1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,200 Speaker 1: Hello, Welcome to another edition of Club Shasha. I am 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,320 Speaker 1: your host, also the proprietor of Club Shasha, and the 3 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:10,159 Speaker 1: guy that's stopping by for a drinking conversation today is 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: the nineteen ninety eight Hisman Trophy winner. He also led 5 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,240 Speaker 1: the NFL and rushing. He was once the MC double 6 00:00:17,320 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: a rushing leader. He broke Tony door set record since 7 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: been broken. He's a holistic healer, yoga instructor, and a 8 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: trained astrologer none other than Ricky Williams. All my life, 9 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: grinding all my life, sacrifice, hustle back price, one slice 10 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: got the dice swathing all my life. I've been grinding 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 1: all my life, all my life, and running all my life, sacrifice, 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: hustle back prices, one slice got the bron dice to 13 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: swathing all my life. I've been rinding all my life. Ricky, 14 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 1: how are you doing today? Bro? I'm doing great. Thank you. 15 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: So when when people says, okay, you want a Higsman 16 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: Trophy winner, you with the first round draft pick, you 17 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: led the NFL and Russian and then they get to 18 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,319 Speaker 1: astrologer yoga, we go through your mind when you hear 19 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: all that, well, I get it. I mean I get it. 20 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 1: It's hard for people to understand and to be like, 21 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: how do you go from doing something that's you know, 22 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: so exactly just something that's so you know, woo woo, 23 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: and uh. It was weird. I kind of had to 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: wake up to it myself. And it was soon after 25 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: I led the NFL and Rushie I started to read 26 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 1: more and look at certain things and realize this stuff 27 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 1: kind of interests me, and it interested me so much 28 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: I ended up retiring from the NFL and spending a 29 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: year really studying and learning about these things. And then 30 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: when I came back to the NFL, it was really 31 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: strange because I then had these two parts of myself 32 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: and I was trying to find a way to make 33 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: them come together. And it took a long time. You know. 34 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: At first it was just me sitting in my locker 35 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: reading books. And then slowly I I'm more comfortable, and 36 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: I started talking to some of my closest teammates, asking 37 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: them for their birth information, to start looking at their charts, 38 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: and then I just slowly became more comfortable allowing these 39 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 1: two parts of myself to come together. And it's been weird, 40 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: and it's been strange, and I finally feel like I've 41 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:17,519 Speaker 1: come to the place where I'm coming out of this 42 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: is this is who I am. You talk you talk 43 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: about that. You have a podcast Quick Curious Questions with 44 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: Ricky Williams. Will you talk about astrology? And your guests 45 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: they tell you their birthday. You delve into the astrology. 46 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: So clearly you believe in that, the signs aligning and 47 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 1: the astrological you you you believe in that. Well, you know, 48 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: it's you can say it's a belief, but but most 49 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: people don't really understand what astrology gets to me. It's 50 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: just it's just a legs. It's just a way that 51 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: it's just a way another way to look at you know, 52 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: and let me ask let me ask you a question. 53 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: So let me so let's just say, for the sake 54 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: of argument, I askt the logical sign, I'm a cancer, 55 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:04,359 Speaker 1: and people say, well, you're a water a sign. So 56 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: that's a crap. So you're hard exterior, you're solf inside, 57 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: your tender, you're caring, you're loving, and then people starting 58 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: to believe that, can you start to believe something that 59 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: maybe you're not. Of course, of course it's called it's 60 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: called the placebo effense but let me let me give 61 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,840 Speaker 1: you let me give you an example. Okay, great example 62 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: you give being a cancer. So I'm guessing some of 63 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: those things probably might be true. But astrologically, like if 64 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: I was talking to a cancer, you know, if I 65 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: was talking to you and you decided with me and 66 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: he gave me money, need to look at your chary, 67 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: I would say, cancer is really about what you're here 68 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: to do, what you're here to learn. And so it's 69 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: the kind of way I look at astrology. It's it's 70 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: spiritual in this way. And if someone talks to you 71 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: and they say, you know you're you're here to learn, 72 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: you know, cancer is about learning how to keep your 73 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 1: heart open, right to go through stuff, right to go 74 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: through stuff, to get beat up, but still learn keep 75 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: your heart open. And so part of this process means 76 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: you got to learn to know your own heart, okay. 77 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: And so part of that is if Emily comes in 78 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: when I think about cancer, because the only way you 79 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: can truly know your own heart is if you have 80 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 1: people around you where you feel comfortable, is safe enough 81 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: that you can share your heart right and by sharing 82 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: with these people, you get a better sense of who 83 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: you are. And it's easier to keep your heart open. 84 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: Right to me, that's the core basis of cancer. And 85 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: if I'm talking to with cancer and they're like, that 86 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: makes sense to me, right, then it's useful. If they say, 87 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: you know, that doesn't make sense for me, then it's 88 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: not useful to them. And that's the way. That's the way. 89 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: It's just the lens to look at them through. So 90 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: you're trying to get them to look within themselves, find 91 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: something that you're saying that's going to be useful, that's 92 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: going to be beneficial, that they can go back out 93 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: and use it to the best of their ability. That's 94 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: exactly That's exactly what I'm doing. And so what I'm 95 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: doing with with the podcast is is I'm bringing people 96 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: on and I look at their child. I look because 97 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: and everyone's chart there's something you're singer, you meet that 98 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: kind of jumps out at and so I try to 99 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: ask them questions, not necessarily telling them what I'm looking at, 100 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: but just asking questions to see if I can get 101 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,799 Speaker 1: to that thing that I see. And very often sometimes 102 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:14,360 Speaker 1: it's a question. I don't even think we're going to 103 00:05:14,440 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 1: get there, but I ask the question, and the words 104 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: that come out of their mouth are almost verbatim as 105 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: the words you would read in an astrology book about 106 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: this person's side. And so I call it people speak 107 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 1: their chart, you know. And so astrologiess helps us tune 108 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: into into it's not mythology, but it is kind of 109 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: like mythology, right, like for us, Right, there's a there's 110 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 1: a mythology about a warrior. Right, how to warriors? How 111 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 1: we how we right? Challenges come, We don't back down, 112 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: we come up and we meet the challenges. Right. Also 113 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: part of the warriors, especially if you can get military 114 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 1: and football, is we got to come together as a 115 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,840 Speaker 1: team to accomplish this one goal. And we have to 116 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: be tough and trust each other. Right. And so this 117 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 1: is a myth. Right as we put on the football, 118 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:00,840 Speaker 1: I'm going to read this side of these kids that 119 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 1: we're going to be athletes. We entered into that myth, okay. 120 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 1: And so astrology can give you a sense of how 121 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: to interact with the myths that you've entered into and 122 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: how to be more conscious in them. So an example 123 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: is like the warrior myth, the old warrior myth is 124 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: that we can't be sensitive, right, we have to hide 125 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: our feelings we have to be tough, right, but as 126 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: warriors as embodied this, if we realize it actually doesn't work, 127 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: that we can be a sensitive warrior, right, that's a 128 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,920 Speaker 1: new that's a new myth. And astrology can help tune 129 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: you into the myths that you're unconsciously living out, so 130 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: you can be more conscious and living mind and more 131 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 1: and more empowering ways. So in order to for a 132 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 1: person to get the true meaning, the true understanding of 133 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: the heads or her astrological reading, they have to come 134 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: in with an open mind. They can't because they can't. 135 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:52,840 Speaker 1: But I've met its bud. Yeah, I'm just doing it 136 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: just because. But you have to be open minding. You 137 00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: have to be will having a willingness well to a 138 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: certain extent, I think, to get the most out of it. Yes, 139 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: to get the most out of anything, you have to 140 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,160 Speaker 1: have an open mind. Right. I'm telling you people that 141 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: come in that are skeptical and the way that I 142 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: explained it to them and approach it, every single person 143 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: they walk, they walk and their minds are expanding. They 144 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: have a different way to look at it. And so 145 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:21,680 Speaker 1: to me, whether someone's a skeptic or not, it doesn't 146 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 1: matter to me. It's an interesting conversation that provides a 147 00:07:24,440 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: different way to look at that can be useful, very 148 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: useful at least it has been in my life, Okay. 149 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: And and also the yoga side. So how do they merge, 150 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: because because obviously yoga is very peaceful, you're trying to 151 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: get you're trying to get in tune and instep with yourself, 152 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: your body. You're one. Yeah, so they're they're very much related. 153 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: And the thing about astrology is is when people say astrology, 154 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: most people are saying something completely They're different. They might 155 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,840 Speaker 1: be related because they're related to the stars, but truly 156 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: astrology is like agag and so depending on who the 157 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: person is and how they're looking at it, they're going 158 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 1: to use astrology different. I'm a spiritual person, so I'm 159 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: always looking for how to connect the dots in life. 160 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: Right to me, where I find peace and yoga is 161 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: to how to understand the big picture. And so growing up, 162 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: I grew up Christian, and I'm telling you, as a kid, 163 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: my favorite thing to do in the world was Sunday school. 164 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: I love to hear the stories about Jesus because again, 165 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: religion gives us the way to try to understand the world. 166 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:28,640 Speaker 1: But you know, I got sixteen and then they said 167 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 1: you gotta wait Mayor to have sex, and I was like, 168 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 1: I need to find me a different religion, and so 169 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,079 Speaker 1: so I let it go. But but you know, when 170 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 1: I found yoga, it was like coming home, you know, 171 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: a more expansive way to understand how everything works. And 172 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 1: then I found astrology from my yoga teacher and I 173 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: was like, wow, this is something I can actually work with. 174 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: This gives me a way to look at the world 175 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:55,560 Speaker 1: where I can see how things are connected, how things 176 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: make sense. You are a big cannabis advocate, So which 177 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 1: came first. Was it cannabis helping you get to where 178 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: you are now? Or was it that you started doing 179 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,319 Speaker 1: this and like to reach that interfel to where you 180 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: found calm, where you found a peace. Yeah. Well, I 181 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,079 Speaker 1: think the ultimate goal for me was to find some 182 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 1: kind of peace, and I've found the peace and cannabis, 183 00:09:19,880 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: and in that piece, my mind started to expand and 184 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: I started to look at the at the bigger picture. 185 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: And so my relationship with cannas over the years is 186 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: definitely involved the same way the relationship with our country's 187 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 1: relationship with cannabis has evolved, and I just think I 188 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 1: just was fortunate enough to be kind of on the 189 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: leading edge of that. And so as as an advocate, 190 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,400 Speaker 1: it's from my own personal experience, as I've used cannabis 191 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 1: in ways that have enhanced my life, and I've also 192 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: used in ways that have gotten me in trouble. And 193 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: so I've learned from those experiences and I think I 194 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: have something meaningful to say about it. I think the 195 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 1: thing is, Ricky, is that you have a very unique perspective. 196 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: Is that it seems to me. I mean, there are 197 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: some people that smoke it, they just smoked, just a smoke. 198 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 1: But if you strike me as a guy that not 199 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: only did you smoke, but you try to learn the 200 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: origin and the different strands and and and what effect 201 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: that it has on nobody. Okay, which one is gonna 202 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 1: give me to that place that while I'm calm and 203 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,719 Speaker 1: that I can do something meaningful in society that can 204 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: help my brethren and that can help my fellow man. 205 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: And then so what was that process? Like, Yeah, that's 206 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: a great question. So it really started with this big question. 207 00:10:28,880 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: You know, I found myself, you know, I felt another 208 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: drug test and instead of like going through all this stuff. 209 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: I called up doctor Brown caught up that it fell 210 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: and said, don't worry about me, don't worry about me. 211 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:48,079 Speaker 1: I'm good, you know. And so I started traveling around 212 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: the world a little bit, and and I have this 213 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: question of Okay, I kind of just gave up everything 214 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: that I've ever worked for, you know, and it's connected 215 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: to this plant. So is it true with everyone's saying 216 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:01,240 Speaker 1: that I'm just to pot it and a loser and 217 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,839 Speaker 1: I'm throwing everything away or is there something else going 218 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: on here? And you know, me being a losing like 219 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:09,000 Speaker 1: that didn't feel good. And so I went the other direction, 220 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: and I said, I'm going to learn as much as 221 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,760 Speaker 1: I can about what's gonna be going on here. So 222 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 1: you travel around the world, so obviously you probably tried 223 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: cannabis in eat different country, a local. You know what 224 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: I'm telling you, you are in true cancer the sensitivity 225 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: because the things that I'm about to say, you're already 226 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: You're already asking the question. So I said, that's that 227 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: was the crazy part of it. Is I started traveling 228 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: around the world and going places where nobody had any 229 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: idea who I was, right, and everywhere I'd go, I'd 230 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: end up and somebody, some nice time person would come 231 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,559 Speaker 1: up to me and offer me to smoke something like. 232 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 1: I called it the wheat Fair because I mean i'd 233 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: be in this. I was on a bus in Fiji 234 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: and this dude, the Indian dude, walked to the back 235 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: and he sit down and he offers me some rice 236 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: and then we start talking and he's like, hey, do 237 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: you wanna you know, my uncle has some plans you 238 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,880 Speaker 1: wanna go smoking and like, you know, break bread together. 239 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 1: And I was like sure, I was inside. The same 240 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 1: thing happened. I was in Australia, the same thing happened. 241 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: So I started to be like, there's something I am. 242 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: I can't help it. There's something going on here. And 243 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:17,240 Speaker 1: and so I just followed that. Since so when you 244 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: how old were you when you first started smoking marijuana? 245 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 1: So the first time I smoked it was I was 246 00:12:23,440 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: a junior in a high school. I grew up in 247 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: San Diego, so it was a round. Yeah. Yeah. I 248 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 1: was a jock though, so it was like a one 249 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 1: time experience and I didn't like it, and so I 250 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 1: didn't really I didn't really mess with me. And then 251 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: I got to college and my college roommate he spoke, 252 00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 1: and so sometimes on Fridays, the guys would come around 253 00:12:40,480 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: and they would pass it around and I would just 254 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: do it to social but you know, I wasn't really 255 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,720 Speaker 1: into it. And then it was my senior year. It's funny. 256 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,440 Speaker 1: One thing about my senior year. We played a lot 257 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: of Madden and I played with the Bronco. You were 258 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: you were an inspiration. You were an inspiration to be 259 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: that year. So I was running for the Heisman and 260 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: my girlfriend my girl for two years. Okay, we broke up, 261 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: and it's like, right after we broke up, I went 262 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: to her, I went to a house to bring her 263 00:13:10,120 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: stuff back, and your quarterback on the football team's car 264 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: was parked. Oh for real, for really, you didn't even 265 00:13:20,080 --> 00:13:22,400 Speaker 1: head up back door you. He was heading the ball 266 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: to the foot and then stealing you. You're from the back. 267 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: Oh my done the rouse. That's that's how it started. 268 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: And I was like obsessing about this, and my my 269 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: friend was like, dude, you gotta chill, and so he 270 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:36,559 Speaker 1: just brought it out. He said you got it, and 271 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 1: I did. And it was the first time where I 272 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, I wasn't obsessing, I wasn't thinking about 273 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 1: it I can sleep and relax. And from that moment, 274 00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: I noticed, okay, this this can be helpful to me. 275 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: So when you failed your first so did they not 276 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 1: testing college or did you never felt a test in college? 277 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:55,559 Speaker 1: Or did they keep that hush? So again this this 278 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:57,839 Speaker 1: was this was way in my senior year and it 279 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:01,599 Speaker 1: was just that one experience where I realized, okay, like 280 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 1: this is nice. But I didn't become a smoker. Then. 281 00:14:03,640 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: It was just when I had that first experience and 282 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: you know, they weren't going to test me. I was 283 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 1: running there, you know, so they were but I wasn't 284 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,880 Speaker 1: smoking anyway. And then I got into the NFL and 285 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,439 Speaker 1: and again I kind of smoked on and off, but 286 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: I wasn't a smoker, so it was easy to pass 287 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: the drug test. What got me was when I was 288 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: in New Orleans, it always tested us during training camp. 289 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: And when I got traded to Miami, they tested in 290 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: OTAs and nobody, I guess, nobody knew I smoked, so 291 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 1: nobody told like passed the message to me. And so 292 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: you know, I went in that morning and they were 293 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 1: like a drug testing. I was like damn. And so 294 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 1: then I got into the program. But really I wasn't 295 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 1: even a smoker, you know, I just would smoke occasionally. 296 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 1: But then I got in the program and it became 297 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: like this big issue. And then I started to realize that, uh, 298 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: that cannabis actually helped me, you know, because it it 299 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: was like when I was there and I could use 300 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 1: it and I didn't realize it, but when it was 301 00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: taking away, I started to realize, Wow, this was really 302 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: doing something to help me deal with all the stress 303 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: and take care of my body. And so although I 304 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: was being tested, you know, I found a way that 305 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,520 Speaker 1: I could take like two hits the day after I 306 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: got tested, and I would be cleaned for the next test. 307 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: And this worked for like a year and a half. 308 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:17,560 Speaker 1: But then we were playing we were playing the Eagles 309 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 1: on Monday night and uh, and it was like the 310 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: game that I limited eliminated us from the playoffs, that 311 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,280 Speaker 1: I separated my shoulder and I just was in a 312 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: bad spot. So I think I took a little bit 313 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:32,040 Speaker 1: too many hits. I took too too many. Dude called 314 00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 1: me in the dude call me in the morning, and 315 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,520 Speaker 1: he an he pissed tests me and then it came back. 316 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,160 Speaker 1: And then so that was number two and number two 317 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: failed tests. I was like, I was a month away 318 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: from being out of the program, but number two failed tests. 319 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: They they they find you for four seventeenths of your 320 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: salary and and so because of that they have to 321 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: tell the team to take it out of your check. 322 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: So then the team goes right, right, And so then 323 00:15:55,360 --> 00:15:57,080 Speaker 1: I went into the office and they were like whatever, 324 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: and I was like fine, and so it was like okay, 325 00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: and then I appealed the test because the A bottle 326 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: was like point one five seven, the B bottle was underneath. 327 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: So I felt like I had a case that I 328 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: barely felt that one too many hits. I barely felt 329 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: the test. So and so they came back and they said, okay, 330 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: if you agreed to stay in the program for eight 331 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 1: weeks of the season, then well well you're you're free, right, 332 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 1: And so I said, that's two months. You got two months, 333 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:28,200 Speaker 1: No here, not too not one, just eight weeks, cold turkey. 334 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: You out in the program completely. You can smoke much 335 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 1: as you want. Yes, yes, it was. I was righting 336 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: right in front of me. And at the same time, 337 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: I started thinking about is this really what I want 338 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: to be doing with my life? No, as I started. 339 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: I started, I started reading, I started opening my mind 340 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: and realizing, you know, if I stayed doing this for 341 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: the rest of my life, am I gonna have the 342 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: time and the energy to be able to have the 343 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: experiences that I want to have? And then I started 344 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: thinking about it. I got enough money that I could 345 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 1: be comfortably for the rest of my life. Then I 346 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 1: started thinking, why am I even doing this? And so 347 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: then I had to make a decision. I had to 348 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: make a decision. And the decision I made is and again, 349 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: when I made this decision, I, in my in my 350 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,160 Speaker 1: heart of hearts, I truly believe I was never coming back, 351 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:10,880 Speaker 1: not coming back to the NFL, not even coming back 352 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: to America. Okay, I was all one, all right, I'm 353 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: not gonna lie, but but I needed that, you know, 354 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: I needed that. I needed that, and and thank goodness, right, 355 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 1: and it's so interesting, I all comes full circle, okay, 356 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: because you know I was out in Australia. You know, 357 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: everyone in my mind, everyone I thought I lost my mind, 358 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 1: but my my own personal path was I was reconnected 359 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: to my spiritual roots and I was happening. I felt 360 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: this deep connection to Jesus Christ, and I literally I 361 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 1: wasn't really a huge reader, but at this point in 362 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:42,040 Speaker 1: my life, I was trying to read everything I could 363 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: about Jesus and I ended up, you know, reading the Gospels, 364 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:47,600 Speaker 1: and I came across a verse in Matthew and it 365 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: changed everything for me. Right. The verse was, if you 366 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,639 Speaker 1: give up home, family, you know, if you give up everything, 367 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: and I'm looking for me, it will all be returned 368 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 1: to you. And I found solace in that. I found 369 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: solace in that, and it came true. I was able 370 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 1: after that year away to find myself. I was able 371 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:06,399 Speaker 1: to come back, reintegrate into the Dolphins, have another thousand 372 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 1: yard season, finished my career with ten thousand yards rushing, 373 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 1: and I feel like I was able to make to 374 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:14,119 Speaker 1: make it all work, you know, to turn something that 375 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: could have turned into a crash and burn story to 376 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: turn it into an uplifting story. Ricky, do you believe 377 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,879 Speaker 1: you said you started smoking? What really got you on 378 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,919 Speaker 1: the path to smoking continuous was their situation with your girlfriend. 379 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: Do you believe she broke up because uh, she was 380 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:34,760 Speaker 1: seeing the other guy or you guys wanted to separate 381 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,440 Speaker 1: and then it bothered you because it was a teammate, 382 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:39,919 Speaker 1: because I don't know, would you have started smoking if 383 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:41,880 Speaker 1: the guy was on the basketball team, with a baseball 384 00:18:41,920 --> 00:18:46,040 Speaker 1: team or just the regular Joe smo walking campus. It 385 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: was you know, it was it was a lot. It 386 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: was a lot. So when I was in when I 387 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 1: was in college, I used to play I played mynor 388 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: League baseball and so and so at the end of 389 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 1: at the end of finals in May, I take my 390 00:18:57,760 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: last final, I get in my car, I drive this 391 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 1: Florida to start playing baseball. And then I come back 392 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,680 Speaker 1: in August. So like the day before, the day before 393 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 1: I left crazy college story day before I left, Like then, 394 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: my girl we got into an art you know, and 395 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,080 Speaker 1: it was just it just we were like, okay, let's 396 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:15,200 Speaker 1: let's break up. You got into an argument before she 397 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: started it Ricky. Then this actually it was mostly my 398 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: fam at this time. It actually was it was her, 399 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: but anyway, so we got we got into an argument, 400 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: and then I was like all right. And then and 401 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 1: then I went to Florida. But after a week I 402 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: was like yeah, and so we started talking and started 403 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: kind of like working on the relationship. And at the 404 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: time her and the quarterback were friends, and I knew 405 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 1: they hung out and they were hanging out, and I 406 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,359 Speaker 1: was like, oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on, time about 407 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:42,360 Speaker 1: time about that? Let me get a time about pool. 408 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,399 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take a full time about not a twenty second. 409 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,440 Speaker 1: I need a full time about You mean to tell 410 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: me you got a girlfriend and you allow her to 411 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 1: hang out with guys She told about, Oh that's my friend. Well, 412 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: because we don't hung out together before. So oh yeah, yeah, 413 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:58,880 Speaker 1: yeah we we we ain't. No, we ain't. No. Once 414 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:01,399 Speaker 1: I leave, he could still hang out. Oh hey, I'll no. 415 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:07,160 Speaker 1: I learned. I learned the hard way. Like you said, 416 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: I'm too trusted. You said, yeah, trusted, I'm too trusted. 417 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: And so it's funny. So I came back, you know, 418 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: and we worked it out. And so I came back 419 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 1: and she I was driving back to New York to 420 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:19,000 Speaker 1: come back to training camp. She met me in Tennessee, 421 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, in Nashville, and we drove the rest of 422 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:23,719 Speaker 1: the way back and we decided, okay, we're gonna work 423 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: on us. And as we're starting to like go there, 424 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: she's like spending a lot of time with dude, like 425 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: shooting pool and and and I'm thinking, okay, it feels 426 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: kind of strange, but yeah, yeah, yeah, but they're friends 427 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: and so and then it was we played We played Ucla. 428 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: It was the second game of the year, and it 429 00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: was the day after. I was sitting in a hotel 430 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: and some and somehow my girlfriend's name came up and 431 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: somebody was like, that's not Rippy's girl, that's Blah Blah's girl. 432 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: And I was like, I was like wait. I was like, 433 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: wait a mid wait a minute. I popped out of 434 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: the hot teb and I went back and we had 435 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: pay phone and went to the pay phone and traded 436 00:20:57,359 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: in the facility and I picked up and I called 437 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: her and I and I told her when I just heard, 438 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: and she had that pause, you know when they pause, 439 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: you got it. You got it because she she Paul, 440 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: She's thinking him a lot of ten you because she 441 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 1: could have just came up, she Paul, because you caused. 442 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: And I knew that. I knew. I knew, I knew, 443 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: I knew. And then I was like okay, and I 444 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: just then it got bad and like you said, and 445 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: then it was the crazy part in the In the 446 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: Ucla game, starting quarterback was my was my homie. He 447 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: hurt himself and then the backup quarterback who who's still married. 448 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: They're still married and the whole story when you can't 449 00:21:38,560 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: be mad about that because they got married. That's what 450 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:42,840 Speaker 1: I'm saying. That's what I'm saying that that's why. But 451 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 1: at the time I didn't know that. Now that's why 452 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: you still good with it now. On one time, one 453 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 1: time I lost my temper, one time I lost my temper, 454 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: and practice one time I kept you fine and I 455 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: just I just you know, he kind of like an 456 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 1: audible or something wrong and I just threw the ball 457 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: is helping real hard from close. But I lost my crep, 458 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: lost my crew for that one moment. But the thing 459 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 1: you look, Okay, maybe they were meant to be together, 460 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: but y'all not meant to be together. Why we together? 461 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: Y'all can't be working on that behind me, y'all. That's 462 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 1: all I'm trying to say. That's all I'm trying to say. 463 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: I'm seeing you, I'm about to go. It's great time 464 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: you got you know, yeah, okay, okay, okay, So but 465 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 1: I can understand that, I can understand what started you 466 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 1: on that path, because you know problem up until then, Rick, 467 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: you're probably smoking that mile screen probably on a scale 468 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: of teen, probably a three or four. But what was 469 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:41,119 Speaker 1: that happened? You probably went to that head and still 470 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: like nine. I'm telling you, I wasn't even smoking before then. 471 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: I just was like just batro good. Everything was good. 472 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 1: Everything was good. After that, it wasn't so good no more. 473 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:54,879 Speaker 1: So I had to I had to find my balance. Okay, 474 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: you win the Heisman, you break torn, the door sets 475 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:00,919 Speaker 1: on hand, you rush for the repue, you break the record, 476 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:03,440 Speaker 1: you win the hides. When you're a first round draft pick, 477 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: Mike Dick, who's the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, 478 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 1: trades an entire draft to draft Ricky Williams, and you 479 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 1: knew something that's that was very unique and surprised a 480 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: lot of people. You hired a guy to represent you 481 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 1: that had never represented an NFL player. Now, this is 482 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: not a shot at Masterpiece, because he's done a great 483 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: job in the record industry. He's done a great job 484 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 1: since of building his brand. But what made you signed 485 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 1: with a guy that had never represented someone in this field? Yeah? So, 486 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: like I said, I played minor league baseball, and so 487 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,960 Speaker 1: I had a baseball agent that I liked, and so 488 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: I just figured as I went into football, I just 489 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: would keep the same agent, and so it was easy 490 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 1: for me to tell all the agents, you know, to 491 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: stay away, but or the runners to stay away. But 492 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: Master P had a Runners dude and Terry, and Terry 493 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 1: was just cool, you know, and me and Terry we 494 00:23:57,760 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: just would kicking and we could talk, and he was 495 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,000 Speaker 1: I'm person I could be real with. But I didn't 496 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 1: think it would turn anything because I already had an agent. Well, 497 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: something fell apart in that agency and they and they 498 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:09,399 Speaker 1: fell apart. So then I was like in need of 499 00:24:09,440 --> 00:24:11,959 Speaker 1: an agent, and so I started talking to different agents 500 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: and it just felt like slimy and so in my mind, 501 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: I thought, you know, I'm you know, I'm gonna be 502 00:24:18,119 --> 00:24:20,240 Speaker 1: a top you know five. I think I'm gonna be 503 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 1: a top three. But anyways, I think I gonna be 504 00:24:22,080 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 1: a top three pick, and that you know, I could 505 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: be creative with this contract and do it the way 506 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 1: that I want to do it, and then I could 507 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: do it in partnership with with peas company known in 508 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: the sports. And the bigger thing was was really just 509 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: to make a statement, you know that we don't have 510 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: to do it the same way that you can do 511 00:24:37,560 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: it different ways, and so and so when I started 512 00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: working with the agent uh Leland Leland Hardy, we started 513 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: working on the contract negotiations. It got down to the 514 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: point where he laid out three three options for me. 515 00:24:49,920 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: He said, this option will make you the you know, 516 00:24:51,720 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 1: the highest paid rookie contract in the history of the NFL. 517 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: This one will we'll you know, we'll give you a 518 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 1: big signing bonus, but we'll you know, we can put 519 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:03,160 Speaker 1: in sentence and for you to become the highest paid player. 520 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 1: And then the middle one is kind of in between 521 00:25:05,920 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: where you get a big chunk of guaranteed money, but 522 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 1: we have some more mind of the sentence. And I said, 523 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:14,080 Speaker 1: and this is all on me. I said, to trust it. 524 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:15,760 Speaker 1: I said, I want the one where I get the 525 00:25:15,800 --> 00:25:18,360 Speaker 1: signing bonus for what I've done before, but I want 526 00:25:18,400 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: to have to earn. I'm gonna have to earn the 527 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: rest and what we did, but the trophy and being 528 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: the all time is a Russian champ. You earned that 529 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,080 Speaker 1: signing bonus and whatever else. But see, and that's where 530 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: the agent supposed to cut in and working your best interest, Ricky, 531 00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: I cannot in good faith I allow you to sign 532 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: this contract because X Y Z might happen and then 533 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:45,479 Speaker 1: you won't reach these and sentiens. He did, he did, 534 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: He did say that. He did say that. But but 535 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: it's my it's my bonehead, and I acknowledge it. The 536 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: one you said it. The one thing that I didn't see, 537 00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:57,000 Speaker 1: that I didn't realize is what if I get hurt 538 00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: and I can't play? And the first preseason game, first 539 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 1: preseason game, high engles pray. It happened quickly. Plus also 540 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 1: what you learned from playing in the NFL. They also 541 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,639 Speaker 1: can control whether or not you get those insatives. So 542 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: instead of Ricky getting his twenty five thirty carries all 543 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: of a sudden, they give Ricky fifteen ten carries instead 544 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,920 Speaker 1: of Rickie. Happened, It happened, It happened, It happened. It happened. 545 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: I mean my second, my second, my third year in 546 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 1: New Orleans, I was leading the NFC in Russian. We 547 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: got towards the end of the season, we didn't make 548 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: the playoffs. They started playing duce boy. I started playing. 549 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: So this is going on. So were you smoking in 550 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 1: New Orleans? Not? Not my rookie year. I started going 551 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,320 Speaker 1: getting my second year after I broke my ankle, you know, 552 00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: it was. It was one of those things where my 553 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: rookie year again, I missed six missed four games my 554 00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 1: rookie year, and I played hurt pretty much every game 555 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 1: but two, and so I underperformed obviously. And so that 556 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:55,359 Speaker 1: was the first time in my life that I ever 557 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,560 Speaker 1: performed on the football field. And so when I came 558 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 1: back that next year, Dicky was I had a new 559 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 1: coach who didn't like me because I was tired to Dikka. 560 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: But I would improve myself and I did know. I 561 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: got to week ten of my thousandth yard. Week ten, 562 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: my thousandth yard, broke my ankle, and in uh start, 563 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,160 Speaker 1: that's when I started smoking again, you know, dealing dealing 564 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: with like I finally was. I was, yeah, I was 565 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:23,159 Speaker 1: finally making I was finally making it back. And then 566 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 1: and then this, you know, and and part of it 567 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 1: it got me to thinking, Okay, like if there's got 568 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 1: to be something more to life than just just up 569 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:35,359 Speaker 1: and down writing on whether my success on the football 570 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,440 Speaker 1: fill defines my happiness, and to me, I had to 571 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: find something something else to define myself by. Had you 572 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:45,360 Speaker 1: been allowed to smoke? Do you believe your NFL career 573 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 1: would have been more productive. But now you had a 574 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: great career. I mean, ten thousand yards is nothing to 575 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: sneeze at. But do you believe you would have had 576 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:55,000 Speaker 1: even a more productive career had you been allowed to smoke? 577 00:27:55,920 --> 00:27:59,119 Speaker 1: Of course, no doubt about it, because so much you know, 578 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 1: after two thy two hundred the NFL and I came back, 579 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: so much of the story around me was it just 580 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: was this heaviness in this you know, the stigma around 581 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: me and fell in that test and leaving, and I 582 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 1: think it just it wasn't all that heaviness around my 583 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: around my career that there was just a cleared space 584 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: and I could do what I do and around the 585 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,000 Speaker 1: football and whenever they're you know, there weren't those times 586 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: where there was that space. I showed up, you know, 587 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: I put up numbers. Let me ask you about the 588 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 1: helmet situation, because you did a lot of your interviews 589 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: with your helmet on. Were you always like this or 590 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: was it the expectations of someone gave up their entire 591 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,959 Speaker 1: draft and the expectations of youthful supposing to be one 592 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: of these historically great NFL running backs? Because what did 593 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 1: you always do interviews at the University of Texas with 594 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: your helmet on. That was done. Go ahead. I never 595 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: I never did it. So the way it started is, 596 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: you know, so the first preseason game and go to 597 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 1: my own get get an ankle spraience, and then I'm 598 00:28:56,720 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 1: already like chilling, like damn, you know, not a great 599 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 1: way to start. And the media, the media just you know. 600 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: I remember one day it was we were in the 601 00:29:04,040 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: training camp and it was raining, and they put me 602 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,040 Speaker 1: on a golf cart to take me to like this 603 00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:10,600 Speaker 1: covered area to do an interview. And as soon as 604 00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: I sat down to do the interview, the media, dude 605 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:14,920 Speaker 1: was like, take your helmet off, and I was like, dude, 606 00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:17,239 Speaker 1: I just sat down. So I started off as kind 607 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,560 Speaker 1: of an active rebellion of you don't get to tell 608 00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 1: you don't get to tell me what to do, and 609 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: then it kind of turned into something that actually felt comfortable, 610 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: kind of like you know, my my humble way of 611 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:31,760 Speaker 1: saying fuck you to the media. And you know, because 612 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 1: to me and this is my sensitivity to me, you know, 613 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: it's like you guys expect me to be this this 614 00:29:37,520 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 1: image of what this football player is, but you don't 615 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: even care who I am. On the inside, and so 616 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: you say take the hell of it off. You don't 617 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: really care who's under the helmet. You just care who's 618 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: in the paths at off. So it just was a 619 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:51,480 Speaker 1: it was an active rebellion. So once you did that, 620 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: you just kipt it on, said, well, help you, I'm 621 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 1: gonna keep I'm gonna do my all my interviews were 622 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: moving forward with my helmet on. Yeah, I didn't do 623 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: all of them all the all the ones during the week. 624 00:29:59,280 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 1: I would take my help off on Sundays for the 625 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: postgame interview. Right. Mm. So you grew up in San Diego. 626 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:12,160 Speaker 1: You play football, obviously you played baseball. Were they any 627 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 1: sports any other sports that you played? And did you 628 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:18,640 Speaker 1: always want to be an NFL player. I wrestled a 629 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: little bit, uh in high school, and I love I 630 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: loved it. I loved I ran track a little bit 631 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:26,400 Speaker 1: when we didn't make the playoffs when year in baseball 632 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: and I ran track. But when I was growing up, 633 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 1: I was seven years old and San Diego listening to 634 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: the San Diego Padres on the radio. So I was 635 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: a big, big, big baseball fan. Big yeah he was, 636 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,240 Speaker 1: and so I wanted to be the right Anna Tony Gwins. 637 00:30:42,280 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 1: I wanted to. I thought, I thought all the way 638 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: until Draft Bay, until the NFL Combine. Actually I thought 639 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:49,600 Speaker 1: I was going to be a professional baseball player. But 640 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: I went to the combine and NFL teams are like 641 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: and I was like, all right, and so, and I 642 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:56,960 Speaker 1: was better at football, to be honest, So I stuck 643 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: with football. So they gave you the basically NFL teams 644 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,400 Speaker 1: since una you either playing football, you play in baseball. 645 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah. And I was like, okay, if I was 646 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: smart with football right now, but have you had they 647 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: given you a choice an opportunity, says, okay, you could 648 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: do you feel you could have been at bow Jackson. 649 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:17,040 Speaker 1: You could have been a Dion Sanders played both sports. 650 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 1: I mean I had, I had a lot of improvement 651 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: to make in baseball, but I wouldn't have loved to have, 652 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: you know, taken taken a shot. And because at the 653 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: time the owner of the Texas Rangers was the UT 654 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: alum and the UT donor, he uh, he put me 655 00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: on the pro roster for training camp with the with 656 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: the Texas Rangers. So I was gonna get my shot. 657 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: I was gonna need to get a shot. But I 658 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: decided to stick with football. You were drafted in the 659 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:45,120 Speaker 1: eighth round by the Phillies out of high school. You 660 00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:47,600 Speaker 1: got a seventy thousand dollars signing bonus. Did you think 661 00:31:47,640 --> 00:31:50,360 Speaker 1: about not even going to college, not even playing? I mean, 662 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,680 Speaker 1: obviously you could have went to college and played your 663 00:31:52,720 --> 00:31:55,800 Speaker 1: own way. That was never, never, never, never, It never 664 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,440 Speaker 1: crossed my mind. I decided when I was eleven years 665 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:02,080 Speaker 1: old watching Notre Dame in football on NBC that I'm 666 00:32:02,120 --> 00:32:04,920 Speaker 1: playing college football. I said, I don't care, I'm playing 667 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: college football. And so when I was being recruited by 668 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 1: the baseball teams, I said, I wanted to be a 669 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:12,640 Speaker 1: baseball player, but I need to play college football. And 670 00:32:12,720 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 1: so everybody knew the deal. The football teams knew I 671 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:18,600 Speaker 1: was playing my OAR league baseball. All the baseball teams 672 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: knew I was playing college football. You recruited Europe, Stanford, 673 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: cal Texas. What made you choose the University of Texas? 674 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: Texas and pret home one of my former teammates, what's 675 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,479 Speaker 1: your host? So what led you to go a callie 676 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:39,600 Speaker 1: kid going to Texas? Yeah, so you know, I made 677 00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: a list. I was one of the you know, most 678 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 1: highly recruited players in the nation that year. And so 679 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:45,560 Speaker 1: I made a list of what I what I went 680 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 1: out of the college experience. And one I wanted to 681 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 1: start as a freshman. That was a that was a must. Two, 682 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 1: I wanted to go to a big program where people 683 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,400 Speaker 1: could see me on national television. Three I wanted to 684 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,080 Speaker 1: go to a place that had a strong education for 685 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: I need having a relationship with the with the head coach. 686 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:04,600 Speaker 1: And five I was looking for a program that was 687 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: right on the verge of being great again. And I 688 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: wanted to be that missing piece. And so it was interesting. 689 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:12,719 Speaker 1: I ended up taking my trip to USC because they 690 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 1: were probably they were like number one on my list. 691 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 1: Texas was two. So I took my trip to USC, 692 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: and I tripped to Texas like back to back days. 693 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 1: So I got to compare both. And I went to 694 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: USC and it was just all right. You know, the 695 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:26,360 Speaker 1: team kind of felt fractured, that kind of talked trash 696 00:33:26,400 --> 00:33:28,320 Speaker 1: about each other. One of the dudes even told me, 697 00:33:28,400 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: don't come here. We got two of the running backs 698 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: I love. I love coach Robbins, I love Coach Robinson. 699 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:35,520 Speaker 1: It was a program, a big program, it was on 700 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: the verge. So I had all those pieces except for 701 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 1: I didn't have that family. Field went to Texas, I 702 00:33:41,520 --> 00:33:44,320 Speaker 1: you know, talking talking to chach John mcavie talking about 703 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:45,960 Speaker 1: how he's going to use me as a fullback. I 704 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:49,480 Speaker 1: believed him and I respected his offensive mind, hung around 705 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: the team, and the guys felt like a family. You know, 706 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:53,960 Speaker 1: there was one instant on the recruiting trip where where 707 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 1: Lavell Pinkly, our big receiver in one of the backup 708 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 1: running backs, like you know what, the throwing hands in 709 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 1: the middle, like tagging like the times liked, but you like, 710 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: I want to come here half an hour and here's 711 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:10,399 Speaker 1: what half an hour later, we're all back in the room, 712 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,759 Speaker 1: like right, Just see that they can they could intensify 713 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:15,959 Speaker 1: like that and they can squashton and be family and games. 714 00:34:16,040 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 1: To me, that that spoke volumes to me. So it 715 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,320 Speaker 1: just Texas checked off on my boxes because you know, 716 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: USC at that time was running back. You they had 717 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:29,320 Speaker 1: all the Hidsman Trophy winning running back and start you know, 718 00:34:29,920 --> 00:34:32,920 Speaker 1: Garrett and O J and Marcus Salen and Charles White. 719 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 1: Charles White was a running back coach. He was a 720 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 1: running back coach too, and I love I love charming 721 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: and again everything was there, except I just didn't feel 722 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 1: good being around the guys on the team, and to me, 723 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: I need to feel like family. I need to feel 724 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 1: like family. Right, So was it difficult for you to 725 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 1: juggle playing Amountorn League baseball and collegiate football. That was 726 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:54,840 Speaker 1: awesome because I got to get that of summer workouts 727 00:34:54,960 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 1: in in base part there are dropped twenty pounds and 728 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,840 Speaker 1: be really even come back super fast, and so it 729 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: was great. It was and I you know, I need 730 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:05,879 Speaker 1: a variety of my life and not league baseball. It's hard, 731 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:08,400 Speaker 1: it's really really hard. But it kept me sharp and 732 00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:13,080 Speaker 1: it kept me in shape. Your junior year, the Heisman 733 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 1: Trophy finalist was Randy Moss, Peyton Manning, Charles Charles Woodson. 734 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:19,360 Speaker 1: And did you actually did you think you had a 735 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 1: chance to win? I think if you lead the nation 736 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 1: in Russian and scoring, you shouldn't need you should have 737 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 1: a chair, you shouldn't be up for We were four 738 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,640 Speaker 1: and seven minutes. You know the team. The team didn't 739 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:32,480 Speaker 1: play well, and so I think I was fit them. 740 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:37,319 Speaker 1: You broke Earl Campbell's who the Tyler roles. He broke 741 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:39,880 Speaker 1: his record eighteen hundred ninety three yards twenty five teschdowns, 742 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 1: six two hundred yard games, he's walked in Texas. I 743 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:46,000 Speaker 1: mean you played a running back position. I mean you 744 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 1: played a running back position and you go to University 745 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:51,719 Speaker 1: of Texas. That's who you're measured against. Yeah, you know, 746 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,720 Speaker 1: so this this speaks to it. So true story. Okay, 747 00:35:54,719 --> 00:35:57,000 Speaker 1: I was at USC and they have this this fancy 748 00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 1: trophy room with all the heisman trophies. Okay, and I 749 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: was at USC and a recruiting ship and I walked 750 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,399 Speaker 1: into the room and it was cool, right, It didn't 751 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: It was just cool, right, that's cool Texas. Right. They 752 00:36:07,160 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: had Earl's heisman trophy and this dusty like glass like 753 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:13,279 Speaker 1: I was kind of hidden away, and I remember like 754 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:14,839 Speaker 1: I walked out of the door and I looked at 755 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:16,359 Speaker 1: it and it was like, you know, I could hear 756 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 1: that the angels singing, and it was like the message 757 00:36:19,160 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 1: I got was if you come here, you can get 758 00:36:21,120 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 1: one of these. And so that that connection to Earl, 759 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:26,759 Speaker 1: and and they showed me ocampbell highlights on my recruitionship. 760 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:28,880 Speaker 1: They took me to go meet him, and so you know, 761 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:32,480 Speaker 1: we started to create that bond. You know, I was 762 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:36,919 Speaker 1: christened by by Earl very very early on, and I could, 763 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:44,560 Speaker 1: uh sausage, yes, yeah, yeah, I mean I love Earl. 764 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:47,640 Speaker 1: I mean he's he's I mean he's been so it's 765 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:49,560 Speaker 1: like so good to me. He really had my back 766 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,440 Speaker 1: through everything, especially when I go back to the hall. 767 00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:54,759 Speaker 1: Used to see him all the time. You go back 768 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:58,320 Speaker 1: for your senior year, So what was your expectations. Obviously 769 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 1: you want to come back, possibly win the Husman, maybe 770 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:05,480 Speaker 1: being have the team in contention to win a national championship. 771 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:07,880 Speaker 1: So what was your thought process? Because there was a 772 00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:10,319 Speaker 1: lot on the line, Ricky, you could get up all 773 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,080 Speaker 1: of a sudden. So so like I said, like I 774 00:37:13,239 --> 00:37:15,880 Speaker 1: said when I when I, you know, as a kid, 775 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:18,080 Speaker 1: I said I want to play college football. And of 776 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:20,160 Speaker 1: course when I was a junior and I led, you know, 777 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:22,080 Speaker 1: then I started to kind of listen to all the 778 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 1: talk agents reaching out, you know, then I and then 779 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:26,840 Speaker 1: I one day I was in my sid in the 780 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 1: sports information director's office, and he had the college football 781 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,760 Speaker 1: Almanac on his death, and so I just just flipping 782 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:34,440 Speaker 1: through it and I kind of flipped to the all 783 00:37:34,480 --> 00:37:36,800 Speaker 1: time leading rushing stats and I look and I was like, 784 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 1: if I have a similar year when I had this year, 785 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:41,160 Speaker 1: I could be the all time leading rushier and I 786 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:43,520 Speaker 1: was like, oho, And I flipped a couple more pages 787 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:45,719 Speaker 1: to the all time touchstown lead, all time scoring the year, 788 00:37:45,719 --> 00:37:47,359 Speaker 1: and I was like, if I have a similar year 789 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,560 Speaker 1: that I had last year, I could break this record too. 790 00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: And then I flipped all purpose yards and I was like, 791 00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 1: if I have a similar year and when I had 792 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:57,400 Speaker 1: last year, I can break this record too. And I 793 00:37:57,520 --> 00:37:59,560 Speaker 1: was like, if I break all these records, there's no 794 00:37:59,719 --> 00:38:01,200 Speaker 1: way I'm not gonna win in the Highs and so 795 00:38:01,239 --> 00:38:03,080 Speaker 1: on that moment, I said I'm coming back, and the 796 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:05,840 Speaker 1: expectation was to break all three of those records, and 797 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:10,120 Speaker 1: and you did it. And I did it because you're 798 00:38:10,160 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 1: seeing you're twenty one hundred over, twenty one hundred yards, 799 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:16,360 Speaker 1: twenty seven touchdown, school record, said twenty one NCAA records 800 00:38:16,600 --> 00:38:19,040 Speaker 1: received eighty five percent of the vote the Highs. At 801 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:21,840 Speaker 1: that time, you're nowimous All American first day of a 802 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 1: AP National Player of the Year, So you're feeling good. 803 00:38:26,120 --> 00:38:27,520 Speaker 1: You're like, Okay, I did what I said I was 804 00:38:27,560 --> 00:38:29,680 Speaker 1: gonna do. Now I'm just gonna sit back. I'm gonna 805 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:31,879 Speaker 1: be at like you said you thought you were gonna 806 00:38:31,880 --> 00:38:33,840 Speaker 1: be a top three, at least at the bare minimum 807 00:38:33,920 --> 00:38:37,760 Speaker 1: top three. I mean, I was really figuring Cleveland Browns 808 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: coming back and expansive team. Of course, dark Pound needs 809 00:38:40,560 --> 00:38:42,920 Speaker 1: a big running back, and I thought for sure, I 810 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:46,279 Speaker 1: thought for sure I was going to Cleveland. Ricky. When 811 00:38:46,280 --> 00:38:49,279 Speaker 1: you look at it, when you look back, you and 812 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: Earl you won the hisman. So when they think of 813 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,839 Speaker 1: running backs now, every running back that comes in, they 814 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,840 Speaker 1: get compared to Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams. You have 815 00:38:57,960 --> 00:39:01,120 Speaker 1: the field name Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams field. What does 816 00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:02,680 Speaker 1: that matter? I mean, when you go back, what does 817 00:39:02,719 --> 00:39:05,600 Speaker 1: that make you feel? Like that they think that much 818 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 1: and they thought that much of you. It says this 819 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:11,440 Speaker 1: guy is so special to us. We don't want anybody 820 00:39:11,480 --> 00:39:15,239 Speaker 1: to ever remember that he was here and what he 821 00:39:15,320 --> 00:39:18,239 Speaker 1: did for this university. Yeah, I mean I first got 822 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,720 Speaker 1: that when they erected the statue back in two thousand 823 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,960 Speaker 1: and twelve. This feeling of and it was it was 824 00:39:25,080 --> 00:39:27,160 Speaker 1: like it was a healing moment for me because all 825 00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:29,239 Speaker 1: the ups and downs I went through it, and you know, 826 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: the hits to my reputation. To come back to Texas 827 00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:34,600 Speaker 1: and see they still found enough for me to erect 828 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:37,560 Speaker 1: a statue and then to put my name on the field. 829 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:41,000 Speaker 1: It just speaks to back to that question of when 830 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:42,920 Speaker 1: I was making a decision of where to go to school, 831 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:44,680 Speaker 1: you know, I felt that this is a place I 832 00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:48,400 Speaker 1: could go or when people are gonna appreciate me and uh, 833 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 1: and it speaks to that. And you know, I'm flying 834 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 1: find a ofstin this this week and I'm gonna meet 835 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:55,480 Speaker 1: with athletic director and We're going to talk about how 836 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:57,480 Speaker 1: I can be more involved in the program. And so 837 00:39:57,680 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 1: it's it feels really it feels really good know that 838 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 1: no matter what happens in my life, I always have 839 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:05,800 Speaker 1: a home in Austin, Texas. I'm looking at that nineteen 840 00:40:05,880 --> 00:40:09,560 Speaker 1: ninety and they're looking at that draft and Kim Cals 841 00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 1: was one, Donald McNabb was two, Achilley Smith was three, 842 00:40:12,760 --> 00:40:15,200 Speaker 1: Edger and James four. You're five. But also in that 843 00:40:15,320 --> 00:40:20,840 Speaker 1: draft Tory Holt, Champ Bailey, David Yeah, Dante Colepepper, Antoine 844 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:24,200 Speaker 1: Winfield senior who seeing junior just won the Super Bowl 845 00:40:24,239 --> 00:40:27,440 Speaker 1: with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So yeah, while you look 846 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:30,359 Speaker 1: at it, Kim Cows didn't live up to expectations. Donald 847 00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:33,320 Speaker 1: McNabb had a great career, Achille Smith flamed out, Edrin 848 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:37,759 Speaker 1: James Hall of Fame, Rick yourself, what do I mean, 849 00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:40,200 Speaker 1: you guys have a nice little draft there. Tory Hops 850 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:42,800 Speaker 1: was on Tory Hope was on the ballot this year. Eventually, 851 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:44,640 Speaker 1: probably within the next year two gonna get into the 852 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:47,320 Speaker 1: Pro Football Hall of Fame. Champs in the Hall of Fame. 853 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:50,640 Speaker 1: You know, it's it's kind of that thing where you 854 00:40:50,719 --> 00:40:52,960 Speaker 1: come you come out together, and so, you know, start 855 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:55,359 Speaker 1: starting my junior year doing the awards circuit and get 856 00:40:55,560 --> 00:40:58,600 Speaker 1: and get into no kind of you know, the superstars 857 00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:01,640 Speaker 1: of my era, and then to go into the draft 858 00:41:01,719 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 1: and getting sharing that experienced each other and then sharing 859 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:06,880 Speaker 1: our careers with each other. You know, it feels like 860 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:09,440 Speaker 1: like brothers going into the Hall of Fame. Especially Ed 861 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:12,440 Speaker 1: you know, we came out the same year. You know, 862 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 1: he was the first back. I was the second back, 863 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:17,280 Speaker 1: and just watching what he was able to do, especially 864 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:19,440 Speaker 1: the first couple of years I play his career, playing 865 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:22,799 Speaker 1: in in Indianapolis, and I often think, you know, what if, 866 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: what if the Colts would have drafted me instead and 867 00:41:24,719 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: I got to play alongside Payton Manny you think you 868 00:41:28,560 --> 00:41:33,279 Speaker 1: think your career would have been different. I mean my 869 00:41:34,160 --> 00:41:38,640 Speaker 1: quarterback FAMI year was two guys named Billie Joe. But 870 00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:41,239 Speaker 1: hold on, hold on not Rick, hold on Rick, hold 871 00:41:41,280 --> 00:41:44,800 Speaker 1: on that Rick. There's a there's this there's this plant 872 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:47,600 Speaker 1: that was that was that was starting to be involved 873 00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:52,880 Speaker 1: in your life. So that going to play out? What 874 00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:58,239 Speaker 1: do you mean the play at the plant? What do 875 00:41:58,320 --> 00:41:59,880 Speaker 1: you mean how's it gonna play? I would have been good. 876 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:02,880 Speaker 1: I'd have been good at Indeed, I'll say it. I 877 00:42:03,080 --> 00:42:05,320 Speaker 1: understand you would have been good. But how did that 878 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: way with the drug test? You? Like? So we we 879 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:11,440 Speaker 1: what we? What we so if I I mean, we 880 00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:13,320 Speaker 1: can tell the story a lot of different ways. But 881 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:16,080 Speaker 1: the way I'll tell it, Okay, I go. Let's say, 882 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:19,399 Speaker 1: let's say I'll go to Indianapolis. Uh, first of all, 883 00:42:19,560 --> 00:42:21,960 Speaker 1: I don't know, like because it's at the same time. 884 00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:23,480 Speaker 1: I'll know when the drug tests come and if I 885 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:25,719 Speaker 1: was playing well behind paid man, I'm not getting traded 886 00:42:25,719 --> 00:42:28,759 Speaker 1: it and being in that situation. That's That's one way 887 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 1: to tell the story. But but I'm not even trying 888 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 1: to say I'm not even trying to say I wish 889 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:35,600 Speaker 1: my career would have been different. I'm just being hypothetical, 890 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:39,000 Speaker 1: like you know, like, yeah, it would be nice. It'd 891 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:40,800 Speaker 1: be nice if I was remembered for the way I 892 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:43,719 Speaker 1: played football, not for for the cannabis stuff. But I 893 00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:46,360 Speaker 1: feel good about my career. I mean, I know everyone 894 00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:48,320 Speaker 1: that I played with it as respect for me. I 895 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 1: know that I enjoyed myself. I know that I was 896 00:42:50,520 --> 00:42:53,279 Speaker 1: able to create a better life for my family, and 897 00:42:53,440 --> 00:42:55,120 Speaker 1: I was able to do all this other shit. So 898 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,360 Speaker 1: I feel, honestly, I feel good about what where I 899 00:42:58,480 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 1: left things. Uh, explain to me the cover of ESPN 900 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:06,239 Speaker 1: the magazine you did the story. Obviously, Mike Dicker was 901 00:43:06,320 --> 00:43:08,759 Speaker 1: the head coach. He trades in an entire draft to 902 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:10,480 Speaker 1: move up to select you with the fifth pick in 903 00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:16,320 Speaker 1: the draft, and you put a wedding dress on were obviously. 904 00:43:16,480 --> 00:43:18,200 Speaker 1: I mean the thing the first thing comes to mind 905 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:22,120 Speaker 1: is Dennis Rodman. Yeah, with that was that one of 906 00:43:22,160 --> 00:43:24,640 Speaker 1: your heroes? Was he? Did he inspire you to do this? 907 00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:29,040 Speaker 1: I mean, uh, not directly. I mean it's interesting that 908 00:43:29,160 --> 00:43:31,080 Speaker 1: right around at the same time that I did that, 909 00:43:31,400 --> 00:43:34,120 Speaker 1: I met Dinnis for the first time. We actually hung out. 910 00:43:34,320 --> 00:43:36,400 Speaker 1: We actually hung out, but I didn't make the connection 911 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:40,600 Speaker 1: until right now. So so Dan Letatard, who who at 912 00:43:40,640 --> 00:43:43,759 Speaker 1: the time writing for the Miami Heralds also writing for ESPN. 913 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:46,960 Speaker 1: The magazine came out and we became friends. He did 914 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:48,759 Speaker 1: the story on me before I won the so we 915 00:43:48,840 --> 00:43:50,880 Speaker 1: became friends, and he said, you know, ESPN and magazine 916 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:52,960 Speaker 1: wants to do the story on you and Dicka and 917 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:54,879 Speaker 1: they and they want to put you on the cover. 918 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:57,600 Speaker 1: So you know, he said, we're throwing around different ideas 919 00:43:57,680 --> 00:43:59,320 Speaker 1: on you know, what you can wear, and so this 920 00:43:59,440 --> 00:44:00,759 Speaker 1: one on for like a month and a half and 921 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:03,440 Speaker 1: these different ideas and we're not don't know, and then 922 00:44:03,480 --> 00:44:05,400 Speaker 1: it was just kind of like, let's just do this, 923 00:44:05,560 --> 00:44:07,959 Speaker 1: and he said, well, the newest idea is that since 924 00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:10,759 Speaker 1: you guys were you know, linked, that we do you know, 925 00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:12,560 Speaker 1: you and a wedding dress and him and a tuxedo. 926 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:15,239 Speaker 1: And when he said it, I started laughing no, because 927 00:44:15,360 --> 00:44:17,799 Speaker 1: I thought it was funny. And so my response was like, yeah, 928 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:21,160 Speaker 1: let's do it. That's funny. And then when I got 929 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:22,600 Speaker 1: to the photo shoot and I was putting on this 930 00:44:22,640 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 1: wedding dress, I started to think, like, what's going when 931 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:29,479 Speaker 1: I when I get myself into And then after after 932 00:44:29,640 --> 00:44:31,680 Speaker 1: the photo shoot. I was in the limo with Coach Dicka. 933 00:44:31,760 --> 00:44:34,080 Speaker 1: We were driving back to the facility and he had 934 00:44:34,080 --> 00:44:35,480 Speaker 1: a cigar to chan. He looked at me and he 935 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:37,040 Speaker 1: was like, I don't know what they had to tell 936 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:38,640 Speaker 1: you to get you to put that wedding dress on. 937 00:44:39,000 --> 00:44:40,879 Speaker 1: But I never would have done that. And I looked 938 00:44:40,920 --> 00:44:42,160 Speaker 1: at him and I said, why did you tell me 939 00:44:42,239 --> 00:44:48,000 Speaker 1: that before? So he tell you after the fact. Oh, 940 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:50,960 Speaker 1: I would have never done that exactly. And for me, 941 00:44:51,040 --> 00:44:53,200 Speaker 1: I just thought it was funny. You know, I didn't 942 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:56,320 Speaker 1: even think of how people would take it. But I 943 00:44:56,400 --> 00:44:58,279 Speaker 1: still think, I mean, I still think it's funny. It 944 00:44:58,400 --> 00:45:00,400 Speaker 1: just was interesting, how you know, people amy a hard 945 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:04,680 Speaker 1: time about it, right, because the the title for better 946 00:45:04,840 --> 00:45:07,920 Speaker 1: for Worse, because that's what kind of like a marriage 947 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:11,319 Speaker 1: is richness and hit a rich and richness and poor 948 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:15,160 Speaker 1: and sicknesses and help. So basically, you and coach Dicker 949 00:45:15,200 --> 00:45:18,640 Speaker 1: would join no matter what, for better for worse, you 950 00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:22,080 Speaker 1: and Coach Dicker would go be linked forever. And again 951 00:45:22,160 --> 00:45:24,080 Speaker 1: I got hurt, didn't play well, and he was fine 952 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:29,239 Speaker 1: after the end of the season. It was real. So 953 00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:31,880 Speaker 1: let me ask your question your your career in New Orleans, 954 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:35,600 Speaker 1: are you upset that go quite the way you anticipated, 955 00:45:35,880 --> 00:45:38,040 Speaker 1: or is there something you wish you could have done differently? 956 00:45:38,320 --> 00:45:40,440 Speaker 1: Aside obviously you don't want to get hurt, but what 957 00:45:40,600 --> 00:45:46,120 Speaker 1: could you have done differently? You know? I think I 958 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:49,279 Speaker 1: could have found mentors, you know, I think when I 959 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:52,200 Speaker 1: look back, what I didn't have was was good mentorship, 960 00:45:52,320 --> 00:45:54,719 Speaker 1: you know, someone that had been there and just just 961 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:56,719 Speaker 1: kind of guided me a little bit. So one thing 962 00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:58,600 Speaker 1: I you know, when I went to New Orleans, I 963 00:45:58,680 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 1: got a place way out in the birds, you know, 964 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:03,319 Speaker 1: entire economists isolated. I think I would have I would 965 00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:04,840 Speaker 1: have got like I would have done. I would have 966 00:46:04,920 --> 00:46:07,680 Speaker 1: just approached it differently, you know, right, I just would 967 00:46:07,680 --> 00:46:12,960 Speaker 1: have approached it differently. You staying in New Orleans, you 968 00:46:13,080 --> 00:46:16,799 Speaker 1: get traded to the Dolphins. You rush over eighteen hundred yards, 969 00:46:16,800 --> 00:46:19,799 Speaker 1: sixteen touchdown both the still Dolphins record Pro Bowler, first 970 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:22,480 Speaker 1: team All Pro, ten games of one hundred yards. So 971 00:46:22,719 --> 00:46:25,960 Speaker 1: your career gets off in Miami to a roaring start. 972 00:46:29,640 --> 00:46:36,680 Speaker 1: And what happened happened so so in two thousand so 973 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:39,759 Speaker 1: two thousand two lead leading rushing and I had a 974 00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:42,399 Speaker 1: track record my whole entire life. You know, at every level, 975 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:45,800 Speaker 1: I constantly like improved, it got better, and so in 976 00:46:45,880 --> 00:46:48,720 Speaker 1: my mind, I'm thinking, you know, after this year, I'm thinking, okay, 977 00:46:49,360 --> 00:46:52,480 Speaker 1: two two eighteen hundred yards two, you know, two thousand 978 00:46:52,480 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: and three, that means two thousand yards. No, I'm back. 979 00:46:54,640 --> 00:46:58,080 Speaker 1: I'm back. I'm back in that mood. And and you know, 980 00:46:58,120 --> 00:47:00,239 Speaker 1: I get in the best shape of my life, shape 981 00:47:00,239 --> 00:47:04,360 Speaker 1: of my life. And we start the season and it 982 00:47:04,520 --> 00:47:08,160 Speaker 1: just seemed like it was me against eleven other people. 983 00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:11,239 Speaker 1: So I remember we played we played Buffalo and Week two, 984 00:47:11,239 --> 00:47:13,640 Speaker 1: I mean I carried about forty two times. And then 985 00:47:13,719 --> 00:47:16,600 Speaker 1: it got to the point where, you know, and he 986 00:47:16,719 --> 00:47:18,840 Speaker 1: admits it now, Coach Wants said, said, you know, I 987 00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:20,319 Speaker 1: got to the point where I didn't believe in our 988 00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:22,719 Speaker 1: passing game. I just believe the defense. And so we 989 00:47:22,880 --> 00:47:25,319 Speaker 1: just gonna play deference and just hand you the ball. 990 00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:28,120 Speaker 1: And so you know, that's what we did. And I 991 00:47:28,239 --> 00:47:29,840 Speaker 1: just got I just got beat up, and I just 992 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:31,480 Speaker 1: got beat up. And I just got beat up and 993 00:47:31,960 --> 00:47:33,720 Speaker 1: wasn't able to put up the same kind of numbers. 994 00:47:34,360 --> 00:47:36,799 Speaker 1: After three years in Miami, you're the bail cor back. 995 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:40,880 Speaker 1: You walk away from it. Numerous failed drug tests at 996 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:43,080 Speaker 1: the age of twenty seven, you say, forget bumped this, 997 00:47:43,680 --> 00:47:47,440 Speaker 1: I'm out. What would your thought press, thought process behind 998 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:51,160 Speaker 1: that decision? Well, it was it was I mean, part 999 00:47:51,200 --> 00:47:53,200 Speaker 1: of it was a thought process, and I think it 1000 00:47:53,239 --> 00:47:54,880 Speaker 1: started with the thought process, but part of it was 1001 00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:57,840 Speaker 1: just noticing signs and signals in my life, you know. 1002 00:47:58,360 --> 00:48:02,160 Speaker 1: So so after that two thousand and three seasons, Yeah, 1003 00:48:02,600 --> 00:48:04,800 Speaker 1: I had surgery on my shoulders in the off season 1004 00:48:05,440 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 1: and I started to think, Okay, I started to do 1005 00:48:08,280 --> 00:48:10,520 Speaker 1: the math here. Okay, if we if this keeps on going, 1006 00:48:11,000 --> 00:48:12,600 Speaker 1: I'm not going to be able actually to make it 1007 00:48:12,760 --> 00:48:15,840 Speaker 1: very much longer. And I've been in talks with the 1008 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:19,960 Speaker 1: Dolphins about renegotiating my contract. And so we went to 1009 00:48:20,000 --> 00:48:21,879 Speaker 1: the Dolphins and I said, you know, I can tell 1010 00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:23,719 Speaker 1: if you guys don't do something and you just keep 1011 00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:25,920 Speaker 1: feeding me the ball, like this is not gonna last. 1012 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:29,000 Speaker 1: You guys need to take care of me, and you know, 1013 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:31,640 Speaker 1: and we started going back and forth, and I think 1014 00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:34,200 Speaker 1: one thing I was really disrespected by it You're gonna 1015 00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:35,719 Speaker 1: give me the ball this time, and then when I 1016 00:48:35,800 --> 00:48:37,840 Speaker 1: try to say take care of me, you're gonna do this. 1017 00:48:38,040 --> 00:48:40,279 Speaker 1: And so that was part part of it. That other 1018 00:48:40,440 --> 00:48:43,360 Speaker 1: part at the same time, north Turner was offensive coordinating. 1019 00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:45,360 Speaker 1: I love north Turner as an offensive on the schemer. 1020 00:48:45,400 --> 00:48:49,200 Speaker 1: I mean, he's he can call offensive on gad. He 1021 00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:52,520 Speaker 1: got the head coaching job at Oakland and my position coach, 1022 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:55,480 Speaker 1: Joe Collier, became the offensive coordinator, and so I was 1023 00:48:55,520 --> 00:48:58,560 Speaker 1: feeling good about this, you know, but still we didn't 1024 00:48:58,560 --> 00:49:00,600 Speaker 1: have a quarterback yet, and so I was like, Okay, 1025 00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:02,080 Speaker 1: we need to do something to make sure I'm not 1026 00:49:02,200 --> 00:49:06,000 Speaker 1: taking taking you know, the beating, and Joel and and 1027 00:49:06,440 --> 00:49:08,600 Speaker 1: the offensive staff they kind of get into a fight 1028 00:49:08,719 --> 00:49:11,200 Speaker 1: and Joel says, fuck this, I'm not being the offensive coordinator. 1029 00:49:11,280 --> 00:49:13,400 Speaker 1: And then they promoted the tight ends coach, who had 1030 00:49:13,440 --> 00:49:16,240 Speaker 1: never been an offensive coordinator to the offensive coordinated position. 1031 00:49:16,680 --> 00:49:22,000 Speaker 1: And so I'm thinking the contract negotiations, I feel disrespected. 1032 00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:24,279 Speaker 1: I can tell this season is going to come down 1033 00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:26,440 Speaker 1: to me getting the ball in every play. And then 1034 00:49:27,560 --> 00:49:30,040 Speaker 1: and all this drug test ship, I was like, it's 1035 00:49:30,040 --> 00:49:32,239 Speaker 1: just it's just all the times were saying I need 1036 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:34,560 Speaker 1: to be doing something else right now. And in the meantime, 1037 00:49:34,640 --> 00:49:38,040 Speaker 1: another thing, in the meantime between between our OTAs and 1038 00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:41,759 Speaker 1: UH and training camp, one of my good friends was 1039 00:49:42,080 --> 00:49:44,759 Speaker 1: Lenny Kravitz personal assistant, and they were they were on 1040 00:49:44,920 --> 00:49:47,880 Speaker 1: tour in Europe and we had that time off and 1041 00:49:48,040 --> 00:49:50,200 Speaker 1: she and she and she was like, why don't you 1042 00:49:50,280 --> 00:49:52,120 Speaker 1: come hang out with us before training camp? And I 1043 00:49:52,239 --> 00:49:55,200 Speaker 1: was like, I could. I could work out in the hotels. 1044 00:49:55,760 --> 00:49:57,800 Speaker 1: I can stay a shape. So I got on a 1045 00:49:57,840 --> 00:49:59,760 Speaker 1: plane and went there and then just being in another 1046 00:50:00,000 --> 00:50:02,160 Speaker 1: countree and just living like that. When I came back 1047 00:50:02,160 --> 00:50:04,800 Speaker 1: and started thinking about training camp, I just was like, 1048 00:50:05,120 --> 00:50:08,360 Speaker 1: I don't got I don't got it in me. I 1049 00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:11,320 Speaker 1: don't got it in me. And so that was it. 1050 00:50:11,680 --> 00:50:13,600 Speaker 1: That was so that was the thought process. You got 1051 00:50:13,680 --> 00:50:16,160 Speaker 1: on a plane, you flew to watch Lenny Kravitz tour 1052 00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:18,239 Speaker 1: through Europe. It was time for you to get back 1053 00:50:18,280 --> 00:50:20,640 Speaker 1: on a plane. You come did you? Did you come back? 1054 00:50:20,719 --> 00:50:23,600 Speaker 1: You come back and started thinking, man as hot as hell? 1055 00:50:24,000 --> 00:50:25,879 Speaker 1: It got worse. So I came back. Actually I came 1056 00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:28,280 Speaker 1: back and then I and then I became good friends 1057 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:31,360 Speaker 1: with Bob Marley's brother, Richie. So I came back for 1058 00:50:31,400 --> 00:50:33,120 Speaker 1: a day and Richie was like, hey, let's go to 1059 00:50:33,239 --> 00:50:36,160 Speaker 1: Jamaica since you have some time off. So I grew 1060 00:50:36,239 --> 00:50:38,239 Speaker 1: up a huge Bob Marley fan, and so we flew. 1061 00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:41,000 Speaker 1: We flew to Jamaica and I went to where Bob 1062 00:50:41,120 --> 00:50:43,360 Speaker 1: the Bob's hometown where he grew up, and it just 1063 00:50:43,480 --> 00:50:46,480 Speaker 1: wasn't like a spiritual experience for me. And then from 1064 00:50:46,520 --> 00:50:49,040 Speaker 1: there I flew to the Bahamas to me one of 1065 00:50:49,160 --> 00:50:51,719 Speaker 1: my good friends in Texas, Alama. We hung out and 1066 00:50:51,800 --> 00:50:54,839 Speaker 1: I just started thinking, like this kind of feels better 1067 00:50:54,920 --> 00:51:00,840 Speaker 1: than going back and getting broken, getting broke out, no money. 1068 00:51:01,880 --> 00:51:03,880 Speaker 1: It just it just made sense to me, and I 1069 00:51:04,080 --> 00:51:06,839 Speaker 1: paid the time for me. Did yourself different? You heard? Look, 1070 00:51:06,960 --> 00:51:08,840 Speaker 1: you heard what was said when people would call you 1071 00:51:08,920 --> 00:51:11,800 Speaker 1: crazy Stuf. My man, he crazy, he apot head, he 1072 00:51:11,920 --> 00:51:15,400 Speaker 1: did YadA, YadA YadA. Did that affect you? You know? 1073 00:51:15,640 --> 00:51:18,560 Speaker 1: I think I was smart enough that when I again, 1074 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:20,560 Speaker 1: when I retired, it was that feeling of what it 1075 00:51:20,640 --> 00:51:22,600 Speaker 1: felt like when I was traveling. So as soon as 1076 00:51:22,640 --> 00:51:25,640 Speaker 1: I was free, I started traveling again, I went back 1077 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:28,280 Speaker 1: to that feeling. As I was traveling, I wasn't watching 1078 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:30,520 Speaker 1: the news, and this was before you know, Twitter and 1079 00:51:30,560 --> 00:51:33,520 Speaker 1: all this stuff, so it didn't exist for me, you know. 1080 00:51:33,600 --> 00:51:35,440 Speaker 1: I mean I would talk to my agent, and I 1081 00:51:35,560 --> 00:51:37,800 Speaker 1: talked to my girls sometimes and they would be worried 1082 00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:40,360 Speaker 1: and stressed about things, but I was feeling so like 1083 00:51:41,080 --> 00:51:44,319 Speaker 1: alive and free. And really, I'm telling you, I thought, 1084 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:46,640 Speaker 1: what that moment where I called doctor Brown and I 1085 00:51:46,760 --> 00:51:49,440 Speaker 1: said I'm through, I felt like this huge weight lifted 1086 00:51:49,480 --> 00:51:51,800 Speaker 1: off my shoulders and I just felt free for the 1087 00:51:51,880 --> 00:51:54,279 Speaker 1: first time in a long time. So I didn't really 1088 00:51:54,400 --> 00:51:56,960 Speaker 1: care what anybody was thinking because I was feeling good. 1089 00:51:57,880 --> 00:52:00,680 Speaker 1: And you know, as I kind of starting to to 1090 00:52:01,840 --> 00:52:05,839 Speaker 1: like get free, I started to realize, Okay, you know though, 1091 00:52:05,880 --> 00:52:07,440 Speaker 1: I do have to finish them in my life, and 1092 00:52:07,560 --> 00:52:09,160 Speaker 1: so I started to make a plan out, say how 1093 00:52:09,160 --> 00:52:11,279 Speaker 1: am I gonna How am I gonna get on with things? 1094 00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:14,560 Speaker 1: So when you when you when you take that time off, 1095 00:52:15,239 --> 00:52:19,120 Speaker 1: did you have a reentry plan or did you just like, Okay, 1096 00:52:19,120 --> 00:52:22,279 Speaker 1: I'm gonna stay here. And like you said, you your 1097 00:52:22,440 --> 00:52:24,359 Speaker 1: energy type of guy. You're a field type of guy. 1098 00:52:24,560 --> 00:52:27,319 Speaker 1: You said you left the NFL because it didn't feel right. 1099 00:52:27,680 --> 00:52:30,440 Speaker 1: Now you're in this situation because it feels right. So 1100 00:52:30,680 --> 00:52:33,080 Speaker 1: what was your re entry or you're just gonna travel 1101 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:36,680 Speaker 1: Australia living a seven dollars day tent, you know, smoke 1102 00:52:36,760 --> 00:52:40,960 Speaker 1: a little bit, have a good time. But I mean, like, 1103 00:52:41,320 --> 00:52:43,160 Speaker 1: like it's smoke, it's not. I mean, it is a 1104 00:52:43,239 --> 00:52:45,520 Speaker 1: good time. But when I consider a good time, it's 1105 00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:48,160 Speaker 1: sitting in my tent reading a book, okay, And that's 1106 00:52:48,600 --> 00:52:50,920 Speaker 1: that's what I do when I smoke. You can read 1107 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:52,239 Speaker 1: right here in the States too, you know, you can 1108 00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:54,360 Speaker 1: read an apartment too. With life, it was different. It 1109 00:52:54,480 --> 00:52:56,560 Speaker 1: was different reading with people when people don't know who 1110 00:52:56,600 --> 00:52:58,480 Speaker 1: I am. And I got to be more of myself. 1111 00:52:58,680 --> 00:53:02,279 Speaker 1: Yea again for me, I needed that, and so and 1112 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:04,160 Speaker 1: so I didn't. I mean, you're right on it. I 1113 00:53:04,320 --> 00:53:06,120 Speaker 1: what really was trusting. The way I found and the 1114 00:53:06,160 --> 00:53:08,440 Speaker 1: way I found at one time was I don't ever 1115 00:53:08,600 --> 00:53:10,800 Speaker 1: need to come back, you know. And so it's a 1116 00:53:10,880 --> 00:53:13,239 Speaker 1: funny story. I was. I was met this dude in 1117 00:53:13,320 --> 00:53:16,080 Speaker 1: the swamp in Australia and we decided we were gonna 1118 00:53:16,080 --> 00:53:18,879 Speaker 1: go to the Himalayas, and so we were on our way. 1119 00:53:19,000 --> 00:53:20,800 Speaker 1: We were on our way today. So you just disfur 1120 00:53:20,960 --> 00:53:22,640 Speaker 1: the moment you just about to fly by the seat 1121 00:53:22,640 --> 00:53:25,440 Speaker 1: of your pants type of guy. Oh you let's go there, Okay, fine, sure, 1122 00:53:25,560 --> 00:53:27,920 Speaker 1: let's do that. I'm thinking about going over here. Yeah, 1123 00:53:28,000 --> 00:53:30,239 Speaker 1: let's do that too. I mean, if you if I 1124 00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:34,279 Speaker 1: had the bunnies. I mean, yeah, exactly, exact, exact, yeah. 1125 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:37,719 Speaker 1: And so I was. We were on our way. We 1126 00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:39,920 Speaker 1: were on our way to the Himalays, and we stopped 1127 00:53:40,000 --> 00:53:43,800 Speaker 1: over in Thailand for a couple of days. And on 1128 00:53:43,920 --> 00:53:45,640 Speaker 1: the day we were supposed to go to the hanimlay As, 1129 00:53:45,640 --> 00:53:48,800 Speaker 1: I was sitting in this little hostile hotel thing and 1130 00:53:49,200 --> 00:53:52,160 Speaker 1: this little town in Thailand, okay, Kurt Randam, and this 1131 00:53:52,280 --> 00:53:53,919 Speaker 1: little dude walks in front of me and he turns 1132 00:53:53,960 --> 00:53:56,920 Speaker 1: on the TV and the lobby and it's the Raiders 1133 00:53:56,960 --> 00:53:59,759 Speaker 1: are playing the Buccaneers, and I'm thinking, how the hell, 1134 00:54:00,360 --> 00:54:03,279 Speaker 1: how the hell is at football? Like I tried to 1135 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:05,520 Speaker 1: get away. I tried to get away from the ship 1136 00:54:05,760 --> 00:54:07,839 Speaker 1: at the corner of the globe, and then it comes 1137 00:54:07,920 --> 00:54:09,840 Speaker 1: right here, and I took that as a sign. I 1138 00:54:09,880 --> 00:54:12,799 Speaker 1: got on the phone, and so that was my first 1139 00:54:12,840 --> 00:54:15,839 Speaker 1: re entry back into America. I got on the phone 1140 00:54:15,880 --> 00:54:17,520 Speaker 1: and I told my agent, Hey, give me the next 1141 00:54:17,560 --> 00:54:20,200 Speaker 1: fight from Bangkok back to la and then I flew 1142 00:54:20,239 --> 00:54:25,120 Speaker 1: back to you. I came back later. I made it 1143 00:54:25,120 --> 00:54:27,080 Speaker 1: a couple of years later. But this I was so 1144 00:54:27,719 --> 00:54:29,840 Speaker 1: so close. I mean, but I'm telling you, if I 1145 00:54:29,840 --> 00:54:33,839 Speaker 1: would have gone to him, las, we would not be talking. 1146 00:54:34,000 --> 00:54:37,800 Speaker 1: We would not be talking right now, I'll be gone somewhere. 1147 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:41,000 Speaker 1: So during that time you're away from the NFL, give 1148 00:54:41,080 --> 00:54:43,879 Speaker 1: me a typical day for Ricky Williaves. You would wake 1149 00:54:43,960 --> 00:54:47,680 Speaker 1: up at what time and do what and then move forward. Yeah, 1150 00:54:47,719 --> 00:54:49,920 Speaker 1: so probably so I was. I was sleeping outside and 1151 00:54:49,960 --> 00:54:51,800 Speaker 1: I was in nature, and I was finding even the 1152 00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:53,840 Speaker 1: sun was going down at six o'clock, I wanted to 1153 00:54:53,880 --> 00:54:55,560 Speaker 1: go to bed six. So I was waking up at 1154 00:54:55,600 --> 00:54:58,279 Speaker 1: five o'clock in the morning with the birds, and I 1155 00:54:58,440 --> 00:55:01,360 Speaker 1: usually get up and I would take the walk. I 1156 00:55:01,400 --> 00:55:03,600 Speaker 1: would take a walk down to meet to meet swamp guy, 1157 00:55:03,719 --> 00:55:05,319 Speaker 1: to meet my friend Stephen, and then we would walk 1158 00:55:05,360 --> 00:55:07,480 Speaker 1: into town and we would get we would get the 1159 00:55:07,520 --> 00:55:10,120 Speaker 1: food for the day, and then we walked back to 1160 00:55:10,719 --> 00:55:12,719 Speaker 1: the hospital the campground when I was staying and we 1161 00:55:12,760 --> 00:55:15,880 Speaker 1: would talk and I would read, and that's really that 1162 00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:19,160 Speaker 1: was my day. It was really a lot of reading. Again. 1163 00:55:19,360 --> 00:55:21,280 Speaker 1: I was reading the Bible. I was just really getting 1164 00:55:21,320 --> 00:55:25,719 Speaker 1: into opening my mind. You returned in two thousand and five. 1165 00:55:26,280 --> 00:55:29,160 Speaker 1: You played for coach Saban. How was it playing for 1166 00:55:29,239 --> 00:55:31,840 Speaker 1: coach Saban? What was he? What was he like? Because 1167 00:55:31,880 --> 00:55:33,840 Speaker 1: we know the success that he's had at the University 1168 00:55:33,840 --> 00:55:36,200 Speaker 1: of Alabama. We know the success he had as a 1169 00:55:36,320 --> 00:55:38,920 Speaker 1: college coach, but for whatever reason, he wasn't able to 1170 00:55:38,960 --> 00:55:44,120 Speaker 1: parlay that success until NFL success. What was he like? So, 1171 00:55:44,680 --> 00:55:46,880 Speaker 1: you know, I played with him one year before before 1172 00:55:46,920 --> 00:55:50,400 Speaker 1: I got suspended, and I loved playing for Coach Saving. 1173 00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:52,560 Speaker 1: You know, I loved it because he was one of 1174 00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:54,680 Speaker 1: those coaches where you know, you knew what the standard 1175 00:55:54,840 --> 00:55:56,560 Speaker 1: was and if you met the standards, you were good. 1176 00:55:56,840 --> 00:55:58,719 Speaker 1: If you didn't, he was gonna be on it. And 1177 00:55:58,760 --> 00:56:01,160 Speaker 1: he had this thing called the Tiger board. And at first, 1178 00:56:01,239 --> 00:56:03,239 Speaker 1: you know, we thought it was this college bullshit, but 1179 00:56:03,360 --> 00:56:05,160 Speaker 1: it was a boy right when you walking into the 1180 00:56:05,200 --> 00:56:08,239 Speaker 1: team meeting room, and basically it was did you play hard? 1181 00:56:08,640 --> 00:56:10,920 Speaker 1: Basically what it was. So when you became this thing, 1182 00:56:11,400 --> 00:56:14,359 Speaker 1: or you walked in on Monday and you just want 1183 00:56:14,400 --> 00:56:16,000 Speaker 1: to make sure that you're on the Tiger board. And 1184 00:56:16,120 --> 00:56:18,640 Speaker 1: so it created where everyone was just playing hard. And 1185 00:56:18,800 --> 00:56:20,480 Speaker 1: we got off to a rough start, but we ended 1186 00:56:20,520 --> 00:56:22,120 Speaker 1: the season winning six games in a row and we 1187 00:56:22,239 --> 00:56:25,160 Speaker 1: beat a playoff bound Charger team would beat a playoff 1188 00:56:25,200 --> 00:56:29,000 Speaker 1: bound Patriots team. So so and then the next year, 1189 00:56:29,920 --> 00:56:31,200 Speaker 1: you know, I wasn't on the team, and so I 1190 00:56:31,239 --> 00:56:34,040 Speaker 1: don't really even know what happened. But my experience that 1191 00:56:34,160 --> 00:56:36,520 Speaker 1: Nick Saban is I love him and I would play 1192 00:56:36,600 --> 00:56:39,400 Speaker 1: for him any day again because he set the standard 1193 00:56:39,440 --> 00:56:42,040 Speaker 1: and it was all about show up, you know, get better, 1194 00:56:42,440 --> 00:56:45,200 Speaker 1: make plays. You mentioned the following your two thousand and 1195 00:56:45,239 --> 00:56:48,120 Speaker 1: six you were suspended again you failed a drug task. 1196 00:56:48,520 --> 00:56:50,719 Speaker 1: So at that point, did you think your career was over? 1197 00:56:53,520 --> 00:56:56,239 Speaker 1: I did. I did think my career was over there, 1198 00:56:56,840 --> 00:57:00,320 Speaker 1: and for me, the question I had was, you know 1199 00:57:00,440 --> 00:57:04,279 Speaker 1: what next. It sent me to Boston and I met 1200 00:57:04,360 --> 00:57:07,759 Speaker 1: this doctor, doctor Gunderson, and it was for part of 1201 00:57:07,840 --> 00:57:09,960 Speaker 1: my psyche val, and we just had a really connect 1202 00:57:10,560 --> 00:57:13,200 Speaker 1: deep connection. And as I was talking to him, I 1203 00:57:13,239 --> 00:57:15,560 Speaker 1: was realizing, you know, maybe there's some stuff about myself 1204 00:57:15,640 --> 00:57:18,000 Speaker 1: that I'm not aware of that's getting me in these 1205 00:57:18,080 --> 00:57:21,360 Speaker 1: kinds of situations. And so I decided to move to 1206 00:57:21,440 --> 00:57:24,160 Speaker 1: Boston for six months and I spoke to doctor Gunderson 1207 00:57:24,440 --> 00:57:27,360 Speaker 1: five days a week six months, and I also did groups. 1208 00:57:27,480 --> 00:57:30,880 Speaker 1: So I really did this deep immersion, really attending to 1209 00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:35,200 Speaker 1: to my mental health, and what I got out of 1210 00:57:35,240 --> 00:57:37,720 Speaker 1: it was clarity. And what I realized is, you know, 1211 00:57:37,800 --> 00:57:39,360 Speaker 1: football had got me to this point. But what I 1212 00:57:39,480 --> 00:57:41,360 Speaker 1: really want to be doing with my life is closer 1213 00:57:41,400 --> 00:57:44,120 Speaker 1: to what doctor Gunderson was doing and really helping people 1214 00:57:44,160 --> 00:57:47,560 Speaker 1: find themselves. And that really got my mind like straight about, 1215 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:49,600 Speaker 1: you know, my purpose in life and what I'm here 1216 00:57:49,640 --> 00:57:51,760 Speaker 1: to do, and that really set me on the road 1217 00:57:51,800 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 1: that I'm on to Now. I know you got to go, Ricky, 1218 00:57:54,800 --> 00:57:57,400 Speaker 1: Uh you finished with the Ravens. You have a great season. 1219 00:57:58,080 --> 00:58:00,560 Speaker 1: When did you know you were going to walk away? 1220 00:58:01,120 --> 00:58:03,920 Speaker 1: That this was it? I'm walking away this time, but 1221 00:58:04,040 --> 00:58:08,320 Speaker 1: I'm not coming back. So you know, that year with 1222 00:58:08,400 --> 00:58:10,880 Speaker 1: the Ravens, it was nice. You know, we were this 1223 00:58:11,160 --> 00:58:13,520 Speaker 1: close from going to the super Bowl, and I really 1224 00:58:13,600 --> 00:58:15,920 Speaker 1: love that organization. I love playing with Ed Read and 1225 00:58:16,000 --> 00:58:19,040 Speaker 1: Ray Right and Ray Lewis. But I didn't get it. 1226 00:58:19,160 --> 00:58:21,240 Speaker 1: I didn't. We got along on the outside, but I 1227 00:58:21,880 --> 00:58:24,880 Speaker 1: had some issues like with ray Rice a little bit. 1228 00:58:25,040 --> 00:58:30,480 Speaker 1: You know, it's kind of like, you know, like it 1229 00:58:30,600 --> 00:58:32,680 Speaker 1: just felt like it was like this. I was used 1230 00:58:32,680 --> 00:58:34,800 Speaker 1: to splitting time with Ronnie Brown and me and Ronnie 1231 00:58:34,840 --> 00:58:38,000 Speaker 1: were like tight and and we we competed with each other. 1232 00:58:38,120 --> 00:58:40,120 Speaker 1: We wanted to see each other and succeed. But with 1233 00:58:40,320 --> 00:58:43,040 Speaker 1: Ray it felt like this weird kind of competition, and 1234 00:58:43,120 --> 00:58:45,520 Speaker 1: so it was this game plan, you know, and and 1235 00:58:45,600 --> 00:58:47,360 Speaker 1: it just didn't It just didn't feel good. And it 1236 00:58:47,480 --> 00:58:49,040 Speaker 1: was kind of one of those things, you know, if 1237 00:58:49,080 --> 00:58:50,560 Speaker 1: something doesn't feel good to me, I'm not going to 1238 00:58:50,680 --> 00:58:53,280 Speaker 1: keep coming back and doing it. And so I started 1239 00:58:53,360 --> 00:58:59,000 Speaker 1: thinking about it like yeah, it was like you know, 1240 00:58:59,120 --> 00:59:01,000 Speaker 1: he was like staying and then and then at the 1241 00:59:01,080 --> 00:59:02,560 Speaker 1: end of the game, you be like, go take this class, 1242 00:59:02,680 --> 00:59:07,120 Speaker 1: and I'm like, what, like no, no, you know so 1243 00:59:08,000 --> 00:59:09,200 Speaker 1: and so at the end of that year, I had 1244 00:59:09,240 --> 00:59:11,400 Speaker 1: a choice to me and really, after being that close 1245 00:59:11,440 --> 00:59:13,640 Speaker 1: to the Super Bowl, I was like I was fired up, 1246 00:59:13,680 --> 00:59:16,040 Speaker 1: and you know, come thing, I'm getting the best shape 1247 00:59:16,040 --> 00:59:17,720 Speaker 1: of my life again. I'm gonna finish my career at 1248 00:59:17,760 --> 00:59:20,080 Speaker 1: private pattern of the two or three years in the system. 1249 00:59:20,200 --> 00:59:21,760 Speaker 1: You know, I had my mind right, and then I 1250 00:59:21,840 --> 00:59:24,960 Speaker 1: had a text message from Bill Parcels, and you know, 1251 00:59:25,000 --> 00:59:27,200 Speaker 1: I kind of was like I thought he would be like, yeah, 1252 00:59:27,320 --> 00:59:29,520 Speaker 1: go for it. And his response when I when I 1253 00:59:29,640 --> 00:59:32,360 Speaker 1: shared my excitement, was don't chase this thing too long. 1254 00:59:32,680 --> 00:59:34,880 Speaker 1: You know you can you can contribute in other ways. 1255 00:59:35,400 --> 00:59:36,960 Speaker 1: And that kind of it hit me like a like 1256 00:59:37,080 --> 00:59:39,480 Speaker 1: a brick and it got me starting starting to think 1257 00:59:39,520 --> 00:59:42,680 Speaker 1: about things. That's not what you wanted to hear, that's 1258 00:59:42,720 --> 00:59:44,080 Speaker 1: not that's not what I wanted to hear. It's not 1259 00:59:44,120 --> 00:59:47,120 Speaker 1: what I expected to hear. But it woke me up. 1260 00:59:47,320 --> 00:59:49,560 Speaker 1: It definitely woke me up, and within a week I 1261 00:59:49,760 --> 00:59:53,160 Speaker 1: called Coach Harbor and said, you know, thank you for 1262 00:59:53,240 --> 00:59:56,560 Speaker 1: this opportunity, but I think I'm done. I'm ready to 1263 00:59:56,600 --> 00:59:59,240 Speaker 1: move on and do something different. Ricky. You've seen you 1264 00:59:59,400 --> 01:00:02,919 Speaker 1: see at peace with your life, with how your life 1265 01:00:03,000 --> 01:00:05,200 Speaker 1: turned out. You did what you wanted to do. You 1266 01:00:05,280 --> 01:00:08,040 Speaker 1: played in the NFL, you rush for over ten thousand yards, 1267 01:00:08,360 --> 01:00:11,479 Speaker 1: You've had success, but you seem at peace. You seem 1268 01:00:11,560 --> 01:00:14,480 Speaker 1: more at peace with your life now that I'm not 1269 01:00:14,520 --> 01:00:16,480 Speaker 1: so sure that you were ever at peace for the 1270 01:00:16,640 --> 01:00:19,200 Speaker 1: NFL like you are with your life now. Correct me 1271 01:00:19,240 --> 01:00:22,840 Speaker 1: if I'm wrong. Well, I've think towards my second stint 1272 01:00:23,040 --> 01:00:26,080 Speaker 1: in Miami, I really found a sweet spot where I've 1273 01:00:26,080 --> 01:00:27,840 Speaker 1: been through the ups and downs with the fans and 1274 01:00:28,200 --> 01:00:31,120 Speaker 1: the team, and they'd accepted me and I was being 1275 01:00:31,160 --> 01:00:33,600 Speaker 1: more myself. I felt like I found a sweet spot 1276 01:00:33,880 --> 01:00:36,280 Speaker 1: at the end of my career in Miami. But definitely 1277 01:00:36,400 --> 01:00:39,600 Speaker 1: I think the fact that I started building my life 1278 01:00:39,640 --> 01:00:41,800 Speaker 1: after football while I was still playing. I think of 1279 01:00:41,880 --> 01:00:44,400 Speaker 1: that first retirement was like my dry run where I 1280 01:00:44,480 --> 01:00:46,560 Speaker 1: got to find out what I was truly passionate about. 1281 01:00:46,800 --> 01:00:48,920 Speaker 1: And I started doing those things in the off season 1282 01:00:49,280 --> 01:00:51,240 Speaker 1: and in my off time. And so when I retired 1283 01:00:51,280 --> 01:00:53,600 Speaker 1: that second time, I was ready. You know, I had 1284 01:00:53,640 --> 01:00:56,680 Speaker 1: built a container of a new life for myself, and 1285 01:00:57,040 --> 01:00:59,520 Speaker 1: I just continued to stay on that track. And I 1286 01:00:59,600 --> 01:01:02,200 Speaker 1: do feel I do feel great for where I am 1287 01:01:02,480 --> 01:01:04,400 Speaker 1: in my life right now, and I feel very fortunate 1288 01:01:04,480 --> 01:01:07,080 Speaker 1: for my experiences. And then I get opportunities to have 1289 01:01:07,200 --> 01:01:10,080 Speaker 1: conversations I mean, again, one of my one of my heroes, 1290 01:01:10,120 --> 01:01:13,320 Speaker 1: and I didn't I don't mean this around. I didn't 1291 01:01:13,360 --> 01:01:16,640 Speaker 1: appreciate that this was an amazing conversation. You know, I 1292 01:01:16,800 --> 01:01:18,960 Speaker 1: feel very fortunate to be able to share this, to 1293 01:01:19,000 --> 01:01:21,240 Speaker 1: be able to share this time with you, I appreciate it. 1294 01:01:21,480 --> 01:01:23,320 Speaker 1: Let me ask your question before we go, did you 1295 01:01:23,400 --> 01:01:25,680 Speaker 1: have you did you ever play an NFL game high? 1296 01:01:26,720 --> 01:01:28,600 Speaker 1: Because Marshawn Lynch said, you know, he had to take 1297 01:01:28,680 --> 01:01:30,760 Speaker 1: him a shot of yat before he hit the field 1298 01:01:30,760 --> 01:01:32,680 Speaker 1: and then he knew if everything gonna be okay. But 1299 01:01:32,800 --> 01:01:35,760 Speaker 1: you never played the game high. I didn't even practice high. 1300 01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:40,440 Speaker 1: I was more just after work, just like going at 1301 01:01:40,440 --> 01:01:44,600 Speaker 1: all press yes, yes, let it go, get up and 1302 01:01:44,640 --> 01:01:46,040 Speaker 1: do it again, and that was that was my thing. 1303 01:01:46,880 --> 01:01:50,160 Speaker 1: So as one of the best, have the have you 1304 01:01:50,240 --> 01:01:52,880 Speaker 1: spoken to the NFL because you see you see now 1305 01:01:52,960 --> 01:01:56,600 Speaker 1: they've relaxed some of the standards. The amount of nanogram 1306 01:01:56,720 --> 01:01:59,480 Speaker 1: that that senior system now is not the same. You 1307 01:01:59,640 --> 01:02:01,040 Speaker 1: might have been able to be able to smoke it. 1308 01:02:01,600 --> 01:02:03,320 Speaker 1: I would have been cleaned. I would have been cleared 1309 01:02:03,360 --> 01:02:05,600 Speaker 1: if they have those saint standards. You would not be 1310 01:02:05,720 --> 01:02:09,440 Speaker 1: talking about right now. I would be pretending I never suppoke. 1311 01:02:09,520 --> 01:02:11,640 Speaker 1: So it gets what you would not. You would not 1312 01:02:11,760 --> 01:02:14,720 Speaker 1: be the yogi. You would not be in an the 1313 01:02:14,800 --> 01:02:17,800 Speaker 1: astrologer that you are right now. So, as you said, 1314 01:02:17,840 --> 01:02:20,040 Speaker 1: a lot of things happened for a lot of reasons, 1315 01:02:20,480 --> 01:02:22,640 Speaker 1: and it puts you on a path to where you 1316 01:02:22,720 --> 01:02:27,400 Speaker 1: are now. That had the testing been what it is now, 1317 01:02:27,880 --> 01:02:30,240 Speaker 1: there's no way to do. I wouldn't be being exactly. 1318 01:02:30,640 --> 01:02:34,200 Speaker 1: I could be a different RICKI. Yes, Ricky, I appreciate it. 1319 01:02:34,240 --> 01:02:36,720 Speaker 1: Brou I appreciate you coming home all the best in 1320 01:02:36,800 --> 01:02:41,760 Speaker 1: your life. Your podcast continued success. Bro I really appreciate it. Yeah, 1321 01:02:41,840 --> 01:02:46,480 Speaker 1: thank you. Sharing all my life, running all my life, sacrifice, 1322 01:02:46,800 --> 01:02:50,400 Speaker 1: hustle back price. One slice got the throne. The dice 1323 01:02:50,600 --> 01:02:53,120 Speaker 1: swa all my life. I've been running all my life, 1324 01:02:53,840 --> 01:02:58,040 Speaker 1: all my life, running all my life, sacrifice, hustle back 1325 01:02:58,200 --> 01:03:01,640 Speaker 1: prices one slice. I have to bowling dice to swallow 1326 01:03:01,840 --> 01:03:03,800 Speaker 1: all my life. I've been running all my life