1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: What's our Bikings fans. We hope you guys are continuing 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: to stay safe wherever you were listening. Welcome to this 3 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: special edition of the Minnesota Vikings Podcast. My name's Gab 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Henderson and alongside me today is Vikings team reporter Eric Smith. 5 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: How's it going, Eric, I'm doing well. Game. It's always 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:18,800 Speaker 1: good to catch up with you, you know, but I 7 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: think it's it'spcially important that we chat today. You know, 8 00:00:22,079 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: as you mentioned, this is the special edition of the podcast. 9 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: You know, hopefully it's a It's an educational experience for 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: all of us for sure, as we all wish we 11 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: could be chairing and talking football right now, we cannot 12 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: move on to such a thing without discussing the current 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: events going on in this country. Later in the show, 14 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: we'll be joined by co defensive coordinator Andre Patterson, running 15 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: back of me Abdullah, and wide receiver Adam Dylan. But 16 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: before we get to them, Eric and I, we just 17 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: want to open up a dialogue between us. Eric, there's 18 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: been a major, major issue that is being recurring for 19 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: over four hundred years, and it is now the primary 20 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: topic of discussion all over the world, but more importantly 21 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: here in America, that issue is racism. Obviously, recent calls 22 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,320 Speaker 1: to end systemic racism have stemmed from the death of 23 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: George Floyd, which happened this past Memorial Day, May twenty fifth, 24 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: round eight fifteen pm. Cell phone footage captured in which 25 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,839 Speaker 1: we all witnessed another senseless killing of an unarmed black 26 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: man due to the hands well in this case, the 27 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: knee of law enforcement. The victim, like I said before, 28 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: his name was George Floyd, and similar to myself, he 29 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: was born in North Carolina, about forty five minutes from 30 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: where I grew up. He'd been in Minnesota, residents since 31 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 1: twenty fourteen before we all watched his life get taken 32 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 1: away from here in the city of Minneapolis. The nature 33 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: in which the parish sparked ostentatious christ all over the world, 34 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: including all fifty US states or over two weeks following 35 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: this egregious incident, the world already engulfed in anxiety and 36 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: fear du see the ongoing pandemic they are roughing in 37 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: with ongoing protests to vocalize their frustrations for social justice 38 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: in the African American community. During these past few days, 39 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: there have been a lot, a ton of public outcry 40 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: from companies eric you know, in businesses to the announced racism, 41 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: including here within the Vikings organization. The public unrest which 42 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: is sparked much needed tough conversations like the one we're 43 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: gonna have today between respective counterparts about how we can 44 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 1: find solutions in America that has been occurring right here 45 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: in America since sixteen nineteen, over four hundred years. Erica 46 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: is tough, has been to stay off and social media. 47 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: There's a quote that I read earlier to day. It says, 48 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: this is not just a moment, this is a movement. 49 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: We're coming up on fifty eight years since the MLK. 50 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: I have a dream speech in Washington, DC, and now 51 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 1: in my opinion where I believe these conversations are long overdue. 52 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 1: I'm just happy that we're starting to see some type 53 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: of progress. We're having these conversations. And my question for you, 54 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:53,360 Speaker 1: since I know a lot of people know I haven't 55 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,720 Speaker 1: moved to the Minneapolis area yet, all I can, all 56 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: i've been seeing, and all I've known is from what 57 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: I've seen on TV, what I've heard, But being in Minneapolis, 58 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 1: what has it been for you as as a white 59 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: male being in Minneapolis and witnessing and just filling the 60 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: city during you know, during this tough time. Yeah, it's 61 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 1: been tough. You know, it's been emotional. I feel like 62 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: the feelings haven't left me in the last you know, 63 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 1: two plus weeks about what happened to George Floyd. You know, 64 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: I don't know how you can't be affected by George 65 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: floyd death, you know, and not be moved to do something. 66 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:29,119 Speaker 1: You know that that area in Minneapolis at thirty eighth 67 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: in Chicago, a part of South Minneapolis that I kind 68 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: of go around sometimes. I think. One thing the note is, 69 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: you know, I've been around that area, but I've never 70 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: felt in danger. And that's because I'm white, you know. 71 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 1: And that's just just a plain, simple truth. You know, 72 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: I'm white, and I don't feel threatened when I get 73 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 1: pulled over by the police or go for a jog 74 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: or walk my dog. You know, it's simple act that 75 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: we people do every day. Some people get treated differently 76 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: just because of how they look. Speaking from my experiences 77 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 1: within the team within the Vikings organization over the past 78 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 1: few weeks, I can say that there are plenty of 79 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: passionate people within the organization that want to see change. 80 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:08,480 Speaker 1: You want to be a part of that change. I 81 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: think listening it's something that we all need to do, 82 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: especially white people, probably mostly white people. You know. It's 83 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: something that I've heard a lot, you know, from you 84 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: and the conversations we've had and from other people, is 85 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: black people have been trying to speak up for years 86 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: and near and nears, and in my opinion, it's time 87 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,359 Speaker 1: for white people such as myself, you know, to speak 88 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: up for them and be an ally in that you 89 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:30,480 Speaker 1: and I both worked for the Vikings. I think we're 90 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: very blessed and fortunate to have the job that we have, 91 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: and we take a lot of pride in that, you know, 92 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: and I take pride in what the Will family has 93 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: been doing of late. You know, they just announced that 94 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,799 Speaker 1: they're creating a five million dollar donation for social justice 95 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 1: causes across the country, including here in Minneapolis. You know, 96 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: the players kind of came together over the last few weeks. 97 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: They're going to be a scholarship and George Foyd's name 98 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: to show the impact that that his debt has had 99 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: here in the community. But I want to circle back 100 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: to you for a second. You know, you mentioned that, 101 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: you know, George Floyd was born in North Carolina and 102 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 1: ended up moving here to Minneapolis. You know that that's 103 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,480 Speaker 1: no different than kind of the journey that you're on, 104 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: you know, and you're like that You're you're not here yet. 105 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: You know you're you're moving to Minneapolis soon, you know, 106 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: because of the pandemic. You know, you haven't moved here yet. Well, 107 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: I know this is a difficult and emotional topic for you, 108 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: you know, being a black man. But you know, why 109 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: is it important for you to talk about George Floyd 110 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: And what have your emotion kind of been like over 111 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 1: the last few weeks. I've had so many people reach 112 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: out to me, Um, people that I haven't talked to 113 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 1: in years, just because they know I'm moving to the 114 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: Twin Cities and I really just can't put my emotions 115 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,320 Speaker 1: into words yet. Um. This, this, this did hit me 116 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: really hard. I mean, I have a lot of Caucasian friends. 117 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: I mean, I just I love people. I think just 118 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 1: from all of my co workers here and my co 119 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 1: workers at my previous job, they can attest that I 120 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 1: love people. At the same time, there is a feeling 121 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: that you get, um that only so many people know 122 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: about when when a cop pulls up behind you it's 123 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 1: just a fire in your belly or just another for 124 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: another sense, when you walk into a room and you 125 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: don't see anyone like you, and that's a feeling that 126 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: it's just indescribable. But at the same time you know that, hey, 127 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,280 Speaker 1: it's it's bigger than this. There's somebody from my neighborhood, 128 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: somebody from George Floyd's neighborhood that's looking up to us, 129 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,240 Speaker 1: you know, of a minority, a black kid, or just 130 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: somebody who doesn't really believe in themselves and they look 131 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: up to us as you know, motivation, motivation and an inspiration. 132 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: Like you said that. With the George Floyd killing, it really, 133 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 1: um it hit me. It hit me like there's a 134 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: lot of I mean, police mortality retality in America is 135 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: not new. And while a lot of you know, these 136 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: instances have hit have affected me deeply, um, this one 137 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 1: definitely affected me to a to another level, just because 138 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,279 Speaker 1: we have a similar story. Like he's from North Carolina, 139 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: m not the best area. He moved to Houston to 140 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 1: go to high school and then he was going to 141 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: Minneapolis to seek for a better life. And I love 142 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: my life now, I love DC. That's where I am now, 143 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: but the opportunity in Minneapolis, just like there's so much 144 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: excitement behind it, and I'm still excited. I don't want 145 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,679 Speaker 1: I don't want that to be misconstrued. I'm still excited 146 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: to get up there. But at the same time, it 147 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: does make you take a step back and say, like, man, 148 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: like that could be me, Like that could be I 149 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: mean as as North caroliniums when you see somebody in 150 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: another state, like you just know, like, okay, you're from 151 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: North Carolina, Like all right, like you just have that connection. 152 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: And then just when I heard this story, I'm just like, 153 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: man like, man like, like I still can't put it 154 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: into words, like I was hurt, I was emotional, I 155 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: was frustrated, but at the same time, I was like, 156 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: all right, there's hoping this. You have an opportunity to 157 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 1: work for a phenomenal company. But at the same time, 158 00:08:01,880 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: you're that inspiration for that next black person that doesn't 159 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: get the opportunity, that that isn't getting an opportunity. So 160 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: I look at it from yeah, I am hurt, but 161 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: it is a way for me to be that positive 162 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: light and shine that light and say like hey, like 163 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: you know you can you can make it to the NFL. 164 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: You don't have to play football to make it to 165 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: the NFL. You you could. You know, you can be 166 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: who you are, where you come from, no matter your religion, 167 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: no matter you're a race, no matter you can. Whatever 168 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: you set your dreams too, you can accomplish it. And 169 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: I'm so thankful to be a part of this organization. 170 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: Thanks to be talking about this, thankful to be talking 171 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 1: to you right now, and thankful to more importantly just 172 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: be a part of a great team. Now, I'd like 173 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: to welcome to the show co defensive coordinator Andre Patterson, 174 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: running back Mayor Abdullah, and wide receiver Adam Failing. Fellas 175 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 1: will get right to it. When you saw and witness 176 00:08:51,920 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: the killing of George Floyd, what went through your head? 177 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: What emotions were about? Drey will start with you. Um, Well, 178 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: obviously it was a it was a sad deal. And 179 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: I had said earlier. You know, I'm a child of 180 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: the sixties, so this has been going on for a 181 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: long time, so it wasn't the first time that that 182 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:16,199 Speaker 1: that this type of thing has happened in my lifetime. Um. 183 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: But I think the one thing for me that that 184 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: makes this different is that the whole world got to 185 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: see his life taken away from him. And in the past, 186 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,960 Speaker 1: it's always been word of mouth, you know that you 187 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,199 Speaker 1: know the guy, you know the person was shot or 188 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: or whatever because he was resisting arrest, and then it 189 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 1: becomes who do you believe? This one's different because everybody 190 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: got to see it from beginning to end, and they 191 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: got to see life leave his body. And so that's 192 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: why it's touched the world because everyone's got to see 193 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: that this is real and it's not. It's not whether 194 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: you believe it or don't believe it. Now the whole 195 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 1: world knows it's real. So it was sad to see. 196 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,360 Speaker 1: But I'm hoping with all my heart that this time 197 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: is going to help us create change because there's more 198 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: people on the side of that this is a real 199 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: problem and that this is a real issue. And when 200 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: that happens, then now people are able to get together 201 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: to effect change. Yeah, I agree with what Close Patterson 202 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: just said. Man. The unique thing about twenty twenty years 203 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:33,160 Speaker 1: everyone had to slow down with the pandemic and everything. 204 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: Everyone being at home, social distancing and not being out 205 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: in public, not being exposed to all the distractions of 206 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,600 Speaker 1: everyday life. Things that come to the surface that are 207 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:47,480 Speaker 1: big tragedies like what happened to George Floyd. Everyone can 208 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:51,199 Speaker 1: see that everyone's watching that because everyone's cooped up in 209 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: the house, right And for me being from Alabama, actually 210 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: I come from a family that's pretty rooted, deeply, pretty 211 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: rooted in the civil rights movement. My father was at 212 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: the march from Selma to Montgomery for you know, voting 213 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,560 Speaker 1: rights and a lot of things that I were brought. 214 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: I were brought, I was brought up to understand I 215 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: carried with me today and um, I live in Atlanta, Georgia. 216 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: So earlier this year, you know, going through the amaud 217 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: Rbury situation and then in the very city that I 218 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,960 Speaker 1: played for in Minneapolis, seeing George Floyd, it was like 219 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: it was like a combo combo punched in my gut 220 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: when I was like, man, this is this is unbelievable. 221 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: But like what Coach Patterson says, I think this moment 222 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 1: is a lot different. You know, just watching the protests unfold, 223 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: you see people from all spectrums of racists involved, people 224 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 1: understanding that this is a real issue and we need 225 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: to be active for change. Yeah, I think, uh, you know, 226 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 1: obviously both I was you know very well, said, Um, 227 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 1: you know, I think the first thing I thought of 228 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 1: when I saw the video, when I saw it kind 229 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,199 Speaker 1: of going around, was was I didn't really have words. Um, 230 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Number one, you could. 231 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: I can't believe that there's a person that would do 232 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,599 Speaker 1: that to someone else, regardless of of you know, I 233 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: whole hardly believe this. It doesn't matter where you came from, 234 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 1: It doesn't matter what you look like, it doesn't matter 235 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 1: what your religious background, doesn't matter. Everyone knows that was wrong. Um, 236 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 1: So it was. It was. It's just tough, tough to see. Honestly. 237 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: I had to. I had to turn my phone off 238 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: for a couple of days because I couldn't handle, um 239 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: seeing that. Yeah, that's kind of what my thoughts were 240 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: on that. I'll jump in next day with a question 241 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: for the group and if not directed it Adam. But 242 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,079 Speaker 1: you know, Adam and I are are the white man 243 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 1: on this podcast, and I I obviously have not done enough, 244 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: you know, to speak up about this in the path, 245 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 1: and I hope to change that going forward. What can 246 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: I do? You know, what can people who look like 247 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,520 Speaker 1: Adam and I do different going forward? That we hadn't 248 00:12:55,559 --> 00:13:00,199 Speaker 1: done before. I would say, before you ask someone who 249 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 1: was a black friend or a black co worker, how 250 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: are you doing? You know, how is your heart those situations, 251 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: act yourself how you feel, because I see a lot 252 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: of times the attention is in these situations are directed 253 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: right back towards the black community, like, what do you 254 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: guys gonna do? What's gonna happen? When we all know 255 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: this is an American issue, this is a humanity issue. 256 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 1: Adam said the best. It doesn't matter what religion, race, 257 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 1: or anything. What happened was wrong and we all feel 258 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: a great deal of hurt from what we witnessed happened 259 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 1: to George Floyd. And what I would just encourage you 260 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:36,960 Speaker 1: guys to do is just take some time to really 261 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,000 Speaker 1: educate yourself on the injustices, on the oppression that really 262 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: took place, and maybe not just what was taught in 263 00:13:44,160 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: the standard curriculum in school, maybe do a little bit 264 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: deeper research. I know last spring, there was an opportunity 265 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: afforded funded by the Wolves to take a group to 266 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: the African American Museum and the Holocaust Museum last year 267 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: and allowed a lot of people who hadn't seen that 268 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: lineage of history to walk through and see like, wow, 269 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 1: this really happened. They did what they want to afforded 270 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 1: this opportunity, and then you realize like, wait, that's still 271 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 1: happening today. And once you see, once you take a 272 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: deeper looking to that type of history, then you have 273 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: a better premise on Okay, how can I help as 274 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: hecate more people around me? You know, I would say Eric, 275 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: to answer your question, is the number one thing for 276 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: me and through all my years is being able to 277 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: listen to me. I think that's the biggest thing, you know, 278 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,440 Speaker 1: because usually when you sit out and you have a conversation, 279 00:14:43,720 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: it becomes a debate, and you don't want it to 280 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 1: become a debate. Instead of you listening to what the 281 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 1: person is trying to say to you, you're thinking about 282 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: how are you going to get your point across? And 283 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: it's about who's gonna flip who? And as long as 284 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: it stage there, it's never going to get better, it's 285 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:07,280 Speaker 1: never gonna grow Okay. So what happens is is when 286 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: you sit down and you actually open up and listen 287 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: to a person of color, you ended up gaining knowledge. 288 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: Because there's no way, there's no way that you can 289 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: experience what that person experienced and the turnout and back around. 290 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: There's no way that I can experience what you've experienced. 291 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: So me being able to listen to you and where 292 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: you're coming from and where your experiences in life has 293 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 1: taken you causes me to grow as a person. It 294 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: causes me to be able to handle situations different. Mikexammer 295 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: is my best friend, and we're total opposites. Okay, even 296 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 1: bigger than it being white and black. Okay, I grew 297 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: up in the hood. I grew up in a single 298 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: family home, Okay, in the projects. No male influences in 299 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 1: my life other than football coaches, and so a lot 300 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,200 Speaker 1: of things that have happened in my life, a lot 301 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: of perspectives that I have. I can sit down and 302 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: talk to him about those things and he listens and 303 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: he grows. Okay, he grows, but in turn, he shares 304 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: those same same things with me. And some of those 305 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: things from way back when that he talked to me, 306 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: that he went through with his father are things that 307 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: I use to help raise my son when I finally 308 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: had a son, because I didn't happen that. So listening 309 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 1: to me is the Number one thing is that if 310 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: you could take the time to listen, and that'll help 311 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: us all grow. Adam, when you see something like this, 312 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: I know it's bigger than white black thing, but something 313 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 1: tragic like this that speaks volume around the world in 314 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: your home state being from Minnesota, do you think it 315 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:52,800 Speaker 1: would affected you differently if it was in another state? Like, 316 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: how did it affect you being in your own state? Yeah, 317 00:16:56,120 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: I mean it's hard to say if it would have 318 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 1: affected me differently. Obviously, Um, with everything going on, I 319 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: think I think everybody's eyes are open right now, ears 320 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: are open um to what's what's going on, what's been 321 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 1: going on, like a mirror said, um that maybe people 322 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 1: before had no idea or maybe they didn't want to know. Yeah, 323 00:17:15,160 --> 00:17:17,359 Speaker 1: I mean I guess there is a certain part of 324 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: me that has affected me a little bit uh differently, 325 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 1: just because uh, you know, I was born here, I 326 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,960 Speaker 1: was raised here. Uh, I went to college here, I 327 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,720 Speaker 1: played in the NFL here. I've never left Minnesota. Um, 328 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,159 Speaker 1: So for something like that that happened. Number one is 329 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 1: just like I said before, I just still can't believe it. Um. 330 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: And then for it to happen in my home state, 331 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: Uh city a community. Um that that that my wife 332 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: and I have poured everything that we've had into um 333 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: and love so much. It's disheartening. Um and uh definitely 334 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 1: opened up my ears. Like coach said, he hit it 335 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: on the head. It's like, uh, what a great opportunity 336 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: right now to just just open your ears listen. Um. 337 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: And that's what uh, my wife and I have talked about. 338 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: You know, sense this really happened. Was we're really focused 339 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: on just just listening, uh, communicating like coach said, talking 340 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 1: to teammates. And you know this might be a little 341 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: off topic, but UM, you know, I'm so thankful, I'm 342 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: so blessed to be able to have the relationships I 343 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 1: do in a football locker room. It's it's it's really 344 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,560 Speaker 1: really cool. Um. Like coach said, you know people that 345 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: didn't grow up like you, don't look like me, that 346 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: that had different upbringings. Uh, and just to be able 347 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,239 Speaker 1: to get to know them on a on a personal level. Um. 348 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: You know a couple of my best friends on the team. Um. 349 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: You know, obviously when you're in the receiver room, you 350 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,160 Speaker 1: you you tend to be around the receivers all the time, right, 351 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: So when I came in. It was Scordarol Patterson. Uh, 352 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: couldn't have been you know, like Coach talked about, it 353 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: couldn't have been a different way that we were raised 354 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: as far as where we grew up, how we were raised, 355 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 1: things like that. But we connected and we were around 356 00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 1: each other NonStop. By the fact that I was just 357 00:18:58,200 --> 00:19:01,200 Speaker 1: messaging him about some of the the great memories we've 358 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: had together over the years, playing thing pound together and 359 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: things like that. But it's just really it's a really 360 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,399 Speaker 1: special thing. I wish. I wish communities, I wish I 361 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 1: wish everybody could experience that because, um, I think it 362 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: would change a lot of people's mindset. I think it 363 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: would change a lot of people's views. Um, it's just 364 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,000 Speaker 1: a it's again, it's just it's almost tough because I 365 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: can't I can't communicate that to people. I wish people 366 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 1: could see it firsthand. And again, I'm just I'm just 367 00:19:28,520 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: very thankful that I that I've had those relationships and 368 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:34,600 Speaker 1: met the people I've been able to meet, they gave, 369 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: you know, one of the things because Adam just brought 370 00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:39,360 Speaker 1: that up, and I know Adam will remember this, but 371 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,199 Speaker 1: the first year we put the committee together, Adam, you know, 372 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: was was part of the committee group and one of 373 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: the first thing we well, the first things we did 374 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: in that committee was just opened it up to let 375 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: guys talk about, you know, their background, where they're from, 376 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: how they were raised, h different experiences that themselves and 377 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:04,400 Speaker 1: their fa emilies have gone through. And that was one 378 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: of the best meetings I've ever been through in my 379 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 1: coaching career to see guys open up like that, and 380 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 1: it was all different kind of guys in the room. 381 00:20:16,920 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: Adam was there, and it was a tremendous, tremendous experience 382 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: to be able to be a part of that, And 383 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: to me, I think that's a big reason why our 384 00:20:30,119 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 1: group grows, and I think that's the reason why our 385 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 1: group is so committed to being able to put themselves 386 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: out there to try to create change in a positive environment. 387 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 1: In Minneapolis. There's a lot of focus on the NFL, 388 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,520 Speaker 1: you know, it easily, you know, probably the most popular 389 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: sport in America, and you know, certainly up there in 390 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 1: the world, and tough conversations need to happen, you know, 391 00:20:52,920 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 1: they're not really any way to kind of sugarcoat you 392 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 1: know that what where each of your guys thoughts on 393 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: Commissioner Goodell's recent comment in the video you know, where 394 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: he admitted that the NFL was wrong, you know, for 395 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 1: not listening to players in recent years. He said that 396 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,880 Speaker 1: the NFL believed black lives matter, and that was put 397 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: up a different tone than what we've kind of heard 398 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:13,440 Speaker 1: for the last few years. What we're kind of each 399 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 1: of your thoughts on that. I'm the type of person 400 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:17,520 Speaker 1: I try to look at the love and things instead 401 00:21:17,560 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 1: of the lack. I saw a lot of perspective where 402 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 1: perspectives where people were saying like, oh, nah, he wants 403 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,400 Speaker 1: to come out and say things. Well, I'm not gonna 404 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 1: judge him on the timing. I'm not gonna judge America 405 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: on his timing because I understand that things are happening overnight, 406 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:33,920 Speaker 1: and I'm just gonna take it for where we are 407 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 1: right now. A lot of people try to live in 408 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: the past and then the future too much. We can't 409 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 1: handle on what the mistakes were in terms of not 410 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: acknowledging things as they should have been in the past. 411 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 1: Let's take what he is saying now and now I'll 412 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: just hold him accountable, you know, and I hope that 413 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: he will fall up with more actions in the very 414 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: near future. But I see progress with them actually coming 415 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: out and saying we see it now. We were wrong 416 00:21:57,359 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 1: about this situation. We didn't handle it right when it 417 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 1: first popped up and down sixteen, and we admit that, 418 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: and I can respect that, and that it was just 419 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: time for more action behind the words coach, just being 420 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:14,360 Speaker 1: good coach just in general, especially are coaching football. Your 421 00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: father figures a lot of players, for fathers, for players 422 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: who even have already half fathers. But how do you 423 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: balance coaching and race. I think if you talk to 424 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 1: any of my defensive lineman, they'll tell you. You You know, 425 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: the first thing I tell them is if all I 426 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: teach you how to do in our meeting rooms is 427 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: be a better football player, then I'm cheating it. Is 428 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: If you walk in here and all I teach you 429 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: how to do is play, to run a little bit better, 430 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:40,879 Speaker 1: how to rush the passer, and that's all you get 431 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 1: from your time around me, then I'm cheating it. Okay. 432 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 1: I spend time in my meeting rooms on helping my 433 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: guys grow. Okay, they come into this league as still 434 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,640 Speaker 1: young men. Okay, they're still growing right now, even though 435 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,320 Speaker 1: they come in and they make a lot of money, 436 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: They're still developing who they are as a man, and 437 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: so we spend a lot of time in our meetings 438 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: talking about life in general. You know, a guy gets 439 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 1: married and he has kids, and maybe he didn't have 440 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:16,440 Speaker 1: a dad. Okay, well, how do you handle that? How 441 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: do you weigh the time you spend at work that 442 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: it takes to be a great football player, but then 443 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: being able to come home and making your wife and 444 00:23:26,640 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: your children happy. You know. So I spend a lot 445 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: of time with my guys talking about life, and I 446 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:39,360 Speaker 1: tell them all the time their NFL career is short lived. Okay. 447 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:41,919 Speaker 1: The one thing we all have in common is we 448 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: all are going to be ex football players someday. That's 449 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: a given. Nobody plays this game forever, all right. So 450 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: to night they played their last high school football game, 451 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: ninety percent of the guys that they played with that 452 00:23:55,720 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: night became ex football players. At night, when they played 453 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,719 Speaker 1: their last college football game, eighty percent of the players 454 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: they play with that day became ex football players that 455 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: the rest of their life. That day. Okay, if you're 456 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,480 Speaker 1: fortunate enough to play ten years in this league, you're 457 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,239 Speaker 1: done at thirty four. So You're going to be an 458 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: ex football player way longer than you will ever be 459 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 1: a football player. So if being a football player is 460 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: what validates you, you're fooling yourself. You got to learn 461 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,640 Speaker 1: how to be a man, because you're gonna live as 462 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: an ex football player way longer than you will ever 463 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: live as a as a football player. For me, it's 464 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 1: important for all my guys in the room, whether they're white, black, especially, 465 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,919 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter that we work on life skills and 466 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: not just knowing how to be a great defensive line. 467 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: You know, one thing that Gabe and I have talked 468 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,480 Speaker 1: about kind of you know, personally, you know, how do 469 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:54,359 Speaker 1: we all become unified in that you know, I mean, 470 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: we're all talking about it right now, but how do 471 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:58,679 Speaker 1: they make sure that it's in a conversation that we 472 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 1: have this week and next week, and that we're having 473 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: it in a year and that change had been made, 474 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,120 Speaker 1: you know, decade down the road. I think a lot 475 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 1: of things and who we are as people externally really 476 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: shows who we are internally. So a lot of the 477 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,640 Speaker 1: conversations have to start at the source, at the psychological 478 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: I think it's been a psychological war that's been going 479 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: on in this country for hundreds and hundreds of years. 480 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 1: That's been really been ignored a lot of time. It's 481 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:27,199 Speaker 1: kind of like what Adam says, you know, a lot 482 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:30,000 Speaker 1: of people don't want to learn. But until you can 483 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: really unclothed a lot of the things that people aren't 484 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: talking about, have a real discussion about the internal who 485 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 1: we are at our source as people, what makes us 486 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 1: not like another race, what makes us not respect someone 487 00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: acting this way, or it makes us not want to 488 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,360 Speaker 1: learn more about the next race, whatever that is. Until 489 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: we can have those very uncomfortable conversations, then there won't 490 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:58,879 Speaker 1: really be any unity, you know, because I mean you 491 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: can be unified, not not everyone necessarily wholeheardly understand, but 492 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: once you once you have those conversations and at least 493 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:12,199 Speaker 1: express a vulnerable state enough to say, hey, I'm going 494 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: to put out everything that I'm honestly feeling and I'm 495 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,080 Speaker 1: not afraid to be contested in that in a respectful manner. 496 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:21,280 Speaker 1: I think those are the conversations that are going to 497 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: lead us to unity. And it's it's hard to answer 498 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: that question, honestly, because have we really seen unity as 499 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,639 Speaker 1: a nation anywhere? So it's tough for me, Adam or coach, 500 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: because Patterson's to really answer that question. But I think 501 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: it starts with um internally getting ourselves right, and then 502 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 1: externally everything will you know, lay yourself out, you know. 503 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: Mayor and the other interview we were we were having 504 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,200 Speaker 1: a mirror made a comment in there and he said, 505 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 1: you know, most change happens because of war, you know, 506 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: so you know if you look at it through the 507 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:01,919 Speaker 1: history of time, He's these He's right, okay, And so 508 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:05,480 Speaker 1: the thing the thing for me is, obviously, in my lifetime, 509 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: I've I've seen this happen a lot, you know, I've 510 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: seen riot I've seen protests, you know, several times and 511 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:17,679 Speaker 1: through my lifetime. But I got to believe deep in 512 00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 1: my heart that this one was different from from from 513 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: what I said previously. And I think because of that, 514 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,480 Speaker 1: I think people are more open to want to get 515 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:32,520 Speaker 1: involved and more opening to to finding a way to 516 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 1: say how can I help? Like you, like you just 517 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: ask how can I help? What can I do? And 518 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: if they're talking to the right people to lead them 519 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,959 Speaker 1: in the right direction, then I think we have a 520 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: chance to see positive change happen. And the worst thing 521 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: that can happen is is uh is three weeks from 522 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 1: now or four weeks from now, when it's when it's 523 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 1: all kind of died off, that we just sweep it 524 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,960 Speaker 1: back under the rug and everything just traveling the way 525 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: that that it hacks. And so that's that's where I 526 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: hope that that this one's different for you. Adam. You 527 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 1: know you're you know, heavily involved in in the Minnesota 528 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: community throughout with with your Devon Foundation. You were in 529 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 1: the community hands on last week at Rudolph event. You 530 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,159 Speaker 1: know in Minneapolis. Do you feel like you have a 531 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 1: platform here along with your teammate to make a change. 532 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,400 Speaker 1: You know that that people look up to you, right 533 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 1: They kids look up to you, and bands look up 534 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:30,479 Speaker 1: for you, and they look for the Viking to use 535 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: their platform. How much do you kind of put that 536 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: on yourself to to help lead the charge a little bit? 537 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: I tend to lean on my face and my wife 538 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 1: and I, um, you know, that's kind of what we 539 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:45,600 Speaker 1: what we lean lean onto for guidance, and we we 540 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 1: wholeheartedly believe that that we've been put in this situation. 541 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: We made the NFL right, Like we feel like we're 542 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 1: in Minnesota for a reason, like God put us here 543 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: for the reason. UM. You know, I'm a smallest town 544 00:28:57,680 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: kid from northern Minnesota. I'm not supposed to be in 545 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: the NFL. UM and uh, we just feel that that 546 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: that God has placed us here um to to really 547 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 1: show that that we care. Number one, I think going 548 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: back to the last question, UM, you know, like a 549 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: mirror said, we don't have the answers. We don't have 550 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: all the answers. But at the end end of the day, 551 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 1: I think you have to show number one that you care, 552 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,920 Speaker 1: that you care about this community, that you care about 553 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: your teammates, that you care, um about one another. Again, 554 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 1: just it doesn't matter what you look like. I care 555 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: about you. I don't care where you came from. I 556 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,960 Speaker 1: don't care what you've done in your life. I care 557 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: about you. UM and UM. I think the next thing 558 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:43,760 Speaker 1: is action. UM. You can't just tell someone you care 559 00:29:43,800 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 1: about them. You have to show them that you care 560 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 1: about them. UM. And that comes from actions. UM. I 561 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,920 Speaker 1: think That's why my wife and I and where we've 562 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 1: gone with the feeling foundation is is that we want 563 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 1: we don't want to just throw money at something um 564 00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:00,719 Speaker 1: and just say hey, we care about you guys. Here 565 00:30:00,840 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 1: some some money we want to. We want to show them. 566 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 1: We want to we want to have actions, we want 567 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: to be around them. We want to go into these 568 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,880 Speaker 1: schools and see what is there, what is going on there, 569 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: what does it look like? What does this feel like? 570 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: I told the story to the in our social justice 571 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 1: meeting the other day, uh with a really cool group 572 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 1: that we have there, um about our partnership with the 573 00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 1: fal And Foundation in Brooklyn Center High School. How we 574 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: were able to partner with Adidas and give pleats to 575 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,120 Speaker 1: and athletic shoes to all the sports, all the fall sports, 576 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: and so it was a really cool moment. Everybody was 577 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: super gracious, just a really cool event to just be 578 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: there and see that their faces. But that wasn't even 579 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 1: the coolest part. The coolest part was we go back 580 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: four months later and there was a girl that played football, 581 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 1: which was really cool. She was awesome, she was she 582 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,719 Speaker 1: was super preenerge, just just a really awesome person. And uh, 583 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:57,360 Speaker 1: I go four months later to give out awards for 584 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: the fall sports and she's there and you know, she 585 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:01,960 Speaker 1: comes up to us right away. He gives my wife 586 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: a hug, and uh, I go, how how how the 587 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,080 Speaker 1: police work out? Like? Did they work, like did you 588 00:31:08,120 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: like them? And she looked at me and she goes, 589 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 1: what do you mean I didn't use those? I got 590 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: him hanging up in my room. Uh. And it just 591 00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 1: kind of like it kind of like put a perspective 592 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: on it that I've never had. UM. So I think 593 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: it's important to be active and actually being in the community. 594 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: It's a totally different perspective than just being an outsider 595 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 1: looking in so UM. Again, I don't have I don't 596 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:34,720 Speaker 1: have a lot of answers, but that's just my experience. 597 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 1: I do want to just ask this one more question 598 00:31:37,520 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 1: just for their group. As far as action steps, like 599 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: Adam said, as a company, as a brand, there are 600 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,480 Speaker 1: action steps of the Minnesota Vikings have been taking for 601 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: the past couple of years now and they are going 602 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:52,240 Speaker 1: to continue to take them. But personally, what action steps 603 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:54,400 Speaker 1: can we continue to take person not as you know, 604 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 1: not as just ourselves, but just ask people to make 605 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,720 Speaker 1: sure like Andrea said, this conversation doesn't stop here. Yeah. Well, 606 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 1: first and foremost Minnesota Vikings organization, there's a scholarship fund 607 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: that has been created in George Floyd's name, a legacy 608 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 1: scholarship that would be an annual scholarship giving out to 609 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:18,240 Speaker 1: students in the Saint Paul Minneapolis area. African American students 610 00:32:18,240 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 1: can qualify for the scholarship, just to carry out the 611 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: legacy of what the George Floyd impact has now become 612 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: on this city. And I think I think that was 613 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,800 Speaker 1: special to come together as a player social justice group 614 00:32:32,840 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: here on this team to say that we want to 615 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:37,480 Speaker 1: do this, we want to make this something that is 616 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: an annual thing. Obviously, more trips I mentioned. I mentioned 617 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:45,880 Speaker 1: what we did last spring going to DC taking a 618 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:48,640 Speaker 1: group of kids from the Inner City Minneapolis to go 619 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: see the Holocaust Museum, the African American Museum. Making those 620 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 1: groups a little bit more inclusive, white, Black, everyone, so 621 00:32:55,280 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 1: everyone can join in that educational process. And really just 622 00:32:59,200 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: more conversation, maybe hosting panels where we have people from 623 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: all walks of the community coming together on the Vikings 624 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:11,440 Speaker 1: platform to discuss these issues as raw and authentic as 625 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:14,440 Speaker 1: we possibly can. To get to that unclothing like I 626 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: talked about, because like we said, the wils have been 627 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 1: extremely generous with donations and money is allowing us to 628 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 1: go out and change the systemic things. Also, All Squares 629 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,080 Speaker 1: another program that we work with. They work with rehabilitating 630 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 1: formally incarcerated individuals back into society, teaching them how to 631 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,480 Speaker 1: run a business, expunging their records. They also have a 632 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 1: law school program that's attached to their business where they 633 00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: people who formerly were convicted fellas now are becoming attorneys 634 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 1: out of that same program. We donate a lot of 635 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,040 Speaker 1: money all Square, which allowed them to bring on more 636 00:33:48,120 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 1: fellows in their program, which was amazing. So there are 637 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: a lot of things that we're doing economically as an 638 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:58,680 Speaker 1: organization to change some systemic things. But just working together, 639 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: communicating and injection how we can get the psychological education 640 00:34:04,080 --> 00:34:07,000 Speaker 1: up to speed with what we're doing economically. Is I 641 00:34:07,040 --> 00:34:11,600 Speaker 1: think our next arrection direction as of Vikings organization, and 642 00:34:11,640 --> 00:34:13,200 Speaker 1: I couldn't be more proud to be a part of it. 643 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 1: You know. One of the things that that came out 644 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: the first year in our social Justice committee is, you know, 645 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 1: it kept coming out over and over and over again, 646 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 1: including myself, the fear of dealing with police officers, you know, 647 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 1: because we've all all of us, most of us in 648 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 1: that room of color had had experienced it. So one 649 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:38,799 Speaker 1: of the things that kept going back and forth in 650 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,279 Speaker 1: the room is Okay, so so what do we do 651 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: well most times when most times, when you want to 652 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,719 Speaker 1: create change, you got to start with the young and 653 00:34:46,840 --> 00:34:51,160 Speaker 1: get your hands around them and help educate them, and 654 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: then eventually they grow up and they start to become 655 00:34:54,239 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 1: people of power. So the group, the group on its 656 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:00,840 Speaker 1: own decide, okay, well, let's let's have some events to 657 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 1: where our players and police officers are together to help 658 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:10,600 Speaker 1: the young people kind of take down that fear and 659 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: see that they're regular people and I don't have to 660 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 1: have my guard my guard up when a police officer 661 00:35:16,680 --> 00:35:20,439 Speaker 1: comes around me. And so our group spent and went 662 00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 1: to several different schools with police officers to do that, 663 00:35:24,080 --> 00:35:26,439 Speaker 1: and I think as long as we continue to work 664 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 1: in those kind of directions, I think that's going to 665 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:33,320 Speaker 1: help us continue to have this grow. Well, guys, appreciate 666 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: it that this was a great conversation. Always great to 667 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 1: you know, keep the conversation going. I know there's gonna 668 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: be more conversations in the future. But stay safe, stay 669 00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:44,080 Speaker 1: healthy during all these unprecedented times. And that's of luck 670 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:48,000 Speaker 1: with everything. I think where we go from here is 671 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:52,920 Speaker 1: the conversation, the tough conversation that nobody really wants to have, 672 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:56,319 Speaker 1: but but you have to have it. I mean, there 673 00:35:56,320 --> 00:36:00,680 Speaker 1: are so many tensions right now in America, and like 674 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 1: a mere Abdulla said, it's not a black white thing. 675 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 1: It's not just a black white thing. It's a humanitarian thing. 676 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:09,000 Speaker 1: Like we we got to treat people like humans and 677 00:36:09,719 --> 00:36:13,200 Speaker 1: change ourselves internally before we want to change the world. 678 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 1: So it starts with us, it does, you know. And 679 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:18,600 Speaker 1: that's something I've been really focused on a lot about 680 00:36:18,680 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks. And that's kind of 681 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 1: why I asked Adam, you know, and and the group 682 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:25,319 Speaker 1: you know, in general, what can I do right as 683 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:28,279 Speaker 1: the white person? You know, because you know, I feel 684 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: like I've been part of the problem. You know, even 685 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 1: if I believe this, you know, and feel strongly about this, 686 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:37,240 Speaker 1: I haven't personally done enough to help make a change. 687 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:40,120 Speaker 1: Now's the time, you know, there's no better time than 688 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:42,319 Speaker 1: now with everything that's gone on, you know, I think 689 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:45,319 Speaker 1: there need to be action, actually need to be the 690 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: end goal. I think conversations that you and I have 691 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 1: had this one plus one we've had you know, catches 692 00:36:52,239 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 1: personally are great. There need to be more of that. 693 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 1: I think one thing that I that I've really come 694 00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:58,920 Speaker 1: back to a lot is a couple of weeks ago. 695 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:01,520 Speaker 1: You know, we posted video Bary Kendricks and it was, 696 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,840 Speaker 1: in his own words, powerful and emotional, and you know, 697 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: if you haven't watched it, I encourage you to find 698 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:10,279 Speaker 1: it on our Viking dot com platform. But at the 699 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:14,279 Speaker 1: end he said, you're not doing anything that's not good enough. 700 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 1: That's stuck with me every day since I first saw that, 701 00:37:17,760 --> 00:37:20,560 Speaker 1: you know, and Kendricks also said that he's applying the 702 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 1: pressure to himself and we can all do that. I 703 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:26,799 Speaker 1: can do that more than I ever have, you know. Um, 704 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,720 Speaker 1: you know, the Vikings have a Diversity and Inclusion Council 705 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 1: that we that we started about six months ago in January, 706 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,640 Speaker 1: and obviously we didn't know that we'd be kind of 707 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:39,000 Speaker 1: thruck into the spotlight we have been going on. But maybe, 708 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:43,040 Speaker 1: like a mirror said, maybe twenty twenty, there's a good 709 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 1: reason for that. You know that we need this time 710 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 1: right now to make a change because what we've been 711 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: doing hadn't worked. We need to encourage people to vote, 712 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: give back the people in need in the community, support 713 00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:58,400 Speaker 1: local businesses, you know, speak up more, to speak up 714 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:01,160 Speaker 1: in general, speak up at all. You know, I haven't 715 00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:02,759 Speaker 1: done that at all. I may feel a certain way, 716 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:05,000 Speaker 1: but I haven't spoken up. You know, if I need 717 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:07,080 Speaker 1: to do that every day, you know, to make sure 718 00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:10,200 Speaker 1: that their racism isn't tolerated at all. You know, I know, 719 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:13,000 Speaker 1: I know. It's been a pretty powerful conversation, like you said, 720 00:38:13,080 --> 00:38:15,040 Speaker 1: you know, and hopefully this is the urge of many 721 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:18,840 Speaker 1: between you and I and players and everyone. My advice, 722 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 1: and I'm going to challenge myself also, but my advice 723 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:24,439 Speaker 1: for my other counterparts is the same way you love 724 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:28,480 Speaker 1: these athletes, these minority athletes, love your neighbor the same way, 725 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,120 Speaker 1: the same way you treat them, the same way you 726 00:38:30,200 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: cheer for them, treat cheer and treat your African American 727 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:38,879 Speaker 1: and you know, just your minority counterparts the same way, 728 00:38:38,960 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 1: like we all need that love and that you know, 729 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 1: that encouragement. I mean, football is one of those sports 730 00:38:43,640 --> 00:38:46,400 Speaker 1: where you have well, let's say us being stadium. You 731 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:49,439 Speaker 1: have up to seventy thousand fans who don't know each 732 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:52,879 Speaker 1: other in one stadium cheering on a select few group 733 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:56,520 Speaker 1: of people, like people from all over the world cheering 734 00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:59,879 Speaker 1: for one calls like let's come together, like like a state, 735 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 1: and let's cheer it for costs of unity. Let's all 736 00:39:04,239 --> 00:39:07,799 Speaker 1: become one, let's all challenge each other. I think that 737 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: the term that I don't see race, I think people 738 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:12,799 Speaker 1: should get rid of that. I think you should see 739 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:16,759 Speaker 1: race and respect the race as such. And from then 740 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:20,680 Speaker 1: that starts the conversation of respecting each other as they are. 741 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:24,840 Speaker 1: Because we have more similarities than we do have differences, 742 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 1: and if we can come together on our similarities, we 743 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:31,160 Speaker 1: can talk about our differences, hash them out and become better. 744 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,359 Speaker 1: And as an organization, we are going to make sure 745 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:36,799 Speaker 1: we do our part and helping make sure people are 746 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:40,000 Speaker 1: educated on social justice. In addition, we're going to continue 747 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:42,759 Speaker 1: our efforts and being a resource to our community and 748 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:47,040 Speaker 1: making sure we're doing all part and denouncing systemic racism 749 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:50,960 Speaker 1: and police brutality. Eric, thank you again, and fans, thank 750 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,080 Speaker 1: you again for joining us for the special edition of 751 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 1: our Minnesota Vikings podcast. They say,