1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Person Behind the Pads podcast, a chat 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:10,319 Speaker 1: with a Colts player about life off the grid iron. Now, 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: here's Matt Taylor, the voice of the Colts from inside 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio studio. 5 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:21,479 Speaker 2: Yes, welcome into the first episode installment of the Person 6 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: Behind the Podcast series. I'm Matt Taylor, and this is 7 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 2: our new podcast series with a Colts player talking about 8 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: life outside of football. There's only one rule. We're not 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 2: allowed to talk football, no football topics whatsoever. We'll talk 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: about life, family, food, growing up, this, that and everything. 11 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 2: Our first guest, Bernard Ryman, offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts. 12 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 3: Bernard, how are you good? How are you? 13 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 2: I'm fantastic. You're a guinea pig for this. All right, 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 2: so we got it. We have to make sure it 15 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 2: goes well here, Okay, all right, we'll try absolutely. 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 3: So. 17 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people know your story. You're 18 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 2: kind of familiar with with how you grew up. I 19 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 2: think avid cults fans know that you're from Austria, didn't 20 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 2: begin playing football until age fourteen. You grew up in 21 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,759 Speaker 2: a town called Steinbrun, Correct Am I pronouncing that correctly? 22 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,479 Speaker 3: Yeah? Well, that's that's where my mom currently lives. Okay. 23 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 3: I was born and raised originally in Vienna, and then 24 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 3: at like ten years of age, parents split up and 25 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 3: then they both kind of moved into like the suburbs 26 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 3: of Vienna, and then my mom moved to Steinbrun. Okay, yeah, 27 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 3: that's where it came from. 28 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 2: What what if you can? What was your childhood? Like, 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 2: how did you grow up? What kind of kid were 30 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 2: you growing up? In adolescents? 31 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 3: I mean, I would say pretty typical for European kid. 32 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 3: Grew up playing soccer, yeah, going to school, hung out 33 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 3: with friends. We lived in the city, so it was 34 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 3: it was pretty easy to get around and be like 35 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 3: pretty independent and I'll go to the movies and we're 36 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 3: pretty mobile because we didn't like rely on cars or anything, 37 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 3: so that a lot of fun. Grew up as an 38 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 3: only child, most of my time with friends, like outside 39 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:13,800 Speaker 3: the family. 40 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 2: Were you always an athlete? 41 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 3: Did you did? 42 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 2: Did sports always sort of come easy for you? 43 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 3: Yeah? I always loved being outside. I mean, my parents 44 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 3: are very big into hiking, mountain biking, skiing, so also 45 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 3: the typical Austrian things to do, and so that's just 46 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 3: how I grew up and then just playing soccer on 47 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 3: the side was was always something I just did, and 48 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,640 Speaker 3: it's the school system is a little bit different, so 49 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 3: you don't get involved in school sports. You kind of 50 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 3: have to find your sport on your own, so you 51 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 3: play club soccer instead of like school soccer, and which 52 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 3: is cool on the one hand, but on the other hand, 53 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 3: it's it's kind of tricky to then different sports and 54 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 3: figure out what you actually like. Probably would have liked 55 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 3: football a lot sooner if I had a chance to 56 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 3: try it. But yeah, growing up, I didn't even know 57 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 3: anything about football and or baseball or basketball, so I 58 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 3: grew up just knowing soccer and so this is what 59 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,679 Speaker 3: I did. And then obviously skiing in the winter time. 60 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 2: Is soccer the main sport for its most accessible to 61 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 2: you growing up? 62 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 3: Was? Was it soccer? Absolutely? But then over the last 63 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 3: couple of years, like football has become more and more 64 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: popular over in Europe everywhere really, but in Austin, I 65 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 3: mean they're starting like a European semi professional league and 66 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 3: they have more and more guys going play college football, 67 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 3: NFL football, so it's definitely getting it's trending into the 68 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 3: right direction. I would say, did you grow up speaking English. 69 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 3: When did you learn English in Austria? You learned English 70 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 3: as like your second language in school, so you probably 71 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 3: started and like elementary school, singing like some songs, and 72 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 3: then starting like middle school, you actually have to start 73 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 3: learning vocabulary, start writing essays. But then it's just it 74 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 3: becomes a just a class in school every year and 75 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: you get used to it. 76 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: So you talked about wishing that you were exposed to 77 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:23,719 Speaker 2: football sooner than you were. How did you become exposed 78 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 2: to football and was it love at first sight for you? 79 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 3: Absolutely? I mean my dad he bought a house and 80 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 3: just one day, pretty randomly got home saw the neighbor 81 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 3: kids throw around a football like what is that? Yeah, right, 82 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 3: that's just an eg shape this thing. Yeah. I ended 83 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 3: up joining them. I had no idea how to throw it, 84 00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:47,839 Speaker 3: how to catch it or anything, but I thought it 85 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 3: was kind of cool. I didn't know how to tackle either, 86 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 3: but you know, it was just fun playing around. So 87 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 3: and then after that, I kind of, you know, start 88 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 3: looking around for club teams that would offer American football, 89 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 3: and then I found the Vienna Vikings, right started playing 90 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 3: football there. 91 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 2: And so you're about fourteen years old when this happens, right, Okay, 92 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 2: so kind of you know, hitting that growth spurt, you know, 93 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 2: going growing up and doing all of those things. What 94 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 2: exactly does a club football team in Austria look like? 95 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 3: Does it? 96 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 2: I mean how many players are on the team? Do 97 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 2: you play games? Do you practice? 98 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 3: Like? What does it consist of? Yeah? So you play 99 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 3: year round or you practice year around. The season was 100 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 3: usually in the fall, similar to high school football here. 101 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 3: We had one of the biggest teams just because it 102 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 3: was located in Vienna, which is the biggest city in Austria. 103 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: So we just had the most kids obviously to choose from. 104 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:51,359 Speaker 3: So we were probably around like one hundred kids or 105 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 3: something like on one team. It was split up into 106 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 3: age groups, so you had like the under sixteen group, 107 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,359 Speaker 3: down the eighteen group, and then you just started the 108 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 3: adult league, right and it goes down to like under twelve. 109 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 3: And I'm the ten years old too, which I never played, 110 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 3: but younger, younger kids playing football too. Did you dominate 111 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 3: right away? No? Absolutely? What position were you playing? So 112 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 3: I started off as a receiver. Yeah, I came straight 113 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 3: out of my soccer career. Was was pretty skinny, didn't 114 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 3: even know the rules at that point. All they told 115 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 3: me was, you know, run straight, look, foot the ball 116 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 3: in the catch it. So it was it was pretty 117 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 3: pretty awkward at first, but I started getting a hang 118 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 3: of it and then starting to become more successful and. 119 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: Right, yeah, I mean at that point, how serious about 120 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 2: football were you? I mean, were the wheels in your 121 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 2: head spinning, like, hey, I can I can pursue this 122 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,239 Speaker 2: at a high level and make something of myself doing 123 00:06:50,400 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: this sport. Were you there yet? 124 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:54,720 Speaker 3: At that point? I would say no, I was just 125 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 3: you know, just loving it, having fun, having fun with it. Yeah. 126 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 3: And I had some guys just finishing up in a 127 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 3: year's exchange student in the United States telling us all about, 128 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 3: you know, high school football or the hype around it. 129 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 3: Do you start, you know, seeing the movies more and 130 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 3: more and you kind of wish you you're part of that. Yeah, 131 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,119 Speaker 3: So and at that point I just thought high school 132 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 3: football is like, hey, that's the coolest thing I've ever seen, 133 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 3: So I'll try doing that. And that's what when I 134 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 3: decided to become an exchange student, which is kind of 135 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 3: expensive to do, obviously you're trying to find a job. 136 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 3: I was very lucky that my parents were able to 137 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 3: help me out too, Otherwise that would not have happened. 138 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 3: So then I became an exchange student in Michigan, which 139 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 3: then ultimately led to me getting recruited to play at 140 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 3: Central Michigan. Yeah, that wasn't the initial plan at all. 141 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 3: Now what was the initial plan then? Do you just 142 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 3: have fun at high school football? Yeah? On the Friday 143 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 3: night lights. 144 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 2: Was that your main motivation to come to the States 145 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 2: to play high school football? 146 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 3: Yes? I mean if you ask my mom, then I 147 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,480 Speaker 3: would definitely. I definitely told that I wanted to you know, education, 148 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 3: education and the new experience, you know, put something on 149 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 3: the resume. They can do that too, right, Yeah, but no, 150 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 3: that was definitely my biggest straw to the United States. 151 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 3: I love the sports. 152 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: So all right, Well, after a quick search, you know 153 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 2: just how big football has become in Austria, you know 154 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 2: back then and then certainly now. But you are the 155 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 2: first Austrian born player from what I can tell, to 156 00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 2: play in the NFL in over thirty five years. So 157 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,319 Speaker 2: a quick search on Pro Football Reference, you're just one 158 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 2: of seven Austrian born players ever to play in the 159 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 2: National Football League. That's pretty cool. I mean, do you 160 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 2: feel like you're or do you understand how much of 161 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: a trailblazer you are for football in your home country. 162 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm trying not to think about it too much. 163 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 3: I mean, I'm just I was going through exact same 164 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 3: recruiting process to college and the same process about the 165 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 3: whole thing. So I was just trying to be the 166 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 3: best player possible. I'm not just trying to be, you know, 167 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 3: the best player from Austria. It's just about being a 168 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 3: player in general. Yeah. 169 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 2: Well, going back to the foreign exchange program, how hard 170 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 2: of a decision was that for you? And then once 171 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 2: you did make that decision, how hard was that for 172 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 2: your parents and your family to see you move overseas 173 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:21,160 Speaker 2: for a year? 174 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 3: I mean that was probably pretty easy because it was 175 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 3: just set to be ten months. Yeah, so there was 176 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 3: like a beginning date and then those that was a 177 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 3: clear end to it. So it's really just like a 178 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:36,719 Speaker 3: at the airport. It was a see you later more 179 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 3: than a goodbye. Sure, so that was probably the easiest goodbye. 180 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 3: And then obviously even you leave for college, then they 181 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 3: kind of realized, oh, this is going to be more 182 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 3: than just this. This is ten month period. But yeah, 183 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:55,000 Speaker 3: so they were all really supportive obviously sad that I'm 184 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 3: not around us much, but we still FaceTime a lot, 185 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 3: trying to do with every cup weeks. But then obviously 186 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 3: the time difference makes it makes a difficult There's six 187 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,560 Speaker 3: hours ahead, so at a time we usually get done 188 00:10:07,920 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 3: here at the facilities, they probably get to get about 189 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 3: ready to go to bed or they already asleep. So 190 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 3: we tried to do it on the weekends. It makes 191 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 3: a lot of sense. Sync up those schedules there. Now. 192 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 2: I read when you were filling out your your paperwork 193 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 2: or your profile for a host family to come over 194 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 2: to the United States as an international foreign exchange student, 195 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 2: you marked two jobs as as potential future professions. You 196 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 2: put future NFL player, which makes sense here you are, 197 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 2: and then you also put banker. What was going on there? 198 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 3: I just always liked working with numbers. Yeah, so that's 199 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 3: just I like numbers. I thought that was the only 200 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 3: way I can finance. Yeah. 201 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:53,560 Speaker 2: Is that what you would be doing? You think if 202 00:10:53,600 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 2: you weren't a starting left tackle in the NFL? 203 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I started off as a business major 204 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 3: and until switching it to statistics and actual science, which 205 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 3: is a lot more numbers than than a banker. So yeah, absolutely, 206 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 3: it would definitely be doing something with numbers. And then 207 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 3: the more I gonna involved with football, obviously, I think 208 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 3: down the down the line, I would definitely want to 209 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 3: do something you know, in the analytics field in football, 210 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,480 Speaker 3: but which still has a lot to do with numbers. 211 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 2: No doubt, you still got time to do both right 212 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 2: right under your very young guy and bright head on 213 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:34,120 Speaker 2: your shoulders. Now, for those that don't know, and I 214 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 2: don't know, uh, the the foreign exchange student program, do 215 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 2: you have much of a say on on where you 216 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 2: go in terms of location and the family and everything 217 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 2: like that. 218 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 3: Not at all. 219 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 2: It's kind of like you's got to be pretty nerve wrecking, 220 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 2: right it is. 221 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 3: It is. It's it's kind of like a weird online 222 00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 3: you know, dating form where you basically just sign up 223 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 3: for then you write an essay about yourself, fill out 224 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 3: what do you want to do maybe in your life 225 00:12:03,360 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 3: and like kind of right about just your personality and 226 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 3: what do you what do you like to do, and 227 00:12:08,679 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 3: then any family in the country can pick you. Wow, 228 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:17,079 Speaker 3: obviously you can decline, you know, if there's like some issues, 229 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 3: if there's like a yeah, if they didn't have a 230 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 3: football program, I might have shared it with something, which 231 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,719 Speaker 3: I don't know how often that happens. On a random 232 00:12:26,760 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 3: I don't know, Tuesday night or something, I get a 233 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 3: Facebook message from a family, Hey be just picked you. 234 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 3: That's great. So yeah, that's that's It's pretty nerve racking. 235 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 3: But I was really fortunate to end up in a 236 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 3: in a you know, football loving family. 237 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 2: That's what happened. So you end up in Delton, Michigan. 238 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 2: That's about a half hour north of Kalamazoo and about 239 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:54,040 Speaker 2: four hours north of Indianapolis. Your host family last name 240 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 2: the Ferris is correct, correct, So what what did you 241 00:12:57,240 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 2: think of them initially? Like when you first met them. 242 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,319 Speaker 2: There's obviously a ton of ideas and thoughts going through 243 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:05,839 Speaker 2: your head coming from Austria to the States, but then 244 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 2: meeting them for the first time, what were your first 245 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 2: impressions of the town, the house, and and their family dynamic. 246 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 3: The family was very big. I mean the host at 247 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 3: being a former alignment at Central Michigan, he was, you know, 248 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 3: always stayed big. And then all the all the kids 249 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:33,959 Speaker 3: are athletic tall. I mean I fit in in pretty well. 250 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,600 Speaker 3: So it was always fun, you know, competing with my 251 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 3: host brother, competing but then also having fun at the 252 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 3: same time, and we you know, kept pushing each other 253 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 3: and both ended up getting recruited to Central Michigan, so 254 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 3: we ended up playing football together in college. So that's 255 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,600 Speaker 3: that was really cool. But yeah, and then the town itself, 256 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 3: it was a small town feeling. It was awesome. It 257 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 3: was a little bit of a culture shock for me. Yeah, 258 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 3: but yeah, it was. It was everything you can ask for. 259 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:03,240 Speaker 3: I mean, we we made the playoffs. The whole town 260 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 3: rally behind us, so it was it was awesome. 261 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:07,839 Speaker 2: That's that Friday night lights feel. I'm sure you were 262 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 2: going for. 263 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, Like we went to the playoff games and 264 00:14:10,240 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 3: they had like the fire trucks and everything rolling off 265 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 3: of us. So it was it was awesome. 266 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 2: Down right at the local barber shop closes at three 267 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 2: o'clock in the afternoon, right, that's the scene from a 268 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 2: movie for sure. Now, what was the biggest culture shock 269 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 2: for you or the biggest thing you had to adjust. 270 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 3: To in terms of American culture. I mean, it's not 271 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 3: it wasn't. There was nothing like super crazy. You learn 272 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 3: a lot just from the sport, from from the people 273 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 3: you meet through American football in Austria, So I was. 274 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 3: I was never that caught off guard by anything. It 275 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 3: might have been like the little things like you know, 276 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 3: you know, going hunting and stuff. It's just something you 277 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 3: don't do in Austria. Doing it here it was. It 278 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 3: was awesome to do and it's just like, yeah, little 279 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 3: things like that you don't really get to do in Austria, 280 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 3: but you can do it here and having the freedom 281 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 3: to do so it's it's just awesome. Now when you 282 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 3: came over. 283 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 2: This is sort of a football question, so we're getting 284 00:15:05,800 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 2: kind of in the fringe there, but I mean when 285 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 2: you came over, you came over to play football. 286 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 3: That was a big. 287 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 2: Motivation for you. Did you did you dominate right away? 288 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 2: I mean, how different was the football that you grew 289 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 2: up with versus playing American football for the first time. 290 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 3: Well, back in Austria, we had a lot of coaches 291 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 3: from the United States, so we ran a pretty modern offense, 292 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 3: ran the spread off first, Yeah, similar to most NFL teams. 293 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 3: But then coming back to the high like going over 294 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 3: to United States for high school football, it was a 295 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 3: very small school, had about i don't know, like thirty 296 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 3: kids on the team or something, and we ran the 297 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 3: wing t offense, so there was absolutely no room for 298 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 3: a receiver in there. 299 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 2: A lot of polling guards, right right. 300 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 3: So yeah, then that was my first time playing tight end. Okay, 301 00:15:57,080 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 3: first time me blocking the line of scrimmage. Yeah, which 302 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 3: was all so something to get used to, sure, but 303 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,560 Speaker 3: it was it was It was cool. I mean, very 304 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 3: different offense obviously, but in very slightly different position. But 305 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 3: I ended up loving it and then ended up getting 306 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 3: recruited as a tight end to Central Michigan, So that 307 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 3: that worked out nicely. 308 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 2: Now did you did you go to Central Michigan? Because, 309 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 2: like you said, Raleigh Ferris, that would be your host father. 310 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 3: Is that was that? Is that the correct term? Is 311 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 3: that what you called him? Yeah? 312 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, so your your host father Raleigh and then Titan, 313 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 2: who you became very very close with, Uh, he also 314 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:31,480 Speaker 2: went too Central Michigan as well. Was that the main 315 00:16:31,520 --> 00:16:34,080 Speaker 2: motivation for you to kind of follow in their footsteps 316 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 2: in the recruiting process. 317 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 3: To a certain extent, I would say it definitely helped 318 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 3: these ties to Central Michigan and having knowing you going 319 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 3: to get someone there your you already have a relationship with. 320 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 3: But I would mostly say it's just the coaching staff 321 00:16:50,240 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 3: at Central Michigan. Yeah, some of the most and yeah, 322 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 3: didn't have many offers. 323 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 2: So how how close are you with with that family 324 00:16:57,520 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 2: still today? 325 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, we we definitely keep in touch. 326 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 2: I think I saw him a couple of times at 327 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 2: training camp last year. 328 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 3: Correct, So they it's not too far of a drive 329 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 3: for them, so they came down. They still support me 330 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 3: in every way they can, which is awesome. And we'll 331 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 3: still try to stay in touch. Obviously, it's tricky now 332 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 3: with like the season everything to see each other for 333 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 3: holidays or anything. But you know, we still you know, 334 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 3: get on the phone every once in a while. That's 335 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 3: that's the way it should be. I like it. 336 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 2: Again, it's only a four hour drive from from there 337 00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 2: to UH to Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium. Now let's talk. 338 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 2: Let's fast forward to to present day. What's life like 339 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 2: for your present day? How are you acclimating to the 340 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 2: city of Indianapolis after one year on your belt here 341 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 2: with the Colts. 342 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 3: Oh, my fiance and I we both love it here. Yeah. 343 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,159 Speaker 3: We moved down here, moved initially to an apartment and 344 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 3: just recently moved to a house. But yeah, we we 345 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 3: love in Indianapolis area. So many things to do. Love 346 00:17:57,880 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 3: going downtown. 347 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 2: Favorite place downtown either restaurant or hangout area or or 348 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 2: a park or anything like that. 349 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 3: We like going to the parks. Yeah, that's a true one. 350 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 3: We went to like one of the best Mexican places 351 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:16,479 Speaker 3: I've been in a long time, downtown was downtown. There 352 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 3: you go. 353 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 2: I'm trying to think, is that there's not a not 354 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 2: a downtown Hayden Clarkson here, he's a he's a downtown guy. 355 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 3: Is pretty good. Yeah, that's that's right downtown. But then 356 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 3: other than that, we enjoy like the quiet sure of Scienceville. 357 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 3: Now sure, So that's that's a lot of fun, especially 358 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,880 Speaker 3: with the dog now that we got last year, got 359 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 3: a Golden Retriever. Yep, he's loving it. So where did 360 00:18:41,160 --> 00:18:44,400 Speaker 3: you where'd you get the dog? My fiance found him 361 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 3: on on Facebook from a family that lived like up 362 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,280 Speaker 3: north somewhere like northern part of Indiana. What's your dog's name? 363 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 3: Any inspiration behind that? I'm pretty sure she gave him 364 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,600 Speaker 3: name based on a Dax Shepherd. She's a huge fan of. 365 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 3: I don't know that that wasn't there you go. I 366 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 3: didn't care too much. Yeah, it doesn't matter, so When 367 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 3: are you guys going to tie the knot? July fourteenth 368 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,440 Speaker 3: this year, this summer this that's great, that's great. Yeah, 369 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 3: we actually will be flying back to Austria to have 370 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 3: the wedding or the ceremony there, Okay, and then hoping 371 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 3: to do like a little reception, a bigger reception next 372 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 3: offseason here locally with all the with all the guys 373 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:30,959 Speaker 3: and everything. That's fantastic. Yeah, so July will be just 374 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 3: like a small ceremony of the just family would have 375 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 3: been too much with planning, yeah, you know, a whole 376 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 3: trip right before yeah, right before training camp starts. 377 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: How's wedding planning going? Are you involved in the process? 378 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 2: That's every guy's favorite question, right. 379 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 3: I mean I really am because it is taking place 380 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 3: in Austria, so I'm taking you know, a lot of 381 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 3: like the the middleman role and a lot of the 382 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 3: planning stuff. But no, my my fiance has been great. 383 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,920 Speaker 3: She has been doing most of it. And you guys 384 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 3: met in college, correct, yes, freshman year of college? Okay, wow? 385 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,160 Speaker 3: Dated ever since? Yeah, got engaged last year and that's great. 386 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 3: So yep, that's great. College sweethearts. That's a great, great, 387 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 3: great story. Now did you. 388 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:16,360 Speaker 2: How did you guys land on the idea of going 389 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:17,320 Speaker 2: back home for the wedding. 390 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 3: Well, we got the house, the dog and everything here. 391 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 3: We were planning on staying here, Yeah, in the in 392 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 3: the long run as well. So we figured, you know, 393 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 3: trying to do something in Austria love nice and having 394 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 3: my family more involved. Yeah, So we do try to, 395 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,239 Speaker 3: you know, go back as much as possible and then 396 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:41,240 Speaker 3: also have like as much of events as we can. Yeah. 397 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 3: Pushed over there too, all. 398 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 2: Right, final couple of things, getting to know you a 399 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,840 Speaker 2: little bit again, Bernard Ryman's our guest. Fantastic story so far. 400 00:20:48,359 --> 00:20:51,479 Speaker 2: Going back to your Austrian roots, is there Maybe this 401 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 2: is a dumb question, but are there Austrian food dishes 402 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 2: that you can only get there, that you can't get here, 403 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: that you just sometimes really hanker for. 404 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 3: I've I mean, there are some some very good Austrian dishes, 405 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:11,240 Speaker 3: like a schnitzel, for example. Yes, a ghulash, which is 406 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 3: made a little bit different than it is than an 407 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 3: American ghulash. Yeah, but I've been becoming more of an 408 00:21:18,800 --> 00:21:23,199 Speaker 3: Austrian chef at home. I've been trying to, you know, 409 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:25,360 Speaker 3: make make most of these meals. 410 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, take matters in your own hands, right, yeah, bring 411 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 2: bring home. 412 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 3: To home, right exactly. You know, I've been trying to, 413 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 3: you know, make a couple of those at home my fiances. Well, 414 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 3: at least she told me that she liked them. I 415 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,800 Speaker 3: don't know that if she actually did, but I'm you know, 416 00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 3: I'm trying my best. So do you enjoy cooking? It's 417 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 3: probably a no. It's just not when it's too complicated, 418 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 3: it's taking too long. I like the simple meals. 419 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 2: Join the club, man, Join the club. Bernard Ryman, our 420 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,480 Speaker 2: first guest on the person behind the pads. We're taking 421 00:21:59,480 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 2: the pads off. We're getting to know Colts players here 422 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,280 Speaker 2: in the off season. Bernard, thank you so much for 423 00:22:04,800 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 2: the stories and the insight into who you are and 424 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 2: kind of what makes you tick and obviously your unique 425 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,120 Speaker 2: story coming from Austria to the States. Really appreciate it. 426 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, and enjoy the rest of your 427 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 2: off season. 428 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:17,879 Speaker 3: Good luck. Thank you,