November 8, 2023 • 57 mins
Former All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha taps in with Peanut and Roman on the latest NFL Players: Second Acts podcast. The guys welcome Nnamdi by saying his last name correctly, not like former Commissioner Paul Tagliabue on Draft day, as Nnamdi explains. Nnamdi reflects on his excitement entering the NFL turn to dread after owner Al Davis made him change positions. Nnamdi also shares how he learned the NFL ropes from Hall of Famers Charles and Rod Woodson. He also explains how his growth as a player and person while with the Raiders was the reason he signed a one-day contract to retire with the organization. Nnamdi also gets candid about the mental anguish he experienced as a 32-year-old trying to figure out his next chapter after retirement. Though he’s a Hollywood leading man now as an actor, Nnamdi shares how he found passion in acting and why he believes he's found success in the craft. Then, Peanut and Nnamdi list the DBs taken in the 2003 Draft, and why the call it the greatest DB Draft of all time.
0:42 - Nnamdi is introduced
1:39 - Nnamdi talks about being drafted by the Oakland Raiders
5:13- Nnamdi talks about the first time he played against Roman
7:11 - Nnamdi shares his welcome to the NFL moment
9:05 - Nnamdi explains why it was important for him to retire as a Raider
10:53 - Nnamdi talks about switching from safety to cornerback in the NFL
13:58 - Nnamdi shares what he learned from the Raiders veterans
19:37 - Nnamdi discusses his struggles with the mental aspects of retirement and finding purpose outside of football
27:39 - Roman and Nnamdi discuss the biggest misconceptions people have about players when they retire
31:01 - Nnamdi shares his advice for aspiring actors
33:48 - Nnamdi shares the challenges of acting
35:15 - Nnamdi discusses being cast in the 2017 drama Crown Heights
41:58 - Nnamdi explains the goals of his foundation and their Acts College Tour
47:27 - Nnamdi shares his inspiration for majoring in finance
49:20 - Nnamdi talks about learning to play the saxophone
50:40 - Nnamdi shares his personal Mount Rushmore
53:11 - Peanut and Nnamdi discuss the great cornerbacks of the 2003 NFL draft
*NOTE: Time codes are approximate
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, this is Marcus Colston and it's the NFL Player's
Second Acts Podcast. Welcome to the NFL Player Second Acts Podcast.
I'm Peanuts Hillman. This is my grandfather, Roman Harper. My god,
(00:23):
what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'm doing? You like that one? I do?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I mean, I've been called way worse by you, and
grandfather seems good. It seems it's my grandfather and everything
else that comes with it.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Man.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
First and foremost, let's thank all of our viewers and
listeners out there anywhere else you listen and pick up
your podcast, whether it's Apple podcast or iHeartRadio podcast. Thank
you so much for always tune in. Give us a
rating of review five stars. Please tell a friend to
tell a friend to what Peanut. Tell a friend there
it is. Continue to spread the word. Hit click, follow,
(00:52):
give us a like all those other things. Peanut, who
do we have today? We got a good one. I'm
kind of excited about this one. Excited as our producer Thomas,
but uh yeah, this this.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Is a good one.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
He's in he's in my draft class. He's a first
round draft pick.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Before you, oh, blow out already.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
But he deserved it. Though he deserved to be better,
he was better than me coming out of college. He
deserved it and he earned it. He's a first round
thirty first pick, thirty first pick to the Oakland Raiders,
now Las Vegas Raiders, but the Oakland Raiders. Four time
All Pro pro bowler, actor, producer, philanthropist. Ladies and gentlemen,
(01:38):
Please welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
To the show. Nam the awesome. Why oh you guys
clap too? Yeah, we clap, yeah, yeah, sometimes we clap
the audience. Yeah, we the audience. We do it all.
We do it all right here. We're our own hype team.
It we gotta be. We gotta be. Yeah. Now, welcome
to the show.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But before we say anything, we have to clear up
how you pronounce your name? Well, before you answer, how
you pronounce your name? Okay, we got something for you.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Don't do it. Don't do selection.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
In the two thousand three NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders
select as Namity corner back California Asa Namdi.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So we're we're we're in my So I stayed in
the dorms for four years in college, which just like unprecedented,
but they it was like my own dorm. So I
took care of, got everything taken care of. So we're
in the dorms. I have like my my brother and
my sister, like all of my friends, my teammates from college.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
At the door.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
They're all in the dorm. This was my my No, no, no, no, no,
they're just in there. They didn't sleep there. No, no, no.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I'm just saying, Yeah, you're the first person know to
have a party in the dorm. Yeah, first time ever.
Everyone was outside of that. Oh, let me, it must
have been a hell of a dorm.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
No. We also had a party the next night.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Hold on we because as I was in the doors
for so long as a senior, so by the time
I got there till my senior year, my dorm was
like pretty much the whole first like I had flush.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It was. Yeah, it was nice.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You know. They took care of me.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
So I had everybody in there, and I got a
phone call from the Raiders. We're sort of expecting the
first round that okay, first round is going to go
and we'll see what we show up. And I had
the calls beforehand. I had some teams call and say, hey,
if you don't get drafted, look for us in free aging.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
You know what I mean. I was preparing for that,
so I said, okay.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
So I might not get d I told people I
might not get so I'm not looking at the first round.
So but we're all in there. We're just chilling. I
get the call from the Raiders and they're like, we're
going to take you with the next pick, and so
I'm like telling them we're going, We're going to the Raiders.
Everybody screamings, here he comes, you come, shredded, it destroyed.
(03:57):
My teammates killed me that. They were like, wait, who
is he talking about you? They showed my face. I
was like, but anyway, as Moga took away from the moment,
but you know, we're here now.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
We here now, And you thought they said you might
have go on Oh no, no, no, no, no. Teams. There
were teams.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
So there were teams that were saying, hey, we're going
to take you in the second round. It there's teams
that's saying different things. But there were teams that were like, hey,
just in case you don't get drafted, look for us,
you know, and for when you get to choose. And
I didn't know, Yeah, you don't really know, like they're there.
It's all projected, but it's their thoughts and there, so
(04:39):
I didn't know. And then we went with thirty one.
So during the Gruden trade is it called the trade
when he was trade? Yeah, he went from Oakland Tampa Bay.
The Raiders got an extra pick, so we had thirty
one and thirty two, and they took me with thirty
one and uh who was thirty two? Who was a
(05:00):
defensive lineman named Tyler Braydon.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Okay, I was gonna say, did you always have that
over him? Because, like, I mean, they could have picked
either one of us, and they took me in front
of you.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
He was such he was such a good guy, like
I would never like, he's a good guy. You was like,
were you forty five? I was?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I was forty third. Oh okay, my bad, it's all good.
I'm thirty five. He looked forty.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Five for sure all day.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I remember when we played against you. I can't remember
if it was it was early in my career. We
played against you and you you were balling. You did
your thing, of course, and then I came after the game.
I remember I was talking to one of my teammates
and I said, man, the old Vet.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Was not like he shot.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
He was because because when you took your helmet off, yes,
silver fox, and they were like, man, he younger than you.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I was like what, yeah, yes, well we always say
like dude, we should always ask when everybody the first
time they actually saw you was like yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
It was like everyone says the same yes, yea yo.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I was like, oh yeah I was, you know we're talking.
He was, oh, yeah, I'm I'm a rookie. I was like,
rookie right right, been in the league seven years, right,
stress football ain't supposed to be that hard. Yeah. The
best story ever was when I got into my own
DV room, like they knew that I was a draft pick,
the second round pick, and they had to you know
(06:25):
that back then it was like nine year, twelve thirteen
year guys and they're all in there. They were like,
you know, did he he's the second round pick? Like
who's a new vet guy. They're like, no, he's the
second round pick. They were like did he go on
like a mission trip or something like was he in
the arm for us? Like did he serve?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yeah? Yeah? Like did he just come back? Like what happened? Like?
How's he so great? You were what you were twenty two? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Twenty two, twenty three when I got drafted one of those.
But thirty two, yeah, it's just part of it anyway,
decade plus Macro your career, grandpa. Right here, we got
these great careers. We all have that welcome to the
NFL moment? What was your welcome to the NFL moment
with the back then Oakland Raiders? So it's not tag
(07:09):
lear Bill, I can't say you. I mean technically you could,
but we know that one. But was there something when
you got like on the team. Did the Vets say something?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Did you go out? Was it a bill?
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Was it a rookie show? Was it you got hit,
you got ran, or you gave him a touchdown?
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Man? They didn't.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
They took care of me. I didn't. So I didn't
do the rookie show. What didn't do the rookie Show?
I didn't. I mean they made me pay for a
lot of like rookie dinners. Okay, but they would do
this thing with the rookies where they would give them
crazy haircuts.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Yeah yeah, like you got like.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
All your hairs right here right here, you know what
I mean? Didn't do that, Like, I don't know, they.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Took care of you. They liked you.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You got some good vets. Then it was great vets.
It was Charles Woodson, who wasn't a great I'll tell
him to his face, he was not a great.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Uh bet.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
When I was a rookie. It was not a good
mentor at all. Didn't say one word.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
To me the whole time. I had to earn it.
I had to earn it.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It was like, you're going to earn it. My second
year he started talking to me. It was like, okay,
but yeah we had Rod Woodson. I mean these guys
were in their fifteenth year. Yeah, they didn't have time
to worry about you.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
They weren't. No Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, M Brown.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Jerry Rice. That was the first game I started, the
Raider game. My fourth game. We played all my fourth game,
Oh yeah, Chicago, I remember that. That was the first
game I started. First game I started was Dre Rice
and that was like two Hall of Famers.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
That's my first game I ever started.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
And I was going to say, you were balling though
I had like three p's and they weren't p i s.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
It's just I was a rookie going against j Rice.
They throw the bag, they throw the flag, coach like, Peanut,
you will never get that call.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Just keep playing, baby, keep playing. I was looking. I
remember watching from you know beside. I didn't play. I
mean I played special teams, and I was like, man,
this dude, you know, like he not there was the
other guys. I was like, man, they actually they're playing.
They're out there ball and I'm like my head, damn,
Like I get to run down his gunner, yeah, and
(09:11):
then stop the other gunner and then like try to
break the wall and kick off.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And you know, I was stressing.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
So I played thirteen years, twelve in Chicago, one in Carolina.
You played for the Saints for I don't know, ten
fifteen years, and then you played another year or two
in Carolina.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
You he did twenty two years. Yeah, he did twenty
two years. He did a bid.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Uh. You played, you played in you played in Oakland,
You went to San Francisco, you played in Philly, right,
and then finally you signed the one day contract. Why
was it important for you to go back to Oakland
and signed that one day contract and retire as a Raider.
And the follow up question is how was it playing
with Al Davis.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Or four Dave? Excuse me? Yeah, for al Davis. Yeah,
I stayed playing with playing for him. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
The first question why I was important. It was the
place that raised me, you know what I mean. And
when I finished, Remember when I left Oakland, we were
in the middle of a strike. We were in the
middle of a Yeah, the lockout was oh no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
It was like.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
We were in the middle of the strike, and like
when and I was a free agent, so right when
it was over, you had like a day, yeah, to
get with the team because it ended as training camp
was about to start the beginning, and I remember like
being under the gun, make a decision, make a decision.
(10:45):
And so I made the decision. But it was so quick,
like the next day I was gone. I was on
a plane and I felt like I never had the
opportunity to talk to the Oakland fans. Yeah, I think
the fans, you know, people like take out a page
in a yeah, do something. So that never happened. And
I remember when I finished, I was just thinking, like
(11:06):
this is this was the team that raised me. When
I was drafted, I played safety. I played safety throughout
college and you know there was a guy Poindexter played
for Virginia in college. Yeah. Yeah, Anthony Poindexter. He was
a safety and I used to watch him and I.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Was like, oh, yeah, I played one of the n
C double A game. Yeah, really good. That's right, Yeah,
that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
He So he was nicely played with with Tiki and
those guys, and so I would watch him and I said, Okay,
I want to be a safety. I want to hit,
I want to play in space. I did not want
to be out there by myself at all.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
By any means. So I devoted myself to plan safety.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Thought I figured it out, ended up getting drafted, and
I get there and and then Al Davis tells me,
we're going to move you to the corner.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
What do you know? What I mean?
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Like, this isn't that's not my haven't you seen my
tape play safety? I'm the next Poindexter. And he's like, yeah,
you're gonna play corner and you're gonna figure it out.
And I struggled. I remember struggling my rookie year and
having to figure it out. I mean what I became,
you know, all the things that happened in Oakland and
(12:25):
just realizing that journey that happened there and to never
be able to to say thank you in any sort
of way to the fan base, to the organization. Stayed
with me, and so when I finished, I wanted to
go back there and sort of do it what I
felt was the right way with the team that brought
(12:46):
me up.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
That was your first time ever playing corner when you
got drafted by the Raiders, Well, I played.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
So in high school you played, yeah, And in college
there were a few games where we had like a
taller receiver, I think my senior year where there'd be like,
you know, go out and check that receiver. The hell
I didn't know what I was I got you doing?
And so then when I got to Oakland, it was
(13:11):
the first And so you got to imagine you get
drafted to play a position, to play cornerback at in
my position, what was the most difficult place in the
league to play the position because they didn't care about you,
you know what I mean. Like it was You're gonna
be out there by yourself the whole game, Like there's
(13:32):
no we're gonna there's no one that's under you, there's
no one on top of you, There's just one guy
in the middle. And so I had to learn how
to play the position there, which was even more trying
for me. So yeah, that was the first time that
I had ever sort of had to figure out the
cornerback position. But to our earlier point, I don't remember
(13:52):
if we were recording at this point, but you know,
I had Charles there, I had Rod there. I had
people that had played the game that I could look
to and sort of gain some knowledge about the position.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Did you think that those players taught you more about footwork?
What technique thing do you think that you learned early
that was like, okay, that was like huge for me
to help take my game to the next level.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Oh, that's a great question. There's two things.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
So there's one specific thing with Rod. Rod was he's
gonna kill me if I'm putting years on him. But
I think he was in like his seventeenth year. Yeah,
it was, Yes, he was. He was going I mean
he had need like yeah, fake knees and fake he
was playing safety at the time. He was safety, and
(14:39):
so I sat my rookie year. I sat next to
Rod when we would have big dB meetings. I'll never
forget it was like the first second day and the
coach was up there. He was going over schemes and plays.
So he's talking about cover two.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
How you do this? Think?
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Look over to Rod rod Is in his book that
the top sets covered two. Bottom He's got exits and
the o's.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
And I'm like, this is his seventeenth year.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
What is he I sort of looked at him and
he kind of looked at me, saw me notice, and
he said, you always take notes. I was like, okay,
and and more so for him. My rookie year, I
was always taking notes, but then it became routine, and
then throughout my career it was habit. It was notes
(15:35):
on players, it was notes on what we're doing, it
was notes on whatever. So that was the big thing
I think from him. But overall we have time because
I got I got stories.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, tell your story. That's what people show up for overall.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
So the question of like what you learn, we we
so what I learned?
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Let me tell you this?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
All the all the first year and the second year
players would be in a room, we'd we'd watch film
with the coaches. When they would see Charles or Rod
or someone make a play, they would say, and you
guys probably are familiar with this. They would say, now
that's a great play. And they turn to us and say,
but you don't do it like that. Every time, every
(16:27):
time happen all the time. Charles would make a play,
Rod make players like, great play, great play, That's not
how we do it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Okay, guys, that's not how we do it.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
And they keep and they keep it moving, and so
I was like, what is this thing that they Why
do they keep saying that's not how we do it.
So we would go to practice as rookies and second
year players. You know, you know what synchronized swimming is.
We would look like that on the field. We would
(16:56):
you know, you have the left leg back right apps
you break forward.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
You bet.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
There was a system. There was a way to play
the cornerback position. And so I tried to learn because
I was like, they draft me in the first round.
I need to figure this thing out. So I did
every single thing that they told me that the group
of us were doing. It was fifteen or silver. I
wasn't gaining any traction. I'll make a play here or there.
(17:23):
You know, I'm like, I'm taller than all the rest
of these, Like I can't there's things they're doing.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I'm like, how is this possible?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
So I'm going into my I think it was my
second year, second ord. Yes, going into my second year.
We had a coach that told me, this off season,
I want you to study all of the greats, study
the best corners.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Whoever you think those guys are. We have tapes.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Go upstairs, find the tapes like this this off season,
spring summer and tell me and come can tell me
what you notice. And I did that. You name the guy.
I studied him, watching everything. I need to figure out
how to play this position. And the thing that stood
out to me was they were all great. They were
(18:14):
all making plays, but none of them.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Looked the same.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
They were all distinctly different than the other person, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
And so.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Wait, they're not doing the the synchronized swimming thing that
we've been this that was how I was taught. Yeah,
And so I come back and I realized I started
to learn what made me comfortable in the position.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
And I developed, with the help of some teammates, my
own way to play, because they were going to ask
us to play press man, it's going to be ninety game,
so I had to figure out how to do that.
So there was a way that I played the game
that was different from my teammates. And I remember when
I started to take off my second Yeah, and to
(19:05):
the top of my third year, never forget for watching film.
I made the play coach turn to the rookies. Great play,
but we don't like that, and.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I made made it. I got it.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
So the thing that I learned was we're all talented.
You know, we're in the NFL. We can all do it.
But the faster you figure out who you are in
the game and how you fit, the better it'll go
for you.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
You know what, Yeah, I do.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
And that's a great transition to what we're here today doing,
which is, uh, you know about this podcast and Thomas,
you know, break out your tissues if you need to,
but you know it's really all about you really helped
inspire this whole deal here, the idea of really giving
the platform to former players talking about that transition and
actually finding an outlet, whether the space or talking about
(20:05):
you know, the transition of what they do in finding
some kind of joy or happiness after football is all
said and done, because at some point that happens for
all of us, and you really talking about that helped
really inspire this.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
And so how is that possible for you?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Like where did you see that kind of transition or
how did you see that would play out in your
own life?
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Well, first, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I didn't realize until we started the show how instrumental
or influential I was in beginning this show until I
heard from Thomas, And so that makes me happy, you
know what I mean. Yeah, because anyway you can and
be of service, I think it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
The transition is tough.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Oh yeah, the transition is because what happens is you
were already sort of spoken on it, but you're going
from a constant energy that's around you, from the crowd,
from your teammates, from people in the streets.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
You know what I mean, that's your feeling.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Whether it's positive, whatever it is, you're feeling that, you know,
and that's a daily thing for you. And then it
all ends, and you know.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Where'd everybody go? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
You know, like, hey, guys, you know I'm still here.
And that's a difficult thing. I don't know if everyone
deals with it, but I definitely dealt with it just
trying to figure out who I was without the game.
I'm sure this comes up a lot in this podcast
(21:53):
right that people were going through the moment of identity
crisis and like, oh, who I am. I've done this
almost my whole life up until this point, and now
you tell me I'm not. Now I'm not doing it anymore.
So what do I do? And I definitely went through that.
I think it's unfair to say I went through it.
(22:14):
I think i'd say I'm getting better, you know what
I mean. I haven't crossed over into like glory land
where it's like it doesn't cross my mind, You're just
never going to get it again. But speaking to some guys,
Ronnie Lott was instrumental in this, annieas Williams even.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
For great energy guys.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Yeah yeah, yeah, he was great energy guy.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I've met him a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
A yeah, yeah, yeah, that's like he's Louisiana, right, yeah, yeah,
And just just getting some words from them which were
along the same lines, which were whatever you do next,
go into it with the same further the same sort
of energy that you went into football, you know, and
(23:07):
then you'll see the results. And so that's what I've
tried to do. But there's a strong period in there
where it was like, uh, what is going on?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
What was that?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
What was that low period? What was that low period?
And you know that's not actually did you ever get
out of it? Because you said you're still you're getting
better at it, So how are you climbing out of that?
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I'm out of the low, okay, but I'm not out
of the fog.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Okay, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (23:37):
I think the low was. There are stages of grief, right,
and I hit those stages. You know, I think there's
seven stages, right. I probably had eight or nine.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
You know. I threw a couple of there just for
good measure.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
But the you know, I don't know what the first
one is, but the nile is in there, like no, no, everything,
you know, you good? Yeah, I'm good, but there's no
you know, like there's no issue.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
I guess what I did.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I was like, no, I'm good, Yeah, I'm good, just
blinded by it's so true you're not good?
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah? Yeah, no, not at all. I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
And I also the period of my life where I
didn't talk, you know, which is also an issue for
and I think a lot of us. So there wasn't
much communication to anyone about like and I missed the game.
I don't know what to do next, and I don't
you know, I'm waking up in the morning like I
(24:37):
don't have a drive for anything. There's nothing pushing me
forward to the next step. So then I'll just end
the day and wait until I go to sleep and
see if something comes the next day. And then you're
kind of getting to a routine where nothing's happening. I
started to have, you know, at that point, I had kids,
(25:01):
and that I think took a lot of the focus.
So that's that could sort of keep me through that.
I spent a lot of time with the kids, do
whatever I can in that world, and then I'll be
good and let's wait till the next day. If I
went through that, it was you know it. You know,
(25:22):
I strugg to sort of like throw it away. But
it was a difficult, difficult period. And then I figured
out what I what I wanted to try to do,
and I started to fall in love with that, and
so I so the low started to get higher and
I started to get out of that space. But I
(25:44):
didn't do it on my own. I actually find a thing.
So I don't know that i've that I necessarily did
all the work, but I found a thing and it
helped me sort of grow out of where I was.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
So, I know, I know for me, I kind of
went through my little funk of trying to figure out
what I want to do, and then I found something.
I was like, well, I'm happy, but I don't know
if I would want to do this right now. And
then it was just me trying to you know, you're
trying to figure other things out. But really, what what
helps you is you know we all have a support system,
well most people they have a support system, right, So
(26:20):
talk about what and who your support system was that
help you get you through that dark time.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, I mean I have a I have a praying family.
It's just that's how we grew up for sure. This
is what it is. From my wife, to my mom,
to my grandma, to everyone and my family.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
That's what they do.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
And so that was sort of the thing that I
could always go back to that would sort.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Of give me a little bit of strength.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
And you know, so it was really family support that
would that would get me through those moments. And they
didn't even know they you know what I mean, Yeah,
they didn't even because you didn't communicate, No, no, not
at all. They had They had no clue. They were like,
oh great, you know they'll be like, oh man, can
you believe what you've accomplished in your life and all
(27:14):
these sort of things. But I never communicated that I
am lost. I don't know what's next, you know what
I mean. But their support, even in me not communicating anything,
was I think what got me through.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
So what's the biggest misconception with players once they get
out of the league, Like the opinion of players once
they get out of the league that they got to
figure it out, or that we don't we can only
play football, or even like you was like, why when
when they're most quiet, that's when we should check on
them the most.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Ooh, that's interesting, that's there's actually something to that.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Yeah, because here you say it, I would think, like,
you know what, it is something to that the teammate
I haven't heard from in the longest, it's probably one
I might need to check out.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
And I get it too when I hear certain things
about guys that were struggling. This guy went down that path,
or this guy didn't have any money anymore, this guy
got it da da da dam Like to I completely
get it. I see it. You know when I was playing,
I don't know that I could have seen it.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
You know. I look at that and I'm like, oh,
come on, guys. You know, you just played in the NFL.
You can go, you know.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
But then when you're in it, it's completely different. And
you know, and we're finishing playing, we're retiring in our thirties.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Yeah, yeah, the whole life ahead of you, gotcha. But
you don't know that, No, you don't. You don't think
you're old because you're not old. Yeah that's right. Yeah,
that's right. And you're told you're old, and you're told
you're old.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
You're told you're old, you're old, you're told you're old. Yeah,
and you get out in the rest of the world
and you're like, I'm like the youngest person in the room.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
That's right. And then I'll just tell you my career.
Yeah that's right.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
And they start to tell you you're so young you
have right. But it's the first time you heard it, Yes,
you got I'm so used to hearing that you were old.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
So there's a rewiring that has to happen, and you
actually have to hear it enough times for you to realize, oh, no,
I am young. I'm not old. I'm I can do more,
you know, and that's that's we just have to all
get to that place.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Yeah, I think one of the biggest things I've heard
in the last couple of years, it was like, you know,
because I'm in the same as you, Like, I've been
told I was old, and all of a sudden, everybody
I've been around it's like way older than me.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Actually I'm very young.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Actually, look at the you know, according to bank statements,
I'm like, it's kind of like very young compared to
a lot of people that have this amount or whatever
it is. And that's what football is blessed us with.
And then you know, they say, you know what, actually,
in most people's careers, the biggest years of income generating
years are in your forty something to fit, It's like
(29:53):
it's like that's your biggest years. So like you're just
you didn't even hit it yet. It's right there at it.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
You hear it the statistics and it's like forty five
to yeah, fifty five or six wow, okay, yeah, so
there's even more you're right, Yeah, you know, And I
don't think people talk about that enough because in our
real world that conversation has never had.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
But I guess in everybody else's locker room that conversations
had all the time. You got to work to this.
Then when you get here, man, you're gonna really enjoy it. Yeah,
this is the sweet spot. When you say everybody else's
locker room, what do you mean really questions? Yeah, yes, yes, yes,
got it, got it, yeah, acting all these others like
by the time you really figured it out and hit it,
that's where you're at stage. It's just we're just we've
(30:40):
been told for so long. Just in the opposite end,
we just don't know it. And like you said, the
communication part of it is huge because we do not
hear that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
We're going to take a short break and we'll be
right back.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
So do now that you're retired and you're in the
acting business, do you have players former players when they
when they get out, do they heat you up for
do they heat you up for advice?
Speaker 2 (31:06):
And if you do give advice, what do you tell them?
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I've had like a handful, And I think even when
I was playing, there was something I don't know if
it's like taboo or something, there was something about it
that guys would would talk about like oh, oh I
could I want to go into acting. I want to
go into but you couldn't.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Really.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
It wasn't really like announced. It was like on the side, oh,
I'm going to go into and so. And I've seen
that not a lot of people go are going into it.
I've had a couple of people, like a handful of
people that have reached out and like, hey, I'm trying
to get into this. So I'd give advice, which is
basically choose another professor.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
But I'll stick.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
With them because it is a very I mean, it's
like anything else. It's it's very difficult. But I'll sort
of give them the tools that I had that I
figured out along the way and what could help them.
But it's such a tough profession in that if there's
any bit of fragility in your spirit, you will be
(32:18):
done in like half a minute. The amount of like
rejection and the amount of like, now you know what
I mean, it's tough. It's a lot of that.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
It's a lot of that.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I have thick skin. Yeah, you gotta have thick skin.
And we learned we sort of developed that playing football,
so we're able to understand, Okay, there's another day. This
didn't work out, Okay, let's see how we can get
better and move to the Do you.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Receive good feedback in those rejections or is it just
a reject It depends. It depends if they because I've
never been in that room. I haven't either. Is it
kind of like, oh my god, you were so great,
but I were to go for somebody else, thank you,
bye bye kind of like that, or.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Is it yeah? I mean you'll get a polite when
they reject you.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
They won't necessarily do it like to your face in
the room. They don't say that. It'll be on their face,
but they won't. They won't say to you, and then
you'll get a call that, oh, this didn't work out
and this is the reason why. But they also have
like the boiler like they have their list of things
that they can say, and oh, we're gonna go with
(33:28):
someone more experienced. Oh we're gonna go with you know.
So you hear the standard things. You don't really get true.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Feedback, so you just have to what's sorry I do?
Speaker 2 (33:39):
You just have to figure it out. So what's been
tough for football or acting? Well?
Speaker 3 (33:46):
For me, there's nothing I haven't experienced anything tougher than
having to learn the cornerback position.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Really, Yeah, so I would say football.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
I think I don't want to take anything away from
acting because it is extremely difficult. I think it's crazy
when I hear people say like acting is easiest, Like
that camera turns on and you have to disappear. It's
like be in your own space. It's very difficult. But
football is its own. Football is like mind, body, soul, spirit.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Yeah, those you.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Know, everything is involved, and it's just a different type
of grind and it's tough.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Yeah, it's tough. It's like next level tough. We should act.
Let's get some coaches and start acting. Yeah, well we
just we've heard multiple things about a acting coach today,
so because we actually knew zero about it up until today.
So it's been real interesting. We've been learning, you've been learning. Yeah,
we're trying to research. Listen, we're doing our research. It's
(34:52):
never too late.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
I appreciate that, you know, let's do it, let's act.
I think I may have aged out, but.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
You're still young. You're still young.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
I appreciate that. I appreciate that I received that you
don't look it, but he receives it. He don't look it,
but he received it all right. So you're talking about
how hard it is, and I mean, dude, you knocked
it out of the park. Honestly you did. And your
rolling Crown heights because you maybe give us you know,
you were what was that you were? You were out
the gate. You they said you're the next rising star.
(35:23):
You want a couple other you know, we're mentioned a
couple of award things off of that, Uh, take us
into that role, like how did you get prepared for it?
Why was it? Like what made that one so special
for you? And like how did you really?
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Like?
Speaker 1 (35:37):
I think it's special whenever I talked to her or
meet a person that's an actor quote unquote, because they're
not themselves and like how do you how do you ever?
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yeah? Yeah, like how do you get into character? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:49):
Amaze, but yeah, and they're a completely different person.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Than who they are. I'm innocent.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
My friend is you know, like and you got the
accent and everything, like you just gotta you got the
cool little accent that, Yeah, how do you do that?
Speaker 3 (36:08):
It's so that project is interesting because I was going
through it and I was trying to figure out because
nothing was working out and I'm like, all right, this
isn't Maybe this isn't the thing. I had tried so
many things, man, like real estate, like I have gone
through like okay, what is what is out there? And
(36:28):
this wasn't really working out. So I remember I like
the emails, like I had a list of like one
hundred directors and in an acting class, like if I
come in, everyone's like acting class, is he gonna act like?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
Is he?
Speaker 3 (36:47):
And so you have to do that in front of
people when they're like now watching every single movement because
they know you from another life.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
So it's difficult.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
So I had reached out to these hundred directors, and
you know, I was getting advice that they're gonna look
at you as a football player. They're not gonna nobody's
gonna respond. I said, let me try. I reached out.
I got one response about them out of a hundred.
I said, I was going to give this thing six months.
(37:19):
Doesn't if I don't. If I don't feel something in
the six months, then I'll then this wasn't it. And uh,
And I started feeling things along the way and I
got one response and the guy was like, oh, this
is great to hear we got into we had a
couple of calls and then I don't.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Know what ghosting is.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Oh yeah, it just I was like, what's up. I'm like, yo,
I'm still trying to do this. So he disappeared on me.
And so I remember the day I said, all right,
that's it.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
I'm done.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Figure something else out. Maybe it's a different part of
the business that I do, but it's not gonna be this.
It's not gonna be a you know what I mean.
So I put it down and guy's my witness. Was
like a week later and I get an email about
this role this film. The guy like, hey, we're doing
(38:16):
this film any interest? Like, yeah, I was done. I'm like, yeah,
let me let me try. And so I went out,
we did an audition for it, ended up getting the
role and coming on to help produce and yeah, that
was it. But it it to get into that character.
(38:37):
I mean, it's I mean, we could be here for
days talking about that. But I know for the audition,
the accent that I have in the film, I had
to bring that into the audition and they these guys
didn't expect it, so they thought I was just going
to come in as me and I just got some
advice from the acting coach that I worked with. They said,
(38:58):
use the Trinidadian accent in the room. But I'm not
talking about when they say action, Yeah, the whole time,
the moment you step in. And so I stepped in
the room like like how I stepped in and shook
hands and stuff. It was in an accent and they
immediately were like he walked any character, you know what
(39:20):
I mean? Like they and so I was like all right,
and so I was in and then all the way
to the car, I was even when they said bye,
I was still in. I never dropped that thing.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Yeah, and then it came back. It was like within
a couple of days, like yeah, got it, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
The commitment, Yeah yeah. Kilt it ki.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah with a tea that's black right there, that's that's
the kilt it with a t He killed that.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
Like how you say five? Fine? Taylor says, oh yeah
that was fire, Like that's five. Yeah, That's what I'm
talking about.
Speaker 1 (39:58):
Hey, that's far so not only can you act, but
when did you know that you know?
Speaker 2 (40:04):
I can lead?
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Like when you was it a Sylvie's Love, Like when
did you know you can like lead? Or be the lead,
the main character in a movie.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
When did you know that I came in with that mentality,
Like I came in that I'm not the side part,
Like I'm not the one they came when I first
got in, I would they would send me out on
auditions and it would be for the football player, right something,
(40:34):
you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (40:35):
And so I because you spot the game, you did
a spot in the game, different spot, you know, you
were playing that. So I was playing them, but this
was but this was the thing that they wanted when
I was done right right, Yeah, So I would you know,
it's like, yeah, you're the one that brings the beer
into the party and then you know, you grunt and
you hey, guys, I got the beer. And you know,
I was like, eh, they say, do it like a
(40:56):
football player, and I'm like, I'm doing it.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
How I do it?
Speaker 3 (41:01):
I actually did play And so that just wasn't I
knew that wasn't the lame for me. So I just said,
let me sort of figure it out. I knew that
there were lead parts. I knew that there were this
is what we do. You know, you were both captains
on your teams, like probably we all were captains since
Pop Warner or since high school. What we know how
(41:24):
to do is lead. That's just it's it's innate. And
even coming into that business, even knowing nothing, I knew
that I'm a leader. Yeah, whether it's the role that
I'm playing or the team that I'm built around. So
that's why it was always in mind in my head,
in my mind.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Another big part of your story is your philanthropy work.
So your foundation, the awesome WAH Foundations and so you
got the orphans and orphans and window widows in need
or call it a owen. And then you also have
to act, so the awesome WAH college tour of scholarships
and so I just like, how much of that part
(42:05):
do you want that to be known as your legacy?
And I know it's a huge part of your life.
Like I think this is outstanding. I didn't know about
this until I did a dig dive in especially about
the college tours.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
That's just so cool, bro.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
I mean the fact that you're taking kids and you're
taking them to Howard, You're taking them down to Louisiana.
You did a whole tour out there. You've been on
the East Coast, you've taken them all down to the
West coast. We didn't do Opportunities.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
You didn't do U. Well, you did LSU, you did Xavier.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
You also did Southern and so yeah, yeah, yeah did
two lanes and another grade school.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
So I just thought that was when I saw that.
Speaker 1 (42:39):
I'm like, that is brilliant because and not only that,
but all the kids are going off and doing other
things once.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
They go through your program.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Soun the impact that you're making on these young people's lives.
I know it's big, but I want to hear from
your words on how much it is an impact on
you and how important in philanthropy has been in your
life too, Ligit. I'm sure it's been down you just
don't grow into this. I'm sure it's about your parents
as well. Yeah, yeah, they definitely played a big role.
(43:08):
You know, both of my parents growing up. My dad
died when I was twelve. Sorry, yeah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (43:13):
But even before that, I watched him in his philanthropic
efforts and he was helping out and stuff. So it
definitely played a role. But the college tour, that's so
good to my heart.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
It seems like it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
Man, that thing is Derek Brooks, you know, yeah, of
course all of fame dB. He So he was doing
a tour, but not a tour. I guess it's doing
a trip for some kids. And he took them to
it must have been like South Africa. They went somewhere.
(43:50):
And I caught this. I said, he took some kids
on that trip to So I said, why would he?
I just thought about it, and I was like, I
love to travel. I would love to give back in
some sort of way. And I was like, I want
to do something like that. And he and I've told
him this that he would that he influenced, you know,
(44:10):
what I do with these kids. But at that point
I wanted an angle. I was in East Oakland, and
I knew that there were so many bright kids in
Oakland that were never going to get out of Oakland
because they they just don't know anybout it.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
They don't they don't know that there's an out.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Yeah, yeah, Okland. This is all they know. This is
all they see. They can't see past that. That's right.
Speaker 3 (44:34):
And they got great grades, great personnelity, great people. And
you start to talk to them and they're like, no,
I gotta I'll probably after graduate I'll take care of
my grandma, and then I'm going to take care of
my my nieces, and then I gotta also take care
of X y Z and all right, but what about Yeah,
who's taking care of you?
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Yep?
Speaker 3 (44:55):
Right, And I would get these students to get Then
I said, look, we're going on tours. We're going across
the country. We'll go to different states and different cities.
And I do it every year, new students every year,
junior sophomores in high school. Let's go, let's check out
the colleges. We put them in touch with the colleges.
They many of them end up going to those schools,
(45:17):
getting scholarships from us from them. It just turned into
a huge thing that till this day and now COVID
struck us. When COVID hit, that was the first time
we hadn't done it in years, and so we had
to take a break and now where we're back on
doing the tours again and it's been Yeah, that's a
great that one's.
Speaker 1 (45:38):
Like, I would love to team up bring some to Alabama. Dog,
I know, East Oakland. I don't know if they're ready
to come to Alabama Crimson time, but hey, I mean
it's not bad.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
That's all I'm saying. College education. I like you. I'm
with you. I'm with you.
Speaker 3 (45:55):
You've been al I've been there, I mean driven by it,
You've driven through.
Speaker 2 (46:01):
Buy it.
Speaker 1 (46:03):
I ain't stay there, ain't got Alabama. Aint got nothing
for me. Bust some red clay. We got a lot
of red dirt. Yeah, his red dirt, a.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Lot of that. I stay down in louis An. I'm good.
It's all good. I said down the Southwest, baby to
buy you.
Speaker 1 (46:17):
It's all good in the boot. It's all good. Man,
yell at too much. How did this connection happen?
Speaker 2 (46:26):
We were teammates. We're teammates.
Speaker 1 (46:28):
Yeah, and then uh, Peanut recruited me.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
Oh, because this is my dog man, I know. I
give him like you can tell you can tell it.
That's that's my god. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:40):
We have you ever seen the show grumpyr old Man,
the movie Grumpy? Oh yeah yeah yeah, Jack Lemon watching
like this is us. Like he's older, but we grumpy
and happy all at the same time.
Speaker 2 (46:51):
Like I love it.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
We're gonna be fighting just we're gonna be na. Yeah,
this is how we gonna all of our kids got
cool now.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
It's like it's a whole Yeah, it's a whole scene.
Speaker 3 (47:01):
You know in life when they when Martin and then
Eddie Murphy.
Speaker 2 (47:05):
Yeah, like messing with each other. That's Roman. I this
is that's Roman. I. I want to know this though.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
Did you really choose to major in finance at Berkeley
because of Eddie Murphy's character in Boomerang?
Speaker 2 (47:17):
Wow? Good for you. You didn't.
Speaker 3 (47:19):
Now, I don't know if you did the deep dive
or Thomas Thomas did the deep Give Thomas that bone, dude,
Thomas did it?
Speaker 2 (47:26):
Thomas is dope.
Speaker 1 (47:27):
First of all, Thomas has studied you, Okay, like the
back of his own hand. Thomas is good. A's good
as there's no doubt about it. Shout out to Thomas.
But we went to Howard question.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
He went to Howard, did Howard you have taken your
He's got to building named after us? No, I'm lying.
I made I made that up, but that was I
made that part up. But it sounded a great. It's
not great. I should have kept it going. We should
I should have ken't be believed that.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
I didn't believe I.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
Was acting. I was in Kings. Sure, I love it.
I love it. Oh my god. Yeah, so that, yes,
I watched boom Rate. Great movie.
Speaker 1 (48:09):
Yeah, Boomerang, great movie, that's right, And I watched it
and I tell people like, it's not the not the
best reason to choose a major, but I probably him.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
And I was like, oh, this student, he's right, like
you know what I mean, he's got it all. He's
got it all figured out, all figured out, stra all
day straja.
Speaker 3 (48:34):
And so I went into I was finishing in high
school and they said, what do you want to major
when you go to college?
Speaker 2 (48:38):
And I said, marketing.
Speaker 3 (48:40):
You know, I wanted to be in like the marketing
sort of the business, the finance world. And it was
because of Eddie Murphy and Boomerang. And then I got
to college and I didn't get into the.
Speaker 2 (48:51):
Business school, so I couldn't do market it.
Speaker 3 (48:54):
So I did some classes that qualified me for getting
the finance degree. But yeah, that was my inspiration.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
I love it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
So yeah, last question, no, no, no, because I got to
know this, Thomas gonna be mad.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
I don't look at him. I don't care. I don't care,
I don't care. Here we go. You ready, This is
the last question, the last This is the last question.
This will be the last question.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
No, it's not. We're going to ask you the real
one one. We always but I'm getting this in. Tell
me this. You learn how to play the saxophone for
Sylvie's Love, Well, then right, do you still play it?
And I also want to know because I heard the
whole eighteen month process was a process not only for
you but everybody else.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
That had to hear you playing.
Speaker 1 (49:33):
Yeah, yeah, it was because you traveled with I want
to knowhe plane took Yeah. I want to know are
they still like are they over that?
Speaker 2 (49:42):
Like? And so how did how is that whole thing
going like for the whole family? I think that's awesome.
I don't play anymore. Oh, I know.
Speaker 1 (49:54):
That was such a he would say like, oh yeah,
I saw like you know, when the balloon, Like I
just thought.
Speaker 2 (50:03):
I was like, he's still plays, he's committed. Yeah exactly.
I'm sorry. Guys, No, I don't. I don't play.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
But my son every now and then he'll jump in
there and he's six, and he'll jump in there and
he'll see it and he'll start trying to play something.
Speaker 2 (50:16):
So okay, I'll get him into yeah, but I don't
let it go.
Speaker 1 (50:21):
All right, go ahead with your last question I had
last question, last question.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
So we asks this question to a lot of our guests.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
I don't want the question for a lot of the guests.
I want to this is our main question. This is
our main questions.
Speaker 2 (50:34):
Spin it.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
Okay, So this is the first time we've ever asked
this question. Making it up off the fly, are you no? No?
Speaker 2 (50:39):
No, yeah, yeah, making it I love when he goes
off the totally off the cuff.
Speaker 1 (50:45):
So Mount Rushmore, Right, there's four people on Mount Rushmore
in life. They've helped you, acting, coaching, playing, producing, philanthropy, whatever.
If you could put four people on you or Mount Rushmore,
who would they be?
Speaker 2 (51:02):
Oh okay, that was all right?
Speaker 3 (51:05):
Yeah you weren't ready for that.
Speaker 2 (51:07):
That's what I'm looking like. I see you. Let's see.
I would put Rob Ryan, who was a coach of mine.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
Nice Bob Bron's got mentioned twice, you got mentioned twice.
Speaker 2 (51:22):
That's who he is.
Speaker 3 (51:24):
I mean, I could do a segment on him.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
I would put. I'd have to put my wife on
the air, of course, shout out. I wanted.
Speaker 3 (51:34):
I actually want to stay away from family because there's
so many. I don't want to pick one of those
mouse just like six people. Yeah, I had a coach
named Eden Bernardi. She was an acting coach that passed away.
I would have to put Alonzo Carter. He's now coach
at San Jose State. But what has just been a
(51:56):
mentor throughout Well you see my football shape? Yeah, because
you only get four, and so I've put two football related,
one acting. I can't put family. Oh, I'll take my
wife up because I don't want to put family.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
So the last person is great question. I was off
the coffin that what happened. It's like a freestyle I
can wrap now.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Oh you know who would be be Andy Reid? Yeah,
another great coach.
Speaker 3 (52:26):
Andy Reid, who who I'm still very close to to
this day, loves cheeseburgers and loves cheese but also burgers.
I mean you can look at him and be intimidated.
The most gentle human being by the figure type of person.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
I love that. Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 3 (52:43):
So I think those I'll go with those four because
I was under the gun if I had a day
to think about it, or you.
Speaker 2 (52:48):
Don't have I don't know what. You don't have it.
I don't don't have it.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
You know what, Nandy, dude, this has been awesome. I
appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
It's great.
Speaker 1 (52:56):
I'm mad it took us so long to meet and
we came out in the same draft.
Speaker 3 (52:59):
Can I say something that is the greatest cornerback draft
in the history.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
It is the game it is. Should we go through
a list?
Speaker 1 (53:08):
Yeah, Thomas tell him in my ear real quick, So
can you pull it up real quick?
Speaker 2 (53:12):
I'm calling you out. So it was this draft class
was crazy.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
You Sammy Davis, You, Terrence Newman, Marcus TRUEFANX like Ike Taylor,
Andre Wilfork Rashene.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
You said.
Speaker 1 (53:33):
Cookman Cookman, Ken Hamlin from Yeah, Draydon Florence, Bryan Scott Scott, Mike,
Mike Doss, Terrence Keel from A and M. Yeah, Ricky Manning,
U C l A, Chris Crocker, you guys, Donald Strickland.
(53:54):
This was a giant battle. It was a Dennis Fells
be They probably we did this earlier. In just the
first round alone, they took six corners, then they took another, yeah,
they did, and then they took like the sixth I
was the seventh corner taken at the thirty fifth pick.
Speaker 2 (54:11):
And then in the seventh round they took another seven
corners like they were corner dB heavy in the two
thousand three draft, it was it was a strong class man.
I don't know what y'all have.
Speaker 1 (54:23):
Hey, I'm sorry, I said I missed eight DB's in
the seventh first Oh, I'm sorry in the seventh round
eight DB's.
Speaker 2 (54:29):
What class are you? I'm two thousand and six? Yeah? Six?
He looked like he was ninety nine? Is he is
he lying?
Speaker 1 (54:38):
No?
Speaker 2 (54:39):
Thousand and six?
Speaker 1 (54:40):
Is he telling me truth? I just want everybody know
we have never been accused of like so much. You
never been accused of list so much. Actors, we're all acting.
When you go back and watch this, you'd be like, damn,
Peanut was really active when he asked you that question.
Speaker 2 (54:56):
Yeah, and that is it. No, the you're off the
hot seat. All right. We're gonna let you go man
with this one. Appreciate it, bro.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Thank you so much, man, and also all of our
listeners and out those out there watching, please continue to
do that.
Speaker 2 (55:10):
Man.
Speaker 1 (55:10):
We will continue to bring you nothing but he from
all of our guests that we got with us. And
I just gotta say for all of us, give us
a five star rating, please quick follow, give us a
shout out, give us a review, if you'd like tell
a friend to tell a friend to tell.
Speaker 2 (55:25):
A friend anywhere you pick up your.
Speaker 1 (55:27):
Podcast, whether it's iHeartRadio or Apple podcast. And with all
things being said, Domd, that was the same question we
asked everybody else.
Speaker 2 (55:45):
Yes, I like.
Speaker 1 (55:47):
It, I like it, I love it. He was like, many,
I had to go into a replace.
Speaker 2 (55:59):
Today. You went in ze, I waslonzo.
Speaker 1 (56:02):
I had to just go I went dark and it
was so, y'all are liars, actors, actors. We are actors.
Did you see how I was really bad? Because yeah,
that was that was good. I was like, hey, it's
a great support. Yes my height, Oh I love it. Wow,
that's my guy. Wow, that's my guy. We pulled it off.
I can't we need to act. I'm gonna get y'all.
(56:24):
One star said, I'm gonna get I'm gonna go there.
Speaker 2 (56:28):
Looking as we can edit that part.
Speaker 1 (56:30):
That was That was awesome. A man, thank you all
for tuning in. This is the NFL Player Second Acts Podcast.
I'm Peanut, that's Roman, that's no and a man.
Speaker 2 (56:39):
We had a blast. Thank you all for tuning in.
God bless y'all. Good night. They baked file B
Hey, this is Marcus Colston and it's the NFL Player's
Second Acts Podcast. Welcome to the NFL Player Second Acts Podcast.
I'm Peanuts Hillman. This is my grandfather, Roman Harper. My god,
(00:23):
what's up?
Speaker 2 (00:23):
I'm doing? You like that one? I do?
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I mean, I've been called way worse by you, and
grandfather seems good. It seems it's my grandfather and everything
else that comes with it.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Man.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
First and foremost, let's thank all of our viewers and
listeners out there anywhere else you listen and pick up
your podcast, whether it's Apple podcast or iHeartRadio podcast. Thank
you so much for always tune in. Give us a
rating of review five stars. Please tell a friend to
tell a friend to what Peanut. Tell a friend there
it is. Continue to spread the word. Hit click, follow,
(00:52):
give us a like all those other things. Peanut, who
do we have today? We got a good one. I'm
kind of excited about this one. Excited as our producer Thomas,
but uh yeah, this this.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Is a good one.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
He's in he's in my draft class. He's a first
round draft pick.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Before you, oh, blow out already.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
But he deserved it. Though he deserved to be better,
he was better than me coming out of college. He
deserved it and he earned it. He's a first round
thirty first pick, thirty first pick to the Oakland Raiders,
now Las Vegas Raiders, but the Oakland Raiders. Four time
All Pro pro bowler, actor, producer, philanthropist. Ladies and gentlemen,
(01:38):
Please welcome.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
To the show. Nam the awesome. Why oh you guys
clap too? Yeah, we clap, yeah, yeah, sometimes we clap
the audience. Yeah, we the audience. We do it all.
We do it all right here. We're our own hype team.
It we gotta be. We gotta be. Yeah. Now, welcome
to the show.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But before we say anything, we have to clear up
how you pronounce your name? Well, before you answer, how
you pronounce your name? Okay, we got something for you.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Don't do it. Don't do selection.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
In the two thousand three NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders
select as Namity corner back California Asa Namdi.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
So we're we're we're in my So I stayed in
the dorms for four years in college, which just like unprecedented,
but they it was like my own dorm. So I
took care of, got everything taken care of. So we're
in the dorms. I have like my my brother and
my sister, like all of my friends, my teammates from college.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
At the door.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
They're all in the dorm. This was my my No, no, no, no, no,
they're just in there. They didn't sleep there. No, no, no.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
I'm just saying, Yeah, you're the first person know to
have a party in the dorm. Yeah, first time ever.
Everyone was outside of that. Oh, let me, it must
have been a hell of a dorm.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
No. We also had a party the next night.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Hold on we because as I was in the doors
for so long as a senior, so by the time
I got there till my senior year, my dorm was
like pretty much the whole first like I had flush.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. It was. Yeah, it was nice.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You know. They took care of me.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
So I had everybody in there, and I got a
phone call from the Raiders. We're sort of expecting the
first round that okay, first round is going to go
and we'll see what we show up. And I had
the calls beforehand. I had some teams call and say, hey,
if you don't get drafted, look for us in free aging.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
You know what I mean. I was preparing for that,
so I said, okay.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
So I might not get d I told people I
might not get so I'm not looking at the first round.
So but we're all in there. We're just chilling. I
get the call from the Raiders and they're like, we're
going to take you with the next pick, and so
I'm like telling them we're going, We're going to the Raiders.
Everybody screamings, here he comes, you come, shredded, it destroyed.
(03:57):
My teammates killed me that. They were like, wait, who
is he talking about you? They showed my face. I
was like, but anyway, as Moga took away from the moment,
but you know, we're here now.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
We here now, And you thought they said you might
have go on Oh no, no, no, no, no. Teams. There
were teams.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
So there were teams that were saying, hey, we're going
to take you in the second round. It there's teams
that's saying different things. But there were teams that were like, hey,
just in case you don't get drafted, look for us,
you know, and for when you get to choose. And
I didn't know, Yeah, you don't really know, like they're there.
It's all projected, but it's their thoughts and there, so
(04:39):
I didn't know. And then we went with thirty one.
So during the Gruden trade is it called the trade
when he was trade? Yeah, he went from Oakland Tampa Bay.
The Raiders got an extra pick, so we had thirty
one and thirty two, and they took me with thirty
one and uh who was thirty two? Who was a
(05:00):
defensive lineman named Tyler Braydon.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Okay, I was gonna say, did you always have that
over him? Because, like, I mean, they could have picked
either one of us, and they took me in front
of you.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
He was such he was such a good guy, like
I would never like, he's a good guy. You was like,
were you forty five? I was?
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I was forty third. Oh okay, my bad, it's all good.
I'm thirty five. He looked forty.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Five for sure all day.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
I remember when we played against you. I can't remember
if it was it was early in my career. We
played against you and you you were balling. You did
your thing, of course, and then I came after the game.
I remember I was talking to one of my teammates
and I said, man, the old Vet.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Was not like he shot.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
He was because because when you took your helmet off, yes,
silver fox, and they were like, man, he younger than you.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
I was like what, yeah, yes, well we always say
like dude, we should always ask when everybody the first
time they actually saw you was like yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
It was like everyone says the same yes, yea yo.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
I was like, oh yeah I was, you know we're talking.
He was, oh, yeah, I'm I'm a rookie. I was like,
rookie right right, been in the league seven years, right,
stress football ain't supposed to be that hard. Yeah. The
best story ever was when I got into my own
DV room, like they knew that I was a draft pick,
the second round pick, and they had to you know
(06:25):
that back then it was like nine year, twelve thirteen
year guys and they're all in there. They were like,
you know, did he he's the second round pick? Like
who's a new vet guy. They're like, no, he's the
second round pick. They were like did he go on
like a mission trip or something like was he in
the arm for us? Like did he serve?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yeah? Yeah? Like did he just come back? Like what happened? Like?
How's he so great? You were what you were twenty two? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:47):
Twenty two, twenty three when I got drafted one of those.
But thirty two, yeah, it's just part of it anyway,
decade plus Macro your career, grandpa. Right here, we got
these great careers. We all have that welcome to the
NFL moment? What was your welcome to the NFL moment
with the back then Oakland Raiders? So it's not tag
(07:09):
lear Bill, I can't say you. I mean technically you could,
but we know that one. But was there something when
you got like on the team. Did the Vets say something?
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Did you go out? Was it a bill?
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Was it a rookie show? Was it you got hit,
you got ran, or you gave him a touchdown?
Speaker 2 (07:24):
Man? They didn't.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
They took care of me. I didn't. So I didn't
do the rookie show. What didn't do the rookie Show?
I didn't. I mean they made me pay for a
lot of like rookie dinners. Okay, but they would do
this thing with the rookies where they would give them
crazy haircuts.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
Yeah yeah, like you got like.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
All your hairs right here right here, you know what
I mean? Didn't do that, Like, I don't know, they.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Took care of you. They liked you.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
You got some good vets. Then it was great vets.
It was Charles Woodson, who wasn't a great I'll tell
him to his face, he was not a great.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
Uh bet.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
When I was a rookie. It was not a good
mentor at all. Didn't say one word.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
To me the whole time. I had to earn it.
I had to earn it.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It was like, you're going to earn it. My second
year he started talking to me. It was like, okay,
but yeah we had Rod Woodson. I mean these guys
were in their fifteenth year. Yeah, they didn't have time
to worry about you.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
They weren't. No Jim Brown, Jerry Rice, M Brown.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Jerry Rice. That was the first game I started, the
Raider game. My fourth game. We played all my fourth game,
Oh yeah, Chicago, I remember that. That was the first
game I started. First game I started was Dre Rice
and that was like two Hall of Famers.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
That's my first game I ever started.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
And I was going to say, you were balling though
I had like three p's and they weren't p i s.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
It's just I was a rookie going against j Rice.
They throw the bag, they throw the flag, coach like, Peanut,
you will never get that call.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Just keep playing, baby, keep playing. I was looking. I
remember watching from you know beside. I didn't play. I
mean I played special teams, and I was like, man,
this dude, you know, like he not there was the
other guys. I was like, man, they actually they're playing.
They're out there ball and I'm like my head, damn,
Like I get to run down his gunner, yeah, and
(09:11):
then stop the other gunner and then like try to
break the wall and kick off.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
And you know, I was stressing.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
So I played thirteen years, twelve in Chicago, one in Carolina.
You played for the Saints for I don't know, ten
fifteen years, and then you played another year or two
in Carolina.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
You he did twenty two years. Yeah, he did twenty
two years. He did a bid.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Uh. You played, you played in you played in Oakland,
You went to San Francisco, you played in Philly, right,
and then finally you signed the one day contract. Why
was it important for you to go back to Oakland
and signed that one day contract and retire as a Raider.
And the follow up question is how was it playing
with Al Davis.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Or four Dave? Excuse me? Yeah, for al Davis. Yeah,
I stayed playing with playing for him. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
The first question why I was important. It was the
place that raised me, you know what I mean. And
when I finished, Remember when I left Oakland, we were
in the middle of a strike. We were in the
middle of a Yeah, the lockout was oh no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
It was like.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
We were in the middle of the strike, and like
when and I was a free agent, so right when
it was over, you had like a day, yeah, to
get with the team because it ended as training camp
was about to start the beginning, and I remember like
being under the gun, make a decision, make a decision.
(10:45):
And so I made the decision. But it was so quick,
like the next day I was gone. I was on
a plane and I felt like I never had the
opportunity to talk to the Oakland fans. Yeah, I think
the fans, you know, people like take out a page
in a yeah, do something. So that never happened. And
I remember when I finished, I was just thinking, like
(11:06):
this is this was the team that raised me. When
I was drafted, I played safety. I played safety throughout
college and you know there was a guy Poindexter played
for Virginia in college. Yeah. Yeah, Anthony Poindexter. He was
a safety and I used to watch him and I.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Was like, oh, yeah, I played one of the n
C double A game. Yeah, really good. That's right, Yeah,
that's right, that's right.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
He So he was nicely played with with Tiki and
those guys, and so I would watch him and I said, Okay,
I want to be a safety. I want to hit,
I want to play in space. I did not want
to be out there by myself at all.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
By any means. So I devoted myself to plan safety.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Thought I figured it out, ended up getting drafted, and
I get there and and then Al Davis tells me,
we're going to move you to the corner.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
What do you know? What I mean?
Speaker 3 (12:03):
Like, this isn't that's not my haven't you seen my
tape play safety? I'm the next Poindexter. And he's like, yeah,
you're gonna play corner and you're gonna figure it out.
And I struggled. I remember struggling my rookie year and
having to figure it out. I mean what I became,
you know, all the things that happened in Oakland and
(12:25):
just realizing that journey that happened there and to never
be able to to say thank you in any sort
of way to the fan base, to the organization. Stayed
with me, and so when I finished, I wanted to
go back there and sort of do it what I
felt was the right way with the team that brought
(12:46):
me up.
Speaker 1 (12:46):
That was your first time ever playing corner when you
got drafted by the Raiders, Well, I played.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
So in high school you played, yeah, And in college
there were a few games where we had like a
taller receiver, I think my senior year where there'd be like,
you know, go out and check that receiver. The hell
I didn't know what I was I got you doing?
And so then when I got to Oakland, it was
(13:11):
the first And so you got to imagine you get
drafted to play a position, to play cornerback at in
my position, what was the most difficult place in the
league to play the position because they didn't care about you,
you know what I mean. Like it was You're gonna
be out there by yourself the whole game, Like there's
(13:32):
no we're gonna there's no one that's under you, there's
no one on top of you, There's just one guy
in the middle. And so I had to learn how
to play the position there, which was even more trying
for me. So yeah, that was the first time that
I had ever sort of had to figure out the
cornerback position. But to our earlier point, I don't remember
(13:52):
if we were recording at this point, but you know,
I had Charles there, I had Rod there. I had
people that had played the game that I could look
to and sort of gain some knowledge about the position.
Speaker 1 (14:04):
Did you think that those players taught you more about footwork?
What technique thing do you think that you learned early
that was like, okay, that was like huge for me
to help take my game to the next level.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Oh, that's a great question. There's two things.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
So there's one specific thing with Rod. Rod was he's
gonna kill me if I'm putting years on him. But
I think he was in like his seventeenth year. Yeah,
it was, Yes, he was. He was going I mean
he had need like yeah, fake knees and fake he
was playing safety at the time. He was safety, and
(14:39):
so I sat my rookie year. I sat next to
Rod when we would have big dB meetings. I'll never
forget it was like the first second day and the
coach was up there. He was going over schemes and plays.
So he's talking about cover two.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
How you do this? Think?
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Look over to Rod rod Is in his book that
the top sets covered two. Bottom He's got exits and
the o's.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
And I'm like, this is his seventeenth year.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
What is he I sort of looked at him and
he kind of looked at me, saw me notice, and
he said, you always take notes. I was like, okay,
and and more so for him. My rookie year, I
was always taking notes, but then it became routine, and
then throughout my career it was habit. It was notes
(15:35):
on players, it was notes on what we're doing, it
was notes on whatever. So that was the big thing
I think from him. But overall we have time because
I got I got stories.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, tell your story. That's what people show up for overall.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
So the question of like what you learn, we we
so what I learned?
Speaker 2 (16:04):
Let me tell you this?
Speaker 3 (16:05):
All the all the first year and the second year
players would be in a room, we'd we'd watch film
with the coaches. When they would see Charles or Rod
or someone make a play, they would say, and you
guys probably are familiar with this. They would say, now
that's a great play. And they turn to us and say,
but you don't do it like that. Every time, every
(16:27):
time happen all the time. Charles would make a play,
Rod make players like, great play, great play, That's not
how we do it.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Okay, guys, that's not how we do it.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
And they keep and they keep it moving, and so
I was like, what is this thing that they Why
do they keep saying that's not how we do it.
So we would go to practice as rookies and second
year players. You know, you know what synchronized swimming is.
We would look like that on the field. We would
(16:56):
you know, you have the left leg back right apps
you break forward.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
You bet.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
There was a system. There was a way to play
the cornerback position. And so I tried to learn because
I was like, they draft me in the first round.
I need to figure this thing out. So I did
every single thing that they told me that the group
of us were doing. It was fifteen or silver. I
wasn't gaining any traction. I'll make a play here or there.
(17:23):
You know, I'm like, I'm taller than all the rest
of these, Like I can't there's things they're doing.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
I'm like, how is this possible?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
So I'm going into my I think it was my
second year, second ord. Yes, going into my second year.
We had a coach that told me, this off season,
I want you to study all of the greats, study
the best corners.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Whoever you think those guys are. We have tapes.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Go upstairs, find the tapes like this this off season,
spring summer and tell me and come can tell me
what you notice. And I did that. You name the guy.
I studied him, watching everything. I need to figure out
how to play this position. And the thing that stood
out to me was they were all great. They were
(18:14):
all making plays, but none of them.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Looked the same.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
They were all distinctly different than the other person, you
know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
And so.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
Wait, they're not doing the the synchronized swimming thing that
we've been this that was how I was taught. Yeah,
And so I come back and I realized I started
to learn what made me comfortable in the position.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
And I developed, with the help of some teammates, my
own way to play, because they were going to ask
us to play press man, it's going to be ninety game,
so I had to figure out how to do that.
So there was a way that I played the game
that was different from my teammates. And I remember when
I started to take off my second Yeah, and to
(19:05):
the top of my third year, never forget for watching film.
I made the play coach turn to the rookies. Great play,
but we don't like that, and.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
I made made it. I got it.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
So the thing that I learned was we're all talented.
You know, we're in the NFL. We can all do it.
But the faster you figure out who you are in
the game and how you fit, the better it'll go
for you.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
You know what, Yeah, I do.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
And that's a great transition to what we're here today doing,
which is, uh, you know about this podcast and Thomas,
you know, break out your tissues if you need to,
but you know it's really all about you really helped
inspire this whole deal here, the idea of really giving
the platform to former players talking about that transition and
actually finding an outlet, whether the space or talking about
(20:05):
you know, the transition of what they do in finding
some kind of joy or happiness after football is all
said and done, because at some point that happens for
all of us, and you really talking about that helped
really inspire this.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
And so how is that possible for you?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Like where did you see that kind of transition or
how did you see that would play out in your
own life?
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Well, first, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I didn't realize until we started the show how instrumental
or influential I was in beginning this show until I
heard from Thomas, And so that makes me happy, you
know what I mean. Yeah, because anyway you can and
be of service, I think it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (20:55):
The transition is tough.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Oh yeah, the transition is because what happens is you
were already sort of spoken on it, but you're going
from a constant energy that's around you, from the crowd,
from your teammates, from people in the streets.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
You know what I mean, that's your feeling.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Whether it's positive, whatever it is, you're feeling that, you know,
and that's a daily thing for you. And then it
all ends, and you know.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Where'd everybody go? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:33):
You know, like, hey, guys, you know I'm still here.
And that's a difficult thing. I don't know if everyone
deals with it, but I definitely dealt with it just
trying to figure out who I was without the game.
I'm sure this comes up a lot in this podcast
(21:53):
right that people were going through the moment of identity
crisis and like, oh, who I am. I've done this
almost my whole life up until this point, and now
you tell me I'm not. Now I'm not doing it anymore.
So what do I do? And I definitely went through that.
I think it's unfair to say I went through it.
(22:14):
I think i'd say I'm getting better, you know what
I mean. I haven't crossed over into like glory land
where it's like it doesn't cross my mind, You're just
never going to get it again. But speaking to some guys,
Ronnie Lott was instrumental in this, annieas Williams even.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
For great energy guys.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
Yeah yeah, yeah, he was great energy guy.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
I've met him a couple of times.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
A yeah, yeah, yeah, that's like he's Louisiana, right, yeah, yeah,
And just just getting some words from them which were
along the same lines, which were whatever you do next,
go into it with the same further the same sort
of energy that you went into football, you know, and
(23:07):
then you'll see the results. And so that's what I've
tried to do. But there's a strong period in there
where it was like, uh, what is going on?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
What was that?
Speaker 1 (23:19):
What was that low period? What was that low period?
And you know that's not actually did you ever get
out of it? Because you said you're still you're getting
better at it, So how are you climbing out of that?
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I'm out of the low, okay, but I'm not out
of the fog.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Okay, you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (23:37):
I think the low was. There are stages of grief, right,
and I hit those stages. You know, I think there's
seven stages, right. I probably had eight or nine.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
You know. I threw a couple of there just for
good measure.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
But the you know, I don't know what the first
one is, but the nile is in there, like no, no, everything,
you know, you good? Yeah, I'm good, but there's no
you know, like there's no issue.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
I guess what I did.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I was like, no, I'm good, Yeah, I'm good, just
blinded by it's so true you're not good?
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah? Yeah, no, not at all. I mean.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
And I also the period of my life where I
didn't talk, you know, which is also an issue for
and I think a lot of us. So there wasn't
much communication to anyone about like and I missed the game.
I don't know what to do next, and I don't
you know, I'm waking up in the morning like I
(24:37):
don't have a drive for anything. There's nothing pushing me
forward to the next step. So then I'll just end
the day and wait until I go to sleep and
see if something comes the next day. And then you're
kind of getting to a routine where nothing's happening. I
started to have, you know, at that point, I had kids,
(25:01):
and that I think took a lot of the focus.
So that's that could sort of keep me through that.
I spent a lot of time with the kids, do
whatever I can in that world, and then I'll be
good and let's wait till the next day. If I
went through that, it was you know it. You know,
(25:22):
I strugg to sort of like throw it away. But
it was a difficult, difficult period. And then I figured
out what I what I wanted to try to do,
and I started to fall in love with that, and
so I so the low started to get higher and
I started to get out of that space. But I
(25:44):
didn't do it on my own. I actually find a thing.
So I don't know that i've that I necessarily did
all the work, but I found a thing and it
helped me sort of grow out of where I was.
Speaker 1 (26:00):
So, I know, I know for me, I kind of
went through my little funk of trying to figure out
what I want to do, and then I found something.
I was like, well, I'm happy, but I don't know
if I would want to do this right now. And
then it was just me trying to you know, you're
trying to figure other things out. But really, what what
helps you is you know we all have a support system,
well most people they have a support system, right, So
(26:20):
talk about what and who your support system was that
help you get you through that dark time.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, I mean I have a I have a praying family.
It's just that's how we grew up for sure. This
is what it is. From my wife, to my mom,
to my grandma, to everyone and my family.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
That's what they do.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
And so that was sort of the thing that I
could always go back to that would sort.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
Of give me a little bit of strength.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
And you know, so it was really family support that
would that would get me through those moments. And they
didn't even know they you know what I mean, Yeah,
they didn't even because you didn't communicate, No, no, not
at all. They had They had no clue. They were like,
oh great, you know they'll be like, oh man, can
you believe what you've accomplished in your life and all
(27:14):
these sort of things. But I never communicated that I
am lost. I don't know what's next, you know what
I mean. But their support, even in me not communicating anything,
was I think what got me through.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
So what's the biggest misconception with players once they get
out of the league, Like the opinion of players once
they get out of the league that they got to
figure it out, or that we don't we can only
play football, or even like you was like, why when
when they're most quiet, that's when we should check on
them the most.
Speaker 3 (27:47):
Ooh, that's interesting, that's there's actually something to that.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
Yeah, because here you say it, I would think, like,
you know what, it is something to that the teammate
I haven't heard from in the longest, it's probably one
I might need to check out.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
And I get it too when I hear certain things
about guys that were struggling. This guy went down that path,
or this guy didn't have any money anymore, this guy
got it da da da dam Like to I completely
get it. I see it. You know when I was playing,
I don't know that I could have seen it.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
You know. I look at that and I'm like, oh,
come on, guys. You know, you just played in the NFL.
You can go, you know.
Speaker 3 (28:24):
But then when you're in it, it's completely different. And
you know, and we're finishing playing, we're retiring in our thirties.
Speaker 2 (28:32):
Yeah, yeah, the whole life ahead of you, gotcha. But
you don't know that, No, you don't. You don't think
you're old because you're not old. Yeah that's right. Yeah,
that's right. And you're told you're old, and you're told
you're old.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
You're told you're old, you're old, you're told you're old. Yeah,
and you get out in the rest of the world
and you're like, I'm like the youngest person in the room.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
That's right. And then I'll just tell you my career.
Yeah that's right.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
And they start to tell you you're so young you
have right. But it's the first time you heard it, Yes,
you got I'm so used to hearing that you were old.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Correct.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
So there's a rewiring that has to happen, and you
actually have to hear it enough times for you to realize, oh, no,
I am young. I'm not old. I'm I can do more,
you know, and that's that's we just have to all
get to that place.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
Yeah, I think one of the biggest things I've heard
in the last couple of years, it was like, you know,
because I'm in the same as you, Like, I've been
told I was old, and all of a sudden, everybody
I've been around it's like way older than me.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Actually I'm very young.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Actually, look at the you know, according to bank statements,
I'm like, it's kind of like very young compared to
a lot of people that have this amount or whatever
it is. And that's what football is blessed us with.
And then you know, they say, you know what, actually,
in most people's careers, the biggest years of income generating
years are in your forty something to fit, It's like
(29:53):
it's like that's your biggest years. So like you're just
you didn't even hit it yet. It's right there at it.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
You hear it the statistics and it's like forty five
to yeah, fifty five or six wow, okay, yeah, so
there's even more you're right, Yeah, you know, And I
don't think people talk about that enough because in our
real world that conversation has never had.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
But I guess in everybody else's locker room that conversations
had all the time. You got to work to this.
Then when you get here, man, you're gonna really enjoy it. Yeah,
this is the sweet spot. When you say everybody else's
locker room, what do you mean really questions? Yeah, yes, yes, yes,
got it, got it, yeah, acting all these others like
by the time you really figured it out and hit it,
that's where you're at stage. It's just we're just we've
(30:40):
been told for so long. Just in the opposite end,
we just don't know it. And like you said, the
communication part of it is huge because we do not
hear that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
We're going to take a short break and we'll be
right back.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
So do now that you're retired and you're in the
acting business, do you have players former players when they
when they get out, do they heat you up for
do they heat you up for advice?
Speaker 2 (31:06):
And if you do give advice, what do you tell them?
Speaker 3 (31:09):
I've had like a handful, And I think even when
I was playing, there was something I don't know if
it's like taboo or something, there was something about it
that guys would would talk about like oh, oh I
could I want to go into acting. I want to
go into but you couldn't.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
Really.
Speaker 3 (31:30):
It wasn't really like announced. It was like on the side, oh,
I'm going to go into and so. And I've seen
that not a lot of people go are going into it.
I've had a couple of people, like a handful of
people that have reached out and like, hey, I'm trying
to get into this. So I'd give advice, which is
basically choose another professor.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
But I'll stick.
Speaker 3 (31:55):
With them because it is a very I mean, it's
like anything else. It's it's very difficult. But I'll sort
of give them the tools that I had that I
figured out along the way and what could help them.
But it's such a tough profession in that if there's
any bit of fragility in your spirit, you will be
(32:18):
done in like half a minute. The amount of like
rejection and the amount of like, now you know what
I mean, it's tough. It's a lot of that.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
It's a lot of that.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
I have thick skin. Yeah, you gotta have thick skin.
And we learned we sort of developed that playing football,
so we're able to understand, Okay, there's another day. This
didn't work out, Okay, let's see how we can get
better and move to the Do you.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
Receive good feedback in those rejections or is it just
a reject It depends. It depends if they because I've
never been in that room. I haven't either. Is it
kind of like, oh my god, you were so great,
but I were to go for somebody else, thank you,
bye bye kind of like that, or.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Is it yeah? I mean you'll get a polite when
they reject you.
Speaker 3 (33:07):
They won't necessarily do it like to your face in
the room. They don't say that. It'll be on their face,
but they won't. They won't say to you, and then
you'll get a call that, oh, this didn't work out
and this is the reason why. But they also have
like the boiler like they have their list of things
that they can say, and oh, we're gonna go with
(33:28):
someone more experienced. Oh we're gonna go with you know.
So you hear the standard things. You don't really get true.
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Feedback, so you just have to what's sorry I do?
Speaker 2 (33:39):
You just have to figure it out. So what's been
tough for football or acting? Well?
Speaker 3 (33:46):
For me, there's nothing I haven't experienced anything tougher than
having to learn the cornerback position.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Really, Yeah, so I would say football.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
I think I don't want to take anything away from
acting because it is extremely difficult. I think it's crazy
when I hear people say like acting is easiest, Like
that camera turns on and you have to disappear. It's
like be in your own space. It's very difficult. But
football is its own. Football is like mind, body, soul, spirit.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
Yeah, those you.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Know, everything is involved, and it's just a different type
of grind and it's tough.
Speaker 1 (34:31):
Yeah, it's tough. It's like next level tough. We should act.
Let's get some coaches and start acting. Yeah, well we
just we've heard multiple things about a acting coach today,
so because we actually knew zero about it up until today.
So it's been real interesting. We've been learning, you've been learning. Yeah,
we're trying to research. Listen, we're doing our research. It's
(34:52):
never too late.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
I appreciate that, you know, let's do it, let's act.
I think I may have aged out, but.
Speaker 2 (35:00):
You're still young. You're still young.
Speaker 1 (35:01):
I appreciate that. I appreciate that I received that you
don't look it, but he receives it. He don't look it,
but he received it all right. So you're talking about
how hard it is, and I mean, dude, you knocked
it out of the park. Honestly you did. And your
rolling Crown heights because you maybe give us you know,
you were what was that you were? You were out
the gate. You they said you're the next rising star.
(35:23):
You want a couple other you know, we're mentioned a
couple of award things off of that, Uh, take us
into that role, like how did you get prepared for it?
Why was it? Like what made that one so special
for you? And like how did you really?
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Like?
Speaker 1 (35:37):
I think it's special whenever I talked to her or
meet a person that's an actor quote unquote, because they're
not themselves and like how do you how do you ever?
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Yeah? Yeah, like how do you get into character? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (35:49):
Amaze, but yeah, and they're a completely different person.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Than who they are. I'm innocent.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
My friend is you know, like and you got the
accent and everything, like you just gotta you got the
cool little accent that, Yeah, how do you do that?
Speaker 3 (36:08):
It's so that project is interesting because I was going
through it and I was trying to figure out because
nothing was working out and I'm like, all right, this
isn't Maybe this isn't the thing. I had tried so
many things, man, like real estate, like I have gone
through like okay, what is what is out there? And
(36:28):
this wasn't really working out. So I remember I like
the emails, like I had a list of like one
hundred directors and in an acting class, like if I
come in, everyone's like acting class, is he gonna act like?
Speaker 2 (36:46):
Is he?
Speaker 3 (36:47):
And so you have to do that in front of
people when they're like now watching every single movement because
they know you from another life.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
So it's difficult.
Speaker 3 (36:58):
So I had reached out to these hundred directors, and
you know, I was getting advice that they're gonna look
at you as a football player. They're not gonna nobody's
gonna respond. I said, let me try. I reached out.
I got one response about them out of a hundred.
I said, I was going to give this thing six months.
(37:19):
Doesn't if I don't. If I don't feel something in
the six months, then I'll then this wasn't it. And uh,
And I started feeling things along the way and I
got one response and the guy was like, oh, this
is great to hear we got into we had a
couple of calls and then I don't.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Know what ghosting is.
Speaker 3 (37:41):
Oh yeah, it just I was like, what's up. I'm like, yo,
I'm still trying to do this. So he disappeared on me.
And so I remember the day I said, all right,
that's it.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
I'm done.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Figure something else out. Maybe it's a different part of
the business that I do, but it's not gonna be this.
It's not gonna be a you know what I mean.
So I put it down and guy's my witness. Was
like a week later and I get an email about
this role this film. The guy like, hey, we're doing
(38:16):
this film any interest? Like, yeah, I was done. I'm like, yeah,
let me let me try. And so I went out,
we did an audition for it, ended up getting the
role and coming on to help produce and yeah, that
was it. But it it to get into that character.
(38:37):
I mean, it's I mean, we could be here for
days talking about that. But I know for the audition,
the accent that I have in the film, I had
to bring that into the audition and they these guys
didn't expect it, so they thought I was just going
to come in as me and I just got some
advice from the acting coach that I worked with. They said,
(38:58):
use the Trinidadian accent in the room. But I'm not
talking about when they say action, Yeah, the whole time,
the moment you step in. And so I stepped in
the room like like how I stepped in and shook
hands and stuff. It was in an accent and they
immediately were like he walked any character, you know what
(39:20):
I mean? Like they and so I was like all right,
and so I was in and then all the way
to the car, I was even when they said bye,
I was still in. I never dropped that thing.
Speaker 2 (39:32):
I love it.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Yeah, and then it came back. It was like within
a couple of days, like yeah, got it, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
The commitment, Yeah yeah. Kilt it ki.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah with a tea that's black right there, that's that's
the kilt it with a t He killed that.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
Like how you say five? Fine? Taylor says, oh yeah
that was fire, Like that's five. Yeah, That's what I'm
talking about.
Speaker 1 (39:58):
Hey, that's far so not only can you act, but
when did you know that you know?
Speaker 2 (40:04):
I can lead?
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Like when you was it a Sylvie's Love, Like when
did you know you can like lead? Or be the lead,
the main character in a movie.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
When did you know that I came in with that mentality,
Like I came in that I'm not the side part,
Like I'm not the one they came when I first
got in, I would they would send me out on
auditions and it would be for the football player, right something,
(40:34):
you know what I mean?
Speaker 1 (40:35):
And so I because you spot the game, you did
a spot in the game, different spot, you know, you
were playing that. So I was playing them, but this
was but this was the thing that they wanted when
I was done right right, Yeah, So I would you know,
it's like, yeah, you're the one that brings the beer
into the party and then you know, you grunt and
you hey, guys, I got the beer. And you know,
I was like, eh, they say, do it like a
(40:56):
football player, and I'm like, I'm doing it.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
How I do it?
Speaker 3 (41:01):
I actually did play And so that just wasn't I
knew that wasn't the lame for me. So I just said,
let me sort of figure it out. I knew that
there were lead parts. I knew that there were this
is what we do. You know, you were both captains
on your teams, like probably we all were captains since
Pop Warner or since high school. What we know how
(41:24):
to do is lead. That's just it's it's innate. And
even coming into that business, even knowing nothing, I knew
that I'm a leader. Yeah, whether it's the role that
I'm playing or the team that I'm built around. So
that's why it was always in mind in my head,
in my mind.
Speaker 1 (41:44):
Another big part of your story is your philanthropy work.
So your foundation, the awesome WAH Foundations and so you
got the orphans and orphans and window widows in need
or call it a owen. And then you also have
to act, so the awesome WAH college tour of scholarships
and so I just like, how much of that part
(42:05):
do you want that to be known as your legacy?
And I know it's a huge part of your life.
Like I think this is outstanding. I didn't know about
this until I did a dig dive in especially about
the college tours.
Speaker 2 (42:16):
That's just so cool, bro.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
I mean the fact that you're taking kids and you're
taking them to Howard, You're taking them down to Louisiana.
You did a whole tour out there. You've been on
the East Coast, you've taken them all down to the
West coast. We didn't do Opportunities.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
You didn't do U. Well, you did LSU, you did Xavier.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
You also did Southern and so yeah, yeah, yeah did
two lanes and another grade school.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
So I just thought that was when I saw that.
Speaker 1 (42:39):
I'm like, that is brilliant because and not only that,
but all the kids are going off and doing other
things once.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
They go through your program.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Soun the impact that you're making on these young people's lives.
I know it's big, but I want to hear from
your words on how much it is an impact on
you and how important in philanthropy has been in your
life too, Ligit. I'm sure it's been down you just
don't grow into this. I'm sure it's about your parents
as well. Yeah, yeah, they definitely played a big role.
(43:08):
You know, both of my parents growing up. My dad
died when I was twelve. Sorry, yeah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (43:13):
But even before that, I watched him in his philanthropic
efforts and he was helping out and stuff. So it
definitely played a role. But the college tour, that's so
good to my heart.
Speaker 2 (43:27):
It seems like it's awesome.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
Man, that thing is Derek Brooks, you know, yeah, of
course all of fame dB. He So he was doing
a tour, but not a tour. I guess it's doing
a trip for some kids. And he took them to
it must have been like South Africa. They went somewhere.
(43:50):
And I caught this. I said, he took some kids
on that trip to So I said, why would he?
I just thought about it, and I was like, I
love to travel. I would love to give back in
some sort of way. And I was like, I want
to do something like that. And he and I've told
him this that he would that he influenced, you know,
(44:10):
what I do with these kids. But at that point
I wanted an angle. I was in East Oakland, and
I knew that there were so many bright kids in
Oakland that were never going to get out of Oakland
because they they just don't know anybout it.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
They don't they don't know that there's an out.
Speaker 2 (44:30):
Yeah, yeah, Okland. This is all they know. This is
all they see. They can't see past that. That's right.
Speaker 3 (44:34):
And they got great grades, great personnelity, great people. And
you start to talk to them and they're like, no,
I gotta I'll probably after graduate I'll take care of
my grandma, and then I'm going to take care of
my my nieces, and then I gotta also take care
of X y Z and all right, but what about Yeah,
who's taking care of you?
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Yep?
Speaker 3 (44:55):
Right, And I would get these students to get Then
I said, look, we're going on tours. We're going across
the country. We'll go to different states and different cities.
And I do it every year, new students every year,
junior sophomores in high school. Let's go, let's check out
the colleges. We put them in touch with the colleges.
They many of them end up going to those schools,
(45:17):
getting scholarships from us from them. It just turned into
a huge thing that till this day and now COVID
struck us. When COVID hit, that was the first time
we hadn't done it in years, and so we had
to take a break and now where we're back on
doing the tours again and it's been Yeah, that's a
great that one's.
Speaker 1 (45:38):
Like, I would love to team up bring some to Alabama. Dog,
I know, East Oakland. I don't know if they're ready
to come to Alabama Crimson time, but hey, I mean
it's not bad.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
That's all I'm saying. College education. I like you. I'm
with you. I'm with you.
Speaker 3 (45:55):
You've been al I've been there, I mean driven by it,
You've driven through.
Speaker 2 (46:01):
Buy it.
Speaker 1 (46:03):
I ain't stay there, ain't got Alabama. Aint got nothing
for me. Bust some red clay. We got a lot
of red dirt. Yeah, his red dirt, a.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Lot of that. I stay down in louis An. I'm good.
It's all good. I said down the Southwest, baby to
buy you.
Speaker 1 (46:17):
It's all good in the boot. It's all good. Man,
yell at too much. How did this connection happen?
Speaker 2 (46:26):
We were teammates. We're teammates.
Speaker 1 (46:28):
Yeah, and then uh, Peanut recruited me.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
Oh, because this is my dog man, I know. I
give him like you can tell you can tell it.
That's that's my god. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (46:40):
We have you ever seen the show grumpyr old Man,
the movie Grumpy? Oh yeah yeah yeah, Jack Lemon watching
like this is us. Like he's older, but we grumpy
and happy all at the same time.
Speaker 2 (46:51):
Like I love it.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
We're gonna be fighting just we're gonna be na. Yeah,
this is how we gonna all of our kids got
cool now.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
It's like it's a whole Yeah, it's a whole scene.
Speaker 3 (47:01):
You know in life when they when Martin and then
Eddie Murphy.
Speaker 2 (47:05):
Yeah, like messing with each other. That's Roman. I this
is that's Roman. I. I want to know this though.
Speaker 1 (47:12):
Did you really choose to major in finance at Berkeley
because of Eddie Murphy's character in Boomerang?
Speaker 2 (47:17):
Wow? Good for you. You didn't.
Speaker 3 (47:19):
Now, I don't know if you did the deep dive
or Thomas Thomas did the deep Give Thomas that bone, dude,
Thomas did it?
Speaker 2 (47:26):
Thomas is dope.
Speaker 1 (47:27):
First of all, Thomas has studied you, Okay, like the
back of his own hand. Thomas is good. A's good
as there's no doubt about it. Shout out to Thomas.
But we went to Howard question.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
He went to Howard, did Howard you have taken your
He's got to building named after us? No, I'm lying.
I made I made that up, but that was I
made that part up. But it sounded a great. It's
not great. I should have kept it going. We should
I should have ken't be believed that.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
I didn't believe I.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
Was acting. I was in Kings. Sure, I love it.
I love it. Oh my god. Yeah, so that, yes,
I watched boom Rate. Great movie.
Speaker 1 (48:09):
Yeah, Boomerang, great movie, that's right, And I watched it
and I tell people like, it's not the not the
best reason to choose a major, but I probably him.
Speaker 2 (48:21):
And I was like, oh, this student, he's right, like
you know what I mean, he's got it all. He's
got it all figured out, all figured out, stra all
day straja.
Speaker 3 (48:34):
And so I went into I was finishing in high
school and they said, what do you want to major
when you go to college?
Speaker 2 (48:38):
And I said, marketing.
Speaker 3 (48:40):
You know, I wanted to be in like the marketing
sort of the business, the finance world. And it was
because of Eddie Murphy and Boomerang. And then I got
to college and I didn't get into the.
Speaker 2 (48:51):
Business school, so I couldn't do market it.
Speaker 3 (48:54):
So I did some classes that qualified me for getting
the finance degree. But yeah, that was my inspiration.
Speaker 2 (49:02):
I love it. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
So yeah, last question, no, no, no, because I got to
know this, Thomas gonna be mad.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
I don't look at him. I don't care. I don't care,
I don't care. Here we go. You ready, This is
the last question, the last This is the last question.
This will be the last question.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
No, it's not. We're going to ask you the real
one one. We always but I'm getting this in. Tell
me this. You learn how to play the saxophone for
Sylvie's Love, Well, then right, do you still play it?
And I also want to know because I heard the
whole eighteen month process was a process not only for
you but everybody else.
Speaker 2 (49:30):
That had to hear you playing.
Speaker 1 (49:33):
Yeah, yeah, it was because you traveled with I want
to knowhe plane took Yeah. I want to know are
they still like are they over that?
Speaker 2 (49:42):
Like? And so how did how is that whole thing
going like for the whole family? I think that's awesome.
I don't play anymore. Oh, I know.
Speaker 1 (49:54):
That was such a he would say like, oh yeah,
I saw like you know, when the balloon, Like I
just thought.
Speaker 2 (50:03):
I was like, he's still plays, he's committed. Yeah exactly.
I'm sorry. Guys, No, I don't. I don't play.
Speaker 3 (50:09):
But my son every now and then he'll jump in
there and he's six, and he'll jump in there and
he'll see it and he'll start trying to play something.
Speaker 2 (50:16):
So okay, I'll get him into yeah, but I don't
let it go.
Speaker 1 (50:21):
All right, go ahead with your last question I had
last question, last question.
Speaker 2 (50:25):
So we asks this question to a lot of our guests.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
I don't want the question for a lot of the guests.
I want to this is our main question. This is
our main questions.
Speaker 2 (50:34):
Spin it.
Speaker 1 (50:34):
Okay, So this is the first time we've ever asked
this question. Making it up off the fly, are you no? No?
Speaker 2 (50:39):
No, yeah, yeah, making it I love when he goes
off the totally off the cuff.
Speaker 1 (50:45):
So Mount Rushmore, Right, there's four people on Mount Rushmore
in life. They've helped you, acting, coaching, playing, producing, philanthropy, whatever.
If you could put four people on you or Mount Rushmore,
who would they be?
Speaker 2 (51:02):
Oh okay, that was all right?
Speaker 3 (51:05):
Yeah you weren't ready for that.
Speaker 2 (51:07):
That's what I'm looking like. I see you. Let's see.
I would put Rob Ryan, who was a coach of mine.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
Nice Bob Bron's got mentioned twice, you got mentioned twice.
Speaker 2 (51:22):
That's who he is.
Speaker 3 (51:24):
I mean, I could do a segment on him.
Speaker 2 (51:27):
I would put. I'd have to put my wife on
the air, of course, shout out. I wanted.
Speaker 3 (51:34):
I actually want to stay away from family because there's
so many. I don't want to pick one of those
mouse just like six people. Yeah, I had a coach
named Eden Bernardi. She was an acting coach that passed away.
I would have to put Alonzo Carter. He's now coach
at San Jose State. But what has just been a
(51:56):
mentor throughout Well you see my football shape? Yeah, because
you only get four, and so I've put two football related,
one acting. I can't put family. Oh, I'll take my
wife up because I don't want to put family.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
So the last person is great question. I was off
the coffin that what happened. It's like a freestyle I
can wrap now.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
Oh you know who would be be Andy Reid? Yeah,
another great coach.
Speaker 3 (52:26):
Andy Reid, who who I'm still very close to to
this day, loves cheeseburgers and loves cheese but also burgers.
I mean you can look at him and be intimidated.
The most gentle human being by the figure type of person.
Speaker 2 (52:41):
I love that. Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 3 (52:43):
So I think those I'll go with those four because
I was under the gun if I had a day
to think about it, or you.
Speaker 2 (52:48):
Don't have I don't know what. You don't have it.
I don't don't have it.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
You know what, Nandy, dude, this has been awesome. I
appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (52:55):
It's great.
Speaker 1 (52:56):
I'm mad it took us so long to meet and
we came out in the same draft.
Speaker 3 (52:59):
Can I say something that is the greatest cornerback draft
in the history.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
It is the game it is. Should we go through
a list?
Speaker 1 (53:08):
Yeah, Thomas tell him in my ear real quick, So
can you pull it up real quick?
Speaker 2 (53:12):
I'm calling you out. So it was this draft class
was crazy.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
You Sammy Davis, You, Terrence Newman, Marcus TRUEFANX like Ike Taylor,
Andre Wilfork Rashene.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
You said.
Speaker 1 (53:33):
Cookman Cookman, Ken Hamlin from Yeah, Draydon Florence, Bryan Scott Scott, Mike,
Mike Doss, Terrence Keel from A and M. Yeah, Ricky Manning,
U C l A, Chris Crocker, you guys, Donald Strickland.
(53:54):
This was a giant battle. It was a Dennis Fells
be They probably we did this earlier. In just the
first round alone, they took six corners, then they took another, yeah,
they did, and then they took like the sixth I
was the seventh corner taken at the thirty fifth pick.
Speaker 2 (54:11):
And then in the seventh round they took another seven
corners like they were corner dB heavy in the two
thousand three draft, it was it was a strong class man.
I don't know what y'all have.
Speaker 1 (54:23):
Hey, I'm sorry, I said I missed eight DB's in
the seventh first Oh, I'm sorry in the seventh round
eight DB's.
Speaker 2 (54:29):
What class are you? I'm two thousand and six? Yeah? Six?
He looked like he was ninety nine? Is he is
he lying?
Speaker 1 (54:38):
No?
Speaker 2 (54:39):
Thousand and six?
Speaker 1 (54:40):
Is he telling me truth? I just want everybody know
we have never been accused of like so much. You
never been accused of list so much. Actors, we're all acting.
When you go back and watch this, you'd be like, damn,
Peanut was really active when he asked you that question.
Speaker 2 (54:56):
Yeah, and that is it. No, the you're off the
hot seat. All right. We're gonna let you go man
with this one. Appreciate it, bro.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
Thank you so much, man, and also all of our
listeners and out those out there watching, please continue to
do that.
Speaker 2 (55:10):
Man.
Speaker 1 (55:10):
We will continue to bring you nothing but he from
all of our guests that we got with us. And
I just gotta say for all of us, give us
a five star rating, please quick follow, give us a
shout out, give us a review, if you'd like tell
a friend to tell a friend to tell.
Speaker 2 (55:25):
A friend anywhere you pick up your.
Speaker 1 (55:27):
Podcast, whether it's iHeartRadio or Apple podcast. And with all
things being said, Domd, that was the same question we
asked everybody else.
Speaker 2 (55:45):
Yes, I like.
Speaker 1 (55:47):
It, I like it, I love it. He was like, many,
I had to go into a replace.
Speaker 2 (55:59):
Today. You went in ze, I waslonzo.
Speaker 1 (56:02):
I had to just go I went dark and it
was so, y'all are liars, actors, actors. We are actors.
Did you see how I was really bad? Because yeah,
that was that was good. I was like, hey, it's
a great support. Yes my height, Oh I love it. Wow,
that's my guy. Wow, that's my guy. We pulled it off.
I can't we need to act. I'm gonna get y'all.
(56:24):
One star said, I'm gonna get I'm gonna go there.
Speaker 2 (56:28):
Looking as we can edit that part.
Speaker 1 (56:30):
That was That was awesome. A man, thank you all
for tuning in. This is the NFL Player Second Acts Podcast.
I'm Peanut, that's Roman, that's no and a man.
Speaker 2 (56:39):
We had a blast. Thank you all for tuning in.
God bless y'all. Good night. They baked file B
Hosts And Creators
Charles “Peanut” Tillman
Roman Harper
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