WEBVTT - Javon Hargrave: Choosing the 49ers was ‘an Easy Decision’ | Press Pass

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, Dyvann Nick Nick Wagner from ESPN here, can you

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<v Speaker 1>just kind of take us through what your process was

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<v Speaker 1>like going into Monday morning and you know when you

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<v Speaker 1>kind of first heard from people at the Niners organization

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<v Speaker 1>and kind of recruitment tactics anything like that, it was

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<v Speaker 1>pretty easy. I mean Monday, I would do with my

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<v Speaker 1>normal routine, went to workout, get my mind off of it.

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<v Speaker 1>But when I got that phone call for the Point

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<v Speaker 1>in nine US and just you know, hearing them talk

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<v Speaker 1>about how much they wanted me, it really was a

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<v Speaker 1>quick decision. Javon, Welcome to the Four Nighters. What is

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<v Speaker 1>it about the Four Nighters that made it so attractive

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<v Speaker 1>a landing spot for you? I mean I knew, uh,

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<v Speaker 1>they've been playing in um, they've been in a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of big games. For me, I just love playing in

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<v Speaker 1>primetime games or big games. That's something that it's just

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<v Speaker 1>it's just a great feeling when being in the NFL

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to play in some of them beat moments,

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<v Speaker 1>when you have, you know, going to freatus and you've

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<v Speaker 1>got a great team that uh that won't you. I

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<v Speaker 1>feel like it's it's not really a hard decision to mate,

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<v Speaker 1>because I mean that's how you lacking football is winning

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<v Speaker 1>and getting paid. Hey, welcome and it is jay Von.

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<v Speaker 1>Is that right? Yes? Yes, okay, get that right. Um,

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<v Speaker 1>you are coming from a historically kind of dominant defensive

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<v Speaker 1>line and pass rush. How do you see the Niners

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<v Speaker 1>kind of I don't know comparing to what you just

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<v Speaker 1>came from. But um, I don't know. Does it feel like,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, with the addition of you along with what's

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<v Speaker 1>already there, Um, it could be similar to what you

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<v Speaker 1>had in Philadelphia last year? Yeah, I just do. Leaving Philly,

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<v Speaker 1>I was fortunate enough to play with a bunch of

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<v Speaker 1>dogs and just you know, seeing the forty nine ers

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<v Speaker 1>last year when we played them in the championship game.

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<v Speaker 1>We've seen how many dollars they had over there. So

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<v Speaker 1>it really was shocking to me that they called me

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<v Speaker 1>and asked me to come over here, because you know,

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<v Speaker 1>a team like that don't really pay somebody like me

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<v Speaker 1>to come over here. So I was just you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I was just happy to be a part, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>be a part of all these dolls over here. I say,

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<v Speaker 1>they got a lot of talent too, and it's you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just easier transition when you say, called somebody like you

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<v Speaker 1>just because it looked like they had maybe they had

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<v Speaker 1>enough people already on their defensive one. Yeah, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>they had a lot of talent um and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>being you know, coming out and wanting to be paid.

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<v Speaker 1>You just don't see a lot of winning teams like

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<v Speaker 1>this organization come out come out to me like that. Hey,

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<v Speaker 1>Javon Um, I'm just wondering how you think the forty

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<v Speaker 1>nine ers compare um stylistically, philosophically with Philadelphia in terms

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<v Speaker 1>of the past rush. I mean, is the learning curve

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<v Speaker 1>gonna be big? What are the differences between how they

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<v Speaker 1>how they played the defensive line there and here? Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I haven't really learned too much about their scheme, but

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<v Speaker 1>just from here, from you know, all the players, and

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<v Speaker 1>they do a lot of similar things that we did. Um,

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<v Speaker 1>I think they big things just being disruptive in the

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<v Speaker 1>run game in the past game. I think they know

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<v Speaker 1>the trenches. The trenches is where you started. So I just, um,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, try to put my head down, now get

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<v Speaker 1>the working, try to learn the new scheme. All right,

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<v Speaker 1>Javon Uh, you talk about being able to play with

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<v Speaker 1>that talent in Philadelphia, how excited. Are you to play

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<v Speaker 1>next to Nick Bosa? And have you talked to Chris

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<v Speaker 1>Kaserak and you defensive line coach yet? Oh? Yeah, I

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<v Speaker 1>talk to him. I talked to him to day, I

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<v Speaker 1>met him today. But the defensive player of the year,

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<v Speaker 1>so make it it free up everybody else in the

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<v Speaker 1>will free me up a lot. Um. So of course

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<v Speaker 1>it's just you know, um ready to be around the

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<v Speaker 1>guys and just learn how they play the game and

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<v Speaker 1>just try to pick Dave brains a little bit. They

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<v Speaker 1>can help me be a better player too, Jay Van,

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<v Speaker 1>if you had an opportunity to talk with Nick Bostar

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<v Speaker 1>or Eric Armstead or anybody else on the line, Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>they introduced themselves and welcome me in. Um. I think

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<v Speaker 1>the first day I signed UM, they both hit me

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<v Speaker 1>up and kind of congratulated me and told me they

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<v Speaker 1>couldn't wait to be a part of this. I know

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<v Speaker 1>you're kind of like an old man now in the NFL,

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<v Speaker 1>but um, you're new to us. Can you just talk

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit about your background and ye know how

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<v Speaker 1>you got the South Carolina state and you know, did

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<v Speaker 1>you ever envision the career you've had? Basically, Um, you

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<v Speaker 1>know coming out of high school. UM, South Carolina State

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<v Speaker 1>was my only offer, UM, and wasn't no five star

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<v Speaker 1>nothing like that. I was a zero star and just

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<v Speaker 1>kind of from that day, I just kind of wore

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<v Speaker 1>that chip on my shoulder just to put my head

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<v Speaker 1>down at work. And my only goal was when I

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<v Speaker 1>was at South Carolina State was just to get drafted

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<v Speaker 1>in the NFL. UM. Of course I envisioned that I

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<v Speaker 1>could play to this level, but it still feels so

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<v Speaker 1>surreal to be them just seeing how far my career

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<v Speaker 1>then came man really UM, just praying that I M

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<v Speaker 1>well just ready to get to work to see how

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<v Speaker 1>far I can take it to the next level. So,

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<v Speaker 1>like I said, I just ready to put my head

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<v Speaker 1>down and see how much better I can be. You

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<v Speaker 1>mentioned that you were kind of surprised when you when

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<v Speaker 1>you heard from the forty nine ers. Did did somebody

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<v Speaker 1>call you directly or was that was that through your agent?

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<v Speaker 1>And if so, who called you and what what did

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<v Speaker 1>they have to say? Now it was really through my agent.

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<v Speaker 1>My agent just telling me that they really interested in me.

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<v Speaker 1>But like I said, I couldn't believe it myself. I

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<v Speaker 1>really couldn't. UM. Like I said, when you sometimes when

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<v Speaker 1>you're trying to go get the money, you have to

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<v Speaker 1>go to a team that's in a rebuild mode. But

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<v Speaker 1>you can got a chance to go to a team

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<v Speaker 1>that was just in an NFC championship. It's fight, that's

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<v Speaker 1>that's that's kind of an easy choice for me. So

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<v Speaker 1>I was real happy about it. It really it really

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<v Speaker 1>made me happy because I was really nervous about free agency,

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<v Speaker 1>um on where I was gonna have to go. But

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<v Speaker 1>I felt like this was a perfect situation for me.

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<v Speaker 1>Your your speed and your your quickness, jump out your

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<v Speaker 1>your four point nine three back in uh twenty sixteen.

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<v Speaker 1>What how do you account for that? I mean, what's

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<v Speaker 1>your background? Did you? Did you run track um as

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<v Speaker 1>a kid or play basketball or play running back or

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<v Speaker 1>anything like that growing up? Yeah, I was. I was

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<v Speaker 1>the man in basketball. That was my first love. And

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<v Speaker 1>I also play running back in my younger ages, and

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<v Speaker 1>I always was trying to race all the small kids,

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<v Speaker 1>all the little people, and most of the time I

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<v Speaker 1>could beat them. So I think I just always felt

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<v Speaker 1>like I was one of the small guys when I

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<v Speaker 1>was out there on the field. But I don't know,

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<v Speaker 1>I've just been blessed too at the same time, just

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to do what I do and Javan

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<v Speaker 1>there are a lot of guys who have been on

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<v Speaker 1>other teams that come to the Niners and work with

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<v Speaker 1>the defensive line and enjoy the fact that there's less

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<v Speaker 1>thinking and just going to get the quarterback. Is that

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<v Speaker 1>something that you've kind of seen from the fort Nunners

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<v Speaker 1>and maybe something that you look forward to. Yeah, I

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<v Speaker 1>heard about it, even my own my old D line coach.

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<v Speaker 1>We watched the forty nine ers. Um we watched the

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<v Speaker 1>point in Hinas D line a lot because that's the

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<v Speaker 1>way you want to play, just violent him up field,

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<v Speaker 1>so you know, it's like the D line train, just

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<v Speaker 1>to be able to just go relentless and disrupt, disrupt everything.

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<v Speaker 1>So that was a big thing with me coming to

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<v Speaker 1>just knowing that I can be part of that, just

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<v Speaker 1>being more disruptive than I being. And I heard the

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<v Speaker 1>defensive line coach is a great coach, So it was

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<v Speaker 1>just being able to take my game to another level.

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<v Speaker 1>You mentioned being nervous about potentially where you might land

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<v Speaker 1>in this process. Did you have teams that maybe came

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<v Speaker 1>in over the top that even had potentially bigger offers

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<v Speaker 1>but it was a matter of you know, wanting to

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<v Speaker 1>be in a situation where you could win and secure

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<v Speaker 1>that money. Yeah, it was a few teams, really it was.

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<v Speaker 1>It was a few teams. But like I said, I

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<v Speaker 1>feel like this was the best opportunity and the many

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<v Speaker 1>teams that's going to the NFC Championship Game and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>just praying that we can I can get a chance

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<v Speaker 1>to get back to that big dance. I feel like

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<v Speaker 1>this was the best opportunit and need for me to

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<v Speaker 1>have a chance to get back there. We'll go to

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<v Speaker 1>last one brand. You are known for your ability, just

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<v Speaker 1>your strength and be able to bull rush people. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>kind of a stupid question, but has that always been there? Um?

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<v Speaker 1>Is that something you've developed throughout throughout your career. I

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<v Speaker 1>think I just Lord blessed me with these lads, So

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<v Speaker 1>I always was being able to anchor and get other

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<v Speaker 1>people with my leverage. Um. So yeah, that's that's been

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<v Speaker 1>something that's been in my game a lot. Um, But

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<v Speaker 1>I feel like I can do h. I got a

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<v Speaker 1>little little bit of treats here and there too, But yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>the bull rush is definitely one of my number one