1 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Thank you all for tuning into another episode of the 2 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:10,879 Speaker 1: NFL's Players Podcast. I'm your host, Peanut Tillman, and this 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: week we have one of the greatest to ever play 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: the position on our show today. He is the NFL's 5 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:22,760 Speaker 1: single season rushing record holder. He's a Gold Jacket member. 6 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: He's got a red jacket. He was the number two 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: overall pick in the eight three draft. He led the 8 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: NFL and rushing four times, UH ninth all time and 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: rushing five time first team All Pro. He is one 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: of the hundred best football players of all time. The 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: author of the new book Watch My Smoke, The Man 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: of the People, Eric Dickerson, I'm doing good. That out 13 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: of all the my intros, I gotta say, I'm gonna 14 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 1: patting myself from the back. That might be my best intro. 15 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 1: I practiced that like seventeen times, just so I like 16 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: the last part of the people, A man of the People. Yeah, 17 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: I don't know. I get nervous when I meet all 18 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: you guys with these gold jackets because I aspired to 19 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: have one of those one day. So, um, I met 20 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: I met your teammate. Just a quick quick story. I meant, 21 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: I met your teammate. One time Jackie Slayer, and I 22 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: didn't think he knew who in the heck I was, 23 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: but he called me out and said, Peanut from like 24 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: across the way called me out in Houston's like Peanut, hey, hey, man, 25 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: come and let me how let you real quick? And 26 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: I looked just like, that's that's Jackie Slayer. Jackie Slater 27 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: know my name? Oh my god. Like I feel like 28 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: I just I don't know. I don't know what it 29 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 1: is about. When y'all got them gold jackets. I I just, man, 30 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: y'all are that's the football football Royalty at its finest. 31 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: Because I I want that thing. One day. I'm trying 32 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 1: to be like y'all you don't want that jacket that 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: you know what I wanted for the first year and 34 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: then after that, yeah, all I can be like that, 35 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,559 Speaker 1: But right now I want that loud ass jacket. I want. 36 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 1: I want it so um. First off, man, I read 37 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: the book. It was it was interesting, and I gotta 38 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: say it was you didn't hold anything back. It was 39 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: you were extremely vulnerable. And I commin you on that 40 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: because today you don't really see a lot of that. 41 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: It's it's hard for people to be real, be vulnerable 42 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: because they want to be able to appeal to the public. 43 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: And you're just again a man of the people, and 44 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 1: you just you speak your mind. And uh, I like that. 45 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed that. Well, thank you appreciate it. I 46 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: mean I've always been that guy, you know, back in 47 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: the eighties, I was that guy, and you know I 48 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: was I was vilified for it. I was made up 49 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: be a bad guy just because you know, I tell 50 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: the truth. I mean, my my dad had us saying 51 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: he's a son. Um. The truth is the truth, he says, 52 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 1: not popular all the time, but it is the truth. 53 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,079 Speaker 1: It will never change, and that is the truth. I mean, 54 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: like that's my truth. In that book. It's nothing ate 55 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: up about it. Um. All the stories in them are 56 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: true stories that it really happened, where I feel about situations, 57 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: where I feel about people, and you know, I just 58 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: I'm glad that I did it. I did it. My 59 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: good friend who stopped with Miguel, he was the one 60 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 1: who said, man can get to do a book. And 61 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 1: I had several guys that I knew that said I 62 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: should because of some of the stories. You know, we 63 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 1: got talking about you and a lot of things people 64 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: didn't know, you know that's that's in the book and things. 65 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: You know, some things I probably forgot to didn't even 66 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: make it to the book. But you know that's that's 67 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 1: my life. So let's so first off, I'm from Texas. 68 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: I'm from copperce Cove, Texas. It's near Austin the State school. 69 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: And um, yeah, I don't. I'm not a fan of 70 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: ut either. You know. I used to want to go 71 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 1: there and I used to get all my little, my 72 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: little recruiting letters and they didn't even spell my name right. 73 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: They used to call me Charles's Tilly. So but after 74 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: it once they got my name wrong, I was like, man, 75 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: in hell with you t I ain't. I'm not. I'm 76 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: not trying to go there. Um talk about how difficult 77 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: it was in in ceely with with with coach Harris, 78 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: you know your your senior year. Um, well, you know 79 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: coach Harris came from I forgot he came somewhere in 80 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: East Texas. It never coached black players before. We heard 81 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: about when he when he was coming coming up to 82 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: Deeley And you know I was I would class my 83 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: seven and eighth grade class. That was the class that 84 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: they said with when state chas state championship or possibly 85 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: to that was a class and he happened to catch 86 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: just you know, my thing my freshman year. He came 87 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: out at the end of my freshman year and he 88 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: was just different. I mean, we could tell it was 89 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: different for us all the time. You know black. I 90 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 1: won't forget. One of the first things he said, you know, 91 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: you got to you know, you want woman up, ran 92 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: them down, and the just woman up. You're like, hey, hey, 93 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: stops stop. Why all the black guys in the back. 94 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: I want y'all all to the front. Y'all get to 95 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: the front, you know, and run faster. Um. And so 96 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: that was that. You started with that. Now that was 97 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: just one thing, and it just escalated and it got 98 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 1: to the point where, I mean, it just got so 99 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: bad that I think I told them the book that 100 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: all the black guys quick except one. One guy didn't 101 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: quit in Winston Brown. Uh And and he didn't treat 102 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 1: us right. I mean, it was just always us. I 103 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: always do something wrong. To do this. We couldn't have 104 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: our hair yet after we couldn't touch your ears, had 105 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 1: to be over ears. You don't have to get the 106 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 1: circle over years. Couldn't we go chain. You know, couldn't 107 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: have they facial hair, and you no thing about it is. 108 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: Even the white kids noticed it. They said, man, that's 109 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: not right. I mean they even noticed, and so we are. 110 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: It was in our lockers. You can't have anything in 111 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: the bottom of your lock except your shoes, so if 112 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: it was a pencil, he's a paper or whatever. You 113 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: have to run. So sure enough he goes through the lockers. 114 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: All the brothers got stuff in the bottom their lockers 115 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: to post it. So now we got to go out 116 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: and run the next thing. I mean, I mean run 117 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: out to practice. I mean run like unto. He says 118 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: it too. He says it's enough. So eventually all of us, 119 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 1: every guy, eventually just started running a man, this this 120 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: is crazy. This is crazy. And find I'm like, man, 121 00:05:58,000 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: this is just the party. I just know. I was quit. 122 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: And so at that point, you know, I love football, 123 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: I mean I loved it, but I didn't. I didn't 124 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: like them. I didn't I didn't like him. And um my, 125 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: I think I said, this guy, my name James Avenue 126 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: named Shock, came to how he came to my house? 127 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: I was I think it was it was after him. 128 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 1: It was my sophomore you said, I really quit my 129 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 1: sophomore year. Came to my house and he said, uh, miss, 130 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 1: are you doing me? I ain't shock how you doing? 131 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: You may if I talked Eric and talked to him, 132 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: she said, you're taking me talk to him. So we 133 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,440 Speaker 1: got in the car. We rolled around. He said, he said, man, 134 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: how are you doing? I s someunding good. Shack was 135 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: from another town called Brookshire. Right over. I see the 136 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: booksherre royal. He said, I heard you guys you quit football. 137 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: And I said, yes, Shack man, I don't like that 138 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: coach and said none of us do, and so you don't. 139 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 1: He listened to what I had to say, and so 140 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: he said, you ask you a question, man, He said, 141 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: when you right around this time, what do you see? 142 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: And you know in our town, where you see guys 143 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 1: down the corner with you know the paper bag? All right? Nothing? 144 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: You know, Well, it's this guy just wondering the streets. 145 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: And there was one red light and I said, I 146 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:03,279 Speaker 1: see nothing he's here. Actually, every right, it's nothing here. Son. 147 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: He let me tell you something. He said, I know 148 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: you don't like that coach. You probably treat you all wrong. 149 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: He said, But if you don't. If you just think 150 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: about it, come over the Brookshire and play if you 151 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: if you don't want to play and see he said, 152 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: because Eric, you're one of the best athletes we've ever 153 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 1: seen in these parts. Now that I still remember him 154 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: saying that, because it blew me away, you know, think 155 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: about I'm sixteen years old. Like what I mean me, 156 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: he said, you said, if you want the best athletes 157 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 1: we've ever seen these points, he said, this could be 158 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: your way out of this time. He said, I'm telling 159 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 1: he said, think about it. You know, if you don't 160 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 1: want to play, to come over the brooksh and play. 161 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: So sure enough, I go, tell you take me back home. 162 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: My mom said, well, asked me, what did he say. 163 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: I told her. She said, says, I don't like football. 164 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: She never did like it, she said, but I don't 165 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: like you quitting son. She said, if you want to 166 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: go to Brookshire and play, I take you over the 167 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: Brooks and let you play over the Columbus or whatever 168 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: you want to go play. I said, Now you know, 169 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: I wasn't sure, and so I got a call from 170 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: my friend Gary Hill the next day. He said, Eric, 171 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: he said, man has wrapped in your house. I said, no, 172 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: the house when he said, come by we player's house once. 173 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: We'll come back and play. So shoot enough. He came 174 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: by my house and I talked to him. I told 175 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 1: him I think about it. We all got together, all 176 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: of us got together, all the brothers got together, and 177 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: we talked about it. So we said, okay, we'll get 178 00:08:11,040 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: another shot. We'll try. We'll try again. So went out 179 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: and we played and we played well. I mean, we 180 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: played well, but you know that was my coming into 181 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: my my junior year. Um, we should have won district, 182 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: but we didn't. And the next year we want to 183 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:27,239 Speaker 1: state championship. You know this, it's not no feel good story. 184 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: You know, people think oway fund the state championship, you know, 185 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: like you know Rimber the Titans, and I was one 186 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 1: of them. Kind of stories. But I'll say this much here. 187 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,439 Speaker 1: You know I always give credit. What credits do? Uh. 188 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: It was many years later. It was only probably about 189 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,079 Speaker 1: three years ago. I taught him. A guy called me 190 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: with him on the phone. I didn't even know. I know, 191 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: the guy that got named Dana. He said, every up. 192 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 1: I said, what's up? Dana? He said, Man, like I 193 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: somebodyn't want to how at you? I said, okay, and 194 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,600 Speaker 1: I picked up put him on the phone and he said, hey, 195 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: Harry man Pean. As soon as I heard his voice, Man, 196 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: my heart started beating fast. It was I was an 197 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: eighteen year old kid again. Yeah. And the power that 198 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: I said, a part of the coach has over. Yeah, 199 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: I said, I said, what's up, Ralph? He said, how's 200 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: it going there? I said, my SI is good? What's happening? 201 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,199 Speaker 1: And uh, you know I had I put the deep 202 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: voice on. You know, I ain't no kid, no mo I, 203 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: no kid no mode. He said, he's Eric, He's Aluys. 204 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: Want to say, man, you've had a great NFL care, 205 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 1: a great college class. Want to say congratulations all the 206 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: stuff you've done. And uh, he said, I want to 207 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,319 Speaker 1: say one thing. He said, I'm sorry I treated you guys. 208 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,319 Speaker 1: He's really sorry I did you guys. I said, Man, 209 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: I said, ron Man, thanks for saying that. I really 210 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: appreciate it. And to me, it showed it as a kid, 211 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: I thought I was right, but you know, you get 212 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 1: the only thing. Well, maybe I was wrong by saying that, 213 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 1: but man, I knew I was right about it when 214 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: he treated us. And he just passed away not not 215 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 1: long ago, but I got you. You know, like I said, 216 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 1: it's it's you know, like I said, he grew you 217 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: know I grew too, and so you know that was 218 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: that was how it was back then. You think would 219 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: have been differently if you wouldn't have had Shaq kind 220 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: of persuade you to going back to the team. You 221 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 1: know what, I always feel like this, I would I 222 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: would say, God hasn't playing for all of us no 223 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: matter what it is. You know, it's gonna happen no 224 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: matter what I think. Jack was just was just that 225 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: one tool to make me see what that what what 226 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: what God had in store from me, because honestly, I 227 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: didn't think about playing pro foot, but I think about 228 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 1: playing college football to me to my my senior year. 229 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: Because if we don't think about it, you gotta think 230 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: now you're talking about nineteen sent and that it wasn't 231 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: like it is now. You know, all everybody's on TV 232 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: and all these recruits, but not all that kind of stuff. 233 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: You know, they had to come come there to come 234 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:39,400 Speaker 1: find you in these little small towns, you know, and 235 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 1: if you didn't, if you weren't a big recruit, a 236 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: big time player, sometimes they couldn't find you. Or somebody 237 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: knew about or somebody write a letter or something like that. 238 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: So I just thought, you know, I didn't think about 239 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: to my senior and all the coaches started coming, everybody 240 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: started coming, and I was excited about possibly, you know, 241 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: going to college and playing playing college football. Something. I 242 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: saw a scene on television. Yeah that's yeah, I'm I'm 243 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: I'm kind of well, small town Carpus Cove wasn't highly 244 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 1: recruited out of Texas, so I ended up going to 245 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: a you know, a smaller D one school like SMU. 246 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,560 Speaker 1: And you know, my whole thing was, I just there's 247 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: enough schools out there. It's someone's job. I know I'm 248 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: good enough that uh, I'm good enough that somebody will 249 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: find me. I didn't have an exhausting recruitment process like you. 250 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: I wish I did. I wish that would have been 251 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,000 Speaker 1: a good problem to have to take all the trips 252 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: and everything. I wonder what life would have been like 253 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 1: for you had you gone to Oklahoma. You know, that's 254 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 1: a great question because I always think about that. But 255 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,160 Speaker 1: I think about it in the sense that did you 256 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:49,520 Speaker 1: see the best that never was with Marcus Dupree? Yeah, 257 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: I always think that positive that could have been me. Yes, 258 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: every reverse reverse roles. I don't know, because really I'm 259 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: glad I went to SMB. I'm glad I stayed in Texas. 260 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: That's what my mother wanted me to come to, stay 261 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: in Texas, to say, your Texas one while you're gonna 262 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 1: go away to Oklahoma. I'm an old lady. I'm not 263 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: coming to damn Oklahoma. Yeah. So you know, she said, 264 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:13,679 Speaker 1: you ain't gonna living in Oklahoma. You know, I just 265 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: think about football at that time, Like she said, so 266 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,959 Speaker 1: he said for us. I don't trust that man. Barrass was. 267 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: I don't trust him. And she said, a couple of 268 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: you said one thing. It was really prevent She said, 269 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: go somewhere where you can be the first. You can 270 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: started there be talking about you forever. You will be 271 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:29,599 Speaker 1: the guy you And that guy said, you know the 272 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: guy who said one, Dame Craig James says Craig. And 273 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: sure enough it worked out just like she said, I 274 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: have credit. Yeah that's that's good. Yeah. I want six 275 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: games in college. We were terrible. I want six games 276 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 1: in college. You know we used to play Texas L 277 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 1: s U all these big times. You know, uh, Division 278 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: one school's big, great programs, and we used to get destroyed, 279 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: you know, we used to get destroyed. Uh and laugh 280 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: yette at the raging Cagnes. And again, my whole thought 281 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: process was, I'm going to be the big fish in 282 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: this small pond. Somebody will recognize me. And then fast 283 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: forward four years later, I get drafted, use the number 284 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: two pick. I wasn't that good. I was the thirty 285 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: fourth pick pick, you know, coming from my and my 286 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: small school. So to your mom's credit, I like, I 287 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: like what she said because that was my That was 288 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 1: my thought process, Like, Uh, I'm gonna go somewhere and 289 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: I kind of want to put that school on the map. 290 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 1: I want them to talk about me, not this guy 291 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 1: or that guy. And that was That's a process how 292 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: I thought, and it kind of still works to this day. Um, 293 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,400 Speaker 1: you talk about your mom a lot in this book, 294 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 1: and I like that. And Viola, she reminds me of 295 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: my my mom's mom, you know from Mrs excuse me. 296 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: She's from Tennessee. Just uh, the Great migration did all 297 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 1: that came up here and she grew up in the 298 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: time that was rough. It was hard, It was difficult 299 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,959 Speaker 1: for black people at that time, and she was raised 300 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 1: in a tough world and lack of better terms of 301 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: white man's role at that time, especially in the Deep South. 302 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: And I could count on one hand as many she 303 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: told me she loved me. I could count on one 304 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: hand that many times she told me she loved me, 305 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: and as she loved me, because she would go to 306 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: bad for me, she would go to bath for me. 307 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: But hearing you describe her and all the characteristics and 308 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: all the absences that she used, it literally reminded me 309 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: of my granny, Loraine Griggs. She is just stone colde me. 310 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: But you know what, she's gonna fight for you. She 311 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: loved you. She might tell you once or twice, but 312 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 1: you know she she oh people. And my dad has 313 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: said this to me, and your mother says it's throughout 314 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: the book. Uh if you want to call it the 315 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: Words of Wisdom from Viola and it goes it's different 316 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,760 Speaker 1: for us. You know that that's that's true, man. I 317 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: mean it's funny because you know, I've talked to quite 318 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: a few brothers that have read the book Arrest every 319 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: part of it, and they're like, man, they're guy, can 320 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: really relate to this because it's us. I mean, it's 321 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: it's I would struggle and I but you know, it's 322 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: just not about this black people. It's about people in general, 323 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: just good people. A goot to be good hearted. My mother, 324 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: I mean she's she's really my great great hunt. I 325 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: was adopted by her and my dad. My mother. She 326 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: was born in nineteen o four. And I'll never forget, 327 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: you know, some of the stuff she'd always say to me. 328 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: She would say, eric Son, it's terrible for you. You 329 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 1: you're a black kid. It ain't the same. It's not 330 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:44,520 Speaker 1: it's never gonna be fair. And when you're yung you 331 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: know I was growing up, you know, yeah, I mean 332 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: that's not that's not true. And the best people always play, 333 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, the best people. You're a good process that 334 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: sons don't work like that in this world. And I 335 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: really found out that that day when I went to 336 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: Triple the League baseball. That was that was that was 337 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: my Okay, I get it. It's to a point now 338 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: where um I went try I hit. I remembna hit 339 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: two or three. I think I had three home runs 340 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: like a kids like a run. And uh I didn't 341 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: make the league. I mean they put they put up 342 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 1: men because I was at a small town, but all 343 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 1: the little white kids maybe was made the league, and 344 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: myself and another little black kid was on manor league. 345 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: And when I when I went home and told my 346 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: mother said I had to go. I said, I didn't 347 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: make a little league, and she said, I got tried 348 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 1: to tell you, son, it's different for you, and and 349 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: I just that that kind of that kind of showed 350 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: me it really was, because you know, she was the 351 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: type of person that she didn't trust a lot of 352 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,000 Speaker 1: people because she is she is. He was Eric, I've 353 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: seen what the white man would do. I'm not telling 354 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: what I heard. I was, She said, I don't. I'm 355 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 1: not telling what I heard. I'm telling what I saw 356 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: because you got you gotta think nineteen o four and 357 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 1: I didn't, you know, get get a concept of that 358 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: too much much later in life. He said, I saw 359 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 1: I've seen him hang black men. I've seen him cut 360 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: their privates. I stick it there. I've seen his m 361 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 1: own eyes in the South. And you know, I still didn't. 362 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 1: I still didn't get it. But you know, for her, 363 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: I understand where my mom came from. And at the 364 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: end of her life, I'll never forget I never got 365 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:21,360 Speaker 1: to never been married. My mother said, area. She said, 366 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 1: you know when I was once you did a black 367 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 1: married black girl, and I did. I did it always black, white, hispanic, 368 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: you know. Um, she said, but let me say this 369 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: to your son. I just want you to get a 370 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: woman that loves you for you. That's all I want 371 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: for your son. And in the end, you know, no 372 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: matter about the color thing. She got that and I got. 373 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: I mean, and that's how I lived my life still 374 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,159 Speaker 1: because you know, my mom and dad, My mom and 375 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: dad were total opposite, total opposite. That's how my grandparents are. Yeah. 376 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: My grandfather's like your dad, like very calm girl. Okey 377 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 1: doesn't say a ton, she does all the talk, and 378 00:17:58,119 --> 00:18:01,399 Speaker 1: he's just like all right, yeah, one, I told you 379 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: she could have been my She could have been my grandmother. 380 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:06,480 Speaker 1: Your mom and dad could have been My grandparents stayed 381 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: exactly the same. Mean and serially my grandmother, boy, she 382 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: gonna let you know, she's gonna let you Oh my god, 383 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: she gonna let you know. It's funny though, because my 384 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: grandfather got rest his soul. He was like that too. 385 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: You know. He was probably born in the I want 386 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: to say, maybe the twenties of the thirties, but he 387 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,719 Speaker 1: used to say that about white people. And you know, 388 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: I'm I'm a kid, and you know, much different than 389 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: the thirties of the forties. But I'm just like, hey, granddad, 390 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: why do you say that? Why? You know? And then 391 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 1: my dad and I had a conversation one time like 392 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 1: your mom did with you, and it was like my 393 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,479 Speaker 1: grandfather grew up around this time and he kind of 394 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,040 Speaker 1: brought that on my dad. And my dad moved to Ohio, 395 00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: and everything my grandfather told my dad was, you know, 396 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: white people are bad, White people are this. So my 397 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: dad grew up thinking that. Then he moves Ohio and 398 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 1: he gets around some white people and he's like, well, 399 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 1: wait a minute, these white people are actually cool. It's 400 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: not like what and like what you said, Daddy, Like 401 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: they're cool. I mean, it's some mean ones out there, 402 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: but these ones right here, you know, they they're cool. 403 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 1: I like them. They let me over for dinner, We 404 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:15,520 Speaker 1: hang out, we play basketball, we wrap bikes, you know. 405 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 1: And then he kind of and still that within myself 406 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: from my brother. So when I grew up, it was black, white, 407 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,160 Speaker 1: Latino Mexican. I got a military background, so I had 408 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 1: a whole community of different ethnic backgrounds, Puerto Rican and 409 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: dominic like it was, it was, it was, it was great. 410 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,959 Speaker 1: And then yeah, man, it's I wish I wish everyone 411 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 1: could have that that foundation of of learning what other 412 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 1: ethnic groups do, how they eat, how they are, how 413 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 1: they talk, just just learning about them. You know, that's 414 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 1: a that's that's a that's I don't know, a beautiful thing. 415 00:19:55,080 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: I'm I'm blessing uh in that regard. So transitioning over, 416 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: you know when you got to college. I like what 417 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: you said because I've said this a lot about the 418 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,640 Speaker 1: n C double A, about um, I watched the thirty 419 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 1: about the Fab five and how the University of Michigan 420 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: made so much money off of Chris Webber and everybody, 421 00:20:19,040 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 1: and a lot of people just assume because you're in 422 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 1: college and you're on scholarship that you've taken care of Hey, 423 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 1: I went to bed. I went to bed hungry many nights. 424 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: The tuna, fish, ramen, noodles, you know, that was that's 425 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: that's what I was eating. But I'm on but I'm 426 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,479 Speaker 1: on scholarship. But then the n C double A. They 427 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: want to get mad when when you want to get paid, 428 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:46,679 Speaker 1: I want thousand percent agree. College athletes need to get paid, 429 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: and I think they they prey on young kids who 430 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: don't know what they're actually doing, who don't have the 431 00:20:57,080 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: financial education to do certain things, because like you said 432 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,840 Speaker 1: in your book, you were sitting that money back home 433 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 1: to your mom and them, right, yeah, yeah, the little 434 00:21:06,640 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: bit I was getting. Yeah that that people think I 435 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 1: was getting all this money, like I was getting like 436 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 1: a like I don't like ten thousand a month, and 437 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: I was getting a thousand a months sometimes not not 438 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 1: even all the time. And that wasn't I mean, it 439 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: may feel like a lot of money, but like you said, man, 440 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: it was times that I went to bed hungry. I think, really, 441 00:21:22,359 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: I mean it was it was not. It wasn't like 442 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: what people thought it was because you know, I feel 443 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:32,120 Speaker 1: like that the athlete if it's black, white, but football 444 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: runs these universities. They make so much money off the 445 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 1: football players, football teams. I mean a lot of these 446 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,879 Speaker 1: kids are black kids, and we don't have anything. Mean, 447 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: some some come from from from educated parents that that 448 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: that have maybe you know, done well for themselves, but 449 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: on average, it's most of a grandmother raising a kid, 450 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:55,680 Speaker 1: a single mom, sometimes a single dad, sometimes a step 451 00:21:55,760 --> 00:22:00,040 Speaker 1: dad in a month. I mean, and they don't have 452 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: don't have an education or the knowledge to understand what 453 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: you're worth, what you're worth and what you can get possible. 454 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: And so now so now they know, they really know. 455 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: What we've been saying all it all this time is 456 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: the n C double A. They're like the mafia and 457 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: they you do the work, we take the money. You 458 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 1: get a scholarship, you get a roof of your head, 459 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: but you don't want to get no money. I mean 460 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,440 Speaker 1: that that's kind of it. And for the young kids, 461 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: but now they get a chance to get the money, 462 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: which I think it's great because sometimes look, everybody is 463 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,360 Speaker 1: not gonna play professional football. Everybody think with professional basketball 464 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:37,119 Speaker 1: or baseball. So it gives some of these kids something 465 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: when they get out of college to start with, to 466 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:42,720 Speaker 1: have a start on life. And that's the big thing. 467 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: Because the universities and made billions of dollars in it's 468 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 1: time for the guys and the girls who are actually 469 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: doing the work to get something out of it. One 470 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:58,600 Speaker 1: agree with you. Um, so when you got drafted and 471 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:03,480 Speaker 1: what was it eight three? Excuse me a three? What 472 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:05,919 Speaker 1: was that draft process? Like? Did you have like a 473 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 1: huge was it was. It like a huge draft party, 474 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: a big time Texas barbecue. You gotta go back and 475 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:17,159 Speaker 1: think about the year. We're thinking about the guy I 476 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: got on the NIGHTE No, because look I see Dion. 477 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: When Dion went, Dion had a thousand chains on. He 478 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: had the Jerry curl like he he had it. I mean, 479 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:30,439 Speaker 1: what was your draft? What was your draft day? Like 480 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: my draft? You know, my draft day was like I 481 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: got to call the night before the ram coming draft 482 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: me my best friend, Uh that we had a we 483 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 1: had an apartment together, and uh he said, man, he said, 484 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: because they said you're gonna have a we'll have a 485 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: ticket three at the airport, say my platform teen o'clock, 486 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: you know, kissing flightting and somebody to pick you up 487 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: at the airport. And he said, man, congratulations. So he 488 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 1: got up that morning, drove me to the airport. We listen, 489 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 1: We listened to the draft on the radio in the car, 490 00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: and I won't forget to touch on always. First they say, 491 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:03,120 Speaker 1: anybody knw we're gonna take Johnny one the first problem. 492 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:05,880 Speaker 1: And he said, let's take a quick pick running back 493 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: Eric Digginson from Southern Methis University. My guys said man, congratulations, 494 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: I said, man, thanks man. And so I got to 495 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: the airport. You know, people congratulate me that flew to 496 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,480 Speaker 1: flew to l A, got to l A. Um, I 497 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: didn't realize that we went in the l A. We 498 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: were in Anaheim. So we're driving. You're always counting like, wow, 499 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: l A behind us that the president got that to 500 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:30,879 Speaker 1: the press conference. You know with my little tweet wool 501 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: jacket on, I won't forget my ties. So I think 502 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: I think I want to have like two jackets and 503 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:38,199 Speaker 1: one suit. Um, you need the press conference. That's what 504 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: it was like. I mean it was no was no 505 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: big hoop lie, nothing like that. Did press all the 506 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: press that day, and I won't forget One of the 507 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: reporters asked me, what like was was I there savior? 508 00:24:47,960 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: Like like I'm the savior and I might apply was 509 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm no savior. I just come in to 510 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: play football. And I doubt that wouldn't answer. They wanted 511 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: to hear, you know. So it was never like that, 512 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:00,000 Speaker 1: cozy you know, we love your media thing with the media. 513 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: I never I never had that ever. But my draft. 514 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: That's that's how my draft went, and I got get 515 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: the press conference stop. Go back to Dallas. That night, 516 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: my buddy picked me up. We went out and went 517 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:17,199 Speaker 1: to Frisco Confetti and man, I got that. I got drunk, 518 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:22,400 Speaker 1: really and I did to drive me home. Okay, yeah, 519 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:24,439 Speaker 1: it's a little bit different than mine, a little bit 520 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 1: different than mine, but still a good time. Still a 521 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: good time. Um. Everyone has their their their NFL, their 522 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,399 Speaker 1: their NFL. Oh my god, this is I'm in the league. 523 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,199 Speaker 1: This is awesome. I can't believe I'm playing a kids game. Um, 524 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,080 Speaker 1: you tell a story about um LT. Now, I've seen 525 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:44,439 Speaker 1: all the mic ups with LT and how crazy he 526 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 1: was and stuff he said and how hard he hit 527 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:52,160 Speaker 1: and what was what was that experience like your first game? 528 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:55,080 Speaker 1: I won't forgive. We go down and were gonna play 529 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: the Jats. It's opening open game and on this on 530 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 1: a Sunday, and I think it was it was like 531 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 1: a when is your third? Like a third? We put 532 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:08,120 Speaker 1: him gonna we're gonna put a play in. Uh, well, 533 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:09,880 Speaker 1: we're gonna put a play where you have to block 534 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,520 Speaker 1: the outside linebacker. Outside linebacker's laune table couldn't say possibly 535 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 1: possibly be Launche Taylor, which it was, I said, Launce Taylor. 536 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: I said, what you mean blocking, Well, you ain't got 537 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 1: to block him long and just get his hands down. 538 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, that's launch Taylor. You know every you ain't 539 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,680 Speaker 1: got you just just just cut and get his hands down. Okay. 540 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 1: So I'll never forget. Man, I'm thinking about this play 541 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: the whole week, like, man, why in the hell they 542 00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 1: put me in in this situation? So sure enough you 543 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: know the games we're going to get the game starts, 544 00:26:40,119 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 1: and you know, and he is a talker. He was 545 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: a talk you know, talking the whole and what year 546 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: was this? What what year was this for LT? Uh? 547 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 1: This was his uh second year. It's my first year. 548 00:26:53,720 --> 00:26:56,479 Speaker 1: So you know, he made all he made all everything 549 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 1: that year his rookie see I mean rookie the year 550 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: y'r you know player that you play, he made he 551 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: made everything. So now I'm playing against the LT I mean, 552 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: And so I mean I know who he is. So 553 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: sure enough you know he's you Ricky And then just 554 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:13,720 Speaker 1: like oh god scared, but I'm I'm not a pretty 555 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:15,239 Speaker 1: good game. You guys get to the floor again, you're 556 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: not football and get the floor. Kind of forget about it. 557 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 1: I never say nothing back. So boom the third quarter 558 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:23,679 Speaker 1: to play. They call it platino if you they call 559 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,520 Speaker 1: that play. And he's on the edge, on the edge, 560 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: leaning down with over hands to you know, move his 561 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: fingers the tight ends. Just push him and slip inside. 562 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 1: Mike Barbera said, we pushed him and slipped inside. LT 563 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 1: came with a quick rush and I came up quick 564 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: and I cut in good. I mean I cut into 565 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: the ground. I cut him. I'm getting up going back 566 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 1: to the huddle. You can't say bad words, and he can't. 567 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: You can't. I don't want to see it too bad words. 568 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 1: But anyway, he grabbed me by my arm. He said, 569 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 1: hey you mother, don't you cut me? And I'm looking 570 00:27:57,359 --> 00:28:01,199 Speaker 1: at him. I'm thinking we're gonna laugh. Ask do you 571 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: hear me? Yes? So I just leave off the field. 572 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: You know you picked up the first down. I left 573 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,159 Speaker 1: the field. I went to the sideline. I went to 574 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 1: the bench. On the bench and they're looking for the 575 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: running back. They have to call the time out. My 576 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: coach came over to me. Eric What I said, Uh nope, 577 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 1: I said, Bruce. That man said donna kill me. Bruce. 578 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 1: I said, why y'all do me like that? Man? Then 579 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 1: they started last said and Bruce. I said no, I say, 580 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: I'm not going back in. Bruce, just wait a few 581 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,679 Speaker 1: plays and go I said, why y'all do me like that? 582 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: Though there's a play, I'm like, I'm like, well, I'm 583 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:33,520 Speaker 1: not gonna I'm not gonna do that play again. So 584 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: we put somebody else in. So sure enough, after the 585 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: game is over, I go over, I go to apologize, said, 586 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: you know, thank, I'm like, I'm like a kid, I said, 587 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: Mr Taylor. Man, I'm sorry, man, he said, Man, don't 588 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: you ever I said, Man, I'm sorry. He said, Man, 589 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 1: I'm just joking. Man, don't worry about it. So that 590 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 1: was that. So you had a phenomenal career and I 591 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,120 Speaker 1: think each year you got better. Um, when did you 592 00:28:57,120 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: start to realize you're worth in this game? Because I 593 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: know there was some there was some talk about your 594 00:29:02,280 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: contract and you probably could have got paid a little 595 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: bit more, you know now nowadays? Oh sorry, go ahead. Um, 596 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: you know, really after my first year, which I knew, 597 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: I mean, I didn't really realize I wouldn't making a 598 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: lot of them. I knew I wasn't making I thought 599 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: was fair, but I was playing. So when I loved 600 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 1: the sports so much, that I wasn't worried about you know, 601 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 1: I wasn't worried about it. I mean, I just I 602 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: just loved it. I just loved everything about it. Uh. 603 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: And then my second year when I had to two 604 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: thousand yards, I'm like, because I was making a hundred 605 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:36,120 Speaker 1: and fifty thousand my first year, excuse me? And I 606 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: was making them one seventy fivety year and two thousand yards. 607 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 1: And I'm like, I'm i'm, I'm I'm I played this contract. 608 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: And guys are like telling me, man, Eric, you know 609 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: this is a business because because I've seen them cut 610 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: guys and like why are you cut him? And money? 611 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 1: Like do we need him? And they don't care this 612 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: about money? And I so you know, he said, I 613 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: wouldn't never forget it was a guy Garrit you He's 614 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: say his son. He said, you figure out one day. 615 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: This is a business. This is about This is business. 616 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: They say this is a sport, but this business. So 617 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: you know, I want to try to get a better contract. 618 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: And and it always was you know you know how 619 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 1: this for us, Man, we greedy? You know, we we don't, 620 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:19,440 Speaker 1: we don't We're not a team player. I always say, 621 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 1: and I said, I think I said in the book, 622 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 1: have you ever seen a white quarterback ever hold out? No, 623 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 1: I can tell you they don't have to hold out. 624 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 1: I didn't think that white player never hold out. I 625 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,440 Speaker 1: mean just they just don't have to. And it's no 626 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 1: nothing against him because as a as a as a teammate, 627 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: you don't blame the teammate. You blame an organization. You 628 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:38,400 Speaker 1: blame an organization and how they how they're doing it, 629 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: and they would just never do me right. And it 630 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,360 Speaker 1: was to the point where it was frustrating because I 631 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: knew I was out playing that contract. It came to 632 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:49,440 Speaker 1: the point where I told John Show he was a 633 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,840 Speaker 1: general manager. I said, John, and I said, I've got 634 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: to try to sell the meeting never with him to forever, 635 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,440 Speaker 1: to get a meeting with him. I said that, I 636 00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: mean met him had Pico office and I said, John, 637 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: I said, you know, I led it league in Russian 638 00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: last year again and uh, And I said, I gotta 639 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: get paid right man. He's like, you didn't need to 640 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: league in Russian. I said, yes I did. And I 641 00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: know he's his little nag like, no, you didn't. I said, 642 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 1: yes I did, John, No, you didn't. Every part to 643 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: pay did I said, no, I left the league. I 644 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:20,479 Speaker 1: said at fourteen touchdown, I never get hold down. Let 645 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:25,280 Speaker 1: me get the book. You go get That's how I sound. 646 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: That's just I got. I'm doing the audio book and 647 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 1: I'm doing this. Voice comes back and looks said, oh 648 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 1: you did need the league. I want to say, you know, 649 00:31:33,800 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 1: I left the league in Russian last year. So it 650 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,840 Speaker 1: was man Peter, and I told him, I said, look, John, 651 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 1: like I said. I said, I have so much faith 652 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: in my ability that if I just if you just 653 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: paid me like a like a, I said, I'm not 654 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 1: telling my tell. If I have a fifteen hundred yards, 655 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:54,520 Speaker 1: you give me a million dollars a year. If not, 656 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: I'll go back to my my original contract. I said, 657 00:31:57,120 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: that's how much faith having my ability in my office? Apply? 658 00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 1: I think about that. Yeah, not not a thousand, I said, 659 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: fift hundred. He said, no, We're not gonna do that. 660 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 1: So at that point, Man, it was just it was 661 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,800 Speaker 1: it was it was over with. It just wasn't gonna 662 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:17,280 Speaker 1: work with him. Now, how is it so you're you're 663 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: back with the Rams? Now? Was the rambassador now kind 664 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: of leaving getting traded, going to going to Indie going 665 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,040 Speaker 1: there and going to l A, going to the Raiders. Um, 666 00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 1: how was it being back with the Rams now? What 667 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 1: is a different RAMS organization? You know, it's totally different ownership. 668 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:36,640 Speaker 1: Everything is way different. Man. You know from when when 669 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 1: I was there, and I gotta say, even with John 670 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 1: Show at the end of everything, Uh, we had a meeting. 671 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: Uh we're back. She read the book. He so I 672 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 1: met with him and uh, he said, Eric, He said, 673 00:32:49,040 --> 00:32:50,640 Speaker 1: I just want to say something to you, because I 674 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 1: never want to meet with Jackie Slaton said to meet. 675 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:54,920 Speaker 1: He said, I just want to say something to Eric. 676 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:58,360 Speaker 1: He said, you're the greatest playoff. So he said that 677 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: trade should have never happened. That was my father. He said, 678 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,560 Speaker 1: I just want to say I'm sorry and you always 679 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: be a ramped Us and anything we can do for 680 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 1: you, you you let me know that. That changed everything, right, 681 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: that changed everything. So from that point on, I would 682 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: always do stuff with the Rams, and John Shower was 683 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 1: with with the gym, and then you know, after they 684 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: came back to l A, then I became official officially, 685 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:25,040 Speaker 1: you know. But the tie to Los Angeles Rams, that's cool. 686 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: So one one other thing real quick before we wrap 687 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:30,960 Speaker 1: this thing. Up. I know you got your famous look 688 00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:36,360 Speaker 1: with the goggles, the neck roll, the Jerry curl. I 689 00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 1: didn't necessarily have the Jerry curl of the goggles because 690 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 1: I don't want glasses. But my teammates used to make 691 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: fun of me so much because there's always that NFL 692 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:46,200 Speaker 1: poster that they have in the locker room and they 693 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 1: want you to wear your pads like that. I was 694 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: a guy. I was like, yeah. I just was like, look, 695 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 1: just give me my helmet, my pads, like, I'm good 696 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: to go. I don't need anything special or fancy, Like 697 00:33:57,240 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 1: my socks need to be done all nice. And you know, 698 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: as you say, you look good, you feel good, you 699 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: play good. I just like, look, just give me a 700 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: damn helmet and some page. Let me go pee pean 701 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: up on somebody like that was my mentality. That was 702 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: my attitude. I think you and I have that in common, 703 00:34:11,239 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 1: because did you think you look cool back with the hair, 704 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 1: the long hair, and and and the and the goggles 705 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 1: and the neck roll? Was was that cool? Was that just? 706 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:22,920 Speaker 1: That was just your own little swag? Looking back on 707 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:24,640 Speaker 1: it now, how do you look? What do you say 708 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 1: when you look at it now? Oh? Cool? Is hell? 709 00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:31,960 Speaker 1: I looked. I looked at timid dating. That was my thing. 710 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 1: I wasn't look at timidating with the guy well, I 711 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:36,480 Speaker 1: can't see at the goggles Jerich. That was part of 712 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,440 Speaker 1: the deal. The neck role, the neck role, and no purpose. 713 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:42,120 Speaker 1: I just read it cool down. It's just it just 714 00:34:42,120 --> 00:34:44,560 Speaker 1: look cool. It look good, you know. I had to 715 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 1: towel on the side, but both passed the risk, spattered up, 716 00:34:48,719 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 1: taped up. So yeah, I thought. I thought, yeah, you 717 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 1: look good, you played good. That was my motto, you 718 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: look good, you played good. I didn't. I didn't really 719 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 1: have a modo. I just was like, you know what, 720 00:34:57,360 --> 00:34:59,480 Speaker 1: just give me my damn helmet so I can hear somebody. 721 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:01,799 Speaker 1: I didn't didn't really care. And my teammates he's well. 722 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 1: I went to Carolina my last year, and I had 723 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,680 Speaker 1: by this time, I'm I'm thirty three. We got guys 724 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:11,160 Speaker 1: that are like twenty two, so they're young, they're in 725 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: their second year. I'm in my thirteen season, and they 726 00:35:15,640 --> 00:35:18,840 Speaker 1: just looking at me like peanut, man, where's your swag? 727 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:22,480 Speaker 1: You look so corny, you look so you look so 728 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 1: booboo man? Why don't you you look like that goddamn 729 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: post right there sack man, you put yeah, I look eyes, man, 730 00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:35,239 Speaker 1: look at this moment in time. Man, I'm just trying 731 00:35:35,239 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 1: to get through practice, y'all. Like my body sore, I'm tired. 732 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,080 Speaker 1: Just my third team season. Thank god, we don't have 733 00:35:42,160 --> 00:35:44,480 Speaker 1: these two days like when you were around, you had 734 00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:47,799 Speaker 1: like the legit two or two days. I don't think 735 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 1: I would have made it. I don't. I don't think 736 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: would have made it when when y'all played back in 737 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,200 Speaker 1: the day. Oh man, I'm gonna it was tough, bro, 738 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 1: I told you, and I didn't talk about that in 739 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,360 Speaker 1: the book. Also, man, my first year, man, I was 740 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: gonna quit. I told a guy we were going through 741 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: two days. We went through two weeks or two days 742 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: almost two into tenth straight day, full pad morning and 743 00:36:05,880 --> 00:36:10,680 Speaker 1: even hidding, you know, tackling everything. But that was when 744 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:12,759 Speaker 1: you guys went to two days to get in shape though, 745 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: right well, there was no training, there was no there 746 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,160 Speaker 1: was no off season. Right No, it wasn't. It was 747 00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:19,759 Speaker 1: no off season. It was your it was your deal 748 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,000 Speaker 1: to getting to get in shape. Came in, I checked, 749 00:36:22,400 --> 00:36:26,399 Speaker 1: so uh we had we we came in and I'll 750 00:36:26,400 --> 00:36:28,160 Speaker 1: never forget we went to the these two of day, 751 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:31,359 Speaker 1: I'm like, this is crazy. And I came out well 752 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,040 Speaker 1: on a morning practice. A morning practice got a oldest 753 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: grant was receiver from MR State and being able. But 754 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 1: we're said, and I said all this, I said, brother, 755 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 1: there's a nice medium. Man. I said, I am not 756 00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:45,480 Speaker 1: coming back to this. Nothing sense to see you. I said, man, 757 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 1: I'm quick. I said, I'm out of him. He said, 758 00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 1: I said, man, he said, I said, I'm telling so 759 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,959 Speaker 1: sure enough, I went back to my room. I called 760 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,000 Speaker 1: my mother. I said, Mama, I said, I'm coming. I 761 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,400 Speaker 1: want to come home. She said, what I said, I 762 00:36:59,520 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: just I said, this is too tough. She said, what 763 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,480 Speaker 1: you mean when to come home? You're gonna quit? I said, yes. 764 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:06,839 Speaker 1: You said, oh, hell no, you ain't quitting that. She said, 765 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: I don't like the football said. She said, you're gonna 766 00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:10,400 Speaker 1: take your hasks back out there that you signed up for, 767 00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 1: take cats back and get at it. And man, I 768 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:16,439 Speaker 1: know when I showed back up and practice that either 769 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: oldly started laughing. I thought, you're gonna quit, I said, 770 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 1: my mom wouldn't let me. So that's funny. Man. I 771 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 1: think in life, life is hard, and in life we 772 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: have guides to carry us through this long journey. And 773 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:36,800 Speaker 1: I think your mom, shock, your roommate from college teaching 774 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:40,279 Speaker 1: you how to lift weights. You know, they played a 775 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:43,359 Speaker 1: pivotal part kind of in your in your life, kind 776 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 1: of getting you to where you are right now. I'm 777 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:49,080 Speaker 1: the same way. I have my a group of individuals 778 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: that have helped me stay on my path when I 779 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,600 Speaker 1: was young and dumb and made some dumb mistake and 780 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:57,279 Speaker 1: they kind of helped me along the way. So yeah, man, 781 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:00,839 Speaker 1: shout out to all those guys out there that help 782 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 1: us along this journey that we call life. Um, Eric, 783 00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:06,600 Speaker 1: I can't thank you enough for coming on the show, man, 784 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:10,719 Speaker 1: I appreciate you. Um. If y'all are listening, or I 785 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 1: know y'all listening, y'all, please by this man's book, watch 786 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:17,960 Speaker 1: my smoke, because he is fast. You still think you 787 00:38:18,040 --> 00:38:20,440 Speaker 1: run a full three on grass? Oh no, I can 788 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:26,640 Speaker 1: let us six six three take it's over. It's over 789 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: for me. Well, I I can't thank you enough, man. 790 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,799 Speaker 1: I really enjoyed the book. I really appreciate how authentic 791 00:38:33,040 --> 00:38:36,400 Speaker 1: and how real and vulnerable you were in this book, 792 00:38:36,520 --> 00:38:39,240 Speaker 1: and I can't thank you enough. I hope it becomes 793 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:43,760 Speaker 1: a New York Times bestseller. Um as an NFL player. Uh, 794 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 1: thank you for coming on, tuning in, and uh I 795 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:48,960 Speaker 1: hope it does well. Thanks Bro, thanks for happy. I 796 00:38:49,040 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: appreciate it. Man, Yes, sir, thank okay, all right, Okaya, 797 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:59,279 Speaker 1: have a good one, Boston. Thanks for joining us in 798 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:03,280 Speaker 1: the NFL Players Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe and follow 799 00:39:03,320 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 1: at NFL Players Podcast on Instagram for the latest player 800 00:39:07,080 --> 00:39:11,239 Speaker 1: stories and to connect with the NFL Players community. M