1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:05,120 Speaker 1: Strap on the boots and scrape up the knuckles. Oh 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,799 Speaker 1: and ahead, he got jacked. This is the Big Red 3 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: Rain presented by satan Ford in Gilbert. Mary's Gonna score touchdown. 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: Slam to the ground by Buddha Baker Like a torpedo. 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: He came flying into the backfield. The rage is brought 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: to you by satan Ford in Gilbert. Are you Santanford 7 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: State Farm? Talk to an agent today at eight hundred 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: State Farm, And by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts Visit Acy Cardinals 9 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: dot Com, Slash Podcasts, The Reds, Rising Guard, Temperaturizing Vision, flurring, 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 1: Rage taking over. Here's Paul Calvci. I'm ready. I'm one 11 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:54,240 Speaker 1: hundred percent ready. I'm telling you i'mready. And Ron Wolflee 12 00:00:54,400 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: it doesn't get any better than that. Unleash the far Well, 13 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: not exactly. Ron Wolfley on assignment tonight. Okay, let's be honest. 14 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 1: Ron Wolfley on vacation, his summer sabbatical, as we'd like 15 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: to joke with Wolfs. So we have Darren Urban sitting 16 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: in fromac Cardinals dot Com, and let's face it, a 17 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: lot of us. So we're gonna be on vacation in 18 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: the real near future. In fact, the rookies effective today 19 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: are gone until training camp. In fact, if you were 20 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,760 Speaker 1: to take role Darren here at the Arizona Cardinals Dignity 21 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: Health Training Center, wouldn't be a lot of people in 22 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: attendance right now. Now, I would think that this is 23 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: probably the most dead time of year, Paul. So to 24 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: make best use of that time, we figured, you know what, 25 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,839 Speaker 1: here's the game plan. Let's revisit Cardinals Folk Tales from 26 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: this fall now is a very offenful twenty twenty one season, 27 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: including a seven and oh star ten and two. Maybe 28 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: some of the folks missed it. That's definitely worth revisiting. 29 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: Tell us exactly what Cardinals Folk Tales is. The idea 30 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: between about Cardinal Folk Tales Paul, is that there's a 31 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: number of stories that you know, some you've heard of, 32 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: some you might not have heard about, but maybe only 33 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: a cursory knowledge of what those are. And these aim 34 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: to get a little deeper into those stories. And there 35 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 1: was a whole series of them. I believe we had 36 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: eleven episodes of this past year, and you know, just 37 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: going into different things, whether it was you know, the 38 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 1: coin that didn't flip in overtime, of the twenty fifteen 39 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 1: playoff game against the Packers, or the night the goalpost 40 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: came down after the Cardinals beat the Cowboys in a 41 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: regular season game in ninety seven, things like that, where 42 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: again you might have you might vaguely remember what had happened, 43 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,079 Speaker 1: but maybe not some of the details. And we kind 44 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 1: of go behind the scenes with some of that stuff. 45 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: We like to say all time anecdotes, you can't spell 46 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: history without the word story. Tonight, we're gonna start, and 47 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: rightfully so, with number one in the series, and that 48 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 1: is Pat Tillman's legendary lot. We're going to learn about 49 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: a locker that is behind glass. It's essentially a museum 50 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: piece just outside the Cardinals locker room. And we'll get 51 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: in depth into that real soon. But as someone who 52 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: covered Pat Tillman, and that's both of us, what do 53 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: you tell people those people you meet for the first 54 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: time and oh, wow, you knew and covered Pat Tillman. 55 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: I mean, it's always kind of a fascinating thing. I mean, 56 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,400 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman was somebody that you kind of were always 57 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: going to remember anyways, even when you were covering him 58 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: as a football player. He was going to be that 59 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: guy that you know, kind of stamped on your brain. 60 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: But obviously, with everything that happened with him, the crazy 61 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: way he ended up going into the Army in the 62 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 1: first place, and then obviously his tragic death. I mean, 63 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: that's stuff you just can't get away from him. And 64 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: I just I remember writing a story right before he 65 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: said he was going into the army, and I still 66 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: have the copy of it today. And he was a 67 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: free agent that year, and he had gotten an offer 68 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: from the Rams, and he hadn't signed anywhere. It was May, 69 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: and he wasn't around for some of the voluntary work, 70 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: and I wrote a story saying it was odd that 71 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman still hadn't decided what he was gonna do 72 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: playing football, and it was just not like him to 73 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 1: miss football parts, even if he was getting married, which 74 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 1: was part of the reason he was gone. Because Pat 75 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: the football player did not define Pat Tilman. Yep, he 76 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: was so many different people all wrapped up in one. 77 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: There was Pat the academic, right, Yeah, he's great student 78 00:04:29,839 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: in Arizona State. In fact, we'll talk a little bit 79 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: at the end about the Pat Tilman scholars. There was 80 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: there was just the Pat, not only Pat the personality 81 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 1: but there was Pat who challenged himself. Wasn't there an 82 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: offseason where he ran a marathon and or like a 83 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 1: half iron man triathlon? He did those things. I remember 84 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,280 Speaker 1: Rod Graves telling me a story about seeing Pat at 85 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: a coffee shop locally and Pat was just outside by 86 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: himself drinking coffee, reading a book, and Rod Graves, the 87 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: former GM, looked and decided to see what the book was, 88 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: and it was the Quran, and Pat Tilman just picked 89 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: it up one day and decided he wanted to know 90 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 1: more about that, so he decided to read it. If 91 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: there was anybody who was all about think for yourself, 92 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: it was Pat Tillman. But he also considered it your 93 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: responsibility to educate yourself, and so he was always curious. 94 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 1: He just had that national natural curiosity about him. And 95 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: he was an unbelievable player. I mean, someone who ever 96 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: came the odds. We'll get into it in Cardinal's Folk 97 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: Tales just exactly. But remember, I mean, he was a 98 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: guy who came out as a tweener, wasn't given a 99 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,000 Speaker 1: great shot at making the team, and then of course 100 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 1: we know what happened from there after his football career 101 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: and his status now as an American hero, and we'll 102 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 1: get into that and how that's all involved in the 103 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: story of Pat Tillman, and how it's all captured in 104 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: his legendary locker, which we'll commence with when we come back. 105 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: It is our Cardinals Folk Tales edition of The Big 106 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 1: Red Rage, presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. Are santan Ford, 107 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 1: and welcome back everyone into the Big Red Rage presented 108 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: by santan Ford and Gilbert. We are santan Ford, I'm 109 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: Paul Calvisian. As we noted off the top, we're taking 110 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: a different approach the next few weeks here on the 111 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: Big Red Rage. Our game plan revolves around an encore 112 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: presentation of Cardinals Folktales, where we like to see it 113 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:28,039 Speaker 1: can't spell history without the word story. Well, if you 114 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: were to go from the Cardinals radio studio about fifty 115 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: yards to my left, you would hit the Cardinals locker 116 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: room and before you enter, you would see a locker 117 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: behind glass, and there's a reason why that locker once 118 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: belonged to Pat Tillman. So, as we near Cardinals camp 119 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 1: and we think about the long shot players of the 120 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: low round picks who might be able to defy the 121 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: odds and make that final roster. It's hard not to 122 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: think of the greatest Cardinals example of that ever, at 123 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: least to me, Cardinal's seventh round pick in nineteen ninety eight, 124 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman. He was far from a lock that Year's 125 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: considered a tweener between a linebacker and his safety. But 126 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: he had a plan make the coaches take notice. And 127 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: as someone who covered Pat, both ASU and the Cardinals, 128 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 1: it was impossible not to notice Pat. If it wasn't 129 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 1: the hair flowing out of the helmet, it was just 130 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 1: his style of play would total abandoned. I mean he 131 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: didn't just wear Pats, he used him. So although we 132 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: might know Pat's story, what's the story behind the locker 133 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: that was seconds away from total demolition. Well here's that story, 134 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:51,679 Speaker 1: Cardinals Full tales legendary locker. Every year NFL teams conduct 135 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 1: their fight for fifty three. That's the size of an 136 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: NFL roster, fifty three players, and those names will always 137 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: vary year to year, heck, week to week, But the 138 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals have a fifty fourth locker and that name 139 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: plate will never change. Pat Tillman talk about a guy 140 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: with a lot of heart, Passion is kind of an 141 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: important word for me. Whether it's you know, playing sports, 142 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: or whether it's you know, just living or whatever you're 143 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: gonna do. You, in my opinion, you should be passionate 144 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: a matter off. Why why do it? He's pretty legendary 145 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: just for being the guy he was that being true 146 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 1: to himself, challenging people around him, you know, never being 147 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: dull or just taking things for granted or being complacent. 148 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: He was always searching for knowledge. I think it was 149 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: important to save the locker. As time goes by, you 150 00:08:40,800 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: start to forget about things that happened in history. I 151 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 1: didn't want Pat to be forgotten. Legendary locker with the 152 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: forever name plate Pat Tillman. This is Cardinal's Folk Tales, 153 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: presented by seventy two sold where we go in depth 154 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: into Cardinal's history, all time anecdotes through the personal recollect 155 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: and memories of those who lived in We hear their words, 156 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: their voices. My name is Paul kelvic upcovered the Cardinals 157 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: since late nineteen ninety five, the end of the Buddy 158 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: Ryan era. I've been the Cardinals sideline reporter since two 159 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,520 Speaker 1: thousand and five, and as I can attest you may 160 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: think you know some of these folk tales stories, but 161 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: as I found out, as even team historians have found out, 162 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: we don't like this story. This folk tale revolving around 163 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: the most widely known figure in Cardinal's history, Pat Tillman, 164 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: and how his legendary locker was saved with a last 165 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: second interception from a buzz saw literally by a long 166 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: time staffer. I didn't really get the idea to kind 167 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 1: of preserve the locker until two thousand and six. I 168 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: always put it in the back of my head, like 169 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: I want to save this locker. That would be kind 170 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: of cool. And I just didn't know when the renovations 171 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: could take place in Sit marriton lunch at Oregano's and 172 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:59,440 Speaker 1: they're taking place, so I had to do something. When 173 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: you know the liche, if you cut somebody open, they bleed, 174 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: Cardinal red. That's that's almost so it was fitting that, 175 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 1: you know, he would be the one that has his 176 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: finger on the pulse of that and in the moment 177 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 1: immediately recognize his house significant this is to preserve. Before 178 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: we get to that locker, the museum piece on display 179 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: showcase for all to see at Cardinal's HQ, we need 180 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: to understand Pat Tillman. Notice how we didn't say the 181 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: football player Pat Tillman because Pat was so much more 182 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: than an athlete. Pat Tillman, what can I say? Just 183 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 1: all around good guy, not cocky, very confident, soft spoken, 184 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: like the thing Desperado and like that movie. Immediately I 185 00:10:51,440 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: kind of liked me on long hair. He didn't dress nice. 186 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: He was just such a unique, genuine dude that people, 187 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: you know, were endeared to him. Different kind of guy. 188 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: You know, he was a flower child if you will 189 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 1: you know. Of course, at the time, I didn't have 190 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,240 Speaker 1: any clue that he would go out to the kind 191 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:09,599 Speaker 1: of hero that he became. But you know, he was 192 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: a different type of dude. He would ride his bicycle 193 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: to practice every day. Those are the voices of former 194 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:18,440 Speaker 1: Tillman teammates Larry Centers, Jake Plummer, and all started by 195 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: former linebacker Mark Maddox. The thing is, if you asked 196 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: Pat to talk about himself, something he seldom did, I'm 197 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 1: not sure that football player would have made the top 198 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 1: three things he'd say about himself. To know Pat was 199 00:11:32,360 --> 00:11:35,559 Speaker 1: to know that Pat was about the next achievement, the 200 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: next challenge, the next curiosity, longtime Cardinals beat writer in 201 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: Arizona Republic columnist Kent Summers as a player just passionate 202 00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: to the point of borderline? Is this guy human? I 203 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,080 Speaker 1: mean kind of human actually play that hard and have 204 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 1: such a disregard for his body and play the game 205 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: that way? And never I mean there was just one speed, 206 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: you know, one gear. You know. Dave McGinnis used to 207 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: say that the guy has a switch, not a dial. 208 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: You know, you just flip it on and it's the same, 209 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,959 Speaker 1: the same speed. When Pat put on the pads, he 210 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,319 Speaker 1: used them, he was all in. Like everything else he did. 211 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,920 Speaker 1: Pat never did anything half speed, even when the drools 212 00:12:16,960 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: were designed to be half speed. That was Pat in 213 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: his first NFL training camp as the seventh round tweener 214 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: just hit anything and everything that moved. I watched it 215 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,199 Speaker 1: in person. I covered that nineteen ninety eight training camp 216 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: in Flagstaff. I watched the decision makers take notice that 217 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: the guy in the football uniform belied the dude in 218 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: the surfer shorts and the flip flops. Here's former Cardinals 219 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: wide receiver Frank Sanders. I think Pat probably deserved flip 220 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: flops and a surfboard somewhere in some Oakleigh shorts and 221 00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: a real nice golden hair, and that's it, like playing football. 222 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: Never seemed like he should be there until he put 223 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 1: on his pads. To put on his pat a different 224 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: person showed up. I understand you hit pretty hard. No, 225 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 1: I'm a different guy. I'm in the middle of the 226 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: fingers into the plate. Wow, off comes the helmet called 227 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: the intended receiver. As he gets crushed back there by 228 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,840 Speaker 1: Pat Tilmann. Pat Tilman the blade. He knocked him right 229 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: in the helmet with a forearm and just slapped that 230 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: helmet off. Even as a rookie, we used to have 231 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: to call him off. You know, some some practices we were, 232 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 1: you know, just fit up on the guy with the ball. 233 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:33,160 Speaker 1: But he would come in and demolish the guys, which 234 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: was a really good tactic, and it worked out great 235 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: for him because he got to coach's attention. He brought 236 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: that same kind of fu mentality to the Cardinals. I mean, 237 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: rookies don't hit receivers in Ota days. But he would 238 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 1: lay some wood on a guy or like put an 239 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,839 Speaker 1: elbow in him and getting fights, and he really up 240 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: the competitiveness dary practice. You know, guys didn't like him 241 00:13:56,880 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: because he would hit you or rough you up, or 242 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: whenever he felt he needed to work on, and they 243 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: ended up respecting him because it made everybody's level come up. 244 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: He was a tone setter. Let's just say that Pat 245 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:15,839 Speaker 1: would routinely exceed the perceived practice speed limit. But that's 246 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: how Pat forged an NFL career. That's how Pat made 247 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: the Cardinals as the two hundred and twenty six player 248 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:25,920 Speaker 1: taken in the nineteen ninety eight draft. How he caught 249 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: the coach's attention even though he was the reigning Pac 250 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: ten Defensive Player of the Year. But at the NFL level, 251 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: was he still a linebacker? Was he fast enough to 252 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 1: be his safety? Pad made sure none of that matter, 253 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: because all he did was turned guys into tackling dummies 254 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 1: that entire camp, even though it landed him in the 255 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: NFL's version of a coach's time out. Former Cardinals head 256 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: coach Dens Tobin and the one I remember it was 257 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: a wide receiver that he got in a fight with 258 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 1: a hand Depp having to throw him both off the 259 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: field because every time the play started, well, they'd be 260 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: a between those two at the end of the play, 261 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: and so I sent him out. But as Vince still 262 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: been himself would admit later, the Cardinals needed that mentality, 263 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:15,040 Speaker 1: that Pat Tillman brand of physicality and fight that Tilman 264 00:15:15,120 --> 00:15:18,760 Speaker 1: two because remember, the Cardinals were still in the same 265 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: division with those Cowboys teams coming off Super Bowls and 266 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: physical East Coast teams from tough towns playing bullyball like 267 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: the Giants and Eagles and Washington once again, former Cardinals 268 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: quarterback Jake Plummer, you look at someone like him who 269 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: was similar to me. We were too small, too slow, 270 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 1: not strong enough, not smart enough, all these excuses for 271 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: why we shouldn't be there yet, we just you know, 272 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: we threw that all side and said, yeah, we're supposed 273 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 1: to be here. He congratulated me, and I guess he 274 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: was one of the my advocates. He was talking me up. 275 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: So where the hell where are you? All right? Thank you, 276 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: appreciate your help. Jake. He said that I gotta get 277 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: him fifteen percent of whatever I get because of his 278 00:15:57,520 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 1: good talk, so it might not be much. So we 279 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: had that chip on our shoulder and that confidence, that 280 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,880 Speaker 1: quiet confidence about ourselves and belief in ourselves. So we 281 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: were kindred spirits right away. Pat became a football player 282 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: simply because of will and determination. He wasn't really big enough, 283 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: strong enough, fast enough to play in the National Football League, 284 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: but he willed himself to become a good enough football 285 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: player to overcome those limitations. And it's something that Pat 286 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: had already done plenty of define the doubters. A quick 287 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 1: personal note, I covered Pat during his years at ASU, 288 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: and then his early years were the Cardinals. Before that, 289 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: I'd known of Pat through our high school alma mater, 290 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: Leland High School in South San Jose. We were both 291 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: from the Almond and Valley, which you might have seen 292 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: featured in some of the Pat Tilman documentaries. His future 293 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: father in law was my high school baseball coach. We 294 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: were seven or eight years apart or so, and I 295 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,040 Speaker 1: still remember my dad called me during Pat's senior year 296 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: of high school. Hey you guess what he said? Leland 297 00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: is in this section title game. And I cut off 298 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: my dad. I say, come on, now, Pop, have you 299 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: been drinking more of your red wine again? Come on? No, no, no, 300 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 1: They've got this Tillman kid. He's a running back and 301 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 1: nobody can tackle him, and he's a better middle linebacker. 302 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: He's all over the field. So when people talk about 303 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: Pat's ability to inspire and lift others. People rightfully cite 304 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: the fact that the last time ASU went to the 305 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: Rolls Bowl, it was Pat Tillman and Jake Plummer. During 306 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:34,439 Speaker 1: Pat's rookie year in the NFL nineteen ninety eight, the 307 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: Arizona Cardinals won their first playoff game in half a century. 308 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,200 Speaker 1: And my response is always, you know what, though, Pat's 309 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: greatest team achievement was leading his high school to a title, because, 310 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: believe me, the degree of difficulty there. Pat's high school 311 00:17:49,160 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: hasn't come close to winning before or after Pat Bolt 312 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,719 Speaker 1: Towers so the World Trade Center have been hitched by aircraft. 313 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 1: Both are in flane, black smoke coming from both of 314 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 1: the towers. It's a horrific scene here. There are fire 315 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: crews just screaming into this area from every conceivable direction. 316 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: You know, times like this you stop and think about 317 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 1: just how not only how good we have it, but 318 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,440 Speaker 1: what kind of a system we live under, what freedoms 319 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 1: were allowed? You know, my great grandfather was at Pearl 320 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:29,959 Speaker 1: Harbor and a lot of my family has given up, 321 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,360 Speaker 1: you know, has gone in foughten wars, and I really 322 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: haven't done a damn thing as far as laying myself 323 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: on the line like that, and so I have a 324 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: great deal of respect for those that have and what 325 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: the flag stands for. The voice of Pat Tillman September twelfth, 326 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: two thousand and one, the day after the horrific events 327 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: of nine to eleven. In fact, on September eleven, Pat 328 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 1: Tillman was at the Cardinal's facility and he wandered through 329 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 1: the media area and sat down to watch the news 330 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: coverage as it unfolded. With Cardinals beat writer Darren Irbot. 331 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: He was like, what we do playing in the NFL. 332 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: He goes, We're worthless, We're actors. He goes, that means nothing. 333 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: This is so much bigger than that. There's probably no 334 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,360 Speaker 1: better time to talk about a guy who took nine 335 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: one one to heart and made a life changing decision 336 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: based on his feeling something he felt he needed to do. 337 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: It was sort of the you know, man bites dog story, 338 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 1: like this doesn't make any sense. He's right on the verge. 339 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: We're in discussions with his agent about potentially extending his 340 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: contract and he decided I'm going to walk away from this. 341 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: But you know, it was just six months after nine 342 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,600 Speaker 1: to eleven and It was only three weeks after he 343 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 1: got married to Marie as high school sweetheart, and it 344 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: was about one week after they got back from their 345 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: honeymoon he joined the Army up in Colorado and then 346 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: went on to become, you know, part of the Rangers 347 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: and one of the leaders. Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell, as 348 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 1: Patt had just set a team record for tackles in 349 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: a season, his jersey was worn by fans all over town. 350 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: Plus there was the business of football, as Pat was 351 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 1: on the verge of cashing in on a mega contract 352 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:18,639 Speaker 1: and he literally left it all behind. My reaction was 353 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: just I just like I just kind of had this 354 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: big smiling and started laughing to myself, like this is 355 00:20:24,119 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 1: completely believable. I mean, I did not expect him to 356 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,800 Speaker 1: join the army, but as I process it, Yeah, Okay, 357 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 1: of all the guys in professional sports in the world, 358 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: he's the one who would do that. Pat would leave 359 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:46,119 Speaker 1: that Cardinals locker room to join a different team with 360 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 1: a different plan, defending his country. And his former teammates 361 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 1: remember their reactions like it was yesterday. Frank Sanders, Jake Plummer, 362 00:20:56,359 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: and former head coach Bence Toby. I saw Pat coming 363 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 1: out of the bill and I was coming in where 364 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: the players don't to go into the lord area. I 365 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: was coming into the gates he was going out and say, Pat, 366 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:08,239 Speaker 1: are you doing? What's up with your contract? He said, Bro, 367 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: I'm probably gonna go to the military. I said, what 368 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:12,440 Speaker 1: he said, I'm gonna go to the army and be 369 00:21:12,560 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: arranged with my brother. So what you're gonna do? What 370 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,640 Speaker 1: I want to serve my country, That's what I'm gonna do. 371 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 1: I say, brother, God bless you. I just kind of 372 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: liked that sounds like, Pat, what can you do? I 373 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 1: remember getting a call from Mike Devlin, who was my 374 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: senter in my rookie year and now I was a 375 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,639 Speaker 1: coach with the Cardinals. He said, Hey, you gotta call Pat. 376 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,400 Speaker 1: He's about to do something that you know, I don't 377 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:34,920 Speaker 1: know if he should do this. It's you know, he's 378 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: giving up all this money and giving up the game, 379 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: and I don't know. You should give him a shout. 380 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: And I kind of chuckled because I was like, if 381 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: Pat makes his mind up, he's made this decision and 382 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,399 Speaker 1: his wife hasn't changed his mind, then what good am 383 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: I going to be to go try to change his mind? 384 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:51,680 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna piss him off before he goes to 385 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 1: fight for our country. I gave him a hug and 386 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: told him I loved him and he'd be safe out 387 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 1: there man, because there was no change in his mind. Well, 388 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:00,679 Speaker 1: he was all in. He believed in. He blaved in 389 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: and believed it very strongly, and acted on what he's 390 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: blazed where a lot of people have blazed, but they 391 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,639 Speaker 1: don't act on him. And he did no matter what 392 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:11,719 Speaker 1: he was doing, whether it's on the field or not. 393 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: He believed in himself so much so that he did 394 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: something that no one could fathom he would do and 395 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: go give up millions of dollars to go fight for 396 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: our country. Well, for Pat, it was just life. That 397 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 1: was what life was about, was doing what you believed 398 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 1: and living your life. And what's amazing is as media 399 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: friendly as Pat was as a player, all the interviews 400 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: that Pat did when he was at ASU and the Cardinals. 401 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:39,360 Speaker 1: You can search the internet all you want, good luck 402 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,280 Speaker 1: trying to find any interview that Pat did as a soldier. 403 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 1: Once again, Ken Summers from the Arizona Republic. One of 404 00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 1: the things that really resonated with me was his refusal 405 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 1: to talk about it. Ever, it's like I'm not in 406 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 1: it for that. I'm not in it for the stories. 407 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: I'm not in it for a future movie or to 408 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 1: set myself up for business later. I have my reasons 409 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: for doing it. I'm not going to share them. They're 410 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: my reasons. So Pat left his Cardinal's locker behind for 411 00:23:07,760 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: a foot locker. One more aspect of a person who 412 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: could have done virtually anything he said his mind to, 413 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: and quite often Pat did just that. Former teammate, a 414 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: long time Cardinal staffer, Anthony Edwards, on Pat's selfless act 415 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:27,400 Speaker 1: to serve that's humility. I choose to serve my country. 416 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,680 Speaker 1: I choose to go disc route instead of this one. 417 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: The more popular vote would be stay where you at, 418 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: continue to do what you're doing. But he didn't feel 419 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:41,359 Speaker 1: that was enough. That wasn't satisfying to him. Slee chose 420 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: the other. And that's former Cardinals receiver Anthony Edwards, who 421 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: said it so well in Cardinal's Fall Tales that Pat 422 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 1: was all about service to his team, to his community, 423 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,960 Speaker 1: to his country. I think, like a lot of media members, 424 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: we walk into that Cardinals locker room, you can still 425 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: hear Pat's laugh, you can still picture him with his teammates, 426 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: you know. And it was that locker of Pats that 427 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 1: was spared the wrecking ball from the demolition crew in 428 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: last second, dramatic fashion. And when we come back, we'll 429 00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 1: hear how that locker saving play, how it unfolded, how 430 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 1: Pat's lasting legacy is memorialized in other ways as we 431 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:35,440 Speaker 1: continue with his encore presentation of Cardinals Folk Tales Legendary 432 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: Locker on the Big Red Rage, presented by santan Ford 433 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: and Gilbert, we are santan Ford, and welcome back to 434 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 1: our special encore presentation of Cardinals Folk Tales Legendary Locker. 435 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: Here on the Big Red Rage, presented by santan Ford 436 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,880 Speaker 1: and Gilbert. We are santan Ford. On Paul Calvi scene. 437 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: If you go to State Farm Stadium, you'll see the 438 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: Pat Alman's statue. There's Pat Tilman's name and number in 439 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: the ring of honor. At Cardinal's headquarters, there's Pat's locker. 440 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 1: And that's what we're talking about here tonight, the legendary locker. 441 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,679 Speaker 1: And last we left you here during Cardinal's Folk Tales, 442 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: Pat Tilman was making that selfless decision to leave football 443 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: and a multimillion dollar contract behind to serve his country. 444 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: As we know, Pat lost his life in action while 445 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: serving with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan and not only 446 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,439 Speaker 1: hit all of us in Arizona hornor a lot of 447 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: us vividly remember that April morning, but our nation mourned 448 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,880 Speaker 1: as well, and we pick up the story of how 449 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:48,240 Speaker 1: Pat's legendary locker still stands today with a salute from 450 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:55,960 Speaker 1: Tom Cruise at the SP's The news came out of 451 00:25:55,960 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: Afghanistan that an athlete turned soldier was gone. And when 452 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: we heard the news on that April day, it stopped 453 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:08,320 Speaker 1: us all in a long and profound silence. And we 454 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 1: all know why, because Pat Tillman was a transcendent figure 455 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 1: in the life of this nation. Word of Pat Tillman's 456 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,240 Speaker 1: death came out early on the morning of April twenty second, 457 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 1: two thousand and four. Fans created memorials at the Cardinals 458 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:28,640 Speaker 1: facility and in Pat's hometown of San Jose. I remember 459 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 1: waiting a line at Sundeville Stadium to pay respects at 460 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:36,679 Speaker 1: an impromptu memorial. The news hit with the ferocity of 461 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: a Tillman tackle, and it struck owner of Michael Bidwell 462 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: and fullback Larry Centers the same way. It was a 463 00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 1: I mean it was a gut punch. It was a 464 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: kick to the stomach, and I remember I was. I 465 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:50,199 Speaker 1: was standing in my closet that day, getting ready for 466 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,119 Speaker 1: work and to head into the office, and my phone rang. 467 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: You know, it sent shivers down my spine and we 468 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: realized it's gonna be shocking news to everybody. Was in 469 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: Dallas on a golf course. I was playing with a 470 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 1: couple of guys who played in the NFL, and one 471 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: of them got a call or text and said, hey, man, 472 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 1: Pat's him and just died in Afghanistan. It was a 473 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,639 Speaker 1: jaw dropping moment. I remember exactly where I was, like, 474 00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:15,480 Speaker 1: I'm sure a lot of the teammates can tell you 475 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 1: exactly what they were when they heard the news. As 476 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: news traveled through the Cardinals facility, he'd reached the locker 477 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: room a long time trainer, John o'mahondrom It weighed on us, 478 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: impacted us a lot, and the thoughts started going through 479 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: my mind a way that we could memorialize him or 480 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: remember him in some fashion. In the training room, I 481 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:45,400 Speaker 1: went down to pr ask him to give me a 482 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 1: photo of Pat. I took it and had it framed, 483 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,640 Speaker 1: put it up over the tape table. So every day 484 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: everybody that came in got overseen by Pat, and guys 485 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 1: would get up on the table able to get taped 486 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:07,040 Speaker 1: and they could maybe this past thought on trying to 487 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:11,440 Speaker 1: live up to his standards of toughness and dedication, being 488 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 1: a warrior, just all things that Pat was. The Tillman 489 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:20,360 Speaker 1: Player photo that John o'mahundro referenced, well, if you walk 490 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:24,040 Speaker 1: into the training room today, that frame picture sits in 491 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:28,560 Speaker 1: this same exact spot, just like it did days after 492 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 1: Pat's death. I think there's a wow factor to it. 493 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 1: I take, for instance, J. J. Watt when he signed 494 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: with the Cardinals, he took a picture in front of it. 495 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: It means something to him. He's very familiar with the story. 496 00:28:53,280 --> 00:28:56,160 Speaker 1: He's involved at the Pat Tilman Foundation. I've obviously long 497 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 1: been a fan of Pat Tilman. What he stood for, 498 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 1: who he was, and everything about his legacy is unbelievable 499 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: to me. So to be here, to be walking the 500 00:29:06,400 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 1: same hall as that he walked and to see his 501 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: locker was special for me. It made me feel good 502 00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 1: to see him, the guy of his level, standing in 503 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:18,360 Speaker 1: front of that and it means something to him. That's 504 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: the voice of Jim o'mohandro, long time Cardinals broadcast producer 505 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 1: more than two decades on the job, while his father, 506 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: the aforementioned John o'mahondro, spent forty two seasons as a 507 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: Cardinals athletic trainer. A couple of other long time Cards employees, 508 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,600 Speaker 1: Darren Urban and Dave Pash, give us the scattered report. 509 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:43,200 Speaker 1: I would paint Jim o'mohandro in this way. He works 510 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 1: for the team, but I feel like in a lot 511 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: of ways, Cardinals DNA is literally in him. So I've 512 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: been around the Cardinals my entire life. My dad was 513 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 1: an athletic trainer for the team for forty two seasons. 514 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: I like to say I was negative nine when he 515 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: started with the team, and I was literally born into 516 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,719 Speaker 1: this organization. I couldn't imagine it any other way. Cardinal 517 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:08,320 Speaker 1: football means so much to him. Outside of the Bidwells 518 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: who grew up with Cardinal football, I can't think of 519 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: anybody who has a closer connection than the Bidwell family 520 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,600 Speaker 1: than the old Hundro family because of the time and 521 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 1: the energy that's been spent rooting for the team. So 522 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: when people ask how exactly did the Tilman locker end 523 00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: up encased in glass when every other locker is no moss? 524 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,760 Speaker 1: Well glad, yes, because remember earlier the story that we 525 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:39,680 Speaker 1: thought we knew but didn't. Well, here we go twenty fifteen. 526 00:30:39,840 --> 00:30:43,000 Speaker 1: The Cardinals locker room. It's a hard hat area, not 527 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: your typical football helmets, but construction workers. It's a day 528 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: after the Super Bowl, kind of slow around the facility. 529 00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:52,000 Speaker 1: So I come over here to Oreganos just to get 530 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: a normal lunch. So I order a slice and a salad, 531 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,680 Speaker 1: and I'm waiting for the food. So I'm scrolling through Twitter. 532 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:00,200 Speaker 1: I see a tweet by Darren Urban that alerts me 533 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 1: to the renovation starting at our Tempi facility. So I 534 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 1: freak out. There's a photo with a destroyed locker on 535 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,720 Speaker 1: the ground. So I had ordered my lunch, it hadn't 536 00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 1: come yet, and I'm like, I gotta get out of here. 537 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: So I throw twenty dollars down onto the table and 538 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:16,520 Speaker 1: I'm out of there. I just run to my car, 539 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 1: drive down, get to the facility, run through the parking lot, 540 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:22,280 Speaker 1: run through the auditorium, the weight room, the training room, 541 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: step into the locker room. The carpet is all torn up. 542 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 1: The glue from the carpet is there, and it rips 543 00:31:27,960 --> 00:31:30,440 Speaker 1: my shoe off my foot. So I'm hopping around the 544 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: corner to see two lockers on one wall and about 545 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:36,440 Speaker 1: four lockers on the other. There's a guy with a 546 00:31:36,560 --> 00:31:42,160 Speaker 1: saw walking directly for Pat Tillman's locker. I said, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, 547 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:47,560 Speaker 1: don't cut that one out. That's Pat Tillman's locker. So 548 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: that's what happened and prevented it from being destroyed. And 549 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:57,720 Speaker 1: that is quite a series of events. I mean, think 550 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: of how Razor thin margin was one more stop like 551 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,479 Speaker 1: around so or almost stopping to unglue his shoe, and 552 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:10,000 Speaker 1: that Silman locker would have been turned into lumber. That 553 00:32:10,120 --> 00:32:13,920 Speaker 1: caught the attention of Cardinal's owner. Michael found out an 554 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:16,280 Speaker 1: hour after it happened that Jim on the Hunter was 555 00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: walking through and said, wait, don't touch that. And so 556 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,360 Speaker 1: we're like, okay, we don't know what to do with 557 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 1: it right now, but we're going to do something. And 558 00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,360 Speaker 1: then because we were doing a renovation of the building, 559 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,400 Speaker 1: we looked for an area where we could put it, 560 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: and the designers found what I think is a perfect 561 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: entry area right outside the locker room. So it's it's 562 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 1: a perfect area, and it's really a landmark within our 563 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:42,840 Speaker 1: building and serves as an important reminder for his sacrifice 564 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: but also his spirit. Everybody who goes out to the 565 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 1: practice field, they walk by it. Everyone who comes in 566 00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: from the practice field, they walk by it. And if 567 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: you look at the old foot front of the locker room, 568 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,360 Speaker 1: it's literally on the other side of the wall, kind 569 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,680 Speaker 1: of diagonal from where it was, and I think that's 570 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: pretty cool. It's kind of hallowed ground in a way. 571 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,800 Speaker 1: Remember it'd been over a dozen years since Pat had 572 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 1: left his locker, so over those years, a number of 573 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:14,200 Speaker 1: other players use that locker. Pat's final year in the 574 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 1: locker room was two thousand and one, so every year 575 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 1: after that I would kind of look to see who 576 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: had that locker, and I'd make it a point to 577 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 1: go up to him and say, Hey, you know who's 578 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:27,000 Speaker 1: locker you are sitting in, And they're like, who said 579 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman. Some of them looked at me like I 580 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 1: was nuts, Like what this is Pat's locker? You know? 581 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: Someone that come to mind. Gabe Watson, former defensive tackle 582 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: oh Majandro, told me you shared the same locker that 583 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,040 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman hand. I'm like, are you serious? You know 584 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 1: you hearing the stories behind him, and it's only a 585 00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: few people that can say I shared the same locker. 586 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: It's just honored to just be in any company with them. 587 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 1: John Fullington was a reserve offensive lineman who was the 588 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:58,959 Speaker 1: final occupant of Pat's locker, and he was genuinely touched. 589 00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 1: I told him, and he was just like, I'm honored. 590 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 1: If he didn't know what to say. So, you know, 591 00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: you see guys that maybe have that locker, then you 592 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:11,480 Speaker 1: see guys that in future years will walk past that 593 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 1: locker and you kind of get the idea of what 594 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 1: they might feel about it. You know, the first time 595 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:19,879 Speaker 1: you see Pat's locker on displaying, and as someone who 596 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 1: sees it on a daily basis now, it is a 597 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 1: heck of a first impression that makes for a lasting impression. 598 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:31,080 Speaker 1: Here's BPM meter relations Mark Dalton, followed by former cardinals 599 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:35,320 Speaker 1: Larry Centers and Anthony Edwards. When you get to that spot, 600 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:41,000 Speaker 1: it's almost a universal reaction. People just stop and conversation 601 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:44,920 Speaker 1: ceases and they just take it in and there's like 602 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 1: a solemn moment of reflection, which is really cool keeping 603 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,360 Speaker 1: his legacy alive. I think that's a big step in 604 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: the right direction. You know, the generations go on and 605 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,319 Speaker 1: the people the players come and the players go. But 606 00:34:58,480 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 1: to see him immortalize in that way and appreciated by 607 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: the organization, I think that's a really good by the team. 608 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 1: It's a reminder as a player that's leaving out of 609 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:09,240 Speaker 1: the locker room going to the practice field, here's someone 610 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: was dedicated, committed to excellence and whatever he did, let 611 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:18,960 Speaker 1: us do the same thing and take it to the 612 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:22,240 Speaker 1: field today and be out very best. So it comes 613 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 1: as a reminder I was driving for excellence. Each time 614 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 1: a guy walks by, they're gonna see Pat and as 615 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,520 Speaker 1: locker there and remember, you know, hey, you could be 616 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:36,280 Speaker 1: having a crappy day. You could be complaining about little things, 617 00:35:36,360 --> 00:35:39,319 Speaker 1: and then you see that and you check yourself a 618 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: little bit. Say, Okay, there's thousands upon thousands of men 619 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:46,560 Speaker 1: and women all over the world serving our country, and 620 00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 1: you know they can't afford to have a bad day. 621 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:52,200 Speaker 1: We can afford to have a bad day. So you've 622 00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:55,400 Speaker 1: got it pretty good. In the NFL, everyone is looking 623 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:59,480 Speaker 1: for impact players in Cardinals team history, and that is 624 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:02,960 Speaker 1: going back more than a century, not a single player 625 00:36:02,960 --> 00:36:05,880 Speaker 1: on the field and off combined is at a bigger 626 00:36:05,920 --> 00:36:09,560 Speaker 1: impact than Pat Tillman. Pat Tillman was all about team 627 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: and if you can walk past that and not get 628 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:20,920 Speaker 1: something inside of you turning, we got some issues. Go 629 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 1: back to the whole idea of you know, it's not 630 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: what you say in life, it's what you do. And 631 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,760 Speaker 1: we can all talk, but ultimately it's what we do. 632 00:36:28,680 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: And I think the lasting legacy of Pat Tillman is 633 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:35,120 Speaker 1: this is someone who did, who believed in something and 634 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:38,040 Speaker 1: was willing to risk his life for it. It's voice 635 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:41,400 Speaker 1: of the Cardinals day pass preceded by former Cardinals linebacker 636 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:46,719 Speaker 1: Mark Maddox make an impact players today when they see 637 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman's locker, it says, challenge yourself to do as 638 00:36:51,280 --> 00:36:55,280 Speaker 1: much with your life as Pat did in its twenty 639 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 1: seven years. To me, that's what Pat's locker stands for, 640 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:05,000 Speaker 1: and that's why it still stands today for all to see. 641 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:08,080 Speaker 1: To me, when they keep his locker alive and his 642 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:12,960 Speaker 1: legend alive there, it's telling the players to like, live 643 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:15,799 Speaker 1: your trueness, be who you are, and like, hey, you know, 644 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:17,600 Speaker 1: don't go against the grain just because you want to 645 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:19,200 Speaker 1: go against the grain. But if you have a feeling 646 00:37:19,320 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 1: and it's a thought, and it's something you believe in, 647 00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:24,880 Speaker 1: and if it's against the grain, do it and trust yourself, 648 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:46,040 Speaker 1: because Pat was like that. And there you have it, 649 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:51,319 Speaker 1: Cardinals Folk Tales, legendary locker, the one locker that will 650 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:55,359 Speaker 1: never change name plates, the same locker where we used 651 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:59,840 Speaker 1: to witness Pat reclined between practices, taking a snooze to 652 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 1: refresh for what was next. And that's just one tribute 653 00:38:04,719 --> 00:38:09,720 Speaker 1: to Pat's greatness that seemingly everyone has a story. In fact, 654 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:12,839 Speaker 1: I'll share a quick one with you here. I knew 655 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: a guy at Asu went to school with him, and 656 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 1: he told me years later that he was Pat's next 657 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 1: door neighbor for a spell. One night he got home 658 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: from work, he pulled into his driveway and he couldn't 659 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:26,720 Speaker 1: help a notice there's Pat on his roof. His buddy 660 00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 1: of mine gets out of his car. He's half stupefied 661 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,600 Speaker 1: and he yells out, hey, back, what are you doing 662 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:36,680 Speaker 1: on your roof? And Pat looked at him, just watching 663 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 1: the sunset, dude, just watching the sunset. And that was Pat. 664 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:45,759 Speaker 1: He took nothing for granted, and he inspired others to 665 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,799 Speaker 1: do the same. But how do you convey that, how 666 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:52,399 Speaker 1: do you pass that along? How do you honor that? Well, 667 00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: the Cardinals do just that every day by putting Pat's 668 00:38:56,760 --> 00:39:02,359 Speaker 1: locker on display at their training facility. Thanks for joining 669 00:39:02,440 --> 00:39:05,399 Speaker 1: us everyone on Paul calBC. This has been Cardinals Folk 670 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:10,360 Speaker 1: Tales Legendary Locker presented by seventy two soul. Thanks for listening. 671 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:21,280 Speaker 1: You know it's stories like that, and so many people 672 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:25,960 Speaker 1: have stories regarding Pat Tilman. That's how his legacy lives 673 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:29,320 Speaker 1: on today. If you go to the Pat Tilman Foundation 674 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 1: website and they state how Pat's life and principles and service, 675 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:38,200 Speaker 1: that's his true legacy. Pat's family and friends started the 676 00:39:38,239 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: Pat Tilman Foundation to carry forward that legacy. If you 677 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:44,920 Speaker 1: go two days after his passing, it was the NFL 678 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:47,799 Speaker 1: Draft two thousand and four, and then Commissioner Paul Tagliboo 679 00:39:47,920 --> 00:39:50,480 Speaker 1: wore a black ribbon with Tilman's name on it and 680 00:39:51,200 --> 00:39:54,560 Speaker 1: a helmet pin with his number forty. And there was 681 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:58,240 Speaker 1: Paul Tagliboo while flanked by five Marines and Madison Square Garden, 682 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 1: and he told the audience quote, Pat Tillman personified the 683 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 1: best values of Americans and the National Football League. And 684 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:14,320 Speaker 1: we know Pat's legacy is personified by Pat's Run, which 685 00:40:14,400 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 1: is held annually in Tempe. And when we come back, 686 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:20,680 Speaker 1: we'll bring back and talk with someone who runs that 687 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:24,400 Speaker 1: race every year, our own Darren Urban, who covered Pat 688 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:27,680 Speaker 1: Tillman during his playing career. As we continue with his 689 00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 1: encore presentation of Cardinals Folk Tales Legendary Locker here on 690 00:40:32,239 --> 00:40:35,720 Speaker 1: the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford in Gilbert 691 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:44,040 Speaker 1: and welcome back to our encore presentation of Cardinals Folk Tales, 692 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:46,400 Speaker 1: which we have turned into this very special edition of 693 00:40:46,480 --> 00:40:49,560 Speaker 1: the Big Red Rage presented by santan Ford and Gilbert. 694 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:53,240 Speaker 1: We are Santanford, Paul CALVC, Darren Urban from ac Cardinals 695 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:57,240 Speaker 1: dot com and what we're designated as the fifty fourth locker, 696 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 1: that locker just outside the Cardinals locker room, Darren, where 697 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:05,160 Speaker 1: the name plate will never change Pat Tillman, and it 698 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:09,719 Speaker 1: was this close to demolition. We got that sense in 699 00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:12,799 Speaker 1: that edition there are Cardinals Folk Tales legendary locker that 700 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 1: you know what, if it wasn't for one Jim Omndro, 701 00:41:15,080 --> 00:41:17,919 Speaker 1: our fine producer who was quick of foot and quick 702 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:20,560 Speaker 1: of mind, if it would have been one more stoplight, 703 00:41:20,600 --> 00:41:23,000 Speaker 1: for example, as he raced back to the facility on 704 00:41:23,040 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: that faithful day, it would not have been saved. But 705 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:29,799 Speaker 1: there it is for all to see every single day. Well, 706 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:32,160 Speaker 1: I'm going to take a little bit of the credit here, okay, all, 707 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:34,120 Speaker 1: because I was the one who took the photo that 708 00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:37,120 Speaker 1: was in the on the post that Olms saw that 709 00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:39,600 Speaker 1: made him realize, oh, I better get back to the facility. 710 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:41,319 Speaker 1: That's what it was. A two man game. You're right, 711 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:46,759 Speaker 1: But you know, I think I think it's so incredibly 712 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:51,520 Speaker 1: awesome to see that locker every day, to see how 713 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:56,000 Speaker 1: they've preserved it, to see players pass it, and JJ 714 00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:59,400 Speaker 1: Way upon his first visit to the facility, it stopped 715 00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:01,360 Speaker 1: him in his try As there's been a couple of 716 00:42:01,440 --> 00:42:04,640 Speaker 1: players not always the name of JJ Watt, I mean, 717 00:42:04,719 --> 00:42:07,279 Speaker 1: Dennis Gardick. It maanned something to him when he first 718 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:10,040 Speaker 1: saw it. There was a linebacker and his name escapes 719 00:42:10,080 --> 00:42:11,880 Speaker 1: me right now. He was an undrafted rookie, did not 720 00:42:11,960 --> 00:42:15,120 Speaker 1: make it through training camp, but he was a huge 721 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:19,080 Speaker 1: admirer of Pat Tillman, and I remember doing a story 722 00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:23,440 Speaker 1: about him, and he had read a Tilman book after 723 00:42:23,480 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 1: Tilman's death and it was very important for him to 724 00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:30,080 Speaker 1: be in a in a locker room where this locker existed. 725 00:42:30,120 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 1: So I mean, I do think it has an impact 726 00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:35,120 Speaker 1: even as we get past these years, Paul. I mean, 727 00:42:35,719 --> 00:42:39,480 Speaker 1: we're getting to the point now where most of the 728 00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:42,080 Speaker 1: players that come into the league were too young to 729 00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:45,680 Speaker 1: remember Pat Tillman or him dying. I mean, they're certainly, 730 00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:49,200 Speaker 1: you know, two thousand and four was when they were 731 00:42:49,239 --> 00:42:52,239 Speaker 1: in diapers at best. And you know what, and that's 732 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:55,480 Speaker 1: when you explained to him who Pat Tilman was and 733 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 1: the legacy and for everything that Pat Tilman was to 734 00:42:59,719 --> 00:43:01,359 Speaker 1: all of us those who covered him. And I think 735 00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:03,600 Speaker 1: anybody who's been a long time resident of Arizona, you 736 00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:06,040 Speaker 1: have a poignant memory at the very least, if not 737 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:09,680 Speaker 1: a story. I know, the first and only jersey I've 738 00:43:09,680 --> 00:43:12,840 Speaker 1: ever purchased for my son was a Pat Tillman jersey 739 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:15,080 Speaker 1: and it will be the only one I purchased for him. 740 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:18,839 Speaker 1: And it's it is that legacy that if nothing else, 741 00:43:18,880 --> 00:43:22,480 Speaker 1: it's to challenge yourself, think for yourself, speak for yourself, 742 00:43:22,600 --> 00:43:25,479 Speaker 1: Just get the most out of yourself. Can you ever 743 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:28,520 Speaker 1: begin to get enough out of your life that pack 744 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 1: out out of his twenty seven years. To me, that's 745 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:34,560 Speaker 1: what that locker says to every incoming Cardinals player. I mean, 746 00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:37,960 Speaker 1: the best part about the locker, and really to me 747 00:43:38,000 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: about Pat's legacy is it can mean so many different 748 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,240 Speaker 1: things to so many different people. I mean, whether it's 749 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:46,880 Speaker 1: you know, getting the most out of your life, as 750 00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:50,000 Speaker 1: you were saying, Paul, even if it's something as relatively 751 00:43:50,040 --> 00:43:54,200 Speaker 1: basic as you know, you might be a long shot 752 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:56,880 Speaker 1: to be on this team, but it can happen because 753 00:43:57,080 --> 00:43:59,440 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman was somebody who did that, you know, a 754 00:43:59,480 --> 00:44:04,000 Speaker 1: seventh pick that probably overachieved a little bit in terms 755 00:44:04,040 --> 00:44:06,200 Speaker 1: of doing what he did in the NFL. So I 756 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:08,800 Speaker 1: think it can represent a lot of things to a 757 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:11,920 Speaker 1: lot of people. Dave McGinnis told a story recently former 758 00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:14,399 Speaker 1: Cardinals defensive coordinator and head coach, that when he first 759 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:16,799 Speaker 1: met Pat Tillman, Pat pulled him aside and said, look, 760 00:44:17,200 --> 00:44:19,399 Speaker 1: I know why you drafted me. I'm a local kid. 761 00:44:19,520 --> 00:44:21,200 Speaker 1: You're trying to get some fans in the stands. You 762 00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:23,480 Speaker 1: probably think I have no shot other than special teams. 763 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 1: He said, just give me a shot. I can be 764 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:29,160 Speaker 1: a darn good defensive player for you and Dave McGinnis 765 00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:31,960 Speaker 1: said he never forgot that he gave a shot in 766 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:33,960 Speaker 1: training camp. We all know not only did he make 767 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:37,040 Speaker 1: the team, he started ten of sixteen games his rookie year, 768 00:44:37,440 --> 00:44:41,480 Speaker 1: Pat Tillman, and so you know, but once again football 769 00:44:41,560 --> 00:44:45,120 Speaker 1: did not define Pat Tillman, and he went on to 770 00:44:45,160 --> 00:44:48,799 Speaker 1: serve his country, become an American hero. And now that 771 00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:52,800 Speaker 1: legacy is encased in that locker for all to see 772 00:44:53,040 --> 00:44:55,680 Speaker 1: outside the Cardinals locker room. And it was great to 773 00:44:55,719 --> 00:44:57,920 Speaker 1: revisit that addition to Cardinals Folk Tales and we're just 774 00:44:57,920 --> 00:44:59,600 Speaker 1: getting starter. We're gonna do it each of the next 775 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:02,880 Speaker 1: two weeks as well. Special thanks to our Jim Almahandro 776 00:45:03,000 --> 00:45:04,840 Speaker 1: not only for tonight on The Big Red Rage, but 777 00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:08,280 Speaker 1: as the fine producer of the Cardinals Folk Tales podcast series, 778 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:10,759 Speaker 1: Cody Fincher, Thank you. Special thanks to Darren Irman of 779 00:45:10,840 --> 00:45:13,880 Speaker 1: Paul KALBCI. This has been The Big Red Rage presented 780 00:45:13,920 --> 00:45:24,839 Speaker 1: by santan Ford in Gilbert. Number one. Kil You've been 781 00:45:24,880 --> 00:45:29,640 Speaker 1: listening to The Big Red Rage presented by Santanford in Gilbert? 782 00:45:30,280 --> 00:45:34,600 Speaker 1: Are you Santanford State Farm talk to an Agent today 783 00:45:34,800 --> 00:45:39,640 Speaker 1: at eight hundred State Farm and by Arizona Cardinals Podcasts 784 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:44,200 Speaker 1: visit Acy cardinals dot com slash podcasts. This has been 785 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:47,840 Speaker 1: an exclusive presentation of the Arizona Cardinals football Club