1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Player's Podcast. I am so excited because 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:10,800 Speaker 1: it will soon be Mother's Day and I have an 3 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:15,240 Speaker 1: opportunity to talk with a legend, Chester Pitts. You wouldn't 4 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:19,079 Speaker 1: believe he started walking. He walked on the team his 5 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: second year in college as a sophomore. And get this, 6 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: his mom that went with him to the coaches to 7 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: help him walk on. Let's listen in let's talk about 8 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: your mother, because you've talked about how tough your mom 9 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: was as you were growing up. So let's first, what 10 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: was it like growing up with your mom? So, so, 11 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: my my mama, My mama was she she's she's she's 12 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: softing some now, you know when when she turned sixty, 13 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: she kinda she definitely softing some, but she was. She's 14 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: a tough cookie now very loving, but but growing up, 15 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: you know, she she and my dad that they divorced, 16 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: you know when when the kids were young. So when 17 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: I was, I want to say I was eight, eight 18 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 1: or nine, and then I had three siblings behind me 19 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: because my mom and dad were out of control, they 20 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,480 Speaker 1: had five kids. I mean, I had four kids in 21 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,479 Speaker 1: five years. So from the oldest to the youngest, it's 22 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 1: only a five years separation. But Mama Mama was tough 23 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: and she was strong. And after parents divorced, um they 24 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: put some weight on my shoulders because I had to. 25 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 1: I had to pick up slack and I had to 26 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: make sure that you know, just the stuff my dad 27 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 1: would do on the day to day. You know that 28 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: that kind of fell in my lap. And I was 29 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: when you're the oldest brother, when you're the big brother 30 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: and the firstborn, you know too much whom is given 31 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: much as expected. You know what I mean? You know 32 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: how that goes. Um. I just remember when I was young, 33 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: Mom was the hardest and the toughest on me to 34 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: do things right and and and set the example. And uh, 35 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 1: but my mama Mama was tough and I and I 36 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: wasn't a bad kid. I was. I was mischievous, I 37 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: was anybody who knows me today, I'm the same as 38 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: I was as a kid. So I'm I'm always like 39 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: my brain and my mind is always going. I'm always 40 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: looking to to learn something new. I can't really sit still, 41 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: you know. I'm I'm still at forty one years old. 42 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: I might as well be fourteen years old, because you know, 43 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,679 Speaker 1: keeping me focused and keep me on task, and now 44 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,639 Speaker 1: once I lock in, I locked in and I got 45 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: tunnel vision. But I still what's what's going on over there? 46 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: What y'all doing over there? What y'all talking about over there? 47 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,239 Speaker 1: I still have a lot of that anywhere. It's just 48 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: it's just true, and I just go. I just remember. 49 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: You know, one story that will always stick with me 50 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: until the end of time was when I was sixteen 51 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: years old, I found out I was gonna be a day. 52 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: So I think about I'm forty one today and my 53 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: oldest is twenty four years old. You know, it's it's 54 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: it's it's simple math right, It's simple math um. And 55 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: and when my mom found out she was she was 56 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 1: not happy. God, I remember, it was one thing to 57 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:21,519 Speaker 1: break a dish and get in trouble, but this this 58 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: was different because it was excuse the hell out of me, 59 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 1: was her mindset, and oh, oh we want to do 60 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: grown up things now. Oh you think you're an adult now? 61 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: And and when that happened, it was it was no 62 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: longer my mom was being a mom raising a baby boy. 63 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 1: It was, oh, I gotta grown I gotta grown man 64 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: that lives in my house now, so he gonna have 65 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: to behave and work and do. So I had to 66 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: go get a job immediately, all just like all of 67 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: the little things Mom would do. Now I made my 68 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: own plate. I had to you know, on my night 69 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: on here is it? On my night, I had to 70 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: watch all the dishes. But on my night when it 71 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: wasn't my night to wash all the dishes, I still 72 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: had to wash my dishes because exactly I was growing 73 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: up living rein Freeze, so there was the house and 74 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,159 Speaker 1: the community was I didn't get to live off the 75 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: house in the community anymore. And that matter of fact, 76 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 1: for like a month, I had to make my own food. 77 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: So I was eating sandwiches every night when she, you know, 78 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: she's still making dinner for eating good and what am 79 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: I doing? I mean near sandwiches and chips and anything 80 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,240 Speaker 1: that I could make on my own. And it was 81 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: it was purposeful and it was honestly well thought out 82 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: because it forced me to grow up and grow up 83 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: in a herb, and I became and and I became 84 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: a better big brother, because I became a better son 85 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: because of that, that tough love and ultimately having to 86 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: stand on my two feet for basically everything now in turn, 87 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 1: like so everything she had been teaching me along the way. 88 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: It all culminated and came together. It was just it was, 89 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, the conversation you get when you're eighteen and 90 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: you get dropped off in college or you're twenty one 91 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: and now you can't come back home because you're grown. 92 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,480 Speaker 1: You know, I got that. I got that treatment at sixteen, 93 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 1: So I had to grow up and grow up with 94 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 1: you know, in a hurt, I can't lie, I cannot 95 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 1: and needs it was. It worked, she really worked, just 96 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: for her to have the wisdom. I want to go 97 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: back to you coming out the wound being a big kid. 98 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: How did your mom Because we've had I've had podcasts 99 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: where even one of the Ravens guys he and his 100 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: wife's foundation, focus on bullying being that big? How did 101 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,159 Speaker 1: your mom help you manage that in environment of people 102 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: talking about you maybe husky? How is that? Yeah? So, 103 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 1: so here was you talk about and early on life 104 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: lesson so so so first and foremost, I am no 105 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: matter where you from, the first thing you see is 106 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna see my melon. You're You're gonna see that 107 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: I'm You're gonna see that I'm brown. You're gonna see 108 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 1: that I'm a black man. The first thing you're going 109 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: and then the second thing you're going to see is 110 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 1: my stature. So at a very young age, my mom 111 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: had to have really grown conversations about the way I 112 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: engage with people that don't look like me, the way 113 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: I engage with ladies that I mean, you know, folks 114 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: are the opposite sex. And I'll never forget the way 115 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: she stressed, especially you know, when I was sixteen, the 116 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 1: way she stressed that one when I was sick, seeing 117 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: that she found out that I was, you know, a 118 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: little bit more grown than she ever expected. She stressed 119 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 1: the importance of of of of consent. She stressed the 120 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: importance of understanding you better be clear as day. You 121 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: better not leave anything up to later somebody feeling uncomfortable, 122 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: because when you as big as you are and as 123 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: strong as you are, you're it doesn't matter what you say, son, 124 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: you're not gonna win that argument unless unless the lady 125 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: you went bigger than you, and that's probably not gonna happen. 126 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 1: So so I remember that one when I was older, 127 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: But when I was young, she stressed the importance of 128 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: understanding my size and managing my size and and my strength, 129 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: because when I would get I was a kid, and 130 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: I would hold it all in, hold it all in, 131 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 1: and then I would explode. And I was the kid 132 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 1: that I would touch through walls. I was the kid 133 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: that I would go outside and she would have to 134 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: put me in the backyard for ten to fifteen minutes 135 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 1: and get and just get the hell out of the 136 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: way because I was too big and too strong, because 137 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: I would hurt somebody. Right, So just just getting you know, 138 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: my mom talked me through like calming down, and she 139 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: taught me a bunch of mechanisms when I was a 140 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: kid to help me, like with my breathing and just 141 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: making sure that I never get to that point simply 142 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,200 Speaker 1: because she didn't. She she didn't. She don't want her 143 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: baby boy because I'm matter how big I am, I'm 144 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: still her baby boy. She didn't want me to have 145 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: issues simply because I lost control or or I lost 146 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: you lost control of my temper and and those are 147 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 1: things that she had to teach me really really early on. 148 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 1: But like you said, foresight, wisdom, you know what it 149 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: comes down to is it was just a mother's lover. 150 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: When and when your mother loves you, she's gonna find 151 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: a way to make sure you are right. Your mom 152 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: had so much wisdom just growing up from the town. 153 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: You get the young lady pregnant at sixteen, also sit 154 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 1: you down, tell you about consent and all of these days, 155 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: about your size, about people of other racists as we 156 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: as we transition. You're fortunate to have your mother's mother 157 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: still alive, grandmother. Your mother's mother is the only grandparents 158 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: still alive. Is that correct? So so so so so. 159 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: My maternal grandmother is the only grandparents that I have left. 160 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: And then for my kids, my kids have one great 161 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: grandparents that's still alive. And I just people just don't 162 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: I didn't, I didn't get I didn't get to understand 163 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 1: that that experience they were, you know, they were both 164 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: all gone by the time I, you know, even came out, 165 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 1: you know, came into the world. And the way my 166 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: great grandma looks at my youngest, that's the one that 167 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: gets me, because you know, I'm my kids got some sprint. 168 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: I have a twenty four year old, fIF teen year old, 169 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: and then I have a seven year old, So I 170 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: got a baby in each decade for the last for 171 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: the last three decades, the nineties, the two thousands and tens. 172 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: I got a baby in each decade Like that doesn't 173 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:19,199 Speaker 1: happen all the time. Go for one more. No, I'm 174 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: not going for one more. You've already told us. The 175 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: first moved was not playing the fifty year old in 176 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 1: the seven year old. Separate decades were the two of 177 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: them playing it. So my fifteen year old was absolutely 178 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:42,440 Speaker 1: green lit and playing all good. Right, But I don't 179 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: know if you remember, And I remember a couple of 180 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: years ago when I did that crazy show called The 181 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,839 Speaker 1: Amazing Race. No, I remember you talking about it. Yes, 182 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 1: So I did The Amazing When people don't realize when 183 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,760 Speaker 1: you did The Amazing Race, you are gone from your 184 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:02,719 Speaker 1: family for thirty to forty five days with zero contact 185 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: because if information gets out and you can't, you can't 186 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: run the risk of spoiling a show like The Amazing Race. 187 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: That all that money that you put into the can 188 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,400 Speaker 1: and people know what's gonna happen, Who's gonna watch? So 189 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: it is very coking, dagger secure and everything. And my 190 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: wife hustle me when I came. When I came back, 191 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 1: she hustled me. And next thing I know, nine months 192 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 1: and one day after I got back from the amazing 193 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 1: race seven year old was born into this world. So 194 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 1: I got hustled, and and she smiles about it every 195 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: single time, and she knows she hustled me. So yeah, 196 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: so look how about that. So that's how that, that's 197 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 1: the story. That's all I have to say about that. 198 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: We talked about Mother's Day and I'm thinking about my 199 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:03,599 Speaker 1: mom and knowing how this pandemic, how impacted my mom, 200 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: I mean, almost severe anxiety. And one of the things 201 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,679 Speaker 1: I had a chance to do, I got I've gotten vaccinated. 202 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: They've gotten vaccinated. No one was in the house. They 203 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 1: wouldn't let anybody in for almost a year. Not even 204 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: my brother. He had to stay outside. When I finally 205 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:23,800 Speaker 1: got back and got in the house, gesture, I asked 206 00:12:23,800 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: my parents. Both of them are now seventy five, I 207 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: asked him. I said, I want to record you guys. 208 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:32,559 Speaker 1: And I have three older brothers. I have two older 209 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: brothers and a cousin like a brother, I said. I 210 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: said to them, I say, look, I want to record 211 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 1: you guys, and I want you to tell me while 212 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: I'm recording, what are the last things you want to 213 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: say to each of your children? And so I just 214 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 1: started off let him talk about my other siblings. I 215 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 1: really didn't want them to say anything about me. But 216 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: when I finished, I finished recording about my siblings, then 217 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: they said, well, you know asked us about you, and 218 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 1: I said, well, I'm not really concerned so much about me. 219 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:07,280 Speaker 1: I just want to get someone to take right. And 220 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: so when my mom began to speak, there's a Bible 221 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: verse that says, I don't know your father and mother, 222 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 1: and your life will go well and may. When my 223 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 1: mom talked, she says, I always felt you did the 224 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: things you did to please me, your mother. And now 225 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:27,720 Speaker 1: Mother's Day, I just preached the sermon Sunday and I 226 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: shared what all of the people that were listening live 227 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: stream as well as in the sanctuary. I said, if 228 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: your mother is no longer alive, because what typically happens 229 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: man people getting great depression on Mother's Day because they 230 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: missed their mother's I said, write your mother letter. If 231 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: you start feeling so much of that anxiety, is so 232 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 1: depressed about it, write her a letter and a letter 233 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: just for yourself, just writing and putting in pencil or 234 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: pen what your mother did, what she did for you? 235 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 1: What what do you remember about her? And then I 236 00:14:04,040 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 1: had one of the ladies text men just said, I 237 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: did what you said. I wrote a letter and it's 238 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 1: helped me so much. The other thing I didn't think 239 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: about Chester, as I said with into asking you a 240 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,440 Speaker 1: few more questions. Now that I have children, three girls 241 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 1: and a boy, I didn't realize while watching my children 242 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: participating in sports what it was like for my parents 243 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: looking at in the stands watching me play. Right, So 244 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: I asked some questions for you. Not all mothers are 245 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: into football. When their sons started getting into football at 246 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: whatever age, how did your mom hand do you plan 247 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: a rough sport? So that I'm glad you asked, because 248 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: that's actually kind of a funny story. So I'm the 249 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: biggest of some of my four kids, right, three three 250 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 1: boys and a girl, And I'm the only thing like 251 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:03,920 Speaker 1: my so both of my both my brothers, um uh so, 252 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: all three of my siblings are all collegiate athletes. My 253 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: baby sister is probably the best athlete of us all 254 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: but at U c l A her freshman year, she 255 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: tore up pernice so she didn't get to keep playing. 256 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: But my mom fought me tooth and nail because she 257 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 1: was afraid her baby was gonna get hurt. So I 258 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: didn't get I didn't I didn't get to play sports. 259 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 1: I didn't remember. I didn't walk on until my second 260 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: year at San Diego State. And frankly I was grown 261 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: and my mama couldn't stop me from playing anymore. So well, 262 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 1: now I will say this my mom. So, I mean 263 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: I wore her down to the point where she was like, okay, 264 00:15:47,280 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: fine in my freshman year at San Diego State. At 265 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: San Diego State was when my mom and I went 266 00:15:55,600 --> 00:15:58,040 Speaker 1: to go. We went to go talk to the coaches. 267 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: So me and my mama way to go hustle and 268 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: sweet talk to the coaches to let my big but 269 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 1: come play football. How about in college? Yeah, she would 270 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: let me play when I was a kid. No, heck no, 271 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: shut it down. Wow. But she let all my siblings. 272 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 1: She was tired from fighting with me, so she let 273 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: all of them. Ain't I pay you the way right? 274 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: I knocked down all the barriers. But yeah, so so 275 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 1: that's how that worked out. So so mom got she 276 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: was tired of fighting me and let my siblings go. 277 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: Then with my beau, she made me go. I went 278 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: to the California Academy of mathematics and science. She made 279 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: me go to an all academics high school that didn't 280 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: have football, so I couldn't go play football because she 281 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,320 Speaker 1: didn't want her baby to get hurt. Very intentional, so 282 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 1: very intentional. But my siblings they all got to go 283 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: to you regular public high school and go completing sports 284 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: and all that good stuff. And yeah, so it was 285 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: you know, it's just one of those things where you 286 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: it's crazy how it all worked out, because now she says, 287 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: look what I did for you. Look at all the 288 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: mileage I saved on your body. That's why you lasted 289 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 1: in the NFL so long, because your mama kept you 290 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 1: out the way for all over you as what lessons 291 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: from your mom did you take to the NFL. You 292 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 1: got one mouth and you got two ears, so you 293 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 1: should listen twice as much as you talk. And that 294 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,960 Speaker 1: falling back on that's what got me through my rookie year. 295 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: I was, you know, I was just very green at 296 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 1: San Diego State. I had I had decent technique, but 297 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: not very good. And if I ever got beat, all 298 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 1: my technique will go out the window and I would 299 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: just focus and use my athleticism or in the NFL, 300 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: they drilled it home technique technique, technique, technique technique, and 301 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:55,480 Speaker 1: only go to your athleticism when you have to. And 302 00:17:55,720 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 1: that is what made me go from a very green 303 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: San Diego State guy that they took on a flyer 304 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: in the second round to starting every single game and 305 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: every single play, um hundred you know, I ended up 306 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: having a hundred and sixteen straight starts for a new franchise, 307 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 1: will you know, which is pretty decent. Obviously, there's some 308 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:16,399 Speaker 1: warriors out there, you know, some some Hall of Fame 309 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: guys that had to play two D games. Um, but 310 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: they were also you know, first round Pigs and Monster 311 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 1: came into great quarterbacks and established systems where for us, 312 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: you know, I'm saying, you know, you know in Texas, 313 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: we were they were just figuring it out because they 314 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 1: were brand new to it like everybody else. Everybody was 315 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,080 Speaker 1: just figuring it out right. Um, but that was if 316 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:40,879 Speaker 1: I if I had to pick one that that was 317 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: a good I say, that was a really good one, 318 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:46,000 Speaker 1: like a lesson. And then and then the other lesson 319 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 1: was just she always talked when when when opportunities come 320 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:56,479 Speaker 1: and opportunities present themselves, you you you show your best manners. 321 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: You invite them in, you send them on the couch, 322 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 1: you off for something to drink. And when you do that, 323 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: opportunities will continue to come your way and and and 324 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: those who are really applied. And I really believe that 325 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,399 Speaker 1: that mindset is why today, ten years out of the league, 326 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:18,439 Speaker 1: the contacts that I have, the relationships that I have, 327 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: being able to reach and get a hold, to get 328 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,679 Speaker 1: ahold two and get help from anyone that I might 329 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: need in any different sector. You know, I built those 330 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,639 Speaker 1: relationships when I was playing, But doing it the right 331 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:32,400 Speaker 1: way is why today they still will show me some love. 332 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: Final question, Chester, So, one of the best ways for 333 00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: players and legends to support their wives are significant others 334 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: on Mother's Day. Um so here is here is kind 335 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,239 Speaker 1: of the tradition of the Pitts household when we were 336 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: doing it a very long time, as we really kind 337 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: of do it for the entire weekend, but especially on 338 00:19:54,640 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: Mother's Day that other than going to the bathroom, my 339 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: wife does not lift a finger. She is the queen 340 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:11,280 Speaker 1: of queens and the princess of princesses. And if you 341 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: ever if you've ever seen Mariah carry in public, and 342 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 1: if you notice she doesn't really walk. She has somebody 343 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,159 Speaker 1: beside of her, and she kind of floats that that 344 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: that's how my wife gets treated on Mother's Day weekend. Uh. 345 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 1: And we make a point so every every food she wants, 346 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: every meal she wants, every soap show she wants to 347 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:35,880 Speaker 1: watch on the TV, any work that she wants done 348 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,800 Speaker 1: around the house, whatever it happens to be, whatever she says, 349 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 1: goes for that entire weekend. And that's just that's just 350 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: a just just trying to pay back all the love 351 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: that she gives us that we've had. But just said, 352 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 1: this has been amazing. Man, Thank you so much. I 353 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: feel like I know a lot more about your mother. 354 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:05,440 Speaker 1: Tell your your mother. Outstanding job. Man, were I could 355 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,240 Speaker 1: hear it all on the inside of you. Man, thank 356 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,360 Speaker 1: you so much this Mother's Day. God bless your brother. 357 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: Keep up the great work that you're doing. Yet to come. 358 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,479 Speaker 1: To provide feedback or request the topic for discussion, email 359 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:30,040 Speaker 1: us at NFL Legends at NFL dot com.