:06.933 --> 0:32:10.733 was listening to so much stuff on social media. I 0:32:10.853 --> 0:32:12.853 like you said earlier, I mean I was. I was 0:32:12.893 --> 0:32:16.373 all thinking I need to get mine and and that 0:32:16.773 --> 0:32:18.773 wasn't the best thing for the team. So for me, 0:32:18.933 --> 0:32:22.973 I made the decision that looked like I will not 0:32:23.053 --> 0:32:25.693 be broken by somebody else. I will be broken if 0:32:25.733 --> 0:32:28.293 I if I break myself if I get in my 0:32:28.333 --> 0:32:30.933 own way, like but other than that, like I'm not 0:32:30.973 --> 0:32:34.133 getting my own way. And I think that's that's one 0:32:34.173 --> 0:32:36.693 thing that throughout the season, like you get you take 0:32:36.733 --> 0:32:39.573 a big hit, like you're like, dang, I just want 0:32:39.613 --> 0:32:41.453 to sit down a little bit. But like I always 0:32:41.453 --> 0:32:44.293 had a reminder like no, you're not gonna break me, 0:32:44.533 --> 0:32:47.213 like I'm gonna I might break a collar bone and 0:32:47.253 --> 0:32:50.373 I'll be down, but that's me breaking myself, Like I 0:32:50.693 --> 0:32:54.373 will not let people like break me, whether that's my 0:32:54.373 --> 0:33:00.773 my mindset, like the competitor, I am, my confidence, all 0:33:00.773 --> 0:33:04.293 these different things, like's my joy, Like I'll never let 0:33:04.533 --> 0:33:06.853 somebody else ruined my day, Like I'm gonna do everything 0:33:06.893 --> 0:33:08.413 I can to make sure they're having a good day 0:33:08.533 --> 0:33:10.573 and then they have joy in their day. But I 0:33:10.573 --> 0:33:12.733 will never let somebody take that away from me because 0:33:13.173 --> 0:33:15.373 I feel like that's the only way to go about 0:33:15.413 --> 0:33:18.213 life is to have joy and happiness and every day 0:33:18.253 --> 0:33:20.573 that should be should be your approach every day. 0:33:22.213 --> 0:33:25.413 Yeah, man, it's a powerful perspective to take with you. You know, 0:33:25.413 --> 0:33:27.813 looks like you said, like hurting your collar bone in 0:33:27.813 --> 0:33:30.213 this this past season, it could be very easy for 0:33:30.293 --> 0:33:33.173 you to shift back into maybe a similar state of 0:33:33.253 --> 0:33:36.493 like when things weren't working out at Wisconsin and all, 0:33:36.613 --> 0:33:39.253 and being so quick to find the doubt in things, 0:33:39.373 --> 0:33:42.013 or like we always say why things aren't working but 0:33:42.613 --> 0:33:44.413 I can tell by the way just speaking the way 0:33:44.413 --> 0:33:46.973 that you know, joke about hurting your collar bone that 0:33:47.013 --> 0:33:48.533 it's like, this is just a bump in the road, 0:33:48.733 --> 0:33:51.373 and like you said before, this is a necessary thing 0:33:51.373 --> 0:33:54.093 for me because there's something to take from it. And 0:33:54.413 --> 0:33:56.773 plus being in football, man, this is the NFL p 0:33:56.853 --> 0:33:58.573 A also comes around said this is one hundred percent 0:33:58.613 --> 0:34:01.573 injury rate, Like there's no way you're gonna escape it 0:34:01.613 --> 0:34:04.933 sometimes and uh, I don't know if you're like me anyway, 0:34:04.933 --> 0:34:07.573 but there are plenty of times where I've taken injury 0:34:07.733 --> 0:34:11.573 as me being a failure, not necessarily like it just 0:34:11.613 --> 0:34:12.773 being a natural part. 0:34:12.573 --> 0:34:13.053 Of the game. 0:34:13.533 --> 0:34:16.173 And because it's very easy for guys to drift into 0:34:16.173 --> 0:34:18.893 that mindset because if I'm not in there, somebody's gonna 0:34:18.893 --> 0:34:20.733 be coming from taking my spot. And if I'm not 0:34:20.773 --> 0:34:22.773 in there, who am I at the end of the day. 0:34:22.813 --> 0:34:25.213 And it's like, the way that you're going about it, man, 0:34:25.333 --> 0:34:28.813 is what's going to keep the abundance flowing into your life, 0:34:28.933 --> 0:34:30.813 no matter what you got to go through, no matter 0:34:30.813 --> 0:34:34.453 what you got to experience. Man. Is it's a beautiful 0:34:34.493 --> 0:34:37.693 thing to hear how calm and just how centered your 0:34:37.693 --> 0:34:38.253 faith has you. 0:34:38.173 --> 0:34:41.173 You know, I will say something you just said that 0:34:41.653 --> 0:34:47.333 I think is so big in our society today. Is doubt, 0:34:47.533 --> 0:34:51.213 and whether that's external doubt, internal doubt. I think that's 0:34:51.253 --> 0:34:53.573 one thing where being an older guy in the locker 0:34:53.653 --> 0:34:57.013 room throughout my career, I mean, you see how that 0:34:57.053 --> 0:35:00.933 affects people. And I feel like that's one thing that 0:35:01.333 --> 0:35:05.093 if whenever I see somebody that's a young person, young 0:35:05.133 --> 0:35:07.333 player that might not know the playbook, but they have 0:35:07.413 --> 0:35:10.293 that little second of doubt, I'll go up to them 0:35:10.293 --> 0:35:13.213 be like, look, man, like the only way to get 0:35:13.293 --> 0:35:15.653 rid of that football doubt is to put in the work. 0:35:16.373 --> 0:35:19.333 And if you can remove that doubt, that frees you 0:35:19.453 --> 0:35:22.693 up to be the best version of yourself. And I 0:35:22.733 --> 0:35:24.773 know that's one thing. It's a hard thing to do. 0:35:24.853 --> 0:35:26.373 Like I'm not saying that's an easy thing to do 0:35:27.533 --> 0:35:30.453 in football, and when you're in a team sense, it's 0:35:30.493 --> 0:35:33.293 all about just football, Like, yeah, that's not easy, but 0:35:33.333 --> 0:35:35.453 you can do it. But on a personal level, like 0:35:35.493 --> 0:35:39.333 that takes a lot of mental reflection, and I think 0:35:39.333 --> 0:35:43.533 that's one thing that that's big. That's big. 0:35:44.133 --> 0:35:47.293 I think doubt arises when you know, we break promises 0:35:47.333 --> 0:35:49.213 that we make to ourselves. And Darren and I talk 0:35:49.253 --> 0:35:51.213 about this all the time that the most self confident 0:35:51.213 --> 0:35:53.933 people are the ones that keep the promises they make 0:35:53.973 --> 0:35:54.733 to themselves. 0:35:54.893 --> 0:35:57.533 So it's you know, it's really just follow through. 0:35:57.573 --> 0:35:59.613 And I hear you saying the work, and someone might 0:35:59.613 --> 0:36:01.013 be like, well, what's he talking. 0:36:00.773 --> 0:36:04.133 About the work? And it's it is that it's your commitments. 0:36:04.133 --> 0:36:07.053 It's the things and the goals and the practices and 0:36:07.093 --> 0:36:09.693 the process and the morning routine. And you know, you're 0:36:09.853 --> 0:36:15.213 you're the embodiment of somebody that is just like you've 0:36:15.253 --> 0:36:17.853 got so much self confidence, you're embodying it, right, And 0:36:18.253 --> 0:36:20.973 if you go back and we talk about your practices 0:36:20.973 --> 0:36:23.453 and your routines and how structured you are, it's a 0:36:23.493 --> 0:36:27.373 direct reflection on your consistency and your follow through. So 0:36:27.853 --> 0:36:30.133 if you're a kid, if you're out there and you know, 0:36:30.213 --> 0:36:32.253 you say you're going to spend ten more minutes throwing 0:36:32.293 --> 0:36:34.413 the ball, hitting the ball, and you go you don't 0:36:34.413 --> 0:36:37.693 go do it, you know that's only fucking with your confidence. 0:36:38.333 --> 0:36:40.053 It because you said you were going to do something 0:36:40.053 --> 0:36:41.933 and you didn't do it. If you're a parent and 0:36:41.973 --> 0:36:43.533 you said you were going to do something and you 0:36:43.573 --> 0:36:47.133 didn't and your kids involved, you're now modeling that same 0:36:47.213 --> 0:36:51.413 thing to your children. So it's like, do the things 0:36:51.413 --> 0:36:53.653 you say you're going to do, be impeccable with your word, 0:36:53.893 --> 0:36:56.253 Read the four Agreements, memorize that whole book. 0:36:56.293 --> 0:36:56.493 Like it. 0:36:56.573 --> 0:36:58.253 It will set you free, you know. 0:36:59.173 --> 0:37:02.813 Oh, yeah, have you read the Four Agreements? I'm going 0:37:02.853 --> 0:37:05.733 to a Yeah, I got to read that. 0:37:06.413 --> 0:37:08.373 It's Tom brad It's Tom Brady's Bible. 0:37:08.413 --> 0:37:10.693 So I'm sure if what I said didn't. 0:37:10.453 --> 0:37:12.093 Get you to read it, now you'll probably read it. 0:37:12.133 --> 0:37:14.533 So yeah, dude, Well and we'll talk more. 0:37:14.573 --> 0:37:17.133 Darren and I talk a lot about it, and it's 0:37:17.173 --> 0:37:19.853 gold Man and it's to me, Well, the four agreements 0:37:19.893 --> 0:37:24.453 are be impeccable with your word, don't make assumptions, don't 0:37:24.493 --> 0:37:28.133 take things personally, and always do your best. And those 0:37:28.213 --> 0:37:30.573 sound simple, but they he it is a simple book, 0:37:30.573 --> 0:37:31.453 but it'll blow your mind. 0:37:31.493 --> 0:37:31.773 Dude. 0:37:32.173 --> 0:37:33.973 It's going to help you, like arm you with some 0:37:33.973 --> 0:37:34.573 more tools. 0:37:35.333 --> 0:37:38.213 I need to read that, and I'm going to add 0:37:38.253 --> 0:37:40.453 something something you something you said, and I'm going to 0:37:40.493 --> 0:37:42.133 take it back to what we talked about a little 0:37:42.133 --> 0:37:46.013 bit earlier. But when I also feel like doubt and 0:37:46.013 --> 0:37:50.493 and all that creeps in when you're focused on self production, 0:37:51.133 --> 0:37:54.453 and like I think anybody that's listening to this, I 0:37:54.453 --> 0:37:56.733 think the biggest thing. We already talked about it. But 0:37:56.813 --> 0:37:59.413 when you have the mindset that I'm doing this for 0:37:59.453 --> 0:38:03.333 somebody else, in that servant mindset, I think that's that's 0:38:03.373 --> 0:38:05.373 what's giving me the most confident in the world because 0:38:05.373 --> 0:38:08.413 I'm like, look, I'm doing everything I am for other people. 0:38:09.493 --> 0:38:11.773 And yes, down the line, it will, it will, it 0:38:11.813 --> 0:38:13.493 will come back to you. But that's that should not 0:38:13.573 --> 0:38:17.893 be your focus. It should not be maximizing what I 0:38:17.933 --> 0:38:21.693 got for me. I'm maximizing everything I got for my family, 0:38:21.933 --> 0:38:25.133 for my team, for my close group around me, for 0:38:25.213 --> 0:38:28.733 my buddies, like I'm doing and that makes those decisions 0:38:28.733 --> 0:38:31.133 that much easier because it because it's bigger than you. 0:38:31.853 --> 0:38:34.653 I think that's the that's the key to this whole thing, 0:38:34.773 --> 0:38:37.173 the whole thing we call life. I think that's the key. 0:38:37.253 --> 0:38:40.653 And when you said earlier, that's that's the thing that 0:38:40.733 --> 0:38:42.493 gets me up every morning, gets me out of bed, 0:38:42.653 --> 0:38:45.893 make my bed, get into my process because I'm like, look, 0:38:46.253 --> 0:38:50.413 I got people depending on me, and. 0:38:50.733 --> 0:38:52.573 You have that right, that's too too much. 0:38:52.613 --> 0:38:55.173 That's given comes great responsibility, and I think you can 0:38:55.213 --> 0:38:55.613 handle that. 0:38:56.533 --> 0:38:57.413 Yeah. 0:38:57.533 --> 0:39:00.973 I read a quote the other day is uh, in 0:39:01.013 --> 0:39:03.973 this little devotional I have called in God's Care to 0:39:04.773 --> 0:39:06.013 like a twelve step devotional. 0:39:06.173 --> 0:39:07.413 And there's this quote. 0:39:07.453 --> 0:39:10.453 It was talking about, you know, some of us take 0:39:10.493 --> 0:39:13.333 our work seriously, and some of us take ourselves seriously 0:39:13.653 --> 0:39:17.253 and said one is imperative and one is dangerous. And 0:39:17.653 --> 0:39:19.413 just speaking to what you were talking about about service, 0:39:19.453 --> 0:39:22.973 It's like getting outside of ourselves is so important because 0:39:22.973 --> 0:39:25.573 if it's all about us, that's when you know, our 0:39:25.613 --> 0:39:29.493 world gets smaller. That's when it's about It's about me, 0:39:29.733 --> 0:39:32.893 It's about my outcomes, it's about how I feel. It's 0:39:32.933 --> 0:39:35.693 about what I can get out of situations, as opposed 0:39:35.733 --> 0:39:38.133 to it being you know, the work I'm doing, the 0:39:38.173 --> 0:39:41.973 service I'm doing, Like, I take that seriously. I'm leaving. 0:39:42.053 --> 0:39:44.373 I'm really truly making a legacy at that point. I'm 0:39:44.373 --> 0:39:47.133 making lives better. I came, I'm coming into this world, 0:39:47.173 --> 0:39:49.333 and I'm making it better by the way that I 0:39:49.413 --> 0:39:52.693 carry myself, by the way that I you know, put 0:39:52.693 --> 0:39:56.093 myself out into the world. And that's really the ultimate 0:39:56.133 --> 0:39:57.893 legacy you could leave. I mean, I feel like when 0:39:57.893 --> 0:39:59.533 we go, when we're done, like it's not going to 0:39:59.613 --> 0:40:02.173 be like, man, I had twenty eight million dollars in 0:40:02.213 --> 0:40:06.653 the old investment portfolio or all these cribs or these cars. 0:40:06.693 --> 0:40:09.453 It's going to be like, nah, like how did how 0:40:09.453 --> 0:40:11.293 did people? How did I make people feel? 0:40:11.453 --> 0:40:15.213 Like? How good on my relationships? You know? 0:40:15.253 --> 0:40:16.853 And it's like it's so easy to lose track of 0:40:16.893 --> 0:40:18.773 those things during the day when that doubt creeps in 0:40:19.213 --> 0:40:21.493 and you feel like you gotta get to the bag 0:40:21.613 --> 0:40:24.773 or you gotta get that promotion, or when I get 0:40:24.773 --> 0:40:27.173 these things, I'm going to be happy. And it's like, man, 0:40:27.373 --> 0:40:30.773 we got the game backwards out here. So conversations like this, Man, 0:40:31.733 --> 0:40:32.613 it's how we change that. 0:40:32.693 --> 0:40:32.813 Bro. 0:40:33.013 --> 0:40:34.613 It's how we bounce back. It's how we come back 0:40:34.653 --> 0:40:36.853 to the lives that we want in the lives that 0:40:36.893 --> 0:40:37.373 we deserve. 0:40:37.413 --> 0:40:37.573 Bro. 0:40:39.613 --> 0:40:41.853 Truth drop the mic on that one. 0:40:42.813 --> 0:40:45.453 You know, as you're saying that, I'm thinking about how 0:40:45.773 --> 0:40:48.933 your whole life and as you're walking us through it, 0:40:48.973 --> 0:40:51.653 you've created a system. And that's like when I tell 0:40:51.813 --> 0:40:53.533 as a coach, I tell people like, when you set 0:40:53.573 --> 0:40:55.893 a goal and don't you don't achieve that goal, it's 0:40:55.933 --> 0:40:56.653 not because you're broken. 0:40:56.693 --> 0:40:58.173 It's because your system's broken. 0:40:58.693 --> 0:41:01.333 And I love hearing how dialed in your system is, 0:41:01.733 --> 0:41:03.973 and it just has me thinking like, this is the 0:41:04.093 --> 0:41:06.493 life if you want kind of that the hack to 0:41:06.573 --> 0:41:07.413 life or the path. 0:41:07.773 --> 0:41:08.253 You need to. 0:41:08.213 --> 0:41:12.253 Figure out your system to be free, to be comfortable 0:41:12.253 --> 0:41:15.093 in your own skin, figure out what your natural gifts 0:41:15.093 --> 0:41:18.853 and talents are through that system, and then go serve 0:41:19.213 --> 0:41:21.373 Like there's nothing else you need to do in life. 0:41:21.413 --> 0:41:24.013 Like you can try to complicate it with external things 0:41:24.013 --> 0:41:27.493 and all the stuff, but you know, it's fleeting. 0:41:30.773 --> 0:41:32.653 As a human. We've talked a lot about football. 0:41:32.653 --> 0:41:34.613 I'm just curious, like on a human level to get 0:41:34.613 --> 0:41:36.493 to know you, Like, what do you love to do? 0:41:36.493 --> 0:41:39.453 Do you have like interests and hobbies outside of outside 0:41:39.453 --> 0:41:39.933 of football? 0:41:41.253 --> 0:41:44.813 Man, I love the golf in the off season. I'm 0:41:44.853 --> 0:41:49.773 a big golfer. And I think it's like subconsciously it 0:41:49.813 --> 0:41:52.733 trains you for a lot of different things. And as 0:41:52.733 --> 0:41:55.653 a quarterback, I mean, every plays a new play in 0:41:55.693 --> 0:41:59.813 football and in golf, every shots a new shot by 0:42:00.253 --> 0:42:03.013 shank one into the water. You might throw an interception, 0:42:03.453 --> 0:42:06.253 but it's all about it's all about the next step 0:42:06.533 --> 0:42:10.053 and what you're going to do to respond. And I mean, 0:42:10.133 --> 0:42:12.493 and it's just fun to play. I mean, let's just 0:42:12.533 --> 0:42:14.933 throw it out there. But for me, it's it's like 0:42:15.013 --> 0:42:19.413 the subconscious training of that where it's just so much fun. 0:42:19.573 --> 0:42:21.973 So for me, that's not a big hobby guy, but 0:42:22.053 --> 0:42:24.973 that that's a big hobby for me. It's pretty much 0:42:25.013 --> 0:42:27.493 like my main thing in the off season. 0:42:28.093 --> 0:42:30.413 I got another book for you. It's called Zen Golf. 0:42:31.013 --> 0:42:32.453 You'll love it, dude. It's like, I don't know if 0:42:32.453 --> 0:42:34.653 you've heard of that one, but it's it's everything you're 0:42:34.653 --> 0:42:36.773 talking about, like the lessons of life and how it's 0:42:36.773 --> 0:42:37.853 tied to golf. 0:42:38.093 --> 0:42:40.893 On a personal level. Like what out there in the world. 0:42:41.253 --> 0:42:42.013 I love this question. 0:42:42.133 --> 0:42:44.013 I ask it often of like what breaks your heart 0:42:44.053 --> 0:42:46.093 more than anything in the world. What's like that one 0:42:46.133 --> 0:42:48.813 thing when you see it where it's just like m 0:42:48.973 --> 0:42:49.373 gets you. 0:42:51.613 --> 0:43:01.133 That's a wow, that's a good question, I'd say, Oh gosh, 0:43:01.213 --> 0:43:08.133 I'd say when when someone's presented with an opportunity and 0:43:08.413 --> 0:43:10.733 they're so like just in their own head where they 0:43:10.773 --> 0:43:15.533 just can't grasp it because like I've I've been there before. 0:43:16.373 --> 0:43:20.253 And that's one thing where, especially a young guy on 0:43:20.293 --> 0:43:22.373 a team like down here, if I see somebody that's 0:43:22.373 --> 0:43:24.413 that's got everything right in front of them, but they're 0:43:24.453 --> 0:43:27.093 just trying, they're trying to figure it out like that. 0:43:27.093 --> 0:43:28.813 That breaks my heart, you know, because I'm like, I 0:43:28.853 --> 0:43:32.293 want to help you, because I've been there and I've 0:43:32.333 --> 0:43:35.933 experienced that feeling where like I want to do this, 0:43:36.053 --> 0:43:37.853 I'm putting everything I got into it, but like I'm 0:43:37.853 --> 0:43:41.373 not doing the right thing for it. So i'd say, 0:43:41.413 --> 0:43:43.733 when you, when you, when there's an opportunity that's presented 0:43:43.813 --> 0:43:46.853 right there that someone's not taking full advantage of because 0:43:48.253 --> 0:43:50.773 they're they're struggling with with trying to figure out how 0:43:50.813 --> 0:43:51.253 to do it. 0:43:51.653 --> 0:43:53.853 I agree with that deeply, man Like, because I was 0:43:53.853 --> 0:43:56.653 one of those people right through, you know, my addiction 0:43:56.813 --> 0:43:59.413 and just my mental health being in shambles. I wasn't 0:43:59.413 --> 0:44:01.653 able to show the world who I truly was and 0:44:01.693 --> 0:44:03.493 what I was capable of. Like if you just look 0:44:03.533 --> 0:44:07.013 at from football perspective, like before I got reinstated and 0:44:07.053 --> 0:44:08.533 before my career kind of took off, I was just 0:44:08.613 --> 0:44:10.173 kind of like a flash in the pan type of guy. 0:44:10.253 --> 0:44:12.613 I would show like crazy flashes that practice when I 0:44:12.613 --> 0:44:14.893 was in Baltimore, but it would never translate to the game. 0:44:14.933 --> 0:44:16.413 It would be a lot of drops. It'd be like 0:44:16.573 --> 0:44:18.653 or I would be suspended and things like that. So 0:44:19.813 --> 0:44:21.533 I was one of those people and that breaks my 0:44:21.613 --> 0:44:24.413 heart too. And to see, you know, other guys get 0:44:24.453 --> 0:44:27.773 suspended or other guys have issues with substances, and it's 0:44:27.813 --> 0:44:30.053 just like, I'm not somebody that's gonna come down on 0:44:30.093 --> 0:44:31.613 I just want to know, like why, like how do 0:44:31.733 --> 0:44:33.573 we get to this point, like and what's the solution 0:44:33.693 --> 0:44:36.013 to get up out of it? Because every single one 0:44:36.053 --> 0:44:39.093 of these guys have something good to offer their world, 0:44:38.933 --> 0:44:43.293 good to offer their team, their community, their families, And 0:44:43.613 --> 0:44:45.493 I'm with you there, bro, it's just like it's heartbreaking 0:44:45.533 --> 0:44:48.853 to see somebody be you know, their mental health not 0:44:48.933 --> 0:44:52.093 be an asset to them to step into the world 0:44:52.293 --> 0:44:55.253 and really you know, take off with their purpose. Man, 0:44:55.293 --> 0:44:56.973 Like I'm right there, wish. 0:44:56.773 --> 0:45:00.293 You Yeah, that's I think that's it. 0:45:00.293 --> 0:45:00.933 It's interesting. 0:45:00.973 --> 0:45:03.253 I've asked that question so many times and I've never 0:45:03.293 --> 0:45:05.773 heard that answer. And as you're answering it, what I 0:45:05.853 --> 0:45:08.573 heard you say is like what breaks your heart is 0:45:08.653 --> 0:45:11.933 seeing people that aren't aware, like they're they're they're they're 0:45:11.933 --> 0:45:14.333 in a trance, they're blind to like what's in front 0:45:14.373 --> 0:45:16.573 of them, and so they're they're not aware. And I've 0:45:16.613 --> 0:45:18.693 never heard that, but then it made me realize that's 0:45:18.773 --> 0:45:22.213 what I do for a living is help make people 0:45:22.253 --> 0:45:24.773 more aware. Actually that's what we're doing right now, Like 0:45:24.813 --> 0:45:27.653 this is why we started the podcast, so that you know, 0:45:27.693 --> 0:45:30.533 somebody listening right now that might be struggling an athlete 0:45:30.773 --> 0:45:33.653 or a parent that can't understand what you know their 0:45:33.733 --> 0:45:34.933 kids going through, Like this. 0:45:35.013 --> 0:45:36.093 Is why we're doing this. 0:45:37.053 --> 0:45:40.413 So yeah, man, it's it's your answers have blown my mind. 0:45:40.453 --> 0:45:44.053 I'm like so inspired, and I think wisdom and knowledge 0:45:44.093 --> 0:45:46.733 it's not measured in length and years, it's clearly measured 0:45:46.773 --> 0:45:50.093 in depth. And you know, for somebody so young, I mean, dude, 0:45:50.133 --> 0:45:50.373 I was. 0:45:50.373 --> 0:45:52.733 Such a mess at your age. So it's it's it's so. 0:45:52.813 --> 0:45:56.333 Cool to see and like regardless, you know, detaching from 0:45:56.373 --> 0:45:58.213 the outcome of what you do, whatever you're gonna do, 0:45:58.213 --> 0:46:01.413 you're gonna crush because you have the natural gifts. You 0:46:01.493 --> 0:46:04.893 have the the mirror, the modeling as as as a kid, 0:46:04.973 --> 0:46:07.733 your parents, the hard work. Like that's why you're doing 0:46:07.733 --> 0:46:09.893 what you're doing, because you saw it. It was instilled 0:46:09.933 --> 0:46:13.093 in you. And that loyalty like loyal to a fault 0:46:13.133 --> 0:46:16.013 and writing it out at Wisconsin right, Like these are 0:46:16.133 --> 0:46:18.293 beautiful qualities that are going to take you take you 0:46:18.373 --> 0:46:20.413 far in life, man, and it's been an honor to 0:46:20.453 --> 0:46:20.853 have you on. 0:46:21.373 --> 0:46:23.613 I appreciate that this has been This has been dope. 0:46:23.773 --> 0:46:26.213 I don't get a lot of a lot of time 0:46:26.253 --> 0:46:28.693 to talk about this like on a on a normal basis, 0:46:28.693 --> 0:46:30.653 So I think this is a is a dope idea. 0:46:30.933 --> 0:46:35.533 I think, you guys, this seems gonna take off. It's 0:46:35.613 --> 0:46:39.133 unique because like everybody's got a story and it's just 0:46:39.173 --> 0:46:42.493 a matter of getting it out there. That's big, no doubt. 0:46:42.533 --> 0:46:42.733 Man. 0:46:43.453 --> 0:46:45.293 Like you said, we just want to change the quality 0:46:45.293 --> 0:46:47.613 of conversations that people have with each other, man, because 0:46:47.733 --> 0:46:50.013 you know, I feel like there's nothing wrong with talking 0:46:50.013 --> 0:46:52.253 about what happened in the game, and you know, the 0:46:52.333 --> 0:46:54.893 dude being off side for Kansas City and like stuff 0:46:54.933 --> 0:46:57.213 like that. Like you know that that stuff that we enjoy. 0:46:57.293 --> 0:46:59.973 But at the same time, like as men, as women, 0:47:00.293 --> 0:47:02.973 as just brothers and sisters in this world. You know, 0:47:03.093 --> 0:47:05.453 like we got to have these conversations where we can 0:47:05.493 --> 0:47:07.853 get things off our chest if we're struggling or just 0:47:08.373 --> 0:47:10.133 you know, so we can get these things out of 0:47:10.213 --> 0:47:12.813 us so we can go back into our world and 0:47:13.133 --> 0:47:15.813 you know, do what we do and just be ourselves. 0:47:15.853 --> 0:47:16.013 Man. 0:47:16.013 --> 0:47:17.613 So I appreciate you wanting. 0:47:17.333 --> 0:47:21.093 To come on here, sharing your story, being real, being vulnerable, 0:47:21.133 --> 0:47:22.853 man like this is dope stuff. 0:47:22.853 --> 0:47:23.013 Man. 0:47:23.013 --> 0:47:24.933 We wish you nothing but peace in your mind and 0:47:24.973 --> 0:47:28.493 your heart and success and everything that you touch. Man, 0:47:28.533 --> 0:47:30.653 as you go forward, bro be we'll be tuned in 0:47:30.733 --> 0:47:32.933 and uh, we'll just be locked in root for you. 0:47:32.973 --> 0:47:36.173 Bro right back at you, guys. Everything you just said, 0:47:36.413 --> 0:47:39.093 it's gonna I'm gonna keep looking. I'm gonna keep listening 0:47:39.093 --> 0:47:39.733 to these things. 0:47:40.213 --> 0:47:42.373 Yes, sir, well man, thank you so much for coming. 0:47:42.453 --> 0:47:44.173 And we're out of here, all right. 0:47:44.213 --> 0:47:44.893 Appreciate y'all. 0:47:45.053 --> 0:47:47.333 Peace, boy, that was so good. 0:47:55.773 --> 0:47:59.693 Comeback Stories is a production of Inflection Network and iHeartRadio. 0:47:59.973 --> 0:48:04.453 For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 0:48:04.773 --> 0:48:06.293 or wherever you get your podcasts.