1 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to NFL Players Podcast. I am so excited today 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: to speak with legend Hank Bauer. Not the Yankees Hank Bauer, 3 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: but our NFL version of Hank Bauer. And they're calling 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: him Hammer. Hank, And in this podcast you'll find out 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: how you got the name Hammer and about the exciting 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: stories of playing and being released by the Dallas Cowboys 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: and Tom Landry, but also playing with the great Eric 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: corp Yale and those great San Diego Charges teams. Let's 9 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: listen in, Hank. We do these podcasts, man, and I 10 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: can tell you you're one of the most energetic human 11 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: beings that I've come in contact with. Sixty six years old, 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: Why do you have still have the same level? And 13 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 1: I have no idea, and I have no idea why 14 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: I'm still here. There's no way. In fact, I tell you, 15 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: growing up and as a kid, everything I've always done 16 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 1: has been all out wow, take it to the max. 17 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 1: Right when I turned eighteen years old, I knocked on 18 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: my next door neighbors her name was Chelsea Hedley, and 19 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 1: knocked on the door. I said, Mrs Hedley, I'd like 20 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 1: that hundred dollars that you bet me that I never 21 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: lived neighborhood. Yeah, but she bet me because you're never 22 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: gonna see a team. I go, why that wasn't because 23 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: you were doing anything? No? No, no, no, no, there's 24 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: nothing I won't. I like to try new things, you know, 25 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: I'm not I'm not afraid to fail. I'm not afraid 26 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 1: to have fun. I'm not afraid to look bad. Uh, 27 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: my whole wife. I think. I don't want to wake 28 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: up and have regrets my dying bed. I don't want 29 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: to look back and go, God, I wish I would 30 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: have done that, or God, I wish you would have 31 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: tried that fits out there. Let's go. Let's go six 32 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: or six years old. You hear a lot about legends 33 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: as they get older. You also talked before y'all don't 34 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:15,119 Speaker 1: air about losing some of coaches teammates at sixties six? 35 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 1: Have have you kept your vibrancy? What do you say 36 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: to legends as their age? For me, the number one 37 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: thing is I eliminate as much stress as I can. 38 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: I've never been married. Oops, what do you say if 39 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: it's not a good from both sides? You know? Okay? Um? 40 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: And I've never had kids, so I've always just kind 41 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,800 Speaker 1: of every day wake up and just try to be 42 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 1: as happy as I can be and be as healthy 43 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: as I can be. So I think I think we 44 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: all have stress, and as gosh and the last year 45 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: with the pandemic and and everything that's going on in 46 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: the world, and uh it just we can make our 47 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: lives really stressful. The first thing, as I eliminate stress 48 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: as much as I can. Okay, you try. Example, you 49 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: give me a part though, How do you eliminate stress? 50 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: How do you help legends? Okay, I'll tell you what. 51 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: If I don't like somebody, if they stress me out, 52 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: I'm just choosing not to be around them, period. Period. 53 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: Is that what old age are always been. I don't 54 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: like you, I just choose not to be around you. 55 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 1: That's my choice. It's the great thing about life, you know. Um, 56 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: I've changed jobs. You know. I played. I didn't have 57 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: a choice. I wanted to play as long as I 58 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: could play and I break my neck. I coached, I 59 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: had coached in the NFL for four years, was a coordinator, 60 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: had multiple job offers, but I chose to try something 61 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: I'd never done, which is TV and radio. To be 62 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 1: a TV anchor. You can I don't even have hair 63 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: I'm not your prototypical TV anchor. Right back to the surface. 64 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: I made choices. Most people stay in things. You know, 65 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: I could have. I could have stayed in coaching and 66 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: and and made a lot of money and maybe been 67 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 1: a head coach. But I wasn't fulfilled. I wasn't totally happy. 68 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: So that in a voice, you knowing, regardless, because everybody 69 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: else said, man, you got a dream job. Yeah, why 70 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,200 Speaker 1: would you walk away from that? So I'm gonna listen 71 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: to me say that again. I'm gonna listen to me, 72 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,720 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna be again. I'm gonna listen to me 73 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: because nobody it doesn't matter. It sounds like it doesn't 74 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: matter what everybody else is saying the out of voices. 75 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: I think we should all respect what other people think, 76 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 1: but their opinions or opinions. At the end of the day, 77 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: the only people I care about whose opinions are the 78 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: people that really know me. Wow, my family, my good friends, 79 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: and you know, going back to the football thing, as 80 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: long as my coaches and teammates, we're good with me. 81 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:04,600 Speaker 1: I'm good V six. The draft over just over fifteen 82 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: rounds at that time, probably sixteen or seventeen, maybe I 83 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: don't even know coming out of cal Lutheran. I've never 84 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: heard of cal Lutheran. Right, the Notre Dame of the West. 85 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: I've got it. I get you. You educated me. How 86 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: about that? So the nineteen seventy six sixteen with say 87 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: sixteen rounds passed finally after the last pick, you told 88 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: me you get twenty teams calling you. And here's the 89 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: other thing. You're talking to the teams directly. Why is 90 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 1: your agent not talking to the invest First, well, obviously 91 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: I had a bad agent. Look at this is nineteen 92 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: seventy six. This is before cell phones and internet, and 93 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: it wasn't the world of communication. So I had a landline. 94 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: You sat by landline and you told all your friends, 95 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: nobody call just in case, you know, get busy. There's 96 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 1: no call waiting. Let me think about how our act 97 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: that is and how old that sounds, and how the 98 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: life was back then. But so so yeah, so all 99 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: of a sudden, I'm waiting and I'm waiting, and there's 100 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: not the great coverage that we get today, and there's 101 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,920 Speaker 1: not the end. We don't know. You don't know. You're 102 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: sitting in an apartment and you're going, okay, it's quiet, 103 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 1: Oh my god, we're into what the seventh hour? What 104 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: are you thinking that all these rounds are going? You're 105 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: sitting seating there, You're sitting there. You know, you work 106 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: out for every team, and all the scouts saying, yeah, 107 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, you're probably gonna be drafted somewhere between the 108 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: eighth and twelfth round, and which to me, which is great. Fine, 109 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:46,479 Speaker 1: they're gone. What are you thinking? Ticking? Good thing? I 110 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 1: got good grades and I was I was, I was 111 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: like on track to get my master's in education. And 112 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: you know, I was smart enough to know. I was 113 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 1: smart to know that even if you make it in football, 114 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: you better have something outside of football. And so I 115 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: had a good foundation educationally, and uh, you know, so 116 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: I was gonna I was gonna be a teacher to coach. Probably. 117 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: So all of a sudden, you get calls, but you 118 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: get one particular team or Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry all 119 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: for you a thousand dollars, decide to talk about that. Well, 120 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: it wasn't Tom the call, because they were all I 121 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: think I had their like a charter pilot called me 122 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: or something, and and uh it might have been I 123 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: don't know, Gil Brand, I don't know who it was. 124 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: You know, at that time, I was pretty frustrated, and 125 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: I said, you know what, I just want to get 126 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: over hold. I signed with the team, and they sent 127 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 1: a guy out there, and they gave me a thousand 128 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: dollars check. And that's more money than I ever had 129 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: my life. Yeah, buddy, that signing bonus was you've done. 130 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: He was. I thought they trained at Kell Luther and 131 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: I've watched him and I and and I felt comfortable. 132 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: So I was gonna be in training camp my own university, 133 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: which is a comfort level for any athlete, is going 134 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: to a weird place to train. I mean, you know, 135 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 1: you're going upstate Minnesota for a guy that grew up 136 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: in Miami. That's that's a hard training camp. And it's 137 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: a hard transition for me. I'm going I knew thousands, 138 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: I'm right there. You home, I'm home. And so I 139 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,679 Speaker 1: felt like I would have an advantage, and I thought 140 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: that I could make their team because of the right 141 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: but your perception even um, I could have been a 142 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: student on that campus but not paid attention to the 143 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 1: Cowboys when they signed you. One of the things you 144 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: told me before we start recording was you knew their 145 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 1: team right right, And I fel like I was never 146 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: going to start for them, you know, with the guys 147 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: they had were really I mean, but I felt like, 148 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: you know, I felt like I I can do these things. 149 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: I can make this team playing special teams and get 150 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,160 Speaker 1: a back, a running back and who knows. So you 151 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 1: were thinking this already when I go to the league, 152 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: possibly back of running back, and I'm gonna make my 153 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: way through special teams. You want to get that all 154 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: I want to be I was going to be wal Garrison. Well, 155 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: I know what you wanted to be. You seem very 156 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,640 Speaker 1: self aware. That's why I'm asking. You know. I was 157 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 1: gonna do whatever it took to help the team win 158 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: and to be good, you know, just to make it, 159 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: just to make it. The first thing is you gotta 160 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: make it. You gotta make it. You gotta make it. 161 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:33,320 Speaker 1: What's go? Guys don't get that, you know, you gotta 162 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: make the team. So so I go there and and 163 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:41,959 Speaker 1: I'm man, I'm kicking some serious keyster and and that's 164 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: a Monte Day language for I'm just kicking some serious 165 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,839 Speaker 1: ask and and and and we play, we screamage the 166 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: Chargers and the two running backs they draft ahead of me. 167 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 1: You know, they kept they kept screwing up the players 168 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: they kept, you know. And and Dan Reeves, the great 169 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,959 Speaker 1: Dan Raisons running back Mike Dick was there as a 170 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 1: special teams coach. So I got I got a nice introductory, 171 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: you know. Yeah, and and so Dan So coach Reeves said, Hank, 172 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: I was like the last guy they put it in 173 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: this scrammage. He says, these guys keep screwing up these 174 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 1: two draft choices. They so they put me in. And 175 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:20,280 Speaker 1: he goes, do you know do you know I was 176 00:10:20,280 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: playing halfback? He goes, you know the rule, you know 177 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 1: all the huh fullback stuff right now? Go yeah, I 178 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:29,079 Speaker 1: know all of it. And he goes, and I played 179 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: the entire scrimmage. I probably had fifty carries and again 180 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 1: a hundred thirty eight yards and scored like four touchdowns. 181 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 1: And I'm thinking I'm on the bus back from the 182 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: scrimmage and Roger Starbacks tell me, man, you're gonna be 183 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: a great cowboy. I'm glad you. I'm so proud of you. Today. 184 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: The next week, on my birthday, knock knock, go see 185 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: coach like Andrew, bring your playing book on my freaking birthday. 186 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: The next week, the next week, and and coach said, 187 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,080 Speaker 1: you know, we feel like you've got the bill what 188 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: you're play in this league, but we don't think you're 189 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:05,319 Speaker 1: gonna make the team, so we're gonna cut you now 190 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 1: early so you can right, which is what? And I thought, 191 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,240 Speaker 1: is he being honest or is he just kind of 192 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,880 Speaker 1: sugarcoating it? You know? So I went from thinking I'm 193 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: a Dallas cowboy to literally two hours light right and 194 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 1: my brother's garage and Oxnard, California, going what just happened? Now? 195 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: Where am I going with the rest of my life? 196 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,600 Speaker 1: So I never get picked up, and never get picked up. 197 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: I sit and I wait, and I never get the 198 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: rookie season the whole year. So I went back and 199 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 1: got my masters and student taught and worked out and 200 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: never gave up on my dream. And I worked. I 201 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: worked out every day. I would get up in the 202 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: morning at four in the morning, and I would drive 203 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: an hour and i'd go student teach and I'd take classes. 204 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,319 Speaker 1: Then i'd go coach, then i'd go work out. Then 205 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 1: i'd go back and I'd stack frozen foods in box 206 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: cars to make some money and go to bed at 207 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: midnight and get up before and do it again. Why 208 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: did you get that mindset, Hank? I think we all 209 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: know whether we're good enough or not. I wasn't convinced 210 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: I wasn't good enough. In my heart. If this was 211 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: going to be the end, it was gonna be on 212 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: my terms, and I was gonna give it every last 213 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: ounce of my existence. No regrets, no regrets. You sit 214 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 1: in sixty or six years old, Oh my god, Yeah, 215 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: but no regrets, no, no regrets. I can honestly say 216 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: I gave it every ounce of my being as a 217 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 1: player and a coach, every fiber in my body. And 218 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: sometimes it wasn't good enough. Sometimes we all get beat. 219 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:52,240 Speaker 1: I got my ask kicked plenty of times, okay, but 220 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't for lack of preparation or a lack of effort. 221 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,080 Speaker 1: Where did you name hammer come from? I have no idea. 222 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what I'll tell I'll tell you where 223 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 1: it came from. Now I do remember, God, because nobody's 224 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: asked me that question forever. You just need to sit 225 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: here on the You're great, this is great. I had 226 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: a roommate. What's funny is I had a roommate my 227 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: rookie years. So they put me with a guy that's 228 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: gonna get his own room. So they put the guy 229 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: that's gonna get cut first with the star. So I 230 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: was gonna get cut first, probably, So they put me 231 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: with little Joe Washington, Little Joe Washing for first round 232 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: pick out of Oklahoma, one of the great people of 233 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: all time, and so Joe would hum all the time. 234 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: Do you know Joe I was always hum right Port Arthur, Texas, 235 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: And and Joe's humming. And I'm walking back from lunch 236 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:47,160 Speaker 1: one day, and not only do I make it to 237 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: the first day, the second week, the third week. Now 238 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: I'm in the third, three or four. We play six 239 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 1: preseason games. I'm into it a month. And Joe's pissed 240 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: because he likes he loves We get all great and 241 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 1: I love Joe, but he wanted his own room I 242 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: never got. So we had this great relationship and he 243 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: appreciated my effort. I walked by, and I see Joe 244 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 1: talking to this big brother right and and he's not 245 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: on our team, and Joe's going he goes and I 246 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: walked by, I look at him and Henry Aaron, the 247 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: late great Hank Aaron. It comes to see Joe Washington 248 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: and Joe says hammer and Hank hammer and Hank you 249 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: kidd and I'm like, no, this is so. And from 250 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,880 Speaker 1: that point on, Joe started calling me hammering, and then 251 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: everybody started. I guess it's just that's how it started. 252 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: Let's get into football XS and oh yeah, Coach Carl, Yeah, 253 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: you go to the charges. You broke my heart in 254 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: the playoffs beating my Miami Dolphins and one of the 255 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: hottest games ever played in Miami, and then the next 256 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 1: week you play one of the coldest games in the 257 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 1: playoffs against Cincinnati. Briefly tell us about those two games, 258 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 1: and Coach corriel I can't. There's nothing I can be 259 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: brief about with Corrielle deserves to be in the Hall 260 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 1: of Fame. Will get to that Epic in Miami speaks 261 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 1: for itself. You don't get a game is not doesn't 262 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: garner a name like that unless it's to sern Would 263 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: you give it? See epic of Miami. Epic in Miami, 264 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: Epic in Miami. That sound like a movie. It was. 265 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,560 Speaker 1: It was a movie that then went more than two hours, 266 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: more than three hours, almost four hours. And uh, you 267 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: know the funny thing about football's football One thing I 268 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: love about football game and football it's like it's it's 269 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: it's like you know, it's like life. You have a 270 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: beginning and an end, you have midlife, you have halftime, 271 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: you know, and you go to these different stages and 272 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: all the different challenges and all the growth of a 273 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: game plan. And I've always looked at a football game 274 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 1: like like life, and the good and bad and good 275 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,600 Speaker 1: and how you handle your adversities and how re you react, 276 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 1: and how you work with people, and how you respect 277 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: the game, and how you respect the officials and sometimes 278 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 1: not respect the opponents. Um, if you're a reraider, I 279 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 1: didn't say that, but you mentioned respect. Respect Is that 280 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: so important? Well, if you don't have respect for the game, 281 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: and I have respect for yourself, you don't have respect 282 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 1: for your teammates. Uh, what's the point? You know, at 283 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: the end of the day, none of it matters for us, 284 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: And is about how many years you played, or if 285 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: you're in the Hall of Fame, or how much money 286 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: you made or what records you say at You know 287 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: what matters at the end of the day. You know 288 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: what God cares about. God cares about for me at least, 289 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: the better you know the world was better because I 290 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: was here than if I wasn't simple, It's very simple, 291 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 1: and it doesn't take went in a Super Bowl No 292 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 1: to complete that. Because you go to coaching leave, you 293 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: leave every bounce of your fiber on the field and 294 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 1: and and let it go. So how was this shift 295 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: to your mentor when he came down to plan a coach? 296 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 1: That was brutal? That was brutal? Why because I had 297 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 1: the unreasonable expectations of the players that had on myself 298 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: and um and most players. I can't say most, but 299 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:44,119 Speaker 1: but a lot of players I felt were underachievers, that 300 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:48,160 Speaker 1: that never the God gave them such amazing potential. You played, 301 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: but guys, you've seen guys right, And and to me 302 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: that was so frustrating. I felt like I failed every 303 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 1: day because I couldn't get them to see what I 304 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: saw and that that was which is from And that 305 00:18:02,720 --> 00:18:06,840 Speaker 1: just frustrated the hell out of me. Quick hits, as 306 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:10,880 Speaker 1: we close up, how many of your former teammates would 307 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:19,119 Speaker 1: know you were born in Nebraska? Not too many from Nebraska? 308 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: Fifth grade, Anaheim, California? Right? What skills did you use 309 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:27,919 Speaker 1: in broadcasting that you took from plan and coaching? Be 310 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: yourself you know you're getting back to that. Well, be yourself. 311 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 1: I mean, be yourself. You know if you you can 312 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: tell people that are going to broadcasting and you know 313 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 1: they're they're trying to be perfect, and they're you know, 314 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: let's put on the wig and the heavy makeup and 315 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 1: let's talk like Ron Burgundy. Right, just be yourself. It's 316 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:55,480 Speaker 1: the only thing that will ever work in broadcasting. And 317 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:58,480 Speaker 1: you will either have it or you won't. You'll work 318 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 1: at it and develop the skill being yourself or you won't. 319 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:07,439 Speaker 1: Look at I don't have the standard TV. Look you 320 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 1: know what I mean. I didn't say that. Yeah, but 321 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:14,680 Speaker 1: you're looking at me. You're thinking that, Okay, I don't 322 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: have the standard team. But but I but I anchored 323 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: on sports on a CBS Aphilly for fifteen years, just 324 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: just working hard, being myself and and not you know, 325 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: you can always pick things up from other people to 326 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: be better. You can always improve, but but just end up, 327 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: just be yourself and if and if it works, it works, 328 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: and if it doesn't, you're gonna be unhappy. And what's 329 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: the point. I want to go back to a sacrifice 330 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: because you mentioned something before we start recording, he said. 331 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: Coach Corriel came to you after you broken. Wow. Yeah, 332 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:50,080 Speaker 1: nobody knows this, right, yeah, and ask you to consider 333 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: coaching because of what he has seen in you. He 334 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: tells you you won't make the hundred thousand, my biggest salary, 335 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: biggest salary ever as a player. We won't a hundred. 336 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,520 Speaker 1: Actually it's going to be half fifty, you told me. 337 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: And you talked to him about pension or something like that. Right, 338 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:14,400 Speaker 1: How were you able to see an opportunity when it 339 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:17,399 Speaker 1: looked like it was going to be a setback? Okay, 340 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:19,680 Speaker 1: So there were two things in that decision for me 341 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 1: and I And that was a hard decision for me. 342 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:24,399 Speaker 1: First time I was ever going to make a hundred 343 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: thousand dollars, right, Um, I was a team captain, I 344 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 1: was two time NFL Special Teams Player of the Year. 345 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: I think great things were happening for me. My life 346 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 1: was happy, it was complete, but that because started to 347 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 1: become my identity all of a sudden, like that, it's over. 348 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 1: You're told it's done, it's over, over, over, you can't 349 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: you can't play anymore. And and and it wasn't like 350 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: you who played what forty years fourteen of close But 351 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 1: you know, I just finished my sixth season, and I 352 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,080 Speaker 1: was I was at I was at the top of 353 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,080 Speaker 1: my and I felt like a guy like Bill Bates 354 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 1: or Steve Task. I felt like I could do what 355 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,600 Speaker 1: I would have done if I stayed healthy for fifteen 356 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,199 Speaker 1: to twenty years. There's always been a place for me 357 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: on our team, and so that's what I was hoping for. 358 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,400 Speaker 1: All of a sudden it's gone, and so they come 359 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: to me, coach says, you know, and I was. I 360 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: knew I would be miserable being around if I was 361 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: on inge reserve and not being able to play, and 362 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 1: I probably would have been I wouldn't have shown up, 363 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:32,040 Speaker 1: But I don't even know what I would have done, 364 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: because yeah, so he so I think he and Ernie's MPs. 365 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: He got together and said, you know, I was kind 366 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 1: of like the player coach, getting guys lined up the team, 367 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: pap captain, you know. So I'd always to me it 368 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,399 Speaker 1: was studying was always a big part of it. Knowing 369 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: the game plan, knowing more than my responsibility, you knowing 370 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,360 Speaker 1: what every offensive lineman was doing. But I can take 371 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: us back because that's sacrifice because you had to make 372 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,800 Speaker 1: a decision, right, So he said make make a Hunter 373 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 1: brand On Injine reserve, or make fifty be an assistant 374 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:12,360 Speaker 1: coach and get half you. And I said, at the time, 375 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 1: I didn't have anybody, And I said, you know what, 376 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna be. I still want to be around 377 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,959 Speaker 1: this family. I want to be around the game. This 378 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,600 Speaker 1: is an opportunity. And I gave it up to be 379 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,159 Speaker 1: a coach for half. And I said, did say, but 380 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,879 Speaker 1: I have earned this pension year. So I got my 381 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: seventh here on my pension. And I'm telling you that 382 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:36,360 Speaker 1: was the best fifty dollars I've ever spent in my life, 383 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 1: because I got my doctorate in football from the brightest 384 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 1: coaches in the game and Don Koyelle and Ernie's and PC. 385 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 1: The reason why I asked that question is we close 386 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:55,959 Speaker 1: it up hammer Hank Is. Opportunities don't knock. They often 387 00:22:56,040 --> 00:23:00,320 Speaker 1: stand solidly by, often gone unnoticed because initially it's like 388 00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: an unfair exchange. It looked like initially you're gonna lose 389 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: in that deal with the fifty grand reduction of your salary. 390 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,440 Speaker 1: But now you're telling me you actually earned a fortune 391 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:19,239 Speaker 1: by making that decision. Things You've got far beyond just 392 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 1: the salary that you will pay. I'm broadcasting games now 393 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: on national radio. Okay, I would not be able to 394 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: see the things I see had I not had the 395 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: background as a special team player, special teams coordinator, running 396 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: backs coach. They forced me to break down in this. 397 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: They forced me Ernie's MPs. You made me break down 398 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: all the opponent's coverages. Okay, Now, the one thing you know, 399 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 1: we think we know coverages if you're an offensive player, 400 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: how the coverages fit in with the Blitz scheme, with 401 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 1: the alignment, with the with the you know, the different 402 00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 1: games you're playing it up front, all of that is 403 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 1: tied in. You don't comprehend that quarterbacks, some quarterbacks do. 404 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 1: Most quarterbacks are gonna do what Hope do. But as 405 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 1: a running back certainly not other position players. You don't 406 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:10,760 Speaker 1: know that you know what's in front of you. So 407 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 1: if we're talking about academics, you would say to me, 408 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: you learn the science. I did learn the science behind 409 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 1: the Bauer the science doctor Bauer. Yes, sir, here's the 410 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: last statement. If you would share with legends who are 411 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: older that in their sixties, in their seventies, what would 412 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: be one or two statements you would say to them, 413 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 1: they still alive, may have some apes and things like that. 414 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: What would have to help them have the positive mental 415 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: attitude that I hear coming out of you. Reach out 416 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: to each other, brothers, and we need to reach out 417 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 1: to each other as we get older. We're losing our 418 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,080 Speaker 1: brothers every every week, every day, we're losing somebody. Um 419 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: as you get older, there are a few of us, 420 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 1: few of us, and the people that are around us, 421 00:25:02,520 --> 00:25:05,600 Speaker 1: they may not know the journey we took, but we 422 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 1: did so reach out to our brothers. You guys heard 423 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: Hammer Hank say reach out. I want you to nail 424 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 1: that on your board, to reach out to each other, 425 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 1: because indeed, Hammer and Hank, I just got enthused. I 426 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: just got a whiff of the contagious, affectionate zeal that 427 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: you have in life. And I appreciate you be Hammer 428 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: and Hank. This has been fantastic and the best is 429 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 1: yet to come. Thanks for being with us. To provide 430 00:25:45,040 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 1: feedback or request a topic for discussion, email us at 431 00:25:48,400 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: NFL Legends at NFL dot com. Six