Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is cut to it with Steve Smith Senior at
production of The Black Effect and I Heart Radio. I'm
Steve Smith Senior and I'm ger a little John and
this is cut to it. Good do it, Good do it.
Let's get down to do it. Good do it. We
asked the questions you always want to know, but no
(00:22):
one ever asked, let's cut to it. You ain't heard
about it, then we're about to let you. Now it's all.
We got another California guy, year old from Stockton, California,
(00:46):
all American from Oregon State, UH wide receiver, good friend,
Manu the arrow himself right, always running past people running
around him. Brandon Cooks, welcome to the cut to a podcast.
How you doing that? I appreciate you having me you
(01:09):
know a lot of respective Yeah, I appreciate you. Guys,
have no problem, bro, it's a pleasure. This is Gerard's doings.
G the co host. And then you got backstage Joe.
But man, I'm gonna go ahead and just get right
into it because nobody knows this. So a couple of
years ago, k' well, here's it's been like eight years ago.
(01:34):
So by eight years ago had had a group of
wide receivers. Uh in in town, and and it was
all working out, getting ready. I was getting ready for
my I think my second to the last season season,
the second of last season. And so we're going and
uh Cooks is with me. Man he come in town.
(01:54):
Let me tell you so this dude is so O
c D. When I say O c D, he I
mean walked through your stuff like this dude. He first,
he getting the car, he crossing and taking the Lord.
He put the seatbelt on, He thinking the Lord. Man
(02:16):
hold on. He gets to the stoplight, he taking the Lord.
He's looking right, he's looking like you can never put
you on the anointing. Now, yes you can, at yes
you can. I started worrying. It wasn't my driving. Are
you I finally said something, probably about after the twentie
(02:37):
of time, I said, are you okay? No, man, I'm good.
I just you know, just gotta be thankful. I'm thankful too.
But at some point you gotta keep your eyes on
the road. I started like speeding, slowing down, stopping and see, look,
is he gonna do it? He ain't remember. After this
day I knew he was looking to me. I gotta
keep on going. I knew. At some point he was like, man,
(02:59):
you all right, what what to walk us through that?
I mean, just just give us. I can't remember what
you said. It threw me off, so I was kind
of letting you live. But you know, now I don't
have to go ahead. I gotta I gotta be honest
with y'all. Think it was just a little bit too
(03:20):
much to l c D. Because I dialed back on
that a little bit, you know what I mean, even me.
My wife started to kiss me and she was like,
all right, now you all right? Really you know what
I mean. I take a look in the mirror, like, man,
am I good? Like I don't remember doing it this much?
You know what I mean? Uh, but I dialed back.
I dialed back, So what do you what do you think?
(03:40):
What do you think that comes from? Like I would
say truthfully, that probably anxiety. You need to be honest
with you. I felt like, you know, those those early years,
I was dealing with a lot of anxiety because I
started to look back to myself like, man, and I
were going to stay. I'm in high school. I wasn't
doing all that, you know what I mean. I was
still taking care of business just because I get to
(04:01):
the league, you know what makes that change? And I
just I think the anxiety, uh, you know, start to
build as a young guy, and then I have to
you know, like I said doll back, you know when
when you got people around you, like you know, noticing
now you start to question like, okay, what really is
going on? Um? And uh you know how to rate
a conscious effort on you know, dowaling that back. So
I would really say it was probably of the anxiety
(04:22):
to be honestly, I mean, use your first you know,
your first round draft pick, you go to New Orleans,
you're catching a thousand footballs. You know, you're playing in
the offense, You're playing with Drew Brees, You're playing in
the offense that is not short of yardage, right, and
yet on an outside, on the outside looking in, everything
(04:43):
looks great that you're telling me, on the inside you're struggling. Yea.
Is it pretty much every single day? You know, yeah,
early on, Yeah, because you just felt that. I just
I wouldn't necessarily call it pressure. I think it's just
the one to be perfect, you know what I mean,
(05:04):
and you know do something you know, you think like
that's never been done. But then again, when you think
that way, as you know, you play this game for
so many years, you're never gonna be perfect, you know
what I mean. And the better that you can play relax,
the better off you will be. But I thought opposite,
you know, I thought to myself, well, you know, the
more tense I am, the more locked in I am,
(05:25):
the better off I be. And I think that's the
kind of creative the anxiety. Uh you know, early on, Yeah,
what if, what if anything have you put in place
to try to circumvent that whenever you feel it like
bubbling up or if you feel like, you know, I'm
gonna take myself back down that place? What if you
put in place within yourself too, Because it sounds like
(05:46):
you're you're a little bit more removed from it. Oh no, yeah,
I'm saying I'm far removed from a lot of that.
And I think, just really, uh, you know, I listening
to my wife, Uh you know, I'm really valuing her feedback.
Once again, you earlier on, you're like, yeah, I hear
you and all, but you don't understand it. Back the
end of the day, they, as we all know, they're
looking out the best, you know, our best interest. Um,
(06:06):
so you know, she has stepping stone in that aspect.
But even when I'm out there by myself, I just
remind myself, like, man, I've been doing this for a minute.
I'm a dog. Uh there, you don't need to create
that extra uh you know, internal pressure you know we're doing.
And I really started to uh hone in on that
and truly believe it. So what did what did your
(06:28):
wife say to you? That really started started to hit
home because you know, sometimes we around people that surround
us a lot, and there are habits that she just
you know, they're just saying that we start to have
selected hearing where we start to um, you know, kind
(06:50):
of dismiss uh people who are around us a lot
their input, especially evaluating ourselves. Yeah, the biggest thing stick
with me today. It was like, you know, it's just
a couple of words. You're like, man, you you're changing,
like you ain't the same. And then when when she
said that, I'm like, what you know what I mean?
What you mean? She goes, just you just ain't the same.
(07:11):
You ain't free no more, you know what I mean,
You're not You're not you're not moving around like you
know who you are anymore. You. You kind of you know,
you confuse and you know in that conversation, you know,
it's different between like hey you all right, blah blah blah.
But once you you know, you you hit words like that,
You're like, all right, now, this person with me every
day and if they can see a change, Uh, you
(07:32):
know that that means something like you're just putting too
much on yourself. You ain't playing the same, you ain't
coming home for practice the same. Uh. You know. Granted,
you know we've been together since college, so she can
truly say that, you know what I mean. She could
say how I was coming home from practice back then
versus uh, you know when I got in the league,
and and that kind of hit home with me. Uh
(07:55):
do you think some of I mean, you've been on
you've been traded at three three times now, yea, you've
been traded three times. How has that experience maybe played
into that? Take us down each one? Not without I
want you to be your authentic self. I don't necessarily
(08:17):
want you to, you know, if someone here is just that,
oh he threw such and such under the ye but
but being but it's also what you've experienced, right, you
experience what you experience, yea, but being traded three times
and you you weren't traded because you can't play. Yeah,
(08:39):
I think you know, that's a great question, because through
some of those trades early on, I started to notice
some of that was coming back, you know what I mean.
I get traded from New Orleans, UM to New England,
and I'm like at that point, I'm like, all right, well, look,
you know, I'm going for a first round going to
a contending team like that one didn't really you know,
hit me that much, just because that's earlier on the career.
(09:02):
But the one from New England to the Rams, you
know hit me because, like you know, we get to
the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, you know, uh, you know, I
get hit and I get concussed, I get knocked out
the Super Bowl. So I'm like, man, I'm just I
was just your leading receiver, you know what i mean,
first year being able to pick that offense up. I'm
thinking to myself, at least I'm gonna fish my fifth
(09:22):
year option, uh and get a chance at this again.
You know, clearly that didn't happen. And so when I
got traded to l A, I'm like, well, damn, I
mean I just produce. Now, I get it. You know,
they do things their way. They don't you know, pay
guys markets. So I look at that and I said, okay,
I understand that. So I'm at l A and I'm
picking it up, and once again, we go to the
(09:44):
super Bowl and uh, you know this is the one
where really hit me. That super Bowl. You know, I
feel like I didn't performed to my best um and
out here again. Next year, I had another chance at it,
and I feel like, in my opinion, I failed again.
And going into that off season, bro, I was just
I'm like, damn, what well, I can't get over this hump. Like, yeah,
(10:07):
I'm producing throughout the season, but you know, the biggest
stage that you want to play on, I didn't. I
didn't make it happen. And I remember that year, you know, uh,
targets was getting you know, taking away. So then I'm
really in my head. Yeah, that year I think I had,
uh two was the two to three concussions. And you know,
(10:27):
I go see a specialist and they go, look, ain't
nothing wrong with struct structurally is And this is without
him even ask me any questions. You know, he did
some tests like, man, your anxiety is through the roof,
and I'm like, I'm thinking aboutself. Yeah, yeah, he ain't
lying because that that O c D is starting to
come back. I'm talking about pregame. Um I'm doing you know,
(10:50):
I'm hitting across this too many times. Uh. Like I
was in the car back then, and one thing he
said to me, like, well, people don't understand anxiety portion,
you know what I mean. It's like you red line
and already, so any little thing that that could take
you over that red line is very minimal. You know.
Most people start out here, you you can get some
hits and then all of a sudden that you have
(11:11):
the red line. But for me, I'm near already. And
so he're like, look, I'm not worried about you. If
you can get this downpack, you know, could everybody start questioning, like,
you know, because should you keep going? And when he
told me that, I took that as a challengs like,
you know what, I let this game too much to
be away from it this soon, I'm gonna get this fixed.
So I start seeing the mental coade. So hold on,
we're gonna go there. But let's go backwards. Your anxiety
(11:34):
was so high that it was it was starting to
infiltrate your whole body and your mind to the point
of where and I say this tongue in cheek, but basically,
somebody just breathes on you and it would and your
(11:58):
body literally was responding, just ready to shut down. You're
ready to shut down. So you were having not just
you weren't having a concussion where your brain was hitting
against you, having full yeah, yeah, yep, yeah, yeah, yep.
And and at first I'm like man, but then I like, man,
(12:20):
he got a point though, because I'm like, you know,
it'll be some games I'm fine, some games I'm good,
and in some games I'm just you know, I'm tricky,
and I'm an say I'm ready to go because in
my mind, like, all right, I gotta make up for
these last you know, a couple of Super Bowl performances,
and as you know now looking back at it, you
can't make up with it and make it up in
one game, or you can't make up you know, you
(12:42):
can't really make it up, you know what I'm saying.
And as a receiver, you know, we depend on so
many factors that to be successful, and so here I
am putting that pressure on me and at the end
of the day, I can control some of it, but
most of it. I can't control play calling, I can't
control with the quarterback throw. I can't control on any
of those things. And uh, I have to really really
(13:03):
see that for what it was, your face looking yourself
in the mirror. Yep, you've seen a specialist, You've talked
you've talked to boss Hog. The wife, you know, she's
she's been around you, she knows exactly who you are.
She you are known to her. And then now you
(13:24):
just have to sit and you're left with not just
professional decisions, but personal decisions that affects your your your
profession that you're trying to control football which you have
no control over, and the person and the things that
the person you can't control as yourself, which which takes
(13:46):
some time. So then after that, how do you harness
and control and also let go of all these things
that you're balancing that you have put you have um
artificially and really tangible realistically put on your shoulders. Yeah,
(14:10):
that's a great question. I think just over the years, uh,
it's been a little bit by a little bit because
I think the biggest thing I was face was like Okay,
if I continue to go down this road, I don't
get to play this game that that I love. Right,
So at that point you're thinking, well, I'm willing to
do whatever I can fix that. And then you look
at your family and and then you know, when she
(14:33):
gets you know, boss Hall, like you said, give me
the green light, I'm like, okay, I can't let her down.
And when you have your first child, you think this, Okay,
I'm too young to be not to be away from
this game. So now I gotta think to myself what
I what am I gonna do to be able to
see to be able to let him see me play
this game for a while. So it really just came
(14:54):
down to a personal decision and seeing mental coaches and
trying to just get rid of some of those things
that I was, uh, you know facing, And every single
year has been better. First of all, how long have
you been How long have you been sent a mental coach?
I would say going over three years. Ever since my
last year in that l as I was getting traded
(15:15):
to Houston, is when I started that process. That to
my year with three years? And how did how did
you go about that process? And was it was it easy.
Was it difficult? Was it? Were you nervous? Um? Yeah,
you know. At first I had a lot of pride,
(15:37):
you know that go and then but I had to
tell myself, you know, getting rid of that pride is
gonna help me. And so I would say it was
tough at first. Then went through an interview process, interviewing
different people, you know, talking to guys who may have
had one. Typically seems like the quarterbacks usually have one.
So you know, I hit whether it's X quarterbacks or
other quarterbacks around the league that I got respect for,
(16:00):
found their guy, interviewed them, and then came down to
a decision on what was best for me in the
interview process. What were some of the questions or how
did you come up with the questions? And I wouldn't know,
I personally, I wouldn't know what what to ask a guy.
Then I say I didn't I didn't know at all.
All I knew was I was having anxiety problems and
(16:22):
I'll just let them speak and you know, and and
listen to them. And it was more so a listening
process because I had no clue with the ask had
no clue you know what I mean, I had nobody
really lean on, um, you know, for questions to ask.
You're known as a person who has a huge amount
of faith, whether it's your your bow and arrow, you've
(16:43):
mentioned your the crosses that you do. How did that
come into play? And even on a practical level, because
even when some people say faith, it's like this kind
of whimsical kind of punt. But what what did that
look like on a day to day basis with you know,
I see, and that was a part that Um, you know,
I look at myself as like I still held onto that,
but it was clearly I wasn't trusting. I wasn't trusting.
(17:05):
I would let me interject and let me say, from
sitting on the outside in that's a fantastic question, and
I would say, knowing him zero faith, I respect because
and the reason why it is because if you if
you're a believer, you can't be asking God every single
stoplight to save me. Well, he gave you a driver's license,
(17:29):
it ain't like you ain't got But I'm just saying
it because I'm saying it in defense but also in
a great conversation because you know, um, I've been the
last I'm reading every month, I'm reading this new book.
And one of these books they talked. They talked about
when the game is called uh, when the game is over,
(17:50):
and they put it back in the box, right, and
it talks about um in your in your career, you
have to whether you like it or not, you will
be cheating something like if you if you are working
a hundred percent of the time, that means you're cheating. Yeah. Yeah,
but it says you're cheating your kids from having their daddy. Right,
(18:14):
you're cheating if if you if you at the house
and you're not at work like you're supposed to be. Yes, no, no,
but you're cheating. So that and so this book is
basically saying you're gonna cheat something. Something is going to
like you said, fall by the way, So you can't
you can't, But but you also can't give your time
(18:35):
and your talents to every single thing you do. It's
not enough hours in the days. And so by saying
by by saying that, I realized you have to you
have to. You have to literally say if I choose
to be one of the best friends, that I can
be that to one person. That means a few other people. Yeah,
(19:00):
I'm I'm still in that time from them right to
give to that you know quotes that best friend. And
so I'm taking this is it if you are trying
to be picture perfect and everything you do on a
football field, and you are having anxiety walking across the street,
you praying you don't choke Paul's on this hot dog
(19:23):
you're about to eat. Literally to everything you do, you
are worried that the worst thing can happen you. And
as a believer, you cannot say you have faith because
your prayers are showing that you don't have faith in
the Lord at anything, because you're scared of everything. See
(19:44):
that means that you you are not walking in faith,
You're you're actually praying in fear. And go ahead. I
just that's just something that like I just kind to
knowing you and going back like when I was we
were with each other for three weeks, you know, he
(20:08):
was like four or five days, bro, he had me shook. Yeah,
yeah no, But and then double back on that. That's
the truth. It's like, you know, it's like he talked
about you, you can't have two items. You can't serve
God and money, right, And and I'm saying money on
(20:29):
situation because that's what they're saying in the Bible. But
at that time, I was serving uh perfection, Uh my game.
I was that. That's what I was putting my hope in,
um you know most of the time, because I was
so I was so hungry, you know, so ansty to
be able to make up for something. Yeah, I am here,
you know, going back into the Bookie Rey. Here, I'm
gonna cheat my time, my quiet time. Why because as
(20:52):
soon as I get up, I want to go straight
to work because I think to myself, well, if I
go do this, I'm gonna make up for If I
do this, I'm care for. If I do this, when
it gets to it, I'm gonna make up for it.
So here I am forgetting about really the most important
thing that got me to the position I'm in. And
you know, so it goes back to that book. You're
talking about you cheating something, and at that same at
(21:13):
that time, I was cheating my faith. You know. Yeah,
I'm still reading y'all, still praying. But what you know,
what was there? You know what was I praying for
and why was I praying? You know, clearly talk about
do not have anxiety cash and anxiety on him because
you care well clearly I wasn't casting on him because
I was holding it all myself. And but you know,
(21:33):
and that's real, and that's just being just being straightforward.
I love cut to It, and I love it even
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(21:56):
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I got all my answers, questions. Uh, I got all
my questions answered. That's what I'm here for. A brother
(22:18):
cut to a podcast dot com like you know also too,
it's like, you know, I got I just finished this
other book and it talks you about um it's like, uh,
God and money and and it's talking about and then
other ones, you know, keep the game and they bound
the Brothers and all these different books. And one of
the things that I really found it interesting is that
(22:41):
we will hear a story of John who will say
I walked in a hundred degree weather, I walked ten
miles because I ran out of gas and then he
walked ten miles came back. Yeah, he sweated, and then
he re filled his car for the gas. But I
(23:02):
noticed in these books at times it doesn't tell a
full story of what happened in those ten miles. Doesn't
say that how John made almost passed out to that
John also um had a pair of shoes that all
of a sudden it got so hot that the sole
of his shoes started to melt, or that it also
started to rain halfway through because he was living in Florida,
(23:25):
and uh, a shower came through, and then a truck
came by and it was and it was a puddle
and it splashed on them. Like they're not telling and
I'm not saying they're not telling a full story, but
sometimes we hear the glorified glory Christian stories but leaves
out some of the small details of what that person in,
(23:50):
you know, Like I think the Bible does a great
job with David talks about what he went through, how
many years he stayed in jail, not just when he
became king and he saw his family right, or just
what he was feeling. Yes, yes, question, Yeah, you know
I think a lot of times having this conversation about faith.
(24:13):
It's not always honky doors. No, No, sometimes it is
I don't have enough, like like Brendan just said, I
wasn't casting it or I didn't even have it to give.
And it can be a way, it can be up
and down meter it doesn't have to be a blanket. Yes. Yeah,
And I just and and I have a good enough
(24:34):
relationship with him because when I was hurt, he was
playing and I'm over here. He's like, hey, big bro,
whatever you see hit me up And went to a
point where I like, I'm tired of bugging this dude.
And he was probably like, man, I know I need
to get it fixed where it was literally because I
was hurt. So all I was doing was watching a
whole bunch of I had, like a hit I gotta
I said, hitless ID like a hit list. All the
(24:55):
receiver's talking about. I know you're sitting around, so let
me know. And I'm like, bro, we on all of
this stuff, and you're getting the game, and you you
you're looking at like Brendan Cook and I'm hitting him.
I'm hitting him. I'm hitting him and um and yeah,
(25:16):
he's saying something, but then what I'm not. It goes
back to I'm not, you know, trusting anything. At that
point he's like, yeah, I hear you. So at that
point I was just I was just basically, you know,
wasting my breath and then making him waste his sign
texting me. And I felt bad because I ain't got
nothing but time on my hands, right I'm over here
(25:36):
watching him and and and that. And that's why I said.
That's why I said a little bit out of respect,
but also just calling what it is, because I'm a
believer and I have faith, but there's days where I
have fear, and I gotta be I have to be
big enough to say, am I operating out of fear?
(26:03):
Or my operating out of a process and the procedure
giving it to God? Waiting on it? You know sometimes
you know I've heard at times, you know, you say, man,
I'm praying and I'm waiting for an answer, And then
you know that story there's a flood. Guy comes with
a donkey. Now I'm waiting on the Lord. Then the
(26:25):
water gets a little higher. He on the second floor.
Then he comes with a boat, and man, you need
a ride. Now I'm waiting on the Lord. You know,
then God gonna save me. God got me. Then a
dude he on the top of the roof with a helicopter.
Ain't it all? The Lord will provide? Yeah? Man drowns
goes to heaven, go hey, God, why are you I
(26:51):
sent you the boat, the helicopter. How many other signs
shall I send you? Yes? Right? And the biggest thing
I remember hearing one time was if you're in a
car praying, don't close your eyes. God does not allow
you to pray and speak to Him and unplug your brain.
(27:19):
And someone told me this, and I was like, what
do you mean? He says, would you drive through a
would you drive through a green or red light and
pray to God something bad doesn't happen. I'll go, that's
a great question. Why can't you? But it was more
of sometimes we literally take blind faith as let me
(27:43):
drive through this red light, closed eyes and praying God
got me. No, that's not high work. But but you gotta.
But if you're not careful, do that, Yeah, because the
fear is greater. Show through this process, you interview some
you interview some mental coaches, and what what is it like?
(28:09):
What do you go through take us through that process
of realizing after you've picked picked the guy or girl,
what did it do for you? I think the biggest
thing is really uh so one of the big processes
like his brain training, you know what I mean, long
story short, what it is called neuropeak, and you know,
(28:31):
you just hook a lead up to you know, to
your head and it's connected to your phone. But you're
watching this video and if you you know, if you've
got too much brain waves going, the video actually stop
and go dark. So it basically it helps you consciously,
you know, realize and get you know what that feeling
is when you when your anxiety is starting to get
(28:53):
up there, and so just through the time, you know
what I mean, I'm like, Okay, now I know what
that feeling is, because sometimes when you're sow in it,
you don't know and then you look back, oh that's
what it was. But when you ended, you you don't
realize that. And so that kind of helps you realize
when that's coming on and you know, just breath work,
you know what I mean, Uh, you know those type
of things. And I truthfully felt like that it's helping
(29:14):
because I've been blessed three years not one concussion since. Uh,
you know l A and you know, so people ask
me do it work? Well, you know, I've been three
years with it free. When there's been two years back
to back, I had two years, I mean two each year.
So you know, the proof is in the putting. And
you know what, it worked for me and may not
work for somebody else, but I can tell you what
(29:35):
it's worked for me. So how are you just feeling today?
And I'm feeling good, it's feeling good. Why why are
you feeling good? I mean I just think I got
I just kind of went through We just go back
to what we were talking about with stories like, Okay,
how did I get to this point? I feel good
today because of everything that I battle through, Um, you know,
(29:56):
and being at that being at that low moment, those
low moments, and realize what I felt like then and
how I'm feeling out. It's like, it took a lot
for me to get here. Took years. I mean it's
going on my ninth year. You know, you can you
can pay you cly say. It took me seven seven years,
six seven years to get to this point. Uh, just
going out there being able to play free, you know,
(30:17):
and I truly I feel like I've been playing free again.
You know, not as if I had a camera and
I followed you around for a week. You ain't seeing
it no more? What what what? What cooks am I
getting in the day? Just just comparing the difference though,
I mean, you're you're married man, married man, got a son,
(30:41):
your father father, Uh, just you know, goofy cooks. You know,
just goofy, you know, just schoofy cooks. So you know,
so with every show, but then hold on, let me
take it back now when it comes to the ground.
None of these test was taken out away from me
(31:01):
because I know that wasn't hurting me, you know what
I mean. It was the thought of like, okay, I
have to do this, this, this and now. At that
those moments, I was organized, Yeah I was. I working hard,
Yeah I was. You know it's like I'm running my
head into a wall, but don't know the reason now, No,
I'm still running. Got a purpose behind it though I'm organized.
(31:24):
I wake up in the morning and things are organizing,
and I'm trusting my process and uh, because that's one
thing that's not gonna be taken away because I don't
care what you know, mental coach said test say, at
the end of the day, you gotta work. But it's
what is your you know, what is your reason behind
the work? Is you're working just the work or you
(31:44):
got a purpose behind me? So you you said your dad? Now, yeah, man,
you lost your dad when you were young, you know,
below eight, you know, six years old, below ten years
old being a father, but also a young man and
that lost his father, you know, being so young. You
don't really have that memory, right, a solid memory of
(32:12):
of of of your dad. How has has not having
your dad around because his passing, Yeah, I just had
affected you as a father today. Yeah, I'll be honest,
He's been one of the hardest things, uh, you know
in my life. Not because it's because I I don't
(32:37):
have no example, you know what I mean, or no
example at home that I have, right, you know, I
got family, friends and stuff, but it just ain't the same,
you know what I mean. You can get all the
advice in the world, but you know, I don't have
an example. So in my eyes, it's just like, Okay,
this is trow and error, you know what I mean.
I know, if I love this kid to the best
(32:58):
of my ability and my mind, he's gonna You're gonna
turn out okay, you know what I mean. But that's
where it goes back to our faith, you know what
I'm saying. And that's where I would say, no, it's
true faith to that aspect because I raised my hands
and I say sometimes to my white man, I don't know,
(33:18):
I realized it's okay not to know, you know what
I mean. You know, I'm four deep and I still
sometimes I'll be on that trawl in there. So it's
it's it's hard, but at the same time it's it's
it's a beautiful thing because it's like and the have
and so you know what I mean, it's okay sometimes
(33:39):
not to not to know. Um And and so from
an everyday aspect, you know, every once in around you
sit there this necklace. You know, he talked a little
bit now, so he'd be like, he'd like dad that
that like, no, it's pop, it's like and so from no,
and you're getting moments like that, like man, that's tough,
you know what I mean, because you don't have that side.
(34:00):
You don't have that side moving forward, then how do
you I don't have that, but how do you instill
your grand your son's grandfather. The biggest thing I remember
a boy my dad, uh which not much is uh
(34:25):
the time that he spent with us. It didn't matter
what was going on, he was gonna make sure he
spent his time with us. And just just his hustle.
He Those are the two things that I can remember.
Now I'm gonna start a hustle legally. I mean, I'm
gonna start that legally. And the thing I always remember,
(34:47):
even passing at such a young age, one thing I
remember was he spent every time he got a chance
to spend time with us. He spent time with us
when nothing nothing else more important. You know, if it
wasn't worked, he was with us. And so those are
two things that I know I can take with me
from a positive standpoint and installed my son love good,
do good. Let's getting down to do it good. Hey Gerard,
(35:12):
why did you get that T shirt? You mean this thing?
Oh yes, I got it from cut to a podcast
dot com where we have exclusive merchandise. Shout out to
our guys at seven or four shot. But yeah, you
can go on, buy you a T shirt, subscribe to
us wherever you listen to podcasts how have you handled now?
You know, how are you handling this sudden change? You?
Sudden changes hit you in the face like no other
(35:35):
no other guy, right, sudden change for you and the
NFL has almost hit you like a practice squad player,
where you know every couple of years you're somewhere new
you've experienced that, but as your first round draft pick
and producing it, getting contracts and so you know obviously
that sudden change is something that you've had to adapt
(35:56):
and it hasn't been It hasn't been always easy. No,
early on the sun changes were easy. But now just
I'm at the point like, look, you know what I mean.
I basically know who I am and I know what
I bring to the table. You know what I mean,
And you know, instead of thinking like man, why the
didn't want me, it's like, well, if you don't want me,
that that's your loss. That's the different mindset that you
(36:18):
know for the first couple of trades. That's different from
l A to Houston. It's like, well, I know what
I bring to the table, and if you don't want me,
then that you know, that's your loss. But does it
still give you a chip on your shoulder? Absolutely? Absolutely absolutely. So.
Now with all of that, what's your what's your outlook
on this upcoming season? Yeah, I mean just you know,
(36:39):
go out there and shock people. But I think it's
a daily process, you know, being there this O t
a s. One thing I was excited about was things
is actually organized like a team to be you know
what I mean. I'm just being real. He's organized. Love,
you got a lot of respect for him. You know,
he's coaching this game and um as we all know,
(37:02):
you know, make no promises, but you know, I just
feel like my look is more of a positive I
look versus you know other times. Honestly, where are you
at right now? I just left? Oh you was out here? Yeah? Yeah,
it's nice. You're not trying to be in Houston too hot?
Huh uh, I'll be I'll go the last two weeks
(37:26):
before camp just to get used to the immenity again.
But this this is my area right here there. In
off season I get to get away. So just so
Origans where you call them home? Now? Yeah, you say
you know who you are? Yeah? Who is Brandon Cooks? Then? So,
long story short, I'll take you back a little bit.
(37:47):
I was reading this book, probably started three years ago.
It's my nugget. Probably you can we read it within
ten minutes. It's uh. It's uh the Self Forgetfulness by
Timothy Keller. And one thing you talked about the in
the uh and it's going back to my faith that
goes you know, before Jesus did any sort of miracle
when he was born, God said, this is my son
(38:08):
going on with please right, And this is before he
did any miracle any before he healed the blind, before
he was the lame anything, And so that stuck with me.
I keep that. I keep that with me are because
no matter what's going on, I'm somebody that's walking around
(38:29):
with that guy as well pleased with before I scored
any touchdowns, before I did any of those things, before
I made it to the league, he was well the
well pleased with me? Why because I was walking in faith? Right,
I was walking and my actions and my words were
matching up. Was there gaffing there where that wasn't matching up? Yep?
(38:50):
Absolutely absolutely? Was he still well pleased with me? Uh?
You know the way I look at it, No, but
you know most people would say, you know, yeah he was.
But I think that's also taken the easy way out.
But these last three years, that's that's where what I've
been feeling well, regardless of what's going on. Uh, you know,
he's well pleased with me because of the walk that
(39:11):
i'm that I'm walking. But I don't say that to
be soft though. You know some people take some people
take that and be like, well, now I ain't gonna
do nothing, you know what I mean. No, that's not
what I'm saying. Your faith has to go as actions, right.
It can't just be saying you know, you walk by faith,
uh and and and nothing else. No, you gotta actually
walk with it. And so yeah, I'm still working up Brian,
(39:35):
and I'm still I still have a chip on my shoulder, absolutely,
But regard to what happened, Uh, you know, I'm someone
that that he's well pleased with. And if he's well
pleased with, and my family is you know what, that's
what I care about because I'm somebody's hero at the point,
it's it's my son, you know what I mean, my
brothers and uh, you know that's enough for me. It's
(39:55):
enough for me. What's up? I like that I'm how
much longer do you want to keep playing? I'm so
I'm at now, I'm just gonna go four team for sure.
Excuse me, Sorry, I didn't nickel for the insult if
I'm going four team buddy, But no, I've been I
(40:17):
don't mean to get uh too personal. But you know, Stevie,
like I was a guy, I was a kid that
really I didn't look up to people. Um, you know
what I mean. But one thing, like I always told
you know what I told you, It's like I don't
know it was. It was something that was drawnky I got.
I had a lot. I'll still do a lot of
respect for you. The way that you played the game
and I looked up to you and and obviously I
(40:40):
know how long you played the game for it, and
you know a little bit about your story and so
you know you you've inspired me. Um. You know from
the moment that I stepped into the league, and you
still do. Um. I watched your highlights, you know what
I'm saying, And any time anybody asked me like Okay,
what is more receiver that you looked up to in
this game? And anytime you can go back to interviews,
(41:03):
always Steve Smith. So I also appreciate that, you know
what I mean, The way that you went about your
business in this game in adversity, that you battle do
not just in this game, but in life. Uh you
know what I mean. You also inspired me as well.
So I can't see here and act like that ain't
the truth. Well, I appreciate it. Um. Surprisingly, you were
my first interview at NFL Network. I remember, I was,
(41:29):
I was so nervous, never got a full circle moment.
I was, I was, I was extremely nervous. Um, My producer,
Trent wanted me to this is the story we talked about.
Wouldn't take my hat off. He wanted me to take
my hat off, and I'm like, uh, I'll take him
my hat off. And so I had an opportunity to
(41:51):
interview you, and I had like all these questions that
had been nothing to do with for the ball and
like I'm asking that, like, well we'll let him ask
what what are you talking about it? And I was
doing a football sit down and I didn't want to
talk no football. I just wanted to know. I want
to know Brandon Cooks the player. And then after that,
(42:15):
but before that, you know, when I was in Baltimore,
he came, he came out. I had some guys Baltimore,
some guys in uh in Charlotte and we worked out.
They worked out with my trainer and Cook stayed at
the house and it was grind. Yeah. Yeah, them boys
(42:37):
was hurt hurts yea. He was doing two of that
a little bit. We well, Moss was out there. Moss's son,
Thaddius was out there here in Charlotte. Yeah. Yeah, Josh
remember that because I met you. I met him once
before when he was in Charlota. Had the same time. Yeah,
Josh Gordon, Josh Gordon was out there. Man. It was
(43:01):
it was it was a it was a good group
and it was an opportunity to see like guys, you
always asked me like you know what, you know, let's
let's work out. I want to do your stuff, every
single one of them boys. After the work I was like, man,
I'm not working out with Steve no more because it
was all the stuff that we needed to do. But man, again,
(43:23):
I've always respected your game. Um, I know how hard
it is to play this game, and I know it's
even harder when you care. Like there's a lot of
players that don't care. They're just in it for the money.
And you can get you can get money in this
game and kind of just cruised through life. But he'll
catch up with you. And you you haven't been one
(43:45):
of those guys. You've always tried to you you worked
your butt off and you're trying to figure out how
and what and why. And you've you've enjoyed and learned
and been taught through your own journey and you're you're
coming out now. You know you're you're the Caliphillar and
now you're that butterfly right And it's awesome, man, it's
(44:06):
it's it's awesome to talk to you on this side
of football now in the media, but it's also awesome
to see right every every guy that I've interact with,
I try to say this, anybody gets football when my
watching ball. I want to make sure that I can
say I knew that man, yea, and your wise man,
(44:29):
I appreciate that. I I can't be proud of you
because I had nothing to do with it, but I'm
at I'm at all of which you will overcome physically
but more mentally. Yeah, that's awesome. So you learn how
to play some golf and because it'll comes from learning
(44:52):
to fly right now, So I right now, why man,
I don't. It's it's peaceful, it gives you. And then
being here in Oregon, we got so many beautiful places
around this instead of having to drive three or five hours,
being able to fly thirty minutes is it's sound a
whole lot better that wind though, was the wind? Did
(45:16):
the wind aggressive? But this is the one I'm training in.
Is you got a parachuteing, so you know, excuse me,
o case you gotta dip out on that thing, just
just in case, just in case. Every person who who's
board that parachute correctly is walked away and had dinner
that night. So what about the people who didn't. And
that's a different story. Well it's a possible telling me
(45:38):
it's a chance. Different story. Hey, hey, let me tell
you something, man, I'd rather work trying to get around
the offense alive and get a sack trying to get
I'll stay. Yeah, I can drive that. I was about
to say, I was about to say trail way about
like now I ain't getting no sack on now. Well, man,
(46:02):
we appreciate it, bro man, just awesome. Um. I love
seeing your love doing, seeing what you're doing, and you know,
obviously you're in Houston, where and that's interesting. But you
know you your persevering, You're still putting them numbers man,
and a lot of people can't say that. Yep, No,
I appreciate. It's always good seeing you. You are a
(46:22):
unique person, you are well worth it, you are competent,
and most of all, your lovable. I'm Steve Smith Singior,
I'm Gerald Little John and this is cut to It.
Cut to It with Steve Smith Senior. That is Me
is a production of Cut to It LLC, Baltold Creative Media,
(46:47):
The Black Effect and I Heart Radio. For more podcast
from I Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app,
Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows
from A to It. Executive producer Steve Smith, Singer, co
host Gerard Little John, talent in booking manager Joe Fusci,
(47:08):
social media teamer Wesley Robinson, and John Show from Balto
Creative Media. Cut Too It is produced by Brian Baltaschevic
and Meredith Carter, with production assistance by Alex Lebrec. Production
Coordinator Taylor Robinson. Theme music by Alex Johnson, Lyrics and
vocals by Anthony Hamilton. You ain't heard am about it,
(47:30):
then we're about to let you know it's all