1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: Hi everyone, Welcome to Packers Unscripted from Packers dot Com. 2 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,120 Speaker 1: I am Mike Spofford, joined as always by my trusted 3 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: colleague West Hodkowitz. We're coming to here from our studios 4 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,960 Speaker 1: at lambeau Field and West. It is Mini Camp week. 5 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: That means a couple of things. Number one, three days 6 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: mandatory mini camp, all the players required to be in 7 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: attendance here at Lombardi Avenue. But it's also the conclusion 8 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: of the off season program. After this week, the players 9 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: are then off until the start of training camp. So 10 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: as the off season wraps up, so to speak, is 11 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: there anything in particular you'll be looking for out on 12 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: the practice field this week. Well, I just want to 13 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: point out, since this say is the last week of 14 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: the off season program. On Friday afternoon, that screeching you'll 15 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: hear from the lambeau Field parking lot will be my 16 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:10,959 Speaker 1: car sipping away, getting ready to go into the summer 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: here and and get away for a bit. But first 18 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: vacation goes to him that that after that then I'm 19 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: gonna try to get out here for a few days 20 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: and he's gone. This is what it comes down to, 21 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:21,920 Speaker 1: right right weeks get it where you can take it. 22 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: But no, you're right, I mean it's it's always an interesting, 23 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: uh sort of week in terms of it sounds like 24 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: this year for the most part, a lot of the 25 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: installs are in, so I don't know if there's gonna 26 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:34,640 Speaker 1: be so much reviewing. The way Mike McCarthy usually did it, 27 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: this usually ended up being like installs five six or 28 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: was it six, seven and eight. I think a lot 29 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 1: of times it could be the last slate of them, 30 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: almost like the last review period. McCarthy typically dismissed the 31 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: veterans and then we're just focus on working with the 32 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: younger players. Matt Lafleur has already said that he's expecting 33 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: the veterans that they they will be here this week 34 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: just because the new system going in year two the defense, 35 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: they want to have those guys here. Yeah, McCarthy certainly 36 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: didn't dismiss all the veterans his first couple of years. 37 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: It was more towards the latter half of his program. 38 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: So Matt Lafleur he wants to maximize this time. He 39 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: understands the value in it. The only true differences I 40 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: think practices can go a little bit longer. Players are 41 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,160 Speaker 1: obligated to be here under the construct of the c 42 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 1: b A. So the last chance to get in some 43 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: really good work here before you give into the summer 44 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: for a little bit and back for training camp when 45 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: we really start cooking with gas. Yeah, that would that'll 46 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: be That'll be the time that things really take off. 47 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 1: And I think, uh, you know, the first couple of 48 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: days of training camp will still be no pads and 49 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 1: they'll be that that grace period that easing into uh 50 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: to full speed training camp, full contact training camp. But 51 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: then we'll start to really get a sense of where 52 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: the Packers are here with regard to Matt Lafleur's scheme 53 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: and year two of Mike Petton's defense and all of that. 54 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: So we'll have our eyes on the practice field this 55 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: week and see exactly what's going on. Is things wrap up, 56 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: But I want to get to some sponsor business here 57 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: west the Green Bay Packers get ready for game day 58 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: with the powerful noise canceling technology of Bows Quiet Comfort 59 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 1: thirty five headphones. To learn more at www dot bows 60 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: dot com, Slash Packers Bows the official headphones of the 61 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: Green Bay Packers, and at Homer Here in the stands, 62 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: we all know that Green Bay fans give it their 63 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: all and that takes a lot of energy. So grab 64 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: a warm bowl of Campbell's Chunky Soup. It's meaty goodness 65 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: fuels the greatness of Packers fans everywhere. 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Okay, moving on, west I know there 69 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: are a lot of times on this show we tell 70 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: the fans to, hey, check this out on the website. 71 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: You know you'll like this, watch this, But I'm telling you, folks, 72 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: you need to give yourself a good half an hour, 73 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: about twenty minutes of reading time, ten minutes of video time, 74 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: maybe an extra five minutes to wipe away some tears 75 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: because you have to go on Packers dot com and 76 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: check out the piece that Weston hodkoits here put together 77 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: on a former Packers tight end, Mitchell Henry and his 78 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: story which was tragically cut short by an illness a 79 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: couple of years ago. West you flew to e Town, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 80 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: right at the end of the NFL right after the 81 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:16,359 Speaker 1: NFL draft is the day after you hopped on a 82 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: plane with I don't know how Mike Vandersnick is still 83 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: talking to me. Yeah, yeah, Mike Vandersnick, one of our 84 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 1: videographers here in the Packers dot Com broadcast apartment, accompanied 85 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: west to Etown, Kentucky. You put together, really you visited 86 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: with all kinds of people who were a big part 87 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: of Mitchell Henry's life, and uh put together his his 88 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: whole story. And for those who don't know about it, 89 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 1: um certainly go on the website and check it out. 90 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: What I wanted to ask you, Wes, is when you 91 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,960 Speaker 1: go through a long reporting process like this and everything 92 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: that was involved in it, there are a lot of 93 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: things that happened, whether it's behind the scenes this and that, 94 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 1: that don't necessarily make it into the final product. So 95 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 1: is there something like that from that will stick out 96 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: in your memory banks in terms of what you went 97 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: through in the process and how you went about putting 98 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: the story together that maybe hasn't seen the light of 99 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: day just yet. It's a really good question, Mike, and 100 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: I'll answer that in one moment. I want to set 101 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: it up a little bit by just explaining why exactly 102 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 1: I was going cat fishing, because it ties into that 103 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: answer the cat fishing trip. So you I think, I 104 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 1: don't know how much you got to talk to to 105 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: Mitchell Henry when he came in at fifteen, but he 106 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: was considered one of the top undrafted players the Packers 107 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,679 Speaker 1: draft that had signed that year after the two thousand 108 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: fifteen draft and might end out of Western Kentucky. Western 109 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: Kentucky played with Jack Doyle. A lot of a lot 110 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: of good tight ends have come through their. Tyler Higbee, 111 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 1: also now with the l A. Rams, was in that 112 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: same time, right right after Mitchell. I think, so what's 113 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: interesting about Mitchell's story is that summer training to hit 114 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,719 Speaker 1: camp it gets long, right, So you get in twenty practices, 115 00:05:57,400 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: you start getting into mid August, and people are looking 116 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: for storylines. Well, for Charles Mitchell Henry, it it became 117 00:06:03,560 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: the storyline about him being a cat fisherman and a 118 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: noodler that Garon Rodgers brought it up. I know Jerry 119 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: font and all the tight ends coach at the time 120 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: brought it up. Ron Zook I think brought it up 121 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 1: um And I got to know Mitchell a little bit. 122 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 1: I got to know his brother Ben a little bit 123 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: through the process, and I just joked with him near 124 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 1: the end of training camp because it although he had 125 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: broken his hand, it still looked like he might have 126 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 1: a decent shot to make the roster, did play well 127 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: on special teams, is maybe a third option at tight end. 128 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 1: I just I just off the cuff. I mentioned him, well, 129 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 1: you know what if you make the rosters after I 130 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,480 Speaker 1: wrote a story almost like you ate the roster, I'll 131 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: come down. I'll go cat fishing with you and your 132 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 1: dad and we both laughed it off. In Mitchell, I'll 133 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: never forget the words, he said. He's like, you know, 134 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: I know, I know my dad he'd he'd be happy 135 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 1: to take you. So I recount the story and inbox 136 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: this was last June, and I just said someone a 137 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: really stute question an inbox, probably one of my favorite 138 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 1: questions someone's really ever asked in the three years I've 139 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: been doing that was is there any stories you really 140 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: enjoyed from undrafted players that you just never got to 141 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: tell because then they got cut? For me, it was 142 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: Mitchell Henry. I wrote that in a month later, Terry 143 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: Henry's father wrote back to me and basically said, I 144 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 1: have not been cat fishing since Mitchell passed away. But 145 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: I know he'd want me to ask you to come along. 146 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: So I stayed in contact with the family. March rolls around, 147 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: April rolls around. They still want to do it. So 148 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 1: we go down to Elizabethtown, Kentucky, five minutes outside of 149 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: it little lake called Taylorsville Lake. I wrote in my 150 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: second graph of the story, it looks like something out 151 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 1: of a clear in Eastwood, Western It really does. It 152 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: looks like a scene out about lawn. Josie wales Um. 153 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: The answer to your question that you said that the 154 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: story that stays with me the most is myself and 155 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: our videographer, Mike Vanderstick. You have if your cat fishing, 156 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: you don't just go and throw some lines out and 157 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: then just you know, have some fun. It's actually a 158 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: lot of work, is what I found out. We had 159 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 1: to put down four lines. We put them down little 160 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,680 Speaker 1: banks of the river or lake. Go back to our 161 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: our rental car. Fortunately, Mitchell's brother Ben was nice enough 162 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 1: to bring us some some pillows and sleeping bags. So 163 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: Vanderschnick and I slept in the front seat of the 164 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: rental car for two whole hours. Got up at three, 165 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, got up at one so We went to 166 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: bed at eleven, got up at one, went and check 167 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: the lines, got three catfish, rebait the lines, go back 168 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: to our car, sleep for another two hours, get up 169 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 1: at six, do it again the next morning. My favorite 170 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: part of this little story is the fact that I 171 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: had to wash out my clothes three times to get 172 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: the smell of catfish out of them because it was 173 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: just so pronounced, and I was trying to run in 174 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: one of the shirts. I'm like, I can still smell 175 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 1: the catfish. But it was such an incredible journey to 176 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: be a part of. And I knew Mitchell a little bit, 177 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: but getting to know his dad, his brother, his his 178 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: lovely wife Madison, his mom, Leslie, his friends and families, 179 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: so many people I talked to for the story. You 180 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: don't fully appreciate every day, is what I learned through 181 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 1: this process. And Mike say average his high school football coaches, 182 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: his youth football coach, said, you know, you have a 183 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,079 Speaker 1: bad day and things hang with you that shouldn't hang 184 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: with you, And you think about what Mitchell Henry went 185 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 1: through with acute milloyd leukemia, a m L seven month battle, 186 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: everything it did to challenge him and the faith that 187 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,599 Speaker 1: he showed, the courage that he showed, the strength that 188 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 1: he showed in the face of that. It's always something 189 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,559 Speaker 1: that's gonna stick with me. This was I don't want 190 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 1: to say he became emotionally invested in the story. I'm 191 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: still a journalist at heart. I try not to do that, 192 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 1: but getting to know the family and being there and 193 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: in and in the Henry's house and in Madison's house. 194 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 1: So many times we write an obituary and you forget 195 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: weeks past, months past, and you just move on. And 196 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: there's a quote that Madison says in both the video 197 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: on the story about it's for me, it's not moving on, 198 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: it's moving forward, and that's stuck with me. And I 199 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 1: think that's always gonna stick with me. Yeah, because it's 200 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,319 Speaker 1: just there's things in your life that touch you. It 201 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: doesn't have to be death, that doesn't have to be that, 202 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: but things that shape you. And seeing how that family 203 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 1: has persevered and endured and has attempted to heal after 204 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 1: going through such a terrible, terrible loss at a terribly 205 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: young age. UM, it has an impact on you. It 206 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 1: certainly had an impact on me, and I think that's 207 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 1: one of the things that I liked the most about 208 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: the story the way you did it, whether you're talking 209 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,040 Speaker 1: about the video that was put together, and certainly hats 210 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,319 Speaker 1: off to a Adam hebel Heinrich, Mike Atkinson, we already 211 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 1: mentioned Mike vander Snick, their involvement in putting that video together. 212 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: Some outstanding work there. But as journalists, you you said 213 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: the word obituary. We've all written stories about people who 214 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:51,079 Speaker 1: have passed away. It's it's part of the business. It's 215 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: it's something that we've all done. What I liked about 216 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: your story, though, is this wasn't just telling the story 217 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: of Mitchell and everything that happened to him. It was 218 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:06,880 Speaker 1: also the story of how Mitchell impacted so many other people, 219 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: not only as as a kid and a great athlete 220 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: and somebody everybody loved too, then someone everybody wanted to 221 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: root for because he had a shot at the NFL too. 222 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 1: Then everything he went through with his illness and trying 223 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: to fight it and with his wife and his dog 224 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: and all of these kinds of things that the all 225 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 1: the pieces that went into it, Um, you know it, 226 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: it really is emotional and and um there's no avoiding that. 227 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:37,800 Speaker 1: The other thing I'd like to ask you though, is 228 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: I know, as we've all been through these types of 229 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: processes before as writers or as videographers for that matter. Um, 230 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 1: speaking of the guys who put together the video, there 231 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: are always things that don't make it, that end up 232 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: on the cutting room floor, so to speak. I know, 233 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure talking from talking to his coaches and family 234 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,319 Speaker 1: members and everything, I'm sure you've got some story reason, 235 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: some anecdotes that you know just didn't quite fit, or 236 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: maybe you didn't have room four in terms of the 237 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: way you told the story. So is there one of 238 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: those anecdotes from those folks about Mitchell or some encounter 239 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:16,320 Speaker 1: with him when he was alive that uh, um, that 240 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: you think is worth sharing here? So naturally, because this 241 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: is the way I always do things and unscripted, you 242 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,079 Speaker 1: give me a question that I answered a different way. 243 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: There's probably three obviously that that stand out to me 244 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: there from three different stages of his life. The first 245 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 1: one that I really wish I could have gotten the 246 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 1: story but it just didn't work out. His childhood friend 247 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:37,920 Speaker 1: Dylan and him used to go frog gigging. I think 248 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: I got that right, frog gigging gigging, which is you know, 249 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 1: so he's a big cat fisherman. He loves hunt doors, uh, 250 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: hunting everything like that. He also liked to go catch frogs. 251 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 1: And Dylan had this great story and it's it unfortunately 252 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 1: got cut out last minute because it was already a 253 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,640 Speaker 1: five thousand words story and we're trying to keep it centered. 254 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,960 Speaker 1: But he had this phenomenal story about how you know Mitchell, 255 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: even at a young age, he was fearless man. He 256 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: didn't care. So like, they'd go out in these bogs 257 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: and they'd be gigging, and I know, people from Kentucky, 258 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:09,439 Speaker 1: you're gonna watch this and be like, oh my gosh, 259 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,439 Speaker 1: you're making a fool of yourself. But they'd be going 260 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: after these frogs and Mitchell would have his waiters on 261 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: and he'd be swimming through this water going after these frogs. 262 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 1: And Dylan was telling me that he's like, I'd be 263 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: sitting there petrified because I didn't want to put my 264 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: hands in there because there's snakes and all these other 265 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,800 Speaker 1: wildlife things. Mitchell didn't care about that at all. He 266 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: was just all about the outdoors. He loved every single 267 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 1: bit of it and didn't he was just he was 268 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,959 Speaker 1: fearless in that way. The in it for the game. 269 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, the the other thing just to touch 270 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: on quickly, in his time in Green Bay, I had 271 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 1: one of our packers. You know, there's a number of 272 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 1: equipment people that work with Red Batty down there, and 273 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: and and different kids that come through, and different guys 274 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: that come through and help him out. There was one 275 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: that texted me after the story ran, and he just 276 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: he had such a great little snippets saying that out 277 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,959 Speaker 1: of every rookie, UFA, whatever that's come through there, you 278 00:14:01,000 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: will not find anyone kinder than Mitchell Henry. The way 279 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: he carried himself, you saw it, the way he walked 280 00:14:06,360 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: around the locker room. He was just such a humble 281 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: and and just everyday kind of guy that he just 282 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: happened to be trying to play in the NFL. But 283 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: he's just the type of guy that if if you're 284 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: at home, he's just the guy you kind of would 285 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: hang out with and have a good time with. And 286 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: he was getting a lot of media attention because he's 287 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: trying to make the team of a broken hand. If 288 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: you look at in the video, you see some of 289 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: the pictures, he's got the big club on his hand. 290 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: This is a tight end who was trying to catch 291 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,480 Speaker 1: passes and trying to throw blocks and trying to make 292 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: the team as an undrafted rookie, and he got put 293 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: into some pretty difficult circumstances there and he's still almost yeah, 294 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,800 Speaker 1: and it's just it's it's incredible all those things work out, 295 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 1: the last thing, and it's unfortunately. More on the somber 296 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,360 Speaker 1: note was that Mitchell, throughout his illness, it didn't matter 297 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: if he was originally in a town or when he 298 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: went to Lexington and then finally to MD Anderson in Houston, 299 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: one of the top cancer facilities in the country, he 300 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: always kept a little journal um and a lot of 301 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: times and you know, I don't I don't want to 302 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 1: get preach or anything like that, but a lot of 303 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 1: times it would just basically be conversations he was having 304 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 1: centered on his faith and his religion whatever. You know, again, 305 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to push anything on anybody, but how 306 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: devoted he was and how he never steered away from, 307 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: you know, what he believed. And I gotta be honest 308 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: with you, Michael, if I'm in his shoes and I'm 309 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: somebody that truly was devout, and you know, I'm so 310 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: focused on being a really humble and good person. And 311 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: that's something like that hits me. I think it would 312 00:15:37,160 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 1: really challenge me. It would challenge me for why asking why. 313 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: Mitchell never asked why, And I just I can't imagine 314 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: the amount of strength that that takes to be able 315 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: to still have that kind of character. Never, if people 316 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:57,600 Speaker 1: called him, this wasn't the story. But if people called him, 317 00:15:57,680 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: he never let on if he was sick. He never 318 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,000 Speaker 1: it on to how he was feeling. He never complained 319 00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: about how he was feeling. He always tried to make 320 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: it more about the other person so that when they 321 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: hung up the phone, they would feel good about where 322 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: things are at. To the point, James Harris high school 323 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: basketball coach even told me his last conversation with him, 324 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: when he talked to him, he's when he found out 325 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: that he had passed away. He's like, I had talked 326 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: to him two weeks later, two weeks earlier, what happened 327 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: and his mom, Leslie then told James, well, if you 328 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: were talking to to Mitchell, someone was probably holding the 329 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: phone up for him because he just didn't have that 330 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: kind of strength. And those are the things that stay 331 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 1: with me the most, and I just he was a 332 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 1: good human being that I hope with this story. My 333 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,560 Speaker 1: my main intention for this story is that people understand 334 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:48,800 Speaker 1: one there's human beings behind these helmets. Doesn't matter if 335 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: your first round pick, doesn't matter if you were Shaan Gary, 336 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: doesn't matter if you're the man on the roster. These 337 00:16:53,280 --> 00:16:55,920 Speaker 1: are human beings that walk into this locker room, with families, 338 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: with lives, with things that go beyond the field of play. 339 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: And in my opinion, I humbly submit that that Mitchell 340 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: Henry was one of the best of them from everything 341 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,440 Speaker 1: that we've known, from the way he carried himself, the 342 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 1: stories that people tell. You would have to walk many miles, 343 00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:13,880 Speaker 1: Michael to find anybody that's going to say something negative 344 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: old Mitchell Henry and for him to lead that kind 345 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:18,720 Speaker 1: of life and have that kind of success that he 346 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: did and never changed him. You wanted him back in 347 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: Etown to talk to a high school basketball team. He 348 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 1: left Green Bay, Wisconsin. He drove seven half hours to 349 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,400 Speaker 1: get there to do it, because that's just the guy 350 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: is that's the that's the kid that Terry and Leslie 351 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 1: Henry raised. And again it's it's a story that five ten, twelve, 352 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: years and I hope people read it. I hope people 353 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:40,360 Speaker 1: check it out. But it's one that's definitely gonna stick 354 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: with me. Yeah, it's definitely gonna stick with me too. 355 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 1: And and I didn't know Mitchell certainly is as well 356 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:48,840 Speaker 1: as you did. But reading all the work that you did, 357 00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: everything you put into it, the video that was put together, 358 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 1: just outstanding work. My cap is off to you, my friend. Yeah, 359 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: thank you. And it's uh, it's something too that it is. 360 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 1: It is sort of fun. It's probably the wrong word 361 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: to say, but it was interesting in too, like reminiscent. 362 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:02,640 Speaker 1: But I got a chance to sit down with Brian 363 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: Goodkun's last a couple of weeks ago and him kind 364 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 1: of like going through some of the stories but what 365 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: they liked about him as a football player where they 366 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: thought potentially those are those are fun stories to do 367 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 1: and in terms of just kind of understanding that side 368 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: of the game too, like where this kid could have 369 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,360 Speaker 1: really potentially, um, you know, had a career from self, 370 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:23,679 Speaker 1: Brian good Ku sette he really thought, you know, if 371 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: things played out a little bit differently, the injuries that 372 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:28,639 Speaker 1: hadn't mounted, this was a guy that really had a chance. 373 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 1: And that's such a small part of mitchell story. There's 374 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:36,960 Speaker 1: a bigger story there, but just kind of understanding that 375 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,160 Speaker 1: aspect of it and knowing that, Okay, every year, there's 376 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 1: gonna be another fifteen to twenty undrafted free agents that 377 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,159 Speaker 1: can of come come into this building and and they 378 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: might not always have the story Mitchell has, but those 379 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 1: are I think what makes this game special because it's 380 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 1: what gives them. It gives these teams. I don't want 381 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:56,240 Speaker 1: to call it humanity, that's the wrong word, but it 382 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: just it really drives home the point that this is 383 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: a game him, this is something that you're gonna do 384 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 1: for a very short time. It grounds you, it grounds you, 385 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: and and once you move on, you have to be 386 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 1: able to live a happy and positive life. And in 387 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 1: Mitchell Henry's case, while it was short, what he did 388 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:15,439 Speaker 1: in those short twenty four years have really made a 389 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 1: profound impact on those who knew him. Yeah, no question 390 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 1: about it. With that, we're going to call it a 391 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: rep on this edition of Packers Unscripted. Be sure to 392 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: follow all of our coverage of the team, and certainly 393 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: check out Wess great piece on Mitchell Henry on Packers 394 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:31,359 Speaker 1: dot com. Subscribe to us like us on iTunes and 395 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: other podcast services if you don't mind. On Twitter, he's 396 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 1: at west hot I'm at Mike Spofford at Packers for 397 00:19:37,640 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: the team account. Thanks for tuning in, everybody, We'll see 398 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 1: you next time.