LaVar Arrington is joined by iconic broadcaster Charles Davis who discusses his career, his influences and what the game of football has meant to him on and off the field. Davis also hits on his time at the University of Tennessee, transitioning to the broadcast booth and how through hard work and determination, Davis has earned his title as one of the best in the business.
Takeaways:
- Never outworked and rarely out coached is a mantra to live by.
- Influences from family and community shape our paths.
- Transitioning from player to broadcaster requires hard work and adaptability.
- Preparation is key to success in any field.
- Representation in media is crucial for aspiring athletes.
- Life lessons from football extend beyond the field.
- Perseverance is essential in the face of setbacks.
- Mentorship plays a vital role in personal and professional growth.
- Believe in yourself and your potential to succeed.
- Success is a journey that requires continuous effort and learning.
#upongame #fsrweekends #2Pros
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Huv Brown, the great basketball coach, great announcer.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
We talked about when he was coaching, and he had
a mantrap, never outworked and rarely out coached m because
he's very cowful of his abilities. Well, I'm not coaching,
so I have to work that mantra a little bit different.
But the never outworked part is stuck with me. I'm
not going to be out work.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
What's up? Everybody's LeVar Arrington here? Yes, it's another week.
It's another episode. We got my man Charles Davis coming on.
He's going to talk about growing up, what that was
like with his mom and his dad and the influences
they had on them, the game, and how the influence
had a game on him, his level of achievement, and
(00:51):
all the things that goes into how he works towards
getting to where it is that he tries to get
to every single day, the impact of the game, you
name it. We talked about it. It's good in the game.
It's coming up here we go three two one, All right, everyone,
we got another great my man Charles Davis. Now we
(01:15):
can go through all the football accolades, No, but I've
got to start here. Rarely do you meet a guy
as solid as Charles Davis. Man, let me tell you
something like I have one of my best memories because
I've always been a fan of your work anyway, But
my fondest memory is obviously I called a game and
(01:39):
it was my first time ever calling a game, and
they said, man, you know, do you know how to
do game boards and stuff like that. I was like no,
They're like, all right, you need Charles, and you were
gracious enough to hook me up with your game boards
so I could see how it worked and how to
structure what it is that we were doing, and it
(02:01):
actually it gave me the ability to have the confidence
of getting through calling a game. All right, So I
want to make sure I throw that out there. We're
going to expand on that because this is called good
in the game. National Football Foundation. Charles Davis, obviously from Tennessee,
played for the Voles. Your safety, well, you end up
(02:23):
being a safety because you went as a quarterback. You
modeled yourself and you end up going making it into
the pros, go to the Cowboys. Had It's all right,
you had NFL experience, but what was cool was you
went to Tennessee being from Tennessee because your hero growing
(02:44):
up was a Tennessee volunteer. Talk to me a little
bit about like what type of influence did that have
on you to not only go to Tennessee, but to
you know, how did you pattern what you did or
model what you did leading up to trying to get
to Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Yeah, that's a great question, LaVar. Thank you first and
foremost for having me on. It's an honor, absolutely, an
absolute honor, because you you set the trend for so
many different things out there that continues to this day.
I mean kids wanting to wear number eleven, people diving
over the line of scrimmage to literally make plays, not
(03:24):
just to show up and do things, understanding how to
go and do things the right way. I could go
on and on. I was born in East Tennessee, Elizabeth
and Tennessee to be to be specific, that's where my
mother's family's from. And if you go to Elizabeth and
Tennessee and ask for the Richmonds, it doesn't take long
to find them. Okay, right there, all right, and people
(03:46):
know them. My dad's from West Virginia. He was a
college quarterback at Bluefield State in West Virginia. HBCU nice
and when I was and we moved to New Paul's,
New York. So now my parents, both Southerners in a
time of segregation, working their way into integration, go to
(04:06):
New Paul's, New York, which you know, wonderful place to
grow up, love the hometown representing with the hat right here,
All of a sudden, my parents go from only people
look like them to almost no one looks like them, right,
A whole different thing. The reason I said about preamble
that way is because there's my dad, black quarterback, wanting
(04:30):
to play for West Virginia University.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
And there's no chance was getting in.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Right, it happened, and not even he couldn't even have
the chance to put switch positions. He wasn't going to
go to there were he wasn't going to school.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Period, right right, So here I am.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
About eight years old. Tennessee opens up the season against
UCLA in Knoxville, and Condridge Holloway runs out to play
quarterback for Tennessee. Now I'm eight years old, But all
of a sudd even at eight, I realized I was
looking at something. Hold on a second, is he playing quarterback?
(05:08):
And I remember I'll never forget the look of my
father's face watching that game, that look of stoic pride
and obviously full support and the whole deal. And boy
was the heck of a game ended up being a
seventeen seventeen tie. Wow, he actually got hurt, comes back
into the game, takes them downfield, they score, they have
(05:29):
to go for two because back then, LaVar, you can
play for a tie and have two to for the tie.
And he dives into the end zone on his bad shoulder.
Tie ball game, seventeen seventeen. And I announced to my
parents that evening that I will go to Tennessee and
play quarterback.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And you did. You went to court. He went to
Tennessee as a quarterback. Quarterback.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Part the beauteous Condridge was playing in Canada when I
was in college.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Okay, players in Canadian Football League. History of being a
Canadian football all.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Of fame, I think it was two times where they
call the most outstanding player there, which would be our MVP,
the great Cups, you name it. And he had been
a draft pick in baseball. He was a shortstop and
All American shortstop in baseball. He could have picked his sport.
But my point being I never got to meet him,
LeVar I need average Holloway until my career was over.
(06:21):
At Tennessee Canadian Football League. When did they play?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
They start saw right, you're working.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I didn't meet him all until after my career was over,
and I got to him.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I said, mister Halloway, What was I like? What was
I like? What was I like for you?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
I went up to him at an event, I said,
mister Holloway, and of course that's gonna called mister Holloway.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
My name is Charles Davis. And he just looked at me,
had this little.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Grand on his face, goes, I know who you are,
so I know I know the story.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
How cool, awesome, that's pretty awesome. That's pretty awesome. That
was like how it was for me, for my namesake,
because I'm named after LeVar Burton play. Yeah. So when
I met him and he knew, he knew who I was.
When when I met him is one. It's a humble
feeling when you meet somebody who means so much to
(07:09):
you when you knew them long before they even had
the prose. I was in the pros. I was old.
I was old. In fact, I might have been retired too.
When I met him, I might have been retired because
I was doing I was doing programming to reading. It
was all about it was a campaign for reading and
(07:31):
it brought us together. We were with the mayor and
the different people head of education in DC as the
nation's capital, and they said he was going to be there.
Did I want to participate? I said, do I want
to participate? Me? First of all, I love the kids,
and I love obviously the idea of making sure that education,
which we're gonna touch on that because that's super That's
(07:52):
probably the biggest component of this conversation. Really, uh, this
will probably be the only kind of real direct football
dialogue we may have the rest of the way. But
and really this isn't even football. But anyway, went down
there to see the kids and just knowing he was
going to be there, and when I saw him, I
was just like, you know, it's only been a couple
(08:14):
of times I've been all struck by meeting someone. And
I was all struck by and I was overcome with
a lot of like feelings because my parents explained to
me watching Roots and you know, Kunta Kente is LeVar Burton.
So it's like I'm holding you up to the only,
you know, the only being greater than yourself. I know,
(08:34):
the whole Alex Haley Dill and I watched him as
an actor. I even watched Star trek Right grew up
on Ree Rainbow. But I tell you what, he was
so cool to me, and it just it really made
it real, Charles, in terms of who I chose to
be as a person. You know, and so I want
(08:56):
to transition from You had a career, you played, you
made it to the league. But then you go into
transition mode and you went hard in the transition mode,
like you did a whole lot of things. You showed diversity,
you show range, and you showed the willingness. I mean,
(09:16):
you did radio, You you called golf, you called different sports.
How was that transitioning from being a player, chasing the
dreams of being a ball player, making it to the league,
then having to transition into football is gone, and now
(09:40):
it's life after football, which we all have to do it.
We all have an expiration date. We all have to
do it. My son has a cool little deal get
created called the washed athlete. We're all washed athletes at
some point, right, what was your motivation to be so great?
(10:03):
And become so great at what it is you did
post career playing ball? What what? What? What took you
down the lane of doing you know, media and being
Because you've inspired so many of us, What took you
that direction? LeVar?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
First and foremost, I mean your story of meeting your namesake,
the person you were named for in his career. Just
it literally sent chills through me because we're often told
you never want to meet.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Your heroes because you might get disapointed.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yes, the idea that there was no disappointment, that was
the first thing. Okay, Alex Haley writing roots and of
course that was our big introduction to LeVar Burton, who
then showed his diversity range did so many different things.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
But the closed group.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
On that very quickly. When I was at Tennessee, Alex
Haley was a visiting professor, he actually talked and wow,
and yours truly took Alex Haley's class.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Wow, So you got to know them.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
We were connected to talk about you and me right
before right, what the universe does?
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Right, That's an amazing point here. I am.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
I played at Tennessee. I don't get drafted, and back
then the draft was twelve rounds, so I really didn't
get drafted.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
I get to try out with the Cowboys.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I get cut two days before the preseason opener, so
I never even got to play in the preseason open
the preseason. So I don't make it. I go off,
I go back to grad school. The whole thing. Now,
on the surface, it looks like the same story anyone
else has. Right, Okay, some guys make it, some guys don't.
All right, I don't make it. But here's the deal
to your point about how what motivation drive LaVar. When
(11:53):
I didn't get picked, it really really hurt me, Like
it really stung me, the idea that I'm not selected
afore you starter in the SEC and really on some
decent football teams, decent two great football teams. I was
a decent football player.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
But I'm looking at guys who got drafted. I was like,
I know I was better at him. I know I
was better than him. Why didn't I get drafted? You
and I both know the draft. Sometimes they don't get
it out right, so for different reasons, they decide I
wasn't good enough. This is what I tell people is
my motivation is now I get a chance to go
(12:30):
to Dallas and I go.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Did I train for it? Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Was I motivated?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Eh?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Here's the problem. I actually listened to the people who
didn't select me, meaning when I didn't get picked, I
actually believed the people who didn't pick me, right, they
didn't say anything. It's just I didn't get picked. In
my mind, oh I must not be good enough. So
when it was time to go do it, I did
(13:00):
not have that single minded focus that you need. Because
we have plenty of people who never got picked who
are wearing gold jackets.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah, indeed, ever got.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Picked, who make teams and contribute and play in a
big way and have good, long careers. It's there, It's
available if you go get it, okay, But I went
into it feeling like, well, they I must not be
good enough. So I was in shape. But did I
have the single minded focus needed to go get what
I wanted?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
The answer was no.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
When I really reflect, when I'm really honest with myself,
And that's how this transitioned me and where my drive
comes from, LaVar, because ever since then, I've said to myself,
I will never make that mistake again. I have to
own my own mistake. Now I don't know if I
would have made it. I'm not sitting here saying, well,
(13:51):
if I'd been single minded, I would have been this this.
I'm not saying that. What I am saying is I
didn't give myself a chance to find.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Out the fairest tent, the fairest opportunity.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
I will never make that stake again. Hub Brown, the
great basketball coach, great announcer. Yep, he talked about when
he was coaching, and he had a mantrap, never outworked
and rarely out coached because he's very com well, I'm
not coaching, so I have to work that mantra a
little bit different. But the never outworked part is stuck
(14:23):
with me. I'm not going to be out work. Will
other people work as hard as me? Absolutely, I'm not
sitting here thinking I'm the only guy works hard, But
I'm not going to be out worked. That is never
going to happen to me again because I did it
to myself and every year at the draft, that is
my thing. At the end of the thing, Hey guys,
you didn't get drafted, Do not make the mistake I make,
(14:44):
because I'm telling you, la are before they pull down
the lid on my coffin at my funeral. The last
conscious thought I will have is it didn't work hard
enough to give yourself your best chance. And I will
never make that stake again. And I try and preach
it to everyone. I try and you know, promoted with
my kids. Anyone who comes up and wants to do
(15:06):
something with me. No, that's not a mistake. I want
meet the second time.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Right, So let's talk about that, not making that mistake.
You see it shine through in your body of work.
So you have called some pretty pretty major games and
just knowing that you've been able to climb to those heights.
(15:32):
I'm not one I don't do. I'm not a big
race guy like I don't. I don't do victimhood. I
don't I don't get caught up into politics too much.
I just like you said, I'm a work. I'm a
work for work, and I want the merits of how
hard I work to to really resonate and create, you know,
(15:53):
be a part of the creating of opportunities to see
you climb so high and and have those opportunities to
call games so big like you call it the legendary
Boise State game, like you you know they beat Oklahoma
what I mean, but you called like a super Bowl,
(16:14):
didn't you something to that effect.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I do the I do the I'm fortunate enough to
I've called eleven super Bowls for NFL Films International, so okay,
fortunate to be part of broadcast team.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
There it is. I knew, I knew it was something
connected to the Super Bowl. I mean, it's not often
that that, you know, somebody that looks like me is
put in that position, is elevated to that position. You know,
I'm a fan of all all the guys out here,
I'm a fan of all the former players, So I
don't put too much on it, but I still say,
(16:47):
you know what, like you said, when you saw when
you saw Brooks and it gave you that motivation that
you could do it. That's how I felt, you know,
coming into broadcasting and coming into the media world, is
that when I see guys like you, I can do it.
I have a chance to do it because I see
somebody that makes it real for me that that's something
(17:10):
that I could potentially achieve. And still working towards those
types of opportunities. When you look at where you are
and that mantra that you live by and what has
kept you motivated for all these years. I mean it's
been twenty plus years. Now, what do you attribute that to?
(17:30):
And not only what do you attribute that to? But
how does that make you feel? Like? You're basically you're
a pioneer in a lot of ways to what we
do in this business. And I love that we were
going to have this interview because I wanted to make
sure I put it out there in that manner and
in that light that Charles Davis is not only great
(17:53):
at what he does, but he's a pioneer for what
it is that we aspire to do as as former athletes.
For you to do it as well you as you've
done it. How does that? How does that make you feel?
You're you're a legend and you're an example to all
of us? How does that like? How do you handle that? Like?
(18:13):
Where does that even come from? Is that is that
a background thing? Like? Did you develop it over time?
Where did it come from? For you? You know, lav Our,
we could.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Get into you know, you coming into that career coming
off of being multi all American, multi all pro, multi
everything and humbled yourself to enter a broadcasting world where
many with your accomplishments come in and just like help
me at the top. I'm going to do this thing
(18:46):
and don't put the work in. You put the work
in on the front end. You know, you told the
story about us getting together as you've prepared for your game.
You literally prepare. We had conversations, but not because of me,
and I'm pretty sure I would when you.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Talk to you. You were the only one. You are
the only one I talked to, and I used your notes,
but what you went into it the idea of I
don't know everything, I'm ready, I don't I don't know
what I don't know, and I want to know from
those who who know it. And I respect your work
so much that I was like, can I get a
(19:22):
hold of him, Like can I figure out what what
he does to prepare? Because I wanted to come across
like you do when when calling a game.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
So, yeah, you were the only person I spoke with.
I appreciate it very much. And you know, LeVar, we
go through this and and I like what you said
in the beginning about you know, listen, we're aware of
who we are, and we are proud of who we are,
but we stand up the shoulders of those who came
before us. What's about it. So you and I as
(19:53):
little people. You turn on TV and there's a earth
Cross on the NFL today, right, So you you, you
turn on the TV and I see Briant Gumbels rise
in the business. I see his brother Greg, who remains
the only black man as a play by playperson to
call Super Bowls called two of them. I believe, you know,
(20:16):
I'm watching in the in the business, in the industry
and seeing who's out there doing things. Lynn Swans, the
sideline reporter for national championship.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Games in college football.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
You know, Spencer Tillman going into booth and being as articulate,
And I'm looking at words in the dictionary in Methosaurus
because this brother can, he can, he can put it
in run time because remember he was you know, I
mean this dude was Stanford back pick All American and
(20:47):
watching him to this day said an example. I could
go on and on with the different people, but they
showed me how to do things. Plus in my working world,
I was in that position before.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
In golf.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
I believe I was the first black director in PGA
Tour history. Wow, run a golf tournament. Then college football.
I'm not sure anyone else is called national championship games.
It looks like us and Lynn was on the sidelines
calling them, so do these things, but not necessarily, as
you point out, because you're trying to Hey, I'm the
(21:24):
first to do this on the first I'm no. It's
because you've worked hard and you've got an opportunity. You thought,
you know, Hey, here's your chance. Seize it or not,
It's up to you go do it. So I thank
all those around me before me. They set the template
high and gave me an opportunity to see things. And
(21:45):
I'm not naming all of them because there's no way
to possibly do that, but just some people along the
way that I got to see. But you asked me
where it all came from. It's very simple. My father
was a high school teacher and coach, and he did
not ever say to me, so, this is how you
have to prepare it, this is how you have to work.
I just watched it every day of my life growing up,
because my dad would teach, my dad would coach.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
And then my dad was preparing for other things.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
He would get into other outside what we call now
side hustles, right, and I watched him prepare to go
into insurance and taxes, and my father was very meticulous.
If he had seven or eight classes that day, he
had a lesson plan for all seven or eight class
I'd watch him prepare his lesson plan each night. Then
he would prepares practice plan for the basketball team. I
(22:31):
played high school basketball for my dad. He coached high
school and college basketball. I'd see the practice plan get prepared,
and then he would dive into the work he had
to do to pass his exams for the insurance and
the taxes. And he never said a word like, hey,
look at me, Look how hard I'm working. This is
what I'm doing. I never said it.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
I just watched it. I saw it for all those years.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's where it came from. Bar You know other people, sure,
I can name other people different things. But when I
realized every day I watch that growing up, there was
the lesson, and I realize every day when I go
about by business and doing my work, look before I'll
go simply quickly here before each game. Every week, usually
(23:19):
about Wednesday, I'll get a call from my dad and
he'll ask me how things are going. Who you got again? Okay,
blah blah blah. You studying, yes, sir, okay, you shud
probably study some more, because you know, if you're not prepared,
if you're not ready, you'll be the first one they replace.
That's a weekly phone call. Well, what's in those words
(23:43):
is a man who came through his life.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Remember I said segregation, Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
HBCU, how integration hits. And when integration hits, he's not
hired at the local high school in Tennessee. So we
have to move to find a job in New York.
You get wrong coming from I do over ones? Did
I ever hear him say?
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Boy?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
And just you know the man's gonna keep.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Me down right right? You just gotta be good.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Just found another way, another avenue and against mountaintop and
say look at me, Look how hard I'm working?
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Right? Hey? Did it?
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Because people ask all the time, I'm sure you get
the same thing. Hey, how long does it take you
to prepare to do X, Y and Z? And I
bet you your answer is pretty similar to mine. Whatever
amount of time it takes.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
As long as it takes, as long as it takes
is what I say. And that was all those years.
Whatever it took.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
It could be two in the morning, it could be
eleven at night. It could be whatever.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
But when the giant, that's what anything, that's with anything.
So let's let's talk about that. This National Football Foundation
podcast Good in the Game. Yes, I just traveled from
the East Coast back to the West coast last evening.
I get in to my home at eleven pm Pacific time,
(25:01):
and I have a three am radio show that I
do and I do it five days a week. And
I went in the studio this morning and we're doing
our interview. What's good in the game and how it
represents good in the game. For me is what you
just said. That work ethic, that motivation, that that inspiration.
(25:25):
It almost it fuels me to be able to say
that I be putting in my time, Like don't don't
call me an overnight success. Whatever it is that comes
my way, don't come at me with no oh it
just comes easy for him. Like I might make it
look easy and I might not. I don't know, but
(25:48):
I'll come in. I'll come in on a on a
red eye flight from coming to do an appearance from
somewhere else and get an hour of sleep and get
over there and even more what I need the prep
coming into the show, and I do it. I knock
it down. I learned that discipline from playing ball. My
(26:13):
discipline to always staying true to the mission and to
the task. I'm a military kid and my mother's a
school teacher, so I come from a school teacher as well.
You get it. And our regiment, right, our regimented days
led me to have because a lot of times if
(26:35):
you can't figure out how to do it playing the
game at that Orange Tea or at some of these
other schools. That's really what separates a lot of guys
from the rest, is that there was some really talented guys.
They couldn't stay consistent to it, they couldn't stay motivated
or inspired by it. But the ones who really embraced
(26:57):
what this game represents and what it brings to the table,
you see them flourish, You see them rise, and you
see them have longevity. And it's not just in the sport.
They have longevity in life. They have success and what
they do in life, y'aw. Has the game helped mold you? Like?
What in your mind? What? Like? How does when you
(27:18):
hear the word football, what does that make you feel
in terms of what you've been able to accomplish? You know, Lvar, it's.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Such a great question because it encapsulates I think, who
we are because the game itself. We wanted to play
the game because we had we had fun doing it.
Then we had a taste of success doing it. Then
we wanted more of all of that. But we didn't
know exactly how to do everything. So that meant there
were people in our lives that we started to encounter
(27:48):
that saw our talents and wanted to help us make
it better. So that could have been a Pop Warner coach.
That could have been a middle school coach, That could
have been high school college pro. It could have been teachers,
because I had plenty of teachers that motivated me in
that way. I came from one of those towns that
you know, everyone knew everyone, but they weren't hesitant to
(28:10):
take you aside if they thought you weren't doing it
quite right, try and get you on the right path,
and by the way, would call your parents to tell them, hey,
by the way, I saw Charles, and I didn't think
that maybe, so I just wanted to let you know.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
And instead of my parents.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Go don't you, I'll raise my child right. Thank you
appreciate that. Make sure we reinforce it here on this end,
like I got a one time in school my dad
and my dad you know, was on me, of course,
and I said, don't you want to hear my side?
And he said, well, one of my colleagues calls me
and tells me you did something wrong.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
You don't have a side, right right, Hey, Charles, I
got paddled. I got I got paddled. And this how
old I am? Right?
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Grade school, doctor Barber, doctor Barber, who was our principal,
called in, called in my mom and my dad at
and they took turns paddling me, but one got tiredagged in.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Come on, get it, get you something. I got paddled,
and you know what, and I deserved it. I observed
that paddling the things I did, I could have been
going down the wrong direction, but it was that guidance,
you know, it was that guidance. And listen, that's a
little old school. Yeah. People get a little nervous when
you hear, you know that, that corporal punishment type stuff.
(29:30):
They get a little nervous.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
But think everyone, I tell people all you have to
put everything in the context of the time, all right.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Indeed, and you weren't.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Doing one getting paddled yeah, and and as as we
talked about these people who came into our lives, sometimes
they saw things and us we didn't know.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Was that and had to work to get it out.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
You right, they're gonna get a I didn't want to
be in the high school choir. But missus b Agli,
who was a true force of nature and ran the
choir program at Newpaul's Ice schoo well, she came and
told me and said, listen, you're gonna be in my
choir because I need you to balance out. I need
tall people in the back of the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
She said. Now i've heard you sing.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
She said, you can't sing a leg right, not good.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
She goes, you're gonna learn.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
You're gonna learn all the music, you can learn, all
the notes, You're gonna lip sync.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
It were You're not gonna sing that. She said.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
If you do, I'm gonna fail you. And I said,
but Missus bag I want to be in the choir.
She said, I didn't ask you if you wanted to be.
You're gonna be. And she said, I know the next
thing you're gonna say is, well, I gotta go see
my dad.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Go.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
No, I've already told your father you're gonna be in
the choir. So this this is done.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
You're good. You're good.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Learn everything, do everything, the whole deal, the full discipline thing.
This woman, Now, I couldn't sing, but you know something,
being around people who could and had different interests outside
of football was good for me. She knew like her daughter,
incredibly talented. She was a valedictorian of our class, Margaret
(31:03):
who could do everything, could sing like an angel, could
could you know, conjugate every verb coming. She was number
one in our class. She was the smartest thing going.
Being around people like her and the other people, now,
it's a different thing that's going on. That's what I
think we're talking about, because.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
That went into our ball, yes, the winning for our lives.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
It went into who was trying to get us to
different places, Mister mass and recognizing that I had a
talent for telling a story and writing and encouraging me
to do a journal my sophomore year in high school,
that I would turn weakly to him, that he could
take a look at and help shape and do things
of that nature so I could get to where I am.
I could go on and on. I was so blessed
(31:46):
with the education, with the people who cared about me.
Because we always talk about coacheses coach you as hard
as they want to coach you if you know they
care about you. That's what I had, and I was
lucky that these people cared. I knew they cared about me,
and to this day, coach Doug Matthews at Tennessee, my
special teams coach, later our defensive coordinator at Tennessee. I
(32:09):
was out of school at that point. I do a
radio show for him each and every week. Well, you
know you were doing your show. He doesn't make a
show in Nashville. He called me this is what fifteen
twenty years ago. He's like, Davis, I'm starting this radio
show and you're going to do a segment for me.
He didn't have right, He said, you're going to do
(32:29):
a segment. By the way, is just getting started. So
I'm not paying you, but you're going to be on
every week. I'll call you and tell you what time.
And you know, you and I both whoever that Doug
Matthews was in your life. When they called you and
told you that, you said the same thing.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
I said, yes, sir, yeah, oh I did radio for free. First,
you know, I first PST year and it was a
gospel station. I did a gospel station. They were saying, hey,
praise the lad was hour is over. I was lip
syncing it. Hey, praise hour was over. And then now
(33:09):
here you got one hour of sports with LeVar. As
soon as I finished, a reverend came on with the
time he bought and was preaching his sermons. So I
had my first sports show in between gospel songs and
a sermon for free. But you know what they said,
I could crack that mic.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
That's that does are called reps. That's that's that's working
for your future. The only thing that would have made
that would make that story better is if somehow you
told me the reverend that came on after was Reverend.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Ike because you grew up with Reverend Ike. I don't
think it was Reverend Ike. I figure was. I'll think
it was Reverend Ike.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Because because that was the character Richard Pryor you had
the car before him, Reverend Billy Sunday. You know, come on,
you take them back, they take their fifteen cents and
putting an envelope and mail it to them.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Anyway. You're good, You're good. That's this is the camaraderie.
It's the brotherhood that I wanted to bring to the
show that the National Football Foundation has wanted to bring
to the light, is just understanding what our camaraderie is like,
what's good in the game is what we represent and
(34:35):
have an ability to show people our interaction, you know,
and people see us in a professional capacity so often,
and they they don't always get an opportunity to see
us interact with one another on on that you know,
even level, you know, in in the locker room level
and the when we see each other level, and so
(34:57):
to have the opportunity to kind of lead the way
on on that is quite an honor. I talked to
Archie Archie Griffin for the first episode and so having
so having excellent by the way, and Archie, those people
when we're standing on the shoulders of.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
It, Pioneer per playing tail first man that's still the
only man when he has been back to back years.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
That's right. Yeah, special man. I mean this this show
has been all about talking to special men that have
played our sport and have been a part of our sport.
Let's end it off with this. What would your advice
be when you're talking about how the game has has
(35:45):
played a part in your life. To young aspiring guys
that that will see this video and they have hopes
and they have dreams, and they're aspiring to be the
things that they want to be, and a lot of
times when they see stuff like our stuff, it's specific
to football. What would your advice be to those those
(36:09):
people that see this video and know the things that
you've accomplished and know what you represent and that connection
to the game to where you are now, Lvar, I
think it's pretty simple.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
It doesn't matter what is out there that you want
to achieve and in what field is your chosen field
where your passion lies. The same things work no matter what.
And we come from the football background. So the perseverance,
the the the study, the understanding, the dedication, the fighting
(36:47):
through things to have your back against the wall and
continue to.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Fight and punch to do well.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
And then maybe someone supersedes you, or maybe you take
a setback and you got to decide whether you're gonna
get off the ground and keep punching or you're gonna
just go ahead and lay there. You know, all the
things we went through, all the things that we've done
because we went through.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
It with other people.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
And you mentioned earlier in this thing there were other
people that may have been better than us, that may
have been luger, that didn't make it for various reasons
because they didn't have what it took to do the
fight each and every day to con continue to get
up and go all those things. And I hope everybody
is who's listening to us, is not listening to us,
(37:35):
say well, look at us, we did all the We're
not talking about that. What we're talking about is the
road may not be paved along the way. They're gonna
be potholes, bumps, you know, they're gonna be switched backs,
they're gonna be jags off of it. That Are you
going to persevere in pursuit of what you really want?
(37:57):
How long does it take to get the job done?
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I don't know. As long as it's going to take, I'm.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Gonna do I'm gonna do it until the job is done, done, done.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Well, done, done, well done, directly well.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
And here's right our profession, you coming off red eye,
you prepping, you doing all that. There's no accident that
you're able to do it and maintain and sustain but
at the same time, Jack Nicholson in the movie Hafa
had the great expression all the time, Oh oh that's
a problem. Yeah, tell that to the working man right
(38:34):
now it's men and women. Tell that to the working person.
Should be the absolutely absolutely doing it, because let's face
a LeVar, we're in the candy store doing what we
get to. We get to talk about the things that
we love and look at us. We're sitting in comfortable surroundings,
in a great environment, and we get to do that.
And you know, people in our lives, okay, what they're
(38:59):
going through every day to try and make it work.
That they wake up and before their feet hit the ground,
they're thinking, this day is gonna be a hard day.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
One of my great partners.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
In broadcast at Gush Johnson, the great Gus Johnson, he
looked at me every now and then and we were
talking about working and prepping and all that. He look
at me and go, yo, man, he goes, we're not
breaking rocks, man, right like the flintstone's working at the quarry.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Oh yeah, people like that.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
But whatever your passion is, whatever you're pursuing, whatever you're chasing,
find out what it takes to get there, chart your path.
Find the people who can give you the benefits of
their wisdom, but don't expect them to just place you
in things. They're gonna give you the benefits of what
they've done and how they've gotten there. You have to
(39:49):
find how it works for you, how it shapes for you,
and use it that way. Like you and I talked
about the boards. Remember what I told you, This is
how I do it right. But you may find a
different system that we're different.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Flow and I did have my variations.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
I did you do that, but because structure, you have
to do it in your manner, otherwise just a carbon copy.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
But you gave me the structure. That structure is what
I needed.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
It has to be the law and way for it
to be done right. But there's a background, there's a base.
Use those things and then take it and be trusted.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Background and base.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
Yeah, but taking trusted it. And I've done that with
so many people in so many ways. I listened to them.
I talked to them. Just this summer, I talked to
a couple of people about how My question was how
did you achieve greatness? One of them was in business,
another one is it was is an expert in environmental
(40:51):
the environmental world, how did you do it? Neither one
of them in sports. I wanted to know what they did,
what path they took, took the notes from it, and
I carried around with me and I refer to their
notes from This had nothing to do with sports, but
it had to do with work ethic, being smart about
what you're doing, thirst for knowledge, all those things people
(41:13):
shared their time with me.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
That's I mean, that's ultimately, like you said, humble yourself
to learn the things you don't know, open yourself up
to be vulnerable to other people that have been where
you're trying to go. And that's I mean, that's a
great message. Work ethic, you know, the mindset, the belief,
because you got to believe you could be what it
is you're going to be. You know, you gotta believe it.
(41:37):
And so for me, like just listening to what you're saying, man,
super you get you got me overly inspired all over again.
Right now, I'm not gonna hold you anymore, but I
tell you what it's. It's I love the fact that
I was able to do this interview with you because
I think you're one of our our mega megastars in
(41:59):
our community. You represent us so well and just have
an opportunity to give people an opportunity to hear you.
You know, that's that's that's golden, that's that's real valuable.
This will be a real valuable, uh you know episode
that that we knocked down. So I appreciate you coming on,
making the time to come on and drop drop some
(42:21):
knowledge on on all of us and tell us a
little bit open, you know, pull the curtain back a
little bit on on your life as it applies to
you know, the professional aspect of it, and how you
were brought up with your family. It's an amazing deal.
So we appreciate you coming on. Charles now, thank you
very much.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
And as I told you at the beginning, and honor
to be on with you to watch you have the
success you've had and then as you wanted to achieve
other successes, did not rely on the past success to
say well I should be successful this right away? Make
me great, hey, put me right in this. As you mentioned,
you're doing stuff for free and learning your craft and
(42:58):
learning how to do it. To me, that's the thing
people always have to have. I don't care where you
had your success before. If you're into a different world,
don't expect it to just be right away. You're that
person to get there. LaVar Arrington is a great example
of how that, how that should be done and do
it right.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
It's right there in front of you. It's absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
I got it from my dad, watched him every day.
Also get it from my mom who used to tell
me all the time, son, if you get in trouble.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
I'm not one of those mothers that says, wait till
your father gets home. Better, We're gonna handle it. Father
gets home to pull me off of you.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
Indeed, indeed, I got that discipline just as you had,
from people who loved it, loved me and cared.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
And wanted to make sure you did it the right way.
I think we had similar parents. You the man bro.
Everybody asks Charles Davis, make sure you check them out.
If you're watching NFL games, you can catch him on CBS,
and I mean he he calls the well of a game.
You also make parentss on NFL network as well, and
so you can catch him in his commentary on there. Also.
(44:04):
He is a man of true knowledge and a true gentleman.
On top of all of that, man, appreciate you coming on.
This is good in the game. That is Charles Davis.
Make sure you check out National Football Foundation on the
social media handles and all of those different things it's at,
and it'll pop up on you National Football Foundation. You
(44:25):
can catch me on King of the Mammals by the way,
or LeVar Arrington on the X. Make sure y'all stay
tuned and we'll have another great episode coming your way.
Till next time, we'll talk to you. National Football Foundation,
Good in the game. We'll check you out
Huv Brown, the great basketball coach, great announcer.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
We talked about when he was coaching, and he had
a mantrap, never outworked and rarely out coached m because
he's very cowful of his abilities. Well, I'm not coaching,
so I have to work that mantra a little bit different.
But the never outworked part is stuck with me. I'm
not going to be out work.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
What's up? Everybody's LeVar Arrington here? Yes, it's another week.
It's another episode. We got my man Charles Davis coming on.
He's going to talk about growing up, what that was
like with his mom and his dad and the influences
they had on them, the game, and how the influence
had a game on him, his level of achievement, and
(00:51):
all the things that goes into how he works towards
getting to where it is that he tries to get
to every single day, the impact of the game, you
name it. We talked about it. It's good in the game.
It's coming up here we go three two one, All right, everyone,
we got another great my man Charles Davis. Now we
(01:15):
can go through all the football accolades, No, but I've
got to start here. Rarely do you meet a guy
as solid as Charles Davis. Man, let me tell you
something like I have one of my best memories because
I've always been a fan of your work anyway, But
my fondest memory is obviously I called a game and
(01:39):
it was my first time ever calling a game, and
they said, man, you know, do you know how to
do game boards and stuff like that. I was like no,
They're like, all right, you need Charles, and you were
gracious enough to hook me up with your game boards
so I could see how it worked and how to
structure what it is that we were doing, and it
(02:01):
actually it gave me the ability to have the confidence
of getting through calling a game. All right, So I
want to make sure I throw that out there. We're
going to expand on that because this is called good
in the game. National Football Foundation. Charles Davis, obviously from Tennessee,
played for the Voles. Your safety, well, you end up
(02:23):
being a safety because you went as a quarterback. You
modeled yourself and you end up going making it into
the pros, go to the Cowboys. Had It's all right,
you had NFL experience, but what was cool was you
went to Tennessee being from Tennessee because your hero growing
(02:44):
up was a Tennessee volunteer. Talk to me a little
bit about like what type of influence did that have
on you to not only go to Tennessee, but to
you know, how did you pattern what you did or
model what you did leading up to trying to get
to Tennessee.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Yeah, that's a great question, LaVar. Thank you first and
foremost for having me on. It's an honor, absolutely, an
absolute honor, because you you set the trend for so
many different things out there that continues to this day.
I mean kids wanting to wear number eleven, people diving
over the line of scrimmage to literally make plays, not
(03:24):
just to show up and do things, understanding how to
go and do things the right way. I could go
on and on. I was born in East Tennessee, Elizabeth
and Tennessee to be to be specific, that's where my
mother's family's from. And if you go to Elizabeth and
Tennessee and ask for the Richmonds, it doesn't take long
to find them. Okay, right there, all right, and people
(03:46):
know them. My dad's from West Virginia. He was a
college quarterback at Bluefield State in West Virginia. HBCU nice
and when I was and we moved to New Paul's,
New York. So now my parents, both Southerners in a
time of segregation, working their way into integration, go to
(04:06):
New Paul's, New York, which you know, wonderful place to
grow up, love the hometown representing with the hat right here,
All of a sudden, my parents go from only people
look like them to almost no one looks like them, right,
A whole different thing. The reason I said about preamble
that way is because there's my dad, black quarterback, wanting
(04:30):
to play for West Virginia University.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
And there's no chance was getting in.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Right, it happened, and not even he couldn't even have
the chance to put switch positions. He wasn't going to
go to there were he wasn't going to school.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Period, right right, So here I am.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
About eight years old. Tennessee opens up the season against
UCLA in Knoxville, and Condridge Holloway runs out to play
quarterback for Tennessee. Now I'm eight years old, But all
of a sudd even at eight, I realized I was
looking at something. Hold on a second, is he playing quarterback?
(05:08):
And I remember I'll never forget the look of my
father's face watching that game, that look of stoic pride
and obviously full support and the whole deal. And boy
was the heck of a game ended up being a
seventeen seventeen tie. Wow, he actually got hurt, comes back
into the game, takes them downfield, they score, they have
(05:29):
to go for two because back then, LaVar, you can
play for a tie and have two to for the tie.
And he dives into the end zone on his bad shoulder.
Tie ball game, seventeen seventeen. And I announced to my
parents that evening that I will go to Tennessee and
play quarterback.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
And you did. You went to court. He went to
Tennessee as a quarterback. Quarterback.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Part the beauteous Condridge was playing in Canada when I
was in college.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Okay, players in Canadian Football League. History of being a
Canadian football all.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Of fame, I think it was two times where they
call the most outstanding player there, which would be our MVP,
the great Cups, you name it. And he had been
a draft pick in baseball. He was a shortstop and
All American shortstop in baseball. He could have picked his sport.
But my point being I never got to meet him,
LeVar I need average Holloway until my career was over.
(06:21):
At Tennessee Canadian Football League. When did they play?
Speaker 2 (06:25):
They start saw right, you're working.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
I didn't meet him all until after my career was over,
and I got to him.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I said, mister Halloway, What was I like? What was
I like? What was I like for you?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
I went up to him at an event, I said,
mister Holloway, and of course that's gonna called mister Holloway.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
My name is Charles Davis. And he just looked at me,
had this little.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
Grand on his face, goes, I know who you are,
so I know I know the story.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
How cool, awesome, that's pretty awesome. That's pretty awesome. That
was like how it was for me, for my namesake,
because I'm named after LeVar Burton play. Yeah. So when
I met him and he knew, he knew who I was.
When when I met him is one. It's a humble
feeling when you meet somebody who means so much to
(07:09):
you when you knew them long before they even had
the prose. I was in the pros. I was old.
I was old. In fact, I might have been retired too.
When I met him, I might have been retired because
I was doing I was doing programming to reading. It
was all about it was a campaign for reading and
(07:31):
it brought us together. We were with the mayor and
the different people head of education in DC as the
nation's capital, and they said he was going to be there.
Did I want to participate? I said, do I want
to participate? Me? First of all, I love the kids,
and I love obviously the idea of making sure that education,
which we're gonna touch on that because that's super That's
(07:52):
probably the biggest component of this conversation. Really, uh, this
will probably be the only kind of real direct football
dialogue we may have the rest of the way. But
and really this isn't even football. But anyway, went down
there to see the kids and just knowing he was
going to be there, and when I saw him, I
was just like, you know, it's only been a couple
(08:14):
of times I've been all struck by meeting someone. And
I was all struck by and I was overcome with
a lot of like feelings because my parents explained to
me watching Roots and you know, Kunta Kente is LeVar Burton.
So it's like I'm holding you up to the only,
you know, the only being greater than yourself. I know,
(08:34):
the whole Alex Haley Dill and I watched him as
an actor. I even watched Star trek Right grew up
on Ree Rainbow. But I tell you what, he was
so cool to me, and it just it really made
it real, Charles, in terms of who I chose to
be as a person. You know, and so I want
(08:56):
to transition from You had a career, you played, you
made it to the league. But then you go into
transition mode and you went hard in the transition mode,
like you did a whole lot of things. You showed diversity,
you show range, and you showed the willingness. I mean,
(09:16):
you did radio, You you called golf, you called different sports.
How was that transitioning from being a player, chasing the
dreams of being a ball player, making it to the league,
then having to transition into football is gone, and now
(09:40):
it's life after football, which we all have to do it.
We all have an expiration date. We all have to
do it. My son has a cool little deal get
created called the washed athlete. We're all washed athletes at
some point, right, what was your motivation to be so great?
(10:03):
And become so great at what it is you did
post career playing ball? What what? What? What took you
down the lane of doing you know, media and being
Because you've inspired so many of us, What took you
that direction? LeVar?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
First and foremost, I mean your story of meeting your namesake,
the person you were named for in his career. Just
it literally sent chills through me because we're often told
you never want to meet.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Your heroes because you might get disapointed.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yes, the idea that there was no disappointment, that was
the first thing. Okay, Alex Haley writing roots and of
course that was our big introduction to LeVar Burton, who
then showed his diversity range did so many different things.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
But the closed group.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
On that very quickly. When I was at Tennessee, Alex
Haley was a visiting professor, he actually talked and wow,
and yours truly took Alex Haley's class.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Wow, So you got to know them.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
We were connected to talk about you and me right
before right, what the universe does?
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Right, That's an amazing point here. I am.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
I played at Tennessee. I don't get drafted, and back
then the draft was twelve rounds, so I really didn't
get drafted.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
I get to try out with the Cowboys.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
I get cut two days before the preseason opener, so
I never even got to play in the preseason open
the preseason. So I don't make it. I go off,
I go back to grad school. The whole thing. Now,
on the surface, it looks like the same story anyone
else has. Right, Okay, some guys make it, some guys don't.
All right, I don't make it. But here's the deal
to your point about how what motivation drive LaVar. When
(11:53):
I didn't get picked, it really really hurt me, Like
it really stung me, the idea that I'm not selected
afore you starter in the SEC and really on some
decent football teams, decent two great football teams. I was
a decent football player.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
You know.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
But I'm looking at guys who got drafted. I was like,
I know I was better at him. I know I
was better than him. Why didn't I get drafted? You
and I both know the draft. Sometimes they don't get
it out right, so for different reasons, they decide I
wasn't good enough. This is what I tell people is
my motivation is now I get a chance to go
(12:30):
to Dallas and I go.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Did I train for it? Yes?
Speaker 1 (12:34):
Was I motivated?
Speaker 2 (12:37):
Eh?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Here's the problem. I actually listened to the people who
didn't select me, meaning when I didn't get picked, I
actually believed the people who didn't pick me, right, they
didn't say anything. It's just I didn't get picked. In
my mind, oh I must not be good enough. So
when it was time to go do it, I did
(13:00):
not have that single minded focus that you need. Because
we have plenty of people who never got picked who
are wearing gold jackets.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Yeah, indeed, ever got.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Picked, who make teams and contribute and play in a
big way and have good, long careers. It's there, It's
available if you go get it, okay, But I went
into it feeling like, well, they I must not be
good enough. So I was in shape. But did I
have the single minded focus needed to go get what
I wanted?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
The answer was no.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
When I really reflect, when I'm really honest with myself,
And that's how this transitioned me and where my drive
comes from, LaVar, because ever since then, I've said to myself,
I will never make that mistake again. I have to
own my own mistake. Now I don't know if I
would have made it. I'm not sitting here saying, well,
(13:51):
if I'd been single minded, I would have been this this.
I'm not saying that. What I am saying is I
didn't give myself a chance to find.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Out the fairest tent, the fairest opportunity.
Speaker 1 (14:01):
I will never make that stake again. Hub Brown, the
great basketball coach, great announcer. Yep, he talked about when
he was coaching, and he had a mantrap, never outworked
and rarely out coached because he's very com well, I'm
not coaching, so I have to work that mantra a
little bit different. But the never outworked part is stuck
(14:23):
with me. I'm not going to be out work. Will
other people work as hard as me? Absolutely, I'm not
sitting here thinking I'm the only guy works hard, But
I'm not going to be out worked. That is never
going to happen to me again because I did it
to myself and every year at the draft, that is
my thing. At the end of the thing, Hey guys,
you didn't get drafted, Do not make the mistake I make,
(14:44):
because I'm telling you, la are before they pull down
the lid on my coffin at my funeral. The last
conscious thought I will have is it didn't work hard
enough to give yourself your best chance. And I will
never make that stake again. And I try and preach
it to everyone. I try and you know, promoted with
my kids. Anyone who comes up and wants to do
(15:06):
something with me. No, that's not a mistake. I want
meet the second time.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
Right, So let's talk about that, not making that mistake.
You see it shine through in your body of work.
So you have called some pretty pretty major games and
just knowing that you've been able to climb to those heights.
(15:32):
I'm not one I don't do. I'm not a big
race guy like I don't. I don't do victimhood. I
don't I don't get caught up into politics too much.
I just like you said, I'm a work. I'm a
work for work, and I want the merits of how
hard I work to to really resonate and create, you know,
(15:53):
be a part of the creating of opportunities to see
you climb so high and and have those opportunities to
call games so big like you call it the legendary
Boise State game, like you you know they beat Oklahoma
what I mean, but you called like a super Bowl,
(16:14):
didn't you something to that effect.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I do the I do the I'm fortunate enough to
I've called eleven super Bowls for NFL Films International, so okay,
fortunate to be part of broadcast team.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
There it is. I knew, I knew it was something
connected to the Super Bowl. I mean, it's not often
that that, you know, somebody that looks like me is
put in that position, is elevated to that position. You know,
I'm a fan of all all the guys out here,
I'm a fan of all the former players, So I
don't put too much on it, but I still say,
(16:47):
you know what, like you said, when you saw when
you saw Brooks and it gave you that motivation that
you could do it. That's how I felt, you know,
coming into broadcasting and coming into the media world, is
that when I see guys like you, I can do it.
I have a chance to do it because I see
somebody that makes it real for me that that's something
(17:10):
that I could potentially achieve. And still working towards those
types of opportunities. When you look at where you are
and that mantra that you live by and what has
kept you motivated for all these years. I mean it's
been twenty plus years. Now, what do you attribute that to?
(17:30):
And not only what do you attribute that to? But
how does that make you feel? Like? You're basically you're
a pioneer in a lot of ways to what we
do in this business. And I love that we were
going to have this interview because I wanted to make
sure I put it out there in that manner and
in that light that Charles Davis is not only great
(17:53):
at what he does, but he's a pioneer for what
it is that we aspire to do as as former athletes.
For you to do it as well you as you've
done it. How does that? How does that make you feel?
You're you're a legend and you're an example to all
of us? How does that like? How do you handle that? Like?
(18:13):
Where does that even come from? Is that is that
a background thing? Like? Did you develop it over time?
Where did it come from? For you? You know, lav Our,
we could.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Get into you know, you coming into that career coming
off of being multi all American, multi all pro, multi
everything and humbled yourself to enter a broadcasting world where
many with your accomplishments come in and just like help
me at the top. I'm going to do this thing
(18:46):
and don't put the work in. You put the work
in on the front end. You know, you told the
story about us getting together as you've prepared for your game.
You literally prepare. We had conversations, but not because of me,
and I'm pretty sure I would when you.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Talk to you. You were the only one. You are
the only one I talked to, and I used your notes,
but what you went into it the idea of I
don't know everything, I'm ready, I don't I don't know
what I don't know, and I want to know from
those who who know it. And I respect your work
so much that I was like, can I get a
(19:22):
hold of him, Like can I figure out what what
he does to prepare? Because I wanted to come across
like you do when when calling a game.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
So, yeah, you were the only person I spoke with.
I appreciate it very much. And you know, LeVar, we
go through this and and I like what you said
in the beginning about you know, listen, we're aware of
who we are, and we are proud of who we are,
but we stand up the shoulders of those who came
before us. What's about it. So you and I as
(19:53):
little people. You turn on TV and there's a earth
Cross on the NFL today, right, So you you, you
turn on the TV and I see Briant Gumbels rise
in the business. I see his brother Greg, who remains
the only black man as a play by playperson to
call Super Bowls called two of them. I believe, you know,
(20:16):
I'm watching in the in the business, in the industry
and seeing who's out there doing things. Lynn Swans, the
sideline reporter for national championship.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Games in college football.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
You know, Spencer Tillman going into booth and being as articulate,
And I'm looking at words in the dictionary in Methosaurus
because this brother can, he can, he can put it
in run time because remember he was you know, I
mean this dude was Stanford back pick All American and
(20:47):
watching him to this day said an example. I could
go on and on with the different people, but they
showed me how to do things. Plus in my working world,
I was in that position before.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
In golf.
Speaker 1 (21:01):
I believe I was the first black director in PGA
Tour history. Wow, run a golf tournament. Then college football.
I'm not sure anyone else is called national championship games.
It looks like us and Lynn was on the sidelines
calling them, so do these things, but not necessarily, as
you point out, because you're trying to Hey, I'm the
(21:24):
first to do this on the first I'm no. It's
because you've worked hard and you've got an opportunity. You thought,
you know, Hey, here's your chance. Seize it or not,
It's up to you go do it. So I thank
all those around me before me. They set the template
high and gave me an opportunity to see things. And
(21:45):
I'm not naming all of them because there's no way
to possibly do that, but just some people along the
way that I got to see. But you asked me
where it all came from. It's very simple. My father
was a high school teacher and coach, and he did
not ever say to me, so, this is how you
have to prepare it, this is how you have to work.
I just watched it every day of my life growing up,
because my dad would teach, my dad would coach.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
And then my dad was preparing for other things.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
He would get into other outside what we call now
side hustles, right, and I watched him prepare to go
into insurance and taxes, and my father was very meticulous.
If he had seven or eight classes that day, he
had a lesson plan for all seven or eight class
I'd watch him prepare his lesson plan each night. Then
he would prepares practice plan for the basketball team. I
(22:31):
played high school basketball for my dad. He coached high
school and college basketball. I'd see the practice plan get prepared,
and then he would dive into the work he had
to do to pass his exams for the insurance and
the taxes. And he never said a word like, hey,
look at me, Look how hard I'm working. This is
what I'm doing. I never said it.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
I just watched it. I saw it for all those years.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
That's where it came from. Bar You know other people, sure,
I can name other people different things. But when I
realized every day I watch that growing up, there was
the lesson, and I realize every day when I go
about by business and doing my work, look before I'll
go simply quickly here before each game. Every week, usually
(23:19):
about Wednesday, I'll get a call from my dad and
he'll ask me how things are going. Who you got again? Okay,
blah blah blah. You studying, yes, sir, okay, you shud
probably study some more, because you know, if you're not prepared,
if you're not ready, you'll be the first one they replace.
That's a weekly phone call. Well, what's in those words
(23:43):
is a man who came through his life.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Remember I said segregation, Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
HBCU, how integration hits. And when integration hits, he's not
hired at the local high school in Tennessee. So we
have to move to find a job in New York.
You get wrong coming from I do over ones? Did
I ever hear him say?
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Boy?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
And just you know the man's gonna keep.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Me down right right? You just gotta be good.
Speaker 1 (24:09):
Just found another way, another avenue and against mountaintop and
say look at me, Look how hard I'm working?
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Right? Hey? Did it?
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Because people ask all the time, I'm sure you get
the same thing. Hey, how long does it take you
to prepare to do X, Y and Z? And I
bet you your answer is pretty similar to mine. Whatever
amount of time it takes.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
As long as it takes, as long as it takes
is what I say. And that was all those years.
Whatever it took.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
It could be two in the morning, it could be
eleven at night. It could be whatever.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
But when the giant, that's what anything, that's with anything.
So let's let's talk about that. This National Football Foundation
podcast Good in the Game. Yes, I just traveled from
the East Coast back to the West coast last evening.
I get in to my home at eleven pm Pacific time,
(25:01):
and I have a three am radio show that I
do and I do it five days a week. And
I went in the studio this morning and we're doing
our interview. What's good in the game and how it
represents good in the game. For me is what you
just said. That work ethic, that motivation, that that inspiration.
(25:25):
It almost it fuels me to be able to say
that I be putting in my time, Like don't don't
call me an overnight success. Whatever it is that comes
my way, don't come at me with no oh it
just comes easy for him. Like I might make it
look easy and I might not. I don't know, but
(25:48):
I'll come in. I'll come in on a on a
red eye flight from coming to do an appearance from
somewhere else and get an hour of sleep and get
over there and even more what I need the prep
coming into the show, and I do it. I knock
it down. I learned that discipline from playing ball. My
(26:13):
discipline to always staying true to the mission and to
the task. I'm a military kid and my mother's a
school teacher, so I come from a school teacher as well.
You get it. And our regiment, right, our regimented days
led me to have because a lot of times if
(26:35):
you can't figure out how to do it playing the
game at that Orange Tea or at some of these
other schools. That's really what separates a lot of guys
from the rest, is that there was some really talented guys.
They couldn't stay consistent to it, they couldn't stay motivated
or inspired by it. But the ones who really embraced
(26:57):
what this game represents and what it brings to the table,
you see them flourish, You see them rise, and you
see them have longevity. And it's not just in the sport.
They have longevity in life. They have success and what
they do in life, y'aw. Has the game helped mold you? Like?
What in your mind? What? Like? How does when you
(27:18):
hear the word football, what does that make you feel
in terms of what you've been able to accomplish? You know, Lvar, it's.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Such a great question because it encapsulates I think, who
we are because the game itself. We wanted to play
the game because we had we had fun doing it.
Then we had a taste of success doing it. Then
we wanted more of all of that. But we didn't
know exactly how to do everything. So that meant there
were people in our lives that we started to encounter
(27:48):
that saw our talents and wanted to help us make
it better. So that could have been a Pop Warner coach.
That could have been a middle school coach, That could
have been high school college pro. It could have been teachers,
because I had plenty of teachers that motivated me in
that way. I came from one of those towns that
you know, everyone knew everyone, but they weren't hesitant to
(28:10):
take you aside if they thought you weren't doing it
quite right, try and get you on the right path,
and by the way, would call your parents to tell them, hey,
by the way, I saw Charles, and I didn't think
that maybe, so I just wanted to let you know.
Speaker 2 (28:22):
And instead of my parents.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Go don't you, I'll raise my child right. Thank you
appreciate that. Make sure we reinforce it here on this end,
like I got a one time in school my dad
and my dad you know, was on me, of course,
and I said, don't you want to hear my side?
And he said, well, one of my colleagues calls me
and tells me you did something wrong.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
You don't have a side, right right, Hey, Charles, I
got paddled. I got I got paddled. And this how
old I am? Right?
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Grade school, doctor Barber, doctor Barber, who was our principal,
called in, called in my mom and my dad at
and they took turns paddling me, but one got tiredagged in.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Come on, get it, get you something. I got paddled,
and you know what, and I deserved it. I observed
that paddling the things I did, I could have been
going down the wrong direction, but it was that guidance,
you know, it was that guidance. And listen, that's a
little old school. Yeah. People get a little nervous when
you hear, you know that, that corporal punishment type stuff.
(29:30):
They get a little nervous.
Speaker 1 (29:31):
But think everyone, I tell people all you have to
put everything in the context of the time, all right.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Indeed, and you weren't.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Doing one getting paddled yeah, and and as as we
talked about these people who came into our lives, sometimes
they saw things and us we didn't know.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Was that and had to work to get it out.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
You right, they're gonna get a I didn't want to
be in the high school choir. But missus b Agli,
who was a true force of nature and ran the
choir program at Newpaul's Ice schoo well, she came and
told me and said, listen, you're gonna be in my
choir because I need you to balance out. I need
tall people in the back of the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
She said. Now i've heard you sing.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
She said, you can't sing a leg right, not good.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
She goes, you're gonna learn.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
You're gonna learn all the music, you can learn, all
the notes, You're gonna lip sync.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
It were You're not gonna sing that. She said.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
If you do, I'm gonna fail you. And I said,
but Missus bag I want to be in the choir.
She said, I didn't ask you if you wanted to be.
You're gonna be. And she said, I know the next
thing you're gonna say is, well, I gotta go see
my dad.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Go.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
No, I've already told your father you're gonna be in
the choir. So this this is done.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
You're good. You're good.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Learn everything, do everything, the whole deal, the full discipline thing.
This woman, Now, I couldn't sing, but you know something,
being around people who could and had different interests outside
of football was good for me. She knew like her daughter,
incredibly talented. She was a valedictorian of our class, Margaret
(31:03):
who could do everything, could sing like an angel, could
could you know, conjugate every verb coming. She was number
one in our class. She was the smartest thing going.
Being around people like her and the other people, now,
it's a different thing that's going on. That's what I
think we're talking about, because.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
That went into our ball, yes, the winning for our lives.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
It went into who was trying to get us to
different places, Mister mass and recognizing that I had a
talent for telling a story and writing and encouraging me
to do a journal my sophomore year in high school,
that I would turn weakly to him, that he could
take a look at and help shape and do things
of that nature so I could get to where I am.
I could go on and on. I was so blessed
(31:46):
with the education, with the people who cared about me.
Because we always talk about coacheses coach you as hard
as they want to coach you if you know they
care about you. That's what I had, and I was
lucky that these people cared. I knew they cared about me,
and to this day, coach Doug Matthews at Tennessee, my
special teams coach, later our defensive coordinator at Tennessee. I
(32:09):
was out of school at that point. I do a
radio show for him each and every week. Well, you
know you were doing your show. He doesn't make a
show in Nashville. He called me this is what fifteen
twenty years ago. He's like, Davis, I'm starting this radio
show and you're going to do a segment for me.
He didn't have right, He said, you're going to do
(32:29):
a segment. By the way, is just getting started. So
I'm not paying you, but you're going to be on
every week. I'll call you and tell you what time.
And you know, you and I both whoever that Doug
Matthews was in your life. When they called you and
told you that, you said the same thing.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
I said, yes, sir, yeah, oh I did radio for free. First,
you know, I first PST year and it was a
gospel station. I did a gospel station. They were saying, hey,
praise the lad was hour is over. I was lip
syncing it. Hey, praise hour was over. And then now
(33:09):
here you got one hour of sports with LeVar. As
soon as I finished, a reverend came on with the
time he bought and was preaching his sermons. So I
had my first sports show in between gospel songs and
a sermon for free. But you know what they said,
I could crack that mic.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
That's that does are called reps. That's that's that's working
for your future. The only thing that would have made
that would make that story better is if somehow you
told me the reverend that came on after was Reverend.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Ike because you grew up with Reverend Ike. I don't
think it was Reverend Ike. I figure was. I'll think
it was Reverend Ike.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Because because that was the character Richard Pryor you had
the car before him, Reverend Billy Sunday. You know, come on,
you take them back, they take their fifteen cents and
putting an envelope and mail it to them.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Anyway. You're good, You're good. That's this is the camaraderie.
It's the brotherhood that I wanted to bring to the
show that the National Football Foundation has wanted to bring
to the light, is just understanding what our camaraderie is like,
what's good in the game is what we represent and
(34:35):
have an ability to show people our interaction, you know,
and people see us in a professional capacity so often,
and they they don't always get an opportunity to see
us interact with one another on on that you know,
even level, you know, in in the locker room level
and the when we see each other level, and so
(34:57):
to have the opportunity to kind of lead the way
on on that is quite an honor. I talked to
Archie Archie Griffin for the first episode and so having
so having excellent by the way, and Archie, those people
when we're standing on the shoulders of.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
It, Pioneer per playing tail first man that's still the
only man when he has been back to back years.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
That's right. Yeah, special man. I mean this this show
has been all about talking to special men that have
played our sport and have been a part of our sport.
Let's end it off with this. What would your advice
be when you're talking about how the game has has
(35:45):
played a part in your life. To young aspiring guys
that that will see this video and they have hopes
and they have dreams, and they're aspiring to be the
things that they want to be, and a lot of
times when they see stuff like our stuff, it's specific
to football. What would your advice be to those those
(36:09):
people that see this video and know the things that
you've accomplished and know what you represent and that connection
to the game to where you are now, Lvar, I
think it's pretty simple.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
It doesn't matter what is out there that you want
to achieve and in what field is your chosen field
where your passion lies. The same things work no matter what.
And we come from the football background. So the perseverance,
the the the study, the understanding, the dedication, the fighting
(36:47):
through things to have your back against the wall and
continue to.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
Fight and punch to do well.
Speaker 1 (36:55):
And then maybe someone supersedes you, or maybe you take
a setback and you got to decide whether you're gonna
get off the ground and keep punching or you're gonna
just go ahead and lay there. You know, all the
things we went through, all the things that we've done
because we went through.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
It with other people.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
And you mentioned earlier in this thing there were other
people that may have been better than us, that may
have been luger, that didn't make it for various reasons
because they didn't have what it took to do the
fight each and every day to con continue to get
up and go all those things. And I hope everybody
is who's listening to us, is not listening to us,
(37:35):
say well, look at us, we did all the We're
not talking about that. What we're talking about is the
road may not be paved along the way. They're gonna
be potholes, bumps, you know, they're gonna be switched backs,
they're gonna be jags off of it. That Are you
going to persevere in pursuit of what you really want?
(37:57):
How long does it take to get the job done?
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I don't know. As long as it's going to take, I'm.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
Gonna do I'm gonna do it until the job is done, done, done.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Well, done, done, well done, directly well.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
And here's right our profession, you coming off red eye,
you prepping, you doing all that. There's no accident that
you're able to do it and maintain and sustain but
at the same time, Jack Nicholson in the movie Hafa
had the great expression all the time, Oh oh that's
a problem. Yeah, tell that to the working man right
(38:34):
now it's men and women. Tell that to the working person.
Should be the absolutely absolutely doing it, because let's face
a LeVar, we're in the candy store doing what we
get to. We get to talk about the things that
we love and look at us. We're sitting in comfortable surroundings,
in a great environment, and we get to do that.
And you know, people in our lives, okay, what they're
(38:59):
going through every day to try and make it work.
That they wake up and before their feet hit the ground,
they're thinking, this day is gonna be a hard day.
Speaker 2 (39:10):
One of my great partners.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
In broadcast at Gush Johnson, the great Gus Johnson, he
looked at me every now and then and we were
talking about working and prepping and all that. He look
at me and go, yo, man, he goes, we're not
breaking rocks, man, right like the flintstone's working at the quarry.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Oh yeah, people like that.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
But whatever your passion is, whatever you're pursuing, whatever you're chasing,
find out what it takes to get there, chart your path.
Find the people who can give you the benefits of
their wisdom, but don't expect them to just place you
in things. They're gonna give you the benefits of what
they've done and how they've gotten there. You have to
(39:49):
find how it works for you, how it shapes for you,
and use it that way. Like you and I talked
about the boards. Remember what I told you, This is
how I do it right. But you may find a
different system that we're different.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
Flow and I did have my variations.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
I did you do that, but because structure, you have
to do it in your manner, otherwise just a carbon copy.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
But you gave me the structure. That structure is what
I needed.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
It has to be the law and way for it
to be done right. But there's a background, there's a base.
Use those things and then take it and be trusted.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
Background and base.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
Yeah, but taking trusted it. And I've done that with
so many people in so many ways. I listened to them.
I talked to them. Just this summer, I talked to
a couple of people about how My question was how
did you achieve greatness? One of them was in business,
another one is it was is an expert in environmental
(40:51):
the environmental world, how did you do it? Neither one
of them in sports. I wanted to know what they did,
what path they took, took the notes from it, and
I carried around with me and I refer to their
notes from This had nothing to do with sports, but
it had to do with work ethic, being smart about
what you're doing, thirst for knowledge, all those things people
(41:13):
shared their time with me.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
That's I mean, that's ultimately, like you said, humble yourself
to learn the things you don't know, open yourself up
to be vulnerable to other people that have been where
you're trying to go. And that's I mean, that's a
great message. Work ethic, you know, the mindset, the belief,
because you got to believe you could be what it
is you're going to be. You know, you gotta believe it.
(41:37):
And so for me, like just listening to what you're saying, man,
super you get you got me overly inspired all over again.
Right now, I'm not gonna hold you anymore, but I
tell you what it's. It's I love the fact that
I was able to do this interview with you because
I think you're one of our our mega megastars in
(41:59):
our community. You represent us so well and just have
an opportunity to give people an opportunity to hear you.
You know, that's that's that's golden, that's that's real valuable.
This will be a real valuable, uh you know episode
that that we knocked down. So I appreciate you coming on,
making the time to come on and drop drop some
(42:21):
knowledge on on all of us and tell us a
little bit open, you know, pull the curtain back a
little bit on on your life as it applies to
you know, the professional aspect of it, and how you
were brought up with your family. It's an amazing deal.
So we appreciate you coming on. Charles now, thank you
very much.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
And as I told you at the beginning, and honor
to be on with you to watch you have the
success you've had and then as you wanted to achieve
other successes, did not rely on the past success to
say well I should be successful this right away? Make
me great, hey, put me right in this. As you mentioned,
you're doing stuff for free and learning your craft and
(42:58):
learning how to do it. To me, that's the thing
people always have to have. I don't care where you
had your success before. If you're into a different world,
don't expect it to just be right away. You're that
person to get there. LaVar Arrington is a great example
of how that, how that should be done and do
it right.
Speaker 2 (43:16):
It's right there in front of you. It's absolutely so.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
I got it from my dad, watched him every day.
Also get it from my mom who used to tell
me all the time, son, if you get in trouble.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
I'm not one of those mothers that says, wait till
your father gets home. Better, We're gonna handle it. Father
gets home to pull me off of you.
Speaker 1 (43:35):
Indeed, indeed, I got that discipline just as you had,
from people who loved it, loved me and cared.
Speaker 2 (43:41):
And wanted to make sure you did it the right way.
I think we had similar parents. You the man bro.
Everybody asks Charles Davis, make sure you check them out.
If you're watching NFL games, you can catch him on CBS,
and I mean he he calls the well of a game.
You also make parentss on NFL network as well, and
so you can catch him in his commentary on there. Also.
(44:04):
He is a man of true knowledge and a true gentleman.
On top of all of that, man, appreciate you coming on.
This is good in the game. That is Charles Davis.
Make sure you check out National Football Foundation on the
social media handles and all of those different things it's at,
and it'll pop up on you National Football Foundation. You
(44:25):
can catch me on King of the Mammals by the way,
or LeVar Arrington on the X. Make sure y'all stay
tuned and we'll have another great episode coming your way.
Till next time, we'll talk to you. National Football Foundation,
Good in the game. We'll check you out
Hosts And Creators
Brady Quinn
LaVar Arrington
Jonas Knox
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