1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,799 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here is your host, four 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: team year NFL veteran and Hall of Famer Anius Williams. 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast. I'm Innis Williams. 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: Today we're talking about a field that many legends pursue 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: after their playing experience, the field of broadcasting, even the 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 1: studio or in the booth, and honestly, with the media 8 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 1: landscape ever changing, social and digital opportunities are now available. 9 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: We're going to hear from legends who are working in 10 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: the field and working their way toward working in the field. First, 11 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 1: we have the three time Super Bowl champion William McGinnis 12 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: from NFL Network USC. That's right, Southern California house. I'll 13 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 1: tell you guys why I'm sitting that little later here 14 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: in a second. Then we also have former Penn State 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: quarterback turned fullback that's an interest story in and of itself, 16 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: playing for forty n Honors and Seahawks UH Michael Robinson. 17 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: And then we have U C. L A grade that's right, 18 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: Maurice Jones Drew UH and also drafted in second round. 19 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 1: UH played how many years for Jacksonville. Jacksonville, right, Yeah, 20 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: I went to Oakland, went home. Yeah, so I went 21 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: I went home seeing let my family that couldn't make 22 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: into Florida see me play in a couple of preseason games. Awesome. Man. 23 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you guys about being on 24 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:50,360 Speaker 1: air also talking just talking about football. What have you 25 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: found out to be the hardest thing as it relates 26 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: to being a broadcaster or being on air that you 27 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: didn't think it would be this hard. I think being impartial. 28 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: You know, when you talk to you see your friends 29 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: or people you have relationships with, you gotta be honest. Um, 30 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: you gotta call it like it is. And sometimes you 31 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,519 Speaker 1: know information and you have things that you know what's 32 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: going on, but you can't because of the relationships and 33 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: how you got your information. So I think there's a 34 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: loyalty as a player that you possess with with with 35 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,679 Speaker 1: players and in gems or coaches that you've got to 36 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: maintain that relationship. But then you have a duty on 37 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: air to go out and kind of you know, give 38 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: give your opinion and give your honest assessment of what's 39 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: going on. But you don't want to violate, you know, 40 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: being confident, So I think it's hard to kind of 41 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,119 Speaker 1: balance in between. But I've learned how to get information 42 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: and kind of use it without exposing my sources or 43 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: pushing people out there. Yeah, I agree with you too, Willie. 44 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:00,840 Speaker 1: I think getting information like that and using it as 45 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: background so you know how to form your thoughts and talk, 46 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, without actually saying, oh, such 47 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: and such told me this and this is what it is. 48 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: I think that was very That's a that's a gift 49 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: that you have to kind of um work when you 50 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: get into this business. Another thing for me that was 51 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:17,640 Speaker 1: not tough, but it's something I had to work on 52 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: was kind of fusing emerging my own air personality with 53 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: who I truly am. Right, I found it being too 54 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: hard to It's not a light switch. You can't just 55 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: cut on, you know, being on TV and now all 56 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: of a sudden, you're this character, you know what I mean. 57 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: So what I started doing was infusing who I am 58 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: personally and to what I want my own air um 59 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: personality to be. And before you know it, I'm walking 60 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: around and I sound like I'm on TV all the time. 61 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: Because now I've kind of feel I've become what I 62 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: wanted to be on team, And so I tell young 63 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: people all the time who want to get into this game, 64 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: what do you want to look like on t How 65 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: do you want to sound? Who do you who do 66 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: you want to emulate? How do you want your sound 67 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: to be? What do you want your information to sound like? 68 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: Coming from you? And talk like that every day, talk 69 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: like that in every part of your life, because it's 70 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: just too hard. It's not a light switch. You can't 71 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: cut it on and off. So what you're saying, Michael, 72 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: become yourself literally, right, you literally start to identify and 73 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: become who you want to be. Well, that's powerful. Yeah, yeah, 74 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: for me, it's I think a little bit of both 75 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 1: of what Williem and Michael said. But the biggest transition 76 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: was coming from that locker room mentality, that that locker 77 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: room environment to now being in the workforce right, And 78 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: you know, I know, retirements hard on everyone because that 79 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 1: our business. It's not like they can like give you 80 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: like a two year package, like we're gonna slowly move 81 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: you out, like well you can't run anymore, you're done right, 82 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: or you can't spin, or you can't play the way 83 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,719 Speaker 1: your plan or being explosive you're done. And so coming 84 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 1: from that environment where you could talk about anything you 85 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: want to in the locker room regards of how you speak, 86 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: and no one judges you to now coming to this sector, 87 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: you have to be prepared to to to you know, 88 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: take tough criticism and and and be willing to look 89 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,480 Speaker 1: inside yourself and say that is just what I want 90 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: to do and then be able to adapt in change. 91 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 1: And it's hard to change after you've been so successful 92 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: playing on the football for right, doing it your way, 93 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: and like you've kind of molded your own business and 94 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: now going to another place where they're like, look, you 95 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: can't dress like this or you can't talk like that, 96 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: and you have to say it this way. And and 97 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: so I think the saying what what Willie was saying 98 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: was having those relationships from the locker room then trying 99 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: not to you know, trying to like you, trying to 100 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: smoothe it over, make sure it's nice, than also understanding 101 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: who you're gonna be now, you know, Like my first year, 102 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: I was on digital the whole time, so I wore 103 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: sweatsuits every day. I was like, why can't I be 104 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: on TV wearing sweatsuits? They're like because that's not what 105 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: we do. You gotta wear suits, and so that's just 106 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: part of my life that I had to chance. We 107 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: have to start wearing suits and ties, which I never 108 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: really did my whole life. I was more of a 109 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: you know, sweatsuits and cross trainer kind of guy. So 110 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 1: it's just little things that you have to be willing 111 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: to sacrifice and adjust and and and it takes time. 112 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 1: But if if you're willing to work out it, you know, 113 00:05:52,880 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 1: I think it's like anything, you'll you'll eventually get better 114 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 1: with reps and you'll have a good time with it. 115 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: Think also the respect part of it. I didn't want 116 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: to be you know, the Mike's point on TV being 117 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: something I wasn't, And I wanted to be respected, Like 118 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 1: I didn't want to have to come on TV and 119 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: do a bunch of silly things or for outside of 120 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: my personality and who I am. I wanted to be likable. 121 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,040 Speaker 1: I wanted to be informative. I wanted to just send 122 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: a message. I wanted to be able to be critical 123 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 1: but also offer a solution. Like when I used to 124 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 1: watch people talk about me or other people when I played, 125 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: it seems like sometimes they would just criticized, criticized, criticized, 126 00:06:31,600 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: and I think um and domin Con Sue came out 127 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: one time when Warren Sapp was criticizing him a bunch, 128 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: and the domin Con Sue came out and responded like, Okay, 129 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: you've done this, You're one of the best to ever 130 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: do it. Whantn't you offer me some advice or what 131 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 1: I should be doing? And I thought that was pretty 132 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: powerful to say, Okay, if I'm on air and I'm 133 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: telling this guy you're doing this wrong on this this, 134 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 1: then offer some advice or what he should be doing. 135 00:06:56,880 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: So I'm just not criticizing, you know, or what he 136 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 1: should would be or what he could be doing and 137 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: offer something like that. And I think players respect that. 138 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: They understand that, like nobody who's ever came to the 139 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 1: broadcast boof or played the game is perfect. We've all 140 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: had mental errors, we've all had mistakes, we've all had 141 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: bad plays we wish we could take back, and so 142 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: I try not to to to get on TV and 143 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 1: pretend I was perfect. Now how hard it is to 144 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: remember when you're you're sharing information that we we had 145 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: bad plays and all, like you're saying in the locker room. 146 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: That's all we do. And everybody talking about how you 147 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: ain't never in our locker room. You got you know 148 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: a lot of Hayden. But it's but it's good though, 149 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: because it keeps you humble, because you know, if you 150 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 1: start to feel a little too confident, someone's gonna come 151 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,160 Speaker 1: in there and burb and it's kind of play. Yeah, 152 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 1: someone's gonna say something or we're gonna have it on air. 153 00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: It's gonna be a joke and you gotta swallow, you 154 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: gotta take it like okay, all right, let me get 155 00:07:55,560 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: back in my seat and let me let me sit there, 156 00:07:57,680 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: let me get off by by High, you know. And 157 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: uh but it's it's all. It's awesome, you know. I 158 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: mean we always talked about with Rod Woodson. You know, 159 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 1: Rod thinks he was the best safety corner ever, right 160 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: and uh so, I you know, it's partly part of 161 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: our job to find some place where he's getting rolled 162 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: up or just let him know, like I know, you 163 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: got the gold Jackie babe, man, you know you wouldn't 164 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: always uh gold Jack and Materry all the time, y'all. 165 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: Don't show him that play when I think it was 166 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: Barry Sinders put that move on him, and that's two persons. 167 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: But the other part you mentioned about the criticism with 168 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,959 Speaker 1: Warren and suit how do you guys now handle the 169 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: criticism weather through social media? I remember on my I 170 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: had my grandma was incorrect, and man they got killed 171 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: him every win, like with with certain things with the 172 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: social media. What I what I realized though, and I 173 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: just kind of got into us with some Pitchburgh fans 174 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: when I criticized Kevin Corprit about his comments about what 175 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,800 Speaker 1: he said about the fifty two kids and one dad 176 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 1: pretty much which made no sense to me, and the 177 00:09:09,920 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: Pittsburgh Stiller's fans were the only ones who came out, 178 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: and some understood and other ones didn't. They thought I 179 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: was just because I played for the Patriots, I was 180 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 1: going against them. But when I speak now, I don't 181 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 1: speak from the Patriots. I speak from all thirty two 182 00:09:23,960 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: teams of how every locker room should be. And what 183 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: I realized and understand is which every team you talk about, 184 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: there are a group of fans that are either gonna 185 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: like or not like what you talk about because they're 186 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: all fans of one particular tea. So you talk about 187 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: Pittsburgh all the Pittsburgh fans are gonna come out of 188 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 1: nowhere when you talk about Dallas, all the Dallas fans. 189 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: So I'm a fan of all thirty two. When you're 190 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: being critical of one organization, then you're gonna have to 191 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 1: deal with those fans. So I've learned to accept that, 192 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 1: and a lot of times I ignore it. But there's 193 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: a couple of times I go in on the couples, 194 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: let them know I'm still here. We're in real quick, 195 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: and then all that is, dude, I agree. I do 196 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: the same thing I did talk about Patrick Mahomes this year, 197 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 1: talking about he's stoning to one side of the field 198 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: early on, and man, those Kansas City Chiefs fans came 199 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:15,600 Speaker 1: out of everywhere calling me all out my name. I 200 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: don't know nothing. I've never been able to play, and 201 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,839 Speaker 1: at some point you gotta just stop listening to it, 202 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:24,079 Speaker 1: stop looking at it. Sometimes you engage in will is correct, man. 203 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: Sometimes they are educated fans out there who can have 204 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: an educated conversation with you about football. Um, but most 205 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,559 Speaker 1: of the time they're just trying to get you riled up. 206 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 1: Most of the time they want you to say something crazy. 207 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,560 Speaker 1: So when your stuff goes on TV, you can see 208 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 1: there's underneath it two shots. They get excited about that stuff. 209 00:10:42,520 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: So after the time, you just you just ignore it. 210 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,320 Speaker 1: I mean, that's that's really all you can do. Well, 211 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: tell us about the broadcast boot camp. What was that like? 212 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: So I did a year two My agent and and 213 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: I Kennedy Pola, Paula Mallo now told me I should 214 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: do it my second year in the league, and I 215 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: didn't know about and I want to say it was 216 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: the second year had been done. So I just want 217 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: to embraced the opportunity of doing it and meeting all 218 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: the people and had a good time and kind of 219 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 1: showed me like that's what I want to do, Like 220 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: this is kind of something that I feel comfortable with 221 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 1: talking in front of the camera and analyzing and doing 222 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: different things. And from there just kind of spout into 223 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: having a radio show in Jacksonville and the TV show 224 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: and jackson And that's the best part of his starting 225 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,839 Speaker 1: local and not in a big market because Grammar was 226 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: messed up looking at the wrong cameratas like all my 227 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: mistakes with a couple of you know, a couple of 228 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: people watching or listening, and then I was able to 229 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: turn that into a serious XM deal while I was playing, 230 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: and you know, and so it just really all started there, 231 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,719 Speaker 1: just learning all the little nuances of the of how 232 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: to do it, like how to how to I ask questions. 233 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: That's something I think I struggled with earlier. On how 234 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 1: to read off the telegram. Those are things that I 235 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 1: I was taught to read at a Catholic school a 236 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 1: certain way, right, so I read like like you know, 237 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: like I'm reading, not as if I'm talking. And so 238 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: that was something I had to learn how to do. 239 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,839 Speaker 1: And you know, it takes and I always tell people 240 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: wanted to Chris, it takes time. Like no one's perfect, right, 241 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: we always talked about that you could do ten thousand 242 00:12:04,559 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: hours or TV and still mess up. I watched I 243 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: always watched the news, the local news wherever I am, 244 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: just to see how they do certain things, because you 245 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: always gather information from everyone. And I've seen local news 246 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,439 Speaker 1: people who've been working for thirty years and rolling the 247 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: roll tape or run the wrong tape right, and so 248 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: that those things happen. And so for me, it's just 249 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: when I was at the broadcast boot camp, I was 250 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: challenged to be more aggressive in doing it and you know, 251 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: taking more time in the off season and going on 252 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: car washes and different things like that, and it kind 253 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: of opened up doors. I loved Broadcast boot Camp, man. Um. 254 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: I went twice. I went to the regular version of it, 255 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: and they had an advanced version of it. Um. I 256 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: loved it. And the big reason why I loved it 257 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: is because I knew everybody just kind of like the COMBA, right, 258 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: everybody in the industry is there, and so I had 259 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: an opportunity to get my roller decks filled up with 260 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,560 Speaker 1: everybody in the industry, you know, everybody, all the all 261 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: the hiring process, send them Christmas cards, all in that 262 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 1: every single year after I started in the broadcast Yeah. Man, 263 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 1: because look, and I tell young people this all the time, 264 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 1: you have to be intentional about your success. I'm not 265 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: a Hall of Famer. I'm not a guy who put 266 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: up a lot of yards in this league or whatever whatever. 267 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: So I had to work to get to where I 268 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,839 Speaker 1: am right now. There was nothing given to me. And 269 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: I'm not saying anybody else that it didn't work either, 270 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: but but I had to be very intentional. So my 271 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,000 Speaker 1: very first year International Football League, I started the Rookie 272 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: Report with the San Francisco forty niners. I told the 273 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: PR staff, look, I want to do something on camera. 274 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 1: You know what I mean, Send somebody down here with 275 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: a camera. Let me go. And so, yeah, MJD. You 276 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,880 Speaker 1: talk about having your mistakes, bro I cursed by accident, 277 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: you know. I said some of the wrong words, you know, 278 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: ran up on guys when they really want trying to talk, 279 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:44,679 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. And you know, I kind 280 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: of learned how to read guys and how to and 281 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: how to talk to him. So after the Rookie year 282 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:51,679 Speaker 1: turned into the Robinson Report the next year, and then 283 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: I got released. I got the Seattle during the lockout years, 284 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: and so I created you know, I just kind of 285 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: kept doing it and called it the Robinson Report. And 286 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: through those years in Seattle Man, we gained twenty five 287 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 1: million views off YouTube. We got picked up by almost 288 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: every major network. I was just interviewing guys when I 289 00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: was out in Arizona training. You know, when the real 290 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 1: Reevers is going through this thing, I was training with him. 291 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: So I said, a dog, let me get on camera. 292 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: What you real? Quickly said, cool, I say, you you 293 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 1: for real? I brought my camera guy in and again 294 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: it taught me how to set interview up. It taught 295 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: me how to do all the things um that I'm 296 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: doing now. And I used that as a as a 297 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: way to get all of my mistakes out because I 298 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: never wanted to get on national television and make amateur 299 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: mistakes um. And so I used the real Robin Porter 300 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:37,840 Speaker 1: that and when I was done, I won my Super Bowl. 301 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: I had teams kind of I mean had that was 302 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 1: kind of bidding um to get me to get me on. 303 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: And my thing is keep it real, man, you gotta 304 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,040 Speaker 1: keep it real. It will it the What was your 305 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 1: perception of the media before when you were a player, 306 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: and what's your perception you know, I played in New England, man, 307 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: So one thing that we didn't do was pretty much 308 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: exposed a lot to the media. And we were trained 309 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,800 Speaker 1: in condition how to talk and speak to the media. 310 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: And there's you know, it was important and you know 311 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: it's still going on now. There's it's important to talk 312 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: to the media but not give up information. So we 313 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: had a lot of guys in the locker room, a 314 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: lot of people who are on the network and other 315 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 1: stations now, ESPN all over the place that they tried 316 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: to get real you know, um creative of how to 317 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: ask questions, the same question over and over again. So 318 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 1: we were pretty much trained and we didn't really We 319 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: talked to the media, but we didn't talk to the media. 320 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: So my thing was with the media. I was cool, 321 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: I was personable. As a captain, I had to speak 322 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: to the media, but it's not something I was I 323 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: was volunteering time to go and talk just because I 324 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: wasn't what we wanted to do. We tried to keep 325 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:54,440 Speaker 1: everything in house. We didn't want to give up a 326 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:57,480 Speaker 1: lot of information, and we did it because it was 327 00:15:57,560 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 1: something that we were, you know, we had to do 328 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,240 Speaker 1: and it was our competitive part of your competitive edge. Well, 329 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 1: I think when you look at now what's going on, 330 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: um you gotta a media is an important partner to 331 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: players and NFL and teams, but it also could be 332 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: something that is divisive if you look at what's going on, 333 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: whether with whatever media outlet with players, they use it 334 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: sometime in the wrong way to to leak and get 335 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: information out that it's not supposed to that catches coaches 336 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: or gems off guard or other players off guard. And 337 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 1: I think there are a lot of teams that get 338 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: it and there are a lot of players and teams 339 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: that don't get it. And I think you gotta be smart, 340 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: and you gotta be you know, you got you gotta 341 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: be in a certain state of mind. Um when you 342 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: deal with the media as a player and and and 343 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: as a coach and GM because things conspire all the 344 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: control quickly. How is coach Belichick? Your experience with him 345 00:16:56,280 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 1: help you and what you do now? I think he 346 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: takes a lot of pressure off of the players because 347 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: there's so many people talking about him and his and 348 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: when he's at the podium of his comments and his 349 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: demeanor and some of the things that he does. You 350 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: never you never really focused. You never focused on the players. 351 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: You're never ever focused on the players. It's always about him. 352 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: And I think like he's the leader when it comes 353 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,439 Speaker 1: to you know, you get to talking about something that 354 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: even the super Bowl, if you're talking about the super 355 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: Bowl right now at the combine, he's not talking about 356 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,120 Speaker 1: the super Bowl anymore. He's talking about how to get 357 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 1: better for this year, the new year, the players that's 358 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: gonna help him win this season or whatever. Like he's 359 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 1: already passed it. And it's just it's it's it's crazy, man, 360 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: but it works. It's worked for over twenty years for 361 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: him of how to how to deal with these things, 362 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,560 Speaker 1: and I think the players get it. So you don't 363 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: question that in that environment because it's worked for so long. 364 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 1: And that's that environment, I guess and other and other 365 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,679 Speaker 1: other teams or the organization since it's a little bit different, 366 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: but that's what works there. Last question, any advice you 367 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: guys would give to legends guys that are thinking about 368 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: getting into broadcasting, Maurice, start locally or YouTube. Twitter. I 369 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 1: may just get on there and started answering questions. I 370 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: first thing by writing, that's something I've been doing the 371 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: last couple of years, is you know, just answering questions 372 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: on Twitter, and then slowly go from there and start 373 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: to build yourself up to go on you know, do 374 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: your own reports or your own different things how you 375 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: feel about the game. And then as you continue, like 376 00:18:34,280 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: because it's all a learning process and you gotta find 377 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: ways to get your ten thousand hours. And I'm a 378 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: true believer in that that you have to put the 379 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 1: time into really anything you want to you the outlier, right, 380 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: you have you have to you have to put the 381 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: time into two if you really love it. It won't 382 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: feel that way, but you have to put the time 383 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:50,920 Speaker 1: and to get to where you want to go. Uh 384 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: if it is you know Twitter, use these sources, these 385 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,440 Speaker 1: platforms that you have, Instagram and you've got an Instagram 386 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: store where you can answer for ten hours if you 387 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:01,560 Speaker 1: want to, and just running on your on your Instagram 388 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 1: platform and everyone here that plays in NFL as a platform. 389 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 1: So try to start there and then you know, do 390 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 1: the broadcast boot camps or go to your local news channel, 391 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,040 Speaker 1: do the sports there and then slowly just start to 392 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: meet people. And like Mike Rob said, it's really about 393 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:17,160 Speaker 1: relationships and will he said it better this this every 394 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 1: business I feel like we've been in, it's about relationships. 395 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: And the more relationships you're able to build, the and 396 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: the more genuine you are, the more people will see 397 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 1: for you you are and they'll kind of steer you 398 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 1: in the direction you need to go and have fun 399 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:33,360 Speaker 1: with it. Just listen to that. You know, major networks 400 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: that don't watch tape, that don't put in the work, 401 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 1: and you know, and for me, it is what it is. 402 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: I've always been taught to be prepared and overprepared or 403 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,160 Speaker 1: whatever the case may be. And then if you don't 404 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: use certain information, which you get a minute a couple 405 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,400 Speaker 1: of minutes to talk about certain topics or certain things 406 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 1: that we want to go into it because of our platform. 407 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: But um, that's my advice, Like m j D and 408 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,200 Speaker 1: Mike said, you gotta be prepared and understand. Like everybody 409 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:01,880 Speaker 1: is different. So people get paid on personality, some people 410 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: get paid on knowledge, some people get paid on you know, experience, 411 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 1: whatever the case may be. Like everybody's walk is different. 412 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: Everybody came into the into this on to this side differently. 413 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: Some guys are Hall of famers, maybe they don't need 414 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: as much knowledge of the entire game. Some guys come 415 00:20:18,520 --> 00:20:21,360 Speaker 1: in as guys that had to work their way all 416 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: the way up, you know. And some guys may went 417 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,840 Speaker 1: through the boot camps and the different media outlets to 418 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: get to where they are. And some guys they kind 419 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: of fell into it. Like myself, I didn't do the 420 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: broadcast boot camp. I took reps as a player. I 421 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:36,119 Speaker 1: lived locally, so I would come in and do a 422 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 1: lot of reps in the network and I end up 423 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,439 Speaker 1: in the offseason just started coming on a lot and 424 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 1: I started to like it. I never knew you know, 425 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 1: I was gonna be doing this. It just kind of 426 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: kind of fell into it, so I had to work 427 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: and it was it was you know, it was a 428 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: little intimidating at first because it's not easy. Well, guys, 429 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,479 Speaker 1: it's been great. Thank you for telling your story NFL 430 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: Legends man, and also some current players, some of the public. 431 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: I'll get a chance to hear some of just your 432 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: experiences and I can't wait to see what's next with 433 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: you guys, man, and the best is yet to come. 434 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: Appre appreciate, thank you. This has been the NFL Legends podcast. 435 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: To provide feedback or request a topic for discussion, email 436 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: us at NFL Legends at nfl dot com.