1 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 1: Eric Weddles some machine grind it day in day out. 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna miss He's such a creature habit. I 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: could set my watch most days to his workout time. 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: I mean, we see Joe do the running last year 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: in the off season program and competing and beating guys 6 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: and races who I won't name because they would probably 7 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: kill me. He was smoking, even when family members are 8 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: telling me, I took the hell that it's bad. Welcome 9 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: into the lounge, Gary, We're gonna take a little break, 10 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: a little hiatus from all the draft talk. You know, 11 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: we've done a lot of it and there's a lot 12 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: to calm because we're still working on that big haired 13 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: guy from ESPN try and the land mel Kiper Jr. 14 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: We'll see if it happens. We also have a strong 15 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: line on getting Daniel Jeremiah on the podcast, who is 16 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: one of the best draft analysts out there, former Raven scout. Well, 17 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: now you're just clowning on Kuper to try to get 18 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: them to come on. Yeah, you know, we can maybe 19 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,520 Speaker 1: have the two of them on here, have a little competition. 20 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: Who's the best draft ANIMs out there? Trying to set 21 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: the record. Strangth those feats of the fire. There's pressure 22 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:16,520 Speaker 1: on Kaper. The pressure is on. But anyway, we're gonna 23 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,039 Speaker 1: get away from some of the draft talk and talk 24 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,960 Speaker 1: to Steve Saunders, Ravens head and strength and conditioning coach. 25 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,000 Speaker 1: With the program beginning Monday, it's a good time for 26 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: that's absolutely And before we get into the interview with Steve, 27 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: lots of emails have come in a lot of emails 28 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 1: have come in since our most recent podcast with the 29 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,919 Speaker 1: serial draft. And let me just go ahead and tease 30 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: it's not pretty. From my boy making here, we're just 31 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: going to skip over that. It's ugly, and so we're 32 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 1: gonna get to a number of those emails after the 33 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: interview with Steve, but with no further dover of those emails, 34 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: a number of them, and that's not even scratching the surface. 35 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: I mean, we can do a full podcast on all 36 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 1: these emails, but anyway, we'll get to that. For now, 37 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: Let's go ahead and welcome in the head strength and 38 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: conditioning coach, Steve Saunders. We're happy to be joined by 39 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: Steve Saunders, the Ravens head strength and conditioning coach and 40 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: a guy who has a little more muscle than either 41 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: of us just a little bit combined, Yeah, just a 42 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: little bit. First question off the bat, though, just eyeball tests. 43 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: Who do you think puts up more weight between me 44 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: and Garrett? It should be an easy let me ask. 45 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: I think we I think we should test both of 46 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: you for for supplements and do bench press max and 47 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: just settle it. I'm not sure. Yeah, he has longer 48 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: arms though, so that's against him, right, it's definitely against him, right. 49 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: But I have small, tiny, little weak arms, so that's 50 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:36,160 Speaker 1: against I was speaking length, But it's all relavant. The 51 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:37,920 Speaker 1: real question is when's the last time it does make 52 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: even know how to get down to the weight room anymore? 53 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: Since he had a kid, he's basically mailed it in. 54 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: I don't know if if he had to go find 55 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 1: his way to the weight room right now, I'm not 56 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 1: convinced you can do it. I would say I have 57 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: an excuse with dad by, but don't you have like 58 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,360 Speaker 1: five kids? I have five. But I will say it 59 00:02:52,400 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: gets tougher the days of bench pressing at six pm 60 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: or long over for me. I've got other stuff to do. 61 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 1: See working out for me, Steven, you got to talk 62 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: me out of this, all right, I'm a guy, and 63 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: this is the answer I always give everybody, including my boss. 64 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: He tells me I should hit the weight room more. 65 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,519 Speaker 1: Um is that I like to compete, right, and I'm 66 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: a I have a tough time self motivating myself in 67 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: the gym to make it a compt. You know, I 68 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: like to play basketball, I to play football, to play 69 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: those things, and it's tough. What do you say to 70 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: people like me? You got to find a workout partner 71 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: or a coach. So I mean in four I think 72 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: once you cross into the world of having kids, I 73 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: think you got to do it in the morning because 74 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: it's easy. Something's always going to come up, and people 75 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 1: crastinate to put it off. I'll lift this sef noon, 76 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: I'll lift tonight. Once you have kids in the family, 77 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: there's always something that comes up. So for me, I've 78 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: just found with each additional kid, I'm getting up fifteen 79 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: to twenty minutes earlier. Where I'm at four am. Now 80 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:56,720 Speaker 1: I get up every day, so I try and get 81 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: six hours sleep. It's like ten to four. Um at 82 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: four am. Now, thank god done having kids? UD be 83 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: at like three it has to absolutely great. Well, the 84 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: Ravens are kicking off the strength and conditioning program Monday. 85 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: Uh So, just how jacked up are you about it 86 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: this year? I can't wait. I mean it's my favorite 87 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: time of year. I mean, it's the first three weeks 88 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 1: they're just with my staff and myself and we get 89 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: to run them as hard as we want to, We 90 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: get to lift them as hard as we want to, 91 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: and they don't really have a whole lot else to 92 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: do except complain about us and hopefully do what we 93 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: ask them too. So it really for us, it's the 94 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: best time of year. You know, last year was the 95 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: first year that you headed up the entire program and 96 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: took it in the direction that where it is now. 97 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: You kind of let it in a new direction, and 98 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: you talked last year at the start of it how 99 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: there was gonna be a lot of guys who are 100 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: a little angry, you know, a little set with you, 101 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: some sore puppies out there, and guys talked about that. 102 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: How did that go? How did that transition go? In 103 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: terms of leading it in that in that direction? It 104 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 1: was great. I mean I have great buying from the players. 105 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: I mean, as long as I've been doing this, those 106 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: guys are so competitive. They care about one thing, and 107 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: that's getting results. So I don't care what you do 108 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 1: to them. I think if you can show them results, 109 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: quantify them and they can see him and feel them 110 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: on the field. And one of the things I've always 111 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: said is confidence is a key to all locks. So 112 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 1: not only were we getting them stronger and faster physically, 113 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: but that gives those guys a mental edge on the field, 114 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: a little more swagger, whatever you want to call it, 115 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 1: and that goes a long way. He talked about guys 116 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: potentially key in your car last year. I remember, did 117 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:29,479 Speaker 1: your car get it did not? It did not, So 118 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: it's I'm in good shape there. I don't know if 119 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: they know what I drive necessarily, but it's still intact. Yes, 120 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: Steve cars actually hears down morning a couple of days 121 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,039 Speaker 1: at least at the hour I get here in the morning. 122 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 1: There's no players here, so they may not be sure 123 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: what I'm driving. I remember you also said You're like, 124 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,479 Speaker 1: you know, nobody's gonna be hiding on like the leg 125 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: press anymore. You know, nobody's gonna be hiding from me. 126 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: It was that the case, like, did you have to 127 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: were there some guys who weren't used to going through 128 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: such a genuinous program in the past years who last 129 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 1: year it was a big wake up call. They definitely were, 130 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 1: But we have such great leadership on the Ravens. I mean, 131 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: you know, for what you know, the the Eric Weddles 132 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: of the world, that Joe Flaccos of our world. And 133 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: then to get a guy like Sugs to buy into 134 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: the program and attend for the first time in twelve, 135 00:06:19,600 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: thirteen years, whatever it was. I mean, when you see 136 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: those guys over thirty, given everything they got every day, 137 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 1: it's hard for a younger guy not to so even 138 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 1: if they thought, well, hopefully, it's not as hard as 139 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: I think it's going to be when when those guys 140 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: show up and do what they have to. And that's 141 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: one of the great things about peer pressure in a 142 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 1: positive way. You know, you get those vets doing and 143 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: everybody has to follow suit, and it goes back to 144 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: having a workout buddy. You know. I'm curious a lot 145 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: of times people ask what's different about the program, and 146 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 1: last year there was always talking about how it's more 147 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: challenging and strenuous. But I think a lot of people 148 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: look at it like, how can it be these guys 149 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: are already working really hard, how can it be any 150 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: more challenging? So what would you say is different about 151 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: the direct and that you've taken the program? YEA, they 152 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: definitely always did work hard, but I feel like there's 153 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: working hard and there's working smart. So one of the 154 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: things we do now is trying to get you know, 155 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: the whole body, you know, try and get some of 156 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: those muscle bounces away. So we're really working on upper 157 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:17,680 Speaker 1: back and rhomboid strength as well as just press strength 158 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: because you want their shoulders more stable. We want the 159 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: chest stronger, is the back is stronger. We're doing more 160 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: hamstring work for the guys. We're doing more hit flex 161 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: work for the guys, and primarily we're doing stuff that's 162 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: going to transfer out to the field and just not 163 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: lifting for the sake of lifting. Same thing with the running. 164 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: We're not doing aerobic work because the football is not 165 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: aerobic sport. We're doing speed work. We're doing conditioning that's 166 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: football specific, and it's just working smarter and the guys. 167 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:46,120 Speaker 1: And the guys want to know why. And the great 168 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: thing is that explaining the wine, educating them by and 169 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: even more, it's been fantastic. If you were to go 170 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: in the weight room three three years ago. It looks 171 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: completely different from what it looks like now. What was 172 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: that transition prod? You basically had a bunch of cheesy 173 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: said get these out of here. That's just totally changed 174 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: the look and feel at this place. It really wasn't 175 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: so much just the look in the fields, just so 176 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: much the philosophy. I'm not a machine guy. I want 177 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: the guys strong with their body weight. I want the 178 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: guys using you know, bands, using weights, using barbells, and 179 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: the old philosophy. They used a lot of machines, which isolate, 180 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: but on the field there's not really movements in isolation. 181 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,800 Speaker 1: The guys are moving there an awkward positions. They got 182 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:28,040 Speaker 1: a plant, they gotta changed directions. So it's just there 183 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: was nothing wrong with the weight room how it used 184 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 1: to be. It's just a different philosophy from what I 185 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: used with the guys. And how would you say that 186 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: that your philosophy or your program differs from not just 187 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: what was here previously, but even from what you're familiar 188 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: with around the league. Yeah, I think it's different because 189 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: we really try and get the guys into small, manageable 190 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,119 Speaker 1: groups and coach them and a lot of the programs 191 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: that are out there. You know, the guys will just 192 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: sort of wander around the weight room and and cheer 193 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: the guys on and maybe help a guy or two. 194 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 1: But for our guys, with our coaches, we're looking to 195 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 1: coach every rep that they do, every set that they do, 196 00:09:04,559 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: and really be hands on. Again, they're not just lifting 197 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:09,719 Speaker 1: to lift. We're trying to cue it and trying to 198 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: get him to do it correctly and feel it where 199 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 1: they're supposed to feel it right. You brought up through 200 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: all sugs, and I want to talk a little bit 201 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: more about that. What was the process last year in 202 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: convincing him to come to the workouts for the first 203 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: time in thirteen years, and and then the process that 204 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: where you saw it transferred to the field. How much 205 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:28,680 Speaker 1: of the difference do you feel like it made? Yeah, 206 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: I mean for him it was you know, be careful 207 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: what I say here. It was careful for him. Quite honestly, 208 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: it was please show up and I won't kill you. 209 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: That's what you said him, and and it was it 210 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: was said in jest, but it was seriously. And and 211 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: I had a background with it of I've trained older 212 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: NFL players already and helped them extend their career. And 213 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: my point to him was, look, I'm not your your age. 214 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: You're not just gonna show up and I'm gonna find you. 215 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: I want to help you get better. I want to 216 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: help you play better next year and feel like you 217 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:08,480 Speaker 1: felt four or five years ago. And we already knew 218 00:10:08,480 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: each other for me being here and working with the 219 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: guys the previous year. So you know, to his credit, 220 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: he showed up. I was true to my word. I 221 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: didn't kill him, and once he once he could feel 222 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 1: the change, see the change. I mean he's all about 223 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 1: it now. I mean I think he's I don't know 224 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: where he ends up. I think he has some structural 225 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:33,120 Speaker 1: damage from stuff over the years of just being an 226 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,199 Speaker 1: older player, but he's still puppy in the weight room. 227 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: It's fantastic. What do you mean by that, Well, I 228 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 1: think still think even at his age, he has a 229 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: lot of ramp. He's going to be stronger, faster next 230 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,439 Speaker 1: year than he was this year. And again he's working 231 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: around stuff that's accumulated for the past twelve thirteen years. 232 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: So you know, it's not like we have this clay 233 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: we can just mold. You gotta work around that stuff, 234 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: But he's still got a lot of ramp ahead of him, 235 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: which is which is exciting. Another big part of any 236 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: off season program is preparing guys to withstand kind of 237 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: the rigors of the season to hopefully avoid injuries. Obviously, 238 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: last year it really started early where this team was 239 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:10,840 Speaker 1: kind of snake bitten with some stuff early in the process, 240 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: where you have guys like Tavon Young go down in 241 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 1: a mini camp and then it goes through you know, 242 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: extends through training camp. How does the injury component sort 243 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: of work into all of this in terms of trying 244 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: to prevent them? You know, somebody, how do you try 245 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: to prevent these I don't know. I don't. I never 246 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: look at anything is trying to prevent it. I look 247 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: at trying to make these guys ready for anything that 248 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:33,839 Speaker 1: happened can happen to him. But by nature of the sport, 249 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 1: football is a freak sport. These guys aren't playing pickleball. 250 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: You know, some some stuff is gonna happen. I mean, 251 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna an a c L. You know, you could 252 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:43,439 Speaker 1: have had a slight tear there you didn't know about. 253 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:45,599 Speaker 1: We don't put these guys through a total body m R. 254 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: I guys could be walking around with stuff now that 255 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: we just don't know about until during the season, until 256 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 1: after the season, and that's just the nature of it. 257 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,559 Speaker 1: So I was really proud of last offseason that, Okay, 258 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,559 Speaker 1: we had, you know, Dennis's hip, We had a couple 259 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 1: of things that were I would consider freak injuries as 260 00:12:03,280 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: far as soft tissue nuisance injuries. We didn't have one 261 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 1: until the very last week before the guy's left, and 262 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 1: it was at the tight end position, I believe, and 263 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: somebody taking extra reps because Dennis wasn't there and the 264 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: reps must go on. So I really felt last offseason 265 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: was fantastic for those freak things. I mean, every time 266 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:26,960 Speaker 1: I watched practice, I'm praying nothing happens. Guy's fall, they rolled, 267 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: you know, and you just never know when there's a 268 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: bunch of guys that end up. Do you on I 269 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: R and you see some of those free things that happened. 270 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: Does that change at all when you like how you 271 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:38,559 Speaker 1: go about things or do you just say, I mean, 272 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 1: some of these things you can't I mean, using dentist 273 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: as an example, that's obviously something that it's not. You 274 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 1: weren't going to be in a position to prevent that, 275 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:47,599 Speaker 1: and it seems like the same thing with an A C. L. 276 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: Do you when you're going through the process, do you say, 277 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,679 Speaker 1: all right, we need to do something different to try 278 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: to prevent some of these freak things or can you 279 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: not control that? No? Well, I don't think you can 280 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 1: control the freak things. I mean somebody rolling into herb 281 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:01,880 Speaker 1: you know, and getting Liz Franks something like that. You 282 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: just you can't do it. I think it's and some 283 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 1: of the guys who have been playing that get age injuries, 284 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 1: that having achilles or shoulder that hey, maybe they could 285 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:13,920 Speaker 1: have gotten fixed two years ago, and they kept on 286 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 1: playing regardless even though it was there to some degree. 287 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: I think with those guys you just try and say, Okay, 288 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: first of all, could we be doing anything better? And 289 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: I think that's that's an assessment, whether somebody is getting 290 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: hurt or not. Is if you want to be really 291 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:31,079 Speaker 1: good at something, you gotta throw stones at it all 292 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: the time. You know, you can't just sit back and 293 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 1: say we got the perfect program, because there is no 294 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: perfect program. So we try and throw stones at what 295 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 1: we're doing the whole time. Hey, can we tweak it, 296 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 1: make it better? But I don't let really that be 297 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: a factor because the freak stuff, I don't think there's 298 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: a common bond there. Can you talk a little bit 299 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: also about the recovery process because that's a huge component 300 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 1: of your job as well. And I see there's like 301 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: tables down by the basketball courts. He had a three 302 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 1: on three basketball tournament and trust me, between games, I 303 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: was hitting there the So can you say a little 304 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: late on that what the process is for for player recovery? Yeah, 305 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: I mean the player recovery, it's you know, so much 306 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: falls on the players, you know, so what they're eating, 307 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: what supplements are taking, how much sleep they're getting at night, 308 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 1: or they turn their cell phone off for a reasonable hour. 309 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,400 Speaker 1: Are they not watching Sports Center to a m Are 310 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: they doing you know, soft tissue work? Are they getting massages? Like? 311 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: What else they doing even outside of the building, need 312 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: to dry needling, whatever it is. So you try and 313 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: educate them. I think each guy sort of finds their 314 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: thing that they like and they'll try some new stuff. 315 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: But you know, we we only have them here so 316 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: many hours in the building. So you know, the same 317 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:45,800 Speaker 1: thing with diet, you know, get a guy who's away 318 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:47,440 Speaker 1: problem you wish you could fall around all day and 319 00:14:47,480 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 1: knock the food out of his mouth. Certainly was somebody 320 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: would do that to me at night, you know. So 321 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 1: it's you know, we all have the same thing. All 322 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: you can do is educate and reinforce it and just 323 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: let know how important that recovery pieces. Right, what is 324 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: the cell phone that you say, turn off your cell 325 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: phone in a reasonable hour, you would hope. So, I mean, 326 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: I think that the bane of players existence right now 327 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,080 Speaker 1: is just the video games. I mean Fortnite in this 328 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: pub g. I mean, my son's it's literally I treat 329 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: him like crack addicts with those video games. I'm like, 330 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: you guys got off here. You know. We we have fights, 331 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: like they had serious issues just about playing Fortnite online. 332 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 1: And you know what, It's funny. The guy's got the 333 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 1: same thing. I hear the guys talking the offseason. You 334 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: hear a guy talking about being up till three four 335 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 1: in the morning playing video games. And that's okay now, 336 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: but at some point, especially during the season, Hey, you 337 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: gotta shut that stuff off and get some sleep because 338 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: you gotta go to work tomorrow. You feel like your 339 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: father outside the job in inside, for sure, it's just funny. 340 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: You know my kids are doing it. You know, the 341 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 1: boys are twelve and fourteen, and I hear twenty four 342 00:15:56,680 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: year old the thirty four year olds talking about playing 343 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: the same game and the same problems, like, oh yeah, 344 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 1: give your kids my name, they can play him. Oh 345 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: my gosh. So we always like to find out who 346 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: some of the biggest beast are in the or in 347 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: the in the weight room. All right, so we're gonna 348 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: lean on you for that. So what would you say? 349 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: Here are some of the guys that you think are 350 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: just they blow you away when they get into that way, 351 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: like with their athletic ability, Yeah, athletic ability or strength 352 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: or when you go through every category. Well we'll say 353 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,160 Speaker 1: strength at first. I mean there's got I mean work 354 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: ethic wise, Eric weddleson machine, I mean so grind it 355 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: day in day out. I'm not gonna miss He's such 356 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: a creature habit. I could set my watch most days 357 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: to his workout time because he does. He has his 358 00:16:43,520 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: schedule of how many hours before the meeting he's coming in, 359 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: what he's doing, and he will. He's probably the most 360 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: disciplined guy I've ever been around. Uh as far as 361 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: habits go, and then I have guys I think, you know, 362 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: one guy that comes to mind is Jimmy Smith. I mean, 363 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: Jimmy Smith is a two hundred five to ten pound 364 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: defensive back. I've seen Jimmy Smith. I had three six 365 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 1: on the bar for one of the lineman. Jimmy's doing 366 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: something completely different, sits down the bench. I think he's 367 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,919 Speaker 1: just screwing around, pretending like he's gonna lift it. All 368 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: the sudden bangs out eight raps are cold as I'm 369 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: screaming at him to stop before something bad happens on 370 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,199 Speaker 1: the bar. But it's one of those things you're just 371 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: like wow. I mean, I knew he was strong. I 372 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: didn't expect basically walking off the street and press three 373 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: sixty eight times. That's really impressive for a two pound guy. 374 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,879 Speaker 1: I mean that, you know, the Mike Pierces, the Brandon Williams, like, 375 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: those guys are intimidating just to make eye contact with, 376 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,480 Speaker 1: so you expect them to be strong and they don't disappoint. 377 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: They certainly are right. Well, that was that was one 378 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: of my questions I had here that you can set 379 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,919 Speaker 1: on the date, who's stronger, Brandon Williams or Michael Pierce. 380 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: You know what, we asked them this who they're voting for, 381 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: so we got to I'll say, it depends on what, 382 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 1: but the splitting it down the middle of In general, 383 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 1: I would give the nod to Brandon. He's got a 384 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,600 Speaker 1: couple more years under his belt. I would give the 385 00:18:20,920 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: nod to Brandon probably on that one. So depending on 386 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: what you mean, like legs versus like different exercises. Yeah, 387 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 1: I mean, if it's a press, is it a leg 388 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: exercises it a low back exercise. I mean both of 389 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 1: them are or just freaks, you know, they most people 390 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 1: be blown away by what those guys can actually do. 391 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 1: So they're both good at the same things, but then 392 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 1: different things. You know, it would be neck and neck 393 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 1: for most stuff. And who's one guy that you a 394 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: fan wouldn't look at and say, oh, they're a beast 395 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: or they're really strong, like somebody that would surprise you. 396 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: Who is really good in the weight room? I mean 397 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 1: I would certainly say Jimmy Smith, who we just talked 398 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,200 Speaker 1: about with tall knack Court. I mean as far as 399 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 1: I mean, I think a guy who would be really 400 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: strong if I let him be really strong as Joe. 401 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:09,920 Speaker 1: I mean, we see Joe do the running last year 402 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: in the off season program and competing and beating guys 403 00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: and races who I won't name because they would probably 404 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,120 Speaker 1: kill me. Let out that are six ft seven quarterback 405 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: beat them and some stuff like Joe is a really 406 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: strong athletic guy, and you wouldn't look at him and say, 407 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: all right, that's a good weight room guy. But he 408 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 1: really is interesting, but you just don't let him because 409 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: you don't want a quarterback like Max and out on 410 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 1: it for sure. I mean again, if I saw Joe 411 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 1: get underneath that same three sixty five pound bar that 412 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: Jimmy did, I would dive on Joe before. Maybe that's 413 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:53,880 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, you need to go to New Jersey Joe. 414 00:19:56,640 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: But he's a He's a really strong guy. He really is. 415 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: What do what do you think? Just on that side note, 416 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 1: like when Joe says I hurt my back lifting in 417 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: the off season away from the Raven's care, are you 418 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: like Jesus, you're shaking your head? What do you do 419 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: to try to prevent this? Well, you know what I mean. 420 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 1: I would love everybody here every day, all year long, 421 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,720 Speaker 1: so that's a given. But you know, I've also been 422 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: on the outside world. So these guys calm, they want 423 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: to live, they want to vacation, they want to go 424 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: somewhere else. And I also know from doing this this 425 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:28,679 Speaker 1: long sometimes stuff just happens and it wasn't maybe the 426 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: you know, maybe he was doing something wrong, maybe he wasn't, 427 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 1: but it just happens. I would rather have something happened 428 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: by pushing yourself than somebody just going through the motions 429 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,120 Speaker 1: saying their training too. And I think that's a problem 430 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: in a lot of places. So you know what, I 431 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,120 Speaker 1: think it's just one of those things. You know, did 432 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:49,440 Speaker 1: it suck, certainly, but you know Joe was trying to 433 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:51,959 Speaker 1: get better, right. So I want to talk about your 434 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: background a little bit. Um kind of give us the 435 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 1: background of your working with James Harrison, you know, because 436 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,439 Speaker 1: he's a guy that I know before you started here 437 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 1: that you trained me, and he was kind of somebody 438 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: that you helped. I mean, we talked about helping terrellsas 439 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,120 Speaker 1: later in his career. James Harrison was the same kind 440 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: of a player supposed to for that James. For a 441 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: long time, I mean when I first started really working 442 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:16,880 Speaker 1: with a lot of pro athletes back in early two 443 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: thousand's based on where I lived geographically. I started getting 444 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 1: some clients from the Eagles. Ravens and Steelers were primarily 445 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: where most of my guys came from. And then I 446 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: ended up opening a facility in Pittsburgh and opening up 447 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:31,840 Speaker 1: a facility in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, because I had 448 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 1: so many Eagles clients. So, you know, for a couple 449 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,800 Speaker 1: of years there, I also traveled with my Steelers clients, say, 450 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 1: they'd work out on my place during the week. I 451 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: would travel with them to home and away games, work 452 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 1: on them and do some recovery stuff the night before, 453 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:48,520 Speaker 1: the morning before. And I just had a really good 454 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:50,959 Speaker 1: group of guys. And I got James really early in 455 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: his career. And James, again along lines of an Eric Weddle, 456 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 1: is just such a disciplined human being as far as 457 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: being coachable, doing what's asked. I'm working hard, you know, 458 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: the ramp of James from starting at a relatively young 459 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: age and just building every year on top of that, 460 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it doesn't surprise me at all to 461 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,119 Speaker 1: know they're still playing. When you have a guy like 462 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: that who is a former Defensive Player of the Year, 463 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: who was playing at an incredibly high level um late 464 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: in his career. I mean you just look at him 465 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:24,120 Speaker 1: and he just physically looks like one of the most 466 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: intimidating guys in the NFL. And I'm guessing that people 467 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: come to him and say, what are you doing? Because 468 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,240 Speaker 1: I want to get in on that. I mean, when 469 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 1: you have a guy excel at the level that he did, 470 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: that's that's part of your program? Does that is that 471 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: huge for you? And then other players calling you and say, okay, 472 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 1: I want to get on that purpose. Oh, it definitely was. 473 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 1: I mean, James, would I had I mean, I would 474 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 1: work with Steelers players or time, you know, same thing 475 00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 1: with a lot of the Eagles players. So guys when 476 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 1: they see somebody getting results, they're like, well, what are 477 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: they doing? You know now, James, it's you know, smart 478 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 1: enough to realize in some guys on it that doesn't 479 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 1: happen overnight. If Ames says would you do to be 480 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: able to do this? Still played age thirty nine, James 481 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: can say, I've been taking care of myself for seventeen 482 00:23:05,680 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 1: years already. You know, this just wasn't a one season 483 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: thing or hey, I'm in a contract year, I'm gonna 484 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 1: work real hard. He's been committed to this and disciplined 485 00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: to this for almost his whole career. You know, it's 486 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 1: all corect to him. It's really just a testament to 487 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: really taking care of yourself and working hard and really 488 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: how long you can play right. He's kind of known 489 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 1: for like his wild feats in the in the weight room. 490 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,080 Speaker 1: What's the crazy you've ever seen him do? I mean, 491 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:35,959 Speaker 1: I think that I've seen him come in and just 492 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 1: doing like a high plio jump in jeans where guys 493 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: were already working out, and he just came in to 494 00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 1: talk and would just sort of stare at the box 495 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, jeans jump up, get up there. 496 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: And in my Pittsburgh facility, one time NFL linebacker was 497 00:23:52,119 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 1: in there and he was doing like a rack press, 498 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: a bench press like three eight five, and James came 499 00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: in street clothes and he's just looking at the way 500 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,640 Speaker 1: it's sort of looking and this other guy was doing 501 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: it for like three James, you know, got into the bar, 502 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: he's just sort of looking around. All of a sudden 503 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: he reps out sixteen of them. I thought the other 504 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: guy was going to retire on the spot, you know, 505 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: because it was just so easy for him and to 506 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 1: do with cold and and James, you know, sort of 507 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:22,080 Speaker 1: quiet guy at that point, he's just like doing that 508 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 1: needling without saying anything, making it making a statement. Oh, 509 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: it's just is this heavy for you? So I heard it. 510 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: You kind of have like a morning crew also of 511 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: non players, like like raven staffers. There's you know, words 512 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,359 Speaker 1: circled around in coaches, right, but like you know, there's 513 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,960 Speaker 1: this crew. I thankfully was never part of that crew 514 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:46,880 Speaker 1: because I would have died. I've heard that coach Hardball 515 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: is one of your kind of converts that you converted 516 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 1: into the program. Yeah, I gotta tell you, he is, uh, 517 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,159 Speaker 1: probably the hardest worker in the building. I mean I 518 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,200 Speaker 1: torture him. I experiment on him and you know, do 519 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:01,640 Speaker 1: stuff what I'm gonna do with the players with him, 520 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: and uh, he's just to worry about it. And he's 521 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: again we talked about discipline, structure guys. I mean, he's 522 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: that guy. You know, he doesn't miss there's no excuses. 523 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 1: He pushed himself hard every day. I mean, it's amazing 524 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 1: he has one of the coaches see a lot of 525 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 1: flabby NFL coaches. Yeah, he's long hours, unhealthy, eating maybe 526 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,639 Speaker 1: he does. He's so disciplined and he works so hard, 527 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: and it's really been beneficial, you know, for me coming 528 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 1: in from the outside, and it's one thing to explain 529 00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:38,360 Speaker 1: to him what I wanted to do. It's a whole 530 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: another thing to be able to show him. I mean, 531 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 1: and John's very educated on what we do and the why, 532 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: probably more so than some of the players, you know, 533 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: just because he's doing it year round with me all 534 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,520 Speaker 1: the time. So it's fantastic. I mean, if he was 535 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: a coach that never stepped in the weight room, I 536 00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: probably won't have the job. You know. They would really 537 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: have no idea what we did now versus what was 538 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:03,320 Speaker 1: done before because they didn't do it right right. Well, 539 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 1: he guess me and Ry are gonna have to get 540 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 1: in on this early morning group next time. We'll be there. 541 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: It will be there soon for us. You guys are 542 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:14,560 Speaker 1: always welcome. Thank you, my pleasure. Thanks all right, Well, 543 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: good stuff from Steve. Clearly he knows that I can 544 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: put up more weight than you, but didn't want to 545 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 1: embarrass you on the podcast. You know. As we were 546 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: walking in. I walked down from the weight room with Steve, 547 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 1: where I spent a lot of time. And he says 548 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: a lot of time, And he says to me, does 549 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: make still work here? Because I haven't seen him in 550 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,800 Speaker 1: the weight room and years years. I was shocked. I 551 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 1: was shocked when he came down here to the weight 552 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 1: room because I haven't seen him in here in a 553 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: long time. I thought he left. I thought he left. 554 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: I don't work out here. You don't work out anywhere. 555 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 1: You don't work out here, you don't work out there, 556 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: you don't work out anywhere. I don't want to embarrass 557 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: the players by how much weight I put up, okay, 558 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,440 Speaker 1: because it's not a good look when your staff writer, 559 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: you know, it's just out benching you. So I knew 560 00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:58,520 Speaker 1: it the Gold's gym back home. Yeah, So you want 561 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: to talk about embarrass Uh, there's a lot to be 562 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 1: embarrassed about for you in the most recent draft, the 563 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,200 Speaker 1: serial draft. And so we did this on the most 564 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: recent episode of the podcast. And as we mentioned before, 565 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 1: when we do these drafts, we get more emails about 566 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: these than anything else. You know, we like to think 567 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 1: our football acumen is is good, but there's nothing like 568 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 1: one of these random drafts. So it was always we'd 569 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: love to hear from fans at the lounge at ravens 570 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 1: ont NFL dot net. We won't get into all the 571 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: emails because there was a lot of them, Like I said, 572 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: and then we just say, there was not a single 573 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: one that said you want this draft. Not a single person, 574 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: even my own uncle email me and said I got destroyed. 575 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: There's people that came up to the common man, uh 576 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: while you were out and said, thank you for being 577 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:40,919 Speaker 1: the voice of reason in this building. Thank you for 578 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 1: being the voice of reason, because that was the worst 579 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,480 Speaker 1: draft I've ever seen. For me, I'm gonna start this 580 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: off and say it's a bunch of boulogney that we 581 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,920 Speaker 1: don't do a snake draft, okay, because this is too 582 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 1: It is just too much of the rock paper scisters. 583 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:55,879 Speaker 1: You can't have. This isn't like the NFL where you're 584 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: trying to create parody in the league. Right. So that's 585 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: if you have the first pick, you also had the 586 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,359 Speaker 1: thirty third pick. It does snake draft makes the most sense. 587 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 1: You took Cookie Crisp with your second pick. It doesn't 588 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: matter if you would have a snake draft, you would 589 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:10,120 Speaker 1: have taken Cookie Crisp there anyway, it was a terrible pick. 590 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:13,280 Speaker 1: I don't think it took a terrible pick. Captain Crunch. Yeah, wait, 591 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: that was your first pick. Your second pick was cocky Chris. 592 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: If you remember, no, gosh, you don't even remember. I 593 00:28:19,560 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 1: mean it? Yeah that no? No, sorry, then Captain Crunch, 594 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: then Cookie Chris. Yeah. Anyway, So here's an email. I'll 595 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: just read a couple of them. This one from Kyle 596 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,159 Speaker 1: Barr and he is a long email, so I'll read 597 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:34,679 Speaker 1: a portion of it. He said it started the email 598 00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:37,160 Speaker 1: before even finishing it. In the last episode that would 599 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 1: feature the serial draft, I would like to offer some 600 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 1: analogies for this draft, and I think it made a 601 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 1: lot of analogies. My favorite was listening to the draft 602 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: was like watching any scene from a monster movie where 603 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: the unsuspecting Mark make happily digs, happily digs his own 604 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 1: grade before Garrett's monster character puts him in the ground. Now, 605 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:57,960 Speaker 1: if you remember, I came to makes defense for the 606 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 1: Pizza drafts, and I think that most draft have been 607 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: a little bit unfairly slanted against him. This was just 608 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: painful to listen to. It's just pain for the listed. 609 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: It's okay, you can try to bounce back on the 610 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: next one. Here's another one from Mark Fadi and the 611 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: question is downing is greater than make great? Subject line 612 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: on the email make up smoked as usual, cookie crisp cookie, 613 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: crisp cookie Christmas Great. Shouldn't even be on the list. 614 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: Shame to both of you for not including apple Jack's 615 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 1: do like that? That is a good one. That would 616 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:29,800 Speaker 1: not healthy. Also, multiple people emailed us and said, why 617 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: no frosted many weeks. I'll just go ahead, so fair 618 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:34,240 Speaker 1: straight on this. I said we should include frosted many 619 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: weeks and make said we already have, but frosted flakes, 620 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: which is a terrible logic, makes no sense, but that 621 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,080 Speaker 1: was his logic. You have to throw a couple of 622 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: curveballs and they're like smacks. That was a curveball. And 623 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: the last one I'll read this is from Daniel Thompson. Hey, guys, 624 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:49,560 Speaker 1: love the podcast. I've been listening to you since your 625 00:29:49,600 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: very first episode, and I love all your drafts. The 626 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 1: cookie draft was by far the biggest blowout. The Common 627 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: Man's top four were correct, and Garrick got all four 628 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 1: of them. One day, make will win a try, maybe 629 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: keep with the good work. Well, the people have spoken, 630 00:30:04,240 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: you know, so I will say that, Yeah, I think 631 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: I gotta think that people spoken. Even when family members 632 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:14,840 Speaker 1: are telling me I took the l then it's bad. 633 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: So even though my uncle does go out of his 634 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: way to clown on me, but I will come up 635 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: with another draft. I had another idea, but it's escaping 636 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: me now. Um. But there will be more chances for 637 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:30,960 Speaker 1: me to redeat myself, all right, and we will have 638 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: our seven round mock drafts coming out soon. That's where 639 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,720 Speaker 1: I get my vengeance and maybe it is. And again 640 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: we're working on getting some high some big name draft 641 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 1: analysts in the next week. So thanks for listening. Everybody. 642 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: Email us at the Lounge at Ravens on NFL dot 643 00:30:43,520 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 1: nets and we'll be back with you next week