1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Everybody is Bill Courtney with an army of normal folks. 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: We continue now with part two of our conversation with 3 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: Mike Flint right after these brief messages from our general sponsors. 4 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 2: So I ended up leaving after one semester and went 5 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: up to Arkansas, and because I was transferring, they couldn't 6 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 2: give me a scholarship because Brawls told me, he said, 7 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,280 Speaker 2: if everything I'm hearing about you is true, you'll have 8 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: your scholarship at the beginning of next semester. 9 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: That's close to the Jimmy Jones and all that group. 10 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, they had just left. They just they won national 11 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 2: championship I think in sixty sixty four. 12 00:00:58,680 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 3: So you came in right behind that. 13 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I came in. I was. I came It was 14 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 2: in nineteen sixty seven. I was at Arkansas and again 15 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: I had that that training in fighting, and whenever you're 16 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 2: in places like on a college campus with you've got 17 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 2: a lot of athletes around, they're in his alcohol involved, 18 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 2: They're they're gonna be those little opportunities are are gonna 19 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 2: are going to show up. And I ended up having 20 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 2: a couple of fights, a couple of fights, and were 21 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 2: fights that I started Uh. In fact, there was one 22 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 2: fight that a guy challenged. Uh. He was a third 23 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: degree black belt in karate and all this stuff, and 24 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: he was going to beat up me in two other 25 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 2: football players because we were talking to this girl, you know, 26 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 2: she was talking to us. Uh you know, long story short, 27 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,559 Speaker 2: we're out on the football field. Uh the next day 28 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 2: for practice and a van comes driving across the field. 29 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 2: Uh out in the field and the coaches you know, uh, 30 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 2: you know, just coach brawls wanting to know what's going on, 31 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: and so they called us all up, and uh, they said, 32 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: somebody beat up this guy's son yesterday. And he said 33 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 2: that there were two or three of you that had 34 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 2: to do it because he's a third degree black belt 35 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 2: in karate, and so who did it? On up to 36 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 2: it right now? Who did it? I raised my hand 37 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 2: and they said who else? And I said, coach, if 38 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 2: just we were there, but I would there was nobody 39 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: but me. It's just me and him. And so we 40 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: went in to the uh locker room there and uh, 41 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 2: you know, coach coffee, you know, he said, well what happened? 42 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 2: And I said he he started cussing us, and you know, 43 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 2: and trust me for an s ob and my dad 44 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:05,959 Speaker 2: had always told me, your shoes don't fit, no s 45 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:11,400 Speaker 2: ob and so I said, it got physical and he 46 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 2: got hurt and then we left. I said, but that 47 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 2: that was it, and he said, uh, the other guys 48 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 2: didn't get in us, and no, no, it's just me 49 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 2: and him. He said, okay, going back out to practice. 50 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 2: I don't worry about it. So, but it was it 51 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 2: was that kind of thing that kind of followed me. 52 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: I ended up, you know, I was bound and determined 53 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 2: that there was no way I was going to let 54 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: going to class interfere with my education, and so, uh, 55 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 2: you know, I ended up leaving Arkansas and wound up 56 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 2: down at Sol. Ross found out that I was out. 57 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: Basically, Sullivan Ross State University saw Ross. 58 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, and uh, they contacted me and offered me a 59 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 2: full ride. That's all rossid. 60 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 3: So he started playing ball there. 61 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've been out for a year and it was 62 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 2: it was crazy. I was reclassified one A and this 63 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 2: was in uh late sixty eight. That was right in 64 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 2: the middle of the Ted offensive in Vietnam. I was drafted. 65 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: I went in to take my physical. There were like 66 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 2: seventy of us that were there for are physical only 67 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 2: six of us passed. They were failing them. I mean, 68 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 2: one guy was there for his induction physical had a 69 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 2: rash on his back and they said he couldn't carry 70 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 2: a backpack. Failed. But I passed. I was, and they 71 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 2: were congratulating us, you know, telling the me and the 72 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: other five guys that we had passed. And they said, now, 73 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 2: is there any reason why you think he can't serve 74 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 2: in this man's army? And uh, he said, anybody have 75 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 2: anything album with that? And I raised my hand and 76 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 2: he said, what's the matter? And I said, I just 77 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 2: can't stand having somebody tell me what to do all 78 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: the time. He said, you're gonna make a good soldier. 79 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 2: So they said, okay, two weeks you'll see your induction 80 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: notice and then you'll go to Fort Polk and from 81 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 2: Fort Polk you'll go to Vietnam. So I had already 82 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: enrolled at Soul Ross and I told him, you know, 83 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: I said, you know, I'm gone two weeks and I 84 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: got to quit going to class. And three weeks, you know, 85 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 2: I thought, okay, I'm gonna flunk out. You know, I've 86 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 2: got to go back to class. I didn't hear anything 87 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 2: from him, and two years later I ran into a 88 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 2: guy that worked for the UH Selective Service and I 89 00:05:43,760 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 2: just asked him. I said, you know, hey, this is 90 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 2: you know, I didn't receive a notice. And he said, man, 91 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 2: he said, if did you change your address or I said, 92 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 2: I ain't change anything nothing. He says, I'm just telling 93 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 2: you right now, if you passed your physical during that 94 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 2: TET offensive, you were gone. He said that someone put 95 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 2: your folder in a wrong file somewhere. He said, God 96 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 2: looking after. 97 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 3: You got lucky. It just didn't happen, all right. 98 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: So I'm a soul Ross and at some point you're 99 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 1: still being you, fighting and carrying on. Yeah, and before 100 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: your senior year at Soul Ross, you pretty much. I 101 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 1: think the president of the university actually said I've heard 102 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: Mike Flint for the last time. 103 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 3: He's just done here. 104 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,719 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, you know, things had a way of happening 105 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 2: to me. I mean they just did. And you know, 106 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 2: it's like I called up to reach a buddy of 107 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 2: mine at the co ed dorm and this guy was 108 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 2: overserved and taking over the switchboard and he wasn't going 109 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: to let anybody call in or out unless he knew 110 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,720 Speaker 2: who they were. And I kept, you know, I kept 111 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 2: calling back, and finally, and he kept saying, who is this? 112 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: And I said, this is Mike Flint. I said that 113 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 2: would you let me have a switchboard operator? And finally 114 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 2: I called back and I said what is your name? 115 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 2: And he told me and I said how long are 116 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 2: you going to be there? And he said I live 117 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 2: here and I said, okay, I'm gonna be there in 118 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 2: just a minute. I'll be there in just a minute. 119 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 2: And he woke up in the hospital and he was 120 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 2: saying and he said, who is Mike Flint. But the 121 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 2: next day, I'm in a grocery store and one of 122 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 2: my professors walks up and said, uh, is it true 123 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 2: that I hear you what Johnny? And I said, I said, 124 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 2: I don't know where's this going. And I said, yes, sir, 125 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 2: I did, And he said, you got to be in 126 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 2: my class. He said, I can't stand that bully. He said, 127 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 2: I am so glad somebody finally did something to that guy. 128 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,120 Speaker 2: And I went into take my final and he just 129 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: wrote a big red B on my paper through and 130 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 2: I was proud to get that bee. Oh in that 131 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 2: class was human relations. As you figured that one out, 132 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 2: But that was the kind of thing that the administration. 133 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 2: You know. Yeah, so todays going into my senior year, 134 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 2: we're eight and three. In my junior year, we have 135 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 2: everybody back. They've elected me team captain. I was All 136 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 2: conference linebacker. And you have to realize the Lone Star 137 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 2: Conference at that time was one of the premier conferences 138 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: in the nation because we were fully integrated. It wasn't 139 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 2: until Jerry Levias broke the color barrier at SMU that, 140 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: you know, black athletes started playing in the Southwest Conference. 141 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 2: But we had great talent playing in the Lone Star Conference. Well, 142 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 2: I was an All conference linebacker. I had over one 143 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 2: hundred tackles my junior year, my sophomore year, over one hundred. 144 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 2: My junior year. Like I said, I had twenty four 145 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 2: tackles in one game, and the players had elected me 146 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 2: Team Patton. I was the first captain that wasn't appointed 147 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 2: by the coaches. The players elected me. Well, two days 148 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 2: I needed six hours to graduate. I came back for 149 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 2: one reason and one reason I owned win a conference championship. 150 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,439 Speaker 2: We had everybody back. I knew we could do it, 151 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 2: and I thought, I'm not taking that six hours. I'll 152 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: take it in the fall and graduate. You know, and 153 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 2: at the end of season, coaches had me checking rooms 154 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 2: for curfew. Two freshmen weren't in. They'd been drinking. One 155 00:09:45,679 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 2: of them took exception to me telling him when he 156 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 2: could and couldn't come and go, and he came at 157 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 2: me and he got physical and he got hurt, and 158 00:09:55,679 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 2: they ended up calling the president of the college and 159 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 2: he called had coach and said, I've heard Mike Flint's 160 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 2: name for the last time. It's you or Mike Flint, 161 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:08,560 Speaker 2: who's it going to be. They got me up the 162 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 2: next morning, a couple of assistant coaches and everybody else 163 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: in dorm was gone, and I got over to the 164 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 2: coach's office and I could see them all out on 165 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 2: the field. They had already gotten them up and had 166 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 2: them out on the field. They didn't want them having 167 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 2: access to me at all or meeted them. And the 168 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 2: head coach told me they got me in his office 169 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 2: and he said, I'm sorry, Mike, but I've got to 170 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 2: ask you not to be part of our team this year. 171 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,079 Speaker 2: And he said, in fact, the president of the college 172 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: is kicking you out of school. And I just I said, coach, 173 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:52,840 Speaker 2: have you have you talked to those guys out there? 174 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:54,719 Speaker 2: He said, I don't have to talk to them. Mike. 175 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 2: He said, I know what that's say. He said, you're 176 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 2: not talking to them either. He said, we've got assistant coach, 177 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 2: which is in your room packing your things right now. 178 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 2: He said, we want you out of town within the hour. 179 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 2: He said, I need you to call your dad and 180 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: we'll meet him on the highway between here and Odessa. 181 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 2: But you got to. 182 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 3: Go break your heart. 183 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: Oh I was. I was devastated. That was my world, 184 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: that those guys, that was my world. Yeah. I called 185 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,079 Speaker 2: my dad and I began to explain to him that 186 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 2: he needed to meet us on the highway and he said, wait, 187 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 2: WHOA what are you talking about? Meet you on the highway? 188 00:11:33,440 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 2: And I said, you know now, I've been kicked out 189 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 2: of school, kicked off the team. And he said for 190 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 2: what I said. I got in a fight last night, 191 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 2: and he started chewing me out and I just I 192 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 2: just interrupted him. I said, Daddy, I am exactly what 193 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 2: you made me. He never brought it up again after 194 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: that day and went on with my life, moved to Austin. 195 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: How some barriers end up opening other doors. You went 196 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,280 Speaker 1: on to Austin and you met Eileen. 197 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, absolutely, this is the right g I r 198 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 2: oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah. Absolutely rocked my world, you know, 199 00:12:18,800 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 2: and Aileen changed my whole life. You know. She introduced 200 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 2: me to Christ. 201 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:24,400 Speaker 3: And how long you'll be married? 202 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 2: Fifty three years in October? 203 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 3: Is that all? 204 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 2: Yeah? 205 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: Fifty three years? What did she say in an old roughneck? 206 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 2: Well, I tell you my Heartead, I have never questioned that. 207 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 2: I just I've gone with it, you know, but you know, 208 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 2: I just. 209 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,079 Speaker 3: It's funny the first mention of Aileen and the world 210 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 3: of your world, with all. 211 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 1: Of the stories that your world is and where we're 212 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: going to get to in just a moment. The first 213 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 1: thing you said about Eileen is that she introduced you 214 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:00,559 Speaker 1: the Lord. 215 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, and you know it was it was one 216 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 2: of those things that for me in our relationship. She 217 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 2: didn't force that on me when we were dating, going 218 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 2: through the dating process and everything. I knew that she 219 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 2: was a spiritual person. 220 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: You had any introduction of faith in your life before this, really? 221 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 2: Well, I had a neighbor that would take me to 222 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 2: church occasionally with her faith. That was it. Yeah. I 223 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 2: never heard my dad pray. I never saw him in. 224 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 3: Church, and so football really was your religion? 225 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:40,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, pretty much. 226 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean clearly, being good at it was what 227 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: was dominating your spirit and your soul. 228 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 2: And so I went into the fitness business, and again 229 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 2: the adversity that my dad put into my life, constantly 230 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: trying to please him, wanting to hear him tell me 231 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 2: he was proud of me, doing everything that I could. 232 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:13,720 Speaker 2: I became a fitness workout halic. I mean every waking 233 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 2: moment I was involved in something fitness related. And when 234 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 2: I was twelve, I got five dollars out of my 235 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 2: mother's purse and sent off for this Charles Atlas out 236 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 2: of this comic out of this comic book, and I 237 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:37,360 Speaker 2: started doing that you know that regimen. And there were 238 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 2: so many things that I learned from that that it 239 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 2: was incredible how I realized that I wasn't hostage to 240 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: any piece of equipment or any location. I could work 241 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: out anywhere anytime I had the knowledge. I had to 242 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 2: want to, and so I did, and I ended up 243 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 2: going into the fitness profession. I became a strength and 244 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 2: conditioning coach at University of Nebraska, University of Oregon, Texas. 245 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 2: A and M. 246 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 3: We'll be right back. 247 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: And now this has nothing to do with your story, 248 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 1: but just my own curiosity. 249 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 3: What year's Nebraska, A and M and Oregon. 250 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: I was at Nebraska in seventy six. 251 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 3: Those are some good seventy seven. 252 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then Oregon seventy eight. Of course Osborne at 253 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 2: and then Oregon Ainy rich Brooks. 254 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 3: But that was before Oregon really got good. 255 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, Oregon wasn't that. They were just coming around. 256 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 3: Starting to come around, and Phil Right was starting to 257 00:15:52,200 --> 00:15:52,840 Speaker 3: put some money in. 258 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Rich Brooks ended up winning the Pac ten 259 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 2: and then took the pro job for the Cardinals. 260 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 3: I think that's right. And then why'd you go, Well, 261 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 3: A and M's back home? 262 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 2: I guess, yeah, Well they came after me, you know 263 00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 2: they I wasn't even going to go interview. I was 264 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: there in Oregon. I'd spent a year building that program, 265 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 2: getting it foundation exactly where I wanted it, because I 266 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 2: had all men's and women's intercollegiate athletic I had everybody, 267 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 2: and so I had everything set up the way I 268 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: wanted it to set up, and I was having phenomenal 269 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,440 Speaker 2: results because you particularly with the women, Oh my gosh, 270 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 2: you take women, the athletes that they are, and they've 271 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 2: never had a structured, organized street Training program. Oh my gosh, 272 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:46,200 Speaker 2: they exploded, and so you know, I was just fabulous. 273 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 2: And I get a call from Texas A and M. 274 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 2: Boyd Depley called me from Nebraska and said, hey, you know, 275 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 2: Ben getting a call for me and M. They I've 276 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 2: told them they need they needed to hire you. They 277 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,160 Speaker 2: came after me. I said, no, you're guys Mike Flint 278 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 2: and and I was sitting there thinking, I've spent I've 279 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,400 Speaker 2: spent a year, seven days a week building this program, 280 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,439 Speaker 2: and I got it now exactly where I want it, 281 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 2: where I can really start to make a big difference 282 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,359 Speaker 2: in these athletes in their performance. I'm not going to 283 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: go Downda and the start this over again. I'm just 284 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 2: not going to do it. Well. One of the assistant 285 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 2: coaches came up to me and he said, I heard 286 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 2: you got an offer from a call from Texas A 287 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 2: and M. And I said, yeah, I didn't. I don't know. 288 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 2: Think I'm going to go down there and look at it. 289 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,879 Speaker 2: How many energy of interviews have you been on? And 290 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 2: I said, well, really just one before I came here. 291 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 2: And he said, man, do it for the experience. He said, 292 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:53,480 Speaker 2: go down and have the interview. You don't have to 293 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 2: take a job you need the experience. Go do it 294 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 2: for the experience. And I thought, you know, there's a 295 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 2: lot of wisdom in that. I think, I I think 296 00:18:00,720 --> 00:18:04,119 Speaker 2: I'll do that. And I flew down to a and 297 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 2: m uh and uh, I mean it just people don't 298 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 2: understand the haggies. I mean. Coach Wilson just told me. 299 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 2: He said, you know, I look at their facilities. He 300 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 2: asked me what I would do different from where they 301 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 2: are right now, and he said, can you handle all 302 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 2: sports and all this? And you know, I told him. 303 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 2: He said, I don't know what your salary is at Oregon, 304 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:31,880 Speaker 2: but we'll double it. 305 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:33,880 Speaker 3: We'll double it. 306 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 2: He said, we'll double your salary. And I've been trying 307 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 2: to get a car at Oregon. They had promised me 308 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 2: one when they hired me because I tru to do 309 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 2: a lot of traveling back and forth and stuff. And 310 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 2: he said, you'll get a new car every every four months. 311 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:50,159 Speaker 2: Every quarter, you'll have a new car. He said, we 312 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 2: don't want to get too many miles on them. And 313 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 2: you know, he said, but you'll have a new car 314 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 2: and you'll have expense account. 315 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,439 Speaker 3: He's a little different. 316 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, he said, you'll have an American Expert Rest card 317 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:02,159 Speaker 2: and he said, we want you to stay at the 318 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:06,439 Speaker 2: finest hotels. He said, we don't you know, and he 319 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:07,840 Speaker 2: just loaded all this on me. 320 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: You know, that's when you call I Leen and said, baby, 321 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: pack your bags you're going to take going to Brian, Texas. 322 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 2: And I did and it was just h and Coach 323 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:23,639 Speaker 2: Brooks got really upset with me. I mean, he just 324 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 2: but I told him. I said, Coach, you know if uh, 325 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 2: if Southern Cal called you and offered you the same 326 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 2: deal and he offered me, I said, you take it 327 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 2: a heartbeat. And I said, you guys have been telling 328 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 2: me for a year that you're gonna get me a 329 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 2: car and you've never gotten me a car. And I 330 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,200 Speaker 2: get a new one every four months. And I said 331 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 2: I didin't asked for it, They gave it to me. 332 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 2: And I said for you. And he said, we'll match, 333 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 2: We'll match what they've offered you. And I said, Coach, 334 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 2: I said, I can't do any more than I've done, 335 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 2: and if you do that, I feel like there's something 336 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 2: else and I need to do to earn that. I said, 337 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 2: if if you to I made that offer before I left, 338 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 2: I'd never gone, I said, but I'm I'm taking that offer. 339 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 2: And so I ended up in Texas A and m 340 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:12,639 Speaker 2: uh you know, it just uh the the things that 341 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,360 Speaker 2: happened that of course enter in my book that how 342 00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 2: I met coach Osborne at Nebraska was over a fight, 343 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 2: and you know, and the same thing happened at A 344 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 2: and m you know, within you know, within two weeks. 345 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm I'm in a major fight. But it was, 346 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:37,399 Speaker 2: it was it was bizarre, but again it was it 347 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:42,040 Speaker 2: was that mindset, that that training that I had. And 348 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 2: uh so, so here's the thing. 349 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 3: You're new in life. 350 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: You and Eileen are married and everything's going well, and 351 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: then you decide to get the business, which kind of 352 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: leads you back to Saul Ross. 353 00:20:57,680 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 3: I think, is that about right? 354 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I ended up resigning from at Texas 355 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:08,160 Speaker 2: A and M. I went into private business. I patented 356 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 2: a piece of fitness equipment. I went to the Pentagon 357 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 2: training the National Guard, doing a lot of things in 358 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:18,439 Speaker 2: the fitness arena. And when I was coaching, I always 359 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,480 Speaker 2: had a philosophy by my training that I would never 360 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 2: ask one of my athletes to do something that I 361 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 2: wouldn't want to do myself. And so I stayed in 362 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 2: great shape, helping, you know, my athletes get in shape. 363 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 2: Well after I resigned from coaching, I never stopped. I 364 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 2: kept training. And I've told people that, you know, not 365 00:21:41,240 --> 00:21:44,159 Speaker 2: every journey has to have a destination. You know, I 366 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 2: go do it, go do something. And people would ask 367 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:50,560 Speaker 2: me when I was in my forties and in my 368 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 2: early fifties, why are you running those sprints? I mean 369 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 2: that's got to be grueling, and I said, yeah, it is, 370 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 2: but I enjoyed doing it. I like being able to 371 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 2: run fast. And so I'm fifty nine. Losing my senior 372 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 2: year at Soul Ross had over the decades become my 373 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 2: greatest regret in life. I finally reached a point where 374 00:22:19,240 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 2: I'd learned to manage it. See that team that had so. 375 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 3: Much did that team ended up one on the conference. 376 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 2: It went four six and one after you left, after 377 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: I left, we should have won it all. We should 378 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 2: have want it all. 379 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 3: And see it worse. 380 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:37,720 Speaker 2: I shouldered that I did. 381 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: I bet you did. I bet you felt like you 382 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:40,840 Speaker 1: had something to do with that. 383 00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 2: And see, and because of who I was, I didn't 384 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 2: share it with anyone. I didn't talk with no one 385 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,959 Speaker 2: knew about it. It was internal in me, and I 386 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,679 Speaker 2: finally reached a point decades earlier when I stopped crying 387 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 2: about it. I actually would cry about it and the 388 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,359 Speaker 2: mistake that I'd made and how much I regretted what 389 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 2: had happen. And so then May of two thousand and 390 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 2: seven rolls around and I start getting calls from guys 391 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: off that team in nineteen seventy one, and they're telling 392 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 2: me there's going to be a reunion and I need 393 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 2: to come to this reunion. And I thought, no, there's 394 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 2: no way, because I know where that's going. I mean, 395 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:24,520 Speaker 2: I've all these years. I finally reached the point where 396 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 2: I'm you know, I can deal with this. I go back, 397 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 2: somebody's going to bring that up, and I'll be right 398 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 2: back where I was. And so there's no way I'm 399 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:36,960 Speaker 2: doing that. I'm not going back. Call after call after 400 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 2: calling Aileen, finally she's you know, our oldest two kids 401 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,719 Speaker 2: are gone from home, they're married, they're gone. Our youngest 402 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 2: daughters just graduated from high school. She's going to University 403 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:51,680 Speaker 2: of Tennessee and getting ready for orientation. So we were downsize. 404 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 2: We want to put the house on the market. We 405 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:55,359 Speaker 2: had a contract on our house, so we got to 406 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 2: be out in thirty days. And so Aileen says, look, 407 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 2: I don't know what's going on with you that you 408 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 2: won't go down to the reunion and see those guys, 409 00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:07,919 Speaker 2: but you know, go have a good time. Just go 410 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 2: down there and have a good time. Go see I'm sorry. 411 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:14,200 Speaker 2: I thought, okay. I was there thirty minutes and one 412 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,679 Speaker 2: of the guys walked up and says, what guy, man, 413 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 2: what was it about that one fight that got you 414 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:24,200 Speaker 2: kicked out when you had so many And I just said, 415 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 2: you know, it was it was straw that broke the 416 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 2: camel's back. You know. I said, I made a lot 417 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 2: of poor decisions when I was young, and I said, 418 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 2: you know that was one of them. And I said 419 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:40,880 Speaker 2: that fight caused you guys to have the abysmal season 420 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 2: that you did, and I let you down, and had 421 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:47,640 Speaker 2: I been there, it would have been different. And I said, 422 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 2: you know what gets me more than anything, I still 423 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 2: think I can play well. They were laughing at me. 424 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 2: Exception Stan who stands Stan Williams in the court. He 425 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,000 Speaker 2: was the guy that played behind me me at linebacker. 426 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 2: He was looking at me and he said, why don't 427 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 2: you and. 428 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: I said, I'm fifty nine, and then it was three 429 00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:11,719 Speaker 1: four decades ago. 430 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:13,520 Speaker 2: I said, why don't you? I said, there's no way 431 00:25:13,560 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 2: i'd have eligibility. He said, hey, if that's the greatest 432 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: regrets you've got in life, you think you can run 433 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 2: with those guys? Do you think you can take the 434 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 2: Hitts Division III. It's a whole new set of rules. 435 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 2: You need to check it out. Well, I couldn't think 436 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 2: about anything else rest they reach it. I mean that 437 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 2: I kept I kept thinking who would I call? Who 438 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 2: could I call to give me some accurate information? It 439 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 2: wouldn't think I was crazy? And I know that he 440 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:45,440 Speaker 2: could could. And then he hit me. A linebacker, coach Jerry larned, Uh. 441 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 2: He was my go to guy when I'd get arrested 442 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 2: and put in jail for fighting me. He'd bailed me out, 443 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 2: run me half kicked me out on the highway one 444 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:58,199 Speaker 2: time and he said get out and run And I 445 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,320 Speaker 2: said how far? Coach said till I can't see you 446 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:05,360 Speaker 2: no more? And I said, Coaches is West Texas. It's 447 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,639 Speaker 2: a long way Roundel Dart. But I hadn't talked to 448 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:12,679 Speaker 2: him in almost forty years. But I stayed up with 449 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,160 Speaker 2: his career. I knew he was in Abilene. I called 450 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 2: directory assistants got a home number for him. His wife 451 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 2: answered the phone and I said, missus, Laureney. I said, 452 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 2: this is Mike Flint. This coach around and she said 453 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 2: Mike Flint. She said, yeah, Mike, he's standing right here. Jerry, 454 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,040 Speaker 2: it's Mike Flint on the phone. And coach comes to 455 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 2: the phone. He says, Mike, are you in jail. I said, yeah, Coach, 456 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,800 Speaker 2: That's why I'm calling. I said, no, really, I said, seriously, 457 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:40,920 Speaker 2: I said, I I want to find out if I'm 458 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 2: still eligible. I said I want to go back and 459 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 2: play my senior year. And he said how old are you, Mike, 460 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,280 Speaker 2: And I said I'm fifty nine. He said, well, I 461 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 2: think you're crazy, and that is the very thing I 462 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 2: was hoping he wouldn't say. But I said, Coach, listen, 463 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,119 Speaker 2: I can play. And he said, if you tell me 464 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 2: you can play, I believe you. And I said I 465 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 2: can play. And he's said, okay. We gave me the 466 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 2: name of the rules division of the American Southwest Conference, 467 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:09,280 Speaker 2: the Lone Star Conference, and I called the lady told me. 468 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 2: She said, you know, we had my transcript went through 469 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 2: it semester by semester and she said, now, how did 470 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 2: you say you are And I said I'm fifty nine 471 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,679 Speaker 2: and she said, well, not only are you eligible, but 472 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:27,959 Speaker 2: I will come watch you play. And so you know, 473 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 2: then Aileen she's. 474 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 1: You know, okay, that was a big question, Ad, And 475 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: Aileen asked you what the hell you were thinking. 476 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 2: Well, she's ignoring me, okay, and. 477 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 3: That's what my wife would do. Yeah, just almost patronized. 478 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 2: So busy and I started calling the president of the college. 479 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 2: I started calling the head coach, the athletic director. I 480 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 2: was calling everybody. And it was early June, and so 481 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 2: I was getting voicemail everywhere. And I got through to 482 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 2: the head coaches secondary and she said, well, he's in, 483 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 2: but guy, he's crazy busy, he's got all this going on. 484 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 2: And then it hit me. I thought, I cannot do this. 485 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:10,120 Speaker 2: My phone. Yeah, I got a good I mean, if 486 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 2: I'm a head coach and fifty nine year old guy 487 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 2: calls me up, must come try out for my team? Hey, 488 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 2: you know I ain't in that deal real quick, and 489 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 2: so I thought, I got it. I get it. I 490 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:21,639 Speaker 2: gotta go down and to Alpine. I gotta do this. 491 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,880 Speaker 2: In person. So I flew to the middle of Odessa, 492 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 2: rented a car and drove to Alpine and I checked 493 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 2: with his secretary make sure he was going to be in. 494 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,840 Speaker 2: I knocked on the face of his door. Coach head 495 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 2: coach sitting at his desk, and he said, uh, yeah, 496 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 2: come on in and uh we sit down. I told him, 497 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,680 Speaker 2: when I played at Permian, Uh, the kind of player 498 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 2: was all the scholarships that I had playing here at 499 00:28:49,240 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 2: Saul Ross, the player that I was here, that I 500 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,000 Speaker 2: was team captain, I'd been kicked out, and why all 501 00:28:55,040 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 2: the colleges where I'd coached after I left and found 502 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 2: out later he was thinking, I want to be a 503 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 2: volunteer coach, And then I told him, I said, Coach, 504 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 2: I want I want a chance to walk on his 505 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 2: team as a linebacker because I feel like if I 506 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 2: can make his team as a linebacker, I can help 507 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 2: a bunch of young men that I don't even know. 508 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 2: But for me, it makes up for those guys I 509 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 2: let down all those years ago, and I need see. 510 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 3: I read that. 511 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: And it flips it from you being a crazy guy 512 00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: wanting to relive glory years to a man who is 513 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: trying to erase the biggest regret of his life through 514 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: serving others. 515 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 3: That's effectively what you're trying to do for me. 516 00:29:44,240 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 2: I knew that I couldn't change the past, but I 517 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 2: thought I can change the meaning of the past. If 518 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 2: I can help a bunch of young men now and 519 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:58,560 Speaker 2: substitute it for those guys that I let down, then 520 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 2: for me, that changes the meaning of my past. And 521 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 2: that was what I wanted to do. And uh, he said, 522 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 2: you want to play? And I said, yes, I want 523 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 2: to play linebacker. And he said, well wait, He said 524 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 2: when were you at Permian And I said in nineteen 525 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 2: sixty five And he said, uh, how old did you 526 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 2: say you are? I said I'm fifty nine. And about 527 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 2: that time that assistant had come. 528 00:30:22,160 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 3: Eight years older than him. 529 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, right. Assistant. Head coach sticks his head in 530 00:30:26,280 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 2: the door and he says, coach, you got a bunch 531 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,160 Speaker 2: kids down on field waiting on you. And he said, oh, man, Mike, 532 00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 2: he said, I totally forgot. He said, I got I 533 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 2: got a munch freshman here for orientation that I told 534 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 2: him to be down on the field. I want to 535 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 2: see what kind of speed they've got and what kind 536 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 2: of shape there and he said, I got to get 537 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 2: down there. And he thought he's rid of me, you know, 538 00:30:44,800 --> 00:30:47,440 Speaker 2: And I said, yeah, I said can I Can I 539 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:51,239 Speaker 2: go with you? So he took me down there. He 540 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 2: told him get stretched out, choose teams, and I said, 541 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:56,840 Speaker 2: can I join them? And he looked at the assistant 542 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 2: head coach and he just shrugged his shoulders and he said, yeah, 543 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:00,240 Speaker 2: I guess you can joining on. 544 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:04,480 Speaker 3: We'll be right back. 545 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 2: We got out there and then they no just in 546 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 2: shorts and I had on some nylon baggy jeans and 547 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 2: a T shirt. It was about ninety five degrees. It's 548 00:31:28,240 --> 00:31:30,880 Speaker 2: about two three o'clock in the afternoon. 549 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 3: And nice ball me in West Texas. 550 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 2: We're about one hundred miles from Mexico. And so I basically, 551 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 2: you know, got out there stressed out, and then they 552 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:43,560 Speaker 2: picked teams. I was last one picked, of course. And uh. 553 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 2: Then we lined up, got ready to start and he 554 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 2: blew the whistle and he said, wait a minute, this 555 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 2: is gonna be this is gonna be total uh chaos. 556 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 2: He said, you guys on this side take shirts off. 557 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:56,000 Speaker 2: Y'all will be skins and you guys will be shirts. 558 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 2: And so I was on skins to have taken my 559 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 2: shirt off. So we lined up the whistle and we 560 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 2: ran and we ran and we ran. I mean and 561 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 2: uh it was NonStop for almost an hour. And uh. 562 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 2: He blew the whistle, called us up, told him get 563 00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 2: the orientation you guys might come on. I'll take you 564 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 2: back to your car, he told me. He said, Uh, 565 00:32:18,200 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 2: you be in my office in the morning at nine o'clock. 566 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,240 Speaker 2: I'll give you an answers to whether or not you 567 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:25,080 Speaker 2: can walk on this team. He said, I got a 568 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 2: million things going through my mind. Well, I was there 569 00:32:27,800 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 2: next morning. His whole staff was there. He introduced me 570 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 2: to everybody, and then he said, you know, uh, and 571 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 2: I got to tell you. Uh. I expected, uh, total 572 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 2: chaos when I'll let you get out there with those 573 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 2: freshmen and run, But he said, man, you blended. He said, 574 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 2: you can run with them, he said, And I had 575 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,760 Speaker 2: questions in my mind that I had to have an 576 00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 2: answer for before I could give you an answer whether 577 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 2: or not you can walk on to this team. He said. 578 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 2: Number one, it's physical. Could a fifty nine year old 579 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 2: guy physically play college football? He said, watching you run 580 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,880 Speaker 2: with those freshmen, there's no doubt in my mind that 581 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 2: physically you can do this, and don't you ever take 582 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 2: your shirt off around me again. He was fifty two, 583 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:21,720 Speaker 2: and he said. The second thing was a reason for 584 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 2: you to come back at your age to play your 585 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 2: senior year. You'd have to have an incredible reason. And 586 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,360 Speaker 2: he said, but I got to be honest with you. 587 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 2: He said, I cannot think of a better reason than 588 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 2: the one you've given me to help a bunch of 589 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 2: young men that you don't even know, to make up 590 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:40,239 Speaker 2: for those guys you let down all those years ago. 591 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:42,840 Speaker 2: He said, I think that's an incredible reason, he said. 592 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,640 Speaker 2: The third thing was desire passion. He said, to go 593 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 2: through what we're going to put you through in two 594 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 2: days to make this team, you're going to have to 595 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:54,720 Speaker 2: have a tremendous amount of desire. He said, But I 596 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 2: can to see it in your eyes. I can hear 597 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 2: in your voice. You probably got more desire than a 598 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 2: kid we got on this team. He said, you'd be 599 00:34:01,240 --> 00:34:03,320 Speaker 2: here August twelve. I'm gonna give you a chest, make 600 00:34:03,360 --> 00:34:07,880 Speaker 2: a steam. And what did you think when he said that, Well, 601 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 2: it was you know, it was hard to really imagine 602 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:22,400 Speaker 2: everything that was that was coming and was going to happen. 603 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 2: I was so excited until I got outside the building 604 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 2: and I remembered that last hurdle that I had that 605 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 2: had to be dealt with. And her name was Eileen. 606 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 2: And so I get back and she's got a list 607 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 2: of houses fir As to go look at. And I 608 00:34:38,040 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 2: told her. I said, I, honey, we're going back to college. 609 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:43,840 Speaker 2: We're moving down to Texas. Coach gonna give me a 610 00:34:43,920 --> 00:34:46,840 Speaker 2: chance to make the team. And she really got. 611 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 3: Upset with me. I bet she did. Yeah, she told me, 612 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,239 Speaker 3: had not imagine. 613 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,800 Speaker 2: I cannot believe, at fifty nine years old that you 614 00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 2: don't want to go back and try to play college football. 615 00:34:57,160 --> 00:34:59,399 Speaker 2: She said, I feel like I'm married to Peter Pan, 616 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 2: she said, and then it hit me. I had never 617 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 2: shared it with her. I had never told her, and 618 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:09,920 Speaker 2: I set her down and I said, look, I have 619 00:35:10,040 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 2: spent over half my life living with the regret over 620 00:35:13,960 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 2: a mistake that I made, and coach now is going 621 00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:20,720 Speaker 2: to give me a chance to rewrite that last chapter 622 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:24,919 Speaker 2: in my athletic career. And I've got to try. 623 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:25,200 Speaker 3: I said. 624 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,319 Speaker 2: I may not make the team. I said, I may 625 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:29,319 Speaker 2: get down here and not make the team. I said, 626 00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 2: but I've got to go try I said, to have 627 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:36,279 Speaker 2: a chance and not go try. For me, that'd be 628 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:38,600 Speaker 2: getting worse than getting kicked out the first time. And 629 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 2: I said, and then to live the rest of my 630 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 2: life asking myself, what if, what if I could have 631 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 2: made that team? I said, Honey, I got to go try. 632 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:50,479 Speaker 2: And she said, I had no idea. She said, well, 633 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:53,239 Speaker 2: if she was on another foot, you'd do it for me. 634 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:54,720 Speaker 2: So let's go play football. 635 00:35:55,400 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 3: It's unbelievable. So tell me about it. Well, let me 636 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,279 Speaker 3: let me tell you, just to let you know. 637 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:08,600 Speaker 1: I remember this story, and I hadn't thought about it 638 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 1: in some years until Alex told me that Angel Studios 639 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:17,360 Speaker 1: was making the movie that's basically based on your book 640 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: that's about this. 641 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 3: But I do remember it, and I remember ESPN covering it. 642 00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 1: I mean, it made an it was a national thing, 643 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:29,320 Speaker 1: but that's not what it was about. 644 00:36:29,320 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 3: For you. 645 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: You weren't looking for headlines or any of that mess. 646 00:36:34,120 --> 00:36:38,320 Speaker 2: And it was for me. I didn't. I didn't want 647 00:36:38,360 --> 00:36:41,279 Speaker 2: anyone to know. In fact, when I announced at our 648 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 2: church my pastor, I told him that we were going 649 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:46,799 Speaker 2: to be gone for a few months and he, you know, 650 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 2: he said, you're doing what he said. He said you've 651 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 2: got to tell the congress. 652 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:54,240 Speaker 3: We need to put some hands on you. 653 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:56,880 Speaker 2: Said, we got to tell the congregation about this. So 654 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:58,680 Speaker 2: he had me announced it. I couldn't already get out 655 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 2: of church, I mean, and I told Alan, I said, 656 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,239 Speaker 2: keep talking about a book and a movie. And I said, 657 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:07,680 Speaker 2: who cares about an old man going back Blake college football? 658 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 2: I just didn't get it. And then get down to 659 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 2: Alpine and coach told me where to go get my physical. 660 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 2: And I go to get my physical and the nurse 661 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,720 Speaker 2: looks at my chart and she said, uh, okay, coach, 662 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 2: we're doing the coaches next week. This is the players 663 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:27,799 Speaker 2: this week. And I said, I'm a player and she 664 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:31,720 Speaker 2: said you're born in nineteen forty eight. You gonna play? 665 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,880 Speaker 2: I said, yes, ma'am. And then I get down and 666 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 2: get my equipment. And I'm standing in line with all 667 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:38,880 Speaker 2: the guys, and you know, one of the guys a 668 00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:41,680 Speaker 2: bouncing around, goofing off. Everybody keeps coming over at me, 669 00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:43,600 Speaker 2: looking at me, and he said, so, are you gonna 670 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:46,200 Speaker 2: coach or what? I said, No, man, I'm here to play. 671 00:37:46,239 --> 00:37:48,560 Speaker 2: And he said to play, old you and I said, 672 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:52,320 Speaker 2: I'm fifty to fifty nine. He starts hollering. Everybody's coming around. 673 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,560 Speaker 3: But how'd the kids take you? At first? 674 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:59,560 Speaker 2: They didn't know, They really didn't know. We we put 675 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 2: those hem it's on. See. I was blessed when I 676 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 2: was young, and I was never hurt. I didn't have 677 00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:07,879 Speaker 2: knee problems, but I didn't have shoulder problems. I didn't 678 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:09,120 Speaker 2: I had. 679 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:12,439 Speaker 3: You were fifty nine, though, bro, Yeah. 680 00:38:12,200 --> 00:38:14,200 Speaker 2: That was the thing. Yeah, and so. 681 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:18,160 Speaker 3: Joints and ligaments. 682 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,359 Speaker 2: And the very first difference. Yeah, the very first day, 683 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 2: coach says, hey, listen, we're gonna find out what color 684 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:23,600 Speaker 2: of your blood is as he yellow as it red. 685 00:38:24,080 --> 00:38:26,200 Speaker 2: And if we don't find out a station one, we've 686 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,840 Speaker 2: got six stations. By the time you get station six, 687 00:38:28,880 --> 00:38:31,560 Speaker 2: we're gonna know. I mean, it's just hard nose football. 688 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:34,759 Speaker 2: It was. It was fantastic. It was just you know, 689 00:38:35,120 --> 00:38:38,440 Speaker 2: it was the game. And uh, and that's when I 690 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 2: found out. You know, I never played fifty football on 691 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:47,360 Speaker 2: a fifty nine year old body before. And you don't 692 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 2: get over the sordus like you do when you're young. 693 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 2: When you're eighteen and nineteen and three or four days 694 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:56,200 Speaker 2: you're really sore, but then you're good to go. I mean, 695 00:38:56,280 --> 00:38:59,640 Speaker 2: you're it never stopped. I didn't think there's gonna be 696 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:01,240 Speaker 2: enough in Alpine, Texas. 697 00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 1: You can as your ankle, your gaysia, elbow, your shoulder, 698 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: you're going to ice your hip. 699 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:09,239 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, And I was halfway, but I was, you know, 700 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:11,400 Speaker 2: halfway through the season before I finally got to a 701 00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 2: point where I could manage the soreness. But I did. 702 00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:16,960 Speaker 1: I had after that first practice day one, the sowrener 703 00:39:17,040 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 1: started never left. 704 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it was uh, it was incredible. 705 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:22,400 Speaker 3: It was just did you get some licks? 706 00:39:22,680 --> 00:39:23,160 Speaker 2: Oh yeah? 707 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:25,400 Speaker 3: Were to yeah? 708 00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. See. That was the thing about my teammates 709 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 2: that they respected about me first of all, that I 710 00:39:30,239 --> 00:39:35,839 Speaker 2: could run. You know, they they would see me out 711 00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,480 Speaker 2: there on the field with my helmet on and they 712 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:42,440 Speaker 2: couldn't sell, just like just like everybody else. But you 713 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 2: know how it is with football, with your teammates, you 714 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,239 Speaker 2: can you can tell someone you can spot them by 715 00:39:47,239 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 2: their calves. You can tell by the way they've run, 716 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,239 Speaker 2: you know they are. And they knew I was, you know, 717 00:39:53,400 --> 00:39:59,200 Speaker 2: and uh so, But for me, it was all about 718 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 2: it became number one was preservation. You know, I knew 719 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,440 Speaker 2: I could tell that my body was not that I 720 00:40:07,480 --> 00:40:10,920 Speaker 2: could not fly around like I did when I was 721 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:15,279 Speaker 2: in my early twenties, hitting people and stuff. But in 722 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 2: a lot of the drills, you know, I had no 723 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:23,879 Speaker 2: choice and I bowlged too disk in my neck. When 724 00:40:24,680 --> 00:40:29,680 Speaker 2: it was towards the end of two days getting close 725 00:40:29,760 --> 00:40:33,799 Speaker 2: to I'd already made the team. Coach it announced that 726 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:36,200 Speaker 2: I'd made the team. And it's one of those really 727 00:40:36,239 --> 00:40:38,879 Speaker 2: gratifying things because he came up to me and he said, hey, 728 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:42,800 Speaker 2: you earned this. He made this team, and. 729 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 3: We're not doing it for newspaper clippings. You earned it. 730 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:50,400 Speaker 2: No, yeah, And then he said that on camera, he 731 00:40:50,400 --> 00:40:53,640 Speaker 2: said he legitly made this team because there were people 732 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,360 Speaker 2: that were asking because he closed the practices. 733 00:40:56,440 --> 00:40:58,920 Speaker 1: He would not he didn't want everybody around make a 734 00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:04,279 Speaker 1: circus office. Yeah, it was so well, yeah, so how 735 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:06,879 Speaker 1: much did you actually get to play that senior year, 736 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:11,520 Speaker 1: that senior fifty nine? You know what's funny is you 737 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 1: played your senior year as a senior citizen. 738 00:41:13,760 --> 00:41:18,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. That's where the that's where Jamie Earon, the AP 739 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:20,520 Speaker 2: writer is the one that came up with the name. 740 00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:23,879 Speaker 2: He said, do you have your AARP card? And I said, yeah, 741 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 2: I do. He said, okay, So you're a senior and 742 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:32,959 Speaker 2: you're playing your senior year. So he said, I think 743 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:34,919 Speaker 2: that it's a pretty good name. 744 00:41:35,160 --> 00:41:37,120 Speaker 3: So how much were we able to play? How much 745 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:38,200 Speaker 3: did you get get to play? 746 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:41,840 Speaker 2: I played in five the last five games of the season. 747 00:41:42,200 --> 00:41:44,279 Speaker 3: What's your body? Heel up enough to let you play? 748 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:48,839 Speaker 2: Yeah? It was the the Orthopedi has told me. When 749 00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:50,920 Speaker 2: I bolted those discs in my neck, he told me, 750 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,399 Speaker 2: he said, this is this is over, man, he said, 751 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:55,560 Speaker 2: this is over. And I told him. I said, look, 752 00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:59,080 Speaker 2: I've got a PhD in Mike Flint, I know my body. 753 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 2: I said, you tell me what I need to do 754 00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:04,239 Speaker 2: to get you to release me to play, and I'll 755 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,879 Speaker 2: get it done. And he said okay. So he did 756 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:12,520 Speaker 2: and I did. But he told me I had I 757 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:16,040 Speaker 2: had a great conversation with him about it, and he 758 00:42:16,160 --> 00:42:20,360 Speaker 2: said that you know who Kevin Everett is and I did. 759 00:42:21,160 --> 00:42:23,160 Speaker 2: He was that young man for the Buffalo Bills that 760 00:42:23,239 --> 00:42:28,040 Speaker 2: ruptured those same two disks that I bulged, and had 761 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:30,680 Speaker 2: it not been for cryogenics them freezing his neck on 762 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 2: the field, he would have died on the field. But 763 00:42:34,239 --> 00:42:37,359 Speaker 2: he said, you're fifty nine, and he said, you can't 764 00:42:37,800 --> 00:42:40,959 Speaker 2: you can't stick your head in there again. And I said, 765 00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:44,759 Speaker 2: I listen. I said, I have enough body awareness that 766 00:42:44,960 --> 00:42:48,000 Speaker 2: I can I can prevent that, I can make that 767 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:50,880 Speaker 2: choice that I won't do that. I said, but I 768 00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:53,520 Speaker 2: can use my shoulders, I can use my hands and 769 00:42:54,160 --> 00:42:56,400 Speaker 2: my arms. You know, I'm not going to take on 770 00:42:56,880 --> 00:43:00,560 Speaker 2: people anymore. And he said, okay, and I release you 771 00:43:00,600 --> 00:43:04,400 Speaker 2: to play and Coach Wright, you know, he just asked me. 772 00:43:04,520 --> 00:43:07,680 Speaker 2: He said, what can you do? You tell me and 773 00:43:07,719 --> 00:43:10,799 Speaker 2: I said, I, coach, I can play that blocking back 774 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:14,360 Speaker 2: on extra points field goals and uh, I said, I 775 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:17,040 Speaker 2: you know no one will run over me. I can 776 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,880 Speaker 2: tell you that right now that it won't happen. And 777 00:43:19,920 --> 00:43:23,719 Speaker 2: he said I know that. So h. I played linebacker 778 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:29,560 Speaker 2: one time for about four minutes. Uh uh in one game. 779 00:43:29,760 --> 00:43:31,120 Speaker 3: What was that like? It was? 780 00:43:31,600 --> 00:43:32,960 Speaker 2: Uh? It was surreal. 781 00:43:33,000 --> 00:43:33,759 Speaker 3: And I was about to. 782 00:43:33,719 --> 00:43:36,239 Speaker 1: Say that had to have been almost a dream you 783 00:43:36,239 --> 00:43:38,720 Speaker 1: talk about, Peter Pan, I mean, yeah, yeah, it almost 784 00:43:38,760 --> 00:43:40,719 Speaker 1: had to be a fairy tale at fift nine years old, 785 00:43:40,719 --> 00:43:42,719 Speaker 1: to be on a college football field and actually getting 786 00:43:42,719 --> 00:43:43,520 Speaker 1: to play linebacker. 787 00:43:43,600 --> 00:43:47,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was. I was in on some tackles. I 788 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:49,880 Speaker 2: didn't I wasn't the guy that I was when I 789 00:43:49,920 --> 00:43:52,759 Speaker 2: was younger, but I was in on some tackles. And 790 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:55,719 Speaker 2: I think one of the most gratifying things for me 791 00:43:56,120 --> 00:44:01,399 Speaker 2: was the young man Fernie, the linebacker that I took 792 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:04,799 Speaker 2: his place. How excited he was for me to be 793 00:44:04,840 --> 00:44:06,759 Speaker 2: able to play because he knew what it meant to me. 794 00:44:07,120 --> 00:44:10,640 Speaker 2: We were out there together in drills and everything throughout 795 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:14,399 Speaker 2: the whole you know, the whole season, and he knew 796 00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:17,960 Speaker 2: my heart. He he was we were really close and 797 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:21,040 Speaker 2: it was him I replaced at linebacker. 798 00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:26,960 Speaker 1: More than the football. Did you get to reach the 799 00:44:27,080 --> 00:44:30,680 Speaker 1: goal of being able to serve your teammates that you 800 00:44:30,719 --> 00:44:32,640 Speaker 1: weren't able to serve those four decades? 801 00:44:33,160 --> 00:44:33,359 Speaker 2: Oh? 802 00:44:33,400 --> 00:44:35,920 Speaker 3: I did. I did tell me about that. 803 00:44:35,840 --> 00:44:39,840 Speaker 2: You know. It was. It was so gratifying to me 804 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:44,120 Speaker 2: because we had one young man, JJ and I'll actually 805 00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:47,080 Speaker 2: see him again for the first time in seventeen years. 806 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:50,560 Speaker 2: He'll be at the at the premiere. Real hot head, 807 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:51,320 Speaker 2: I mean. 808 00:44:51,160 --> 00:44:54,239 Speaker 3: He just he was extremined you of anybody. 809 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:56,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, Well for me, I wasn't a hot head. 810 00:44:56,680 --> 00:45:00,080 Speaker 3: I was I was just you're measured. 811 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:05,440 Speaker 2: Was confident. I was just you know, hey, But but jjuh, 812 00:45:06,120 --> 00:45:08,960 Speaker 2: he would he would take things personal and I was 813 00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:13,839 Speaker 2: just constantly, constantly talking to him because the talent was there, 814 00:45:14,120 --> 00:45:17,480 Speaker 2: the ability was there, and he had all these leadership 815 00:45:17,560 --> 00:45:21,200 Speaker 2: qualities that he was suppressing because of his anger, and 816 00:45:21,640 --> 00:45:24,400 Speaker 2: I was able to help him deal with Yeah. I 817 00:45:24,480 --> 00:45:28,760 Speaker 2: was able to help him deal with that. And then Jeremy, Uh, 818 00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:34,719 Speaker 2: fantastic talent. The very first you've seen the movie the 819 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:36,600 Speaker 2: kid that I'm walking off the field with. And I 820 00:45:36,640 --> 00:45:38,319 Speaker 2: asked him, well, you know where you study and he said, 821 00:45:38,360 --> 00:45:39,760 Speaker 2: I'm going to be a want to be a teacher. 822 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:43,360 Speaker 2: I want to be a third grade teacher. Well that happened. 823 00:45:43,480 --> 00:45:46,360 Speaker 2: That was Jeremy, and I asked him. I thought, that's 824 00:45:46,760 --> 00:45:49,200 Speaker 2: you know, that's the unusual. I said why third grade 825 00:45:50,040 --> 00:45:53,680 Speaker 2: and he said, because when I was in the third grade, 826 00:45:54,840 --> 00:45:57,960 Speaker 2: I had a teacher that was a father figure to me. 827 00:45:58,040 --> 00:46:00,359 Speaker 2: I didn't have a father at home. And he said 828 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:02,439 Speaker 2: it was a father figure not only in the third grade, 829 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:04,239 Speaker 2: but all the way through elementary school. And he said, 830 00:46:04,280 --> 00:46:07,200 Speaker 2: I want to do that for some other kids. Well, 831 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,399 Speaker 2: Jeremy's not at practice. One day, Jeremy and I became 832 00:46:11,560 --> 00:46:15,920 Speaker 2: very close friends, and I knew coach had told us, 833 00:46:15,920 --> 00:46:19,200 Speaker 2: you know, hey, you don't practice, you're gone, and so 834 00:46:19,640 --> 00:46:21,560 Speaker 2: I asked around. I thought maybe he was hurt, and 835 00:46:21,600 --> 00:46:24,399 Speaker 2: nobody had seen him. And next day I see him 836 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:28,080 Speaker 2: on campus and I said, you know, Jeremy, what's up? 837 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:32,439 Speaker 2: And he said, I'm going home. Mike, I'm gonna quit. 838 00:46:33,920 --> 00:46:36,160 Speaker 2: And I said, Jeremy, why would you quit? I mean, 839 00:46:36,440 --> 00:46:40,919 Speaker 2: guys unbelievable. He's got four or four speed, one hundred 840 00:46:40,920 --> 00:46:46,439 Speaker 2: and ninety pounds, tough as nails. And he started telling 841 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:49,120 Speaker 2: me about three guys on campus that started bullying him 842 00:46:49,760 --> 00:46:52,680 Speaker 2: and he was going to square up and fight with him. 843 00:46:52,680 --> 00:46:54,200 Speaker 2: And then he thought, I can't whip all three of 844 00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 2: these guys, and he said, I just went back to 845 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:59,200 Speaker 2: my room. He said, I didn't do anything. He said, 846 00:46:59,239 --> 00:47:02,120 Speaker 2: I'm so ashamed myself. He said, I just I just 847 00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:04,000 Speaker 2: want to go home. I want to quit. And I 848 00:47:04,080 --> 00:47:06,719 Speaker 2: scrabbed him. I said, Jeremy, I said, I am so 849 00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:10,520 Speaker 2: proud of you. I said, I was never able to 850 00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:13,439 Speaker 2: do that. It was always about Mike Flint, a couple 851 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:17,319 Speaker 2: of minutes of self satisfaction and what I wanted. I 852 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:19,960 Speaker 2: never thought about the consequences. I never thought about anyone 853 00:47:20,000 --> 00:47:23,520 Speaker 2: else and how my poor decisions might impact them, and 854 00:47:23,560 --> 00:47:26,520 Speaker 2: I said, Jeremy, it cost me everything. And I said, 855 00:47:26,520 --> 00:47:28,560 Speaker 2: but Jeremy, you may be an All American here at 856 00:47:28,600 --> 00:47:31,680 Speaker 2: al Ross because of that one right decision that you made. 857 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:34,440 Speaker 2: And I said, and what about those third grade kids 858 00:47:35,440 --> 00:47:40,160 Speaker 2: didn't need you? I said, Jeremy, you can't quit. And 859 00:47:40,200 --> 00:47:44,040 Speaker 2: he said, Mike man Man, you said you're making me 860 00:47:44,080 --> 00:47:46,759 Speaker 2: feel great. He said, I'm not going to quit. I 861 00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:48,200 Speaker 2: am going to stay. I am going to try to 862 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:50,120 Speaker 2: be an All American. And I said, Jeremy, but just 863 00:47:50,200 --> 00:47:52,239 Speaker 2: one thing I need to know, and that is where 864 00:47:52,280 --> 00:47:56,600 Speaker 2: can I find those guys? And he started laughing at me. 865 00:47:56,760 --> 00:48:00,800 Speaker 2: But Jeremy got his degree and became the third grade teacher. 866 00:48:01,400 --> 00:48:06,520 Speaker 3: That's phenomenal. We'll be right back. 867 00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:19,600 Speaker 2: And there were others. There are other things that happened 868 00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:21,880 Speaker 2: that I was able to help those guys. And then 869 00:48:21,920 --> 00:48:23,480 Speaker 2: I've got to tell you this one story. 870 00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:24,040 Speaker 3: Tell me. 871 00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:29,680 Speaker 2: At homecoming, twenty six of my former teammates came back 872 00:48:29,719 --> 00:48:33,319 Speaker 2: to watch me play and we all met on the 873 00:48:33,360 --> 00:48:38,960 Speaker 2: field before the game. I had a group hug. One 874 00:48:38,960 --> 00:48:43,080 Speaker 2: of them grabbed me and might we keep reading about 875 00:48:43,120 --> 00:48:45,479 Speaker 2: you said you let us down all those years ago. 876 00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:47,879 Speaker 2: We knew that fight wasn't your fault, and we never 877 00:48:47,920 --> 00:48:52,080 Speaker 2: blamed you for that. And besides, look, because you came 878 00:48:52,120 --> 00:48:55,279 Speaker 2: back to play, we're all back together again. So God, 879 00:48:55,320 --> 00:48:59,040 Speaker 2: in his mercy, gave me that forgiveness that I needed 880 00:48:59,040 --> 00:49:01,799 Speaker 2: from my former teammate to overcome that greatest regret in 881 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:04,239 Speaker 2: my life. I was able to help a bunch of 882 00:49:04,280 --> 00:49:06,960 Speaker 2: young men that I didn't even know when I went 883 00:49:06,960 --> 00:49:10,799 Speaker 2: into it. And so God gave me everything I asked for, 884 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:15,160 Speaker 2: everything I wanted, he gave me, and I was ready 885 00:49:15,239 --> 00:49:20,400 Speaker 2: to walk away with that. I was ecstatic with that, 886 00:49:21,120 --> 00:49:24,279 Speaker 2: and so all of this has been a bonus. It's 887 00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:26,640 Speaker 2: just it's just a God thing. 888 00:49:27,320 --> 00:49:31,160 Speaker 1: What's it like as a fifty nine year old person 889 00:49:32,080 --> 00:49:35,320 Speaker 1: to call a twenty three year old college kid you're frimmed? 890 00:49:37,360 --> 00:49:41,040 Speaker 2: Well, I guess it was my mindset and because of 891 00:49:41,080 --> 00:49:45,600 Speaker 2: what we were doing and the fact that I was 892 00:49:45,719 --> 00:49:50,880 Speaker 2: able to get down on their level physically and do 893 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:56,520 Speaker 2: the things that we did. And for me, I've always 894 00:49:56,560 --> 00:50:00,480 Speaker 2: been a huge fan of time travel movies, you know, 895 00:50:01,280 --> 00:50:05,239 Speaker 2: somewhere in time, back to the future, and and for me, 896 00:50:05,320 --> 00:50:08,480 Speaker 2: that's what it was like, going back on that same 897 00:50:08,719 --> 00:50:13,120 Speaker 2: field that I'd played on almost forty years before, going 898 00:50:13,120 --> 00:50:16,560 Speaker 2: through all those drills with those young guys. You know, 899 00:50:17,120 --> 00:50:20,080 Speaker 2: no kick mirrors out there for me to see the wrinkles, 900 00:50:20,120 --> 00:50:23,920 Speaker 2: And it was just like I've gone back in time, 901 00:50:24,400 --> 00:50:28,440 Speaker 2: but this time I knew. I knew how fast it 902 00:50:28,520 --> 00:50:29,920 Speaker 2: was going to go by. I knew I was going 903 00:50:29,960 --> 00:50:32,319 Speaker 2: to turn around and it was going to be over. 904 00:50:32,440 --> 00:50:36,440 Speaker 2: And I didn't waste one second of it. I mean 905 00:50:36,480 --> 00:50:40,360 Speaker 2: I I was not going to wait until it was 906 00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:46,040 Speaker 2: a memory to appreciate it. All the pain, all the disappointments, 907 00:50:46,040 --> 00:50:48,800 Speaker 2: the setbacks that I had and things like that, the 908 00:50:49,520 --> 00:50:53,960 Speaker 2: danger and all that. I rejoiced in every minute of 909 00:50:54,000 --> 00:50:56,799 Speaker 2: it because I knew. You hear people talk about, you know, 910 00:50:56,840 --> 00:50:58,920 Speaker 2: we're running out of time. It's never we're walking out 911 00:50:58,920 --> 00:51:01,320 Speaker 2: of time or we're jogging out of time. We're running 912 00:51:01,320 --> 00:51:04,520 Speaker 2: out of time. And I knew how fast time was 913 00:51:04,560 --> 00:51:09,200 Speaker 2: going to go by, and I just my relationship with 914 00:51:09,280 --> 00:51:13,000 Speaker 2: those young guys was so special to me because of 915 00:51:13,719 --> 00:51:16,919 Speaker 2: how special I was to them. Other people would say, 916 00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:19,200 Speaker 2: soul Ross, is that where that old man is playing? Hey, 917 00:51:19,560 --> 00:51:22,080 Speaker 2: that old man has got a name. It's Mike. Now, 918 00:51:22,160 --> 00:51:26,920 Speaker 2: no man will kick your and that would go to 919 00:51:27,000 --> 00:51:31,279 Speaker 2: bat for me because I was one of them. And uh, 920 00:51:32,040 --> 00:51:39,400 Speaker 2: and that, probably more than any other intangible thing, was 921 00:51:39,440 --> 00:51:42,160 Speaker 2: the greatest blessing that came out of it. They're going 922 00:51:42,239 --> 00:51:45,480 Speaker 2: to be there for the premiere. Several of them are 923 00:51:45,480 --> 00:51:46,040 Speaker 2: coming back. 924 00:51:46,440 --> 00:51:48,360 Speaker 3: That's phenomenal. I have a question. 925 00:51:49,160 --> 00:51:52,240 Speaker 1: In college, a lot of the girlfriends of the players 926 00:51:52,239 --> 00:51:54,320 Speaker 1: sit together, and I guess, did I lead. 927 00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:55,120 Speaker 3: Suit with them? 928 00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:58,240 Speaker 1: Because I assume my lead's about to save age. 929 00:51:58,280 --> 00:52:01,399 Speaker 3: That's a whole another dynamic. Did she did she come 930 00:52:01,440 --> 00:52:02,200 Speaker 3: to all the games? 931 00:52:03,360 --> 00:52:03,480 Speaker 2: Oh? 932 00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:05,279 Speaker 3: Yes, she's scared to death. 933 00:52:06,680 --> 00:52:09,800 Speaker 2: She was. She was my first call every day at practice. 934 00:52:09,840 --> 00:52:11,839 Speaker 2: I mean I got to the locker and I called her, 935 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:16,400 Speaker 2: you know, and uh, I'm okay, I'm okay. Uh and uh. 936 00:52:16,680 --> 00:52:19,359 Speaker 3: But she was scared. She had to have been well. 937 00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:23,360 Speaker 2: She was. She was really apprehensive, and she was angry 938 00:52:23,400 --> 00:52:27,480 Speaker 2: at times, particularly after I bolt the disk in my neck, 939 00:52:27,640 --> 00:52:30,680 Speaker 2: because she sit in on those meetings with the orthopedist 940 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:33,920 Speaker 2: and she heard him telling me this is over, and 941 00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:36,680 Speaker 2: she's sitting her not and yeah, it's over, it's over. 942 00:52:40,280 --> 00:52:43,160 Speaker 2: And uh. And my son got real upset with me 943 00:52:43,200 --> 00:52:45,759 Speaker 2: about that, you know, he said, Dad, you know, what 944 00:52:45,800 --> 00:52:48,400 Speaker 2: if you wind up my wheelchair? What about mom or worse. 945 00:52:49,120 --> 00:52:53,040 Speaker 2: You know, this this dream is now a nightmare. And 946 00:52:53,239 --> 00:52:56,759 Speaker 2: uh but I I just you know, I you know, 947 00:52:56,840 --> 00:53:00,440 Speaker 2: I just didn't feel that it was over. But as 948 00:53:00,440 --> 00:53:08,040 Speaker 2: far as the baby boomers, my age group, they showed 949 00:53:08,120 --> 00:53:14,480 Speaker 2: up in I mean huge numbers. Aileen was surrounded by 950 00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:22,080 Speaker 2: by dozens and dozens I bet of friends from you know, 951 00:53:22,160 --> 00:53:24,759 Speaker 2: She's meeting all these people that I knew back, you know, 952 00:53:25,440 --> 00:53:26,359 Speaker 2: you know all these years ago. 953 00:53:26,640 --> 00:53:28,440 Speaker 3: I looks told me that you told him. 954 00:53:28,360 --> 00:53:35,480 Speaker 1: That that year that enrollment went up twenty percent. 955 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:37,839 Speaker 2: At Soul Ross. Yeah, the president of the college told me. 956 00:53:38,400 --> 00:53:40,880 Speaker 2: He said, you know, he said, I went to a 957 00:53:40,920 --> 00:53:45,840 Speaker 2: Division III conference in Atlanta, and he said, you know, 958 00:53:45,960 --> 00:53:49,040 Speaker 2: I've gone to different conferences around the country where they 959 00:53:49,080 --> 00:53:54,600 Speaker 2: have them and for the Division three schools, and he said, people, 960 00:53:54,719 --> 00:53:57,960 Speaker 2: I tell them, you know, I'm president at Soul Ross. 961 00:53:58,000 --> 00:54:00,319 Speaker 2: And you know there was well, where is that? You know, 962 00:54:00,360 --> 00:54:03,080 Speaker 2: where's that? He said, I'm in the airport in Atlanta, 963 00:54:03,239 --> 00:54:06,440 Speaker 2: and it's on the screen, there's the gate soul Raw 964 00:54:06,520 --> 00:54:10,200 Speaker 2: State University. Mike Flint, fifty nine year old football He said, 965 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:14,520 Speaker 2: everybody knew who where Soul Ross was. And he said, 966 00:54:14,719 --> 00:54:17,319 Speaker 2: that's never happened before. And he told me we've had 967 00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:19,200 Speaker 2: a twenty percent increase in enrollment. 968 00:54:20,719 --> 00:54:22,560 Speaker 3: There was the days in Io you might have made 969 00:54:22,560 --> 00:54:22,960 Speaker 3: a dollar. 970 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:31,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you and Eileen back in Franklin living a 971 00:54:31,239 --> 00:54:31,880 Speaker 1: normal life. 972 00:54:32,080 --> 00:54:35,400 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, we when it when it all when it 973 00:54:35,440 --> 00:54:39,960 Speaker 2: all ended. We came back to Franklin. We always knew 974 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:45,480 Speaker 2: we would, and bought his house in Franklin, and uh, 975 00:54:46,360 --> 00:54:50,279 Speaker 2: you know, I started having speaking engagements you know how 976 00:54:50,280 --> 00:54:53,560 Speaker 2: that is, you know, uh, all over the country and 977 00:54:54,400 --> 00:54:57,040 Speaker 2: h spoke a lot of different places and a lot 978 00:54:57,080 --> 00:55:01,520 Speaker 2: of churches, and uh got involved and doing a lot 979 00:55:01,520 --> 00:55:07,120 Speaker 2: of different things, and then with my fitness business and 980 00:55:07,120 --> 00:55:11,640 Speaker 2: and so all is while the the movie business is, 981 00:55:12,560 --> 00:55:17,840 Speaker 2: you know, pecking away at the door, you know, like it, 982 00:55:18,080 --> 00:55:22,000 Speaker 2: and we begin to realize that more than likely it's 983 00:55:22,120 --> 00:55:23,040 Speaker 2: not going to happen. 984 00:55:24,080 --> 00:55:26,640 Speaker 1: It's one of those Yeah, most people say, oh, it's 985 00:55:26,680 --> 00:55:29,040 Speaker 1: a great story. Here's a book, right, make a movie 986 00:55:30,480 --> 00:55:34,040 Speaker 1: a movie actually getting made and then brought to an 987 00:55:34,080 --> 00:55:38,960 Speaker 1: audience as a miracle that that the business of movie making, 988 00:55:39,080 --> 00:55:44,080 Speaker 1: the art of movie making, and the and the distribution 989 00:55:44,200 --> 00:55:47,920 Speaker 1: of movie making. When those three pieces of business converge 990 00:55:47,960 --> 00:55:50,600 Speaker 1: and come together and it actually sees the light of day. 991 00:55:50,640 --> 00:55:54,200 Speaker 1: It's actual miracle. I mean, most people don't understand. Literally, 992 00:55:55,360 --> 00:55:59,360 Speaker 1: there are thousands of movies every year that are canned 993 00:55:59,840 --> 00:56:02,279 Speaker 1: that will never see the light of day, that never 994 00:56:02,360 --> 00:56:06,319 Speaker 1: get promotion, that never get distribution, that just don't It's 995 00:56:06,360 --> 00:56:09,960 Speaker 1: a crazy business, the movie business. So when you say 996 00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:12,880 Speaker 1: you come to the realization that the movie will probably 997 00:56:12,920 --> 00:56:15,120 Speaker 1: never happen, and you've had a nice run with your book, 998 00:56:15,160 --> 00:56:18,040 Speaker 1: you just speaking again. It's got a great life, amazing story. 999 00:56:18,480 --> 00:56:21,799 Speaker 1: Probably not going to be a movie that is that 1000 00:56:21,920 --> 00:56:25,000 Speaker 1: is not all shucks, false humility, that's just reality of 1001 00:56:25,040 --> 00:56:26,120 Speaker 1: that ridiculous specim. 1002 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:30,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's a self protection mechanism that you just 1003 00:56:30,360 --> 00:56:32,960 Speaker 2: you know, you can't do this roller coaster, you know. 1004 00:56:33,480 --> 00:56:37,680 Speaker 2: And but you know, Mel Gibson, we had a group 1005 00:56:37,719 --> 00:56:41,320 Speaker 2: put up twenty five million in escrow and Mel Gibson 1006 00:56:41,400 --> 00:56:44,840 Speaker 2: was going to play me. Then he backed out and 1007 00:56:45,280 --> 00:56:47,799 Speaker 2: within the last thirty days he just said that I 1008 00:56:47,840 --> 00:56:52,120 Speaker 2: can't do it physically, I cannot do this. And Kevin 1009 00:56:52,160 --> 00:56:57,400 Speaker 2: Costner same thing. He had knee surgery and there's no 1010 00:56:57,480 --> 00:56:59,600 Speaker 2: way that he could do it after his knee surgery. 1011 00:56:59,680 --> 00:57:03,319 Speaker 2: And Kurt Russell and he was too old, you know, 1012 00:57:03,360 --> 00:57:05,919 Speaker 2: And so it was a it. 1013 00:57:05,840 --> 00:57:09,239 Speaker 1: Was the reality of being fifty nine of football in 1014 00:57:09,280 --> 00:57:09,720 Speaker 1: the face. 1015 00:57:09,840 --> 00:57:13,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, finding someone, you know. Tim McGraw was going to 1016 00:57:13,160 --> 00:57:16,520 Speaker 2: step up and do it and and then ended up 1017 00:57:16,560 --> 00:57:19,000 Speaker 2: backing out. And so I thought, you know, this is 1018 00:57:19,560 --> 00:57:21,640 Speaker 2: this is just it's just too difficult. 1019 00:57:21,720 --> 00:57:23,760 Speaker 1: And at some and at one point, who cares. I've 1020 00:57:23,760 --> 00:57:27,160 Speaker 1: got a great life and this has been a great experience. Whatever, 1021 00:57:27,440 --> 00:57:27,919 Speaker 1: move on. 1022 00:57:28,240 --> 00:57:32,600 Speaker 2: But Mark she already he is like a pit bull, 1023 00:57:32,840 --> 00:57:35,440 Speaker 2: you know. He just said, man, look, he said, I 1024 00:57:35,440 --> 00:57:41,000 Speaker 2: I have made eighteen great sports movies. 1025 00:57:41,200 --> 00:57:42,760 Speaker 3: Tell those some of the ones he's made. 1026 00:57:43,240 --> 00:57:49,240 Speaker 2: Miracle on Ice, the Rookie, the Rookie Invincible, Uh, Secretariat. 1027 00:57:49,440 --> 00:57:52,280 Speaker 3: Secretariat is a great movie. Yeah, yeah, great movie. 1028 00:57:52,360 --> 00:57:57,360 Speaker 2: Yeah. They were Uh, they were just all great, wonderful movies. 1029 00:57:57,440 --> 00:58:02,400 Speaker 2: And he became my barometer. You Basically, he's very conservative. 1030 00:58:03,000 --> 00:58:06,880 Speaker 2: And he called me up. He said, hey, uh, we 1031 00:58:06,960 --> 00:58:09,880 Speaker 2: got a group that will put up one hundred percent 1032 00:58:09,920 --> 00:58:11,840 Speaker 2: of the money they want to make this movie and 1033 00:58:11,880 --> 00:58:15,520 Speaker 2: then we'll start. Now they've already got a director hired, 1034 00:58:16,120 --> 00:58:21,560 Speaker 2: and so that was wayfairer. And uh, they stepped up 1035 00:58:23,040 --> 00:58:25,800 Speaker 2: and God was in the middle of the whole thing. 1036 00:58:25,920 --> 00:58:30,640 Speaker 2: And it was just because in my contract my attorney 1037 00:58:30,680 --> 00:58:32,840 Speaker 2: told me. I said, look, I want you to uh 1038 00:58:32,960 --> 00:58:35,680 Speaker 2: wayfair sent the contract and he looked at it and 1039 00:58:35,720 --> 00:58:38,200 Speaker 2: he said this is this looks great. And I said, 1040 00:58:38,360 --> 00:58:43,520 Speaker 2: uh okay, John, I want you to add a clause 1041 00:58:44,040 --> 00:58:46,360 Speaker 2: stating that they will not take the Lord's name in 1042 00:58:46,440 --> 00:58:48,840 Speaker 2: vain in this movie and they will not use the 1043 00:58:48,920 --> 00:58:51,600 Speaker 2: name of Jesus in a disrespectful manner. And he said, 1044 00:58:51,600 --> 00:58:53,880 Speaker 2: you're gonna You're gonna blow this. And I said why 1045 00:58:54,720 --> 00:58:58,680 Speaker 2: and he said, this is Hollywood, that's their creative license. 1046 00:58:58,760 --> 00:59:00,640 Speaker 2: And he said you is there not to allow you 1047 00:59:00,720 --> 00:59:03,800 Speaker 2: to take that And I said, well put it in there. 1048 00:59:05,240 --> 00:59:07,520 Speaker 2: He called me up. He said they signed it. He 1049 00:59:07,560 --> 00:59:09,920 Speaker 2: said they signed it exactly as you have it, and 1050 00:59:10,040 --> 00:59:15,280 Speaker 2: so I said okay. And the whole atmosphere of the 1051 00:59:15,480 --> 00:59:17,640 Speaker 2: of the shoot we were there for the fifty two 1052 00:59:17,720 --> 00:59:20,040 Speaker 2: days that they shot the film where they shoot it 1053 00:59:20,280 --> 00:59:23,440 Speaker 2: in the Fort Worth area, Fort Worth and Texas, and 1054 00:59:23,480 --> 00:59:25,960 Speaker 2: it was it was filmed during football season, so there 1055 00:59:26,000 --> 00:59:28,520 Speaker 2: were five different fields that we were having to jockey 1056 00:59:28,880 --> 00:59:30,520 Speaker 2: around depending on It's. 1057 00:59:30,320 --> 00:59:33,160 Speaker 3: An expensive proposition making a football movie. 1058 00:59:33,240 --> 00:59:34,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, And. 1059 00:59:35,200 --> 00:59:39,160 Speaker 1: So tell everybody who plays your character and who directed it? 1060 00:59:39,920 --> 00:59:47,120 Speaker 2: Rod Luriy directed it. Rod Lury was basically the couple 1061 00:59:47,200 --> 00:59:51,320 Speaker 2: of movies that that he had done. The last Outpost 1062 00:59:52,080 --> 00:59:56,080 Speaker 2: about the bloodiest battle in the Afghan War. There were 1063 00:59:56,840 --> 01:00:00,439 Speaker 2: two Americans that received the Congressional Medal of Honor from 1064 01:00:00,440 --> 01:00:05,360 Speaker 2: that battle, and that's hadn't happened in over fifty years. 1065 01:00:05,720 --> 01:00:13,400 Speaker 2: But and then Michael Chickliss played me, and uh was 1066 01:00:13,560 --> 01:00:20,600 Speaker 2: absolutely amazing. Yeah. Mary Stuart Masterson played Eileen. Rob Coudrey 1067 01:00:20,920 --> 01:00:24,360 Speaker 2: played the coach, and he was amazing because he's always 1068 01:00:24,400 --> 01:00:28,760 Speaker 2: played a comedic role and and he brought that kind 1069 01:00:28,760 --> 01:00:33,400 Speaker 2: of comedian background in his facial expressions and the way 1070 01:00:33,440 --> 01:00:34,120 Speaker 2: he would say. 1071 01:00:33,960 --> 01:00:38,959 Speaker 1: Things, which which fits because it is a little incredulous. Yeah, 1072 01:00:39,000 --> 01:00:43,120 Speaker 1: and so it type casts a little Yeah. Are you 1073 01:00:43,160 --> 01:00:43,959 Speaker 1: pleased with the film? 1074 01:00:44,760 --> 01:00:48,320 Speaker 2: I am? I really am. And there were some some 1075 01:00:48,400 --> 01:00:52,760 Speaker 2: things about it that, uh were not accurate. 1076 01:00:53,120 --> 01:00:56,160 Speaker 1: From a standpoint of every movie takes they have to 1077 01:00:56,240 --> 01:00:57,200 Speaker 1: take a little license. 1078 01:00:57,360 --> 01:00:59,440 Speaker 3: Listen, to tell. 1079 01:00:59,240 --> 01:01:04,720 Speaker 1: A life story in two hours and ten minutes, Yeah, 1080 01:01:05,280 --> 01:01:08,720 Speaker 1: it's impossible to do without taking a little artistic license. 1081 01:01:08,760 --> 01:01:10,760 Speaker 3: But as long as the theme is right and. 1082 01:01:11,240 --> 01:01:14,200 Speaker 1: Anytimes frame is right, and yeah, and so I was, 1083 01:01:14,480 --> 01:01:15,960 Speaker 1: I was, people want to know more than can just 1084 01:01:15,960 --> 01:01:17,000 Speaker 1: buy the book and read it. 1085 01:01:17,080 --> 01:01:19,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I was okay. I was okay with it. 1086 01:01:19,560 --> 01:01:26,040 Speaker 2: And so you know Mike, Michael Chicklis and the effort 1087 01:01:26,120 --> 01:01:28,320 Speaker 2: that he put in and here's here was the thing. 1088 01:01:28,360 --> 01:01:32,480 Speaker 2: And you'll see he's I think he's sixty one now 1089 01:01:32,480 --> 01:01:37,040 Speaker 2: he was fifty nine. Wow when he played it. Uh. 1090 01:01:37,080 --> 01:01:42,480 Speaker 2: But the here's what you'll appreciate that I recognized that 1091 01:01:42,760 --> 01:01:48,040 Speaker 2: was to me supreme in what he did was mentoring 1092 01:01:48,480 --> 01:01:52,160 Speaker 2: those young actors. We have some incredible young actors that 1093 01:01:52,640 --> 01:01:55,000 Speaker 2: it's going to show up in this film. People are 1094 01:01:55,000 --> 01:01:58,040 Speaker 2: going to say, oh my gosh, those guys are amazing. 1095 01:01:58,640 --> 01:02:03,800 Speaker 2: And when he wasn't doing his part, he was helping them. 1096 01:02:04,000 --> 01:02:06,960 Speaker 2: They were asking him questions, he was giving them examples 1097 01:02:06,960 --> 01:02:08,920 Speaker 2: of things in the way that should say things, and 1098 01:02:09,600 --> 01:02:11,760 Speaker 2: it made them so much. 1099 01:02:11,600 --> 01:02:15,440 Speaker 3: Better and it created it isn't that ironic. 1100 01:02:15,560 --> 01:02:19,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, it just created an environment that the whole group 1101 01:02:20,320 --> 01:02:22,680 Speaker 2: took on. It was like it was contagious. 1102 01:02:26,480 --> 01:02:40,040 Speaker 3: We'll be right back. So here's the deal. Mike. 1103 01:02:42,640 --> 01:02:47,880 Speaker 1: First of all, what an amazing story. And I'm so 1104 01:02:48,080 --> 01:02:53,880 Speaker 1: glad that people through this film are going to be 1105 01:02:53,920 --> 01:02:56,920 Speaker 1: able to see it. And again, everybody, it's Angel Studios. 1106 01:02:57,000 --> 01:03:01,440 Speaker 1: The senior September nineteenth mirror will be in Franklin, Tennessee, 1107 01:03:01,520 --> 01:03:04,720 Speaker 1: and then you can go to Angel Studios once everything's 1108 01:03:04,760 --> 01:03:09,040 Speaker 1: out and watch the movie of Mike's Increase will. 1109 01:03:08,960 --> 01:03:11,520 Speaker 3: In theaters across the country. How many theaters, Mike? 1110 01:03:12,240 --> 01:03:13,120 Speaker 2: About two thousand? 1111 01:03:13,360 --> 01:03:14,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, about two thousand. 1112 01:03:14,320 --> 01:03:17,440 Speaker 2: I mean I went in. The premiere is in Bedford, 1113 01:03:17,680 --> 01:03:20,200 Speaker 2: between for Dallas. 1114 01:03:20,280 --> 01:03:21,360 Speaker 3: I thought it was in Franklin. 1115 01:03:21,400 --> 01:03:25,880 Speaker 2: It's it's in Bedford. The eighth of September is the premiere. 1116 01:03:26,000 --> 01:03:27,280 Speaker 2: The release is the nineteen. 1117 01:03:27,360 --> 01:03:30,640 Speaker 1: The release is nineteen. Thanks for clearing that and all 1118 01:03:30,680 --> 01:03:34,120 Speaker 1: of that's cool. And I love telling your story and 1119 01:03:34,160 --> 01:03:37,880 Speaker 1: I love meeting you because we're football freaks. And the 1120 01:03:37,960 --> 01:03:41,240 Speaker 1: other reason is is because I remember the story and 1121 01:03:41,440 --> 01:03:46,880 Speaker 1: to come full circle and I bet you. But as 1122 01:03:46,880 --> 01:03:49,320 Speaker 1: it pertains to an army in normal folks, as it 1123 01:03:49,360 --> 01:03:53,160 Speaker 1: attains to the work that Alex is trying to do 1124 01:03:53,320 --> 01:03:56,000 Speaker 1: and the inspiration that we're doing, and certainly there's a 1125 01:03:56,040 --> 01:04:00,920 Speaker 1: ton of inspiration in your story. But I want to 1126 01:04:01,280 --> 01:04:04,760 Speaker 1: I want to sign off with giving you an opportunity 1127 01:04:04,880 --> 01:04:08,320 Speaker 1: to speak to our audience about this It's never too late. 1128 01:04:09,840 --> 01:04:12,600 Speaker 3: Maybe one thing too. I don't think we covered it. Uh, 1129 01:04:13,640 --> 01:04:15,400 Speaker 3: I mean, none of this is almost happening. You almost 1130 01:04:15,480 --> 01:04:17,000 Speaker 3: ended your life at one point too. 1131 01:04:18,200 --> 01:04:21,680 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well that was my uh that was my 1132 01:04:21,760 --> 01:04:22,800 Speaker 2: salvation story. 1133 01:04:23,160 --> 01:04:26,919 Speaker 3: And well that also fits with it's never too late. 1134 01:04:27,080 --> 01:04:32,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, so tell us about that and encourage our listeners 1135 01:04:32,720 --> 01:04:34,720 Speaker 1: to understand it really is never too late. 1136 01:04:34,960 --> 01:04:40,840 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it's it's it's so true. And I had 1137 01:04:41,280 --> 01:04:44,480 Speaker 2: in my relationship with Eileen. We'd been married ten years, 1138 01:04:45,160 --> 01:04:49,720 Speaker 2: we had our two oldest children, and I had been 1139 01:04:49,840 --> 01:04:54,760 Speaker 2: patient with her in she wanted to go to church. 1140 01:04:54,960 --> 01:04:58,720 Speaker 2: I'd go to church, she wanted to pray, we'd pray. 1141 01:05:00,200 --> 01:05:03,240 Speaker 2: I was so proud. I didn't feel like I need 1142 01:05:03,240 --> 01:05:07,560 Speaker 2: anybody dying for me, and you know I would. I 1143 01:05:07,600 --> 01:05:11,360 Speaker 2: would go through the motions because that was what she 1144 01:05:11,480 --> 01:05:15,640 Speaker 2: required of me. I had no personal relationship with Christ, 1145 01:05:16,440 --> 01:05:20,880 Speaker 2: and God knocked me to my knees. We'd been married, 1146 01:05:20,880 --> 01:05:26,680 Speaker 2: I was thirty four years old, and I'd been drinking 1147 01:05:26,920 --> 01:05:34,000 Speaker 2: a lot, and some financial things that happened, and I 1148 01:05:34,080 --> 01:05:36,560 Speaker 2: just told Aileen one Monday. We lived on a golf 1149 01:05:36,600 --> 01:05:40,720 Speaker 2: course in Austin, and the golf course was closed, and 1150 01:05:40,800 --> 01:05:42,080 Speaker 2: I told her, I said, you know, I think the 1151 01:05:42,120 --> 01:05:44,720 Speaker 2: easiest thing for me to do is get my pistol 1152 01:05:44,760 --> 01:05:46,560 Speaker 2: and go in that closet and just get this over. 1153 01:05:48,160 --> 01:05:52,520 Speaker 2: And with my violent past, it scared her and she 1154 01:05:52,760 --> 01:05:56,760 Speaker 2: just dropped everything, grabbed me by the hand. She said, 1155 01:05:56,800 --> 01:05:59,560 Speaker 2: come on with me, and we went out on that 1156 01:05:59,560 --> 01:06:05,920 Speaker 2: golf course and we walked, and I never realized the 1157 01:06:05,920 --> 01:06:11,280 Speaker 2: depth of her relationship with the Lord. She just started 1158 01:06:11,360 --> 01:06:14,400 Speaker 2: quoting scripture to me. She started explaining to me about 1159 01:06:14,640 --> 01:06:17,520 Speaker 2: her relationship with Christ and what mine should be and 1160 01:06:17,560 --> 01:06:21,800 Speaker 2: what it could be. And she kept loving on me, 1161 01:06:21,880 --> 01:06:25,200 Speaker 2: and she kept holding me, and she kept talking to me, 1162 01:06:25,280 --> 01:06:30,640 Speaker 2: and somehow I just knew. I knew that things were 1163 01:06:30,680 --> 01:06:33,600 Speaker 2: going to be okay. I didn't know how, but I 1164 01:06:33,640 --> 01:06:35,479 Speaker 2: just knew they were. And then I realized I didn't 1165 01:06:35,520 --> 01:06:40,600 Speaker 2: know anything about God. I knew nothing. I'd never read 1166 01:06:40,600 --> 01:06:43,880 Speaker 2: the Bible, and I started trying to read my Bible 1167 01:06:44,040 --> 01:06:46,439 Speaker 2: is like eating dry cereal, and I'd read the page 1168 01:06:46,480 --> 01:06:47,880 Speaker 2: and I won't even know what I read. You know, 1169 01:06:47,920 --> 01:06:51,080 Speaker 2: I think, oh my gosh. And Ian had bought a 1170 01:06:51,440 --> 01:06:55,880 Speaker 2: sixteen volume set of children's Bible stories for our kids. 1171 01:06:55,920 --> 01:06:59,080 Speaker 2: And had pictures and all this stuff. I took one 1172 01:06:59,280 --> 01:07:01,480 Speaker 2: down and started reading it and had all the pictures 1173 01:07:01,480 --> 01:07:05,720 Speaker 2: and everything. Yeah, and I got it, and I read 1174 01:07:05,720 --> 01:07:08,880 Speaker 2: the whole sixteen I read all sixteen volumes of it, 1175 01:07:09,240 --> 01:07:13,120 Speaker 2: and then I went back to my Bible and it 1176 01:07:13,200 --> 01:07:16,240 Speaker 2: made sense to me. I got it, and I made 1177 01:07:16,240 --> 01:07:20,240 Speaker 2: a profession of faith in Christ. And I was on 1178 01:07:20,280 --> 01:07:24,600 Speaker 2: the Joni Show in two thousand and nine and she 1179 01:07:24,880 --> 01:07:28,440 Speaker 2: asked me about my relationship with the Lord, and I 1180 01:07:28,480 --> 01:07:34,720 Speaker 2: told that story. Well, a couple of years later, I'm 1181 01:07:34,720 --> 01:07:39,080 Speaker 2: in Franklin, Tennessee, in a cafe in downtown Franklin. I'm 1182 01:07:39,120 --> 01:07:41,280 Speaker 2: there with some guys from church and we're in a meeting. 1183 01:07:41,400 --> 01:07:45,600 Speaker 2: We're talking and this guy walks up and I can 1184 01:07:45,640 --> 01:07:49,640 Speaker 2: tell peripheral vision that he's looking at me. And this 1185 01:07:49,720 --> 01:07:52,320 Speaker 2: is just part of my past. I know stuff like that. 1186 01:07:52,480 --> 01:07:55,880 Speaker 2: I don't miss any of that, and so I know 1187 01:07:56,040 --> 01:07:57,840 Speaker 2: that this guy. I'm thinking, this guy's looking at me, 1188 01:07:58,200 --> 01:08:00,640 Speaker 2: and I'm thinking he's recognized me from church, and he's 1189 01:08:00,680 --> 01:08:03,080 Speaker 2: not sure and everything. So finally I looked over at 1190 01:08:03,160 --> 01:08:07,040 Speaker 2: him and smiled at him, and he said, or you, 1191 01:08:07,200 --> 01:08:11,640 Speaker 2: Mike Flint, And I said I am And he walked 1192 01:08:11,640 --> 01:08:15,080 Speaker 2: over to me and he was shaken and he said, 1193 01:08:15,120 --> 01:08:19,160 Speaker 2: I cannot believe that I am meeting you. He said, 1194 01:08:19,200 --> 01:08:22,400 Speaker 2: I can't believe this. He said, I just moved here 1195 01:08:22,439 --> 01:08:25,640 Speaker 2: from San Diego, and he said, I've only been here 1196 01:08:25,680 --> 01:08:29,280 Speaker 2: a couple of weeks. But he said, a couple of 1197 01:08:29,360 --> 01:08:33,919 Speaker 2: years ago, I had put a hose in the exhaust 1198 01:08:33,960 --> 01:08:38,280 Speaker 2: pipe of my car and had it in the window 1199 01:08:38,800 --> 01:08:41,800 Speaker 2: of my car, and I was getting ready to end 1200 01:08:41,800 --> 01:08:45,760 Speaker 2: my life. And I walked back in the garage, out 1201 01:08:45,760 --> 01:08:48,519 Speaker 2: of the garage into my kitchen and my TV was 1202 01:08:48,560 --> 01:08:54,679 Speaker 2: on and you were on a show talking and he said, 1203 01:08:55,000 --> 01:08:57,800 Speaker 2: I think it was The Joney Show and I said yeah. 1204 01:08:58,439 --> 01:09:02,320 Speaker 2: And he said you told about you were getting ready 1205 01:09:02,320 --> 01:09:04,679 Speaker 2: to commit suicide and you gave your life to Christ. 1206 01:09:05,240 --> 01:09:07,599 Speaker 2: And he said. I just laid down on the floor 1207 01:09:07,760 --> 01:09:09,400 Speaker 2: and I said, God, if you do it for Mike, 1208 01:09:10,479 --> 01:09:12,360 Speaker 2: you do it for me. And he said, I just 1209 01:09:12,400 --> 01:09:16,240 Speaker 2: wanted you to know that you played a part in 1210 01:09:16,320 --> 01:09:24,720 Speaker 2: saving my life. I was overwhelmed by God in his 1211 01:09:24,880 --> 01:09:28,479 Speaker 2: mercy showing me that sending that man into my life. 1212 01:09:29,080 --> 01:09:36,120 Speaker 2: And forever from that point forward, I tell people, listen, 1213 01:09:36,200 --> 01:09:40,360 Speaker 2: if you're in pain, don't be ashamed to share that. 1214 01:09:40,680 --> 01:09:43,639 Speaker 2: You have no idea how that might help or touch 1215 01:09:43,720 --> 01:09:47,439 Speaker 2: somebody else's life. The little things that you may not 1216 01:09:47,600 --> 01:09:51,880 Speaker 2: think are important, that you may be ashamed of, but 1217 01:09:52,200 --> 01:09:54,880 Speaker 2: you share those, and if your motive is to do 1218 01:09:55,000 --> 01:09:57,640 Speaker 2: that is to help, then you have no idea how 1219 01:09:57,640 --> 01:10:00,599 Speaker 2: it might touch somebody else's life. Me share the fact 1220 01:10:00,640 --> 01:10:05,160 Speaker 2: that I was getting ready to commit suicide, but God, 1221 01:10:05,200 --> 01:10:07,280 Speaker 2: in his mercy saved me. I said that man in 1222 01:10:07,320 --> 01:10:12,200 Speaker 2: California heard that, and then God, in his mercy send 1223 01:10:12,280 --> 01:10:15,240 Speaker 2: him to Franklin to share that with me. 1224 01:10:15,479 --> 01:10:17,559 Speaker 1: And the irony is you'd have never been on the 1225 01:10:17,640 --> 01:10:20,599 Speaker 1: Joni Show had you never come full circle with your 1226 01:10:20,600 --> 01:10:25,080 Speaker 1: own pain about your last year in f Obama experience. 1227 01:10:26,120 --> 01:10:29,400 Speaker 1: If you don't think there's a plan, yeah, absolutely, Lawyer, 1228 01:10:29,439 --> 01:10:34,320 Speaker 1: you're missing it. Yeah, all right, finish us inspire our listeners. 1229 01:10:34,680 --> 01:10:35,679 Speaker 3: It's never too late. 1230 01:10:35,880 --> 01:10:39,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's it's really it is. It's never too late. 1231 01:10:39,720 --> 01:10:42,960 Speaker 2: And what I said earlier about changing the meaning of 1232 01:10:43,000 --> 01:10:45,800 Speaker 2: your past is that's something that you can do. And 1233 01:10:46,240 --> 01:10:50,120 Speaker 2: you know, Coach, they've heard you talk about character. You 1234 01:10:50,160 --> 01:10:53,920 Speaker 2: know so much in it that you know. I tell 1235 01:10:53,960 --> 01:10:57,120 Speaker 2: people all the time that a reflection of our characters 1236 01:10:57,120 --> 01:11:03,280 Speaker 2: are attitude, and our attitud about things that using God's word. 1237 01:11:03,800 --> 01:11:09,200 Speaker 2: Throughout God's word, he tells us you know, And for 1238 01:11:09,360 --> 01:11:12,880 Speaker 2: Samuel he talks about you know. God let none of 1239 01:11:12,880 --> 01:11:16,559 Speaker 2: Samuel's words fall to the ground, because God was given 1240 01:11:16,640 --> 01:11:18,800 Speaker 2: Samuel the words that he needed to say. He gives 1241 01:11:18,880 --> 01:11:21,320 Speaker 2: us the words that we needed to say. And when 1242 01:11:21,360 --> 01:11:25,719 Speaker 2: we speak out loud, when whenever you're trying to deal 1243 01:11:25,920 --> 01:11:30,880 Speaker 2: with something from your past, then you start speaking out 1244 01:11:30,920 --> 01:11:36,200 Speaker 2: loud because no voice has the impact on your brain 1245 01:11:36,920 --> 01:11:44,800 Speaker 2: that your own voice does. And whenever you speak positive, uplifting, encouraging, 1246 01:11:45,000 --> 01:11:50,879 Speaker 2: forgiving amazing, incredible things, predictions and plans about the future 1247 01:11:50,920 --> 01:11:53,680 Speaker 2: and all that you're going to do to overcome the 1248 01:11:53,680 --> 01:11:57,240 Speaker 2: thing is in the past, you speak it out loud. 1249 01:11:57,880 --> 01:12:01,679 Speaker 2: Your brain receives it differently than anything else that hears 1250 01:12:01,720 --> 01:12:04,439 Speaker 2: from anyone else. And that's why I tell young people 1251 01:12:04,479 --> 01:12:07,799 Speaker 2: that old nursery, rhyme, sticks and stones will break my bones, 1252 01:12:07,840 --> 01:12:10,160 Speaker 2: but words will never hurt me. Is a lie straight 1253 01:12:10,160 --> 01:12:14,479 Speaker 2: out of hell. Words are powerful. You use God's words, 1254 01:12:15,080 --> 01:12:20,960 Speaker 2: and Paul talks about in Philippians nineteen times he mentioned 1255 01:12:20,960 --> 01:12:27,080 Speaker 2: as Joy Joy's a choice. Choice is attitude. Attitude. Listen, 1256 01:12:27,200 --> 01:12:33,799 Speaker 2: Attitude is I call attitude your superpower. Attitude. Stanford University 1257 01:12:33,880 --> 01:12:37,760 Speaker 2: did a study in the impact that positive attitude had 1258 01:12:37,840 --> 01:12:41,519 Speaker 2: on success in businesses, and they across the board, they 1259 01:12:41,560 --> 01:12:43,680 Speaker 2: looked at hundreds of businesses. They came back and they 1260 01:12:43,720 --> 01:12:48,559 Speaker 2: said eighty six percent of businesses that succeeded attributed their 1261 01:12:48,600 --> 01:12:52,519 Speaker 2: success to a positive mental attitude. And they said, here's 1262 01:12:52,560 --> 01:12:55,280 Speaker 2: the thing. The attitude is the only area of your 1263 01:12:55,320 --> 01:13:00,080 Speaker 2: life where you're in one hundred percent control, okay, one 1264 01:13:00,160 --> 01:13:04,280 Speaker 2: hundred percent control of your attitude. You start speaking positive 1265 01:13:04,280 --> 01:13:07,439 Speaker 2: things when you're dealing with regret, when you're dealing with 1266 01:13:07,520 --> 01:13:10,839 Speaker 2: something that you can't change in the past, you start 1267 01:13:10,920 --> 01:13:16,560 Speaker 2: talking about things that you can do now to substitute 1268 01:13:17,200 --> 01:13:19,760 Speaker 2: for those regrets in the past and those dreams that 1269 01:13:20,800 --> 01:13:24,840 Speaker 2: haven't happened yet. It's all it's been eighteen years since 1270 01:13:24,880 --> 01:13:28,880 Speaker 2: I went back to play, eighteen years the movie's coming 1271 01:13:28,920 --> 01:13:33,040 Speaker 2: out now. I haven't given up. I haven't quit. I 1272 01:13:33,080 --> 01:13:35,519 Speaker 2: hadn't said, you know, well, it's never going to happen. 1273 01:13:36,600 --> 01:13:39,519 Speaker 2: I've been real about it, but I've never given up 1274 01:13:39,560 --> 01:13:43,320 Speaker 2: on it. And so you can't do that. You've got 1275 01:13:43,320 --> 01:13:48,960 Speaker 2: to take advantage of the positive words that you can 1276 01:13:49,000 --> 01:13:52,280 Speaker 2: get from God's word to speak into your own life 1277 01:13:52,840 --> 01:13:55,920 Speaker 2: and speak out loud. Get back here. The great thing 1278 01:13:55,960 --> 01:13:59,200 Speaker 2: about today's world. You can put a couple of earbuds 1279 01:13:59,240 --> 01:14:01,080 Speaker 2: in and have your own in your hand, and you 1280 01:14:01,120 --> 01:14:03,240 Speaker 2: walk around talking to yourself and everybody thinks you're on 1281 01:14:03,280 --> 01:14:07,960 Speaker 2: the phone. They don't think you're crazy. But you talk 1282 01:14:08,080 --> 01:14:13,240 Speaker 2: to yourself, and you talk to yourself like you are 1283 01:14:13,320 --> 01:14:17,720 Speaker 2: the important person that you are. And I can tell 1284 01:14:17,720 --> 01:14:21,040 Speaker 2: you right now that it works, and uh, that it's 1285 01:14:21,040 --> 01:14:24,599 Speaker 2: something that it's one of those things that you know. 1286 01:14:24,680 --> 01:14:29,679 Speaker 2: I call it the the day you know our character. 1287 01:14:31,640 --> 01:14:34,320 Speaker 2: In my opinion, our our character is like a muscle. 1288 01:14:35,040 --> 01:14:37,719 Speaker 2: If you don't if you don't exercise a muscle within 1289 01:14:37,800 --> 01:14:42,040 Speaker 2: seventy two hours, it starts to atrophy, it starts to 1290 01:14:42,080 --> 01:14:45,360 Speaker 2: lose strength and size. Same way with our character. Well, 1291 01:14:45,360 --> 01:14:48,160 Speaker 2: how do you see, character is a private thing. It's 1292 01:14:48,200 --> 01:14:51,040 Speaker 2: that character, Your character is a private thing. And so 1293 01:14:51,560 --> 01:14:54,240 Speaker 2: what you do in private, the things that you say 1294 01:14:54,280 --> 01:14:58,720 Speaker 2: in private, those yeah things you think, yeah, as a 1295 01:14:58,720 --> 01:15:01,759 Speaker 2: man thinks in his heart. So so it's those things 1296 01:15:01,760 --> 01:15:06,000 Speaker 2: that you do in private that develop your attitude and 1297 01:15:06,000 --> 01:15:08,960 Speaker 2: your attitude is a reflection of your character. And so 1298 01:15:11,400 --> 01:15:13,559 Speaker 2: for you guys out there, women, not so much. For 1299 01:15:13,600 --> 01:15:16,360 Speaker 2: you guys listening to this, I call it being good 1300 01:15:16,880 --> 01:15:21,400 Speaker 2: versus being great because when you make the choice, and 1301 01:15:21,439 --> 01:15:23,519 Speaker 2: he'll do it a thousand times a day or more, 1302 01:15:24,320 --> 01:15:28,000 Speaker 2: I'm okay, I'm gonna be good. I'm gonna do this. 1303 01:15:28,200 --> 01:15:29,840 Speaker 2: I'm gonna be a good husband, I'm going to be 1304 01:15:29,840 --> 01:15:33,240 Speaker 2: a good father, I'm gonna be a good brother, I'm 1305 01:15:33,240 --> 01:15:36,600 Speaker 2: going to be a good employee. When you make the 1306 01:15:36,720 --> 01:15:41,679 Speaker 2: choice to be great, because good is everybody, that's ninety 1307 01:15:41,680 --> 01:15:43,760 Speaker 2: five percent of the people out there. But when you 1308 01:15:43,800 --> 01:15:47,720 Speaker 2: make that choice and it's individual, there's no standard that 1309 01:15:47,760 --> 01:15:51,639 Speaker 2: you're measured to. It's strictly it's strictly you when you 1310 01:15:51,720 --> 01:15:57,400 Speaker 2: say I'm gonna be great. Okay, adversity, Now, adversity is 1311 01:15:57,439 --> 01:16:01,200 Speaker 2: in there between good and great, and when you overcome 1312 01:16:01,240 --> 01:16:06,760 Speaker 2: that adversity in that choice to be good. Maybe it's 1313 01:16:06,800 --> 01:16:08,600 Speaker 2: something that your wife has asked you to do and 1314 01:16:08,600 --> 01:16:10,599 Speaker 2: you don't feel like it's necessary that you do it, 1315 01:16:11,040 --> 01:16:12,920 Speaker 2: and you're walking away and all of a sudden, you think, 1316 01:16:12,960 --> 01:16:16,320 Speaker 2: you know what it's important to her, I'm gonna go 1317 01:16:16,360 --> 01:16:18,599 Speaker 2: do that. I'm gonna be great. I'm gonna be great. 1318 01:16:18,680 --> 01:16:22,320 Speaker 2: It's little things like that. And for men, it's pride. 1319 01:16:22,920 --> 01:16:25,840 Speaker 2: You'll deal with your pride a thousand times. You choose 1320 01:16:25,920 --> 01:16:28,800 Speaker 2: to be great, you put that pride aside, and here's 1321 01:16:28,960 --> 01:16:33,680 Speaker 2: it has a cumulative effect. It starts. It's like the 1322 01:16:33,760 --> 01:16:36,800 Speaker 2: Navy seal that spoke to the University of Texas. You know, 1323 01:16:36,960 --> 01:16:39,519 Speaker 2: over a decade ago, he said, make your bed, get 1324 01:16:39,600 --> 01:16:41,800 Speaker 2: up and make your bed. It was one positive thing 1325 01:16:41,840 --> 01:16:46,400 Speaker 2: that they did that started their day, that built momentum. 1326 01:16:46,479 --> 01:16:49,240 Speaker 2: Whenever you're making that choice to be great, you're building 1327 01:16:49,320 --> 01:16:53,879 Speaker 2: momentum in your life towards accomplishing your dreams and your goals. 1328 01:16:54,000 --> 01:16:57,680 Speaker 2: And the thing about it is it's controlled adversity that 1329 01:16:57,760 --> 01:17:01,520 Speaker 2: you're putting in your life. When that un controlled adversity 1330 01:17:01,560 --> 01:17:04,080 Speaker 2: comes against you, you're better able to deal with it 1331 01:17:04,160 --> 01:17:07,400 Speaker 2: because you've been overcoming the controlled adversity. That's what we 1332 01:17:07,479 --> 01:17:10,960 Speaker 2: do in practice with footballs. Whatever a great athlete does 1333 01:17:11,320 --> 01:17:14,120 Speaker 2: is he goes to that controlled adversity so that at 1334 01:17:14,160 --> 01:17:17,000 Speaker 2: that point in time when he needs it, he can 1335 01:17:17,120 --> 01:17:21,800 Speaker 2: overcome that uncontrolled adversity. So don't give up, don't quit. 1336 01:17:23,560 --> 01:17:27,639 Speaker 2: There's always something that you can do moving forward. 1337 01:17:28,560 --> 01:17:31,719 Speaker 1: From a guy who decided at fifty nine years old 1338 01:17:31,800 --> 01:17:37,479 Speaker 1: he could play college football, I think we could sit 1339 01:17:37,560 --> 01:17:39,320 Speaker 1: and listen to that kind of stuff all day long. 1340 01:17:39,640 --> 01:17:44,880 Speaker 1: Get his book, watch the film The Senior. Mike fun 1341 01:17:45,360 --> 01:17:48,120 Speaker 1: an incredible dude and a great story. 1342 01:17:48,160 --> 01:17:50,640 Speaker 3: And I really appreciate you driving down here. Share your 1343 01:17:50,680 --> 01:17:52,400 Speaker 3: story with the ceramorphis well. 1344 01:17:52,600 --> 01:17:56,320 Speaker 2: Bill, It's been my honor pleasure, and I appreciate you 1345 01:17:56,360 --> 01:17:56,760 Speaker 2: having me. 1346 01:17:57,040 --> 01:18:02,679 Speaker 1: Thank you, and thank you for joining us this week. 1347 01:18:03,160 --> 01:18:06,639 Speaker 1: If Mike Flint has inspired you in general, or better yet, 1348 01:18:06,720 --> 01:18:11,640 Speaker 1: to take action by writing your own redemption story, adopting 1349 01:18:11,680 --> 01:18:15,200 Speaker 1: the mantra that you know what, it's never too late, 1350 01:18:15,880 --> 01:18:18,559 Speaker 1: by going to see The Senior in theaters, or something 1351 01:18:18,560 --> 01:18:20,599 Speaker 1: else entirely, please let me know. 1352 01:18:21,160 --> 01:18:22,320 Speaker 3: I'd love to hear about it. 1353 01:18:22,400 --> 01:18:26,320 Speaker 1: You can write me anytime at Bill at normalfolks dot 1354 01:18:26,400 --> 01:18:30,000 Speaker 1: us and I will respond. If you enjoyed this episode, 1355 01:18:30,040 --> 01:18:32,760 Speaker 1: please share it with friends and on social subscribe to 1356 01:18:32,840 --> 01:18:36,400 Speaker 1: the podcast, rate it, review it, join the army at 1357 01:18:36,400 --> 01:18:39,360 Speaker 1: normalfolks dot us, any and all of these things that 1358 01:18:39,360 --> 01:18:42,760 Speaker 1: will help us grow an army of normal folks. I'm 1359 01:18:42,800 --> 01:19:03,120 Speaker 1: Bill Courtney. Until next time, do what you can