1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Hey, Vikings fans, Ben Lever here, I'm so excited to 2 00:00:02,279 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: be a new Lifetime member, and so are my kids. 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: They love the tennis, the pickaball, the basketball, and of 4 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: course the yummy cafe. Check them out at Lifetime dot 5 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: life to find a club nearest you. 6 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: Ready to have your spirits lifted, then the laugh out 7 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 2: loud comedy Ghosts is for you. Ghosts is all new 8 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 2: every Thursday night at seven thirty Central on CBS. Welcome 9 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,520 Speaker 2: to Schools Stories, presented by three M, the official science 10 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: partner of the Minnesota Vikings. Tonight we're catching up with 11 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: Vikings legend Ben Williams. Thanks again for tuning into another 12 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: episode of Schools Stories. This week, our special guest played 13 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,879 Speaker 2: defensive tackle for both the Golden Gophers and your Minnesota Vikings. Nowadays, 14 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 2: he's the president of the nflpa's Minnesota chapter. Please welcome 15 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 2: in my former teammate, Ben Williams. Well, I want to 16 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 2: welcome one of my favorites, big swall, Ben Williams of 17 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 2: the show. Ben, How are you doing going? 18 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 3: They weren't great? Health is good? Survived a kidney transplant 19 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 3: and uh living life. 20 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: And join it and you kind of jump you kind 21 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:09,960 Speaker 2: of jumped the gun. I was that's something I was 22 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 2: going to get to when we kind of when we 23 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: go just document your life story here as we do 24 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 2: on school stories. So we'll get to we'll get to 25 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: all that in a minute. But I think your story 26 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:25,759 Speaker 2: is amazing because it starts way back. You're from Mississippi, correct, right, 27 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 2: And I'm just dying to ohal a kid from Mississippi 28 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: ends up in Minnesota and then Minnesota for life. Now, 29 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 2: I mean, tell me about that great question. 30 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 3: I think the story started during my senior year high school, 31 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 3: well junior year rather, I was getting recruited by you know, 32 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 3: the primary uh SEC schools and in my hometown and 33 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 3: bellsonno Mississippi. 34 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 2: Ole miss rules, right. 35 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 3: And you know, things are coming down to who I 36 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 3: was going to decide where I was going to decide 37 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 3: to go to school at. And I kind of had 38 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,960 Speaker 3: this epiphany that I didn't want to run around and 39 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 3: play in front of seventy thousand people at old mississ Stateian, 40 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 3: playing Dixie and waving Confederate flags. 41 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 2: Okay. 42 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 3: I knew someone currently at the University of Minnesota, Ricky Williams, 43 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 3: who went to henry Ford High who had some relatives 44 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,400 Speaker 3: in my hometown. University of Minnesota came down, saw some games, 45 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 3: and you know, brought me up here when it wasn't 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 3: seventeen below zero. Just smart, yeah, yeah, a lot of 47 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 3: green grass, a lot of pretty a lot of pretty women, 48 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,440 Speaker 3: a lot of good beer. And next thing I know, 49 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 3: I was, I was in Minnesota. 50 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 2: Baw and so that was that was it. Did you 51 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 2: have any desire to get out of timing? I guess 52 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 2: I know. For me, all I wanted to do is 53 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:47,960 Speaker 2: I wanted to get away from where I grew up, 54 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 2: not too far, but just get away from where I 55 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 2: grew up. 56 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 3: I think, Yeah, I think most most kids at that 57 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 3: age who aren't from a big city, you don't have 58 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 3: the dream of going to a bigger shit. I mean, 59 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 3: like unlike most of these either big ten or SEC schools. 60 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 3: You know, the University of Minnesota is in a in 61 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 3: a fairly large city. So I mean I came here. 62 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 3: I grew up in town that was twenty six thousand people, 63 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 3: So I was, you know, wold by. 64 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: The How was that? How did that adjustment go? 65 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 3: It was? It was a culture shock then, you know. 66 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,640 Speaker 3: I mean, like I said, I had never seen well 67 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 3: obviously I traveled, but the distance, the relativity from campus 68 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 3: to downtown is what two miles. So I was like, okay, 69 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 3: I can go to school here. I mean the culture 70 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 3: of the U it was fairly attractive. And like I said, 71 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 3: some of the perks they give you on the visit, 72 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 3: yeah kind of Incentivey. 73 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: Did you at some time think you could walk through 74 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: your walk the class because a lot of people showing 75 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 2: my dorm, you know where I'm living. It's only it's 76 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: only a mile or half mile from my classroom. And 77 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 2: then you wake up in January and it's twenty below 78 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: zero and you're going, yeah, no, that's not gonna work. 79 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 3: They actually failed it. Tell you that they left it 80 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 3: out and recruit and and funny story is I actually 81 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 3: did not have a winter coat. The coldest it gets 82 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 3: where I'm from in Mississippi, I going for Christmas, it 83 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: may be sixty. So I didn't own a winter coat. 84 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 3: So you know, fall practice comes freshman year. I'm like, man, 85 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 3: this is beautiful green everywhere. You know, fraternity row, you know, 86 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 3: keg parties, And the next thing I know, you know, 87 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 3: October rolls around and it in November and you got 88 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 3: outdoor games against Michigan and Ohio Stateum, I'm like, this 89 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:40,720 Speaker 3: is actually cold. January comes and then depression sent. 90 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: My my favorite, my favorite explanation of Minnesota cold is 91 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 2: by Corey Stringer. When you know, Corey's like, you wake up, 92 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 2: you look outside, the sun's out. You know, it's blue 93 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 2: and it's just clean, clear, and you're like, oh, it's 94 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 2: going to beautiful out. And then you walk outside and 95 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: it's twenty five below zero. 96 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 3: You know what. We tell people that and they don't 97 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 3: believe it about Minnesota because you can everybody thinks it's cold. 98 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 3: Who they are Like, I got family in Chicago. Oh, 99 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,360 Speaker 3: Chicago's cold, Like, come to Minnesota in February. Right, let 100 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 3: me know what you think about it. 101 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: It's a whole, It's a whole, nother level animal. That 102 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: ten degree difference is huge. Yes, right now, your route 103 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,799 Speaker 2: from from college to you know, to the NFL wasn't 104 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 2: just wasn't just direct. 105 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 3: No, no, no, it wasn't traditional all. 106 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 2: Soll us tell us because you went through a lot, yes, 107 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: and so what kept you? You know, what kept you, 108 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: what kept you going well and what and then explain 109 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:35,040 Speaker 2: for the listeners what you you know, what you went 110 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: through because your route went to see you know the 111 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,239 Speaker 2: CFL internation. I mean you were everywhere. 112 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 3: Look, everybody has some sort of internal drive that that 113 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 3: makes you who you are to attain your the goals 114 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 3: that sit in in the front of your lobe. And 115 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 3: you know, I left college put up really good numbers 116 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 3: in college. I I think at the time I left 117 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 3: in ninety two ninety three, I was a career PSYC 118 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:03,799 Speaker 3: leader at the University of Minnesota. But my body type 119 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 3: was not suited for the NFL. I was, you know, 120 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 3: two hundred and forty pounds, not a linebacker, not a 121 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 3: guy who could play in space, yep, and not a 122 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 3: traditional three technique type body type. So you know, at 123 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 3: that time, I was like, Okay, it's not the performance, 124 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,719 Speaker 3: it's I need to get bigger, uh, you know, I 125 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 3: need to show these guys that I can actually stand 126 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 3: up under some of the run play of professional football. 127 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 3: CoFL went there made all CoFL got to like two 128 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: sixty world. 129 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 2: What team were you with when you were in the CFO. 130 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 3: Saskatchewan at Edmonton and actually did treport? 131 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 2: Also, so you just you just went from cold to 132 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: cold dr Yeah, you just kept moving north. Yeah. 133 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, but you know It's like, you know, it's like 134 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 3: with anything in life. If you have a goal set, 135 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 3: you know the optimal prize, and you know you have 136 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 3: casual fans that talk about how long you played, but 137 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 3: you know this as a player from the time you're 138 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 3: four or five years old. The end of the road 139 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 3: unless you're going to be a gold jacket guy in 140 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 3: the Hall of Fame, is to say, look, I started 141 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: this game as a pop Winner player, and I made 142 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 3: it to play on Sundays. That's the epitome of it, 143 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 3: all right, And I couldn't let it go until I 144 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 3: actually got here. 145 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 2: So what is what so that motivation piece. That's why 146 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: I'm curious because you do so much, so many other things. Yes, 147 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: what is it about that? I mean, how what do 148 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 2: you say to to to a parent with a kid 149 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: in high school about motivation? Because I think it's one 150 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: of the biggest worries of parents these days is just 151 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 2: you know, how motivated is my kid? 152 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 3: Is it? 153 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 2: You know, how are they are they gonna? Are they 154 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 2: going to uh put put the work in that's necessary, 155 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 2: do something? What is it about you that that Where 156 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 2: is it? How did you make that connection? What drove you? 157 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 3: I think that the fear of failure and the fear 158 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 3: of rejection, because every moment in my life that I've 159 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 3: either failed at something or internally, and all of us 160 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 3: have situations like that that somebody either tells you you 161 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 3: aren't good enough, you aren't smart enough, oh yea, and 162 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: things like that. Uh. Some people internalize it and it 163 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 3: takes them downhill. And with me, it makes me lose 164 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 3: sleep at night. I'll die before I'll let you have 165 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 3: that advantage on me. 166 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I will agree with you on that, 167 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,599 Speaker 2: because you hear you know where again, I want to 168 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 2: notre dame. I heard from so many people You're just 169 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 2: gonna go and disappear. And I'm like, oh, okay, well 170 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 2: watch me, yeah exactly, watch me work, you know exactly right. 171 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 2: Just that. But that connection, though, that that's the piece 172 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: that I'm looking for. It kind of like the secret. 173 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, not everybody knows that obviously the 174 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:56,839 Speaker 2: book and retire, But. 175 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 3: I don't know if there's a secret. I think that 176 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 3: you know, the the way you started that question off 177 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 3: is asking about the relativity of that to today's young 178 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 3: kids and athletes. And I can honestly tell you from 179 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 3: doing things some of the things that Tom asked me 180 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 3: to do with some of the Vikings camps. I think 181 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 3: the parents are more motivated than some of the kids 182 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 3: in these programs. So you have dads and moms who 183 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 3: have either failed athletic dreams or hopes that they did 184 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 3: not live out, and they imposed those on the child. 185 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,719 Speaker 3: But I think that the drive to achieve is an 186 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 3: internal thing that I don't know. I'm never satisfied because 187 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 3: once you I think, the moment you become content in 188 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 3: life with anything is the moment you start to regress. 189 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll agree with you on that. So you went 190 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 2: from the CFL to Europe. I mean, this is this 191 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 2: is an amazing role because you went from and then 192 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 2: you went to Europe, and Europe was a little different. 193 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: It was not fancy, right, and. 194 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 3: From not at all. I actually have some of my 195 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 3: former teammates on the team with us. Uh uh, Femmy 196 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 3: and Dwayne Butler. 197 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,079 Speaker 2: Were okay, so that's a London monarchy. 198 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, So it was quite the change. Food change, 199 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 3: accommodation change. You're in about the sides of behalf a 200 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 3: dorm room. The shower is none of our offensive blindmen 201 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 3: that could actually fit in, so I called it a 202 00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 3: sectional shower. They actually had to do the lower half 203 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 3: then stick upper half the Yeah. Yeah, they weren't ready. 204 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: They weren't ready for football when when they first brought 205 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:32,959 Speaker 2: it in. 206 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 3: Oh no, no, no, it's you know, you got to understand. 207 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 3: I mean, I don't think London or the UK has 208 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 3: a bunch of you know six eight you know David 209 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 3: Dixon types. 210 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 2: No, no, no, you gotta go to New Zealand to 211 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: find find a bunch of David Dixon types. But thank 212 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 2: god for that. 213 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 3: But once again, uh, it's you can You can endure 214 00:10:55,520 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 3: anything if if your motivation it is higher enough. 215 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 2: And so so how did you get the opportunity with 216 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 2: the Vikings? How did that go? What was that? 217 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 3: Like? 218 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 2: You get the phone call? 219 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,679 Speaker 3: Played really a really good year, made All World League 220 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 3: and uh got a call from Andre Pattinson when I 221 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,200 Speaker 3: got back. I think about a week after I got back, 222 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 3: and he was like, are you tired of playing football? 223 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 3: And I'm like, no, all. 224 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 2: Right, that's an interesting question though, right, I mean, what. 225 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 3: Do you think what I'm going to say? Older? I 226 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 3: just want to take about a ten months. Dude, I 227 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 3: could have been in a cast. I would have told 228 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 3: about to show up. 229 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: Well yeah, but again though, I'm sure there were other 230 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:38,199 Speaker 2: guys that let's say, played college football, went to the CFL, 231 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,679 Speaker 2: then went to London and they're like, you know what 232 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 2: this is, I'm getting tired of it. Yeah, I mean 233 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: checking your temperature. 234 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 3: I get it. I mean, and and some some guys 235 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 3: are built that way, but internally I was never built 236 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 3: like that. And uh, until I attained a goal, I'm 237 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 3: either going to crash out and and and fail hard 238 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 3: and but eventually all the things that I checked off 239 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 3: that I wanted to do as a child in elementary, 240 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 3: I've uh, I've achieved. 241 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 2: And and so you show up in Mankato. What was 242 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 2: that like? 243 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 3: It was different? I mean I had had you had. 244 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 2: An interesting room now, yeah right, I mean d Limen 245 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 2: are different. 246 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, they're different. 247 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,920 Speaker 2: I mean you're indes interesting personality. 248 00:12:20,960 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 3: And I laugh and I still give one of them who 249 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 3: I talked to every day. You know, Johnny was different, man, 250 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,320 Speaker 3: I mean some of the things. Yeah, he's still different. 251 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 3: But so yeah, it was uh and then too obviously, 252 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 3: I mean, you know what the level of talent at 253 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 3: this level is upper notch and uh, you know who 254 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 3: actually gave me some pointers that I never gave credit to. 255 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 3: Once I came in, I didn't know Brad had played, 256 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 3: Brad Johnson had played in the in the world, in 257 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 3: the world, just like just do what you do. Play. 258 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 3: But yeah, it's it's quite a different. Like I said, 259 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 3: the talent level is fairly high. 260 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 2: At what point did you at what point did you 261 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 2: know you could do it? Or did you ever. 262 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 3: Crash after the first nine O seven and the first 263 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: one on one? Yeah, yeah, I mean, because you know, 264 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 3: I'll take that back. I mean, there are some guys that, uh, 265 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 3: if you had to make a career, you know, rushing 266 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 3: one on one against Rando McDaniel, you're gonna, yeah, you 267 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 3: gonna you're gonna have a short career. But if you 268 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:24,760 Speaker 3: don't get embarrassed, it's like, hey, you're gonna be all right. 269 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 3: Yeah that's my I mean. But like I said, overall, 270 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 3: most of the guys you can you can work and win. 271 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 3: But yeah, if you had to, some guys signed you 272 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 3: to go, you know, six weeks of training camp, four 273 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 3: weeks to training camp against him, every day solely him. 274 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 3: You never shut. 275 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 2: Very short and so and you turn that into an 276 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 2: NFL career, And what's amazing in your life is you 277 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:52,439 Speaker 2: just keep building on everything and and someone could look 278 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 2: and say, man, you've been through a lot of adversity, 279 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:59,319 Speaker 2: but then you you're Yeah, every I think every unbelievable 280 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 2: story is checked by adversity. And then you had the 281 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 2: physical type And talk about the kidney transplant. How when 282 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 2: you found those things out? Did the athletic and what 283 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 2: went on in your life in football? Did it? I'll 284 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 2: give you a different perspective. When you found out this 285 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: news that you were going to have to you have 286 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 2: this disease, you have to get a kidney transplant, did 287 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 2: that help you get through that process? 288 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 3: Yes? I think football, uh teaches you to deal with 289 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 3: adversity like in a lot of ways. Meant, let me 290 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 3: explain what I mean by that, all right, just say 291 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 3: in a series in the game Pete, you have two 292 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 3: really bad plays, you get thrown out of the club 293 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,920 Speaker 3: in too bad plays. The amount of time that you 294 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 3: have to adjust to that failure is what immediate? Yeah, 295 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 3: next next play you have to move on. So I 296 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 3: adopted some of that theory and in life, I remember 297 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 3: the day that I went to you know, Mayo, you know, 298 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 3: and kind of did the whole executive physical thing, and 299 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 3: they come in and tell me that, you know when 300 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 3: that that speech being, can you stick around for a 301 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 3: little bit. We have some guys that want to come 302 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 3: in and speak to you. And I knew that whatever 303 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 3: that conversation was going to be was not going to 304 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,960 Speaker 3: be good. So they come in and was like, hey, 305 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 3: you know, do some blood work, blah blah blah. You 306 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,280 Speaker 3: have eighteen percent kidney function. So my mind goes, well, 307 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 3: what can you give me, meaning. 308 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 2: Like like a pill or medication cause I. 309 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 3: Wasn't really educated on crying of kidney disease at that time. 310 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,280 Speaker 3: I'm like, can you do the changes? And they're like, 311 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 3: you know it's going to progressively get worse at some 312 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 3: point you're going to have to either start doing dialysis 313 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,760 Speaker 3: and once that gets to a point, you're going to 314 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,240 Speaker 3: need a transplant, or you know you're gonna check out 315 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 3: this deal. Yeah, and then what it's a waiting game. 316 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 3: So it's a game of I think from the time 317 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 3: I actually got diagnosed with chronic well end stage when 318 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 3: you failure to I made it probably three and a 319 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 3: half four years before I needed dallases, and I think 320 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 3: it was preseason of twenty nineteen. I think I come. 321 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 3: I went to one of our preseason games in the 322 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:39,120 Speaker 3: week before I felt horrible. And most people don't understand 323 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,200 Speaker 3: how it feels to have chronic kidney disease. And the 324 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 3: example I would give is, imagine that the worst hangover 325 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 3: you've ever had in your life, but it lasts all 326 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 3: day because all the toxins that you have that give 327 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 3: you that headache or that be feeling from drinking, your 328 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 3: body can't filter out anything when you're in stage renflu, 329 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 3: so every day you're like hit with a hammer. And 330 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 3: I remember that year in preseason I got to the point, 331 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 3: I mean I was didn't want to get out of bed. 332 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 3: I was like, doctor, you know what am I going 333 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 3: to do? Now? They're like being we have to put 334 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 3: a fistiller in your arm and start doing dallases, so, 335 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,680 Speaker 3: you know, kind of the same philosophy. I had two choices, 336 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,920 Speaker 3: either to do in center dialysis, but my doctors do 337 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 3: my personality that being in a room with fifty other 338 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 3: people who are half a terminally ill would not It 339 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 3: wouldn't be good for my mental state, right, So I 340 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 3: spent a month and a half actually learning how to 341 00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 3: do it myself. No kidding. So they brought good God 342 00:17:56,240 --> 00:18:01,199 Speaker 3: so and they end up September, they delivered Dallas and 343 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,920 Speaker 3: I put it in my basement and so every morning 344 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 3: at eight o'clock, scrubbed arm and ject, you know, two 345 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,480 Speaker 3: nails in my arm and sit there for four hours. 346 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 3: And I did it every day. So it's you know, 347 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 3: I don't want to give people the wrong impression Dallas 348 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 3: is the great thing, but it's not a solution because 349 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 3: I learned after the first I don't know. 350 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:25,919 Speaker 2: I mean, you're not giving anybody an impression this is 351 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 2: what you had to do to that lit But but. 352 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:30,439 Speaker 3: I mean, but some of the people who have not 353 00:18:30,640 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 3: gone through chronic kidney disease thinks think that Dallas is 354 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 3: a solution. It's not. So every day that I did 355 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 3: Dallas is for four hours. That four hours would give 356 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 3: me probably twenty percent function until the next morning at 357 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,399 Speaker 3: eight o'clock. So I'm constantly chasing, you know, trying to 358 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 3: feel good. So I would do four to half like 359 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 3: I would, well, I'm do five today, five hours instead, 360 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 3: and I feel good from one o'clock to probably two 361 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 3: in the morning, and then you know, go downhill again 362 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:10,400 Speaker 3: and next one I get up same deal. 363 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:12,159 Speaker 2: So how are you now? 364 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 3: I'm great now, I mean transplant went great. I have 365 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 3: to thank the University of Minnesota, Mayo. I do a 366 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 3: lot of stuff with Life Source right now about organ 367 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,879 Speaker 3: donation because you know we I think I did a 368 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 3: commercial for him a couple of weeks ago. We probably 369 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 3: have fifteen thousand people in the state of Minnesota right 370 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,479 Speaker 3: now who are looking for viable transplants. But the amount 371 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 3: of people that register on your driver's license, I call 372 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 3: it check in the box, have not done it. So 373 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 3: if you guys have an opportunity to go check the box, 374 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 3: please do so. Because Life Source does a great job 375 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 3: of coordinating. And you know, once God forbid someone passes away, 376 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 3: every bit of orgon tissue, whatever it can be used, 377 00:19:58,640 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 3: will be utilized and save someone. 378 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 2: Is there anything they can do now? I mean, because 379 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 2: it's the check and you say check in the box, 380 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 2: you can do that. Maybe when you renew your licensees 381 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,159 Speaker 2: you can What can you do? What can someone do? 382 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 2: Who's listening? Or do right now? 383 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 3: Make go to life source Google Life Source telling you 384 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:16,760 Speaker 3: want to become a donor. Primary thing is when you 385 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 3: get a license renewed or any transactions like that. You 386 00:20:20,440 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 3: can ask to have that put on your your license, 387 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,119 Speaker 3: or you can see your medical provider and they can 388 00:20:26,160 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 3: actually do the same thing, but incentivized guys to do so. 389 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:32,040 Speaker 2: And while all this is going on, Okay, you have 390 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,640 Speaker 2: all this going on in your life, it wasn't just that. 391 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,400 Speaker 2: I mean, you're right now in charge of the Minnesota 392 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:41,159 Speaker 2: chapter of the NFLPA. Tell you know, I want to 393 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 2: know more about that. And you're studying, you're getting your 394 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 2: law degree. So it's amazing. 395 00:20:47,960 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 3: Well, yeah, my mom asked, she asked me, what was like, 396 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 3: what's that mentally sound? 397 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 4: Because so two the first time she asked you that question. No, 398 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 4: so twenty nineteen, really sick August September go star Dallas 399 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 4: is blah blah blah. 400 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 3: Get to November, you know, and I'm thinking, I have 401 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,479 Speaker 3: to get my mind right for the long haul of this, 402 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 3: because they preached to you when you're in that state 403 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:22,359 Speaker 3: that you know being this is not going to be 404 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 3: a two weight. The average time that a person wastes 405 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 3: to get a viable oregon is six to eight years. 406 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 2: Wow. 407 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:33,439 Speaker 3: So I had to switch the way I was thinking 408 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 3: to be like, you know, this is going to be 409 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 3: a long term you know, deal. I'm not you know, 410 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 3: I'm not going to be traveled into Mexico in the 411 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,879 Speaker 3: summer because Dallas doesn't stop. You know, if I went 412 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,120 Speaker 3: to see my mother in Mississippi, I had to figure 413 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 3: out ways to get Dallas's not the next day, the 414 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:53,800 Speaker 3: same day that I got there. So your life is 415 00:21:53,880 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 3: really impacted. So get to November Friday, the week before 416 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 3: I was doing Dallas, is about halfway through the run, 417 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 3: and I get a call like, you know, being what 418 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,919 Speaker 3: are you doing. I answer the cell phone, well, I 419 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 3: got an hour and twenty minutes left on Dallases. They 420 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,480 Speaker 3: were like, you need to be at the hospital by eight. 421 00:22:15,600 --> 00:22:17,719 Speaker 3: I'm like for what, I'm like, you know, I'm kind 422 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 3: of annoy because I'm thinking it's something to do with 423 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 3: meds or some of the block work I've done. But 424 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:27,359 Speaker 3: the conversation goes on. They're like, you just need to 425 00:22:27,359 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 3: bring a bag and be prepared to stay and uh 426 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 3: and come check in the seventh floor. So I'm happy 427 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 3: and everybody's like, yo, what did you do? Like, did 428 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:38,840 Speaker 3: you summons family and friends? 429 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 2: Oh? 430 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 3: I actually drove myself to the U and I actually 431 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 3: evalated myself wow, and took a bag again. And you 432 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 3: go in and they kind of tell you the deal 433 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,639 Speaker 3: that we have an organ match, and but we you know, 434 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 3: they they don't hyphen the moment. They tell you the 435 00:22:56,720 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 3: possibility that once they can be or something could possibly 436 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:04,840 Speaker 3: be wrong. Right. But you know, since then, I've learned 437 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 3: that they've done a lot of background work antibodies, blood types, 438 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 3: condition but there have been people who have gone in 439 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 3: to get a transplant and you've waited there for twelve 440 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 3: fourteen hours and they tell you, so, no go. So 441 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 3: I'm just sitting there like all night. I get there 442 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 3: about seven, you know, two am comes. I'm trying to 443 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 3: watch anything on TV to keep my mind. I can 444 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 3: die from thinking about it. Another two hours goes by 445 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 3: and suddenly it's like a NASCAR pick who About fifteen 446 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 3: twenty people come in the room to prep you. And 447 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 3: unless you've been through it, it's amazing. They they have 448 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 3: people sticking tubes and you in places you wouldn't imagine 449 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 3: and all this happens with then about thirty minutes. 450 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 2: Wow, yeah, Wow, that's it's unbelievable. 451 00:23:56,320 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, And talking about that, I think my third day 452 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,880 Speaker 3: in the hospital after and I got to get Tom 453 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 3: Wess some credit for this my third day in the hospital. 454 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 3: You know, when you go through something traumatic like that, 455 00:24:08,320 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 3: you uh, you kind of think in your brain that 456 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 3: you know, nobody cares about me. I'm I'm sitting in 457 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:18,880 Speaker 3: this you know, hospital room by myself and out of touch. 458 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 3: I was I was gonna call people. Hey man, it's 459 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 3: a chance. But you bring a twelve day you know, 460 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 3: send me a pizza. But uh, you know, you hope 461 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 3: that in life that you affect people enough that people 462 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,679 Speaker 3: actually care about you. And yeah, I get a call 463 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 3: from on the cell phone from the guy to the 464 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:41,640 Speaker 3: football game. It's like, hey, man, uh you got a chance. 465 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:43,200 Speaker 3: I guess somebody wanted to talk to you and him 466 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 3: and Randy on the phone. 467 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 2: Yeah. 468 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 3: So yeah, I really appreciate I'll never get it. 469 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 2: Yeah that's again. Then your story And this is why, 470 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 2: you know, I'm so excited that the listeners and the 471 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 2: and fans of Skull Stories are gonna be able to 472 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 2: hear this is just it. Life is. It's just a battle. 473 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,360 Speaker 2: It's one thing after another after another after another, and 474 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:07,360 Speaker 2: you you've found a way to get through. It's it's 475 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: almost as if your struggle to get into the NFL 476 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 2: and what you went through to get to the NFL 477 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 2: just prepared you for what you had down the road 478 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 2: with this, and you didn't even you know, you didn't 479 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:23,359 Speaker 2: know it at the time, but I would have to 480 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,040 Speaker 2: think that everything you went through to get to this, 481 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 2: to get to the NFL prepared you one for what 482 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 2: you were about to go through. 483 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 3: I would probably agree with that. And let me kind 484 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 3: of give an analogy. We all live in an age 485 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 3: of social media right now. Everybody shows an image on 486 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 3: social media. Yeah, nobody shows the bad parts of that 487 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 3: life on social media. You show highlights of what you 488 00:25:50,240 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 3: want people to think of you on social media, but 489 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 3: no one knows what's behind that curtain but you. So, 490 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 3: you know, you take the things that you're given and 491 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 3: and you know hopefully you can move the ball forward 492 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 3: in life. And at that moment, I thought about all 493 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 3: the things that I'd gone through to get what I got, 494 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,439 Speaker 3: and you have. Mentally, I had an alternative but to 495 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 3: deal with the current situation and move on. And once 496 00:26:16,119 --> 00:26:20,199 Speaker 3: I once I got my transplant, I think I was 497 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 3: actually in my first two weeks in the hospital when uh, 498 00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 3: the idea came to mind that I'm like, I want 499 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 3: to get the NBA and I registered from my hospital 500 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:38,240 Speaker 3: bed and I took my first classes three days after 501 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 3: I got to the hospital. 502 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,119 Speaker 2: And how long did it take you to at your NBA? 503 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 3: Two years? 504 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 2: And then now you know when you got your NBA. 505 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 2: Now what are you doing? JD? No kidding? And this 506 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 2: is it though you said I Membory talked earlier. You said, 507 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 2: it's about good. It's about enough education for for ben 508 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 2: well five alphabets. Yeah, you're gonna you're have quite the 509 00:27:00,520 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 2: business card you have to get. You might have to 510 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:09,600 Speaker 2: get the extended business. 511 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:10,520 Speaker 3: Like I said anything post. Uh. You know, I think 512 00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 3: that PhDs should be reserved for who that people that 513 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:18,720 Speaker 3: want to educate. So I don't know how functional and 514 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 3: a pH d would be in day to day life. 515 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 3: Well especially I wouldn't want to get a pH d 516 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 3: in microeconomics because some of the props I had, Kelly had, 517 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 3: I you were above my pre Oh my god, that's fun. 518 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 3: You mentioned that my my macro professor. Uh, I hope, 519 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:42,080 Speaker 3: doctor hostcrot Actually here's this. You know this guy was 520 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 3: a finance chair for Germany before taking that job. So yeah, 521 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 3: these guys off the. 522 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 2: Charge derivatives and all. 523 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, I wouldn't so getting a PhD. And that wouldn't 524 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 3: enthuse me. 525 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:01,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, only to teach. So what's I guess my next 526 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 2: question is what's next? For what's next for Ben Williams? 527 00:28:05,040 --> 00:28:08,159 Speaker 2: Because you've done all this, you've been for all this, 528 00:28:09,119 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 2: there's something else coming. 529 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 3: Well. The motivation I have right now is that football 530 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 3: afforded me a lot. It afforded me to fulfill the dream, 531 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:23,240 Speaker 3: it afforded me to further my education, It afforded me 532 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 3: a lot of things. And I got the idea probably 533 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:32,200 Speaker 3: a year ago that why did we not have an 534 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 3: nfl PA chapter in Minnesota. Kind of went through a 535 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 3: few avenues to figure out the path to do so 536 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 3: and figured it out because one of the things that 537 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 3: kind of was in the back of my mind was 538 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 3: what can There are a lot of players that need help, 539 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 3: yep and pride. Football players are very prideful, extremely proper, 540 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 3: and my journey to the NFLPA was to figure out 541 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 3: things I could do for former players. 542 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:04,920 Speaker 2: And so you have you also have a foundation as well. 543 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:05,680 Speaker 2: Tell us about that. 544 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 3: The Ben Williams Foundation. We focus on doing outreach teaching 545 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 3: about chronic kidney disease. 546 00:29:11,240 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 2: Okay, that's all right, And one of. 547 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 3: My primary goals is providing because if I would have 548 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 3: been in the same situation where I grew up and 549 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 3: builds onto Mississippi, I would not have had an area 550 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:27,720 Speaker 3: to go to get dallases. So there there are a 551 00:29:27,800 --> 00:29:30,959 Speaker 3: lot of underserved areas in some of the smaller communities. 552 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 3: And uh, raising money for mobile dallases units is you 553 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:37,960 Speaker 3: know one of the tasks. 554 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 2: I had and where can people go to find information 555 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:40,720 Speaker 2: on that? 556 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 3: Ben Williams Foundation dot org. 557 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 2: All right, it sounds good now, Ben, I'm gonna say this, 558 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,920 Speaker 2: I think and for listeners too, you playing football might 559 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 2: be the least impressive and least interesting part of your life. 560 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 3: Well, thank you for saying that. 561 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 2: You know what, I'm serious. I'm sitting here, I'm listening 562 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 2: to your story. I know you, I mean, I know 563 00:29:56,920 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 2: you played. I mean I was I played with you, correct, right, 564 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:02,600 Speaker 2: I And at the time I didn't, I wasn't aware 565 00:30:02,640 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 2: of your journey just to get to the NFL. 566 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, we don't learn. We don't learn a lot from 567 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 3: each other. 568 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 2: No, we don't. We don't talk about those things as much. 569 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 3: And then you know, ego into stops throwing out a 570 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 3: high level Yeah, but. 571 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:17,720 Speaker 2: You got You know what, though, I'll say this, everything 572 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 2: I've been through and blah blah blah, I missed the locker. 573 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 3: Room man, I do also, Oh my goodness, And that's 574 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,600 Speaker 3: funny you say that, Pete, because one of the things 575 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 3: I'm trying to recreate right now through the nfl PA, 576 00:30:30,160 --> 00:30:33,120 Speaker 3: and I've spoke to, you know, some of the people 577 00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:35,800 Speaker 3: in ternal of like time here is once guys get 578 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 3: out of football, and Pete can attest to this, you 579 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:44,080 Speaker 3: can recreate a lot of things. You know. There are 580 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 3: guys who leave the game with wealth, you know, power, 581 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 3: great family homes everywhere. But you cannot replicate the locker 582 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 3: room environment. And every player that I've ever spoken to, 583 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 3: I've asked, what do you miss? Do you miss Sunday's 584 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 3: do you miss? They were like just the locker room 585 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 3: banner in the relationships that you have in the locker room. 586 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 3: I don't think you can ever replicate it. 587 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:12,360 Speaker 2: I know you do. I know you've done. You've done 588 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 2: some work with the military guys and some leadership guys. 589 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:21,360 Speaker 2: My thing is I will never know people the way 590 00:31:21,440 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 2: I knew my teammates. I agree with that, the meaning 591 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 2: I didn't care where you're from. I didn't care what 592 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 2: church you went to, if you even went. I didn't 593 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 2: care what you did when you left this building. But 594 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 2: I knew. I knew that when push came to show 595 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 2: that you were going to be there, that that guy 596 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 2: was going to be there. I know, I knew in 597 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:45,080 Speaker 2: that room who was gonna make who's going to stick 598 00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 2: through it, and who you couldn't count on as well. 599 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 3: Wouldn't be amazing if we could recreate that an actual 600 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 3: day to day life. 601 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 2: Because luck it would be. It would be the greatest 602 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 2: thing for this planet. 603 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 3: The cohesion that guys have in the locker room, it's remarkable. 604 00:32:00,120 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 3: Mentioned military. I got a really friend that I call 605 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 3: my my little brother, who currently serves as the commander 606 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,560 Speaker 3: of Blue Squadron in dev Grew, which is Seal Team six, 607 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 3: and the cohesion those guys have is very similar. So 608 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 3: recently over the summer, I was out to visit him 609 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:23,040 Speaker 3: in Virginia Beach and one of the things I'm axtically 610 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 3: started to do right now is once guys leave like 611 00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 3: Tier one units like dev Grew, which is Seal Team 612 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 3: six or Delta, I'm pairing those guys up with NFL 613 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 3: PA chapters like he had some of his command UH 614 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 3: leave Virginia UH in August and they were moving to 615 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 3: Denver and pairing those guys up. And it's funny because 616 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 3: I was talking to some of the guys in the 617 00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 3: chapter I there like, well, these guys can shoot. I'm like, 618 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 3: these guys are the best shooters of the world. That's 619 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:59,479 Speaker 3: what they do for a living. They shoot stuff. 620 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 2: That's it. Yeah, it's like they need they need the 621 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 2: deprogramming like we do. And you know, here's here's the 622 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 2: other here's the other cool part. Every one of these 623 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 2: guys in the locker room, ye would love to be 624 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 2: a Sealed Team six guy, and every guy in Sealed 625 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 2: Team six would love to be in the NFL. So 626 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 2: you bring them together, and it's another. 627 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 3: I wish I could bring John on the show and 628 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 3: you hang out with him. It is the same environment. 629 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 3: There is no difference. And we had some talks over 630 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 3: the some a. 631 00:33:28,520 --> 00:33:33,000 Speaker 2: Lot of hard truths, I bet, But the same thing 632 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 2: that gets you to a Tier one Special Forces unit, 633 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 2: the drive. 634 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 3: You can't care about anything else because you can guys 635 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 3: like these Tier one guys, you can handle them all day. 636 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:49,160 Speaker 3: They could care less cold I don't care, hot, I 637 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 3: don't care you run me. They have a goal that 638 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 3: they want to be the tip of the spears, they say, 639 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 3: and they're gonna endure it similar to football. But that's 640 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:06,520 Speaker 3: why I think that parent retired players with retired Tier 641 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 3: one operators was a great idea. 642 00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 2: Well, Ben, I'll tell you what you You've heard a 643 00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 2: lot of people say that they want to endure, they 644 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:14,719 Speaker 2: wanted to be the tip of the spear, and I'll 645 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:17,880 Speaker 2: let you have proven that though you have lived that, 646 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,319 Speaker 2: and so you know, thank you for your time today. 647 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 2: I wish we had more time to talk. You know, 648 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:27,239 Speaker 2: you know we're always but we could. You know, we 649 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:29,640 Speaker 2: can get everybody back again, but best of luck with 650 00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 2: everything and school stories is a bet is better for 651 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 2: having you. I know that appreciate it. Thank you, thank you. 652 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,719 Speaker 2: Thanks again to Ben Williams for joining the show. He's 653 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 2: doing some great stuff for both the players and the 654 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 2: public alike. And like Ben was saying, with life, when 655 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:51,520 Speaker 2: it hits you, you have losses, you get the hang 656 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:53,760 Speaker 2: in there until you get some wins. And that's exactly 657 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 2: what this Vikings team is going through right now. You 658 00:34:57,000 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 2: set and you played a game, you went toe to 659 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,239 Speaker 2: toe with the team that you knew it was going 660 00:35:02,320 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 2: to be one of the favorites, if not the favorite, 661 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:07,720 Speaker 2: to win the division. You got a head, fell behind, 662 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,800 Speaker 2: had the wherewithal the comeback. I think the big issue 663 00:35:10,880 --> 00:35:13,040 Speaker 2: or the problem I have, or the just the thing 664 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:16,799 Speaker 2: that sticks out and watching that game is just the details. 665 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:20,280 Speaker 2: And when you have a game that is so statistically 666 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:21,880 Speaker 2: a dead heat, and if you look at the numbers 667 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:25,040 Speaker 2: of this game, they couldn't be more even, uh you 668 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,399 Speaker 2: know as a score two point games. So yeah, very 669 00:35:27,520 --> 00:35:31,319 Speaker 2: very very even game. And when those things happen, then 670 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 2: the mistakes start to show, right the plus minus we were, 671 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 2: you know, we gave up the lead when we were 672 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 2: in the negative. We got the lead back after we 673 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 2: got ourselves back and evened up the take give, but 674 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:50,279 Speaker 2: the timing of penalties, the mental errors. And that's the 675 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 2: difference I think with the Detroit Lions, and that's a 676 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 2: tip of the cap to them and how good they are, 677 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,400 Speaker 2: is that you make mistakes in every football game, but 678 00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,760 Speaker 2: when you make mistakes against a team like the Lions, 679 00:35:59,840 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 2: they make you pay for it. 680 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:01,600 Speaker 3: Right. 681 00:36:01,960 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 2: Jared Goff is a good enough quarterback that when he 682 00:36:04,640 --> 00:36:07,720 Speaker 2: knows we didn't rotate the right way on a blitz, 683 00:36:08,040 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 2: He's gonna find the open man. When Jamiir Gibbs, you 684 00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,160 Speaker 2: miss your gap control on the front line and he 685 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 2: gets into that secondary. Most of the time you make 686 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:19,919 Speaker 2: the tackle and you move the chains against a guy 687 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 2: like Gibbs, he's good enough to make one guy, two guys, 688 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:26,400 Speaker 2: three guys miss and then fast enough to score the touchdown. 689 00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,520 Speaker 2: I think he saw that on the big plays. I 690 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:33,480 Speaker 2: don't know in hindsight. Three of the touchdowns, I know 691 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 2: there was something wrong. There was a mental error. You know, 692 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,360 Speaker 2: the Kliff Raymond touchdown. We had one guy in the 693 00:36:39,360 --> 00:36:42,360 Speaker 2: flat and that was you know, that was Josh Mattelis 694 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 2: there should that should never happen on a defense. So 695 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:49,480 Speaker 2: something was wrong, right. We talked about a'm and Ross touchdown, 696 00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:54,879 Speaker 2: Gibbs's touchdown, and then the final touchdown. You know, hey, 697 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:58,880 Speaker 2: it's third and eight from the nine yard line. Most 698 00:36:58,880 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 2: teams in the NFL are three row in the football. 699 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:03,839 Speaker 2: The Lions aren't. We had, you know, we had third 700 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,040 Speaker 2: down pass rush type personnel in the game. They decided 701 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,240 Speaker 2: to run the football. It comes down to those little 702 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:11,360 Speaker 2: bitty things. And if there's I think That's kind of 703 00:37:11,360 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 2: the disappointing part is you come off the buy. I 704 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:18,399 Speaker 2: don't think the guys were you know, they weren't at 705 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:20,759 Speaker 2: as as as coach O'Connor will say. They weren't at 706 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:24,479 Speaker 2: their best when their best was needed. That's the frustrating part. 707 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 2: A game we should have and could have won. But 708 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:30,239 Speaker 2: that's that's life, man, right. You have a lot of 709 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:33,360 Speaker 2: you have a lot of success, and if it's not 710 00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 2: checked by failure, then you're really not learning. So the 711 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 2: Vikings have a great opportunity on a short week to 712 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:42,800 Speaker 2: go back to go out to La play a team 713 00:37:42,880 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 2: that basically against the Raider team that that that you 714 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:50,200 Speaker 2: turn the ball over four times. So we'll see if 715 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:53,319 Speaker 2: they respond, how they respond, and I'm looking for a 716 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:57,839 Speaker 2: very very good result for the Minnesota Vikings to get 717 00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,040 Speaker 2: together and so in a short week, you need to 718 00:38:00,120 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 2: heal up quick. We talked about the short memories because 719 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:05,400 Speaker 2: we're heading to Sofi Stadium to face the Rams this 720 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,719 Speaker 2: Thursday night. It's a seven to fifteenth Central kickoff over 721 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 2: on Amazon Prime, but you can catch Paul Allen, Benlieber 722 00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:15,480 Speaker 2: and me right here on the Vikings Radio Network. Mike 723 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:18,120 Speaker 2: Mussman We'll get things started with the pregame show at 724 00:38:18,120 --> 00:38:21,560 Speaker 2: five point fifteen right here on kfa N So thanks 725 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 2: again to Ben Williams for joining the show. Thank you 726 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 2: fans for turning into another edition of School Stories presented 727 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:29,880 Speaker 2: by Threem, the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings, 728 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:34,640 Speaker 2: and we will see you all again next week from 729 00:38:34,719 --> 00:38:37,239 Speaker 2: the field to the roof and everywhere in between. Three 730 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 2: m the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings, is here. 731 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:44,000 Speaker 2: Visit Vikings dot com slash skull Science to learn more. 732 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:47,319 Speaker 2: Unreal is back with their limited edition Vikings Drop head 733 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:51,200 Speaker 2: to nurl dot com for more details.