1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to San Diego and Super Bowl twenty two, and 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,279 Speaker 1: I'll Washington Redskins and a Denver. 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 2: Broncos and Williams Donkey Senors be teams or. 4 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 3: Eighty Williams records. 5 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 4: Washington junch dorming back Williams deep for senders again to catch. 6 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 5: Doug Williams hasn't voted the MVP of the game. 7 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 4: Look at his teammates surrounding Doug Williams last week for 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,880 Speaker 4: the Washington Redskins and Doug Williams in particular. 9 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 3: Washington is the Super Bowl champion after thrashing the Denver 10 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 3: Broncos forty two to ten. Doug Williams becomes the first 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 3: black quarterback to both start and win a Super Bowl. 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 3: That Super Bowl in San Diego was quite the game, 13 00:00:56,200 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 3: and today we won't be talking about it. Instead, we're 14 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,800 Speaker 3: going to dive into how we got to that day 15 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,320 Speaker 3: at Jack Murphy Stadium and really what happened in the 16 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 3: fourteen days between the nineteen eighty seven NFC Championship and 17 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 3: Super Bowl twenty two. This is Hail Tails Stories from 18 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 3: Washington Football History. Episode one Surprise Roommates, Media Madness, and 19 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 3: the Super Bowl Hero You've never heard of Doug Williams's 20 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 3: story of lifting that trophy on January thirty first, nineteen 21 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 3: eighty eight, may as well start with a finish. That 22 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 3: is the end of the United States Football League. The 23 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 3: USFL was a pro football league in the US that 24 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 3: played a spring summer schedule for eighty six season. The 25 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 3: USFL owners wanted to move their schedule to the fall 26 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 3: in an attempt to directly compete with the NFL. It 27 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 3: was a risky decision that ultimately didn't pay off. Washington, though, 28 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 3: as sportswriter Rick Snyder explains, benefits from the fiasco. 29 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 6: The USFL folds the year before, and that really sets 30 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 6: them up in eighty seven because they pick up Doug Williams. 31 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 6: Not only Doug Williams for a million dollars. They had 32 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 6: to call Cook at home and say, you know, listen, 33 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 6: we want to sign this backup quarterback. Cooke didn't get 34 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 6: away of that, but they said to a million dollars, 35 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 6: which was huge money back then. 36 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 3: Coach had a plan, he was scheming. 37 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 7: I'm coach Joe Gibbs. Now I look at myself as 38 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 7: a risk in and commander for a number of years, 39 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:51,799 Speaker 7: a totally fifteen. 40 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 3: Coach had worked with Williams down in Tampa Bay, which 41 00:02:55,360 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 3: was important, but more significant coach Gibbs advocation for Williams 42 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 3: because he believed so hard in the Signal callers talents. 43 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 3: That belief led Tampa Bay to take Williams in the 44 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 3: first round of the nineteen seventy eight draft, which made 45 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 3: the Grambling State star the first black quarterback to be 46 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 3: drafted in the first round. And here Gibbs was advocating 47 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: for him again. 48 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 7: When we got Doug. The thing I loved about having 49 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 7: Doug a veteran guy, and of course I had a background 50 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 7: with him, knowing what kind of guy was and performer. 51 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 7: What I love to have with a young quarterback playing, 52 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 7: I love to have a veteran backup behind him. Of course, 53 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 7: Doug fit perfectly for that. 54 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: Williams, the veteran is set to be the backup and 55 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 3: Jay Schrader, the young guy, is the starter. But Christine Brennan, 56 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 3: who covered the team for the Washington Post, recalls the 57 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 3: uncertainty at the position you. 58 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 5: Had, the witching of quarterbacks basically back and forth, back 59 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 5: and forth, true uncertainty if Jay Schrader would keep the 60 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 5: job or if Doug Williams would get a chance, and 61 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 5: Doug got a chance, and Jay was back. 62 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 7: Then Doug, and as the year went, it just became obvious. 63 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 7: Towards the end of that year, Doug had had a 64 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 7: chance to play a few times for US, played extremely well, 65 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 7: and we kind of felt like the further we went 66 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 7: in the season, it became more obvious that we felt 67 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 7: like Doug would be the ideal quarterback for us to 68 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 7: start playing. And so it was just the process is 69 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 7: that year took place. 70 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 3: Doug Williams is the starter in the nineteen eighty seven 71 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 3: playoffs almost right away, as the team's then director of 72 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 3: media relations, John Canosa remembers, there's this rumble about the 73 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 3: history Williams could make that begins to crescendo. If Washington 74 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 3: kept winning and Williams kept playing how he was playing, 75 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 3: he'd be the first black quarterback to start a Super Bowl. 76 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 1: Everybody knew it was, you know, it was one of 77 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,880 Speaker 1: those things that was just so obvious. We'd only it's 78 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: not like we had fifty Super Bowls. That was twenty two, 79 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: so we'd only had twenty one games up to that point, 80 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: and it wasn't you know, you didn't have to do. 81 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 8: A whole lot of research. Everybody knew that that was 82 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:29,679 Speaker 8: the case. 83 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 3: On January seventeenth, nineteen eighty eight, Washington beats the Vikings 84 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 3: in the NFC Championship and it becomes real, this is happening. 85 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 3: A black quarterback is going to start a Super Bowl 86 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:53,560 Speaker 3: for Shaq Harris, one of William's closest friends. The magnitude 87 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,799 Speaker 3: of the moment dawned on him right away. 88 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 9: I can remember when we won the championship game and 89 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 9: how excited he was, how excited I was, how excited 90 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 9: everybody reknew. 91 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 6: Tied Doune want him back to pack looking. 92 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 10: Look he throws into the ends all that the cup time. 93 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 5: That night they got break. 94 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 2: O, the Reds get break game away with five fifteen 95 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 2: A do it looks like they're gonna go Super. 96 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 10: Bowl like a Sert day. 97 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 3: I'm going through it. 98 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 9: So, you know, so so proud of him. So we 99 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 9: spend a lot of time I think sharing sharing that moment, 100 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 9: and I think after that, Doug was able to refocus 101 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 9: and start focusing on the business at hand, the Denver Broncos, 102 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 9: which was there, you know, a real challenge there because 103 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 9: so many people was reaching out to him and he 104 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 9: was representing so much. 105 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 5: I had already written and we'd certainly talked on TV 106 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 5: shows about Doug and his place in history, i e. 107 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,840 Speaker 5: As a black man playing what even back then was 108 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 5: still seen as a white man's position, and the important 109 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 5: markers in history were already there in my mind. But 110 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 5: now the nation was going to find out about it. 111 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 5: This was going this is going wide. This was going 112 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 5: from Washington. A story that was a football story, a 113 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 5: story that was building over several months, and then now 114 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 5: it's going to go to a national audience, and not 115 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 5: just a sports audience, but a cultural audience and a 116 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 5: historic audience in the sense of what Doug Williams means 117 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 5: not just in sports, not just in Washington, but not 118 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 5: just in football, but now in history and in our 119 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 5: cultural history in our country. And so you know, I 120 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 5: was well aware of all that, but there was still 121 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 5: a real improbable nature to the whole thing. Washington really 122 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 5: did this, Joe Gibbs really pulled this off. This team 123 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 5: is going to the super Bowl. 124 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 8: You know, when that game was over, it I realized 125 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 8: that I was going to be playing in the Super Bowl, 126 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 8: you know, being the first black quarterback. To be honest 127 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 8: with you, at that time didn't really hit me. It 128 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 8: was just the fact that I was going to have 129 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 8: a chance to play in the Super Bowl. That was 130 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 8: the most important thing to me. As the days went along, 131 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 8: the week went along, then you realize that you're the 132 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 8: first black quarterback, and I realized that that particular time 133 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 8: is probably going to be some media and everybody else 134 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 8: is going to be looking to do an interview with 135 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 8: which you know, and I didn't want to do that, 136 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 8: so I just stayed away. 137 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 3: During that first week of Super Bowl prep in Washington. 138 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,560 Speaker 3: Williams does not stay at his own house. 139 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:45,599 Speaker 8: I didn't go home. I went to one of my 140 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 8: friend's apartment and I stayed there because you know, I 141 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 8: knew I didn't want nobody coming by my house. Whether 142 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 8: they did and I don't know, but I didn't want 143 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 8: no knocks on the door or anything like that. I 144 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,760 Speaker 8: just went to Big Herd. We called him called No 145 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 8: Way to Love a Big Herd, and we was teammates 146 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 8: at Gramlin, but he lived up here, and you know, 147 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 8: Big Harry was a guy that I mean talking about 148 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 8: running with somebody. That's who I ran with most of 149 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 8: the time. And all the boys used to call him 150 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 8: the oldweight lover because he was about six six at 151 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 8: that time, about about three hundred pounds, so they called 152 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,199 Speaker 8: him oldweight level. So that's who I hung with. You know, 153 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 8: something to be done. 154 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 3: He was there, So Williams was going to and from 155 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 3: Big Herbs for practice, and the rest of the Burgundy 156 00:09:34,200 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 3: and Gold, from the team to the business personnel are 157 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 3: also doing what they need to do to get ready 158 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:41,439 Speaker 3: for San Diego. 159 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:43,080 Speaker 8: The good news was. 160 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: It wasn't our first rodeo, and Joe Gibbs was really 161 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 1: good at you know, we got one week to handle 162 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 1: all the family stuff, all the travel, all the logistics, 163 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: and then we have that second week when we're actually 164 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: in San Diego to focus on football and practice in 165 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: preparation and get into as close to a normal work 166 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,240 Speaker 1: week as humanly possible. You know, it's a super Bowl, 167 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: it's not possible. But Joe was a stickler for routine 168 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: and we had to do everything when we got to 169 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: San Diego. He wanted everything just like. 170 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,559 Speaker 8: It was a normal work week. Now the week of 171 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 8: the Super Bowl. That's fantastic. 172 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 3: Charles Man, three time Super Bowl champion and four time 173 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 3: Pro Bowler. 174 00:10:34,920 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 8: I mean, I'm getting goosebumps thinking about that because don't 175 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 8: get to talk about that much. 176 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,240 Speaker 3: But we had the fiercest practices. 177 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 7: I'll tell you they were so physical that I actually 178 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,199 Speaker 7: cut practice short. I said, our guys are ready. 179 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 2: I mean it was like they were. 180 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 7: You know, we actually were physical in practice. We ran 181 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 7: offensive plays and roughly the same number of defensive plays 182 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 7: against each other. And I remember that thing being so physical. 183 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 7: A couple of times, like on those Wednesday practices, I 184 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 7: cut practice short and I said, we're going to get 185 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 7: somebody hurt. 186 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:17,559 Speaker 9: He's got it. 187 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:19,120 Speaker 7: They were ready. 188 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 3: The practices aren't the only part of that week that 189 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 3: are intense. Media Day ahead of Super Bowl twenty two 190 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 3: is a whole other animal. On that Tuesday, all the 191 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 3: Washington players load up on buses to go to Jack 192 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 3: Murphy Stadium, where reporters from around the country had the 193 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 3: chance to ask questions and Doug Williams is swarmed. 194 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 5: The schools you grew up in were finally integrated. 195 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 8: You know. I had no problem with the media as 196 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:08,559 Speaker 8: long as they was asking civilized courtions and things like that. 197 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 8: And you know, it was only one courtion that came up, 198 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 8: and to be honest with you, it did not bother me. 199 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 3: The question, how long have you been a black quarterback? 200 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:23,319 Speaker 8: I knew the guy who asked the course, and he 201 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,599 Speaker 8: was from originally from Jackson, Mississippi, who covered Gramlin in 202 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 8: Jackson State during that time. Her name is Butch Jones. 203 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:34,559 Speaker 8: Since since then, buch Jones, blessed soul has passed away. 204 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:37,599 Speaker 8: But Busch Jones called me before he passed. He was 205 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 8: telling me all the medical issues that he was having. 206 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 8: But he told me he appreciate the way I handled 207 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 8: the question because what he asked me was you know, 208 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,199 Speaker 8: how long had I been a black quarterback? And the 209 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,719 Speaker 8: way it came out, and I told him, you know, 210 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 8: since I left Gramlin now, and that's was the truth. 211 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 8: But I knew what he was trying to say, and 212 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 8: I didn't. I wasn't gonna make him look bad or 213 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 8: anything like that because I understood where he was from, 214 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 8: and I just say, hey, you know, since I left 215 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 8: Graham and that's that's when I became a black quarterback. 216 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 3: Though so much of the attention was focused on Williams 217 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 3: that day, fun fact, that's not where the concern of 218 00:13:14,559 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 3: Director of media Relations John Canoza. 219 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: Was Douglas predictable, Dexter not so much. 220 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:36,079 Speaker 8: I'm Dexter Manley nineteen eighty one to nineteen ninety. John's 221 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 8: a young guy and be quite frank with to be candid, 222 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:41,079 Speaker 8: I did. I didn't. 223 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 3: I wasn't listening to John on media day. 224 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 7: I was. 225 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 3: I was around Dexter. 226 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 8: If it was Charlie, yes, if it was bothered that 227 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,439 Speaker 8: to the joke gift, I've got to listen. 228 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 1: To that in turn, whatever he was, it was a 229 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: big thing is we didn't want to do anything to 230 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: fire up to Denver broncos it's all about shock value. 231 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 9: You know. 232 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: And then so then we had to have meetings with Dexter. Okay, 233 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: if you don't want to answer a question, you don't 234 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,720 Speaker 1: answer a question. Okay, but then you say next question 235 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:13,599 Speaker 1: and you go. So Dextra is the one that was 236 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: that was being schooled up. 237 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 8: It wasn't a strategy. It's just off the cuff, as 238 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 8: I say, it went in different and that's about it. 239 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: Doug again, I had no concerns at all. 240 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 3: Amidst all that outside noise while getting ready for the 241 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 3: biggest game he'd ever play in, Williams found ways to 242 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 3: stay grounded and be in a good headspace. Loved ones 243 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 3: in San Diego helped with the lighthearted and positive energy. 244 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 3: Robert Williams was so excited for his brother Doug the first. 245 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 2: Game that they played in the championship where they had 246 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 2: played in Minnesota. Dugs and all the money home that 247 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 2: he had earned from that game, and told my mother 248 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 2: to bring all all of us who wanted to come. 249 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 2: And I think I can remember I went a little 250 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 2: earlier to San Diego, but my mother and others came later, 251 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 2: and they brought twenty one on aile plan to San Diego. 252 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 2: We flew into La and we had a friend had 253 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 2: a mobile home there and he picked us up and 254 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 2: brought us his house. Well, we had a lot of 255 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 2: food there and enjoyed each other. Then we drove on 256 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 2: into San Diego and we spent a week there. 257 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,560 Speaker 3: And you know, Doug Williams wasn't the only member of 258 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 3: his family doing something for the first time that week. 259 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 8: My mom probably was my mom first time flying. 260 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 3: So that must have meant was that our first time 261 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:44,880 Speaker 3: watching you play for Washington? 262 00:15:45,560 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 8: That was that was our first time watching me play 263 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 8: for Washington. 264 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,280 Speaker 3: His family there was just a reminder of how ready 265 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 3: Williams was for this moment. 266 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 2: Doug had a lot of confidence, and we all had 267 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: a lot of confidence in it growing up. One of 268 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 2: the things that I stressed my brothers and the sisters 269 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 2: as well, have come of this and believe that you 270 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 2: can do it, And that was one of those persons 271 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 2: who works hard and believe that you could do it well. 272 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 3: Williams was feeling good above the neck mentally as the 273 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:20,160 Speaker 3: week wore on. Physically, above the neck was a different story. 274 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 3: On Saturday morning, the day before the Super Bowl, Williams 275 00:16:27,760 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 3: wakes up with toothpain that cannot be ignored and in 276 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 3: steps this guy. 277 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 10: Hello, my name is Barry Rudolph, and I wish the team. 278 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 10: Dennis during the glory years from nineteen eighty three to 279 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 10: nineteen ninety five travel with the team mostly everywhere they went. 280 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 10: And actually that was it was an unusual thing because 281 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,719 Speaker 10: not all football teams had a dentist that traveled with them, 282 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 10: but the Redskins were forward thinking and they had an internist, 283 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 10: an orthopedic surgeon, and a dentist as physicians on call. 284 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 3: That weekend in San Diego, doctor Rudolph would be called 285 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 3: on to perform what might be described as one of 286 00:17:20,480 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 3: the most important dental surgeries in the history of sports. 287 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 10: Started out about two or three weeks before the Super Bowl, 288 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 10: which was I guess January thirty first, nineteen eighty eight. 289 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 10: And once we I think, once we beat the Minnesota 290 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 10: Vikings and we knew we were going to the Super Bowl. 291 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:47,240 Speaker 10: I called a dental school friend of mine. It was 292 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 10: about ten years I had seen him, we were classmates, 293 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,720 Speaker 10: and I knew he practiced in the San Diego area, 294 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 10: and I knew obviously we were going to be playing 295 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:58,080 Speaker 10: in San Diego. And I thought, well, let me try 296 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 10: to plan ahead and case we have any kinds of emergencies. 297 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 10: So I called my friend Dave, and I said, hey, Dave, 298 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,399 Speaker 10: I'm going to be coming out to San Diego in 299 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 10: about three weeks. And Dave said to me, oh, no, no, 300 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 10: don't come out. Then I said, well why not. He goes, Oh, 301 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 10: it's going to be a mob scene and if we 302 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 10: have the Super Bowl here and it's going to be crazy. 303 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:19,640 Speaker 10: And I said, no, Dave, you don't understand. He said, 304 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 10: I'm coming out because I worked for the Redskins and 305 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 10: I'm involved with the Super Boy. He goes, oh, okay. 306 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 10: So I said, the reason that I'm calling you is 307 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,360 Speaker 10: because in case I have a dental emergency. I want 308 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:33,959 Speaker 10: to know if it's okay if I use your office. 309 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 3: Dave says sure and thank goodness for that. Fast forward 310 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,880 Speaker 3: to the Saturday before the game, Doctor Rudolph is out 311 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 3: getting breakfast with Dave. He comes back to the hotel 312 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 3: room and his wife tells him that head trainer Bubba 313 00:18:48,359 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 3: Tire just called, and of course. 314 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 10: You know, my radar went up and I was, Oh, 315 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 10: what's going on? So I said, she said, but don't worry. 316 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 10: Bubba said it's only Doug Williams, and I went, oh, 317 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 10: you know. 318 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 3: Doctor Rudolph rushes to the practice facility. 319 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 10: Joe Gibbs came over to me and said that Doug 320 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 10: was having a horrible time at practice this morning and 321 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 10: he couldn't focus in on the plays. He was forgetting things. 322 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,440 Speaker 10: He was having all sorts of trouble. So when Joe 323 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 10: Gibbs went over to Doug and said, Hey, Doug, what's 324 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 10: going on? 325 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 5: You know? 326 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:28,119 Speaker 10: Doug said, well, you know what, I hadn't slept very 327 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 10: well in the last couple of weeks, and Joe came 328 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 10: up and said, listen, I need you to do something 329 00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 10: for this guy because he's not you know, we're going 330 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:36,879 Speaker 10: to have practice, going to be over at noon, and 331 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 10: then whatever you can do would be great. I spoke 332 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 10: to my friend Dave and I said, listen, we need 333 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 10: to go to your office. We need to figure out 334 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 10: what's going on. So and we get in there and 335 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 10: we take a look. We take an X ray of 336 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 10: Doug's jaw, and we look and we see that he's 337 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 10: got a five unit bridge on the lower right side. 338 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 10: So I don't want to get two technical from a 339 00:19:58,520 --> 00:19:59,399 Speaker 10: dental standpoint, but. 340 00:19:59,480 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 3: Basically Williams needs a root canal. 341 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 8: I'd never had a root invale, you know. Growing up, 342 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:10,440 Speaker 8: we couldn't afford to go to the dinner talk about 343 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 8: root canal anything. Now that's my first time ever having 344 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 8: anything done like that. 345 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 10: Long story short. It took about five and a half 346 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 10: hours of work to get this resolved. 347 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,680 Speaker 3: Add in some post op painkillers, some antibiotics, and that 348 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,199 Speaker 3: should have been the end of it. Should have well. 349 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 10: I went back to my room and I called a 350 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 10: colleague of mine in Washington, DC, and I said he 351 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 10: was a root canal specialist, And I said, I want 352 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 10: to know if there's anything that I did. 353 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 8: This is what I did. 354 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 10: Is there anything else that you would have done in 355 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 10: addition to what I did, because the game is on 356 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:51,399 Speaker 10: the line and I needed to know if there was 357 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 10: anything else, anything that I missed. And he said, nope, 358 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:56,160 Speaker 10: what you did was perfect. That's just what I would 359 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,240 Speaker 10: have done everything. That's the best you can do. Blah 360 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 10: blah blah. And that was the end of it. But 361 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 10: about two or three hours later, I get a call 362 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 10: from the PR Department, I think it was John Canosa 363 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 10: at the time, and he says to me, he said, 364 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 10: what you did for Doug Williams is all over the news. 365 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 3: Doctor Rudolph cannot figure out how this happened. How did 366 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:22,119 Speaker 3: this get out? As a medical professional working for an 367 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 3: NFL team, he is keenly aware of the sensitivity of 368 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:26,359 Speaker 3: this matter. 369 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 10: So I scratched my head and I called my friend 370 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 10: Dave and I said, did you call the news media? 371 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 10: And he said, nope, I didn't do that. I wouldn't 372 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:34,640 Speaker 10: do that. Finally it dawned on me, well, the only 373 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 10: person that I talked to about this was this person 374 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 10: in DC, and so I called that person back and 375 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 10: he said to me, nope, I didn't say anything. I 376 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 10: didn't tell anybody. And then I hung up. About half 377 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,600 Speaker 10: an hour later, he calls me back. He goes, well, 378 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 10: I want you to know that I didn't say anything, 379 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:53,240 Speaker 10: but my wife was on the. 380 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:59,720 Speaker 3: Phone when you called, and that wife just might have 381 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 3: told somebody in the media. The story breaks, and I think. 382 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 7: The idea was to keep it quiet, and then I 383 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 7: think through some crazy set of circumstances. Next thing you know, 384 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 7: it became a big deal in the papers, and every 385 00:22:18,720 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 7: day I was kind of out of it. 386 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: Nobody in the organization apparently other than doctor Barry Rudolph 387 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: and maybe our trainer Bubba's higher but nobody told Jack 388 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 1: can Cook. 389 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 8: Nobody told John can Cook. 390 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 1: Nobody told Joe Gibbs that Doug was having. 391 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 8: A root canal done. 392 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: The day before the Super Bowl, John can Cook called 393 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: me into his office and said, I need you to 394 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 1: go find Doug and make sure Doug's okay. So, you know, 395 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: I went up to Doug's room and Doug was in 396 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 1: there with family and friends. He may have had six 397 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: or eight people in the room, and he said he 398 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:52,160 Speaker 1: felt great. 399 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 3: Williams is on the mend. Day has turned tonight and 400 00:22:56,640 --> 00:23:00,840 Speaker 3: it's time for Game day eve Rituals Gibbs style. 401 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:07,120 Speaker 1: We had a joint chapel service with the Denver Broncos 402 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,680 Speaker 1: Saturday night, which was unprecedented. But Joe Gibbs and Dan 403 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 1: Reeves were very close, and so we actually had a 404 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 1: chapel service with our players and Denver Bronco players that 405 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: wanted to attend, which was most unusual. And then after 406 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: that chapel service, and we had a team snack and 407 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 1: then bust over to the Lawrence Welk Resort Village. 408 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:41,560 Speaker 3: The Lawrence Welk Resort Village, Ladays and gentlemen. 409 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 8: It's the Lawrence Well Show. 410 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,400 Speaker 7: We always take a team the night before and try 411 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 7: and get someplace quiet, but. 412 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 3: It is almost impossible to find a hotel for this 413 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 3: many people for one night in one hundred and fifty 414 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:05,280 Speaker 3: mile radius. Somehow, John Kent Cook finds this resort developed 415 00:24:05,320 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 3: by a famous television band leader, Lawrence Welk, and so. 416 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,919 Speaker 1: I actually went up and scoped it out and looked 417 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: at it like it's and it was a timeshare. And 418 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:20,919 Speaker 1: so people checked out on Saturday and checked in on Sunday, 419 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 1: and on Saturday night, all these bungalows are empty, and 420 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,639 Speaker 1: we're like, well, wait a minute, we can make we 421 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,119 Speaker 1: can make that work, and we were we were the 422 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 1: only ones there. It may have been the most peaceful 423 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 1: place on the planet. 424 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:39,639 Speaker 3: The night before Super Bowl, the team and coaches are 425 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 3: zend out and ready for Sunday. Williams is able to 426 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 3: get rest and maybe more importantly, is able to indulge 427 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 3: in his special pregame tradition and woke up. 428 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 8: In the middle of the night. I had a bag 429 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,639 Speaker 8: of hersy kisses that I always eat these kisses, and 430 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 8: I'm trying to find out man, I got to find 431 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 8: a way in. I took those kisses and I they 432 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 8: were last one of them. Stayed up a little longer, 433 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 8: you know. I finally went to sleep. Woke up the 434 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:08,159 Speaker 8: next morning. It was breakfast time, went to breakfast, and 435 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 8: by that time we loaded the bus and drove in 436 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 8: to San Diego to the stadium, Jack Murphy Stadium, and 437 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 8: I felt pretty good, no pain at all. It was 438 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 8: a great day. 439 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 4: Our congratulations for Joe Gibbs, the Redskins, last week for 440 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 4: the Washington Redskins, and Doug Williams in particular. 441 00:25:32,760 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 3: This episode was narrated, produced, and researched by me Hannah Liechtenstein, 442 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 3: senior copywriter for the Washington Commanders. It was produced and 443 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 3: edited by Jason Johnson. Executive producers ra El and Teen, 444 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:49,200 Speaker 3: Ryan Joakum, and Kevin Klein. Graphics designed by Roman Schumann 445 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 3: and Rackim Smith. Social media by Maggie Antulis and Rebecca Solsbach. 446 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 3: Alumni relations help comes from Tim Hightower and Caroline Deco. 447 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 3: Special thank you to Dallas Taylor and Katie Montellione. Thank 448 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 3: you to our guests for their contributions, and thank you 449 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:06,560 Speaker 3: for listening.