1 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,640 Speaker 1: Welcome to another edition of school Stories. Tonight's guest had 2 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: an eight year NFL career with your Minnesota Vikings. Nowadays 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: he's living down in Mississippi and enjoying his life after football. 4 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: Please enjoy tonight's conversation with Vikings legend Anthony Herrera. 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 2: It is now my pleasure to bring in Anthony Herrera 6 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 2: to the conversation. Anthony, How are you doing? What are 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 2: you up to these days? 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 3: Oh? Man, I'm doing well. I'm just I'm down here 9 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 3: in Mississippi and North Mississippi with the family, work for 10 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 3: Farm Bureau as an agent, and coach football a little 11 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 3: bit at what level? Just high school? 12 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: Okay? 13 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 2: Coaching the online yeah. 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 3: Coach offensive line there you go. Yeah, coach in old 15 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 3: Line where my my kids go to school, private school. 16 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: Are you a big follower of the old miss college program? 17 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, not the not the biggest fan of. 18 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 3: Them, you know, all to my roots up in Knoxville. 19 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: But that's okay. You're entitled to well, Anthony, we know 20 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: you you have a different path that you got to 21 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 1: the NFL and really to college. I mean you were 22 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: born in trinidadad to Tobago and moved to Florida in 23 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: the eighth grade with your mom and your siblings. What 24 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 1: do you remember about your time in Trinidad and Tobago 25 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:24,480 Speaker 1: and what was it like adjusting to the big move 26 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: to Florida. That that had to be kind of a headshaker. 27 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 3: It's the Caribbean, right, so, hm, It's just a whole 28 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 3: bunch of trees. It's just beautiful. It's surrounded by the ocean, 29 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 3: so a lot of fish and a lot of swimming, 30 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 3: all that type of stuff, good food, and you know, 31 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 3: making the move on over to America, it was an adjustment, 32 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 3: but it was a good adjustment. You know. We moved 33 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 3: on over lived down in Naples with my uncle for 34 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 3: a little bit and he helped us adjust everything. M h. 35 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: I will say the biggest thing was just everything was 36 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 3: a little bit more busy, I would say, as one 37 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 3: of the big suggustment you know, or in the in 38 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: the islands, just more of a laid back type atmosphere. 39 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 3: You know, you still get your work done and everything, 40 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 3: but just a little bit more laid back. 41 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: Now, speaking of being a little bit more, a little 42 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 2: bit more busy, I understand you grew up playing soccer 43 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: and then decided to try football out when you went 44 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 2: to Baron Collier High School down in Naples, and and 45 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 2: what what was that transition like? And did you take 46 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: the football right away? 47 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 3: It was different. I remember one one morning out in 48 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 3: recess kicking a hackey sack and teacher walks by and 49 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 3: he's like, hey, you know got a big to be 50 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:40,960 Speaker 3: playing with a hacky sack. How about you come play football. 51 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 3: It's like already. I was like, already played football. He 52 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 3: was like, no, no, no, not soccer, American football. I 53 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 3: was like, you know, I don't really know anything about it, 54 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 3: you know, TV A little bit long story short. I 55 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 3: went out there and I took to it right away. 56 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 3: You know. For me, I love being outside, So anything 57 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,519 Speaker 3: where I'm outside, I'm happy. And it was the only 58 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 3: sport out there. I talked to myself about it last night. 59 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 3: It's one of the only sports out there where you 60 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,120 Speaker 3: can truly try to hurt somebody and not get in 61 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 3: trouble for it. If you can release all your anger, 62 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 3: everything you've got pinned up in there and just go 63 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,320 Speaker 3: have a good time with it, you know. So for me, 64 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 3: it was just natural. 65 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: And did you naturally gravitate to the offensive line position. 66 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:26,520 Speaker 1: Did you play move around a little bit? You like 67 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: the defensive side at all? Or is it always the 68 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,960 Speaker 1: offensive line going to be your calling card? 69 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 3: It was both. It was both played offensive line, played 70 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 3: defensive line. I never came off the field of high 71 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 3: school literally, kick off, kick return, punt, punt return. I 72 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 3: was on everything. And I remember my high school coach, 73 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 3: Dan talks he's the offensive line coach, and then he 74 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 3: took over as head coach. One of the things that 75 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 3: I can remember him saying is, look, you getting ready 76 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 3: to make the jump. There's gonna be a ton of 77 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 3: guys that's led like to you and they played defensive line, 78 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: but there's not going to be that many on the 79 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 3: offensive line. So why not use what God gave you 80 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 3: and go ahead and try to get ahead with him 81 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: and jump on offensive side of the ball. And it 82 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 3: worked out from there. It's the best advice socer that 83 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 3: ever got. 84 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 1: Yeah, when you. 85 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 2: When did you know it was real? When when Tennessee 86 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 2: started recruiting you or you started getting attention from different colleges. 87 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,920 Speaker 2: Because I think that's an inflection point for a lot 88 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: of guys. Is you know they go play high school football, 89 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: are very good? They enjoy it. But then all of 90 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: a sudden, a texter or a phone call or a 91 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 2: letter shows up. Uh and then so tell us about 92 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 2: the college recruiting side of it and what that was. 93 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 2: That had to have been a whirlwind for you too. 94 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 3: It was a little bit different from what I was 95 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 3: used to. I'm very much a private type of person, 96 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 3: you know. And I remember my sophomore year. After my 97 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 3: sophomore year, Perdue called fall down asked inquiring about me, 98 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 3: and so my coach that you know, they're quote offering me, 99 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 3: and you know, I was like, Okay, well that's great. 100 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 3: I'll start as checking up Purdue and see what's going 101 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,799 Speaker 3: on there. And I remember that summer down in Florida 102 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 3: back then Bishop Dellahan and they had alignment camp down 103 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 3: there and it was a huge from kitsch from all 104 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 3: over the state. College coaches from all over the place 105 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 3: would come to it. And I went up there with 106 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 3: my team and I had a really good week. And 107 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 3: after that is when I just really started racking up offers. 108 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,719 Speaker 3: Miami offered me that that summer, just schools just started 109 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 3: sending letters from all over the place. I'll say that's 110 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 3: when I knew it was real. 111 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 1: Behind the scenes. You've talked Anthony Kase. We're talking to 112 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: Anthony Herrera about the hard work and all the sacrifices 113 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: that your mother made as you were growing up, and 114 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: how did her efforts influence you as you're chasing your 115 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: dreams and making it to the NFL and knowing you 116 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: had that kind of backbone always there for you as 117 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: you grew up and it shaped you was a father 118 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: and a husband as well. 119 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 3: Very much so, very much so to this day, I 120 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 3: owe it all to her if. 121 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: You ask me. 122 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 3: You know, just seeing someone that you know, immigrant, comes 123 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 3: from a different country and just coming over here. She 124 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 3: would work twelve hour shifts, you know, every day, come home, 125 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 3: do what she needs to do with us at home, 126 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,159 Speaker 3: and you know, get some rest, to go right back 127 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 3: out and do it again and never complained, you know. 128 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 3: So for me, everything that I did, it was trying 129 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 3: to get her into a better position in life, you know, 130 00:06:31,920 --> 00:06:34,679 Speaker 3: try to take care of her because me being a baby, 131 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 3: I saw some of the mistakes that some of my 132 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 3: older siblings made and I didn't want to go down 133 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 3: that path, so I learned from their mistakes. I think 134 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 3: that's a blessing, you know, for me. So everything I 135 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 3: did now was just help take care of her, you know, 136 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 3: just being the hard work that she put in, the 137 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 3: work ethic to drive that she had. I just took 138 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 3: it and I ran with it. 139 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: You know. 140 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 3: I was talking to the out the day and one 141 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 3: of the things that she told me is, you know, 142 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 3: we didn't have anything. I don't think she had to 143 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 3: give me. I remember we moved into the house in Naples, 144 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 3: once she finally got a house, and the first two 145 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 3: three days we didn't have any power, no hot water. 146 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 3: I didn't even have a shower curtain in hours up 147 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 3: to take a shower, you know. So what he told 148 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 3: me was like, look back then, I didn't have any money, 149 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 3: didn't have anything. All I had to give you was love, 150 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 3: you know. So to this day, that is how I 151 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 3: am with my kids. That's how I raised my family. 152 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: That's wonderful. Yeah, it has to be. 153 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: That's that's got to be amazing to to keep that 154 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 2: together and your kids getting the chance to get to 155 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: know her as well. I imagine there's some pretty good 156 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: stories that you tell. You sit them down and just 157 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 2: let her talk, right. 158 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 3: Yes, very much, so very much so, just letting them 159 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 3: know where Daddy came from, you know, everything that we had, 160 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 3: the hardship that we had to go through. But get 161 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 3: them to understand that those hardships are what molded me 162 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 3: and help make me the man that I am today. 163 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: You know, sometimes when I tell them stories. My middle daughter, 164 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 3: he's a big time both both the girls and daddy girls. 165 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 3: But the middle one, all she ever wants to do 166 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 3: is make Daddy happy. You want to tell some of 167 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 3: the stories, he starts crying, you know, just you know, 168 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 3: she's a freshman in high school now, so he can 169 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 3: picture what Daddy's really talking about, right, you know, So 170 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 3: I appreciate. 171 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: That Anthony tell us about your your path and your 172 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: journey with with the Vikings. You were signed two thousand 173 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 1: and four is an undrafted free agent, which is always 174 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,400 Speaker 1: kind of a scary proposition because you don't know from 175 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: a contract standpoint, from a playing standpoint, how that's all 176 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,960 Speaker 1: going to wash out, and the effort that you have 177 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: to put in and getting noticed by coaches, and I 178 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 1: know he had a lot of characters and over those years, 179 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: But initially, what was it like to sign with Minnesota 180 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 1: and start your journey in the NFL? 181 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 3: I would say, well, at that. So at that point 182 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 3: I didn't think that I was going to be a 183 00:09:03,400 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 3: free agent. I thought I was going to get drafted 184 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,160 Speaker 3: at some point because my junior year they had me 185 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 3: ranked third to second round. And I remember the summer 186 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 3: going into my senior year, I got into it, got 187 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 3: had a little mishapp and got into it with coach Fillmer, 188 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 3: and I don't from from then, everything just kind of 189 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 3: snowball went downhill, you know. But yeah, so after the draft, 190 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 3: sending my bedroom just you know, down on myself, a 191 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,360 Speaker 3: little bit depressed, and started getting phone calls from a 192 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 3: couple of different teams. Hey, you know, you'd like to 193 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 3: take a look at you coming up as a priority 194 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 3: free agent. And I think it was coach aloney Us 195 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 3: who called me that day and he's like, look, man, 196 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,960 Speaker 3: I've had my eyes on you. I understanding you're not 197 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 3: happy right now, but this is gonna be one of 198 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 3: the biggest decisions you're going to make in your life, 199 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,439 Speaker 3: choosing which tenior you're getting ready to go to. You're 200 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 3: a priority free agent, so it's actually going to work 201 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 3: out better for you because you get to choose where 202 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,160 Speaker 3: you want to go. And he's like, look, we we 203 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 3: care about you up here. We really like you, like 204 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 3: you think you're talented coming up here and let me 205 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 3: get you better. You know. That's pretty much how the 206 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 3: conversation went. Never looked back from there, you know, came 207 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 3: on up. I was blessed to have guys like Randy 208 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 3: was my big brother, you know, So having Randy there, 209 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 3: hung out with Dante a lot, you know, Dante being 210 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,959 Speaker 3: from Florida and just being around those guys, see how 211 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 3: they work, to see their mindset, just how they approached everything. 212 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 3: I think, you know, to this day, it still carries 213 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 3: over with me, you know. So it was an experience. 214 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 2: You had a wealth of offensive line knowledge at your 215 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 2: head coach being Mike Tice did how did how did 216 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 2: he help you in any in any way, shape or 217 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 2: form become the lineman that you are Because I know 218 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,439 Speaker 2: Mike is uh, Mike is still I think, Yeah, he's 219 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,040 Speaker 2: one of the best offensive line you know mine and 220 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 2: I've been around. 221 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 3: Yes, helped me tremendously. Man, just helped me to stay focused, 222 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 3: challenging me every day. Just he would pull me aside 223 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 3: at times and just talk with me, you know, help 224 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,719 Speaker 3: teach me how to be a professional, help teach me 225 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 3: how to be even tougher mentally tough. You know. One 226 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 3: of the things I still I tell my guys when 227 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 3: I'm coaching them, I don't want to see you on 228 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 3: your first and second rep. Well we're doing one, B one. 229 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 3: I want to see your third and your fourth rep. 230 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 3: I want to see you when you're tired. I want 231 00:11:28,880 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 3: to see what's you're maid of, you know, I want 232 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 3: to see that dog come out of me. So he 233 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 3: helped me accountable like every single day because he knew 234 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 3: the talent. He saw what I had. But like everything else, 235 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 3: you've got to work at it, you know, not everybody's 236 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 3: just blessed to have it like that. So he helped 237 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 3: motivate me, push me to get me to where I 238 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 3: am now, you know, and having guys like him Burkey there, 239 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 3: I know. There are plenty of times where Burke was 240 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 3: just super tired of me because after every and go play, 241 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 3: I would go up to him and ask him, hey, 242 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 3: once you see, why did. 243 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: You call back? 244 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,760 Speaker 3: You know? So I knew at third point He's like, look, man, 245 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 3: I'm got you. I'm going on over here. I don't 246 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 3: have time to answer all those questions, you know. But 247 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 3: he literally took every every time I asked him a question, 248 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 3: he gave me the answer. You know, He's just trying 249 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 3: to help me grow because I think he saw that 250 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 3: I was serious about my craft, and you know, I 251 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 3: wanted to follow it and be like guys like him. 252 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,439 Speaker 2: Yeah, you got to play with Burke, Hutchinson, Loadhold Sullivan. 253 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 2: I mean there were you know, talk about those guys 254 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 2: in that meeting room. You had a great group up front. 255 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:37,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, so over time, and you know even Big Mac, 256 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 3: you know, having him there at left tackle, you know, 257 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:42,959 Speaker 3: he that's the mammoth of a man. Him and Phil. 258 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:45,720 Speaker 3: You know, Phil came in a little bit later on 259 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,360 Speaker 3: down the road. I still talked to Phil. I spoke 260 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 3: with him. We text what two days ago because he's 261 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 3: coaching at Mississippi State, you know. But just the guys 262 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 3: that were in the room, it just and what I 263 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 3: loved about it. For the most part of the guys 264 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 3: that either a free agents or or lower draft picks 265 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 3: that knew what it took right, they knew what it 266 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 3: meant to work. You know. It wasn't there to just 267 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:11,679 Speaker 3: show up every day with a grind, you know, coming 268 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,160 Speaker 3: in early, taking care of your body, leave it late, 269 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 3: making sure you're getting an extra workout, you're in the sauna, 270 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 3: watching films, you know, trying to be the first guy in, 271 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 3: last guy to leave. You know, it was a great. 272 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: Experience and there was a lot of success. You mentioned 273 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 1: a number of those teammates in the offensive line, and man, 274 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: the results were there. The Vikings offense I think was 275 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: a top five and rushing or passing during multiple seasons 276 00:13:36,520 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: when you were there. You mentioned the names, but it 277 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:41,599 Speaker 1: had to be a lot more than that. You just 278 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,199 Speaker 1: said the work ethic. What made those offenses so imposing 279 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: over time? 280 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 3: I think it was simply because we all reflected coach Tide. 281 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 3: I think that's truly what it was. We had just 282 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 3: that mentality, you know, that northern mentality that he had, 283 00:13:56,800 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 3: that tough guy mentality. We didn't care. You know, it 284 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 3: was me and you. It's gonna be me. I'm gonna 285 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:05,400 Speaker 3: get my job done. I'm going to defeat you. You know. 286 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 3: That's that's what I think is if you asked me, 287 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 3: that's what really carried it is understanding what type of 288 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:15,840 Speaker 3: what type of head coach we had, what type of 289 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,800 Speaker 3: line coach we had, and you know we're going to reflect. 290 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 2: Him may do you became a start in two thousand 291 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 2: and seven, the year the Vikings drafted Adrian Peterson, When 292 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 2: did you, I mean, when did when did you first 293 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: realize that this kid was special? 294 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 3: We knew he was special in training camp. You know, 295 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 3: he's one of those that he never failed everything that 296 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 3: he did. You know, his competitiveness is he was gonna 297 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 3: be first, he was gonna win. He reminded me of 298 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: Dante back then, where even if we're playing, you know, 299 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 3: picking up trash and throwing it into the trash can, 300 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 3: he was gonna win at it, you know. But I remember, 301 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:56,440 Speaker 3: I think it was one of the first games We're 302 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 3: out there and threw a swing pass to him and 303 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 3: he he caught the ball. When he caught the ball 304 00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 3: and he took off, it was like everybody started running 305 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 3: so motions, you know, the angles that everybody had on 306 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 3: them to catch him. They had to angle. It looked 307 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 3: like they were going to catch him. And then all 308 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 3: of a sudden, he picked it into a second gear 309 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 3: and everybody started running in so motion. And that's when 310 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 3: I was like, okay, special he had the hit factor. 311 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, he was one of the best, that is for sure. 312 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 1: And in the midst anthony of your playing career here, 313 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: you had a personal momentous occasion when he became a 314 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: US citizen in March of two thousand and eight. Your 315 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:38,360 Speaker 1: head coach at the time, Brad Shawis, attended your naturalization 316 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: ceremony at Bethel University. I think your family may have 317 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 1: been out of state, but that must have been something. 318 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: What do you recall about that day and what it 319 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: meant to you? 320 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 3: Special day, man, very very special day. I tell people 321 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,920 Speaker 3: to this day everything that I have, you know, yes, 322 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 3: I owe it to my mom, but I did not 323 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 3: have these opportunities in the Caribbean. You know. I am 324 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 3: the American dream, you know, you know, a foreigner coming 325 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 3: over to this country and working my butt off and 326 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 3: and beeping the benefits of it. You know. So it 327 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 3: was just I'll say, that was just a moment where 328 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 3: all the hard work, called the dedication, all the sacrifice, 329 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 3: everything you know, started kind of crescendo and coming together 330 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 3: for me. You know, that's truly an American that day. 331 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:32,320 Speaker 2: And then not too long after that, another American I 332 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: kind of walks in the room and that's Brett Favre. 333 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 2: What do you remember, I mean, what do you remember, Yeah, 334 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 2: the circus definitely did come to town, but you had a 335 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 2: few years under your belt, you were established by then. 336 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 2: That had to have been just an absolute riot. 337 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, it was. It was having to be around someone 338 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 3: like him, you know, because of course growing up watching 339 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 3: watching the game, you know, watching him play up there 340 00:16:57,760 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 3: in Green Bay. You knew he was special, right, But 341 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 3: what I didn't know was the type of person that 342 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 3: he that he is. You know, he came in there 343 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 3: and he didn't even though the circuits followed him, he didn't. 344 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 3: He wasn't part of that circuit. If he could understand 345 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 3: what I'm staying there like, he didn't want the attention. 346 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 3: He wasn't that type of guy. While all this was 347 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:20,879 Speaker 3: going on, all he wanted to be and just be bread, 348 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 3: you know, be one of the guys. We'd be at practice, 349 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 3: you know, we would do our stuff and then defense 350 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 3: would be on the field and I'd be on the 351 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:30,919 Speaker 3: sideline kneeling down, and he had come on over and 352 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 3: hang out with me and just just chat talk about Mississippi, 353 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 3: tell me stories about him going on in the morning, 354 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:41,639 Speaker 3: trying to start off his truck. Truck wouldn't start up, 355 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 3: so he had to pop the hood, he said, he 356 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 3: stopped the hood. This huge snake just called around his 357 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 3: doob engine, you know, stuff like that. You know, yeah, 358 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 3: trying to stay warm, you know. But yeah, he is 359 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:59,720 Speaker 3: extremely talented. Learned a lot from him, you know, taught me. 360 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 3: One of the main things is like he helped me 361 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 3: see the game better from inside out right of course 362 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 3: through coach sis and then I'll go and have a 363 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 3: QUT Center meetings and you're learning. You're learning just watching, 364 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 3: listening and taking everything in. But Brett, when he got there, 365 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 3: the simple little things like we called the play going 366 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 3: out there and he'd be like, hey, guys, let's get 367 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:23,680 Speaker 3: to the line a little bit early. I'm gonna send 368 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 3: I'm gonna send chester out. If the linebacker goes with him, 369 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 3: it's man. You know, he comes back in with him, 370 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,119 Speaker 3: and you know it's man. If he stays, you know it, 371 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 3: don't you know. So it's just like a little simple 372 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,399 Speaker 3: little things like that, or hey, like let's check out 373 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 3: and safety's here on this one. That's safety. That safety stays, 374 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 3: you know, it's covered too. Or if he stays while 375 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 3: we're rolling, watch for that will coming off the line. 376 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 3: Just the it's just simple little things that he brought 377 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:53,880 Speaker 3: to it that we knew but wasn't fully ingrained yet. 378 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 3: Or I should say I knew but wasn't fully ingrained. 379 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 3: You have. 380 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 2: You have to love doing that with the high school kids, right, 381 00:18:59,240 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 2: teaching him to give that kind of knowledge, Yes. 382 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 3: Very much. So, you know, yeah, you know, to say 383 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:10,400 Speaker 3: that's just do it. I hadn't looked the same way, 384 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 3: you know. But no, he was extremely special. He helped 385 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 3: He came in and helped us have that huge run 386 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,360 Speaker 3: that year, having you know, guys like him and Percy 387 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 3: and Sydney. You know, Oh, it was special. Yeah, you know, 388 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 3: that was truly a special teamer. 389 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 1: It was. It was bitter bitter sweet, as they say, 390 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 1: because you guys came so close and uh well yes exactly. 391 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: Brett played through a lot of pain that day, did 392 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: he not. You saw it firsthand? What what what the 393 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: Saints were doing to him? Man? 394 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, not just that day, but but that whole year. 395 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 3: You know, his body was just by the type of 396 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 3: player that he is, but he was back then, you know, 397 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 3: his body was beat up by the time he came 398 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,919 Speaker 3: on it, you know, but every day he pushed through it, 399 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 3: you know, being a being a true leader know that, 400 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 3: you know, because we all talked when he got there, 401 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 3: and he knew what we wanted, and he knew what 402 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 3: we were going to give for him, and he was 403 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,959 Speaker 3: trying to be a leader and just wanted to let 404 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 3: us know that no matter what's going on, he's there 405 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:12,520 Speaker 3: with us. 406 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:12,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. 407 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 2: And so, well, how was the transition out of football 408 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:19,639 Speaker 2: once you realize that you were done? Uh, you know, 409 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 2: it's a tough period for a lot of guys, trying 410 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 2: to find purpose, trying to find direction. You have something 411 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,199 Speaker 2: in your life that gets you out of bed every 412 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 2: single day, something that's that you know, the work, the reward, 413 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 2: the whole thing, the direction, and then it's over. Uh, 414 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 2: talk about that transition and what got you through that 415 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 2: that period of time in your life. 416 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,119 Speaker 3: Oh oh for me, you know, for everyone, it's a 417 00:20:43,119 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 3: little bit different. What I'd say that got me through 418 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 3: It was my family. Like everything else, I mean, it's 419 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 3: always based around my family. So once I I remember 420 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 3: after I got the call that I was getting released 421 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 3: by the Vikings, both sides called me. He was Chicago. 422 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 3: He's like, hey man, look I'm here for a couple 423 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 3: more years. Come on up here and finish it off. 424 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:05,159 Speaker 1: With me. 425 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 3: I said, okay, because I was taking a look at them. 426 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,040 Speaker 3: I was taking a look at Baltimore because at that 427 00:21:12,119 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 3: point Big Max was up there Baltimore. And you know, 428 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 3: I went to workout one day and just couldn't want up. 429 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 3: My body was just hurt. It through the whole work, 430 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,960 Speaker 3: I was just hurting. And I remember just saying, you know, 431 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 3: I'm okay. I was never stood with my money. I 432 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 3: was smart with my money. So you know, I was like, 433 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,120 Speaker 3: you know what, I'm tired of it. I called my agent. 434 00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 3: I went to the car, called my agent and told him, 435 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 3: you know, I'm done and went home. You know, But 436 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 3: the there was about four or five years where I 437 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 3: would say I was in a dark place. You know, 438 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 3: I fell out of love with football for a little bit. 439 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 3: You know, just when you're let's see freshman year in 440 00:21:53,840 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 3: high school, all the way up, you know, playing all 441 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:00,160 Speaker 3: those years in the league. You know, every single day 442 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 3: in that that weight on your body, you know, beating 443 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: yourself up physically and mentally every day is that grind, grind, grind. 444 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 3: You know. By that point, I just I fell out 445 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:15,440 Speaker 3: of love. I was a little bit of a dark 446 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 3: place with it. But again, like I said, you know, 447 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,320 Speaker 3: it's based around my family. So they helped me get 448 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 3: up every day and push through, you know, being able 449 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 3: to take some time and take them to school, spend 450 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 3: time with my wife, you know, that type of stuff. 451 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,960 Speaker 3: But even through then, I wasn't watching football. I didn't 452 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 3: want to see it, didn't want to hear it, anything 453 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:34,199 Speaker 3: like that. 454 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: You know. 455 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 3: Then up until a couple of years ago and the 456 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 3: kids started getting into it, and we would start go 457 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,639 Speaker 3: and watch the school out they're at North Point Christian School. 458 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 3: We'd go watch games, and my oldest knowledge she would 459 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 3: come and sit there now knowledge to a big time athlete, 460 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:57,159 Speaker 3: great at basketball, grade at soccer, and we would go 461 00:22:57,240 --> 00:22:58,679 Speaker 3: to the games and she just come to sit there 462 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,480 Speaker 3: with me for at least a quarter before she goes 463 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 3: and hangs out with her friends and everything. He just 464 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 3: come and hang out with me and just watch the game, 465 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 3: you know, and just just going to those games and 466 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 3: just being there and seeing it. All of a sudden 467 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 3: that started started cracking, and that cracked her and into 468 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 3: a bigger split where I just really started falling back 469 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 3: in love with the game, you know, the way it 470 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:20,639 Speaker 3: was in high school. 471 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: That's great, you know, Yeah, and then the. 472 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 3: High school coach, the head coach over there, he asked me, 473 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 3: you know, if I would come on out and help 474 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 3: coach a line for him, and I said, yeah, I 475 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 3: think I'm ready to do it. And it was over 476 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:37,160 Speaker 3: from there. 477 00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, you needed some time, understandable. Yeah. Yes, we have 478 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 1: a great quote from you, Anthony, that we have a 479 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: great quote from you that that sums it up. I 480 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:49,199 Speaker 1: think if you could reflect on that for me, this 481 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: is your quote. Being a football player doesn't make me 482 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,760 Speaker 1: a man. What makes me a man is for my 483 00:23:53,880 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 1: mom to say that I've always been there for her, 484 00:23:55,800 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 1: my wife saying this is the best man I've known, 485 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,840 Speaker 1: my kids saying that their dad has always showed them 486 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: and provided for them, and that gives me self worth 487 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 1: as a man man. That says it all that you 488 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,440 Speaker 1: can put that in a bulletin board. That that uh, 489 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:12,360 Speaker 1: it's a beautiful statement. 490 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 3: Very much so, very much so. And that's you know, 491 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 3: if you ask me, that's how it should be right. 492 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 1: Not always that way though, No it is. 493 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:23,520 Speaker 3: Not, It really is not. But you know, we all 494 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 3: get up in the morning and we put on our 495 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 3: clothes the same way, brush our teeth the same way. 496 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 3: We all bleed red. You know. So what you do 497 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:32,639 Speaker 3: doesn't make you a person. You know, that's just a 498 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 3: part of your life. You know, that's not the memories 499 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,160 Speaker 3: that are truly going to stick. That's not your legacy. 500 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,800 Speaker 3: You know, that's just part of it, you know. So 501 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 3: I still take that. I think that's hard and I'll 502 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 3: try to live like that every day and raise my 503 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:47,879 Speaker 3: kids to be those type of humans. 504 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 2: Amazing way to find purpose and meaning right in the 505 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 2: world today where that's a lot of people are having 506 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 2: a hard time finding it. 507 00:24:56,480 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 3: Yes, sir, and especially with the technology and phones and 508 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:04,960 Speaker 3: everything like that, a lot of a lot of noise 509 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 3: out there. 510 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's a good word for it, you. 511 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:10,640 Speaker 3: Know, and it's just yeah, it's just helping them learn 512 00:25:10,720 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 3: to block out the noise, right, pay attention to the signals, 513 00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 3: block out the noise. That's truly what it is. 514 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 1: Well, Anthony, thank you so much. That sums it up 515 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 1: right at the end of Anthony Herrera, thank you so 516 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: much for joining us and sharing your school stories today. 517 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 1: We appreciate your time and love to do it again 518 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: in the future, and best of luck with your journey 519 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: and all the success you've had off the field. As 520 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: you continue on with your life. Thanks so much for 521 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: spending some time with us. 522 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,560 Speaker 3: Yes, sir, of course, Thank you guys very much for 523 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:39,399 Speaker 3: having me. And I just want I want to make 524 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 3: sure and sell the fans out there that I truly 525 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,200 Speaker 3: appreciated the love that I received. You know, being away 526 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 3: from up there for so long, I forgot what type 527 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 3: of family the Vikings really is, you know, so I 528 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 3: did appreciate the love. 529 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,440 Speaker 2: Pretty amazing setup too. It's a little better in winter Park. 530 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:01,120 Speaker 2: Stadium's a little nicer, you know what I'm saying. It's 531 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:03,240 Speaker 2: like it's got a heavy for. 532 00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 3: You, Yes, just a little bit different. The stadium is beautiful. 533 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 3: The Wilson has done a great job of taking it 534 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 3: and just turning around. And I'm sure they always had 535 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 3: that masterpiece in their mind that they knew they wanted 536 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 3: to build, you know, but and you see it as there. 537 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 3: They've done a really really good job. Good ownership proof. 538 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 3: I love it, Viking for life. 539 00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: There you go, we'll end on that, Thanks again, Anthony. 540 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 3: All right, gentlemen, thank you guys very much. 541 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,480 Speaker 2: Thanks again Anthony for joining the show today, and thank 542 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 2: you fans for tuning into another edition of School Stories. 543 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 2: Be sure to check out all of our content via 544 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 2: the audio tab on Vikings dot com, al iHeartMedia Feed, 545 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. We'll see you all again 546 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 2: next week.