1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,280 Speaker 1: Your tunes about drive on your twenty four to seven 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: home of the Black and Goal Steelers Nation Radio. 3 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 2: Back on the drive, into the phone lines we go, 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 2: and we welcome a very special guest, familiar name, well 5 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 2: known across Western Pennsylvania and Steeler Nation. It is your 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: long snapper, Christian Coontz, of course, also the host of 7 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: the Christian Coons podcast. Christian, thanks for taking the time, man. 8 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 2: How's it going. How's the off season been so far? 9 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 3: Oh? What's up? Guys? I appreciate that. Thanks for having me. 10 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 3: It's off season is good. It's a bit different this 11 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 3: year for me, you know, with a I got a 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 3: seven months old at home. We know grau's the beginning, 13 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 3: thank you, thank you, in the beginning of training camp. 14 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 3: So off season has been a little bit different. I've 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 3: been busier and more tired than I ever have been. 16 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 4: This is hard fatherhood or long snapping. What's harder? 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 3: I think? I know the. 18 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 2: No doubt, I've got a I've got a four year 19 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: old and a two year old Christian, So I am 20 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 2: h I've been right there in the trenches with you. 21 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 2: It's a lot of fun, but it is certainly exhausting. 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 2: But we know you. You've got you've got some some 23 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,679 Speaker 2: really cool, a cool kind of project that you're working 24 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: on here. I'm sure most of our listeners they're familiar. 25 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 2: You already host It's It's Awesome the Christian Coons podcast. 26 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 2: But you're rolling out ahead of the NFL Draft here 27 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:31,120 Speaker 2: and obviously a huge historic moment for for football in 28 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 2: Western Pennsylvania with the draft coming to the north shore 29 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 2: of Pittsburgh in April. A kind of special series of 30 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: your podcast highlighting the history the legacy of football here 31 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 2: in Western Pennsylvania. Tell us about it, Yeah, yeah. 32 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 3: I was. We're excited about it. Where you know, we 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 3: partnered with the Steelers and we're we're doing a, like 34 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 3: you said, a little draft special where we're going to 35 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 3: highlight some of the best players to come out of 36 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 3: Western Pa. I just think, you know, this is such 37 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 3: an overlooked part of the world for football talent. You know, 38 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 3: everyone talks about Florida and Texas and you know California 39 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 3: ball with the private schools, but right here in Western 40 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 3: PA and Pittsburgh, you know, produces some of the best players. 41 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 3: And I'm fortunate enough to be able to you know, 42 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 3: get some of them on and highlight their story and 43 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 3: their journey, you know, all the way from Pop Warner 44 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 3: through high school, college, you know, and then into the pros. 45 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 3: So I'm excited about it. We've already you know, dropped 46 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:31,679 Speaker 3: one episode with Justin Watson, South Fayette legend, Pengrad three 47 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 3: times Super Bowl champion. It's just it's really cool to 48 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 3: be able to you know, get these guys stories and 49 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 3: get a chance to know them, you know a little 50 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 3: bit outside of football and you know how they how 51 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 3: they you know, grew up and with with with their 52 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,519 Speaker 3: purposes and what their why is and why they're playing. 53 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 3: So it's the cool opportunity. I'm excited about it. 54 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 4: That's super cool. I think there's you know, a lot 55 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 4: to mine from that. And I was the recruiting assistant 56 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 4: that Pitt for three years and watched all the high 57 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 4: school tape and you know, watch guys like Revis come 58 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 4: out of here, I mean, and it goes back so 59 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 4: much further. Do you get deep into like the seventies 60 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 4: and the steel mill days and all that. 61 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean there's there's you know, I'm not going 62 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 3: to reveal the list that I was provided. We're gonna 63 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 3: try to be getting on but we we did, you know, 64 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 3: we we we we went back in time a little bit, 65 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 3: you know, Curtis Martin, I'll drop that one. Curtis Martin 66 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,679 Speaker 3: is I guess that we had on recently. And I'll 67 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 3: tell you what. It's just it's amazing to hear, you know, 68 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 3: some of their stories, especially Curtis. I mean, he's he's 69 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,480 Speaker 3: an unbelievable dude, and and what an unbelievable football player. 70 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 3: So it's just it's just so cool for me to 71 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 3: be able to, you know, do my research and then 72 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 3: get to sit down and get to talk to these 73 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 3: guys and hear their stories. It's really cool. 74 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 2: Christian Koont's with us here on the drive. Christian, I 75 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: wanted to just you know, bigger picture. Matt and I 76 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 2: are both from here as well too. Matt was a 77 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 2: Liebo guy. I graduated from Mars. We both grew up 78 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 2: in Western Pennsylvania and have lived most of our lives 79 00:03:57,480 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 2: here other than you know, work taking us to different 80 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: places for a few years. You obviously in shar Tiers, 81 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: Valley du Cane now Pittsburgh Steelers. Just as a Western 82 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 2: Pennsylvania guy, as a kid who grew up here. What's 83 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 2: football mean to you what is you know, what does 84 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 2: that sport? And and just mean to kids that grow 85 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 2: up and play it in this region. 86 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I joke around, I say, you know, 87 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 3: I can't get out of here. I can't get out 88 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 3: of this place. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere 89 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 3: else because you know, Pittsburgh's just special. It's a special 90 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 3: place in football. Here is part of you know, who 91 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 3: we are as people. I feel like, you know, and 92 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 3: all these guys that hopefully you know, people listen to 93 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 3: the show and here's some of the guys that come on. 94 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 3: Everyone's story and mine mine as well, is kind of similar. 95 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 3: You know. It's a story of perseverance and some grit 96 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 3: and you know, and that's kind of embodies what being 97 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 3: a Pittsburgh kid is. And you know, just toughness like 98 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 3: when you go you know, when you go to other 99 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 3: places around the league and you're on different teams and 100 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 3: you know, you meet guys and you ask where they're from, 101 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 3: and some guys are from here or here here you 102 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 3: hear a guy from Pittsburgh. I feel like everyone's everyone's 103 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 3: you know, perception of that guy is he's a tough player, 104 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 3: He's gonna he's gonna play tough, he's gonna play hard, 105 00:05:08,279 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 3: and you know, that's what I feel like Pittsburgh football 106 00:05:10,880 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 3: is about. And that's what that's what all these guys 107 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,600 Speaker 3: resemble that I'm gonna have on the show. So it's awesome. 108 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 3: I love it. I love it. 109 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 4: That's awesome. You can tell by no means, am I 110 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 4: a punting expert. But and I hope I'm not breaking 111 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 4: news to you, but the Steelers just announced like fifteen 112 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 4: minutes ago that they are resigning Cameron Johnston. So he's 113 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 4: gonna be in the mix. I assume he'll be at Latrobe. 114 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 4: I had a blast watching this guy punt. I mean, 115 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,039 Speaker 4: what do you what's your interactions with him? And the 116 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 4: way I described them last segment was like, man, that 117 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 4: guy's got like every club in his bag, like every 118 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,279 Speaker 4: punt I've ever seen he's able to execute. 119 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, I that is it's fresh news to me. 120 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 3: Right before I ran upstairs to hop on the call, 121 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 3: my wife said, oh, we sign they signed Cam Johnson back. Yeah, 122 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 3: so yeah, it's fresh news to me. But both Cam 123 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 3: and and Corliss are two pro punters. I mean, regardless 124 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 3: if they're here competing with each other. They're they're two unbelieved, 125 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 3: two of the best in the world, and they're gonna 126 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 3: have jobs. And you know, sometimes guys can't control where 127 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 3: they go, you know, it's you know, teams, Teams kind 128 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,920 Speaker 3: of dictate that for us. So it would be good 129 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:21,760 Speaker 3: to have him back. He's a great dude, a great 130 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 3: human being, an unbelievable punter, great holder too, and obviously 131 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 3: cordlesses as well. So I'm excited to have both of 132 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 3: them back, and they those two love it. They're two 133 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 3: pros and they compete at the highest level, so it 134 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 3: just elevates their game and makes them better as punters. 135 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 3: So I'm sure it's gonna be a fun training camp again. 136 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 4: So I've always wanted to ask a long snapper this question. 137 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 4: It's the last AT got for you. And please don't 138 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,719 Speaker 4: take it the wrong way, because what you do, I 139 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 4: think is unbelievably hard to execute. But I don't Yeah, 140 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 4: but I don't think most kids grew up wanting to 141 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 4: be a long snapper, you know, like, when do you 142 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 4: come to the conclusion in your career that, hey, I 143 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 4: was a pretty good linebacker, Ducaine, but long snapping is 144 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 4: my calling that I can make a profession, like I 145 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 4: doubt all thirty two of you that are currently employed 146 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 4: when we're six years old, said, boy, all I want 147 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 4: to do is be a long snapper. 148 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 3: No, absolutely, I did not want to be a long snapper. 149 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 3: I never envisioned myself being a long snapper, even you know, 150 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 3: after college, I envisioned myself as a linebackery. So I 151 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 3: went to a couple of teams, and you know, I 152 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 3: moved a little bit differently than the guys that were 153 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 3: moving at linebackers. 154 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 4: So I made a you probably learned quickly, right. 155 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I realized I realized quick. 156 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 4: Guy was a little different than I do. 157 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. I was like, my kids is a pretty 158 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 3: slim here. I'm going to move to long snapping because 159 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 3: they said I was decent at it, and that's kind 160 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 3: of you know. I was probably twenty yeah, probably twenty 161 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 3: twenty two, twenty three years old, cut twice already at 162 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 3: that point, cut three times. And that's when I went 163 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 3: on to work out the Green Bay and they were like, 164 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 3: can't you snap a little bit? And I was like, sure, 165 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 3: got down, start snapping, and they were like, yeah, I 166 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:03,840 Speaker 3: think you should work on this for a couple more 167 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 3: years and you'll be in the league. And that's that 168 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 3: was the turning point. Wow. 169 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 4: I'll give you a lot of credit for reinventing yourself though, 170 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 4: and I'm sure that's true for all the long snappers 171 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 4: out there. 172 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, they all at some point in time, you know. 173 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,760 Speaker 3: I know, I know Katie Crater up in New York. 174 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 3: I was with him in Denver when I was first 175 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 3: coming out and he was a school teacher for two 176 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 3: years before he even got in. So a lot of 177 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 3: long snappers journey and special just. 178 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 4: Go out to the field of recess and just start 179 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 4: snapping after school or whatever. 180 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 3: Probably, yeah, exactly, Yeah, yeah, that's when he got That's 181 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 3: when he got his work in. But yeah, that's it's 182 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 3: all their stories. It's crazy, that's cool. 183 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 2: That's fantastic. Christian, Thank you so much for the time 184 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 2: before we let you go. I know you did have 185 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 2: a chance to uh to go to the Cayman Science 186 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 2: Center and see the Football Town. Of course, the special 187 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 2: NFL Films presentation on the history of football in this region. 188 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: Uh. 189 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 2: We've been kind of pumping that up for our listeners 190 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 2: and Steeler Nation and telling them they got to get there. 191 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 2: What can they expect for those whenever they finally get 192 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 2: to see that that cool film. 193 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 3: Oh man, it's it's definitely worth a watch. You know. 194 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 3: It was phenomenal, just the scenery and it just takes 195 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 3: you back all the way, you know, like I said, 196 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 3: youse football through Friday night. Friday Night's excuse me, Friday 197 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 3: nights here in Pittsburgh are special and it kind of 198 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,679 Speaker 3: highlights all of that embodied with pitt and the Steelers 199 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: on Sundays. It's a special film, you know, especially if 200 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 3: you're from Pittsburgh. You know, you're going to really appreciate, 201 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 3: you know, the whole film, let alone the first five 202 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,559 Speaker 3: minutes when they start, you know, putting all those spaces, 203 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:36,679 Speaker 3: you know, everyone from the from this region, their faces 204 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 3: and their highlight commentary in the background. You just you 205 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:42,720 Speaker 3: get chills down your spine. So it's an unbelievable film. 206 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 3: Everyone should go see it. 207 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,719 Speaker 2: Great stuff. Christian Kon's Steelers long snapper, host of the 208 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 2: Christian Coons podcast. Make sure everyone's checking out all the 209 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: cool stuff that he has coming up here ahead of 210 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 2: the NFL Draft and in just a little over a 211 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 2: month in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Christian, thanks for the time man 212 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 2: and enjoy the rest of the offseason and all the 213 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 2: best in fatherhood. 214 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 3: Awesome, Thank you guys, I appreciate it. 215 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: There he goes, great stuff, good conversation, looking forward to 216 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 2: all those those different interviews and everything, Yeah, that he 217 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 2: has coming down the pipeline.