1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,160 Speaker 1: Hey, Vikings fans have been over here. I'm so excited 2 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: to be a new Lifetime member and so are my kids. 3 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: They love the tennis, the pickaball, the basketball, and of 4 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 1: course the yummy cafe. Check them out at Lifetime dot 5 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: life to find a club nearest you. 6 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 2: Welcome to Schools Stories, presented by three M, the official 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 2: science partner of the Minnesota Vikings. Tonight, we're joined by 8 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: legendary Vikings cornerback Xavier Roads. 9 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 3: Well. 10 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 4: Thanks again for tuning into another episode of school Stories. 11 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 4: Tonight's guest was a shutdown corner who loved the challenge 12 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 4: of facing the best receivers in the NFL. Nowadays, he's 13 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 4: back home in Miami enjoying his retirement with friends and family. 14 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 4: Please enjoy tonight's conversation with Vikings legend Xavier rhoads Well, 15 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 4: Xavier Roads Welcome to the show. It's great to hear 16 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 4: from you again. I'm sure the fans are anxious to 17 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 4: hear from you. And will you give those fans a 18 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 4: quick update on how you're doing these days? 19 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 3: Ah man, I'm doing great man back in South Florida 20 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 3: where I was born to ay uh, living the best 21 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 3: life right now? 22 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 4: What do you characterize the best life at this point 23 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 4: of your young. 24 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 2: What does that look like? 25 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:10,399 Speaker 4: Well, we want to know what it look like. 26 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 2: For a retired retired player. 27 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 3: You know, you work hard to get what you mean 28 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 3: to accomplish. You know, you play college ball, you have 29 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 3: to dream to play in the NFL. And I was 30 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 3: able to play ten years and I devoted my life 31 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:24,959 Speaker 3: to the game. So now what I mean about the 32 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 3: best life is just being with my family, watching my 33 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 3: kids grow, watching my son become a phenomenal basketball player 34 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,399 Speaker 3: right now, you know, teaching him about hard work and dedication, 35 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 3: and yeah, just doing the things I wasn't capable Now, 36 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,119 Speaker 3: I won't say cable I wasn't able to do when 37 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 3: I was playing, you know. 38 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 4: So yeah, how old was your son and what levels 39 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 4: you playing at right now? 40 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 3: He's tenteen, ninth grade playing varsity right now. 41 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 2: Oh wow, that's fantastic. So for the for parents listening, Uh, 42 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 2: what kind of advice what kind of advice do you 43 00:01:57,960 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 2: give him? 44 00:01:58,680 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 3: Oh? Sports wise? 45 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, just like, yeah, just sports wise, because I think 46 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 2: people are very very curious. And it's been my experience 47 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: that like the guys that were former players, when they 48 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 2: have kids that play, they just it's the basic things. 49 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: It's effort, it's stuff like that that they really let 50 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 2: them know how much work it's going to be. And 51 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: you know that the dedication of the sport type thing. 52 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 3: I mean, I mean, yeah, same thing. You know, I 53 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 3: let my son know. You know, it's multiple schools, multiple 54 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 3: high schools. You know that in each state. You know, 55 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,840 Speaker 3: you got to outbeat outbeat some of those guys in 56 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 3: basketball they actually dropping guys overseas, so you actually got 57 00:02:33,040 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 3: to put an extra work, extra time. But not only that, 58 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 3: you know, you have to know that well, whatever sport 59 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: you play, it has an expiration date to it. So 60 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 3: at the end of the day, you've got to have 61 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 3: you have to have a black backup plan. So I'll 62 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:49,280 Speaker 3: be on a more on school than anything else and 63 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 3: following the trend and following following what the world is 64 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 3: going to So you know, now the world is going 65 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 3: to tech, so being more into that, try to be 66 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 3: more involved into that. So when you become an adult, 67 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 3: you gotta have the qualities and you can have the 68 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 3: requirements that needed to to adjust to the world where 69 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 3: it's going. 70 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 4: That's a great lesson. Did your son have any designs 71 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 4: on following in your footsteps and playing football or did 72 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 4: it always lean towards basketball? How happy are you about 73 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 4: that kid? 74 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 3: Listen? Listen, So I don't know you know about the 75 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 3: basketball player. They have this thing when he walks into 76 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,360 Speaker 3: the gym and they have easy slides and have they 77 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 3: choosing their backpack headphones on. That is my son. So 78 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 3: you know football, see football is over. He's not considering 79 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 3: football at all. 80 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's not I mean that's and that's not a 81 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 2: horrible thing, is it not? Just as long as he 82 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 2: has something whatever that is that he's that he's dedicated to. 83 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 3: Right, Yeah, I mean sports alone teach kids dedication, teach 84 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 3: kids how teach everyone, how you know, to prioritize their time. 85 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 3: Let you know about adversity. There's a lot of things 86 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 3: you can learn from sports. And I'm not against him playing. 87 00:03:56,200 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 3: I didn't want him playing at first, but the things 88 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 3: I see and what it's teaching him to sculpture, how 89 00:04:01,280 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 3: to be structured, and I mean it's changing. So I encourage, 90 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 3: I mean a lot of people to put their kids 91 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 3: in some type of sport or anything that's going to 92 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 3: give them like a schedule, and you're going to see 93 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 3: a drastic change in your child if they're not actually 94 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: doing anything outside of being home and school work. 95 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 4: Right well, speaking of growing up in the environment he's 96 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 4: growing up in right now, Florida. As we all know, 97 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 4: Florida high school football. It's famous for being one of 98 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 4: the most competitive in the country. And what was it 99 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 4: like for you growing up in that environment and when 100 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 4: did you know you kind of had that gift to 101 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 4: to keep moving up the ladder and eventually becoming an 102 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 4: NFL player. 103 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,239 Speaker 3: Oh man, my story, my trans is was pretty difficult, 104 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 3: you know, going playing here. I played against a lot 105 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 3: of guys and a lot of my friends played in 106 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 3: the NFL. You know, I grew up around you know 107 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 3: ab I grew up with Kevon Webs, the Gino Smith, 108 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,840 Speaker 3: Dedman Bailey. I can keep going. It's a lot of guys. 109 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 3: I probably grew up with like nine ten guys that 110 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 3: played in the NFL. So that lets you know alone 111 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 3: how competitive it was down there. And there's more guys 112 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 3: in South Florida I played against, you know that's in 113 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 3: the league still to this day. 114 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 4: Wow. 115 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 3: So you know, I wasn't really highly rated growing up. 116 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 3: I was a receiver and running back growing up, so 117 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 3: once I got to Florida State. I actually thought I 118 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:14,880 Speaker 3: was going to play receiver a running back, but it 119 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 3: came my position at the corner. And once that happened, 120 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 3: my dreams and hopes of playing going to the next 121 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 3: level was shot. Like I didn't believe I would get there. 122 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 3: But like I tell my son, yeah, like I tell 123 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:28,880 Speaker 3: my son, now, hard work and dedication and believing in 124 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 3: yourself would get you far. And that's what I did. 125 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 3: You know, I didn't. I wasn't hanging out. I wasn't 126 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 3: hanging out have a phone for my teammate. But it 127 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 3: wasn't as often as you normally what people doing and 128 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 3: when they're in college. But I dedicated myself to the 129 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 3: game and learning that position. And ten twenty years later, however, 130 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 3: so I played a great had a great career. 131 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 2: Now I had I have to ask you something about 132 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 2: Florida State and Bobby Bowden, and because legend has it 133 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: that Bobby Bowden would be it practice, but he would 134 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 2: he would kind of sit up in the in the 135 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 2: up in the stands or up in the power. He 136 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 2: kind of had a megaphone and but just just would 137 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 2: just you know, yell things down every once in a while, 138 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 2: is that is that the case that he was? You know, 139 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: Bobby Bowden, He's talking about a stoic figure, a legendary 140 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 2: head coach, and then to know that he wasn't on 141 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 2: the field, he just was. You heard that all the time. 142 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 2: He just sits up on this thing and yell stuffed down. 143 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 2: It's like I just wanted to make sure that that 144 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:22,799 Speaker 2: was actually the case. 145 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, yeah it was. You know, Bobby. I 146 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 3: got Bobby on his tail end of his uh his 147 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 3: coaching career. You know, it was his last recruiting class. 148 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 3: So you know, I've seen Bobby three times the day 149 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 3: in practice. I've seen him in the beginning of practice, 150 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 3: the middle of practice, in the end. That's the only 151 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 3: time you seen Bobby, like, like you say, in between 152 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 3: those times, Bobby was in like he was someone else 153 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 3: watching practice. You couldn't really get close to him because 154 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 3: he was pretty old, you know, but he stayed close 155 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 3: to the players. He talked to the players make sure 156 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 3: he was good, you know. And Bobby coached so many 157 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,400 Speaker 3: players throughout his career where he didn't really know your name. 158 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 3: He couldn't remember your name, so he called you by 159 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,800 Speaker 3: your number, but got of respect. Yeah, I mean, he 160 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:06,080 Speaker 3: coached a lot of great, a lot of great, so 161 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 3: it was respectable. Like you know, once Bobby actually like 162 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 3: knew your name and call you by your name. That's 163 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 3: when you know you was doing made it great. We 164 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 3: took that as a badge of honor, because you know, 165 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 3: Bobby walk around saying, hey, Xavier, oh you know my name? 166 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 3: Light up that player. You know I'm doing something great. 167 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 3: I'm doing something good. They must be talking about me 168 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 3: and the coaches meeting at something. But yeah, man, it 169 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 3: was great memories being around him, you know, great memories 170 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 3: being coached by him, him and Mickey Andrews. And yeah, 171 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 3: I still to this day remember those, Remember those memories 172 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 3: and the times that I had with him. 173 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 2: I played for Lou Holtz and we would have paid 174 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 2: any amount of money to get him up in a 175 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 2: booth somewhere, get him off the field, just you know 176 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 2: what I mean. And then, yes, he did know your name, 177 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 2: and yeah, you heard it a lot. So but I've 178 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 2: heard nothing but awesome things about Bobby Bowden and you 179 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,640 Speaker 2: just just the kind of guy he was to play for. 180 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 4: I'm sure you still pay attention to uh obviously in 181 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 4: college football in particular in Florida. What do you make 182 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,239 Speaker 4: of what is going on right now with the nil 183 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 4: money and the transfer portal and what that would have 184 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 4: been like had you been playing during those days. Is 185 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 4: it is it hurting the game? Is it just like? 186 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 4: Is it about time that the players are getting compensated 187 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 4: for what they're doing and whether the money they're helping 188 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 4: bring into these universities. 189 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, in my what I think is not 190 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 3: actually allowing these players that are coming in to be 191 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 3: fully developed. You know. Sometimes you know, when you leave 192 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 3: high school, you know, you play with coaches that don't 193 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 3: really understand how to develop a player. It's different coaches 194 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 3: that now to develop players. So they go into college 195 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,800 Speaker 3: and these college coaches don't really have the time because 196 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 3: of transfer portal is available now. So it's all about 197 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:47,960 Speaker 3: winning now. So by having that mentality, you know, you 198 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 3: want to win now. So by having that, you know, 199 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 3: you don't want to develop that player, you want to 200 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 3: have a winning season. You want to be able to 201 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,959 Speaker 3: you know. Yeah, So that's that's played a big part 202 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 3: into it. And I think now you know a lot 203 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 3: of teams are just jumping into the transfer portal just 204 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 3: to try to get that championship and you going with 205 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: players that's not fully developed and not being fully developed, 206 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 3: and you have they get left out, left behind, or 207 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 3: you know, you put them on the field and they 208 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 3: not really they not ready yet. So that's what I 209 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 3: said a lot out there on that field when it 210 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 3: comes to the nil and how it affected the game 211 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 3: college game, actually, you know, because you know, you see 212 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 3: it like you see a lot of people getting beaten. 213 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 3: Jimmy's don't really understand the defensive offensive calls to understanding gaps, 214 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 3: the blitz with gap, the blitz in. They don't really 215 00:09:31,200 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 3: understand the fundamentals of the game. And knowing that and 216 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,280 Speaker 3: seeing that, you know that's only going to hurt you 217 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 3: in the long run because when you get to that 218 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 3: next level, I mean all everyone on that field understands 219 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 3: the game. I mean everybody understands the game, you know, 220 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:47,839 Speaker 3: and it's all about who's the smartest one. I need 221 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 3: to know your next move before you make it. That's 222 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 3: what the game is about. Playing the NFL. 223 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 2: Good point and you you made that transition, uh, part 224 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 2: of a draft class that was very unique with three 225 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: first rounders Shark, Floyd Correll, Patterson, yourself, and you know, 226 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 2: my here's the question I've been waiting to ask you 227 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: since I found out we were going to have you on. 228 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 2: Was you know you're drafting under Leslie Frazier, And I'm 229 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,560 Speaker 2: sure Leslie you know what a yeah, what a what 230 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 2: an amazing guy to play for. But as a player, 231 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 2: when Zimmer came in, you seem to that's that seemed 232 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 2: like your career took off then, and I just at 233 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 2: some point I want to know what was What was 234 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 2: it about Zimmer and the defense? And maybe it had 235 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 2: nothing to do with Zimmer and the defense. It was 236 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 2: all about you, But what what changed for you? Because 237 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 2: the play, the level of play, that's really when you accelerate. 238 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 2: And it was interesting that you said that you hadn't 239 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 2: played corner dB your whole life, because that's another part 240 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: of it as well. It is just learning the position, 241 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 2: you know, I mean, you didn't play it since you were, 242 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 2: you know, six years old. You just started playing it 243 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 2: and going from offense to defense, that's another huge thing. 244 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 3: I will give my thanks and I would like to 245 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 3: say thank you to coach great know my position coach. 246 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:05,200 Speaker 3: Reason why is because once Zim you know, signed on 247 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 3: to the Vikings and became the head coach he had coach. 248 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 3: He hired Coach Gray to be the I mean the 249 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 3: deepest of back coach, and I was one of the 250 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 3: first players he called and here like, hey, we love you. Here, 251 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 3: we wanted, we want you to be a great here 252 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 3: he said, Man, you listen to me. We're gonna I'm 253 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 3: gonna have the Braach truck back up in your backyard. 254 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 3: So I'm like, oh, man, coach, what you're talking about? Like, man, 255 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 3: listen to me. I'm telling you. I got you. Just listen. 256 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 3: Everything I'm telling you and everything I'm gonna teach you 257 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:35,679 Speaker 3: is gonna it's gonna it's gonna pay off an end. 258 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:37,959 Speaker 3: I said, all right. So then you know, with with 259 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 3: with Zim coming in and George coming in, those guys 260 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 3: was like all on me, and they saw potential with 261 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 3: me because on the previous film I had last year, 262 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 3: and those guys, all three of those guys was on 263 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 3: me each and every day. You know, you you heard 264 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 3: the stories about me wearing gloves, boxing gloves, and practice 265 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,079 Speaker 3: because I was holding too much. You know, those a 266 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,400 Speaker 3: little detailed. Those coaches paid attention to because they wanted 267 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 3: me to be great. And sim came in where you know, 268 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 3: we know Zim love him to death. He was the 269 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 3: hard nosed codes they don't really want to smile, walking 270 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:11,960 Speaker 3: around grouchy all day, grumpy, but you know, but you know, 271 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,599 Speaker 3: we was able to get to him because we know 272 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 3: how to get to him, and he's loosen up with us, 273 00:12:17,280 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 3: and by doing so, he let his guards down. And 274 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 3: by letting his guards done, that's when we knew we 275 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 3: had a connection as a team, and that's why we 276 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 3: was able to play the way we played. 277 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 4: Stick around for more school Stories presented by three M 278 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 4: from the Field to the roof and everywhere in between. 279 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 4: Three M, the official science partner of the Minnesota Vikings, 280 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 4: is here. Visit Vikings dot com slash school Science to 281 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 4: learn more. We'll be back with more from Xavier Rhoads, 282 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 4: but first Unreal is back with their limited edition Vikings Drop. 283 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 4: Head to younrl dot com for more details. 284 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 2: Ready to have your spirits lifted and the laugh out 285 00:12:58,160 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 2: lout comedy Ghosts is for You. Ghost is all new 286 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 2: every Thursday night at seven thirty Central over on CBS. 287 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 2: Welcome back to tonight's edition of Skull Stories, presented by 288 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 2: three M. Let's get back into our conversation with Vikings 289 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 2: legend Xavier Roads. 290 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,920 Speaker 4: You mentioned from a fans perspective, who were some of 291 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 4: your favorite teammates. I mean, the relationships are always so 292 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,079 Speaker 4: important because you know, we don't see the stuff that 293 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 4: goes on behind the scenes, and how much time you 294 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,679 Speaker 4: spend with each other in meeting rooms and lunch and 295 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 4: just the film sessions whatever it might be. 296 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 3: Ah Andrews and Dajo, that's my guy, and we all 297 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 3: know who was my number one guy on the team. 298 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 3: And we went we like celebrated each other. We shouted 299 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 3: each other out pro bo whichever whenever. I mean, he's 300 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:47,560 Speaker 3: a Viking legend, best safety the Vikings probably had in 301 00:13:48,040 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 3: like years, and that's Harrison Smith. You know, me and 302 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:54,559 Speaker 3: Harrison had like an unspokable bond and when we get 303 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 3: on that field, man, it's just like we was connected 304 00:13:57,120 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 3: and we did things that coke them would and awe 305 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 3: sometimes and he wanted to curse us and he wanted 306 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 3: to get on us. That wasn't the call or the play, 307 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 3: but it worked, you know, So that'll lets you know 308 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 3: like how me and Harrison, Harrison and h and Dale 309 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 3: was connected as as a group because you know, we'll 310 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 3: get in that game and they'll tell me they're doing something. 311 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 3: I had their back and then vice versa, you know, 312 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 3: And it wasn't even the call. So or we'll just 313 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 3: do things just off instincts and we'll just be on 314 00:14:26,800 --> 00:14:29,600 Speaker 3: the same page, just not even speaking to one another, 315 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 3: you know. So that's the thing, you know, I say 316 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 3: we was. We were really close and close Dalvin, you know, 317 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 3: being from Miami, you know, we had that connection, you know, JK, 318 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 3: Jawn Curse, you know, being from South Florida. I actually 319 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 3: took him under my wing, was able to teach him 320 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 3: a few things and show him the roads a little bit. 321 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 3: I mean, of course, you know, feeling we was real close. Digs. 322 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 3: We spoke here and there, We spoke really well. We 323 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 3: had our issues that at Minnesota, but it was more 324 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,040 Speaker 3: of a competition pipe so it was like we was 325 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 3: making each other better. Iron Shepherd, Iron, That's all that was, 326 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 3: you know. And I and I love to see the 327 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 3: fact that we did that now because he always had 328 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 3: that chip over on the shoulder. He was always willing 329 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,920 Speaker 3: to be great and wanting to be the best. And 330 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 3: he came in with a fourth round, fifth round pick 331 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 3: with that same attitude that same mentality, and it never 332 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 3: he never lost it. 333 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 2: Now you mentioned these guys and how well and how 334 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 2: much fun it was, and the things that you were 335 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 2: able to do on the field. Are there any particular 336 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 2: plays that stand out in your mind? I mean, for me, 337 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 2: it's the one hundred and one yard interception return. But 338 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 2: just when you when you sit down and you're gonna 339 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 2: tell somebody some stories about your time and who you 340 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 2: you know in the in the game and the plays, 341 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 2: which which ones come to mind? 342 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 3: First? Oh? Man, the one with Harrison Smith. I think 343 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 3: we played Seattle, played Seattle Seahawks, and it was then 344 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 3: I formation win cover too. I look back and I 345 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 3: don't see Harry in the back over there shining the 346 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 3: cover of my have. I see Harry at the defensive line. 347 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 3: He over there about to be a whole nose tackle. 348 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:00,240 Speaker 3: I'm looking at Harrison. I said, Yo, Harry, we'll you're 349 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 3: doing you're supposed to have my you' supposed to have 350 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 3: to have for the field for me. He said, he 351 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 3: don't worry about it, Just get back. I said, I 352 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 3: think Harrison is about to blitz he was supposed to 353 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 3: be blitzing, and he just went ahead and blitzed Togather 354 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 3: and made the tackle for a loss. So I'm like, okay, 355 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 3: well let me be quiet, let me sit back and 356 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 3: Harrison do his thing. So it was things like that 357 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 3: where you know, Harrison was like great. And then with 358 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 3: one hundred yard pick that was just me coming off 359 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 3: my man reading the play, watching film and I knew 360 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 3: Larry Fix was going to do a corner route or 361 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 3: out route, and by me knowing that ball film, I 362 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 3: picked it off and took it to the house. That 363 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 3: was just me just jumping route and one hundred instant. 364 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 4: I take it. You're not surprised that Harrison Smith is 365 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 4: still playing at a very high level. What did you 366 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 4: notice about him? He was certainly early in his career. 367 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 4: But what makes him, uh the player that he continues 368 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 4: to be today in the NFL. 369 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 3: Evey things to bother him. If you haven't watched Harrison, 370 00:16:56,640 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 3: he's always like like one level. He's not too high, 371 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 3: he's not too low. You know. He he'd get a 372 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 3: little hyped up when we was putting. He'll get hyped 373 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:06,960 Speaker 3: up because that's how we played on defense. We were 374 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 3: just intense. But he would always find the gray area 375 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 3: where he's not too high and not too low, you know, 376 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,600 Speaker 3: and that kept him like where he's at. But Harrison 377 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 3: was a student of the game right and them would 378 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 3: tell us each and each every Friday who watched the 379 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 3: most films, and Harrison was always number one. Averson broke 380 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:29,640 Speaker 3: down the film. Harrison, him and Dale, them the two 381 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 3: guys I know to this day, would sit here break 382 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 3: down the d line on their jobs. And if they 383 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 3: were to audible, he'll know the audible. He'll know the 384 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 3: linebacker job, the corner job, and his job and the backup. 385 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 3: He knew everybody job on that field like Harrison knew everything. 386 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 3: Him and Dale, they would break down that whole defense. 387 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 3: And that's why Harrison the guy he is now because 388 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 3: he put in the time and the effort and he 389 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 3: know the game in and out. 390 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 2: Now when you when you watch the game today, is 391 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:59,359 Speaker 2: to you is it different? I mean, obviously the rules 392 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 2: have changed, certain things have changed. But do you feel 393 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 2: badly for the guys that play the game now because 394 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 2: some of the tools have been taken away? Or do 395 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 2: you see the do you see it kind of heading 396 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 2: in a different direction. Do you see the intelligence and 397 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 2: the awareness that you guys had back you know, just 398 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 2: literally ten years ago. 399 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean the game is and you can say 400 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,880 Speaker 3: it's a little different now man, but it's somewhat similar. 401 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:24,520 Speaker 3: Like the kickoff thing is. It's kind of weird to me. 402 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 3: That's something I said, how big YouTube and letting the 403 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 3: team know you have to make an off side kick 404 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 3: that little things like that, I don't. I mean, it's 405 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 3: still the same. I feel bad in a way where 406 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 3: the game is starting to be more towards the offense. 407 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 3: You know, it's more about scoring points and the defense 408 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 3: have to find a way to cover and not touch 409 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 3: the guys in certain ways and pull on them. So 410 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 3: I always feel that it was kind of unfair for us, 411 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 3: but that's actually making us more intelligent, making us use 412 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:53,840 Speaker 3: our brain more, watch more film and you know, jump 413 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,439 Speaker 3: on things and understand the game a lot better. I mean, 414 00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 3: it's pros and cons to everything, but I just think, 415 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 3: I feel, I feel I feel like these guys man 416 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 3: nowadays is at a disadvantage on are defense on both sides. 417 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:07,359 Speaker 3: You know, some things like especially defense with the hip 418 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 3: tackle now or it's sometimes where you know some guys 419 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 3: what it is the targeting. Well, I've seen one player 420 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 3: a guy dropped his head and it got through a 421 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 3: showder and he got a targeting car. It's like there's 422 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 3: little things like that you can't really control. But you know, 423 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 3: I understand that the league is trying to change a 424 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 3: few things, but it put them. They put players in 425 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 3: the back situation where they can get fined and we 426 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:32,880 Speaker 3: all know how those how big those finds can get 427 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:33,919 Speaker 3: dependent on the penalty. 428 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 4: Well, you were a part of some great teams here, 429 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 4: but twenty seventeen was probably the most successful. What do 430 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 4: remember about the magic of that season and your relationship 431 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 4: with the fans here in Minnesota? 432 00:19:45,440 --> 00:19:48,760 Speaker 3: Oh, we know that thing man like coming in the 433 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 3: practice was great. It was what we call say I 434 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 3: know you guys know we was lit every day. It 435 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:56,959 Speaker 3: was like a dance party. But we took this series 436 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 3: each and every day. You know, Zim understood, like to 437 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 3: the fact that we put in so much work, were 438 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 3: put in so much time. So he gave us time off, 439 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 3: thereat to recover. And we when we understood, and we 440 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 3: went on Sunday and showed him that we was appreciative 441 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 3: of him giving us that time off, you know, So 442 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 3: it showed we was all in sync from the coaching 443 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 3: stuff the ownership on down. We all was together. We 444 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,119 Speaker 3: all wanted one to go, but we fell short. But 445 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 3: it was it was It was a great year, man. 446 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 3: It was a really great year to be a part 447 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:29,720 Speaker 3: of the Vikings that year, man, and to see us connect, 448 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 3: to see us play. You know, we knew every weakness 449 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 3: of our off phases of the ball. We knew our strength. 450 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 3: We played off our screen and uh, if someone came in, 451 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 3: they ain't know they played. We wasn't selfish at all. 452 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,399 Speaker 3: Like we wasn't selfish at all. We told, we broke 453 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,679 Speaker 3: down everything how we would do it, how they should 454 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 3: do it. You know. We it was just one team 455 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 3: wal heartbeat. I mean we speak that a lot playing ball, 456 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:54,880 Speaker 3: but a lot of teams don't actually, you know, show 457 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 3: it and do it. You know. But that year and 458 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 3: the years I was there at Minnesota, it was it 459 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 3: was like that every year. 460 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 2: Yeah, you were here for an interesting period with this club, 461 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 2: with the transition not only from coaches and everything, but 462 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 2: also from facilities. You're going from the Metrodome to to 463 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:15,680 Speaker 2: the University of Minnesota to the to the stadium now 464 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 2: and I don't know all this off hand, I apologize, 465 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 2: but have you been to the what do you think 466 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 2: of the new stadium and you know, just the changes 467 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 2: and is that place that's special to you the new stadium. 468 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, yes, I cannot wait to get back there. The 469 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,719 Speaker 3: skull check the whole. I mean, I still to this 470 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,199 Speaker 3: day my family members that that that enter came to 471 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 3: a few games, talk about, you know, being a part 472 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 3: of that fan base, being a part of the atmosphere. 473 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:49,000 Speaker 3: How it's memorable. I mean I had players that that 474 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 3: I spoke with and asked them a question. I mean, 475 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 3: what's the most memorable stadium we ever played with? They 476 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 3: see the vikings with that skull chat, you know, that's 477 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,440 Speaker 3: that's different. It's one of a kid, you know, man, 478 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 3: They're just that atmosphere man, how how dedicated, how to 479 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 3: vote it, the fans out to the team, you know, 480 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 3: me being seeing and experiencing it. 481 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,360 Speaker 4: It's great. One of the great slogans of all time. 482 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 4: Roads closed. I mean that must have had a nice 483 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:15,960 Speaker 4: impact on you, man. That was quite a signature statement. 484 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,640 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, yes, man, I don't know. I think a 485 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 3: fan came up with that for some I think I 486 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,879 Speaker 3: was on Twitter or something Instagram and I've seen Rhodes 487 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:31,439 Speaker 3: clothes and I have to take that. Yeah, I remember, 488 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 3: if I wish, I wish I could remember the fan 489 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:36,080 Speaker 3: that came up with that name, man, I would definitely, 490 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:37,680 Speaker 3: you know, take them out to eat it something. I 491 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 3: don't know. 492 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:41,360 Speaker 2: There's no pride of authorship and a good idea, No exactly. 493 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 2: That's awesome that he did that, because that's that those 494 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 2: that side of it's changed as well. So what do 495 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:48,199 Speaker 2: you what do you plan on doing in the future. 496 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,359 Speaker 2: What's what's the future gonna look like for for Xavier Roads. 497 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,200 Speaker 2: I mean, I understand you're being a father, full time parent, 498 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 2: taking care of your son, but what do you hope 499 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 2: to accomplish here in the next section. 500 00:22:59,480 --> 00:23:01,640 Speaker 3: Of your life? Right now? You know, I'm just taking 501 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 3: the day by day, you know, being playing football. You 502 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 3: know it's chaotic each and every Sunday and Monday on 503 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:11,159 Speaker 3: on Thursday. You know, practice a little chaotic too, you know, 504 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 3: heading and wearing and tearing your body. So being able 505 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 3: to sit here and find piece within myself where I 506 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,040 Speaker 3: have to feel like I got to run through a 507 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 3: wall sometimes, like I missed the game. I need to 508 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 3: go put on a helmet and shoulder pads and run 509 00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:28,800 Speaker 3: through a wall, you know, you know, I still have 510 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 3: that feeling where you know, I want to get out there, 511 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 3: you know. So it's just finding that piece with them 512 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 3: where I don't have to feel like I need to 513 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 3: do that, and and and and I just take it 514 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 3: one day at a time. You know. It's nothing bad 515 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 3: going on with me, but it's it's it's I missed 516 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,159 Speaker 3: the game at times. You know, it's like I've been 517 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:46,720 Speaker 3: doing this all my all my life, where you know, 518 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 3: I have to take a break and realize where. 519 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:50,080 Speaker 4: I'm att Yeah, I better had. It had to be 520 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 4: hard in some levels when he went to the Colts 521 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 4: in Buffalo then he finished up with Dallas. It's, you know, 522 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 4: to have the cord cut basically, And like you said, 523 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 4: now I'm looking wrong going I get that buzz on 524 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 4: a Sunday going. I wish I was out there, uh 525 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,120 Speaker 4: that you know, I'm sure that takes that's a transitional 526 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 4: time for you. 527 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 3: But but I would say, define have advocate. But it's 528 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:13,240 Speaker 3: like sometimes I look at the game and I see 529 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:14,639 Speaker 3: a few guys hit someone. 530 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 4: And oh I don't miss that, right, that's a great attitude. 531 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, let me just sit on someone. 532 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:28,760 Speaker 2: Now you sound like John Randall, you know, but it's 533 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,480 Speaker 2: it's you'll never It's like you'll never know guys like 534 00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 2: the way you know Harrison Smith and the way you 535 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 2: know Andrew Sindeo. I mean, you'll never. It's just something 536 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 2: you'll you'll never know another person on that level and 537 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 2: trust them in that way. And that's still sometimes that's hard, 538 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:44,200 Speaker 2: that's hard. 539 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:44,439 Speaker 4: To deal with. 540 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 2: But you always have those guys that you played with, right, may. 541 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,680 Speaker 3: You always have those guys, man, that's a process of it. 542 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 3: That's gonna forever, you know, be there. You know, Harrison 543 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 3: had me in his wedding and I'm still going to 544 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:00,440 Speaker 3: get Harrison Hill because he chose k wedding over my waiting. 545 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 3: So I'm uncle. Gave him a hail in that scene. 546 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, you do that well. 547 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:07,679 Speaker 4: Xavier, thank you so much. It's been great catching up 548 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 4: with you and sharing your stories, and thank you for 549 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 4: taking time and sharing your skull stories with us. Take 550 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 4: care of yourself and look forward to seeing you again sometime. 551 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, you guys, thank you, mav. 552 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 4: Well, thanks again the Xavier Rhads for joining the show 553 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 4: and we're very happy he's doing so well. All right, Pete, 554 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:31,199 Speaker 4: The Vikings continue to be the greatest reality show on television. 555 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 4: I don't even know how to describe what we all watch. 556 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:36,199 Speaker 4: And you witnessed in person winning their fourth in a 557 00:25:36,280 --> 00:25:39,400 Speaker 4: row with that crazy thirty to twenty seven overtime win 558 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 4: in Chicago, when what they had an eleven point lead 559 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 4: with twenty five seconds to go and and a half. Well, 560 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 4: I mean but literally it was like the last seconds, 561 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:50,760 Speaker 4: what was it like up in the boothball he's going 562 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,959 Speaker 4: through your mind on side kick. I mean, everything that 563 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 4: could have gone wrong was going wrong for the Vikings. 564 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 4: Yet they found a way to do it and get 565 00:25:58,920 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 4: it done and over time. 566 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 2: Yeah, and going into the game, I just knew it 567 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 2: was going to be close. It just always is. It's 568 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 2: a divisional opponent, and that's such a It makes such 569 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 2: a difference because the teams know each other so well. 570 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 2: You know, you had a lot of changes, at least 571 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 2: from the offensive coordator standpoint. With the Vikings. They have 572 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,000 Speaker 2: a rookie quarterback who's unbelievably talented. He's just going to 573 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 2: continue to get better. And I think the best part 574 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:25,399 Speaker 2: for this team is they realized all you have to 575 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 2: do is lose your focus for a minute, not even 576 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,440 Speaker 2: a minute of game time and it can cost you. 577 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 2: It can cost you a game that you had done 578 00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:38,520 Speaker 2: everything and truly deserve to win. Right the performances of 579 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 2: just Jordan Addison and TJ. Hockinson and Sam Darnold doesn't 580 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: matter if you don't take care of business. And that's everything. 581 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 2: It's special teams defense. Ever, so they were able to 582 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 2: learn that lesson, but not at the cost of losing 583 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:58,160 Speaker 2: a football game. Unfortunately, most of the time those lessons 584 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 2: come with losses. The Vikings were able to rebound, but 585 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:05,240 Speaker 2: you have to give them credit. The offense really was 586 00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:08,359 Speaker 2: a complete game. They maybe they weren't scoring touchdowns, they 587 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 2: were kicking field goals, but they had four hundred and 588 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 2: I believe fifty some yards of foe hundred and fifty 589 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 2: four yards of offense. So they were moving the ball 590 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:20,239 Speaker 2: all day long. You know, we've seen half so that 591 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 2: happen right the first half of the game. We're up 592 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 2: and down the field. In the second half it kind 593 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 2: of goes away or you know, vice versa. We didn't 594 00:27:27,040 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 2: see that as much, I think with Chicago and very 595 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,679 Speaker 2: more consistent, absolutely more consistent on offense. 596 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 4: I don't expect you to do a deep dive and 597 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 4: what it's going to take to get Justin Jefferson the 598 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 4: football more and more and more. But we know that TJ. 599 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 4: Hockinson got healthier, benefited from it. Jordan Addison had a 600 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 4: big game. So it was to kind of pick your 601 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,400 Speaker 4: poison as we go along. 602 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:50,640 Speaker 2: Here, absolutely is It's a thing like this is when 603 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 2: defensive coordinators sit down and you know, when I was coaching, 604 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:55,640 Speaker 2: we would do this and we would just write down 605 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,200 Speaker 2: and what's this team about? And the first thing that 606 00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:01,919 Speaker 2: they're going to write is stop Justin Jefferson. And this 607 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 2: is a professional team, professional coaches, professional players. They'll figure 608 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 2: out ways to do it. The problem now is at 609 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 2: what cost? Because it's the it's the Belichick thing where 610 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:15,560 Speaker 2: you're saying, you're not going to beat me with Justin Jefferson. 611 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 2: If you beat me with player B, C, D and E, 612 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,879 Speaker 2: then you deserve to win. The challenge now is they 613 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 2: see what Jordan Addison can do, right, they see what TJ. 614 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 2: Hockinson can do. They see, you know, what our running 615 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,480 Speaker 2: backs can do, right, Aaron Jones what they can do. 616 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,639 Speaker 2: So now it's saying, well, you know, if we just 617 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 2: sell out to stop JJ, you know we may not 618 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 2: survive because they have some of these other dynamic athletes. 619 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,280 Speaker 2: So you know, Jordan Addison is going to attract more 620 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 2: attention from the Cardinals than what the Bears paid to 621 00:28:47,040 --> 00:28:49,520 Speaker 2: him because of what he did last week. They're gonna 622 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 2: worry about TJ. Hockinson more than what they saw on 623 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 2: film the week before. So what does that mean a 624 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:57,680 Speaker 2: little bit of attentional start to get drawn away from JJ, 625 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 2: and and as soon as it does, he'll pop out 626 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 2: and he'll have that two hundred yard game with two touchdowns. 627 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 2: It's going to happen, right, And so for JJ, the 628 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 2: best thing for him and his game. And as frustrated 629 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,080 Speaker 2: as you could tell he was, because he wants to 630 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,600 Speaker 2: be party. You know, it's not being it's not a 631 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 2: negative thing. It's just he's frustrated. He wants the ball 632 00:29:19,280 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 2: like all great receivers do. But the guys around him 633 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,080 Speaker 2: making those plays he should all you know, I know 634 00:29:25,120 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 2: he's going to celebrate, but he should know that those 635 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 2: guys making those plays are going to make it easier 636 00:29:30,160 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 2: for him later because defenses are going. 637 00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: To just slightly say, you know. 638 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 2: Maybe he won't do all this to JJ, or we 639 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 2: won't in this particular situation. We're gonna pay a little 640 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 2: more attention to these guys over here, and as soon 641 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 2: as that happens, he's going to explode. 642 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:45,800 Speaker 4: All the bottom line, the Vikings are nine and two, 643 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 4: and many people thought the Vikings would win more than 644 00:29:47,760 --> 00:29:49,480 Speaker 4: six or seven games this year. So here we are. 645 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's what you were saying all off season. 646 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 4: No no, I actually made a few wagers and collecting 647 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:56,880 Speaker 4: from the friends over a KFAM because of that. 648 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:57,800 Speaker 2: Okay, Paul Allen. 649 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:02,840 Speaker 4: After that heavy road schedule, the Vikings now have three 650 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:06,520 Speaker 4: straight home games, yes in December, starting Sunday versus the 651 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 4: Arizona Cardinals. It's another nude start on Fox nine here 652 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 4: in the Twin Cities, so be sure to check your 653 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,400 Speaker 4: local listings for details. Of course, you can also catch 654 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 4: Paul Allen, Ben Leeber, and the one and only Pete 655 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 4: Bursuch with the call right here all across the Vikings 656 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 4: radio network. The Vikings Football Sunday pregame show starts at 657 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 4: ten am on KFN, so be sure to tune in 658 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,480 Speaker 4: with host Mike Mussman and the rest of the crew 659 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,880 Speaker 4: leading up to kick off. Pete's always a pleasure and 660 00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 4: thanks again to Xavier Rhads for joining the show, and 661 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 4: thank you fans for tuning into another edition of School 662 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 4: Stories presented by three AM, the official science partner of 663 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 4: the Minnesota Vikings. We'll see you all again next week.