WEBVTT - Bengals Booth Podcast: Glory Days 0:00:03.640 --> 0:00:06.480 Hi, get everybody. I'm Dan Horde and thanks for downloading 0:00:06.519 --> 0:00:14.640 The Bengals Booth Podcast the Glory Days addition, as I 0:00:14.800 --> 0:00:17.560 visited with the two newest members of the Bengals Ring 0:00:17.600 --> 0:00:22.440 of Honor, wide receiver Isaac Curtis and offensive lineman Willie Anderson. 0:00:22.840 --> 0:00:27.240 The Bengals Booth Podcast is presented by Ultimate Bengals. Download 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:30.440 Ultimate Bengals ahead of the twenty twenty two season. It's 0:00:30.480 --> 0:00:35.239 free to play next level fantasy football with fantastic Bengals prizes. 0:00:35.760 --> 0:00:38.400 Get it now on the App Store and Google Play. 0:00:38.600 --> 0:00:40.519 And here's a quick reminder that you can have the 0:00:40.600 --> 0:00:43.839 latest edition of this podcast delivered right to your phone, tablet, 0:00:43.960 --> 0:00:48.440 or computer by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. It's 0:00:48.479 --> 0:00:53.440 the greatest thing since Cramponds. I'm back to work after 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:57.080 a family vacation that included a five day trip to Iceland. 0:00:57.480 --> 0:01:02.480 It was awesome, with the notable except of tasting fermented shark. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.880 Let me put it this way, the worst thing you 0:01:05.959 --> 0:01:10.640 have ever eaten is scrumptious in comparison. In any case. 0:01:11.160 --> 0:01:14.039 One of our activities in Iceland was hiking a glacier, 0:01:14.160 --> 0:01:18.520 which required us to wear crampons. You can probably picture them. 0:01:18.840 --> 0:01:22.600 They are basically pointy spikes that attached to the bottom 0:01:22.640 --> 0:01:25.040 of your hiking boots. Well, I am here to tell 0:01:25.080 --> 0:01:28.880 you that they are remarkably effective no matter how slick 0:01:28.959 --> 0:01:33.800 or slippery the ice. So in conclusion, if you visit Iceland, 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:39.560 use the crampons and skip the shark. Now time to 0:01:39.600 --> 0:01:42.280 hear from the two players that you have selected to 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:46.200 join Paul Brown, Anthony Munio's Ken Anderson and Ken Riley 0:01:46.520 --> 0:01:49.920 in the Bengals Ring of Honor. Isaac Curtis was the 0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:53.240 Bengals first round draft pick in nineteen seventy three and 0:01:53.360 --> 0:01:57.600 spent his entire twelve year NFL career in Cincinnati. He 0:01:57.720 --> 0:02:00.360 was a four time Pro Bowler and still holds the 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:05.080 franchise record for career average yards per catch at seventeen 0:02:05.200 --> 0:02:09.079 point one. His world class speed was a big reason 0:02:09.160 --> 0:02:13.480 why the NFL changed its rules. Chad Johnson used the 0:02:13.560 --> 0:02:17.480 nickname Ocho Sinko, but Isaac Curtis was the Bengals first 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:22.520 great number eighty five. Isaac, let me start by congratulating 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:26.200 you on becoming the first wide receiver in the Bengals 0:02:26.280 --> 0:02:28.280 Ring of Honor. I know that you are in the 0:02:28.320 --> 0:02:30.960 San Diego State Athletic Hall of Fame. I know you're 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:34.240 in the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. I imagine 0:02:34.240 --> 0:02:37.560 there are others as well. What does this particular honor 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:41.679 mean to you. It's probably the most prestigious that it 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:44.800 means the most to me than anything. I mean, you know, 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:47.239 I think when you grow up, you know, my you 0:02:47.320 --> 0:02:49.799 inspire you play football in high school and college and 0:02:50.440 --> 0:02:53.320 you look to get into the NFL, you know, And 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:56.120 so I mean, this was a goal and to have, 0:02:56.840 --> 0:02:58.800 you know, to be honored to be in the Bengals 0:02:58.840 --> 0:03:01.160 Ring of Honor, it's you know, it's a it's the 0:03:01.160 --> 0:03:03.040 best thing, best honor that I think that I have 0:03:03.160 --> 0:03:07.320 received in a sports You were chosen by the fans. 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:10.680 There were fifteen former Bengals on the ballot, including some 0:03:10.720 --> 0:03:14.520 more recent stars like Chad Johnson and Bloomer Asias. And 0:03:15.080 --> 0:03:17.919 is it nice to know that the fans remember how 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:20.400 great you were even though it's been more than three 0:03:20.480 --> 0:03:23.919 decades since you played. Yeah, I think so that's that's 0:03:23.919 --> 0:03:26.560 what's really surprising, because it has been a long time 0:03:26.600 --> 0:03:28.799 since I've played, and I'm sure there's a whole new 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:31.360 generation of fans that are in the stadium that maybe 0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:34.160 did not have the opportunity, you know, to see myself 0:03:34.160 --> 0:03:36.120 and some of the guys that played in the early 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:41.720 early early seventies. But so yeah, I was. I was. 0:03:42.240 --> 0:03:45.520 It's it's really great to have been selected and to 0:03:45.600 --> 0:03:48.520 have the fans that still remembered me, enough of them 0:03:48.520 --> 0:03:52.160 still remembered me that they voted for me. So I 0:03:52.280 --> 0:03:55.160 certainly appreciate that. And like I said, we have some 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:59.000 great fans. I've always appreciated them, and certainly this is 0:03:59.120 --> 0:04:01.480 certainly a way that they show that they certainly appreciate 0:04:02.120 --> 0:04:05.200 my time in Cincinnati. I think I can hear a 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:09.000 little surprise in your voice. Is that accurate? To be 0:04:09.160 --> 0:04:12.440 selected the first receiver selected kind of kind of surprised 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:14.760 me a little bit because I just thought that, you know, 0:04:14.880 --> 0:04:18.360 there's the generation the KIT people that are understands now 0:04:18.400 --> 0:04:21.440 there's a whole new generation, you know, and they probably 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:26.400 forgot some of us, some of us older guys. Maybe 0:04:26.480 --> 0:04:28.320 I was thinking maybe they ought to have a senior 0:04:28.360 --> 0:04:31.839 committee so that they don't forget about some of us guys. 0:04:33.000 --> 0:04:37.280 It wasn't necessary. Our guest is Ring of Honor inductee 0:04:37.320 --> 0:04:41.680 Isaac Curtis. You join your primary former quarterback, ken Anderson 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:44.680 in the Ring of Honor. How quickly did you two 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:49.120 guys click and why was it such a potent combination 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:53.159 for so many years? Well, I think we clicked. We 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:55.560 did a lot of work. I had to do a 0:04:55.600 --> 0:04:58.080 lot of work being a young wide receiver and actually 0:04:58.160 --> 0:05:00.719 only played wide receiver on one year in college before 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:03.680 coming to Cincinnati, so it took a lot of work. 0:05:03.680 --> 0:05:05.400 We put a lot of time on the field to 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:07.240 work on our timing, and I put a lot of 0:05:07.240 --> 0:05:12.360 study time in and just listening and watching Kenny and 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:16.080 I had some really some good veteran wide receivers that 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:18.440 were there that that really helped me. Charlie joined our 0:05:18.520 --> 0:05:21.239 Chip Myers. You know that, I really that I really 0:05:21.360 --> 0:05:24.400 learned how to really learn how to study and really 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:28.479 learn how to prepare for that position. And like I said, 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:30.400 we just put a lot of time in with with 0:05:30.480 --> 0:05:33.640 Kenny and Kenney just been an excellent quarterback. As timing 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:35.680 was good, it didn't take long for us to get 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:38.600 in get catch our stride. I think probably about the 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:41.920 third or fourth game, or fourth week or the fifth 0:05:41.960 --> 0:05:44.320 week of the season, I think we finally caught our stride. 0:05:44.320 --> 0:05:47.760 And you know, we had confidence at each other and 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:50.200 he finally realized that I was going to be where 0:05:50.200 --> 0:05:54.479 I was supposed to be. You spent twelve years in 0:05:54.520 --> 0:05:57.400 the NFL, all of them in Cincinnati. You were part 0:05:57.400 --> 0:05:59.960 of the bengals first super Bowl team in eighty one. 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:03.719 What do you cherish most about those dozen years with 0:06:03.760 --> 0:06:08.280 the Bengals. I would have to say that eighty one season. 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:12.040 You know, I think everybody that that plays in this league, 0:06:12.200 --> 0:06:14.599 you know, inspires or would love to play in a 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:17.360 super Bowl. And that was just such a magical season. 0:06:17.600 --> 0:06:20.599 I think everything from the players that we had, Uh, 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:23.800 we just had such good chemistry. You know, we got 0:06:23.839 --> 0:06:26.880 along with each other, well, we've had fun together on 0:06:27.000 --> 0:06:29.520 the field and off the field. And then having the 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:33.520 opportunity to to go and play in a Super Bowl, Um, 0:06:33.600 --> 0:06:35.880 that was that. It was just a magical season and 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:39.640 that I'll always remember that. But like I said, it 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:41.440 was just a chemistry and that whole year and that 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:44.800 whole season players a type of players that we had. 0:06:44.839 --> 0:06:48.200 We had a lot of young guys and uh that 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:50.560 that blended in with with some of the old veterans 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:52.560 that were there, and it was just it was just 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:55.719 a good. Uh, it was a good team. Did last 0:06:55.800 --> 0:06:59.040 year's Super Bowl team remind you of that? They did? 0:06:59.520 --> 0:07:01.920 They did? They They had some they have some great 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:06.520 young players. You know, they got some steady, steady veterans there. 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.400 But uh, you know, you got a great, you know, 0:07:10.480 --> 0:07:14.560 great quarterback. I mean Joe Burrows is just outstanding, you know, 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:16.640 and you got great wide receivers. You got a great 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:19.400 running game, and uh you got you had a defense 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:22.280 that was it was pretty really feisty. You know. Um, 0:07:22.680 --> 0:07:25.280 they do remind me of our our eighty one a 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:28.680 super Bowl team. You know, they're young, and I think 0:07:28.720 --> 0:07:31.400 they're gonna be good for a while. Your first head 0:07:31.400 --> 0:07:35.360 coach was Paul Brown. Your first offensive coordinator was Bill Walsh, 0:07:35.400 --> 0:07:37.480 although I don't think he had the title back then. 0:07:37.560 --> 0:07:40.640 But what do you respect about each of those guys 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:42.520 and how big of an impact did they have on 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:46.360 your success? You know, I respect both of them tremendously. 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:49.240 I think Paul Brown, it was just the business. You know, 0:07:49.320 --> 0:07:52.800 it was a you know that you really understood. You know, 0:07:52.920 --> 0:07:56.080 your job is really understand this game and understand your business. 0:07:56.080 --> 0:07:59.000 And this is a business and you need to you know, 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:02.600 you you there's a way to go about it, you know. 0:08:02.880 --> 0:08:06.720 And uh, and with Bill Wallace, I mean he was 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:10.800 just such a tremendous offensive mine as well. I mean 0:08:10.920 --> 0:08:12.880 he was just, uh, you know, you can come in 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:14.880 at halftime. He put a game plan to get you 0:08:14.960 --> 0:08:16.640 coming into a half time. He'll look at you and 0:08:16.720 --> 0:08:18.680 say that they do this, they do this. We're going 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:20.640 to make the changes. He'll make it all the all 0:08:20.680 --> 0:08:24.000 the adjustments that you want to make. But just a great, 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:28.640 great offensive mine imagination. You know, they were. They were 0:08:28.640 --> 0:08:32.400 both just tremendous coaches, geniuses in their own in their 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:35.440 own right. Isaac, as you mentioned, you were only a 0:08:35.440 --> 0:08:38.720 wide receiver for one year in college at San Diego State, 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:41.720 who'd played running back and run track at Cal prior 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.760 to that. Do you think you could have had a 0:08:44.800 --> 0:08:48.600 long and successful NFL career as a running back. I 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:51.480 do not. I do not. I think I may have 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:53.640 had a career, but I think eventually I would have 0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:57.200 been moved to wide receiver. You know, I was. I 0:08:57.280 --> 0:08:59.880 was kind of a long, lanky, kind of a running 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:03.840 act um, you know, a nine three sprinter, So I 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:06.440 had I had outside speed. It was not it was 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:09.320 not to be in the in the backfield. And one 0:09:09.320 --> 0:09:12.839 of the reasons I'd transferred to UH to San Diego 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:15.800 State now and I had that opportunity was, you know, 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:19.640 I kind of felt that wide receiver was my position. 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:22.240 And so when I when I looked at going over 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:25.400 to San Diego State with Don Creele there, um, I 0:09:25.440 --> 0:09:28.400 was going to be moved to a to a wide receiver, 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:30.480 and I was, and I thought that was a more 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:33.079 natural position for me. So I always say that was 0:09:33.120 --> 0:09:37.319 the best move I ever made. What about track? Had 0:09:37.360 --> 0:09:40.560 you concentrated on track, do you think you would have 0:09:40.559 --> 0:09:43.040 won a medal in seventy two and the one hundred meters? 0:09:43.960 --> 0:09:46.559 I think that I certainly would have had an opportunity 0:09:46.760 --> 0:09:49.600 to UH to win a medal. I think I would 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:52.360 have had an opportunity to to make that to make 0:09:52.400 --> 0:09:57.080 that that track team, the Olympic team. Um, you know, 0:09:57.120 --> 0:09:59.120 I was running well that year, but that was the 0:09:59.200 --> 0:10:03.199 year that I transferred from from cal to San Diego State. 0:10:03.240 --> 0:10:04.960 So and it was my senior year and I was 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:08.400 changing positions from you know, from running back to wide receiver. 0:10:08.480 --> 0:10:10.839 So if I made the if I made the team, 0:10:11.360 --> 0:10:13.040 I would have missed the first part of the football 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:15.839 season and I was a football player first. You know, 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:18.000 I love track, but I was a football player first, 0:10:18.080 --> 0:10:20.760 and uh and I you know, that's one thing I 0:10:20.840 --> 0:10:22.760 wish I could have done and it would have worked 0:10:22.760 --> 0:10:24.760 out because I love track and I would have loved 0:10:24.760 --> 0:10:27.280 to have that opportunity to run for the you know, 0:10:27.320 --> 0:10:30.040 the run for the US, represent the US in the 0:10:30.320 --> 0:10:33.719 in the Olympics in Munich that year. Of course, we 0:10:33.760 --> 0:10:36.760 had some issues even our track team that that year 0:10:37.559 --> 0:10:42.640 with their starting time. Our sprinters missed the US miss 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:46.880 the prelims right, and only one American ultimately was in 0:10:46.920 --> 0:10:49.199 the final for the one hundred meters that year and 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:52.800 he won the silver medal. Isaac, part of your legacy 0:10:53.280 --> 0:10:56.960 is the Isaac Curtis Rule. Following your rookie year, the 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:00.520 NFL changed the rules. Paul Brown helped make that change 0:11:00.520 --> 0:11:03.920 where defensive backs were only allowed to bump you in 0:11:03.960 --> 0:11:06.960 the first five yards. After that, What was it like 0:11:07.120 --> 0:11:12.480 to play wide receiver before that rule was passed. Well, 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:14.200 I'll tell you what it was. It was a lot 0:11:14.240 --> 0:11:16.679 of work, you know, I mean it it was it 0:11:16.679 --> 0:11:18.600 was a battle getting up and down the field because 0:11:19.360 --> 0:11:20.880 you know it was kind of open game. I mean, 0:11:21.440 --> 0:11:23.640 cornerbacks can come up, they can bump you. They can 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.240 bump you up and down the field. I would I 0:11:26.400 --> 0:11:28.400 got cut. I would get cut every now and then. 0:11:28.440 --> 0:11:30.960 Every now and then a corner would would roll would 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:34.320 come up on you, and then outside linebacker would come 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:36.040 and try to cut your leg from under you, or 0:11:36.080 --> 0:11:38.160 a corner would roll up and just cut you. You know. 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:39.840 And as long as the ball wasn't in the air, 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:42.439 they can they can do whatever they want. And so 0:11:42.640 --> 0:11:45.240 you you really battled getting up and down the field, 0:11:45.320 --> 0:11:47.480 you know. And I never really complained about it because 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:50.000 that back then, that's just the way the game was played, 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:52.720 you know. And that's uh. And it was the same 0:11:52.760 --> 0:11:56.640 for everyone. But you know, it certainly opened up the game. 0:11:56.679 --> 0:11:59.160 And what it's done to the game today. It's certainly 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:02.840 a passing league. And uh, it's it's tough to cover 0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:05.640 some of these wide receivers, uh, you know, when you 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.400 can only bump them, uh five with the five yards 0:12:08.400 --> 0:12:10.360 off of the off the line of scrimmage. These guys 0:12:10.360 --> 0:12:13.319 are big and fast and talented and uh, but it's 0:12:13.320 --> 0:12:15.240 an exciting game. But it was a it was a 0:12:15.240 --> 0:12:19.520 good route change. I I was all for it. You 0:12:19.640 --> 0:12:23.760 helped make professional football a much more entertaining game. That's 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:26.440 the bottom line with the Isaac Curtis rule. Well, let's 0:12:26.640 --> 0:12:29.280 it opened it up. It certainly opened it up. Yeah, 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:33.360 I've teased a couple of guys in the past about that. 0:12:33.440 --> 0:12:35.720 You know, I said, well, you know it's such, it's 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:37.520 you know, the game is open. I mean, you guys 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:42.760 ought to give me a percentage of hitting now. But uh, 0:12:43.760 --> 0:12:46.400 you say it was enjoyable when I played, But it was. 0:12:46.640 --> 0:12:49.280 I certainly opened a game up and uh made it 0:12:49.320 --> 0:12:52.920 made it Uh made it fun, made it fun, Isaac, 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:54.840 I think you can make the case that the Bengals 0:12:54.840 --> 0:12:58.400 have had more great players at wide receiver than any 0:12:58.440 --> 0:13:01.679 other position. As I mentioned, Mike has told me on 0:13:01.720 --> 0:13:04.600 several occasions he considers you to be the best. But 0:13:04.679 --> 0:13:07.520 there are other great ones like your former teammate Chris Collinsworth, 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:11.200 Chad Johnson, A. J. Greene, now Jamar Chase and T Higgins. 0:13:11.520 --> 0:13:14.920 It's quite an impressive list. Who do you consider to 0:13:15.000 --> 0:13:18.400 be the best? Guys, I'll allow you to remain modest 0:13:18.400 --> 0:13:20.679 and not include yourself on the list, But of the others, 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:22.880 who did you enjoy watching the most? Well, do you 0:13:23.200 --> 0:13:28.079 know what I enjoy watching this whole crew. But smart Chase, 0:13:28.240 --> 0:13:31.280 I really, I really, I mean, he's so exciting, you know, 0:13:31.360 --> 0:13:34.959 and so explosive. And but but all Higgins, all those 0:13:35.000 --> 0:13:39.800 guys are fantastic receivers, you know, really really top receivers. 0:13:40.080 --> 0:13:46.720 But but Chase is probably is probably my my my favorite. 0:13:46.720 --> 0:13:48.520 He's the one that I really enjoy watching. He's so 0:13:48.760 --> 0:13:52.520 he's such exciting player. When he scores a touchdown, he 0:13:52.600 --> 0:13:56.240 does the gritty dance. When you scored a touchdown, you 0:13:56.360 --> 0:13:59.880 had one of the coolest, most low key touchdown cell 0:14:00.000 --> 0:14:03.160 librations of all time where you casually dropped the ball 0:14:03.160 --> 0:14:06.960 over your shoulder. Where did that come from? You know? 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:10.600 That came down at up San Diego State. We were 0:14:10.920 --> 0:14:12.959 before the season. There was a lot of a lot 0:14:13.000 --> 0:14:15.120 of the wide receiver were all kind of stretching and 0:14:15.160 --> 0:14:17.560 warming up down in the end zone getting ready for practice, 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:19.760 and a lot of the new guys. And I was 0:14:19.840 --> 0:14:21.400 kind of one of the new guys there because I 0:14:21.440 --> 0:14:23.760 was only there for one season. And one of the 0:14:23.800 --> 0:14:26.040 guys were kind of kidding around what kind of spikes 0:14:26.080 --> 0:14:27.760 where they're gonna do if they score? And one of 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:29.520 the guy looked at me says, well, Isaac, what are 0:14:29.560 --> 0:14:31.840 you gonna do? You know, when you scored testdown, I said, 0:14:32.000 --> 0:14:34.880 just handed back to the referee. You know, let's you know, 0:14:35.440 --> 0:14:37.960 you know know, that'd be about it. And he says, no, 0:14:38.080 --> 0:14:39.920 you gotta do something. So he tossed me the ball 0:14:40.040 --> 0:14:42.200 and I just dropped it over my shoulder and I said, 0:14:42.280 --> 0:14:45.560 that's it. And so that's kind of where that where 0:14:45.560 --> 0:14:48.720 that came from, and it kind of stuck. I think 0:14:48.760 --> 0:14:53.080 it fits your personality. You were very cool, not only 0:14:53.120 --> 0:14:55.520 in the way that you played, but the way you looked. 0:14:56.400 --> 0:15:00.200 Everything about you is kind of graceful and cool. You 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:04.120 find that to be an app description of your playing days. Oh, 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:06.120 I don't know. I try to keep a level head, 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:08.800 you know, for the most for the most part, you know, 0:15:08.920 --> 0:15:11.480 I always saw always tell guys, I said, you know what, 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:13.760 I don't like to slam the ball and throw it 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:16.840 in defensive backspace or make a you know, kind of 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:19.080 embarrassing I said. I said, I don't. I don't need 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:21.200 to give him any more incentive than they already do 0:15:21.320 --> 0:15:23.520 to try to take my head off. So I just 0:15:23.640 --> 0:15:28.000 casually throw it tossed behind mine my head. But I 0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:32.920 was telling I was talking with Mel Blunt, you know, 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:35.280 the Pro Bowl one time, and one time, you know, 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:38.880 he was talking about that my spike, Well it wasn't 0:15:38.920 --> 0:15:41.720 a spike, but he says, you know what, that upset 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:44.400 us more than anything, as you act like it was 0:15:44.440 --> 0:15:47.080 no big deal. You know, we would have you know, 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:49.200 if you would have jumped up and got excited and 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:52.360 threw the ball down, you know, we would just say, okay, yeah, 0:15:52.360 --> 0:15:54.480 you should be excited if I'm scoring with us. But 0:15:54.560 --> 0:15:56.600 when you score, if you scored, you act like it 0:15:56.680 --> 0:16:01.800 was no big deal. That really upset us. Fantastic, Isaac. 0:16:01.880 --> 0:16:04.360 Let's talk a little bit about your expectations for the 0:16:04.440 --> 0:16:07.240 twenty twenty two Bengals. You alluded to it earlier. You 0:16:07.240 --> 0:16:10.400 think they can be good for an extended period of time. 0:16:10.720 --> 0:16:13.080 What do you think about this upcoming season and what 0:16:13.120 --> 0:16:16.520 do you consider the biggest roadblocks to be coming off 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:20.840 the Super Bowl appearance. Well, I think that, like I say, 0:16:21.040 --> 0:16:22.760 I think they're going to be good. They got you know, 0:16:22.800 --> 0:16:25.640 they got their said at quarterback, they got great wide receivers, 0:16:25.640 --> 0:16:28.800 they got great running backs. They've upgraded their offense, their 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:32.760 offensive line, which was you know, probably something that most 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:35.760 people looked at and thought might have been suspect a 0:16:35.800 --> 0:16:40.920 little bit. But but you know, it's just repeating. It's 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:42.800 always tough for to go back and try to do it, 0:16:42.880 --> 0:16:45.000 do it, do it, do it again. But I think 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:50.560 potentially with the talent that these guys have, um and uh, 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.840 you know, they're just seemed they're well coached, and they 0:16:53.880 --> 0:16:55.400 just seemed to got their heads on. They got a 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:58.320 lot of confidence. I think, uh, you know, it's been 0:16:58.360 --> 0:17:01.600 a young team. I certainly field that they probably feel like, 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:04.000 you know what we can we can do this again, 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:06.359 and we're gonna and this time we can we can 0:17:06.400 --> 0:17:10.280 go all the way with it. But I think they're 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:12.600 gonna have a good year. You know, I can say 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:14.600 it's not gonna be easy, but it's uh, but they 0:17:14.640 --> 0:17:16.840 got a lot of talent. One of the highlights of 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:20.840 the year will be week four, Thursday night football Bengals 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:23.520 Dolphins at Paul Brown Stadium. That will be the Ring 0:17:23.560 --> 0:17:27.600 of Honor game where you will officially be inducted. Is 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:30.200 there anything specific you are looking forward to about that 0:17:30.359 --> 0:17:33.960 night and who will be there? Well, I'm just excited 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:36.000 to see all of the you know, all of the 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:38.760 other you know players that are coming in, that will 0:17:38.800 --> 0:17:40.959 be you know that have been nominated, that are coming in. 0:17:41.080 --> 0:17:43.840 It's always great to get together to see you know, 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:46.119 to see all the all the players. And just so 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:49.040 my appreciation to the fans that have voted, that voted 0:17:49.119 --> 0:17:54.239 me in, um, certainly appreciate that my my my of 0:17:54.240 --> 0:17:56.879 course my my wife will be there here and since Natie, 0:17:56.920 --> 0:18:00.200 my son, and since Nattie will probably be there, we'll 0:18:00.240 --> 0:18:02.359 know we're going to get a whole whole big crew 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:05.000 of a family coming out from California because we're going 0:18:05.080 --> 0:18:08.000 to be there two weeks earlier because my youngest son 0:18:08.080 --> 0:18:13.080 is getting married in September. So nice, we're coming out 0:18:13.160 --> 0:18:14.919 and then we're coming back and then we turn around 0:18:14.960 --> 0:18:18.720 coming back. So so um, but we are, but we 0:18:18.760 --> 0:18:21.399 are looking looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to 0:18:21.480 --> 0:18:24.320 the to the ceremony and the induction, but most of 0:18:24.359 --> 0:18:27.679 all also looking forward to seeing all of all of 0:18:27.680 --> 0:18:30.400 my former teammates and all of the other players. It's 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:32.520 always it's always great to get together and see the 0:18:32.560 --> 0:18:35.639 guys and talk about the old times and you know, 0:18:35.840 --> 0:18:37.360 let this is the story I could like they say, 0:18:37.359 --> 0:18:41.479 the stories always get bigger. Sounds like September is going 0:18:41.520 --> 0:18:43.800 to be a very special month in the Curtis family. 0:18:44.240 --> 0:18:46.880 We look forward to Yeah, we look forward to having 0:18:46.880 --> 0:18:49.439 you back in town for that game. And congratulations again 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:53.440 this bit of recognition from Bengals fans. It is well 0:18:53.480 --> 0:18:56.280 deserved and we are thrilled to see you entering the 0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:59.439 Bengals Ring of Honor. Congratulations, well, thank you, thanks for 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:03.520 having me. In that conversation, I mentioned the Isaac Curtis 0:19:03.600 --> 0:19:05.960 rule that states that a defender is only allowed to 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:09.359 bump a receiver within five yards of the line of scrimmage. 0:19:09.880 --> 0:19:13.719 Here's Mike Brown on his father Paul pushing for that 0:19:13.880 --> 0:19:19.399 rule in part because of Isaac Curtis, offense in the 0:19:19.560 --> 0:19:25.040 National Football League had ground down. The defense had come 0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:29.960 to dominate. And back in those days you had to 0:19:30.080 --> 0:19:35.160 pass protect with your hands against your chest, and you 0:19:35.240 --> 0:19:42.159 had to run patterns against cornerbacks who could bump you, 0:19:42.359 --> 0:19:47.399 push you, cut you, shove you all over the field. Well, 0:19:47.440 --> 0:19:52.200 that made it hard to throw the ball. And there 0:19:52.280 --> 0:19:55.560 came the time when finally my father, who was on 0:19:55.640 --> 0:20:01.480 the competition committee, Don Shula Textram, they were the competition committee, 0:20:02.080 --> 0:20:06.240 and they met about the predicament the league had found 0:20:06.280 --> 0:20:09.040 itself in and they came up with the changes in 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:13.399 the rules which allowed the use of the hands to 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:22.000 some degree on past protection and limited bumping a receiver 0:20:22.160 --> 0:20:25.240 to five yards down field. Well, that opened the game up. 0:20:26.240 --> 0:20:30.560 For most of his career, Isaac played under the old rules. 0:20:30.560 --> 0:20:33.800 Just at the end when he was probably at the 0:20:33.880 --> 0:20:39.040 downside of his career, he had the benefit of the 0:20:39.119 --> 0:20:43.359 new rules. But if he had had the benefit earlier, 0:20:43.560 --> 0:20:48.000 I think he would have rewritten the record book, not 0:20:48.080 --> 0:20:51.320 just the Bengals, but the National Football League record book. 0:20:51.320 --> 0:20:54.760 He was a splendid white out. He had a great, 0:20:55.000 --> 0:20:59.159 great speed. He was fast enough to try out for 0:20:59.240 --> 0:21:02.680 the Olympics, and he was close to making it. He 0:21:03.160 --> 0:21:08.400 had great hands, And I told the story maybe you've 0:21:08.400 --> 0:21:13.359 heard it, where he went down the sideline against Cleveland 0:21:14.000 --> 0:21:16.440 on a go pattern and he was on the right 0:21:16.480 --> 0:21:20.440 side and reached up with his outside arm his right 0:21:20.600 --> 0:21:23.160 arm and just pulled the ball in with one hand 0:21:23.400 --> 0:21:28.040 in stride and ran away from the cornerback. And later 0:21:28.080 --> 0:21:30.159 in the game he did the same thing on the 0:21:30.160 --> 0:21:34.320 other side with his left hand and just two one 0:21:34.359 --> 0:21:40.359 handed catches that kept him right in stride. And I've 0:21:40.359 --> 0:21:44.800 never seen anything like that since let alone to see 0:21:44.840 --> 0:21:48.280 it twice by one player in the same game. I 0:21:48.320 --> 0:21:52.000 remember we played Houston one time. We had to win 0:21:52.080 --> 0:21:56.679 to get in the playoffs, and he caught a ball 0:21:56.760 --> 0:22:01.800