1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: And welcome to episode number seven of Bird Noises Alanna 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,040 Speaker 1: Talkins podcast about football and mostly everything else. And today 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: we are joined by a player who had perhaps the 4 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: best nickname ever for a linebacker, The Hammer, Jesse Tuggle. 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: Awesome to be here, Matt. How are you? Awesome man? 6 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for coming on. And before I'm gonna 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: start right there with the Hammer nickname. But I've asked 8 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,320 Speaker 1: everybody who comes on, what do you think of the 9 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: Bird Noises names. I like that, be honest, be honest, 10 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: all right, it's catchy. I like it. I like it 11 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 1: a lot. Give I like it because they give a 12 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: fan of perspective and from a different point of view, 13 00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: a player or someone around the falcons that you can 14 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: hear something that's going to be totally different. I love 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: that standard. So it just like Burton Nois, so you 16 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: get to hear from an inside source how a person 17 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:01,160 Speaker 1: is feeling and what he's going through. You know what, 18 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: there's our promo. Thank you, Jesse Tagal. I'm not even 19 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: gonna well, I'll still ask you for another promo at 20 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: the end, but can we just like just record that, 21 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: put that somewhere. The producers are nodding saying yes, yes, yes, 22 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: thumbs up. All right, So let's let's talk about the Hammer. 23 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 1: I just feel like we have to start right there. 24 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: Let's do it. Where did the nickname? Let's get the 25 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: definitive story behind the origin of the nickname the Hammer. 26 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: That's a good question, and I can sort of remember 27 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: it pretty well too, because I I came to the Falcon, 28 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: I was an unknown player as far as not being drafted. Yeah, 29 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: we're gonna get into it, all right. You grew up 30 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: right here in Georgia, played for Griffin High School and 31 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 1: all that. But I was always a hard hitter. And 32 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: so when I first got here the Falcon undrafted and 33 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 1: you got a lot of guys in camp. You gotta 34 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: think that's nineteen eighty seven, so a lot of linebackers, 35 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: then Buddy Curry, maybe Buddy and Birdie Curry, John Rady, 36 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: Joel Williams, a bunch of guys. And then we drafted 37 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: Bruce the following year. So that's when the nicknames started 38 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: to come about. It's like being my second or thirty year. 39 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: They start off with like a rag doll and called 40 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: throwing people around all the time. And he said, man, 41 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,560 Speaker 1: that a little short linebacker. Man, that guy he's pretty tough. 42 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: He's throwing everybody around and we did what you were like, 43 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 1: what five eleven? Thank you. I'm sorry for always tell 44 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: him a little. I'm just under six feet tall, okay, 45 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: but anyways, uh yeah, five eleven and I played at 46 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: two thirty and so that was considered small in the 47 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: mid eighties. And I can't remember, you know, going against 48 00:02:35,480 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 1: taller guys all the time and tossing them around, throwing 49 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: them all over the place because I was outside linebacker 50 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: and the rag dolls and man guys, he throwing people 51 00:02:43,480 --> 00:02:44,959 Speaker 1: around like a rag doll, and that didn't really stick 52 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: to him. And then they moved me to inside and 53 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: that's my natural spot, middle linebacker. Yes, and then I 54 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:54,160 Speaker 1: started really having some hammer hits, you know, it's nailing people, 55 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: kneeling people at practice. That's when practice were like game 56 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: for him. We used to practice like you know, in 57 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: a training camp. Yeah, and then the nickname came the Hammer. 58 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: He kept saying the hammer, Meg, dude, we hit you 59 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: like a hammer. Hammer. And then Um and then from 60 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: that point it seemed like it did stuck to me. 61 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 1: With me and UM and all my buddies, they don't 62 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: call me Jesse. They called me Hammer. So that's pretty cool. 63 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: It's an awesome nickname. Um. And it's like I said, 64 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: it's like for middle linebacker. You can't get, you can't 65 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: get better than It's pretty cool. Yeah, I love it. Um. 66 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: So just just to I was going to get into 67 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 1: your Falcon's career later on here, but just to playoff 68 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,520 Speaker 1: and what you just said. You led the NFL and 69 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: combined tackles four times nineteen ninety, ninety, ninety two, and 70 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: ninety five. Yeah, led the NFL and solo tackles three times, yeah, 71 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: ninety ninety one and ninety two. And then here's a 72 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: here's a really interesting one, a big one. From eighty 73 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: nine to ninety five. You led the NFL and solo 74 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: tackles not but by a large, large margin. You had 75 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: one thousand, one hundred and seventy three. Number two Jeff 76 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: Herrod nine thirty wow, Michael Brooks eight ninety nine, Steve 77 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: Atwater eight seventy eight, Chris Spielman eight sixty seven. I 78 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: mean those are some big time names, right. Yeah. You 79 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: know it's pretty cool too, because you know, when you're 80 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: doing that, you're living it. You don't really think about, 81 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 1: you're doing something that's pretty remarkable. And I took a 82 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: lot of pride in my effort and getting to the 83 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: football and making big plays. And I wanted to make 84 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 1: a ton of tackles, and so I used to make 85 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 1: a little note, a sef note before the game starts, 86 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: and then would say to a self, note to myself, 87 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: did you write it down? I used to write it down. 88 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: I straight up my key goals, but then always had 89 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: one thing was just run to the ball, because I 90 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: figured I figured that no matter what else happened, if 91 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 1: you give effort, good things gonna happen if you get 92 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: to the football, for sure. And then that's what I 93 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: motivated me to continue to give everything, regardless of the 94 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: school were regarded, regards of the records. That's get to 95 00:04:55,800 --> 00:04:58,840 Speaker 1: the football at all costs and um, and I was 96 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: able to push myself even when I was dead tired. 97 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: That's continue to run to the ball. Well you did, 98 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:10,839 Speaker 1: and you did for fourteen seasons. And this fire that 99 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,680 Speaker 1: you still, I can I can sense, I can feel 100 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: it still. And yeah, you came out of tiny Griffin 101 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 1: High School. I don't know if it was tiny, but 102 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 1: it's a small smaller town Griffin High School. Um, and 103 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:28,600 Speaker 1: you didn't have it was, I mean, decent, decent program, right, 104 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: and it's a great Griffin High has a an awesome 105 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: history as far as high school players. It's probably four 106 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: to five hundred or even more high school in the 107 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: state of Georgia, and Griffin High have produced more NFL 108 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: athletes than any high school in the Horse state. So 109 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: it had a rich history. Yeah. Um, my wife uncle 110 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: was rayphel Right the Hall of Famer Cowboys and the 111 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: list goes on like so many other guys there. And 112 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: so when I was coming through Griffin for the miles 113 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: south of Atlanta, I had no earthly ideal that first 114 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: of all, you know, going out, but also state that 115 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 1: I played in the NFL. And if I did play, 116 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: who would I played for. I had no idea I'll 117 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: played for that line of Falcons. And if I did 118 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 1: play for the Falcons, how many years would I played? 119 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: And truly I just got the truth. I had no 120 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: earthly idea I'll played fourteen years. But it turned out 121 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: for the good, so unbelievable, I said, Um, so you 122 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 1: came out, you didn't You didn't, so you didn't have 123 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: a lot of D one offers, right, you did, right. 124 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: Only when I came out of high school, had zero 125 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: D one offers, But I had a ton of D 126 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 1: one coaches and that would come to our high school 127 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: and recruiting other players, and they will see me on 128 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: tape and they loved my technique. Play linebacker in high school, 129 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: play linebacker, outside linebacker. Okay, so at five foot ten 130 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 1: at that time, I probably I knew I saw it somewhere, 131 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,159 Speaker 1: and that was only about maybe one hundred and eighty 132 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: five one hundred and ninety pounds, So I wasn't that 133 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: idea prototype guy. And so I grew a little bit 134 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,200 Speaker 1: later on that and I got a lot stronger. So 135 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: I was real quick, real strong, and they would watch 136 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: my tape and I had great technique and they will 137 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 1: all come to me out the room and say, man, 138 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 1: it feels like four intres taller. I will offer you. 139 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 1: And so I got zero offers, and then yes, s 140 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: fire me up because I knew I could I could play. 141 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: I just wanted an opportunity, and you know, with Georgia 142 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: and but also stayed. It was only two team that 143 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: offered me, and I decided to go to Asta and 144 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: that worked out pretty well. Yeah for sure, um so 145 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: well that I'm going to dig it up here. But 146 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: they ended up retiring new jersey. Yep, retire my jersey. 147 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: Quite a career there, you know, it was awesome. I mean, 148 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: I said the all time tackle record there, which I've 149 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: been broken since then, but I got nay. Larry Dean 150 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: had played in the CFL. He actually broke my record. 151 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: But at the same time, it was an awesome experience 152 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: because I got to play from day one, the day 153 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: one starter. They considered me a blue chipper from from 154 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: Ford Division two and you know, absolutely MVP of the 155 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 1: of the team two or three times defensive players year 156 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 1: your conference and you're a consensus All American and eighty six, 157 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 1: yeah and eighty six and that was and I was 158 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: the only unanimous player of the eighties from the gulfs 159 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: Off conference, you know, but that was all conference in 160 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: Division two and that and it was it was pretty 161 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: cool that they looked at me as a player who 162 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: went down to bouts the state in Division two and 163 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: helped put them on the map a little bit. And 164 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 1: I appreciate them because that's my second home and every 165 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: time I go to to bad Austin, m It's just 166 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:34,719 Speaker 1: like when I go to Griffin, they always treat me 167 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: like I'm at home. They should, But just like coming 168 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: out of high school, you went undrafted too, right, yep? 169 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,199 Speaker 1: How did you end up here? Like the begginning games? 170 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:48,720 Speaker 1: The cliff notes version or you can tell us the 171 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: long long version of it, doesn't matter, but pretty fascinated. 172 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: The coolest part about it is in my senior year, 173 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: we had a coaching staff change at bous the state 174 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: and a guy named Mike Kevin who was running back 175 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: at coach University of Georgia, and he famed. The thing 176 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: was he recruited herschel walk at a rights field, Georgia. 177 00:09:05,440 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: All right, and I heard that story ten thousand times. Okay, 178 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: So so he watched me. He came down, They watched 179 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 1: me in spring, he watched me in something. He watched 180 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: my whole senior year and he said to me, he said, Jesse, 181 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: I won't tell you the truth. I think you can 182 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: put at the next level. I said really, and he 183 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: said yes. And the biggest thing he said, so listen, 184 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:25,400 Speaker 1: I probably at George over ten years, I haven't seen 185 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: a lineback with your kind of talents. The whole time 186 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: I was there, but when you're playing football, I didn't 187 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: realize I had any talent, you know what I mean. 188 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 1: So so I sort of motivated me a little bit. 189 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: And you know, I was All American in Division two 190 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: and all that, and I knew I could play if 191 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 1: I had an opportunity. He said, you're gonna get an opportunity. 192 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: So the draft came by the nineteen eighty seven. I 193 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: wasn't drafted. Marion Campbell is the head coach and and 194 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: they had a relationship. They had a relationship and they 195 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 1: kept asking the Mike head say listen, hey, Mary, and 196 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: I got a little short linebacker Donna. But Austill who 197 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: who I think will run through that bri all right 198 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 1: there if you ask him to. He's a hard nosed player. 199 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: And and Mike, Havin and Marin talk. And then I 200 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: get a call and say, hey, listen, they why don't 201 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: you come and try out for the Falcons? And I 202 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: actual training, yes, but listen to this. It's so crazy. 203 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: So they called me and say, listen, we know you 204 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: live near just come up here, come to Swanny, Georgia. 205 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: And I don't have a car, and you didn't have 206 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: a car at that particular time, and my dad say, 207 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: you just dropped my truck up there. So this is 208 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: why I drove my dad pick up truck the Swanne 209 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 1: Georgia and for a tryout by myself, a new agent, 210 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: no nothing, and and actually got an opportunity. And from 211 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 1: that point I wanted to make the best of an opportunity, 212 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: and I did it. It's a movie, it's a crazy, 213 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: crazy story. It's awesome. I mean, who who who would 214 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 1: have figured? You know, local guy playing for the local 215 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: protein unbelievable. So you get to the falcons um and 216 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: let's be honest, you played fourteen seasons, but you only 217 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: had There was only three years where you guys had 218 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 1: winning records. And that's why when I look at the 219 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: current team today and I know that struggling numbers are 220 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: right consistently high. The thing that that really motivated me 221 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 1: was that if you get an opportunity, to make the 222 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: most of it. And I played on probably losing team 223 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:28,200 Speaker 1: like you mentioned matter than then winning teams. And I 224 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 1: probably played on two or three team that went three 225 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: and thirteen, which is terrible, but I learned so much 226 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 1: for the reasons three times you guys went three and 227 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:39,959 Speaker 1: I learned so much from that. But the biggest thing 228 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: I learned from it is never give up and never 229 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,960 Speaker 1: stop fighting, and never quit no matter what the scores, 230 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: no matter what the records, play because you're a professional 231 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 1: and you play are hard as you can play, and 232 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,160 Speaker 1: until you can accomplish something that you're trying to get 233 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 1: out of your accomplish. So I actually said small goals 234 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 1: and achieved one, I said another one, I said another one. 235 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 1: Try to continue that pad and achieve the goals. And 236 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: one of my favorite uncles always would tell me, he said, 237 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 1: you know, every year when you go to training camp, 238 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 1: I remember when you played, and every time I don't 239 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: see you in July, and you'll say, and I ask you, 240 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: what's your goal this year? To get to the super Bowl? 241 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: And uh, he said. He used to laugh every Yeah, 242 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,840 Speaker 1: So he used to laugh all that time until it 243 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: actually happened in nineteen and eight and that and that 244 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: was an awesome time. Because when you go through so 245 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: much that you now you learn to appreciate, appreciate it 246 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: when it's really good. So you would write down your 247 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 1: your goals on a sheet of paper. Um did you 248 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: save those? Did you? I didn't save them. I mask 249 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 1: you have like did you look at him after the 250 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 1: game or did you know? No, I just said goals 251 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,319 Speaker 1: all the time. I'm just trying to just walk through, 252 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:50,599 Speaker 1: like okay. Like setting goes, particularly from starting college and 253 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 1: I want to be an All American UM and then 254 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: once I became an All American, I wanted to get 255 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 1: an opportunity play in the NFL. I'm like, once I 256 00:12:58,120 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: got opportunity, I wanted to make the team. So if 257 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: an opportunity, I gonna make the team. That was seventeen 258 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: linebackers that was went to camp in nineteen eighty seven, seventeen. 259 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: I was number seventeen. I was the last one invite 260 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: and they're gonna keep nine backers. So I had amazing 261 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: that you even remember that. And I had to beat 262 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: had to beat eight guys out. I mean I really did, 263 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,080 Speaker 1: and out of a super long shot, I beat them 264 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: all out. And even with that being said, we started 265 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: the first preseason game. And try to remember this, nineteen 266 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: eighty seven, so we had twelve rounds in the NFL 267 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 1: draft and the first preseason game that one drafted player started, 268 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 1: not one, but I was But I did start on 269 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:42,679 Speaker 1: the first preseason game. And the reason I started because 270 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: by default. Three guys got hurt in front of me, 271 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: and I was just constantly went from fourteen to thirteen, 272 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: second team the first team, and Marion Kema came up 273 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 1: to me in the night for the game and say, hey, listen, rookie. 274 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 1: Normally you're on rookie starting to night and you know 275 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 1: you wasn't even drafted through the embarrassment, but he was 276 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 1: saying that to motivate me. Actually in a different kind 277 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,679 Speaker 1: of way. Yeah, And they didn't motivate me. And I 278 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:09,839 Speaker 1: really played pretty well that game, and I think because 279 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: of that game, I probably helped me make the football team. 280 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: Do you remember your stats? I remember stacks, but I 281 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: remember we played against Kansas City in Kansas City and yep, 282 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: and Chris Nakoyama, Yeah, he was a stud. And I 283 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: hit him so hard in my time and just float 284 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: him and just and you can hit the crowd just yell. 285 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: But at that time my left side was numb too, 286 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: so I could really get up and celebrate it. Celebreaker. 287 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 1: He was two hundred and forty five pounds. Was going 288 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:42,600 Speaker 1: to say, I was gonna look it up for people 289 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: who don't know. Christian Nikoye was a huge man. He 290 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: was a running back, but he was like six three 291 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: six two two hundred and forty some pounds at that time. 292 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: I probably waited in that morning at two twenty eight 293 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: and at five ft eleven. So you stay in the 294 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,320 Speaker 1: game though you didn't tell anybody, oh no, nowhere, get up, 295 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: shake it off and keep going. And and I played 296 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 1: pretty well the game and it helped me. I mean literally, 297 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 1: I think that big hit in that particular game actually 298 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: helped me to grab the coach of the tension. And 299 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: they've probably seen me in training camp, you know, tossing 300 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: people around, you know, for five weeks with it hidden 301 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: every day, twice a day, and they and you know, 302 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 1: until you can do it in a game, they respect 303 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: you more. And I was able to do it in 304 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: a game a little bit and it was like, okay, 305 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: so we think you can play a little bit. Fair 306 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 1: to say that was that right there? That hit was Yeah, 307 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,000 Speaker 1: was the first hammer the first time that probably my 308 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,960 Speaker 1: first hammer hit, my first NFL hammer. Here, that's it, 309 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: Christian mccoya, I'm believable. Um So you played under Mary Campbell, 310 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: Jim Hannaff and Jerry Glanville, June Jones and then Dan 311 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 1: Reeves Yeah, some pretty interesting, very different, a wide array 312 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: of personalities. That really your favorite coach of that bunch. 313 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 1: It's like it's like picking your favorite you know what 314 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:06,360 Speaker 1: you and the biggest thing. I would say I had 315 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: the most fun players for Jerry Glanville Gay. He was hysterical, 316 00:16:11,520 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: you know, you would you wouldn't play some of the 317 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 1: things that he used to talk about. All I would 318 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: do and leaving Elvis tickets and playing loud musing in 319 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: the locker room, you know, taking us to every time 320 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: we go to a major city, Washington, DC, we had 321 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: to go to the Washington DC to see the monuments, 322 00:16:26,360 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: you know, as a professional NFL team. He would take 323 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 1: us the highlight any cities. You know. It was just 324 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: so crazy, but it brought us closer together, you know 325 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: what I mean. So um so he and he had 326 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 1: an attitude that he was defensive minded. Um he used 327 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: to make it a little bit unfair. We used to 328 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,440 Speaker 1: nine on saveling, which is an inside run tackling drill, 329 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: and I specialized in the drill. I could really do 330 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,000 Speaker 1: it very well. That we used to be full contact 331 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 1: except take to the ground and I would literally just 332 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 1: light guys up all the time. And if any offensive 333 00:16:57,360 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: player that listened, they know nineal seven really not fair 334 00:16:59,800 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: to them, Like just ask one thing. We know some 335 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 1: hundred percent run and we knew, we knew all gaps. 336 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: It was almost like a toughness drill. And I was 337 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: really good at and I hit guy's heart all the time. 338 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: And they were you know who had a guy standing 339 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,160 Speaker 1: behind the line and he looking like, okay, it's togal 340 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,840 Speaker 1: in there. Oh yeah, okay, you better watch out. He's 341 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,120 Speaker 1: gonna hit you hard. And was one of those things. 342 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 1: And Jerry didn't mind all that. He ate it up. 343 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: He loved it. So he was a lot of fun. 344 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: You know, June Jones was awesome, and you're talking about 345 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: a guy who really loved his players. He was great. 346 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,880 Speaker 1: Kimball as a guy that if I couldn't impress him, 347 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 1: I would have never made the team from the beginning. 348 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 1: So he gave me my first opportunity. And then obviously 349 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: you know, Dan Reeves was this guy who helped me 350 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: and helped us get to the Super Bowl, So, um, 351 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 1: I have great royalty, right. Oh yeah, it was real 352 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 1: cool too because he I think when he came in 353 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,120 Speaker 1: when you're when you're coaching you're coming to a team 354 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 1: and you got veteran players. Now that's particular time. I 355 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 1: might have been in my ten the year, I don't 356 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: know that. Sometimes you really have to get a feel 357 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: for the veteran players. And it took. It took the 358 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: enemies a little while the warm up on me and cousin. 359 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,159 Speaker 1: You know, I'm an easy going guy in my personality. 360 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: You'd be easy going, but I'm a different guy when 361 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,200 Speaker 1: I put the helmet on, and they took a little 362 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: while to warm up to me. And but I have 363 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,159 Speaker 1: a lot of respect for him, you know, for taking 364 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,719 Speaker 1: the time it took and not just come in and 365 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 1: just say, hey, you're all veteran player, you're old leader. 366 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: He basically wanted me to see that still have it 367 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 1: and I can go out didn't earn it and show 368 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: him that I was a leader that he thought I 369 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,399 Speaker 1: would be, And it did. It happened, and we had 370 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: a great relationship out to that. Yeah ninety seven he 371 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: took over. So that was yeah, yeah, Um, who was 372 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: the best we're just talking about Falcon? Since we were 373 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: talking about Falcons your time there, who was the best 374 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:53,879 Speaker 1: player that you played with? I think everyone wants to 375 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: assume it's number twenty one. I knew you gonna say that, 376 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: but now what you're right hearing it. You know, when 377 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 1: we drafted the DN he was a different kind of person, 378 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,040 Speaker 1: a different kind of athlete, and he just let the 379 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 1: NFL up. I mean, obviously he was the fastest person 380 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:13,240 Speaker 1: I've ever seen on the football field. Um, you know, 381 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 1: as far as running guys down, who wasn't a real 382 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 1: big practice guy at all, he said him at practice, 383 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: You're like, I cannot believe practice like that. I practice 384 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 1: full speed wilde up Blake's game, and he was a 385 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: more laid back, relaxed, never practiced hard ever and unless 386 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: they had one on ones with the wide receiver then 387 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: that was his specially you know, so he can cover 388 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: all day long there yeah, oh yeah, and then you know, 389 00:19:36,160 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: but he was a gamer talent speak for yourself. And 390 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: when he hit the field, you knew he was something special. 391 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: So playing with him was awesome. But defensively, you know, 392 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,439 Speaker 1: as far as the guy who I played with that, 393 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 1: if I had to go to a bar and I 394 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 1: need to fight our way out, you know, they had 395 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: to be Chuck Smith. Chuck Smith is probably one of 396 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: the most physical, hard nos guys that I ever played 397 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: with who loved the game and gave it everything he 398 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:06,600 Speaker 1: had and was I mean incredible on the football field. Uh, 399 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 1: you know, speaking of the Saints and we got them 400 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,359 Speaker 1: this weekend. Yeah, we're going to see into that. All right, 401 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: let's just talk about that now. I'll tell your story, yeah, 402 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: because you know I can't remember nineteen nineteen ninety seven 403 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:21,880 Speaker 1: since we were talking about Dan rees yea his first 404 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: year and we're starting season off and we're in a 405 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 1: tough starts just like the Falcons, all right. Now, you 406 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: know they're one and seven. We started season off I 407 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 1: think at ode and five, you're and you guys actually 408 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,479 Speaker 1: were one and seven at one point. Yeah. It was crazy. 409 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:39,119 Speaker 1: I mean it's crazy. It was actually gonna ask you 410 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: about a chunk comment, right, Okay, man, you see you're 411 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: reading my mind over here, man, because you're right, because 412 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: it was right there. And we started off old and five, 413 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: and I can remember we're getting ready to play in 414 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,360 Speaker 1: New Orleans and so at this point you don't want 415 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:58,160 Speaker 1: to lose the locker room. Um, you know, you don't 416 00:20:58,160 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 1: have a win yet, and we're talking a monst these 417 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: other and you know, leaders like myself and Chuck and 418 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 1: Terrence Massages involved with field. You know, you're getting this 419 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: locker room and you try to keep the locker room together. 420 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: The biggest thing you can do is you don't point 421 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,399 Speaker 1: fingers and you just try to hold everything together because 422 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: everybody's pulling apart, everybody from the media attacking not only 423 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: you're attacking you personally or attacking your teammates, attacking the coaches, 424 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 1: taking the owners because you're not winning. And then in 425 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,200 Speaker 1: their first rate, don't They're not mad at you. They're 426 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: just frustrated because they want to win too. And that's 427 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: why I had to learn as fans, fans, that's that's 428 00:21:32,680 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: the that's their right, and that's their weapon to say 429 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: things when not they don't meant to be harmful. But 430 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 1: at the same time they're just as the aggravated as 431 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: the players and their coaches. All right, So we all 432 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: knowing five, you know, Chuck Smith and I you know, 433 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 1: we talked to the team and we go to New 434 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: Orleans and I'm telling you right now, Chuck Smith put 435 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 1: on the performance that I don't think I've seen no 436 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,600 Speaker 1: defensive players since in the history of the Falcons put 437 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: on and be honest with you. He know he was 438 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:05,159 Speaker 1: went to New Orleans and and Willie Rove was the 439 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 1: huge he's a Hall of Famer now. At that particular time, 440 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: he might have been a three or four time Pro Bowler, 441 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: big guy, and and you know he went up against 442 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 1: some great pass rushers, and but Chuck came in with 443 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: a chip on his shoulder. And this guy had five sacks, 444 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 1: three forced fumbles, ten tackles, and we got our first 445 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,959 Speaker 1: win in New Orleans. And that led us up. I mean, 446 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: let me up. And I had a few good plays too, 447 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 1: but but tho, that's I don't know if I've been 448 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: with a guy that had that many big plays in 449 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: a big game that had to set the team on 450 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,160 Speaker 1: fire just to get that monke helf All back from losing. 451 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: And then we lost the next two, and you're right, 452 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,800 Speaker 1: at that point was one and seven, one and seven, 453 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: And when we finished the season off, we won five 454 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: at the last six and wind up being seven and nine. Yeah, 455 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 1: so it's nothing to brack about. It's nineteen it's nineteen 456 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: ninety seven, nothing to brag about. But that's a civil 457 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: lining to this dude, because when you win that mini 458 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: games at the end you know, you think about it 459 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: for the next season. So nineteen ninety eight comes and 460 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:17,720 Speaker 1: men ninety eight was something special. Fourteen and two, I 461 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: want to tap the brakes there because you're not. Chuck 462 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:25,439 Speaker 1: Smith said something pretty incredible about you at one and seven, 463 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: just like this team is right now. He said that 464 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:35,199 Speaker 1: he likened you. He called Jesse Tuggle the Falcons. You 465 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,119 Speaker 1: were their version of Julio Man. I appreciate that in 466 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: that you're not a big rob rob guy, he said. 467 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 1: And he said that it was you who came into 468 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:48,880 Speaker 1: the locker room at one and seven, and I don't 469 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:51,919 Speaker 1: know what was slammed or what was said, but he 470 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 1: basically said that you challenged players as men. Yeah. To 471 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 1: quote him, he said, call the scrubs. Yeah, And you 472 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: guys went on to win that you want six and 473 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,520 Speaker 1: two down the stretch and then you went fourteen into 474 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,159 Speaker 1: the next season and went to the super Bowl. Absolutely, 475 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,800 Speaker 1: So that really was the turning point. It was a 476 00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:19,120 Speaker 1: turning point. What made you What happened there? You know, 477 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 1: when you when a team, your teammates look at you 478 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: as a leader, and you don't ever want to lose 479 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,719 Speaker 1: the locker room. And I wouldn't ever talk about my 480 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 1: teammates the coaches. Quarterback Alway would say, you know, we 481 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: might have could have won if I played better, because 482 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: I'm the only one that I can control what I 483 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 1: can do, and I can't control noone else. And and 484 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: I wanted to lead by example. And that's account of 485 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: player I was, and as a person type type of 486 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,640 Speaker 1: person and a player that wanted to lead by example. 487 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: And thinking back to that moment, I know I mentioned 488 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: that we all stood up, and I might have been 489 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: the first one to stand that day and say something, 490 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,400 Speaker 1: but I wanted to grab the locker room so they 491 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,280 Speaker 1: know that we in this thing together. We win together, 492 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,680 Speaker 1: we lose together, we cry together, we laughed together. And 493 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: if you can stay together on the tough circumstances, man, 494 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 1: particularly when you're a professional athlete, and in football is 495 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: the ultimate team sport. You know, you gotta trust the 496 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: guy who's playing right beside you, you gotta trust the 497 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:21,160 Speaker 1: guy who planning on the opposite side of you from 498 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: offensive defense. So I call it the ultimate team sport. 499 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,520 Speaker 1: And at that point, you know it's something happened to us. 500 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,400 Speaker 1: You know, Chuck went out and played his best game. 501 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: I think I ever seen an individual play, like I said, 502 00:25:33,080 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: and that motivated me and to go do something and 503 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: I try to play astremely hard as I possibly could. 504 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: Or Dan read first year and then and then everything 505 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:45,439 Speaker 1: just it's just snapped and we just had a we 506 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,720 Speaker 1: went off in nineteen ninety eight start off. You know, 507 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 1: I think we started off when a great start might 508 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: have been two and one and two and one or 509 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,680 Speaker 1: something like that. But then we get on a ten 510 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: game winning streak and like everything eels man, it's snowball, 511 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:03,640 Speaker 1: and it's kept winning out the win out to win, 512 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: and then we trust in each other and we would 513 00:26:06,119 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: go out to Minnesota and we beat the Vikings win 514 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: the one thought we could beat them there for the 515 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 1: NFC Championship and that was almost like our super Bowl, 516 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, unfortunately we lost the Super Bowl 517 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:19,120 Speaker 1: and two weeks later, but just to get there, the 518 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 1: journey there was an awesome journey, and it was a team, 519 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: you know, without superstars. For the team that I thought 520 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 1: they had a lot of guys, a lot of character. 521 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 1: You know Canadians been at myself, Chuck Terren Smith, Bob Winfield, 522 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: and the list goes on and on, the guys who 523 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: truly bleeded in each other and would really you know, 524 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:43,159 Speaker 1: Jamal Anderson having his best year, who truly bleeded in 525 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: each other? And we're out there and did something special 526 00:26:48,119 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 1: that ninety seven year you guys had Correct me if 527 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 1: I'm wrong. Were there lofty expectations for that team? Team 528 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:57,359 Speaker 1: you guys had, you had a lot of talent, a 529 00:26:57,440 --> 00:27:00,879 Speaker 1: lot of the same players, right, yea, So it was 530 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,560 Speaker 1: trying to compare that team to this team a little bit. 531 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:05,640 Speaker 1: I don't know if it's fair to you tell me 532 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: the expectations. You know, I truly believe the team here 533 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: today obviously is more talented than we were in nineteen 534 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,440 Speaker 1: ninety seven. But this team in nineteen ninety seven team 535 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: really have so much in coming, you know, expectations play 536 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: extremely high before they started season, and the same thing 537 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: for this year. And and now they find themselves at 538 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: one and seven. And when you go back to nineteen 539 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 1: ninety seven mid season that we all zach record. But 540 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:42,720 Speaker 1: what they're gonna have to do what I talked about 541 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 1: earlier in Chuck and then that they're trying to control 542 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: the locker room. You know, you need to go into 543 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 1: locker room and don't lose it and don't lose it. 544 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: You want to talk to Jared, I would ask him, 545 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 1: you know, whatever you do, don't lose locker room. You know, 546 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: you need to be a leader. They're gonna you look, 547 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 1: they're gonna look up to you, and you played by 548 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:08,159 Speaker 1: you lead by example. Um so that's the way I 549 00:28:08,280 --> 00:28:10,640 Speaker 1: I was building and that's where I am. And then 550 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 1: and if I look at these two team and you're 551 00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:14,440 Speaker 1: starting to see that, so now and then the second 552 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 1: half of the season, they can't worry about the outside. 553 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 1: I knew it was. There's a lot of it right now. 554 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: It's a lot of it. Just focus on getting better 555 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: each and every play, each and every day. And then, um, 556 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: are you glad you didn't have Twitter back then? Oh 557 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: my god, I don't know. I would have made it 558 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:34,840 Speaker 1: with social media. I would It is so crazy. And 559 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: even now they called me a Donald Saw because I'm 560 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 1: not much on social media as far as ums. Okay, 561 00:28:41,280 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: I don't have any I know not so so you know, 562 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: with that being said, I know it's tough on the 563 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 1: player because they can hear it, they can see it, 564 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 1: they can hear it. And I don't care how much 565 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: money you make. I don't care how many years you 566 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: played in the league, you do have a sense of 567 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 1: pride and a sense of awareness when things not working 568 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: right and people expecting something out of you but you're 569 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: not producing, you know, particularly as the individual or as 570 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: the team and um, and it's tough and mean, tough, 571 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 1: funny players because I believe or not, those those guys 572 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 1: out there who practicing right now, those guys who want 573 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: to win more than anybody. And when you can't do it, 574 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 1: when you're going through tough time normally, I think, Um, 575 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:26,719 Speaker 1: when you're winning and the snowballs losing like snowballs, you know, 576 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: you think you're gonna lose. And when you're winning and 577 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: you're in a close battle, it's gonna be a battle 578 00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,280 Speaker 1: on Sunday when when the Falcons go to New Orleans 579 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 1: and it's gonna come down to the fourth quarter and 580 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,920 Speaker 1: it's gonna be the score gonna be tight. When you're losing, 581 00:29:41,080 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 1: you're thinking, how can I not lose this game today? 582 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:47,400 Speaker 1: How can we not lose this game? When you're winning, 583 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: you know you're gonna win the game. You're want to 584 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 1: finish it. You're gonna finish I'm about you know this. 585 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 1: This is why I want to be and I want 586 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: to be in a dog fight. And that is confidence. 587 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 1: You know, you're going to have confidence in yourself and 588 00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: your and your teammates because the dog fight is gonna come. 589 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,479 Speaker 1: You're gonna get it right there in it to win it. 590 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: You just can't think about don't screw it up, don't 591 00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: lose it, don't screw it up. I don't know, we 592 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 1: need this win better than anything. No, you almost just 593 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 1: got to go out there and do it. Almost like 594 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 1: a golf swing. You think about it too much. You 595 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: stand on that ball, you're gonna shank the ball. If 596 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: you know you got confidence, you're gonnaknock it right down 597 00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: the middle. And to me, I think they gotta stand 598 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: in there on Sunday and when they when they get tough, 599 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:24,120 Speaker 1: and you're right there, and you right there in the 600 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: dog fight to win it, you go go take it, 601 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:29,959 Speaker 1: Go take it. Don't be afraid to lose, Go and 602 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 1: take it and get to win. And that changed the 603 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:34,920 Speaker 1: whole season. I mean, you'll think, man, it's only two 604 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,320 Speaker 1: wins on the season. Though, you gotta start somewhere. I mean, 605 00:30:37,400 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: to me, you would love to win five in a row, 606 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:41,240 Speaker 1: but to get five in a row. You got to 607 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: win one first, so you know, let's break this losing 608 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 1: streak and just focus on the big picture. I'm ready 609 00:30:49,520 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 1: to go break and losing streak right now. I don't 610 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,080 Speaker 1: know about anybody else, but I'm ready to run through 611 00:30:54,120 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: that brick wall behind you. Um, that's pretty awesome. So 612 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,280 Speaker 1: you think this team can make a similar turnaround? Oh yeah, 613 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: they got They got all the child in the world 614 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 1: at this point. Did you got to focus on the 615 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 1: little things? I mean the little things means a lot. 616 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:13,160 Speaker 1: You know. That goes all the way from still to 617 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:15,600 Speaker 1: come to the meetings on time. Still do all of 618 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 1: those things you need to do in the locker rooms. 619 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: Still continue to trick, care of your body, continue to 620 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:23,840 Speaker 1: work out and focus, vice film and execute. On game day, 621 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,520 Speaker 1: it's time to execute. And believing the guy who's playing 622 00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 1: right beside you, if that can just do all the 623 00:31:28,760 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 1: little things, you know, from catching, running, tackling, all the 624 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 1: stuff you think it comes natural for Approprier, you know, 625 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: believe it or not, you still have to focus and 626 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 1: do it. And and it's all a little things. They're 627 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,400 Speaker 1: gonna take them a long way, you know, even guys 628 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: that are playing, Uh, if you have a team that's 629 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: running the ball against you, whatever, and the thing that's 630 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 1: not working, Just focus on the little thing, Focus on 631 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:54,280 Speaker 1: your technique, focus on your effort, and just make the 632 00:31:54,360 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: little thing. Just do it. And then it sounds so simple, 633 00:31:57,640 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 1: and it is when you sit behind this microphone talking, 634 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,040 Speaker 1: But I know how this is on game day when 635 00:32:02,040 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: you're dead tired and put someone pushing the ball down 636 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 1: on you and he like you're thinking, well, how do 637 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 1: I stop them? How to stop? And just stay strong 638 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,239 Speaker 1: to your technique and give a ton of effort, and 639 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: if you do that, you will stop them. Plays you 640 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: made big plays to me as a defensive player in 641 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: the linebacker. Some of my best players I made was 642 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:25,120 Speaker 1: time when I was dead tired and really letting my 643 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:29,360 Speaker 1: natural ability take over. The drilling is pumping, and you're 644 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,680 Speaker 1: doing things that you've been trained to do without thinking 645 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:35,480 Speaker 1: about it. If that makes sense, and if you do that, 646 00:32:35,760 --> 00:32:38,120 Speaker 1: you may you make a ton of big plays. But 647 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: if you're thinking about I gotta make a play, I 648 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: gotta make a play. I gotta make a play. It's 649 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:45,360 Speaker 1: hard to think about it and gotta make a play. 650 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: This do your job and let the play come to 651 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 1: you and it'll happen. Just let you're everything that you 652 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: learned and your interestincts take over absolutely. And that's why 653 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: I tell some people know about what the difference between 654 00:32:55,760 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: the day's player and yesterday player like myself, there's no difference. 655 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: The difference. We all want to win. And it's funny say, guys, 656 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: get let's start comparing generations. And you know from the 657 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,160 Speaker 1: skill level to the size, to the speed, to the 658 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 1: money to everything, you know, this guy is so much 659 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: fasten your words, got here, this guy that And it 660 00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: really doesn't matter. What matters is the size of your heart. 661 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 1: And if you want to go out there and make 662 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,000 Speaker 1: a play, you'll make that play. If you think if 663 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:26,640 Speaker 1: the play gonna just come to you. Because you know 664 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 1: I run a four foward. I don't mean nothing. You 665 00:33:29,400 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 1: know I'm six foot four. That's what mean nothing. You 666 00:33:32,640 --> 00:33:34,040 Speaker 1: know what I mean I make to me, it all 667 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:36,720 Speaker 1: doesn't mean nothing. On game day now, that counts. What 668 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:41,880 Speaker 1: counts is effort, effort, and want to do it. Particularly 669 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:44,400 Speaker 1: as a defensive player, you gotta want to make a tackle. 670 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: I used to have coach coach you tell us that 671 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 1: all the time. He guess, I know you got the 672 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,600 Speaker 1: NFL players and your professionals, but don't getting on Sundays 673 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:53,080 Speaker 1: when they run the ball. You gotta want to make 674 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: a tackle. You can't wait and think I'm gonna let 675 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 1: somebody else make the tackle. You gotta want it, and 676 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:01,560 Speaker 1: if you want it, you're gonna get well. You epitomize 677 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 1: that for fourteen seasons you end up in the Ring 678 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: of Honor. Your jersey here and Valdasa retired. Um should 679 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:13,919 Speaker 1: be in the Hall of Fame. Thank you very much. 680 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: Hopefully you know they're the centennial classes coming up right there, 681 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:22,480 Speaker 1: trying to get some extra guys in. Uh, let's hope 682 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 1: they start doing the right thing with the hammer. UM. 683 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 1: I got to ask you, since you were talking about 684 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:33,040 Speaker 1: yesterday's players and today's players, who was the toughest guy 685 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 1: you had to bring down? Were there any guys that 686 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:38,279 Speaker 1: you just did not want to I mean, if you're 687 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 1: on your in your first game, if you hammered Christian mccoye, 688 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:43,759 Speaker 1: I gotta believe they were all easy after that. I 689 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: knew right because he was a load and believe that 690 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:50,800 Speaker 1: some great I played with a generation. The guys that 691 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:52,920 Speaker 1: played with mostly all Hall of famers. Now, you know 692 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:58,239 Speaker 1: from my favorite growing up Tony dors I didn't get 693 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:01,120 Speaker 1: a chance to play against Tony though, Door said, but 694 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:03,800 Speaker 1: he was one of my favorites growing up. Two Peyton 695 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: I played with Dickerson, didn't get a chance to play 696 00:35:06,280 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 1: against Payton and m Emmett. Emmett was ununbelievable and out 697 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:16,239 Speaker 1: of all the guys, and that was a ton of 698 00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: guys I played with and played against him. Sorry, and 699 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,239 Speaker 1: the toughest one, I would think, not the largest one, 700 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:27,319 Speaker 1: the toughest was Barry. Centers say he was elusive. I 701 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 1: mean he was like I always thought he was double 702 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: joining his ankles. We should slow his tape down, and 703 00:35:32,160 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 1: literally watched him move lateral and it was unbelievable. And 704 00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:37,680 Speaker 1: they got an out of play of us. We're planning 705 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 1: in Detroit and I'm the first one to get the 706 00:35:40,719 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 1: barrier and I beat the center and go across the 707 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:45,600 Speaker 1: center face hit buried in back feard. He spans on me, 708 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 1: throw me off. I'm on the floor on the ground. 709 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 1: I get up on the turf. I'm looking at him 710 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 1: fake other guys out, and then I go and jump 711 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:55,239 Speaker 1: on his back and make the tackle. So I'm like, 712 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 1: wait a minute, this guy'll mate like eight guys miss 713 00:35:58,120 --> 00:35:59,839 Speaker 1: and I'm still able to get up and go make 714 00:35:59,880 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: a tackle. It was unbelieved with I mean he was 715 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:05,319 Speaker 1: like a really playing against a video game. Yeah, and 716 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 1: so I have a lot of respect for him. You know, 717 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,319 Speaker 1: he retired before his time, and I think he are 718 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:14,040 Speaker 1: obviously the all time leader those two guys. Man who 719 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: was it was incredible to play against? Yeah. I would 720 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 1: say if you ever asked Barry Sanders, who had linebacker 721 00:36:20,239 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 1: hit him the hardest? To If you don't say me, 722 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:24,960 Speaker 1: I don't know. If you name three guys, I'm not 723 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:27,280 Speaker 1: one of the top three guys, I'd be surprised because 724 00:36:27,360 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: I have some pretty good hits against Beard. You really 725 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: have to those up. That's pretty cool, and that's really cool. Yeah, 726 00:36:34,600 --> 00:36:37,759 Speaker 1: anybody that can hit Sanders square if we should accomplished 727 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:42,279 Speaker 1: with itself? Um yeah, I was dying to know that one. 728 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:47,040 Speaker 1: That's fascinating. Um what about have you ever been on 729 00:36:47,080 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 1: the receiving end of the hammer? Oh? Yeah, many times? 730 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 1: Who who hits you the hardest? Okay, let me think 731 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:58,600 Speaker 1: about it. We had sometimes when you're a middle backer 732 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: and you take a you give out a lot of abuse. 733 00:37:01,400 --> 00:37:05,279 Speaker 1: I mean tons of big hits the weekend week out, 734 00:37:05,640 --> 00:37:08,080 Speaker 1: but it's still I'm the hitter. But that still affects me. 735 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:10,080 Speaker 1: I can feel I can feel a ton of that. 736 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:15,799 Speaker 1: Um so um um. We love telling a story. We're 737 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:19,799 Speaker 1: hidding people and just knocking people out. But I played 738 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:21,960 Speaker 1: against the offensive linement that I had a bunch of 739 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:24,520 Speaker 1: trouble against too, So you know, a lot of time 740 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:28,400 Speaker 1: I'm playing against cowboys when they had large, huge Larry 741 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:31,759 Speaker 1: Larry Ellen was unbelievable. The thing I can remain the 742 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:35,319 Speaker 1: most about Larry Ellen and that we were playing on 743 00:37:35,360 --> 00:37:37,680 Speaker 1: Monday night, which we didn't play too million games on 744 00:37:37,760 --> 00:37:40,480 Speaker 1: Monday night. He's a guy like you, another small school, 745 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:44,800 Speaker 1: another state. You know, big big Larry probably weighed about 746 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 1: three twenty and I normally, I'm sure, and I got leverage. Now, 747 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 1: I was always stronger than everybody, you know, I probably 748 00:37:51,239 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 1: in my in my peak and my prime, I could 749 00:37:53,880 --> 00:37:57,319 Speaker 1: be impressed five hundred and twenty five pounds. But and 750 00:37:57,480 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 1: I was like a lot stronger than the bigger guy. 751 00:37:59,239 --> 00:38:02,240 Speaker 1: The fact guys all sensive linement, right, so hilarious. Larry 752 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:04,640 Speaker 1: was almost a six hundred pound being pressure, and so 753 00:38:04,719 --> 00:38:08,720 Speaker 1: he was equally strong. But he weighed seventy five pounds 754 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 1: more and he was a load. He hit me one 755 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:13,879 Speaker 1: time so hard on Monday night. They lifted me up 756 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: and the sort of slammed me down my bag. Which 757 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:18,480 Speaker 1: was that that Monday night game in the Georgia Dome. 758 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:21,479 Speaker 1: It wasn't the Georgia Dome. Listen and out of all 759 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,360 Speaker 1: the plays of you know how you do this the 760 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:26,680 Speaker 1: replayed he put it in slow motion. I can't stare 761 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,160 Speaker 1: recall and my brother don't tell him. Hey man, John 762 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:32,080 Speaker 1: Madden put it in slow motion slow motion and said, 763 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:35,799 Speaker 1: watched Larry Ellen live Pro Bowl A linebacker Jesse chuck 764 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: her up and slammed him on his back. I'm like 765 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:41,080 Speaker 1: out of oh all the time he caught me in 766 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:43,880 Speaker 1: between steps. Yeah, and it was just so hilarious to 767 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:46,000 Speaker 1: me afterwards because I'm like, if that had to happen, 768 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:50,560 Speaker 1: I'm glad Larry it happened. Right. So, so when you 769 00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:53,840 Speaker 1: asked me after hammer had been hammered before. Yes, but 770 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:57,560 Speaker 1: it's the nature to BC. You know, it's pro football. Um, 771 00:38:57,640 --> 00:39:00,920 Speaker 1: so what are you doing these days? I know, walking 772 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:04,320 Speaker 1: into the studio you talked about we're talking about the weather, 773 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:06,960 Speaker 1: and you mentioned just golfing a little bit, but I 774 00:39:07,000 --> 00:39:09,200 Speaker 1: love the golf right, So my free time, I like, 775 00:39:09,320 --> 00:39:11,080 Speaker 1: I still like to play golf maybe once or twice 776 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:13,640 Speaker 1: a week. And I get to play a lot of 777 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:16,319 Speaker 1: retired players here too, which is real as if you 778 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: stay in touch. Yeahs Roughing Hamilton and you know Victor 779 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 1: Green's lived here that played with the Jets. There's so 780 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:28,600 Speaker 1: many guys that you know still here. Occasionally I'll play 781 00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:31,279 Speaker 1: with Chuck Smith sometimes and so we still you know, 782 00:39:31,320 --> 00:39:33,440 Speaker 1: we got it and we play skins and we have 783 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:36,719 Speaker 1: fun with that and um and that. Since I'm from here, 784 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 1: you know, I do a lot of my community, you know, 785 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:42,319 Speaker 1: Donn and Griffin, my mom's my mom still lives there. 786 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 1: A lot of my wife family there and my family 787 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:48,520 Speaker 1: is there. So we still spend time in church and 788 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:52,920 Speaker 1: Griffin and area. And you know, I'm fortunate enough to 789 00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:57,440 Speaker 1: have three great kids that they all played play sports. 790 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:00,879 Speaker 1: And that's by the way. Yeah, that's pretty and it's 791 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 1: pretty cool, you know professional yeah, which is which is great. 792 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:08,880 Speaker 1: You know, um start hung my daughter she's played college 793 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:12,480 Speaker 1: tennis when she goes to school, I'm sorry, but also staged. 794 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:16,160 Speaker 1: Then she went to grad school at Syracuse and and Justin. 795 00:40:16,320 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: I went to Boston College, Kansas State, played for the 796 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 1: Houston Texans. Now here in CFL Hamilton, right, Hamilton, number 797 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 1: one team in the CFLO fourteen and three. Man that 798 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:29,120 Speaker 1: they're the favorite to win the Great Cup. I'll say that, 799 00:40:29,719 --> 00:40:32,439 Speaker 1: and it's been awesome. And yeah, he has one Great 800 00:40:32,480 --> 00:40:34,520 Speaker 1: Cup on his belt already. He played with when in 801 00:40:34,560 --> 00:40:38,239 Speaker 1: Toronto wanted two years ago. All right, so and then 802 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 1: and then you got Jared you know right here. You know, 803 00:40:41,880 --> 00:40:44,160 Speaker 1: I tell everybody I might have been the first person 804 00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:49,840 Speaker 1: in history that during the draft was on stage and 805 00:40:50,239 --> 00:40:53,000 Speaker 1: when they got to me and say, well, named the player. 806 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:55,040 Speaker 1: You know, Jesse I was invited to come to do 807 00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,600 Speaker 1: a fifth round pick. You know, Jared was expected to 808 00:40:58,719 --> 00:41:02,919 Speaker 1: go early, but he still wasn't around, so it wasn't 809 00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:05,960 Speaker 1: playing at all. And so I tell people the story 810 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:08,279 Speaker 1: all the time. So I'm on stage and I'm down 811 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: at the College Football Hall of Fame and I got me. 812 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:14,280 Speaker 1: So we down to signing autographs and all of a sudden, 813 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:16,160 Speaker 1: and say, hey, listen, Falcons made a trade. We're about 814 00:41:16,160 --> 00:41:17,680 Speaker 1: to get it. We're about to get a kid. He 815 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,960 Speaker 1: told get on stage. You know, NFL Network is shooting 816 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:23,719 Speaker 1: it live. So I said, we got about a minute 817 00:41:23,719 --> 00:41:25,560 Speaker 1: before we announced it. So I'll turn to the side 818 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:28,239 Speaker 1: and say, hey, hey, give me the name. I don't 819 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:30,400 Speaker 1: want to be a name I can't pronounce, so you 820 00:41:30,440 --> 00:41:32,120 Speaker 1: know what I mean. I was like, so I don't 821 00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:35,040 Speaker 1: look crazy on TV. What is the name? And then 822 00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:38,880 Speaker 1: he killed us her about thirty seconds, twenty second, fifteen seconds, 823 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:41,400 Speaker 1: someone else to me, hey, the defensive tackle out of Clemson, 824 00:41:41,560 --> 00:41:44,400 Speaker 1: Grady Jared, And I look and I said, he's that 825 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:46,359 Speaker 1: playing around with me. You know that's my son, right, 826 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:49,320 Speaker 1: And then you know, Jesse, seriously, the Falcon's about the draft, 827 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:53,279 Speaker 1: um about about the draft to son. So at that time, 828 00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:57,200 Speaker 1: the pride that everything, it was crazy, So I'm like, 829 00:41:57,280 --> 00:42:01,239 Speaker 1: are you serious? So so finally, you know, he was 830 00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,200 Speaker 1: so upset at first because he was still around for 831 00:42:04,239 --> 00:42:07,719 Speaker 1: the third day, but sometimes things happened to it that 832 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:10,279 Speaker 1: was meant to happen. And I think he couldn't have 833 00:42:10,320 --> 00:42:12,400 Speaker 1: been in a better situation, you know, here with the 834 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:15,759 Speaker 1: Falcons right here at home, a team that I played for, 835 00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:20,720 Speaker 1: and and you see what he had he'd done since 836 00:42:20,760 --> 00:42:22,759 Speaker 1: he's been drafted, so he always had a chip on 837 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:26,839 Speaker 1: his shoulder. You know, as at barely six feet tall, 838 00:42:26,880 --> 00:42:30,719 Speaker 1: he probably should short detaclay the league, but I was 839 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:35,160 Speaker 1: the shortest linebacker, so one of the shouldest. But besides 840 00:42:35,239 --> 00:42:38,200 Speaker 1: his heart, and the kid knows leverage, you know, and 841 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:41,560 Speaker 1: that's the biggest thing, you know, Um, And they've been 842 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:43,959 Speaker 1: and I think wrestling, you know, been a two time 843 00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:47,000 Speaker 1: state champion in wrestling. That all that stuff helped him 844 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:50,080 Speaker 1: a ton as far as power and leverage. And he 845 00:42:50,160 --> 00:42:52,919 Speaker 1: was blessed with some good jeans. And I would always say, 846 00:42:53,080 --> 00:42:55,239 Speaker 1: the fruit don't fall far from the tree. I think 847 00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:57,800 Speaker 1: he's the strongest player on the team. And I was 848 00:42:57,840 --> 00:43:00,040 Speaker 1: the strongest player on the team when I played. So 849 00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:02,480 Speaker 1: with that being said, you know, he's um. You know, 850 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,360 Speaker 1: take nothing from him as for his work ethics, what 851 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:09,279 Speaker 1: it took to get here and the desire. Um. But 852 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 1: at the same time, when you come from good gene 853 00:43:12,400 --> 00:43:15,040 Speaker 1: you and you got a good character, and you got 854 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:18,000 Speaker 1: the work ethic and you got everything that it takes 855 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:22,400 Speaker 1: to be successful, it helps a ton and um. But um, 856 00:43:22,400 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 1: but I'm proud of I'm proud of all three of them. 857 00:43:24,200 --> 00:43:26,560 Speaker 1: I'm proud of all everything he accomplished him, you know, 858 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:28,719 Speaker 1: particularly the big game he had in the Super Bowl 859 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,160 Speaker 1: a few years ago that sort of put him on 860 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:32,879 Speaker 1: the map and put him on the map, and um 861 00:43:33,719 --> 00:43:35,920 Speaker 1: and um, and I think I think he's in a 862 00:43:35,920 --> 00:43:39,120 Speaker 1: good situation right here. Um seemed like the owner like 863 00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:40,719 Speaker 1: him a lot of here, the coaches like him a lot. 864 00:43:40,760 --> 00:43:43,000 Speaker 1: But more so than anything else, you know, he's a 865 00:43:43,000 --> 00:43:44,840 Speaker 1: good kid a lot. I was gonna say, there's a 866 00:43:44,840 --> 00:43:47,480 Speaker 1: lot to like there. Not only does he is he 867 00:43:47,640 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 1: really good on the field, but he's just a great person, right, 868 00:43:51,239 --> 00:43:53,200 Speaker 1: really good kid. And the thing about it, you know, 869 00:43:53,360 --> 00:43:55,880 Speaker 1: all my kids, they get along with all, they they 870 00:43:55,920 --> 00:43:58,839 Speaker 1: agreed man out of never I'll look back if someone 871 00:43:58,840 --> 00:44:02,040 Speaker 1: who told me thirty five years ago, you know, I've 872 00:44:02,160 --> 00:44:06,040 Speaker 1: had three you know, great kids on any circumstances, doesn't matter. 873 00:44:06,480 --> 00:44:10,560 Speaker 1: And they all, you know, really accomplished a lot in 874 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:13,520 Speaker 1: the careers as far from high school to college and 875 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:15,600 Speaker 1: what they're doing now. It means a lot to me 876 00:44:15,680 --> 00:44:17,520 Speaker 1: as a parent when you're raising no matter what, your 877 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:19,760 Speaker 1: kids might up doing lot, as they're doing something positive, 878 00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:23,160 Speaker 1: it means a lot. And that's why I feel. But 879 00:44:23,320 --> 00:44:26,279 Speaker 1: since I played pro football and then they have two 880 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:28,680 Speaker 1: sons to play pro football, it makes it even better 881 00:44:28,760 --> 00:44:31,439 Speaker 1: for me because I now I'm a I'm a dad. 882 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:33,839 Speaker 1: I'm a big fan too. I'm a big CFL fan, 883 00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:36,759 Speaker 1: I'm a big NFL fan. And when I watch my 884 00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,759 Speaker 1: daughter playing, my big tennis fan. So so with that 885 00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:42,120 Speaker 1: being said, you know, sports is really big in our 886 00:44:42,160 --> 00:44:44,600 Speaker 1: house and it's cool. Man. We like it a lot, 887 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:47,839 Speaker 1: and and it keeps me busy, you know, I get 888 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:50,160 Speaker 1: to travel a lot. Well, I gotta tell you, after 889 00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:53,359 Speaker 1: today and just everything I've read, I'm a huge fan 890 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:56,960 Speaker 1: of you, and um, I hope we get you. Uh. 891 00:44:57,160 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 1: I hope you're in Kent in one of these days 892 00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:02,239 Speaker 1: because you deserve to be. But to man, just thanks 893 00:45:02,239 --> 00:45:04,240 Speaker 1: for coming on. Bird Noises toy. It was pretty awesome. 894 00:45:04,280 --> 00:45:06,959 Speaker 1: Hey man, thanks for having me. Man, you're so cool, 895 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:10,920 Speaker 1: and you know what, I appreciate that, all right. Well, 896 00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:13,560 Speaker 1: you know, on that's gonna make some people a building. 897 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:15,399 Speaker 1: It's really happy, you know, every time you say bird 898 00:45:15,440 --> 00:45:19,200 Speaker 1: noises and there's like this this bird screaming. I like it, man, 899 00:45:19,239 --> 00:45:21,799 Speaker 1: I like the luck. So all right, well, thanks for 900 00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:24,239 Speaker 1: coming on, Hammer, I do appreciate it. Thanks man. Thanks 901 00:45:24,320 --> 00:45:28,600 Speaker 1: Jesse take here. I am Jesse Togal former Atlanta Falcon 902 00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:32,080 Speaker 1: five time Pro Bowl known as the Hammer. You are 903 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:34,040 Speaker 1: listening to bird noises,