1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Welcome into a Cowboy Life. The storytelling podcast presented by 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: our friends at Smoothie King Blending Goodness to Fuel your 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: Greatness on Brady Tinker. This week's story is about a 4 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: man who played his first nine years in the NFL 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey. Everson Walls was an undrafted 6 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: free agent from Grambling. When he arrived at training camp 7 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty one, the line of men trying to 8 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: make the team at the cornerback position was long. His 9 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: chances were slim. He had that something, though, that little something, 10 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: and he quickly made friends with a veteran fullback who 11 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:40,480 Speaker 1: helped him learn to speak. Landry. Ron Springs and Everson 12 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: Walls became the best of friends. And after they both 13 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: had retired and started a business together, while suddenly, seemingly overnight, 14 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: Ron was sick and Everson, always the friend, was there 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: to help. Please enjoy our story about two dear friends, 16 00:00:55,720 --> 00:01:00,120 Speaker 1: two cowboys, always there for each other. Everson Walls a 17 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: kidney for a cowboy. His physical abilities were waning a 18 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: little bit. And when I say that, I mean even reading. 19 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: You know, I know people, you know, sometimes their eyes 20 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: go bad. But it just seemed to be so swift, 21 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: and he was just I don't know if he's being lazy. 22 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:33,839 Speaker 1: It just seemed like he was weak. When it comes 23 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: to the game of football, time is an important thing. 24 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: It's not just how long each quarter is or how 25 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: long a scoring drive might be. Time can be how 26 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: long a quarterback has to get the ball to receiver 27 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: as he's running down the field, or how fast the 28 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: center needs to hike a shotgun snap, and how long 29 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: a receiver running back has to run a route. Time 30 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: is so valuable in fact, that football teams have a 31 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: specific number of instances in which they can actually completely 32 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: pause a football game, and a procedure referred to as 33 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: time out stop the game. We need to talk. And 34 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: of course, time isn't just important in football. Time is everything. 35 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 1: It is the most valuable resource we have on this planet. 36 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: It's worth more than food and water and all the 37 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,600 Speaker 1: richest money could ever buy. And the hard fact is 38 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:24,359 Speaker 1: our time is limited. We only get so much of it, 39 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: So of course it's what you do with the time 40 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: that you have that really truly matters. Today on a 41 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: cowboy life, our story is about time. More specifically, it's 42 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: about two men that boards the closest of friendships over time, 43 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: and how that time they spend together ultimately save their lives. 44 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 1: It's a story full of ups and downs and twists 45 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 1: and turns that you probably won't see coming. In an 46 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: all honesty, this one gets worse before it gets better. 47 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,119 Speaker 1: But it's a story we doubt you've heard before, one 48 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: that sheds light on more than just the game of football. 49 00:02:57,240 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: So please settle in, because this is the story of 50 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: team mates and friends to the end, Ron Springs and 51 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: Everson Walls and their cowboy life. Ron Springs and Everson 52 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: Walls are of course best known as Dallas Cowboys, but 53 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: to be more specific, Ron was an unusually nimble and 54 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,600 Speaker 1: fast fullback with great hands, and Everson was a long, 55 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: lanky cornerback that caught every errant pass throne in his direction. 56 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: And they played for the Dallas Cowboys from roughly nineteen 57 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 1: seventy nine to nineteen ninety give or take. Our story 58 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: today is almost exclusively from Everson Wall's point of view. 59 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: You see, I host TV shows with Everson and the 60 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: two of us have become very good friends. So he 61 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,840 Speaker 1: was kind enough to join me on this new podcast 62 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: that we're grinding so hard on to talk about his friend, 63 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: Ron Springs. So to kick things off, we'll just start 64 00:03:53,640 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: with Ron, because while both men were rare talents at 65 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: their positions, Ron Springs was weirdly talented and big and 66 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: fast and a pass catching fullback who was loaded with spirit. 67 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: This spirit that life gave to him that was so 68 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: infectious to everyone he was around. And did I sell it? 69 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: So now you know why Ron's first Ron came from. 70 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: Ron was Williamsburg, Virginia. His speed, his strength and hands 71 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 1: for a fullback, he was a force coming out of 72 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: the backfield. Yep. Ron was from Virginia and went to 73 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: college at the Ohio State University. But that wasn't why 74 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: people knew it. The way Everson tells it, Ron had 75 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: everything going for him. He's one of those guys when 76 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: he hit you defensive line of the linebacker, if you 77 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: weren't ready, he would hurt you. He was no more 78 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,239 Speaker 1: than two hundred and fifteen pounds. He really wasn't built 79 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 1: like a foreback, but he was so strong that they 80 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,800 Speaker 1: used him as a fullback because his speed and his 81 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: strength brought a lot of four iron made his bones. 82 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: Playing at Ohio State with a record that puts most 83 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: college fullbacks to shame. He was a smaller man for 84 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: the position, coming in at just six foot flat, like 85 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: Everson said, no more than two hundred and ten pounds. 86 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: But he was tough and he would take on anyone, 87 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,920 Speaker 1: and that slightly small frame for a fullback allowed him 88 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: to be fast. Albeit a non traditional fullback, he was 89 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: fast a fullback for Tom Landry's trademark multiple set offensive system, 90 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: where he had more than a few opportunities to run, catch, block, 91 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: and do everything, even throw an option pass on occasion. 92 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: That versatility made him a very valuable asset for the Cowboys, 93 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: so no surprise they scooped him up relatively early in 94 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 1: the nineteen seventy nine draft. My rookie year, Ron had 95 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 1: twelve teschdowns. That's a lot of testdowns for a fullback, 96 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: just no comparison. It's totally different types of fullback. So 97 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: to ignore that fact, I think is it would be attracted. 98 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: He should be remembered that one of the better athletes 99 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: the Cowboys ever had, which is saying a lot for 100 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 1: a team that prides itself on getting great athletes throughout Houston. True, 101 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: and they also pride themselves on thinking outside the box. 102 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: So Ron fit right in. The Cowboys signed him in 103 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: the fifth round, and he started making an impact right away. 104 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: A sprained ankle in nineteen eighty kept him from being 105 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,359 Speaker 1: a starter, but in eighty one he recovered and was 106 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 1: officially named the starter at fullback for the Dallas Cowboys. 107 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: Which is where Everson Walls comes in. He loved teasing 108 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: me about, you know, my outlook on life, my pessimism, 109 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: my rebelliousness. He loved teasing me about all of that 110 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,919 Speaker 1: because he was the chosen one. He'd never had the 111 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 1: issues I had, and he loved to make fun of that. 112 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: You see, Everson didn't grow up in a Virginia lycron. 113 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: He didn't grow to Ohio State. He grew up in Texas, 114 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 1: just a couple of miles away from the Cowboys practice field. 115 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: But in nineteen eighty one he got signed as an 116 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: undrafted free agent by his hometown Cowboys, which apparently Ron 117 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: Springs thought was frigging hilarious fun of everyone I was. 118 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,679 Speaker 1: He got so bored with his roommates do Us Set, 119 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: Dennis Thammon, and Robert Newhouse. Yeah, famous roommates, but they 120 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: were boring. They were boring. They everybody they had their 121 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 1: own thing going on. There was no excitement. He had 122 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: been with it for two years already, so now we're 123 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: a fresh blood. We come in. He would come up 124 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: and you know, I guess his jokes didn't work on 125 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 1: them anymore. That's what it was. So he tried out 126 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: his own material on us, and Ron was more than 127 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: just a cut up. When he wasn't dominating on the field, 128 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: he spent time socializing, always socializing and talking to the 129 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: other players, and that supreme confidence permeated those interactions. He'd 130 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,960 Speaker 1: just walked right up to anybody, no holds barred. The 131 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: man simply couldn't be teamed. So when a veteran player 132 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: would tell him, hey, Ron, stay in your lane. Don't 133 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: talk to the new kids, especially those that didn't even 134 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: get drafted, he'd do it anyway, seemingly just despite his 135 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: cranky and traditional teammates. Does he hang out with you guys, Well, 136 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: mostly he'd make us drive. We had a driving as 137 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 1: a rule in those days, the veterans, especially or you 138 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: hadn't made the team yet. No veterans don't hang out 139 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: with rookies. A hundred rookies come and go every year. 140 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: They didn't need to know your name. His roommates would 141 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: tell him, Ron, you need to stop going over a 142 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: messing with those rookies, because then you're gonna be sad 143 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 1: when they all get cut, because they all getting cut. 144 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 1: Yet it was all free agis in the room. We 145 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 1: didn't have one draft pick in the room. It's a 146 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: tough thing joining a professional football team. A little silent 147 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: treatment from the older guys is to be expected. But 148 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: Ron didn't play by those rules. He'd stepped up, shake 149 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: your hand, and make friends with anybody he thought might 150 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:40,319 Speaker 1: be worth his time. And sometimes that kindness would net 151 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 1: him a ride to the liquor store. So that was good. Oh, 152 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 1: it was so much fun because he kept us all 153 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: in the team. I remember he and I and two 154 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: tall Jones. He just went driving one time up in 155 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 1: the mountains. I went the back of the car with 156 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: two tall Jones and Ron Springs, just driving up in 157 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 1: the mouth. We had nowhere to go. It was a 158 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 1: Sunday at the time. I had maybe been in the 159 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:04,959 Speaker 1: league like two years, so sometimes you had to pinch yourself. 160 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: I don't care how many interceptions I had made. I 161 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 1: was still like the baby of a group. Everson's right 162 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: he was a kid among men, but don't mistake that 163 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,239 Speaker 1: social modesty for athletic meekness. This is the Dallas Cowboys. 164 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: You don't get to be on this team unless you've 165 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: earned it. And Everson Walls was shockingly good. He's humble 166 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 1: and during our talk he didn't say much about himself. 167 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: So he called a couple of high profile Dallas folks 168 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,600 Speaker 1: get a little more perspective on the man they referred 169 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:37,960 Speaker 1: to as Cubby. You know, when you talk about old 170 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: school football, you know, and an old school cornerback and 171 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:43,960 Speaker 1: a guy that basically said, whoever comes on this side, 172 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: you don't have to worry about it. That's Oakland Raiders 173 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,080 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown, a Dallas original 174 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 1: who went to Woodrow Wilson High School. And by the way, 175 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: he also won the Heisman Trophy at Notre Damon in college, 176 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:57,440 Speaker 1: and he is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 177 00:09:57,600 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: So add it all up and you'll know he was great. 178 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: He's a big guy, has long arms and he has 179 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: quick feet. To me, that was a terrible combination to 180 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: go up against. And it was fun. It was talented man, 181 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 1: And when I look back on it, certainly he was 182 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: one of the toughest guys app face. We also talked 183 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: to Hall of Fame colonist Rick Goslin, who covered much 184 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: of Everson's career with the Cowboys. Here's a guy that 185 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: did things at the cornerback position that few people had 186 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: done before or since. In nineteen eighty one, he intercepted 187 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 1: eleven passes to lead the league. Since then, thirty six years, 188 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 1: no player has intercepted as many as eleven interceptions. And 189 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 1: in case you missed it, Everson did reach the final 190 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: round of voting to make it to the Pro Football 191 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: Hall of Fame just over a year ago, but we'll 192 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: tell you that story later. Before there was a draft, 193 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: you could size up a cowboy by three simple factors. 194 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: The crease in his hat, the bend of his brim, 195 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: and his unbending attitude a man. Stetson didn't just protect 196 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: him from what life throw at him. It projected a rugged, 197 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: unstoppable spirit. Stetson as are still American made with pride. 198 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,240 Speaker 1: Right here in Texas, there's still the unofficial crowd of 199 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: all self respecting Cowboys, and Stetson is proud to be 200 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 1: on the field with America's team. Find a retailer nearest 201 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: Jewitt Stetson dot com slash Cowboys. The Cowboys Way, where 202 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 1: sixteen Hall of Famers and five championships shows us what 203 00:11:20,920 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: success looks like. Where Turkey is always the second best 204 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: part of Thanksgiving Day, Where we are all defined by 205 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:31,640 Speaker 1: one single thing, the Star, Where we as fans know 206 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: it's our job to keep the tradition going. Bank of 207 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: America is proud to be the official bank of the 208 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: Dallas Cowboys and to support the quest of living life 209 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: The Cowboys Way copyright twenty twenty. Bank of America Corporation. 210 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: Want to use what the pros use? 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Is it att dot com for details. 229 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 1: For now, let's get back to the early eighties when 230 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: Everson was still a small fish in a big pond, 231 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: and Ron helped him navigate those waters in a really 232 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: surprising way, not because he had to, He just really 233 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,360 Speaker 1: liked Everson and Michael Downs. Ron talked about my car. 234 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: I had a hand me down car that I ain't 235 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:06,120 Speaker 1: had since college, and it was so raggedy the back 236 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 1: of the front seat had to be held up by 237 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 1: an adobe brick. Seat would fall back. Yes, yes, yes, yes, 238 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:20,959 Speaker 1: exactly right. Say well, hey man, this is the eighties. Okay, 239 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 1: Wolf was saved back in the eighties. You know we 240 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 1: were talking back there. He talks a big game, but 241 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 1: Everson wasn't tough, just because of the decade he grew up, 242 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:30,439 Speaker 1: and he had it tough growing up. He wasn't a 243 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 1: frugal guy, but he was certainly smart with his money. 244 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: So check this out. Listen to him telling me about 245 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: this car. It was a Grande Mustang nineteen seventy two, 246 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:48,880 Speaker 1: copper brown. Sweet sweet. I had a car man. They 247 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,520 Speaker 1: made it back and forth. So my mentality, I'm a 248 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,839 Speaker 1: free agent. I'm still thinking like a free agent. I 249 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: don't have time for luxury, still staying home with mom. 250 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: I'm not married. I got my girl. You know, I 251 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 1: got a job. Basically, how I look at I have 252 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: a job. So I didn't really feel that pressure until 253 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: I went to work. One time I go eat outside 254 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:11,959 Speaker 1: the home was when I hung out with Ron. So 255 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: what he showed me was how to get the dealer 256 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 1: cause you know, you trade your tickets for dealer cause. 257 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: And so now driving a new car, you know, let 258 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 1: my girl drive my car. You know, some things start 259 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: looking up a little bit, but it's it's little by little. 260 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: I'm still just turned twenty two years old. We're both 261 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: still very young. You know, my mom's still young. So 262 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: it was it was a unique life that I know 263 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: I was blessed to have. Did you catch that bit 264 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: about Ron teaching Everson to trade tickets for a dealer car. 265 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: You see, Ron wasn't just a mentor. He was a 266 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: friend and an astute businessman too. But not many veterans 267 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: would help the lowly undrafted kids like Everson. Once a 268 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: free agent, you always think like a ship because they 269 00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 1: always look at you as one. They negotiate with you 270 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: as a free agent, so you always reminded of how 271 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 1: you came into the league. So sometimes you'll get punished 272 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: for outplaying your contract. To outplay one's contract means to 273 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 1: simply provide more value on the team than your contract 274 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: would imply. Like if a player was signed in the 275 00:15:17,880 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 1: eighties for ten thousand dollars and then scored fifteen touchdowns 276 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: that season, you'd say that player clearly outplayed their contract. 277 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: I outplayed my contract my rookie year. Gil Brand came 278 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 1: to me and said, Okay, we're gonna tear up your 279 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 1: thirty thousand dollars contract. We're gonna tear up your coming 280 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: thirty two five. You're gonna make thirty five coming up. 281 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna change it to eighty thousand and we're gonna 282 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 1: give you a thirty thousand dollars sounding bonus. How that 283 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:45,440 Speaker 1: sound Everson? I said, that's not enough. I just came 284 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: from the Pro Bowl. Ronnie lott Less to Hayes, they're 285 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,040 Speaker 1: making one fifty and that bonus was way more than 286 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,280 Speaker 1: that thirty thousands you're talking about giving me right now. 287 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: So they thought I was stupid and I was not 288 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 1: going for that. So I'll play contract and then you 289 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: show some intellect that does not go for a good 290 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: relationship between any team and any player. Back in the eighties, 291 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: it sounds cheap, but it's true. NFL teams don't really 292 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: like to negotiate with their players for nineteen eighties cowboy leadership. 293 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: An undrafted free agent like Everson who just happened to 294 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: make the Pro Bowl, who now has a salary demand, 295 00:16:25,800 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 1: he's a problem. But for a really good player that 296 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: won't be intimidated by his friends, the establishment, or anyone else, 297 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: maybe a player like Ron Springs, it's a quality that 298 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: demands respect. So it wasn't too long before Ron was 299 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: looking to meet Everson, and he was one of the 300 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: few friends I've had that transcended the team that we won. 301 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 1: You know, it went way past that. So he's one 302 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: of the few. I mean, I've got a few Michael 303 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: Downs and Dwhite Hicks guys like that. But you know, 304 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:59,120 Speaker 1: we just started inviting each other to a family events 305 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 1: and things of that and they and yeah, you just 306 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,479 Speaker 1: got to learn, you know, about his family. He got 307 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: to know about my family, you know, because he acted 308 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:09,159 Speaker 1: the same everyway went, you know, And that's when we 309 00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,639 Speaker 1: were having a bunch of barbecues and things that nature. 310 00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 1: Were we really were a off the field, we were 311 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,040 Speaker 1: a tight team. It's when you got in the locker 312 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: room and when things got tense, like I said, because 313 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: everybody's pointing fingers at each other and things of that nature. 314 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: So we just sometimes just couldn't wait to leave that 315 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,680 Speaker 1: locker room and just hang out and be friends. And 316 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: Ron always to the I wouldn't say dismay, but some 317 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: of his older the older teammates, they just really couldn't 318 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 1: understand why he liked me so much. Sometimes, for some reason, 319 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: some people just get along with others. It certainly seemed 320 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,160 Speaker 1: like Ron and Everson had that thing. But what about 321 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:56,280 Speaker 1: the tension in the locker room he was talking about, 322 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:58,360 Speaker 1: did the other players have a problem with the young 323 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: hot shot Everson Walls. No, I just wasn't their guy. 324 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I was from a black school. I was 325 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: always talking trash about black schools and black athletes and 326 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 1: what's wrong with big schools. You know, they don't want 327 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: to hear like crap all the time. You know. Ron 328 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 1: would always he would how could I put it? He 329 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:18,479 Speaker 1: would placate me, you know, and then tell me shut up, 330 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: and then we go on, you know. So you know, 331 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 1: we just I had so many different ideals and some 332 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 1: of those guys, I guess it makes sense. You know, 333 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:31,160 Speaker 1: we just had different upbringings, totally different upbringings, and uh 334 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,480 Speaker 1: I had, you know, with the like I said, the 335 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: upbringing our head, and then my experiences up to that 336 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:41,239 Speaker 1: point as well with the Cowboys. You know, nothing they 337 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,639 Speaker 1: did changed my mind about anything. So I was, like 338 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: I said, I was ready for it. That was that 339 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: was that was me. I was okay with that, and 340 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 1: you know I didn't I never hesitated to call out 341 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 1: my teammates because I held them to the same standard 342 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 1: that I held myself at. There's those different upbrings again, 343 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 1: and it sounds like Ron was acutely aware of those differences. 344 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:04,399 Speaker 1: It wasn't unfair. It was just a matter of playing fact, 345 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: And the fact was Everson wanted everybody to be playing 346 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,160 Speaker 1: on the same level that he and Ron were, which 347 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:14,360 Speaker 1: was exceptional. But where did an undrafted kid this young 348 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: get the confidence to hold others accountable. We were taught 349 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 1: as kids to do it right. My dad taught me that, 350 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 1: my mom taught me that. That's what we knew. So 351 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: I always thought that fitting well as an athlete, if 352 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: you do it right and it's a team game, we 353 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: got a chance. So I always looked at like that, 354 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,159 Speaker 1: have you didn't want to give it like that, you know, 355 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 1: then come on, man, we need you. I need you. 356 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: And so sometimes I got when people better. But oh no, no, 357 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: Ron wasn't. Ron knew how to do it. But he 358 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: would make him laugh. I wasn't fun Well, at least 359 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,720 Speaker 1: he's laughing now. Clearly Ron had the same issues with 360 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: the team dynamic, but a few years on the team 361 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: had given him just a little more perspective when it 362 00:19:56,200 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: came to communication skills. I would say something like, man, 363 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 1: what are you doing? You look like you look like 364 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:05,920 Speaker 1: three stoods out there, you know, Keystone cops. You know. 365 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: He'll say something stupid like that, and that made a 366 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: big impression on Everson. Everybody's different and everybody talks. Sometimes 367 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:14,960 Speaker 1: it's not just what you say that matters, but how 368 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 1: you say it. And no doubt, he helped me doubt 369 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: in my own city. By the way, in my own city, 370 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: he helped me doubt. Maybe that's why Ron and Everson 371 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: got along so well. Growing up in Dallas and then 372 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,879 Speaker 1: playing in Dallas Odsar. Everson never really had the perspective 373 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,080 Speaker 1: you need to survive in a locker room full of 374 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: different people from different places, and for a few years 375 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: Ron helped him develop that skill set that he had. 376 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: But all good things come to an end in one 377 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: way or another. Ron left the Cowboys in eighty five 378 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: because I remember when they built Valley Ranch. It was 379 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:52,160 Speaker 1: being built and Ron told Doug Donley, well, Doug, we'll 380 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 1: never see this place because they gave us a tour 381 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: as it was being built. He never made it to 382 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:03,640 Speaker 1: eighty five. He was in Tampa in eighty five. Yep. 383 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: Ron Springs left the Cowboys in nineteen eighty five to 384 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: go play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Definitely not what 385 00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 1: he wanted, but it was even tougher on Everson. His 386 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 1: friend was gone, just like that. And then the realities 387 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:19,600 Speaker 1: of football, the business side, really set in because just 388 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: a few years later, Everson would leave the Cowboys to 389 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,880 Speaker 1: go play for the rival New York Giants. You missed Ron, 390 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: I did? I did? And Ron? You know, Ron's one 391 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 1: of those guys you kind of like my dad. They're 392 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:33,399 Speaker 1: not gonna show much emotion. Tough. He was always that 393 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 1: tough guy. You know, they're not gonna hug you, nothing 394 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: like that. So the one time Ron, one of the 395 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: times that Ron called me from Tampa. This is when 396 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: I was in New York and I was having that success, 397 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: and I know he was happy for me, but the 398 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:55,479 Speaker 1: conversation went why me? Like why him? You know, because 399 00:21:55,720 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: as he looked back, you know, he was amazing teammate wise. 400 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 1: Anything the coaches asked him do, he'd do it. And 401 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: so he was trying to really display how disappointed he 402 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 1: was and how things turned out for him. You know, 403 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 1: how why did he end up in Tampa? You know, 404 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: he's an act of a ball player. Why why am 405 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: I in Tampa? You know? Why why did I have 406 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: these problems in the city of Dallas when all I did, 407 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: was trying to do business in Dallas. Ron was basically 408 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 1: a renaissance man. He wasn't just a good athlete. He 409 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,239 Speaker 1: was a good businessman. People recognize him for that. They 410 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: recognize him as a leader and those kind of things. 411 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:38,639 Speaker 1: Those are the questions that he was asking me on 412 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: that phone call. And that's when I was having a 413 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: good that good year in ninety. You could see that 414 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: we were as a team headed somewhere and that was 415 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,159 Speaker 1: a tough conversation. That was tough phone call because he 416 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 1: was he was That's the first time he'd ever played 417 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: to me like that. Ron Springs isn't the first person 418 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 1: to look back on their NFL career and wonder why me, 419 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: and he certainly won't be the last. It's a funny 420 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: thing professional football. You can practice and practice and lift 421 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: those weights and do what you think are all the 422 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 1: right things, but you never really know how your career 423 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 1: is gonna go. Yeah, just hearing that, you know, of course, 424 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 1: didn't blow him off at all. And you know, sometimes 425 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:22,919 Speaker 1: you just have to let people know that you are aware. 426 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,320 Speaker 1: And I let him know that I was aware of, 427 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: you know, the stuff that he did for all of us. 428 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: Door set Tony Hill, Butch Johnson, Billy Joe Decree, Tom Landry. 429 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: I'm telling you Tom Landry enjoyed being around him. Everyone 430 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: enjoyed having him around. So once again the question was 431 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:48,680 Speaker 1: why me, and I thought that was a very good question. Unfortunately, 432 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: Everson didn't have any answers. Nobody did. Timmy k Newsome 433 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: had proved to be a capable fullback, and he was cheaper. 434 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: It's probably as simple as that. That's why Ron was 435 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,960 Speaker 1: allowed to leave as a free agent. He played two 436 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 1: seasons after signing with Tampa Bay, but didn't get resigned 437 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: after the eighty sixth season, so he decided it was 438 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: finally time to retire. Ron Springs ended his football career 439 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: with two thousand, five hundred nineteen rushing yards in almost 440 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty catches with a hardy twenty eight 441 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: touchdowns from the full back position. To boot, he moved 442 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 1: to Ohio to work in the business end of construction, 443 00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: but he kept an eye on his very good friend 444 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:30,880 Speaker 1: Everson Waltz. But he drove down from Ohio from Cleveland 445 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,040 Speaker 1: all the way down to Tampa to see the game. 446 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: He was not gonna miss his boy playing that game, 447 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: so he can talk all the trash he while he's 448 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 1: a teams meet about you ain't this, you ain't there, 449 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: you'd never be as good as I would always talk 450 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: trash each other. He drove all the way down, He 451 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: drove all the way down. He got sick from the drive, Yeah, 452 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:53,879 Speaker 1: he sure did. He got sick from the drive, and 453 00:24:54,560 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: yeah he was there for me. He didn't get to 454 00:24:56,280 --> 00:24:58,239 Speaker 1: come to the game because he got sick. But now 455 00:24:58,320 --> 00:25:00,320 Speaker 1: he came down from me, and of cour what's the 456 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:05,000 Speaker 1: family because at that point, you know Ron, Ron, his family, 457 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: Adrian's family, our kids are you know, at that time 458 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: we had both had young kids. Yeah, we had both 459 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:14,239 Speaker 1: had our two young kids, and you know they were 460 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: they were even hanging together at that age. So uh yeah, 461 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: seeing him there kind of completed everything because all my 462 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: people can't and so with him being there, yeah, that 463 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 1: that kind of sold everything up right there. Hi, I'm 464 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:33,639 Speaker 1: Click Tillison Wen, I'm Jay Novachek, and we're both with Turf, 465 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 1: the official tractor provider of the Dallas Cowboys. So if 466 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: you need a tractor to bail some hay, a more 467 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,159 Speaker 1: to cut some grass, or a gator to get some 468 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:45,600 Speaker 1: chores done, get a John Deer at unitedag and Turf. 469 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 1: And then let's get to work. Hey Jay, that's my line, 470 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:52,000 Speaker 1: Well not today. 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Is it 497 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: Jackie Flash, Jackie Flash? It's not complicated at AT and 498 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: t our best smartphone deals are for everyone. Restrictions apply. 499 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:29,400 Speaker 1: Is it att dot com for details? That big game 500 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:34,160 Speaker 1: Everson Walls is talking about, it's the nineteen nineties Super Bowl. Finally, 501 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,400 Speaker 1: the Giants faced off against the Buffalo Bills in Super 502 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:41,119 Speaker 1: Bowl twenty five and they won. Everson ended up on 503 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: the cover of SI and netted himself that elusive Super 504 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 1: Bowl ring that every NFL player strives for. It was 505 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: a huge and somewhat ironic moment for him and that 506 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 1: story that whole leaving the Cowboys to go sign with 507 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: the Giants and then win a Super Bowl ring. That 508 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,879 Speaker 1: story we got for you. We will tell it but 509 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 1: for this story. But suffice to say that Ron was 510 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 1: gonna be there to watch his best friend play in 511 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,879 Speaker 1: the biggest game ever. But wait a second, didn't Everson 512 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:10,720 Speaker 1: say something about Ron getting sick on the way down? 513 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:17,479 Speaker 1: What was out about when Ron and I both had retired. 514 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:20,120 Speaker 1: I ended up retiring in ninety three, and Ron ended 515 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: up moving back down to Dallas. He wanted his kids 516 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 1: to grow up in Dallas. They moved back down. Ron 517 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 1: was setting up everything. You know, we started working together. 518 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: We were promoting events, doing great job, having a good time. 519 00:28:33,880 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: Me and him together all the time. You know, we're 520 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: together all the time. So I can see that his 521 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: physical abilities were waning a little bit. And when I 522 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: say that, I mean even reading. You know, I know people, 523 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,240 Speaker 1: you know sometimes they the eyes go bad. But it 524 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 1: just seemed to be so swift because it, yeah, just 525 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:57,400 Speaker 1: a year ago, you were reading just five. Now you 526 00:28:57,440 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: can't read that old, No one. We weren't even in 527 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: our forties yet. I'm gonna believe that's what I'm saying. 528 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: We weren't even in our forties yet. Also, we played 529 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: basketball as part of our promotions as well. Now we're 530 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 1: getting a little older, but you know, we still got games, 531 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: still got games. Yeah, so, but he didn't. He was 532 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: always that that guy, the barel chest, the lean legs, agile, 533 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: you know, he can put it up with either hand. 534 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: He was good and he was just I didn't know 535 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: if he was being lazy of it. Just seemed like 536 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 1: he was weak. Ron was diagnosed with type two diabetes 537 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety, a tough diagnosis for any former athlete 538 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,360 Speaker 1: to take, and an even harder thing to tell other 539 00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: athletes who or your buddies about. And eventually Ron would 540 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: tell Everson about the diagnosis, but he didn't tell him 541 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: how bad it was. We knew diabetes was the cause 542 00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: of it, but you just don't know how to see. 543 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:54,320 Speaker 1: He can tell you right, no, for the longest period 544 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: of time, No, Nope. And now I'm not. I'm not 545 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:00,160 Speaker 1: surprised because he didn't want your relationship to change. Your 546 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:03,959 Speaker 1: boys you're hanging out. Well, I don't think it had 547 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 1: anything to do with that relationship as much as it 548 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:08,120 Speaker 1: just he's one of those guys, and we know a 549 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: bunch of them. Just foolish pride, Just foolish pride. That's 550 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:13,720 Speaker 1: all it is too. It didn't want to tell anybody, 551 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: not even family. I mean, Adrian knew, but don't tell anybody. 552 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: It's a tough story to hear. Sometimes it's easier to 553 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: hide the bad news from the people who love you. 554 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,440 Speaker 1: Sometimes it seems easier to cope with the bad on 555 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: your own, or so it seems, but you can't hide 556 00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: from yourself. And then all of a sudden things just 557 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,320 Speaker 1: started happening. You know, he lost that they lost a toe. 558 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: You know, he lost a toe? What you lost a toe? 559 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 1: How do you lose a toe? You know, I didn't 560 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: have I knew about diabetes, but growing up, that's not 561 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,200 Speaker 1: what my family dealt with. We have high blood pressure, 562 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 1: things of that nature. That's not I crossed the bed. 563 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 1: Just so happened. It's his families. When did he tell you? 564 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:57,960 Speaker 1: I mean, did he tell you? Oh, by the way, well, 565 00:30:58,040 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 1: when they when they lost the toe, he really tried 566 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 1: out to downplay it, like like a toe nail, you know, yeah, yeah, 567 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: just they just shaved it, well, shaved it. I believe 568 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: that's the time. Yeah, that's the time of youth made. 569 00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: The sound will be nigh, no bigod I wish I 570 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: could tell you right here the things got better. I 571 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 1: wish I could tell you that losing a toe scared 572 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 1: the crap out of Ron, that he told everything everything 573 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: and eventually got healthy, and that everything worked out in 574 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 1: the end. I really wish I could tell you that. 575 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 1: So you know, we're still taking care of business. You know, 576 00:31:31,560 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 1: we're still going around doing some things. And I could 577 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: just like I said, he stopped being able to see 578 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: the pages, and so you just started to happen real fast. 579 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 1: He just started happening real fast. One toe, his toes 580 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: going when he when he lost his foot, then you 581 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: can see depression sating in that that guy that got it. 582 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,240 Speaker 1: I wouldn't even say this's a black man thing. It's 583 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: a man thing. You know. Everybody you know, they don't 584 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: They just don't want that. They don't want you looking 585 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 1: at him differently, and oh, no doubt, that's just a 586 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:09,680 Speaker 1: whole another layer. And then you have to look at 587 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: it like this. Uh. You know he was somewhat afraid 588 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: as well, So fear makes you do a lot of things, 589 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:24,960 Speaker 1: and sometimes the illogical ways. When he got his foot 590 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: caught off, he got a little bit depressed, and it 591 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,719 Speaker 1: took him about a muff and then all of a sudden, 592 00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 1: I don't know if it was prayer, you know, because 593 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,560 Speaker 1: Ron was actually very spiritual his whole, both sides of 594 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 1: the family. But he came out of the hospital uplifted, 595 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:44,040 Speaker 1: and the first thing he said to me was, Walls, 596 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 1: let's go work out. You know, I want to be 597 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: ready if you want to get that transplant, because he 598 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:49,959 Speaker 1: knew by that time, he knew he was gonna need one. 599 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,840 Speaker 1: Ron Springs ended up losing his right foot and a 600 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: couple of toes on his left foot before he was 601 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: finally released from the hospital, but his disease wasn't close 602 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: to done. The damaged diabetes did Ron's body rendered one 603 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: of his kidneys essentially useless, and he was immediately placed 604 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: on dialysis and put on the national transplant list in 605 00:33:08,800 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: the hopes that a match could be found. Now all 606 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: they had to do was wait and hope. You know, 607 00:33:24,880 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 1: he was already in the wheelchair because he lost the foot, 608 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,480 Speaker 1: and even though he had Guy's prosthesis yet he was 609 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: still trying to get up and do some things on 610 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: the one foot, as far as transferring from his chair 611 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:42,000 Speaker 1: wheelchair to the workout machine. So that's how we worked out. 612 00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 1: You know. That's so he was like he was up 613 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,640 Speaker 1: he was upbeat all the time. I mean, you know, 614 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: we went through some pretty intimate things. I mean, he 615 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 1: needed help doing some things I never thought I would 616 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: help a guy did before. Hey man, I'm you know, 617 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: that's the stuff you were about when you're twenty something. Yeah, 618 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: this we forty something years old by now. You know, 619 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 1: I gotta take care of my boy. He needs out. 620 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,760 Speaker 1: So it was seamless, you know, he had to do 621 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:08,919 Speaker 1: what he had to do. He didn't feel anything bad 622 00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:12,120 Speaker 1: about it. No, no fool. He's pride about that. By 623 00:34:12,200 --> 00:34:15,720 Speaker 1: this time, he's ready for whatever's going to happen to happen. 624 00:34:16,520 --> 00:34:20,320 Speaker 1: And so he was really back to the old Ron Springs. 625 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:22,000 Speaker 1: And it's tough to say how much of this was 626 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: a front or put on. You know, sometimes folks who 627 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,040 Speaker 1: aren't doing so well can put on a brave face 628 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:29,719 Speaker 1: and fool people. But I like to think Everson knew 629 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,799 Speaker 1: Ron well enough to know he was telling the truth. 630 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 1: Despite the hardship, despite the disease, and despite the losses, 631 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:38,840 Speaker 1: the old Ron Springs was back now. He just needed 632 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:42,279 Speaker 1: a kidney, And the rumors are true, the National Transplant 633 00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: list is a long one, so they waited and waited 634 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,160 Speaker 1: and waited. When he's put on this list, I believe 635 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:50,839 Speaker 1: the doctor said he only had five years. Where are 636 00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,440 Speaker 1: we now? Three three? Three years? A pair and a 637 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 1: half left, yeah for some of them. And then when 638 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:01,400 Speaker 1: you say five years, you know, it's not like you know, 639 00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,240 Speaker 1: you can just you know, go in and say, okay, 640 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:10,200 Speaker 1: four years and yeah, yeah, you know by that time 641 00:35:10,320 --> 00:35:12,839 Speaker 1: it's gonna be tougher to take whatever. You gotta take 642 00:35:13,520 --> 00:35:17,800 Speaker 1: a lot of damages. Each day more damage, you know, 643 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,359 Speaker 1: each day more dialysis. Ron's health continued to get worse, 644 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,160 Speaker 1: but here Everson tell it, he was still in high spirits. 645 00:35:24,200 --> 00:35:26,920 Speaker 1: He'd go to his dialysis sessions and make everybody there 646 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:30,759 Speaker 1: smile and laugh, even though deep down Everson knew he 647 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:33,960 Speaker 1: was hating it and it was scary. It was classic Ron. 648 00:35:34,360 --> 00:35:36,759 Speaker 1: And luckily that good nature didn't just earn him favor 649 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: of the people around him. Ron had real people in 650 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:45,560 Speaker 1: his corner. Well, he had two relatives. Chris was a relative. 651 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,680 Speaker 1: He was a cousin, I believe, and Chris and Ron 652 00:35:49,760 --> 00:35:52,560 Speaker 1: will have the same make the same bill, the same 653 00:35:52,719 --> 00:35:55,840 Speaker 1: skin color. You know, you could tell they were family 654 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: and so you would think they would be compatible, which 655 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:03,760 Speaker 1: they were. He but Chris had kidney problems. Chris didn't 656 00:36:03,760 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 1: know he had kidney problems, and he came until he 657 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 1: came down to get tested to donate, and then he 658 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 1: finds out about his own kidney problems, and then he 659 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 1: had a niece that was going to give well, he 660 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:18,319 Speaker 1: got pregnant. And we think we should take a moment 661 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:21,840 Speaker 1: here to acknowledge that this was absolutely nobody's fault and 662 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:25,279 Speaker 1: nobody should ever feel pressure to volunteer for something like this. 663 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,479 Speaker 1: It is a life changing, dangerous procedure with great risk 664 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,279 Speaker 1: no matter what. And Ron was lucky to have people 665 00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:34,759 Speaker 1: in his life to step up. It just seems the 666 00:36:34,840 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: timing of things simply wasn't on his side. When he 667 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:41,919 Speaker 1: told me about her, that's when we were working out, 668 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:47,960 Speaker 1: and that's when I immediately stopped lifting. And I tell 669 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:49,640 Speaker 1: people all the time, I used to get mad about 670 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff. I was a cry baby when 671 00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:53,000 Speaker 1: I was a kid as to getting mad about everything, 672 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, because I was spoiled. My mom spoiled me 673 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:58,800 Speaker 1: to death, and so if something didn't go right, I 674 00:36:58,920 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 1: get angry. But sometimes angry is a good thing. And 675 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 1: that prompted me right there to move forward with this. 676 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:15,080 Speaker 1: At that moment, I made up my mind. I immediately 677 00:37:15,120 --> 00:37:17,879 Speaker 1: got up off the bench and I said, hey, man, 678 00:37:18,840 --> 00:37:22,319 Speaker 1: what is happening? Like, what is going on? I said? Man? 679 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:25,240 Speaker 1: I said something like, do I have to do everything 680 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:27,759 Speaker 1: around here? Because at that time I had always started 681 00:37:27,800 --> 00:37:29,279 Speaker 1: working out with him, and I was just making a 682 00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:32,440 Speaker 1: joke kind of. But it's like, man, I said, give 683 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: me the number, give me the doctor's number. Who's gonna 684 00:37:35,560 --> 00:37:37,440 Speaker 1: have to call? Give me the number? Yeah, let me 685 00:37:37,520 --> 00:37:41,080 Speaker 1: let me take a whack at this. What's your blood type? Oh, Pasi, 686 00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 1: me too, Boon. Let's go from there. You know, of 687 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:47,000 Speaker 1: course it's more than that, but that's that's that's the start. 688 00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:54,920 Speaker 1: Really owned run and never became friends, and the families 689 00:37:55,000 --> 00:37:58,239 Speaker 1: became friends. That's Michael Downs. He played safety on the 690 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,560 Speaker 1: Cowboys from nineteen eighty one to eighty eight, and he 691 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:03,320 Speaker 1: and Everson came into the league as undrafted free agents 692 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 1: together and they were very good friends and they still 693 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,080 Speaker 1: are today. So he didn't mind at all weighing in 694 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:11,640 Speaker 1: on memories of Everson and Ron and Everson told me 695 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: that was he was, you know, decided whether to do 696 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:20,120 Speaker 1: it or not? He thought about Adrian. You know Ron's wife. 697 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:24,360 Speaker 1: You know it was more than just playing foot the 698 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:29,000 Speaker 1: ball together. I'm ready, man, We've done everything. I'm so ready, man, 699 00:38:29,080 --> 00:38:32,000 Speaker 1: I don't fix my boy up. No second thoughts of nothing. 700 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:35,400 Speaker 1: I had alway had told the family. They got surprised 701 00:38:35,440 --> 00:38:38,320 Speaker 1: a little bit, so I smoothed things out with everybody, 702 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:40,359 Speaker 1: got my affairs in or that. Let's do this, man, 703 00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:43,040 Speaker 1: Oh my goodness, take care of my boy. So Everson 704 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:45,040 Speaker 1: went to the hospital and he got checked and he 705 00:38:45,160 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 1: and Ron were a match, and he didn't even give 706 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 1: it a second thought. Everson was giving a kidney to 707 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:52,640 Speaker 1: his friend Ron, and to hear him tell it now, 708 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:55,440 Speaker 1: it's almost no surprise. But at that time it was 709 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:57,839 Speaker 1: hard to believe a friendship like that was even real. 710 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,520 Speaker 1: Talk to his doctor. I never forget this meeting. Oh 711 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:04,080 Speaker 1: my god, disappointment with his doctor. It was I think 712 00:39:04,120 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 1: it was Royn's doctor. I can't remember it. Maybe it's 713 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 1: my doctor. And it was two weeks before the surgery. 714 00:39:10,719 --> 00:39:15,720 Speaker 1: So the doctor was concerned that with the publicity, because 715 00:39:15,719 --> 00:39:20,480 Speaker 1: you don't really get much publicity with kidney donations. He 716 00:39:20,840 --> 00:39:24,560 Speaker 1: was afraid that I was being unduly pressured by the media, 717 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 1: which was nothing further from the truth. He said, I 718 00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:32,279 Speaker 1: will say anything you want me to say so that 719 00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:35,120 Speaker 1: you can save face. That's what he said. He was 720 00:39:35,160 --> 00:39:36,879 Speaker 1: giving you an hour. He was giving me an alum 721 00:39:37,080 --> 00:39:40,239 Speaker 1: sense that you possibly needed an ou he did, and 722 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:43,439 Speaker 1: I just let him know. Doctor, I'm good man, I said, 723 00:39:43,440 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 1: don't scare me like that. I thought something was wrong. 724 00:39:46,400 --> 00:40:00,920 Speaker 1: And with that, they're off the surgery. So it once smooth. 725 00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: You came out surgery, they said, you said, And he 726 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:09,040 Speaker 1: was already eating food the same day. No, no, I 727 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:10,960 Speaker 1: couldn't have been in his room. He was making too 728 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:13,759 Speaker 1: much noise. Well, thank goodness, it all worked out. Now, 729 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,520 Speaker 1: what's that noise coming out of Ron's room. Everybody's in 730 00:40:16,640 --> 00:40:20,080 Speaker 1: Rhys room. Everybody's in Rys. I wake up to no 731 00:40:20,280 --> 00:40:25,359 Speaker 1: one everybody's I mean here I am. I sacrifice all 732 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:28,680 Speaker 1: of this, man. I could be dead now. You got 733 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:32,200 Speaker 1: in that part, and I could have had some problems. Man, babe, 734 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 1: I remember going in there. Man. The funniest thing ever 735 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 1: happened was he said he was talking. He was eating 736 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 1: like salmon and food. He wasn't even They told me 737 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 1: I couldn't have anything, but o'meal and yogurt. And I 738 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:49,160 Speaker 1: was upset about that because you know, I was hurting. 739 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:54,240 Speaker 1: When you lose something, you could feel that on that donate, 740 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:56,480 Speaker 1: you could feel it. Now you're gonna be covered, but 741 00:40:57,120 --> 00:40:59,440 Speaker 1: it is clear that you have lost something when you 742 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:01,600 Speaker 1: wake up, well, no surprise there, of course you can 743 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:04,640 Speaker 1: feel it. But Everson wasn't worried about losing a kidney. 744 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 1: He gained a connection with another person that most of 745 00:41:07,239 --> 00:41:10,759 Speaker 1: us never got. He gained a brother and saved a friend. 746 00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:15,279 Speaker 1: He's got whoa hey man, come on in here, and 747 00:41:15,600 --> 00:41:18,280 Speaker 1: I tell people out of time. It's the closest he's 748 00:41:18,280 --> 00:41:21,440 Speaker 1: ever come to saying he loves me. He didn't. He 749 00:41:21,520 --> 00:41:24,480 Speaker 1: didn't say it, but the look he was smiling, I've 750 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:30,440 Speaker 1: never seen. I'm alive and I'm talking shit again. There 751 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:33,360 Speaker 1: it is same old Ern and same old Everson, minus 752 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:37,239 Speaker 1: and organ. He was having so much fun. And I 753 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:43,799 Speaker 1: would call looking at his face and before before surgery, uh, 754 00:41:44,239 --> 00:41:46,160 Speaker 1: the in fact, you know you have an infection. You 755 00:41:46,239 --> 00:41:48,319 Speaker 1: know when your kidney's not right, the infection comes out 756 00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 1: in your skin and your eyes. So I guess his 757 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:56,960 Speaker 1: eyes with jaundest and it was gone. It was gone, 758 00:41:57,160 --> 00:41:58,600 Speaker 1: of course, it would take a little bit of time 759 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:00,520 Speaker 1: for them to make a full recovery, but they did. 760 00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:03,120 Speaker 1: Everson was released from the hospital later that day, and 761 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:06,080 Speaker 1: soon after Ron would get out to The two of 762 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:08,520 Speaker 1: them would get back to their usual shenanigans in their 763 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:12,080 Speaker 1: own time. And remember that media attention. Ron's doctor had 764 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:15,959 Speaker 1: been sweating rest assured people heard about their story. Here's 765 00:42:16,000 --> 00:42:18,759 Speaker 1: Tim Brown recalling when he heard the news. For him 766 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:23,120 Speaker 1: to go through with the surgery and to give his kidney, 767 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:26,920 Speaker 1: one of his kidneys to run, that's Hall of Fame 768 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:29,640 Speaker 1: worthy right there by s you know, I know, you know, 769 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:31,440 Speaker 1: with the Hall of Fame is all about what you 770 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:33,960 Speaker 1: do on the field, man. But to have a man 771 00:42:34,080 --> 00:42:36,920 Speaker 1: to do that for a friend, to try and keep 772 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:39,080 Speaker 1: him alive, even for a few years, that he was 773 00:42:39,120 --> 00:42:42,560 Speaker 1: able to do that, I just think that is an amazing, 774 00:42:42,600 --> 00:42:46,920 Speaker 1: amazing deal. He showed, you know, some courage and confidence 775 00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:50,920 Speaker 1: and the faith more so than a lot of guys. 776 00:42:51,400 --> 00:42:55,280 Speaker 1: And it wouldn't you know, like his baby brother of anything. 777 00:42:55,520 --> 00:43:00,000 Speaker 1: It was just a train that makes it a more employant, 778 00:43:00,840 --> 00:43:03,239 Speaker 1: you know, to do something like that for somebody. Tim 779 00:43:03,280 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: and Michael Downs both make great points, but at the 780 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:07,920 Speaker 1: end of it all. I had to know how Everson 781 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:10,200 Speaker 1: felt about the whole thing after it was all said 782 00:43:10,239 --> 00:43:12,839 Speaker 1: and done. Did they have any regrets? Was it all 783 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:15,920 Speaker 1: worth it? That's funny. When I have to think about 784 00:43:16,360 --> 00:43:21,440 Speaker 1: my last days, kidney never comes into the equation. I 785 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:24,640 Speaker 1: don't know. I always think of something else. I guess 786 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,160 Speaker 1: because I take my checkups and everything's fine, and everything 787 00:43:27,239 --> 00:43:31,160 Speaker 1: looks good, and I try to stay strong. But it 788 00:43:31,360 --> 00:43:35,400 Speaker 1: never worries me. It never worries me. It doesn't. It 789 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 1: doesn't occupy my mind too much. You know. You just 790 00:43:38,400 --> 00:43:40,880 Speaker 1: want to always be there for some people that have 791 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 1: always been there for you, and that you know, you 792 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:47,120 Speaker 1: know there are times when they might need you and 793 00:43:47,160 --> 00:43:50,080 Speaker 1: they won't even say it, so you just gotta beat 794 00:43:50,120 --> 00:43:54,080 Speaker 1: there all the time. Anyway, everyone that hears Roy's name, 795 00:43:54,160 --> 00:43:55,719 Speaker 1: the first thing they do is look up in the 796 00:43:55,800 --> 00:44:01,200 Speaker 1: air and smile because they know something's funny. It's pretty good, 797 00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:06,680 Speaker 1: las Oh, no doubt. A lost kidney for a full 798 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:08,799 Speaker 1: heart when it comes to the people we truly care 799 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:10,920 Speaker 1: about the most. That's a trade I'm sure most of 800 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,359 Speaker 1: us would be willing to make, at least we think 801 00:44:13,440 --> 00:44:17,879 Speaker 1: we would. Everson Walls clearly did because Everson Ron didn't 802 00:44:17,960 --> 00:44:20,439 Speaker 1: just share a kidney, and they aren't just a couple 803 00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:23,680 Speaker 1: of football players. What they are and always will be 804 00:44:23,760 --> 00:44:25,760 Speaker 1: thought of, our Dallas Cowboy